My son was so tired the other night that he actually went up to bed early, or so I thought. When I went upstairs to check on all my kids before I went to bed, like I do every night even though they are all teenagers, I found him in an interesting position. I wish I had my phone with me to take a picture because it was classic.
I turned the hall light, opened his door and quietly crept inside his room. He was flat on his back with his mouth wide open. His left hand was resting on top of the iPad with the charger cord wrapped around his wrist and his right hand was INSIDE a bag of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. So much for going to bed early, he was playing games and snacking when I thought he was fast asleep.
I gently removed the iPad and the cord and then went for the beef jerky bag. With one crinkle of the bag his head popped up and said, “Hey, I’m eating that!” With his eyes still closed and obviously still asleep, he started chewing the jerky that must have been sitting in his mouth. Not wanting him to choke on the freakin jerky, I shook him to wake him up and said, “spit the jerky out.” He had no idea where he was but continued to chew. Like any mom would do to avoid her child from choking, I sat him up, stuck my fingers in his mouth to pull out the jerky and even picked a piece out of his braces. He then realized what was going on and started to spit out the remaining jerky remnants into my hand.
I stood there with a handfull of half eaten beef jerky mixed with a bunch of spit and said to myself, I LOVE BEING A MOM!
MommyWarriors.com
Who ever came up with the term “Spring Break” clearly wasn’t a mother. We are 1 week and 2 days into our Spring Break, and it’s anything but a break. In the past 10 days we’ve gone to the movies 3 times (nothing I particularly wanted to see), made 3 dozen cupcakes (of which I ate too many), played endless rounds of championship “Go Fish”, gone for 6 bike rides (up hill both ways), broken up a dozen sibling knock-down fights (got clipped in the jaw in the process), cleaned up after countless art projects, chased after a lost dog (when the door was left open), reset an Ipad (after a password was “accidentally” put on it), gone to the zoo, went swimming in freezing water (because the heater wasn’t quite ready to wake up from hibernation), made 33 lunches, 72 snacks, and dragged my youngest to Best Buy to use his money to replace his sister’s headphones, because he cut the chord on her’s when he was mad. And it ain’t over yet!
The worst hard boiled eggs ever!
The other day, I dropped a cast iron skillet on my pinky toe. I was aware my daughter was in earshot, so I let out a long string of faux curses that I always say, “Mother of goodness…holy bananas… mother farger, that hurt!”
I have always relied heavily on my gut to guide me through big decisions and it has, for the most part, been very good to me. I have been told that I have a good head on my shoulders and I think it is fairly accurate (apparently I’m feeling really modest today too). But if you don’t know me then it helps to have some background here. 
Sarah is a mom of three kids under the age of five. For the last four and a half years she has been sorting through the daily challenges of being a mom after having spent the previous ten years focusing on her career in brand marketing in the computer technology industry. Sarah pulls from her experiences working as a camp counselor, swimming instructor and lifeguard to motivate and inspire fun into her children’s lives. Not one to ‘dish out’ unsolicited advice, this blog is the ideal forum to share some valuable tips, tools and experiences that she wishes someone had shared with her! Sarah has a BA in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University and an MBA in International Marketing from the University of San Diego. She is originally from Toronto but now resides in the windy-city of Chicago. You can follow her on twitter @sarahdyer or send her an email through Modernmom. 
As another school year draws to an end, I thought this would be the year that I would make some “mom friends.” 
The name "The Unnatural Mother" came to Deanna a little over eight years ago when her first son was born. She was told that her maternal instincts would kick in as soon as the baby came flying out of her vajayjay. Eight years later, a ton of gray hair, and Deanna is still waiting for those maternal instincts to kick her in the ass! In the meantime, she writes, runs, and manages the stress of working full time, spaghetti on the ceiling, a dumped out fish bowl, a lizard, two active boys, being a wife to an incredible husband who busts her chops - daily, which of course, leaves her no time to clean the house. To catch more on how Deanna tries to get it all done without completely failing visit her at The Unnatural Mother, http://www.theunnaturalmother.com/. Twitter love: @UnnaturalMother 
Last week, after school got out but before my three kids scattered to camp and basketball tournaments, we kicked off summer at our new lake cabin in New England. Although none of us had ever driven a boat solo, we purchased an old 1986 13-foot Boston Whaler for the lake. The marine salesman gave us a 20-minute lesson. Then he pushed the boat away from the dock and we were off.
People make a huge deal about their kids sharing.
