Why Experiences Matter More Than Toys for Kids
Listen to The Motherly Podcast
Motherly Motherly
  • Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
      • Infertility
      • Surrogacy
      • Adoption
      • Miscarriage & Loss
      • Pre-Pregnancy Shopping Guides
    • Registry Guide
      • Feeding
      • Toys & Books
      • Diapering Essentials
      • Bedtime & Bathtime
      • Baby Clothing
      • Baby Gear
      • For Mama
      • Health & Safety
    • Pregnancy
      • First Trimester
      • Second Trimester
      • Third Trimester
      • Pregnancy Products
    • Baby Names
      • Baby Names By Month
      • Popular Baby Names
      • Unique Baby Names
    • Birth
      • C-Section
      • Labor & Delivery
      • Birth Stories
    • Postpartum
      • Fourth Trimester
      • Parental Leave
      • Postpartum Products
  • Parenting
    • Baby
      • Sleep Guides & Schedules
      • Feeding Guides & Schedules
      • Milestone Guides
      • Health
      • Learn & Play
      • Products
    • Toddler
      • Memorable Moments
      • Milestones
      • Sleep
      • Nutrition
      • Health
      • Learn & Play
      • Products
    • Child
      • Health
      • Milestones
      • Sleep
      • Nutrition
      • Learn & Play
      • Products
    • Teen
      • Tween
      • Issues
      • Nutrition
      • Health
      • Activities
  • Life
    • Beauty & Style
      • Style
      • Beauty
      • Beauty & Style Shopping Guides
    • Food
    • Motherly Stories
      • Personal Essays
    • Home
      • Home Decor
      • Home Shopping Guides
    • Motherly Money Project
      • Work & Motherhood
      • Family Finances & Budgeting
      • Taxes
    • State of Motherhood
    • News
      • Viral & Trending
      • Celebrity News
    • Health & Wellness
      • Covid
      • Women’s Health
      • Children’s Health
      • It’s Science
      • Mental Health
      • Self Care
      • Fitness
      • Health & Wellness Shopping Guide
    • Travel
    • Entertainment
      • What To Read
      • What To Watch
    • Holidays
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Rosh Hashanah
      • Christmas
      • Kwanzaa
      • Hanukkah
    • Relationships
      • Single Parenting
      • Blended Families
      • Community & Friendship
      • Marriage & Partnerships
      • Grandparents & Extended Families
  • Shop
    • Pregnancy
      • Stretch Mark Cream
      • Pregnancy Pillows
      • Maternity Pajamas
      • Maternity Workout Clothes
      • Compression Socks
      • All Pregnancy Products
    • Toddler Products
      • Pikler Triangles
      • Toddler Sleep Sacks
      • Toddler Scooters
      • Water Tables
      • Sippy Cups
      • All Toddler Products
    • Postpartum
      • Breastmilk Coolers
      • Postpartum Pajamas
      • Postpartum Underwear
      • Postpartum Shapewear
      • All Postpartum Products
    • Child Products
      • Kid Pajamas
      • Play Couches
      • Kids’ Backpacks
      • Kids’ Bikes
      • Kids’ Travel Gear
      • All Child Products
    • Baby Products
      • Baby Wraps
      • Baby Swaddles
      • Eco-Friendly Diapers
      • Baby Bathtubs
      • Splat Mats
      • All Baby Products
    • Beauty & Style Products
      • Pregnancy-safe Skincare
      • Diaper Bags
      • Maternity Jeans
      • Matching Family Swimwear
      • Mama Necklaces
      • All Beauty and Style Products
  • Podcasts
  • Join the list!
  • Please wait..
×
Clear

Home / Holidays

Why we’re asking for experiences, not toys

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your children. Read more on Motherly!

By Motherly Updated Mar. 28, 2025

  • Rectangle

Dear family + friends, we’re not asking for toys this holiday season. But if you want to get my kids a gift, give them an experience that will stay with them forever.

Categories:
Holidays, Gift

Related articles

women's healthcare
Podcast
How Kate Ryder is reinventing women’s healthcare—starting with moms
Viral TikTok mom cuts hair for daughter
News
Mom’s haircut moment turns preschool disaster into pure love
Peppa Pig - A picture of her parents
Entertainment
Peppa Pig’s baby sister has arrived—and her name comes with a touching backstory
DumDums
Parenting
Mom stunned after 8-year-old uses her phone to order $4,200 worth of lollipops
Sibling love
Parenting
Mom walks away for a moment—what her son does for his autistic sister is pure love

More articles like this

TikTok: A mom taking about how her son loves a $2 toy instead of his Christmas gift
News
Mom’s viral video reveals son loves $2 toy more than Christmas gift—and every parent can relate

"I just spent 45 minutes looking for this rubber dinosaur from a two-dollar bath bomb because you would have thought it held all the secrets to our family."

