Finding just the right activity to sign up your little one to attend, can be nothing less than maddening. I really value classes that allow my kids to be active, gain confidence, and grow their social skills. That said, I also like to spend a lot of our time on unstructured play and usually limit activities to just one per season. Which means, I am VERY choosy about which classes we take. Gymnastics is far and away one of my favorites. There's just something so amazing about watching S … [Read more...]
Ultimate Resource Guide: Healthy Back-to-School Eating
Image Credit: © Melissa | found here | CC by 2.0 (edited & text added) I'm wrapping up a wonderful family vacation at the lake tomorrow. But even as I sit here watching the sunset over the water and sipping my Chocovine (dutch chocolate + fine red wine, who knew?!), even I can't deny that the new school year is just around the corner. I know folks back in the south who have been in school for a week or two already! In an effort to start the year off on the right foot, I'm doing a … [Read more...]
Technology Makes Me a Hypocrite, and How I’m Changing That
Image Credit: © Tricia | found here | CC by 2.0 (edited) Every single time I stumble across an article or a post relating to “screen time” and kids, I devour it. First off, I want confirmation (that I rarely get, because everyone must be lying) that I’m not the only parent whose kids get waaaay more than the token thirty-minutes of approved screen time on any given day. It’s not constant, but yeah, I’ve been known to hand over my phone or a tablet so I can focus for an entire 45 minutes. … [Read more...]
Free Printable: Setting up a Simple Routine with Kids
Long summer days without the rushing and time constraints that come with the school year sound heavenly. Lazy days relaxing in the hammock and swimming until dark, then sleeping in and doing it all over again. Thats how I wanted my summer to go. But with two little ones running around, that just wasn't realistic. As an elementary school teacher, I know that kids thrive on routine. And setting up a simple routine always ensures smoother days but just the word "routine" seems to go against the … [Read more...]
Our 4-Step Plan for Moms to Start the School Year Energized
Back-to-school season is upon us... how are you feeling about it? Craving a good plan and a little more energy to tackle it all maybe? My favorite functional nutritionists are here with us today to give us a fail-proof 4 pronged plan for getting there! Summer? What summer? You've been a full-time chef, a part-time referee, a chauffeur and a housemaid up to your knees in laundry. Days have never been longer and balance is a thing of the past. You get tipsy just thinking about … [Read more...]
20 Cook Once, Eat Twice Dinner Ideas
I recently took to our facebook page and asked what type of recipe posts you'd most like to see here. MPMK reader Rebecca suggested a roundup of "cook once, eat twice kind of meals". I replied, "I want those too!" because how brilliant is it to have dinner ready with no cooking on the second night?! I put our resident food contributor, Natalie, on it and she didn't disappoint... Looking to save some time in the kitchen? Double-duty dinners are a great way to cut down on extra cooking. … [Read more...]
Kids’ Birthdays – How to Get Back to Simple
In the seven years since we’ve been throwing kids’ birthday parties, the party landscape has lost its mind. I blame Pinterest. Last week was the big first birthday for our youngest, and let’s just say the theme was “simplicity.” It’s a good thing love isn’t measured in mix-your-own trail mix stands or chalkboard signs or carnival themes, because Em had none of that last Thursday. And spoiler – she didn’t care. She didn’t even care about the age-appropriate first birthday gift we gave her … [Read more...]
Tips for Making Every Kid a Reader
Image Credit: © David D | 137 - Look up! | CC by 2.0 (cropped & text added) When we published our free B.O.R.E.D. printable I told you we'd be following up with some posts on how to help your kids carry out the different tasks. Today we're addressing R - read a book with the help of the non-profit Raising a Reader. They're hooking us up with some really solid ideas on how to keep kids reading this summer (and the rest of the year too!) and how to use the time to instill a love of … [Read more...]
Tips from a Teacher on Dealing with Back-to-School Anxiety
*I’m a PediaSure SideKicks Partner and am a sponsored blog partner, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure. Can you believe we're talking First Day of School already?!!? It's so funny to find out that parents kind of feel the same way about it as kids do (I never realized when I was a kid) - not wanting the summer to end but also a little excited about the new schedule and changing of the seasons. I also never realized as a kid how stressful the first day … [Read more...]
Fair Warning – From One SAHM to Another
Image Credit: © www.suzette.nu | Raaf playing | CC by 2.0 We've got another parenting story sent in by a reader to share today! I'm so happy you guys are taking this idea and running with it, I can't even tell you. If you'd like to share something, I'd be honored to read it and maybe even post it here - just send me your submission here (more details here). Today Laura is writing about what she's learned during her transition to becoming a SAHM. Her words ring so very true and it's a … [Read more...]
How to Have a Successful Family Night for EVERYONE
Do you guys do family night? I read in one of my favorite parenting books that it was an important thing to establish early on. You know, promotes communication, sibling and parent/child bonding, will make your kiddos confide in you more when they're older, yadda, yadda. So, we established family game night... And it was awful. There was SO MUCH whining and pouting, and lots of the general mayhem and misery that occurs when a preschooler looses an all-important game of Chutes & … [Read more...]
More Car Hacks For Happy Kids {POYEL}
Summer for most families means even more time than usual spent in the car. While this can easily mean chaos, temper tantrums, and sticky messes, these hacks prove car travel - whether long haul road trips or quick jaunts to the playground - can just as easily be organized, well-equipped, mess-free, and, dare I say it, pleasant for both parents and their offspring. 1. Missy of Lookie What I Did's car hack means that kids no longer have to balance (or not!) a drink, snack, or meal in their … [Read more...]
YES – Four Kids is Crazy
Jessica is back today with her unique take on parenting as a mother of four and I'm so happy - I always connect with her posts. And, really, I feel like the name of this one could easily be "YES - Three Kids is Crazy" or "YES - {Fill-in-the-Blank} Kids is Crazy" because life as a parent is just general craziness. But I always love to hear about other parents' perspectives, and I find the experiences of parents who have more kids than the three I have to be especially fascinating. Before … [Read more...]
20 Family Meals Using Zucchini
Zucchini season is in full swing! That means many of us have zucchini covering our kitchen counters, filling up our fridges, and mostly coming out of our ears. One can only eat so much zucchini bread, so why not branch out and serve your veggies for dinner instead? Here are twenty ideas for using up all that squash! … [Read more...]
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