Love + Marriage

Hey lovebirds. It’s Valentine season and my mind has been circling around and around, contemplating how my experiences have shaped my beliefs about how I’m supposed to conduct myself in relationships. I wanted to explore the difference between being in...

When we were young we made friends based on proximity. The kids we were required to spend 8 hours a day with. They were the ones we had to share our toys with and play on the playground with.  As...

Recently, my infant son required urgent surgery. We’d been searching for a diagnosis for over a month and finally, after begging for an appointment with the specialist I believed would have some answers, a diagnosis was given. Less than a...

A deep and healthy partnership takes constant maintenance. Our relationships have to be fed and nurtured to grow but how in the world are we supposed to find the time (and money) to do so when our days are...

Parents out there, you need a break. I know you don't need me to tell you that.Last January, I wrote about little ways to find self-care, and I still believe in those suggestions. But a friend of mine reached...

If I could create my dream job, I’d find myself in a position of being somewhere between Dear Abby and Dr. Ruth. The trouble with that is, I am highly under qualified for such a position. I am what...

The other day, I convinced my husband to take the 5 Love Languages quiz with me. I realized we’ve been married for 7 years and dated for 3 years before that, but we never talked about what makes us...

In the age of texting, Snap Chat, Instagram, IMs, DMs, and probably lots of other Ms that I don’t even know about, handwritten letters are beginning to feel like a lost art. The type of letters where we actually...

Join us for our conversation on adult friendships with one of our own Kansas City Mom Collective contributors, Jiao Jiao Shen. Jiao Jiao is a local mom who shares her experience of friendship in relation to her upbringing, adulthood,...

"Where do you find these guys?" my friend had asked me in disbelief as she witnessed me get married. Again. And not change my name.  Well, I don't know. I found one at work, and he was from a tiny,...

One of the best, unexpected things I’ve enjoyed as an adult is watching friends become parents. Some have teenagers and some have two-month-old babies, and it has been a wild ride watching them grow their families and guide those tiny...

When you’re a kid, having a best friend is incredibly important. It was something I dreamed about endlessly when I was growing up. I moved around a lot as a child and changed schools every year or two. I...

Fall fun isn't just for the kids! Grab your partner and head to these adult focused fall events in Kansas City. Nelson-Atkins Mini Golf Course The popular Art Course at the Nelson-Atkins is an artist-designed, mini-golf experience located in the Donald...

Sleeping in. Last-minute plans with friends. Interruption-free bathroom trips. Sacrificing some of the things you love all in the name of raising great kids is part of the parenthood game. But when you finally get a chance to do...

A local therapist caught my attention on social media with her body-positive, sex-positive, no-shame, quirky videos. Cassie Willnauer is a Licensed Professional Counselor working toward becoming a Sexologist. I recently interviewed her about sex, shame, and fulfillment During the pandemic,...