Monica went to the World Cup Final expecting a soccer game and found something closer to a global street festival, complete with costumes, drums, and coordinated chanting from tens of thousands of strangers. She has thoughts about the spectacle, the halftime show she barely saw, and the ugly turn things took at the end. But what stuck with her was recognizing something oddly familiar in it all, a brand of intensity she'd spent years surrounded by long before she set foot in MetLife Stadium.

After watching Toy Story 5, Monica found herself thinking less about the movie and more about how childhood itself has changed. In this one, she makes the case for boredom, bicycles, and toys that don't require a password, with a few stories along the way.

When Monica's son moved to Chicago, he took his hundred-pound emotional support dog, Max, along with him, which got Monica thinking about one of motherhood's greatest mysteries: how every family pet, no matter who begged for it, eventually becomes Mom's pet. Full of Max's greatest hits and hard-won truths about pet parenthood, it's a love letter to every mom who never once applied for the job of Director of Dogs.

We've all got that one bag. The heavy one. The one we keep meaning to clean out. For Monica, it's her beach bag, and this week she finally stopped apologizing for it.

This Fourth of July, while everyone's toasting the Founding Fathers, Monica got curious about the Founding Mothers. What was motherhood actually like in 1776? (And no, not because she's nostalgic. She's far too attached to indoor plumbing for that.)

Most of us spent months planning the wedding and zero time preparing for the marriage. Monica shares the one question worth asking before you say "I do" — not whether he wants kids or likes the beach, but something far more telling about how he'll show up for you decades from now. A must-read before your kid's next engagement, or your own.

Think you're ready for Disney World? Think again. After more than 40 visits, Monica shares her hilariously practical survival guide for navigating long lines, Florida heat, gift shop temptations, and the logistical Olympics required to keep a family vacation on track.

School is out, and summer camps, blistering sports tournaments, and family vacations are officially in. Welcome to Summer 2026, Moms—may your sunscreen be plentiful, your snack supply endless, and your patience fully charged.

College graduation season is here — along with every parent’s favorite existential crisis: “What exactly is my child planning to do with the rest of their life?” Monica Samuels dives into the rising cost of college, the reality of liberal arts degrees, and the fine line between encouraging your child’s dreams and quietly wondering whether those dreams come with financial security.

After surviving a terrifying car accident, Monica reflects on the money-pit SUV she spent months complaining about… right up until it may have saved her life. This blog post explores gratitude, distracted driving, and the shocking emotional journey of suddenly becoming deeply attached to the same Range Rover that had been emotionally terrorizing her for months.