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“Take Off a Reusable Swim Diaper Filled with Poop – Everyone Winds Up Dead.”

June 28 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Parenting Essay - The Perils of Potty Training, Swim Lessons, and Reusable Diapers

Image Credit: © Don Lavange | Tavian and the Water | CC by 2.0 I have to start today with a heartfelt Thank You for all of you who have taken the time to submit your parenting story with us. Keep 'em coming! I have loved reading them all and am so happy to share what will hopefully be the first of many parent submissions today. We have written about poop before and, sadly, I am sure we will again. Today's story is proof that kids can come up with thousands of ways to use it to make … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: parenting stories, potty training, reusable diapers

Family Audiobooks: The Perfect Antidote to a Long Car Ride

June 23 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Family-friendly audiobooks for long car rides - these have made our summer traveling so much more enjoyable!

Image Credit: © Tim Roth| youth lagoon + open road | text added | CC by 2.0 'Tis the season of the roadtrip! Do you make one each year with your family? We try to head to my in-laws lake house in Montana every summer... It's a 7 to 8 hour drive with the littles but the serenity is oh-so-worth it once we're there. Traveling is the one time I lift my somewhat strict screen time rules and let the kids have at it. It's a strategy that works for us for the most part, but I do have to say that I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Janssen, The Book Nook Tagged With: audiobooks for families, best audiobooks for families, best audiobooks for kids, books on tape, traveling with kids

Call for Submissions – What Do You Have to Say?

June 19 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Call for Submissions - Do you have a parenting story you'd like to share?

I've got a favor to ask of all you Modern Parents with Messy Kids today. Write me - won't you please? You see, as much as I love sharing useful parenting tricks, clever organizational DIYs, and family-friendly healthy recipes, there's one thing that I feel has been lacking around here - the stories of parenthood. Recently, I brought on our parenting contributor, Jessica, and I've just loved chatting with you guys here and on facebook about what she has to say. From potty training and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: The grown ups (that's you!), Uncategorized Tagged With: call for parenting stories, parenting essays

One Quick Trick for Taking Better Photos with Baby

June 10 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

How to get baby to smile in selfie - love this tip, I have so many more smiling photos with my little man now! #UltraHug #spon

First and foremost today guys, I wanted to tell you all that this is STILL going on! But only for a few more days, so don't miss your chance! Now that you've done that - today's tip will be a big help! As hard as it is for me to believe, my youngest is already 14 months old (how did that happen?!). He grows and changes so much at this stage that - like many Moms in my shoes - it's extra important to me to take lots of photos. Not only that, to take photos with the two of us together! I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Photography & Memory Keeping Tagged With: baby photo tips, how to get baby to smile in photos, how to take selfies with a baby, huggies ultahug

Family Playtime: Great Ideas for Indoor and Outdoor Play this Summer!

June 4 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Best Summer Outdoor Activities and Summer Indoor Activities for Summer - two great lists! The obstacle course and min-it-to-win-it games are going on our summer bucket list for sure! #QuakerUp #spon

If there are two things you know we love around here, it's open-ended, hours-long, glorious play and yummy food to help fuel it all. Turns out these are both things Quaker really cares about too. Which is why I am so happy to be able to finally tell you about signing on as one of four bloggers making up Quaker's new team known as The Oat Authority. First, a little background, and then some great resources and a truly amazing contest! What is The Oat Authority The idea came about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Outdoor Play, The Make & Play Vault Tagged With: back yard games, back yard play ideas, indoor family activities, indoor family games, indoor summer kid games, kids backyard play ideas, kids outdoor activities, outdoor activities for families

20 Free & Fabulous Father’s Day Printables

June 3 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Top Free Father's Day Printables - Love the Super Hero card, the rootbeer float kit, and the Darth Vader card!

Today, I'm going to let you in on a little Father's Day trick I discovered a few years ago - the free printable. These simple little sheets will save you so much Father's Day stress from here on out. No more pulling your hair out, trying to find a sentimental gift that he'll actually like. Step 1 Get him the completely un-sentimental gift you know he'll love. Some of our favorites include: tools for his grill a classic shave kit the latest smart watch/activity tracker sporting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holiday, Seasonal Fun Tagged With: Father's Day cards, Father's Day ideas, Father's Day printables, free Father's Day printables

Positive Parenting: How to Stop the Whining & Back Talk and Have a Peaceful Summer

May 26 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Positive parenting techniques to stop yelling and start having a peaceful summer with the kids! - Yes please!!

Image Credit: © Suzette Normand | 07.17.10 191 & 192 | CC by 2.0 The weather is warming up and summer is feeling like it's just around the corner. Wouldn't it be amazing if this summer was free of whining on the kids' part and yelling on your end? It's possible! I'm once again teaming up with my friend and personal parenting guru, Amy McCready of Positive Parenting Solutions, as affiliate and host of: A FREE Positive Parenting Webinar: Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding, or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: amy mccready, how to stop whining, how to stop yelling, no more whining, no more yelling, positive discipline, positive parenting solutions, positive parenting techniques

The Right Way to Ask Kids Questions – Three Tips for Parents

May 21 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

The right way to ask kids questions - LOVE these tips, esp. trying to work on #3 with my daughter!

Talking to your kids - who knew it would be this tough, this early?! I want so badly to build a relationship where they'll come to me with the hard stuff. But how do I do that when some days even getting what they did at recess out of them is a battle? Today, one of MPMK's former contributor's, Kim (who also happens to be a speech-language pathologist), is going to share with us the best ways to ask our kids questions. Didn't know there was a right way? Well there definitely is - it's the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Kim Tagged With: how to ask kids questions, how to talk to kids, the right way to ask kids questions

A Few of My New Favorite Things

May 7 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

100 Ways to Be Kind to Your Child - One of my very favorite pieces in our whole house! Not only does it look cool, it also gives me a small daily reminder of the mom I want to be!

I realized lately I've been steadily filing away a lot of things I've wanted to share with you but - for one reason or another - haven't yet. No time like the present, right? 100 Ways to Be Kind to Your Child First up is this absolutely fabulous poster, which was created by one of my Camp Mom: Summer Activities Kit co-writers, Alissa of Creative With Kids. It arrived last week and now resides in a place of honor above the play kitchen in our play/family room (side note: this room looks … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Mom Health, Beauty & Style, MPMK's Favorite Things Tagged With: 100 Ways to be kind to your child, best gift for a one year old, Best gifts for young toddler, family prints, little tike haul and ride, Personal stylist by mail, play room printable, positive parenting, Stitch Fix

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