My Mom May Be Gone, But I Found An Incredible Sign From Her In My New Home (Scary Mommy)
A Boston native, I recently moved to Tampa suburb in search of more sunshine, literally and figuratively. The perfect storm of a pandemic, a divorce, and a medical scare facilitated a half-life crisis I could not…
Continue readingReview of My New Children’s Book, “Goodnight Star, Whoever You Are” – Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews just released its take on my new children’s book, “Goodnight Star, Whoever You Are“, and it’s beyond amazing. If you look on the back of any New York Times bestseller, you…
Continue readingGet To Know Your Kids on a Whole New Level with a Cross-Country Road Trip
Yesterday, I drove from Washington, DC to Savannah, GA (after driving from MA to DC a few days earlier). It took about 10 hours, and I heard zero complaints or “Are we there…
Continue readingLet’s Celebrate Mother’s Day with Author Jodi Meltzer (The Library Laura Podcast)
Hello and welcome to a special Mother’s Day episode of The Library Laura Podcast, your week’s dose of book recommendations, library love, and literary enthusiasm. Today’s guest is author Jodi Meltzer, here to…
Continue reading“Goodnight Star, Whoever You Are” Book Earning Awards, Prepublication
My new book is earning some awards prepublication this time around! Here’s a synopsis: One fateful night, a child notices a magnificent star that looks like it’s following him during a car ride…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Selected as Featured Title for Picturebooking Podcast
I am thrilled to announce that “When You Lived in My Belly” was selected as a featured title for the Picturebooking Podcast, just in time for the holidays! (As a keepsake, it really…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Top 10 Finalist for Author Elite Award
Out of hundreds of submissions, “When You Lived in My Belly” earned a spot as a Top 10 Finalist for an Author Elite Award! Voting is open until October 23rd. If you’d like…
Continue readingI Can Dream My Mom Is Still Here (Thrive Global)
It has been such a source of internal distress for me that my mom has never appeared in one of my dreams. I am going on 7 long years of managing to function…
Continue readingMy Son Just Told Andy Grammer He’s Available to Play Drums on His Next Tour
My son just told multi-platinum artist Andy Grammer that he’s available to play drums on his next tour! 😂😎💯 How could he possibly reach the singer of hits like “Keep Your Head Up”…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Earns a First Place Purple Dragonfly Award
So thrilled and humbled that “When You Lived in My Belly” earned a First Place Purple Dragonfly Award! The Purple Dragonfly Award is a big one in children’s literature with submissions from across…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Translated into Spanish
Imagine how honored and humbled I was when a reader asked for my permission to translate my book, “When You Lived in My Belly,” into Spanish? 😱❤️ That’s exactly what Reading with Rita…
Continue readingMother’s Day, Interrupted (Thrive Global)
I am about to tuck and roll into my seventh Motherless Mother’s Day. The intense, cyclical crush of grief, longing, and loneliness is familiar and expected at this point, but, now, during the…
Continue readingWhat Do Jessica Simpson And I Have In Common?
What do Jessica Simpson and I have in common? It’s not the blonde hair. Pretty sure she was born with hers and I…wasn’t. It’s not our vocal prowess. That girl can seriously sing…
Continue readingWhen You Lived in My Belly Giveaway Alert!
