of the Fruit Loops

I am The Keeper of The Fruit Loops, Manager of the Fecal Roster and the Driver of the People Mover. In other words, I'm a mom.

  • Home
  • Awards And Books!
  • Loop Scoop
  • See The Keeper
  • Find The Keeper
  • The Keeper On The Today Show


You are here: Home / Archives for Parenting My Way

Five Things That Annoy Moms At The Grocery Store

May 16, 2016 By Christine 9 Comments

Last week, I posted this update on my Facebook page about grocery shopping:   And I was overwhelmed by how many of you commented that I’m not the only one who has a borderline psychosis about how I do my grocery shopping.  I was both amused and appalled at what a group of weirdos we […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: grocery shopping

The Seven Moms In A Group Text

April 28, 2016 By Christine Leave a Comment

If you have kids in the modern age of parenting, chances are, you’ve participated in at least one group text.  Whether it’s coordinating a play date, a Ladies’ Night Out or organizing a complicated carpool routine, texting takes on a whole new level of hell when you have multiple people expressing opinions.  And, often, the […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: carpool hell, group texts, moms

A Chick Can Buy A Car Without A Dude. Really.

March 31, 2016 By Christine 5 Comments

A few weeks ago, I got into a huge argument. There was yelling. Loud yelling, in fact. There were wild gesticulations. Eyes were rolled, fingers were pointed and the argument culminated in my opponent yelling, “Kiddo, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? You were so much nicer yesterday!!!!”. Now, one would think this argument happened between […]

Filed Under: Parenting My Way, People Who Suck Tagged With: car sales, don't call me kiddo

Who Is The Keeper Of The Fruit Loops?

March 12, 2016 By Christine 10 Comments

Since it’s looking like after three years, over 100 posts, close to 50 freelance articles AND three essays published in anthologies that this blogging thing might be a regular gig,  I feel compelled to introduce myself to those of you reading (all 400 of you who subscribe…if you are reading and you haven’t subscribed, stop […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, The Keeper News Tagged With: new kid on the blog

Don’t Talk To My Kids About Politics. That’s MY Job.

March 9, 2016 By Christine 12 Comments

On the whole, I’m a good person. Really, I am. I recycle, I pay it forward and I practice random acts of kindness. I smile at strangers, I hold doors open for people and I will even let you merge ahead of me on the highway (though, I do give you the finger if you […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, People Who Suck

I Wear A Bikini At 40 And You Should, Too

February 25, 2016 By Christine 5 Comments

I am a mom and I have the body to prove it. My boobs are full, I have a C section scar and frankly, I haven’t seen my abs since 2002. I have stretch marks on my thighs, my waist and under my arms (seriously, what is THAT about?). My thighs are like tree trunks […]

Filed Under: Behind Closed Doors, Parenting My Way Tagged With: bikini, body image, mom body

Fruit Loop #1’s Five Stages of Mom Fury

February 15, 2016 By Christine 16 Comments

“Mom, I have something I want to discuss with you.  And I don’t want you to say no.  And I want you to hear me out.  And I want you to keep an open mind, okay?”. With these words, Fruit Loop #1 looked at me from the passenger seat of the car with his hazel […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, The Fruit Loops Speak Tagged With: mom fury, opinionated fruit loops, parenting

Don’t Ask Me For My Babysitter’s Name. DON’T.

February 9, 2016 By Christine 3 Comments

I’m a giver. I share better than any three year old. Really. Ask my friends. I give advice (almost never unsolicited), I give fabulous presents and I give of my time like nobody’s business (two words: PTA President). If you need me, I’m there for you, no questions asked. And, if you are one of […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: date night, dating, marriage

My Apology: My Tween Can’t Say “I’m Sorry” And It’s My Fault

February 4, 2016 By Christine 1 Comment

Smiling teenage boy in front of car

On a hot summer night last year, you defied me. You begged to be allowed to walk down to an ice cream shop with your younger sister in the small beach town where we were vacationing. “I’m twelve now, Mom,” you pleaded, “almost thirteen. Come on, please?” After a bit of discussion, your father and […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, The Keeper On The Mid

The Day I Realized I Shouldn’t Fix My Tween’s Problems

January 13, 2016 By Christine 6 Comments

Teen reflecting near water

On that warm summer night, as I caught a glimpse of Fruit Loop #1, I knew. He was standing across the yard, holding a plastic plate filled with summer party food and holding a red plastic cup. The sun hit his twelve year old hair in just a way that I could see the blonde […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: bullies, mama bear, tweens

Are You Team Toddler or Team Tween?

