About

Simply the name came from some brainstorming about how to share the research I’ve done over the last couple of years with friends who are new parents or busy parents and don’t have as much time to search online for solutions, advice and shopping. Being a parent in the digital age is clearly very different from what our mothers and fathers experienced. Sometimes too much advice is out there and is overwhelming, but the internet and its social networks in particular help us feel less alone. Being able to shop online at your own pace can surely make life a little easier, but the choices can be overwhelming and thus may even result in more questions instead of answers.

Mamalaide’s creative guru Julien McNab, aka my husband, came up with the name while spreading jam on his toast. “Mama” and “aide” a play on the word marmalade.
I do hope this site becomes populated with information that does help spread information to aide the research part of parenting so you have more time to enjoy being a parent with less worry or exhaustion from what feels like endless research. We are an American/European family, with half our family living in Switzerland and France and the other half in the U.S. (North Carolina and NYC). I will try to offer cultural tips that might help as I have found having our mothers’ advice as well as knowledge of how other cultures respond/treat issues to be very helpful and calming in assessing what I feel is best for my daughter and son. (Photo by David Surowiecki)

The best advice I can give which always helps re-center me is trust your instinct. I always remind myself that billions of babies have been born healthy and grow up to be healthy and happy. The chance that will happen for you is in your favor. There is no one right way to parent and provide for your little ones. It’s ok if your kids get on your nerves or you don’t always love being a parent. And kids certainly don’t NEED the latest toys to develop into smart successful students or the most expensive education to become sucessful. The most important thing is that the kids feel safe and loved. Everything else you can figure out as you go.

Cheers, Pattie

mamalaide@gmail.com