To the mamas, on Mother’s Day: I hope you have a lovely day today. One that ends with gratitude for family and receiving something you needed. It’s a good time to think beyond today. What else do YOU need in your life? Is there a piece of yourself that’s been forgotten? Some piece that was central to you being […]
The Airbnb apartment I’d rented was not only spotless, there was zero clutter anywhere. Two tiny toddlers and two tiny dogs lived there, I knew, not to mention their parents. So why wasn’t this condo as cluttered as mine? I was so perplexed. I suppose that’s why, when I ducked out of the rain into a bookstore and spotted the tiny book “The […]
Occasionally I speak in summits like this one, and the conversation is lively. Dr. Laura Markham talked about giving ourselves permission to be less productive. Lori Petro talked about healing ourselves if we didn’t grow up with good role models for communication. I talked about letting our kids do things for themselves — and asking […]
“Good job, mama,” my 3-year-old said today. “I’m so proud of you!” I’m going to pretend she was thanking me for being a good mom instead of for making her some frozen yogurt. (Or maybe the two go hand in hand for her.) We don’t often hear “thank you” for the job we do as […]
“Why Some Kids Try Harder and Some Kids Give Up“: This post on how to give our kids a growth mindset is the most popular piece I’ve written in the past year. I’m guessing that’s not just because we all want to teach our kids how to persevere through challenges. I’m guessing it’s also because we wonder for […]
Who wants to guess the origin of fake baby poop? Baby-shower activities could use an upgrade in the usefulness department. The usual activities range from sweet (write down your wish for baby) to creative (paint a onesie) to wrong (guess how much weight the guest of honor has gained). Then the mama-to-be opens gifts from […]
Have you ever watched your kid gallop down the street, bop to music, wave both arms wildly, or randomly run around in circles … and wondered if that’s the amount of movement you’re supposed to be getting in a day? Nah–there’s no way you can keep up with that craziness. But sitting for large swaths of the day, like many of […]
Raise your hands: Who listed “exercise” as a resolution this year? And who listed “exercise” as a resolution last year? And the year before that? My hand is up, too. But last year was unusual for me: I actually kept the resolution … all year long. Here’s how. I was talking with a friend — […]
There’s a joke floating around online about how to prepare if you’re expecting a baby: Walk around the living room from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. carrying a wet bag weighing 8-12 lbs. At 10 p.m., put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to bed. Get up at 12 a.m. and walk […]
Try this: Set a timer for 10 minutes and go for a very slow walk. Letting your gaze wander, look for things you like in the environment. When you find something you like, pause and appreciate it for longer than you otherwise would. Continue on, looking for the positive. What do you notice? This is […]