How I Found My Mom Tribe

By

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August 23, 2016

When I first sat down to write this post I was concentrating on what I didn’t have: a Mommy Group, or a Mom Tribe. While it’s true I don’t belong to any one single mom-type group, you know the sort of group who has planned weekly or monthly get-togethers or Girls’ Night Out. You always see them in group photos posted on social media, they all met up for dinner or drinks, or a yoga class or something. Nope, I don’t have that sort of group. At first I thought I didn’t have a tribe at all.

But the more I thought about my friends, I realized that although I had never really fit into any mommy group (and I’ve joined plenty) and as much as I’d love to be a part of those groups of friends who drop everything and go, who occasionally get to escape marriage and motherhood and attend a girls weekend, I don’t have a “drop-n-go” life. And ya know what? That’s okay because I’ve discovered I DO have a tribe and my tribe is unique.

My tribe consists of women in every stage of motherhood and non-motherhood. Some of my tribe have grown, adult children, some have babies, toddlers, school-age kids, while others haven’t any children but have become “Aunt” to my own child. Some I’ve known all my life, others only a short time. There are members of my tribe who I don’t see or speak to for long periods of time but when I do it’s as though no time has passed. We pick up right where we left off. Even across many miles.

I also like to include in my tribe the many beautiful friends who are linked together through the magic of the internet. We met in private groups, open forums, and common interest pages. Most of whom I’ve never met in person but we’ve become each others’ sounding board, an ear to lend, a source of support, and sometimes a terrific MadLibs opponent on a Saturday night when the kids are sick and we needed a distraction.

I’m truly grateful for all the women in my tribe. My wonderful, fabulous, unique tribe.

Meal Planning Saves My Sanity

By

Meghan Simonie

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August 23, 2016

Someone asked me recently how much money I spend a week at the grocery store. When I told her I can get food for three of us (not including our weekly trips for formula for the littlest one) for around $60-$70 a week, she was amazed. She was in utter disbelief. You may think I am a coupon queen… well, I’m not. I actually despise couponing. If it is your thing, all the more power to you. I simply cannot get myself motivated enough to keep track of it all!

My true savior is my Meal Planning:

Each week I have a calendar notification to remind me to plan food for the next week.
I spend about a 15-20 minutes reviewing my recipe Pinterest board.
If I do not have something pinned or I want to try something new, I simply search Pinterest for ‘simple, healthy recipes’.
I only pin recipes that require me to buy 5 items or less from the store (obviously we already have most spices and general items that can be added to other things).
I start a shopping list in a note on my phone.
I only plan for 3 meals each week.

I used to plan for everyday, but we were constantly throwing out old, spoiled food. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. There is nothing more irritating to a working mom, who manages to fit in time to meal plan and grocery shop with kids in tow, than throwing out that food!

The serving size for each meal is usually for about 4-6 people. After each dinner, we usually have enough food for lunch leftovers the next day. In addition to meals, I usually grab quick items like Greek yogurt, Goldfish crackers, veggies, and fruit – lots of fruit. As soon as I get home, I make sure to cut up the veggies and fruit and portion it out. It helps to fill those snack cravings and cut down on the cost of buying prepackaged snack size items.

Below are a few of my family’s favorites:

Mediterranean Couscous Salad
I will also save the extra couscous and use it again that week or the next for a few additional recipes.

Orzo Salad with Watermelon & Feta

English Muffin Hawaiian Pizza

Baked Ziti
One of my hubby’s favorites!

Are you a Meal Planner? Share some of your favorite tips with us!

Building a New Nest: Uprooting & Moving Our Family

By

taylorcapps

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August 22, 2016

Two years ago I sat on I-75 in rush hour traffic with a crying baby in her carseat. We had been on a 3 day journey from Virginia, stopping along the way to help break up the trip. Upon arrival I stood in the living room of our new house with a billion moving boxes needing to be unpacked. My husband walked in the door that evening from his new job excited to see that we had arrived, and all I could do was cry. I was now 14 hours away from the only place I’d ever called home.

Uprooting and moving is very hard in so many ways. You feel like you are essentially starting over. You are building a new nest. Your feelings are all over the place. One moment you are happy for new opportunities and the next you are sad because you don’t even know where the closest Target is.

Building a new nest gives you the chance to start new traditions and memories with your family. I long to be able to drive a short distance to have Christmas dinner or a Fourth of July cookout with our families. But starting traditions as a family or with new friends has become something we look forward to.

