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    Blog Posts by Mia Redrick

    • 8 Things You Wish Someone Had Told You About Motherhood

      By Mia Redrick | Parenting – Mon, Dec 3, 2012 2:31 PM EST

      No matter what stage of motherhood you are in, you have probably wished at some point that someone had been around to tell you all the things you had to learn the hard way. You've probably read quite a few parenting books, which can be helpful, but no book covers all the bases. What advice do you wish someone had shared with you once you became a mother?

      Most of the lessons I have learned have been through trial and error and I certainly wish that someone had told me the best places to nurse in my local mall, for example, or what the real story is with vaccinations -- almost like cliff notes for parenting.

      None of us have a crystal ball to see what is ahead, yet we all see the value of perspective. It seemed that if I asked a direct question to a group of local mothers, I could get an answer, but mostly it took my making a mistake for someone to share their wisdom with me. Generally, people don't want to impose or have others think they're sticking their nose in their

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    • Busy with Kids? Five Ways Moms Can Still Grow

      By Mia Redrick | Parenting – Fri, May 11, 2012 3:44 PM EDT

      As a mom, when was the last time you really did something for yourself? Odds are, you probably don't remember. Or if you do remember, it was quite a long time ago. The problem with motherhood is that we have a tendency to put our children's, husbands, and everyone else's needs before our own. It often feels like that's what we were meant to do.

      Moms have the natural ability to nurture everyone around them, but the problem with motherhood is that we spend so much time nurturing everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves. A mom simply has to take care of herself and continue to grow in her own life, or it's only a matter of time before she finds herself unable to help her children grow.

      Hare five simple ways moms can help themselves to personally grow.

      • 1. Take yourself on a date. Just as married couples need regular dates and time alone together, you also need some time to yourself. A mom's days are full of requests and demands from everyone. She needs
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    • 6 Tips to Avoid the Holiday Blues

      By Mia Redrick | Parenting – Thu, Dec 8, 2011 10:48 PM EST

      According to a recent poll conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), the holidays are a source of "multiple stressors." 69% of respondents cited "lack of time" as a major stressor, 69% cited "lack of money" and 51% blamed extra stress on "the pressure to give or get gifts."

      Stress is bad for our health, our attitude, our happiness, and our overall well-being. The APA study also asked respondents how these stressors manifest themselves in their lives. 59% said they experienced sadness, 56% said they were having trouble sleeping and 55% said they had a lack of energy.

      As moms, the last thing we need is additional stress so I've compiled a list of 6 tips to help moms avoid the holiday blues.

      1. Be prepared: preparation is the great anti-stress. In fact, proper preparations can help you actually enjoy the holidays. You can begin your shopping now, for example. Get organized by making a list of who you are buying gifts for, what they might like, and make an initial
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    • 8 Ways to Get Your Family to Help You Around the House

      By Mia Redrick | Cleaning Guide – Mon, Nov 14, 2011 3:10 PM EST

      We'll start with the good news. The United States is tied for number 1 with Norway for equal division of household chores between men and women. According to the Journal of Marriage and Family, men contribute 46% of the United State's household chores. The bad news is that housework never ends. Here's a list of 8 ways to enroll your family into helping more around the house. First, however, here is a small list of ways to not get your family to help around the house: nagging, yelling, coercion, and anger. And while these are often our natural inclinations and it might get you what you want in the present, it isn't effective in the end.

      1. Routine. If your family knows what to expect and when to expect it, the family will have less to complain about. If, every week, Saturday afternoons are for cleaning, these cleaning sessions become just another family tradition like going to church on Sundays or going to school during the week.
      2. Set a timer. People operate more effectively when

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    • Four Strategies for Moms to Practice Better Self-Care

      By Mia Redrick | Parenting – Mon, Jul 18, 2011 4:07 PM EDT

      If one millions moms took better care of themselves in 2011, the world would be a much better place. Their stress would be reduced, which would mean that they wouldn't snap at their children and husbands as much. Their mental and physical health would improve too because they would take the time to do the things they need to do for themselves. Of course all of these thoughts are all well and great, but without any hard evidence, it can be a bit difficult to prove. Thankfully, a nationwide survey of 3,000 moms gives us some hard numbers to back all this up.

      Seventy-six percent of women in the survey say that it is important that moms take care of themselves in addition to their families. However, 80 percent of moms do not spend any time on self-care. The Suave Motherhood vs. Womanhood Report also showed that 93 percent of moms feel good when they take care of themselves. Seventy-six percent say it makes them happier, more attractive, and more self-confident. And what happens when

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