Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

When it comes to researching childcare options, there are many factors for parents to consider -- not the least of which is cost. In Care.com’s recent Cost of Care Survey, which included insights from more than 1,000 parents nationwide, we found that nearly one in three families report spending 20 percent or more of their annual household income on child care.

The stats are in: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, higher levels of education lead to higher employment rates and increased earnings. But when it comes to making the grade, not all students have it easy. Many struggle within a certain topic or find it challenging to learn in a traditional classroom style setting. For parents seeking academic help outside the classroom, hiring a private tutor becomes a viable option.

Deciding where to eat with the kiddos comes with a mental checklist: is there a playground? What about a kids’ menu? Will I be side-eyed when they start pretending the table is a superhero’s secret lair? And most crucially, is it sufficiently loud enough to mask my kid’s tantrum when they find out the fries are crinkle-cut instead of regular? But here’s what’s usually not on the consideration list: insanely delicious dishes that are interesting to the palates of both parents and kids alike. Sure, you can reserve a fine dining date for your next grown-ups’ night out—but those can be hard to come by. Besides, food can be a transcendent and transformative experience. Why not share that with your kids while giving them a chance to explore what it’s like to eat in a “fancy” restaurant?

Ah, summer—the sun’s out and the kids are out of school, making it a prime time to pack your family’s bags and change up the scenery a bit. The good news? There’s no need to overspend on flights or drive for days on end to reach a family-friendly destination. We live where most people come to vacation, which means plenty of getaway-worthy stops are right in our own backyard.

Hurtling through space while dodging asteroids, petting a few sting rays, watching as birds dive deep into an aquarium in search of their next meal—it’s all in a day’s work at the new Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.

There’s something about getting a mani/pedi that feels downright magical. “The Tao of Pedicures”—someone should get on that. But when you’ve got little ones in tow, the logistics of scheduling a few moments of zen at the local salon can feel like a mission within itself. Good news, Miami mamas: POD 22, Florida’s first indoor playground/nail spa mash-up, is here.

Hi. My name is Jackie Gutierrez-Jones. And I am a serial toy depriver. My kid has exactly one toy box filled with . . . actually, I don't really know. Mostly because she never opens the thing. See, she'd rather pull out every single pot and pan in the house, put a few of them on her head, and then bang away on the others until noticing our bulldog silently snoozing in the corner of the room and deciding it'd be a pretty interesting study in cause-and-effect to body slam the dog with her entire

Whether or not you scored maternity leave after having your baby (that's a subject for another article!), you're eventually going to come to a crucial fork in the road: child care. For some of us mamas, taking on the role of a stay-at-home mom is a financial possibility. And that's awesome! But for those of us heading back into the workplace, we've got some important decisions to make. It might involve a nanny. Or day care.

So there you are, 3 o' clock in the morning, jamming to Ja Rule's "Between Me and You" in the middle of the club and . . . Wait. Wasn't that, like, yesterday? It feels like it. But between the feedings, diaper changes, and rushing the older kid to school while simultaneously making sure the toddler isn't sticking their finger in the dog's ear (again) — it's kind of hard to tell anymore.

Straight up: I'm a spiritual girl. I believe the soul survives death and love transcends the physical. And just like with my OBGYN or PCP, I schedule an annual check-up with one of my favorite mediums up in New Jersey. I guess you can say that I like getting the lay of the spiritual land before grabbing the year by the horns and owning it. So the idea of tapping into the spiritual realm for matters of the heart isn't exactly weird to me. In fact, it makes total sense.

These cruise lines make kids the captain of their high seas adventure.

Listen, Hurricane Joaquin (a.k.a. Joaquin Phoenix and his facial hair thanks to all the hilarious memes out there). We see you doing that thing you do with the water and wind out in the middle of the Atlantic. You might not be “the one” — but it stands to reason that this weekend, you might be raining on our parade of plans.