Keeping your family organized can feel like a full-time job, but no one said you have to do it alone
Whether you’ve got toddlers or teenagers, family life is hectic—even the dog seems to have a schedule. Parents have to be impeccably organized to stay on top of the housework, groceries and meal planning, finances, and work obligations, not to mention the fact that if you’ve got school-aged kids, you’re a glorified chauffeur juggling school functions, extracurriculars, and sports. It’s a lot. And despite the cries that our kids’ extracurriculars are taking over our lives, we keep loading more and more onto our plates. But you don’t have to do it alone. There’s a slew of family organization apps that take the guesswork out of family life, from joint calendars to budget tracking and even remembering to share family photos with eager relatives. Here are 11 of our favorites, so you can hopefully sneak a bit of free time onto the calendar.
Cozi
Are you drowning in a sea of birthday parties and swim lessons and work events and “what’s for dinner”s? Then listen up. Easy to use and well-designed, Cozi serves triple duty as a shared family calendar, digital recipe box, and list keeper. No matter how many children you have or how old they are, seeing everyone’s schedules in one place (color-coded, no less) is a game-changer. Parents can also create shared grocery or to-do lists and meal plans so the burden doesn’t fall on just one person (we all know who that would be).
It’s us! Parents looking to bring some order to their unhinged smartphone collection of family photos can securely store the best of the best in Tinybeans (no more sets of 36 slightly different versions of the same baby photo hogging space). What’s more, you can instantly share them with relatives and friends. So if responding to your mother-in-law’s constant (and well-meaning) requests for baby updates is becoming a time-suck, the app sends them emails or notifications whenever you post a new milestone, photo, or video—and sends you regular reminders to post. Along with your best memories, you can track all of your kids’ most exciting milestones and achievements through the years. And every so often, when you’ve got a good collection of photos, throw them into a cute album and order your physical copy straight through the app.
Anyone who’s been forced to listen to a symphony of “I’m huuuuungry”s while staring into the refrigerator at 5 p.m. in a complete, dinner-less panic will have a deep appreciation for the Plan to Eat. The personalized app takes all the guesswork out of meal planning. Plan to Eat lets you choose recipes from anywhere on the web, import them to your recipe box, and automatically create a shopping list with items sorted by store and aisle. The only thing it can’t do is chop the onions for you (will I ever not cry!?).
Paying late fees on bills you forgot about is such a bitter pill to swallow, especially when you could have used that money for a latte to get you through yet another toddler gymnastics session. If you’re looking to track and manage all of your family’s bills in one place, check out the Bills Organizer and Reminder app (your credit score will thank you). You can quickly look over all upcoming bills in the app’s dashboard view, and rest assured that you’ll receive payment reminders before each bill is due (whether the app is open or closed). To make life even easier, set up automatic payments for recurring bills so you don’t even have to think about them. The free version lets you manage up to five accounts.
Cost: Free or paid ($2.99 for unlimited accounts and $1.99 for no ads) on Apple App Store.
2houses
If you’re co-parenting or part of a blended family, not only does the 2houses app keep everyone’s schedules organized, but it does it for two households. Everyone can view and edit a shared calendar, and it helps with one of the hardest aspects of separation and divorce: finances. The app manages all expenses paid by each parent to give a clear view of what’s being spent on the kids and who’s spending it. The “Custody Journal” is a sweet touch, letting each parent share photos, information, videos, and news with the other parents. So when it’s not your day with the kids, you can still feel like part of the family.
Budgeting is arguably one of the most important aspects of family planning, but it really does eat up a lot of time. Mint not only takes the guesswork out of budgeting for you, but it sorts all of your purchases into categories so you can keep track of where you’re spending (and potentially find some smart ways to save). For the fullest snapshot, you can link all of your accounts in one place—your checking account, savings account, credit cards, investments, and property. The app alerts you if you’re getting close to going over budget or into overdraft, and garners insights from your spending habits to offer tips on where to save money—all of which set you up to achieve your stated financial goals.
Syncing calendars is super useful for busy families, but TimeTree has the bonus of a chat room where you can share photos and discuss upcoming events and calendar changes. To keep your whole group in the loop, everyone receives a notification when someone changes or reschedules something on the cal and when a new event is added. There’s also the option to have additional calendars, like one with your mom group or extended family.
Being a “flake” isn’t typically a good thing, but Flayk, the family organization app, is a great thing. Not only does it have a shared calendar for everyone in your family, as well as the option for everyone to receive event reminders, but the premium version of Flayk also has a points system for completed tasks. You can incentivize your brood to do chores around the house or finish their homework with customized rewards, like a movie night, a trip to the amusement park, or a family vacation. Plus, if you “Flayk” on a task, you can assign it to someone else. And if you want to lean into the “it takes a village” philosophy, you can link your Flayk to other families or groups who use the app to make sure absolutely nothing gets missed.
Free or paid (Premium for $1.99 per month) on Apple App Store and Google Play.
IFTTT
Creating lists and reminders to get things done can take as much time as actually doing the damn things, so why not automate some of those basic tasks. That’s the beauty of IFTTT (an acronym for “If This, Then That”). It works with more than 600 apps, including Telegram, Twitch, Weather Underground, Google Drive, Gmail, and Spotify, and integrates with devices like Amazon Alexa, Nest, Google Home, and Philips Hue. The app’s a fave for businesses, but families can also benefit from a little automation—like getting the weather forecast every morning, changing your thermostat when you go out of town, warning you if temps drop and you need to move your plants inside, or starting a specific playlist when you get in the car so your kids don’t freak out.
