Joelle Speranza

Joelle Speranza is a lifestyle writer, author, and publicist. She lives in a NJ lake community with her husband, two children, and three dogs. Follow her on Instagram @thejoellesperanza

Women are stressed to the max, but there’s a good reason. Stress is a feminist issue, according to Dr. Michele Kambolis, a mind-body health specialist, registered therapist, meditation teacher, and acclaimed author and speaker who has been practicing for more than 20 years. In her new book, When Women Rise: Everyday Practices to Strengthen Your Mind, Body, and Soul, she discusses topics including how women have learned to navigate our lives in fear, postpartum depression and anxiety, gender i...

Octavia Goredema was in the middle of a career pivot, and two international moves, when her kids were born. Looking back now, she realizes how much she was juggling, but she tells LittleThings she didn’t fully appreciate that at the time.
“It was hard and I felt like I wasn’t achieving enough fast enough,” says Goredema. “I remember, at the time, feeling incredibly tired and frustrated because I felt like I was making slow progress. What I realize now is I was making monumental progress. I wa...

Moms are masters of multi-tasking. But how often do we use our super powers for our own good? I’m not talking about working while you virtual school your kid just to get through the day. We need to create mini moments of “me-time” in the middle of our messy days for our mental health. I’ve been re-framing my thoughts about my to-do list and now look forward to it!
Here are four ways to turn some of your biggest household chores—including cooking, cleaning, and laundry—into moments of self-car...

Moving is stressful. Moving with young children is a headache. Moving with young children during a global pandemic is…possible!
Just because we’re in the middle of a terrifying health crisis, you’re most likely juggling some form of virtual school and working from home, and the real estate market is so on fire that houses are selling in one day, doesn’t mean that your dreams of moving need to be delayed another year.
It is possible to move with children during the pandemic and score your drea...

Girl power is unstoppable. It’s up to us—mothers and fathers—to instill this our daughters at a young age. As they grow up, little girls idolize big screen princesses. They play pretend wearing crowns and gowns, with their imaginations burning bright. But they don’t need to be royal to have girl power. Any girl can channel the brave, smart, confident, mindful qualities within herself to be the hero of her own fairytale and help make the world a better place. And as parents, there are ways we ...

I've always been a dream chaser, but after I became a mom to my first child six years ago, my dreams got pushed to the sidelines. I didn't have time to hustle because I could barely function. As a full-time publicist with chronic fatigue syndrome and total working mom guilt, I didn’t have the energy or emotion to put into my passions.
When my daughter turned three-years-old and life might have become easier, I had my son. Instead of gaining more “me-time” once my child became independent, I w...

French poet Anatole France once declared, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” Pets do so much for us, and Valentine’s Day is the purr-fect opportunity to spoil our furry family members.
Amanda Bynes Files To End Her Conservatorship: 'Protection Of Court No Longer Necessary'

A recent survey by Wild Earth examined pet parents’ behavior and celebrations for the upcoming holiday. Here are a few ways pet parents are planning on celebrating their fur children:...

There are so many moms who feel like they are failing. Failing at work-life balance, failing at working out. Failing at date night, failing at not yelling. Failing at life, even.
But here’s the thing: There is so much hope! There is always hope, according to Lisa Canning, a parenting coach, author, and mother of eight kids under age 12 —with her ninth on the way.
“There is hope because I believe that every mom, no matter how much of a hot mess she thinks she is, has a unique set of skills and...

There’s nothing like being on the receiving end of love from your pet — unless you have a puppy who’s nipping you or perhaps a senior dog with really, really bad breath. Just like dental care is essential for human health, pet parents need to properly care for their pet’s mouth. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) notes that many pet parents ignore the dental health of their pets and that dental disease very common. In fact, the AVMA states that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show...

Here’s something to remember next time you’re feeling stressed out, frustrated, or depressed: Parents are people! We are not machines running on autopilot, expected to say and do everything perfectly and please everyone (especially tiny people with big tempers!). Parenting is hard. Maybe the hardest thing we will ever do in our lives. Especially during the health crisis. When emotions are flying high and you’re feeling like you’re the one needing a time-out, try one of these expert suggestion...

Two days before the world shut down at the start of the pandemic, I nervously held my daughter’s hand as I walked her to kindergarten. Our neighborhood was eerily silent, and the school parking lot, which was usually bustling with activity during morning drop-off, was almost vacant. I kissed my daughter before she walked through her elementary school doors for the last time that year and then came home, emailed the school nurse, and spent all day worrying about whether or not I should go brin...

Dogs may have fur coats, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re protected from all the elements of winter. As the temperatures drop and snow and ice removal products are put into use, it’s important for pet parents to take the proper precautions to keep their pets healthy and safe.
A good rule of thumb to follow is, “If it’s too cold for you, it’s likely too cold for your pet,” Diane Ashton, director of communications for St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, tells LittleThings. “Similar to ...