News, Viral & Trending
TikTok: A dad crying on his wedding day
News
This 3-year-old’s voice note left her dad in tears on his wedding day

“Hello Daddy, it’s me, Evie,” her little voice chirped in the now-viral TikTok video, which has racked up over 82 million views on TikTok in just five days.

News, Viral & Trending
Viral TikTok: A mom looking at what is inside her daughter's pink purse
News
Mom checks 7-year-old daughter’s purse—and is stunned by what she finds inside

A toy ray gun and a neon green rocket—clearly essential tools for any potential alien emergency—were tucked neatly inside.

News, Viral & Trending
Our Partners
The summer camp experience kids love and parents feel good about

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your…

Our Partners, Kids Learning
Parenting
Raising kids in the age of AI doesn’t have to feel like doom. Here’s why.

Civil rights attorney, Google alum, and mom of four Michele Jawando makes the case that parents are the most powerful force in shaping what AI becomes for the next generation.

Parenting
Our Partners
If you’re formula feeding, this is the kind of peace of mind you’ve been looking for

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your…

Our Partners, Baby, Baby Feeding Guides & Schedules
Pregnancy
Science says morning sickness could mean you’re having a girl

The old wives' tale turns out to have some real data behind it.

Pregnancy
Women's Health
A neuroscientist explains how to finally quiet mom guilt

A leading neuroscientist explains why that relentless voice isn't your fault—and what you can actually do about it.

Women's Health, Mental Health

Featured Posts

Reduce Financial Stress Moms
Money Lessons
How 9 small money shifts can reduce financial stress for moms

You already make intelligent choices all day. These quick, low-lift money moves help you feel more in control, lower financial stress and keep family goals on track.

Money Lessons, Finances, Health & Wellness, Mental Health, Motherhood Understood, Motherly, Pregnancy, Second Trimester
Baby Milestone Mother Milestone
Baby
Why every baby milestone is also a mother milestone

Your baby is learning to smile, roll, walk and talk. You are learning to trust yourself, set boundaries, ask for help and let go. Baby milestone is mothers milestone, too, they happen together.

Baby, Baby Milestones
Grandparents New Parenthood
Relationships
The quiet work of grandparents in new parenthood

Grandparents are the invisible scaffolding in many new families. Here is what research shows about their impact, the pressures they carry, and how parents can partner with them in safe, loving, clear ways.

Relationships, Grandparents & Extended Families
Teen Begins To Pull Away
Teen
When your teen begins to pull away: what it feels like and how to stay close

That closed bedroom door can sting. Here is why distance is part of healthy adolescence and how to keep connection steady while you give them room.

Teen, Teen Health, Teen Issues
Sibling Rivalry
Parenting
Why sibling rivalry is really about love in disguise

The bickering you hear is often a sign of connection. Here is what research says about sibling conflict, why it can build empathy, and how to coach it into closeness without letting anyone get hurt.

Parenting, sibling bonding
Identity Shift Working Mom
Career & Money
The quiet identity shift of becoming a working mom

Returning to work after baby is more than a schedule change. It is a shift in who you are, what you value and how you move through your day. Here is language for what you are feeling, plus a plan to make the transition kinder.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Food Becomes Love
Postpartum
The way food becomes love after birth

After delivery, meals do more than fill a plate. They steady hormones, fuel milk, lower stress and remind a new parent they are held. Food quietly becomes a love language in the fourth trimester; what your body needs and how to ask for help.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Postpartum Rest
Health & Wellness
Why postpartum rest is medical care, not a luxury

Your body completed a complex, whole-body event. Treating rest like a prescription, not an afterthought, protects healing, mental health and long-term well-being for you and your baby.

Health & Wellness, Fourth Trimester, Mental Health, Postpartum, Self Care, Women's Health
Motherhood Relationship With Time
Motherhood Understood
Before kids and after: how motherhood reshapes our sense of time

Time bends in early parenthood. Days can feel endless, then years flash by. Here is why that happens, plus gentle ways to reclaim pockets of ease.

Motherhood Understood, Health & Wellness, Women's Health
What Surrogates Wish Parents Knew
Parenting
What surrogates wish intended parents knew

Surrogates say the best journeys are built on clarity, respect and real support. Here is what they want you to know before you match, so everyone feels seen and protected.

Parenting, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Surrogacy
Adoption Anniversaries Matter
Adoption
Why adoption anniversaries matter more than you think

Marking the day your family legally or practically came together can be more than a sweet tradition. Done thoughtfully, an adoption anniversary can build identity, strengthen attachment and honor every person in your child’s story.

