Parenting
How to stop your kid’s thumbsucking.

How to stop your kid’s thumbsucking.

I’ve tackled some big challenges in my life. Infertility was a doozy. A month in traction was another. But nothing prepared me for the challenge of breaking my five-year-old of her thumbsucking habit. Buckle in, friends. It’s gonna get crazy.

9 Reasons Alexa is Awesome

9 Reasons Alexa is Awesome

There’s a group of parents who refuse to jump on the smart speaker bandwagon, because the CIA might be listening. After having an Amazon Echo Dot, and Alexa, for three weeks now, I don’t care if the CIA is listening or not. I *love* our Alexa. And this is why.

Losing track of my kids at the fair (twice)

Losing track of my kids at the fair (twice)

One of many fears parents have is losing track of a child in a crowd. Last week, at the Iowa State Fair, both Peanut and Squeak got away from me. In one situation, I was losing my mind. In the other, I remained calm, even though my child was missing for a lot longer. Here’s why.

Why Facebook gives me anxiety

Why Facebook gives me anxiety

Why does Facebook feel the need to bombard me with reminders of all the horrible things that could befall my children? I did not ask for this information, so STOP TELLING ME, because I’m going insane.

Point it down, son

Point it down, son

Squeak will be three years old next month, and he’s nowhere near potty trained. I might have conceived both my kids at the same time, from the same set of eggs and sperm, but when it comes to potty time, they couldn’t be more different.

To the mom in the trenches: it gets easier

To the mom in the trenches: it gets easier

When you feel like you cannot go on another minute, because it’s all just too much, remember this: you’re in the trenches right now. You won’t stay there. And it does get better. Here’s a story to explain how it did so for me.

Air travel with babies & toddlers: car seats and the CARES harness

Air travel with babies & toddlers: car seats and the CARES harness

When it comes to airplane travel with kids, there are two options: Take the easy way out with lap-baby or no car seat (and take your chances with your child’s life and safety), OR do it the hard way, even though it’s a bit more inconvenient, and take along a car seat or harness. For the parents who choose the no-brainer “keep my kid alive” option, here are some tips to survive a flight when your kiddo needs a few more buckles.