Depending where you live, your kids may be doing virtual school (and PE) online. Your gym may be closed. Your kid's sports team may not be practicing. In some areas, even parks are closed. All this - and months of this! - can make an active family get pretty stir-crazy. Luckily ...read more
This year certainly has been a doozy, hasn’t it? Our lives have been disrupted, our favorite activities canceled, our gatherings postponed… It would be easy to let that permanently get us down. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Read on to see how my family keeps our spirits ...read more
Life as they knew it has been put on hold due to the restrictions we all must adhere to in light of COVID-19. The days of waiting patiently for life to return to “normal” have passed. In fact, there has been enough time that has passed since the virus hit in early 2020, that we ...read more
Here we are a week before Halloween (yes, HALLOWEEN!), and I'm already fielding requests from relatives: What should we get the kids for Christmas? Are you coming over on Thanksgiving? Can you tell me which Barbie is the right Barbie? What size turkey should we get? Are they too ...read more
When I switched majors in college my sophomore year, I hemmed and hawed between communications and education -- ultimately making the call to go with journalism and public relations. A few years later, after a couple of not-so-great media and publicity gigs, I thought about ...read more
I've got a mom hack for getting kids to wear masks, it's as simple as letting them customize them. The Crafty Mask™ is a mini art project that will give your child the ability to turn something they might find inconvenient into something F-U-N! Discount code: "MOMTRENDS" for 15% ...read more
Halloween is my favorite holiday -- which is funny, because growing up I didn't really care for the candy-eating costume-wearing celebration. But now, as a mom, I adore getting into the spooky spirit, mapping out our trick-or-treating route, and playing all sorts of silly games. ...read more
One of the most difficult aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is navigating how to safely feel close to family, friends, and loved ones. While Google hangouts and Zoom dates are great, their appeal may have worn off slightly in the last few months. Nevertheless, safety needs to be ...read more
With so many kids learning from home during this unprecedented start to the new school year, many students are in desperate need of help concentrating, staying focused, and remaining in good spirits. Music might be just what the doctor (and teacher) ordered.Soothing, relaxing ...read more
The back-to-school season has arrived; and if your kids are going back to the classroom in-person, they will likely have to wear a face mask in enclosed spaces. The first sticking point for a lot of parents and educators is that some kids, particularly younger ones who don’t ...read more
Maskne. It's the new backne. It may seem like a minor inconvenience, but those dealing with pesky pimples and clogged pores on their chins know it can be a major source of stress and self consciousness. Mask acne happens as a result of humidity building up under your cloth face ...read more
It's about 80 days until ski season, is your family ready? No doubt this will be an unusual ski and riding season. Reservations, limited access to lodges and COVID tests are some of the things parents will have to wrangle with. Here's a list of seven ways to prepare your family ...read more
I recently heard the expression "decision fatigue," for the very first time. Without explanation or definition, I instantly understood the meaning and it immediately resonated with me. Right now, I am experiencing major decision fatigue. Most of us are. Parents have been ...read more
Summer is here, which normally means it’s time to take a vacation. In the age of the Coronavirus Pandemic, many plans are being changed or curtailed. No matter where you’re going, if you’re not prepared, a potentially amazing holiday can turn out to be the worst. Here are our ...read more
Don't be jealous, but I bought a "pandemic pool" in early May before they old sold out. Things were bad in New York, and I assumed summer camp would be a no-go, so I wanted to make sure my kids would be able to swim. It's the only thing they truly enjoy about the summer-- they ...read more
This is a judgment-free zone, so refrain from giving me side-eye when I gently ask, "Can we have play dates now?" It's a tricky path to navigate, and I supposed it depends on where you live, what precautionary measures you take, and personal comfort level. After three months of ...read more
I fall into bed exhausted after a full day of learning and playing and homeschooling and working and assuming the role of referee to my wrestling quarantined kiddos. It's a long day when you know you have nowhere to go and nobody to see and tons to get done. I wake up, bee-line ...read more
This is a safe space, so can I admit something sort of personal? In the beginning of this whole shelter-in-place ordeal, I told my husband that we better be careful or we'd find ourselves with our very own pandemic pregnancy. Endless time home, together? I assumed we'd be ...read more
Okay dads and loved ones, this Mother's Day, there's no excuse. You've got nothing but time. You can create a plan and make Mother's Day special--even if the family is stuck at home. And moms, if you're reading this, you can drop some not so subtle hints or prioritize self-care ...read more
You guys, I've done it. I've hopped on the baking bandwagon. I'm pouring my feelings into chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and crumbles. I've loaded my Instacart orders up with confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, and all the flours. I'm a veritable cream puff--oozing with ...read more
Today the New York Times offered a lifeline to those of us dealing with teenagers during the peak COVID19 isolation. The seminar was called "Well: Teens in Lockdown" and it was extremely informative and reassuring. Related: Meditation tips for sstressed out moms Tara Parker-Pope ...read more
As the world comes to terms with the dangers of the COVID-19 virus, we are seeing areas of need. Doctors and nurses are on the front lines trying to protect us and they don't have all the protective supplies require to stay safe. According to many news sources (like the New York ...read more
We still in the early days of "social distancing" and the resulting homeschooling of our children. It's Day 4, so I'm trying not to get too excited or cocky about how well my kids are adjusting--because, let's face it: they're going to have their highs and lows and so am I. ...read more
Who is in the mood to make lemonade out of the current lemons we are dealing with? I'm waving my hand in the air and tomorrow my kiddos will be trying something new. Socialsklz offers kids 5-12 free online workshops on manners each day at 2pm EST. March Free Online Schedule For ...read more