Love Circuit Blog

The Birthday Party Meltdown (Mine, Not Theirs)

6/22/2025

The Pinterest-perfect party I'd planned was falling apart. The decorations were crooked, the cake was lopsided, and half the activities weren't wor...

Why I Let My Kids See Me Struggle (And Keep Going)

6/18/2025

I was attempting to assemble a complicated piece of furniture while my children watched. After the third failed attempt and some choice words under...

How Outdoor Adventures Became Our Family Therapy

6/14/2025

After a particularly difficult week of sibling fighting and family tension, I loaded everyone into the car for an impromptu trip to the beach. Some...

The Hiking Trail That Taught My 4-Year-Old About Perseverance

6/11/2025

Halfway up the trail, my four-year-old sat down and declared, "I can't do it. It's too hard." The hill ahead looked impossible from his perspective...

Why I Take My Toddler on 'Impossible' Adventures

6/7/2025

"You're crazy for taking a two-year-old hiking," friends said when I announced our weekend plans. Maybe they were right—diaper bags, snack containe...

The Power of 'I Don't Know' in Parenting Conversations

6/3/2025

"Why do people hurt each other?" my seven-year-old asked after hearing about violence on the news. My instinct was to provide some neat explanation...

How I Turned My Biggest Parenting Mistake Into a Teaching Moment

5/31/2025

I'd just screamed at my five-year-old for something so minor I can't even remember what it was. The look of fear and hurt on his face made me reali...

How My Kids Taught Me to Set Better Boundaries

5/24/2025

My six-year-old looked me straight in the eye and said, "Mom, you said we could go to the park after lunch, but then you answered work emails for a...

The Permission Slip I Needed to Give Myself as a Mom

5/20/2025

I was sitting in my car after dropping the kids at school, feeling like I'd already failed the day before 9 AM. I'd yelled about forgotten homework...

Why Some Days I'm Just Surviving, Not Thriving

5/16/2025

The Instagram post showed a mom and her children baking together, everyone smiling and covered in flour. "Making memories!" the caption read. Meanw...

The Myth of Gentle Parenting (And What Actually Works)

5/13/2025

I tried gentle parenting for six months and nearly lost my mind. The endless validating, the complex emotional coaching during meltdowns, the press...

Why I Started Asking My Kids for Feedback on My Parenting

5/9/2025

"How did that feel when I got frustrated about homework time?" I asked my eight-year-old after a particularly tense evening. The question felt vuln...

The Magic of Repair: How to Rebuild After You've Messed Up

5/5/2025

I'd lost my temper spectacularly over spilled milk—literally spilled milk—and my four-year-old was now quietly cleaning it up while trying not to c...

Why I Stopped Pretending to Have It All Together

5/2/2025

The breaking point came during a playdate when another mom complimented my "perfectly organized" diaper bag. If only she knew I'd spent twenty minu...

The School Pickup Line Anxiety That Changed Everything

4/25/2025

Every day at 3:15 PM, my stomach would clench as I pulled into the school pickup line. It wasn't just about traffic or timing—it was about the inev...

Teaching Kids That Failure is Just Practice in Disguise

4/21/2025

My nine-year-old threw his pencil across the room after erasing his math homework for the fourth time. "I'm stupid! I can't do anything right!" he ...

Parenting While Healing: How I Broke Toxic Patterns Mid-Motherhood

4/17/2025

I was in the middle of yelling at my six-year-old about his messy room when I heard my mother's voice coming out of my mouth—the same harsh tone, t...

The Death Conversation No Parent Wants to Have

4/14/2025

When our family dog died, my five-year-old asked the question I'd been dreading: "Am I going to die too, Mommy?" My throat tightened as I looked in...

How to Handle Bullying Without Making It Worse

4/10/2025

"Jake keeps calling me stupid at recess," my eight-year-old told me, tears streaming down his face. My mama bear instincts kicked in immediately—I ...

When Your Child Asks Why Some Families Look Different

4/6/2025

At the playground, my four-year-old pointed to a family with two dads and asked loudly, "Why does Emma have two daddies?" I felt my face burn with ...

