Articles written by Melissa Cavanaugh

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About me - Melissa Cavanaugh

My name is Melissa but I'm called Missy by nearly anyone who knows the slightest bit about me. Tomorrow (Jan.10) I will be 36 years old. I feel like I've always been one age - I remember being a small child feeling this way. I was told I've got an "old soul",

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Baby Sleep Issues Is it OK to allow your baby to stay up late and become a "night owl"?: 2 of 25
It is absolutely a parent's prerogative to choose their child's bedtime. I firmly believe that all families are different, live by different codes of ethics family-wise, and should make choices that are best suited for their needs. With that said, children are growing, learning, and constantly changing creatures. They have bi... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Games (Other) Does violence in video games contribute to real life violence?: 22 of 219
Video games are mere entertainment for our children. Just as violent books don't create violent people, violent video games don't create violent kids. Video games are a break from reality for children. They are able to let out their aggressions in a non-confrontational way, and understand that doing so is acceptable. The form... More..
Health & Fitness > Diet Tips How to lose weight and keep it off: 4 of 35
Losing weight is not an easy task. The US Department of Health and Human Services has shown that over the last twenty years, the United States' incidence of obesity has increased dramatically. We as a nation continue to eat more calories than we are able or willing to burn off. Just take a drive through your neighborhood - ar... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Working Parents Is there any harm in raising a "latchkey kid"?: 1 of 8
Just hearing the term "latchkey kid" tugs a little at my heart. The thought of a small boy or girl letting themselves into a cold, dark home after school to care for their own needs makes me truly feel a stark, lonely emptiness that is probably shared by hundreds of thousands of children every day. School days are long and no... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Raising boys: 15 of 48
Humor: Raising BoysDid you ever dream about what your life would be like someday? Think back to your childhood, when life was a brand-new, empty book just waiting for experiences and years to fill its pages crisp,stark-white pages. Did you dream that you would become a doctor, an astronaut? I remember thinking about my life, ... More..
Style & Beauty > Hair Color & Coloring Should you go gray naturally or dye your hair as you age?: 24 of 76
Go ahead and gray naturally if you feel you must. But I'd ask you to once, just once, take a chance and dye your hair. Take a picture of yourself before and after. Which one shows the "real" you? There is no reason to accept gray hair as you age. That's the beauty of it all - you can age, but you can also look younger than yo... More..
Relationships & Family > Tips for Marital Happiness Should couples live together before getting married?: 59 of 124
At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, I'm most assuredly certain that couples should not live together before marriage. It's on the tip of everyone's tongue - "Why buy the milk, when you can get the cow for free?" That sums up the whole "living together" to me. While I accept and acknowledge couples who choose to live tog... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Family Law Abortions: Should the father have some say?: 15 of 29
Abortion is a terribly controversial issue, and trying to convince one side to agree with the other is not going to happen in one article. What makes America a wonderful, free country is that we have choice in many areas, we are able to choose what we do with our lives, how we will live them. What is not right is the fact tha... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: A trip to Disneyworld: 15 of 22
Life in rural Iowa as a second-grade girl had its moments of excitement. I remember bursting with pride when I was selected to play Little Miss Muffet in our elementary play, or riding my bike with friends as the wind whipped through my long, brown hair. My parents loved me, and I had a kid brother that I could pretty much ke... More..
Health & Fitness > Healthy Cooking & Meal Planning Product reviews: Snack packs: 5 of 6
Feeling hungry? Do you want that cake, and be able to eat it too? Are you in the mood for a sweet or savory treat, but don't want to feel guilty about it? Reaching for that 100-calorie snack pack may be an immediate, but not entirely satisfying answer.As a nation, we have seen an increase in obesity over the last twenty years... More..