“My 3-year-old sat chattering on the toilet I still need to scrub, while the shrieks of her siblings pierced the background. I had a laundry list of things running through my mind that needed to be accomplished and not a single clue how I was going to make it come to fruition. And I was weary.”
‘I looked down during my shower, bleary-eyed from yet another 4 a.m. wake up call, to a baby crawling between my legs and toys scattered between my wet feet.’: Burnt out mom urges ‘you don’t have to love every second’
‘Autism WON today.’: Mom of autistic children details highs and lows, ‘We return to the fight stronger each time’
“I sat in the car after carrying a kicking and screaming Luca, who yelled, ‘Help Me! Listen to me! I don’t like you!’ clawing at my arms and pulling my hair as we passed a security guard.”
‘My 4-year-old started slipping into her feelings. ‘Why don’t we go take some space for your body to calm down?’: Mom shares powerful ‘calm down’ technique for children
“‘We’ll get some ice cubes and a spoon and stir them…’ Her yelling stopped so she could hear me a little better. ‘Come on,’ I continued. ‘We’ll need a bowl, or something to put the ice in.’ Just like that, her breathing slowed, her mind settled.”
‘Shhhh, just keep walking.’ You taught her NOT to see my son.’: Special needs mom urges ‘ask the questions’
“In ONE sentence, you taught your daughter to ignore someone with a disability; to ignore someone who is different.”
‘The smallest human you’ve ever seen holds strength mountains high. From their very first breath, they decided giving up wasn’t an option.’: Mom pens touching letter to micro preemie parents
“The NICU is not for the weak. It’s an experience handed out to only the strongest of people.”
‘Your daddy loves you, and I love you too.’ Dustin honors Marcus as their father and helps them understand it’s okay to love both.’: Young widow shares blended family journey, creates ‘daddy books’ to honor late husband’s memory
“Dustin didn’t only declare vows to me, but he spoke vows to the children as well. ‘In just a little bit, I tell Mom ‘I do.’ And with that, I promise you forever too. We won’t always like each other or get along, but we need to promise we will love each other forever.'”
‘We don’t punish our children. No more punitive punishment, no more shame, no more control.’: Couple urges parents to try connected parenting, ‘We’ve experienced more trust with our children’
“Isn’t a part of our parenting toolbox, but it used to be.”
‘I won’t sugar coat it. Having a baby is like having 15 shots of espresso. Parenthood is the wildest ride you could imagine.’: LGBTQ adoptive dad shares parenting advice
“I used to watch ‘The Price is Right’ every morning. It was my jam. Today, I absolutely laugh at the idea. I barely have enough time to drink my espresso, much less sip on a mug of coffee for an hour.”
‘Pocket the money you would have spent. Spend it on wine instead. Being a single parent takes an emotional toll.’: Temporary single mom says ‘there’s no magic number that makes a family whole’
“There’s no time for self-care. I have difficulty finding time to even shower. Being a temporary single parent comes with its fair share of difficulties, but it has some pretty amazing perks.”
‘I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! They yell and hit their siblings. It’s an emotional grenade.’: Mom offers advice on dealing with sibling conflicts, ‘It’s up to US’
“Stay calm and rational. Kids need ‘alone time,’ just like we do. It’s the parents’ job to be in charge. It drives me nuts.”
