MothersRest

How to survive when you’re the Matron-of-Honor (with kids)

Congrats! You’ve “earned” the title of Matron-of-Honor. Is that a nice way of saying you’re old? No, no, no, just wiser. You’ve walked that wedding aisle before – there’s so much advice and love you can sprinkle on the bride....

What Dr. Seuss and autism can teach us about life

One momma's reflections on raising autistic children and what she's learning about the beauty of neurodivergent inclusion in the workplace.

Never tell your kid she’s going to Disney World

I have a rule when dealing with small children and major life events: Never tell them something AMAZING is gonna happen til the DAY OF the event. Because, y’all, anticipation can kill your kiddo. Occasionally I break this rule: Hey,...

Here’s why your kiddo needs chores

Raise your hand if you LOVE CHORES! Okay, okay, you hated them as a kid and you hate them as an adult. Also, you wanna give your kids a magical childhood free from drudgery. If you’re lucky enough to have...

Sorting through the mess of life (and cleaning up the playroom)

Cleaning up the playroom is like eating an elephant - the kids have to do it one bite at a time. This applies to everything we moms sort through daily: bills, laundry, pets, work. Here are 6 tips to help...

You can ROCK daylight savings this spring

You guys, the days are getting LONGER! Are you not beyond excited over this? Maybe you’re like me and turn into a cute, little bear and hibernate all winter long. As in, I am ready to stuff my face with...

Why you need to talk to your 4-year-old about alcohol

The wine bottle was sitting innocently on the counter. I ignored it. The boys did not. “What is that?,” the 6-year-old asked. “Wine,” I muttered and moved on to something else. The boys did not. “But what’s it for?,” he...

Can we mommas ban Valentine’s Day CARDS this year?

I’ve decided to rebel. This thing called Valentine’s Day is getting on my ever-loving last nerve. I’m not pissed that Hallmark basically made up the holiday. I couldn’t care less that it’s another excuse for my children to eat truckloads...

Pregnant? You need a health advocate.

The nurse leaned in with plenty of disdain and said, “You seem VERY suspicious of the medical establishment.” Yes, perhaps because you keep coming into my room and asking if this second child I’m birthing is a product of IVF....

The working girl’s guide to survive maternity leave

Under “normal” circumstances, we moms can tackle the deepest of issues with aplomb. We build things. We conquer things. We move mountains. I am woman, hear me roar. But life with a newborn is, well, different. You are ON! 24-7....

Here’s what went down when Omicron came knocking

#RockStarDad got the ‘rona. And it sucked. Sure, sure, it was mild. As is the case when you’ve gotten ALL THE SHOTS! There was no ICU involved. No need to drink bleach. No moaning and wailing. At least not at...

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...

Time is a choice: how do you spend yours?

Life is all about choices. Time is all about choices. How do you spend yours? Every day, all day long, you have the choice to take a stand on what you value. Losing yourself in a book or mindlessly scanning...

I keep forgetting all the lies I’ve told about Santa

A few days ago big brother asked, “Is there really only one Santa?” Instead of following the advice of my friend and asking, “What do YOU think?,” I cheerily called out, “NOPE!” My husband glared at me from across the...