Quick. Someone grab the pimento cheese and margaritas. Since Netflix announced a third season of its runaway series Sweet Magnolias last spring, we’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for a chance to “pour it out” with our favorite trio from Serenity, South Carolina. And now, finally, the streamer has released the Season 3 trailer. Sweet Magnolias Season 3 will drop on July 20—and all 10 episodes in the third season will be available that day for our binge-watching enjoyment.
We see Cal trying to figure out a way to move forward after the fight at Sullivan’s, Helen facing the difficult choice of trusting Ryan or moving on with Erik, Dana Sue deciding how to use the gift from Miss Francis, and Maddie juggling all the things, including her three kids, Cal’s journey and co-parenting with her ex-husband, Bill. We also finally find out who exactly is “back,” and who slashed the tires on the Sullivan’s van.
Late last year, Netflix took to Instagram to share the news that filming had wrapped and let’s just say fans were excited.
Almost as excited as they were when Netflix announced the series would be back.
We're going back to Serenity, y'all! 🌸 We are so thrilled to share we have a Season 3 of Sweet Magnolias. Can't wait to welcome y'all home. pic.twitter.com/ag1K9TwmMV
The Netflix romance-drama is led by JoAnna Garcia Swisher, and its second season dropped at the beginning of February. Fans were finally able to exhale after the first episode of the second season revealed that the car wreck cliffhanger that ended season one was—for all intents and purposes—benign. No one was killed, and no characters left the show, but it laid the groundwork for plot twists that continue to ripple.
Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue are expected to continue to walk life’s paths with one another in season 3, after facing infertility, break-ups, jealous partners, anger management issues, and more. The tumultuous ending left fans with some expectations. Namely, who the heck is the mystery woman who showed up at the end of season 2? And who does she think she is, calling Dana Sue a “homewrecker?” Y’all, we’re about to find out.
Lots of butterfly, hand-clapping, and heart emojis could be found among replies that ranged from “OMG YEEEEEEES” to “IT WAS TAKING YALL LONG ENOUGH.” Now one thing’s for sure: there’s about to be a run on the premixed margaritas at the grocery store.
Moms, you keep everything together all year. It’s summer. Just give up for a while
I work from home, and I have the privilege of not having to outsource childcare because of that. Has my work suffered because I’ve never had additional help? Of course. Has my parenting suffered? Of course. All year long I manage schedules and professional responsibilities while juggling a school pick-up line, PTA meetings, and sleepovers. All year I feel like I’m failing.
But when summer comes, I embrace the failure.
And it’s something I recommend to everyone: stay-at-home moms, single moms, working moms, working single moms, single stay-at-home moms—you get the picture. We all have different loads and obligations, but we can all aspire to fail just a little more during the summer.
Work-from-Home Moms
Come summer, you are done; you don’t have to pretend that you’re not. What should be a time of sleeping in and general chill becomes the panicked realization that not only will you be managing your usual work-from-home madness, but you’ll be doing it with kids hovering about, asking you for snacks, and mostly being annoying. We never got into the routine of sending our kids to camp because we never had the extra money to do that. So from the time our children were young, they’ve had what we gleefully refer to as “lazy summer.” Here are some tips that will help you embrace total parental summer failure—or as we call it, lazy summer.
Put all snacks and food accessories within reach of your kids. Do you have high cabinets that necessitate your child asking for a bowl every time they need one? Are the granola bars in an unreachable part of the pantry? All of this stuff must live in a place where your kids can reach it and help themselves. And if you currently approve all your child’s snack choices before they are allowed to eat, I suggest you stop doing that, too.
Stop with the screen limits. Seriously? We all know our kids spend way more time on their screens than we’re willing to admit. Summer is not the time to pretend we’re on top of this restriction. Let it go.
Blankets & sprinklers. It’s amazing what a pile of blankets and ra emote control can do for a child in the summer. The same can be said about sprinklers. Let your kids chill in any way they see fit.
Stay-at-Home-Moms
No one sympathizes enough with the plight of the stay-at-home mom who has school-aged kids come summer. Now, not only do you have to do all the things to keep a house running smoothly, but your kids are in the mix all day. What should be a relaxing time of year turns into one where you’re doing everything (cooking, coordinating schedules, dealing with your kids) twice as much. But you do deserve a break. Here are some tips:
Let your kids be bored. You are not a bad mom if you decide you don’t want to schedule a bunch of extracurriculars for your kid because you don’t want to spend the entire summer shuttling them from one event to another. It’s fine.
You’re not the only mom who wasn’t prepared for summer day camp sign-ups. These things fill up quickly and are hard to stay on top of. If you didn’t get your kid into some kind of summertime activity, please see above. Boredom is good for them.
The backyard/patio/playroom/etc. is enough. Think about your childhood; was your mom taking you to Bounce or Chuck E. Cheese every week? I would bet quite a bit of money that the answer is no. You’re not a monster for not wanting to spend time at these places, either. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you have to turn into your child’s personal cruise director for three months.
Working Moms Who Don’t Work from Home
All day at work you’re dedicating time to your job, then you get home and are expected to dedicate all your time to your kids. What about you? You deserve some time, too. Here are some ways to delightfully “fail” at parenting so you can win at life:
The golden hour. When you get home from work, establish a fun little routine that will give you some time to yourself. Maybe it’s throwing a bunch of snacks in a bowl and letting your kids have at it. Maybe it’s allowing your kids some designated screen time as soon as you walk in the door to give you a moment to decompress. You’re not a bad mom because you need a minute when you get home, and you shouldn’t have to wait until you’re exhausted in the middle of the night to get it.
