Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Why You Should be Spring Cleaning Your Parenting Each Year

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I've got a fantastic positive parenting guest post today from Annie of Motherhood and More. I discovered Annie through her hilarious and insightful facebook posts and was instantly smitten. I absolutely love her idea of spring cleaning your parenting each year. It can be so easy to get stuck in our habits and routines without putting much thought into what we're doing. By putting a parenting spring clean on the calendar every year, you're ensuring that you're not parenting on auto-pilot! … [Read more...]

Raising Kids in a Digital World: 8 Books to Help Modern Parents

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Parenting in the digital world is something that has been on my mind SO much lately. I've been wondering about everything from the best apps to keep my kids safe online and what kind of screen time limits to enforce, to how my own phone use affects my kids. That last one is a doozy and has been especially worrying me lately as my job is online so I'm definitely on my phone more than I'd like... In fact, after I read this list from our in-house children's librarian, Janssen, I raced to get the … [Read more...]

Parenting Styles: When is the Right Time to Start Kids in Sports?

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Jessica is back today discussing her parenting style when it comes to extracurricular activities. More specifically, her experience enrolling her son in a martial arts program at age 4. When and where to start enrolling your kids in activities has to be one of the most personal choices of parenting. There doesn't actually seem to be a lot of routinely recited advice on the topic (other than to always, always - Dear God, Always! - be weary of over-scheduling). So I love to see what other … [Read more...]

Our Secret Tool for Raising Kids Who Are Safe & Responsible On Their Phones

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OurPact. We've got such a cool tool to share with you guys today from our newest sponsor, OurPact. I really, really think you're going to find it to be one of the most valuable apps you own- and it's free! Kristin is going to go into lots of detail below, but in a nutshell this genius app gives parents the ability to control exactly when, and how long, their kids can use the apps, or the internet on their phones AND to block any apps … [Read more...]

Parenting Styles: Saying No to Tween TV

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What's your parenting style when it comes to kids and TV ? It's so much more simple when your kids are really young isn't it? When you can turn on Sesame Street every once in a while and they're happy? Can't we just stay in this place forever? According to our parenting contributor, Jessica, no- no we cannot. But that doesn't mean we're without power. Here she is with her take on the dreaded "Tween TV". She's got some pretty strong feelings on the subject. I'm curious, what's your take? Is … [Read more...]

7 Simple Easter Hair Ideas for Girls + A Video!

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Now that S is 5, I'm finding that the standard "half up with one barrette on each side" hairdo that I've been relying on isn't quite cutting it anymore. While she's not overly demanding now (an especially sparkly barrette or two clips instead of one is enough of an upgrade from the norm at the moment), I can tell the days when she'll be begging for braids and bow buns aren't far off. I figure I might as well get out ahead of it and start learning about such techniques now. Plus, … [Read more...]

Parenting Styles: Navigating The Eye Roll, Seven Years Early

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With all the different parenting styles, it can be no joke figuring out how to discipline a toddler. Jessica is here today with our parenting section, newly re-named Parenting Styles, with some great insight on what to do when your toddler starts acting like a teenager. I read this great article the other day that was wildly reassuring to my future self, the one who's a mom of a teenage girl. It covered the many purposes that the ol’ eye roll serves in the life of an adolescent. And they … [Read more...]

10 Brilliant Indoor Play Ideas Using a Beach Ball

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I was reading one of my favorite MPMK posts the other day, How to Maintain Your Zen When the Kids Have Lost Their Ever-Loving Minds, and I was reminded of how much we used to play with beach balls in the house when the kids were younger. It was such a simple way to keep the kids active and happy when we were stuck indoors - plus it was super inexpensive and easy to set up (two of my favorite qualities in a kids' activity). Back in the day, this one was right up there with our Life-Sized … [Read more...]

8 Best Books for Raising Financially Responsible Kids

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If your child has ever suggested you just pay with your credit card when you said you couldn't afford something or wondered why your family vacations are less grandiose than the neighbors (or cousins!), you know how early money education can and should start. There's so much you want your child to know about money before they leave home, whether it's about spending and saving, investing, interest rates, and real estate. And frankly, if you're like me, there are some of those things you're a … [Read more...]