Sleepovers used to be a rite of passage—sharing secrets, prank calls, junk food and movies until sunrise. But in the era of social media, they’ve lost some of their magic. But today, are sleepovers safe for kids? Instead of bonding in the moment, kids are often glued to their screens, scrolling through TikTok or texting people who aren’t even there. The fear of being recorded or live-streamed has also made sleepovers riskier, with every embarrassing moment having the potential to go viral. Parents, are more aware of the safety concerns, are increasingly hesitant. What used to be an exciting opportunity for kids to bond with their friends is now fraught with worries about safety, mental health, and overall well-being. Parents are much warier of unsupervised hangouts. As a result, many parents are opting out of sleepovers entirely or rethinking how to approach this tradition. While sleepovers haven’t disappeared, they no…
In 2025, the trend for birthday celebrations is moving away from big parties filled with dozens of kids, and instead, it’s all about bestie experiences! Rather than spending big on a venue for a large group, more and more kids are opting for special moments with just a besties or two or three close friends. This creates a more intimate setting that allows the birthday child to connect with their best friends on a deeper level. So for 2025, experiences—fun activities, learning workshops, or adventurous outings—are growing in popularity and replacing traditional birthday parties, tons of gifts and over-consumption. These experience-focused birthdays can often be more budget-friendly because you’re not paying for a crowd of guests, plus a venue so you can splash out on something special when you’re only booking for a small group! Here are some great budget-friendly birthday experience ideas for 2025 Hotel Sleepover: A Birthday to…
So, you’re the parent who always seems to be running late, has a never-ending pile of laundry, and might have once lost their phone in the refrigerator (true story!). And now, you’re tasked with teaching your child the art of organization. Panic not! You don’t need to turn into a model of perfection to guide your little ones toward becoming organized superstars, disorganized parents can teach organizational skills too! With a bit of creativity, a dash of humor, and a few practical tips, and some faking it, you can help them master organizational skills for school and life—even if you’re still working on finding your keys every morning. Here are some ways disorganized parents can teach their kids organizational skills. How Parents Can Turn Chaos into a Learning Opportunity: First off, let’s embrace the mess. If your house looks like a whirlwind hit it, don’t hide it—use it as a…
Pregnancy is one wild ride filled with ups and downs. While moms-to-be take on the physical and emotional rollercoaster, dads are crucial in offering support and comfort during this exciting time. Here are some practical ways dads can be supportive during pregnancy: Being the Emotional Rock Pregnancy brings a ton of emotions for both partners. Dads can be the solid support by actively listening, offering reassurance, and being understanding. Little things like showing excitement about the baby, affection, and endless patience during mood swings make a difference. Book Prenatal Classes & Learn Together Getting informed about pregnancy can strengthen the bond between couples. Hop online or call and research prenatal classes in your area to find out the details. These classes book quickly, so check the dates and confirm with the mother-to-be; she’ll melt in admiration as you share your research and take this off her to-do list. Sharing this…
It’s very scary to send your kids with allergies off to school each year. When you have a new teacher, new kids in the class there is so much more potential risk. The best thing that allergy parents can do, is be prepared before the school year begins. Preparing to send a child with allergies to school requires careful planning and communication with school staff, teachers, and your kid! You need to know how to set up your kids’ allergy plan for school. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare to send your kid to school with allergies: Understand your child’s allergies: Make sure you have a clear understanding of your child’s allergies, including what they are allergic to, common symptoms, and emergency procedures. Others can’t help you if you don’t have all the details, so make sure to get all the info you need before starting a plan…
Forest schools, a rising trend in recent years, offer a unique educational approach that celebrates outdoor learning and nature-based activities. With growing concerns about the adverse effects of screen time and sedentary indoor lifestyles, the positives of outdoor education are becoming apparent to many families. …the joy of seeing your child run, explore, and get a little dirty in the great outdoors is an experience like no other! It is critical to be well-prepared with the right gear and supplies for forest school. With the right items, the unique learning experience offered by the great outdoors will be more enjoyable for your kids. Here’s a list of essentials to buy and pack for forest school: Clothing Essentials Needed for Forest School: Comfortable Clothes: Dress in layers suitable for the weather. Consider moisture-wicking materials. Soft clothing like sweatpants should be worn under waterproof pants. Thicker pants are good for keeping bugs…
I get a lot of questions about sleep – from clients of babies and clients of toddlers, moms and dads, grandma and grandpas, inexperienced parents, and parents who are on their eighth child. I have answered questions on the phone, via email, through text message, in line at the farmers’ market, and in the bathroom at Starbucks. I… have… heard… it… all.
A few questions never get old; they are asked over and over again because they are top of mind for virtually all parents of babies and young children. So, here are parents’ top sleep questions: a sleep consultant answers the biggest hurdles to those baby sleep challenges!
Co-parenting can be tricky; there are lots of emotions, many people to consider, and a wide array of schedules to coordinate. But with effective cooperation and communication, it is possible to make it smoother. Here are some tips to co-parent successfully through the school year. How to organize the schedule between both parents: Start discussing the school schedule well in advance to avoid any last-minute conflicts. Consider the following: -PA Days -Doctor and dentist appointments (especially any that may impact your ex’s days or pick-up times) -Parent-teacher interviews -pick up and drop off’s -extracurricular schedules -Special days (pink shirt days, pizza days etc.) Make sure it’s on everyone’s calendar and that any adjustments to the calendar or schedule have been discussed in advance. Make sure everyone is aware of what each day entails and has the items needed. Coordinate supplies and schedule: Coordinate your shopping trips to avoid duplicating…
Things have changed a lot since we were kids. Do you remember leaving the house in the morning after a large bowl of fruit loops, knowing that the only rule you needed to follow was to be back again before the street lamps came on? Maybe I’m showing my age, but those were good days. Full of fresh air, friends, adventures, and dirty feet. These days feel very different. Our kids don’t leave the house in the morning to meet friends- they get online. Although this is all they’ve known, I can’t help but feel sad for the kids who sit on screen all day long. So, I started looking for tips to limit screen time this summer. They’re not having adventures, digging up worms, or kissing boys under the bleachers. Instead, it has me worried for them. So, I’ve decided my kids will have at least a little bit…
Finding out your child is being bullied is completely heart-breaking for parents. It’s hard to understand how it could happen and even more confusing to understand what to do next to support your child. So often, the mama-bear comes out, and we have the urge to find the bully and confront the bully head-on, even though the logical adult in us knows that’s not the right thing to do. Here are signs your child is being bullied and what to do next. Firstly, parents should remember that disagreements are a part of life, and we don’t want to jump to conclusions over every peer conflict. It’s healthy and typical for kids to deal with peer conflict, and they must learn to manage the situations. Here are a few essential differences that parents should be aware of between bullying and peer conflict: Peer conflict is a MUTUAL disagreement between two kids…