I am notorious for trying to make it look like I have it together. I work full-time, care for my kids, love my husband, have a great family support system, and everything is wonderful. I try to portray the perfect life, but I wind up fooling myself.

Danielle Rivenbark

September 16, 2016

Professional Organization

Sometimes All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Danielle Rivenbark

September 16, 2016

Professional Organization

Events are not easy, even the ones you cancel.

Danielle Rivenbark

September 11, 2016

Family

15 Things I've Learned about Living in the Country

Danielle Rivenbark

September 11, 2016

Family

It's always an adventure living and raising kids in the country.

Danielle Rivenbark

September 9, 2016

Changing Jobs

Purple Friday's

Danielle Rivenbark

September 9, 2016

Changing Jobs

Changing jobs means learning a new office culture. I've learned a lot in just the last week, most notably about the dress code. No, I didn't dress inappropriately, but I did wear the wrong color.

Danielle Rivenbark

September 5, 2016

Learning

You taught him what?!?!?!?!

Danielle Rivenbark

September 5, 2016

Learning

I'm trying to teach Gardner things like, "Don't put your feet on the table while we're eating dinner," and "Don't slam doors while baby sister is sleeping," and "We color on the paper, not on the couch." It can be exhausting. However, the proudest thing I ever taught a toddler was when I was one myself.

Danielle Rivenbark

September 2, 2016

Career

Why Certifications Matter

Danielle Rivenbark

September 2, 2016

Career

I hadn't thought much about my CGMP lately, but when it helps you get a job you learn to appreciate it much more.

Danielle Rivenbark

August 29, 2016

Parenting

Don't Blink

Danielle Rivenbark

August 29, 2016

Parenting

Life happens so fast around us. Don't blink or you might just open your eyes and realize that it has passed you by.

Danielle Rivenbark

August 26, 2016

Changing Jobs

Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

Danielle Rivenbark

August 26, 2016

Changing Jobs

I cried writing this post, and it is incredibly bittersweet.

BLOG Archive

Recent Posts

Featured

agent_generate_image - Photo touch-up of this circus family portrait_ the boy in th.png

September 3, 2026

The Greatest Show Yet: Baby Number Seven

September 3, 2026

When you are announcing your seventh baby, you know there will be opinions.

Some people will be thrilled. Some will be surprised. Some will immediately start doing math that no one asked them to do—children, bedrooms, car seats, grocery bills and years spent changing diapers.

But when the negativity comes from someone close to you, it lands differently.

September 3, 2026

August 24, 2026

How to Prepare Your Home for Life After Baby with Simple Changes

August 24, 2026

For new parents coming home with a newborn, postpartum home preparation can feel impossible when recovery hurts, sleep is scarce, and everything suddenly has safety stakes. The hardest postpartum challenges often show up in ordinary moments: reaching for supplies while holding a baby, keeping up with basic meals and laundry, and staying alert about home safety for newborns on the most exhausted days. A supportive postpartum recovery environment doesn’t need perfection, it needs to reduce friction and protect attention. The goal is a home that quietly helps new parents get through each day.

August 24, 2026

August 18, 2026

Create Lasting Family Bonds with Fun, Skill-Building Home Projects

August 18, 2026

For busy parents juggling work and school schedules, and for caregivers supporting kids and grandparents under one roof, home upkeep can feel like a never-ending to-do list. The challenge is that chores often split the household into “helpers” and “hindrances,” leaving little room for shared wins. Family-friendly home improvement reframes routine tasks as skill-building activities that welcome different ages and abilities. With the right mindset, even beginner DIY projects can become intergenerational projects that create real home bonding experiences.

August 18, 2026

August 4, 2026

What Happens When Mom Leaves for Work?

August 4, 2026

Every month, I pack a suitcase, kiss six kids goodbye, and head to a conference. Sometimes it’s just a day trip, sometimes a night or two, and at least twice a year it’s for an entire week.

August 4, 2026

August 3, 2026

How to Recognize and Manage Your Anxiety for Your Child’s Well-Being

August 3, 2026

Busy parents juggling work, caregiving, and nonstop decision-making often carry parenting stress that feels private, manageable, and “just part of life.” The hard part is that parental anxiety can quietly spill into tone, routines, and reactions, and that anxiety impact on kids can shift children’s well-being even when no one means for it to. Over time, these patterns can influence family mental health and the emotional health of children in ways that look like moodiness, clinginess, or sudden shutdowns. Spotting worry early helps protect children’s well-being.

August 3, 2026

July 24, 2026

How to Start a Family-Friendly Home Business Without Selling Products

July 24, 2026

Stay-at-home parents drawn to home-based entrepreneurship often want income that doesn’t depend on shipping boxes, managing inventory, or being “on” for customers all day. The real tension is that non-ecommerce small businesses can offer flexibility, but they also blur boundaries fast, family needs don’t pause for client work, and client work doesn’t automatically fit nap schedules. Many parents also feel pressure to pick a “perfect” idea before starting, even when time and energy change week to week. With the right expectations, it’s possible to choose family-friendly business ideas that protect work-life balance from the beginning.

July 24, 2026

May 7, 2026

How Busy Parents Can Manage Stress with Simple Daily Habits

May 7, 2026

Busy parents managing stress often feel pulled in every direction: work-family challenges that don’t pause, childcare stressors that change by the hour, and nonstop decision-making that leaves no quiet space to reset. The core tension is that the pressure can feel constant while the source stays blurry, so every new problem lands like “one more thing.” Before anything can get better, it helps to notice the specific sources of parental stress that show up most often and hit the hardest. Identifying stress triggers gives parents a clear starting point for relief.

May 7, 2026

April 26, 2026

Hanging On by Nuggets and Prayers

April 26, 2026

This season feels like a sprint… that somehow turned into a marathon.

Like—who asked each kid if they wanted to play sports this season? And who is the crazy person that said yes?

Oh wait… me. That was me.

I’m the problem.

April 26, 2026

March 17, 2026

Lowering the Bar Without Lowering Your Values

March 17, 2026

There’s a moment in parenting—usually somewhere between your third child and realizing you’ve reheated your coffee four times—when you start to question everything you thought “doing it right” looked like.

March 17, 2026

March 16, 2026

How Parents Can Help Kids Build Leadership Skills From Early On

March 16, 2026

Busy parents juggling work, school routines, and family life often want to raise confident kids, but it can be hard to know what leadership skills development looks like in real time. Early childhood learning is a powerful window because children are constantly practicing how to speak up, handle feelings, and make choices with others. Without support, many kids learn to stay quiet, wait to be told what to do, or fear getting things wrong, which can dim developing child leadership qualities. With steady, approachable parenting strategies, parents can nurture communication and confidence in ways that feel natural at home.

March 16, 2026