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.

light bulb

I Had An Epiphany Watching A Kid Have A Meltdown

ByLaura 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

ByLaura Onstot

Don’t procrastinate on this one.

let's talk

It’s So Lonely Struggling With Chronic Migraines

ByLaura Onstot

Try mom guilt on steroids.

hot!

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

ByLaura Onstot

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

gather round

Here’s An Honest Christmas Card, For Once

ByLaura Onstot

Why yes, that WAS a brag.

woah there

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

ByLaura 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

ByLaura Onstot

Why did I do this to myself?

oh man

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

ByLaura 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

ByLaura Onstot

Or, the day I made a parenting mistake.

ready or not

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

ByLaura 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

ByLaura Onstot

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

yeah right

Who Am I Kidding With My Vacation Packing?

ByLaura 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?

ByLaura Onstot

This show is Selling Sunset for first graders.

Freedom

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

ByLaura Onstot

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

oh wow

This New Kids’ Movie Gave Me A Parenting Wake-Up Call

ByLaura Onstot

It hit hard me as both a daughter and as a mother.

Struggle Care

I Finally Made Peace With My Messy Home

ByLaura Onstot

Keeping my house clean still eluded me, and I hated it.

get 'em

Sports Gave My Daughters A Place Where Aggression Is Good, Actually

ByLaura Onstot

My heart swelled as I watched both girls test the limits of this world with different rules.

Grab the bucket

There's Nothing Worse Than The Norovirus

ByLaura Onstot

A warning to all the parents who’ve been spared so far: buckle up.

Movie Night

I Didn’t Expect A Kids’ Movie To Completely Change How I Feel About Motherhood

ByLaura Onstot

There’s no going back to what life was before — and that’s okay.