Last October, I decided my 9-year-old was finally old enough for her first “scary” movie. I thought I was being clever by choosing something that seemed age-appropriate. Thirty minutes in, she was hiding behind the couch, and I was making popcorn to bribe her into staying in the room. By the end, she slept in […]
Scary Movies for Kids (That Won’t Give Them Nightmares for a Month) Read More »
I’ll never forget the day I realized my stepfamily was falling apart. Not because we didn’t love each other, but because I was trying too hard. I was stepping in to discipline my stepdaughter over everything—her messy room, her eye-rolling, her attitude toward her siblings. Every correction I made was met with silent resistance. Every
Nacho Parenting: The Blended Family Approach That Actually Works Read More »
Last year, my 10-year-old asked me why she couldn’t make a sandwich. Not why she wasn’t allowed to make a sandwich—actually couldn’t. She had no idea where to start, how to use a knife safely, or how to put ingredients together. That moment hit me hard. I’d been so focused on getting her to soccer
Help Your Child Learn Life Skills (That Actually Stick) Read More »
The week before Christmas, my 6-year-old came home from school with a list. Not a nice-to-have list—an actual requirement. “Everyone has to bring homemade snacks to the class party,” the teacher’s note said cheerfully. I felt my stomach drop. Here’s the honest truth: I’m the mom who buys the fancy store-bought cookies and calls it
Christmas Snacks for Kids That Aren’t Store-Bought Read More »
“Mommy, why do we put a tree inside the house at Christmas?” My four-year-old asked me this while we were hauling our artificial tree up from the basement last December. I opened my mouth to answer and realized… I had no idea. I’d been celebrating Christmas my entire life and couldn’t explain one of the
Christmas Eve Snack for Kids: The No-Stress Treats That Actually Got Eaten Read More »
Last December, I decided we were going to make homemade Christmas candy together as a family. I envisioned my kids and me laughing while dipping strawberries in chocolate, creating memories that would last forever. What actually happened? My 5-year-old ate all the chocolate before we even started, my 8-year-old made “abstract art” with sprinkles everywhere,
Christmas Candy Recipes to Make with Kids (That Actually Turn Out Great) Read More »
Last December, I sat on my couch surrounded by family members staring at their phones while a Christmas movie played in the background; nobody was watching. My mom was scrolling social media, my husband was checking work emails, and the kids kept asking, “When’s dinner?” The tree sparkled in the corner, completely ignored. I felt
Christmas Family Time Ideas That Actually Brought Us Closer Read More »
Monday nights used to be my nightmare. That’s when my kids would refuse dinner, complain that “vegetables taste yucky,” and I’d end up stress-eating an entire sleeve of crackers while standing over the stove. I was making separate meals, battling power struggles at the dinner table, and honestly, I was exhausted. Then everything changed when
Healthy Recipes for Kids That They’ll Actually Eat Read More »
Three years ago, I tried to be the Christmas mom. You know the one—the mom with Elf on the Shelf doing acrobatics every morning, a different advent activity planned for all 25 days, homemade ornaments drying on every surface, and a color-coordinated hot cocoa bar that looked like it belonged in a magazine. By December
Christmas Tradition for Kids (That Actually Stick Year After Year) Read More »
The year my oldest was three, I’ll never forget that Christmas Eve moment. She sat in her new pajamas, hot chocolate mustache and all, nestled between her dad and grandma while we read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. She wasn’t thinking about the presents. She wasn’t thinking about Santa (well, not completely). She was just…
Christmas Eve Traditions for Kids That Create Lasting Memories Read More »
