All posts in Parenting

Baby & Boxing Announcements

August 4, 2017

Thank you to Basic Invite for sponsoring this post. My opinions, as always, are my own.

My boxing trainer is not a man of many words and doesn’t tend to share details of his private life so it’s up to me and my mom friends who have been training with him for over five years to extract this information.

Typically, we train in small groups of two or three, occasionally ramping up to five. Once in a while, though, it’s just one lonesome person. That was me last week. On my own for a one hour private lesson. It’s a great learning opportunity, but I like and need the rest period that one or two other compatriots provide. Read more…

Comments: 3 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Health, Sports & Fitness

#AmWriting Sumo Joe revisions with editor

New Voices Competition #AmWriting

July 28, 2017

If you haven’t been following my progress with my first picture book submission, I entered a New Voices children’s book publishing contest. I didn’t win, but I received an offer for editorial assistance on my book manuscript, Sumo Joe.

I jumped on that offer. I’d been trying to get into a critique group where I live but I haven’t been successful so far. The established one at my local library merged with another group, and I’m on the waitlist for what seems like a very long time. The SCBWI critique book folded the first time I was supposed to attend. I was considering hiring editorial help for polishing my manuscripts, so it was gift from the gods to get this offer of help.

Comments: 10 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: #AmWriting

Easy Ways to Stay Spiritual

July 2, 2017

Easy Ways to Stay Spiritual

Life has a way of throwing some intense obstacles your way from time to time. With personal dramas unfolding alongside larger problems that the world is experiencing, it can be important to discover a way to keep yourself afloat. Many people find that turning to a higher power, such as through religion or a spiritual group, can be helpful for discovering peace. Groups like The Way International can be wonderful places to begin this journey of faith. There are also some steps that you can begin to take on your own to live a more meaningful spiritual life.

Living a spiritual life is not always as simple as one might hope. In order for you to feel connected to a higher power, you might need to dedicate a specific amount of time from your schedule to spiritual practices. By falling into certain routines, you will discover that it is much easier for you to connect to the divine. Take a look at these easy ways to stay spiritual and see if you find the peace of mind that you need to get through the madness of life.

Comments: 0 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Parenting

Gratitude Flags Public Art at My Dog Park

May 12, 2017

I happened up on this public art display at Weston Reservoir where we take our dog every day. There’s a wooded mile and half path that winds around the reservoir. Metaphorically and literally, the gratitude flags take you from the beaten path up to a little ridge where there is a winding display tied to a few trees.

Once you are there, you might notice the plastic bin of cut up sail cloth, Sharpie pens, and clothespins. You are invited to write on a flag about what you are grateful for, and add it to the display. Periodically, I noticed, someone comes to add more lines. Steadily, the flags have grown.

Here are some of my favorite:

Comments: 2 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Do Good

Floating Hospital for Children & Keeping Kids Healthy

May 11, 2017

This post was sponsored by Floating Hospital for Children as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

It’s comforting to know that there are great medical facilities in Boston including Floating Hospital for Children which is the full-service children’s hospital of Tufts Medical Center. It provides pediatric services in every medical and surgical specialty including cancer, heart disease and trauma, both inpatient and outpatient.

We used to live in Boston’s South End where Floating Hospital for Children is located. One nice thing about Floating Hospital for Children is its size. It’s smaller size makes for a more intimate environment that makes kids and parents alike feel comfortable. And their atmosphere supports young patients who prove every day that you don’t have to be big to be strong.

Comments: 2 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Parenting

HOW TO COACH GIRLS First Draft DONE!

April 28, 2017

I’m so excited to be writing a book about coaching girls with Alison Foley, Women’s Soccer Head Coach at Boston College called How To Coach Girls.

We’ve been hard at work since landing the publishing contract in early January with Audrey Press and the first draft is done!

Here are the chapters: Read more…

Comments: 8 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: #AmWriting, Parenting

Homemade bath bombs and the science behind the fizz

DIY Lush Bath Bombs and the Science Behind the Fizz

April 24, 2017

My 12-year-old son has had a headache for the past two months. Fast forward five doctor appointments later, and we now think he has a concussion. He found baths soothing and he likes the Lush bath bombs that his sisters gave him for Christmas. They’re pretty expensive at $7 each, so we decided to make them ourselves.

An interesting Teachable Moment is the science of bath bombs. My son noticed that when he’s in the bath as the bath bomb gets crazy fizzy, that he feels a cold sensation coming off from the bomb. What is that? I think it’s the carbon dioxide gas that is generated from the chemical reaction. Read more…

Comments: 10 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Gifts That Won't Break the Bank, Recipes, STEM/STEAM

Our NYC (Cheap) Foodie Finds

April 10, 2017

We have to admit that our New York City college visit trip was a thinly disguised foodie trip, but of the cheap variety. Count us in for dives, and assembly line restaurants versus fancy food. There were some requests of things that are specific to New York City and must be sampled.

The highest on that list was the Cronut, at the original bakery that invented it. Sadly, we found it overrated though there were items at the bakery — mini Madeleines fresh out of the oven — that were worth coming back for.

Bagels were also quite high on the list. The water sourced from Catskills in NYC is famous for its drinkability and is one the biggest reasons why a bagel anywhere else is never as good as a NYC one. PickyKidPix polled her NYC connected friends and came up with Absolute Bagel as the bagel to try. That definitely panned out.

Comments: 6 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Family Vacation, Parenting

This New Fidget Toy, Comfort Cube, Could Help With Anxiety

April 2, 2017

Anxiety and stress are real problems in the real world. There have been several technological advancements made to decrease anxiety, but some people just can’t manage to escape it. Even minor issues such as a low smartphone charge stresses some people out. So what’s the solution?How can we alleviate anxiety and stress? A new device called Comfort Cube, could come in handy.

What is the Comfort Cube?

Comfort Cube is both a desk gadget and fidget toy. The primary function of the device is to decrease stress, promote relaxation, and increase focus. The cube’s lightweight design and small size means it does not use up much room. And this means you can store it inside a kitchen cabinet or desk drawer, and also in your pocket, purse, or your vehicle’s center console.