Breakfast for dinner. This can be called anything, but in our house, it’s called “breakfast for dinner.” Breakfast for dinner is an easy dinner go-to that my kids don’t fight and my husband or I can make in five minutes. I know my kids will eat scrambled eggs with no arguments, so twice a week they get scrambled eggs, and I avoid a headache. Figure out what your “breakfast for dinner” is.
“Ask your Dad, Mom, Susan, Bob…” or whatever the situation is in your house. Honestly, this applies to every type of mom: if there is someone else in your house that should be co-parenting with you, make sure you rely on that person and outsource the things kids ask mom for first.
Something that no one ever tells you before you become a parent: there are no trophies. No one is going to reward you for being perfect all the time, and you don’t need to be perfect all the time. Try centering yourself this summer and “failing” a little more.
Gwen Stefani’s ex, Gavin Rossdale, opened up about how they raise their three boys together without “co-parenting,” in the traditional sense
When it comes to co-parenting, there’s really no right or wrong answer, as long as the kids are safe, loved, and cared for. Case in point: Gavin Rossdale and his ex, Gwen Stefani, who share three sons together. During a recent podcast appearance, Rossdale opened up about how they split and share their co-parenting responsibilities, and they have an interesting perspective on raising a family after their split.
“I think you can go one of two ways,” Rossdale explained. “You can either do everything together and really co-parent, and see how that goes—or you can just parent. And I think we just parent.”
He continued, “We’re really different people … I don’t think there’s much similarity in the way we bring them up but I think that gives them an incredible perspective to then choose which pieces of those two lives they’d like to inherit and move on with and which part of themselves come out of the whole process. Because that’s what’s important is to give them a wide view of things and we definitely have some particularly opposing views so I think it’d be really helpful for them to make their own minds as individuals.”
Honestly? That’s a pretty refreshing perspective. And the important thing is that Rossdale and Stefani have found a system that works for their family. Plus, with the addition of Stefani’s husband, Blake Shelton, whom she married in 2021, it sounds like the boys have no shortage of loving adults (and role models) in their lives.
This sweet family video is the perfect way to commemorate Bruce Willis on his 68th birthday
Bruce Willis is an icon in the movie industry—but he’s also a loving husband, dad, and friend. And nothing shows that more clearly than the moving video his ex-wife, Demi Moore, posted on his 68th birthday on Sunday. It shows Willis, loving being the center of attention, while his huge, blended family gathers around him and serenades him with “Happy Birthday.”
Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes – we all feel them. pic.twitter.com/vcb50QP9hr
Moore shared the video on both Instagram and Twitter, and we guarantee it’s the sweetest thing you’re going to see today. Moore and Willis were married from 1987 to 2000. They share three daughters together, and Willis has since welcomed two more girls with his now-wife, Emma Heming. Throughout their journey, Willis and Moore have been co-parenting goals. They remain close friends, and often celebrate milestones (like Willis’s big birthday) with the entire, giant blended family.
What makes this moment even more touching is the news that Willis was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The family made that announcement last month, about a year after Willis retired from acting due to symptoms of aphasia, including difficulty speaking, writing, and communicating.
While the sweet moment at Willis’s birthday party shows that there’s still plenty of joy in the family despite his difficult diagnosis, Heming shared on Instagram that she started her husband’s birthday in tears.
“I always get this message, or people always tell me, that ‘Oh, you’re so strong, I don’t know how you do it,'” she said in a message posted to social media. “I’m not given a choice. I wish I was.”
Heming continued, “But I’m also raising two kids in this so sometimes, in our lives, we have to put our big girl panties on and get to it. And that’s what I’m doing. But I do have times of sadness every day, grief every day, and I’m really feeling it today on his birthday.”
We wish nothing but the best for Willis and his family and hope there are many more joyful celebrations in their future.
“As a family, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for the outpouring of love and compassion for Bruce over the past ten months,” a statement that appears on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s site reads. “Your generosity of spirit has been overwhelming, and we are tremendously grateful for it. For your kindness, and because we know you love Bruce as much as we do, we wanted to give you an update.”
The statement is signed by “Ladies of Willis/Moore”—which includes Demi Moore, Bruce’s current wife Emma Heming Willis, and Bruce’s five daughters: Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.” FTD is the most common form of dementia for people under 60. There are no treatments for the disease currently.
Willis’ health issues have shone a spotlight on the closeness his blended family shares; but this family has been showing up for each other since… well, forever. Holidays together, milestones celebrated—they have truly been an example for people who’ve gone through an amicable divorce. That there is hope to continue to enjoy your family, together. And now, as he goes through the biggest challenge of his life, they are there supporting him, making sure to amplify his struggle in the hopes that others will benefit.
“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately,” the family said. “We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.
“We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
I had been divorced for a couple of years when my former husband called with a surprise. Thankfully, it wasn’t the type of surprise he delivered the night he sat me at the table and told me he had been unfaithful for more than a decade and was leaving me for someone he met in Las Vegas.
No, this surprise had to do with our 12-year-old son. He said he was taking him to China for a vacation. I got that feeling you get when you walk in on a conversation, and everyone is laughing and looking at you like you know what they’re talking about.
China?
How had this come about? I searched my memory for some mention of anything remotely Chinese on my son’s wish list. Had the two of them been to see the First Emperor’s Terracotta Warriors on display at the Field Museum? Or taken a school field trip to Chinatown that I didn’t know about?
The only connection I could come up with was my son’s collection of Pokemon cards, but those are Japanese.