Explaining Mental Health to Children Without Scaring Them

4/3/2025

When my anxiety started affecting my daily functioning, I realized my seven-year-old was watching me struggle and probably confused about why Mommy...

The Sex Talk That Started at Age 5 (And Why That's Okay)

3/30/2025

"Mommy, how do babies get in mommies' tummies?" The question came out of nowhere during a routine car ride, and I felt my face flush with panic. I ...

How to Talk to Kids About Divorce (Even When It's Messy)

3/27/2025

The divorce papers were signed, but the hardest conversation still lay ahead. How do you explain to a six and eight-year-old that their family is c...

The Identity Crisis That Comes with Every New Parenting Phase

3/23/2025

Just when I thought I'd figured out this parenting thing, my children grew out of the phase I'd finally mastered. The toddler strategies that once ...

When Your Kids Don't Like the Same Things You Do

3/19/2025

I had it all planned out. We'd bond over books—I'd pass down my love of reading, and we'd have cozy story times that would create lifelong memories...

The Mental Load of Motherhood (And How to Share It)

3/16/2025

While my husband was playing with our kids, I was mentally running through tomorrow's schedule: pack lunches, sign permission slip, remember show-a...

Why I Stopped Comparing My Inside to Other Moms' Outsides

3/12/2025

She looked effortless at the playground—perfectly styled hair, patient demeanor, organic snacks neatly packed in matching containers. Her children ...

How to Date Your Partner When You Have Young Kids

3/8/2025

"When was the last time we had a real conversation?" my husband asked one evening after we'd spent dinner managing spills, negotiating vegetables, ...

The Mom Guilt That Almost Broke Me

3/5/2025

I was hiding in the bathroom again, crying over something that seemed so small but felt so enormous: I'd snapped at my four-year-old for spilling j...

Finding Your Voice When Everyone Has Parenting Opinions

3/1/2025

"You should really sleep train." "Breast is best." "Don't spoil them." "Attachment parenting is the only way." By the time my first child was six m...

Teaching Kids About Money When You're Still Learning

2/4/2025

"Can we buy this?" my eight-year-old asked, holding up a $30 toy at Target. I realized I had no idea how to answer this question in a way that taug...

When Your Child Says 'I Hate You' and You Don't Fall Apart

1/31/2025

"I hate you! You're the worst mom ever!" The words hit me like a physical blow as my seven-year-old stormed to her room after I said no to a sleepo...

The Morning Routine That Actually Works (After 47 Failed Attempts)

1/28/2025

I'm not exaggerating about the 47 attempts. I have a Pinterest board titled "Morning Routine Ideas" with approximately that many pins, each represe...

How I Handle Sibling Fights Without Losing My Mind

1/24/2025

"She's looking at me!" "He's breathing on me!" "That's mine!" The constant bickering between my six and eight-year-old was driving me to the brink ...

The Grocery Store Meltdown That Humbled Me

1/20/2025

Aisle seven. Cereal section. My three-year-old wanted the sugary cereal with the cartoon character, I said no, and all hell broke loose. Full-body-...

Why I Stopped Fighting My Kids About Screen Time

1/17/2025

Every day felt like a war zone. "Five more minutes!" "This show is almost over!" "Everyone else gets more screen time!" I was constantly monitoring...

The Bedtime Battle That Taught Me About Control

1/13/2025

It was 9:47 PM and my five-year-old was still bouncing off the walls, demanding "just one more story" for the fifteenth time. I'd tried everything:...

When Your Partner Parents Differently Than You

1/9/2025

I watched my husband give our four-year-old a third cookie after I'd already said no, and I felt my blood pressure spike. We'd had this conversatio...

The Power of 'Me Too' in Parenting Conversations

1/6/2025

"I feel like such a failure as a mom," my friend Sarah whispered over coffee, tears threatening to spill. My first instinct was to reassure her, to...

The Power of 'Me Too' in Parenting Conversations

1/6/2025

"I feel like such a failure as a mom," my friend Sarah whispered over coffee, tears threatening to spill. My first instinct was to reassure her, to...

Creating Safety for Other Parents to Be Real

1/2/2025

At the preschool pickup, I watched another mom struggle to get her screaming toddler into the car seat while her older child ran circles around the...

