Marybeth Bock
Marybeth is a writer, wife, mother of two, and iced coffee enthusiast. Her writing can be found on numerous sites such as Raising Teens Today, Grown and Flown, Collegiate Parent, and I Am Teen Strong. When not in front of her keyboard, she loves to hike, read novels, craft, and take way too many photos of cacti and her very spoiled dog. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter.
Letting High School Students Take Ownership of Their Journey
The pressure to perform in high school these day is intense.
Kids are warned by parents and teachers that their grades matter from day one. Many of them are pushed to take as many Honors...
Pumpkin Spice is Not Always Nice
America, I think it’s safe to say we have jumped the shark – or the pumpkin spice deodorant – with our national pumpkin spice obsession. Yes, the deodorant is a real product. Go check...
The Wisdom of Love and Logic Parenting
We’ve all heard and read plenty about “helicopter parents” in the news over the last few years. Our society has placed collective blame upon them for excessive hovering and over-involvement during their kids’ childhoods,...
Discounted Dorm Items are Hot Buys in September
Now that my kids are no longer little, I’ve come to realize this fact about the intersectionality of parenting and shopping: You really miss out on a ton of innovation and information about products...
Try Some Poptails This Summer
Poptails to the rescue!
If you parent children through an Arizona summer, these three statements are big facts:
It is ridiculously hot.
You have a bunch of popsicles in your freezer.
Everyone in the family...
What Sports Parents Can Learn from Simone Biles
We live in a culture that enjoys sporting events, that celebrates athletic competition, and that places a lot of pressure on athletes – from highly paid professionals all the way down to happy-go-lucky Little...
Every Mom Needs (at least) One Non-Mom BFF
When you’re a mom deep in the trenches of a challenging stage with a child, it’s helpful to have other moms to confer with, to complain to, and to fully understand what you’re going...
Let’s Get Cookin’! Check Out These Trending New Cookbooks
It’s May, the weather is great and we’re all starting to socialize more. It’s also the time of year that many of us are on the hunt for Mother’s Day, graduation, bridal shower, and...
Spring Cleaning with Kids: Getting Them Involved and Making It Fun!
Spring in Arizona brings some of our best weather, stunning wildflowers, and the perfect opportunity to clean inside and outside our homes before it gets too hot.
Getting your kids motivated to be involved in...
What’s “Niksen” and Can It Help You Be a Better Mom?
Are you currently feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or exhausted?
Perhaps the better question for any Mom right now, as we reach the one-year anniversary of pandemic lockdowns, is “Are there any of us not feeling...
You Really Can Make Macarons at Home
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who didn’t like macarons, those delicious French, meringue-based cookie sandwiches. I also don’t think I’ve ever met someone who says they make them at home all the...
Helping Kids and Grandparents Stay Connected This Year
It may be a new year, but for many of us, keeping physical distance from extended family members is still a thing. As parents, we may have been challenged with how to come up...
Where to Find the Best Local Holiday Desserts
Maybe your holiday celebrations will be looking a little different this year, but that’s no reason to forgo enjoying some special desserts. And, if you’re like me, dessert has been one of your go-to...
When It’s Hard to Be Thankful: Focusing on the Good
November is traditionally the month when we focus on trying to be thankful.
For all that is good in our lives. For the people that we love. And for the things that bring us joy...
Safe Ways to Trick-or-Treat this Pandemic Halloween
Parents, kids, and teachers all love a year when Halloween falls on a weekend night, and no one has to get up early for school the next morning suffering from a candy-hangover.
Well, as luck...
What Our Stressed Teens Need Right Now
September means that our teenagers are back to school, but this year, school for them is anything but normal. Some of them may be learning in actual classrooms wearing masks, some of them may...
How to Celebrate National Beach Day in Arizona
If it seems like there’s a national day for just about everything now, you’d be right. In the month of August alone, we can celebrate National Days for mustard, oysters, and even cherry popsicles....
The Benefits of Letting Your Kids Be Bored
That universal whine of childhood: “I’m bored.”
As parents, we’ve all heard it countless times, and have all struggled with how to respond. Handing your kid some kind of screen is so tempting, with its...
Helpful Ideas for Creating a Covid Care Basket
It’s not just a normal Arizona summer this year, where our primary concerns are sunburns and scorpions. The unfortunate reality is that if it hasn’t happened already, some of us may be getting a...
Escape This Summer with a Great Book {Fiction Edition}
While many of us may not be embarking on the travels we had hoped to take this summer, there’s still the quintessential way to escape reality during the long, hot days of summer– book...
Family Friendly Ways to Celebrate Armed Forces Day
Among the many things that living through a global pandemic has taught me, one significant realization has been that it is important to celebrate – pretty much anything. Big occasions, little events, half-birthdays, you...
What You Need to Know About Valley Fever
Valley Fever, also known as Coccidioidomycosis, is an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides, which lives in the soil in the southwestern US, parts of Mexico, and Central and South America. People, and house pets, can...
A New Way to Help You Balance Your Kids’ Technology Time
If you’re not familiar with Common Sense Media, they are a non-profit organization which was founded in 2003. Their mission is to ensure digital well-being for kids everywhere, and they are a leading source...
The Holiday Cards Dilemma
Holiday cards.
To send or not to send? That is the question. And it’s been a bothersome one I’ve grappled with every winter for the past five years.
When I think back to the holidays of...
What to Expect When Your Kids are Grown and Almost Flown
In today’s world, the minute a woman finds out she is pregnant for the first time, she has a vast array of helpful resources at her fingertips. There are books, websites, and online support...
This Mom’s Ode to October
The fictional character Anne of Green Gables said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” And I couldn’t agree more.
As a desert dweller, October is finally the month when...
Fostering Healthy Family Technology Habits
We’ve all done it. In the course of running late, and gathering up kids, their stuff, and our keys, we’ve driven off and 10 minutes later have realized we’ve left our phone at home....
Be Sparkler Safe This 4th of July
For many Americans, it wouldn’t be a proper Independence Day celebration without watching a fireworks show or setting off a few fireworks of your own. Here in Arizona, like many regions in the southwest U.S....
Flip Flop Wreath {a Fun and Frugal Summer Craft}
The long, hot days of summer have arrived, and so has the daily search for fun (but not too pricey or complicated) activities to do with your kids. Flip flop wreaths are a great...
How to Avoid Summer Brain Drain
Parents of teens: Raise your hands if you can’t wait for the seemingly endless days of kids sleeping until noon, daily requests for money, hours of video games, wet beach towels on the floor...