This will be our tenth Father’s Day since the divorce. Like every other year, I’ll take my two sons to the store and help them pick out gifts for their father.Some years I’m surprised I didn’t get lock jaw from forcing myself to smile as I helped them wrap their presents, and I can’t say I’ve never stooped to passive aggressive gifting. (Please don’t ask me about the garden gnome.)It wasn’t always a joy to spend money on my ex-husband, particularly since I was mothering on a … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: When You’re the Last One Standing
We’ve been hammered around here lately - pneumonia, a broken arm, miserable weather and the start of our kids’ insane new sports schedule.As we all know, moms aren’t allowed to get sick, or maybe my obsessive hand-washing and frantic hand waving gestures whenever someone coughed their infectious germs right in my face actually did the trick. Whatever the reason, I got stuck running this pneumonia-and-broken-bone-ridden show solo, after my poor husband wound up sicker than he’s been probably … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Better Than Me
Image Credit: © Alton Jefferson II | Horse Stance | CC by 2.0My kiddos are suddenly old enough to be better than me in certain things, and I’m as humbled about it as I am impressed. I’m not particularly competitive with my children, but as I sat watching my daughter at her martial arts test a few weeks ago, I realized that there is no way I could do what she’s doing.She’s eight. And she’s on the small side for an eight year old.But her Thai kicks are insanely high, her punches are … [Read more...]
Positive Parenting Gold: “Listen, Allow, Support, Repeat”
Yesterday was a crazy day (power outages, cancelled activities, melt downs, etc.) and let's just say, I wasn't at my positive parenting best.That afternoon, during a 5-minute period when all three of the kids had miraculously found something to entertain them, I picked up my copy of Parents Magazine. (Do you guys subscribe? I've found it to be surprisingly useful month after month.)Inside I spied an article on great podcasts for parents and immediately picked up my phone and subscribed … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Hot/Cold Friends Are the Worst
I have two daughters, and once upon a time I was a grade school girl myself. I knew girl drama was in the cards, but I was deluded enough to think that between an almost-nine-year-old and a three year old, I had years before we’d be dealing with that.Surprise! Seems everything starts earlier these days, because third grade has been rough.There are twelve or thirteen girls in my daughter’s class, and G has known most of them since kindergarten. One new girl - older and with a mean streak … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Busy Little Lives, Times Four
About four years ago, when we had a seven, six and three-year old and a six-month old baby, I thought life was busy. Between first grade, preschool, diapers and not nearly enough sleep, I did a lot of running around. And I had this idea that things would get easier as all these kiddos got older.I pictured a time - and I’m almost there, actually - when no one would be in diapers and everyone would be in school and able to keep themselves occupied in a non-destructive way that wouldn’t involve … [Read more...]
The Best Potty Training Books: 7 Books to Get You and Your Little One Through
Looking for some potty training tips? You might want to start with our super popular post, The 5 Biggest Potty Training Mistakes (and maybe also this potty training tip for some self-sustaining humor). After that, head over to Amazon or your local library because as with almost all parenting challenges, it's always helpful to have a book for both you and your kiddo to help tackle it! Here's our resident children's librarian, Janssen, with her best picks on the topic... Are there any … [Read more...]
5 Things Every Parent Should Know About the Emergency Room During Flu Season
Image Credit: © anjanettew | Sean at the ER | CC by 2.0Your child has been sniffling, sneezing and coughing for the last few days. His fever hasn’t gone down and his sore throat seems to be worsening. You know this scenario, right?Your mama bear instincts kick in and you begin preparing yourself for a trip to the emergency department (ED).We get it, bringing a sick child to the ED can be stressful, especially this winter with hospitals nationwide reporting record-breaking admissions. … [Read more...]
How 5 Rings Are Going to Make Me a Better Mom this Year
How many of you resolved to yell less at your kids this year? Actually, let me amend that, to just be nicer to your kids?I ask because I've seen a whole lot of stuff going around the web lately about how to stop yelling. Apparently yelling is the new spanking for our generation.I get it. Yelling at your kids totally sucks. Even while you're doing it you are already regretting it, yet you can't seem to make it stop.Nobody wants to parent that way - for sure. But I'd bet that most of … [Read more...]