Do I want my kids to be happy? Absolutely. I want them to be able to relax after a day of school and from being ‘on’ all day. I want them to follow their passions whether that’s singing, reading, writing, or something else. Do I wish they played sports though and that’s what made them happy? So much. kids Sports As Community I had the best time the one summer my kid played baseball. We spent many evenings, drink in hand, with this instant community of baseball parents. I was thrown together with a dozen other people and we had...
Baby Products I Wish Were Around When I had Babies
It’s only been 7 years since I’ve had a baby in the house, but just like every other industry, the baby industry has developed new technology and advanced considerably in the last decade. Some of my friends had their babies more recently and I am super jealous of these 10 things and wish they were around when I needed them. These are my top 10 Baby Products I wish were around when I had a baby. Disclaimer: I do not get paid for any of these endorsements. Links are for reference only and are not affiliate links. If this is...
You Will Miss This
I was in the check-out line at Target the other day and there was a mom with her kids next to me. She had a baby in a car seat in a cart, a toddler, and a young child. She was trying to keep the baby from crying because new moms are always so conscious of the crying in public spaces. Like, the audacity of this baby to actually exist and communicate the only way they know how to. We must stop the crying at all costs so we’re not looked at as the enemy and ruiner of the grocery...
Special Needs Mamas: You were chosen
Special needs mamas are chosen. Deep down I always knew I would have a child with special needs. When we got Peyton’s diagnosis, and even before that, when we knew there was something but that something didn’t yet have a name, I was never shocked or angry. In my life, before I was a mom, I had worked with kids with severe physical and cognitive disabilities as a special ed para and at a group home. I had a unique perspective because of that. Things like seizures, g-tube feedings, and changing the brief of someone almost my size, didn’t phase...
To The Mama’s of The Special Ones
Dear Special Needs Mama as they go back to school, Your kids might be going back to school, or maybe they never left. Most kids get summer breaks but there are some who don’t. The kids who need the structure a school day offers. The kids who need extra time to learn social skills as well as focus on their academics. You never got a break from packing lunches or the opportunity to have an adventure on a summer vacation. You just looked at the pictures of other families on road trips or at Disney World, while you kept up...
Managing Your Family Vacation Expectations
We’re going to talk about managing our family vacation expectations. We recently returned from a 10-day vacation with our three children. Admittedly it was about 3 days too long. It sounded a lot better in the planning stages. So did all the switching of airplanes and other transportation. 2 flights and then a tram to get to the main terminal? Then a shuttle, a long walk, and we’re there? Sounds great and easy and cost-efficient! Easy peasy! I found myself getting upset with my children when they were upset. I wanted them to be joyful and grateful. Didn’t they know...
Dollar Store (Or Free) Summer Activities For Your Kids
Don’t get me wrong, we’re pretty heavy-handed with screen time. After too much though, my kids start fighting and they get crabby, so I have to break up our day with other activities. It can be hard to think of entertaining ideas for them to do so let me help you with this dollar store (OR EVEN FREE) summer activities list for your kids. dollar store summer activity ideas 1. car wash You can find all the things you need for this at the dollar store. You might have to get an actual car wash after this, but at least...
5 Rules My Family Is Getting Rid Of This Summer
Summer is here next week and like every parent, I am a mixture of pumped and nervous. Hell yeah to no more rushing out the door and arguing over homework, but worried about how we’re going to fill all these hours and arguing over snacks. We definitely have fun in the summer and we don’t stick to a strict schedule, but we also have some consistent rules. The main one is that I am not your activities director. I have always said I am not spending my morning texting other parents arranging your day. If you want to play with...
Open letter to PLSAS about the Early childhood program
My family’s time at Edgewood is coming to an end and I have very big feelings about it. Not only because this means that my children are growing up, that fact alone pushes me to new fun panic attacks. Also because I’m leaving the most loving, committed, and generous community I’ve ever known. With my 3 children over the last decade, I have had the unique privilege of being able to sample almost every program Edgewood has to offer: dozens of ECFE classes, Preschool, SpEd Preschool, and Help Me Grow. We’ve utilized speech, occupational, and physical therapy services, as well...
