Bada-Bing! Cha-Ching!

Money, money, money. I’ve written about credit scores, shopping addictions, and real estate hassles. I’d like to say I’ve gotten a little more savvy with my plastic in the process; ideally my readers have too. Articles have been featured on Disney’s Family.com, SheKnows, PerkStreet, AOL, WalletPop, iVillage, and MintLife.

Credit Score

Pimp Your Credit Score (Without Hurting Your Reputation)

5 Things You Can Learn About Credit from Gangster Flicks (PDF)

5 Ways to Play Up Your Credit

Poor Credit Score? Kiss These 5 Things Goodbye (PDF)

Shopping and Budgeting

How to Raise Charitable Children

12 Websites to Help Moms Shop and Save

How to Shop Secondhand for the Holidays

How to Put Your Spending on a Diet

Want It, Need It, Gotta Have It – Shopping Addiction

Discount Shopping Made Easy (PDF)

How to Budget with Children

Work-from-Home Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms

Real Estate

Renting with Bad Credit

Twisting Your ARM: Your Loan, Credit Score, and Options

Getting Out of Hot Water and Into a Home

Taking Care of Your Baby Bump

Moms- and dads-to-be have plenty of questions about pregnancy and parenting. I’ve covered the gamut when it comes to taking care of that precious baby bump, from baby’s development to planning the nursery to diaper details. These articles have been featured on SheKnows and Disney’s Family.com.

Pregnancy Health

How to Manage Skin Problems During Pregnancy

Baby Brain? Think Again

VBAC – Is Vaginal Birth Possible After a C-Section? (PDF)

Medications During Pregnancy (PDF)

Postpartum Depression: Gena Lee Nolin Shares Her Experience (PDF)

Food for Mom: The Dos and Don’ts While Breastfeeding

Preparing for Baby

How to Preserve Your Baby Bump

Should You Hire a Baby Planner?

The Great Cord Blood Debate

Should You Find Out Baby’s Gender in Utero?

Tips for Changing Boys and Girls

Feng Shui the Baby Nursery (PDF)

Beyond the Baby Shower – 20 Essential Baby Items

What Does Baby Really Hear In Utero?

Baby Gear and Pregnancy Wear

Get Smart About Buying Diapers

Safety Tips for Buying Used Baby Clothes and Gear

Fall Maternity Fashion

Conception and Fertility

How to Keep Sex Exciting When Trying to Conceive (PDF)

Feng Shui to Increase Fertility (PDF)

Moms- and Dads-to-Be

How to Determine Your Parenting Style Before Baby Arrives

Top 6 Parenting Books for Moms (PDF)

Daddy Fears – How to Take Care of It All? (PDF)

Top 10 Parenting Books to Keep Moms Sane (PDF)

Last Christmas Before Baby: 5 Tips for Expecting Couples

Parenting 101

When it comes to parenting, there is a wealth of subject matter to mine. From determining your parenting style to figuring out nursery decor, these pieces range from serious to lighthearted. Articles have been featured on SheKnows and Disney’s Family.com.

Parenting Styles and Trends

How to Raise Charitable Children

How to Temper Your Type-A Parenting Style

Definitions of Parenting Styles

5 Parenting Mistakes That Can Screw Up Your Teen

How to Marry Two Parenting Styles in One Household

How to Determine Your Parenting Style Before Baby Arrives

Hey Mom, Stand Up for Yourself!

Top 6 Parenting Books for Moms (PDF)

Top 10 Parenting Books to Keep Moms Sane (PDF)

Parenting on a Budget

12 Websites to Help Moms Shop and Save

How to Shop Secondhand for the Holidays

How to Budget with Children

Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

Work-from-Home Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms

Parenting Tweens and Teens

How to Help Kids Manage Their Emotions

New Teen Relationships

Spying on Kids Online

What Parents Need to Know About College Sex

The First Year of College – A Survival Guide for Parents

Spring Break Safety Tips (PDF)

Is Twilight Hurting Teen Relationships?

