Category Archives: Parenting

Moments of Motherhood: On protecting a child’s innocence

Posted in Armchair Mayor News, Column, Moments of Motherhood, Parenting by

Today at the Armchair Mayor News, I talk about the difficulties of explaining bad things to kids.

Here’s a snippet:

There’s a period in our children’s lives when we are capable of protecting them from nearly anything that may cause them harm. From the flu to poor fashion choices, the modern world has made it so easy that to be safe seems like a given.

Eventually there will come a time when you can no longer protect their innocence. When they go off to school they’re at risk for learning the truth about the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus, or they may forget to wash their hands after sharing a just coughed-on toy.

Those examples are small compared to some of the other truths that are out there. Innocence is lost little by little every day a child grows older, but depending on how we explain things that happen throughout their lives, it can potentially make them a better person later on in life. [Continue reading …]

Moments of Motherhood: Just love yourself

Posted in Moments of Motherhood, Motherhood, Parenting, Post-Baby by

This week’s Moments of Motherhood is up at the AM News, and in it I discuss how we need to judge ourselves and each other less when it comes to what we look like after giving birth. I’ve talked about it before on the blog, but I thought I’d revisit the topic for my column this week.

Here’s a excerpt:

Quite recently Hollywood actress Jennifer Garner was congratulated on her baby bump. While she admitted that yes, she does have a baby bump, she was quick to note that she is definitely not expecting. Garner reminded everyone that she has three children, so of course she has a baby bump, and it’s not going anywhere.

You read all the time about supposedly expecting celebrities, with pictures of the suspected bumps plastered all over gossip magazines. That’s the paparazzi’s job: to raise speculation and create hype about whichever star seems to be most popular at the time.

Just like in the celebrity world, assumptions are constantly made about women in “real life.” On more that one occasion I have heard personal horror stories from friends who have been asked by strangers when they were due when in fact they have an eight-month old baby at home and becoming pregnant is the last thing on their minds. [continue reading …]

Moments of Motherhood: The Terrible 2’s are a real thing

Posted in Moments of Motherhood, Parenting by

In this week’s Moments of Motherhood column over at The Armchair Mayor News, I discuss how the Terrible 2’s are not some made up life stage to put the fear of God in new parents, but an actual real thing that is a roller coaster of emotions, both for yourself and your toddler.

Here’s a snippet:

Children are amazing little beings. When they first arrive in this world they are completely innocent, dependent on you to nurture them in every way possible. It’s hard not to help but just love the infant stage of their life.

In the case of my own daughter, I found myself 100% love struck the moment she was born. Not long after my husband and I brought her home, I knew I just couldn’t wait for her to hit all of her milestones – rolling over, sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, and so on.

 Now that those milestones have more or less come and gone, we’ve entered a new stage of excitement: Toddlerhood, also fondly known to many as the Terrible 2’s. It is this stage where I have taken back many of my adoring thoughts and have considered enrolling her in boarding school as soon as possible… [continue reading]