I learned quickly that you have to get yourself out of the house, as soon and often as possible. Once you’ve found a pathway to the front door through all those moving boxes, get out of the house. I used to load my daughter up for a trip to Target or the grocery store with just as much excitement as a trip to a tropical island. Getting lost was a huge part of learning the area. We went somewhere just about every day – the park, store, Post Office, met my husband for lunch, pool, etc. Getting dressed made me feel normal in a new place. When just going to Target no longer sufficed, I learned that I needed “daytime support”.

When you move somewhere new you, you are on the search for a Pediatrician, Dentist, parks, mom/tot classes, library story times, and every other child related thing. You also have a billion questions about bottle weaning, sleep training, and what to feed your toddler for lunch. Add to this the hours of venting that you want to do when your baby has been up since 5am and you know they aren’t going to take an easy nap.

You need daytime support. You need moms who are right there in the trenches with you.

I joined a Moms Group shortly after moving, and it was a saving grace. I was able to get recommendations from them, everything from our Pediatrician to their favorite grocery store. More importantly than recommendations, they are there for you. When your husband walks out of the door to go to work in the morning and doesn’t return until after dinner time, you need someone. Not only does your child benefit from the social interaction, but sitting with other moms and chatting away over a cup of coffee does the mom soul so much good. Find those moms because they will become your family.

My ultimate saving grace upon moving was the sweet face of my daughter. She had no idea what was going. For her it was a playground of cardboard boxes and a new room for her toys. Anytime I got lonely or missed dinners with my family, I would look at that sweet face and remember that she needed me. And really I needed her.

Michigan has become our home and as hard of a transition as it was, we are happy with the new nest we have built here.

Are you building a new nest? Share your journey!

Sibling Rivalry: Mommy Wars Between Sisters

By

Detroit Mom

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August 21, 2016

I’m learning the hard way that sibling rivalry doesn’t disappear once siblings are under their own roof. It continues well into adulthood. Most recently, my sibling rivalry has turned into an ugly case of Mommy Wars.

My sister and I have children that are only 6 months apart. We did not plan to have our children close together; it was a happy accident. Initially our bond became stronger when we learned I was pregnant and our children would be so close in age. But then my worries started to set in. I felt that having children so close together would open the door for a constant comparison in their lives. Who would walk first? Who would read first? Who would be on the honor roll? Would every major milestone be a point of comparison?

To my surprise, instead of the comparison of the kiddos, I realized I was the target of constant comparison. At first it started as innocent comments about the foods I ate during my pregnancy, the brand of prenatal vitamins I was taking, and the hospital we choose to deliver our son. Most comments were easy to shrug off and adopt the attitude of “to each his own.” However, things quickly escalated once the baby arrived.

I was subjected to a barrage of unsolicited advice:

This is the ONLY brand of swaddle you should use.

You HAVE to send birth announcements.

Lactation consultants are overrated.

Are you pumping enough to keep up your milk supply?

You’re using a pacifier already?

I don’t think you’re swaddling him tight enough.

Cloth diapers are SO much better than disposable.

Baby-led weaning is the best way to start solids.

Those car seat straps need to be tighter.

At one point, things were so bad that my husband and I had to pack up and leave a family holiday party early because I couldn’t endure the constant onslaught of advice and critiques.

I expected to have my confidence shaken by moms in my circle of friends, but I never expected to feel this way from my own family member. I know my sister has good intentions. I know she wants the best for my son. And I know this phase will pass (I hope). However, I don’t think I am willing to confront her and create a rift in our relationship that will surely have a long-term impact.

I’ve done some soul searching and talked with several close friends about how to peacefully co-exist with my sister. Here are a few tips from our collaboration that I have found to be helpful in dealing with this situation:

Genuinely listen:
Sometimes I’m so quick to put up a defensive front that I’m not really listening to my sister. I’m ready to dismiss her ideas without really hearing what she is saying. I need to go in with a positive attitude and LISTEN. Perhaps instead of hearing unsolicited advice, she is really trying to validate what she is doing as a parent. Which brings me to my next point…..

Provide Validation:
I find myself sharing things that are working with my son because I’m proud of my achievements as a mom. To share her advice and feel as though she is helping me may be her way of validating her own parenting choices. Even if I don’t agree with her suggestions, I should encourage and help celebrate her success.

