Many people mistakenly assume that a sexual predator looks a certain way, lives in a certain part of town, preys on the children of people we read about in the news, not the ones that we tuck into bed every night.

They have to feel some sense of ownership and power in what is happening, but I am still the parent in charge.  So giving them choices throughout their day is our solution.  It seems simple enough, and I know many others do this as well, but we really make a conscious effort to use them all the time.  

When I toured her daycare facility, I grilled the director, I brainstormed with her teachers, and vigorously highlighted the menu showing them exactly what she can eat. I know they are prepared for her.

Confession. On more than one occasion, I’ve been unsure if I’ve secured my daughter in her car seat properly. I’ve tightened and pulled and shrugged, all the while praying nothing bad happens as I drive from point A to point B.

I realized through this experience that it’s not the act of making the difficult decision — we knew what we needed to do for our family.  However, it is the fear of the unknown that is the difficult part.  That is where my self-taught guide comes in.

Many successes in life are about consistency. If I am trying to lose weight, I can’t eat well only once in a while. When I am working on learning how to play an instrument, I need to practice every day. Why would I think raising children is any different?

Currently, I am on a weight loss journey with my best friend, my husband, Kevin. We have been married for 18 years and have been through many ups and downs in our marriage, including the ups and downs of our weight.

It’s Grandparents' Day, the time of year when we are thankful for the extra people in our lives or our kids’ lives.   My parents are absolutely amazing grandparents, and I don’t know what we’d do without them.

I read about the second-child syndrome when I was pregnant with my second, and heard many moms talk about how different it is once you have more than one child.  However, I vowed that I would give my second child just as much attention as my first.

I used to live in this magical land where babies drank from bottles with little persuasion. They latched on and cuddled into your arms just as if it were the real deal.