I sighed and rolled my eyes as I dialed my friend’s phone number and waited for her to answer. I was about to have an uncomfortable conversation with her about online learning, one that I never dreamed I’d have to have with the friend who has been with me through 10 years of parenting. Her son […]
Parents of High School Juniors, I Feel Your Angst
I had been warned this time was coming, but I resisted. Parents of high school juniors used to look at my toddlers and tell me I would miss the days when I could contain them in a crib at night. Parents of teens would stop me in the grocery store to comment how much they […]
Driving My Teens Isn’t As Annoying As It Used to Be
Almost from the time you find out you are going to be a parent, your focus turns to driving them across town. You start looking at vehicles with doors that slide open, have more cup holders than you need, and trunk space becomes key. You spend your days lugging car seats and diaper bags and […]
Itching from The Inside Out, Part 2: Climbing the Ladder of Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
This is a sponsored post about atopic dermatitis: I was compensated by Med-IQ through an educational grant from Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to write about the signs, symptoms, and treatments available for atopic dermatitis or eczema. All opinions are my own. If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll remember that, back in […]
The Pandemic Has Made Me Miss My Morning Routine With My Teens
Our morning routine tradition started, much as they often do, by accident. My son had recently passed his driver’s test. He was preparing to drive to my mother-in-law’s home for the weekend. Because she lives two hours away in another state, I was, naturally, nervous about him being on the open highway so far from […]
My Teens Have Social Lives: Will I Ever Stop Driving?
I’m pretty sure my kids’ social lives are going to be the death of me. When my son started high school, I had no idea that I was about to embark on quite possibly the most challenging part of raising teens. And I’m not talking about block scheduling or AP classes. I’m not talking about […]
When Should Teens Get a Part-Time Job? Hubby and I Disagree
I can distinctly remember my first job interview. I was fresh out of high school and was hoping to make extra money during the summer to pay for college. I scheduled an interview at a local temp agency and was hired for a part-time job doing secretarial work in offices in my area. On my […]
This Viral Hearing Experiment Proves Teens Can Actually Hear You
Once again, a heated Internet debate is flaring, only this time, it’s pitting kids and teens against parents. And it’s glorious, trust me. Spoiler alert: a hearing experiment that has taken the internet by storm proves teens have been ignoring you since forever. Yes, really. The people of the Internet love a good debate, particularly […]
Don’t Hate Me: My Teens Are Best Friends (Yes, Really)
I hear the slider door of our beach house squeak and the sound of footsteps as they amble down the wooden deck stairs. I can hear them before I see them: my teens are headed out on their summer evening ritual. Every night, shortly after dinner, they grab an ice cream from our beach house […]
The Day I Realized My Teen Needed Me to Help Him With His Mental Health
This is a sponsored post. I was compensated by Med-IQ through an educational grant from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Lundbeck to write about depression in college-aged students. All opinions are my own “I’m exhausted, Mom. I can’t do it all. And all I keep hearing from my teachers is that I’m not committed enough. […]
My Teens Have Curfews And Science Says It’s A Good Idea
My son and his friends looked ridiculous as they posed for Homecoming pictures. Though they were all freshly shaven and wearing ties, they were also donning silly white “clout goggles.” Because my son isn’t old enough to drive yet, the boys had gathered at our home so that I could drive them to the dance. […]
When Cancer Comes To Your Family, It’s Hard To Remember All The Things
This is a sponsored post. I was compensated by Med-IQ through educational grants from AbbVie, Astellas, and Genentech to write about communicating symptoms and treatment side effects with the healthcare team. All opinions are my own. My father and I had a long history of arguing. Both stubborn to a fault, we would spar over […]
When Cancer Came To My Family, The Hidden Stresses Were Surprising
I was compensated by Med-IQ through educational grants from AbbVie, Astellas, and Genentech to write about managing distress for cancer patients and their caregivers. All opinions are my own. When my phone buzzed in my pocket, I was filing papers on a brisk January morning. I smiled when I saw my Dad’s number pop up on my […]
Parents, We Need To Talk About The Word “Commitment”
Parents, we need to have a chat. *pauses to allow parents to grab coffee and gather ’round* Can we please talk about the word, “commitment”? Or, shall I say, the overuse of the word “commitment” when we are talking to our teens about their extracurricular activities? (My apologies to the parents who thought I was […]
10 “Unputdownable” Books You Should Buy Yourself This Winter
For as long as I can remember, reading has been my salvation. In fact, my earliest memory is that of my then eighteen month self sitting in a play pen on a hot summer’s day while looking at the Golden Book “The Poky Little Puppy.” For a shy girl who moved a lot growing up, […]
If You Ask Me What I Do All Day, I Will Junk Punch You
When the Fruit Loops were small, I was a stay at home mom. Mostly. By “mostly”, I mean that while yes, I started my blog and worked part time as a nurse, for the most part, my main job was keeping the Fruit Loops from completely spilling out of the box. And, it continued that […]
The Phrase I Used To Hate To Hear From Other Mothers
When I was a new mom in 2003, I had the luxury of being able to stay home full time with my son when he arrived. Before he came, I envisioned long afternoons of cuddling and bonding, making gourmet meals for my husband and catching up on all of the books on my night stand […]
Connecticut Has A Free Submarine Museum and Your Kids Will Love It
Traveling is my FAVORITE. And, there’s I love more than sharing my experiences from the road with pretty much anyone who will listen. Which brings me to my new series, Keeper of The Fruit Loops Approved! It’s official AF, I tell you. When I find a restaurant, museum or location that I love, I’m going […]