Parenting Wisdom

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s not. I have a love-hate relationship with Costco. The world’s choice of cheeses, deliciously prepared salads, easily ordered cakes, a month's supply of toilet paper, healthy options for kids’ lunches, free samples, inexpensive snack...

Some of us do this more than others and I will readily admit I am a bit fanatical, but when it comes to researching anything I will spend a significant amount of money on—I tend to follow a very...

When my son was born two years ago, I went back to work after a three-month maternity leave. I work at a school where the staff dress code is business casual, but I was growing tired of black and khaki...

Ok, summer's here, kids are home, we are all stuck in the house.  We all NEED fun things to do to survive this heat! No need to worry because the SMB Guide to Surviving Summer is here, just for you! We included...

It's that time of year again. . . Just a few more weeks of school. Vacations are in the making. Kids are wondering what to do this summer. Mom is thinking about how to keep her kids entertained. Vacation Bible School...

Sometimes motherhood means making sacrifices... or at least, adjustments. I believe that every stage of life carries the ability to challenge us, but I think you'll agree that the changes introduced by joining Motherhood are unique in their scope. In light of Mother's...

All day long, mother's work so hard to take care of their family and home. Whether she is a working mom or a stay at home mom, her job is never ending and doesn't get any vacation days. Mother's...

Celebrating our teachers is important for kids and their families. May 4 -8 is the week when children have the opportunity to show how much they love their teacher.  How do we do that? For teacher appreciation week, why not decorate your...

I attended a friend's wedding with the man who later became my husband. During the father-daughter dance, he  leaned over and announced “that has to be one of the single best moments of having a daughter.” I was sold...

Many families will travel out of town during summer break. We had a chance to travel to Hawaii earlier this year and I made mental notes on this trip to help prepare for our next vacation. When we spent time on...

Spring break is over, so you know what that means! Summer is right around the corner and we should start planning our camp schedules before the kids are out from school with NOTHING to do. My camp philosophy? During the school year,...

After announcing you’re pregnant to the world there are inevitably three questions everyone asks you: When is your due date? Are you finding out the gender? Have you thought of any names? Ahh. The name game. Long before my pregnancy, I brainstormed over baby names...

I remember the days I dreamt of having a part-time job. When I worked full-time, with two young children and one on the way, I  fantasized about cuddly moments with the kids. All the things we would do together -...

Hey SMB readers and local businesses! We are getting ready to launch our third annual Scottsdale Moms Blog Guide to Surviving Summer next month (yes, I am sorry, but summer is almost here...) The Guide has tons on great information...

Just last month, I shared my favorite baby items that made life with a new little one a bit easier. Now, two years in to that little one's life, we have a crazy, busy, wild and loud toddler on our hands....

Like many people these days, I find myself spending more time on Instagram rather than Facebook. I like that you actually have to put some thought into a photo, and possibly even a caption when posting on Instagram. I...

An important question every parent should ask: Are your kids safe online? As my kids have grown from plastic toys to tech  gadgets, I am struggling to allow them to play and learn, but safely.  Here are tips and tricks...

Make a change. Ditch the. . . Drumroll, please. Disposable diapers.   I am a full-time working mom who uses cloth diapers. A little crazy, but I love it. This is my personal outlook at this crazy thing we call motherhood. For...

Motherhood.   You don't get it until you do it.   Several times I've called my dear friends (who all had kids before me), simply to say, "I'm sorry... I just didn't know!!!" Some habits that toddler moms (and I suspect any-stage moms!) might...

It’s been almost a year since I made a career transition from the corporate world to the SAHM world, and surprisingly, I feel like I’m just now finding my footing. Why did it take me so long? You’d think I’d...

Practicing yoga with your baby is a great way to strengthen your muscles, relax your mind with breath control, and promote bonding with your little one! To start, you need a yoga mat, should be wearing comfortable workout clothes, and...

A few years back, there was a blog I followed that did “Not Me Mondays.” Bloggers and Mamas linked up to share their not-so-superhero mommy moments. It always gave me a good laugh and served as a reminder that...

When we registered for our new baby (over two years ago now!), it was pretty overwhelming. There were so many items to choose from and so many options for each of those items and so many stores where you...

I remember bringing Cooper home, a fluffy bundle, crying softly in my lap. Just eight weeks old and weighing less than a half-gallon of milk, he was our first baby. We doted on him, took him for walks, gave...

I’ve always been on top of my game… until I had kids. Then the game changed from “do it perfectly” to “get it done.” But it’s been hard to let go of my perfectionist mantra. I held onto it...

Recently, my husband and I decided to send our (almost) three year old to preschool. Since I am mostly a stay at home mom, I got a lot of questions about why we think he needs to go to...

Are you heading out on a family road trip as part of Spring Break? Planning, embracing the unexpected and a healthy dose of humor can make questions like "Are we there yet?" more bearable. Here are 7 travel tips to...

Have you ever been to Maui? How about with small children?  Our first and only trip to Hawaii was about two years ago when Luke was 18 months. We wanted to go to HI for our honeymoon but didn't have...

When your child brings home a piece of paper explaining their latest book report (an historical poem and diorama on Betsy Ross), you shudder more violently than your 3rd grader because you don’t want to go to the library...

I love Harry Potter. I have all the books. I watched all the movies. I anticipated, with the excitement of a child before Christmas morning, each and every new release. So what does this Mom do when her now 9...