Many children in the United States go days without eating a single vegetable, according to a recent survey! Kids may be picky eaters, often turning their noses up at the steamed broccoli you put on their dinner plates. But eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is critical ...read more
You want to eat better, feel better, and do better... Maybe you're even contemplating a plant-based diet, but you don't know where to even begin. Well, there are key foods should we eat daily to achieve recommended nutrients, vitamins, minerals on a meat-free regimen. There are ...read more
While breastfeeding may come easy for some, it doesn’t for all moms. And no matter the journey or its length, nursing and pumping take tremendous amounts of time, energy and commitment. Katie Blouin and Maggie Phipps, Co-Founders of Larken a line of innovative nursing and ...read more
I saw a meme recently about how there are actually two extra seasons between summer and fall: fool's fall and second summer. It made me laugh. We had our annual back-to-school barbecue on Friday and there was a chill in the air. It felt decisively like autumn--crisp and cool; it ...read more
When my first was born, I remember reading all about how bath time is supposed to be this super special wind-down moment for mother and child. It's meant to signal the shift into quiet evening hours--hushed voices, dimmed lights, and sleepy little bodies. But the problem: my son ...read more
Ask any new mom, and she'll tell you how a lack of sleep affects her health, stamina, and daily ability to function. So it should come as no surprise that the same is true or kids, tweens, and teenagers. Sleeping (or not!) affects their concentration, sports performance, stress ...read more
I'm a neurotic mama on the morning of school picture day. I must whip out that fine-toothed comb every five minutes to slick down a stray flyaway. And you better believe, I think long and hard about what polo to put my son in and which dress my little lady will agree to wear. I ...read more
Tweens and teens might think they have an abundant list of chores to complete at home-- laundry, trash, cleaning, dishes... And they might seem less than enthused about performing all these tasks. But we have one that both children and adults can get jazzed about: making a school ...read more
There are so many things to tell you about boarding school. I've been keeping most of the experience offline, because it's not fully my story to tell. My daughter, 14, is the keeper of most of the details. What I CAN share is that getting her to and from school takes up a great ...read more
Apple picking is one of my favorite family autumn activities. I love getting my kids outdoors in nature and hunting for the biggest, roundest, reddest fruits we can find. We usually collect a big wagon's worth--taste testing some along the way--and leave the orchard with an ...read more
Have you jumped on the Instant Pot train? With its promise to cook dinner faster, easier and better, I thought it might just be the answer to all my back-to-school dinner woes. I admit that I was late to the Instant Pot game, but as the first day of school loomed closer and ...read more
There are many ways to build credit, and they all involve creditors reporting your bill payment information to the major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. To begin establishing credit if you have none, try one or more of these options: Become an authorized user ...read more
Are you a small business owner with a real passion for the product, service or trade that you deal in? That’s brilliant - you’re a great mom boss! But how do you make sure your target customers feel the same way as you do? By making yourself stand out from the crowd. Of course. ...read more
Wouldn't it be great to work in a world free from distractions? I love being a mom, and summertime means having my favorite people around for travel experiences and simple hang-out sessions. Summer is our time to connect and bond; my people are my top priority. Summer is also ...read more
Kit Rich, celebrity trainer and creator of the KICHGO, the big gym in a little bag that weighs than two pounds, knows a thing or two about staying fit and stylish on the go. She works 12 hours a day and has to go from work to social events breaking a sweat. Working with A-list ...read more
If you're anything like me, you've done most of your fall and back-to-school shopping online. (Mama just doesn't have time to hit the mall!) What I didn't realize--is that I've been potentially putting my digital privacy at risk. That's why we reached out to Daniel Markuson, ...read more
Pregnancy, labor, and delivery--these not minor events. It's a life-changing journey with up and downs. For those who have never had a baby, it’s difficult to imagine the emotional (and physical) roller coaster associated with growing a person, giving birth to them, and caring ...read more
