Between snacks, schedules, and maybe reheating your coffee for the third time, we’re glad you’re here.

In today’s Birdie, we’re digging into kid-friendly gardening, the hormone symptoms too many of us ignore, and a few things actually worth your time (and Target run).

🗳️Before you go, don’t miss the quick poll at the end 👇 — help us make this newsletter even more useful for you.

Now, let’s get into it.

LINKS FOR YOUR MORNING

🚗 Target's taking your kid's nasty old car seat and giving you a discount on a new one (trade-in event returns!)

👜 Kate Spade just democratized whimsy with a Target collab — nothing over $50 and everything screams "spring splurge."

📱 Is your phone case just an expensive security blanket? New tech suggests maybe.

🧴 Skin experts rank the lotions that actually firm what gravity's trying to claim.

♻️ Those three things you think you're recycling correctly? You're probably not.

🌎 50 ways to celebrate Earth Day with kids that don't involve making another toilet paper roll craft.

PARENTING

Little green thumbs.

In honor of Earth Day, there's no better time to get those tiny hands in the soil. Studies show kids who garden are 65% more likely to try vegetables they've grown themselves. Nature's ultimate picky-eater hack? We think so.

THE SEED STARTERS:

• For the littles: Start sandbox-sized with sturdy kid tools. Expect mud. Embrace chaos.

• For older kids: Try theme gardens (pizza garden, anyone?) and let them read seed packets like they're calling the shots (because they are).

WHAT TO PLANT: Fast-growing crowd-pleasers like sunflowers, radishes, and beans give quick wins. Cherry tomatoes and strawberries provide instant snacking gratification—nature's original fast food.

BEYOND THE HARVEST: Gardening teaches patience in our instant-everything world. When a plant doesn't thrive (RIP, attempted cucumbers), kids learn resilience. Consider it life coaching disguised as dirt play.

TREND ALERT: GARDEN ARCHITECTURE 2025's hottest playdate spot? A sunflower circle fort. Plant seeds in a ring, leaving space in the middle, and watch as nature builds your kid a secret hideaway that's Instagram gold and imagination fuel.

PRO TIP: Give kids their own plot with full creative control. Your perfectionist tendencies may suffer, but their ownership will flourish.

REMEMBER: You're not just growing plants; you're growing humans who understand where food comes from, appreciate patience, and might actually eat a vegetable without negotiation. Now that's worth getting your hands dirty for.

HEALTH

Period problem? Period.

A shocking new study reveals 68% of women are ignoring symptoms that scream "hormonal health crisis." While you're powering through that fatigue or dismissing those irregular cycles, your body might be waving warning flags about something serious.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• 73% ignore irregular periods (potential sign of PCOS or worse)

• 76% push through persistent fatigue (could be thyroid issues)

• 77% dismiss menopause symptoms (hello, increased osteoporosis risk)

• 91% overlook skin/hair changes (not just vanity — possibly serious hormonal imbalances)

SYMPTOM DECODER:

• Irregular cycles: If it's outside the 21–35 day range consistently, that's your cue to call the doctor

• Extreme fatigue: Can't blame it all on busy schedules — might signal insulin resistance

• Unexplained weight changes: Your thyroid might be staging a rebellion

• Wild mood swings: Not just "being emotional"— could be hormonal imbalances affecting brain chemistry

• Chronic bloating: Your gut is hormonal real estate, too

WHY WE'RE NOT SPEAKING UP: Women aren't seeking help because we're taught to "deal with it," face medical gaslighting, lack education about symptoms, fear medication push, or simply don't have time (shocking, we know).

REALITY CHECK: Your hormones control everything from mood to metabolism. That "minor inconvenience" you're ignoring? Could lead to fertility issues, cardiovascular disease, or metabolic disorders down the road.

PRO TIP: Start tracking your cycle, symptoms, and changes. Knowledge is power when advocating for yourself in medical settings.

BOTTOM LINE: Seeing a doctor about hormonal health should be as routine as dental check-ups. Your future self will thank you for not dismissing what your body is trying to tell you today.

TRENDING

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