Your kids won't remember their best day of television. What will they remember? Time with you. What will they remember? How you laughed at their jokes and then made a joke back. What will they remember? How they felt when they spent time with you. Last week we celebrated our second son's ...
Parenting
Kids Arguing? This NO TECHNOLOGY WEEK will change that (really! Give it a try!)
It is almost time for another NO TECHNOLOGY WEEK - here is a quick look at why we do it, how it changes our kids & helps them to GET ALONG and stop sibling rivalry! Technology- its great, right? I use it for work. My kids use it to learn. Yep- its awesome, until its not. They are using ...
What we need to know…
I recently heard something that I had to share: "Every day when we wake up, we can focus on whatever we chose: If we have a problem, we focus on that problem. If we have somewhere to be, we focus on that place. However, if you choose to focus on YOU, it makes all the ...
Should I redshirt my Kindergartener?
If you are asking yourself "Should I wait another year to send my child to Kindergarten?", you have come to the right place (I hope!). I have had to make this decision about waiting to send our child to Kindergarten with all of our children... and I've always had the same ...
Why having more kids is less stressful!
This post was originally written in 2014, but I wanted to bring it back around today & add some new details because I think that it still holds true. Why are moms of more kids often less stressed? I think we've figured it out. It boils down to a few things that help you to be a ...
The scary truth about what’s hurting our kids
In the past week, I've read several studies that are scary to me... it's the scary truth about what's hurting our kids. We all know that what our kids hear becomes their inner voice, but it's hard to control what they hear from others, isn't it? CNN recently interviewed Dr. Jean Twenge, ...
No Screen-time Until (free printable)
The main idea behind this is to give our kids something "else" to get "lost in"... Sometimes kids just need a little motivation to get started (once our kids head outside to play, they forget about watching a movie or playing on the tablet). If I let them just sit & default to screen-time, it ...
I wish all moms would read this
"You are enough." Joanna Gaines shares this one her blog, Magnolia Market. She said that she started writing a post about the joy of motherhood, but then she realized that this was for all moms - those in the middle of it and those in the throws of pain. Her post was for everyone. I loved it so ...
Instead of giving toys…
Science says instead of giving toys... give gifts that create memories. They are valued more than toys. Outings, experiences & vacations are "valued by children, both in the moment and for long afterward in their memory,” psychologist and best-selling author Oliver James explained to The ...
Why Children are more entitled than generations before
Why our children are more entitled than generations before? Study after study proves what we have guessed... It's the scary truth that our children face. As a teacher and play therapist, I've heard from so many parents that their kids are acting entitled, lonely & sad. Last week, a ...
Babies Don’t Keep
Everyone says that "time flies" and they "grow up before you know it"... I usually just agree, and that's that, but not this time. I can see it happening. It seems as if our fourth child was just born yesterday... Where has the time gone? Where did that baby girl go? I feel like our first son ...
When the kids are older, I’ll be able to…
It's funny. We think about all of the things that we will do when our children are born. Rock them, hold them, sing to them, enjoy every minute of them. Not much time passes before we begin looking to the future when we start thinking "When the kids are older, I'll be able to…" and it's only when ...
When there is hope with a 4D heart (& free card for you)
This post was written by me through an activation with HireInfluence on behalf of BIOLIFE4D. Although I received compensation for participating in the campaign, all thoughts and opinions are my own. When there is hope... with a 4D Heart. Just last year, two of my friends watched their children ...
Should kids have more chores?
Should kids have more chores? Should kids have more chores? I think that chores are so important to our kids' sense of well-being. It gives them a sense of meaning in our family and teaches responsibility. I have always wanted our kids to have age-appropriate chores, but sometimes we are just so ...
10 secrets of a HAPPY mom – be stress free & enjoy your time as a mother!
These 10 secrets of a happy mom are ones that I have realized over the years... with four young kids, I have come to understand that it boils down to me and how I perceive things. Today I am sharing these secrets with you... 10 secrets of a HAPPY mom Do your kids see that you ENJOY ...
5 practical ways to teach your sons to be gentlemen when they grow up
On a daily basis, I think about what kind of people our children will be when they are grown. Will they be responsible? Will they be kind? Will they be helpful? Today I am sharing 5 practical ways to teach boys to be men. When our son was younger, he went to a week-long local summer day camp in ...
CONSEQUENCES FOR KIDS THAT WORK!
Coming up with consequences for kids is not always easy, especially when you're in the heat of the moment and you just need your kids to do what you ask! You need to find something that works and stick to it... if you want a behavior to change. How many times do we (myself included!) make up ...
Why I still carry my kids…
I wrote this post a few years ago, Why I Still Carry My Kids, but it still is close to my heart, so I wanted to share it again today. A good reminder for myself & hopefully others. :) I see you looking my way - when I hold my 7-year-old, my 5-year-old, my 3-year-old in my arms. I want ...
Year in Review Printable: 2017
This 2017 Year in Review is a fun New Year's Eve ideas for your kids & your family. It's a great way to talk, with your kids, about the past year and how 2018 will look... I love looking back at what our kids have done, what their favorite colors were, their favorite animal, etc... Our ...
How to turn off their electronics without an argument
My friend Samantha told me something years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since. I now tell parents this tip to help them have their kids turn off electronics without an argument. It works in so many areas: screentime, switching activities, asking them to do their chores, ...