raising the curtins

Seven days to Ireland, and the most important document in the house is missing. This week, Kristina walks us through the high-stakes scavenger hunt for Vince’s passport and the moment she realized she might not be losing her mind -she might just be highly protected. We’re talking travel stress, unusual calm in the face of chaos, and the ‘extra credit’ work our guardian angels do for us.

At age two, Marina has officially retired her ‘baby’ status and moved straight into her ‘landlord’ era. This week, we’re talking about the wild independence of the fourth child and the moment I realized my toddler views me more as a roommate than a mother. If you’ve ever been ‘bro-ed’ by a tiny human, this episode is for you

Kristina goes back to the bedroom floor where she spent her childhood protecting everyone but herself. This week, she shares a breakthrough from therapy about ‘re-parenting’ the little girl inside and why the survival skill of ‘saving yourself’ might be holding your adult relationships hostage. Grab the tissues; this is an unfiltered dive into the difference between forgiving and truly healing.

I almost ended my 30-year relationship over a double-sided, syrupy lollipop. In this episode, I’m getting raw about the “whoremones” and the reality of perimenopause symptoms that nobody warns you about—specifically, the cold, analytical “Lawyer” that takes over your brain and detaches you from your heart. We’re talking about: If you’ve ever felt like a stranger in your own body or wondered why yo...

Is AI taking over the world? Maybe. But for now, it’s helping Kristina Curtin plan for college, analyze real estate, and save her from the ‘meeting time suck.’ Tune in to hear how to embrace the dark side and make AI your most productive family member.

Vince is like a bomb—usually, he’s just ticking, but tonight he actually caught himself on fire. Between the literal flames and a daughter who isn’t afraid to point out a double standard, our dinner table became a masterclass in resiliency. In this episode, I’m reading through the chaos of the ‘man bomb’ dynamic, the silence before the explosion, and why a little ‘light emotional damage’ might be...

What happens when a Type A mom who ‘never gets sick’ meets a household full of fluids, boogers, and a 5-year-old Patient Zero? You get the most productive flu week in history. Join Kristina as she navigates the holiday epidemic and finds a rare moment of stillness in the chaos

Watching my daughters date in the age of Snapchat and location tracking makes me miss the old days. Is technology killing romance? I think so. My brain spiral on the subject leds me to a new idea for a dating show.

I usually adore old ladies. They’re bold, unfiltered, and make great cookies. But every now and then, you meet one who’s just… a dick. While out shopping with my toddler, I ran into one of those passive-aggressive grannies—the kind who hides judgment behind a smile and thinks she’s helping.

I tried to make my living room look like adults live here — you know, end tables, matching lamps, maybe a whiff of “HGTV energy.” It actually worked… for a while. Then one lamp met its death by blanket, and the other was taken out by my 5-year-old doing Spider-Man parkour across the couch. Now both are gone and my living room’s darker. I will never live in a showroom — I live in a house of play, l...

Kristina reflects on the emotional whiplash of raising her 14-year-old daughter, Scarlett. From crying in the car after being pushed away at her first dance to soaking up surprise snuggles the next morning, she captures the rollercoaster of parenting teens with humor, honesty, and hard-earned perspective.

Cardboard boxes were great childhood memories for me and I wanted to pass along this tradition of using your imagination with my two younger kids.

If you’re not early, you’re late… but is two hours early a bit overkill? Kristina dives into the mental load of managing a 6-person household, the ‘parent math’ required to get out of the house, and why she refuses to feel guilty about the occasional scheduling snafu.”

Kristina takes Dublin, her unruly dog, to the vet for his shot, only to get more than she bargained for—a stranger asking if she’s single. What followed was a spiral of awkwardness, self-reflection, and gratitude for the marriage she has, even if Vince sniffs his laundry before wearing it and starts a dozen projects he never finishes. With sharp wit, she explores the absurdity of midlife dating, w...

When your teen’s back-to-school prep screams “rich sorority girl energy,” you just nod, sip your coffee, and call her your basic girl.

Recounting how my daughter’s 14th birthday went from pancakes to inappropriate in the matter of minutes.

A funny, unfiltered mom blog post on the inconvenient truth of potty training toddlers. Real stories, real laughs, and way too much poop talk.

A reminder that sometimes with bed-wetting kids, all you can do is laugh (after you change the sheets).

Reflecting on how the feminist movement, while empowering in many ways, also made it harder for women who didn’t want to “have it all.” What about the moms who just want to be moms?

This raw, vulnerable post examines the painful irony of trying to protect our kids from screen time dangers while they silently fear the physical ones we can’t shield them from.

When your preschooler asks why her sister can’t sleep with her boyfriend, and you’re not ready for any of it. Welcome to parenting with an age gap.

Good Friday is literally the antithesis to Black Friday. A day of fasting and penance to reflect on the day Jesus was crucified, and my child thought it was a day to score some sweet sales.

Recounting my first trivia night experience.

A bedtime standoff with my 4-year-old over watching heat lightning causes me to reflect on my behavior as a mother.

I used to see my kids as a reflection of me. Like how they looked somehow proved my worth as a parent. But now I know better. They’re not an extension of me. They’re their own people.