Eight seems to be an age of self-awareness and unbridled insecurity. My 8-year-old daughter has suddenly become so self-conscious – constantly questioning her looks, her physical abilities and her mental intelligence. I always reassure her that she is beautiful, talented and smart, but it’s tough for an almost pre-teen to believe those words when they come from her mother, who of course loves her unconditionally. I’ve always focused on teaching my children to be self-confident beings (and I do my best to be a self-confident mom as well, because it’s important to practice what you preach). But a big part…

I woke up at 7am to the sound of rain pounding against my window and grunted softly as I rolled out of bed. As I shuffled slowly towards my bedroom door, I contemplated the consequences that would result if I allowed my oldest daughter to skip her early-morning soccer game. Did I really want to wake all 3 of my peacefully-sleeping children to drudge through this torrential downpour and stand shivering on the sidelines with my 2 youngest whining in my ear? After a quick mental tally of the pros and cons of my actions, I decided that it was…

Usually when I tell people that I have 3 kids, their eyes widen, and in a horrified moan they say, “oh my gawd, I could NEVER have 3 kids, you must be SO busy!” And yes, I’m busy. We’re all busy, parents or not. But while having a full house may mean an increased level of chaos, there are also some benefits to having a trifecta in tow. Here are some reasons why having 3 kids doesn’t suck: 1) No more unsolicited parenting advice. When I had my first child, everyone – stranger or not, was eager to bestow their all-knowing…

It’s no secret that I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Regardless of the highs and lows that I may have experienced over the past year, I refuse to look back at the choices I’ve made (or didn’t make) and compile a list of self-deprecating ‘should have’s and ‘wish I could’s for the New Year. Everything is a learning experience contributing to my personal growth, and I enter each year without a list of regrets. Instead, I like to take a moment to quietly reflect on my accomplishments, milestones, and laughable moments of the past year, and then push forward with a clean slate. For me,…

With my first child, it took me almost 3 years to warm up to the idea of leaving her overnight with my parents. Leaving my toddler overnight was a scary thing! I was afraid that she would experience separation anxiety – that she would reach towards me with her arms outstretched as tears streamed down her face, sobbing uncontrollably and begging for me to stay as I walked out the door. I imagined that she wouldn’t sleep, crying for me throughout the night, calling out “mommy” to the dark and empty room in which she laid her head. I feared that she…

Hi I’m Gavin and I’m five and a HALF. I was the baby in the family for four years until my baby sister came along, and I love her so SO much I just want to squish her and cuddle her and kiss her and hug her SO HARD. ALL. THE. TIME. But I get in trouble a lot for not giving her space. They say I’m “smothering her” but whatever, I know she loves me. I’m the only boy in my family which SUCKS cause no one wants to play ninja CHOP with me. HI-YA! My big sister plays…

I’m a mom of three in my late 30’s, and today was the first time I have ever voted in a federal election. Before you wag your fingers, unfollow me, and respond to this post with negative comments, hear me out. I had never voted before because I didn’t want to make an uninformed decision. I knew that my vote counted, and I didn’t want my uneducated eenie meenie miney mo pick to be the one that swayed the results. I didn’t want to vote for someone because my parents were voting that way, or because the paid TV ads told me to,…