3 DEC 2015 · At least once a week, someone tells me how lucky I am to work from home. The declaration usually comes from a mom who has to juggle everything I do (childcare, household duties, a partner and herself) plus a full-time job. In the face of such a situation, what can I do but thank them and agree that, yes, I am quite lucky? My daughter's with me for the most part, so I don't have to worry about what she's up to all day at daycare (anymore) and I have a job that's generally flexible enough for me to work it around her as much as possible. No rush-hour traffic, no crazy boss, no work clothes! Yay! On the other hand, there's a reason I refer to my daughter as Boss Lady.

1 DEC 2015 · Motherhood can be a lonely job. That thought has crossed my mind semi-regularly over the past 18 months. It generally hits me in the wee hours of the morning, when my (feverish/teething/lonely) daughter is crying out for me for the umpteenth time and I’m reaching for the scraps of energy that will allow me to propel myself out of my warm bed once again. It’s been ringing in my head much more frequently since I heard the story of Crystal Dennis, who gave birth to her daughter at Curepe Junction at around 4am on June 2nd. Turns out it can get much lonelier.

1 DEC 2015 · Nothing triggers the onset of monomania faster than motherhood. In no time at all, a formerly independent and urbane young woman is transformed into a baby-­obsessed, sleep-­deprived zombie who has no clue what’s going on in the world at large but is disturbingly familiar with the colour, consistency and frequency of a small person’s bowel movements.

1 DEC 2015 · Last week, I wrote about the importance of a world that embraces motherhood to the extent that it welcomes children into environments that wouldn't necessarily seem to be child-friendly (such as school and work) as a means of enriching the lives of mother and child. This week, I found myself cringing a bit at the following video of NBA player Stephen Curry's latest press conference, which featured an appearance from his adorable two-year-old daughter Riley. So, I decided to add a small caveat to my original argument. Before you brand me a hypocrite, hear me out:

1 DEC 2015 · Nothing causes internet controversy like parenting choices, especially when they don’t conform to everyone’s definition of “acceptable” parenting. Obviously, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone with every choice, but anything mildly unorthodox is bound to bring down fire and brimstone, even if, deep down inside, everyone knows they’ve been there a time or two.

1 DEC 2015 · ​Now that Kate Middleton and her family are comfortably ensconced at their country home, can we talk about the hoops this poor woman had to jump through immediately after giving birth to a human being?

1 DEC 2015 · It’s rare that a piece of child-related news will hit folks with and without kids the exact same way, but I’m willing to bet that everyone everywhere got hit right in the feels when news broke that Sonia Manzano is retiring. ​ If - like me - you managed to live to a ridiculous age before learning some home truths, let me catch you up a bit: Sonia Manzano is the real name of the actress who played Maria on Sesame Street for 44 years. And now she’s done.

1 DEC 2015 · Once upon a time, my little Boss Lady was deeply enamoured of her Daddy. She cried if he left the room without her and she demanded her cuddles within seconds of his return. That made it relatively easy to get away when I needed a little break (which usually meant going on a grocery run). I knew the real separation anxiety phase was right around the corner, but I figured her dad and I would bear that burden equally. ​It’s quite possible that I’ve never been more wrong in my life.

1 DEC 2015 · My daughter eats at least two servings of fruit per day. Her dietary staples also include brown rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, lentils and red beans (neither of which come from a can). I make these things in big batches throughout the week and freeze them in easy-to-serve portion sizes...

1 DEC 2015 · ​Newsflash: Women get stretch marks. All kinds of women, of every shape and size. Even if they’ve never had babies. Hell, men get them too. I feel the need to announce this because every time a “perfect” woman reveals hers, folks are incredibly surprised. As if they’ve never met a real live woman before.