You think you had a bad day? When fear, frustration, anxiety, anger or overwhelming discontent overtake my day I bury my head… in a newspaper. Seriously; nothing changes my perspective on life faster than reading the headlines of the NY Daily News. The sheer magnitude of horrific incidents involving parents and their children serve as a serious slap in the face, and makes my personal problems seem like blessings. You think you’re having a bad day? Take a look at these headlines: *Mother lets baby boy drown; admits she hated him *12-year-old girl discovered naked, searching for food in trash … Continue reading →

On Valentine’s Day Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar sat down for their first live TV interview since announcing the loss of their unborn daughter Jubilee Shalom in December. The “19 Kids and Counting” stars opened up about Michelle’s devastating miscarriage during a “Today” show interview which aired during the 8 o’clock hour. By 8:30 a.m. the Internet exploded as hundreds of thousands of Tweeters, Facebookers and bloggers responded to a two-second answer Michelle Duggar gave regarding a question about trying for another baby. “We would be open to more if God saw fit to bless us with more,” Michelle said. … Continue reading →

If you are a regular viewer of TLC’s hit show “19 Kids and Counting,” then you know Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are not the only parents in America juggling life with a controversially high number of biological children. Gil and Kelly Bates have guest starred on the Duggar’s show many times, but that may be changing very soon. The couple from Lake City, Tennessee, now has 19 kids of their own, plus… a new TV special. All together now: “It was just a matter of time!” New baby = new show. You had to see that coming. According to … Continue reading →

I can’t tie a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue. I stink at singing. I can’t knit, I don’t dance and I have no clue how to twirl a baton. Yet, my kid still thinks I am cool. The secret to my parental popularity: Mastering the claw game. There it is cyberspace; hidden to most, known to few, embraced by kids of all ages, my secret talent of manipulating buttons and a joystick (at the same time) in an attempt to retrieve treats from a glass encased mosh pit of stuffed animals, candy and other plastic paraphernalia. This … Continue reading →

Do you constantly focus on your weight, appearance or ability to perform in a negative manner? Are you always comparing yourself to other moms and coming to the conclusion that you suck at raising kids? Do you regularly dismiss compliments and continually find yourself checking with others before moving forward with projects or decisions as they relate to your home or family? If you answered “yes” to any of the aforementioned questions, you are not alone. A new study shows an increasing number of moms suffer from low self-esteem. In addition, researchers found that stay-at-home moms experience self-worth issues more … Continue reading →

Forget about the hundreds of thousands of women in China trying for a Year of the Dragon baby or the ones in the rest of the world who are meticulously planning out their sex lives in hopes of giving birth on 12/12/12. Oh no, the next baby boom won’t be inspired by winged serpents and paradigms; rather, in about 10 months or so the planet can thank Pfizer for the latest run on newborn diapers. Less than 24 hours ago, the pharmaceutical giant announced a major recall of its birth control pills. The company is in the process of yanking … Continue reading →

Two words: Downton Abbey. After a hard day scrubbing filthy floors, washing stacks of soiled dishes, sorting mountains of dirty laundry, chasing unruly kids, cooking, chauffeuring, and calming crying babies, moms deserve a break; a chance to relax, unwind and indulge in something that brings them peace, repose and otherwise rejuvenates their spirit. According to an unscientific survey, these days, those highly anticipated (though extremely rare) Mommy breaks are being spent in front of a television screen fostering an addiction to Downton Abbey. The entire universe is reportedly enraptured by the ITV/PBS drama set in early 20th Century England, but … Continue reading →

Think you’re having a bad day? Maybe you caught a glance of the Academy Award nominee list and realized how little of a life you really have. Or, you failed again at the car to bed transfer. You know; the challenge that sends a parent’s blood pressure reading skyrocketing off the charts. Your baby falls asleep in the car a few blocks from your house, but you haven’t mastered how to get her out of her safety seat and into the house without waking her up. Five-minute nap for baby = very, very long afternoon for mommy. Sound familiar? Well, … Continue reading →

So, I might have been a little hasty when posting “Never Say Never.” Truth be told, there are quite a few parenting situations where I say never, and many more which I emphatically state: “Never, ever, ever, EVER!” At the top of the list: Putting my young child on a commercial airliner by herself and hoping she gets to her final destination without being traumatized… or worse. A friend of mine from high school recently got divorced. Currently, he and his wife share custody of their 6-year-old son. However, my friend lives in Hilo, Hawaii, while his wife lives two … Continue reading →

The only upside of having to endure this week’s brutally bitter, inhumane winter temperatures (we’re talking 30 below wind chills, folks) is that families can score cheap food from McDonald’s. Thanks to Ronald’s “Cold Days, Hot Deals” promotion, parents can save some cash by purchasing one Big Mac at the regular price and getting the second for the price of the previous day’s noon temperature. For example, if the mercury only gets up to 3 degrees today, then tomorrow, the price of a second Big Mac will be a mere 3 cents. What’s more, if the mercury doesn’t climb above … Continue reading →