We have a secret... It’s a bit of a dirty, little secret, in the sense that no one wants to talk about it. Shrouded in shame, embarrassment, and denial, keeping this secret can often do more harm than good. Remember how your parents used to say, “honesty is the best policy”? Well, in honor of Baby Safety Month, we’re going to be very honest, and tell you something no one ...
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Written by Fiorella Rollins Contributions by Jen Saxton, Founder & CEO, totsquad.com Your baby’s stroller is COVERED in germs and bacteria. Germs, mold, strep, and staph bacteria commonly lurk in baby gear. In fact, the website ASecureLife studied the amount and the types of germs on 10 household items in homes with young children. While you might think that phones or remotes were on the top of the list, you’d be surprised to learn ...
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Designing a nursery these days is a lot more complicated than it seems. There are so many products available, and that can be overwhelming. Between personal recommendations, the internet, and social media, it can become overwhelming. I always tell my clients that the most important thing about the nursery is its safety, first and foremost. My new book, Your Perfect Nursery, has a whole chapter dedicated to nursery safety for this ...
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The 4th of July is a time many of us gather outdoors for food and fun, but it can also produce avoidable waste. The good news is, there are many ways we can make the day more sustainable. Here are some easy tips for making your celebration more earth-friendly! Ditch the Plastic! Instead of buying single-use plastic plates, cups, and cutlery (which end up in landfills and take around 200 years to ...
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The year 2020 will forever be remembered as a challenging year for many reasons. We were forced to face new obstacles, adjustments we had to make, and difficulties we could never have imagined. As we find ourselves transitioning into a post-pandemic world and learning from what we experienced last year, we need to focus on shifting from barely surviving 2020 to thriving in 2021 as we navigate a new normal ...
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I hear the phone ring and look down. It’s my friend, one of my best friends. I miss her and can’t wait to talk with her. It’s about 5:00 p.m (that witching hour). I answer the call and she dives right into a challenging moment she’s going through. I’m all ears, listening intently, witnessing her experience. “Mommy can you help me catch a snail,” my son yells across the room. I ...
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Being a military family has its ups and downs. Having a steady paycheck and job security is nice but trying to make s*** happen out of nothing is beyond hard. We often have to think outside the box to accomplish seemingly simple tasks. We have to make our dollar stretch as far as it can go. After getting out of the Marine Corps in 2015, I quickly learned how to make ...
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I've always adored Halloween, so as the current Covid-19 pandemic rages on, I'm getting a little nervous about how exactly we're all going to make Halloween work. The traditional trick-or-treating seems a bit wrong this year - we're supposed to all be staying home as much as possible, and encouraging anything else feels irresponsible. After all, we really want the kids to be able to go back to school and stay ...
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In these past few months in quarantine, I have been trying to find ways to keep my boys busy outside the house, all while staying safe. It's helpful to take time for outdoor activities to maintain physical and mental health and get a daily dose of fresh air in. A fun way we are incorporating it all is through "family glamping." Camping in your backyard is a great way to ...
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Hands-On Learning Inspired by Parks Republished article from the National Park Foundation A fully packed backpack. The scent of freshly sharpened pencils. First-day jitters. The annual back to school season conjures up memories and excitement alike for many of us. But learning doesn’t end when we graduate from school. And there’s no better place to continue learning throughout our lives than in our over 400 national parks. Whether it’s learning about the ...
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