Living

Q: A long-distance relative has a child with physical and mental disabilities. How do you prepare your children for their first visit over the holidays?

BALTIMORE The nation's Roman Catholic bishops have affirmed that the church defines marriage between one man and one woman, and sex is meant for procreation.

BALTIMORE Fallout continues from the summer controversy over the University of Notre Dame awarding an honorary degree to President Barack Obama, who supports abortion rights.

Dear Mr. Dad: My 9-year-old son has no interest in practicing sports. He says he wants to play in games but cringes whenever I mention that he need to go to practices too. I've been frustrated at his lack of interest and want to encourage him, but I don't want to turn him off of sports. How can I approach this situation?

Q: My husband and I each have children from previous marriages and now have twin toddlers of our own. My daughter, age 10, lives with us but also spends time with her dad, while my bonus son, Billy, 11, lives with his mother in another state. Our toddlers adore their older siblings. How do I explain to the little ones where their half-brother and half-sister are when they aren't with us?

About 20 years ago, I read Ken Dychtwald's book, "Age Wave." It changed my life focus. Since then, I have reported almost exclusively on the awesome changes longevity offers us today.

DETROIT Jerry Reiser married his high school sweetheart. But that ended after 14 years. A softball umpire introduced him to his second wife. That, too, ended in divorce. Then two years ago, Reiser - now 58 - decided he wanted another long-term relationship - but found singles dances weren't cutting it. He turned to online dating. Reiser quickly received more than 70 matches. He dated a handful of women from the online roster, but only one stood out - Debbie Kuzma. More than a year and a half after the two met, they were married.

Q: How do I apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits?

Tradition. One of the best commodities on the market today. And not for sale. You couldn't afford it anyway.

I recently spent some time with a friend who has three children. My buddy, whom I've known since fifth grade, is a college-educated responsible guy who has never failed to do right by his family. When describing him, "well-rounded" comes to mind. He's masculine but not macho, sensitive but nowhere near maudlin, perceptive, intuitive, caring, compassionate. Like I said, well-rounded. His wife is as solid as a rock.

BALTIMORE The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops defended their involvement in the health care debate, saying Monday that church leaders have a duty to the nation and God to raise moral concerns on any issue, including on abortion rights and coverage for the poor.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Since World War II, Florida has beckoned retirees looking to spend their golden years in the sun. The steady stream has made Florida's population the oldest in the nation.

Don't let colder weather chill your family's spirit of exploration. Stoke the flame with plans for unusual and active travel. Here are five options.

While browsing through a recent issue of The New Yorker magazine, I came across an article about the current generation of picture books and their bratty protagonists. It was illustrated by an image from a book called "Finn Throws a Fit." Aha, I thought, so juvenile authors are on top of current naming trends. This impelled me to go running (figuratively) to my local Borders to seek further evidence.

In addition to my public work as an entertainer, I am a mom, an athlete, and, very proud to say, a youth soccer coach. I have navigated the subject of sportsmanship in the heat of competition both personally and professionally. That is why when I learned the story of the female college soccer player in New Mexico I was appalled.

For some reason, my husband didn't want to dress up like a garden gnome for Halloween.

Planning ahead is one of the easiest ways to avoid becoming overloaded during the hectic holiday season. To help families take some of the stress out of preparing a Thanksgiving feast, we're switching up the column a bit this week to share with you some of our favorite make-ahead holiday dishes. We're even sharing them a week ahead of time so you have plenty of time to plan on spending more time with your family, instead of preparing food, this Thanksgiving.

My son is 4 1/2. 4 1/2. I witnessed him getting punched in the face while the "perpetrator" (can a 6 year old be a "perpetrator?") sat on top of him and a group of 5 other kids stood around yelling "Fight. Fight. Fight." That there my friends, is a defining moment in a boy's, and mom's, life.

I was hiding in the closet again.

I'm not a big meeting person - I've sat through too many in my life to voluntarily assign myself more.