We were late again.

The daily morning chaos had unfurled in all its glory: Oldest Child was refusing to eat breakfast (this time because of a newly erupted canker sore); Middle Child was lackadaisically searching the house for his shoes, which would inevitably be found a full five minutes later right by the door. Youngest Child, always barefoot, was insisting we find her Aurora doll before we leave.

And there I was, just willing them to hurry up, like usual. Standing against the doorway holding three backpacks, three winter coats, and a pair of toddler boots, I waited.

“We’re going to be late!” I called.

“Come on!” I yelled.

“Let’s go!” I insisted.

Eventually, the three of them ambled downstairs and shuffled out the door, the two older boys bickering with each other about something I didn’t have the patience to decipher. And when Middle Child whimpered something about being late, I shrugged my shoulders and said, “It is what it is. Next time we’ll do it differently.”

And we will. Because as of that moment, I decided that I’m done rushing my kids around.

At least, I’m going to try. Because what good does it do? Sure, in this instance, we might have made it to school on time. But isn’t it better to just accept that we’re late and face the inevitable consequences (in this case, a tardy slip and an embarrassing solo walk into the classroom)? Isn’t the best solution to figure out a way to get them out the door earlier? To leave room for dawdling because, well, that’s just what kids do?

Experts agree. In this Psychology Today article by Dr. Laura Markham, author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, she says that rushing our children “interrupts their developmental work of exploring the world, so they lose their curiosity.” She also says that hurrying kids from one place to another can “habituate them to busyness.”

In other words, they’ll be bored with life at a regular pace. Furthermore, rushing them can also cause anxiety. They’re human after all, and always feeling like you’re going to be late is stressful for anyone, big or little.

Kids don’t rush. They probably don’t get why we grownups always do. For a kid, walking to school is a time to explore (even if you’re late). Leaving the playground is still, after all, time at a playground (even if Mom is ready to go). Getting in and out of the car is a time to dawdle (even if it makes Mom crazy). Simply: life is for living.

It’s us grownups who have it wrong.

Last week my three-year-old threw a tantrum because I wouldn’t let her stop and visit our next-door neighbor when we pulled into our driveway at the end of the day. And yesterday she wanted me to chase a woman halfway down our block because she wanted to pet her doggie. I said no both times because I just wanted to go inside and put everything down (the backpacks, half-eaten snacks, and trash that I’m always fishing out of the car at the end of the day). Meanwhile, if we had done it her way, we would have strengthened our friendships with the neighbors and maybe made a new friend.

Today, I tried it differently. On the last few blocks of our way to school, I let my daughter get out of the stroller. It sounds like it shouldn’t be a big deal, but we’ve got a mile-long walk to school—if she walked it, we’d have to leave at sunrise.

At first, she held my hand, and we walked together. This is nice, I thought. I can do this. Then, she broke free. She leaped onto the grass. She hopped atop a low garden wall and walked, balance-beam-st‌yle, the whole length of it, her arms stretched out like a poised gymnast. She stopped to pick flowers, handing me one and saying, “Mommy, will you marry me?” (because she thinks that’s what people do when they get married). In short, she did what kids are supposed to do, which is to simply delight in the world.

And even amid the adorableness of it all, even while I knew that this was the right way to mother her, I felt my bubbling impatience, my desire to hurry. But I held it in. I tried to be there with her because she deserved to enjoy every inch of that walk. Every moment.

This isn’t all to say it’s okay to let our kids be irresponsible or that it’s okay to be late to school. But we parents need to give them more time to get there. More time to find their shoes, pick flowers, tie their own laces, or zip their own jackets so we don’t get frustrated and take those learning experiences from them.

“Rushing costs us,” Markham says on her blog. “It stresses us out, so we enjoy our children less. It makes us less patient, so it’s hard to feel good about our parenting.” So how do we do it? Here are six things I’m going to try:

Leave more time for transitions

Leave for school or activities at least 15 minutes early to give kids the ability to take their time.

Make park dates longer

Try to make your playground visits last. If we only block out a half-hour for a playground visit, our kids will probably be resistant to leave (and we’ll end up frustrated). Stay longer, so kids are ready to go when it’s time.

