lowcountry parent column

I write a monthly column, Getting Real, for Lowcountry Parent magazine in Charleston, SC. To read my columns online click here.

Or browse the highlights below:

Is Balance a Joke? And no, I’m not talking about standing on one foot.

When I was a brand new mom, walking around like a zombie from sleep-deprivation, I stumbled across the book “The Balanced Mom,” by Bria Simpson. I was intrigued by the idea of balance and the author’s assertion it was something I might be able to achieve. Read more

Teachers Are People, Too. 

As my sons and I strolled through Publix one day this summer, we rounded a corner and my 5-year-old stopped in his tracks. There, standing in the middle of the aisle mulling over canned goods was (gasp!) a teacher from his school. Dazed and confused, he whispered, “What’s she doing here?” Read more

The Anatomy of a Greeting Card (What my son really thinks about me)

Each month in this column, my goal is to be (relatively) honest about my shortcomings as a parent. I make fun of myself, my impatience and lack of organization. But deep down, I believe I’m a good mom. Well, I did until my son came home from 4K one day holding a card addressed to me. Read more

“If You Don’t Smile, I’m Gonna…”

Overheard in the public restroom at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios:

“Don’t wipe that paint off your face,” says the mom, which is followed by groans and general whining from the child, who ignores his mother and proceeds to wipe his face, anyway. Read more

The Secret Society of Moms: Why we don’t tell you everything

My friend, Leigh Ann, has just gone back to work after having her first baby. She’s juggling sleep deprivation and searching for that elusive balance, and recently she wrote on her blog: “I feel that women are a bit duped by each other, by not being really upfront about how hard the first couple of weeks are on the mom, baby and even dad.” When I read that, I empathized and then chuckled to myself, because at one time, I felt the same way. Read more online or view PDF.

Need Fashion Tips? Don’t ask me. I used to own a skort. 

I need to keep my muffin top comfortably hidden inside my pants, and my jeans shouldn’t rise to my rib cage. This much I know. But if you need someone to assist you on your shopping spree, I’m not your girl. You’re better off taking my husband. He’ll tell you what he thinks, and he’s usually right. Read more online or view PDF.