Evan Porter

Woohoo! Congrats! You’re having a baby!

You’re understandably super excited, and possibly super overwhelmed by all of the choices that you suddenly have available to you. There are just so many decisions, like:

• Glass bottles or plastic?
• Formula or breastmilk?
• What the heck is an umbrella stroller?
• How will you decorate the nursery?
• And, what will your baby sleep in?

That last question seems to have an especially large number of options, so let’s take a look at two of the most common sleeping options for newborns: Mini-cribs and bassinets.

They can both be great options if you are looking for a smaller alternative. Perhaps you’re limited on space, or you plan to have your baby sleep in your room and need something that will fit near your bed.

In this article, I want to break down the differences between a mini-crib vs. a bassinet and help you decide which one is right for you; and it might be both!

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Congratulations! You have a new baby on the way!

This is an exciting time, and it’s also a time for a lot of planning and decisions, like:

• What should be the theme of the nursery?
• Should we use cloth or disposable diapers?
• What car seat should I use?
• Where will the baby sleep?
• And, what will he sleep in?!

Today, there seem to be so many options of where your new baby can sleep.

If you plan to have your baby sleep in your room at first, have a small nursery, or your new baby will be sharing his room with a sibling, then you may have already considered some options for small spaces, like the cradle and the mini-crib.

In this article, I want to break down the differences between a mini-crib vs. cradle and help you decide which one is right for you; and it might be both! So…what is the difference between a mini-crib vs. cradle?

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It’s time for dads to do more.

Don’t get me wrong; this generation of dads is the most involved and engaged we’ve ever seen (here are some cool dad statistics to prove it).

But the numbers don’t lie, and the truth is that the division of labor in most households still falls mostly on women — even working moms.

The benefits of dads doing more chores around the house are proven and undeniable. The example you set for your kids is overwhelmingly positive and has a big impact on the way they view relationships when they grow up.

Besides, pitching in more often is the right thing to do, and it makes you a better man and a better dad.

Here’s a list of typical chores dads do or can help out with. Man chores, you might call them!

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So you’re getting ready to bring your new baby home.

(Or maybe you’re just planning way ahead. Good for you!)

A common question I see all the time from new parents is:

Do I need a crib AND a bassinet? What’s the difference?

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The kitchen might be the room if your home that’s full of the MOST dangerous stuff for a baby.

We’re talking:

• Knives
• Hot burners
• Breakable glasses & plates
• Heavy pots & pans

And the list goes on!

For that reason, the kitchen should be high on your list when it comes to baby proofing.

But how do you baby proof the oven drawer? (Also known as the stove drawer or broiler drawer, it’s the little metal compartment that slides out from the bottom of your oven.)

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Parenting isn’t all that hard.

(Sarcasm incoming!)

There’s really nothing to it except:

• Keeping your child alive
• Making sure they’re properly fed
• Getting them enough sleep
• Helping them do well in school
• Teaching them to be good, moral people

You know. Just those couple of little things.

And when it comes to getting your child to do, or not do, the things you need them to on their way to becoming fully-functioning and healthy adults, you often need a two-pronged approach.

You can use rewards, and you can use punishments or consequences.

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You might have guessed from the name of my blog, but I think dads are super important.

And it’s not just me! The science and data backs me up pretty well.

So if you’re looking for some fatherhood statistics that show why dads matter, or just some fun facts and data on the importance and impact of fathers, look no further.

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Any parent of a toddler who goes to school knows this problem well:

The absolutely endless influx of artwork that enters your house on a daily basis.

Yes, it’s cute! It’s adorable! It’s a piece of history!

It’s also incredibly annoying when the pile starts to take over entire rooms in your house.

I’ve written before about some different storage solutions for this particular problem, but there was one, in particular, I really wanted to try first hand:

The Artkive box — It’s a box you fill up with your kid’s art and send off in the mail. A few weeks later, you’ll get a professionally bound book filled with photos of the art. Much easier to store!

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Children’s artwork storage is, truly, the bane of many parents’ existence.

No matter how well you organize it, or how much you throw or give away, there always seems to be more and more coming home from preschool!

In our home, at least, it sometimes feels like the art is taking over the entire house.

Luckily, there are services like Plum Print.

What is Plum Print? It’s a done-for-you service that takes a bundle of your kid’s artwork and turns it into a gorgeous keepsake photobook.

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You might remember this one from when you were a kid.

But either way, get ready to have it drilled into your head because Pre-K-ers around the country are learning it now!

My daughter came home singing something called “Every Letter Makes a Sound” recently, so I had to look it up and find out where it came from (plus I wanted to be sure I had all the lyrics right so I could sing along).

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