Flashing back to that incomparable time when my son lived in my belly. I was 37-years-old, an over-the-hill “later mother” who kept doctors’ guessing. I mean, referring to to mine as a “high-risk,…
Continue readingWhen You Lived In My Belly, A Delightful Picture Book By Jodi Meltzer (Reading With Your Kids Podcast)
I had such a great time chatting with Reading With Your Kids Podcast about my book, “When You Lived in My Belly“. We discussed pregnancy, the (intensely annoying) stork myth, and the second…
Continue readingMy Son’s Dad Died And A Mean Comment From A Classmate Destroyed Us Both
My son lost his Dad on September 22, 2018. Last week, a kid at school made fun of him for it. They were working in a group in music class. Just four students…
Continue readingLooking Forward to A Decade Full of Possibilities and Opportunities
It’s mind-numbing to think about all the possibilities that are ushered in by a new decade, if my last one is any indication. In ten short years, I experienced both the best and…
Continue readingWhen Sudden Behavior Changes Are Actually PANDAS (Scary Mommy)
This holiday season, give your children the gift of learning the symptoms of PANDAS, a devastating illness that can affect any child diagnosed with strep throat.Imagine if your 8-year-old child stormed off the…
Continue readingIn Honor of Children’s Grief Awareness Day
During the past week alone, my son has twice woken up in the middle of the night, completely traumatized. He has vivid, horrific nightmares of his dad dying (he lost him in 2018,…
Continue readingThe Power of a Pink Starburst (HuffPost)
I call my son a sour patch kid. He can be sour sometimes, but his heart is pure sweetness. As I was changing into comfy clothes after a long day, I noticed a…
Continue readingAn Open Letter to My Bonus Daughter on Her 23rd Birthday
I took an unconventional road to motherhood. The proverbial stork dropped you–a sweet, precocious, creative, smart, and stunning 8-year-old girl on my doorstep first. You rang my doorbell and smiled widely when I…
Continue readingHappy Halloween from the Queen of MissFortune! 👻
Yes, this is how I greeted my children this morning. They have come to expect their mom/bonus mom in costume, with spooktacular treats prepared for breakfast. I do it all in my mom’s…
Continue reading186 Heartbreaking Reasons To Get Vaccinated This Year.
According to the CDC, 186 children died from the flu last season. Of those, 80 percent did not receive their flu vaccination. This is a startling and heartbreaking fact many of us…
Continue readingVisit Me at the Warwick Barnes & Noble’s Local Author Event
Barnes & Noble’s Local Author Event I’ll appearing at a local author signing panel at the Barnes & Noble in Warwick, Rhode Island this weekend. They’ve made sure to have a diverse committee…
Continue readingAuthor Jodi Meltzer to host reading in Walpole (Wicked Local Walpole)
Author Jodi Meltzer, a Sharon High School graduate and Franklin resident, will host a reading and discussion for her children’s book, “When You Lived in My Belly,” at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 12 in…
Continue readingThe Unwinnable Game of Modern Day Motherhood (NEXTfem Podcast)
My Guest Appearance on the NEXTfem Podcast I’m so honored to be chosen as the only guest for the NextFem podcast! I recently did a deeply personal interview with Host Tara Padua (link…
Continue readingHappy Fun Fact Friday!
Share a #FunFact about yourself below and you can win a copy of “When You Lived in My Belly”! I will choose the most intriguing (or outrageous) #FunFact and announce the winner Sunday…
Continue reading“When You Lived In My Belly” Helps Kids Understand Pregnancy (The Mom at Law)
“What was it like when I lived in your belly?” That was the question that prompted author Jodi Meltzer to write When You Lived In My Belly, a book Kirkus calls “A reassuring book with…
Continue readingIs Santa Real?- Having That ‘Talk’ With Your Kids
To give the big guy up or keep him under wraps, that is the question. My son came home today and informed me that a girl in his class told him Santa isn’t…
Continue readingManassas Barnes & Noble Sells Out of “When You Were in My Belly”
Great book signing yesterday! The Barnes & Noble location sold out of “When You Lived in My Belly” and invited me back for a second signing on October 6th! So, I’m in…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” (Fairfax County Times)
Parenting writer and author Jodi Meltzer is coming to the Barnes & Noble in Fairfax on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. to read and discuss her children’s book, “When You Lived in…
Continue readingLunchbox Love Note Pile-Up
Today was a typical Monday morning rush, trying to balance a dog who needed walking and a kid who needed to get to school (and, somehow, get myself ready, too)…until something extraordinary happened…
Continue readingTop 5 Things to Consider Before You Mix Money with Friendship
The dire warnings against mingling money with friendship date back to Shakespeare, when Polonius, the chief counselor to King Claudius in Hamlet, says, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, for a loan often…
Continue readingMeet Later Mom Jodi Meltzer (Motherhood Later… Than Sooner)
AGE: 46 RESIDENCE: Franklin, Massachusetts I am a blogger on my personal websites, Jodi Meltzer and Mommy Dish, and a parenting writer/contributor for several publications, including HuffPost, The Mighty, and Scary Mommy. I am also the author of a novel…
Continue readingMascot Books Featured Title: “When You Lived In My Belly”
Besides the HUGE picture of me on tier Faceboook, this was a fun Q&A with some great Alex quote!. Mascot Books’ August Featured Title: When You Lived in My Belly Our August featured…
Continue readingAlex’s First Camp Trip; Saying Goodbye
To say yesterday morning was exceptionally emotional is an understatement. My little guy boarded a bus full of strangers to Maine, off to Experience Camps –an amazing week-long program tailored for children who have experienced…
Continue readingAnnouncing The First “When You Lived in My Belly Contest Winner!”
