August, September, and October

I know I still have to post about what's been going on since July (oops!), but in the meantime I wanted to show off the bouncy hair I wore to go on Yahoo Finance's morning program, YFiAMl. I talked about the chldren's content offered on new streaming platforms as part of their "Streaming Wars" series. It combines my two favorite things: parenting and being a couch potato. Take a look.

Reboots, Revivals Draw Parents and Kids to Streaming

Yahoo also did a good text recap of the segment:

'The kids are just an added bonus': How streaming giants are appealing to parents' nostalgia

Dark Crystal forever!

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!

How Can We Fix Our Boys?

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 Non-Boring Teacher Gifts They'll Actually Love

25 Dorm Room Essentials Every College Student Needs

These Creative Bento Box Lunches Will Make Your Kid the Envy of the Cafeteria

15+ Creative First Day of School Photo Ideas to Capture Your Kid's Personality

Going Back to School Is Worth It for These Interesting Careers

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

The Man Behind ‘Teletubbies’ Is Back With a New Show, and It's so Unique

20 Memoirs to Make You Laugh, Cry, and Think, According to Goodreads Users

'Stranger Things 3' Promises to Be Funny, Harrowing, and Full of '80s References

Winona Ryder and Her Boyfriend, Scott Mackinlay Hahn, Are Low-Key Couple Goals

Everything We Know About Netflix's 'Dark Crystal' Prequel Series, 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance'

Etc.

How to Share a Bed (And Still Sleep Through the Night)

12 Facts About People Born in May, Who Are Both Happy and Lucky

30+ Best Family Vacations That Will Please Travelers Young and Old Alike

The 10 Best Summer Jobs for Teens That Make Great Money

You Can Now Recycle Packaging From L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls

And as usual, I'll end with a piece I didn't write, but wish I did. (I did the assigning/editing.)

I Hired a Baby Sleep Coach, But It Turns Out I Was The One Who Needed Training

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.

Five Types of Parenting Styles, Explained — And How They Affect Kids, According to Experts

What Is Helicopter Parenting? Experts Say It's Too Much For Kids

What Is Lawnmower Parenting? Experts Say It Frequently Backfires

What Is Tiger Mom Parenting? Experts Say This Parenting Style Can Be Harsh, But Warm

Health and Safety

This Is the Age Your Kids Should Start Swimming Lessons

Why Parents Don't Need to Worry About "Dry Drowning"

What You Need to Know About Kid Leash Safety, According to Pediatricians

Entertainment

Serena Williams Opens Up About Her 'Wild' Daughter Olympia and Dealing With Mommy Shamers

Pink Got Extremely Emotional on 'Ellen' After Talking About Being Mommy-Shamed

The 20 Best Coming-of-Age Movies of All Time

The 40 Best Disney Songs of All Time

The Best Audiobooks to Break Out During Your Next Long Trip

The Data-Driven Parenting Book You Need

These 20 Books Are the Perfect Mother's Day Gift for Moms Who Love to Read

The 30 Best Mother's Day Movies You Can Watch While Bonding With Your Mama

If 'Avengers: Endgame' Is Too Intense, Try These Kid-Appropriate Marvel Comics, Books, and Shows

Relationships

What Is Gaslighting, and How Can You Tell If It's Happening to You?

Summer Date Ideas That Make the Most of Warm Weather

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

Everything You Need to Pack When Your Kid Starts Daycare

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.

10 Brilliant Couples Therapy Hacks That Will Help Strengthen Any Relationship

15+ Awesome Kids' Songs For When You Can't Hear “Baby Shark” One More Time

Download WBAL-AM_-_Lawnmower_Parenting.mp3

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

December Content: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doodoo

If there's one benign scourge on parents, it's Pinkfong's "Baby Shark" song. It's beloved by toddlers, reviled by parents, and always stuck in someone's head. So, when I found out that Wowwee was making singing Baby Shark dolls, I wrote about it — and it's definitely the most viral piece I've ever written. When I retire, they're going to write "wrote the Baby Shark" piece on my plaque.

Singing Baby Shark Toys Are Here to Get That Song Stuck In Your Head Forever

Other pieces I wrote for December:

Gift guides: 15+ Adorable Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers, 20+ Gifts Your Toddler Wants to Unbox This Christmas

And the anti-gift guide: Attention Grandmas: It's Better for Kids to Have Fewer Toys (grandmas on Facebook HATED this story)

Entertainment: The Best Movies for Toddlers, When You Just Need to Take a Shower, 'Sesame Street' Just Introduced a New Character Who Is Experiencing Homelessness, The 20 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix Right Now, 15 Movies to Watch on New Year's Eve, Because Going Out Is Overrated, See What Anne Geddes's First Baby Models Are Up to Now

Parenting-style explainers: What Is Permissive Parenting? Experts Say This Parenting Style Fails Kids, What Is Attachment Parenting? Parents and Children Share a Close Bond

More celebrations: 12 New Year's Traditions to Start With Your Family, 12 Awesome Things to Do on New Year's Day to Get 2019 Started Right, Genius 1st Birthday Party Ideas to Celebrate Your First Year of Parenthood

Misc. parenting: These Will Be the Most Popular Baby Names in 2019, 17 Parenting Memes That Make Moms and Dads Say, "It Me",

I also assigned some parenting essay from freelance writers that I particularly enjoyed:

I Raised Four Sons as a Single Mom. Now That They're Grown, I'm Off to Europe.

