“In so many ways, my husband is an incredible dad and co-parent. His patience with our kids is unbelievable. His career in education has equipped him with tools and knowledge beyond what I could even begin to learn from parenting experts. Not to mention that he is without a doubt the quintessential ‘fun parent’ who can elicit adorable giggles from our two girls practically on command,” writes Ashley Ziegler. “When it comes to the mental load, however, much of it falls on me.” But that’s for a very specific reason, and today she’s explaining why.

— Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

As every parent knows, back-to-school routines mean more than just new school supplies and fresh ‘fits — it means figuring out a snack strategy that keeps your kids both fueled and happy. Nature’s Bakery snacks are a kid favorite because they’re delicious and soft-baked, while parents love them because they’re nut-free, dairy-free, and made with real fruit and whole grains. If that’s not a winning snack solution, we don’t know what is. Read on to get more brilliant snack strategies to make mornings, lunches, and after-school activities a breeze.

I have a stubborn kid who often insists on doing things for herself. When she was a toddler, this often made getting out of the house a frustrating disaster. But as she matures, suddenly, I’m handing over more and more tasks with the confidence that yup, she’s got this. For some reason, this most recent one caught yours truly by surprise. Click to find out what it was, and see if you’ve had the same experience.