Discussing Sex and Birth Control with Your Teen

Parenting for Newbies

5 Unique Gifts for First-Time Parents

Get Smart About Buying Diapers

Tips for Changing Boys and Girls

Must-Have Children’s Books: An Age-by-age Guide (PDF)

11 Ways to Beat New-Mom Fatigue (PDF)

Food for Mom: The Dos and Don’ts While Breastfeeding

Health and Safety Matters

Winter Skin Care for Kids

Developmental Toys for Babies

Safety Tips for Buying Used Baby Clothes and Gear

Learning Toys to Boost Baby Brain Power

Enormous Recall on Fisher-Price Infant and Toddler Items

Nurseries and Kids’ Rooms

Easy Ways to Switch a Nursery to a Kid’s Room

10 Quick Bedroom Makeovers for Your Kids

Princess-Themed Bedrooms for Girls

Feng Shui the Baby Nursery (PDF)

Discussing the Tough Topics with Kids

Is Parental Stress a Cause of Autism in Children?

Teaching Kids Manners in Public

Strategies to Make Your Child’s Self-Esteem Soar (PDF)

How to Talk to Kids About Divorce (PDF)

Stopping Your Phobias from Being Your Kid’s Phobias (PDF)

Get Smart

For people who are trying to get into college, figure out what to do after college, or just survive their education, I’ve covered a wide range of topics when it comes to books, papers, and dirty looks (from teachers or bosses). These articles about education and career have been featured on SheKnows, MSN, AOL, Disney’s Family.com, and in Northern Virginia Magazine.

Getting Into – and Paying for – College

Facebook in the College Admissions Process

How to Ace the College Application

Career Payback: Loan Forgiveness Programs (PDF)

School, Work… and Parenting

Hey Mom, Stand Up for Yourself!

The First Year of College – A Survival Guide for Parents

Fail-Proof Tips for Adults Back to School (PDF)

Work-at-Home Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms

Must-Have Children’s Books: An Age-by-age Guide (PDF)

High-Tech Education

High-Tech High-Schoolers (PDF)

The Real and Virtual Education Worlds Merge (PDF)

Classroom Bullies Haunt Second Life (PDF)

Choosing a Career

Resume Tips for New Grads (PDF)

Boring Degree, Amazing Job (PDF)

Professionals Shift from Desk to Kitchen (PDF)

How You Look and Feel

In the categories of fashion and health and beauty, I’ve covered hot topics such as whether or not to preserve your child’s cord blood, in-demand subjects such as alternatives to cosmetic surgery, and tough questions like how to place your loved one in senior care. Pieces have been featured on iVillage, SheKnows, SeniorsForLiving, and Disney’s Family.com.

Hair

How to Talk to Your Colorist

How to Tame Unruly Curls

Color for Curly Hair

Skin and Makeup

Winter Skin Care for Kids

Winterize Your Skin from Head to Toe

Acne at 40?

How to Manage Skin Problems During Pregnancy

Hollywood “It” Girls Due for Make-Unders

How to Get Your Feet Sandal-Ready

5 Tips for an Ouchless Wax

How to Select the Right Eyeshadow

Cosmetic Surgery and Body Issues

Get a New Face on Your Lunch Break

8 Ways to Boost Your Energy

10 Tips for Maintaining Weight Loss During the Holidays

Frown Turned Upside-Down: One Woman’s Adventure in Plastic Surgery

Mommy Makeover: Top 4 Cosmetic Procedures for Moms

Fashion

How to Shop Secondhand for the Holidays

Fall Maternity Fashion

You Know You’re a Fashion Nightmare When…

Who Says You Have to Match?

Discount Shopping Made Easy (PDF)

Bridal

Zen Bride: How One Bride-to-Be is Keeping Her Sanity

The Helpful Groom

Wedding Blues: Discover Something New & Blue for the Big Day

Pregnancy and Parenting

The Great Cord Blood Debate

Baby Brain? Think Again

Is Parental Stress a Cause of Autism in Children?

Medications During Pregnancy (PDF)

VBAC – Is Vaginal Birth Possible After a C-Section? (PDF)

Postpartum Depression: Gena Lee Nolin Shares Her Experience (PDF)

11 Ways to Beat New-Mom Fatigue

Food for Mom: The Dos and Don’ts While Breastfeeding

Sex

How to Keep Sex Exciting When Trying to Conceive

Do’s and Don’ts of Postpartum Sex (PDF)

Discussing Sex and Birth Control with Your Teen

Senior Care

Alzheimer’s Care: Options and Choices

Home Care: When Extra Help is Needed

Strategies for Making a Decision You’re Comfortable With

From Facebook to Twilight

These days, pop culture includes everything from vampires to social networking. Here are some of the articles I’ve done that fit into the broad definition of pop culture. Pieces have been featured on SheKnows and iVillage.

10 Tips to Feng Shui Your Christmas Celebration

Should You Hire a Baby Planner?