January 7, 2016 By Christine 5 Comments

Toddler with guitar and leather jacket

When you become a parent, there’s just so much you don’t know. SO. MUCH. And, in those first few years, you wander around deliriously tired, chase after little people who break all of your previously nice things and wonder how exactly every item of clothing you own is covered in spit up. You suffer through […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way

Our Parents Had It Easy. And I’m Jealous.

January 5, 2016 By Christine Leave a Comment

The other day, I got the dreaded “Your phone storage is almost full” message and realized it was time to clean up my phone. Read: it was time to play “Press Your Luck” over which apps I could keep, how many photos to delete and just exactly how many text messages were necessary. No whammies, […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: back in the day, parenting, what the hell

My Teen Asked Me About A Sex Act While I Was Driving

January 4, 2016 By Christine 62 Comments

Teens and sex

I knew this day would come as I had been warned by those who had gone before me. He’s going to ask someday. She’s going to have questions. You need to get your story straight. You have to be *prepared* because you’ll be caught with your pants down when the Fruit Loops ask about the […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: sex, sex talk

Hubby Doesn’t Need Training. He’s Not A Dog.

December 10, 2015 By Christine 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I was helping a group of moms get a classroom party organized. As we passed out holiday appropriate paper plates and organic snacks, we chit chatted about our days, our kids and of course, we bitched about our husbands. We bitched about how they are clueless sometimes. How their aim in […]

Filed Under: Behind Closed Doors, Parenting My Way Tagged With: dogs, husbands, training

It’s Okay If You Screamed At The Kids Before That “Perfect” Photo

December 2, 2015 By Christine Leave a Comment

I met her on a September night in 2008. She had kind eyes and a smile on her small face. I was new at the whole PTA mom thing. She was a seasoned pro, the experienced committee mom. And she made me feel welcomed at my first PTA meeting.  Included. Over the course of the […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way Tagged With: dying, smiles

9 Halloween Costume Ideas That Are Scary Good (and Easy, too!)

October 24, 2015 By Christine 2 Comments

Easy, last minute halloween costumes

As most GenXers will tell you, Halloween as we know it today was a lot different when we were kids. A LOT different. The candy choices were limited to products made by Hershey and Mars, we were able to roam neighborhood after neighborhood without parents tracking us via phone apps and everyone collected money for Unicef […]

Filed Under: Holly Daze, Parenting My Way Tagged With: halloween, Suck It

Musings From A Sleep Dictator

October 14, 2015 By Christine Leave a Comment

I am a member of the Today Show’s Parenting team (I don’t want to brag buuuuuuuuut, I’m a TOP CONTRIBUTOR, thankyouverymuch) and this month, they challenged us to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart:  Sleep Training.  Specifically, they asked us to give tips from our journey to a good night’s sleep.  Because […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, The Keeper On Today! Tagged With: napping, sleep, sleep deprivation

Mother-In-Law, My Friend

October 11, 2015 By Christine 3 Comments

When a group of women get together, inevitably, complaints will start flying. They will lament about their thighs, crow’s feet and grey hair. They will bitch about toddlers who refuse to use the potty and teenagers who roll their eyes. They will go on and on about husbands who can’t get dishes into the dishwasher […]

Filed Under: Parenting Is Hard Enough, Parenting My Way, Uncategorized Tagged With: friends, mother-in-law, mothers

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Find Your Favorite Posts!

Fruit Loops Are Social. You should be, too. Ahem.

Subscribe Via Email

Top Posts & Pages

  • I Recommend Wearing Blue Suede Shoes To Your Mammogram (Seriously)
    I Recommend Wearing Blue Suede Shoes To Your Mammogram (Seriously)
  • Ten Movies That Your Teens Will Love For Family Movie Night
    Ten Movies That Your Teens Will Love For Family Movie Night
  • I Miss The Noise and It's Too Quiet
    I Miss The Noise and It's Too Quiet
  • This Is My First Pandemic: I Didn't Know My Kid Would Cheat During Online Learning
    This Is My First Pandemic: I Didn't Know My Kid Would Cheat During Online Learning
  • My Teen's Car Accident Changed My Evening Routine
    My Teen's Car Accident Changed My Evening Routine

The Keeper on Instagram!

Follow on Instagram

The Keeper And HerMoney

THE KEEPER IS THE BEST!

Buy My T Shirts!

The Keeper Is A TOP Today Show Contributor!

The Keeper On Today!

Facebook Fruit Loops

Facebook Fruit Loops

See The Keeper’s LTYM Video!

BlogU Graduate

Fruit Loop Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Keeper Of The Fruitloops | Maintained By Technology-Therapist | Log in