Articles written by Mary Rice

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About me - Mary Rice

Born in Washington D.C. I moved to the West Coast in my teens. Writing has always been something I enjoy and have been told I'm passably good at. A former military wife and single parent, I'm recently and most happily married for the final time... I hope!

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Behavior & Discipline (Other) Common struggles of single-parent households: 2 of 36
When my daughter was four I chose to become a single parent. The reasons behind the choice don't really matter, only that the choice was made. The first thing I was faced with was explaining to my daughter why Daddy wasn't going to be living with us any more. When explaining to a four year old something as complicated as di... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies Does spanking work for disciplining kids?: 5 of 36
Does spanking work for disciplining kids? A loaded question if ever there was one. I can only speak for myself and my experiences with spanking. As a child I was spanked a total of twice. It was such a rare occurrence that the reasons for being spanked were indelibly imprinted on me for life, as were the lessons from those r... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Funny pet stories: 5 of 33
I have three cats, Mischief, MeeMee and O'Malley. Now one would Think that with a name like Mischief, that would be the one into everything, which isn't actually so but her face... never mind... As I was saying.. O'Malley has been the well behaved one for as long as I've had her, like four years or so. Never up on counters ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies How to bring up well mannered kids: 1 of 1
Good manners in my house are expected. My definition of good manners is: Behavior and speech that is respectful and falls within the acceptable social norms. Does this always happen? No, because we are human, however the expectation is still there. My daughter grew up with that expectation in place. Rarely have I used the w... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Paranormal: 27 of 45
Things had been quiet, maybe too quiet. Thaedra was off again, removing more of the drug cartel single handedly. Peyton still had trouble wrapping his head around that but, she was a big girl and capable of holding her own. It seemed natural for her to be around almost constantly, rendering his poor house chip-less and him c... More..
Relationships & Family > Relationships & Family (Other) How low self-esteem can damage your relationships: 15 of 24
Low self esteem, or the inability to see worth in ones self can slaughter a relationship. As consumers, we look and purchase things that we see as worthwhile or that have some form of value to us. As human beings we look for the same thing in others. How though do we measure this? Often it is from our own self perception, th... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Teen Challenges How well do you know your teen?: 4 of 6
How well do I know my teen? There are days when I find myself staring at my 15 year old and wondering that very question. Do I know this sometimes dark, moody girl who dresses like these emo kids but can pull off A's and B's in school? Certainly she's not the little girl with blond curls, dancing blue eyes and an impish litt... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Problems Parents Face How to discipline children who bite: 2 of 3
When my daughter was around three or four she started biting; herself. Then she'd come out, hold up the bitten appendage, usually her arm, and declare that J___ bit me! It's incredibly hard to keep a straight face when faced with that, but somehow I managed and would calmly inform her that she shouldn't be biting and that she... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Teen Challenges Tips for understanding your teen better: 2 of 2
Being a teenager sucks. You are too big for somethings but not old enough to do others. Your friends opinions matter a lot and along with all of this your trying to figure out how you fit into the world and your own skin. Then you add in parents! As the parent of a teen who actually likes being around me, I wondered why that... More..