Emily Roark
Emily is a wife and stay-at-home mama of two elementary schoolers and a preschooler. When she's not filling milk cups, helping with homework or sweeping crumbs off of the floor, Emily works from home as an editor and is also a contributor at The Mom Hour. When she can find alone time, she enjoys working out, baking and writing.
When We Go Out Again
"Mommy, when will people be done being sick?" This is the question my four-year-old daughter asks me at least once a day. The first time that she asked me, some time at the end...
Postpartum in a Pandemic: This Can’t Be Our “New Normal”
I gave birth to my third baby in the middle of a pandemic. Upon arriving at the hospital already in our masks, my husband and I stopped at the doors where we made our...
I Never Thought I’d Be Pregnant During a Pandemic
I'm 39 weeks pregnant with my third baby. I'm tired, I'm achy, I'm overwhelmed, and I'm emotional. I don't know if these symptoms are pregnancy-related or due to the stress of the pandemic, but...
The Newborn Stage is Not My Favorite
My first daughter was born on a hot and humid day in August. After a 19 hour labor and 45 minutes of pushing, she came into the world kicking and screaming, and it was...
10 Things for the Anxious Mom to do During a Pandemic
On a gloomy Monday afternoon, I sat on the table during my 32-week prenatal appointment, and my doctor asked the question she always asks, "Do you have any questions?" This being my third pregnancy,...
A No-Resolution New Year
On December 31st, I mindlessly scrolled through image after image of people's New Year's resolutions and inspiring messages for the new year on social media. Or at least, they were supposed to be inspiring....
How to Survive the First Trimester When You Have Other Kids at Home
I think most of us can agree that the first trimester is the hardest of the three trimesters. Symptoms may include all-day nausea, food aversions, sensitivity to smells, bloating, fatigue, and exhaustion, among other...
I Wish I Was a Mom in the 90s
The majority of my early childhood happened in the 1990s. Fashion statements included stirrup pants, poofy bangs, and turtlenecks; smartphones were not yet a thing, and The Oregon Trail was one of the few...
You Don’t Have to Breastfeed
There I was, less than 24 hours after giving birth, breaking down in tears in my tiny hospital room bathroom. I wasn't crying because I was in pain from childbirth, or even because of...
Dear Husband, I Miss You
Dear Husband,
I miss you.
You come home from work and the kids run to you. “Daddy, daddy” they yell and screech and jump into your arms after spending all day with me. You give...
I Miss Nap Time
When I became a mom, no one told me about the transition to no nap time. All of the books I read told me how to transition from four to three, to two, to...
I Thought I’d Be Ready for Another Baby
At this moment in time, my kids are 3 1/2 and 20 months old. I haven't had to buy formula in over eight months, the majority of the baby gear is packed away in...
Finding “Me Time” in the Midst of Motherhood
It's hard for me to remember what I did with my free time before having kids. I was probably cleaning my house more often. I was definitely sleeping more. I know I trained for...
I Thrived Without YouTube (and I Think My Kids Will Too)
I sat in the Great Clips chair with a cape loosely covering my sweatshirt, my 16-month-old son on my lap, screaming. He wanted nothing to do with getting his haircut on this particular day,...