Blog Posts by Parentables

An evil bottle of formula.Let me start off by saying that I'm an advocate for breastfeeding. I breastfed my daughter for a year. (I mean for meals, not for a whole year. That would be a world record.) However, I know many excellent moms who, for one reason or another, were either unable to breastfeed or chose not to breastfeed for very long or at all. These decisions and circumstances weighed heavy on the hearts of these mothers; they had to look at the whole picture of how they were raising their babies in the context of their very own private lives and homes. In the end, they did what is best for their families.

Read More: Am I Really a Failure for Not Breastfeeding My Children?

In light of that, I am appalled at this New York Post article. Starting Sept. 3, 27 of New York City's 40 hospitals will begin participating in the city Health Department's voluntary Latch On NYC initiative. Advocates of Latch On NYC are under the impression that more moms will breastfeed if accessing formula while in the hospital is

Jessa, Jana, and Ginger Duggar

I recently wrote about how my husband Jim Bob and I try to help the kids through adolescence, when their bodies change and they're struggling with new emotions. But one of the things that also happens during the teen years is that everything is embarrassing for them.

Read More: Why Michelle Duggar Has a 4 a.m. Open Door Policy

It can be something as basic as, "Oh man, my hair isn't right!" or "These sunglasses just don't match. This is so embarrassing." And I'm like, "Oh come on!"

Read More: How the Duggars Discuss the Birds and the Bees

The other day I was with my older daughters on the way to an event. We were driving down the interstate in San Antonio, stuck in traffic. Finally the traffic picked up and we were driving along when my daughter said, "Mom, isn't that our friend Randy?"

Read More: Michelle Duggar on Modesty and Bathing Suits

And I said, "Oh, you're right!" So here we are in a city we're unfamiliar with, driving in the traffic, and we see

K. Stew & R. PatDid you hear that? I'm talking about the collective gasp from young girls all across the Internet when it was revealed that actress Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame admitted to cheating on her boyfriend of three years, Robert Pattinson (who's also her co-star in the series). The man she cheated with is Rupert Sanders, the 41-year-old married-with-kids director of her latest film, Snow White and the Huntsman. The reaction was swift, with fans like this young woman taking to YouTube and asking why Stewart would do such a thing.

Read More: Happy Home, Happy Marriage: 6 Ways to Feel Closer to Your Mate

I find this whole thing very interesting and think there are a three "teachable moments" in it for our kids.

Read More: Schedule a Regular Date Night With Your Sweetie

The first is about the culture of celebrity and whether we should be holding famous people to a higher standard. I think this is one of those times that we can take our kids aside and explain the difference

I gotta pee!For more than a year our 3-and-a-half-year old daughter has been cruising around in the daytime, confidently sporting underwear. But when night falls, like a super-hero in reverse, she downgrades her powers, takes her Dora the Explorer cotton bloomers off and yanks her scratchy pull up on. Four days ago she told my husband and me enough was enough. She was ready to pee in a toilet at night.

Read More: Why Having a Potty Trained Kids Isn't Always the Greatest Thing

We get it: Soggy diapers are a relic of her babyhood. She wants more out of life, and joining the slumbering bladder-full as they make their way down the hall in the semi-dark is a start. It's just one more way she can distinguish herself from her (not-so) distant past as a baby, or from her perspective: a slobbering, co-dependent googly-eye creature.

Read More: Potty Training 101

The awful truth is that my husband and I aren't excited about this development. And it's coming from a selfish place of sleep,

Too cool for something.When you brought that baby home from the hospital, all you could think of was how great it would be if they slept more than two hours a night, right? Come on, you can tell me; I know because I felt the same way. Fast forward 14 years and the story is different. Very, very different.

Read More: 15 Ways To Get Kids To Help Out Around The House

I have a couple of really great kids; they stay out of trouble (I mean at other people's homes), get along with one another (for the most part), get good grades and are on their way to becoming upstanding citizens of the world. However, you might not get that impression if you were to pay a visit to my house this summer. With my kids sleeping past noon and paper wrappers and dishes everywhere, you might actually mistake my piece of suburban real estate for a frat house. That is precisely what prompted my husband to draw up a contract, detailing the following "rules" for the next several weeks of summer.

Read More: 3 Reasons My Kids

Not THAT kind of birds and bees.Around the age of 11, when our kids begin going through puberty, we take one-on-one time with them to discuss what they're going through. Usually I'll talk with the girls and make it a special time out with mom -- we may go for lunch at their favorite place -- and I'll explain to the girls about this new season of life and how exciting this is, because they're entering womanhood.

Read More: Why Michelle Duggar Has a 4 a.m. Open Door Policy

We talk about how their bodies change and their menstrual cycle, what it's all is about and what it means, and how as time goes on it will get more regular for them. I tell them that they'll feel more at ease with it, but at first it's a new experience.

Read More: How Michelle Duggar Motivates Her Kids

We also talk about the boy/girl feelings that come along with this season of life and how that is a special time and you want to guard your heart to make sure that you are keeping your affections where they need to be and not

Good morning! Nom nom nom.The cereal isle in the grocery store can be overwhelming. There are so many choices, how do you choose a healthy box for your family? Many cereal boxes scream unhealthy by the picture of marshmallows, chocolate, or blue colored bites on the front. Many cereals make bold claims like "high fiber", "low-calorie", or "whole grains". Often these claims are misleading and untrue. By reading the nutrition fact label on the side of the box, you can quickly narrow the choices down.

Read More: 14 Ways to Breeze Through Your Morning Routine

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity created a score system for a number of cereals based on total calories and ingredients like sugar, fiber, and sodium. Here are some of the cereals from their list that ranked the healthiest. They tend to be more adult focused, but simply add some fresh berries and nuts and your kids will love them too.

Read More: How to Make Your Days Run Smoother by Recharging Your Morning Routine

City farmhouseWe commissioned a history of the house we'll raise our children in. Photo: Amy Suardi/Frugal Mama

When pretty objects can easily be had at any department store, discount warehouse, or grocery store, what really stands out in a gift is thought and effort. Of course there are plenty of heartfelt gifts that can be made with little or no money, but I like these ideas for when you want to make a splash on a special occasion, like a milestone birthday, a golden anniversary, or a house-warming.

Read More: The 4-Step System to Decorating Like a Park Avenue Millionaire on a Butler's Budget

Intangible, helpful, or utterly personal, these gifts will surely make a difference in someone's life.

1. A House History

Did you know that you could hire an architectural historian to research the history of a house, just as you might to find out a family's genealogical roots? You can, and I know, because I am the happy recipient of a history of our one-and-only house. House