• Last updated 11/3/12 by Cynthia Mosher

None of us have unlimited time to indulge in reading blogs so our blog choices must be made wisely. I regularly dip into a few inspiring parenting blogs, a few spiritually nourishing blogs, and a few smart brainy blogs. I find all three of those elements in one of my favorites. It’s written by clinical psychologist, husband, father to two sons, former director and screenwriter, and all-around gentle soul Bruce Dolin. It’s named Privilege of Parenting.  which really says a lot about the content. Every post gives me something to think about, but if you want... read more

• Last updated 11/3/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Thank you to the International Rescue Committee for sharing information about this year’s Mother’s Day gift options. Review the info below for some wonderful ways to show the moms in your life how meaningful they, and all mothers, are.  This Mother’s Day, family and friends can delight the moms in their lives with a gift that gets to the heart of motherhood – a Rescue Gift. Rescue Gifts like a Safe Delivery for Mother and Baby ($24), a Year of School ($52), and Warm Blankets ($84) are symbolic gifts that represent – and support – the very real work of... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

I’ve become an accidental expert of traveling with a baby. With family spread over many states along with our habit of house swapping in interesting places, I’ve travelled on 35 airplanes in the last two years with my daughter, Zinnia. You may already be cringing, thinking of the hassle of traveling with a babe in tow.  No one loves being locked in an aluminum can at 30,000 feet, especially kids. But we’ve been l.u.c.k.y to escape without tears or tantrums. From two hour flights to nine hour, over-night legs, we’ve done it all. Take off at 6AM?... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

“We expect more from technology and less from one another and seem increasingly drawn to technologies that provide the illusion of companionship without the demands of relationship.”  -Sherry Turkle A couple of years ago, not long after I won the Angel Conference I got a text message from a successful local businessman who had agreed to become our CEO and probably had a lot to do with my winning the conference.  He resigned over a text message, not even using the 160 characters allotted, “it wasn’t going to work for him at this time” was all I got. ... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Like many of you, I grew up on a diet of Tang, Hot Pockets, and Disney movies. I know the words to all of the songs in The Little Mermaid and like you, wished Princess Jasmine was been my mom. I’ve written about how I now believe Disney secretly hates little girls and seeks to emotionally handicap them before they reach puberty but that didn’t stop me from finally letting my 5-year-old watch Tangled. Let me first say, I’m not prone to conspiracy theories. That said, I believe that Tangled was co-written and sponsored by the editors of Cosmopolitan... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

A common parenting chant that goes largely unquestioned is, ‘they have to learn that they can’t have what they want!’ We are told that we should teach our children this lesson from a very early age otherwise they will be spoilt and no-one will like them.  What if, though, giving our children more yes’s actually provides children with more approval, acceptance, and consideration, making them feel like their parents are the providers of fun and happiness. In life, we truly can’t always get what we want, we don’t need our loved ones to teach us that. ... read more

• Last updated 11/8/12 by Melanie Mayo

I’ve been contemplating the best way to begin this post for a couple of days now. You’d think I was performing a first-time tracheotomy for all the second-guessing I’ve done. Do I simply introduce myself as the newest blogger for Mothering? List my finest maternal credentials? Bust out my bragging rights for the number of years I’ve worn babies or cool places I’ve given birth? The thing is, every time I’d start to describe the details of my mothering experience, I’d run into some tiny triviality that – if exposed – would immediately shed light on my... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Meeting Readers in Massachusetts by Durga Yael Bernhard Yesterday I presented my books at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.  This unique little museum, located on the campus of Hampshire College, is a real gem.  After visiting the galleries, I gave a special reading in their library, a cozy room with an impressive holding of picture books.  Most of my readings are done in schools, so it was nice to see kids with their parents on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I started by reading In the Fiddle Is a Song, my... read more

• Last updated 11/8/12 by Cynthia Mosher

The continued growth and success of mom-run businesses is a constant source of inspiration for anyone trying to find a way to better balance work and family. Oregon Business has a great article on their site about this trend. Check it out and tell us, are you a mom who has found a way to make a living from your own business? How did you make it happen?   “A few years ago, you saw a huge growth of mom-owned businesses,” says Maria Bailey, CEO of BSM Media, a Fort Lauderdale-based marketing firm, and the author of several books about the mom market,... read more

• Last updated 11/8/12 by Cynthia Mosher

The Power of Parental Example [Even though I refer to the "mommy" mind meld, these principles apply to whomever are the two or three connected, nurturing adults in an infant's life -- father, grandmother, consistent (not rotating) caregiver.] Imitation is the young child’s primary form of learning, which is why one of my first bits of guidance to parents coming to me for counseling is to cut down by at least 50% the sheer number of words they say to their young child. Children learn from who we are and what we do far more than from what we say. And... read more