Modern Parents Messy Kids

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9 Kid-Approved Fall and Winter Soup Recipes

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As the weather cools, there's nothing like a big hearty bowl of soup to end the day. I personally love setting up my crock pot, so I can come home to a simmering soup, just waiting to be scooped into bowls and topped with a crusty piece of buttered bread. Even though this is where my heart is this fall, it may not necessarily what my kids would like for dinner.  Let's face it... chicken nuggets, pizza and mac and cheese will always rule. But, what if we could come up with some … [Read more...]

11 Brilliantly Simple DIY Halloween Costumes for Moms

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I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I'm going to my first adult Halloween party in years and I'm super excited about my DIY costume. That got me to thinking that there may be a lot of moms out there who could use some quick and easy ideas on how to throw together an easy costume for neighborhood parties, classroom parties, or just trick-or-treating with the kids. So I asked our contributor, Kristin, to throw together a list of costumes mom could throw together and she didn't … [Read more...]

A Day in the Life: Meet Emily – NICU Nurse, Toddler Mom and Pregnant with Twins!

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  I am so excited to share this project with you today. Warning, get the tissues ready! For decades, Huggies has believed in the power of hugs to help babies thrive. They’re inspired by the amazing benefits hugs have on babies and want to spread that power to those who have given so much. They are also committed to ensuring that no baby goes unhugged, and this conviction drives everything they do. No Baby Unhugged is Huggies vision to ensure all babies get the hugs they need. … [Read more...]

Must-Try Lunch Box and After School Snack Hacks

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  *This post is sponsored by Stonyfield YoKids, all opinions are 100% our own. Every year, just before school starts, I buy my kids a new lunch box and new ice packs to go with it. The ice packs tend to get dirty, broken or lost before the end of the year. But, in order for my kids to eat their homemade lunch, the veggies need to be crisp, the sandwich cool and the yogurt ice cold. I recently discovered my favorite new trick for packing lunches...freezing the yogurt. Not … [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...]