Change the subject
Sometimes it might be more appropriate to just change the subject. We’ve been sisters and friends longer than we’ve been mothers. Theoretically, we should have a lot to talk about outside of our parenting choices and abilities. Before we get together I make a mental list of important things I want to talk about with her that draw attention away from any uncomfortable conversations about our kids.

Love
In the end, we are family and despite our differences I love her and my nephew with the whole of my heart. She needs to feel that love and know that regardless of how we parent our children I am her biggest cheerleader, ready to celebrate every milestone.

Have you experienced a similar situation? What advice would you add above?

What is the “Perfect” Family?

By

annieyeoman

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August 19, 2016

What is the “perfect” family size?

Today, I had my first look of total disapproval regarding my third pregnancy.

The boys and I were in Tim Horton’s for “Donut Day” which is our Tuesday morning ritual. As we got our food and began looking for a seat, we passed by a gentleman, probably in his forties having coffee. He watched amused, as Grant stumbled around and Truman chattered to me about where we should sit. His eyes caught mine and he smiled before glancing down where he noticed… my belly.

His smile disappeared and he asked loudly, “Are you expecting again?” I answered, “Yes! Another boy!” excitedly. My excitement faded considerably when he sat back in his chair, audibly sighed and shook his head slowly from side to side. He pressed his lips together and looked down at his coffee, disgusted. Clearly we didn’t fall into the “perfect” category as far as this man was concerned. I continued to smile as we kept moving and sat down. I got the boys’ food and drinks set up before taking a moment to absorb what had just happened.

Aside from being shocked by his rude behavior and a little embarrassed, I was mostly surprised because I have never considered three children to be an especially large family. Yet, without knowing one other thing about me beside the fact that I already have two boys, that man was bothered by my choice to have another child.

I began thinking about what the “perfect” family might be. Who gets to decide? Society as a whole or the couple actually caring for the children? Can you tell who is deserving just by catching a glimpse of them at Tim Horton’s?

One child families hear about how their only child NEEDS a sibling. How only children are selfish, spoiled, pampered and have no idea how to relate to other children. That they will be left all alone when their parents die… because only children never make friends, get married, or have children of their own? Wait…what? Not “perfect”.

Two child families hear about how perfect their family is… but only if there is one boy and one girl. Not “perfect”. God forbid you have two girls or two boys. You will forever hear about how you NEED to have one of the opposite:

“Two boys? Well, now you have to have a girl!”
“Two girls? Don’t worry, your next one will be a boy.”

Three kids seems acceptable (but not “perfect”) as long as you have a mix of sexes. THREE of one sex? Oh, poor you! I remember it growing up in my family of three girls. “Poor Johnny, surrounded by women… even the dog is female.” (Little did they know, my Dad never minded that he didn’t have a son.) When people ask what I’m having now there is such disappointment. “Three Boys? Oh, I bet you were hoping for a girl.” The idea that someone may be thrilled with three girls or three boys seems foreign to most people.

Four children is encroaching on “large family” territory. Definitely not “perfect”:

If you have three of one sex and the last one is the opposite, you will be looked at as the couple who tried until they got that boy/girl; no matter that you always wanted four children.
If you have all boys or all girls, you’ll hear encouragement to keep trying for the other sex from half of the crowd.
The other half will say nothing, secretly hoping you’ll give up. “Four is enough for crying out loud…”

People lose their minds (and manners!) when they see a family with five or more children. This is beyond “perfect” territory. It suddenly becomes acceptable to ask about completely private matters, such as the children’s paternity, if you “know what causes” them, if they were all planned, are biologically yours, and if it is a “religious thing.” You’ll undoubtedly be shamed for contributing to overpopulation and draining the world’s resources; even though as of 2014*, a record high of 47.6 percent of women between 15 and 44 were childless in the US. Only 6.8% of women the same age had four or more children.

Obviously, the only “perfect” family is one with two children, a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, the odds of achieving that family dynamic – even if you wanted to – are fairly slim. Looking at my own friends and family, only 22 out of 100 randomly selected women have the coveted one-boy-one-girl combo.

The good news? Most of us are in good company with our imperfect families! So, have as many children as you are able and willing to care for and love. The decision is deeply personal, different for everyone and no one else’s business.

My perfect family is MY family. Your perfect family is YOUR family. However you build it, no matter how many members. Take that, Tim Horton’s guy!

*United States Census Bureau

Learning to Live in the Small House Clutter

By

Kim C.