Adoption, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Parenting
Motherhood Tax
Career & Money
The motherhood tax: why women still pay more

The motherhood tax is real, and it shows up in three places at once: lower earnings, higher prices, and more unpaid time. Here is what is driving it in 2025, plus practical steps to reclaim money, time, and power.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Labor Teaches Strength
Birth
What labor teaches women about their own strength

Birth has a way of stripping life down to the essentials. Between contractions and choices, labor can reveal a kind of courage that is quieter than grit and steadier than hype, the kind you carry into motherhood long after delivery day.

Birth, Labor & Delivery
Being Family Safety Net
Career & Money
The invisible weight of being the family safety net

When you are the one everyone calls for rides, rent and reassurance, it can feel like love and pressure at the same time. Here is what the data says about the growing squeeze on families and a practical plan to protect your well-being while you care for the people you love.

Career & Money, Family Finances & Budgeting, Work & Motherhood
Money Stress Emotional Load
Health & Wellness
Why moms can’t separate money stress from emotional load

When the budget stretches thin, the to-do list gets heavier. Here is why financial strain and the mental load show up together for moms, and what actually helps.

Health & Wellness, government financial aid, Mental Health
Pregnancy Changes Friendships
Pregnancy
How pregnancy changes friendships—and how to nurture them

Your inner circle often shifts when you are expecting. Here is why it happens, what it means for your well-being, and simple ways to keep the people you love close.

Pregnancy, First Trimester
First Trimester Endless And Fleeting
Pregnancy
Why the first trimester feels both endless and fleeting

Nausea, secrecy, and milestone waiting can stretch early pregnancy into slow motion. Then one ultrasound, a small bump, and suddenly it is gone. Here is the science behind the time warp, plus gentle ways to steady yourself.

Pregnancy, First Trimester
Body Moving Forward
For Mama
A mother’s body is never “back,” it is moving forward

Your body did something extraordinary. You do not need to rewind it. Here is a gentler, truer way to measure progress after birth, with real talk and research that respects every path.

For Mama, deal-alerts-sales-shopping-guides, Postpartum, Shop
Grief Weaning
For Mama
The slow grief of weaning—and why it’s okay to feel it

Weaning is a real goodbye, not just a feeding change. Here’s what’s happening in your body and heart, how to tell if you need extra support, and gentle ways to mark this transition.

For Mama, Breastfeeding
What Moms Wish Employers Understood Parental Leave
Parental Leave
What moms wish employers understood about parental leave

Parental leave is not a perk. It is protective health time that safeguards recovery, bonding, feeding, and mental well-being. Here is what new parents wish every manager and HR team knew, plus practical steps to design leave that actually works.

Parental Leave, Fourth Trimester, Postpartum
Surrogacy Needs Village of Support
Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy
Why surrogacy requires a village of support

Gestational surrogacy is never a solo act. The medical, legal, and emotional layers are real, which is exactly why building your village early protects the gestational carrier, the baby, and you.

Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Parenting, Surrogacy
How Adoption Reshapes Family Life
Motherly
How adoption reshapes every part of family life

Adoption does not just add a child to your home, it rebuilds your family’s story, routines, and relationships. Here is what changes, why it is normal, and how to navigate it with care, clarity, and support.

Motherly, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Adoption, Parenting
Truth About Bonding After C-Section
Motherly
The truth about bonding after a C-section

Bonding is not a single golden hour, and a C-section does not put you behind. With the right support, connection grows skin-to-skin, eye-to-eye, and day by day—no matter how your baby was born.

Motherly, Birth, C-Section
Seasoned Moms Fourth Trimester
Motherly
Why seasoned moms call the fourth trimester “the hardest love”

Those first 12 weeks after birth bring tidal waves of physical recovery, round-the-clock care and identity shifts. Here is why it feels so hard, and how to make the hardest love gentler on you and your baby.

Motherly, Fourth Trimester, Postpartum
Postpartum is an Identity Rebirth
Postpartum
Postpartum is not just physical. It is an identity rebirth

Your body heals after birth, yes. Your sense of self shifts too. Here is how to understand the identity changes of new parenthood and what to do when it feels like you do not recognize yourself.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Activities Strengthen Child's Resilience
Child
7 activities that strengthen your child’s resilience

Resilience grows in ordinary moments. These seven playful, low-lift activities help kids practice coping, confidence and problem-solving with you as their safety net.

Child, Child Milestones, Motherly
Postpartum Needs
Postpartum
How to spot the 5 most overlooked postpartum needs

The fourth trimester is real, and many important needs fall through the cracks after that first newborn check. Here is how to recognize what your body and mind might be asking for, and what to do next.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester, Health & Wellness, Motherly
Transition Solid Foods
Baby
12 gentle ways to help your baby transition to solid foods

Starting solids does not have to be stressful. These parent-tested, expert-backed ideas make the shift calm, safe, and joyful for both of you.

