How I worked to create confidence after my son’s 135 day long NICU stay
After Courtney’s son spent four and a half months in the NICU she had to challenge herself to feel confident in her ability to keep her son safe. First step? Getting out of the house.
Offbeat Mama Reviews: What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Apparently SOMEONE out there thought it’d be an awesome idea to turn What to Expect When You’re Expecting into a film.. and I went to see it. This is heavy on spoilers, and includes what I didn’t like, what I would change, and the part that made me cry.
Would you have a homebirth in someone else’s home?
My husband and I might move two hours away into a midwife-free-zone before our baby is born — should we give birth in a kind-of friend’s house?
6 family-friendly tips for placing an emergency phone call
If you live in the United States you know that three digit, potentially terrifying phone number. Indeed, I’m talking about the 9-1-1. We all know it, and we all hope we’ll never have to be the ones to dial it. As a 911 call-taker and dispatcher, I love my job even though it’s sometimes stressful, scary, or overwhelming.
We’re taking our 3 year old to Bonnaroo: what should we keep in mind?
The whole family’s going to Bonnaroo! So quick, tell me: how can we make sure two adults and one three-year-old have a stellar time?
How to deal with moving back home with your parents
I recently moved back in with my parents. This is because I made the decision to stop working full-time, go back to university, and make an attempt to “concentrate on my writing” (as obnoxious as that sounds). I have lived out of home for over four years – the entirety of my adult life! – and as you can probably imagine, quite a bit has changed at my childhood home in that time.
I’ve learned a few things from my time back at home — pull up a chair and let me tell you why you should think twice before demanding a juice box, or bringing a one night stand home to your parents’ house.
How I’ve managed to work from home since my son stopped napping
Once upon a time I was able to work from home while my son peacefully napped once, maybe even twice, a day. Those days are gone and in their place I have days filled with NON-STOP KID ENERGY and little time for anything else.
I love my friends, but can’t handle their parenting: how to bridge the parenting styles chasm?
I have some couple friends who I adore, cannot stand as parents. I still see both of them all the time, but “family hangouts” almost never happen even though they live nearby and all our kids are the same age. Compared to my parenting style, my friends are neurotic and over-controlling with their kids, and it makes me anxious and exhausted. Sometimes they’ll even try to keep MY kids from doing shit I’m totally fine with, just because it makes them nervous.