parenting styles

35 positive phrases parents can say to their headstrong child

Parenting strong-willed children can be difficult when they’re young, but if properly…

Yes, decorating for Christmas early *does* make people happy

Christmas decorations evoke positive feelings, says one expert.

It’s possible to thrive in parenthood as an introvert—here’s how

Are you an introvert or an extrovert, mama?

Moms aren’t naturally better at multitasking—they just have no choice

By painting women as great multitaskers who are naturally wired to "do it all," society let itself off the hook when it comes to supporting moms. And that's not okay.

I’m so ready for school to start

I know I'm lucky to be at home with my kids right now and please, believe me, I am grateful, but dang, can a girl get some personal space?

No, we’re not finding out our baby’s sex

Did you keep it a surprise, mama?

To all the mamas going through a rough patch, I see you

There have been moments when it was so hard that I've wanted to run away. I know I'm not alone. I'm sure every parent has been there.

I took CBD and it made me a more present, less anxious mom

In some ways, I'm an unlikely person to be jumping on the CBD bandwagon. I don't even drink alcohol anymore. But (like a lot of moms) I do deal with anxiety and have a lot of difficulty falling and staying asleep.

My child isn’t giving me a hard time—he’s *having* a hard time

Once I could see his struggles from a lens of empathy, I was able to respond in love.

Melissa Hartwig Urban on being a single mom and why we should re-frame our thinking around self-care

Melissa Hartwig Urban is the co-founder and CEO of the Whole30—an intensive…

8 simple tips for setting up a Montessori-style space in your home

We break it down room by room.

Why equal parenting is still a myth

We were born into a society in which gendered expectations have been rooted in our way of thinking, living and doing.

10 Montessori-inspired phrases to use when your child is being ‘mean’

7. "You look frustrated."

My kids and I stopped sticking to a regular schedule—and it has made such a huge difference

I dropped the "shoulds" and started doing what worked best for us.

As a mom, I’m ‘Chief Memory Maker’—a job that is equal parts wonderful and hard

But you know what it is? It's worth it. It's so worth it to me.

Working makes me a better mother—and motherhood makes me a better worker

Some of us are invigorated by the day-to-day of motherhood. And some of us need something outside of motherhood to keep that cup full enough to be able to pour out all that our family needs to thrive.

How to use Montessori principles with your baby, too

4. Allow time for independence.

To the mom who believes in peaceful parenting—but struggles to actually do it

My emotional baggage impacted the way I interacted with my children, especially when I was tired, stressed or triggered.

5 positive parenting techniques that help parents get back some free time

It's easier than you might think, mama.

How peaceful parenting saved our parenthood

Things are different now. Not perfect—not even remotely close. And not even always good. Sometimes we still have bad moments. And by moments I mean days. And by days I mean weeks. But still, mostly better.