Creating Safety for Other Parents to Be Real

1/2/2025

At the preschool pickup, I watched another mom struggle to get her screaming toddler into the car seat while her older child ran circles around the...

Why I Stopped Trying to Be the 'Perfect' Mom at School Functions

12/30/2024

I spent two hours making Pinterest-worthy cupcakes for my daughter's class party, complete with handmade toppers and individually wrapped treats. I...

Why I Stopped Trying to Be the 'Perfect' Mom at School Functions

12/30/2024

I spent two hours making Pinterest-worthy cupcakes for my daughter's class party, complete with handmade toppers and individually wrapped treats. I...

How to Ask for Help When You're Used to Doing Everything Alone

12/26/2024

I was drowning. Between a colicky newborn, a demanding toddler, and a partner who worked long hours, I was running on fumes and pride. "I should be...

How to Ask for Help When You're Used to Doing Everything Alone

12/26/2024

I was drowning. Between a colicky newborn, a demanding toddler, and a partner who worked long hours, I was running on fumes and pride. "I should be...

The Playdate That Changed Everything About Community

12/22/2024

I almost cancelled the playdate. My house was a mess, I hadn't showered, and my three-year-old was going through a hitting phase I was embarrassed ...

The Playdate That Changed Everything About Community

12/22/2024

I almost cancelled the playdate. My house was a mess, I hadn't showered, and my three-year-old was going through a hitting phase I was embarrassed ...

Building Boundaries with Well-Meaning Relatives

12/19/2024

"I brought candy for the kids!" my aunt announced cheerfully, pulling out a bag of sweets right before dinner despite knowing we limit sugar before...

Building Boundaries with Well-Meaning Relatives

12/19/2024

"I brought candy for the kids!" my aunt announced cheerfully, pulling out a bag of sweets right before dinner despite knowing we limit sugar before...

When Extended Family Undermines Your Parenting Choices

12/15/2024

"You're too soft on them," my mother-in-law announced after watching me handle my toddler's tantrum with patience instead of punishment. "In my day...

When Extended Family Undermines Your Parenting Choices

12/15/2024

"You're too soft on them," my mother-in-law announced after watching me handle my toddler's tantrum with patience instead of punishment. "In my day...

The Mom Friend Who Saved My Sanity (And How to Be One)

12/11/2024

It was 2 AM and my baby wouldn't stop crying. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and convinced I was failing as a mother when my phone buzzed with a tex...

The Mom Friend Who Saved My Sanity (And How to Be One)

12/11/2024

It was 2 AM and my baby wouldn't stop crying. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and convinced I was failing as a mother when my phone buzzed with a tex...

Finding Your Parenting Village When You Feel Completely Alone

12/8/2024

I was sitting in my car after another disastrous playground visit, watching other parents chatting easily while their children played together. My ...

Finding Your Parenting Village When You Feel Completely Alone

12/8/2024

I was sitting in my car after another disastrous playground visit, watching other parents chatting easily while their children played together. My ...

How Therapy Changed the Way I Talk to My Children

12/4/2024

Sitting in my therapist's office, I realized I was recreating the same communication patterns with my children that had left me feeling unheard and...

How Therapy Changed the Way I Talk to My Children

12/4/2024

Sitting in my therapist's office, I realized I was recreating the same communication patterns with my children that had left me feeling unheard and...

Unlearning Toxic Parenting Phrases That Slip Out

12/1/2024

"Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about." The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them, an automatic response inherited fro...

Unlearning Toxic Parenting Phrases That Slip Out

12/1/2024

"Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about." The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them, an automatic response inherited fro...

Why I Let My Kids See Me Cry (And You Should Too)

11/27/2024

I was reading the news about a tragic event when tears started flowing down my cheeks. My seven-year-old walked into the room and froze, clearly un...

Why I Let My Kids See Me Cry (And You Should Too)

11/27/2024

I was reading the news about a tragic event when tears started flowing down my cheeks. My seven-year-old walked into the room and froze, clearly un...

How to Handle Your Child's Big Emotions When Yours Feel Bigger

11/23/2024

My six-year-old was screaming about having to wear shoes, and I could feel my own emotional temperature rising fast. The irony wasn't lost on me—he...

