My four-year-old daughter Elliot and I have quite a few things "in common." For instance, we both like shopping, wearing new shoes, going to gym meets, dancing, and singing Taylor Swift songs very loudly in the car. The things we enjoy together are 90% from what I have introduced to her. However, we have our differences. She is a lot more outgoing than I am. She is a better dancer than I ever was, even at four. I never liked makeup as a kid, but she can’t see me put on lipstick without begging me to put some on her. I don’t ever remember being any age and insisting on a bow the way she does. She loves playing basketball and getting...
"Mama, can I go to Nanny's house?"
It's a simple request from my seven-year-old. Her Nanny, my sister-in-law, lives in our neighborhood only three blocks away. Her cousins are also homeschooled, and a quick text to my sis-in-law confirms that they are finished with lessons for the day, and it'd be okay for her to come play. But today I can't escort her there because her younger sister is napping. I have two options. 1. I could keep her home. 2. I could allow her to ride her bike the three blocks by herself.
We live in a safe neighborhood. She knows the way. She knows our safety rules for riding bikes in the neighborhood. Ride on the edge. Get in...
I know it’s a bit hypocritical to say what I’m about to because I write for a mom blog, but just hear me out when I tell you, “Stop reading so many parenting blogs!”
Wait, what?
Let me explain. As a typical new mom trying to figure out this whole parenting thing, I was usually up late (and early!) nursing my son and would sometimes see a parenting article pop up on my Facebook feed that seemed interesting. Over time, I couldn’t NOT at least scan them to see what they were saying. I thought that if I didn’t read one that applied to me that I would miss something important. In the early months, I devoured them and took them...
Parenting teens in today's social media age is hard. My stepsons are only 12 and 15, but they've already seen their fair share of teenaged scandal. One of them had a classmate - a girl he had known since kindergarten - who was forced to relocate to another school after she texted a fellow student an inappropriate photo. Another classmate was expelled for threatening to shoot up the middle school (don't worry, my stepsons live out of state so this didn't happen anywhere local). For these, and many other reasons, our family has some pretty serious rules when it comes to cell phones, the Internet, and especially social media.
Our main rule is that we have the right to see whatever is on our boys' cell...
We are excited to announce the start of a new series: REAL TALK with Red Stick Moms. In this series, we are hoping to tackle some topics that are on our minds and hearts as we raise our children and navigate the everyday. This is for the day-to-day life stuff... the things we think on a lot but don't always have the space to share about. We are hoping to get the conversation started and then open up the discussion to YOU! So read our thoughts, share your own, and join us on this crazy, uncertain, but amazing road of motherhood.
Today's Real Talk topic is on structured activities for kids, especially younger kids under the age of 8. As a society, it...
Around Baton Rouge
Mardi Gras From the Perspective of a Krewe Dancer
Mardi Gras From the Perspective of a Krewe Dancer
It's that time of year we have been working towards all year long. Preparing three to...
