Shauna Silva
Shauna is a native of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and Middlebury College grad who relocated back to VT in 2013 after more than a decade in Seattle, WA, where she came to appreciate good Pho, Orca Whales and the magic of a long ferry ride. Shauna and her wife, Ang, are a proud 2-mom family with their toddler boy/girl twins. Shauna is a clinical social worker who worked as Child & Family Therapist, parent educator, trainer and consultant for over a decade before being dramatically humbled by her own pregnancy and parenting adventures. She currently works full-time outside the home as a mental health program administrator and full-time in the home chasing diaper escapees and reading "Goodnight Moon." She and Ang are thrilled to be raising their family back home in the Green Mountains where they expect the twins to get really, really good at hockey.
Ask Shauna: How Do I Talk to My Kids About Gender Identity?
Q: With Bruce Jenner coming out as transgender, I realize I have no idea how to talk to my kids about this. Help! What do I say?
I am SO glad you are asking this question!...
Breathless: Our Prematurity Story
You are not breathing. You can’t breathe. That is what it feels like 100% of the time when you have a premature baby living in the hospital. We had two, our sweet brother and...
Ask Shauna: Why “Stranger Danger” Isn’t Doing You Any Favors
Q: I was wondering if you could write something about "stranger danger." How do I talk to my kids about keeping themselves safe out in the world?
A: First of all, GREAT question. All parents wonder...
Sweet Times with Sweet Events Photography: Review & Giveaway
{Disclaimer: BurlingtonVT Moms Blog has partnered with Sweet Events Photography for this sponsored post. While we received a form of compensation for this post, the opinions expressed are entirely my own!}
Sometimes you are just lucky...
Ask Shauna: What the Heck to Say to Kids about Bullying
Q: My son came home from second grade yesterday and told me about another boy from our neighborhood getting bullied by a group of 3rd graders at recess. Apparently they call him “gay” and...
Parenting Twins, or How I Came to Lay a Baby on a Garbage Bag
My wife and I have twins. Toddler twins, of the boy-girl variety.
Almost two years into parenting them, (and over 2 years since we found out) and it still seems kind of ridiculous and surreal....
When Your Kid Goes to School and a Stranger Comes Home
Q: My daughter started Pre-K 2 weeks ago and I feel really unprepared for how much she is changing. Some of these changes are good, but mostly I feel like I sent off a...
RIP, My 20 Minutes of Alone Time
A few months ago Ang and I reworked our morning routine of getting us and our twin not-quite-two year olds up, dressed, fed, and otherwise ready for daycare and work and out the door....
5 Things Busy Moms Can Do to Curb Gun Violence
Two weeks ago,11 year-old Shamiya Adams was killed in Chicago when a stray bullet fired by a teen gang member came through a window while she attended a slumber party. In this age where mass...
Random Acts of Dinner: “Out of Thin Air” Meal Ideas for Crazy-Busy Days
We know that it can be easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to feeding our families. When you are contending with picky eaters, time constraints, and sleep deprivation, meal planning...
Dear House, I Call “Truce”
"Dear House,
I call truce. Seriously, I do. I can't totally surrender, and I can't keep going like this, so we need to make a deal. I'll keep you functional, but I get to stop obsessing...
Baby, Talk to Me
“Teetee!”
This means “Cookie,” as in the monster, not “cookie” the treat. My 18 month old daughter says this word when she finds her Cookie Monster doll or her twin brother is wearing his Cookie...
Non-Judgment Day is Here
Before my twins were born, Ang and I purchased 2 large, beautifully bound journals with the intention of writing letters to the babies over the course of their childhood as a keepsake for when...
How I Became a Mother: Letting Go & Letting In
BurlingtonVT Moms Blog is partnering with Vermont Midwives Association to bring you our latest series titled “How I Became a Mother” in honor of Mother’s Day. Each of us has a unique journey on...