Should You Find Out Baby’s Gender in Utero?

Princess-Themed Bedrooms for Girls

5 Ways to Super-Scent Your Holidays

Facebook in the College Admissions Process

Spying on Kids Online

Hollywood “It” Girls Due for Make-Unders

Is Twilight Hurting Teen Relationships?

Love, Marriage, and Everything in Between

When I say relationships, I mean all relationships – the one you have with yourself, your partner, your children, your boss, your friends, and so on. These pieces have been featured on Disney’s Family.com and SheKnows.

5 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

New Teen Relationships

Hey Mom, Stand Up for Yourself!

Spying on Kids Online

What Parents Need to Know About College Sex

Discussing Sex and Birth Control with Your Teen

How to Keep Sex Exciting When Trying to Conceive (PDF)

How to Talk to Kids About Divorce (PDF)

Is Twilight Hurting Teen Relationships?

Last Christmas Before Baby: 5 Tips for Expecting Couples

20 Ways to Spice Up Your Marriage After Kids

What Should We Name the Baby?

Baby naming has been and will continue to be a hot topic. It’s all about the “bump watch” in Hollywood – who’s due and when, what are they having, and, most of all, what are they going to name their kid? I’ve covered baby naming trends and compiled celebrity kid names and lists of top 50 names for various categories. These articles have been featured on Babyhold and SheKnows.

Baby Naming Trends

Twilight-Inspired Baby Names (PDF)

Popular Baby Name Trends: Top Names for Girls and Boys

Top Baby Names of 2008

Popular Baby Names of the 1920s

Cool Baby Names

Top TV Character Names for Baby

Celebrity Baby Names

Celebrity Baby Names

Celebrity Baby Girl Names 2009

Celebrity Baby Boy Names 2009

Top Celebrity Baby Names of the Year

Top Celebrity Baby Girl Names of the Year

Top 50 Baby Names

Top 50 Unisex Baby Names

Top 50 Powerful Baby Names

Top 50 Spiritual Baby Names

Top 50 Hippie Baby Names

Top 50 Old Hollywood Baby Names

Top 50 Destination Baby Names

Top 50 Trendy Baby Names

Top 50 California Baby Names

Top 50 French Baby Names

Top 50 Spanish Baby Names

Top 50 Italian Girl Names

Top 50 Italian Boy Names

Top 50 “H” Baby Names

Naming Baby by Syllables

Name Your Baby Using Syllables

Top 50 Two-Syllable Baby Names

Top 50 Three-Syllable Baby Names

One Syllable Baby Names for Girls and Boys

Unique and Unusual Baby Naming Techniques

Baby Names Based on the 7 Chakras

Girl Baby Naming Using Numerology

Boy Baby Naming Using Numerology

Powerful Baby Girl and Boy Names

Exotic Baby Names and Meanings

Edible Baby Names

Green Baby Names

Dazzling Baby Names

Grandparent Names (PDF)

How to Make a Baby Name Unique

Unique Baby Name Alternatives to Popular Names

7 Tips to Find a Unique Baby Name

Popular Nicknames for Traditional Names

A Guide to Finding the Perfect Baby Name

Changing Your First Name

Alternative Spellings for Baby Names

Baby Girl Names with Unique Spellings

Baby Boy Names with Unique Spellings

Initials Matter

How to Combine Baby Names

Baby Names for Multiples

Twin Girl Baby Name Ideas

Fraternal Twin Baby Name Ideas

How to Name Brothers

How to Name Sisters

Baby Names Inspired by Books and Music

Dance Baby Names

Hip Hop Names for Baby

Classical Music Names for Baby

The Most Unique Literary Baby Names

God and Goddess Baby Names

Baby Names by Nationality or Geographic Region

Irish Names for Girls and Boys

140 St. Patrick’s Day Baby Names

Dutch Baby Names: Monikers from the Netherlands

Greek Baby Names: Regal and Romantic

Hungarian Baby Names: Rich with Culture

Spanish Baby Names: Exotic and Romantic

European Baby Names and Meanings

Southern Baby Names for Boys and Girls

Muslim Baby Names and Meanings

Asian Baby Names: A Growing Trend

English and Old English Baby Names

Popular American Girl and Boy Names by State

French Baby Names for Your Little Trendsetter

Popular Canadian Baby Names

Tweak the Resume – Land the Job

How long should a resume be for a new grad? What are the biggest no-nos and most important must-haves? This article provides valuable resume tips for those venturing into the professional job market for the first time. Even if you’re not a new grad, there’s plenty to learn from this piece – including how to format a resume to satisfy modern-day keyword searches (used often by employers).

