From restaurant meltdowns to iPad standoffs, parenting is a wild ride. The Meltdown Chronicles shares real moments, hard-earned lessons, and a call for your best survival tips. Let’s navigate the madness together!

After our last NYC family trip turned into a marathon of “Are we there yet?” and “My feet hurt,” I realized I needed a vacation from my vacation. Enter: a girls’ weekend in the city that never sleeps, featuring Shannon’s birthday bash and my much-needed sanity reboot. From thrifting triumphs to Broadway belly laughs, this trip was the perfect antidote to parental burnout. Here’s how we swapped snack packs for steak dinners and rediscovered the magic of the Big Apple—grown-up style.