Our BLOG, "A Village Voice". Read our parenting tips, mom-tested gear, book reviews, and more. It's a place to be inspired and inspire others with stories, knowledge, and adventures.
If you are interested in sharing a lesson you learned from your parenting journey, please write 300-700 words and submit to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If you would like us to review your book, gear, or other parenting-related item, please contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
A Giveaway to end all Giveaways for 2012
Posted by Christina on January 07, 2012Are you ready to jump into 2012 with some cold hard cash? Do you have a resolution that is going to take…
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax…Win Passes to an Advanced Screening
Posted by Christina on February 16, 2012ENTER TO WIN PASSES TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING 10:30 AM – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 (At a South Austin Theater) FOR A CHANCE TO…
Latest from guest blogger Taryn Skees on, “On Motherhood and Politics”
Posted by Catherine on February 15, 2012On Motherhood and Politics As an active member of the Friends of the House – a group of young professionals dedicated to impacting the community and the families served by…
Latest from guest blogger Kristin Vanderhey Shaw: ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Posted by Catherine on February 09, 2012ON-THE-JOB TRAINING When we brought our son home from the hospital after four days (I have to go home now? No more room service? I’m ON MY OWN??), I was…
Latest from Nicole Moulton, “Putting ROMANCE back into date night!”
Posted by Catherine on February 07, 2012Putting ROMANCE back into date night! by Nicole Moulton, hersocialnetwork.com I had to laugh as my newlywed nurse and I were chatting it up about our lives. She and I…
Latest from guest blogger Jennifer Rustgi, “Special Places Magical Objects”
Posted by Catherine on January 31, 2012Special Places Magical Objects I remember my friends and I “discovering” a piece of land at the end of our street. I must have been around eight or nine at…
Latest from guest blogger Kristin Vanderhey Shaw: I Want Daddy!
Posted by Catherine on January 26, 2012I Want Daddy Most of the time, my son wants Mama. Mama! Mama! Mama! He'll get right in my face and say it, if he thinks I'm not paying attention. …
GIVEAWAY - Enter a chance to win tickets to Big Miracle
Posted by Tiziana on January 24, 2012Big Miracle, a film that is based on the inspiring true story that united the world, is coming to theaters everywhere on February 3, 2012. The rescue adventure tells the…
From guest blogger Nicole Moulton: Mom’s #1 worry: Will they listen to your advice in an emergency?
Posted by Catherine on January 23, 2012This past week the news stations here have been airing a story about a man who's attempting to take young children. As a mom you have those conversations with your…
.jpg)
Latest from guest blogger Taryn Skees on, “Social Networking and Our Children”
Posted by Catherine on January 18, 2012Social Networking and Our Children Every day I read a handful of status updates on Facebook that make me cringe. Whether it’s people exposing a little more than I’d care…
Latest from guest blogger Jennifer Rustgi, “Dealing with Discord”
Posted by Catherine on January 17, 2012My husband and I heard a talk at the Texas Book Festival a few years ago in which the author, Po Bronson, touted the benefits of children seeing the occasional parental argument…
Latest from guest blogger Kristin Vanderhey Shaw: STREAMLINING
Posted by Catherine on January 13, 2012STREAMLINING In December, I committed to going to the gym two or three times per week, and I have scheduled it on my calendar to make it more likely I…
New Guest Blogger, Nicole Moulton: a place a woman can call HER own, her social network
Posted by Catherine on January 10, 2012Have you ever wondered how people find their nitches, are driven to go for their dreams, or create social networks? I don't know how most people do this, I only…
From Guest Blogger Taryn Skees, “Mommy Guilt: Sending my kids to preschool”
Posted by Catherine on January 04, 2012Mommy Guilt: Sending my kids to preschool When we started our children in preschool at ages 2 and 3, my husband and I looked at this as an excellent way…
A Family Village Giveaway! Enter to win a $25 Target gift Card!
