Education

When I was pregnant, one of the best pieces of advice I received went something like: Come to terms with the fact that every parenting decision you ever make will be the wrong one. I have come back to that idea over and over again in my six months as a mom.  There is not one right way to do anything, much less how to raise a child.  And I remind myself that people have been birthing kids and raising kids, since, say, the beginning of time.  Since before we knew about SIDS.  Before formula.  Before car seats. Here are two ways that I am trying to combat fear (and fear of failure): 1. Stop surrounding myself with information and advice that is not...

My homebuying series continues today! This series documents my experiences and tips for making the purchase of a new home go as smoothly as possible. In Part 1, I focused on what you can do to get the process started -- everything from finding the house you want to choosing a realtor.  Today, I will be focusing on the money side of things and helping you figure out this crazy process!   Buying a home will likely be the biggest purchase you ever make. If you’re like me, you don’t have enough cash sitting in the bank to buy it outright and will need to find financing. Navigating the lending process can be stressful if you aren’t prepared. Here are a few tips I have found...

Disclaimer: This is a guest post from Dr. Leanne Redman, associate professor of women’s health studies at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. You can get to know her more here and read her first post here. Her facts and opinions are based on her personal research. Red Stick Moms Blog was not paid to promote any specific medical viewpoints or studies. Always consult your physician with any medical questions. With technology at our fingertips, 21st century moms have evolved to be savvy readers on health and wellness topics important to their own health and the health of their family. Lucky for us that with the development of the internet, many important health and medical organizations developed educational and research materials that are...

My two boys love few things more than swimming in their grandparents' pool.  Neither of my boys have ever been afraid of the water, which might seem like a good thing.  But for this momma, it is TERRIFYING.  I knew very early on that in order for us to be able to enjoy the pool, my boys would need to start learning safety rules as soon as possible.  After all, drowning is the number two cause of accidental death among children, and more than 1,500 children are killed in water-related accidents each year.  Thankfully, my mother-in-law is a well-respected and amazing swim instructor, so she has (for years) been teaching me proper techniques and tips for keeping children safe...

As a Speech and Language Pathologist, I am writing this series in hopes to address concerns when it comes to your child’s speech and what to expect if you feel like your child might not be reaching their milestones. If you are just joining us, be sure to start with Part 1 right here. This series on Speech and Language Development has finally come to an end.  We've journeyed through the developmental stages of infants to four-year-olds.  I've highlighted ways you as a parent can be working with your children to encourage and improve their speech along the way.  And, as I've mentioned before, it is so important to remember that all kids develop at different speeds. That being said,...