Messy Crafts, Clean Kitchen: Sanity-Saving Setup for Art Days True confession: I was never super into kids making a huge mess when they were into that toddler- and preschool-messy-art-phase. I had a few simple rules for arts and crafts. One, the preferred attire was a cloth-diaper-plus-cover and not much more. Two, we frequently used the
The Secret to Messy Fun Without the Mess Read More »
Ways To Make Your Money Go Further Each Month: At the start of every year, people make all sorts of promises to themselves. They will make more. They will save more. And they will be smarter with their money. Yet by this point in the year, many of us are wondering what happened, and where
Making Your Cash Go Further Read More »
So you’re a parent of older kids, whose new-baby days are long since a mental blur. Or the “fun aunt/uncle”-to-be who’s never been a parent. Or you’ve been invited to the shower for a friend’s soon-to-arrive grandbaby. You want to honor the pending arrival with THE BEST baby shower gift ever. Now, if only you
The Best Baby Shower Gift Ever Read More »
As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder in the Northern Hemisphere, those of us who enjoy family camping are shifting mental gears from the joys of summer to the different joys of cooler-weather camping. I LOVE autumn and winter camping trips, but they definitely require a different mindset and different preparation.
Keep Showers Comfortable on Trips With an RV Gas Water Heater Read More »
How to Choose a Baby Name: Tips for Finding the Right Name for Your Baby Choosing a baby name can be harder than it seems. Several names may feel right for different reasons: one may reflect family tradition or sound good with the surname, and another may simply feel warm, clear, and easy to use.
Choosing a Baby Name: Tips for Choosing Baby Names Read More »
When most people think about starting a budget (and if you haven’t already set up a family budget, you really SHOULD!), they think about keeping track of how much money they need and how much they’re spending. Those who really give this a lot of thought consider which budgeting system might work best for them, or
Planning a Family Budget Around Your Income Schedule Read More »
For working moms and dads, the hours before and after school are the ones that require the most logistical precision. Getting children to school on time while managing a work start time, and then bridging the gap between school finishing and the end of the working day, is the daily puzzle that most families with
The Working Parent’s Guide to Choosing the Right Wraparound Care Read More »
Traveling Abroad With Kids? These 13 Tech Hacks will Keep the Whole Family Connected: Picture this: you survived the red-eye, wrangled two carry-ons and a car seat through customs, and finally collapsed onto the hotel bed. Then your youngest asks for their favorite show, and the app flashes an error message. Or you get to
Tech Hacks to Stay Connected During Family Travel Abroad Read More »
There’s nothing quite like the joy that comes from having a family pet, whether it’s a comforting weight sleeping on your lap, or the delicate scamper of tiny feet across your back. Pets are especially great for kids Pets are cherished additions to your family, but they can also leave your home smelling less-than-pleasant. These
Easy Home Tips for Getting Rid of Pet Odors Read More »
I have a question for you: How many bank accounts do you have? And if you’re married or partnered, how many bank accounts does your relationship/household have? Used to be, people got married and merged finances (and, well, actually, legally the husband usually owned it all anyway – I’ll never forget hearing my mama talk
5 Reasons to Have Multiple Bank Accounts and How to Manage Them with Ease Read More »
Organized Home. Hah. How many of us have grand plans (especially around January 1) of Getting Organized This Year? E.g., This is the year I’ll FINALLY get organized! This is the year I’ll FINALLY have a Clean Home! Which, for me, inevitably leads to: This is the year I’ll FINALLY have a More Organized Home!
The #1 Shortcut To a More Organized Home Read More »
Now that both my kids are in high school (!), we’re starting to think about what they want to do after they graduate. They are so fortunate to attend a large regional high school, where each graduating class is about twice the size of my entire high school (!!). Because of this, they have opportunities
Teaching Kids That Not Every Career Needs a Four-Year Degree Read More »
Feeling stressed? Feel like you need more sleep? Or is life just too much from time to time? Want to make your home more relaxing, but don’t know where to start? We all feel like this, more often than not. And while you may do your best to keep everything at bay, there are times
Quick Ways To Make Your Home More Relaxing Read More »
Best Math Apps for Kids Compared: What to Look For Before You Choose How’s your child doing in math these days? Many parents I know find that their kids struggle with math in school. We were fortunate in this regard because my husband teaches math, so our kiddos have been doing math since long before
How to Choose the Best Math App For Your Child Read More »
For many of us, our pets are as important a part of the family as the humans – and in the case of the littlest humans, the four-legged family members have often been around for longer! For many families, the four-legged family member of choice is a dog. Which involves a lot of training
Pee Pads for Pets: The Best Dog Pee Pads Read More »
The Sober Curious Mom Hack: 7 Practical Ways to Drink Less as a Busy Parent It starts so innocently. The kids are finally asleep, the toys are mostly back in the bins, and the kitchen goes quiet for the first time in twelve hours. Your hand reaches for the wine before your brain has weighed
Sober Curious Parenting: Tips for Cutting Back on Alcohol Read More »
As a busy parent, don’t you wish sometimes that life raising kids came with an “easy” button? So many things, it seems we have to figure out the hard way, through our own trial and error (that’s actually how this blog was born in the first place!). And if you’re parenting a neurodivergent child (as
Using Audible Cues in Successful Parenting Read More »
How well can your child see? Maybe not as well as you think. And while it may not seem like a big deal if your kid’s vision is a little off, the impacts can be far more severe than you could ever imagine. Sports, school, and even hanging out with friends are all a lot harder
How to Protect Your Children’s Vision Read More »
a.k.a. What To Do When Someone In Your Family Has Allergies: Do you find yourself, your spouse, or your kid(s) constantly sniffling and sneezing? Have you sensed that your indoor air quality at home leaves a bit to be desired? Does it seem as if your familymembers always have colds that never go away? Do
How To Allergy Proof Your Home Read More »
How to Reduce Cell Phone Bill and Avoid Monthly Over-Limit Charges: Most adults have at least one smart device with a data plan these days. Add in other family members, and you’ve got even more devices. And as the number of devices multiplies, your monthly cell phone bill can quickly skyrocket out of control. That’s
Three Easy Tips To Save on Cell Phone Bills Read More »