Posted by Catherine on December 27, 2011Happy Tuesday after Christmas to you all! This week at A Family Village we are giving away a $25 gift card to Target. We know a village is crucial and…
Taking time to being present with your family this Holiday Season
Posted by Tiziana on December 24, 2011Ring, Ring… the house phone. I am in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner, when baby G shows up carrying the telephone as if holding a precious gift. She lifts…
Contest to Win an iTunes Gift card = starts today 12/19, ends 12/23 12pmCST
Posted by Catherine on December 19, 2011Happy Monday to you all! This week at A Family Village we are giving away a $15 gift card to the iTunes store. We know a village is crucial and…
Guest Blogger Kristin Shaw’s blog, “Making Friends is like Dating”
Posted by Catherine on December 19, 2011Guest Blogger Kristin Shaw’s blog, “Making Friends is like Dating” Making friends is like dating, and that is never as clear as when you’re the new girl in town. Does…
Membership Drive Starts Today! Ends 12/16/11 12pmCST
Posted by Catherine on December 12, 2011We are thrilled to announce our very first membership drive here at A Family Village. What is a membership drive you might ask? No, we are not asking you to…
Guest Blogger Jennifer Rustgi’s “The Birth of Uncool”
Posted by Catherine on December 12, 2011From Guest Blogger Jennifer Rustgi at momopins.com "The Birth of Uncool" Ughhh, how they used to annoy me. Every time I saw someone pushing a child around in one of…
From Guest Blogger Taryn Skees “Throw the “How-To” books out the window”
Posted by Catherine on December 06, 2011From Guest Blogger Taryn Skees at http://www.moreskeesplease.com Throw the "How-To" books out the window One of the gifts most received by parents-to-be are parenting books – you know the ones,…
2 Under Two: 24 Hour Recharge
Posted by Catherine on November 15, 20112 under Two: 24-hour Recharge Becoming a mother later in life, I think one of the hardest parts of the transition was trying to find time for me. And when…
Good night kisses from 1000 miles away
Posted by Tiziana on November 04, 2011Like many newly married couples my wife and I don’t always see eye to eye when it come to raising our daughter, we are from different cultures and countries but…
Born too Soon
Posted by Tiziana on October 26, 2011Do you know a baby who was born too soon, too small, and/or unable to nurse? It is very likely that you do, given that 1 in every 8 babies…
What Took me so Long to try these New Shoes On
Posted by Tiziana on October 19, 2011While I had worked with a lot of men, I never dated a lot … commitment phobia indeed! But when I started dating my husband things were different, we actually…
Austin Family Brunch: A Wildfire Benefit
Posted by Tiziana on September 10, 2011What was planned as a laid back event to hang out and get to know our neighbors better has turned into an event to help our neighbors who are in…
Dr. Mandy Menzer’s Parenting Book Recommendations
Posted by Catherine on August 31, 2011Generally, I don't like to read parenting books. I often find that the authors get so caught up in telling you that their way is the one and only right…
Introduction from Dr. Mandy Menzer: “I wish I had Known”
Posted by Catherine on August 19, 2011A Family Village welcomes Dr. Mandy Menzer as a guest blogger! Thank you Mandy! I am new to the blogging world but am excited about the opportunity to share my…
Juice in the City coming to Austin, TX
Posted by Catherine on August 02, 2011Ladies, let’s be honest: some stereotypes are based on truth, some. And for me, the truth is, I’m a shopper who hunts for deals. I like to tell my friends,…
Food Fest and Family Dynamics
Posted by Tiziana on July 12, 2011I walked into my cousin Lella house after 18 months since our last visited and after the initial greetings I realize this is a full blown celebration. An amazingly white…
Hooray Hooray - Our new site is up and running!
Posted by Tiziana on June 14, 2011Hello & Welcome Parents and Families! A Family Village is a social network for families to connect, support, and grow. Find families like yours, near and far, and share and…
Teens say parents most influence their decision about sex
Posted by Tiziana on June 13, 2011Nationally, over 700,000 teens get pregnant each year. Wow! I didn’t realize this was such a major issue. After the birth of my daughter I now feel a sense of…
Cooking up a Storm
Posted by Tiziana on May 11, 2011Waking up and feeling inspired! Inspired to cook up a storm and for weeks to come…… a rare occasion for me. I love how cooking is second nature for some…
The Best Predictor of How Your Children Will Turn Out is YOU
Posted by Tiziana on April 06, 2011Notes from the speech on “The gift of imperfection parenting: raising children with courage, compassion and connection” by Brené Brown We cannot love our children more than we love ourselves!…
A Family Village Recipe
Posted by Tiziana on March 03, 2011Shared interest + Proximity + Compatible Life stage/style + Kiddos with similar ages and Voila!When are you available next? I have lived in 4 countries over two continents, and traveled…
2 under Two: “There’s a bug in my belly?”
Posted by Catherine on January 19, 2011It’s that time of year! The dark, cold, and dank days of winter always mean hours upon endless hours of sick kids trapped indoors. It never fails. Every year for…
Mother Knows Best
Posted by Tiziana on January 12, 2011The list of parenting books with easy fixes and sound advice is endless. Only a few of them really ask probing questions about you, your child and your relationship. Consider…
Giving
Posted by Tiziana on December 29, 2010My husband and I often disagree on what we consider giving... to me this quote by Kahil Gibran captures our differences in a nutshell. “You give but little when you give…
2 under Two: Providing the Basics: Health Care Coverage?
