When Your 4 A.M. Wake-Up Call Comes from a Toy Search Party It’s 4 a.m. The house is dark, quiet, and, for a fleeting moment, I think we might actually make it to sunrise without a toddler wake-up call. And then I hear it: a cry. Not the kind that drifts back into sleep after a minute. This is the kind of cry that says “something is terribly wrong”… or at least that something very important has gone missing. My little one is sitting up, eyes puffy, repeating through tears: “G

There’s something magical about October, the crisp air, the smell of cinnamon candles, the promise of cozy sweaters and pumpkin everything. But if you’re a parent, you also know this truth: October is the month when every single weekend seems booked solid with something. Fall festivals. Pumpkin patches. Costume parades. School spirit weeks. Trunk-or-treats. Neighborhood hayrides. Apple picking. Pumpkin carving. Bonfires. Fundraisers. Oh, and don’t forget the family photo sess

Re-Introducing Me + Guided by Giggles  It’s been a while since I’ve really shared the “why” behind Guided by Giggles, so I thought it was time for a re-introduction for those of you who’ve been around and an introduction for those of you who are new.  How It Started As a teenager, my world revolved around softball. Then an injury forced me to step away for a year, and suddenly, I wasn’t “the athlete” anymore. That’s when depression crept in, and I struggled to figure out who

Life with a toddler is unpredictable, but add sensory needs, both seeking and avoidance, and suddenly your house feels like a mix between a wrestling ring, a therapy clinic, and a zoo with an exceptionally patient dog. Take my son, for example. Some days, he launches at me WWE-style, practicing full-body slams and headlocks in a desperate attempt to get the deep pressure input his body craves. Other days, he melts into my arms and demands the tightest bear hug known to humank

My son is all about solving problems. If he wants something off the counters, he doesn’t wait around for help, he engineers a solution. His favorite tool of choice? The ottoman from the rocking chair, which he proudly pushes across the house like a tiny forklift operator with a mission. You’d think he’s training for a toddler version of American Ninja Warrior: Kitchen Edition. And here’s the kicker: he always looks ridiculously proud of himself when he pulls it off. Even when

My mama heart has been feeling so heavy lately. Every time I glance at the news, scroll social media, or overhear conversations in the grocery store aisle, I’m reminded that this world feels more uncertain than ever. As parents, that reality can be paralyzing. It’s scary to think about the world our children will grow up in. We want so badly to raise kids who are good, kind, brave, and grounded in their values, even when the world around them seems to be crumbling with divisi

The first time I heard my stepson say, “I feel like I’m not as smart as the other kids and I don’t understand what’s going on in class,” my heart broke a little. We were conducting a weekly check-in to see how he was feeling about school back in 2nd grade. To his credit, he spent the entirety of 1st grade doing school from home due to Covid, and he has a hard time focusing, so that year online was not one that he benefited from. Going into second grade, the foundational skill

If you’ve ever lived with a two-year-old, you know that mealtimes aren’t really mealtimes. They’re theater. Dinner is less about consuming food and more about performance art, interpretive, chaotic, and sticky. My son, in particular, treats food like it’s his personal prop box for comedy. He’s fearless, curious, and constantly turning meals into a spectacle. But not every child approaches food with the same flair for drama. Some kids, like my step-son, are more hesitant, caut

Yesterday I cried. My littlest twin, baby B, the one who was breech but flipped herself around when it was time to come into the world, the one we worried might be our fragile one but is scrappy, had her tongue and lip ties clipped yesterday. We had only expected an evaluation, but since the dentist had time, we went ahead with the procedure. And I had to do it alone. That’s the part that still weighs on me. My husband is out of town for work, and since we hadn’t planned on h

When you think about play, you probably imagine LEGO bricks underfoot (ouch), blanket forts in the living room, or kids turning the couch cushions into "lava rocks.” Fun? Absolutely. Chaotic? Often. But here’s the secret: play isn’t just fun, it’s one of the most powerful tools children have to practice emotional skills, build empathy, and strengthen self-regulation. Play   is the classroom of childhood .  And the best part? You don’t need a single “special” toy. You just nee

