It’s great to have hobbies, but hobbies such as video games seem to be creeping into some dangerous territory for many parents these days. Many parents, especially after lockdown days, have been seeing an increase in screen time, and have been asking themselves about video game addiction, how much it too much? It’s difficult for parents to know when a harmless hobby is no longer harmless. How much is too much and can gaming become an addiction? Recently, on a Facebook moms’ group, the question was raised, how do I know if my son is addicted to video games, the comments came flooding in. This is a concern in many families. It’s difficult to know when your child is crossing into the area of no longer controlling themselves or whether they enjoy the game. During pandemic days, screen time has significantly increased. However, with families spending so much time together, sometimes…
As parents, we often feel overwhelmed and mentally exhausted and feel bursts of guilt for not doing enough for our children. Sometimes, we may find ourselves replaying our reactions to our children’s actions and wondering if we should have reacted differently. In my opinion, millennials carry a heavier parenting burden than the previous generation because they are the first generation trying to break the cycle. We are the first generation that must deal with an abundance of information about how to raise children, making us question how we were raised and form our individualized parenting style. We are the generation of social media. We are more self-aware and realize the importance of mental health and how our children’s formative years will impact their future relationships. Therefore, comparing our parenting style with our parents’ is natural. However, our children are growing up in a very different time than ours, and consequently,…
Courageous. Determined. Passionate. Aries is the first sign in the zodiac, and they have a lot of great qualities. If you’ve got a little Aries at home, you’re probably thinking you’ve got a stubborn little human on your hands since their symbol is the Ram. However, when researching this sign, stubbornness wasn’t mentioned in the list of Aries traits. Trust me, I looked. So maybe Rams aren’t as stubborn as we think? They might have quite the temper though. More on that later… Over the years, I’ve known quite a few Aries. I dated one back in college, my good friend was born at the end of March, and I know a handful of others as well. So, I had quite a few people to keep in mind when I was reading about the stereotypical characteristics Rams are traditionally known to have. Turns out – most of the Aries I…
Spring is here, and all we can think about is traveling! Of course, it isn’t as easy for new parents as it used to be. But it can also be rewarding to travel with littles! Babies have lots of baggage, which can seem overwhelming, but great products and tips can make it stress-free (ish). Whether you’re flying or driving, we all want to save space, yet we don’t want to be caught without something we rely on. So, we’ve gathered our favorite tips and gadgets for traveling with babies in 2023. You’ll want to get your hands-on these before you leave! Here are all our top tips, pack lists, and devices for traveling with a baby in 2023. What to pack: Here are a few additional items to make sure you have on your list for 2023; investing in travel-friendly items may be the best decision, but these items will…
Let’s be honest, kids’ parties are expensive, and the host often spends a lot of money on the most controversial part of a birthday party – the loot bag. Why are we sending kids home with a load of junk that will be thrown into a landfill days later!? Can’t we all agree that we need to change this with some unique loot bag ideas? I’m not sure where the trend of giving away plastic junk started, but it’s become out of hand. Each holiday my kids come home with little plastic bags of erasers, games, or candy. None of them get used; they clutter up the house for a week and then end up in the landfill, not to mention all the packaging! Here are our choices- we can either agree that a loot bag isn’t required, let’s prepare our kids not to expect one (let’s stop feeling guilted…
At the risk of sounding like a birthday Grinch, I’ll admit: I don’t enjoy hosting my kids’ birthday parties, especially large ones. Does that make me a terrible parent? As a mom, I do some things very well, but organizing elaborate social gatherings is not one of them. I admire those of you who are party-planning pros, since my skills and confidence in this area are minimal. The weeks leading up to the so-called “fun” event to celebrate my child’s glorious arrival into the world are filled with tension, overanalysis, self-doubt, and a long list of tasks and errands intended to make everything “perfect.” When you pause to think about it, it’s a little ironic. My child’s actual birth was (to put it delicately) an arduous experience for me. But does enduring those many hours of labor give me a free pass on the same date in every year that…
(Reposted March 2023, back by popular demand!) I’ve always insisted on eating mostly organic and once I had kids, my obsession with wholesome food got even worse. For the most part, you can find really good organic food at your local grocery store. You may pay a pretty penny for it, but it’s there. The one thing I was not finding at my local stores, however, was organic bread. I can see why: it spoils easily if not kept in perfect conditions and eaten fairly quickly. I knew that if I wanted my family to eat really-good-for-you bread, I would have to find my own homemade sandwich bread recipe. Here’s the thing: I hate cooking. I hate baking. I pretty much hate being in the kitchen. I’m the type of wife/mom who does what’s necessary to put a nutritious meal on the table but don’t expect anything fancy (my husband,…
If I had to choose one word to describe Pisces, it would be…healer. After researching this sign, I’ve learned that one of the greatest features of Pisceans is their ability to heal others. So, if you’re expecting a little Pisces soon, or you already have one at home, you’ll always have an excellent supporter by your side. Or on your lap. Or clinging to your leg. Or knocking on the bathroom door while you’re just trying to do your thing in peace. Okay, that last part is true for ALL children – not just Pisces children. Here is how to raise a Pisces. Whenever I’m researching zodiac signs, I always think of the people I know who fall under each sign so I can see if the stereotypes match up. For Pisces I noticed – I don’t know a lot of Pisces. I’m usually able to think of at least…
(Updated Feb 2023, back by popular demand!)
Last year, my family and I made an effort to eat less meat. We started with “Meatless Mondays” and now we are aiming for “Meat-free Fridays” too. I wanted to come up with something that was still tasty and fun, yet packed with goodness. So after some brainstorming, I concocted my Greek-inspired Crispy Lentil, Spinach and Feta Fritters.
If you’re like me and have struggled to put your finger on exactly why it’s so damn hard to be and raise a girl or young woman these days, I have the book for you. Girls on the Brink is required reading for anyone desperate to understand the scientific, environmental and social causes that are creating a mental health crisis among girls and young women. Using new brain science to explain how our modern lifestyle is completely at odds with our girls’ unique psychological needs, author Donna Jackson Nakazawa provides crisp, digestible insights and advice that are easy for the layperson or the stressed-out, at her wit’s end parent to understand and put into action. Why do we need this book? It is estimated that one in four adolescent girls suffers from symptoms of major depression. Girls and young women are also twice as likely as their male counterparts to…