My memories of playing outside as a kid range from the majestic (building the best forts ever constructed in the history of humanity! creating my own secret garden! SLEDDING!) to the miserable (having to wear too-small tights and a dress under bib snowpants! being sent outside and not allowed back in, in a manner very similar to this story or this story! slugs and worms in general!). But, like many childhood memories, they’re a bit exaggerated, and, almost definitely, totally different than what the adult on the other end of the caregiver equation remembers.

I spend a lot of time with kids, and much of it has been spent outside, whether it’s been as a nanny, coach, or aunt. It’s my favorite place to be with little kids, as everything can be an epic adventure full of imagination. Plus, it tires kids out, which is usually a key goal for any day. Developed over the years, these are my key tips for safe, happy play outside:

• Get kids outside early and often. Whether it’s in a Bjorn, a backpack, or with their own two legs, bring them outside and get them used to all things sunshine

» Read more

My husband and I have twin daughters who will be 3 in a couple of weeks. They share a room and still sleep in their cribs. Mostly because I’m terrified of what will happen to naptime when they are finally out of them.

Here’s the situation. For the most part, our girls are great sleepers. They wake up between 7:30 - 8:30 each morning. I know, be quiet, stop bragging. I get it. Between 12:30 - 1:30 they start getting tired. You know the signals—rubbing eyes, yawning, general grumpiness. The minute they get in their cribs though, it’s playtime, no matter how tired they were minutes before. It doesn’t help that they share a room and rile each other up. Throw into the mix the fact that they go to preschool a couple of days a week and we don’t get home until 1:45 to even start naptime and we’ve got a real situation on our hands.

Zoe and Olivia, not napping.

We have many friends with kids who have said their kids gave up their naps by before age 3. My parents and in-laws will suggest that

» Read more

As warmer weather befalls us, it's important to keep in mind the comfort level of your baby. Chances are probably pretty good that she'll let you know if she's uncomfortable, but it's always good to have a plan if a warmer afternoon/night creeps up on you.

Here are a few quick tips for optimal baby sleep in warmer weather.

• Remove any unnecessary bedding from her crib. Keeping it light and simple is always best here; if she's wearing a diaper, a onesie or long-sleeved pajamas, and a swaddle, consider forgoing the pajamas or onesie. In the case of a sleepsack, check out something lighter.

• Remove the crib bumpers. With a fan, more air will circulate if the crib's bumpers are removed. If you use an A/C unit, just make sure it's not blowing directly on her—no need to recreate the polar vortex in her room.

• Consider a lower-weight swaddle or sleepsack. Hopefully you picked up a few at your shower, but it may be time to start phasing out the heavier swaddle or sleepsack. She'll let you know if you did so too early!

• Keep an eye on her when she's sleeping in the stroller. Stroller seats

» Read more

Here at Mimo, we love sleep. We love it when babies sleep. We love it when parents sleep. And we love to talk about sleep.

So it seemed fitting that upon the arrival of Spring, and light, and warmth (well, for some of you, anyway...), that we got into the mood of winding down the Winter and welcoming you into a new era of your well-being.

Basically, it just gives us an excuse to talk more about sleep!

So for the next few weeks, we'll be giving you a regular dose of all things sleep. We'll have members of our community of Mimo Parents sharing their tips and (in some cases harrowing) stories of their little one's sleep, members of the Mimo Team will be giving insights based on data and on their own experiences with their babies, and we may even have an appearance by a baby or two. Yes, they can type. And yes, they're more insightful than you might realize.

So stay tuned, check back here often, and maybe, just maybe, you'll get a bit more shut-eye!

» Read more

To be the broken record, Boston has been a snow factory this winter. You all know this. Since January, Boston has experienced two days above freezing and more than 100 inches of snow. While this has meant disappearing sidewalks, icicles that connect roofs to ground, and longer-than-usual commutes, it's also meant more days at home with family.

I remember what those days used to be like, before kids. Or maybe I should say that I barely remember. Here's the difference:

Before kids:

1. Sleep in.
2. Long, calm mornings sipping coffee.
3. Binge watch any TV show (House of Cards hadn't been written yet!)
4. Snowshoe or cross-country ski through the streets.
5. Read books.
6. Build snow caves.
7. Play outside with Cooper (he's an awesome dog).
8. Binge watch another TV show.
9. Cook chili.
10. Cocktail competitions with my wife.

After kids:

1. Wake up at 5:45am.
2. Hurry to make the coffee before too much happens and I forget to make coffee.
3. Drink coffee super fast.
4. Step on 48 toys between the kitchen and the bathroom. Consider cleaning them up. Clean them up. 48 toys find their way to different spots on the floor 7 minutes later.
5. Spend 35 minutes dressing up my daughter to go outside

» Read more

Today marks the start of Daylight Saving Time. Which means that for 96% of the United States (here's to you, Hawaii and Arizona), we turn our clocks forward one hour, lose an hour of sleep, and (for those of us in the northeastern reaches of the country) begin to see a pinprick of light at the end of the winter tunnel.

But if you're like me and have a little one at home, it can mean something entirely different.

Sadie is 21 months old and by now has established a nice sleep pattern. She goes to bed around 8pm and wakes up somewhere between 5:30am and 6:30am. We just returned from California, where we spent only a weekend, but that trip threw everything off. While we were there, Sadie barely napped, she woke up at 4:30 each morning, and upon return, couldn't fall asleep until 9pm and didn't wake up until 7:30am. In the grand scheme of life, I think all of that's OK, but regardless, the routine that we had gotten used to was tossed to the wind, and Sadie's displeasure in our attempts to reintroduce her to East Coast sleeping patterns was all too

» Read more