Wanna Play? Navigating Playdate Etiquette
by Mari Walker on
How do you get started in the world of playdates? When babies are small, if you have an established community of your own friends with similarly aged babies, playdates are straightforward. They’re basically mom coffee dates with tag-a-long snuggles. ... Read full article
Adventures in Orthodontia Begin
by Mari Walker on
Snaggle tooth was a nickname I was called growing up, and my parents’ investment in braces is one of the monetary gifts for which I’m most grateful. My husband also had braces going up, so we were not at all surprised to learn that our eight year old... Read full article
Unexpected New Skills While Staying Close to Home
by Mari Walker on
Although stay-at-home orders didn’t turn me into a better homemaker, they did expand my horizons within the domestic sphere, and this old dog learned some new tricks. While my thumb is still black and my house is still…lived in…more time spent at hom... Read full article
Bunny Bunny Goes Missing!
by Mari Walker on
It’s hard to know what toy your kid will latch onto, what will become the irreplaceable lovey or important, gotta-take-it-everywhere trinket.... Read full article
Raising Readers One Book at a Time
by Mari Walker on
A recent Baby Center email for my seven year old (yes, I still open them to read about her development!) had the headline, “How to Encourage Reading.” I laughed and read along, knowing the advice doesn’t apply to me just now.... Read full article
My Dream Role: Being the “Yes” Mom
by Mari Walker on
Once upon a time, in a life not so long ago, I got a chance to play the role of a lifetime: the “yes” Mom.... Read full article
Sleepaway for Mama: Leaving My Daughters Overnight for the First Time
by Mari Walker on
In more than seven and a half years of parenting, I had never left my children overnight until recently. Other than her recent trip to pony camp, the only time I was away from my older daughter was when my younger daughter was born. I stayed in the h... Read full article
Silver Lining to a Scary Situation: My Daughter Was Lost, But We Both Found Friends
by Mari Walker on
Life is a balancing act, and I find that especially true with my roles as mother and writer. Last December, I was on deadline, finishing up some briefs for the Community section of Baton Rouge Parents Magazine. One of the briefs I’d just finished was... Read full article
Mamas Never Get Vacation, Not Even at the Beach!
by Mari Walker on
Packing up and hitting a beach somewhere along the Gulf seems to be an annual event for most middle- and upper-class families in our area, at least according to my Facebook feed. This year, we decided to join the fray, meeting my in-laws from Virgini... Read full article
Doing Hard Things - Zipline Edition
by Mari Walker on
I can do hard things, and you can too, to borrow a phrase from Glennon Doyle. From getting ready to send my baby to Kindergarten to juggling anxiety about resuming in-person life after being vaccinated against COVID-19, hard things are all around me ... Read full article