*Pssst... Stay connected with our latest tech tips for families.  Read more    

Bay Area’s Top Mom (and Dad) Blogs

With the NY Times magazine feature this weekend on blogging moms, we thought it was time to give a shout-out to some of the fab Bay Area mom bloggers. Thanks to all who share their parenting journey with such humor and honesty. Isn’t it great to read about other parents’ adventures, joys, wisdom and struggles?

1. The Mommy Files. Part of SF Gate’s online community, The Mommy Files is run by Bay Area native Amy Graff. The blog offers tips, trends, and a running commentary on kid and parent-related topics as they pop up in the news and pop culture. From the serious (child obesity) to the light-hearted (Lady GaGa’s new single), The Mommy Files is frequently fun and always thought-provoking.

2. Frisco Kids. SF Mom Debbie Kaplan offers readers the lowdown on deals and the heads up on local kids’ activities. A must-read for parents looking to keep kids busy and entertained, without breaking the bank. (To illustrate: “free” and “coming up” are by far the most used tags for Frisco Kids blog posts.)

3. CityMama. Silicon Valley Mom Stefania Pomponi Butler has been blogging as CityMama since 2003, and is also a co-founder of Clever Girls Collective. While she covers all sorts of topics relating to parenting, Butler’s specialty is her amazing (and kid-friendly) recipes. CityMama makes for delicious reading.

4. Mighty Girl. Maggie Mason was onto something when she chose the name Mighty Girl for her blog. Author, publisher of Mighty Mighty Media, and manager of several high-profile shopping blogs (including Mighty Junior, which showcases adorable kids apparel and decor,) Mason is a favorite read for her style and design tips.

5. Rookie Moms. The slogan on Rookie Moms website is “more fun than wiping someone’s tushy,” and we have to agree. The frequently hilarious co-creators, Berkleyites Heather Flett and Whitney Moss, run a blog filled with tips and advice for “rookie moms.” although we suspect it makes great reading even for the pros out there. Fun crafts and activities for every stage of your child’s life, from prenatal to preschool.

6. What’s Cooking with Kids. Bay Area mom and chef Michelle Stern started her business What’s Cooking with Kids to offer healthy cooking classes that involve the whole family. Her business has grown over the years (they now offer birthday parties as well,) leading to her writing a book and a great blog. Her topics run the gamut from teaching toddlers good eating habits, to the role of food dyes in causing hyperactivity–plus delicious recipes.

7. Travel Savvy Mom. Brainchild of Palo Alto Mom Jamie Pearson, Travel Savvy Mom has the 411 on your next vacation. A forum for moms to discuss traveling with young kids, the site has tips, hotel reviews, and is “100% mom-powered:” meaning that all the contributors are moms speaking about their own travel experience. Don’t leave home without it.

8. Slow Family. North Bay Mom Suz Lipman describes herself as a “writer, soap crafter, jam maker, scout leader, dancer, hiker, reader, gardener, retro enthusiast, community activist, Slow proponent, cheese hound, wife and mom.” Her blog reflects her commitment stopping and smelling the roses, and is a great resource for activities to bring parents and kids together.

9. Coquette Maman. SF fashion and lifestyle blogger, Natalie Zee Drieu founded Coquette Maman during her pregnancy with her first child as an offshoot of her blog Coquette. The blog reflects its parent blog’s focus on fashion and design, but caters to the toddler crowd. It also has some good craft ideas, not surprising as Zee Drieu’s day job is as Editor-in-Chief for CRAFT.

10. Lesbian Dad. Polly Pagenhart writes her blog from “the crossroads of mother and father” (and also from the East Bay.) As one of two moms in a lesbian relationship raising their kids together, Pagenhart’s situation is not unique, but her voice is. Her essays are funny, touching, and occasionally eye-opening. We read her to remind ourselves that love knows no boundaries, (and neither does potty-training.)

