Play! Create! Imagine! (and then Clean. It. Up.)
by Ellen Mecholsky on
I walk a very fine line between wanting my children to play and create and imagine...and wanting/NEEDING a tidy house to function at my best. I need order around me to feel relaxed and productive. If I wake up in the morning and I am greeted by a tra... Read full article
Letting Recess Slide: A Decline in Free Time
on
How the decline in recess may be affecting your child.... Read full article
Lessons From the Ballpark
by Cheryl Brodnax on
I’m a baseball mom. I live at the ballpark from February through July. For the last seven years, I’ve sacrificed my weekends (and sometimes sanity) to drag an unearthly amount of stuff to every ballpark imaginable so our boys can do what they love.... Read full article
Teen Suicide: Personal Essay from a Teenager
on
My 13-year-old cousin, Kora, passed away on January 24, 2020 due to suicide. She was found by her family when they went to make sure she was up for school. She was on life support for a few days and then her organs were donated. This is my letter to ... Read full article
Rolling with the Good Times: Navigating Baton Rouge’s Mardi Gras with Kids
by Ellen Mecholsky on
When my husband and I moved to Baton Rouge, we had absolutely no idea about Mardi Gras. I mean, sure, we had heard of “Fat Tuesday” and had the vague sense that beads were involved, but the Louisiana Mardi Gras EXPERIENCE was a complete unknown. That... Read full article
Is it Rough Play or Bullying? How to See the Difference and Intervene
on
Sometimes it is difficult to know when rough-and-tumble play is shifting into something more nefarious. As children grow up, they test limits, and we have to trust our judgment. When it comes to bullying, our instant reaction is to cut out any roughh... Read full article
Pandemic Parenting, Amirite?
by Ellen Mecholsky on
I’m sitting here in front of my computer trying to think of something to write to all of you–something to lift up and inspire during this time of uncharted territory and endless new decision-making.... Read full article
Mommy, I Don’t Quit
by Kelly Carmena on
It’s been almost five years now since I jumped on the fitness train. Six weeks postpartum from a very emotional pregnancy and delivery, I took to walking daily with my newborn daughter in tow.... Read full article
Slowing Down: Reclaiming Sanity
by Cheryl Brodnax on
So, I have a problem with over-commitment. It seems that any time there is white space on my calendar, I find some excuse to fill it. My husband often points out that I never just sit. What? Who doesn’t sit?... Read full article
Preparing Your Child for Surgery
on
My daughter was 13 months old when she needed her first surgery. I was a basketcase, but luckily, she had no idea what was happening. Still, it was hard. When she got a little older and had to have other surgeries, things were a little more challengi... Read full article