Baby, Baby Feeding Guides & Schedules
Things Teens Wish Moms Would Ask
Teen
7 surprising things teens wish their moms would ask

Sometimes the best way to connect with a teenager is to ask a better question. Use thoughtful prompts and open real conversation without putting your teen on the defensive.

Teen, Teen Issues
Body Ready for Labor
Birth
6 signs your body is ready for labor

Your body often whispers before it roars. Here are the most reliable, evidence-backed signs that labor is near, so you can recognize what’s normal, trust your instincts and feel prepared.

Birth, Labor & Delivery
Career Growth Family Life
Career & Money
Habits moms use to balance career growth and family life: 6 that matter

You do not need a 5 a.m. club or a color-coded command center to grow at work and feel present at home. 6 habits that are realistic, repeatable, and proven to reduce stress while moving your career forward.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Make Adoption Celebrated
Parenting
9 supportive rituals that make adoption feel celebrated

Your family’s story deserves to be honored. Simple, repeatable rituals help you mark milestones, nurture connection and keep your child’s identity at the center.

Parenting, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Adoption
Sibling Bonding Activities
Child Learn & Play
7 sibling bonding activities to try before baby arrives

A new baby changes everything, including your firstborn’s world. Simple activities help older kids feel included and connected to the tiny person they have yet to meet.

Child Learn & Play, sibling bonding
Postpartum Habits Mental Health
Health & Wellness
10 postpartum habits that protect your mental health

Postpartum life is full and your mental health matters as much as your newborn’s feeding schedule. These small, doable habits support your well-being while you find your rhythm again.

Health & Wellness, Fourth Trimester, Mental Health, Motherly, Postpartum
Phrases for Struggling With Milestones
Children's Health
Phrases to try when your child is struggling with milestones (8 that connect)

When progress feels slow, words can increase a child’s stress or their courage. 8 phrases lower pressure, build trust, and keep learning on track.

Children's Health, Mental Health
Financial Truths Before Maternity Leave
Pregnancy
5 financial truths every mom should know before maternity leave

Maternity leave math is confusing, even when you have benefits. Here's facts that matter most and simple steps to take so your paycheck, premiums, and plans stay on track.

Pregnancy, Second Trimester
How Grandparents Can Help
Grandparents & Extended Families
How grandparents can help (6 ways without overstepping)

Grandparents are the village personified, and a steady presence matters. Here are six simple, research-backed ways to support your grandkids and their parents without stepping on toes.

Grandparents & Extended Families, Relationships
Money Practices Fourth Trimester
Postpartum
10 mindful money practices for families in the fourth trimester

The first 12 weeks after birth are tender, tiring and expensive. Simple, compassionate practices help you protect finances without sacrificing your well-being.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Tween Independence
Motherly
7 signs your tween is asking for independence and how to honor it

Tweens crave room to try, stumble and grow. Here are clear signs your tween is asking for some independence, they are ready for more say in their life.

Motherly, Children's Health, Teen, Teen Issues, Tweens
Toddler Snacks Nutrition
Toddler
15 tasty toddler snacks that actually meet nutrition goals

You want snacks to fuel growth, not just fill minutes until dinner. These 15 options check the big boxes for protein, fiber, iron, and healthy fats without piling on added sugar or salt.

Toddler
Pack Go Bag
Shop
Tuck in your go bag: 10 things veteran moms swear by

Ensure your go bag is working for you. A solid go bag buys you time, calm, and fewer meltdowns in the moments that matter.

Shop, Postpartum
Postpartum Meals Nourish
Postpartum
5 simple postpartum meals that nourish healing

You deserve food that is soothing, nutrient-dense, and ridiculously easy to get on the table. These five meals support tissue repair, steady energy, and milk-making if you are breastfeeding.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Grounding Practices for TTC Moms
Getting Pregnant
Your patience isn’t broken: 7 grounding practices for TTC moms

These simple, evidence-based grounding practices can help you feel more rooted. Remember your patience isn't broken, you just need some information to steady you.

Getting Pregnant
Supportive Phrases Surrogacy
Getting Pregnant
12 supportive phrases moms navigating surrogacy deserve to hear

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your…

Getting Pregnant, Surrogacy
Soon To Be Dads
Motherly
8 ways dads-to-be can truly show up during the third trimester

Eight concrete ways dads-to-be can show up in the third trimester. Learn warning signs, practice labor support and prep the fourth trimester. Practical, calm and evidence-based.

Motherly, Pregnancy, Third Trimester
Reset Child Sleep Patterns
Child Sleep
Signs your child’s sleep patterns need a gentle reset (6 to watch for)

Six clear signs your child’s sleep routine needs a gentle reset, plus small, doable tweaks to bring nights and mornings back into balance.

Child Sleep, Baby Sleep Guides & Schedules
Things To Know About C-Sections
Pregnancy
10 things seasoned moms want you to know about C-sections

Ten mom-tested truths about C-sections, backed by leading medical guidance, to help you plan your birth, advocate in the OR and recover with confidence.