The Ultimate Guide To Recovering From Surgery As A Busy Mom
So you have to have some kind of surgery or medical procedure that will make you unable to go about your daily activities. And you’re freaking out because there’s baseball practice and lunches to be made and a million other things that you feel will collapse without you. You have no idea how you’re going to be able to take the time to do this surgery or procedure that you need. Remember this: you’re no good to your family unless you take care of yourself. Schedule that surgery or medical procedure you need, and here is your Ultimate Guide To...
I’m Not The Fun Mom
I am not the fun Mom. My kids do not think I’m fun. When it is time for bedtime or deciding who is going to take them to an activity, there are audible groans if I’m the designated parent for the job. Sometimes there are more than just groans, they have all-out complaints. You see, Daddy is fun. Daddy tells them stories about a hamster that lives in Disney World before bed. Daddy stops for donuts on the way home from activities. I am not fun. Not every day, but once in a while depending on what kind of day...
How I Ditch The Special Needs Mom Guilt
Mom-guilt is real and heavy. I am constantly wondering if my consequences are too lenient or too excessive. If we don’t read every night are they going to be an adult who doesn’t like books? Should we be volunteering so they become active members of their community? These questions (and others!) keep me up at night. Now add in a kid with special needs and your head could explode from your self-doubt. Let’s ditch ALL mom guilt, but ESPECIALLY special needs mom guilt. Find your team Did you think I was going to start with “Trust your instincts?” Nope. We...
Making The Perfect House Rules For Your Family
I read this article in the Huffington Post a while ago and it’s made a renaissance lately on my Facebook feed. and It was a woman who said her new rule was to never say “Hurry up” to her child. She wanted to let her child soak in the world. Or something, I don’t know. It’s ridiculous is what it is. It made me think what are our household rules. This woman has obviously never tried to get a 2-year-old out the door. I spent 5 minutes once trying to explain to my child why we couldn’t take the broom...
Girlfriend’s Guide To Starting A Blog
So you’re thinking about starting a blog and wondering if it’s for you. There are hundreds of other blog posts that will walk you through the technical part of it. If you want to know step-by-step how to set up your email list, just type that into Pinterest, and people much more qualified than me are ready to help you do that. I’m here to talk about the REAL parts of blogging like I would if a friend asked me about it. I’m not a step-by-step kind of person instead this is you and I chatting over coffee. This is...
Why I Love My Kids But Don’t Always Like Them
Have you ever had a time when you see kids acting like complete maniacs and you think, “Who is raising these fucking kids?” but they’re YOUR kids, and YOU are raising them? Solidarity, because me too. Here are some of the reasons WHY I LOVE MY KIDS BUT DON’T ALWAYS LIKE THEM. Here’s the day I had a least favorite kid. Fun fact: Magic Eraser does take actually permanent marker off the wall. It also takes off the paint too. So, while there’s no more sharpie on the wall, it definitely looks like there used to be and you used...
TRAVELING WITH KIDS
It’s getting to be spring break time! Summer isn’t even that far away! Airlines are still recovering from COVID so you can find tickets for the lowest in years. Suddenly a vacation for 5 or 6 seems actually doable, when not too long ago it was financially out of reach. I’ve flown with my kids and all their crap a bunch of times now. I feel ready to give you the tips to make your traveling with kids as easy as possible! Know your family Why am I not talking about road trips? Because we don’t road trip. None of...
HOW TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS TODAY
One of my biggest passions in life is encouraging others to find theirs. You might be in the season of life where your kids are growing up and gaining more independence and you’re finding yourself with more time on your hands. You might be a happy stay-at-home mom, but you just want more for yourself. In my blog post FINDING YOUR PURPOSE IN YOUR PASSION, I talk about how to cultivate your purpose by defining what you’re passionate about. Let’s talk about how to start your own business TODAY! Sometimes that’s going to manifest itself as a fun new hobby...
Mother’s Day gift ideas she’ll actually love
Moms can be tricky to buy for. We scold you if it’s too expensive, but we don’t want it to be total crap either. We want to feel special but also need to be practical. Those leather leggings I saw? Ah-Ma-Zing. But where would I wear them? I am either going to a playdate or the PTA meeting, so probably not. We don’t need any more perfume. Flowers just die. Here is a diverse, unique list of Mother’s Day gift ideas SHE’LL ACTUALLY LOVE! THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. I MAY RECEIVE COMMISSIONS FOR PURCHASES MADE THROUGH THE LINKS...
