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Finding your child's love language
In Mom Moments

Finding Your Child’s Love Language: Loving Your Kids How They Need to Be Loved.

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We know that a child’s deepest need, above all else, is to feel loved. Kids who feel loved tend to have fewer mental health challenges, are more emotionally stable, and are more likely to build healthy, emotionally secure relationships as they grow. Many parents assume that unconditional love is enough. We say “I love you,” hug, kiss, and show affection daily. But sometimes the way we express love doesn’t match the way our child receives love. Even repeated “I love you’s” may not have the effect we hope for. Each child experiences love differently, and as parents, we may unintentionally miss the mark. Why Parents Need to Be Intentional About Showing Love Parents often show love the way they themselves prefer to receive it. The same goes for siblings; what works for one child may not make another feel loved. Understanding your child’s love language can transform your relationship, improve…

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In Parenting

10 Ways to Show Love to Our Kids on Valentine’s Day (No Toys Needed)

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Valentine’s Day can easily become about baskets, chocolates, and tiny toys, but what our children really want is to feel deeply known, cherished, and loved. Research shows that a meaningful parent–child connection is linked to children’s emotional well-being, resilience, and self-esteem. This Valentine’s Day, let’s go beyond the glitter and focus on moments and words that whisper “You are loved, truly.” 1. Look Them in the Eyes and Say Their Name Slowly When you call your child with full attention, eye contact, soft voice, and no rush, it tells their heart they matter deeply to you. 2. Tell Them What You Love About Who They Are “I love how curious you are,” “I love how you make others laugh.” Specific, genuine praise tells a child you see them, not just what they do. 3. Ask Them What Makes Them Feel Loved And really listen. Some kids feel love through words,…

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In Parenting

10 Tiny Things That Make a Big Difference in Baby’s First Year

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Being a new parent can feel like juggling all the balls at once. But sometimes it’s the little things, the tiny tweaks and clever tricks, that make the biggest difference. Here are 10 surprisingly simple ideas that can make your first year with baby a little smoother, a little brighter, and a lot more fun. Warm the Crib SheetsNothing says cozy like a soft, warm bed. Pop a hand warmer or heated blanket on the sheets for a few minutes before bedtime, then remove it before laying baby down. That tiny touch can make crib time instantly inviting. Scented Comfort ObjectA small cloth or lovey with your worn t-shirt tucked nearby can be magic. Your scent is comforting and familiar, helping your baby feel secure even when you’re not in arm’s reach. Mini Hand MassagesAfter bath time, spend a minute gently massaging your baby’s hands and fingers. Not only does…

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In Parenting

What “Low-Dopamine Parenting” Really Means (And What It Doesn’t)

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You’ve probably seen it trending on TikTok: low-dopamine parenting. The term gets tossed around as the “cool new way” to raise kids, but like most viral parenting ideas, it’s often misunderstood. Here’s the truth: it’s not about being boring, outdated, or cruel. It’s about helping kids (and parents!) navigate the modern world’s sensory overload, screens, and overstimulation in a healthy, balanced, normal way. What Is Dopamine? Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that helps us feel motivated, rewarded, and focused. Think of it as your brain’s “feel-good messenger.” It spikes when you eat a tasty snack, win a game, or get praise, giving you a little burst of happiness or excitement. Screens provide this same dopamine hit through bright colors, fast movement, notifications, and instant feedback:  likes on social media, points in a game, or new content constantly appearing, giving the brain frequent bursts of stimulation. Too much of…

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In Parenting

Is Anyone Else Completely Done? Why January Is Hard for Parents

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If December is powered by adrenaline and joy, January is powered by… well, nothing. The holidays end. The lights come down, and the house looks blah.  And suddenly, parents everywhere are asking the same quiet question: Why does this feel harder than before? You’re not imagining it. January parenting is uniquely brutal. The joy is gone, the demands are back, the weather is relentless, and the mental load returns with zero warning and no buffer. If you’re exhausted, unmotivated, snappy, or just done, this isn’t a failure. It’s a season. And you’re not alone, we’re all feeling it. The Post-Holiday Parenting Crash December runs on momentum.Deadlines, traditions, parties, concerts, countdowns. Even when it’s chaotic, there’s a sense of purpose, and it’s outside of our routines, and fun! January strips all of that away overnight. There’s nothing much to look forward to. No payoff. No sparkle. Just routines, high expectations, and…

