Modern Parents Messy Kids

We're all about finding ways to make family life better while keeping our sense of humor. Check out our famous MPMK Top Toy Awards, already viewed over 7,000,000 times!

You are here: Home / Blog

Igniting the Olympic Spirit in Your Kids

by

The Summer Olympics begin on Friday, woot! (That's right, I'm so excited I'm wooting.)  Do you guys plan to watch them with the kiddos?  You know I'm not a very big fan of mixing kids and TV but, for me, this is the exception to the rule. I can't wait to perch on the couch with S and C rooting on our American contenders.  In fact, I've rounded up a whole slew of Olympic related kid activities over at momtastic to help get them in the spirit.  Head over and check them out.   P.S. If … [Read more...]

Must Read: Raising a Creative Kid

by

Would you like to raise a kid who is creative? Would you like to see the twinkle that passes through your kids eye when she has an idea… and know exactly how to nurture it? What if I said there was a way for you to raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes?  What if the answer was as easy as following simple strategies all laid out for you?  Sounds pretty good right?  Those words were written by my blogging … [Read more...]

What to Wear: Simple Summer Style

by

Don't you guys love how much easier it is to dress for summer?  My sister and I were just discussing how summer dresses are our new favorite thing. There's absolutely no coordinating necessary, your whole outfit is just waiting on the hanger for you in the morning ready to be slipped on.  And they're super comfy too.  What's not to love? I'm also totally diggin' two of this summer's biggest trends, neon and stripes.  So here's my formula for the perfect summer look:  comfy striped dress + neon … [Read more...]

Giveaway: 30 Tile Modular FLOR Rug

by

I am so, so excited it's July 17th! Why? Because today's the day I finally get to unveil a collaboration that's been in the works for a few months now and involves one of my favorite brands - FLOR.  They're kindly offering up a generous 30 tile rug in the style of your choosing.     You see, when Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life first exploded, I reached out to my very favorite organization blogger Jen of i heart organizing and asked if she'd like to team up and put together an extra … [Read more...]

My Emergency Go-To Meal Plan

by

You guys know by now I'm a big fan of meal planning.  Wether its through an online service or via one of the many options available online, including MPMK's own 6 week meal plan, a well thought out plan is a major time saver. But what about those days, or weeks, when you barely have time to cook let alone meal plan?   I've found myself up against a lot of those weeks lately.  So I've developed one more meal plan - an emergency week meal plan.  This is my list of five weeknight meals and a … [Read more...]

The Weekend Look Book

by

It's the weekend (yay!) so you're probably expecting a weekend look book (a reasonable expectation if you're a regular around here).  The look book is on a camping break, as in the family and I are headed out on our first ever camping trip.  This setup looks amazing yet totally impractical so we're taking our in-laws trailer instead. But never fear, in the meantime I've got tons of great finds meticulously curated for you over on Pinterest.  This is one of them but most are much more doable … [Read more...]

Letting the Kids Color on Fabric

by

Contributor Allison is back today with something very cool.  DecoArt sent us some of their new  and a bottle of basecoat to play with and I, in turn, sent it along to Allison to see what her and her boys could come up with.  The results are pretty fantastic.     I'm all about getting my kids involved so this project was their creation. I love creating (and getting) handmade gifts and I try to pass that love along to my kids as well. We decided to make a placemat/playmat that our younger … [Read more...]

Read Along: Buddhism for Mothers of Young Children – Becoming a Mindful Parent

by

UPDATE: So glad you guys are excited about this.  We covered the first chapter here.  But it's not too late to get your copy and join us!   Recently my husband and I had the chance to slip away to Washington DC for a long weekend without the kids. It was part work and part fun and we had a great time.  This is going to sound a bit odd, but one of the things I enjoyed most was the plane ride. I know, who enjoys a six hour plane ride?  A mom with a good book - that's who.  And that book … [Read more...]

DIY Water Blob (Tips & Tricks)

by

Much to me and my husband's disbelief, our little girl turned two recently.  (Two!  I'm officially no longer a mama with babies at home.)  To celebrate, we followed our new family tradition and had the grandparents come play with C while we took S out on a special outing with mommy and daddy in the morning.   When S was born, we made a point of all coming home from the hospital as a family - which means that this was quite possibly the very first time S has ever had both parents all to … [Read more...]

Our New Favorite Reading Material

by

Did you guys read Highlights magazine as a kid?  I did and I remember being so excited every time the latest issue arrived in the mail just for me.  A few months ago my dad started sending High Five magazine to C and it is so fun seeing the exact same joy in his face with each new issue.   High Five is Highlights for the younger set (ages 2 - 6) and I have been so impressed with it's contents each month.  Both C and S love pouring over every page of their very own magazine and each … [Read more...]

Summer Fun for Everyone: Finger Knit Bracelets

by

I'm guessing that knitting isn't high up on most of your lists for summertime fun.  But I'm here to change your mind.  In fact, I'm at eHow this week talking about the perfect summer knitting project: finger knit friendship bracelets.       As the name implies, this is a needle-free type of knitting suitable for kids of all ages.  It's a great way to get your littlest little ones in on the summer-friendship-bracelet-making fun and it promotes fine motor skills to … [Read more...]