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Having friends who are also parents can be like having no friends at all. Between conflicting schedules, family obligations, and utter lack of quiet for phone conversations, maintaining friendships between parents can be nearly impossible. But we must try. Research has found that these bonds are actually good for us. Moms who have a hard time maintaining friendships tend to feel more isolated, which can lead to depression. Scheduling time to socialize with old and new friends can lead to a greater sense of fulfillment and make for a more relaxed mother. 1. Take a cue from your spouse In general, guys are much better at maintaing their social lives. How many of our spouses are on softball leagues, bowling teams, or have the 6 am tee time with friends on the weekend? Men often schedule social time into their week so it doesn’t get overlooked. Instead of trying to haphazardly squeeze in “me time,” schedule it! Soon your social activities will become routine and will be less likely to be neglected. 2. Look to your kids’ social circles Children might seem to make friends easily. If you asked your children’s friends’ parents, they are probably feeling the same sense of isolation so common among mothers. It’s not that hard to foster your children’s friendships and make new friends for yourself with their parents. Scheduling mutual playdates at a park or recreation center gives your children a chance to grow their social skills and you to grow your social network. Plus, activities in whch the kids are included means you don’t need to shell out for a babysitter. 3. Maximize small bits of down time Sometimes you need to adopt an unconventional approach to maintaining friendships. On your commute to or from work, schedule some phone time to catch up with long-distance friendships. Schedule a movie night for after the kids go to bed. 4. Make it a group effort It might be hard to find time to see all of your friends individually, so why not get everyone together for one big outing or event? Some mom friends throw monthly parties, like Bunco nights, that focus more on being together in friendship than on winning the game. Whatever you decide will be the best fit for your lifestyle, just make sure you don’t neglect your need for friendship. Children grow up very quickly, and sooner than you think, you’ll have more time than you know what to do with. You’ll want to have maintained old friendships and grown new ones for a rich and healthy life.

Before I had kids, I didn’t give much thought to child’s play, so I’m sure I didn’t know its value back then. But my two 5-year-olds have taught me a lot about the importance of child’s play—both structured and unstructured—as I watch them learn, navigate, and make sense of the world, one Lego and railroad track at a time. The nice thing about having twins is you can say, “Go play.” But playing with them allows me to encourage them to try new things, choose activities that are educational as well as fun, and observe the things they naturally gravitate toward. Plus, it’s just fun for me to get to act like a kid, too. One of our favorite things to do together is create music—or in this case “music” since they’re probably sounds only a parent could love. But even in the midst of our joyful noise, I see some natural talent emerging, and it makes me think maybe we should start music classes. They also love to build things, which is good for their fine motor skills and spatial reasoning. I’m not sure what knocking the structures down teaches them, but they seem to enjoy it almost as much! Maybe I’ve got future architects on my hands—or my own demolition crew. Either way, I’m happy to supply tons of building blocks to keep their hands and imaginations busy. And I try to find time for them to just let loose and run wild every day. They love it, and the bonus for me is they might actually be tired at bedtime. The playground at the park is truly their happy place. Seeing my sons run around like little mad men always makes me laugh. Plus, even this unstructured play has its educational value. It’s interesting to watch the social interactions. Whether it’s taking turns on the slide or negotiating peace when little skirmishes break out over the swings, those interactions are healthy for them. I’ll admit it’s hard to not jump in immediately to mediate, but I’ve noticed that since they’ve gotten a little older, if I hang back, the kids usually find a way to work it out. So the park ends up not only being good exercise for their bodies, but a good way for them to stretch their character as well. What are the go-to structured and unstructured activities that you and your kids love most? What are they getting out of it that’s much more than “child’s play”?

