While there have been plenty of downsides to 2021, one really wonderful upside are all the fantastic children's books and YA lit that has come out this year. After compiling the best books of 2020 last year, I decided to put down my phon…
For all you out there needing last-minute Christmas gifts, we got you! My son's gotten into the habit of asking Alexa how many days are left until Christmas and while it was pretty adorable at first, it can incite a little panic now that…
As the mom of teen girls, I know that DIY gifts for teenage girls can be so wonderful -- not just to make for your own teen, but for teenage girls to make for their friends. They don't require a whole lot of money, but handmade gifts cer…
While we've already been sharing tons of holiday gift ideas , just had to share one more of the coolest last-minute gifts I know. I've written before about the adorable and smart washable design-your-own chalkboard tees from Chalk of the…
This is a sponsored post on behalf of MEL Science. If you're looking for a great holiday gift that will get your kids excited about science in a fun and engaging way, while also giving you a great activity to do together each month, MEL …
Every year we share our favorite holiday gifts that give back , to help us maximize the impact that our gifts can make on the world this time of year. And every year, we talk about Bombas Socks -- the incredibly comfortable, increasingly…
This is a sponsored post on behalf of mineditionUS We're only now coming to understand how to help our kids process the hardship and loss they've experienced these past couple of years. We've always turned to children's books as a tool f…
This is a sponsored post on behalf of mineditionUS Give the gift of reading and togetherness this holiday season, and well, any day of the year, with the board books from mineditionUS/Astra Books for Young Readers. They've been carefully…
Each year we share the best Black Friday deals online to help you manage your time, your budget, and get back to family faster. This year is no different, as we share the best Black Friday deals 2021 from big stores and brands along with…
Oprah's Favorite Things list rarely steers me wrong. Her exclusive-to-Amazon gift finder is how I found the Trufflin' Sriracha and Ranch Gift Set last year, which I bought for myself, then my parents, then re-ordered again for myself bec…
Kids love playing with real food in the real kitchen, which usually makes...a real mess. To cut down on some of the flour-all-over-the-floor-itis that comes with kids' cooking, I found some of the cutest play food makers on Etsy. Their c…
I want to be cynical, because you know, Barbie , but something moves me about the new Barbie Inspiring Women set of collector's dolls that I stumbled on last night as I browsed the Target site. To think that in my childhood, Barbie was..…
I'm already looking for ways to introduce my kids to inspiring women of history, and while we have tons of books on the subject of remarkable, inpspiring women , I love that Fisher Price's iconic Little People is out today with two new s…
Whether the Christmas season is a stressful time for you or a glorious season of joy, I believe with all my heart that it will be infinitely improved with this Dolly Parton Advent calendar Yes, a Dolly Parton Advent calendar! The very th…
Move over, fidget spinners ! Thanks to all the new fidget toys that our kids are loving, you spinners have just been relegated to the junk drawer. (Say hi to those dead batteries for me.) In fact,I think these are even more fun than thei…
While a great number of people seem to be flipping out about kids learning " critical race theory " in elementary schoo l [ed note: it's taught in law schools, not elementary schools], we're grateful that our readers have always been int…
What parent among us has not joked, complained, or (possibly) cried about stepping on a LEGO brick at some point since having kids? Exactly. That's why I'm not sure which I love more -- the Adidas x LEGO sneaker collection, featuring sne…
If the Barbie #ThankYouHeroes initiative isn't the epitome of our times , in the best possible way, I don't know what is. Barbie has added all kinds of famous role models to their collection in recent years, and now they're honoring some…
I've been searching the shelves of my local bookstore to find great books for kids who like video games. And I'm sharing them here, because I know I am not the only parent whose once-avid reader would much rather pick up an Xbox controll…
When my kids were in early elementary school, every parent I knew seemed to be looking for the perfect children's book about sex and reproduction. I cannot overemphasize how much I wish I'd had the beautifully inclusive and thoughtful Ma…
Happy Pride! It's been such a joy finding so many terrific YA books with LGBTQ+ main characters for this post. I always turn to books when I am looking for resources to help more kids feel seen and understood -- and to help kids see and …
Each year, we try to go through all the clutter and crap, and put together the best Amazon Prime Day deals for you. I mean, with all due respect to the "flash deals" on Amazon Prime Day that look like your Great Aunt Hilda just cleaned o…
We've reached peak bike-riding season , but if you've been trying to buy a quality kids' bicycle, they aren't as easy to find in stock right now as you might thing. (Maybe because it's peak bike-riding season?) That's why a new line of b…
I had a long talk with my (avidly LGBTQ+ supporting) teens this week about the overlap between Pride Month and brands. On one hand, there's an argument about the "corporatization" of Pride Month, and the rainbow washing of products. On t…