• Last updated 11/21/12 by Melanie Mayo

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites       Plush Hammer Rattle   Why We Love It: What a great rattle!! Both my babies like to hit things with their rattles, and this just insures that the cat doesn't get bonked with something hard! It is a great shape for waving and "hammering" and the rattle is nice and loud. The shape also gives the baby interesting bits to chew on, which is a big... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

Posted by: Haley Reen                 Each year, my family celebrates Halloween with much fanfare. It’s our favorite time of year. We decorate the whole house, even the bathrooms, and put the lights and other outdoor decorations outside as soon as possible, usually the week before October begins. At the end of the month we have a large, family friendly party to celebrate. However, as my children are small and we are a mostly media free and sugar free household, we do things a little differently than most. Here are some of the ways we modify the modern... read more

• Last updated 5/3/13 by JenniO11

  brought to us by Mothering sponsor Oak Meadow     Becoming attuned to Earth’s cycles can enhance our lives while contributing to a healthier lifestyle, community, and world. From the time our children are very little, we can share with them our appreciation and delight of the great outdoors, and encourage a growing awareness of nature and all its wonders.   This time of year feels like a celebration as the Earth revives after a winter sleep. Visiting your favorite “sit spot” with your children is a wonderful way to revel in the changes of... read more

• Last updated 5/2/13 by Melanie Mayo

Mother's Day as a celebration of the unique power mothers have to be peacemakers.    By V.K. Harber   As Mother’s Day approaches in the US and retailers ready their supply of flowers, candy, jewelry, and spa packages, I find myself torn, as I always am, between supporting the spoiling of mothers and highlighting the fact that, like so many holidays, Mother’s Day has drifted pretty far form it’s original intent.   Undoubtedly, mothers everywhere deserve some pampering. A little extra sleep, some alone time, a special meal, and some adorable kid crafts... read more

• Last updated 11/26/12 by BernadetteNoll

      It’s amazing to me how the holiday season seems to arrive so suddenly. Partly I think it’s because I grew up in a cold climate and now live in a warm one where I still can’t quite believe Thanksgiving day could touch into the 80s. And partly it’s just because the older I get and the busier our house gets, the faster time seems to slip on by.   But alas, here it is, The Holidays.  A season that over the years I have come to love and that we as a family have definitely made our own. Being a huge fan of setting intentions and creating ritual the... read more

• Last updated 3/25/13 by Melanie Mayo

Thank you to Pardis Amirshahi, the editor of Living Crafts magazine, for providing this special guest post. Being a mother to a preteen who used to love the Runaway Bunny story (by Margaret Wise Brown) as a toddler, I thought of making a picture from the book for her as a gift for Easter this year, and wrap it with the book, which she does not even remember now.  The book tells the story of a bunny who tells his mother he has decided to run away.  The mother tells him that she’ll run after him and find him and bring him home in different scenarios, starting... read more

• Last updated 1/4/13 by Melanie Mayo

Earlier this week we published an article about the most common New Year's Resolutions in the US and asked Mothering Members to share their own resolutions.    Taking suggestions from that conversation, and other related threads, we have compiled a list of the Top 10 New Year's Resolutions from Mothering Members. Here they are in no particular order.   Are your goals on this list? If so, follow the provided links to find support and inspiration for them in the Mothering Community.    Spend More Quality Time as a Family: play more with the kids, eat... read more

• Last updated 11/29/12 by Melanie Mayo

By S.K. Valenzuela   Ahhh, the holidays.  That joyful riot of candles and lights and smartly-wrapped packages, the sound of silver bells and sleigh bells jingling on the road to grandmother's house.  There's so much to love about the holidays...but sometimes, the bustle of it all can become overwhelming.  If the prospect of checking your list twice and decking your halls is filling you with anxiety, try focusing on the three R's...holiday edition.   If you're a birthy person like me, you may already be familiar with Penny Simkin's Three R's for childbirth.  (If... read more

• Last updated 5/2/13 by AdinaL

  From now on, parents can stop searching for diaper changing stations or settling for unhygienic restroom conditions. Finding a place to change a baby’s diaper has always been a problem. A dad in New York ended up creating a website for locating all restrooms equipped with changing station (www.daddytypes.com/nyc_mens_room_changing_tables/). This enthusiastic parent’s survey found that many well-known restaurants and cafes, such as Starbucks, were not equipped with changing stations.  Many public restrooms do not have changing stations, forcing parents to change... read more

• Last updated 1/4/13 by Melanie Mayo

According to a study by the Journal of Clinical Psychology 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions every year. And while only 8% of people accomplish these goals, the study states that a person is ten times more likely to attain their ambitions if they explicitly state them as resolutions.    Here is a list of the most common New Year's resolutions. Are your 2013 goals on this list? Tell us about them in our fun community thread happening right now!    The results are out: here are the Top Ten New Year's Resolutions from the Mothering... read more