One of the things I learned that stood out most was the impact of The Family Dinner. At the time, it seemed like something relatively simple to implement with far-reaching benefits.
As a mother of young children, I’ve faced the many parenting decisions anyone would come to expect. I had to decide how to feed them, how to help them sleep, and how to teach them to share. Unfortunately, or...
When my 8-year-old son, Cole, and I were invited to attend a Growin’GEERS event, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. Well, I can tell you as a mom and as a former teacher, I was blown...
My family loves going to big events that come to Jacksonville, but sometimes they can get a little pricey. Ticket cost, fees, and surcharges and then what you spend on parking, merchandise, and food. Yikes!
Even before we were a family of six, I...
This year my daughter became a Girl Scout. As a former Scout myself I was elated; some of my fondest childhood memories and longest lifetime friends were born in my Girl Scout Troop. Seeing the Girl Scouts through the...
Prioritizing one-on-one time with my children daily has been fantastic for our relationship. I grew up the oldest of seven children, and I have very few individual memories with my parents. I have no doubt as a first child,...
For the first four-ish years, all you do is hold onto them.
You hold them to feed them, hold them to get them to sleep--to soothe the reflux, to calm them when they are teething, throwing up, sitting on the...
It seems that many people have an opinion on Scouting these days and what it should and shouldn't look like. I remember counting down the years before my son could join and become a Tiger with the Cub Scouts...
There’s a great quote from Valerie Harper that I really love: “Motherhood is a miracle no matter how it comes to you.” For me, it came through adoption.
From the time I was a young girl, I felt drawn to...
Where the hell is the manual, “How to Raise Children”? At least a Dummies Guide would be helpful. And if you’re like me, I have one child and zero previous experience from an older sibling to guide me in...
Now that school has begun, and we have gotten back in the swing of our morning routine, I thought I would share some tips and ideas for packing school lunches that are fun and appealing to kids! My daughter...
The rapid increase of e-cigarette use, or vaping, among youth is a serious issue. In fact, the FDA and the U.S. Surgeon General have declared youth vaping a nationwide epidemic. Parents and educators in Duval County are rightfully concerned....