With so many ways to create a better and healthier lifestyle for ourselves, sometimes we miss one of the areas that we eat, sleep and work in as being a contributing factor to our overall health. Yup, it's our homes. Dieting, exercising, and meditating has significant benefits ...read more
As a young person, you can establish credit in several ways. For starters, you could open a credit card in your name or take out a loan. Or, you can ask a parent to add you to one of their credit cards. Whichever path you choose, it's best to start sooner rather than later ...read more
I'm excited about the start of a new school year. It's a clean slate, a fresh start, and a brand new beginning. I am looking forward to the fall; the crisp morning walk to the schoolhouse--coffee in hand. I never thought I'd be a morning person. It took a few kids and a whole of ...read more
We love a good partnership here at Momtrends--two brands teaming up to create an amazing product. And that's why we're so excited about the first-ever partnership between Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s fashion and lifestyle brand, and party supply brand Coterie! Because, two ...read more
Going back to work after maternity leave is hard enough. Add pumping to the equation and it can feel daunting if not impossible. Having a plan for this transition is very important. Create a strategy based on your goals, milk supply, lifestyle, and reality. Manage expectations ...read more
Years ago in my writing journey, I wrote 150 reviews for Kirkus. My job required me to read two to three books a month, for which I was paid $50 per review. Not very good money per hour, but boy was it a great gig and a terrific way to get practice my own prose. Now I'm trying to ...read more
August is breastfeeding awareness month; to celebrate we are sharing a guest post from Kristine Gedroic, M.D. Director of The Gedroic Medical Institute. There is no denying there is no better food for an infant than a mother’s breast milk. The body is truly amazing; it creates ...read more
Storm season is just around the corner, and yet less than half of Americans are prepared for an emergency. While painful and devastating, houses can be rebuilt and many belongings are able to be replaced. However, family photographs and documents often cannot be recovered and are ...read more
I used to love shopping for school supplies. As a kid, there was something so special about going to store after store and picking out a new backpack, clean notebooks, and pristine art supplies. Of course, nowadays, as a mom, I'm always on the hunt for a hack to make my shopping ...read more
Back-to-school season--we're all about to be very busy once again. Over-scheduled, over worked, and over committed. But I'm not complaining--I like having full plates. Soccer Saturday, dance classes, martial arts, and more. I'm excited to get the kiddos back on routines and fill ...read more
Last week, my husband was moving our lawn when he bumped into the toy barbecue we keep outside for the kids. Suddenly, he was surrounded by flying, buzzing bugs. He thought they were tiny gnats until one by one they started to sting. Nope, those weren't harmless flies, they were ...read more
Every day I get 200+ pitches in my inbox. At this point, it's easy to delete the things coming from big-box retailers. I want small stories and I want to help the little guy. J.Crew, Target, Amazon -- they know how to contact my marketing team when they need me. I want to focus ...read more
Making ice cream is a great way to celebrate the last days of summer. If you struggle with dairy, this dairy-free healthy matcha ice cream recipe is perfect for you. Not only is this frozen treat dairy-free, it's also low in sugar and saturated fat. Being observant of your health ...read more
For health and wellness reasons, I've been drinking more mocktails and less wine. I'm always on the hunt for drinks that aren't too sweet and those that aren't loaded with sugar. Reed's sent me some product and recipes to try that are adult mocktails with loads of flavor and ...read more
Who should see the movie Where'd You Go Bernadette? I wish I could tell you it's going to be a blockbuster and it's perfect for all ages, but I can't. This is a women's movie and it's a girls' movie. It should be a blockbuster because this movie will speak to so many women. Part ...read more
My freshman-year dorm room was classified as a "split double." In other words, it was a tiny room with a wall that divided it in half 3/4 of the way. My roommate and I each put a shower curtain up to separate the small portion of the room that was open. Suffice to say, we had ...read more
