Best of Rocket City Mom in 2013
It’s become something of a tradition for us here at Rocket City Mom to look back at the end of each year and see what posts were the most popular on our site. It’s always interesting to me because some of them might not get a ton of views the day they are published but over time they “season” into our most viewed and shared stories of the year. [sws_pullquote_left]I’m especially proud of the variety and inclusiveness of the stories we published this year… [/sws_pullquote_left] This year the stories vary wildly and I’d like to think that’s a reflection of what RCM has become. It’s certainly changed a lot since the days when I wrote every article and published only once or twice a week! I’m especially proud of the variety and inclusiveness of the stories we published this year and the lives we touched by doing so. From parents discussing practical solutions for home storage to local families discussing their “non-traditional” families (and yet incredibly common experiences) and everything in between, our little parenting site has had quite a year! We hope you’ve enjoyed our stories and thank you all for giving us the opportunity to share them.
Happy Holidays from everyone here at Rocket City Mom! We’ll see you in 2014.
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Storage Wars in the Rocket City
What mom (or dad) hasn’t bemoaned the clutter caused by children at play? That common parenting dilemma is no doubt a large part of what made this Pinterest inspired post by Katie so popular in 2013! Read Post[/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#9″ rel=””]
A Father’s Love: To the Moon and Back
Taking inspiration from a popular children’s book, this local dad recounts his journey of more than 250,000 miles to find the best education possible for his son. A touching tribute to how strong the bond between parent and child can be, this story also tells the tale of how Rise School of Huntsville came to be. Read Post[/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#8″ rel=””]
Losing a Pregnancy, Finding Community
We’ve been followers of Kim’s blog MissZoot.com for many years which is why we originally asked her to write for RCM. It’s also how we knew she’d be the perfect writer to address Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. With her trademark mix of honesty, bluntness, and humor, Kim shared her personal journey through loss and what helped her get through the toughest days. A great read for everyone whose ever lost a child or knows someone who has. Read Post[/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#7″ rel=””]
Athens Cinemagic Drive-in Theater
The concept behind our parent reviews is simple. Real, local, non-paid parents give you the 411 on restaurants, parks, attractions and businesses that cater to families. They’ve become some of the most popular posts on our site and this one for a hidden gem in Athens was so popular it made it into our top 10 list! Read Post [/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#6″ rel=””]
Fitting Family Travel Into Your Budget
Another new series which was quite popular this year is Melika’s articles on family travel. There’s no question most of us would LOVE to travel more with our kids but it can be sooo expensive. Not so, says Melika. This post is full of great money saving ideas and she tells you how she spent less than $400 to get three people from Huntsville to Germany! Read Post [/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#5″ rel=””]
Melissa’s Fund: A Story of Healing, Helping, and Hope
 If you’ve lived in Huntsville for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about the The Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation.  The Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa are popular events that get a lot of local press. But until you’ve read this very personal story, told from a mother’s perspective, about its inception and the two beautiful premature baby girls it was created to honor, you don’t know the full story. Take a moment to read Amy George’s post about her family’s loss, the wonderful work the NICU at Huntsville Hospital has done and will continue to do, and how by helping make that possible, Melissa’s Fund is honoring the memory of her daughter. Read Post[/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#4″ rel=””]
A Tale of Two Families
Here at RCM we believe strongly in creating a community of families that is inclusive, diverse, and reflects all the different forms of families that exist in the Tennessee Valley. Which is why Stephenie put together this post comprised of interviews she did with two local LGBT families. While we ran it to coincide with Rocket City Pride week, we had no way of knowing it would also be timed almost perfectly with the historic DOMA ruling that came down from the Supreme Court. Read Post [/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#3″ rel=””]
An Unusual Twist on the Sleepover
When Melika first submitted this post about having a sleepover at a local hotel I immediately recognized the genius of the idea and decided then and there my daughter’s much talked about slumber party was happening at the Embassy Suites! Apparently I wasn’t the only one who appreciated the great idea along with very practical advice/tips on how to make the most of your stay without disrupting other guests. Read Post [/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#2″ rel=””]
The Truth About Teacher Gifts
Ahh the dreaded teacher gift. It’s a common dilemma of parenthood and one almost anyone with a kid in school can relate to. How do you strike the right balance between showing genuine appreciation for all your child’s teacher does without it seeming like a straight up bribe? What do teachers really like receiving? We did the tough investigative work and went straight to the source and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their answers. Read Post [/h_stab_panel] [h_stab_panel title=”#1″ rel=””]
Only Child Syndrome Myths
With women waiting longer to have children and families having less children than they did just one generation ago, there are more and more children growing up as “onlys.” So it’s little surprise that Taralyn’s article about the myths that surround only children (anti-social, spoiled, etc.) would find an audience even wider than North Alabama. In fact, readers from as far away as Australia found her post and helped to make it the most popular one on RCM this year! Read Post [/h_stab_panel][/sws_hor_stab]
Rocket City Mom is a website about raising children in and around Huntsville, Alabama. Started in late 2010 by a local mom and newcomer to Huntsville, Rocket City Mom has grown into a thriving community of local parents and now boasts a staff of four, thirteen regular contributors, and tens of thousands of Tennessee Valley readers making it the #1 Parenting Resource in North Alabama.