Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." For years, I questioned this scripture. I just didn't see how it was going to manifest in my life. I questioned my parenting skills and I wondered if I would ever be a great mom. After all, I was pregnant with my 1st child, Gabi, at 19-years-old. As a single mom, I went … [Read more...]
Parents: Should You Ignore Potential Mental Health Issues in Your Kids?
My four year old loves his school.He loves his teachers. He has friends he looks forward to seeing everyday. His teachers love him, but more than that, they actually give a damn about him. Some schools churn out students like a candy factory, but we're lucky enough to have a caring staff who truly adapt their methods to the students. At the age of four, he's reading simple … [Read more...]
Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should Have Kids
There's a standard life cycle most of us learn to follow. Go to school - graduate - get a job - get married - have children - struggle - triumph - die. But just because it's taught to us doesn't mean it's for us. Some people are simply not meant to have kids. And there's nothing wrong with that. Parenthood is not a road easily traveled. Ask any single parent you know. … [Read more...]
11 Things I Wish I Knew About Motherhood Before Having Kids
Since becoming a mother, almost five years ago, I have learned more than I ever anticipated. Going into this, I knew I would learn a ton about parenting. After all, there is no manual and you figure things out as you go along. What I didn’t expect is how much I would learn about myself. Motherhood has brought all my flaws to light—in a very beneficial way—and it has forced me … [Read more...]
Couples Spotlight: Jonathan & Wynter Pitts
You may remember this couple from a picture they shared on our Facebook fan page. That one picture literally went viral in just hours of posting it. So we wanted to see who the real people were behind the beautiful photo. Meet Jonathan and Wynter Pitts. Their love affair began during their third year back at Drexel University. Johnathan’s story: I met Wynter very briefly at … [Read more...]
Growing Up Old School – 7 Differences between My Kids’ Childhood and Mine
Just recently, while making lunch for my young daughter, I realized that we were out of hot dog buns. I told her to use a piece of sliced bread and she looked at me like I had two heads. I laughed because it took me a minute to realize that this baby of mine has lived a sheltered life with hot dog buns, endless cable TV channels, and at least two family vacations a year. … [Read more...]
Letter To A New Mom – You Will Find Your Way
This past weekend, I took a quick trip with my family to a nearby city to help me get some quality time with my kids away from the pressures of my "office" aka my house. Hard to relax on the couch when you work on the couch too. So we quickly packed a bag and hit the road. For the drive down, I had four Capri Suns (only to give them during the last 10 minutes or so; I did … [Read more...]
The Parenting Partnership: Does Playing Good Cop, Bad Cop Work?
Whether you are single or married, if you're a parent there is one other parent in this world you must build a healthy relationship with. It isn't always easy, even when you are married, to be on the exact same page all the time. My husband and I have slightly different parenting styles, and I must admit his way has garnered the most success. I would sometimes cringe at the … [Read more...]
Unexpected Pressure For Baby Number Two
My parents never gave me the "When are you going to give us some grandbabies" talk. In fact, my parents encouraged me to wait as long as possible to have my first child. They told me to enjoy my pre-baby life as it was then and to settle into motherhood when the time was appropriate for me. So that's what I did. When people would ask me if I had children, I'd reply "no." … [Read more...]
DAD: As Easy As A, B, C! by Eric Payne: Now Available on Amazon
Eric Payne's 3rd book is no-nonsense common sense for DAD (and Mom too). It's a potent literary workout for any parent looking to step up their game with their kids and with themselves. It features a glowing foreword by Black And Married With Kids very own, Lamar Tyler! Black & Married: Why did you want to write a book on fatherhood? EP: For a long time I've wanted to … [Read more...]