The journalist in me insists I not bury the lead. So here it is: I am done blogging. It has been a privilege sharing my words with so many of you on the internet. Hundreds of you have followed my family’s journey through infertility, adoption and parenthood. Many of you stuck around after I left a career I loved in TV news. I am deeply grateful for your friendship, your support and your love over the years. Sharing our life with the world hasn’t always been easy (I still get lots of emails about this post), but it has been a true honor to have you along for the ride. My kids are getting older ..read more

This post is an honest review of the RevAir Hair Dryer and how it has completely changed hair day at our house. I was gifted the RevAir Reverse-Air Dryer in exchange for an honest review. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own. Plus, scroll down for a special coupon code! I’m often asked whether I do my kids’ hair. My answer is usually YES! It’s taken a lot of time for me to learn how to braid and cornrow and twist and add beads, but I’ve learned from some remarkable Black women along the way. READ MORE: Adoptive Parents and Hair Care Although I think it’s important to offer real salon e ..read more

She said our family was weird. My daughter was drawing a picture in art class of our family, and a kindergarten classmate took note that my daughter using different colors for our skin. “That’s WEIRD that your family looks different than you,” she said, laughing. “You guys really look like that?” I asked my daughter how that made her feel.  “Sad,” she said. “Because I don’t think we are weird.” “Did you tell her that?” I asked. “No,” she said. “I didn’t know what to say.”  So we sat down with the rest of our family and talked about how we could respond if (or when) it happens again ..read more

This post is sponsored by Hy-Vee. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! Like most holidays and celebrations we’ve had this year, Easter with our kids looks different. We’re spending another holiday at home during a global pandemic and video chatting grandparents and cousins to say hi. However, it can still be fun! Here are 3 simple ways to make Easter memorable with your kids this year: 1. Don’t Cook a Thing If there’s one thing I’ve learned from parenting during a global pandemic, it’s to take a break when we need one. And ..read more

Motherhood — especially during a global pandemic — has taught me a lot of lessons, including how simple acts of kindness can go a long way. Like many of you, a year of isolation, cancelled plans, constant social distancing and remote learning has been hard. And when things get hard in our family, we like to think of creative ways we can spread kindness. After all, making someone else smile can often make us feel good, too. Here are five easy and simple acts of kindness to do with your family: 1. Leave Chalk Messages View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHELLEYSKUSTER.COM (@shelleysku ..read more

Watching my children extend and receive kindness from others fills me with joy, especially because things have been hard these past few months. Math and reading are challenging subjects for my daughter. More challenging than they are for most kids in 2nd grade. ​While virtual learning during a global pandemic​ has been difficult for many families, it’s provided a glimpse into my daughter’s struggles that I otherwise may not have noticed. But the road to getting the help she needs has been incredibly hard. Ask any parent of a child with extra needs, and they’ll tell you the same thing — navigat ..read more

Finding gifts for birth families has become a meaningful holiday tradition for many adoptive families, including ours. Each year, our girls make a handmade craft for their birth families. After that, we fill a package with photographs and gifts we think their birth families will enjoy. As an adoptive mom and advocate for ethical adoption (Read more: What You Need to Know About Adoption Consultants), I’m often asked for ideas on what to send birth families. Of course, every adoptive family and situation is unique. But in this post I’ve compiled a list of some of the best holiday gifts that cele ..read more

A global pandemic has left many of us home to facilitate virtual learning for our kids. Distance learning is a safe way for kids to stay in touch with teachers and classmates. However, it can feel overwhelming for parents and caregivers struggling to balance it all. A message of encouragement to the parents struggling to balance it all: To the one sitting on the floor next to her kids as they learn how to power up laptops with big headphones over their little ears; who’s watching as her children figure out how to mute their microphones and set up fancy backgrounds during group chats ..read more

I check the mailbox around the same time every day, but I wasn’t expecting to receive an anonymous letter from a neighbor saying my kids are too loud. The letter reads as follows: Hi Neighbors, We are writing to ask you if it’s possible that when your kids are outside playing that you could ask them to not scream. We know children get excited and being outside they play louder, but your kids are screaming and it is disturbing to the rest of us when we are trying to enjoy our time outside, as well. There’s a difference between outside play voices and screaming outside voices. We know the scr ..read more

I’m at the car pick-up line at my daughter’s elementary school during the middle of a global pandemic. It’s now become the pick-up line where my daughter’s teachers are handing me all of her belongings and artwork and projects stuffed in plastic bags. “Mommy, why are you crying?” she asks me from behind. Oh, honey. Let me tell you why… I’m crying because it’s been 67 days since you’ve seen your teachers at school. Now they’re waving to you while wearing masks as we drive through the parking lot and return overdue library books and wave back at them. I’m crying because the school year wasn’t su ..read more