“Um… that would be cool, I guess,” I said, still processing the random nature of his declaration. By the time I gathered my thoughts enough to pose some questions and concerns, he announced that he had bought tickets to travel during a school week and over days that were technically mine on the parenting schedule.
“I can’t change it,” he said. “If I do, I’ll have to pay $1,000 and I know you don’t want that.”
What I didn’t want was to be told what to think or how to feel. An immediate, familiar pressure gripped my chest as I recalled all the activities and decisions that had already occurred behind my back. That he would plan something so extravagant for our son without discussing it with me felt too unfair. I was already struggling with the realities of co-parenting our three children, still getting used to the myriad ways a divorced mom must learn to let go as she is eased out of her job.
After college, I worked as a secretary in London for a few months and learned that, rather than firing people, workers are “made redundant.” It means the same thing but sounds so much nicer. I’ve been made redundant as a mother—no longer needed or useful in all the ways I once was.
This shows up in small ways:
Tell me about your science project. “I don’t want to talk about it. I told dad all about it.”
Want to see the new Marvel movie? “Sorry, mom, we saw it with dad.”
Guess what? I got pizza for dinner! (A chorus of groans.) “We had pizza two nights in a row with dad!”
And in big ways, like feeling helpless and broken during that stretch when my daughter called, in tears, begging to come home every time she was at her dad’s. Or having no words of comfort when my boys expressed their anger about their dad’s girlfriend moving in.
All of those impotent moments were triggered again by the thought of my son flying halfway around the world without me. I imagined him sleep-deprived and anxious from the long flight, wandering lost in a crowded street market, even starving, thanks to his finicky diet.
Overprotective? Maybe. But once your trust in someone is so completely shattered, how do you patch enough of it together to cover some areas and not others? I believe my kids’ dad is, as a parent, loving and devoted. But I believed that about him as a husband, too, and I was wrong.
I don’t blame myself for being guarded. I believe that any mother who has ever experienced betrayal would likely volunteer to go through it again rather than see her kids suffer a similar disappointment. At the same time, I have to be careful not to color my kids’ experiences with my disappointments. For me, this meant smiling while I packed a suitcase and waved bon voyage to my baby. It also meant feeling genuine happiness when my baby returned unscathed, unperturbed and a little more worldly.
Yes, I have learned some wonderful lessons on this road back from betrayal.
Here are the big ones.
Respond rather than react.
One of the best decisions I made early in the divorce process was to treat negotiations as business agreements and relegate them to emails rather than phone calls. That way, I can take my time and formulate a clear-headed answer on my timeline. Reacting equals losing power. Responding equals reclaiming power.
Have your facts straight.
In the case of the China trip, I assumed that my son couldn’t be taken out of the country without my permission. But when I checked our parenting agreement, I saw that my former husband only needed written permission from me for the first 24 months following the divorce. Wow. That shocked me, but there it was, in black and white.
Gathering the facts gave me time to gather my thoughts enough to get clear about my objections and whether they were ones I had a right to make. As galling as it is to have to follow rules with a rule-breaker who broke your heart, do it anyway.
Come from a “well-fed” place.
This is the juicy center, the meat inside the sandwich. Everything revolves around my ability to get quiet, tune in and take responsibility for my inner world. What are my motivations? Is this about me or my kids? Am I fighting for the sake of fighting? Am I settling an old score? Am I bored, lonely or craving drama? I need to look at whether I’m feeding myself what I need rather than entering into a “hungry” exchange with my former husband.
Of course, life, in its perfection, always provides us with opportunities to practice these skills. I had another chance when our daughter turned 13 and her dad decided it was her turn for an extravagant trip—to Thailand. This time I was prepared.
Tammy Letherer is an author, writing coach and blogger. She holds a degree in Journalism from Indiana University and has enjoyed a long, varied professional writing career. She is the author of a memoir, The Buddha at My Table (release date October 2018) and a novel, Hello Loved Ones. She lives in Chicago with her children.
You might call it the “D” word—divorce. Many children are blessed to be overwhelmingly loved by two caring adults who are able to cohesively co-parent. Then there are some children, like my own, who are not only left in turmoil but are also left with an absentee parent.
The father of my first two children could be summed up as a slow-motion train wreck. There is too much to go into great detail about, but his biggest flaw is choosing to be the equivalent of a distant cousin as opposed to a father: going weeks and even months without contact, missing birthday phone calls and falling about two years behind on child support payments.
Seeing the heartache on my children’s faces prompted me to become the Queen Mother of Overcompensation. I now had to step into their father’s shoes. I had to make up for all that he was screwing up.
At first, it was harmless: trying to make sure I fulfilled every wish on the birthday and Christmas list. I mean, how couldn’t I? How could I make his lack of financial or emotional help be the fault of a child?
Next came the emotional compensation, choosing to ignore problematic behaviors simply because of the pain the kids were feeling due to the loss of a family unit. I can remember the day my then-third grader leveled a classroom following an angry encounter with his teacher. I remember being terribly embarrassed and expressing that to every faculty member in view, but moments later, taking him for ice cream to talk it out.
I was afraid of being the “bad parent.” That if my children saw me put my foot down, they would hate me. I feared they would want and long for the one who wouldn’t even take the time to pick up the phone to return a call. I had to be all they needed wrapped in one. Believe it or not, I needed their love during this difficult time as much as they needed mine. I was afraid to parent my own children.
As I continued this path of destruction, I slowly began to realize that my pattern of enabling them was like putting scotch tape on a leaky pipe; sooner or later, that tape slides off, and the real problem bursts through. The gifts and the ice cream didn’t stop the anger and only calmed the raging storms. The phone calls from school didn’t stop. The ADD/ADHD diagnosis came next, which led to bigger, more underlying issues being discovered. My children were in pain, and no toy could fix that. More needed to be done!
