My Most Valuable Parenting Tool

Over 15 years of parenting three kids, I’ve collected a wide range of parenting tools. I’ve got redirection. I’ve got positive reinforcement. I’ve got time-ins and time-outs. I’ve got my “I mean business” glare. I’ve got the whole kaboodle, right …

13 Ways Moving is Like Having a Baby

We’ve moved 13 times in 17 years, not including the year we spent living as nomads. Five of those moves were of the cross-country variety. All of them were the do-it-yourself variety. As much as I love to try out …

Identity Theft and Privacy Concerns for Mothers

Someone has stolen my identity. And the real kicker is, I know exactly who it is. This ragamuffin threesome has taken my name and replaced it with a handful of generalized nicknames. I’m no longer “Annie.” Now I am “MOM!” “MAMA!” …

10 Parenting Books to Match Your Mood

10 Parenting Books to Match Your Mood

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE TURNING INTO A NAGGING WITCH . . . If I Have to Tell You One More Time…: The Revolutionary Program That Gets Your Kids To Listen Without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling  by Amy McCready I …

Why You Should Never Make Assumptions Based on Appearances

These three stories illustrate why you should never make assumptions about people—especially parents—based on what you see or hear. 1) “The SuperSized Coke and a Pack of Smokes” When the kids were younger, I took them to morning swim lessons at our local pool. One morning, while …

10 Reasons You Need a Momcation

10 Reasons You Need a Momcation

I recently took a trip all by myself. I had a meeting in San Diego for the magazine I work for, and I tacked on some extra days to visit friends, family, and my soul-mate, the ocean. At the Spokane airport, I …