Shawnta
Shawnta is a corporate cubical warrior turned caregiver, educator, and author. In her family of three, she, her husband, and their son enjoy escaping into screens, games, and the written page. The dreadlocked mama, bearded daddy, and never-shave-off-my-mohawk-again kiddo also clearly take their hair commitments as seriously as they do their next game night. Shawnta and her boys are lifelong Wisconsinites. When Shawnta is on her own (and not working on her next book), she enjoys Wordscapes, YA series, and most of Netflix.
Hey, Holiday Babies: I See You!
Tis the season…To have people forget your birthday?
My birthday is between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, in the middle of Kwanzaa. It’s surrounded by an air of good cheer and a flurry of celebrations....
Making It Through the Holiday Season When You Don’t Celebrate Christmas
Feeling Excluded During the Winter Holidays
I love the idea of what "the holidays" are supposed to be about, but the season has started to feel less inclusive to me. Over time I realized it...
Presence Over Presents: Please Don’t Buy My Child a Birthday Gift
Ironically, gift-free, guilt-free birthday parties keep me present.
We had a big party for our kiddo’s first birthday. It was great to get together, but it was also very overwhelming. Planning, partying, opening, thanking… I...
Dear Vacation Mom (The One Who Worries So No One Else Has To)
Every vacation has a maestro, a manager, a vacation mom.
When everyone else is on vacation, mom or another caregiver sweats the small stuff, the big stuff, and all the stuff in between - so...
Celebrating Juneteenth Day in Milwaukee
Here in Milwaukee, the City of Festivals, there is a celebration of freedom that takes place in June that you absolutely MUST know about. Juneteenth. Let’s talk about what Juneteenth is and why you should get excited...
Dealing with a Crushing Fear of Driving
I hate driving.
I’ve hated it for as long as I even thought about having to do it someday. I'm fine in a car as a passenger. And I don’t use the word hate lightly....
Colorism, Racism and Parenting | From a Biracial Mom to the Duchess of Sussex
It’s been over a week, and I’m still reeling from The Interview.
I didn’t realize how curious and drawn to it I’d be. Apparently I’d filed its broadcast in the back of my mind,...
The Difference Between Homeschooling and School at Home
An Open Letter To Virtual School Parents… And the Educators Who Serve Them.
To best support our distance learning teams' efforts, we need to recognize the difference between homeschooling and schooling at home.
I am not...
Moms, We Need To Take Our Boundaries Seriously… Our Wellbeing Depends On It.
We Need to Take Our Boundaries More Seriously Than Ever
Here’s the tricky thing about boundaries: Setting them is not a one-time act. If we want them to work, we have to keep reinforcing them,...