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As much as I tried to focus on the editing task in front of me, I couldn’t help but notice that the woman sitting next to me at Starbucks today was rummaging through a bunch of popular baby websites, including the Baby Gear Guy and the Small Things Blog. Do I risk being intrusive and reveal myself as the editor of New York Family?

Of course. It turned out that she was a journalist too, so perhaps she had an instinctive level of comfort or respect for my intrusiveness. Either way, she was happy to share: a mom of a 2-year-old, an expat who loves the city but who’s trying desperately not to get caught up in feeling like “you have to spend lots of money on everything to give your child a great childhood.”

Her biggest challenge now, she said, is learning that, as a mom, she can’t try to control everything, that she’s much happier–and probably a more effective parent–when she let’s her time with her daughter kind of unfold on its own.

She also passed along a new kiddie shoe app called Kid Foot Scale–that allows your to determine your child’s foot size–which I now pass to you (click HERE for more info).

Since my kids, at 10 and 14, have been away all summer, I’ve had no problem with being less controlling. It’ll be interesting to see how I do when they return on Sunday and immediately try to resume their special connection to their electronic devices.

Eric Messinger is the editor of  New York Family. He can be reached at emessinger@manhattanmedia.com.