Red Stick Mom

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by Ochsner Health.  7 Mental Health Tips for Parents Between the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and hurricane season, it’s easy for parents to forget to take care of themselves. However, it is important for parents to prioritize their own mental health. Not only does it make you feel better, but it models positive health behaviors for your children. Here are a few tips to help you maintain your mental health and warning signs to look for in children and other family members. Create a morning routine. Having time to yourself before the craziness of the day begins is a great way to feel grounded, centered and ready to tackle your day. Start your day with activities...

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by Ochsner Health.  Flu Shots for Kids: What To Know Children should get the yearly flu shot vaccine along with their parents. The flu vaccine is even more important in 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect your child from the flu. The Centers for Disease Control states that children younger than 5 years old, especially those younger than 2 years old, are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with any age-appropriate flu vaccine. Your child’s health care provider will know which vaccines are right for your child. Your child should get the flu shot as...

Not only could I not handle riding out a storm, but I absolutely was falling apart knowing I would have to do it as a mother of three. Boom! There went a metal object and our power about 8pm on Sunday, August 29th ... 16 years exactly after Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Ida was coming in hot. I spoke with my parents who live in Houma, and they insisted on riding out the storm. This made my anxiety go through the roof. I had to rely on God and my anxiety medication to get me through that time, knowing I couldn’t make my parents come up to Baton Rouge, and I had to protect my babies. Riding it out was all I...

So I am fully aware that Halloween is October 31st, but I think about Halloween costumes pretty much year round. I love planning what we’ll dress up as especially since having kids. I’ve come to love homemade costumes too. Store-bought costumes are great, but you have so many options when it comes to homemade. I get most of the pieces from Amazon or from things we already have around the house. You can spend a little or a lot and come up with something truly amazing. Since my oldest was born, we’ve managed to make all but one of his Halloween costumes plays on his name, Graham. For his first Halloween, he was a superhero named “Insta-Graham.” He and his...

Every year as September 11th approaches, social media is filled with posts and pictures with the words, “Never Forget”. When I see these I start wondering to myself, ‘Are there really people out there who have forgotten?’ Maybe those who didn’t have loved ones serving in our military or flying that day, are they able to forget? Maybe those who overslept that morning and didn’t see the people of New York running through smoke filled streets or the second plane hit the South Tower in real time, are they able to forget? Maybe, but I will never forget that day. I was in my sophomore year of college on September 11, 2001. My small dorm television was on in the background as I...