Adoption made me a mother, which was my main goal in life from a very young age. I didn’t plan my career or daydream about a husband. I thought about my babies. Then I fell in love when I was twenty. He was upfront with me from the very start that he didn’t want kids, but I was young and absolutely smitten. I convinced both of us that I was willing to make the sacrifice for him. Secretly, I was sure he’d change his mind. We got married within a year of meeting. I finally opened up to him ten years into our marriage. I wanted a child so badly I could barely focus on anything else at times. After months of long talks, he revealed that it wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to be a father as he didn’t like babies. He liked the idea of older child adoption but had never mentioned it because I seemed so set on babies. I realized I just wanted to be a mother. I didn’t care how it happened. So we started the process to adopt an older child from the foster care system. It entailed many hours of classes (complete with homework each week), physicals, home inspections, background checks, and mountains of paperwork. We first saw our daughter’s sweet face five months after being approved to adopt. I remember looking at her photo on the computer screen and saying, “I could be your Mommy.” We were chosen to be her parents the next month, but because she was in another state, we had to wait six months for paperwork to clear before we could bring her home. I was so anxious during this time that I literally ground holes in two of my teeth in the night! We met her on a Monday and flew home with her forever the following Sunday. We were her 12th placement. She’d been bouncing around foster care for five years. Despite that, she was willing to trust us and love us. She suffered extreme trauma, which has left her with special emotional and behavioral needs. However, she works hard to overcome them. I tell her all the time that she’s the bravest person I’ve ever met. I loved her from the moment I knew she existed, and it continues to intensify each day. I love her so much that I sometimes grieve for the years I missed with her. My husband has excelled at fatherhood. I love watching them laugh and play together. He teachers her about 80s music and takes her to the used book store after school. Becoming a first-time mom to a 9-year-old foster child isn’t how I imagined motherhood, but I’m thrilled with the way things turned out. I’m so proud to be her mom. Has foster care impacted your life? Interested in learning more about foster care adoption? Adopt Us Kids Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Child Welfare Information Gateway

Halloween is here! If you’re without a Halloween costume for your little one, don’t panic. There’s still time to make one. In fact, I only remember two store bought Halloween costumes as a kid. Most years my mom helped my sister and I put together our costumes. Since none of us had any artistic talent and we didn’t have much money, these outfits didn’t win any contests. But that didn’t matter to us. We had fun dressing up, and we still got plenty of candy! Most kids seem to get their costumes at the mall or big box store these days. As my daughter gets older, that’s certainly where she’s being pulled. However, I’ll keep putting costumes together for as long as I can – and no, my crafting abilities haven’t improved much since my childhood. Here are some last-minute costumes I’ve either worn or made over the years. Bag of Jelly Beans Wear white leggings and a white long-sleeve t-shirt. Make holes for arms and legs in a large clear garbage bag. Step legs into the bag. Fill the bag with as many inflated balloons as it will hold. Tie the top closed with ribbon around the neck. Attach a label that says “jelly beans” to the ribbon. Bottle of Ketchup or Mustard Glue a red poster board triangle onto a red headband or baseball cap as the top of a squeeze bottle. Dress completely in red — shirt, pants, socks — even shoes if possible. (I’ve been known to spray paint old pairs.) Use white masking tape to create a label reading “ketchup” to stick to the front of the shirt. Do the same in yellow for mustard. Ghost This one’s easy but potentially dangerous. My sister took a pretty big fall because she couldn’t see out of the holes in her sheet. Trick-or-treating wasn’t ruined, though. My mom simply cut a whole out for her head and put the sheet back on poncho style. She doused her face and hair with flour to make it a ghostly white. Jellyfish Start with brightly-colored leggings and a t-shirt. Then use double-sided tape to attach long pieces of paper streamers or strips of bubble wrap to the bottom of a clear or solid-colored umbrella, as tentacles. Then the child simply holds the umbrella over her head. The “tentacles” can also be attached to a wide brimmed hat. Octopus This is so cute for babies. Cut the legs off three pairs of colorful old tights or use six knee socks. Matching isn’t important. Stuff them with rags, paper towels, or whatever else you have on hand. Attach them to a one-piece or t-shirt with fabric glue. Pair with tights or leggings. Your child’s legs plus these six make the eight tentacles of an octopus! These cheap and easy Halloween costumes should take an hour or less to throw together. What are your favorite DIY costumes?

Le han sacado jugo a sus carreras gracias a los "melones" que tienen y que les han dado una enorme fama.

Encontramos a la Kardashian saliendo de un hotel en San Francisco para acudir a una presentación de su futuro esposo y una vez lucía bellísima.