mindful parenting

10 things I love (and will miss) about my kids’ toddler years

What will you miss, mama?

Dear mama-to-be, I envy you

This life is wonderful. So wonderful in fact that I would go back and live it again and again, which is why it is with bittersweet envy that I celebrate expecting moms and the amazing moments ahead of them.

My child isn’t giving me a hard time—he’s *having* a hard time

Once I could see his struggles from a lens of empathy, I was able to respond in love.

10 ways babywearing benefits both mothers and babies

4. It's good for cognitive and social development.

The scientific benefits of a father’s presence in their kid’s lives

Fathers are no longer just considered "babysitters" but active, equal partners in their child's life.

Nurse adopts the NICU preemie who didn’t have a single visitor for 5 months

"In the moment (I) knew she needed and deserved every ounce of love I had to give her," says Smith.

As a mom, I’m ‘Chief Memory Maker’—a job that is equal parts wonderful and hard

But you know what it is? It's worth it. It's so worth it to me.

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.

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.

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.

Work will always be there, but my babies won’t always be this small

But as we reach this place where things are chaotically calm, I realize that while I could make space for those things (and I do in some respects), that I choose my children. With no self-judgment and no second guesses and no comparing myself to other women.

5 positive parenting techniques that help parents get back some free time

It's easier than you might think, mama.

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 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.

11 simple ways to raise grateful kids

4. Let them earn something.

To the mama in the thick of it—it won’t be like this forever

Slowly but surely with time, everything will change.

8 essential ‘body safety’ rules to keep your kids safe

3. Explain to your child who they should talk to if they feel unsafe.

10 ways to talk to your kids about body safety and consent

5. Explain to your child that everyone has a body boundary.

11 powerful ways to build a growth mindset in your kids

6. Use the word 'yet' and use it often.

I’m not going “backwards” by choosing to stay home with my kids

I cried as my four-month maternity leave drew to a close. I resented the fact that I had to choose between my job and a tiny being who needed me.