Katie Biddle
Katie grew up in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania before heading to college in the Philadelphia area. She earned a degree in Accounting but after a very brief stint in public accounting, tossed her Judy’s Tenkey and joined a service program teaching 2nd grade in Washington, D.C. She fell in love with teaching and never looked back. She taught everything from 2nd grade to high school seniors during her 9-year teaching career. Katie met her husband during their early teaching days but it wasn’t until a few years later while they were catching up over a cup of coffee in Baltimore that they realized it was something more than friendship. The math teacher (Katie) and the Physicist (her husband) were engaged on the Most Epic Pi Day of Our Lifetime (3-14-15) and were married a year later. They moved to Boston in 2016 when her husband accepted a job in Longwood. Katie taught nearby in Mission Hill until May 2017 when she stepped out of the classroom to stay home with her favorite student yet: her now 2-year-old son. She works part-time at a Pregnancy Center near their home in Brighton. She loves coffee, baking gluten-free (out of necessity, not preference) treats that actually taste good, writing about food allergies, and running (when it’s actually warm in Boston)
When Thanksgiving Is Hard :: Gratitude in a Difficult Season
Halloween has come and gone, and that means we're moving right into what many consider to be the happiest (and often busiest) time of year — the holidays. Thanksgiving is just a week away,...
Saturday Morning Doughnut Dates
Contrary to what Instagram would have you believe, you don't have to plan elaborate family outings to create cherished memories. Sometimes it's as simple as a doughnut and a hot cup of coffee with the people you love most.
Live Life Like a Toddler
Toddlers could teach us all a thing or two about forgiveness. You bump your squirming toddler's head as you're trying to wrestle him/her into the car seat. You inadvertently knock over the leaning tower of DVD boxes he/she has decided is a construction project. You eat the last of the Goldfish during naptime. Whatever the offense may be, you are quickly forgiven (after about 40 seconds of crying, of course). It's as if toddlers have a wisdom beyond their years — they realize that whatever you did to upset them can't come close to how much they love you. So they just move on.
Fun in the Sun :: Tips for Summer Safety
When I think back on summers as a kid, I remember lazy days by the pool, concerts in the park behind my grandparents' house, jars of fireflies with carefully punctured lids. Time was unstructured and seemed to move slower than the rush of the school year. As a mom, this is how I want my son to experience summer. And yet, lately it seems like every news story or social media post about summer is filled with terrifying warnings about ticks, sun poisoning, dehydration, drowning... the list goes on and on. It is almost enough to make me want to hunker down in our apartment all summer (with the air conditioner on, of course).
What Food Allergy Moms Want You to Know
You know one of your son's friends can't eat gluten, dairy, or peanuts, so you buy a box of gluten-free brownie mix. You prepare it according to the 'dairy alternative' recipe. But there's a problem. That sponge you used to wash the mixing bowl? It cleaned peanut butter off a breakfast plate this morning. That wooden spoon you used to mix the batter? It mixed wheat flour last night and might have small traces of gluten (even after washing). Yes, some kids are that sensitive.
Traveling with Toddlers :: Can We Talk About the Good Stuff Too?
I know our son won't remember our travels from these early days of his life. I do hope that maybe these experiences in some way help him internalize that the world is so much more than our street here in Boston. Even if it doesn't do that for him quite yet, it is good for me to remember that there is life outside nap schedules and 'Daniel Tiger.'
An Ode to My Local Library
This week we celebrate National Library Week. As a voracious reader and former teacher, I have long appreciated my local library. Once I became a mom, this appreciation reached a whole new level. Love? Devotion? I'm not quite sure the word... all I know is I owe a debt of gratitude to that charming little building around the corner that I will never be able to repay.
Screen Time Limits… for Mom?
"Kids notice EVERYTHING. Yes, they listen to what we tell them (usually). Yes, they internalize certain behaviors through routine and repetition. But the reality is, they gain so much of their knowledge about the world through observation. And if what they observe is adults constantly staring at screens, they will internalize that message: Being a grown-up means staring at a screen all day."
To the Mom Whose Kid Doesn’t Sleep
I see you over there stifling a yawn during toddler story hour. I see you guzzling another cup of coffee during playgroup. I see you struggling to muster the energy to chase that little girl of yours (who might just rival the Energizer Bunny) around the gym. I see you — and I get it.
When the Holidays Look Different…
So we go on each year, looking forward to our traditions that create holiday magic — until that inevitable year when the holiday suddenly looks different.
Holidays and Food Allergies :: Boston’s 6 Best Allergen-Friendly Bakeries
There is something truly magical about gathering around the table with family and friends to share a meal. Of course, these holiday meals can also be a source of stress, especially if you are the one hosting. If you are welcoming holiday guests into your home this year, chances are at least one of your friends or family members will have some food allergies. How can you make sure everyone feels welcome at your table... without also stressing yourself out?
Take the Spook Out of Trick-or-Treating :: Tips for an Allergy-Safe Halloween
Halloween will soon be upon us, and even if you're not a teacher or a parent of a child with food allergies, chances are there is someone in your neighborhood who will appear at your door with an allergy. So what can you do to make sure all kids can enjoy the holiday AND stay safe?
Adventures in Feeding… and Lessons in Gratitude
Before our son arrived, I said it would be fine if we had to use formula. However, when this became our reality, it suddenly didn't seem so simple.
The Priceless Gift of Grandparents
You are one of the lucky ones. You have three grandparents in your life, and if there were a template for perfect grandparents, they could be it.
Fun (for Kids!) at the Farmers Market — and on the Farm
Boston farmers markets and farms are providing more and more kid-focused activities — and this market-loving mom couldn't be more excited.