Shift the evening schedule earlier

This one is going to be hard for us because our evenings with three little ones are pure chaos. But I figure if we have dinner at 5 p.m., we can get our kids to bed by 6:30 or 7 p.m., which will give them an hour or two to read or play in their rooms before lights out (and before I totally lose it).

Find time for quiet

Teach kids the value of slowing down by planning time for quiet moments. Go watch the sunset. Color in silence. Lay on the grass and look at the clouds. Sometimes, it’s those silent moments that speak the loudest.

Take leisurely walks

You’d be surprised how much fun kids can have just walking around the block. Let them explore. Let them linger. Smell flowers. Play in the leaves. Let them enjoy the world around them and try to suppress any desire to say, “Come on” or “We have to go.” See how long it takes them to move on naturally.

Be in the moment with them

In those moments when it’s hard to wait, try to stop and see what your children are seeing. Try to find the fun where they find it. Maybe—if we’re lucky—we can learn a little something.

Melissa Heckscher is a writer and mother of three living in Los Angeles. She is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and the author of several books, including,The Pregnancy Test: 150 Important, Embarrassing, and Slightly Neurotic Questions (Quirk Books, 2011). 

Photo: Karina Beagley

I didn’t know this would be the last time I nursed you to sleep. I would have soaked in the moment, if only I knew. I didn’t know that this was the last night I would rock you to sleep in this well-worn rocking chair. I wish I would have held you longer. I didn’t know that one day I would be stroking your sweet baby cheeks and the next, I would be staring at a face so changed, as the years melted away your cherub cheeks and gave you defined and unique features, just as beautiful and handsome. I wish I had stared just a little while longer, before I dozed off beside you. I didn’t know that after all the times I wished you would sleep through the night, suddenly you would and I would miss you.

I didn’t know that one day you wouldn’t ask me to help pick out your clothes anymore. You’re quite proud of your st‌yle now and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I didn’t know that one night you wouldn’t ask for a bedtime story anymore, because you were reading your great big chapter book and just wanted to chat and have mommy time instead. I wouldn’t have rushed so much.

I didn’t know that this would be the last time you held my hand crossing the road, because you’re much too big now and “You know the safety rules.” Just the same, I’ll always be looking out for your well-being and safety.

I didn’t know that one moment you would be in Kindergarten and the next, you would be in 5th grade and it would only feel like I blinked. I didn’t know that all the days of you asking me for my time, would turn into me asking you for yours. I’ll never be too busy, my child. I didn’t know how fast the years would fly by. I couldn’t have known when all our last times would occur, but now I have what will feel like only a few more years of last times to try to cherish and so many moments that are to become memories to live. I didn’t know I could love anyone as much as I love you.

This post originally appeared on Today Parents.

The Redeemed Mama is a writer who had had articles published by The Today Show, Love What Matters, The Mighty, Faithit, For Every Mom, The Creative Child Magazine and more. She has 3 beautiful kids and resides in Southern Arizona and loves writing about parenting, life and growth!

Jurassic Park is back—just not on the big screen. The iconic original flick from the mega-popular franchise is the subject of a new Monopoly game.

From T. Rex to the velociraptors, your littles are all about the prehistoric world in the Monopoly: Jurassic Park Edition. Now you can join in with the dinosaur play in a way that’s fun for your entire fam!

Photo: Amazon

The Monopoly Jurassic Park Edition (for players eight-years and up) is based on the OG 90’s film so instead of buying railroads and building hotels, this game requires the players to secure the park. You’ll have to avoid the T. Rex’s rampage and activate the electronic gate to get paid.

The amount of money each player gets depends on whether the gate plays the movie theme or gives a major dino roar. Along with rushing away from a Rex on a rampage, players can also build fences and charge rent for dino protection.

As if that’s not enough, the Hasbro Gaming Tiger Electronics Jurassic Park LCD Video Game is also available for fans of the paleo fave. Retro game lovers will love this version that was inspired by the original handheld game of the 90’s.

Find Jurassic-themed Monopoly game on Amazon for $32.96, and the Tiger Electronics version at retailers nationwide beginning Aug. 1 for approximately $20.

—Erica Loop

 

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Shake off the summer heat with an awesome adventure filled with dense woodlands, volcanic ridges, and a rushing cascade (or two). From the Columbia River Gorge to the Cascade Mountain foothills, the following are six of our favorite waterfall hikes, all located within sixty miles of the Portland area. Whether you’re looking for a level, stroller-friendly path or a dazzling misty payoff, these trails will give you just the experience you need to shake off the COVID blues. Read on for all the details.