Posted by Catherine on December 15, 2010Last Tuesday night, BigBoy was lying in his crib talking, and talking as the clock ticked off the minutes since I’d put him to bed. Granted, he was in his…
Better to Be a Buddy than a Bully
Posted by Tiziana on December 02, 2010Funny encounters on the playground - Better to Be a Buddy than a Bully G. is a very busy bee, loves the outdoors, can run a mile no sweat and…
2 under Two: Travelin’ with Tots: The Solo Plane Ride
Posted by Catherine on November 17, 20102 under Two: Travelin’ with Tots: The Solo Plane Ride Many movies over the years have chronicled holiday travel gone wrong: The family of 4 stranded on Christmas Eve in…
Multiracial Identity
Posted by Tiziana on November 03, 2010A little boy about 4 years of age bumped into me while at the playground and started a conversation. He asked me “where was my child?” Well, she was standing…
2 under Two: Finicky Eater
Posted by Catherine on October 20, 2010I mentioned in an earlier post that BigBoy is a picky eater. Picky, finicky, choosy, refined palate, however you describe it, what it really is is a pain. A pain…
Chores and Activities Teach Responsibilities
Posted by Tiziana on October 14, 2010Teaching children responsibility is certainly no easy task...I am 2 years into parenting and already feel so inadequate that I had to start taking classes on it. After taking a…
2 under Two: Sleep Training Part 2
Posted by Catherine on October 07, 20102 under Two: Sleep Training Part 2 Every time I do this, I swear I won’t do it again and yet, here I am again, talking about the sleep habits…
Fall Trade Up Event - October 2, 2010 9am-12pm
Posted by Tiziana on September 24, 2010Join us for our FALL TRADE-UP!!! Bring the family and meet other families! Kids entertainment provided! For more info on what to bring or what to expect, please see Trade-Up. When:…
2 under Two: The BigBoy Bed Dilemma
Posted by Catherine on September 22, 20102 under Two: The BigBoy Bed Dilemma 2 under Two Dilemma #999: I need the crib for my youngest, but is the oldest ready to be evicted? Moreover: am I…
Caring for Toddler Teeth - Part II
Posted by Tiziana on September 15, 2010Sharing a Little Dental IQ – Words of Wisdom from an Expert . PART II This is the follow to my previous entry sharing some thoughts and best practices from…
Caring for Toddler Teeth
Posted by Tiziana on September 02, 2010Sharing a Little Dental IQ – Words of Wisdom From an Expert. PART I I am knowledge seeker, and belong to many online groups and forums where I constantly gather…
2 under Two: I Love Bob!
Posted by Catherine on August 26, 20102 under Two: I Love Bob! I Love Bob, my BOB Revolution Stroller that is. I know this is going to sound like a product endorsement, but really and truly,…
Sat, 8/28: A Family Village sponsors Blooming Pregnancy Spa and Imaging Center
Posted by Catherine on August 24, 2010A Family Village sponsors Blooming Pregnancy Spa and Imaging Center Please come meet us and enjoy Blooming's wonderful treats and giveaways! Saturday, August 28, 2010 10:30 - 2pm Sunset…
Perfect Day Care Part II
Posted by Tiziana on August 18, 2010Does the perfect day care really exist? This is a tough question to answer, and I could have tried to answer it with the detailed comparison of my experiences so…
2 under Two: Sleep Training
Posted by Catherine on August 11, 20102 under Two: Sleep Training I looked in the mirror this morning and realized that the dark circles under my eyes matched the dark clothes I’ve been wearing since I…
2 under Two: “Careful Mommy!”
Posted by Catherine on July 28, 2010“Careful Mommy!” That’s what my 22 month-old told me yesterday as I was standing on a barstool reaching for a new roll of paper towels to clean up the food…
The Perfect Day Care
Posted by Tiziana on July 21, 2010THE PERFECT DAY CARE: is there such a thing? Not quite two yet and she has already been in 3 different day care environments. We moved her for different reasons…
2 Under Two: Travelin’ with Tots
Posted by Catherine on July 14, 2010I’m no expert on traveling with kids, but I’ve done my fair share and I can tell you what has worked for us. First, let’s call a spade a spade. …
Transitions - not just for Toddlers
Posted by Tiziana on July 07, 2010By the time 5pm rolls around I find myself flat – flat as a tire that has lost all its air. By that time I am walking out of the…
2 under Two - A Colicky Baby: What a Stigma!
Posted by Catherine on June 30, 2010I'm a mom of two boys, 17 1/2 months apart (oops!) and I thought I'd use this blog to do a little venting in a narrative I'll call "2 Under…
Playmate vs. Parent —Finding the courage to set loving boundaries
Posted by Tiziana on June 22, 2010Doesn’t your child look so cute? How could you ever think of putting him/her on time out? Have you questioned your role as a mother and how do relate to…
Welcome to A Family Village from Catherine
Posted by Catherine on May 25, 2010Welcome to "A Village Voice", our blog, where we hope to keep you entertained, informed and connected. I wanted to share a bit about the philosophy behind the business, to…
Welcome to A Family Village from Tiziana
Posted by Tiziana on May 25, 2010Hi this is Tiziana and we are going to be talking about new families faced with the rays of sunshine and fog that come along with parenting. Needless to say…