How to Handle Your Child's Big Emotions When Yours Feel Bigger

11/23/2024

My six-year-old was screaming about having to wear shoes, and I could feel my own emotional temperature rising fast. The irony wasn't lost on me—he...

The Difference Between Discipline and Punishment (I Wish I'd Known Sooner)

11/20/2024

For years, I thought discipline and punishment were the same thing. When my children misbehaved, I focused on making them feel bad enough to never ...

The Difference Between Discipline and Punishment (I Wish I'd Known Sooner)

11/20/2024

For years, I thought discipline and punishment were the same thing. When my children misbehaved, I focused on making them feel bad enough to never ...

Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence When You're Still Learning It Yourself

11/16/2024

My five-year-old was having a meltdown about his broken toy when I realized I had no idea how to help him process his emotions—mainly because I'd n...

Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence When You're Still Learning It Yourself

11/16/2024

My five-year-old was having a meltdown about his broken toy when I realized I had no idea how to help him process his emotions—mainly because I'd n...

Breaking the Cycle: When Your Parents Didn't Model Healthy Boundaries

11/12/2024

Growing up in a household where boundaries were either non-existent or enforced through fear, I entered parenthood with no roadmap for healthy limi...

Breaking the Cycle: When Your Parents Didn't Model Healthy Boundaries

11/12/2024

Growing up in a household where boundaries were either non-existent or enforced through fear, I entered parenthood with no roadmap for healthy limi...

How to Apologize to Your Child (And Why It Matters)

11/9/2024

I was having a particularly stressful day when my eight-year-old spilled juice on the carpet. My reaction was swift and harsh, completely dispropor...

How to Apologize to Your Child (And Why It Matters)

11/9/2024

I was having a particularly stressful day when my eight-year-old spilled juice on the carpet. My reaction was swift and harsh, completely dispropor...

The Day I Realized I Was Parenting from Fear, Not Love

11/5/2024

I was standing in the kitchen, my voice raised higher than I'd intended, when my four-year-old son looked at me and asked, "Mommy, why are you alwa...

The Day I Realized I Was Parenting from Fear, Not Love

11/5/2024

I was standing in the kitchen, my voice raised higher than I'd intended, when my four-year-old son looked at me and askednce on making this crucial...

Why I Stopped Saying 'Because I Said So' to My Kids

11/2/2024

"Because I said so." Those four words rolled off my tongue so easily for years, a parenting shortcut I'd inherited from my own childhood. It wasn't...

Why I Stopped Saying 'Because I Said So' to My Kids

11/2/2024

"Because I said so." Those four words rolled off my tongue so easily for years, a parenting shortcut I'd inherited from my own childhood. It wasn't...

The Power of Play: Why Unstructured Time is Essential for Child Development

11/1/2024

In our modern world of scheduled activities and screen time, the simple act of free play is becoming increasingly rare. Yet, research consistently...

Building Confidence in Shy Children: A Gentle Parent's Guide

10/31/2024

Shyness is not a flaw to be corrected but a personality trait to be understood and supported. As parents, our role is to help shy children navigat...

The Hidden Benefits of Reading to Your Child Before Birth

10/29/2024

While many parents know the importance of reading to their young children, fewer are aware of the remarkable benefits of reading to their unborn c...

7 Simple Ways to Turn Daily Routines Into Bonding Moments

10/24/2024

In our busy lives, finding quality time with our children can feel like an impossible task. But what if the secret to meaningful connection isn't i...

A Complete Guide to Creating Family Traditions That Last

10/22/2024

Family traditions are the threads that weave our lives together, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and memories that can span generations....

The Art of Patience: Lessons from Toddler Tantrums

10/17/2024

Few things test a parent's patience quite like a toddler in the throes of a tantrum. Yet, these challenging moments offer valuable lessons that ext...

Rediscovering Joy: How Children Remind Us to Live in the Moment

10/10/2024

In the hustle and bustle of adult life, it's easy to get caught up in the endless to-do lists, future worries, and past regrets. But spend a day wi...

5 Surprising Ways Parenting Makes You Stronger

10/3/2024

Parenting is often described as challenging, exhausting, and overwhelming. While these descriptions aren't wrong, they only tell part of the story....