Pothole Falls by Carrie Uffindell

photo: Carrie Uffindell

Pothole Falls at Lacamas Lake Park

For a quick hike in the metro area, head to 312-acre Lacamas Lake Park. At the play area, follow the gravel path circling the lake through the trees. Nestled a short distance off the main trail is the falls, named for the round holes punched into the rock. An unexpected highlight is the fish screen and dam, located on the south side of the lake. With several sections of moderately steep terrain, this walk isn’t suitable for strollers. Make a day of it with visits the park’s other two waterfalls, also located off the main loop.

Pandemic Status: Open
Round-trip distance: 1.2 mile (Round Lake Loop)
When You Go: Free. The park is located 15 miles east of Vancouver, WA off Highway 14. Spots in front fill up fast, so look for the large overflow lot at the north end..

Munson Creek Falls

The short, winding path – perfect for little legs – follows along the creek to an impressive 319-foot tumbler, the tallest in the Coast Range. The protected site, located south of Tillamook, is a 62-acre timber-turned-natural area, so be sure to enjoy the old-growth western red cedar, moss-draped maples, wildflowers, and other flora and fauna along the way. In late fall and winter, the waters are home to spawning salmon.

Pandemic status: Park is open dawn to dusk with reduced services.
Round-trip distance: 0.6 miles, out and back
When You Go: Free. From Portland, take Highway 26 west approximately 77 miles. Turn left on Munson Creek Road. Note: Parking is limited and no restrooms are available.

South Falls by Carrie Uffindell

Silver Falls State Park

Peek behind a 177-foot torrent of water at this 9,200-acre Oregon park, situated in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Of the ten waterfalls sprinkled throughout the park, South Falls is one of the most accessible – and dramatic – for families. From the South Falls lot, follow the main path (and the sound of rushing water) past the lodge to a viewpoint above. From there, descend 400 feet to explore a cave behind the falls. For the full 2.6-mile loop, continue on to Lower South Falls. Or, for a shorter 1-mile walk, return via the scenic bridge.

Pandemic status: Expect reduced services. No showers. Camping reservations required (no walk-ins). Day-use visitors should plan to turn around if parking lots are full.
Round-trip distance: 2.6-mile (Maple Ridge Loop)
When You Go: $5/vehicle. Head south some 55 miles to Silverton. From Silverton, take Highway 214 almost 16 miles south until you reach the park. Follow the signs to the South Falls Day Use Area.

photo: Chi T. via yelp

Multnomah Falls

One of the the most popular waterfalls hikes in the Gorge. This 611-foot-tall roaring force of nature lets visitors get up close and personal with its power. According to Native American lore, Multnomah Falls was created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a hidden place to bathe. And this spot is magical. This hike can be made shorter or longer as there are multiple tiers that offer different views. Each is spectacular, but the lower hike is more appropriate for families with younger children or elderly grandparents.

Pandemic status: Open
Round-trip distance: A moderate, 2.2-mile hike with 700 feet of elevation gain to the top of Multnomah Falls, or a difficult 5.4-mile loop to Wahkeena Falls with 1,600 feet of elevation gain.

featured image: Jonathon L. via yelp

—Annette Benedetti

 

READ MORE

Best Summer Hikes for Portland Families

The Best Hiking Spots in Portland for Kids

The 6 Best Hikes for Families in Forest Park 

 

Photo: Ali Flynn

This is how I look during most days of quarantine. Are you digging the crazy bun and no makeup?

Well, as crazy as this messy bun looks, and I’m not sure why it always flops to the side, it is a blessing.

A symbol of renewal and change.

I used to be, like so many of us, the one running all over the place, all of the time and it was never-ending and downright exhausting.

To be honest though, most days I was simply running in circles.

Running from being bored. Running from not feeling grounded. Running from going through the motions.

But now, I’m lucky if I get out of my pajamas before noon on most days and it’s not because I’m sleeping. 

Just the opposite, I’m present.

I’m present and not rushing out of the side door forgetting where my keys are.

I’m present and able to listen fully to each story the girls have to share, rather than rushing out to pick up the last-minute item I need for dinner.