As temperatures rise, it can be harder to fall and stay asleep. It's not like in the fall when you have that perfect cross breeze keeping you cool and comfy under the covers. Sweltering heat and humidity and artificial AC air certainly don't help. But there are ways you can ...read more
Sadly summer is going way too fast, I'm trying to hold on tight to the good vibes and long days of August. I just had to squeeze in one last summer giveaway for moms. Summer Giveaway for Moms This fun giveaway includes summer favorites from Sam's Club. Sam's Club is a ...read more
With a four month old up feeding throughout the night, an early-to-rise toddler to chase after, and a seven year old who needs to be chauffeured to and from camp and sports and activities and play dates, suffice to say: Mama is tired. It's all good, I love the go-go-go pace of ...read more
We often talk to our young children about protecting themselves. We encourage them to be self aware and recognize and report bullying or bad behavior. Sometimes, we forget that big kids--even college incoming college freshman--need this pep talk, too. But the truth is: as ...read more
f you haven’t already heard, the trending theme for kid’s birthday parties in 2019 is the “fiver”. I can guarantee by the end of this year, you’ll be invited to one of these. The idea is that instead of bringing a gift, you bring $5 that goes towards a bigger gift that the guest ...read more
Last month I was gifted a trend box from Swoon Club. Like me, they are trendspotters on the hunt for the things that enhance life. You know the motto here: We don't need more stuff, we need better stuff. I was looking for a great summer book and they delivered The Alice Network. ...read more
School is back in session in many parts of the country, and it's time to get back to a routine of learning in school and at home. It can be difficult to bridge that gap, but both parents and teachers agree that engagement is an important responsibility to share in order to ensure ...read more
If you follow any millennial mom-influencers on Instagram, chances are you've seen a DockATot or two pop into your feed. In all honesty, I, too, discovered this now-big-name brand via social media about three years ago. My then 18-month -old daughter wasn't sleeping through the ...read more
With another heatwave headed our way next week, we’re doing everything we can to avoid the high temperatures--hiding at home in the AC, running the sprinklers, and inviting ourselves to every pool party on the block! Still, we have to run errands and get chores done and keep on ...read more
I'm excited to announce that FLOWER Kids by Drew Barrymore is finally here and now available at Walmart. I had to keep the collection under wraps for awhile, I saw the collection earlier this summer and was FLOORED! It's a whimsical, bright group of home decor that's budget ...read more
I love dressing babies. It's one of the sweet little joys of early motherhood. And while I do adore boy clothes and gender neutral clothes, I have to admit that picking out outfits for a baby girl makes me especially giddy--maybe it's all those coordinating headbands and ...read more
I'm giving myself a break this summer and employing the girls to help contribute. Earlier, they wrote about Be More Chill, and now they are contributing to the review of this new documentary. Thanks to my 11-year-old daughter for writing this Girl Power review and telling people ...read more
As an, ahem, older mom, I am on a mission to take great care of myself. I'm trying to model good behavior for my girls; and, frankly, I'm trying to keep up with them. Now that I have a tween and teen, I'm pulling out all the stops. I'm working with MitoQ to share my five mom life ...read more
Happy National Avocado Day! If you're anything like me, this is a major cause for celebration in your household--on par with Cinco de Mayo, National Tequila Day, and Taco Tuesday (hey, I like to savor the delicious things!). Oddly enough, for a long while, I was unable to eat ...read more
We all know Instagram can be a huge time suck, and after reading Time Management in 20 Minutes a Day, I'm trying to be more strategic about how I use this social media platform. One place where I think Instagram is inspiring, is when it comes to filling my reading list. I thought ...read more
Join the Teen Talk FB page here our next Teen Talk chat is Wednesday, July 31 at 1:30pm; we will be talking about school uniforms and style trends. Last month's Teen Talk Internet Safety Can be viewed here. Teen Talk Internet Safety In our recent Teen Talk we shared tips for ...read more
I never anticipated that I'd be so committed to exclusively breastfeeding Baby Number 3. It just sort of happened, and now here we are four months in, and I'm a round-the-clock nursing-mama machine. To be clear: I have no issues with formula--in fact, I never even attempted ...read more