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Fertility-Friendly Feng Shui Tips

Can your house be too feng shui? Not if you’re trying to conceive… at least according to these feng shui experts. Couples struggling with infertility will find these fertility-friendly tips easy to implement – you can feng shui your house quickly and without great expense. There are even tips to help ignite the love and romance areas of the home for balanced baby-making digs.

Trying to conceive? Consider implementing some feng shui into your décor to aid in your efforts. Feng shui experts offer suggestions about how to balance the home and bedroom to create a fertility-friendly environment.

A couple has plenty on their minds when they’re trying to conceive and many must submit themselves to many things (including painful tests and procedures) to have a baby. You may want to consider these easy-to-implement feng shui tips to help turn your baby-making environment into a serene and balanced room to increase fertility.

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Like this article? Check out the sister story: “Feng Shui the Baby Nursery in 6 Steps.”

Giving Birth After a C-Section

A much-contested topic these days is whether or not it’s safe for moms to give birth vaginally after having had a C-section. This article consults doctors with differing opinions to show both sides of the issue and offers up anecdotes from moms who have been-there-done-that.

It’s a common belief that if a woman has had one cesarean delivery, subsequent deliveries must also happen by cesarean or c-section. New research is attempting to prove otherwise, giving moms hope for a future vaginal birth. Hear what experts and real moms have to say about the risks and benefits of a vaginal birth after cesarean or VBAC.

Featured on SheKnows.com. Read the full article.

How to Feng Shui the Baby Nursery

Whether you believe in the art of feng shui or not, it certainly can’t hurt to arrange your child’s nursery as recommended by the feng shui experts interviewed in this article. When you want to contain the chaos, calm the baby, and create an environment that’s conducive to sleep and happiness, it’s worth trying at least a few of these methods to achieve some yin and yang for your little one.

Any new parent will tell you they’ll do just about anything to soothe their infant and make him comfortable. Taking the time to feng shui your child’s nursery will maintain harmony and alleviate distress in your little one’s environment.

As you pull together your child’s nursery, it’s important to remember that you’re not just “making room” for a child in your house, you’re welcoming them into your life… and into their new world. Help yourself and baby acclimate by purposefully creating a fresh space. You don’t have to hire contractors and architects – but be ready to initiate some serious room rejuvenation!

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Making Spring Break Events Safe

Your kids are going on that spring break trip whether you like it or not (well… maybe you’re footing the bill for it and you’re letting them go). At any rate, they certainly don’t want Mom and Pop along for the ride. The best thing parents can do for their ready-to-live-it-up kids is stuff their brains full of wisdom before they hit the beaches and bars… and hope that they remember what they’ve been taught when it really counts.

Many people are unaware that Natalee Holloway and her travelmates had several chaperones on their adventure… and even that wasn’t enough to avoid such a tragedy. You can’t take precautions after the fact. Whether or not your child will have chaperones on their spring break, it’s crucial to arm your teen or college-aged student with knowledge so they can protect themselves, no matter what happens.

While you want your child to have the trip of a lifetime and enjoy themselves, there’s nothing wrong with putting a little bit of fear into them through modern representations of student trips gone wrong. Movies like Taken (Liam Neeson’s daughter is forced into the slave trade when she and a friend trust the wrong man on their trip abroad) and Hostel (three backpackers head to Slovakia for hedonistic fun… except it doesn’t turn out that way) may dramatize the worst that could possibly happen but, if nothing else, your kids will recognize the mistakes these travelers made… and refrain from making the same ones themselves.

Follow these spring break travel safety tips from experts so that you can have some peace of mind and your child can get their kicks the smart way.

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Books for Moms (First-timers and Veterans)

It’s said that mothers know just what to do for their children by instinct. Maybe so, but it doesn’t hurt to turn a page or two every now and then to see if there’s another method that can aid in stress management, bonding, and creating a happy family. This article features books written by experts in parenting and family development.

Amid the chaos of busy schedules, tight purse strings and day-to-day struggles, moms still need time to connect with their family. The books featured here offer fresh perspectives on how to create that happiness, from infancy onward. Find the must-read parenting book that’s right for you.