I’m present, fully present, often waiting for them.

I’m talking with the girls over a cup of tea, not rushing, as they pop down to the kitchen to see me between classes online.

I’m making egg sandwiches and making sure it has a dash of love—not rushing.

I’m driving in the car, blasting our favorite songs and belting out the lyrics (most of them wrong)—not rushing.

And you know what? I’m okay with it.

I’m okay not rushing around and I’m okay sometimes being bored. Because I have gained so much more by not rushing.

It doesn’t mean I’m lazy.

It doesn’t mean I’m unmotivated.

It doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.

It just means I have accepted this slowed-down life and pace for what it is. A way to slow down and finally implement all we so desperately craved one year ago. For me, there is a silver lining to the pandemic. I was finally able to find some calm, some peace.

I was finally able to allow relaxation to seep into every pore of my body.

So the new me, with the weird side bun, no makeup, and a smile on my face, can be found planted in the kitchen or on the couch waiting for the girls to hang out and chat. 

Maybe it’s a heart-to-heart, maybe just a quick laugh over something they saw online, or maybe we simply sit, with nowhere to go and embrace the moment.

Whatever it is, I’ll be here, not rushing. 

Rushing. It is truly is over-rated.

This post originally appeared on Hang in there mama.

 

 

Ali Flynn Is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Mom  and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents and Her View From Home.

If your little one is a budding paleontologist, you probably have a bunch of toy dinosaurs hanging around in your playroom. One dad from the UK took his son’s love of dinos to the next level. When purchasing a dinosaur sculpture for his 4-year-old, Andre Bisson found out his gift was larger than life. 

Bisson’s son, Theo, really loves dinosaurs, especially Carnotaurs. When Bisson saw a local amusement park was getting rid of their dinosaur sculptures, he decided to surprise Theo with his very own pet dino.

Dino Dad
 

Bisson shares that his son had a rough start in life. “24 hours after he was born Theo was rushed to hospital, if that had been 36 hours, he wouldn’t have made it. After three years, he is better, so I went to the extreme and bought him a pet dino.”

When the shipping company tried to load the dinosaur, now known as Chaz, onto the truck, Bisson realized it was twice the size originally expected. 

Dinosaur Sculpture

When Chaz finally arrived at the house, he had to be lowered into the garden using a crane. He just fits in the garden measuring 20 feet long and 7’9” high. 

Dinosaur Sculpture

When Theo saw his new friend, he ran over to him and pulled on his chain. He immediately wanted to feed him and make sure that he felt at home. 

Dinosaur Sculpture

 

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Andre Bisson

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Parenting is a full-time job. We often collapse at the end of the day, exhausted and wondering where the time went. If we were to examine how we’ve used up the day, most of us would find that we’re doing too much for our kids.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s only natural for parents to do what they can to keep their kids healthy and safe. However, habitually doing things for your kids that they’re capable of doing themselves inadvertently sends the message that you don’t have confidence in their abilities. Ultimately, it does them more harm than good.

A study recently published by the American Psychological Association found that over-controlling parents—often referred to as helicopter parents—do their children a great disservice. This parenting st‌yle leads to children who have low self-esteem, poor problem-solving skills and who are unable to cope with the challenging demands of growing up.

Kids need to learn, make mistakes and grow on their own. Giving them the space to do this has a huge payoff—confident, capable kids well on their way to autonomy and independence as teens. It also results in more tasks in your parental in-tray thereby freeing up some much-needed time.

Teaching Kids To Be More Independent

Parenting research out there suggests that the best way to help your kids become more independent is by practicing appropriate autonomy granting. This means finding ways to allow and support your child’s independence by setting them up to succeed in certain independent tasks, e.g., dressing themselves, doing some household chores, making their school lunch, and other tasks that are appropriate for their age and abilities.

Here are some tips on how you can teach your children to be more autonomous.

1. Go at their pace. Giving your kids age-appropriate chores is a great way to teach them responsibility while having them help around the house. As you assign tasks, take into account your child’s individual capabilities and provide chores where they can succeed.

One five-year-old might be comfortable brushing their teeth and dressing by themself, while another might prefer pouring their own cereal in the morning. Go at their pace and let them tackle tasks that they’re capable of doing. Also, introduce chores gradually, so your kids don’t become overwhelmed with their new responsibilities.