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August 19, 2016

I live in a small house. I love my small house. It’s the place where I became we and where we became three. It’s cozy and warm and it’s home. The problem with my small, well-loved house is that it’s where his stuff joined my stuff and our stuff joined baby stuff. Throw in the dog and you have a very full house. They say love grows in small houses; so does junk. It multiplies like weeds and soon, it’s busting at the seams.

Our third bedroom, small as it is, doubles as a playroom. The closet, with 3 rows of added shelving, doubles as kitchen appliance storage. The front room, now an office/foyer also houses the dog crate along with the coat rack and show bins. The laundry room is a closet and the actual closets… I would call them more of a suggestion on where you might place a couple things. Yet we stay.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade the memories or the love our house has grown for anything (except maybe a basement) so I find myself learning to live in the clutter. It’s new territory for me.

See, I love to purge. I find it absolutely freeing when I drop off a carload at the donation center. My husband, on the other hand; well let’s say he does NOT receive the same unadulterated joy I get at the experience. Therein lies our difference.

So about twice a year I go through closets, dressers, toys etc. and clear out unused clothes, toys, Tupperware etc. Then I nag, beg, cry and eventually reach my breaking point until my husband reluctantly agrees to get rid of enough of his things to appease me.

The rest of the year I spend putting things in their proper place to keep it under control. There are bins, bookshelves and bags. Laundry baskets, toy baskets, waste baskets; it’s an ongoing battle. When I travel for work or on my much needed yearly girls’ weekend, it takes 2 days to get the house back in order after the patients run the asylum. I’m sure they are as excited to have the mess without my complaining as I am to escape it. So to try and eliminate some of the fun governing part of my job and I take the mom stroll every night before bed. I walk through the house picking up errant papers, toys and socks and putting them away as I lock the doors and check on my sleeping girl.

Still, to be honest, things get away from me. Our garage is one huge stack of plastic bins and outgrown baby slides, saucers and bike carriers. I cannot face that challenge just yet but that’s a story for another time. My Tupperware cupboard despite all my efforts continues to fight me with disorganized lids and odd shaped plastic that just won’t stack neatly! My too small linen closet is overflowing with towels and sheets that won’t stay stacked nicely 3 minutes after I fold things. My Pinterest board on “Organization” would shake its head at me in shame!

I take my small victories though; my neat bathroom drawers with Dollar Store containers separating bobby pins, barrettes and hair ties. I relish my neatly organized dresser drawers with socks paired up and clothes neatly folded. I appreciate my aforementioned closet with neat shelving to easily store the kitchen appliance overflow. These are the things that keep me sane. These are the things that keep me going between purges. That and the enormous love that continues to grow in our small house of clutter!

Zone Defense: Three’s a Crowd?

By

Meredith Weston-Backaitis

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August 18, 2016

Is Three a Crowd?

After a long week of running around with the kids, work and daily life, my husband and I are enjoying a late dinner on our patio. Accompanied by a glass of wine and two sleeping kids upstairs, Friday night is looking good! Peaceful! Restful!

And then, I bring up….child number three.

In the back of my mind, I’m thinking….why mess with this? Why bring up child number three? Finally, we can actually relax in the evening. The kids sleep through the night. We can all fit in one car nicely. We are man-on-man defense. And, we go on date nights often! We are are in (the elusive) groove of parenting. The chaos is starting to subside.

My husband, being the sports enthusiast he is, often reminds me that zone defense is not all that it’s cracked up to be. There will be holes, missed opportunities. We (the parents team) will often lose against them (the kids team). They are sneaky, ruthless and really adorable. That is a combination that often defeats me and the hubs. And, I agree that two is a manageable and sensible number of children. Three kids? I’m not so sure.

But, I still want another child…..and I have no idea why.

And, he reminds me, there is a very good possibility we will have a THIRD boy. Boy number three.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my guys. They crack me up everyday. How is it possible that my one-year-old already thinks fart jokes are funny??? My older one tells me I look like a princess all the time (even without make up on)! But, I have always imagined myself having a little girl. At this point, though, I am pretty sure I am a boy-mom. I would actually be surprised if I ended up with a girl.

I honestly, just want another one. I just another healthy, chubby, cherub to snuggle. To complete our family. We can get a bigger car (just not a minivan, please), the kids can share rooms, we might not go on a date night for a while, but (I know this sounds cliche) someday, they won’t want to hold my hand, or give me snuggle monster hug (think a tackle and hug all in one). Someday when I ask my guys for a kiss goodbye I will get an eye roll instead of a big slobbery smackeroo.

