Don’t Retire, Refire: Waiting to exhale

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times November is the month to celebrate Thanksgiving. I usually focus on the holiday but this year, there’s an added perspective to ruminate on. Reaching for thanks and gratitude in the midst of this stormy year has been challenging and at times, arduous. Weariness has come over many of us as we navigate through COVID-19, an unusual number of devastating hurricanes...

Done retire, ReFire: Dealing with holiday stress

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times Here we are, at the last month of not only the year but of the decade! It’s also a shorter holiday season, since Thanksgiving came late this year. How does the above make you feel? For many, these thoughts can bring on feelings of stress and anxiousness, especially when they are thought of at the same time! Lately, I’ve had many conversations about multi-tasking...

Program focuses on stressed students at Patton

Tearful parents express their own stress factors during PTO presentation By Karen Cresta, Correspondent, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH – While many adults are feeling stressed in this era of information and schedule overload, kids, especially middle school students, may be feeling it even more. Charles F. Patton Middle School’s (CFPMS) Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) hosted a special presentation...

Do we need a better way to celebrate Christmas?

Between the stress and the cost, are we doing something wrong? By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Last week, I wrote about my angst over Christmas shopping. I stress every year. What size? What color? Will they like it? Will they use it? By the 25th I am a frazzled mess. The funny thing is, my children are always appreciative of any gift they receive. But, I do spend a good amount of time...

Are we ‘prepping’ our kids for too much stress?

A few thoughts on navigating today’s increased anxiety-filled world By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times As a teen in the 1980’s, the terms “prep, prepper, and preppy” evoke strong memories of a serious fashion statement: Tretorn tennis shoes, gravity-defying, up-turned collars, going sockless and the syrupy scent of Ralph Lauren’s Lauren perfume.  The above was often tied together...

The daily grind – it can be more than just clenched teeth

Habitual grinding of teeth — bruxism — can cause more damage than you might think By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times While most people clench or grind occasionally some people do it on a regular basis. This clenching and grinding is known as bruxism and can cause damage to teeth and the bones that support them. Most people don’t know they do it until their dentist or hygienist...