2. Give them choices and options. Your child is likely to be more willing to take on certain tasks if you give them different choices. A good way to cultivate ownership over these tasks is to involve them, e.g., creating a chore chart together, and asking your child what he feels comfortable taking on. That way, he’s likely to get those chores done and with minimal grumbling. A win-win all round!

3. Slow down and make time. Rushing in the morning and evening denies kids the chance to try their hand at doing stuff for themselves. Start by setting aside more time in your daily schedule to accommodate your children. For instance, if your daughter takes 10 minutes to dress, start your morning 10 minutes earlier. Kids are more likely to cooperate if they don’t feel micromanaged or rushed.

4. Check your expectations and embrace imperfection. Accept that your kids won’t do tasks as well as you would. Things will go wrong at some point, and if my own children are typical, things often go wrong the first few times children try new tasks.

Learning takes time, and plenty of mistakes will be made along the way. Maybe they will break some dishes, and their clothes won’t always match. That’s okay, they’re learning in the process. Instead of criticizing, teach your kids to clean up after themselves and assure them that everyone messes up. It’s part of life.

5. Make some modifications for success. Sometimes, your kids might be willing to help but the frustrations of dealing with a world that isn’t designed with kids in mind stop them from participating like your children would like to do. You can work your way around this by making small modifications in your home.

For instance, you can buy a small, child-sized cordless vacuum so they can lend a hand in keeping the carpets clean. You can also place a small step-stool by the sink so your child can help with the dishes or place some hooks at child level in the closet so they can hang up their own things.

6. Give lots of positive feedback. Continuous criticism would put a damper on anyone, let alone a young child who is only just starting to learn how to do things for themselves. A better way to parent is to give lots of positive feedback and to praise your child’s efforts, not the outcomes.

If they do get things wrong—and they will—put a positive spin on it, then gently correct them. This way, you’ll build their self-esteem and resilience which will, in turn, encourage them to keep working at things, even if it gets challenging.

No doubt your child will succeed some days and struggle on others. There will be plenty of frustration and tears along the way, but that’s how children grow. Praise their efforts, encourage them to keep trying and lend a hand when they need it. Because by teaching your children to be more independent, they might just surprise you with how capable they are.

Cindy Price would like to say she's a parenting expert but she knows better than to do that. As a parent educator and writer for over 15 years, she's well-aware how quickly parenting practices evolve. Family is her greatest joy and she hopes her writing can help make families stronger. 

My day begins as usual: I am awoken by compliments and gentle caresses from my parental authority, Mom, or as her ilk is called in my community, my personal assistant. She informs me of the weather report and presents me with a curated outfit perfect for the day’s events, my personal taste, and the aforementioned weather. Unfortunately, she has selected the blue shirt and today I’ve decided blue doesn’t match my aura this morning so I insist upon the yellow. She fetches the yellow shirt and sighs, “Whatever, just get dressed.”

I contemplate her sass whilst picking out my socks, slowly and deliberately. She’s not the perkiest assistant, but I’ve had her for almost five years now and I’ve grown accustomed to her presence. She returns a few times to remind me of our schedule, muttering something about “being late again” and “on notice at work.” Sock selection is an important process and it takes however long it takes; I wish she would remember this.

Half an hour later, my assistant chauffeurs me to my destination whilst huffing something that sounds like “ducking finally” under her breath. In order to lighten her mood, I pepper her with philosophical questions like “What does ‘tomorrow’ mean?” and “What does a five and a three make?” Most PA’s find this exercise enjoyable, just be sure to never accept “I don’t know” for an answer. It’s important to keep challenging their brains.

We arrive at our destination and I spend the next 9 hours listening to briefings about letters and numbers and navigating office politics. My coworkers and I have a working lunch. There are carrots on the menu today and we discuss at length what superpower they provide. Kyle says they make you see underwater. Jaden says they make you see at night. I like Kyle’s idea better; I’ll share that with my assistant later. She always laughs when I tell her about our progress at work. I don’t completely understand her sense of humor, but I’m glad she enjoys the fruits of our labor.

