Michelle Parrinello-Cason
Michelle is a homeschooling mom of two who lives in South City with her husband, kids, two cats, and a dog. Her family loves reading, hiking, and art. She runs Dayla Learning, a place for online classes and curriculum in the humanities. She likes to write about education, work-life balance, and exploring all the wonderful experiences St. Louis has to offer.
Building an Emergency Self-Care Plan for the Bad Days
First of all, I want to let you know that I am not a mental health professional. I did, however, make a self-care plan with the help of my counselor. I’m also someone who...
Breaking Echo Chambers: How Diverse is Your Media Diet?
As I was working on my doctorate degree in rhetoric, it became clear to me how important it is to have a diverse and healthy “media diet.” I had my daughter right in the...
A Letter to the Doctor Who Told Me to “Just Lose Weight”
Doctors have the power to fix our bodies, but those who truly listen wield the most power of all .
I came to you with my heart in my hands. I was at the bottom...
Friendship in the Time of Isolation: Helping Kids (and their Grown-Ups) Stay Connected
There are plenty of posts popping up with logistical considerations on how to stay connected during isolation (including one from St. Louis Moms Blog!), but I wanted to back up and think about the...
Getting the Family Outside More: Why is This So Hard?
I am 100% convinced that kids (and their grown-ups) do better when they get outside more. In my particular circle of homeschooling peers, this is a common tenet of educational philosophy that’s backed up...
STLMB Perspectives: Magical Holiday Traditions – This Mama Opts Out
“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” -William Blake
I’ve been trying to figure out how to write this post. I’m the Grinchy counterpart to a discussion about magical holiday traditions. Our...
Facing Small Business “Sticker Shock”
“No way! $55 an hour! That’s over $100,000 a year! Who do these people think they are?”
That was me, about two years ago when I was dipping my toe into the world of self-employment...
“You just do too much.” (What Not to Say to an Overwhelmed Mom)
“You just do too much.” “You really need to say ‘no’ to things.” “You don’t have to try to have it all.”
I’ve heard some version of this over and over since becoming pregnant with...
How to Wear Your Spirited Child Out in St. Louis
Last month, I wrote about how I have an adrenaline-seeking daredevil of a daughter. This month, I thought I’d share our favorite local ways to wear that child out. It’s truly the best course...
“Mommy! Do You Think I Can Jump From Here?” Thoughts on Raising a Daredevil
“Mommy! Do you think I can jump from here?” My daughter is yelling this question at me from the top of some playground structure, and my heart skips a few beats as I look...