Rachel Sokol

Halloween is just around the corner and it’s such a fun holiday for many kids, especially those who love dressing up! When getting your kid’s costume in order, the perfect makeup is a must. But watch out—not all Halloween makeup is skin-saf...

If you are currently pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, you might know the term “genetic testing,” in which you undergo some medical tests to better understand your genetic health history that may or may not impact your child’s healt...

My daughters are five and (almost) two, and they both love watching Sesame Street—and not just because of Elmo, everyone’s favorite furry monster! My mom swears I loved Sesame Street as a kid, too. It was whimsical, fun, and taught you number...

As a mother of two young girls with pierced ears, I figured there’s no time like the present to outline what ear piercing entails when it comes to babies, toddlers, and older kids. Thinking about piercing your child’s ears? Here’s an A-Z gu...

Have you ever wondered if twins really do run in families or not? Or ponder what your chances are of birthing twins? I have twin friends and twin cousins, and even though I do NOT have twin kids, I have always been fascinated by multiple births a...

Disciplining children is never fun for you, or your child. There’s so many questions surrounding the topic of discipline, such as: At what age should you start taking away technology? Or at what age is time-out no longer effective? Experts chim...

It’s not something you consciously think about, but according to a major scientific study, most adults cradle babies on the left side of their bodies vs. their right. And no, it doesn’t always have to do with an adult being right-handed or le...

From goldfish to guinea pigs to every pet in between (yes, including dogs and cats, of course), pets are part of the family. Heck, my first pet, the most wonderful Golden Retriever ever (I am NOT biased!) died 17 years ago and I still miss her! ...

Just before your teenager heads off to college, you should have “the talk” with them. Nope, not the SEX talk. There’s a pretty good chance they already know about that 3-letter word. We mean the consent talk; meaning ways to tell the opposi...

Have kids, will travel. Just like backpacks, kids can be transported from one place to another. (Although chances are, unlike your kids, your backpack doesn’t whine, “I’m bored!” or “I’m hungry!”) Family vacations can be more than j...

High school feels like it was SO long ago, right? Well, for many parents, this is true. However, when it comes to ‘Mom cliques’ it may also feel like high school never ended. As much as we teach our children about bullying and respect, we too...

New Yorker Victoria Kann is a  staunch literacy advocate, and with good reason. She’s the writer and illustrator of the best-selling children’s book series, Pinkalicious, which spent over 100 days on the New York Times Bestseller list and ha...

When a soon-to-be-parent learns they’re expecting a child, their brains go into overdrive—including wondering what—or who!—their child will look like. Brown hair? Blonde hair? Red hair? No hair? Which may trickle into pondering about heig...

The summer before your teen heads off to college for the first time seems to fly by faster than any previous summers! Once your teen has committed to the school of their choice—and continues to deny they have “Senioritis”—it’s time for ...

I am one of three sisters; my mom has three sisters, and my dad has three sisters. My husband and I have two girls. Most of my first cousins are female—in fact, it’s a long-running joke that women dominate both sides of my family and that if...

Ride-sharing services that are easily accessible from phone apps such as Uber and Lyft do not allow anyone under age 18 to use them—but it’s not like the driver checks your ID and teens (and honestly, even some parents) can find loopholes in...

Applying to college is stressful enough—all those essays, SAT and ACT scores, and non-stop chatter in school about who’s going where...it can be overwhelming for teens and parents alike. Thankfully, (and take it from my parents who put four k...

In a newly-released study for the American Academy of Pediatrics, (AAP) pediatrician/Motility Fellow Dr. Danielle Orsagh-Yentis explains that kids six and younger are ingesting foreign-body objects (such as coins, toys, jewelry and batteries) mor...

My older daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease (No consuming wheat!) last year; and ever since then we’ve had to change around our whole lifestyle by eliminating gluten from her diet—and answer lots of questions about Celiac from curious...

Oh, Target. (Tar-jay, as some grateful parents gushingly refer to their favorite bulls-eyed retail shop.) Is there anything you can’t do for us busy, super tired, and super stressed out parents? You offer us everything from “Dollar Bins” f...