I’ve tackled some big challenges in my life. Infertility was a doozy. A month in traction was another. But nothing prepared me for the challenge of breaking my five-year-old of her thumbsucking habit. Buckle in, friends. It’s gonna get crazy.
Parenting
Losing track of my kids at the fair (twice)
One of many fears parents have is losing track of a child in a crowd. Last week, at the Iowa State Fair, both Peanut and Squeak got away from me. In one situation, I was losing my mind. In the other, I remained calm, even though my child was missing for a lot longer. Here’s why.
Waterpark Survival 101: Great Wolf Lodge, Wisconsin Dells
Waterparks are kid meccas, but they’re super overwhelming for parents. We’ve visited Great Wolf Lodge in the Waterpark Capitol of the World three years running—here’s what I’ve learned.
To the mom in the trenches: it gets easier
When you feel like you cannot go on another minute, because it’s all just too much, remember this: you’re in the trenches right now. You won’t stay there. And it does get better. Here’s a story to explain how it did so for me.
Air travel with babies & toddlers: car seats and the CARES harness
When it comes to airplane travel with kids, there are two options: Take the easy way out with lap-baby or no car seat (and take your chances with your child’s life and safety), OR do it the hard way, even though it’s a bit more inconvenient, and take along a car seat or harness. For the parents who choose the no-brainer “keep my kid alive” option, here are some tips to survive a flight when your kiddo needs a few more buckles.
![The redshirt conundrum [With an update, 7 years later]](https://www.peanutmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/redshirt.jpg)
The redshirt conundrum [With an update, 7 years later]
Everyone has an opinion. But one thing is clear: when to send your kid is a decision parents should make with each individual kiddo’s unique situation in mind.
Why I Hate Tulsa, Oklahoma
It all started in 1994, when I took an extremely unpleasant trip to The Sooner State, one that I’ve been trying to forget ever since.
She’s at the end of her rope
Do you ever feel like you might just lose it? (Face it, moms. We all have those moments.) So why don’t we talk about it? This is me, mid-meltdown. In all its ugliness.
The Photo Organization Challenge
Thanks to Steve Jobs, I almost always have a camera handy to take pictures of those special moments. That’s the easy part. Is there an easy way to get them out of the cloud and into your photo album without spending a fortune on prints or hours sorting and captioning? Here’s how I do it.