Have you ever heard the quote, in the end, you’re the only one who can give your kids a happy mom who loves life? It’s actually a variation on a quote from the author Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard, writer of the book Grin & Share It: Raising a Family with a Sense of Humor. In the original quote, it’s phrased in …
Going from One to Two Kids
My second child is a few weeks away from turning one, which is so surreal because this has been the fastest and also craziest year of my life so far. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that going from one to two kids is life-changing (maybe not quite as much as going from no kids to …
Welcome to Happy Mom Guide
Being a mom is the greatest blessing and gift. But it can also be hard. Joy as a mom is also a natural part of being a mom, but being a HAPPY MOM, in an ongoing, active and intentional sort of way, can take effort! If you’re new here, first, you may want to read WHY it’s important to be …
3 of the Best Baby Carriers
A few days ago, my husband and I were out on a walk with our two kids — our toddler was walking (okay, meandering somewhat aimlessly) alongside us, and I was wearing our younger son in a baby carrier (a Fidella Fly Tai, for the record, though I have a number of baby carriers, including the LILLEbaby Complete, and multiple …
On Having a Baby During your Doctorate in Education
Recently, a newly pregnant student in the same Doctorate program I graduated from reached out to my friend Dr. Alexandra Murtaugh. (Alexandra previously shared advice for moms here, here, and here). The student was reaching out for guidance in navigating our program through her pregnancy and with a new baby in tow. Alexandra shared some great words of wisdom with …
Empowering Moms by Nursing in Public
About two weeks ago, I saw neighbor of mine sitting outside on a bench in our community nursing her infant. Publicly. Proudly. Then, last week, for the first time, I nursed my younger son in public myself (without a cover). This was my first time truly nursing in public. I did so using the two-shirt method (top shirt gets pulled …
5 Benefits of Being a Working Mom
There are challenges that come along with parenting, regardless of whether you stay at home full time, work at home, or work outside the home. And plenty has been written about the challenges that come with being a working mom (here’s a post by Taryn Watts about the challenges of being a working mom, and here’s another by Ashley from …
On Stay at Home Mom Shaming: How is this Still a Thing?
Did you know stay at home mom shaming is still a thing? In ~the olden days~, women were expected and pressured to be stay at home moms, and many had no choice, regardless of what they actually wanted. And luckily, that did change! As we know, in much of the Western world, things have been changing for, like, half a …
How to Balance Being a Work at Home Mom or Dad
Here’s a post on how to be a work at home mom, and how I personally balance working at home as a parent. I have to admit that once Baby #2 arrives, I know that most of what works for me now in balancing it all may end up looking comically naive and/or useless to me. But, this post is about …
Advice for New Moms on the First Few Days
I’ve been thinking about what new moms need to know in those first few days home with a baby. Those first few days after becoming a mom to a newborn are a whirlwind of emotions and changes and new beginnings. Here are some words of advice for new moms of newborns, on those first few days from moms who’ve been …