Parenting

Motherhood can be stressful... Amen. And for all sorts of different, overlapping, switching reasons. From babies who won't nap to toddlers who wake up too early to teens who you can't get out of bed at all. From battles over teeth-brushing and breakfast-eating and ...read more

Sundays were made for pancakes… and pajamas… and an endless cups of coffee. Yes, that pretty much describes my ideal weekend scenario. Throw in an afternoon nap, and I’m a happy mama. While my kids don’t always (or ever) cooperate with the nap portion of my Sunday plan, I’m ...read more

Relationships and marriages certainly get tested post-kids. Tempers flare and arguments happen. Momtrends recently learned some expert tips from Care.com and Carol Lindquist, Ph.D and author of Happily Married with Kids on how to care for your marriage throughout the chaos. Keep ...read more

I remember the feeling all too well… It was the first day of sixth grade—a new school, new teachers, new peers. Worst of all: a new lunch table. The unfamiliarity of this large cafeteria threw me off guard. Where was I supposed to sit at 10:40 AM (as if that could actually be ...read more

It’s National Handwriting Day, and, while other off-the-grid holidays might miss our radar, this one is always marked (beautifully in cursive, I might add!) on our annual calendar. As bloggers, we're big on writing from the heart. But, as women and moms, we’re also big on ...read more

I remember with fondness the special bond of feeding my two older girls when they were infants. I did a combination of breastfeeding and bottle-feeding with both of them. After hearing sweet little baby cries, it felt truly incredible to be able to soothe them with breast milk or ...read more

I don't know about you, but for me, making a family dinner doesn't consist of multiple meals for each person. I'm no short-order cook and everyone has to eat whatever it is I make. There are those days, of course, when I want to make something healthy but am too exhausted to ...read more

Mess and motherhood—the two go hand in hand. My son was born exactly four years and three months ago, and not a single day has gone by without a spill, drip, drop, or explosion of some sort… Yes, sloppiness goes with the territory. And now that I have two tikes, I’ve got ...read more

I'm a big fan of Halloween. I adore dressing up and playing pretend, and Halloween gives me a reason to let my inner child out. While I've always loved the idea of having matching family costumes my children always choose their costumes early, think July. They are so enthusiastic ...read more

Have you heard of the Teal Pumpkin Project? It's all about offering an allergy-friendly Halloween. There are so many kids out there with food allergies and Halloween leaves some kids feeling left out. The Teal Pumpkin Project was launched a few years ago by a Tennessee mom to ...read more

We've been reading to both our little ones since before they were even born. We read to them in the womb and we still read to them: board books, picture books, and, now, chapter books. We make the silly voices, we read them the same book a thousand times, and we read to them ...read more

I'm always on the hunt for snacks that are healthy, taste good, and that everyone in the family will enjoy. On a recent shopping trip, I discovered Annie Chun's Seaweed Crisps. These were intriguing! As I stood in the aisle of my local grocery store with my toddler in the cart ...read more

How do you work to build character in your kids? I've been thinking about this question a lot recently. I think many parents think developing character will just happen. Kids will just "pick it up" from watching good examples. And modeling character traits IS important, but I'm ...read more

My baby just turned 3. Three, you guys! That calls for a party. This one came out great and I want to share how to throw a totally dino-mite dinosaur party. The guest of honor tells me every day that he's not a baby anymore. He's a big boy! What do big boys get? Big boy parties, ...read more

The Back-to-School madness is upon us. We always have the best intentions at the beginning of the year and I'm hoping that this season, all of these organization ideas will help me keep my cool as the school year progresses. We're sharing some of our favorite ways to stay ...read more

Summer is over and we're gearing up for the back-to-school season. We've bought the book bags, shopped for a new wardrobe, and stocked up on the long list of school supplies. This summer, we've been a little more lax with our routine. That was okay for a while, but now that ...read more

It's back-to-school time! My mornings consist of packing school lunches while my afternoons are spent helping with homework and after-school activities. To save money, and to ensure that my daughter is getting a well-balanced lunch, I pack her lunch almost daily. Today, I'm ...read more