Pregnancy, Second Trimester
New Moms Work Life
Postpartum
5 effective habits to help new moms ease back into work

Easing back to work after baby is a big shift. These 5 expert-backed habits protect your energy, feeding plan and mental health so you can find your new rhythm.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
A leprechaun trap sitting on a rattan table
Learn & Play
A DIY leprechaun trap your kids will actually play with

Watch the tissue box come crashing down when the pot of gold chocolate coins is lifted.

Learn & Play
woman taking selfie wearing black barrel pants
Style
These $36 Amazon Pants Are the Comfiest, Most Versatile Pair I Own

If you too have lusted after the $249 viral Ruti pants, you'll want to give this dupe a try.

Style, Shop
Danish game Klask sitting on top of a table
Entertainment
This award-winning Danish game is my family’s new obsession

A genius mesh of tabletop foosball and air hockey that we can’t stop playing.

Entertainment, Family Life, Shop
Close-up image of three colorful containers packed with healthy lunches for kids
School Lunch Box
Lunchbox ruts end here: 15 mix-and-match ideas nutritionists swear by

Stuck in a same-sandwich loop. These flexible, kid-approved combos help you pack balanced, colorful lunches fast, with simple swaps for picky eaters and allergies.

School Lunch Box, Food, Home & Food Shopping Guides
Mom in her home office holding her baby while feeding her a bottle
Pumping at Work
Pumping at work without the spiral: your rights, your plan, your peace

You deserve time, space and support to feed your baby. Here’s a practical, confident plan to pump at work without anxiety, plus what to do if your employer pushes back.

Pumping at Work, Breastfeeding, For Mama

Most Popular Posts in Holidays

New Years
Early New Year’s Eve countdowns that help kids feel included without staying up past bedtime

The magic of New Year’s Eve is the countdown itself. The rhythm of numbers. The collective pause. The shared cheer at the end.

New Years, Holidays
Viral & Trending
A grandma’s Christmas choice is making parents rethink what kids actually need

Kids may not remember every holiday morning. They may not recall who gave what or when. But adults remember who helped them feel steadier as they stepped into independence.

Viral & Trending, Christmas, Holidays, News, Parenting
Christmas shift
Holidays
The quiet Christmas shift every parent eventually feels

Not the last Christmas. Not the end of magic. Just the year when your child starts seeing things a little differently.

Holidays, Christmas, News, Parenting, Viral & Trending
Mom and two kids in cozy living room decorated with holiday decor and Christmas tree
Life
Holiday planning tips that help moms enjoy the holiday magic again

You deserve a season that feels joyful, not like a project plan. These simple holiday planning strategies help you create memories, protect your energy and actually enjoy it again.

Life, Family Life, Health & Wellness, Holidays, Motherly, The Holidays
Image of mom decorating tree with two kids
Motherly
6 small holiday traditions that make big memories for kids

You do not need a packed calendar to make the season magical. These tiny, repeatable holiday traditions build connection, wonder, and family identity that lasts.

Motherly, Holiday Traditions, Holidays
Close-up photo of toddler hands rolling dough with parent
Holidays
10 fun holiday food ideas to make with kids (that don’t require perfection)

Keep the joy, skip the pressure. These easy, holiday food ideas invite kids into the kitchen without requiring flawless frosting or chef-level skills.

Holidays, Kids Learning, Kids Resilience, Kids Teaching, Life, Motherly
Parenting
The Christmas shift this mom caught on camera has parents quietly falling apart

“No one talks about the day they stop believing and start helping.”

Parenting, Holidays, News, Viral & Trending
daughter made mom an advent calendar
Christmas
A mom opened her kids’ handmade advent calendar and discovered something she will remember forever

When she opened that first note, she expected a simple craft. Instead she found proof that her children are paying attention to the love she pours into their lives.

Christmas, Holidays, News, Viral & Trending

The Latest Posts

Reduce Financial Stress Moms
Money Lessons
How 9 small money shifts can reduce financial stress for moms

You already make intelligent choices all day. These quick, low-lift money moves help you feel more in control, lower financial stress and keep family goals on track.

Money Lessons, Finances, Health & Wellness, Mental Health, Motherhood Understood, Motherly, Pregnancy, Second Trimester
Baby Milestone Mother Milestone
Baby
Why every baby milestone is also a mother milestone

Your baby is learning to smile, roll, walk and talk. You are learning to trust yourself, set boundaries, ask for help and let go. Baby milestone is mothers milestone, too, they happen together.

Baby, Baby Milestones
Grandparents New Parenthood
Relationships
The quiet work of grandparents in new parenthood

Grandparents are the invisible scaffolding in many new families. Here is what research shows about their impact, the pressures they carry, and how parents can partner with them in safe, loving, clear ways.