I had to recognize my own toxic behavior in being my children’s enabler. The naysayers were right—they needed love, yes—but they also need guidance and a strong mother who stood firm in her decisions and who wouldn’t waffle at their whimpering. They needed a mother who was confident enough to know that she could never fully fill the void of their absent father.
I also had to acknowledge that I, too, was in pain. Divorce is never easy for children, but for the parties who vowed to spend the rest of their lives together, it was devastating. I cried myself to sleep some nights, afraid to face the world as something I never wanted to be. I was now a single mother and, most of all, alone. Loneliness eats away at you, and I longed to fill the void.
As these thoughts came rushing over me, I realized what I was doing to myself. Trying to overcompensate for someone who couldn’t care less was like ordering a Big Mac with a Diet Coke—it made no sense. I was an emotional wreck and I was passing that disease to my own children. I had to make a choice. I had to decide if I wanted to continue to fill the emotional loss with worthless items or if I wanted to help my children heal.
I wanted them to heal, so I had to hold myself and them accountable for our poor choices.
Part of that process meant allowing my children to talk it out with someone other than myself. The school counselors were amazing in this transition; my boys opened up and let them into their safe zone. They were given strategies to deal with anger and to calm themselves. They began talking more about missing their father and how it made them feel that he rarely fulfilled his role. While these were steps in the right direction, the healing process takes time. We continue to take it step by step and remember that we are in it together.
I know that we are not all lucky enough to have the perfect co-parenting scenario, though that’s what we all want for our children. In the event that we don’t get that happy ending, understanding that we are in charge of guarding our children’s emotional healing—and proceeding carefully and responsibly—is key.
I am just regular mom of three wonderful boys and a married to the love of my life! I hope to reach people through writing and expressing my true experiences. My goal is to help a parent realize that no matter the struggle, they are not alone in the journey!
Moms are teachers, healers, chefs, doctors, sleep-consultants, chief story officers, entertainment executives, and food sources, and that’s usually just before noon. And above all else, moms are inventive. Like the moms in this story who are all are ground-breakers in the field of wellness. From chemical-free products to Black maternal health care to kids’ mental health, these amazing mompreneurs are here to heal the world, one kid, and one mama, at a time. Scroll on to see what they’ve invented.
Addressing the Disparity in Black Maternal Health: MaeHealth
Moved by the current racial and social climate and struck by the experiences of loved ones—primarily women of color—who have felt inadequately supported through their pregnancy experiences, Maya Hardigan, a Brooklyn-based mom of three, was moved to use her nearly two decades of experience in healthcare to found MaeHealth. With the goal of expanding access to pregnancy and postpartum resources for Black women who experience deep disparities in maternal health outcomes, she created this online destination to support pregnancy and postpartum health, providing symptom tracking and curated, culturally specific education and lifestyle resources for Mae mamas. A key goal of Mae's is to provide Black women access to local maternal health experts like doulas, who are known to improve pregnancy satisfaction and outcomes.
We already love mom-founded Mighty + Bright for their books and calendars that help support kids and families through tough times including divorce, cancer, and major change. During the pandemic, Mighty + Bright founder Sara Olsher was distressed by the lack of mental health resources for kids, especially amid a flurry of warnings from pediatric mental health organizations about a "national state of emergency for kids mental health." Olsher partnered with parenting educator Danielle Bettmann, and together they designed a 12-month "Kids Mental Health Skills at Home" program. Based on scientific research and backed by an impressive advisory board, the program is designed to create a positive foundation for kids' mental health. With a combination of a physical product delivered to your home every month and easy-to-follow parent support, Mighty + Bright has once again made it easy for families to build the necessary skills for handling life's toughest stuff.
It didn’t sit right with her when Melissa Bowley’s doctor told her that her postpartum bladder leakage just “came with the territory” of being a mom of two. Her doctor did not offer her wellness services or introduce her to pelvic floor therapy. And so, the Flourish Fund was born, the first-ever experiential baby registry where parents can register for support services and wellness items, from pregnancy to parenthood. New and expecting parents can register for services through a vetted network that includes lactation consultants, sleep consultants, pelvic floor therapy, and prenatal and postpartum yoga. There are also products that support wellness for baby and mama, including sleep machines, developmental toys, and more.
Guardian Lane sources counselors and therapists from around the world who take in-person therapeutic activities and turn them into self-guided videos so for families, children, and even school counselors, have access to coping mechanisms designed with children in mind. After leaving her first tech startup which she and her husband built, Guardian Lane founder Kristina Jones found herself reflecting on her childhood grief: Kristina was just seven years old when her father died, and she never received professional help to help her process this trauma. Kristina wrote a book, My Forever Guardian, about a group of young friends who help one another after the death of a loved one or a pet. While researching the book, she discovered that the kind of mental health services available for grieving families still involved in-person visits. She created Guardian Lane as a way to bring grief counseling and help directly into a child’s home. Guardian Lane started with grief counseling from the death of a loved one, but the platform will soon help children through other life experiences such as divorce, bullying, and the mental-health effects and stress of COVID in our children’s lives.
Developed by two moms, Stacey Graham and Brandi Vanderbeek, and their natural-born awareness of the germs and bacteria brought into the home, TAG (Together Against Germs™) is a biodegradable, disposable, and waterproof protective cover for the bottom of any bag. Designed to keep dirt and germs from the ground and surfaces, from public transportation to airports to restrooms, and even muddy fields, TAG is more relevant now in the time of COVID than ever. As Graham and Vanderbeek put it, “TAG is the accessory you never knew you needed for the problem you didn't know you had. Spread joy, not germs!” Sold in boxes of 10, the individually wrapped bags fit easily into a purse or pocket so you have it on the ready.
