Parenting Wisdom

Do you love your Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but hate the price that it comes with? By price, I mean the monetary cost, the extra calories & sugar, and the suspicious artificial  ingredients that just cannot be good for us....

"Play is the work of a child." -Maria Montessori  It's the last day of the month and my submission for SMB is due within 24 hours, or else I will not be eligible for an entry into a drawing for...

When our second child was born, we were so excited to introduce him to his big brother, who was just shy of 3 years old. Suuuure, we knew there would be bouts of jealousy, but at the heart, they'd be BFF's...

Confession time: I have not always been a fan of Valentine’s Day. As a Mom, before recent, I have always rejected the idea of celebrating Valentine’s day. I always saw it as a forced holiday loaded with sugar and forced...

We live in a culture that enjoys sporting events, that celebrates athletic competition, and that places a lot of pressure on athletes – from highly paid professionals all the way down to happy-go-lucky Little Leaguers. And as parents, many of...

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...

What a busy, adventurous, and just plain old fun week I’ve had with my children! Here’s a little of sampling of some of the things we did: I took them to a children’s museum… AND…went without any other friends, meaning...

May, the month we celebrate moms and motherhood, presents the perfect time to talk about…suffering. Yes, suffering. More specifically, how we shouldn’t waste the suffering that so frequently goes hand in hand with motherhood. And we can all agree...

One of the many hats I wear - outside of being a mom of three of the best kiddos in the world - is that I am a licensed child and adolescent therapist and a registered play therapist™. The...

Anyone else a podcast junkie? Sometimes I think I may have a problem, like my addiction to mugs or t-shirts with witty sayings on them.     I discovered podcasts a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since!...

Wait! Stop! Don’t scroll past this post because of the creepy crawly critter in the picture! Anyone with a child (grandchild, takes care of a child, knows a child) this is a MUST read! Living in AZ, I’ve squashed scorpions...

Are you struggling to come up with a unique party theme for your daughter’s 13th birthday? We’ve got you covered with some excellent ideas that will definitely excite your soon-to-be teenager. And these five party themes won’t break the...

Are you looking for a simple way to add a little fun to your Easter celebration?! Ashley is sharing an easy and quick way to wow your little ones this year by growing lollipops! Last year for Easter my sister...

In my practice, I hear a lot of women come in talking about their anxiety. During the holidays, normal, manageable anxiety can run high. Sometimes it doesn't feel like anxiety. It can feel like overwhelm. It can feel like...

Note: Welcome Courtney to our contributor team! She is a busy mom raising her little girl while working and in school. Courtney loves sharing about living a happy fulfilled life and we hope you enjoy reading her posts.  When I...

Many of us here at Scottsdale Moms Blog are not only moms to human children, but to some pretty cute fur babies, as well.  June is National Pet Preparedness Month and pet parents across the land are encouraged to...

I have a love/hate relationship with the last three months of the year.  I love it because the weather tends to be pretty much perfect, the holidays are upon us, and it's just the most wonderful time of the year. I also hate it because...

If you are a parent of a preschooler, then you know you're less than year away from the first day of Kindergarten. Fall is the beginning of Open Enrollment in public schools with applications already being accepted for the...

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 is the best of times, it is the worst of times.  A time of wonder and adventure, and often the time you think you might pull your hair out if you even as much as hear a whisper...

First let me start by saying how EXCITED I am to be here!! My name is Jessica Williams and I am a mother of two and a full time business owner for Session Nine Photographers. You might have seen...

As we approach the beginning of Kindergarten, I want to tell you how proud we are of you!  You have grown so much and it is hard to believe you are spreading your wings a bit more each day....

Since having our 6 1/2 month old, Sedona, in February our life has been a whirlwind! Even though it seems like yesterday that we just brought her home, being parents has been so rewarding. It's fun, hectic, stressful, and...

NOT JUST FOR TWIN FAMILIES! OPEN TO EVERYONE! Please join the Paradise Valley Mothers of Multiples (PVMOM) for our semi annual Fall Sale.  There will be fantastic deals on gently used baby/kids clothes and items! {And free parking} We know that...

We finally ended it a few months ago.  I just had to come clean and say, "Can we just be friends? It's not you it's me...." It wasn't easy, but I think we're both better for it. Here's my...

The Stretch Marks Retreat will give you the time and space to rest, regroup, and refocus on how you want to spend your precious time and valuable energy. You will learn to smash your iShoulds, flaunt your failures, and turn...

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,...

The pressure to perform in high school these day is intense. Kids are warned by parents and teachers that their grades matter from day one. Many of them are pushed to take as many Honors and AP classes as their...

Do you remember the post Why Being a Mom is Enough? I read it. You should if you haven't. It's great but it's not entirely true. It's just being mom isn't enough. Tough love, right? This one might not sit well...

For many moms-to-be, the most pressing question (beyond the great unknown of childbirth!) is how to find the best, most affordable and nurturing childcare option for your baby. I started my research midway through my first pregnancy, visiting centers, asking...