As spring, baseball, and t-ball finish up we are already thinking about having a summer schedule. We are already signed up for camp. My son is signed up for a week of Basketball/Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Camp. My daughter is signed up for a week of ballet and tap camp. When I think of our summer schedule, I like to plan it out and stick with daily themes throughout. I begin the week with Make It Mondays. After that is Time for A Project Tuesdays. I follow it up with Water Wednesdays. Next, is Thematic Thursdays. Foodie Fridays is how we end the week. I do not ha ..read more

If you just sign up for 576 activities then you’ll never have to worry about this. But seriously, screen time is something that many parents seek to avoid. Even doctors encourage families to avoid it. So, why are we still doing it so much? Our little ones love their shows, the stimulation, and the music. As they get older, they love video games and games on their phones/iPads/tablets. We can even say up to an age where they love things like texting and social media. Sure we all use these things as adults. Maybe too much? Or just enough? It’s hard to say. But when it comes to our kids we want t ..read more

I know it is May, and no one is thinking about cold weather, but my two-year-old is currently in her Frozen era. Everything has transitioned from Moana to Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. I am sure I will have some who disagree with me but hear me out as I have seen Frozen II maybe 27 times in the last two months. I think Frozen II is a better movie than Frozen. Please keep in mind that this is just an opinion piece, but below are a few of the reasons I feel this way. I will do my best to keep the spoilers to a minimum for those who may not have seen it. Plot The plot of the original Frozen is not intere ..read more

I have played softball for as long as I can remember. I began playing T-ball at a young age and continued to play softball in adulthood in a women’s league. It is a great stress relief for me and so much fun. Until recently, I never realized that some lessons I learned on the softball diamond I can also carry with me into motherhood. Here are some of the softball lessons I take off the field and into motherhood: Keeping on after striking out Motherhood isn’t easy. And for me, hitting in softball has always been a struggle. There were quite a few strikeouts on the field. But even after striking ..read more

Massachusetts author Elaine Dimopoulos has written some of my daughters’ (ages 8 and 10) favorite books, so it was such an honor for all of us to be able to ask her questions about parenting, writing, and her latest book! Leonora: Literature has such a rich history of using stories told from the perspective of animals to teach more complex concepts and philosophies to readers of all ages through metaphor. Do you think it’s sometimes more effective to teach empathy through the literary lens of animals than people? If so, why?  Elaine: What an interesting question. I don’t know if animal st ..read more

Losing a cherished family pet is devastating and that loss manifests in a multitude of ways in each family member. Our family recently put down our 16-year-old cat, Tigger. His health had been steadily declining, and he took a turn for the worse within the last month. It was the humane option rather than watching him struggle. My ex and I had Tigger since he was an eight-week-old kitten. I remember the day we picked him out at the ASPCA, where a new litter of kittens was available for adoption. The last kennel at the end of the row was full of meowing kittens who were pawing at the cage door f ..read more

Is it just me or is everyone else constantly telling themselves that after we get through this week, things are going to calm down? Or the lie that goes something like, “The month of May is pretty busy, but June won’t be as bad.” Then June hits and you feel like you can’t come up for air. Like you got hit by 72 school buses? It’s me, hi, I’m the problem. Lately, the burnout is unlike any other. I definitely can’t be the only Mama out there feeling the daily grind of being a mom. The decision fatigue and mental load that we as moms take on is impressive. The never-ending cycle of coming up wit ..read more

We managed to stay almost 100% screen-free other than an occasional sick day until our daughter was 3.5 years old. This isn’t meant to shame anyone but simply to showcase that it is possible. Tantrums and demands around screen time can be incredibly difficult, and we have been fortunate that we learned how to manage many emotions before outbursts that are solely based on a desire for screen time. Below are some tips and tricks that have worked for our family about screen time boundaries that may help you and your little ones: Create other activities in advance If you are trying to steer clear ..read more

Stepping into motherhood myself, I’ve come to truly appreciate every lesson and bit of wisdom my mother has passed down to me. Her teachings are not just important—they are essential tools that help me navigate the complex, joyful, and sometimes overwhelming path of being a mom. Whether it was how to soothe my newborn’s midnight cries or managing the balancing act between work and home, her insights came to life in my own experiences. Her patience and strength, which seemed so natural when I was a child, now inspire my actions and reactions with my own children. Her methods for nurturing res ..read more

Two and half years ago my life irrevocably changed. One moment, I was a 39-year-old woman with a husband, and an almost two-year-old son, living in a single-family home in a desirable neighborhood in a quintessential Massachusetts town, with hopes and dreams for myself and my family’s future. The next moment, or after years of a series of small and seemingly insignificant moments that built up over time, I separated from my spouse of almost 12 years and met with our realtor to discuss selling our beautiful home. The life I envisioned in that home was erased before it had truly begun. It was th ..read more