Relationships, Grandparents & Extended Families
Teen Begins To Pull Away
Teen
When your teen begins to pull away: what it feels like and how to stay close

That closed bedroom door can sting. Here is why distance is part of healthy adolescence and how to keep connection steady while you give them room.

Teen, Teen Health, Teen Issues
Sibling Rivalry
Parenting
Why sibling rivalry is really about love in disguise

The bickering you hear is often a sign of connection. Here is what research says about sibling conflict, why it can build empathy, and how to coach it into closeness without letting anyone get hurt.

Parenting, sibling bonding
Identity Shift Working Mom
Career & Money
The quiet identity shift of becoming a working mom

Returning to work after baby is more than a schedule change. It is a shift in who you are, what you value and how you move through your day. Here is language for what you are feeling, plus a plan to make the transition kinder.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Food Becomes Love
Postpartum
The way food becomes love after birth

After delivery, meals do more than fill a plate. They steady hormones, fuel milk, lower stress and remind a new parent they are held. Food quietly becomes a love language in the fourth trimester; what your body needs and how to ask for help.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Postpartum Rest
Health & Wellness
Why postpartum rest is medical care, not a luxury

Your body completed a complex, whole-body event. Treating rest like a prescription, not an afterthought, protects healing, mental health and long-term well-being for you and your baby.

Health & Wellness, Fourth Trimester, Mental Health, Postpartum, Self Care, Women's Health
Motherhood Relationship With Time
Motherhood Understood
Before kids and after: how motherhood reshapes our sense of time

Time bends in early parenthood. Days can feel endless, then years flash by. Here is why that happens, plus gentle ways to reclaim pockets of ease.

Motherhood Understood, Health & Wellness, Women's Health
What Surrogates Wish Parents Knew
Parenting
What surrogates wish intended parents knew

Surrogates say the best journeys are built on clarity, respect and real support. Here is what they want you to know before you match, so everyone feels seen and protected.

Parenting, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Surrogacy
Adoption Anniversaries Matter
Adoption
Why adoption anniversaries matter more than you think

Marking the day your family legally or practically came together can be more than a sweet tradition. Done thoughtfully, an adoption anniversary can build identity, strengthen attachment and honor every person in your child’s story.

Adoption, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Parenting
Motherhood Tax
Career & Money
The motherhood tax: why women still pay more

The motherhood tax is real, and it shows up in three places at once: lower earnings, higher prices, and more unpaid time. Here is what is driving it in 2025, plus practical steps to reclaim money, time, and power.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Labor Teaches Strength
Birth
What labor teaches women about their own strength

Birth has a way of stripping life down to the essentials. Between contractions and choices, labor can reveal a kind of courage that is quieter than grit and steadier than hype, the kind you carry into motherhood long after delivery day.

Birth, Labor & Delivery
Being Family Safety Net
Career & Money
The invisible weight of being the family safety net

When you are the one everyone calls for rides, rent and reassurance, it can feel like love and pressure at the same time. Here is what the data says about the growing squeeze on families and a practical plan to protect your well-being while you care for the people you love.

Career & Money, Family Finances & Budgeting, Work & Motherhood
Money Stress Emotional Load
Health & Wellness
Why moms can’t separate money stress from emotional load

When the budget stretches thin, the to-do list gets heavier. Here is why financial strain and the mental load show up together for moms, and what actually helps.

Health & Wellness, government financial aid, Mental Health
Pregnancy Changes Friendships
Pregnancy
How pregnancy changes friendships—and how to nurture them

Your inner circle often shifts when you are expecting. Here is why it happens, what it means for your well-being, and simple ways to keep the people you love close.

Pregnancy, First Trimester
First Trimester Endless And Fleeting
Pregnancy
Why the first trimester feels both endless and fleeting

Nausea, secrecy, and milestone waiting can stretch early pregnancy into slow motion. Then one ultrasound, a small bump, and suddenly it is gone. Here is the science behind the time warp, plus gentle ways to steady yourself.

Pregnancy, First Trimester
Body Moving Forward
For Mama
A mother’s body is never “back,” it is moving forward

Your body did something extraordinary. You do not need to rewind it. Here is a gentler, truer way to measure progress after birth, with real talk and research that respects every path.

For Mama, deal-alerts-sales-shopping-guides, Postpartum, Shop
Grief Weaning
For Mama
The slow grief of weaning—and why it’s okay to feel it

Weaning is a real goodbye, not just a feeding change. Here’s what’s happening in your body and heart, how to tell if you need extra support, and gentle ways to mark this transition.

For Mama, Breastfeeding
What Moms Wish Employers Understood Parental Leave
Parental Leave
What moms wish employers understood about parental leave

Parental leave is not a perk. It is protective health time that safeguards recovery, bonding, feeding, and mental well-being. Here is what new parents wish every manager and HR team knew, plus practical steps to design leave that actually works.

