moms
How to survive the dreaded “Mommy Clique” (and share your own stories)
Now that my kids are in school, they are adjusting to an entirely new social hierarchy. Fortunately, they’re still young enough that friendship prerequisites center around if their peers are nice or if they have the same taste in clothes. The latter was illustrated on the first day of school when my daughter Hadley met her new BFF: a girl who had the exact same pair of shoes. In a few years, such trespasses will result in a cat fight. But there is a murky side to the social hierarchy that is rarely discussed: the Mommy Clique. These are formed when moms are brought together while waiting for their children to emerge from school or in playgroups and at activities. I’d like to think that moms are mutually-supportive and that is mostly the case. But often, there are deep-rooted un...
Thanks For Giving: Thankless Mom Moment Rewards
It’s true that as a mom our joy and reward is all the happy moments. It’s loving our children and watching them grow. It’s also true that being a mom is a 24/7, 365 day a year job. There are no days off. The pay sucks. The vacation? Well, it’s often more work than the day-to-day grind. Being a mom is a tough job. It’s a full-time, selfless gig with little, or no thanks in many departments. But, sometimes those thankless tasks have their rewards. Maybe they don’t show up right away, but in the end they make the struggle, or fight, worthwhile. Here’s a few “thankless mom moments” and their rewards:
Mama Said: Facebook Etiquette for Moms
Educators are constantly talking about how to teach kids responsible use of the Internet and social media. Parents look over their child’s shoulder while he or she is logged on. Schools try to address social media safety and appropriate Google searches. We use software to try to block “bad” sites. But what about moms on Facebook? Facebook provides many of us with a place to connect with family and friends dispersed all over the country. It is an easy way to say, “Hey, look what we’re up to!” or “Don’t the kids look awesome?!” It is fun to log on and get a glimpse into our old friends’ lives. It makes us feel that we are a still a part of them. And it gives us a place to vent about the latest ridiculous story in politics or entertainment. Facebook has made it easy to find friends we thought...
Mama Drama: Top 10 Parenting Tips (plus 1) for New Moms and Dads
Dear Mama Drama: My husband and I are the proud parents of a newborn baby boy. We are so excited that he is finally here, but have a lot of uncertainty about how we’ll handle all the day-to-day challenges of parenting. We would love any tips you have for new parents. ~New Mama (photo credit) Dear New Mama: Congratulations on your new baby! The journey of parenthood is full of questions (many of us are still searching for that owner’s manual we are certain we misplaced at the hospital!) and the answers are often different depending on the child. My top 10 parenting tips for new moms and dads:
