katiebarilaro
Anxiety: About Those Years I Didn’t Speak
The behavior charts for my oldest child in kindergarten weren’t great. Her offenses ranged from concerning (biting a classmate the first week of school) to keepsake-worthy (see below). But far and away, her most...
How I Will Remember Quarantine
The phrase “the new normal” is one of many newly ubiquitous expressions that has grated on me. I know that we have all had to adapt to a new way of living during the...
Kindergarten is Better with Two
When people find out that I have twins, they usually react in one of two ways: with a groan and a “better you than me!” or with a smile and an “I always wanted...
What I Learned From the Summer of 2019
It’s starting to feel like fall and I absolutely welcome the coming of my favorite season. But also, for probably the first time since I was a kid dreading my return to school, I...
What Type of Playground Mom Are YOU?
With eight years of playground experience under my belt, I consider myself to be a veteran playground mom. I’m no longer that fresh-faced rookie parent who walked into a park with my baby and...
What We Want Out-of-Town Relatives to Know About Kansas City
My husband spent the first 22 years of his life in Pennsylvania, but now he’s one of us. He learned how to navigate the city I grew up in better than me (admittedly not...
The Life-Changing Magic of Accepting the Mess
Do you have access to a Netflix account? Then you have definitely watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. If only for a little bit, out of curiosity for why your friends have been trying...
5 Perfect Gifts for Your Worst Enemy
Has someone wronged you this year? Is there a friend or family member upon whom you seek vengeance? Is there anyone whose life you’d just like to make a living nightmare?
Well have I got...
Sorry About That Last Name, Kids!
Alright kids, now that you’ve perfected spelling your first names with most of the letters facing the right direction, I’ve got some bad news. You know that funny name that I recorded each of...
Children Don’t Belong in Nice Restaurants’ and other Falsehoods
Every parent has experienced that ominous feeling. A relatively peaceful meal out with the family - a rare indulgence since having the kids - about to be disrupted by an adorable but incorrigible tiny...
Make Plans for a St. Louis Road Trip
I have many fond memories of a St. Louis road trip as a kid, but I never thought of it as a must visit destination once I had a family of my own. But...
Five Things All Parents Should Buy From IKEA
The Fall of 2014 was a historic one here in Kansas City. Who can forget he Royals ending their 28-season playoff drought, coming back from behind several times in that incredible Wild Card game,...
Front Row Mom
I don’t really have any hangups about aging. I’ve comfortably settled into the point in my life where I dread having plans to go almost anywhere. While I once turned down a car from...
Gentle-ish Reminders for Your Friends Who Misuse Car Seats
Hey friends, I know this is not for you. You all read your manuals and checked the updated AAP, CDC, and NHTSA safety guidelines for proper child restraint use. And with that knowledge, I’m...
Princess Culture – Bring it On
Recently, it was that time of year again when everyone wanted to know what my kids would be dressing as for Halloween. Let's start with my son. Aside from a two-day period of telling...