Your responses to my contest to win a copy of When You Lived in My Belly were incredible. Some made me laugh out loud, and some made me a little emotional. All were…
Continue readingPolitics and Kids Books Don’t Mix
Here I am, the day before my children’s book, “When You Lived in My Belly” makes its big debut after nearly six years of endless work to bring it to market, smack dab…
Continue readingBook Review: “When You Lived in My Belly” by Jodi Meltzer (MuggleNet)
I’m very selective when it comes to books for my eldest daughter. I don’t only want them to be age-appropriate – I also want to make sure they are easy to read and…
Continue readingA Celebration of Pregnancy and The Maternal Bond
Here I am, the day before my children’s book, When You Lived in My Belly, makes its big debut after nearly six years of endless work to bring it to market, smack dab…
Continue readingPromising Reviews of “When You Lived in My Belly”
Early buzz about When You Lived in My Belly As a part of the press tour I’m currently on some very exciting people and publications have started to rate and review When You…
Continue readingGuess Who Will Be A Number 1 Seller!
Based on preorders, When You Lived in My Belly is debuting as the no. 1 selling book on Amazon in the…wait for it…Children’s Sexuality category… (oh how I would have preferred it if…
Continue readingAlex And I Made the MetroWest Daily News!
The Sweet Title Was Local Author Pays Loving Tribute to Her Son My son and I made the front page of the local newspaper for When You Lived in My Belly! I wrote…
Continue readingLocal Author Pays Loving Tribute to Her Son
Alex Meltzer Is A Precocious Nine-Year-Old. He’s The Focus Of A Book, Whose Author Happens To Be His Mom. Alex Meltzer is the star of the show. “Mi casa es su casa,” Meltzer…
Continue readingOut In Two Weeks: “When You Lived in My Belly”!
When You Lived in My Belly comes out two weeks from today–August 6th! And I will be reading it at the Barnes & Noble in Bellingham, MA on August 10th (more information and…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Is Available for Presale!
Here’s the press release for When You Lived in My Belly, available for presale now and out August 6, 2019: Popular Parenting Writer Publishes When You Lived in My Belly Mothers of curious…
Continue reading“When You Lived in My Belly” Will Be Out Soon, Read a Review By Nuraslittlelibrary
Happy Saturday! Stay cool by reading another review of When You Lived in My Belly. You can preorder on Barnes & Noble and Amazon! “I’ve started collecting books for new mommies and mommies-to…
Continue readingThe Pages In-Between- Another Flattering Review!