My daughter loves to wear her hair in different hairstyles, but we frequently don't have a lot of time in the mornings. I need easy. I need quick. This year, we've been playing around with a few new braid hairstyles (Momtrends tip: braids are great for moms too!). My daughter ...read more

As a mom to two toddlers, I don't get a lot of rest and relaxation. These days, my idea of down time includes private potty breaks, five-minute showers, and the brief period between bed for the kids and lights out por moi. (I know, I know, I sound like an internet meme.) Still, ...read more

This post is sponsored by Similac. Pressure, guilt, anxiety, doubt—these are things we all feel as parents. In addition to happiness, joy, and boundless love, of course. Everything changes the moment we become moms, and, in some ways, the lives we once knew become totally ...read more

“Hello, muppet.” That was the first thing I said to my baby girl when she was born—when they put her naked little body on my bare chest at 6:48 P.M. November 29, 2014. A silly little greeting meant only for her ears. I remember the comforting weight of her mere 6 pounds—the ...read more

Like most of my generation, I'm thoroughly engrossed by reality television, but now that I'm a mom I'm especially fascinated by families. Sure, a reality tv guilty kinda pleasure has its place, but I love watching uplifting programs even more! Catching a glimpse of how families ...read more

So you've decided to send your kid to their first summer camp. You're probably a little nervous, they're probably a little nervous but you've got this. Summer camp is a great experience for kids to have! We've got 5 great tips to prepare kids for their first time at summer ...read more

1. What inspired you to write Sh*tty Mom For All Seasons: Half-@ssing It All Year Long, a follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Sh*tty Mom? Alicia: Because the first one was an instant New York Times Bestseller! We heard from women immediately that they loved hearing other ...read more

Life as a mom can be a balancing act. Between school, work and after school activities we take on a lot. Some days I barely have time to pull together the same old peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. I know my kids need healthier options, and I need something to make my ...read more

For all the mompreneurs out there. MOM BOSS might be just the book you need to launch! http://amzn.to/2aZGXzv As we head into Mother's Day weekend, we thought it would be fun to survey our team here at Momtrends and ask them what their favorite quotes about motherhood are. We ...read more

I was raised by a single mom. And as anyone knows who is a single parent, or has been raised by one, it's the toughest, yet most rewarding job in the world. You take on the role of both parents, so unless you're lucky enough to have a village helping you, there's no rest for the ...read more

I laugh when I think about my pre-parenting days. I was so naive. I thought had so much on my plate as a hotshot NYC editor. There were meetings to make, emails to draft, professional events to attend, red carpets to cover, features to write, business trips to be taken, and ...read more

Friends I'm here to spread some good news. You're 'tweens and teens are dong better than the internet will let you believe. I try to steer clear of putting myself out there as a parenting expert. Shoes? Yes, I'd say I'm a bit of an expert. Ski holidays with the kids? I'm your ...read more

I wouldn't say my kids are picky eaters. They will usually at least taste anything we put in front of them, even if they don't end up liking it. Some vegetables (green ones in particular) have been hard to sell lately. My husband and I aren't above a little trickery to get ...read more

We know it's so cliché, but children really do grow up quickly. Everyone tells you this but as parents sometimes it feels like suddenly they go from tiny newborns snuggling in your arm to big school-age kids doing homework just in the blink of an eye. While we can't keep them ...read more

Have you ever heard the phrase "Pay Now or Pay Later" when talking about your health? It is a little motto I play over and over again whenever I think about the cost of my organic lifestyle vs a more conventional one. By choosing an organic diet, I avoid harmful chemicals, GMO's, ...read more

April Fools' Day is a great day to introduce your kids to some fun practical jokes. These fake foods will really trick your kids and are sure to have everyone laughing in their seats! We've rounded up some seriously realistic looking foods. Just looking at the pictures I'm ...read more

When my first baby was born, I was overwhelmed with emotion. And pain. And anxiety. I was so physically and mentally exhausted, I couldn’t even fathom the concept of breastfeeding. And so I didn’t. When the nurses and lactation consultants paid their visits, I remained ...read more