The media is filled with news about bullying. The question is, does all of the attention help to decrease the bullying? Unfortunately, the answer is not clear.
Donna Volpitta, Ed.D., is an educator, author, and parenting expert who is passionate about the field of resilience. Through her Nametags Education Program, Pathways to Empower Curriculum, parenting book and teacher and parent workshops, she offers practical strategies to build resilience in children. Her book, The Resilience Formula: The Key to Proactive Parenting, co-authored by bullying expert Dr. Joel Haber, is due to come out in early 2012. Her website is http://www.urresilient.com/ 
Last week I told my tween girls that I’d gotten them a subscription to a magazine. I thought they’d be excited, but instead they responded with “We don’t want it mom - we don’t want to read about lip gloss.”
Julie is the mother of six and a co-founding VP of Mabel’s Labels, the leading provider of labels for the stuff kids lose!®. After her son was diagnosed with autism, she shelved a legal career to monitor his therapy and launch a business that would strike a better work/life balance. Mabel’s Labels has grown from a basement start-up into an award winning international phenomenon. It has been featured everywhere from The View to Forbes.com and is widely recognized for its business and product excellence. As company spokeswoman, Julie is a well-known personality amongst mom entrepreneurs and her dynamic personality has led to numerous speaking engagements, from morning TV to university business classes. With humor and candor, Julie’s writing focuses on her experiences raising a big, happy family while running a successful business, and has appeared in Chicken Soup For the Soul - Power Moms and numerous websites. Follow her on Twitter @JulieCole 
It’s times when my 5-year-old daughter acts like a wise old granny that reminds me of the reality that sensitivity and awareness are present in people of many ages, and absent in others. 
When I took in her feelings, held her, said I was sorry for her pain and praised her, she was so happy, so proud and totally content. 
When I was growing up, my mother would leave me and my sisters a note with a list of “jobs” that she would want accomplished by the end of every day. 
(Here's a sample)
Two weeks ago, I happened to call an old friend who lives in Ohio, with whom I speak once a year or so. Before I could even ask how the kids were, my friend launched into a fiery political diatribe that caught me by surprise.
When my first child was born, I lived in New York City. My husband and I were accustomed to eating breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert in restaurants far more often than our own kitchen.
"Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values - and witnesses." ~ Franklin P. Jones
Ivana is a modern Cinderella married to an Italian prince. Their 2 fabulous kids (ages 2 years and 10 months) are the latest additions to a 1000-year lineage that includes kings of Sicily and Spain, and Catherine of Aragon, a pope and a saint. She’s wild about kids and motherhood. For 20 years, she has worked with children, from designing learning toys to tutoring homeless kids. For Ivana, life is more about attitude than money. She came from modest means and met her Prince Charming while on scholarship at Pepperdine. She has a Masters in Education and is a digital strategy consultant. The Super Mom juggling act between life, love, kids and career inspired her new book, A Simple Guide to Pregnancy & Baby's First Year (co-written with her mom, Magdalene Smith, and sister, Marisa Smith), which will be out next year. Their blog is a blend of humor, practical advice and lifestyle tips on the essentials--how to live well on any budget. Consider Ivana "Dear Abby" with a tiara and baby sling. 
My girlfriend once told me that the names of imaginary friends are actually names of children that have died in your house. That’s an awesome urban legend isn’t it? 
What is most valuable to you? What is most valuable in your life? It could be anything: your car, favorite jewelry, engagement ring, family memento? How is it kept safe? Maybe it’s hidden away or locked up in a safe or safety deposit box?
Heather is a seasoned, career nanny with over fifteen years experience in the Southern California area. Ten of those years were spent with a high-profile family with whom she remains very close. She holds a BA in Early Childhood Development from California State University at Northridge, and is the Co-Founder of Classic Nannies, a 100% female-owned nanny referral agency. Heather is devoted to establishing loyal and long-standing relationships between selectively chosen nannies and the families who deserve them. Countless families have benefited from Heather’s experience, education, and dedication; now you can too! Modern Moms receive a special discount on all placements. 
When they break your heart, love them more…I’m not talking MEN, I’m talking about our tender children. Fragile, often mean, insensitive and sad - without the gift of tongue to express themselves.
That's something I can work with. Of course to be all scientific about it, this isn’t based on any clinical evidence, only empirical data. So if, for example, you're trying to quit smoking - don't beat yourself up if you're still craving a smoke after 21 days, because it's going to take a lot more than that. But when it comes to breaking a child of a thumb-sucking habit, my pediatric dentist says that 21 days should do the trick.