valplowman

Valerie, also known as The Babywise Mom, is the mother to four children. She has been blogging on Babywise and general parenting since 2007. She has a degree in technical writing and loves using those skills to help parents be the best parents they can be! Read her book, The Babywise Mom Nap Guide, to get help on sleep from birth through the preschool years. You can also find her writing at Babywise.life, Today Parenting, and Her View From Home. Read more about Valerie and her family on the About page. Follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more tips and helps.

Brayden Summary: 10.5 Years Old

November 24, 2025December 1, 2015 by valplowman

Our family in Chicago

Curious how to support your growing preteen? In this post, I break down Brayden’s development at age 10.5—with insights on school, friendships, emotional growth, and sleep. Learn what’s typical and …

Cutting Chocolate when Breastfeeding

January 15, 2024November 24, 2015 by valplowman

Woman eating a chocolate bar

Get information on when and why to cut chocolate from your diet when you are breastfeeding. Will this be necessary for every baby? Okay. Here is the sad, hard truth. …

Thankful Playlist to Listen To This Year

October 24, 2025November 23, 2015 by valplowman

Woman wearing a yellow coat and listening to music on headphones

Here is my list of songs to listen to when you want to focus on gratitude and being thankful! After years of thinking about it, this year I finally compiled …

Reading Aloud to Preteens

November 10, 2025November 19, 2015 by valplowman

reading aloud to a preteen

Think you’re done reading aloud? Think again! In this post, we explore how reading aloud to your pre-teen still matters—boosting vocabulary, building connection, and keeping the love of books alive …

Good, Better, Best: Prioritizing Your Day

November 27, 2023November 18, 2015 by valplowman

Woman pondering a question

A simple process to look at what is going on in your life and decide what is worth spending time on and what can be set aside for now. Back …

Brinley Preschooler Summary: 39 Months Old

November 10, 2025November 17, 2015 by valplowman

At 39 months old, Brinley has reached new milestones in sleep, play, and routine on the journey through the preschool years. Join us as we dive into her habits, adventures, …

5 Helpful Snack Policies for Your Kids

April 15, 2024November 16, 2015 by valplowman

Child eating strawberries while sitting in high chair

Snacks are great for kids, but snacks can also interfere with mealtime and lead to food issues. Get 5 policies you should put in place for snack time at your …