motherhood by EmilyMay 13, 201711:46 pm

Every Mom Needs a Mom

She knew I had my hands full and offered to take my son to soccer. She’s a mom.

She noticed my daughter didn’t have ballet shoes and brought an extra pair to class the next week. She’s a neighbor and she’s a mom.

She invited me to lunch when I was lonely. We talked and laughed for hours. She’s a friend and she’s a mom.

She called me when my son bumped his head, when he had a rash and when he skinned his knee. She assured me he’s going to be okay. She’s the school nurse and she’s a mom.

She told me who to see when I needed a good dermatologist, a good pediatric dentist, the best ER for children in town and a good “haircut.” She’s an OB-GYN and she’s a mom.

She made me a coffee during a playdate and let me cry without judgment. She’s a mom.

parenting by EmilyMay 8, 20179:55 pm

Choosing to Be a Dad Over Choosing to Drink

Keith driving with kids selfie

Nobody wants to hear it — even if it’s Brad Pitt saying it — but boozing and parenting don’t mix. In case you missed it, Pitt recently opened up about quitting drinking to GQ, and it made international headlines.

Now it’s Keith Harrington’s turn. His story is more than just a headline, though, it might just change your habits, too. What he’ll tell you is quite sobering: The day he gave up drinking is the first day he became a Dad.

pick-me-up by EmilyMay 1, 20172:39 pm

Dear Couch, I Can Explain.

Dear Couch,

You probably overheard me talking about you when the company was over this past week. I didn’t mean what I said really. Okay, I did. But we don’t actually have any concrete plans to get rid of you. I was having a moment, ashamed of your tired looks, your ragged edges and your blotchy arms. I know that sounds harsh. Being beige, you hide it quite well, so I shouldn’t complain.

parenting by EmilyApr 14, 201711:03 pm

When Are Kid Birds Ready To Fly? Survey Says… 27.5!

Laying upside-down on the piano bench, my six-year-old son made the most startling discovery: Our family was expecting… baby birdies!

Sure enough, a mourning dove had hid her nest above the columns on our front porch. As if under a spotlight, her nest appeared only because we all stopped to take a look at the world more like a child — upside-down.

It wasn’t long before the two eggs hatched, and the baby birds discovered their wings. We watched as Mommy Mourning Dove lovingly foraged for and fed her birdies. All of us were fascinated over the equal role of the Daddy Dove as he, too, came home to do his part.

parenting by EmilyApr 10, 20176:30 am

The Do’s and Don’t-Do’s of Weekend Parenting

Keith & Bunny — Dad to two Keith Harrington and Mr. E. Bunny

Kids don’t come with instruction manuals. And for weekend-only parents, the rules of parenting can be even more difficult to figure out. Time with your kids is limited, so it’s easy to fall into the “Disney Dad” trap, showering them with gifts and over-the-top experiences to make up for lost time. Divorced dad Keith Harrington shares his do’s and don’t-do’s for weekend-only parents. These rules apply to week-long parents, too!

motherhood by EmilyApr 3, 20171:30 am

You Can Learn A Lot From a Grandma and a Killer Whale

Grandmas and killer whales are like guinea pigs and gerbils. You can say one and mean the other, and it really doesn’t matter. Because at the end of the day, both guinea pigs and gerbils are rodents who eat hay. You see, like a good grandma, female killer whales are mammals who become leaders late in life.

Long after menopause, grandmas (insert killer whales here) share their wisdom and experience with younger family members, playing a key role in helping the young find food — especially when Mommy is on a date night!

motherhood by EmilyMar 29, 201711:58 pm

The Mom Who Gave Up Her Job As A Professional Sleeper

One mom tired of waking up tired makes a plan to wake up happy – happy to be a mom.

motherhood by EmilyMar 26, 201712:00 am

You Know You Have Four Kids When…

ou have a color-coded calendar, and it’s awesome – until you use the wrong color assigned to one of your kids.

You show up to your son’s soccer game proud your family is 30 minutes early only to find out you’re three hours late. Sorry, coach, I looked at the wrong soccer schedule. “Pile back in, kids!”

You have your own cleat exchange program.

You show up to the school community meeting and greet the principal with your kids only to have him tell you there is no community meeting. You try to sound smart and say, “Ok, well, we’ll just go look at the chickens over here then.”

You love chickens because you buy 18-count cartons of eggs.

You go to the park and get asked, “Are these all yours?” And you don’t even have all your kids.

You don’t have to set an alarm because you wake up every day to four consecutive alarms that can’t be snoozed at 6, 6:01, 6:02 and 6:03 am.

You use a tumbling mat to block the stairs instead of a baby gate.

parenting by EmilyMar 24, 20176:50 am

A Divorced Dad Goes to School

When Keith Harrington goes to his daughter’s school, he gets a lesson on how BOTH parents in a divorce can be involved in a child’s education. And everybody wins.

By Keith Harrington

It was the role of a lifetime… one not to be taken lightly.

I was to portray one of the most iconic names in literary history. I honestly had been researching the character for years. It seemed that all of that studying and reading was about to pay off. Despite the character’s larger-than-life status, I was ready to conquer and, hopefully, entertain a large and possibly unforgiving audience. I would like to say that my dressing room was the size of a janitor’s closet, but that would be inaccurate. It actually was a janitor’s closet.

Keith Clifford — Gwen and me, *Clifford The Big Red Dog*

career by EmilyMar 22, 201712:18 am

End the Mommy Wars in Your Head

I made a big mistake when I left my career. Putting my career on pause wasn’t my mistake – far from it. The mistake I made was thinking everyone would champion my choice to stay at home while my children were young.

I remember one of the first times I revealed my plans to leave CNN to another working mom.

“We’ll see how long that lasts?” she chortled, “I give it six months.”

cnn-pregnant — Pregnant with Boone, sitting outside CNN with oldest son, Kirkham.

I played along and smiled back, giving her the knowing look of a mom who’d rather put on a pantsuit than change a poopy diaper. But deep down, I hurt. Her six-month deadline rattled my confidence, reminding me of my first maternity leave and the pressure I felt to return to work and act as if nothing had happened.