Parenting & Family Lauren Cook Parenting & Family Lauren Cook

What we can learn from Harry and Meghan

It seems like everyone is talking about the way Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, are paving their way out of the royal family’s traditional dynamics and into a life that works for them

After a family meeting, Queen Elizabeth issued a statement that said that while she would have preferred that the two remain full-time royals, the family is “entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.”

And we should be just as supportive, according to therapists, because there are things we can learn from their decision to prioritize what is best for them.

Read More
Parenting & Family Lauren Cook Parenting & Family Lauren Cook

Start the New Year Right By Finally Getting Your Kids to Do Chores

Welcome to the New Year! Though we’ve just entered the new decade, chances are you’re getting pretty sick and tired of reading about everyone’s 2020 New Year’s resolutions: Less Netflix, more reading. Less caffeine, more water. Yadda, yadda, yadda. While we wish everyone the best in their endeavors, chances are these people will be the ones complaining about how they’ve already opted for a Netflix binge instead of a long read in three weeks. But not you. This year, you’re going to set an intention that you can actually keep. Yes, this is the year you are finally going to get your kids to help out with chores — and it’s not going to be a complete struggle.

Read More
Parenting & Family Lauren Cook Parenting & Family Lauren Cook

12 Ways New Parents Can (and Should) Ask for Help

Communicating our needs can be difficult at any stage of life — and it certainly doesn’t get easier after a baby arrives. During this time of uphill battles — some literal (like hauling a stroller up a flight of stairs) and some figurative (like dealing with postpartum anxiety) — it’s not unusual to feel awkward about asking for help.

It’s only human to feel like we’re imposing on others by asking for a hand. But attempting to power through baby care single-handedly can leave you feeling overwhelmed and alone. Parenting your new little one requires extreme amounts of energy and fortitude, and it’s absolutely okay if you’re not able to muster them at the moment.

Read More