Here it is, holiday season. To many, the thoughts of the happy family gathering ’round the perfectly set dinner table, perfectly coiffed kids, and relatives patiently awaiting the well-timed (and perfectly browned) turkey is a far-fetched vision of a hoped-for realty. For the rest of us-well, likely all of us, and definitely those of us […]
I still cringe when I think back to our family vacation, 2013, and the shocked look on my then 7 year olds face as we watched another child attack the all-you-can-eat buffet with reckless abandon. I’m not sure if it was the sheer quantity of quickly consumed nuggets, the slow drip of the cheesy goo […]
I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief and quickly head toward the checkout of the grocery store as I watched a young mom of a toddler struggle to find her sanity deep in the cereal aisle. While good and evil fought for my spirit, one telling me to stop and help, and the […]
Last week’s water cooler chat focused on successful co-parenting. A few colleagues said successful co-parenting with their ex began when the hurts healed from the divorce. Another said they can’t ever see being able to have a successful co-parenting plan in place because he and his ex are too far apart in how they run […]
The water cooler conversations took a new theme this week and we ended up chatting about single parent stressors. As single parents, there were many situational considerations; as parents, we shared a lot of common concerns. We whittled our gripes and groans to what we call the 7 Single Parent Stressors, with much inspirational humor […]
For many parents, the next few weeks of back-to-school preparation can feel like a never-ending drain on the bank account. The cost to go back-to-school continues to increase. The National Retail Federation reports that this year parents with children in kindergarten through 12th grade plan to spend $630.36, on average. Over the last decade, that […]
What was our water-cooler talk this week? A lively and spirited debate with three mommy co-workers sparked from the question “is your child ready for school?” The conversation, which consumed more of our lunch hour than lunch itself, weighed the pro’s and con’s of a 5 year old vs. 6 year old entering kindergarten. My […]
We are in the age of subjective parenting standards driven by the social media highlight reel. It is a race of time to show the world what an amazing parent you are by virtue of the perfectly behaved and well-adjusted child. Not a day goes by that someone posts something resulting in unsolicited validation or, […]
I remember when we were preparing for the birth of my firstborn and the idea that the three-piece pink polka dot nesting bins would be the perfect catch-all for baby’s toys. The idea of “just put it away at the end of the day” to stop the daily mess was so seemingly simple. During the first […]
It seemed every day, beginning at the time my daughter was two years old, my vernacular would be filled with more points of repeat than resolve. “My child will not listen,” I’d say to the other frazzled and frustrated mommies in our weekly play group. Sadly, we shared the same angst and a few of […]