Funny Parenting Tweets
Ok, so these aren’t funny parenting TWEETS. I attempt Twitter every 6 months or so because I want to understand it and like it. I see myself creating this massive following with my wit and charm, but I just can’t. The Facebook community, especially the demographic of women who are slightly older than middle-aged: that’s where I shine. This is 100% true story. This summer my 5yo was outside on the deck and he wanted me to bring him a drink. I said he could come in and get it himself. He didn’t like that answer so he did was...
Do’s and Don’ts of Interacting With A Speech Delayed Child
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO. As a mom to a severe speech delayed kiddo, I have witnessed some interactions that range from amazing to downright offensive. I want to be clear that I feel like (mostly) people are well-meaning and are not TRYING to be dismissive or rude. I think that sometimes a speech delay can make people uncomfortable or they truly don’t know how to react and respond. I’m here to change that! I recently reached out to a group of moms and asked them to share their experiences, and what...
Best Ways to Build Your Confidence As a Mom
If you search “parenting books” on Amazon, more than 50,000 results come up. That’s a whole lot of us who have no idea what we’re doing! When my kids were babies I was constantly researching sleep training, constipation, and how high their fever can be before one starts panicking. Then I had a good run of at least 2 years where I thought I knew what I was doing. I was lulled into a false sense of security and that was my mistake, I got cocky. The universe didn’t appreciate my know-it-all attitude and the next thing I know my...
How I Parent With Anxiety And Depression
Although fortunately, the stigma around mental illness is lessening, it isn’t completely gone yet and it can be one more thing to feel guilty about as a mom. Parents that live with depression, anxiety, or both, have some struggles ahead of them for sure, but it can also be a great blessing. Our kids have big emotions and we do too, so we can relate. We can help them manage their emotions in a way that other parents can’t. It is vital though that you don’t ignore your own mental health needs while tending to your child’s. Self-care is vital...
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES TO GET YOU THROUGH ANY SITUATION
I’m a big believer in “What we think about, we bring about” so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’m really into vision boards and saving different quotes. I have quotations and book excerpts written in notebooks, scrawled on post-it’s, and in screenshots on my phone. These are all quotes that I have personally saved and I believe they will help to inspire you, empower you, and remind you what a great mom and complete badass you are! [ez-toc] Vision board quotes “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” -Suzy Kassem “The day you plant the seed is not...
HOW I STAY POSITIVE WHEN THE WORLD FEELS TOO HEAVY
This is not the post I was going to write this week. I wanted this week’s post to be an ESCAPE from the dumpster fire that the world is right now, not me walking you right through it, asking you to take a look around. But the world feels heavy and I want to share how I stay positive when the world feels too heavy. Blog writers are encouraged to write “evergreen” content, meaning write about things that will always be relevant. Don’t make it too timely because you want your writing to hold up in a few years and...
Finding Your purpose in your passion
Well-meaning people have started asking me what I’m going to do now that all my kids were all in school. Um, what? Being a stay at home mom WAS my plan, I didn’t know I was expected to have TWO PLANS. I need another plan now?! If you’re feeling like this too: a little lost now that your babies are growing up, we can find you a new purpose in your passion- a SECOND plan. I needed a hobby. I always knew I was going to be a stay-at-home mom, but they’re older now and I don’t have to constantly...
You must know this ONE THING before sending your child to kindergarten
I sent my first 2 kids to kindergarten at the “normal” time. They were 5. Having winter birthdays and being on track with their peers, made the decision easy for us. I never had to ponder and weigh the pros and cons of sending them to kindergarten or delaying it. I never thought I’d be that mom arguing with a preschool, insisting my almost 6-year-old was not ready for kindergarten, yet here I was. I held my son back and it was the best parenting decision I’ve ever made. The Department of Education says a child is ready for Kindergarten...
Modern Motherhood Favors Extroverts
Modern motherhood favors extroverts. Motherhood is filled with a staggering amount of social landmines. There are playgroups to navigate and playdates to coordinate. There are birthday parties to attend and organize, PTA meetings to volunteer for, and so much more. Even in gymnastics, a sport where I just have to drop off, the parents sit and chat. What if you just want to read celebrity gossip on your phone for the 45 minutes your kid is learning cartwheels? Are you the antisocial weirdo in the corner, all because you worked all day and just want a minute to see what...