This mama-owned and operated new postpartum recovery subscription includes doctor-reviewed products and content designed to meet a women’s needs throughout the postpartum period, from birth recovery to hair loss. Think vitamins, recovery and energy tonics, scalp serum, body butter, nipple balm, and organic teas. Anya was founded by Jane Baecher, a mom of two who lived a rollercoaster postpartum journey while working at Rent the Runway, along with Ariana Saunders, a former senior leader of data and analytics for goop, One Kings Lane, and J. Crew. Their Chief Impact Officer is an Indian actress and new mom Freida Pinto, who leads social impact and advocacy for women’s postpartum health.
Founded by mom and inventor Davielle Jackson, Femi Secrets has become the most trusted, healthy, sustainable, and innovative source for feminine care. Davielle, the mother of a beautiful little girl, is on a mission to normalize period discussion and empower women to have real talk about their cycles and the products they use so they can make healthier, more informed decisions. Femi Secrets products include the Pretty Panty (a panty with a built-in linter), pads, liners, wipes, bath bombs, fibroid tea, and more. Davielle is a powerhouse unto herself, making entrepreneurial history by entering into Wal-Mart in a record period of six months. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, a two-time 43 North Startup Competition winner, author of Ready, Set, Go! and founder of “I am #1”, a not-for-profit dedicated to the success of young women.
Founded by mom Vanessa Dawson, Arber is the first-of-its-kind organic, non-toxic plant wellness company. Like so many of us, Dawson turned to gardening to cope with all of the stress of parenting in a pandemic. She was surprised at just how hard it was to find non-toxic, safe, organic products that she could use to ward off diseases and pests on her plants both indoors and out. She founded Arber to meet that need. Arber provides people-, pet-, and planet-safe products in concentrate form delivered right to you. Choose from products like fungicides, insecticides, and plant food, all designed to keep your plants, and you, healthy and happy.
Founded and owned by businesswoman, entrepreneur, and mom Zhena Muzyka, Magic Hour is a luxury tea brand that creates handmade, home-blended teas chosen to connect you to the world through tea ceremony. Muzyka, a former TV and radio host, is an intuitive herbalist, certified aromatherapist, a Level 3 Reiki Master, and the author of Life by the Cup: Inspiration for a Purpose-Filled Life. Drawing on her deep knowledge of herbal medicine and tea blending, each magical tea blend is curated to support mental and physical wellness, along with awareness and connection.
“I believe self-care is an art form like painting, poetry and dance,” says founder of SPARITUAL and mother of two, Shel Pink. SPARITUAL, a pioneering, sustainable, vegan beauty brand is based in the rituals of self-care, something we all know moms need more of. Pink is also the author of Slow Beauty and is an expert in finding those moments in which we can practice little self-care and wellness rituals. And, as Pink puts it, “When practiced over time, these small rituals add up to manifest results—not only feeling healthier and more joyful but in realizing true beauty and timeless aging.” The brand itself is committed to creating clean, non-toxic products for both individuals and spa professionals, and SPARITUAL’s is rooted in both the ancient and present healing traditions of the spa as self-care. Sign us up!
After having her third child, Michele Henry searched for skincare treatments that could support her changing skin, the shift in hormones, age, pregnancies, and life. And as much as she wanted to, as a busy mom, she couldn’t exactly fit multiple spa visits a week. It seemed no matter how much time, and money, she spent, nothing seemed to work. This is why she created FACE FOUNDRIÉ a walk-in spa and skincare service, which offers mini-facials, facial waxing, lash extensions, and an array of curated, custom skincare products. There are now locations throughout the country, and you can shop the products online.
As a childhood leukemia survivor and mother of three (including one with multiple learning disabilities), Tonya Harris has dedicated her life to helping parents learn how toxins in the home can affect their family’s health. In addition to Board certification and a Master's degree in holistic nutrition, she holds multiple certificates in the environmental health field. She created the Slightly Greener Method™ as a way of offering busy moms simple solutions to reduce toxins without turning their lifestyle upside-down. She is also the author of The Slightly Greener Method: Detoxifying Your Home Is Easier, Faster, and Less Expensive Than You Think.
Founder and mother, Narineh Bedrossian, created the ella+mila brand in 2014 out of necessity — she wasn't finding nail-care products that her daughters could safely use; everything was made with unpronounceable and harmful chemicals. Not only do they make nail care products, but they also now make makeup and body care products all made without parabens, phthalates, lanolin, formaldehyde, Xylene, Triphenyl Phosphate, and other toxic additives There’s more than 22o nail shades, and we’re betting you’ve seen them at Target, Ulta, Rite-Aid, CVS, Walgreens or on Amazon. Now you’ll know that ella+mia is mom-founded and has your family’s well-being at heart.
Keeping Kids Hydrated: Water Your Body, Water Your World
Amber Tamar Harris
As a parent of a two-year-old baby girl mom, Amber Tamar Harris found getting her to drink enough water a daily struggle. So she decided to write a book, Water Your Body, Water Your World, to help her own daughter, and other kids, understand the importance of water and why it is so beneficial. From taking a bath and brushing our teeth to sustaining life on the planet, when we celebrate water it puts kids in the mindfulness mindset from an early age: one sip at a time!
