Check Out MyBrownBaby On Kathie Lee & Hoda!

Exciting news! Today, I joined Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today Show to discuss how we moms can—and should!—talk to our kids about sex. I gave tips, along with ace Washington, D.C.-based pediatrician Ivor Horn, on the when's and the how's and the what's when it comes to telling your kids about The Birds and The Bees. If you missed it, here's the clip.

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I invite you, too, to check out the guest post I contributed to MSNBC's TODAYMoms blog. CLICK HERE to read it, and, of course, if you feel so moved, leave a comment.

If you're visiting for the first time after seeing today's show, please come on in, kick off your shoes, and get comfortable here at my place. Here’s the quick and dirty on MyBrownBaby: I’m Denene Millner, a 16-time author, contributing editor and Mom Squad member at Parenting and Essence magazines, a featured Parenting Post blogger at Parenting.com, the Real Talk mom at Momtourage, and associate editor at the travel magazine, Odyssey Couleur. My latest book, “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man,” which I wrote with the comedian Steve Harvey, debuted No. 1 on The New York Times Hardcover Advice Best Sellers List and remained there for 42 consecutive weeks; it was featured on Oprah twice. I also penned a memoir for Nene Leakes, star of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

More importantly, I’m a mom of three beautiful kids, the wife of Nick Chiles, an awesome Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who is penning a book for celebrated gospel artist Kirk Franklin, the proud owner of a spectacular Goldendoodle, Teddy, and ridiculously giddy for no good doggone reason. Maybe I’m just a hopeless optimist, but I try to remind myself every day how blessed I am for good health, a sound mind, strength, and above all else, the good, hearty, everlasting love of a beautiful family.

So come on in and take a look around. Check out what I do to FIND ME-TIME, and how me and my girls KICK IT OL' SCHOOL. Check our what legendary actress DIAHANN CARROLL whispered in my ear, how I feel about BLACK DADS, PLAYING IN THE SUN, and SOLO VACATIONS. You’ll also find some great music here, too, including videos from artists like INDIA.AIRE, ANGIE STONE, and LEDISI, as well as some great recipes from my daughters’ “Home Made Love” cookbook. You’ll find, too, that I don’t mind speaking my mind, particularly when the NEIGHBORS GO WILD, BET GETS LOW, and I get nervous for my AFRICAN AMERICAN SON. No conversation is off-limits, and sometimes it can get a little ROWDY around here. But every post is meant to give voice to black moms looking to get in on the parenting debate, and certainly to invite ALL moms, regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or background to talk about what we love to talk about most: motherhood.

So check out the site, introduce yourself in the comment section, and please SIGN UP FOR FREE EMAIL UPDATES, become a MYBROWNBABY FOLLOWER, or SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED. I’m SO happy you stopped by!

Have a fantastic day!

MyBrownBaby on the Today show: Tips for Beating the Back-to-School Blues

One of my favorite writing gigs is my job as a columnist, contributing editor and Mom Squad member at Parenting magazine. The last office job I held before I became a work-at-home southerner was in Parenting's Manhattan offices, where I toiled as the features editor, assigning and editing the Ages & Stages section and some of the main features, and coordinating and writing the annual mom-tested gift guide (which earned me the affectionate title, "Big," because, like the Tom Hanks character in the hit movie, I played with toys for a living). When Nick and I decided to head South for more peaceful writing pastures, Parenting graciously hooked a girl up with the Reality Check column, which, under the capable hands of editor-in-chief Susan Kane, is now called, "Ask Denene." Every month, I give advice to more than two million moms looking for help handling their tricky, sticky parenting dilemmas; you can check out my columns in both monthly editions of Parenting—the Early Years, for moms with kids from newborns to age five, and the School Years, for moms with children ages five to 12. If you haven't given Parenting a good read lately, it's time for you to take a second look; the stories are beautifully written, super informative, and told from a heartfelt mom-to-mom perspective. There's no stuffiness here—the advice is down-to-earth and relatable.

Occasionally, Parenting brings those stories to television, and invites me to speak on the magazine's behalf in interviews on various TV shows. Yesterday, I got to mix it up with the Today show's Matt Lauer in a segment that kicked off the popular news program's "Back-to-school" series; we tackled how to help your kids shake the back-to-school jitters. Check it out:

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To read Parenting's feature on conquering the back-to-school blues and other great Parenting stories, click HERE.

My Puberty Story Was Featured On The Today Show!

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So, you all know by now that I'm a part of Parenting magazine's "Mom Squad," a group of "mom experts" who dispense monthly advice to moms looking for help raising their kids, strengthening their relationships, getting their finances in check, getting organized, and being better to themselves, and then some. Occasionally, as a contributing editor for the magazine, I'll also write feature-length stories about childhood development, relationships, and child-rearing, and, thanks to the magazine's awesome publicity department, occasionally, my stories will get picked up by national TV shows. This morning, The Today Show did a segment based on a piece I wrote for Parenting, titled "What To Expect When Puberty Hits," featuring executive editor Lisa Bain and Dr. Ivor Horn, the Washington, D.C.-based pediatrician I quoted in the story. (I wasn't on the show because, as I pointed out in my "Little Things" post about my girl Gretchen last week, I'm super swamped, Nick's been out of town, and I couldn't be in New York this morning. But they did ask.)

Whether you're staring puberty in the face or have a ways to go before your little one gets boobies and stinky under arms, check out the story; in my research, I learned so much about my daughter's changing body and how I should respond to it as a thoughtful, in-the-know parent (read: handing her a copy of "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret," and a box of sanitary napkins is not enough info to help her deal). The story breaks down the signs for when your child is going through The Change, how to help them through it, and sound advice from moms who've been there. Check out The Today Show clip above, too, for helpful info.

Enjoy!

DENENE GIVES EXPERT ADVICE ON THE TODAY SHOW

As most of you well know, I'm the Reality Check columnist for Parenting magazine, and on occasion, I'm asked to serve as an expert on parenting issues for television and radio shows and newspapers and magazines. Today, I served up some expert advice/opinion about childcare on The Today Show. The overriding question was, "When it comes to finding quality, affordable child care, does Mary Poppins exist?"

(The crazy thing is I didn't even realize the segment was running today; I had my face all the way in my coffee mug and my eyes on a terrific piece by one of my favorite New York Times political columnists, Gail Collins, when I heard my voice on the TV. I looked up, and there I was!)

So, for those of you who, like me, missed it, here's the segment, as first shown on The Today Show, and posted on MSNBC's website. Enjoy!

Also: I'm giving expert advice now over at iVillage's "Momtourage." Please do go over and take a look around; I'm answering two reader questions--one about how to be more playful with the hubby, another about dealing with the ex and his new wife. I promise you: My answers are every bit as juicy and saucy as the questions. That's why they're calling me "The Real Talk Mom." If you like what you read--or you don't!--leave a comment on the Momtourage site--they'd love to hear from real moms!