My assistant comes to drive me home just as I’ve started working with the Magna-Tiles. I wait all day for my turn on this equipment and now she’s rushing me to leave. I cross my arms and glare at her, but decide not to share the reason for my sour mood. I take slow, tiny steps to the car in protest. She questions me about my motives, but I stay strong and silent in the face of her exasperation. She knows what she did. She needs to learn. It’s important for PA’s to figure things out for themselves. She makes an empty threat about “losing screen time.” She’s bluffing. I hold strong. She threatens again. I meet her gaze, steely-eyed. She leans down to me and hisses something about no screen time for the rest of the week. I notice a few of my colleagues exiting the building. I’ve got to get control of my assistant before her outburst ruins my reputation, so I make a quick decision to run to the car. She can’t embarrass me if she can’t catch me.

Clearly shaken, she secures me into my seat, rambling about safety and parking lots. She is tiresome when she is panicky. Remember: regularly increasing your PA’s heart rate keeps them healthy. We start our trip home in silence and then she asks me about my workday. I can’t remember anything. As if you had a clearance high enough to know what I do all day, wee lamb. I do tell her about the carrot incident, though, and she laughs like I expected. Such an uncomplicated creature.

We arrive home and my assistant turns on the television for me. (Bluff called.) However, she does not start the show from the beginning. This is unacceptable. I have been slaving away all day and I just want a few thirty-minute blocks of talking monster trucks and do-gooding dogs to relax into my evening. Is that too much to ask? I follow my assistant around the house continually alerting her to this injustice as she attempts to do a plethora of tasks that are obviously less important (her bladder does not need to be emptied as frequently as she insists, I am certain). Finally, between prepping a dinner that I’ve just decided I will no longer eat and emptying a dishwasher that she hasn’t noticed didn’t actually run, she pulls up Netflix and allows me to choose a show. During my tenure at this establishment, I’ve found success is all about persistence.

I can tell my assistant is losing her resolve. Instead of eating the dinner I raved about when she served it last week, I request various “healthy” snacks, one after another. “Healthy” is a buzzword for assistants and they tend to use it loosely. I will eat ¾ of an apple cut in wedges, half a block of cheddar cheese cut into squares, one piece of triangular peanut butter toast, ten half-moon grapes, and two pieces of deli ham rolled into cylinders. It is important to keep your assistant guessing the appropriate shapes. Never accept poorly cut toast, know your worth.

It also behooves you to keep a keen eye on your assistant’s emotional state. I notice my assistant has refilled her chardonnay twice during “dinner,” which is my cue to sit quietly and see how many extra episodes of Peppa Pig I can sneak past her before she looks up from her phone. I succeed in scoring one episode. Not my best work, but we can’t always hit it out of the park.

Assistants are forever preoccupied with our sleep. They talk about it incessantly. They attempt to tie our behaviors to our level of exhaustion, falsely thinking they can control our every action if they can only crack the code on our personalized, perfectly fine-tuned amount of sleep. It is our job to keep this code a secret. It is our one true power. Resist, at least until a new sibling is born, or until you turn six. Six years is the average length of time it takes for an assistant to be completely broken in. Stay strong.

After a rather rushed bath and singular measly story, my assistant tucks me into bed. Here is where I will shine. I get out of bed three times: once because Kyle mentioned the word “zombies” today and that’s scary; once because the door isn’t shut all the way (I could shut it myself, but that is beneath me); and once because I remembered the zombies again. It is a grand performance. I cry real tears. My assistant doesn’t growl at me through gritted teeth until the third instance and I’ve managed to extend the day by half an hour. I hear my assistant head to her room with a heavy sigh. After her door is shut, I sneak out of bed and play with legos for two more hours.

I will be impossible to deal with tomorrow.

It was a successful day indeed.

This post originally appeared on McSweeny’s.

Shannon J. Curtin is the author of two collections of poetry and her work has been featured in a variety of literary magazines. She holds an MBA, competitive shooting records, and her liquor. She would probably like you. You can find her at ablogofherown.wordpress.com.

Actress and new mom, Danielle Fishel recently talked to People magazine about motherhood, her 10-week-old son Adler’s early birth, and the newborn’s time in the NICU.

According to Fishel, Adler’s unexpected hospital stay was due to a fluid build-up in his lungs. The newborn was rushed to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles when his lungs didn’t heal themselves. The new mama told People, “Adler is bottle-fed because of the issue that he had, something called chylothorax. It’s a leak in the lymphatic system.”

