Marybeth Bock
Marybeth Bock is a native San Franciscan, who spent 13 years living and working in two European countries and four U.S. states as an Army spouse. (Faves: Germany and Hawaii). She’s been enduring the heat of Arizona for 14 years now with her husband, two adult-ish kids, and one crazy coonhound. An alumna of UCLA (Go, Bruins!), she has a Master’s in Public Health and loves to research and write about all health topics, particularly the mental and physical health issues of adolescents and women. Her writing can often be found on the Grown and Flown and Blunt Moms websites. As a new empty-nester, she is thoroughly enjoying the role of “College Mom”, and is finding more time for crafting, hiking, Happy Hour and travel. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
What Our Stressed Teens Need Right Now
September means that our teenagers are back to school, but this year, school for them is anything but normal. Some of them may be learning in actual classrooms wearing masks, some of them may...
How to Celebrate National Beach Day in Arizona
If it seems like there’s a national day for just about everything now, you’d be right. In the month of August alone, we can celebrate National Days for mustard, oysters, and even cherry popsicles....
The Benefits of Letting Your Kids Be Bored
That universal whine of childhood: “I’m bored.”
As parents, we’ve all heard it countless times, and have all struggled with how to respond. Handing your kid some kind of screen is so tempting, with its...
Helpful Ideas for Creating a Covid Care Basket
It’s not just a normal Arizona summer this year, where our primary concerns are sunburns and scorpions. The unfortunate reality is that if it hasn’t happened already, some of us may be getting a...
Escape This Summer with a Great Book {Fiction Edition}
While many of us may not be embarking on the travels we had hoped to take this summer, there’s still the quintessential way to escape reality during the long, hot days of summer– book...
Family Friendly Ways to Celebrate Armed Forces Day
Among the many things that living through a global pandemic has taught me, one significant realization has been that it is important to celebrate – pretty much anything. Big occasions, little events, half-birthdays, you...
What You Need to Know About Valley Fever
Valley Fever, also known as Coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides, which lives in the soil in the southwestern US, parts of Mexico, and Central and South America. People, and house pets, can...
A New Way to Help You Balance Your Kids’ Technology Time
If you’re not familiar with Common Sense Media, they are a non-profit organization which was founded in 2003. Their mission is to ensure digital well-being for kids everywhere, and they are a leading source...
I Don’t Want My Kids to Just Be Happy {Aiming Them Higher}
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a common question that all young kids get asked. And as our children grow older, that question often transforms and gets asked of...
The Holiday Cards Dilemma
Holiday cards.
To send or not to send? That is the question. And it’s been a bothersome one I’ve grappled with every winter for the past five years.
When I think back to the holidays of...
What to Expect When Your Kids are Grown and Almost Flown
In today’s world, the minute a woman finds out she is pregnant for the first time, she has a vast array of helpful resources at her fingertips. There are books, websites, and online support...
This Mom’s Ode to October
The fictional character Anne of Green Gables said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” And I couldn’t agree more.
As a desert dweller, October is finally the month when...
Fostering Healthy Family Technology Habits
We’ve all done it. In the course of running late, and gathering up kids, their stuff, and our keys, we’ve driven off and 10 minutes later have realized we’ve left our phone at home....
Let’s All Give “No Comment” Parenting a Try
When your kids are really young, you are always looking for advice from fellow parents. Playgroup gatherings are perfect opportunities to ask other moms about sleep issues, potty training, and temper tantrum strategies.
As our...
Be Sparkler Safe This 4th of July
For many Americans, it wouldn’t be a proper Independence Day celebration without watching a fireworks show or setting off a few fireworks of your own. Here in Arizona, like many regions in the southwest U.S....
Flip Flop Wreath {a Fun and Frugal Summer Craft}
The long, hot days of summer have arrived, and so has the daily search for fun (but not too pricey or complicated) activities to do with your kids. Flip flop wreaths are a great...