Modern Parents Messy Kids

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3 Hacks for Saving Time and Money While Back-to-School Shopping

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This post is brought to you by CJ Affiliate’s VIP Content Service. Thank you Kmart for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from Kmart, all content and opinions expressed here are my own. Our summer has consisted of trips to the beach, the local ice cream shop and play dates with friends.  We've had our fill of fun and all that comes along with endless days off.  Now my three kids are ready for school to start. I think they might be craving some structure and who … [Read more...]

Free Printable: The Organized Student Kit

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Kristin is back today with another super helpful free printable. This one will teach your kids indpendence while keeping them organized (two things you guys know I love). Something else that I really love, though, is the section where kids can record what they're proud of for the day or week. Not to get off topic, but I've been reading Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. Just the other night I underlined this passage: "Adam … [Read more...]

Free Printables: Kids’ Cleaning Kits for Every Room

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This summer I'm starting out organized! We're planning all the fun things on our summer budget bucket list and we're also getting some money jobs and family jobs done!  After all, with all the extra hours at home, kids need to stay busy.   So, I've put together baskets like these (these are also really fun if you like color and smiley faces!) and added some simple checklists which we've made available for you guys to use too. Either print the paper and laminate it or print off … [Read more...]

Summer Snacking: Tangy Orange Tangerine Creamsicles

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One of my favorite parts of summer is having more time to make homemade treats with the kids! With all of the sports and after-school activities during the school year, I never seem to have any extra time to spend in the kitchen with my kids, so I love to do it as much as possible during the summer. My littles absolutely love spending time with me pouring and mixing and I see it as a great time to connect. Plus, getting them comfortable in the kitchen is an important life skill. Today … [Read more...]

7 Things Teachers Wish You Knew About Summer Break

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Teachers, parents and kids alike breathe a sigh of relief as the school year starts to wrap up.  Nine months of hardcore learning is exhausting. Plus the school year usually ends with an Open House, which means kids are working hard or projects to show parents what they've learned.  So, by the time we are looking at the last few weeks of school, everyone is staggering toward the finish line. Summer break can mean different things to different people.  Working parents need to line up child … [Read more...]

Tips from a Teacher: 9 Questions to Get Your Kids to Finally Open Up!

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  When your child gets in the car after school, do you immediately ask, 'How was your day?'  Nine times out of ten, the answer is 'good' or 'fine.'  Most kids don't elaborate.   Maybe it's because their brain is on overload after a full day of school.  Maybe it's because they aren't able to verbalize what they're thinking.  As parents, we need to ask the questions that allow kids to explain their day at school.  It gives us a peek into their world in the 6-8 hours they are away from … [Read more...]

7 Ideas From a Teacher On What to Do with The Kids Over Spring Break

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The kids are about ready to break free from the monotony of school for a week.  This means two things...no packing lunches and we need to keep them busy for the week. It's a blessing and a curse. While I love having my kids home without the schedules we are normally bound to, I also can feel a little stressed out when I start to think of how we will spend the hours. This year, I'm channeling my inner 1st grade teacher and using those years of experience to remember what kids need during … [Read more...]

CopyCat Recipe: Sees Candy Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

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As a kid, I always looked forward to the Easter baskets my grandma sent.  We lived a small town which only had a drug store to carry Easter candy.  Think chalky tasting Russell Stover's chocolates. My grandma lived in the big city...so she sent us See's Candy Easter Eggs.  These things were gold.  They no longer carry the chocolate peanut butter egg.  Now it's the Chocolate Butter Egg and I'm sure it's equally as delicious. This Easter, though, I was on a mission to bring back the peanut … [Read more...]

Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life: Cheerful DIY Storage Jars

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If you're a regular here, you know we're all about getting kids involved in contributing around the house early. Sometimes that means setting up regular family and money jobs, and sometimes it just means taking a little time for a bright and cheerful DIY organization project. Here's Kristen with the details... Things look better when they are organized. And I think we function better when things look better. Case in point:  The Junk Drawer. We all have one and if you've ever … [Read more...]