Emily Roark
Petition to Celebrate New Year’s in the Spring
I don't know who decided to start the new year in January. I know it wasn't a mom or a Midwesterner who made the...
I Can’t Let Myself Feel Paralyzed: Post-election Self-Care
In the winter of 2020, I was 30+ weeks pregnant with my third baby. I was anxiously awaiting a bad flu season to end...
What’s the Rush?
What's the rush?
The stores put out the school supplies in May, Halloween decorations in June, and Christmas trees in August. The bathing suits come...
On Pursuing Our Passions in Motherhood
It's a question that comes up often while making small talk with friends and family I haven't seen in a while. "Do you still...
When Did We Become Our Parents?
My youngest sister got married last month. During the anniversary dance—when all the married couples are called to the dance floor, and the longer...
5 Effective At-Home Workouts for Busy Moms
Before becoming a mom, I spent almost seven days a week at my local gym. I took classes, used cardio equipment, and bravely entered...
I Don’t Have a Baby Anymore
"Hazel, are you mommy's baby?" I playfully ask my three-year-old this question as we cuddle on the couch watching Daniel Tiger. She quickly responds...
How to Take The Trip With Your Spouse
Once a year, my husband and I take a trip together sans kids. We started doing this three summers ago after realizing that the...
On Miscarriage: It’s Okay to Not Feel Okay
I thought that I was okay.
It was one week since my miscarriage, and even though I had spent much of the week lying in...
Why Kids Need Sick Days
When I was in high school, students who had perfect attendance did not have to take finals. Of course, teenagers get sick as everyone...
Three Years Later: Is the Pandemic Forever a Part of Us?
Three years.
It’s been three years since we hoarded toilet paper, sanitized groceries, made masks from scraps of cloth, and stayed inside to stay safe.
One...
How I Squeeze in “Adulting” Once the Kids Are in Bed
I look at the clock—8:27 pm. One of my kids is sound asleep, another is reading in her bed, and the third is babbling...
10 Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas
As moms, there's not much we appreciate more than a cheap and easy dinner. If your kids are anything like mine, they act like...
5 Ways I Combat the Winter Blues
Every October, I begin to dread the changing seasons. The shorter days, the darker nights, and "falling back" are not exactly my favorite things...