My mind might momentarily change when I look down at my watch and it is only 4:00 pm……and two crazy boys are wreaking havoc in my home. When a wave of exhaustion takes over me. Or, when I JUST WANT TO BE ALONE FOR FIVE MINUTES…….I could go on and on about the pros and cons. Or, maybe we will just take that leap of faith and know that whatever ends up happening, it will happen for a reason.

I know that we are so lucky to have two healthy, happy boys and I don’t take that for granted for one moment of the day.

So, as of now, our dilemma is unanswered (not pregnant)…..but no one knows what the future will hold. In the meantime I’ll enjoy those moments of chaos AND calmness…….I don’t know how long either will last.

All About that Helmet

By

Danielle S

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August 17, 2016

“I think your daughter would benefit from a helmet”.

Words I was hoping not to hear at my daughter’s six month appointment. A helmet.

Wait, what?! That can’t be! But then I started looking at other babies her age. And I realized something.
Wow. My daughter’s head was flat.

I attributed her flat head to how she slept.
My daughter loved to sleep in what I called “touchdown position” [she must be dreaming of the Spartans] ).
I tried to move her head to the left or right, but she just snapped it right back to center, so I admitted defeat.

So what should you expect if your babe has to get a helmet?

Feeling anxious
Since I had never heard of helmeting, I was pretty anxious about the whole process.

Was this my fault?
What was going to happen?
How would my daughter handle it?
What would others think while out and about?

I mean, when you are told that you will have to wear the helmet basically 24/7 (you get an hour off a day to bathe your child and wash the helmet) it can be overwhelming.

The Process
The process actually isn’t too bad. The orthotist starts by taking initial measurements of your child’s head. Then they scan your child’s head in order to make their custom helmet. When the helmet is made (about a week after the initial scan) you head back to the orthotist so they can insure the helmet fits and make any adjustments needed. After that you continue to return every few weeks so they can continue to monitor how the helmet fits, take measurements, and make sure your child’s head is rounding out. Overall, you should expect for your child to wear the helmet for about 4-6 months.

Adjusting
At first, it can be a bit rough to see your little babe in a bulky helmet. They may not be to thrilled about it either.

After a day or so, they adjust, and go about their day just fine.

Really, it is harder on the parents than it is on the child. They totally forget the helmet is there.

It is important to note if your child is super upset about the helmet. As their head changes shape, the helmet can cause pressure. If you think the helmet is causing pain, give your orthotist a call. More than likely they’ll tell you to take the helmet off and check for marks.

Decorate it
If your precious baby is going to be wearing this thing all day, you might as well make it look nice.
I decorated my daughter’s myself using scrapbook stickers and modge podge.

**As a side note, do you know how many people told me what handsome boy I had while we were out. My daughter would be wearing pink, with a purple helmet that had the word princess on the front. I don’t think that screams boy, but maybe I’m wrong...**

Just like that it’s Over
It seems like it will take forever, but just like that your child will graduate from wearing the helmet, with a rounder head.

Did your child have to wear a helmet?

I Love My Husband, But I Hate His Job

By

Detroit Mom

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August 17, 2016

My husband and I have been married for more than a decade, and for the majority of that time, I’ve loved his job. He worked as a big fish in a (relatively) small pond. He had tons of perks: good pay, great health insurance, made his own hours, worked with lots of good people, and we were great friends with the owner and his wife. It was the perfect job, with built in friends and I never had a complaint.

His job was especially great when we had kids. He could take vacation whenever he wanted, help with pickup and drop-off, and was usually home each night for dinner. He brought the kids to the office to visit and everyone adored them. It was perfect.

Then something changed professionally and he wanted….more.

He started interviewing at multinational corporations. Finally, he received an offer from a company that he was really excited about. He explained to me the salary and bonuses, the benefits and what his role would be. To me, it sounded like he was downgrading everything except his salary and title. He would make more money and be a medium fish in a humongous pond with tremendous room for growth. On the other hand, the health insurance wasn’t the greatest (they don’t cover spouses who work), the people were significantly older than him, and the hours were rigid. But even worse – he had to travel. The travel is what worried me the most, considering we had two young kids at home. But he insisted that the travel would be minimal, that this job would be better for him professionally and it would be better for our family. And I believed him.

