What’s the one thing you wish someone would have told you when you were a sleep-deprived, nervous new mom? What advice do you have to share with that mom who just brought her baby home from the hospital and is wondering… Now what?

Let’s share the mom love with those who are new to this world, a bit overwhelmed and in need of a bit of reassurance. We’ve all been there!

Please share your advice in comments. Thanks.

Are you a mom-to-be with restless leg syndrome? Do you think the minimum driving age for teens should be raised? What do you think of the local parenting magazine in your community?

We’re talking about all that and more over at our Parent Talk Today  fan page. Stop by, become a fan and jump into the conversation!

The things you go through, trying to not have termite pellets (READ: termite poop) falling from the ceiling into your kid’s bedroom…

Called Terminix multiple times, got transferred to wrong office multiple times, left six messages for local office, got scheduled, waited for guy to come when they never told guy he was supposed to come, scheduled another guy. FINALLY got spot treatment done…

And now they’re telling us it’s time to tent the whole house. Oh, yeah, it’s just a party around here!

P.S. In fairness, Terminix is usually pretty good, and we have an annual service contract with them. But this past week it has felt like my day job is waiting online for a Terminix operator. Trouble is, I don’t get paid to do that.

I just got back on Sunday from a terrific long weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I helped give a presentation on social media at the Parenting Publications of America’s annual convention.

I’ve been a parenting writer for 14+ years and have worked with some of the editors in the PPA for about that long — but hadn’t met many of them in person until this weekend. Talk about fun!

Most of these editors are parents like you and me. They know about potty training and temper tantrums, driver’s ed and PTA meetings. And they care. About their kids, their communities, their readers.

Pick up your local parenting magazine (or go to that magazine’s website) and you’ll find a lot more than just the calendar of events (although that’s valuable, too). You’ll find articles full of great info on everything from sexting to saving for college to choosing a summer camp, advertisers who want to meet your needs on everything from moon-bounce rentals to pregnancy portraits, letters to the editor that show what parents like you are thinking…

In short, you’ll find the heartbeat of your local parenting community. Pick up a parenting magazine today!

P.S. That’s Lucy Banta from New Jersey Family, Staci Perkins from Columbus Parent, me (the one who apparently didn’t get the memo about wearing black) and Myra Wright from Piedmont Parent. A fun group!

We try to teach our kids to make good choices (even when we’re not around). We teach them the “family rules” — whatever those may be for our particular family.

Are we getting through? Some days, we wonder. And we know that our kids know that they won’t always be found out if they don’t follow the rules. (Got any doubts on that one? Remember when YOU were a teenager?)

That’s what makes this story even more heartwarming. Joy Bat’s daughter is now grown, but this Lake Forest, California mom still beamed when she shared this with me:

“Shawny was not yet 13 when the movie ‘Titanic’ came out,” says Bat. “Her dad and I had asked that she not see the movie, since it was full of sexual content and was rated PG-13.” There was a girl’s sleepover with her church youth group, and Bat was assured there would be no PG-13 movies shown.

“But Shawny called me from the home of the sleepover and said they were about to watch ‘Titanic,’ and she wanted me to talk to the mom,” says Bat. “Shawny had spoken up and requested that she be allowed to do another activity in a separate room while the movie played! She really wanted to see the movie, but she had taken the high road and been assertive. The girls ended up choosing another movie, and I was so proud of my daughter.”

Gail Alcorn McGonigle knows what it’s like to worry about an aging parent. McGonigle, author of Dad’s Home Alone – Caring For Your Elderly Parent, provided care for her own father, learning first-hand how to handle home care and how to create an environment where her father could live safely as he grew older.

She also earned a masters degree from University of Southern California (and as a UCLA fan, I’ll forgive her for that) and then dedicated herself to working as an occupational therapist, working with elderly and disabled men and women and helping them live fuller lives.

So there’s no one better, in my book, than McGonigle when it comes to sharing tips and tools for helping a parent live independently for as long as possible, for knowing what potential signs of problems should be watched for, and for knowing when Mom or Dad needs to live in a setting that offers more support.

