Blog Posts by Team Mom Staff

How to become a smart shopperWhen it comes to shopping for the family, how can you ensure you're getting the best without spending the most? Joining Away We Grow host Diane Mizota is Teri Gault, author and CEO of TheGroceryGame.com, with money-saving tips for the grocery store.

Related: Tips to make grocery shopping even healthier

If you're trying to save money at the grocery store, says Gault, the most important thing is to think about being an investor. "You want to buy when it's on sale, before you need it, before you run out of it. Then you never pay full price."

In addition, she notes, everything that you eat and buy runs goes on sale approximately once every 12 weeks. "Stock up thinking in a 12-week-cycle," she says. Her third tip for saving money is deal stacking. "This is where you actually hold a coupon until it meets a sale." By following these tips, Gault says you can cut your grocery bill by about 67 percent.

Related: How to coupon: 4 simple steps

If you think that cutting and filing coupons is

The real reason marriages failAccording to the American Psychological Association, nearly half of marriages end in divorce. Author and money coach Deborah Price says one of the top reasons is money issues. She joins Away We Grow host Diane Mizota to discuss this important topic.

Related: The new money rules for couples

Price says that there are many ways that money issues can contribute to divorce. She explains, "Some of the most common [issues] are things like financial infidelity--not sharing or being transparent with money. Also, using money as a means of power and control…. Not having clear agreements relative to money. How you spend what you value, etcetera. And also just not understanding each other's core money issues and triggers, and therefore walking into them constantly and creating a lot of conflict as a result."

Related: 5 tough questions to help tame overspending

She adds that a lot of the way you handle money can stem from your childhood. "So, for example, you inherited the tendency toward

Choosing the best dog for your familyChoosing a dog for your family can be pretty overwhelming. Which dogs should you steer clear of, and which are truly man's best friend? Animal Planet's Karen "Doc" Halligan joins Easy Does It host Ereka Vetrini to help you decide which dog is right for you.

Related: How to pick the perfect dog

According to Halligan, before getting a dog, consider three things. "First, you want to consider why you're getting a dog. Second, the space and time commitment you have. And third, finances."

Which breeds should you avoid if you have little ones in the family? "Believe it or not," says Halligan, "a lot of the toy breeds aren't good with kids under five." She adds, "The high-energy breeds can be very destructive with children. They'll just knock them down, and they can hurt the kids."

Related: 6 best big-dog breeds for families

On the other hand, Halligan recommends several breeds that are really good with children. Among her suggestions are Pugs, King Charles Cavaliers, Lhasa Apsos, and

Welcome to ParenthoodJohanna addresses the age-old myth that becoming a parent makes you a better person.

Related links:

Parentisms: Passive-aggressive lines every parents say

7 daring things I did before I was a parent

The hidden benefits of pregnancy

Difficult kid questions: How (not) to answer them

The perfect mother moment

Simple Valentine's recipes that say I love youGoing out to dinner on Valentine's Day can be expensive and impersonal. Chef Stuart O'Keeffe joins Easy Does It host Ereka Vetrini to share some simple and delicious recipes for a home-cooked meal that says, "I love you."

Related: 5 fresh Valentine's Day dinner ideas

Dessert: Chocolate-hazelnut mousse

• Mix 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, 1/2 cup crème fraiche, and 3 tsp whiskey (you can also substitute orange liqueur).
• Whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
• Fold (don't mix) cream into chocolate-hazelnut mixture.
• Put in mason jars, and top each one with raspberries.
• Chill in the refrigerator for two hours.

Related: Building a heart-shaped cake for Valentine's Day

Salad: Date and Pear Arugula Salad

• Place three slices of pears on top of a pile of arugula.
• Add sliced cherry tomatoes, dates, figs, and goat cheese.
• To make the vinaigrette: In a mason jar, mix 3 tbsp olive oil,1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and 1 tbsp maple syrup. Pour over the salad.

Main

Is one kid enough?What happens when Johanna faces the prospect of another child? Couch-shaving, hysterical pregnancies and visits from fantasy firemen (though not necessarily in that order).

Related links:

7 things parents of only children want you to know

The 7 best things about having an only child

The perfect mother moment

Difficult kid questions: How (not) to answer them

Love is not a contest

How to talk to your teen about loveWith Valentine's Day coming up, love is in the air. But when you're the parent of a teen, the topic of romance and relationships can get a little tricky. Mike Domitrz, author of May I Kiss You? and Help! My Teen is Dating!, joins Away We Grow host Diane Mizota with some tips on talking to teens.

Related: 5 ways to effectively communicate with your kids

Love and romance are topics that can make parents uncomfortable, but Domitrz offers two rules for how to approach them with teens. First, he says, "Don't focus on love. Instead, focus on learning about themselves, learning about relationships, and then how to learn about their partner, get to know the person."

Related: How to talk to your kids about sex

The second rule, he says, is to not focus on your teen because teens don't like adults prying into their lives. But, he says, "they love talking about other people. Maybe a celebrity became pregnant at a young age, and you say to your teen, 'Why do you think they made that choice?'

Kitchen shortcutsLots of us love to cook, but there are some parts of the process that we definitely wish could be easier. Chef and cookbook author Susan Feniger shares some of her best kitchen secrets and shortcuts with Easy Does It host Ereka Vetrini.

Related: 7 kitchen shortcuts for busy cooks

Feniger says that the most important thing is to buy "one French knife." She adds, "The way that you tell a great knife is you want to look and make sure that the steel goes all the way through to the end of the handle." She also recommends buying a serrated knife for the times when that's the best tool for the job.

Related: Back to basics: Knife skills to learn and master

Making a garlic puree

Garlic can be difficult to work with, but Feniger has a way to make it simpler. She says to start by cutting off the ends of the cloves. Then she smashes the clove with the side of the French knife "and the peel comes right off." Feniger recommends curling your fingertips under and then using your third knuckle as