At a family wedding this spring, all of my first cousins on my mom's side were in the same place for the first time in almost 20 years. This wasn't the first wedding in our family or first occasion to gather, but we all have busy lives and getting us in one room has become logistically challenging as the years have passed. Spending time with my cousins that I knew so well in my childhood, made me think about growing up and away from our families, and in an unexpected twist, my desire to … [Read more...] about The Magic of Cousins
family life
Where to Find Me: Vacation Planning, Jake vs. Lloyd, and Summer Survival
Lots of stuff out in the world this week with my name on it. This one's for all the moms planning their summer vacations that need a good laugh: 5 Ways to Guarantee Mom Gets a Vacation Too on In the Powder Room This one's for my mom who survived In Your Eyes on repeat for most of the early 90's: Jake Ryan Vs. Lloyd Dobler: 2 Epic Boyfriends Go Head-To-Head on The Mid This one's for my kids who will be done with school in approximately 324 hours: 6 Survival Tips for When You Don’t … [Read more...] about Where to Find Me: Vacation Planning, Jake vs. Lloyd, and Summer Survival
A Note from the Baseball Bleachers from Your Mom #10yearsaparent
Hey #6. Watching you from the bleachers, you look like a big kid smacking on Big League Chew wearing your uniform that includes a belt. You never wear a belt. Your face is mostly serious, concentrating on the next play, what you'll do if the ball makes it to you. Then you run and jump, just messing around, and you look like a nine-year-old boy again. You may be tall and look old for your age, but you're still a boy, and there are a few things I want you to know about baseball. You … [Read more...] about A Note from the Baseball Bleachers from Your Mom #10yearsaparent
Newton’s Second Law
If you know me personally, you might have heard me reference my penchant for throwing things when my kids were younger. I wrote a humorous take on the time I smashed a dozen eggs in the back of my car after a grocery trip gone awry that resonated with a lot of moms especially those who hate car carts as much as I do. But I wanted to go a little bit deeper. I wanted to understand how and why I turned to throwing things. I recently wrote this essay about my postpartum experiences and it was … [Read more...] about Newton’s Second Law
Lose the Cape #10yearsaparent
I recently read the new book Lose the Cape: Realities from Busy Modern Moms and Strategies to Survive by Alexa Bigwarfe and Kerry Rivera and was also a guest on Alexa's podcast (you'll hear more about that later). Reading this book made me think A LOT about letting go of the idea of Super Mom and doing it all. Because I have. I have completely let go of expectations and obligations and have really focused on only doing the things that work best for me and my family. I think there's a … [Read more...] about Lose the Cape #10yearsaparent
Don’t Call Me Mommy #10yearsaparent
There's something about being called Mommy that makes me shudder. It's one of those unexplainable cringe-worthy things like nails on a chalkboard or forks scraping plates or the sound of Kim Kardashian's voice. Cloying. That's the best word that I have to describe it. Every night, I bow my head to thank the parenting gods that I went straight from Mama to Mom and skipped Mommy all together. My aversion is a mystery. I'm always hearing Mommy, Mommy, Mommy in the world of parenting, and it … [Read more...] about Don’t Call Me Mommy #10yearsaparent
Eight Ways Parenting is Like Working in Retail #10yearsaparent
Recently I was having a very circular argument with one of my children, trying to get him to use logic and reason instead of going into Hulk mode which includes a lot of stomping, yelling, and throwing of things. It dawned on me. This is exactly like trying to talk down a Crate and Barrel customer about the scratches on their nonstick All-Clad cookware or trying to explain the final sale policy to a shopper at A Pea in the Pod. I've worked my fair share of retail jobs, and meeting the … [Read more...] about Eight Ways Parenting is Like Working in Retail #10yearsaparent
Letting Go of Screen Time Shame #10yearsaparent
If you want to jump right into the belly of the parenting beast in 2015, just mention the words screen time. A term that only emerged in the last few years to encompass all of the electronics in our lives and how much we use them. It's a hot topic because we don't want our kids to be the Generals in the Drone Army, but we also find ourselves needing the respite that a screen can provide. Enter today's parents most challenging decision: to screen or not to screen. Times when screens seems … [Read more...] about Letting Go of Screen Time Shame #10yearsaparent