Parenting

“I love you, mom,” my four-year-old daughter said with a sweet smile and a kiss as my husband and I were tucking her into bed. My own smile froze on my face and I kissed her perfunctorily before walking briskly out of her sweet bedroom. That’s when I began to cry. It might not seem […] More

It’s a serious subject, and medical professionals want parents to know that it’s not something that only happens to ‘other people,’ and it could happen to you. A child that self-harms is devastating, but the fact of the matter is that your child is probably very adept at hiding this from you. The most common […] More

We’ve all seen the show Dance Moms. I’ll admit that it’s been on for years and I only just watched it for the first time about a month ago. I came home from cheer practice with my oldest daughter and while she was showering and preparing for bed, it came on television. We didn’t watch […] More

There is nothing wrong with being a shy kid – or adult. In a world full of real housewives and Snooki’s and basketball wives, it’s actually a refreshing quality when one comes across a shy person or child. It’s not a bad thing. The problem with being shy is that so many people view this […] More

If you’re wondering how to be a good mom, try this conversation out!  “Daddy, is my pasta finished cooking yet?” “Almost, kiddo,” my husband tells our 4-year-old as she looks suspiciously, eyes narrowed, toward the stovetop. “No, it isn’t, daddy. If it’s almost done, where is all the smoke?” she asks. I look up. “Oh, […] More

“This is your second baby?” asked the ultrasound technician on November 6, 2013. “No,” I responded, holding my husband’s hand, “This is our third baby. If you can tell us that it’s a boy, that’d be great. But we will take a third girl and be pretty happy about that, too. We’re good at girls, […] More

At the end of the day, being overweight isn’t the worst thing in the world.   But fat shaming is horrible. You can lose weight, get healthy and live a happy lifestyle – and that’s exceptionally simple in comparison to changing an ugly heart or being that mom who takes the only double cart at the […] More

The baby bump has made its appearance, you’ve been feeling good for a while and chances are good you already know what you are having at this point – if you wanted to find out. The sixth month of pregnancy is, by large, a good one. Trust me; I’ve been pregnant three times and experienced […] More

I don’t know about you, but I was a perfect parent – before I had kids. Suddenly I was holding this tiny baby and I was not the parent that I thought I’d be. Oh, sure, I had amazing intentions. In fact, I wasn’t yet aware that I was not even close to a perfect […] More

Referee and personal bathroom attendant: These are the two job titles I feel I work hardest at and do the most of in my household. Ironically, I am not trained as either (do bathroom attendants receive training?). I’m trained (educated) in the world of finance and English (creative writing was always my favorite) yet I […] More

If never you’ve been to a PTA meeting, please allow me to encourage that you do try to attend at least one. Not because it’s even remotely exciting, or because you want to be involved in yet another organization for which you haven’t the time to commit, but because it’s just a circus. I say […] More

Dear Parents that Send Sick Kids to School/Practice/Games/Birthday Parties, I hate you. No, really; I actually hate you. I don’t like hate – I say it as a way of expressing myself, but hate – to me – feels like such a wasted emotion. I dislike a lot of things and a lot of people […] More