Category: Inspire
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Thank you, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for my children
I have this weird habit — well, maybe you do too — of imagining what my life would have been like if I had gone to a different college, or visited a different country or taken a different job. I am a believer in “the butterfly effect,” despite the awfulness…
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5 reasons to never say, “Enjoy every moment” to a new parent
If you have young children, you have likely heard some iteration of the phrase, “Enjoy every moment,” repeatedly. They are the words uttered to you with a smile by the store cashier as she sees your toddler yanking at your hand. It is the comment on your Facebook post about…
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School’s birthday policy is something to celebrate
I was elated earlier this month, when I received an official packet from my son’s school. The manila envelope was packed with information about his teacher, his bus route, special programs run by the Parent Teacher Association and important dates to remember. One piece of paper stood out among the…
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I’m teaching my kids color awareness
We are living in a period of racial tension and turmoil. People have literally died fighting neo-Nazis and other white supremacists. Reading and watching the news is emotionally exhausting, especially for those who feel under attack for being black, Jewish, Muslim, or anything not deemed acceptable by pro-white extremists. As…
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Kisses not KKK
It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m catching up on Facebook after spending a lovely morning disconnected from technology and reconnecting with my body and soul. I was blissfully unaware of the ugliness happening around me. With a quick scroll through Facebook, that ignorance quickly faded away. I read post after post…
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How I learned to accept my son’s sensory needs
From his earliest days of playground exploration, my son would be in constant contact with other children. Whether it was an angry push, an enthusiastic hug, or just a curious touch, he never kept his hands to himself. He’s only one, I told myself. He’ll grow out of it. My…
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Beyond the toy aisle: 5 nontraditional playthings kids will love
We have all seen the videos of the toddler, ripping open the brand new, expensive toy, only to cast it aside and play with the box for hours. Whether it’s a cardboard box or some old newspaper, kids can turn almost anything into a plaything. For parents on a budget,…
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Big boys and bunk beds
“I want to get a bunk bed,” my four-year-old exclaimed, out of nowhere, one morning during breakfast. “Huh?” I thought. I must have misheard him. Let me back up for a moment here to explain that while my oldest technically has his own room and own place to sleep (a…
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Band-Aids, branding and blogging
“You have three days to make ‘band-aid’ a thing in a post, article, meme, or live video.,” so were the words of the great Ms. Mary Katherine Backstrom, award-winning creator of Mom Babble, in the writers group she hosts. I actually heard about this challenge after seeing an odd number of…
Maybe I'll Shower Today 