My boys have been cooking alongside me ever since they were little. But now that they're older and I'd love for them make their own breakfast , prep their own snacks, and put together their own lunches from time to time, I'm finding it h…
My mother passed away exactly one year before my first child -- her first grandchild -- was born. While I miss her every day, it’s Mother's Day that always seems to swoop in with a special kind of sucker punch. Each year, I take a deep b…
I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz lately about how transformative gratitude can be for your psyche. Studies are cropping up everywhere showing that being intentional about thankful has huge health benefits, from better sleep to less anxiet…
As someone who left a full-time advertising career behind to become a writer, website publisher, and public speaker -- all while raising tiny children , all while being the sole earner in my household -- I totally get how scary it is to …
I still remember when my son's then first-grade teacher asked if they could test him for the gifted program in our school district. I looked at her and asked, "Are you sure?" I just thought my sweet, curious boy asked a lot of questions.…
We know a little something about reinvention after motherhood and women entrepreneurs. Hey, Kristen did an entire TedX talk about it! And I've made a few career switches myself -- finally landing on this sweet gig that Kristen and I crea…
Yes there are like so many holidays and official months, it can be hard to keep track. But one that makes a lot of sense to set a calendar alert for is National Car Care Month , which happens to be right now. You know how we all remember…
We are always on the lookout for tips and tricks to help us save money when we're at the supermarket. Because really, who wouldn't love to save a few bucks (or uh, a lot of bucks) on groceries? We all know about coupons and price compari…
I was so proud of myself, the first time my daughter wanted to color her hair at home and asked for a pink stripe in her hair. I did all the research (what's easiest, safest, least messy ) and finally settled on dyeing it with...Kool-Aid…
If your family has been thinking about adopting, I'm here as a BTDT mom to help. This year, my family grew by one more child when my husband and I adopted our daughter, a spunky 2-year-old from South Korea. It feels like we're experts on…
You may be wondering just how to remove ticks from your kids, should the need arise. And we don't blame you one bit. With the warmer weather comes longer days spent outdoors and kids running barefoot in the yard. Also, increased warning …
If you have a child or family member with food allergies (like I do) , you need to check those EpiPens. Like, right now! Mylan, the company that makes EpiPen, has issued a voluntary EpiPen recall of 13 lots of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-I…
I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that you can totally write a book. You don't need otherworldly talent (though you do need some talent); you don't need an MFA you promised yourself you'd get but never did; you don't even…
If you're not getting much more than a "yeah," "nope," or "fine" when you ask about your kid's day at school, it might be time for some new conversations starters. (Trust us, we're right there with you.) So we set out to collect dozens o…
My kids are 8 and 10 now, and I tend to think of them as tiny adults. They can mostly keep themselves alive without any assistance from me. But they're still careless when it comes to noise, mess, and responsibility. In other words, they…
As a single mom of four kids, you can probably imagine how tough it is to give my kids individual time, at least without hiring a babysitter and spending even more money on dinner or a movie. Turns out, you don't have to spend money -- o…
One of the questions parents are always asking each other is, "how much should I be spending on my babysitter or nanny?" The answer is so tough. The last thing I want to do is underpay someone with the important job of taking care of my …
I'm convinced my kids' toys are spontaneously spawning in the playroom at night while we sleep. Surely I'm not the only parent who can't figure out where all my kids' toys have come from. As a result, I'm constantly in need of new storag…
I confess that when I'm struggling with an issue or looking for guidance, wisdom or just calm, I have always been a fan of various oracles and methods of divination. And I don't mean the fortune teller at a street fair years ago, who loo…
It's been a pretty mild winter for everyone this year, but the season isn't over yet folks. In the words of the late, great Prince, "Sometimes it snows in April." Plus, March comes in like a lion, and all that, so it will still be a bit …
My kids are wiped when they get home from school. They always seem to need a snack to recharge and a bit of time to zone out before gearing up for the rest of their day, whether it be for basketball practice, homework, or just running ar…
First Beyoncé and Jay Z, now the Clooneys and Madonna? In case you haven't heard, twins are seriously hot right now. So I've rounded up some super creative birth announcement ideas for twins with a little extra oomph -- for those of you …
I recently finished reading How to Win as a Step-Family (great book for blended families, by the way), and one of the suggestions they made to help family morale was a complaint and compliment box where everyone can air their grievances …
Children writing to our president and the First Family has always been a wonderful and important tradition. And with the inauguration of a new White House resident today, this is a great time to get kids thinking about their own hopes, t…