Encouragement

My name is Mandy, and I have working mom FOMO. It has been 3 days since my last attempt to force family time ... It was Saturday morning, and we were out of everything. After a long week at work, I was looking forward to spending the day screaming at my kids to stop screaming and making lunches no one would eat, but I needed to run my bi-weekly errand marathon. I shared my dilemma with my husband, and his advice was to just skip it. I don't even want to know the Lord of the Flies world we would live in if moms got to "just skip it." My over the top reaction to this ridiculous idea obviously caused him...

What's in a Name? Back in my single days, I had a persona that I would use while out with my girlfriends. If anyone approached me that I was not interested in getting to know, I would say that my name was Veronica. It became a signal to my friends that my intuition had red-flagged this guy and that I was unleashing my alter ego to protect us. Veronica was smart and independent and had no time for your BS. In fact, she once responded to being called a "witch" (I'm trying to keep this post PG) for politely passing on a free drink from a potential suitor by saying that a real "witch" would have taken the drink and then...

It's been a sweet summer over in Facebookland with all the new babies that have been showing up in my news feed on a regular basis. Almost weekly this summer, it seemed that someone I knew was announcing the birth of their new baby! And now that summer is over, many of these friends with new babies will be returning to work. The status updates are all the same, "Enjoying the last few days with my sweet baby before Mama has to go back to work." There is a sense of panic that the first several days back at work (the first day especially) will be just too much for their mama hearts. And in a way, they are...

I became a mom before most of my friends were in their first serious relationship. My life went on a quick, fast forward motion through high school and college while raising a tiny human and maintaining a relationship with my boyfriend. There were a lot of people who offered their opinions on how and what we should do, but there were only a select few who offered their true love and support. For that, we are forever grateful. Here are three things I want you to know so the next time you run into a teenage mother, you will hopefully think before you open your mouth. First, I want you to hear firsthand that it hurts when people stare at you...

Dear College Freshman So this may be a moms blog, but when I think of a period of my life that most helped prepare me for the future as a professional and a mother, my college years stand out the most. The beginning of a new school year is near, and with it, a brand new crop of students will invade our town, ransacking Target for the latest dorm room trends. While most Baton Rougians roll their eyes over the increase in traffic, I find myself rolling my eyes at the carefree attitude these young folks exude. Really, I'm just jealous! College was one of the most exciting and crazy fun times in my life, and I look back on...