McGonigle also has created a website and blog, Dad’s Home Alone, to provide even more info for adult children who are helping a loved one.

I know many Parent Talk Today readers are taking care of both kids and older parents. It’s a stressful juggling act. But this book and website can offer advice, resources and the knowledge that you’re definitely not alone.

In a recent blog post for “Adoption Stories,” her blog on psychologytoday.com, journalist, blogger and licensed social worker Meredith Resnick has hit the nail on the head in describing the early (and sometimes not-so-early) days of parenthood.

She talks about “missing the freedom of life just being about me and my husband.” Something he said “helped me see that now more than ever — when it felt like there was no time because of the kids — that he and I needed to carve out time for ourselves individually, and for our relationship, together.”

Resnick’s interview with Alisa Bowman, creator of Project: Happily Ever After, quickly gets to the heart of what many parents feel during that adjustment period. It’s possible to have “me time” and “couple time” and still be a good parent, Bowman says. “When you put yourself last, though, that’s a recipe for burnout, poor parenting, and marital problems,” she adds. “You keep allowing yourself to get used up and used up some more, until all that is left of you is an exhausted, out of shape, cranky shadow of your former self.”

I loved this interview, and I can’t wait to read Bowman’s upcoming book, Project: Happily Ever After, her story of how she went from wishing her husband dead to renewing her wedding vows.

Both Resnick and Bowman are brave writers who know how to get very personal. In the process, they help readers relate to their own lives — even the lives sometimes lived in tears behind closed bedroom doors. Visit their blogs and I think you’ll be hooked, too. Then call the babysitter and make a dinner reservation just for the two of you — no kids’ meals, diaper bags or talk of preschool allowed.

I love food. I love wine. I’m nuts about all things Disney-related. So, really, honey, it’s a no-brainer: Take me to Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival for Mother’s Day, OK?

Although if you’d like to go sooner, I’m good with that, too… The Festival runs from April 16 through May 31, with lots of cool events. Tickets for the Signature events are on sale here.

If you’re really into cooking, check out the Napa Rose Cooking School with Chef Andrew Sutton. And there’s much more:

Daily Events

• Complimentary demonstrations featuring culinary experts and celebrity chefs, including Guy Fieri (love him! I’m a big “Triple-D” fan), Cat Cora and Robert Irvine
• Seminars that feature wine, beer and spirits

Signature Events (additional fee required)

Taste Food-Wine-Life May 29, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Presented in “grand-tasting” style, this event offers delectable creations from Disney chefs, outstanding wines and live entertainment. Theme park admission not required.

Festival Wine Walks and Beer Walks Daily

Enjoy tastings of your favorites, and discover the flavor of new wines and beers as you stroll through Stage 12, at the Festival Showplace.

Winemaker Dinners

Fridays: April 23, 30, May 14 and 21
6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Award-winning wines paired with delectable culinary creations at Steakhouse 55, with Chef Jason Martin

Brewmaster Dinner

Friday May 7
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Join experts from Karl Strauss Brewing Company for delicious food paired with beers, at Steakhouse 55

Riedel Glass Tasting

Saturdays, April 24, May 28
6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In this fascinating class led by an expert from Riedel, learn why the glass matters when it comes to wine tasting. Guests at this event will go home with a tasting set of four Riedel Vinum series lead crystal wine glasses.

Sweet Sundays

April 18, May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Enjoy Sunday morning buffets featuring elegant dessert items from acclaimed pastry chefs, at the Festival Showplace inside Disney’s California Adventure.

Taste Wine Like an Expert

Saturdays: May 1, 8, 15 and 22
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Entertaining education with Sommelier Joy Cushing of Napa Rose restaurant

Napa Rose Cooking School

Saturdays: April 17, May 1, 8, 15, and 22
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Executive Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose leads guests in preparing a four-course gourmet meal. Guests receive a commemorative chef’s coat, embroidered with the Festival logo.

Whether you love to cook, want to learn more about wine — or just love to eat(!), there’s something here for you. Happy (early) Mother’s Day!

I was on a flight from to L.A. the other day. A mom with three three kids sat across from me, with one next to her and two in front of her.