About Bethany Prange
Bethany Prange's 'MoCo Mommy' column reflects upon on the trials, tribulations and joys of raising children.
Bethany grew up in downtown Fults, and now lives in Waterloo with her husband, Kevin, and their sons, Remy and Ty.
A former full-time print newspaper journalist, Bethany now runs her own digital marketing company. Writing MoCo Mommy keeps her writing skills sharp and more importantly, keeps her sane during the hijinx and hysterical mayhem that often overcomes their boy-filled home.
Read MoCo Mommy
Children Often Argue To Find A Sense Of Control
by Bethany Prange My seven-year-old really enjoys arguing. When he launches into a detailed argument about why he shouldn’t have to go to bed, I take a deep breath and remind myself that maybe someday he’ll use his powers for good. He finds cause to argue over just about anything. If I said, “Put your …
Parents, Teachers Need Grace, Empathy During E-Learning
by Bethany Prange He stomps his feet, squeezes his eyes shut tight, and erupts in howling wails. The sobs are so intense, so desperate, one would think he’s suffered a gut-wrenching loss. His cheeks blaze red and tears stream down his face. On rare occasions, he’s even flung himself to the floor, distraught with grief …
Parents, Teachers Need Grace, Empathy During E-Learning Read More »
As The Battle With Covid-19 Continues, Parents Gear Up For The School Year Ahead
by Bethany Prange Even in the most boring and normal of years, August lends itself to one topic of conversation – school. But this year, which is anything but normal or boring, the conversations about school are different too. Instead of “which teacher did your son get?” or “can you believe how long the school …
As The Battle With Covid-19 Continues, Parents Gear Up For The School Year Ahead Read More »
When Parents Let Guard Down, Kids Pay The Price
By Bethany Prange After almost seven years of life, my youngest son got his first sunburn yesterday. Despite multiple applications of aloe vera last night, his cheeks, forehead and shoulders are flaming as red as maraschino cherries. I’ve been wracked with guilt since I first noticed his face turning red while we were playing in …
Toads And Kids Make For Great Stories During Lockdown Season
By Bethany Prange On a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, I spent a good 30 minutes tiptoeing through the grass of my backyard, calling his name. I peered behind trees, under cars and beneath bushes. Alas, he was gone. And so ends the somewhat epic tale of Sir Jaguar Toadington. Jaguar, as he was known by …
Toads And Kids Make For Great Stories During Lockdown Season Read More »
Figuring Out Motherhood In A Crisis Is Not Too Easy
By Bethany Prange With all this “free time” I allegedly have, I’ve been thinking of writing a book. It’s a nonfiction work-in-progress loosely based on true events, and the working title is, “How To Teach Your Child To Be A Moody Train Wreck In Five Easy Steps.” Best seller material, don’t you think? I’m thinking …
Figuring Out Motherhood In A Crisis Is Not Too Easy Read More »
Finding Small Joys During These Trying Times
Last night should have been like any other night. My son and I ate dinner together, played and settled in to watch television before bed. But last night, in the middle of what should have been one of his favorite parts of the day – TV time – he looked up at me with a …
Parents Do The Best They Can During Crisis
As I thought about what to write for this column, I promised myself I would write about anything but Covid-19. Because my full-time job is in digital marketing and public relations, I spend a large portion of every day with one eye on the news cycle. This week in particular, I’ve spend a lot of …
Entertaining Kindergarteners Is No Job For Kids
by Bethany Prange A good friend and I were recently commiserating about the long-lost days of sleeping in on the weekends. My friend, a 40-something mom to an almost three-year-old, went on to bemoan the fact that on a recent Saturday, she awoke to a puzzle being shoved in her face by her all-too-chipper daughter. …
Embracing The Weird: Teaching Kids It Is Okay To Be Different
By Bethany Prange If you ever look at your kid and think, “my Lord this child is weird,” take heart. Spend just 20 minutes on Facebook scanning posts from other parents – or read one of my columns – and you’ll quickly learn it’s not just yours. They’re all weird. Honestly, who can blame them? …
Embracing The Weird: Teaching Kids It Is Okay To Be Different Read More »
