Laura Onstot

Laura Onstot is a freelance writer who specializes in creating parenting and mental health content.

She attended Winona State University and graduated with a Bachelors in Science of Nursing. Laura worked as a floor nurse at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and at Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. She then transitioned to clinical research nursing, where she spent her time coordinating patients going on cardiac and oncology experimental drug and device trials. When she and her family moved to Florida, she took a break from nursing to stay at home and raise her young daughters. She quickly realized she needed something to keep her neurons from dying of motherhood monotony, so she took up freelance writing. Her work has appeared in Scary Mommy, HuffPost, and Insider.

She’s known among her mom-friends for being antisocial and avoiding kid birthday parties (hell) at all costs. She tries to implement aspects of gentle and free range parenting, but mostly ends up raising her children under the IDFKWID (I don’t fucking know what I’m doing) philosophy.

With seven years of parenting under her belt (cinching a muffin top), she realizes that motherhood encompasses a whole slew of emotions, with rage and euphoria often occurring within minutes of each other. She strives to be honest in her writing: capturing life as it is, rather than with an Instagram filter.

You can find more of her work on her website, https://lauraonstot.com, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

oops

My Kids Figured Out Santa Isn’t Real By Analyzing My Handwriting

By Laura Onstot

They really, truly got me.

CLUTTERCORE

I Am Part Of The Stuffie Problem

By Laura Onstot

I cannot believe I did this to myself.

do-over

I'm Getting The 90s Childhood I Never Had

By Laura Onstot

Yeah, I'm living vicariously through my kids. So what?

horror movie vibes

I Live In Total Fear Of Lice

By Laura Onstot

Screw rubella and strep throat. The worst notice you can get from the school nurse is about lice in your kid’s class.

perspective

The ‘Bluey’ Episode That Helped Me See Myself As A Good Mom

By Laura Onstot

I was telling myself the wrong story.

playtime

There’s Nothing Like Being A Kid Again With Your Mom Friends

By Laura Onstot

Or, why you should really consider that mud run, or axe-throwing, or camping trip.

light bulb

I Had An Epiphany Watching A Kid Have A Meltdown

By Laura Onstot

It wasn't my kid throwing a tantrum, which made all the difference.

birds & bees

I Want My Daughters To Have Better Sex Ed Than I Did

By Laura Onstot

Don’t procrastinate on this one.

let's talk

It’s So Lonely Struggling With Chronic Migraines

By Laura Onstot

Try mom guilt on steroids.

hot!

All I Want For Valentine's Day Is A Mopped Floor

By Laura Onstot

And other suggestions for the partner who knows what’s good for them.

gather round

Here’s An Honest Christmas Card, For Once

By Laura Onstot

Why yes, that WAS a brag.

woah there

The Cutesy Kids’ Movie That Shook Me To My Very Core

By Laura Onstot

We definitely thought it was going to be a lot more lighthearted than it turned out.

Nooooooooo

Getting An Elf On The Shelf Is My Greatest Regret As A Parent

By Laura Onstot

Why did I do this to myself?

oh man

My Kid's First Lost Tooth Feels Like The End Of An Era

By Laura Onstot

I'm finally ready to admit that yeah, I'm gonna miss some of this.

Big Picture

You Don't Need To Make Sure Your Daughter Fits In

By Laura Onstot

Or, the day I made a parenting mistake.

ready or not

Strap In, It's Back-To-School Nesting Season

By Laura Onstot

Time to empty every last closet in your house because it’s a new year.

growth

The Day I Realized I Had To Stop Being So Overprotective

By Laura Onstot

My kid went flying off that inner tube, and I had an epiphany.

yeah right

Who Am I Kidding With My Vacation Packing?

By Laura Onstot

Dress clothes? FIVE exercise outfits? A copy of Pride and Prejudice? Who do I think I am?

Enough!

Is It Just Me, Or Is The Show 'My Little Pony'... B*tchy?

By Laura Onstot

This show is Selling Sunset for first graders.

Freedom

The Most Important Milestone Is When Your Kid Figures Out The Remote

By Laura Onstot

For the first time in 7 years, my morning was not dictated by the demands of a child.