December Kindness Countdown
by Ann Knuttila
We’re in the first week of December. No one can argue that the Christmas season is upon us. Do you and your kids have a countdown going? I feel like we...
Letting Go of the Perfect Christmas
At this time of year, there are two types of people: Those who are giddy about the holidays and the rest of us. I fall into the second group. In my...
Out of Reach
I recently attended a meeting where I was introduced as the owner of a local wine bar & bistro, a mom of three young girls and a freelance writer. Then...
Why Gratitude? Why Now?
If your family is anything like mine, the time of year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is filled with, “Pass the…” and “Can I have…” and “Oooh! Mama, I...
Dare Yourself
by Erin Statz
“Truth or Dare?” Do kids these days even play that game anymore or know what it is? Long before internet, tablets, phones or apps that was a game we...
When You’re Rocking Your Baby
If you are one of those mamas feeling fully touched-out, whose arm permanently and painfully locks into a 90 degree angle at the elbow, whose hips ache from the constant...
I Teach My Kids to Talk to Strangers
My kids are only 3 and 4 years old so in the parenting world, I’m kind of a rookie. I get it. But I heard someone say to their child...
Remember When It Was Just You and Me?
by Maureen Zhao
It used to be just you and me, kid. I remember it like it was yesterday, but you say you don’t remember it at all. It started with walks along...
Like a Savage
I get it. Being a mom often times means holding the line, enforcing the rules, and forcing – I mean fostering – a change in behavior. I am fully aware...
When the Holidays Are “Happy-Sad”
Many families will grieve a loss this holiday season. A divorce, miscarriage, a loved one’s decline in health or their death. Maybe it is the loss of a job or...
Things I Know in the Night
by Kate Awsumb
When your sister was small, I dreaded the night. It was dark, lonely, unknown. Despite loving her fiercely with every fiber of my being, I’d bounce and jiggle and pace...
Timeless Memories Made on Family Movie Night
by Erin Statz
A night out at the movies has been a well-loved family pastime and tradition I have enjoyed since I was a child. The movie-going experience has come a long way...
The Magical 3-Second Pause
by Amber Harder
I like being efficient and checking things off lists. Sometimes my children hinder my efficiency with their unpredictable needs and unexpected bickering. Oh, children. When I’m working hard to accomplish...