Happy New Year! 2020 was a year like no other. With at-home learning, working from home, social distancing, and just about everything canceled, moms everywhere struggled to adjust to our new normal. Fairfield County Mom changed too! With a (slightly) new name and an amazing new website, we can provide local moms with an even better parenting resource.
As a collaborative blog written by and for local moms, our primary focus is delivering valuable content to YOU, our mommy readers. This year our contributor team opened themselves up and poured out their hearts, sharing personal parenting experiences and perspectives, as well as fun and creative things to do around the county. In partnership with local businesses, we were able to connect you to valuable information, products, and services relevant to your lives.
Here is a list of our top 10 most viewed posts of 2020! Make sure to read the posts you may have missed, reread the posts that you could connect with, and share the posts you love!
1. When I Leave You: A Note to My Early Intervention Families
“Thank you for sticking with me and for putting in the work, even when it was hard. Even when progress was slow. Thank you for trusting me with your child. You have taught me so much about your strength, your resilience, your love for your children. You’ve made me a better therapist, a better parent, a better person. When I leave you, I hope I made an impact on you. But what you might not realize is that you’ve really made an impact on me.”
2. Naps by Age – How Many, How Often, How Long?
“Are you struggling to find a nap schedule that works for your child? If so, it’s not surprising. Children’s sleep needs are constantly changing during the first few years of life – just when you have things figured out, everything changes!”
3. True Crime Anyone? Ten Binge-Worthy Documentaries
“If you’re anything like me, you are a true crime fanatic. I can’t necessarily tell you why, but I can definitively tell you that I’m not alone. True crime has become so popular in today’s society, from books to movies to podcasts. We can’t seem to get enough! However, if you look at the “true crime” section of any streaming service (HBO, Prime, Netflix, etc.), the list is somewhat daunting. I don’t know about you, but there are some nights my husband and I give up after an hour of falling into the “Netflix abyss.”
4. Today I Left
“Today I left. I had enough. I felt like I was about to explode. So I left. I drove around for about an hour. I screamed as loud as I could, and I listened to Edge of Seventeen at full blast. I needed it, and it felt good.”
5. Kindergarten Plus COVID Equals An Extra Dose of Anxiety
6. Can We Please Stop Joking About This?
“There is one thing that many people say or post on social media that I cannot get behind. Anything along the lines of, “At least I kept the kids alive!” There are memes, mugs, and even t-shirts that joke about keeping kids alive. And you know what, not everyone can, despite their best efforts.”
7. We Keep Going
8. Our Worth Is Not Determined By Our Jean Size
“I’ve been in recovery for disordered eating and orthorexia for about two years. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel like I’m at a more comfortable place with food. I don’t have “cheat” or “treat” days. I just eat. By far, the hardest part for me has been accepting my new body. My tummy is softer, my thighs are bigger, and although I do not weigh or measure myself, I know I weigh more than I did last year just by the size of my jeans.”
9. 35 Weeks and 4 Days
“35 and 4. That’s what my doctor told me to tell them at the desk when I got to the hospital. I was 35 weeks and 4 days into my pregnancy, but she didn’t like how I looked. I kept passing the pre-eclampsia tests, but my doctor had a feeling that something wasn’t right. “Pack a bag; you’ll stay in the hospital under observation until you’re ready to have your baby,” was what she said. I was scared. So scared. This was my second pregnancy, but everything that could have gone wrong did.”
10. 10 Reasons Why Moms Cry
“Since becoming a mom, however, the tears won’t stop. They hit me at the most obscure and unexpected times. Sometimes they spring from happiness, sometimes out of frustration, and sometimes I find myself blubbering and bawling, and I have no idea why. No one ever warned me about this side effect of mommyhood.”