He was sold a bag of lies. He’s been there for more than a year and he travels just about every other week, sometimes across state lines, sometimes across the globe. He didn’t get his full bonus because of other people’s actions, not his. He hasn’t made many friends. He’s never home in the morning and he often misses dinner. He misses t-ball games and soccer practices. There’s an extremely high probability that he is going to miss the first day of kindergarten.

This job has changed him: He’s focused on work….all. the. time. It never stops. He talks about promotions and what he needs to do to get them. When he is home with the kids, he is an amazing father, but he doesn’t seem phased by the things that he misses. He doesn’t understand that sometimes the moment can be more important than the future. And he doesn’t think it is a big deal if he misses the first day of kindergarten.

My kids have changed because of his job: they’re more emotional, more attached to me when I’m going it alone. Whenever we make plans, they always have to ask if Daddy will be there. They never ask that about me. When he is gone, they don’t sleep through the night, don’t eat as well and constantly ask when he is coming home. They literally cry for him, sometimes contrived, but also sincerely.

His job has changed me, too: Every time he prepares to leave, I am sullen and resentful. I complain that his company lied to him about travel, that they don’t care about family and that they don’t appreciate him. He knows my complaints are true, because he doesn’t disagree. I don’t like the person his job makes me become. I don’t like complaining, I don’t like being overwhelmed for weeks at a time, I don’t like having to be the only parent every other week and I don’t like resenting him for his job.

Recently, I sat him down and told him that the job wasn’t working for me or for the kids, that I couldn’t do it anymore. I let loose a full year of frustration, anger and disappointment over his job. He stood there and listened. He didn’t argue and he didn’t defend himself. Instead, as I sobbed, he thanked me. He thanked me for my honesty, for stepping up, for carrying the burden of raising our family while he was away. He thanked me for working full time and being a full time parent while he traveled.

We didn’t come to a resolution and I know he isn’t leaving his job any time soon. But interestingly enough, I feel better. I don’t know what the future holds for his job, but I do know I love my husband and even this can’t change that. I love my husband, but I hate his job.

Have you experienced something similar in your home? Share your story with us.

Mommy Has a Potty Mouth!

By

Lacey Salerno

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August 16, 2016

I have a potty mouth. Admittedly, I use more inappropriate language around my small children than I should. My potty mouth is one of the bad habits that I am trying to improve upon.

For a long time my son (who had hearing problems until getting tubes at 2.5) didn’t pick up on or repeat my naughty expletives, so I made no attempt to tone down my foul mouth.

But a recent conversation with my 4 year old went like this:

My Son: “He’s a poop a$$”
Me: “Please don’t say “a$$”, only adults can say that word.”
My Son: “Why, does it have alcohol in it?”

Okay, this clearly demonstrates that I have more than one bad habit that my child has become aware of. I have attempted to replace swear words with less innocuous words such as “cheese and rice!”, or “God bless it!”, but they just don’t have the same effect. I have also attempted to just use the first letter of the bad word, but having a 4 year old repeating “mother f-er” is also not appropriate.

I know the importance of modeling the types of behavior that I want my children to emulate. I use kind words, I exemplify good manners, and I treat others how I would like to be treated.

But try as I might I just can’t refrain from dropping the F-bomb when no other word fits the bill!

I have even consulted the web for suggestions and there is a plethora of articles on cussing politely. If you share the same affliction some of my favorites were “lint licker”, “monkey flucker” and “fart-knocker”.

So what do you do when you are the one who is the bad influence on your own children? This isn’t a rhetorical question. I am open to advice. At what age can they differentiate on their own between adult behavior and behavior that is appropriate for a child?

I think at the end of the day we all have to do the best we can to make their lives less confusing and try to curb the behaviors that we don’t want them to repeat, but we also need to cut ourselves a little slack and realize that we may be moms, but we are also human.

Oh, and I would just like to make it clear that if anyone ever sees my child streaking through the neighborhood…he didn’t learn that one from me!

Detroit Mom

How I Found My Mom Tribe

Meal Planning Saves My Sanity

Building a New Nest: Uprooting & Moving Our Family

Sibling Rivalry: Mommy Wars Between Sisters

What is the “Perfect” Family?

Learning to Live in the Small House Clutter

Zone Defense: Three’s a Crowd?

All About that Helmet

Did your child have to wear a helmet?

I Love My Husband, But I Hate His Job

Mommy Has a Potty Mouth!

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