This is a sponsored post I don’t know when she fell in love with him but all of a sudden, the two were inseparable. I look back on photos of Emily as a baby and her bear is always nearby: on his side in the corner of her crib, a snout poking up in the…
Lifestyle
How to Teach Kids to Make Good Decisions in Tough Situations
A rush of feet, a quick kiss goodbye, and my two middle schoolers were off to catch the bus. I closed the door and stood with my hand on it for a second, absorbing and appreciating the stillness that comes with an empty house while marveling at my big kids. Both kids in middle school…
The Importance of Teaching Our Girls to Embrace Failure
When I was in school and my teachers would look for someone to call on, I’d do my best to make myself invisible. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school I’d sit as still as possible, hoping I’d be overlooked to avoid the humiliation of being called on. Even though I was smart, the thought giving…
A Parent’s Guide to Digital Safety for Kids All Ages
This digital safety guide is a sponsored post Over the past ten years, technological advancements have dramatically impacted the way we live. When I first started blogging almost 10 years ago, the iPhone had been introduced just 6 months before. Apps and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook were in their infancy. Online safety…
8 Parent Hacks for Budget Friendly Kid Birthday Parties
There’s a lot to love about birthdays. Blowing out candles on the cake, fun with friends, and commemorating the beginning of another trip around the sun are worth celebrating but aren’t worth maxing out your credit card. According to Netflix, 60% of parents are more interested in saving money than time when it comes to…
The Importance of Reclaiming Summer Before 18 Summers Disappear
Five years ago while attending Disney Social Media Moms, Disney executive Amy Foster, talked about 18 summers and reminded that our time with our kids is limited. 18 summers. That’s all we get with our kids before they’re off to college. At the time, Thomas was 6 and Emily was 8 and I remember thinking…
How to Talk About Healthy Relationships with Tweens and Teens
This is a sponsored post Throughout pregnancy, infancy, and even through the toddler years, I diligently read to prepare myself for the various ages and stages that were to come but those years were easy compared to now! As a parent of an 11 and 13 year old, my kids have transformed from children to…
4 Ways Parents Can Teach Kindness to Middle Schoolers
This post is sponsored by Staples When I taught first grade, academic subjects were part of my core curriculum, but it was also important to teach my 6-year-old students character education. Lessons on compassion, kindness, empathy, positivity and what it meant to be a good friend were essential to their learning as reading, writing, math, social…
How to Plan an Outdoor Get Together to Renew Friendships Before School Starts
August always feels like the last hurrah of summer with days dwindling as a new school year approaches. Back to school shopping infringes on the season’s unstructured days, final weeks of camp, and attempts to cross remaining items off the summer bucket list. But as you officially say goodbye to summer and resume school year…
HBO’s Silicon Valley® & VEEP® Now Available for Digital Download
Confession: I love Silicon Valley but we’re not HBO subscribers so to watch the mis-adventures of Richard and the crew of Pied Piper, I’ve streamed free for a month, waited for free HBO weekends to DVR past episodes, and patiently waited for the season to come out on DVD or digital download. But my wait…