I'm going to preface this post by saying that I've joked that moms should grow another two arms for every child we have. We might be looking like Stitch with his alien arms, but even better if the arms were retractable when not in use. Balancing life can be overwhelming. Juggling the mental load is like being a one-woman circus act, with too few arms! You know you’re the default parent when: The school calls you first, even though your partner’s number is literally above your

Some mornings start slow in our house, but this one started in molasses time. My son woke up and was not in the mood to get dressed. We are not morning people, never have been, so when I cheerfully announced that we were going to the pool to see his cousins, I got the toddler death glare and a firm shake of the head. This was particularly unconvincing since just last night, he was crying and yelling their names when they had to go home. Toddlers are unpredictable…you never qu

Parenting twins can be such a challenge. It’s the kind of challenge no amount of parenting books can truly prepare you for. Sure, you think you’re ready. You organize onesies by size, pre-wash all the baby socks, and put all the possible systems in place to feel organized for feedings and diaper changes, like a well-meaning overachiever. But then reality shows up, with two babies, two totally unique temperaments, and one exhausted version of yourself wondering if you’ve had c

Let’s set the scene: It’s 2:45 AM. The house is quiet, dark, peaceful, until it’s very much not. I’m ripped from my semi-conscious state by one of my twin daughters channeling her inner banshee. That particular cry? That’s the “I’m starving, feed me now or I will burn this place to the ground” cry. Classic. I fumble for the bottle like a sleep-deprived sloth myself and stumble into her room expecting a quick feed-and-flop-back-to-bed situation. Not quite. What I’m greeted wit

Dear Fellow Mama in the Trenches,  You, who are trying to fold the laundry with one hand while doing your best dance-and-sing routine with the other to entertain the babies just long enough to avoid total mutiny. You, who manage to smile while dripping sweat, juggling bottles, sniffing diapers, and being slowly undone by your toddler, gleefully unfolding the laundry you just folded, as if it's a new Olympic sport. I was there, literally yesterday. Some days feel like I’m star

As a mom and a counselor, I walk into most kid-focused places armed with snacks, spare clothes, and emotional regulation techniques. So when we decided to check out Wise Wonders Children's Museum in Billings, Montana, I was expecting a fun little outing. Something simple. Something where our 2-year-old could burn energy. We had scoped out the website beforehand, and while the pictures were cute, I am here to tell you: those pictures DO. NOT. DO. IT. JUSTICE. Wise Wonders is a

Let’s speak reality: you love your kids . Like , deep, primal, "would step in front of a moving car for them" kind of love. And yet. If one more child slides a sticky hand under the bathroom door while you're trying to pee in peace, you might burst into a slow-motion scream and run off into the woods, or maybe the circus, because you've gotten good at juggling everything! You're not broken. You’re not cold. You're not “bad at this.” You're human. And more specifically, you’re

See that cutie pie in the picture? Yeah, he's adorable. But if I had tried to take away that toy to get him in the car, there would have been an absolute meltdown. "Is this the mountain I want to die on today?" I ask myself this question too many times a day. Some meltdowns and the things our kids are melting down over are just not worth the battle. Some are, so pick your battles wisely. There’s nothing quite like the rush of panic that hits when your child starts to unravel

As parents, we want the best for our kids, not just academically, but emotionally too. We want them to be kind, confident, and resilient. We want them to understand and manage their feelings and to form healthy, positive relationships with others. But how do we go about teaching them these important skills? Enter Social Emotional Learning, or SEL. You may have heard the term before, maybe in the context of school or education. But here’s the truth: Social Emotional Learning d

Hi, I’m Jolene! I’m a licensed counselor, a proud mom, a bonus mom, and someone who is wholeheartedly embracing the beautiful chaos that comes with raising a family. I'm also a wife to a man who is not only my best friend but also spends most moments testing my sanity. With a career centered around helping kids and families, I've had the privilege of guiding many through their challenges, but nothing has been more life-changing or rewarding than being a mom myself. ​ I’m a mo