My son teaches karate to children and this is a term he’s acquainted me with: helicopter parents.
Helicopter parents hover; hence, the term.
In addition to helicopter parents, there are Care Bear parents, apparently. Care Bear parents find something warm and fuzzy about everything. Every event is recorded, lauded and praised.
Try not to be a helicopter parent, okay? Your children will survive if you just ease off the hovering and let them be. Seriously. Now, if you’re afraid they’re going to get hurt, here’s a hint: don’t sign them up for karate. …

Let me know if you missed Prenatal Impression #1.
Prenatal Impression #2 (aka Indisputable Facts of Motherhood): Maternity clothes will never look as cute on you as they do on someone else.
It’s true.
Let’s say for a moment you just found out you’re pregnant (and you’re not already 7 months along!) and you see a pregnant woman walking down the street wearing something that looks absolutely fabulous, adorable and maybe photoworthy. First, check to make sure it isn’t actually someone famous – they get paid to look that good so …

When I found out I was pregnant for the first time, I was unmarried and living in a different state than the father-to-be. I know that’s more acceptable these days, but 20+ years ago, it wasn’t so much.
It’s not as bad as it sounds. We planned on marrying and we were engaged. It’s just that the pregnancy was a bit… untimed.
The doctor suspected I had an infection and wanted to give me antibiotics. He asked if it was possible I was pregnant. I said it was possible, but not probable. …

My sister-in-law tells people that she cried for days when she found out she was pregnant. She even says this in front of the children who were a result of the pregnancy she was crying over.
It’s okay to be upset about a pregnancy. Not every pregnancy is a welcome one. Having a child is stressful and the second (or third or fourth or…) time mother knows this better than anyone else. Children are time consuming, expensive and hard work. They strain marriages and finances. Not all of them are pink …

A friend of mine had all of 3 weeks to get used to (1) the idea that she was going to be a parent, (2) the fact that she was already 7 months along and (3) an early delivery of a baby that, 1 month prior, she hadn’t planned on having and didn’t know she was going to have.
I’ve always said there’s no GOOD time to have a baby. If you think about it too much, you end up never doing it. Let’s face it – children are a huge …