11. XiaolinMama. Co-founder of Clever Girls Collective with CityMama (above), and chief TechMama at Lookiloos.com, among a host of other accomplishments, Sheila Dowd aka XiaolinMama seems like she does it all–and documents it all on her blog. As an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley running a new media business, Dowd’s on the cutting edge of the technical field, and her blog reflects it in reviews of new gadgets and posts about the ways technology influences her family.

12. The Family Chef. A professional chef with over 25 years of experience in the cooking world, Amy Fothergill has had to make some adjustments to her cooking style after becoming mom to two kids. We benefit from her experience however, as her blog The Family Chef showcases simple and nutritious recipes that kids and parents will enjoy.

13. The Mommy Blog. Mindy Roberts is the author of Mommy Confidential: Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood and the voice behind The Mommy Blog. Another Silicon Valley mom, Mindy writes about pregnancy, parenthood, and her personal adventures raising her young family as a single mom. Her blog is touching, funny, and truly relatable.

14. The Toddler Cafe. We love Jennifer Carden’s book The Toddler Cafe, and we were thrilled when we discovered she blogs as well! An experienced chef and Marin mom, Carden fulfills her promise to deliver “fast, healthy, and fun ways to feed even the pickiest eater.” From posts about how to build a healthier gingerbread house to posts about the ways food binds her family together, The Toddler Cafe always has something interesting on the menu.

15. Playground Dad. The writers at Playground Dad point out that fathers are spending more time with their kids today than in any previous generation, though on average still not as much time as mothers. Their site aims to show dads with young kids ways to make the most of the time they have to spend each week. A great resource for dad advice, and a good reminder that moms don’t have a monopoly on raising children (or writing about it.)

16. Ecofabulous. Ecofabulous was founded by SF mom Zem Joaquin after she realized many of the products she used in her home were toxic and exacerbating the asthma she and her children battled. The site has great personal style and fashion tips, but with the bonus that everything reviewed and recommended is sustainably produced and free of toxins. Totally fab.

17. The Poop. This is another blog out of SF Gate, this time run by SF Chronicle staff members who are also parents of infants and toddlers. A fun mix of news, parenting experiences, and some general silliness (just click on their “Off Topic Tuesday” category,) The Poop is a useful and enjoyable read for parents slogging through “the poop” of raising young kids.

18. Techmamas. Beth Blecherman (also the Editor-in-chief of Cool Mom Tech) started her personal blog Techmamas as a platform to discuss technology and gadgets for moms and families. It’s a must read if you love technology, and a great place to get answers to your tech questions if you don’t.

19. Eighty MPH Mom. SF native Jennifer Regan is Eighty MPH Mom. Her blog describes her life raising her two kids, but she and her contributors also discuss general parenting topics, provide product reviews, and offer giveaways. They encourage user participation via memes like their Monday Mingle, where you can ask contributors questions or share your parenting experiences with other parents.

20. Marin Mommies. Started by Novato’s Pamela Fox in 2007,  Marin Mommies offers the scoop on parenting north of the bay. A great resource for parenting forums, Marin news, and home of the Marin Daddy Blog, the site is a place where Marin parents can come together to combine their hard-won wisdom.

21. Frog Mom. When not documenting her outdoor adventures on our site, Red Tri team member Laure Latham moonlights as the adventurous Frog Mom. A great guide to getting out into nature with kids in tow!

22. SF K Files. SF K files was started by a local mom during her daughter’s kindergarten search, but the site has evolved into a lively forum for discussion of all topics educational in the Bay Area. The go-to site for those of us educating our kids in San Francisco.

23. A Little Yumminess. A perennial favorite, the SF-run blog A Little Yumminess provides a lot of inspiration when it comes to cooking for the under-five set. In fact, we like them so much we’ve invited them to join us as a  guest blogger.

Did we miss your favorite blog? Are you a local mom blogger? Add your favorite blog in the comments below and spread the love.