When Stephanie Boone's beloved dog, Luna, began suffering from devastating side-effects caused by pesticide poisoning caused by commonly prescribed monthly flea-and-tick medication and quarterly pest control services, Luna's vet recommended putting her down. In Stephanie's own words, "That was just not an option." Her research led her to the shocking discovering that Luna's story was not unique and that there were many common household and pet pesticides that were toxic. So, she founded Wondercide, making safe and effective pest protection for pets, humans, and homes. Six years later, on the day Luna passed away, Stephanie was invited to be on Shark Tank. Wondercide is now the leader in non-toxic pest protection, making products that are naturally derived, DEET-free, have no harsh chemicals, and are safe and effective. In addition, Wondercide is a Green America, gold-certified business for high standards in social and environmental impacts and all their products are made with biodegradable and recyclable packaging. Once pet-parent, now busy mom, Stephanie's story will inspire us all!
When it came time for Kiley Taslitz Anderson to transition her first son from breastmilk to formula, her pediatrician recommended "any" probiotic. But what was the best one? It turns out, there really wasn't one: so she decided to help invent one herself. Jetson's probiotic for kids, Jettie offers clinically proven probiotic strains for kids and babies, in an easy-to-take, flavorless powder that can be mixed in with any food or drink. In addition, Jetson is now offering a new Gut Recovery for Kids which helps combat side-effects from antibiotics, including replenishing the good bacteria. replenish the good bacteria and combats uncomfortable side effects like nausea and diarrhea as a result of antibiotics.
When Krystn Keller discovered her son Elliot was born with severe eczema and over 50 allergies, she knew it would take special care to combat outbreaks. After all the recommended soaps failed to help, she decided to try making a gentler soap herself. Keller had no prior experience making soap, so she spent hours watching tutorials and experimenting in her own kitchen. After three months, she made the perfect batch. Soon after, Keller and her husband started Keller Works to help the scores of other people looking for hypoallergenic soap. Now, her Mobile, Alabama-based business serves people all over the country, employs local residents, and sells raw and refined products that include soaps, body butters, salves and essential oils.
When Arizona mom Cindy Trevizo took her kids to a restroom in a public park and found an empty soap dispenser, she’d had it. Tired of a lack of ways to keep kiddos hands clean, Cindy, a former elementary school teacher, and her husband, Gabe, set out to solve the problem. So, they invented Suds2Go, the first dual-purpose water bottle that allows you to both hydrate and wash your hands. The patented design includes a refillable container, a pump, and separate valves for drinking and rinsing to avoid contamination. Now you can have clean hands, wherever you are!
Jaime Cross worked in corporate banking for years but left to be home with her newborn son. Two years later, she couldn't staunch the desire to build an empire that had a worldwide impact and was powered by purpose. In response, she founded and launched MIG Living, a True Beauty movement focused on restorative products, health and wellness. In addition to her best-selling ritual cleansing bars, MIG Living sells oils, lotions bars, balms and even men's products.
Carolyn Harrington was thrilled to welcome her first baby girl into the family after having two boys. But when they discovered Maty was born with major heart defects and Harrington was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, she knew there had to be better options than modern medicine. So, she began researching natural ways of healing and found a new passion. She created Maty’s natural and organic whole food health alternatives in her own kitchen after researching natural and alternative health. She relied on old-time remedies and used ingredients from her own kitchen, turning them into health promoting agents. Now she sells complete lines of products for babies, kids and adults everywhere!
Kori Estrada was on a mission to eliminate scary chemicals found in everyday products like toothpaste from her home. When she had a hard time finding a natural replacement for her oral care products that she actually enjoyed and that worked, she and her husband, John Estrada, along with her brother, Dr. Derek Gatta DMD MS FACP started formulating oral care products backed by science and that were safe enough to eat. With main ingredient, hydroxyapatite, a natural mineral that makes up 90% of tooth enamel, RiseWell was on its way. Launched in May 2019, the company is now bringing to market "the safest and most effective oral care products."
Joy Elena's family has been in the mattress business for over 50 years. Taking her knowledge in the mattress industry, IT, marketing and PR she took a leap and created her own bed in a box brand, after giving up a prior venture doing the same thing back in 2003. The mom of two now runs Sleepenvie, a company that offers high-density foam mattresses with optimal structural support, which means mattress reliability and longevity. The end result is an amazing and comfortable mattress that lasts.
After having her first child, Carolyn Ellspermann became very conscious of the products and ingredients she used on her family. She shifted to using more organic, natural and clean products, but ended up avoiding bug spray all together because of the harsh aerosol chemicals. Natural products didn't bring the confidence that they were actually providing enough protection, especially when it came to Zika, West Nile and Lyme disease. In 2016, Ellspermann started to work on a new kind of insect repellent that was both safe and extremely effective at repelling disease-carrying insects, and Proven Insect Repellent was born. The safe products use Picardin as long-lasting and non-hazardous bug repellent that gives parents peace of mind and pesky bugs away from kids.
Online Destination For All Things Postpartum: Bodily
Bodily
After having her first child, Tovah Haim was startled to find the lack of information, poor products and the "taboo" nature surrounding birth and recovery. In response, she launched Bodily, a modern approach that supports women, partners and anyone else with resources, products and research to navigate the postpartum period. Currently, Bodily's shop carries Birth Boxes, breastfeeding supplies, belly support and mesh undies.
Becky and six-year-old daughter Lola Vandenbroek founded Girlpalooza as a safe way to play "dress up" with bath and beauty products. The two set out to create products free from harmful ingredients like parabens, mineral oils and talc. In addition, Girlpalooza products are vegan, come with empowering scents and messaging and a portion of each sale go towards charities that support young girls.
