Motherly Stories

You were someone before you were their mom—and she still matters

I feel like the woman I was before I became a mother is someone I am familiar with, but I don't know her all that well—she's more like an acquaintance. Honestly, I have to think really hard to remember what it was like to be her.

Living close to my sister made such a huge difference when I became a mom

Watching my kids play with her kids—and the bond they share—makes me so proud. They fight and argue like siblings, but they also light up when they see each other and laugh so hard whenever they're together.

I’m done setting unrealistic expectations for myself as a mom

And I'm done doing it.

10 phrases to say to your kids to inspire confidence

It began as my mom's voice but has become my own, and it is my super power.

An ode to my body—you’ve grown, carried and birthed a baby

Thank you for the gift of health. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the gift of movement.

Mothers try to do the work of many, but one person does not make a village

“It takes a village to raise a child.” That’s right—an entire small town. Cut yourself a break—you’re just one woman.

Dear son, you’ll always be my little boy

I had no idea how my heart would stretch and grow with every day of being your mom.

Having a miscarriage left me feeling heartbroken—and still pregnant

I just wished the world around me would stop and give me a moment to catch my breath.

Mama, you can handle anything—even flu season

Of course, there are suggestions for avoiding colds and flu, but even with all of these preventions, sick days are almost unavoidable.

I’m so grateful to my divorced parents for committing to peaceful co-parenting

My parents have been divorced for almost 30 years and yet they still strive to do their divorce right.

Motherhood is: Listening to ‘Baby Shark’ over and over (and over) again

The tune can calm my toddler's tantrum and soothe my newborn's cries—I can't deny its power.

To the mom who believes in peaceful parenting—but struggles to actually do it

My emotional baggage impacted the way I interacted with my children, especially when I was tired, stressed or triggered.

Motherhood is: Wishing I could freeze time

No matter how bittersweet it can feel, watching you grow and change daily is a reminder of how incredibly lucky I am to have you. We were never meant to live in this moment forever despite how many times we'd like to.

I want to be a stay-at-home mom AND a working mom

Because my children are important to me, and my work is important to me.

To my child-free friends—I might have to say ‘no,’ but please still invite me

I miss you.

The absence of villages has made us think we need to handle motherhood alone—but we don’t

I was alone. Doing it by myself because I COULD. But it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. I didn't do it as well. And I felt lonely.

No, having a baby didn’t ‘ruin’ my 20s

If life goes according to plan, I'll have one more when I'm 29 and, by 30, my husband and I will be selling car seats, hitting the tail end of diapers and settling into life as a minivan family.

How to celebrate holiday birthdays and make them feel extra special

1. Details matter

How I found joy in my IVF journey

I remember telling myself over and over that we had our own story, our own journey, and that was okay. Removing that comparison aspect from my life helped me in more ways than I will ever know.

How to turn the Santa ‘lie’ into something good

I gave her magic until she was eight, and I gave her the spirit of giving for the rest of her life.