When You Lived in My Belly has been getting some great reviews from industry mainstays like Kirkus Reviews to mommy bloggers to everyone in between (no negative ones so far; fingers crossed). I…
Continue readingRise, Shine, Kick Butt
Today is already shaping up to be this kind of day: Sunglasses for no reason except daylight (even sans sun) seems way too bright. Oh, and they work as a makeshift headband for…
Continue readingFriday Update: My Busy Weekend
Soooo…let me tell you about my upcoming weekend. ✔️ My beautiful, brilliant bonus daughter is graduating from college tomorrow. When I met her, she still believed in Santa Claus, and I absolutely adore…
Continue readingMy Sun’s 9th Birthday
My son–my sun–turned 9-years-old yesterday, and, for the first time ever, he didn’t run down the hall to greet me with a kiss at 6:00 a.m. (due a terrifying medical emergency I had…
Continue readingI Let Go of My Mom’s Stuff for Mother’s Day
My mother stood in front of her ornate china cabinet, crammed with crystal and glass and silver, and traced her tired, swollen fingers across a weathered bowl. “This is an antique,” she said,…
Continue readingMommy Dish Monday Motivation
This is 100% MommyDishMondayMotivation. If parents’ priorities were straight (ahem, Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin), they would be happy supporting whatever their kids’ dreams and aspirations are (elite college or no college if they…
Continue readingMy Early Morning Morning WTF
First WTF occurred at 4:57 a.m. I got up and couldn’t fall back to sleep for the following reasons: 1. I began the involuntary process of trying to solve all of my problems/the…
Continue readingMy Beloved 8-Year-Old Son Lost His Father 8 Months Ago
My beloved 8-year-old son lost his father 8 months ago. At such a tender, impressionable age, he hand selected the dapper suit and tie he would wear to his dad’s funeral, he delivered…
Continue readingThe Khloe/Tristan/Jordyn Saga
As many of you know, I have a monthly radio segment, Hollywood Mommy Dish…but I cannot wait until the next show to weigh in on the Khloe/Tristan/Jordyn saga. Quick recap: Tristan Thompson is…
Continue readingThe 51 Steps a Mom Must Go Through to Attend a Holiday Cookie Swap
Tis the season for holiday parties! It’s time to unearth those Pinterest-worthy recipes and actually make them for friends who are no longer counting calories. It’s time to slip out of dog-hair-covered-leggings and…
Continue readingFive Years of Missing Mom
Five years ago today, I lost the person I was closest to for the first 40 years of my life. My beloved mom died after a relentless fight with ovarian cancer–a cruel, horrific,…
Continue readingUnderstanding ADHD
I must interrupt my snarky memes to post this, which will hopefully increase understanding and awareness of ADHD. I love this! And, if you have anything similar about another condition that you’d like…
Continue readingThe 8 Realities of Thyroid Cancer
Special thanks to my friends over at Thyroid Survivor Network for sharing an article I wrote about my best friend Jill’s grueling thyroid cancer journey. Thyroid cancer is not the “good cancer.” When you read…
Continue readingStarting the day with an epic search for my cell phone!
Starting the day with an epic search for my cell phone! Usually, I can turn all sources of noise off–including authoritatively sssshhhhhhhhh-ing my kids–long enough to hear the faint, tantalizing whisper of my…
Continue reading“Mom, I Think You’re The Tooth Fairy”
It was a battle of wits last night in my home. The Tooth Fairy versus an insatiably curious and inquisitive 8-year-old who doubts her very existence. My son has only lost four teeth….
