May at GHK.com

May saw the launch of the project I'm most proud of at GHK (so far)

It's a huge editorial package looking at the ways we raise boys today. As the mom of a daughter and a parenting editor, I get so many pitches about how to raise empowering girls. I started to wonder, "Well, what about the boys?" We look at the messages boys receive growing up, and how that impacts them into adulthood. There are so many good essays, quotes, and eye-opening stats in here. Take a look!



What else? Summer has just barely started, but I'm already starting to think about back-to-school. Like many adults, I still find shopping for supplies to be a small pleasure, so I threw many of my favorites into a gallery of teacher gifts. 


25 Dorm Room Essentials Every College Student Needs



But beyond the pencils and the books, I also wrote these stories.

Health/Safety

What Is Surrogacy? The Process, Types, and Costs, Explained by Experts

The 5 Best Toddler Swim Safety Tips, According to Swim Experts

Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez's Young Daughter Just Blew Us All Away With Her Amazing Singing Voice

All 21 Pixar Movies, Ranked From Best to Worst





April at GHK.com!



April was another month full of a little of everything: Some interviews, some fun round-ups, some quickie news items. One project I really enjoyed involved digging into research into different parenting styles, and how they help or hurt kids in the long run. I even got to be on WBAL-AM to talk about "lawnmower" parenting. (Listen below!) I'm trying to take these lessons to heart and not hover on the playground, but it's hard.




Health and Safety


Entertainment



Autism Awareness Month

Sesame Street Launches New Material Starring Julia and Her Family in Honor of Autism Awareness Month

10 Things Parents of Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder Wish You Knew

Shopping

Here's How Walmart's New Baby Registry Actually Works

Rent the Runway Just Launched a New Rental Service for Kids' Special-Occasion Clothes

15 Mother’s Day Mugs That Are Better Than the Ones That Say “World’s Best Mom”

Etc

Dole Is Releasing a New Smoothie Bowl That Tastes Just Like Dole Whip


In Honor of Equal Pay Day, Here Are the Jobs With the Smallest Wage Gaps for Women

The Best Camping Activities for Families to Try This Season

And then I didn't write these, but I had the pleasure of assigning/editing them:

I Cried When I Found Out I Was Having Boys
I love this essay. Jackie Goldschneider gets really honest about gender disappointment, and how it's not about the baby — it's about letting go of her vision of motherhood.

I Don't Want to Make "Mom Friends." Can I Just Stay Home Alone?
Another really brutally honest reckoning with one aspect of motherhood. 

How Is It March Already?

The beginning of the year brought a little of everything, from quick news and service to holidays to first-person essays — even my old hat as a weddings editor popped back on. And, of course, Baby Shark never goes away. But my two favorite pieces for January and February were these:

The Best Royal Movies to Help You Truly Understand the Monarchy

Kind of related to the Oscars — and movies like The Favourite and Mary, Queen of Scots — and kind of to satisfy my own curiosity, I challenged myself to see if I could trace the royal lineage from Elizabeth II to Elizabeth I just through movies. I was able to do it, though some were obscure. But now I know that Colin Firth from The King's Speech is the current Queen's father. 

We're Officially Calling Blume Dolls the Hottest Toy of 2019

This was the first year I got to attend Toy Fair, and scout out all of the hot new toys for the year. And while I saw lots of great things, these cuties leapt out as an early favorite.

News

Parents, The Momo Challenge Isn't the Video You Need to Be Worrying About on YouTube

The Hatching Baby Toothless Is the Perfect Gift For Your Aspiring Hiccup

The Disney+ Streaming Service Sounds Like It's Going to Be Every Parent's BFF

Andy Cohen Was Just Dad-Shamed for Taking His Newborn on an Airplane

'Riverdale' Star Mark Consuelos Dishes on What It Was Really Like Working With Kelly Ripa

Kristen Bell Shut Down an Instagram Follower Who Said She's "Exploiting" a Kid for Her New Line