12 shows to binge-watch for Tired Moms
Are you looking for shows to binge-watch? You’re up in the middle of the night with a baby who wants to party, or you finally have some time to yourself during the day and want to start a new show. You scroll through Netflix or Prime, but there are so many choices! By the time you narrow it down the baby has fallen back asleep or that precious block of time during the day has disappeared. Your time is valuable, you can’t waste it searching the vast categories on Netflix. Let me help find you a binge-able show! So these...
Easy Ways to Find Mom Friends
You see them everywhere. Groups of moms at the park having a picnic, a cluster of women chatting at soccer practice, even the moms that just ran into each other at Target and are taking up the whole aisle catching up. How did they meet? How are they all friends? Don’t worry! You can find your own person to clog the aisles of Target within no time! Let’s talk about the easy ways to find mom friends! Making Friends as an adult can be super awkward Finding new friends as an adult can be daunting. First of all, because you’re...
Why you can (and should!)Relax Your Screen Time Rules
First, can I just say I hate the term ‘screen time?’ It’s horribly outdated. We use screens now to order our food at restaurants and to meet with teachers, it’s not all just for fun and games anymore. Because of that, and some other points I’ll get into, Parents: for the love of God, RELAX YOUR SCREEN TIME RULES. Screens aren’t going anywhere By 2023, the number of employed people with disabilities will triple due to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies that reduce barriers to access. (Source: Gartner) Screens are replacing people in a lot of industries. Have you been inside...
Learn from my Parenting Fail
Parenting fails are my favorite thing. I love reading and hearing about other people’s, and I like telling people about mine. Every so often on the blog I’ll share a story from my (very extensive) Parenting Fail Vault. A huge part of my mission is to make mom’s feel less alone. We’re all in this together and we all have our moments of outright mayhem. SO…we’re at the park with our new friend Lisa, who I met in baby class, and her son. Sidenote: If you haven’t looked into your city’s Early Childhood Family Education classes, (or ECFE) I HIGHLY...
How to Keep your motivation as a stay at home mom
It can be incredibly discouraging to feel so accomplished one minute that the kitchen is sparkling, but then walk into the living room and it’s like a bomb went off. You left these kids in here for 45 minutes, how did this happen?! Or, my personal favorite, have you ever cleaned the kitchen, and then made lunch and did a craft, and now you have to clean it again top to bottom? How did stickers get on my cabinets?! That’s super fun. Let’s talk about how exactly we keep motivation as a stay at home mom. It can be a...
HOW you can let go of your PARENTING EXPECTATIONS
I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest How can you let go of your parenting expectations? I became a mom in 2011 when Pinterest was just becoming a thing. I was obsessed. I cursed it for not being around during my wedding because I truly had no idea the potential of burlap until Pinterest showed me. I had a Pinterest board titled “Baby Food” and looking back on that, as a seasoned mother of 3, I just have to laugh. How could the ideas be any more complex than, “Take some food and blend it. Serve wearing a tarp.” I...
Thoughts I Had In Spin Class
Do you go to a gym that has group fitness classes? Recently I took a cycle class at my local gym and I had some thoughts. I SO want to be one of those moms at the gym-that drop their toddlers off in the daycare (wearing BOTH socks) happy to be there. I’m so jealous of their coordinating, expensive, athletic gear that fits perfectly on their already super toned body. Here I am with the leggings that I actually bought in a 2 pack, and I thought I scored with this brand name tank top, except it doesn’t fit right....
EASY AND PRACTICAL SELF-CARE FOR BUSY MOMS
Modern self-care is bullshit, and here’s why. We all read the articles about self-care. It’s like the new buzz word, especially during Covid. “Make sure you’re practicing self-care!” “Self-care is vital during the pandemic!” But what does that look like? I recently read an article where they outlined some self-care tips and here’s what was included on the list: Get that massage you’ve been wanting. Treat yourself! Now is the best time for a facial. The winter months can be harsh on the skin, do yours a favor! Take a long, relaxing bubble bath. If you exfoliate too, it’s like...
The Gift of 22q
I always knew Peyton was different. From the moment he was born he just acted differently and we reciprocated appropriately. Of course, then we just thought it was because he was the youngest, we knew we were done having children; so that’s why we held him a little longer, gave in a little easier, and coddled just a bit more. Looking back on it, I think we instinctively knew that he needed more from us. We always knew he was developmentally delayed-the benefit of having 2 older kids to compare him to, but weren’t too worried about it. He would...