arenting advice — whether you want it or not — is plentiful when you’re a new mom, but one piece of it has stuck with Tamron Hall since welcoming her son Moses, nearly four years ago. Enjoy him. Those two simple words were given to the Emmy award-winning talk show host during the most stressful of moments — when her days-old baby had to see a specialist to test for potential hearing loss — but they’re words she returns to, again and again, as she navigates the early years of child-rearing.
In fact, the early years — that 0–5 stage when you’re keeping tabs on every developmental milestone and then trying to contend with the mood swings and desires of a toddler and the growing curiosity and independence of a preschooler — are all about learning to roll with it.
“I underestimated the weight and responsibility of leading someone, you know?” she tells SheKnows’s Executive Editor Erika Janes in our cover profile. “All of these things that you’re able to share with them for the first time — I often remind myself, he's never seen this before. He's never seen this day before in this way.” Read the full story to see how Hall is juggling life as a work-outside-the-home mom.
If Hall’s story of welcoming her first child at age 48 isn’t inspiring enough, we’ve also got stories on proactive strategies for dealing with tantrums,
whimsical ways to connect with your kids, and parenting insight from Internet-favorite Dr. Becky. Plus, we’ve got expert advice on creating a play space that’s functional and chic, and a list of baby and toddler food delivery services, so you can spend less time meal-prepping and playing referee and more time just soaking up — and yes, enjoying — every delicious moment with your little one.
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Tamron
The talk show host and mom of one opens up about the joys and juggling of the early years.
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How to Expertly Design a Fun & Chic Children's Space
Manhattan designer Purvi Padia shares her best tips & tricks for designing a playspace the whole family can enjoy.
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5 Proactive Strategies for Parents to Deal With Difficult Behavior
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A Whimsical Approach to
Connect With Kids & Support Them With Their Fears
by Alexa Kellow
I Took The ‘Wait It Out’
Approach With My Picky Eater, & I Have No Regrets
by Wendy Wisner
Dr Becky Is Here to Help Make Your Parenting Journey Easier
by Erika Janes
Forget the Parenting Books, Here’s How To Really Plan for Kids
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I Have to Forgive Myself for Not Enjoying Every Moment When My Kids Were Small
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Have We Seriously Overcomplicated Potty Training?
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As a Mom of Three, I Outsource My Mental Load — Here's How
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Tan France, Tamron Hall, Jenny Mollen, Jason Biggs, Vanessa Lachey, Nate Berkus, and Allyson Felix share their thoughts
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Allyson Felix
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Lunches. We do school lunches now. When my daughter was first going to school, I was trying to make the at-home, perfect lunch and have everything in order. And I just realized that with the amount of travel and just the in and out, it's just something that I can't always keep up with. I have the days where I will send her with a [homemade] lunch, and it'll be great, but more times than not, she's eating at school. And it's great, healthy options and I just have to say, okay, this is an area that, right now, it's just not my reality.
Allyson Felix
I don't think I've let go of anything yet. I'm not there yet. Things like manners still matter to me; thank you notes still matter to me. Picking up your stuff still matters to me and eating well still matters to me. I'm gonna have to get back to you someday when I let go of some of the things that aren’t important.
One thing that I've definitely let go of is the attire. If they want to wear their pajamas to the grocery store, I don't care. I think it's cute. Obviously, they go to school, and they wear their school clothes . . . . But if it's a weekend, and they want to wear their jammies to the grocery store at four o'clock, I’m cool with that . . . . I know I'm a decent mom, I know my kids know they're loved. I know that we are a family. So if you want to wear your pajamas all day, go for it.
Striving for perfection: This idea that my kid is going to be mad at me . . . . I went into parenthood thinking, ‘I’m going to do this correctly. I know what I’m not going to do. I know what I’m going to do. I figured it all out.’ You know, ‘I’m going to have kids that are well-adjusted and the whole thing.’ And it’s like, ‘Oh boy, I’m messing up constantly.’ And it’s a tough pill to swallow. But, you know what, I’m doing my best. And I just lead with love. I just love them more than anything. And that’s ultimately all I can do.
. . . . I’ve stopped using Instagram as a way to sort of create the mythology of my own motherhood. I don’t post on Instagram so I can look back and say, ‘I did a good job, because I made the birthday cake from scratch. I did a good job, because I took pictures at the recital. I’ve let go of that. Now it’s just more about I need to be in these moments, because they are going so fast.
The pressure to not let my child watch TV. Sometimes I need a five-minute break and that TV helps me.
The pressure of having Moses eat only healthy food. I’ve read the books, and they all say that it’s okay to shift your mentality around restrictive diets for children. As long as he’s happy and healthy, I don’t need to force him to eat food that he’s repetitively rejected. It makes dinner time so much easier in my house.
by erika janes
Tamron Hall Is Up to the Challenge
Designing A Functional & Chic Children’s Playroom
Proactive Strategies For Tantrums & More
A Whimsical Way To Connect With Your Kids
I Took The “Wait It Out” Approach With My Picky Eater
Parenting Wins & Fails With Tamron Hall
Dr. Becky Is Here To Help
Here’s How To Really Plan For Kids
As A Mom of 3, I Outsourced The Mental Load
I Have To Forgive Myself For Not Enjoying Every Moment
Have We Seriously Overcomplicated Potty Training?
Celebrities Share The Parenting Pressure They’ve Let Go
Books That Are So Fun, Kids Won’t Know They’re Learning
Apps & Hacks To Help Parents Stay Organized
Free Coloring Pages To Make Learning Fun
The Best Baby & Toddler Food Delivery Services
Celebs Who Get Real About Nannies
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The Best Tools, Apps & Hacks to
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By Rita Templeton
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These Free Coloring Pages
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