My Mother Died Before My Baby Was Born, But My Daughter Will Still Know Her

My Child Has a Severe Allergy, But I Secretly Ate Her Forbidden Food Anyway

November Content: Let's Redo the Kids' Rooms!

Just before heading into the big, December gift-giving season, I got to do a trio of kids-room interior design stories, and, man, kids today are lucky! I'd love to have any number of these rooms for myself. See the design trends for boys' rooms, girls' rooms, and nurseries below. (I tried to cover a range of aesthetics, but I just love all the geometric black-and-white rooms!

Use These Boys' Room Ideas Next Time Your Son Needs a Bedroom Redo

14 Girls' Room Ideas That Are Just as Fun as They Are Stylish

15 Nursery Ideas to Create a Happy Space for Your New Baby

October Content

As we head into November's midterms, I'm excited to share this piece:

These 10 Moms Running for Office Need You to Vote on November 6

I've been so inspired by all of the amazing women running for office this cycle — especially some of the groundbreaking mom candidates, who have done things like changed FEC regulations to allow campaign funds to be used for childcare costs or showed breastfeeding in campaign ads. I talked to 10 candidates, from both sides of the aisle, about why this election matters to mothers, and what it was like on the campaign trail with young kids.

Other than that, the holiday coverage is in full swing, so I got to do these pieces:

Halloween

QUIZ: Could You Eat Your Way Through All of Disney's Halloween Treats?

10 Halloween Movies and Shows on Netflix That Won't Terrify Kids

And then, I didn't write this, but I'm proud to have assigned it. A husband-and-wife team wrote it, and they don't 100% agree.
Parents: Maybe Don't Buy Your Kid That Black Panther Costume This Halloween

Christmas

20 Easy Christmas Traditions to Start With Your Family

15 Ornaments That Celebrate Baby’s First Christmas

15 Classic Christmas Card Ideas to Send This Year

15 Best Christmas Movies for Kids on Netflix

20 Christmas Books for Kids That Aren't "The Night Before Christmas"

20 Books to Give Your Mom This Christmas

25 Gifts Your Toddler Wants to Unbox This Christmas

20 Adorable Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers

The Best Baby Gifts to Stack Under the Tree This Holiday

Etc.

Flu Symptoms in Kids Come Suddenly, But You Can Act Fast If You Know What to Look For

20 Best Baby Books for the Ultimate Nursery Library

How Caroll Spinney Amassed a Large Net Worth and So Much More From 'Sesame Street'

The Best Lullaby Music For Toddlers That'll Have Them Sleeping Like Teenagers

10 Adorable Mommy & Me Shoes for You and Your Kid

And then one more thing that I wrote before I started this gig finally got published. I love the mission of this organization:
Girls with Impact: Setting Up Teens for Success

New Gig Alert + September Stories

Big news! I've moved over to GoodHousekeeping.com as the website's new Parenting & Relationships Editor. I'm still on the same beat, doing my best to support all the moms out there, but at a new publication.

I've done a lot of editing and updating of the parenting content there so far, but I've also managed to write some of my own stories.

I started off with my own opinion about Bert and Ernie (having done hours and hours of "research" with my daughter).

As the Mom of a Toddler, I Don't Need Bert and Ernie to Be Gay, but Kids Should See More Loving, Same-Sex Relationships on TV.
This headline is a hard one, and possibly misleading. I wrote about what it's like to watch the show now, in its half-hour format (it's very different from what it was like when we were kids!), and what I found so beautiful about the male friendship of Bert and Ernie in an era of toxic masculinity.

Then I went back to my pop-culture roots for some movie recommendations.

20 Best Kids Movies of All Time

20 Animated Movies You Need to Watch With Your Kids Before They Grow Up

30 Christmas Movies for Kids to Get the Whole Family in the Holiday Spirit

20 Best Kids Movies on Netflix Right Now

And then a few other fun round-ups.

The Cutest Outfits for Baby's First Thanksgiving
(This includes the Carter's turkey dress my daughter's worn for three years in a row—the same one she peed on three times her first Thanksgiving.)

16 Best Pregnancy and Baby Books for Those First 40 Weeks (and Beyond)

The 10 Best Halloween Horror Nights of 2018

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.

Marisa LaScala: Writer, Editor, and Good Addition to Your Bar Trivia Team

Articles about women, families, careers, entertainment, travel, and more.

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