MothersRest

Honoring Dr. King ain’t no silly thing

How do you explain civil rights to a white kid? Especially one who’s only 4? Hell if I know. We took him to the park. That seemed like the simplest way to do it. To spend MLK Day downtown, in...

Drink more, sleep poor (and other truths about alcohol)

Guess what, ladies? Alcohol is a POISON. Because, well, it’s ethanol – which people put into their cars. What the what? For real? I don’t know, but it sounds disgusting anyway. This is just one of the many things I’ve...

How you can spread cheer in the NICU

5 ways you can help parents with babies in the NICU. Including items to donate. And tips for dads!

The one-week happy challenge

What keeps you up at night? Other than your teething baby or the neighbor’s cat? Like, what’s the soundtrack in your head that will not stop? Bills? Your Mother-In-Law? That first-world crisis where you can’t figure out which heels to...

The things I’m telling my boys about Trump

The thing about elementary school kids is that they can read. This is equal parts awesome and sucky. Because, even if you’re anti-screen time like me and don’t get an old school newspaper at home, you can’t completely keep your...

Time for a little fun at the lady-doctor

Here's how to make that annual exam a little more fun...After you've been pregnant, when everyone and their freaking mother sees your junk, going to the lady-doctor now for a 5-minute invasion is way easier than any other doctor visit.

My kid-friendly, rainy day, dance party playlist

Saturday was rainy and cabin-fever-inducing. You know, one of those days where Pinterest can save you with its 50 million ideas for how to entertain the kiddos. But I’m not really crafty. In high school, I was in Acteens. This...

How to manipulate your kid to do the right thing

If I actually knew how to manipulate your kid to do the right thing, I’d write a book. You’d buy it. I’d make a million dollars and retire from life. In the meantime, daycare gave me a reading assignment. For...

Nursing mother or nursing ADDICT? You decide.

I don’t know about you, but some of my best friends are addicts. And when I was nursing my babes, I noticed a few, unsettling similarities between me, the innocent and devoted, nursing mother, and my fun-loving, crack-craving brothers and...

30 tips to make you smile (when lack of sleep’s got you down)

Why, hello there, tired momma. Life got you down? Exhausted all the way to your bones, wandering around in that Mommy Brain fog? Trying to kick the raging, grouchy Mommy Dearest out of your life? Um, good luck with that....

The joys and crazy of two kids under two

Four years ago, I called my sister-in-law and announced we were “ONE AND DONE!” Because sleep deprivation is hell. Also because when our miracle baby turned one, the stomach bug to end all stomach bugs entered our lives. Y’all, this...

Nap time died its horrible death

Any of you mommas crying big alligator tears right now because little cuteness just gave up nap time? It’s definitely a game changer. I mean, what happened to our mid-day break? Now instead of sitting around eating bon bons for...

4 stellar toys for boys (and girls)

Tried and true gift ideas for the boys in your life. For Christmas, Chanukah, birthday, your-kid-is-awesome Day – whatev. I’m pretty sure GIRLS will appreciate all these toys, too. But I’m a boy mom and “toys for boys” rhymes. My...

Teaching your kids how to ask for consent

I’m raising white males who I hope will one day get into Princeton University and Yale Law School. (Nah, fingers crossed, they’ll get into state schools.) What’s a mom to do when she’s training up the next generation of the...

Don’t use your cell phone at the table (and other dinnertime rules for kids)

I got in this bad habit when my oldest was born of EATING LIGHTNING FAST – and only things you can grab and go, like pop tarts and brownies and french fries. That kiddo is 6 now and I still...