Kairi, the New Gerber Baby for 2019, Just Made History

The U.S. Divorce Rate Is Going Down, and We Have Millennials to Thank

Terminally Ill Girl in Wisconsin Just Wants Letters From Your Dog

Service

3 Tricks That Calm a Crying Baby, According to a Researcher Who Surveyed 800+ Parents

This Dad’s Trick for Getting Picky Kids to Eat Is Brilliant

My Daughter Wouldn't Sleep Away From Home Until We Got This Toddler Travel Bed

6 Apps That Make Potty Training Way Easier Than a DIY Sticker Chart

16 Lego Storage Ideas That'll Keep Every Small Piece Organized

15 Best Stargazing Apps for iPhones and Androids

The Best Books About Self-Love, Because We All Need to Pump Ourselves Up

Holidays

Watch This 'Peppa Pig' Chinese New Year Sneak Peek With Your Kids Tonight

15 Best Hallmark Movies to Watch Before Valentine's Day

14 Baby Valentine's Day Outfits for Your True Sweetheart

Easy Valentine's Day Games Any Kid Will Love

40 Quotes About Broken Hearts That Are Just Too Real

The 20 Best Irish Movies to Watch for St. Patrick's Day

The Best Irish Movies on Netflix to Stream on St. Patrick's Day

Milestones

14 Gold Wedding Dresses for the Bride Who Wants to Sparkle

15 Pink Wedding Dresses for the Most Romantic Brides Out There

Inspiring Backyard Wedding Ideas for Casual Brides and Grooms

Neon Wedding Signs That Will Give Your Reception Some Electricity

14 DIY Floral Garland Ideas for Spring Parties and Weddings

15 Grazing Tables Ideas That Will Make Any Party Stand Out

13 Creative and Thoughtful Ways to Ask: Will You Be a Godparent?

18 Mesmerizing Number Cakes We Wish We Could Eat Right Now

16 Cheap Neon Signs That Add Major Personality to Your Space

30 Quotes About Change, Because We Never Stop Evolving

Baby Shark

So, Where Did This "Baby Shark" Song Come From, Anyway?

Baby Shark Toys, Books, and Shirts Are Taking Over the Internet

A Baby Shark Play-Doh Set Is in the Works Because the Craze Will Never End

The New Baby Shark Toy Will Dance Circles Around You

Assigned Essays

Their Son Tested Positive for Strep Throat. Then Came the Severe OCD, Anxiety, and Hallucinations.

14 Reasons Parenting Teenagers Is Better Than You Think It Will Be

I Didn't Appreciate My Mother-in-Law Until I Had a Daughter

Parents Magazine — October, November, December

As 2017 comes to a close, here's a look back at some of the stories I've written in the last stretch of the year.

Plus one special feature that I didn't write, but had the pleasure of editing.

Working Mother: August/September Issue

For Working Mother's August/September Issue, I...

...profiled entrepreneur Erin Black, whose daughter inspired her to create a line of stuffed monster toys (but friendly ones). Read at the link, or see the PDF below.

...asked stand-up comedian Maryellen Hooper if her chosen profession was conducive to being a working mother.

...figured out how working moms can apply the back-to-school mindset to their own jobs, and why that's beneficial. 

...discovered why women are more likely to cry at work, why that's okay, and how to keep the tears from flowing. 

...investigated why high-achieving women are also the most stressed, and what they can do about it. 

...rounded up the best products for working mothers, including a stylish bento salad bowl, a Vera Bradley bag you can take to the office, and a battery charger that doesn't look like one.

...asked the USTA about their working parent business resource group.

...found the best business, career, and inspirational books to read this month. 


New Gig: Working Mother Magazine

Part of the reason I've been so behind in posting my clips is that I've started a new, full-time job as a writer and editor at Working Mother magazine. Already, I've had some interesting assignments, including...

...showing how Mad Men's Matthew Weiner is a champion of working mothers

...finding the companies with the most extreme maternity leaves

...asking a host of HuffPost Live about naming her daughter after herself

...finding the most enviable programs for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

...looking into the gender wage gap for Equal Pay Day.

...decoding the Supreme Court's ruling on pregnancy discrimination.

...highlighting why mompreneurs are important to the business community and shouldn't be ignored.

...soliciting advice from an expert on what women need to do for a personal finance tune-up.

...asking a professional organizer how to de-clutter for spring cleaning. 

...talking with a participant in Habitat for Humanity's Women Build Week about how the organization benefits working moms.

...offering advice to kids—and parents—separating for sleep-away camp for the first time and taking care of pets for first-time owners.

...rounding up the best spring work/life accessories, confidence-boosting booksEarth Day board gamesCinco de Mayo books, Memorial Day cookout must-haves, and gifts for elementary school grads and high school grads.

August Issue: YA Authors

Writing for the Teen Scene

A round-up of Q&As with local YA authors

Judy Blundell, Katonah
Author of Strings Attached and National Book Award winner What I Saw and How I Lied

What’s the biggest difference between the YA audience and an adult audience?

Their age. That might sound like a flip response, but it’s true—the boundaries can be so blurred now, and a gripping story that happens to a teenage protagonist can be just as resonant for an older reader.

How do you feel about vampires?

I tend to avoid vampires. Yes, they exist! I’ve met a few! They’re the people who suck life and hope out of any situation, poor things. Vampires are only glamorous in fiction.