Two years ago, when mom of four and health coach Melissa Evans’ daughter came down with a sore throat, Melissa wished there was something she could provide to soothe her kiddo. That’s when she noticed there were no options that she felt comfortable with. Cough drops and lozenges posed a risk for choking and, for the most part, contained chemicals like artificial colors, flavors and ingredients. She then came up with the idea for a worry-free, healthier, effective and fun alternative for kids. Lolleez are available at Target, CVS, Stop & Shop, Kroger and on Amazon! Lolleez come in packs of 15 pops: Watermelon, Strawberry, Orange Mango and a Variety Pack for a suggested retail price of $6.99.
Jennifer Holland had her “aha!” moment at the doctor’s office with her young son. It led her to create Throat Scope—the world's first illuminated tongue depressor that lights up the entire throat and mouth. Her invention is not only popular, in 2017 it won silver at the Edison Awards in New York for her innovation. This mama always dreamed of inventing something that would make the world a better place and she’s achieved that goal: she’s on a mission to educate families on how to recognize the signs of oral cancer or detect a sore throat, strep throat, thrush, inflamed gums and tooth pain. The stay-at-home mom’s innovative product is now available in 140 countries.
Kat Schneider wanted to do the right thing for her health and her baby, so when she found out she was pregnant she started taking prenatal vitamins. That’s when she noticed that many supplements had questionable ingredients, and worse, the ones she was taking didn’t even list the ingredients. So she decided to found Ritual: subscription-based supplements delivered directly to your door, each month. They are all non-GMO, vegan, gluten and soy-free and all are designed exclusively for women, with clear ingredients lists so you always know what you are putting in your body.
What happens when you physically can’t be in two places at once? And, all of a sudden, you’re relying on someone else to pick up the slack, the slack you dropped, regardless of what circumstance caused you to drop it. Then, imagine that the person you have to depend on is (a) someone you hadn’t counted on in a long time and (b) someone you certainly wouldn’t want to know you needed help.
On a snowy day soon after my divorce, that’s what happened, and, for the first time, I got a taste of what being a divorced single parent was all about. Despite being newly free from a marriage that brought me pain and dragged me down, I hadn’t counted on the rush of emotions I would experience after missing something as simple as a 20-minute parent-teacher conference.
And, damn it, I deserved that romantic getaway, too! It was my off-weekend or, as I like to call it, divorce’s silver lining. I had recently started dating a man, someone I liked very much. I was living in Minnesota, co-parenting with my ex-husband nearby. The man I was seeing, however, lived in Seattle. So the night before Thanksgiving, I dropped the kids off at my ex’s and got on a plane to the West Coast to spend some time together.
I scheduled myself to fly back to Minnesota on Sunday, right in time for my daughter’s sophomore parent-teacher conferences on Monday. Up until that point, I had never missed a parent-teacher conference for any of our four kids. But as I sat at the Seattle airport looking at unseasonal snow everywhere, I realized there was a first time for everything. I was beside myself with guilt.
Reluctantly, I called my ex-husband and told him that I would need him to attend the conference. He had only gone to a few such conferences over the years, but I knew he’d be fine. Unfortunately, he didn’t feel the same sense of confidence I did. Believing he needed a cheat sheet, he instructed our 15-year-old daughter to write a paragraph about each class.
She was horrified. How could her dad ask her to do homework when she already had so much, and only so he could attend her parent-teacher conference? It was ludicrous. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I think I did both, along with our daughter, although for different reasons. Could my missing something as basic as a parent-teacher conference cause such pain to all of us?
Our daughter did the “assignment” and then blamed me. After all, if I hadn’t brought this new man into my life, which meant into our family, I wouldn’t have fallen short on missing yet another important “Mom” thing. She was right. But she was also wrong because I knew in my head that as a single woman, I should have the chance to find a partner I would be happy with and want to share my life with one day. Either way, it didn’t stop my heart from hurting. Because of my trip, my so-called selfishness, I was the one who failed. I was sick with guilt.
As for the conference, my ex-husband passed with flying colors. He heard all about our daughter’s classes, how she was doing, and what areas she needed to work on throughout the school year. He relayed the information to me, and although I felt guilty that I missed hearing the information firsthand and that my ex punished our daughter because I wasn’t there to listen to it directly, I felt relieved.
Even in my absence, the sun still came up the next day, my ex-husband survived the ordeal, and our daughter eventually forgave me. I knew then I wasn’t the only one who had to be in a certain place at a certain time or do everything with and for my kids just because my title was “Mom.” With that one missed flight and one missed conference, I was liberated from all of the pressure I put on myself. It was life-changing—for the better, for all of us as a family, including my ex-husband.
Years later, when my new husband (the same guy I was visiting in Seattle) and I were traveling and both unable to attend my son’s sixth-grade parent-teacher conference, my husband’s daughter, a recent college grad, was up for the challenge. She went on mine and my son’s father’s behalf, as he still lived back in Minnesota and was unable to come. (He later moved to Seattle, too, to avoid missing such moments.)
Everyone at the school commented about how “cool” it was that my son’s older step-sister came to the conference, how many insightful questions she asked, and how supportive she was of him and his learning. And she did it all without making her stepbrother do extra homework, sending my newly blended family straight to the head of the class.
Elise Buie, Esq. is a Seattle-based family and divorce lawyer and founder of Elise Buie Family Law Group. A champion for maintaining civility throughout the divorce process, Elise advocates for her clients and the best interests of their children, helping them move forward with dignity and strength.