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In Parenting

“Sharenting” For You or For Them? Trading Kids’ Privacy for Likes

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There was a time when sharing photos of our kids meant pulling out a phone at a family dinner and saying, “You have to see this.” Now it means tapping post and instantly sharing that same moment with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people. That’s sharenting. If you’ve never heard the term, don’t worry. You’ve probably done it. We all have. That first newborn photo. The missing-tooth grin. The back-to-school pic with the adorable, too-big backpack. Sharing our kids online feels joyful, normal, and honestly… kind of expected. But lately, parents are starting to ask a bigger question: Just because we can share, should we? What Is Sharenting? Sharenting is the act of parents or caregivers sharing photos, videos, stories, or personal details about their children online. Sometimes it’s sweet or it’s funny, and it’s often deeply relatable. While our intentions are almost always good, our kids don’t get a say.…

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In Mom Moments

New Year, New Parenting Goals: Resets You Can Actually Keep

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Ah, January. The air smells like fresh Plum Paper day planners, glittering calendars, and hope. As parents, we often use the new year to rethink our own lives: health, finances, careers. But what about our parenting? What if instead of lofty, guilt-laden resolutions, we tried a few realistic, actionable resets that make life with kids smoother, more joyful, and less chaotic? Here are some practical parenting “resets” to kick off the year: 1. Reconnect With Your Child Even for 10 Minutes a Day It’s easy to get buried in schedules, chores, and endless school runs. This year, commit to one meaningful 10-minute connection daily. It could be: Sitting together at breakfast with zero phones. Asking about the “best and hardest part of their day” before bed. A spontaneous dance party in the living room. Consistency matters more than duration. Ten focused minutes can reset your bond in ways hours of…

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In Mom Moments

I’m Proud to Be a One-and-Done Mom; Why the Stereotypes Need to Go

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Only-child families aren’t an accident, a compromise, or a failure. They’re a modern, intentional family structure backed by strong research and lived experiences. Studies consistently show that only children often match or outperform peers academically, build deep bonds with parents, and develop rich social lives through chosen friendships. As the world shifts, economically, professionally, and socially, more families are choosing one child because it aligns with their values, bandwidth, and mental health. This is the story of why my one-and-done family works beautifully, and why only-child stereotypes need to go. The Landscape: Single-Child Families Are Now Mainstream In Canada, roughly 45% of families with children have just one. In the U.S., the percentage of mothers with only one child reached 22%, nearly doubling in recent decades. A global meta-analysis places the prevalence at 41%. In other words, the “only child” label isn’t an outlier anymore, it’s a cultural shift. Why…

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In School

What Happens After the IEP Is Signed? What Parents Need to Know Next

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So you finally got the IEP signed—after weeks (maybe months) of evaluations, meetings, and hard conversations. You were told, “Now the support begins.” But what if the services don’t show up? What if the accommodations are forgotten, or your child is still struggling just as much? This is the part no one prepares you for: what happens after the paperwork is signed.  An IEP is just a starting line, not a finish line. You need to know how to implement the IEP after it’s signed. While it’s a powerful legal document, it’s not a magic wand. Signing the paperwork doesn’t guarantee that every support will be delivered as written or that your child’s school experience will immediately improve. The real work often begins after that last signature. Table of Contents Your IEP Is a Legal Document—But Implementation Varies Common Gaps Between Plan and Practice How to Monitor IEP Implementation Without…

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In Parenting

Weird but Totally Normal: 8 Coping Mechanisms Kids Use During Big Transitions

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New grade. New teacher. New drop-off line. Whether it’s starting Kindergarten or heading into a new school year, transitions can be a rollercoaster for young kids—and let’s be honest, for parents too. Oftentimes, we see this manifest as weird coping mechanisms in kids. If your child is suddenly clinging to an old sock or talking to themselves like they’re the star of a one-kid play, you might be wondering: Is this normal? The short answer? Yes. Totally. These weird coping mechanisms in young children are not only common — they’re developmentally expected. Here’s a closer look at the quirky, surprising ways kids handle big change — and why most of it is nothing to worry about. 1. The Transitional Object: Sacred Stuffy, the Random Rock You might notice your child gripping a random object on the way to school — a tiny stuffy, a beat-up rock from the backyard, or…

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