Parental Leave, Fourth Trimester, Postpartum
Surrogacy Needs Village of Support
Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy
Why surrogacy requires a village of support

Gestational surrogacy is never a solo act. The medical, legal, and emotional layers are real, which is exactly why building your village early protects the gestational carrier, the baby, and you.

Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Parenting, Surrogacy
How Adoption Reshapes Family Life
Motherly
How adoption reshapes every part of family life

Adoption does not just add a child to your home, it rebuilds your family’s story, routines, and relationships. Here is what changes, why it is normal, and how to navigate it with care, clarity, and support.

Motherly, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Adoption, Parenting
Truth About Bonding After C-Section
Motherly
The truth about bonding after a C-section

Bonding is not a single golden hour, and a C-section does not put you behind. With the right support, connection grows skin-to-skin, eye-to-eye, and day by day—no matter how your baby was born.

Motherly, Birth, C-Section
Seasoned Moms Fourth Trimester
Motherly
Why seasoned moms call the fourth trimester “the hardest love”

Those first 12 weeks after birth bring tidal waves of physical recovery, round-the-clock care and identity shifts. Here is why it feels so hard, and how to make the hardest love gentler on you and your baby.

Motherly, Fourth Trimester, Postpartum
Postpartum is an Identity Rebirth
Postpartum
Postpartum is not just physical. It is an identity rebirth

Your body heals after birth, yes. Your sense of self shifts too. Here is how to understand the identity changes of new parenthood and what to do when it feels like you do not recognize yourself.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Activities Strengthen Child's Resilience
Child
7 activities that strengthen your child’s resilience

Resilience grows in ordinary moments. These seven playful, low-lift activities help kids practice coping, confidence and problem-solving with you as their safety net.

Child, Child Milestones, Motherly
Postpartum Needs
Postpartum
How to spot the 5 most overlooked postpartum needs

The fourth trimester is real, and many important needs fall through the cracks after that first newborn check. Here is how to recognize what your body and mind might be asking for, and what to do next.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester, Health & Wellness, Motherly
Transition Solid Foods
Baby
12 gentle ways to help your baby transition to solid foods

Starting solids does not have to be stressful. These parent-tested, expert-backed ideas make the shift calm, safe, and joyful for both of you.

Baby, Baby Feeding Guides & Schedules
Things Teens Wish Moms Would Ask
Teen
7 surprising things teens wish their moms would ask

Sometimes the best way to connect with a teenager is to ask a better question. Use thoughtful prompts and open real conversation without putting your teen on the defensive.

Teen, Teen Issues
Body Ready for Labor
Birth
6 signs your body is ready for labor

Your body often whispers before it roars. Here are the most reliable, evidence-backed signs that labor is near, so you can recognize what’s normal, trust your instincts and feel prepared.

Birth, Labor & Delivery
Career Growth Family Life
Career & Money
Habits moms use to balance career growth and family life: 6 that matter

You do not need a 5 a.m. club or a color-coded command center to grow at work and feel present at home. 6 habits that are realistic, repeatable, and proven to reduce stress while moving your career forward.

Career & Money, Work & Motherhood
Make Adoption Celebrated
Parenting
9 supportive rituals that make adoption feel celebrated

Your family’s story deserves to be honored. Simple, repeatable rituals help you mark milestones, nurture connection and keep your child’s identity at the center.

Parenting, Adopt & Foster & Surrogacy, Adoption
Sibling Bonding Activities
Child Learn & Play
7 sibling bonding activities to try before baby arrives

A new baby changes everything, including your firstborn’s world. Simple activities help older kids feel included and connected to the tiny person they have yet to meet.

Child Learn & Play, sibling bonding
Postpartum Habits Mental Health
Health & Wellness
10 postpartum habits that protect your mental health

Postpartum life is full and your mental health matters as much as your newborn’s feeding schedule. These small, doable habits support your well-being while you find your rhythm again.

Health & Wellness, Fourth Trimester, Mental Health, Motherly, Postpartum
Phrases for Struggling With Milestones
Children's Health
Phrases to try when your child is struggling with milestones (8 that connect)

When progress feels slow, words can increase a child’s stress or their courage. 8 phrases lower pressure, build trust, and keep learning on track.

Children's Health, Mental Health
Financial Truths Before Maternity Leave
Pregnancy
5 financial truths every mom should know before maternity leave

Maternity leave math is confusing, even when you have benefits. Here's facts that matter most and simple steps to take so your paycheck, premiums, and plans stay on track.

Pregnancy, Second Trimester
How Grandparents Can Help
Grandparents & Extended Families
How grandparents can help (6 ways without overstepping)

Grandparents are the village personified, and a steady presence matters. Here are six simple, research-backed ways to support your grandkids and their parents without stepping on toes.

