You can almost hear the tears of kids everywhere this time of year because of the inevitable BACK-TO-SCHOOL. Some parents are secretly jumping for joy to get …[Read More...]
You Don’t Want To Miss…
Kissing Kids on the Lips: Fine or Not?
I recently read an article that says that parents should not kiss their babies on the mouth, because it can be "sexual" or "stimulating." Well, look at this: Here is why I think this is fine. And not just me, plenty of other people think it's fine, too. People are hypocritical. In this article, a woman says that kissing …[Read More...]
Childhood Cancer – Fear Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Known
We partnered with Northwestern Mutual on this post. We had what many would see as the perfect life. Married with two young boys. A beautiful rural home with picturesque views and the calming peace that nature can bring to a person. The biggest nuisance we had to deal with was the morning sickness that I was experiencing after finding out only weeks earlier …[Read More...]
Six Reasons to Have Six Kids
When people hear that I have six kids, the reaction is usually entertaining. Sure, there are some days when I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into, worry about the world they’ll inherit, and/or consider the environmental footprint of a family like mine. But most of the time I just celebrate how awesome it is to have six kids. Here are a few reasons why: 1. It’s …[Read More...]
Warning Signs During Late Pregnancy
As your body nears the end of your pregnancy, your mind will turn to the practical matters that need to be completed before your baby makes her arrival into your family. Preparing the nursery, the nesting instinct of cleaning your home and making lists of things to do and people to contact when your labor begins all help take your mind off the changes in your body and …[Read More...]
Bullies Don’t Take Summers Off
You’d think that once school ended, kids would get a break from bullying. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Bullies don’t take the summer off. In fact, many things that are hallmarks of summer are what can set up kids for being bullied which can take things from bad, to worse. Many places that kids hang out during the summer become a prime place for bullying: whether it …[Read More...]
Is My Child Being Bullied? How Do I Help?
When I walked in to my daughter attempting suicide due to extreme bullying, I was horrified and heartbroken. Most of all, I was surprised and felt guilty that I had missed that anything of this magnitude was happening in her life. Bullying has been around forever, heck, I was bullied as a kid, but bullying has changed so much. Social Media has made escaping bullying nearly …[Read More...]
How to Save Your Kid from Drowning
I Want To Tell You How It Feels To Be The Mom Of Bullied Kids
I want to tell you how it feels when your heart breaks as your beautiful child looks up at you and asks, “Mom, what’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anyone like me?” I want to tell you how it feels when your daughter looks at at you with tears in her eyes and says, “He only asked me to dance to make fun of me.” I want to let you know how many excuses you can …[Read More...]
Trouble Eating During Pregnancy
To support the growth of your baby, you need to eat healthy, but sometimes your body throws you a curve ball, making it difficult. You may find yourself craving milkshakes and cheeseburgers instead of your usual nutritious fare. Other times, you may not want to eat at all. Though you may experience trouble eating during pregnancy, it's important to find ways for you to …[Read More...]
10 Things to Know Before Bringing Home a New Baby
I remember those last few weeks of first-time pregnancy like yesterday -- mostly, I was just freaked out. What the heck am I going to DO with a new baby?! I was the first of my friends to start a family and the internet hadn't quite yet exploded with never-ending pregnancy and parenting insight and instructions back then (in the old fashioned days of 2010), so I was pretty …[Read More...]
6 Ways For Dads To Help Kids Establish Healthy Cooking Habits
It's a sobering fact of modern life that most young couples with children are under a lot of time pressure. More often than not, both mother and father have to juggle their stressful jobs with finding enough time and energy for some home life and, particularly, time with their children. This can put a lot of strain on the family unit. One of the biggest casualties is …[Read More...]
You Are NOT A Loser
“Mom, can I ask you something?” my son asked me this as he put away his backpack after coming home from school. “Of course”, I answer, slicing apples and spooning out peanut butter for a snack. “What’s up?” “Why does everyone think I am such a loser? How come no one likes me?” I put down the knife, look my son in the eye and tell him in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS: “You …[Read More...]
Dealing with Two Year Olds: How To Make Your Life Suck Less
From my experience with 2 year olds, you can expect a lot of “No” and “I don’t want to.” This is developmentally appropriate, although it makes your life suck. However, there are some things you can do to make your life suck less. Pick your battles. So she doesn’t get dressed, who cares. It’s not winter. So she doesn’t eat dinner, who cares. If she was hungry, she …[Read More...]
The Little Boy On First Base
To all the coaches, parents, and fans of little league, The season is upon us. Fields all over are filled with parents, fans, coaches, players, and umpires. It's an exciting time of year for boys and girls, the cold is finally turning warmer, the days are slowly becoming longer, school is almost out for summer, and their dreams of home runs are about to become …[Read More...]
Tips For Raising Your Son Into A Kind, Compassionate Man
As a mom of two, my daughter 24 and my son 18, I have experienced the journey of raising both a boy and a girl in an ever changing, more chaotic world where digital media reigns supreme and kids, whose calendars are as busy as their parents’, are being pushed to reach a rising bar of success. Kids are measuring their self-worth more and more by their test scores, …[Read More...]