Must Read Blogs for Busy Moms and Dads

With a new school year right around the corner, navigating the digital parenting landscape can feel like a whirlwind, right? From keeping up with the latest kid’s app to brainstorming backto-school bash ideas, we could all use some quick, easy-to-digest advice.

But who has time to sift through endless blogs and lengthy articles? That’s why I’ve gathered my top seven go-to parenting blogs, perfect for us busy bees. These blogs serve up short, sharp insights perfect for our packed schedules. Whether it’s discipline tips or screen time strategies, I’m sure you’ll find a gem or two in these fantastic resources.

Scary Mommy

Scary Mommy is a popular parenting blog that was founded in 2008. The blog covers a wide range of parenting topics, but it is particularly known for its articles on pregnancy, childbirth, and the challenges of raising young children. Scary Mommy content is honest and relatable, often featuring stories from real mothers about their experiences. The blog’s name is a play on the idea that parenting can be both scary and rewarding, and it reflects the blog’s mission of providing a supportive and inclusive community for parents. The blog has over 10 million followers on social media.

The Parenting Pod

The Parenting Pod is a parenting blog that was founded in 2012. The blog focuses on helping parents raise happy and healthy children. The Parenting Pod offers articles on a variety of topics, including discipline, sleep training, and nutrition. The blog also has a podcast and a newsletter. The podcast features interviews with experts on parenting topics, and the newsletter provides subscribers with updates on the latest parenting news and trends.

The Military Wife and Mom

This blog is run by Lauren, a military wife, and mom who writes about practical parenting advice, DIY crafts for kids, and insights into military family life. While it has a specific focus on military families, many of the insights and advice can be applied to a broad range of parenting situations.

Your Modern Family

The standout aspect of Your Modern Family blog is its author’s vast experience. As a mother of four and a former second-grade teacher turned certified child development therapist, Becky

Manfield delivers comprehensive and current content. She refreshes the blog every other day with new posts, ensuring readers have a continuous supply of engaging material. Her content scope is diverse, encompassing an array of topics from inventive seasonal cooking suggestions and practical tips for home and travel organization, to insightful marriage advice.

Mama Natural

This blog is a great resource for parents who are interested in a more natural or holistic approach to parenting. It provides information on pregnancy, childbirth, baby care, and natural health. The blog also features numerous videos and has an accompanying book on natural childbirth. Additionally, this blog is a treasure trove of tips and advice on organic food options, holistic wellness, and alternative medicine for children. With its commitment to empowering parents through education, it stands as a supportive community for those embarking on a journey towards more holistic parenting.

Fatherly

The majority of parenting blogs are created and maintained by moms. Just from the name alone, you can tell this site is different. Fatherly is a whole website dedicated to teaching men how to be the best dad they can be. Many of the topics covered are similar to the sort of information you’ll find on the other blogs (discipline, screentime, gift ideas, etc). The difference here is that each topic is written from a man’s point of view. For example, a recent piece on Hypnobirthing on Fatherly is titled “Is Hypnobirthing BS?!” instead of something like “The Truth About Hypnobirthing.” One of my favorite features is the GoodFather column. Patrick Coleman answers questions that have been submitted to the website from dads across the country. Think Dear Abby, if Abby had a full, well-manicured beard and wide breadth of knowledge on raising children in the 21st century. Fatherly also includes a free email newsletter that arrives in my inbox every day around 4:30pm. The email contains those bite-sized nuggets of information with links back to the site to take a more in-depth read. Every parent should check out what Fatherly has to offer.

Parenting for a Digital Future

Parenting for a Digital Future, from the London School of Economics and Political Science, offers a research-driven, global perspective on parenting. Authored by doctors and doctoral students, the blog delivers robustly substantiated articles on topics like children’s viewing habits and the media’s role in socially disadvantaged families. While its subjects can be complex, it’s an excellent resource for parents seeking in-depth exploration of pertinent issues.

These websites offer quick ideas or advice that you can read when you have a few precious moments to yourself, like when you’re waiting to pick up your kids from school, soccer practice, or scouts. The websites I shared are meant to spark your interest, not to provide all the answers. Parents who want to dig deeper into a particular topic can do so, but these short, quick tips are a great way to stay informed without having to know all the details. Blogs can provide helpful insights and shared experiences, but every child and parenting situation is unique. It’s always a good idea to combine advice from different sources with your own intuition and understanding of your child’s needs.

Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his twenty-year career in public education. Currently, Mike is the Director of Technology for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. As an IT director he has developed creative, well thought out solutions that positively impact teaching and learning.

The bridge is made of wood, was constructed sometime before the 1940s, and can probably hold a minivan full of kids and an overconfident father. It’s the oldest suspension bridge in all of Missouri, and I like that kind of gumption.

School is just around the corner, and I don’t want to waste the end of our summer. I don’t want to clean the house, and the crickets will appreciate it if the lawn doesn’t get mowed. But memories, oh, those have to be made and there is no better way to make them by having an accidental August adventure.

These are epic quests that you find on the way to somewhere else. Nestled behind groves of trees and only accessible by dirt roads, these adventures are what makes a family legend. Boldness is required.

There Are Always a Few Bumps in the Road

“Where did you find this place,” Mike asked me. He’s the other dad that I convinced to go on this adventure.

“I’m not really sure,” I said. But I do remember that the bridge is still rated and certified for traffic. I decided not to ask when that information was last updated.

The bridge spans a river in the backwoods. It’s the type of river that you drive over a hundred times without ever knowing the name. Trees act as a fence as you’re shepherded forward. For a moment you think to yourself, “If I fell in here, no one would ever find me.” The smell of deep summer comes off the rushing water below. It’s a mix of old compost and heat that reminded me of sweat and bug bites.

The bridge itself is fifty yards long and just wide enough to fit one minivan. Mike and I waited by the side of the road while we reconsidered our life choices.

“Let’s go!” my daughter yelled.

“Yeah!” Mike’s daughter joined in.

I gotta say, I appreciate the sense of adventure in our kids. Between us, we have six children, and they grew up like this. They know that when we hit the road, we never know exactly where we are going to stop.

Behind us, I heard an engine rev, and a small little Volkswagen Beetle came tearing down the dirt road. He didn’t even slow down. Perhaps his still was done and he had moonshine to collect. Whatever the reason, he floored it. And the bridge… the bridge screamed back at that little Beetle. Have you ever