Continue reading3:00 a.m. Messages for Mother’s Day
I recently inexplicably started the daunting task of sifting through old emails, trying to make a dent in the 20,000 or so that have been clogging my oldest inbox for years. During my…
Continue reading45 Takeaways From The First 45
I turned 45 recently, and I suddenly feel like a mom on the D-list. I am officially stalking 50 (hey, you always round up, right?), and half of my life is over, if…
Continue reading‘Thoughts and Prayers’ Don’t Help A 7-Year-Old In Lockdown
“Today is Valentine’s Day. We had a code red at school. I was locked in a room. I thought I was going to die.” Imagine your child writing those heartbreaking words in a…
Continue reading12 Things That Run Through My Mind on Snow Days
Bombogenesis. In all of my long suffering winters as a native Bostonian, I have never heard this term. Blizzard? Sure. Snowpocalypse? Yup. But bombogenesis? Yikes. Hearing the panic-stricken weather forecasters screech “bombogenesis” on…
Continue reading25 Things I Do to Prepare for the Day of My Mother’s Death
My mom died four years ago today. I approach this day the same way every year. Grief rolls in like a predictable, incoming tide, beginning on Halloween. I see my then three-and-a-half-year-old son…
Continue reading‘No Homework’ Policy Lets Elementary School Kids Be Kids
I picked my boys up after school yesterday and surprised them with a day at a farm I used to frequent as a kid. They climbed haystacks piled high for their enjoyment, and…
Continue readingMoms: Here’s Proof You’re Doing It Right
We all wonder–and, at times, obsess–about whether we are “bad moms”. Self-doubt comes with the parenting gig. Whenever you are questioning yourself about your choices, beating yourself up for your actions, or worrying…
Continue readingMommymoon: The Sweet Spot Between Summer Vacation and School Strangulation
It’s the first day of school for my kids! T minus five days until I am routinely stumped by second grade math homework. Fourth grade assistance might require a stunt double, industrial-sized margaritas,…
Continue readingMy Uncanny Ability to Choose the Loudest, Most Obnoxious Malfunctioning Mofo of a Supermarket Cart
When I die, I will surely be remembered for my uncanny ability to choose the loudest, most obnoxious malfunctioning mofo of a supermarket cart in the entire store. Every. Single. Time. Add to…
Continue readingJodi Meltzer Interviewed on HuffPost on Call
Mommy Dish aficionados! I was recently interviewed on the show “HuffPost on Call.” If you have a spare half-hour, you can listen to my insightful chat with Dr. Jane Greer. We covered everything…
Continue readingIt Takes a Village to Get Through a Motherless Mother’s Day
When you’ve endured as many motherless days as I have, you do everything you can to protect yourself from the heightened, stinging sadness associated with certain dates. Her birthday and death anniversary are…
Continue readingThe Power of a Pink Starburst
My son was enjoying a rare pack of Starbursts before I dropped him off at his dad’s yesterday. The car ride was more on the silent side—peeling, chewing, and prioritizing colors demands focus!–but…
Continue readingYou can Hate Donald Trump, But His Young Son Is Off Limits
I am as liberal as they come, a “live and let live” kind of girl. Our current president is my most mind-numbing, gut-wrenching, stomach-turning horror show of a nightmare personified. Like millions of…
Continue readingHe’s 10- Lay The Hell Off This Child
I am as liberal as they come, a “live and let live” kind of girl. Our current president is my most mind-numbing, gut-wrenching, stomach-turning horror show of a nightmare personified. Like millions of…
Continue readingTraveling The Road Of Life Without My Mom
Like a car showing its age from driving thousands of miles on rough terrain, I have had many starts and stops, fits and sputters, and, yes, breakdowns on my road of grief. I…
Continue readingJesse Williams Is Right: We Need to Do Better
Picture this: When I was young, maybe five or six years old, I was seated at a restaurant with my mom and younger brother, happily scarfing down my favorite meal-of-the-moment. Mid-way through lunch…
Continue readingWhy Do We Attack After The Alligator Attack?
When did we become a bunch of “Mean Girls?” An alligator attacked a toddler frolicking at the edge of a lagoon at Disney World. Lane Graves died a mind numbingly gruesome death in…
Continue readingTo Brock Turner’s Dad, from a Mom of Boys
If anyone is confused why Brock Turner, the spoiled, self-righteous prick who blames everyone but himself for brutally raping, sodomizing, and dehumanizing an unconscious, defenseless woman behind a dumpster at Stanford University, look…
Continue readingStop the Mom Shaming: Harambe-Gate Could’ve Happened to You
Moms have been going at Michelle Gregg old-school, Hester Prynne style because her 4-year-old son ultimately caused a beloved, endangered silverback gorilla’s death by slipping, undetected, into his home at the Cincinnati Zoo….
Continue readingMother’s Day: Mishaps, Mayhem, Mending
I woke up on Mother’s Day at 6:45 a.m. to a symphony of sneezes well within my personal spray zone. My son went in for a kiss with a messy cold and completely…
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