New moms dream of creating the ideal family and nurturing it into a thriving, happy, content unit. But everyday life can interrupt your goals and distract your focus. Whether you’re looking for a way to bond with your baby, reason with your toddler or reconnect with your spouse, these books have the solutions to family bliss.

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Trouble Conceiving? Get Out of Your Head…

Conception is a touchy subject, fraught with worries about infertility. Instead of getting all flip about ways of getting pregnant, I consulted some mental health and sex experts about what’s really going on when couples are trying to up their chances of pregnancy. The main discoveries? What might be holding you back is more about what’s going on in your head than what’s going on in the bedroom. Get some realistic conception tips in this article.

When you’re purposely trying to make a baby, it takes more than just candlelight and Marvin Gaye to keep sex exciting. Attempting to conceive is just as much of an emotional and mental journey as a physical one, especially if you’ve been working at it for some time with no luck.

If sex is starting to feel like more of an obligation than a joy, it’s time to determine how to keep baby-making a pleasant, memorable experience rather than one more addition to your list of chores.

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Safe Remedies for Mothers-to-Be

Just because a woman is pregnant, that doesn’t mean the typical aches and pains go away. In fact, having a bun in the oven can create even more twinges and squeaks and troubles. But mamas-to-be have a harder time navigating the medicine cabinet. This article – featuring advice from an ob/gyn, chiropractor, yoga instructor, and natural wellness specialist – sheds light on what’s safe for mom to take when baby is in utero… and what’s not.

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Getting Busy After Baby

Getting busy got you that baby… but what’s the scoop on when you can get back to business again after the birth of your newborn? Doctors chime in on what’s safe, what’s not, surprises you can expect (some good, some not so good), and how your bedroom behaviors may be affected since baby came screaming into life.

Wherever your libido stands after giving birth, before you jump back in the sack again there are some do’s and don’ts you should familiarize yourself with so you know what to expect of postpartum sex.

TheSkinnyScoop.com, a site where moms survey other moms, asked their community the question, “How soon after your first child did you and your partner start having sex again?” 7 percent answered that they had sex again at one month, 50 percent at two months, 36 percent at three months, and 7 percent at six months or more.

Whether or not you fit into that 50 percent category, this stat brings us to our first postpartum sex “don’t.”

Don’t compare yourself to other moms…

Featured on SheKnows. Read the full article.

Helping Your Kids Through Your Divorce

As if divorce isn’t tough enough for adults, it’s even more difficult when children are involved. Find out the best ways to approach your kids about this sensitive subject, communicate with them, and help them cope.

Divorce isn’t kid stuff. It can create irrational fears in your children about safety, as well as their own happiness and yours. Depending on the ages and maturity of your children, each can react to the divorce in different ways. Some children may withdraw while others act out. It can be easy to let your own anger get the best of you when your child’s frustrating behavior seems to be taking over, but remember that their emotions are fluctuating too. Allow and encourage your kids to talk about their feelings, whether they are sad, angry, or confused.

Featured on SheKnows Geoparent. Read the full article.

How to Raise Confident Kids

Make your little ones feel big. Let them make mistakes. Nurture their passion. Play fair. Limit your praise. Get the scoop from pros and moms about how they’ve nurtured self-esteem in their kids.

Laying the cornerstone for your little one’s confidence can feel like a daunting responsibility, but with the proper nurturing, your child’s genetic gift of self-esteem can blossom. It is possible to encourage your child to believe in herself and in what she does while keeping her grounded and cultivating an open mind.

Featured on SheKnows Geoparent. Read the full article.

Protect Your Kid… from Yourself

I hate flying. It’s the most unnatural thing to me, floating up there in the fluffy clouds. I also have an irrational fear of snakes. And cotton balls. (I’ll spare you the story here, but feel free to ask.) So I found it important to examine the danger of parents passing on their own phobias to their kids.

Whatever your irrational fear — and we all have them — you don’t want to stunt your child’s development by re-planting your own worry in their mind. Your little one could be the next Steve Irwin, a fighter pilot, or an Olympic swimmer… but if you’re too freaked out to let them even try the things that give you the heebie-jeebies, they’ll never know what they might really love.

Fears and phobias can immobilize you and prevent you from exposing your child to some amazing life experiences. The thing is, the harder you try to keep your kids away from the things that leave you breathless and shaking, the more they’ll push to experience it. You may reach a point where you feel like your child is punishing you because all of the activities you try so desperately to avoid seem to enthrall them endlessly.

Featured on SheKnows Geoparent. Read the full article.