Top of Mind

Don't talk to mommy until she's had her edibles
Motherhood comes with its own unique form of anxiety, and sometimes, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath just doesn't cut it. To cope, a growing number of women are trading their evening glass of wine for cannabis. Micro-dosed gummies, vapes, and chef-inspired edibles are becoming the new "mommy's little helper."

Viral "canna moms" on social media explain they use marijuana as a tool to calm their fight-or-flight responses, boost patience, and deeply engage during playtime.

What are medical experts saying about this? Well, they're urging caution. Addiction specialists warn that marijuana impairs reaction times and emergency decision-making just like alcohol. Furthermore, a massive review of fifty studies found no evidence that cannabis actually improves mental health disorders like anxiety.

If you are cannabis-curious, pediatricians recommend starting with a low dose, keeping products locked away from kids, and ensuring another sober adult is present. More info here.

Did You Hear

🍝 Mamma mia, that's a lot of pasta!
If you haven't heard the news, Olive Garden is bringing back their $100 Never Ending Pasta Pass, and this mom is breaking down how it's an incredible deal for families. For those who don't know, the pass gives you 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, homemade sauces and protein toppings, accompanied by never-ending soup or salad and breadsticks. The catch? There's only 10,000 passes being released. If you miss out, don't worry, our resident chef Kiyah Duffey has shared an incredible pasta recipe below!

🚽 Here’s why everyone’s talking about diarrhea
Chances are you've seen a headline containing the words "explosive diarrhea" this week, and it's all thanks to the foodborne parasite Cyclospora. The outbreak has sickened over 1,500 people across 31 states, and it can cause weeks of explosive, watery diarrhea. It typically spreads via contaminated fruits and vegetables, like berries, basil and even cilantro. To make matters worse, hand sanitizer doesn't kill it. Here's how you can avoid the mess this summer.

👩‍🎤 Should you bring your baby to a concert?
Between festival season and stadium tours, more parents are bringing infants and toddlers to big shows. However, pediatric ENTs warn that a child's developing auditory system can suffer permanent hearing damage in minutes when exposed to typical concert volumes (90–120 decibels). While noise-reducing headphones help, they are unregulated and only lower noise levels rather than eliminate them. Experts say it's safest to leave the little ones with a sitter. More here.

✈️ Toddler's meltdown causes massive flight delay
A viral Reddit thread has parents and travelers fiercely divided after a three-year-old child refused to sit in his seat during takeoff on a flight in Sweden. After a ten-minute struggle, the captain forced the family to deboard, causing a one-hour delay. While frustrated passengers are calling for adult-only flights, sympathetic parents point out that even the best parenting can't stop a terrifying toddler meltdown.

🍚 Creative ways to use your rice cooker
Ever wonder what else you can make in a rice cooker besides rice? Well, Jennifer Garner has some options for you. And if you don't have a rice cooker, what are you even doing? This one is amazing.

⚠️ Nearly 50,000 toys have been recalled from Target
If you have Gigglescape Under the Sea Popping Toys in your household, please return them immediately as they present a dangerous choking hazard.

Bites with Kiyah

Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo (adapted)
This summer has become all about responsibility in our house. Our 14-year-old is in charge of keeping the kitchen clean. Our 13-year-old takes the dog for her afternoon walk. And this year, each of them is responsible for making dinner one night a week.

They get to choose the meal. My husband and I buy the ingredients. Pancakes? Great. Pizza? Sure. As long as I don't have to make a decision. The point isn’t to create little chefs. It’s to help them build confidence in the kitchen before they leave our house.

This creamy fettuccine, adapted from Elaine Kaufman, has become my son’s new favorite (probably because it’s basically Mac & Cheese). My husband and I usually add sliced grilled chicken or steamed broccoli, but my kids prefer it exactly as written.

Ingredients:

Salt, for pasta water
2 tablespoons butter
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1½ cups heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
1 pound (preferably fresh) fettuccine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
While the water heats, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, just until fragrant.
In a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and egg yolk. Pour into the skillet with the garlic butter, reduce the heat to low, and stir until warmed through—but don’t let it boil.
Cook the fresh fettuccine until al dente (fresh pasta will float when it’s ready). Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
Add the hot pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan and continue tossing until the cheese melts and the sauce clings to the pasta. If it becomes too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Finish generously with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Kitchen favorites: Freshly grated Parmesan really does make a difference here, so I always reach for my Microplane instead of the pre-shredded kind.

Dose of Good

@brittanyolson08
When mom ruins the vibe #fyp #sassy #funnybaby @Todd Williams

Here’s a Question

Be honest, if you were traveling without your kids, would you pay extra for a child-free flight?

Last week, we asked if you were planning on trying the Chick-fil-A 30-nugget-and-five-buttered-buns hack, and "No way! Part of the reason I pay for fast food is the convenience of not having to assemble it myself!" came in first place with around 43% of the vote.