29Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Twas’ the Day After Christmas

Twas’ the Day After Christmas

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Twas' the day after Christmas, and all through the scene, not a creature was stirring, not even a teen. Wrapping paper strewn all over the floor in hopes that ma would not walk through the door. The midnight snack was left out overnight, sticky and spilled, ma was not thrilled. Pa in his work clothes and I in my bathrobe, preparing the inquisition, we set out on our mission. When out on the porch, there arose such a clatter, I ran to ask the Fed Ex man, what was the matter. Away to the truck, he shot in a flash; and returned with a gift that should've been cash. The moon on the window, so shiny and clean, brought darkness and beauty to the once snowy scene. When what to…
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29Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Establishing Family Traditions

Establishing Family Traditions

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When considering establishing family traditions, examine the essence you are trying to bring out for the long haul. What do you want your little ones to gain from these rituals? How will your values affect the child as they grow-up? Our youngest (13) has recently admitted that she's known about the lack of a Santa a few years now. We weren't naive, we knew, but it was our last baby and hard to swallow the thought that Christmas would change forever. It is more fun to enjoy the looks of surprise on the little one's faces throughout the holiday season, but now we can come clean about all the mishaps through the past celebrations and have a good laugh. My older adult kids have already passed on the tradition of…
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26Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
3 Tips for Safe Video Gaming for Kids

3 Tips for Safe Video Gaming for Kids

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It’s an undeniable fact: Kids love video games and here we will provide 3 tips for safe video gaming. While we want our children to enjoy the things they’re interested in, we also want them to be safe and engage in healthy, age-appropriate behaviors. Parenting expert Sarah shares three tips on how to encourage safe video game playing habits with your kids. 1. Tips for Safe Video Gaming Research Video games have a rating for a reason. As with movies, the broad range of video games runs the gamut from appropriate for toddlers to made strictly for adults. Before purchasing or allowing your child to play, check the rating to ensure it’s a good fit for your child’s age and maturity. The Entertainment Rating Software Board provides ratings for video…
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23Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Santa’s Lap Shenanigans

Santa’s Lap Shenanigans

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The line for the Santa's lap shenanigans in this small, unpopular mall was around the corner six days before Christmas. I counted 87 people in line, give or take a few kids running in and out of the line; most of them would not be sitting on Santa's lap. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teens, friends all came out to see little Susie's reaction to the jolly old man in red. Many children in line had been there over an hour already, and you can see the kids getting close to Santa were having a hard time holding themselves together. By the time this particular family reached the "prize," one of the three munchkins in tow had an all-out meltdown. High-decibel screaming, real tears, throw himself on the floor, temper tantrum…
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19Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Finding Your Parenting Style

Finding Your Parenting Style

All, Kids, Parenting, Relationships
Have you been unsuccessful at finding your parenting style? Are you concerned about the Best or Right way to parent your baby, child, or children? Are you struggling with discipline? Do you take a particular approach to mother or fathering and have a bad feeling? Do you force yourself to follow the parenting fad of the times (sleep training, time outs, cell phone rules, etc.)? These questions and many more are a fact of life as parents. From hour to hour, day to day, and child to child, we are forever skeptical in our parenting decisions. At one time or another, we’ve challenged, argued & possibly defended many other parents, including our own to unravel the complex befuddlement that having children bring. Matter of fact, since the techno era, half our time is…
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18Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
4 Money Questions Parents Have

4 Money Questions Parents Have

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4 money questions parents have, will help you navigate uncharted territory. Before starting a family, personal finances are easy. You pay your bills every month, send a little to savings, and when unexpected car repairs or other costs come up, you usually have enough to cover it. But after kids? That’s an entirely different story. Having kids adds a lot of line items to your household budget. There’s not only more money going out, there’s also more to keep track of. It’s a lot to adjust to when you’re trying to figure out nap schedules and potty training at the same time. The worst thing new parents can do is avoid thinking about family finances. Instead of letting financial anxiety get to you, face these big financial questions head-on. Even…
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14Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Don’t Let Caregiver Burnout Dictate Your Future

Don’t Let Caregiver Burnout Dictate Your Future

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Don't let caregiver burnout dictate your future. Having a child who has special needs can put a lot of strain on you, especially if you're the one who handles the majority of the responsibilities. Unfortunately, that strain can cause you to become stressed out and lead you to provide subpar care for your child. If you're a caregiver for a person who has special needs, it’s imperative that you place a priority on your self-care. There are many ways to address your fatigue and potential burnout when you’re taking care of your child. caring for everyone Evaluate Your Likelihood of Caregiver Burnout One of the best things you can do as a caregiver is to evaluate yourself to determine if you’re experiencing burnout or fatigue. Start by asking these questions: •           Do you…
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09Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
Increase Your Odds of Conception

Increase Your Odds of Conception

All, Health, Life, Pregnancy, Relationships
We will cover the best tips to increase your odds of conception in this blog. In my last blog about fertility, I talked about the basics in creating another life by following a love story of a maiden (egg) and her knight (sperm). What is seemingly a simple story that should have a happy ending, has proved to be a more complex task to achieve. At some point in puberty, we find out about the Birds and the Bees through family, friends, health class, reading, pictures, and exploration of our sexuality. Only to realize later in life that what we once believed right about sex and baby-making may have been a rumor or misconstrued by our undeveloped brain. Consequently, we will focus on relearning (and exploring) the birds and the…
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07Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
You Don’t Need Milk. Here’s Why.

You Don’t Need Milk. Here’s Why.

All, Breastfeeding, Cooking, Health
Really, I was just as surprised to learn you don't need milk, so here's why... Anyone else feel duped by the dairy farmers? I grew up believing that drinking milk (from cows) was the most wholesome food, and I was allowed to ingest as much as I wanted. I'm quite sure my mother spent more money on milk than any other food group when I was young. It was a quick, easy, cheap way to get vitamins, calories, and minerals into her growing daughter every day. The best part was how much I liked it and could easily down 1/2 a gallon per day. Some of the slogans I heard growing up: Drink milk to get big and strong- quickly makes children interested.Milk does a body good- sold me!Got milk?-famous people…
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05Dec 2023 by Sarah Glenn
6 Telltale Signs Your Baby is Ready for Solids

6 Telltale Signs Your Baby is Ready for Solids

All, Infants, Kids, Toddlers
You’ve been breast or bottle feeding for about 4 months and you’re wondering when your munchkin will need more than just “milk.”  Maybe you’ve seen some signs that you think could be your baby asking for solid food or your pediatrician has encouraged you to start offering spoonfuls of baby food or it could be your mother is chomping at the bit to feed your baby something besides a bottle.  We all see family members who try to give “tastes” of anything, just to see a baby’s reaction- usually it’s ice cream or icing.  As mom it’s very stressful to fight off the eager grandparents especially when they say, “It’s just a little bit-It won’t hurt- you turned out fine.” Either way, knowing how to attempt a different feeding pattern…
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