After 12 days in the hospital, Fishel (and husband Jensen Karp) got news no parent wants, “To hear, ‘We have bad news: The fluid has tripled, and now we no longer think we’re the best place for him. This feels much more like an emergency and we need to rush him to Children’s Hospital,’ was extremely scary.”

While in the hospital doctors told the new parents that they would need to tap Adler’s lungs to drain the fluid. Luckily, the newborn’s lungs started to heal and he didn’t need the surgical procedure.

Fishel went on to explain, “Unfortunately, my breast milk was creating fluid in his lungs, and we had to take him off of breast milk and put him on a specially formulated formula that doesn’t use the lymphatic system.”

At three weeks old, baby Adler was finally healthy enough to go home with his parents. Karp told People, “For every first-time parent, it’s an adjustment to know it wasn’t ideal, but he’s healthy and he’s going to make it. We have the best doctors around us, etc. Those are the things you kind of ease into.”

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Danielle Fishel via Instagram 

 

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School is about to start and I have been talking to many of my fellow Mommy friends, seeing their cute photos on Facebook and Instagram and it seems that we are all doing the same thing, that same hilarious race to get it all done before school begins. We are squeezing every last drop out of summer and preparing (best we can) for our littles to start their school year right. (And if you haven’t started the frantic rush yet, feel free use my little list here as you mental to-do before school starts.)

1. Backpacks, Lunchboxes: The Pottery Barn catalog strategically lands in our mailbox exactly after the 4th of July. Try and resist personalizing everything from backpacks to lunchboxes.

2. Haircuts: We learned from last year. We waited until the weekend before school started and couldn’t get an appointment anywhere. My oldest started kindergarten without his fresh cut. Not this year! My husband took them last weekend. Check!

3. Completing the Summer Bucketlist: Did you make one too? Do you still have like 8 things on there? We are rushing to squeeze it all in now. One more library trip, Take them to the zoo, make that recipe, catch lightning bugs.

4. New School Shoes: I had exactly one free hour with the kids today. We stopped at Carnival Shoe Store for Nikes and to take advantage of their BOGO. They raced up and down the aisles and don’t you know it, they found the FASTEST shoes in the store!

5. School Supplies: This list has been available since May? Say What? Yet here we are, adding that on to our to-do list the week before school starts. Tissues, pencils, scissors, folders and so on.

6. School Clothes Shopping: They will be wearing their summer shorts and tees for at least for another two months but somehow we feel compelled to pick up a few new items for that first day of school pic.

7. Get the Chalkboard Ready: Some Moms are so prepared for that infamous First Day of school shot, they have ordered these pre-printed online or made their chalkboard with their current age, the date, and their teacher’s name. Good for you mammas!

8. What Teacher Do They Have? Here we go, finally the chance to look online, or posted on the school door immediately as it is available. And then what do we do? Text one another or post to Facebook to figure out who is in who’s class. “Mrs. G? Yeah, we had her last year and loved her! Those poor teachers, I think. We can’t help it. We are excited too! Of course, we love them all and I honestly think that if they are teaching at this school, they have to be amazing.

9. Earlier Bedtimes: Have your kids been up until 9, 10 p.m. this summer? Have they had a bedtime? Is it really necessary in the summer? We feel compelled to prepare them for the early to bed and early to rise routine so that they (literally) don’t miss the bus.

10. Hug and Kiss Them More: They have grown almost a foot it seems, added a few more freckles, have a few cuts and scrapes from their bikes, and we made a million memories and yet we all think the same, how has summer passed us by already?

Whether you have a month or a week or just a day until school starts, enjoy the last moments before the big change and adjustment that is before us and the mad rush of the beginning of school. All too soon we will be meeting new teachers, filling out all the papers and forms, doing homework and they will be meeting new friends. In all of the craziness that comes with this, take a deep breath and enjoy this time too.

This post originally appeared on Life, Love & Little Boys.

Located in Bloomington, Indiana I am a wife, full-time working Mom to 3 boys, a part-time graduate student & a writer. I am also an optimist, problem solver, peacemaker, gardener, runner and a crazy-busy mom just trying to enjoy each moment. I truly value my friends, family and my mommy tribe.