Grandparents & Extended Families, Relationships
Money Practices Fourth Trimester
Postpartum
10 mindful money practices for families in the fourth trimester

The first 12 weeks after birth are tender, tiring and expensive. Simple, compassionate practices help you protect finances without sacrificing your well-being.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Tween Independence
Motherly
7 signs your tween is asking for independence and how to honor it

Tweens crave room to try, stumble and grow. Here are clear signs your tween is asking for some independence, they are ready for more say in their life.

Motherly, Children's Health, Teen, Teen Issues, Tweens
Toddler Snacks Nutrition
Toddler
15 tasty toddler snacks that actually meet nutrition goals

You want snacks to fuel growth, not just fill minutes until dinner. These 15 options check the big boxes for protein, fiber, iron, and healthy fats without piling on added sugar or salt.

Toddler
Pack Go Bag
Shop
Tuck in your go bag: 10 things veteran moms swear by

Ensure your go bag is working for you. A solid go bag buys you time, calm, and fewer meltdowns in the moments that matter.

Shop, Postpartum
Postpartum Meals Nourish
Postpartum
5 simple postpartum meals that nourish healing

You deserve food that is soothing, nutrient-dense, and ridiculously easy to get on the table. These five meals support tissue repair, steady energy, and milk-making if you are breastfeeding.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
Grounding Practices for TTC Moms
Getting Pregnant
Your patience isn’t broken: 7 grounding practices for TTC moms

These simple, evidence-based grounding practices can help you feel more rooted. Remember your patience isn't broken, you just need some information to steady you.

Getting Pregnant
Supportive Phrases Surrogacy
Getting Pregnant
12 supportive phrases moms navigating surrogacy deserve to hear

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your…

Getting Pregnant, Surrogacy
Soon To Be Dads
Motherly
8 ways dads-to-be can truly show up during the third trimester

Eight concrete ways dads-to-be can show up in the third trimester. Learn warning signs, practice labor support and prep the fourth trimester. Practical, calm and evidence-based.

Motherly, Pregnancy, Third Trimester
Reset Child Sleep Patterns
Child Sleep
Signs your child’s sleep patterns need a gentle reset (6 to watch for)

Six clear signs your child’s sleep routine needs a gentle reset, plus small, doable tweaks to bring nights and mornings back into balance.

Child Sleep, Baby Sleep Guides & Schedules
Things To Know About C-Sections
Pregnancy
10 things seasoned moms want you to know about C-sections

Ten mom-tested truths about C-sections, backed by leading medical guidance, to help you plan your birth, advocate in the OR and recover with confidence.

Pregnancy, Second Trimester
New Moms Work Life
Postpartum
5 effective habits to help new moms ease back into work

Easing back to work after baby is a big shift. These 5 expert-backed habits protect your energy, feeding plan and mental health so you can find your new rhythm.

Postpartum, Fourth Trimester
The Motherly Podcast
Megan Piphus on making history, the power of encouragement, and finding her confidence through creativity

Explore expert insights and tips on choosing experiences over toys for your…

The Motherly Podcast, Podcast
lake towns
Travel
The lake towns that are basically mini Hamptons (without the price tag)

Every region has one. Here's where to find yours.

Travel
The Motherly Podcast
Marisa Renee Lee on choosing hope, finding humility, and turning life’s darkest seasons into sources of strength

Lee sits down with Liz Tenety to talk about her struggles with chronic illness, becoming a mother through adoption, and her decision to hold onto hope and joy.

The Motherly Podcast
Pregnancy
732K people watched this weird pregnancy cravings Thread go viral. Here’s the science behind why it hit so hard.

The line between "my body is speaking" and "I might need a blood test" is thinner than you think.

Pregnancy
Mother's Day
The first Mother’s Day nobody talks about

70% of mothers say their first Mother's Day wasn't special. New Mom School founder Alex Spitz on the unmet need nobody wants to admit — and what actually needs to change.

Mother's Day, Motherly Stories
moms and neighbors
Life
Ilana Glazer’s new grassroots initiative wants every mom at the polls

The comedian and activist is launching Moms & Neighbors, a nonpartisan grassroots effort to protect the 2026 midterms, one community at a time.

Life
Podcast
The Motherly Podcast Season 24
Podcast, The Motherly Podcast
Work & Motherhood
Dr. Jasmine Clark on running for Congress, raising teenagers, and why science belongs in the room where it happens

The Georgia microbiologist and state representative is running for Congress — and she’s doing it with a teenager at home, a PhD on her wall, and a jigsaw-puzzle approach to work-life balance.

Work & Motherhood

We believe in creating a world in which all mothers are thriving

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Podcast Inquiries

About Us

  • Our Story
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • About Our Ads
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • Glossary

© 2026 Motherly. All Rights Reserved.

×