Bet you didn't think the words "gratitude" "chore" and "game" really went together did you? With all the holiday stuff I've been doing lately, I've been thinking a lot about another word, one that can sometimes arise as a consequence of too much focus on the gifts: entitlement. I started to think about this discussion we had on mindfulness and daily chores as part of our virtual book club last year. Do you remember discussing this quote? Housework may be the best opportunity to practice … [Read more...]
How to Spot Executive Functioning Issues in Your Child
Happy Friday guys - hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! Now that the sugar-rush has (hopefully) subsided, I wanted to pass on some free resources from my friends at the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). As parents, we're lucky to live in a time in which a lot more is known about learning disorders, and a lot more resources are available. To that end, it's always helpful to know the signs if your child is dealing with a learning issue. The NCLD has just come out with a … [Read more...]
On The Road – A Family Road Trip Survival Guide
Fourteen hours, two young children, and two parents packed into one car. This obviously calls for a survival guide. Every summer since I can remember, I have taken a road trip from the Twin Cities to Red Lodge, Montana. I did it as a child with my parents and siblings, with friends as a young adult, and now with my own little family. And every year I am shocked at how long the car trip is. It reminds me a little bit of labor and delivery - forgetting the pain because the outcome is well worth … [Read more...]
Midweek Musings: How Do You Know When Your Family’s “Complete”?
When it comes to family planning, to date I have been a very private, if not down-right sneaky, individual - not really letting any friends or family in on the fact that we were trying until the trying was done. But recently something strange came over me. … [Read more...]
What’s Your 2013 Resolution?
Happy New Year everyone! How was your New Year's Eve? If you're an MPMK facebook fan, then you already know we celebrated with sparkling cider for the kids and a Homeland marathon for us once they were in bed. We also took a little time to make some resolutions for 2013. Nothing too astounding - we tried to keep them to a few specific and doable goals. On my list were: preserving memories in a better way (more on my plan later this week) and finding a little time for gratitude and peace … [Read more...]
Midweek Musing: Do Moms Still Mend?
(images via refashion co-op and Freshly Picked) I mentioned yesterday we recently celebrated C's 4th birthday. The day after he opened his gifts, I took advantage of his grandparents still being in town and embarked on an impromptu organization session. When I started out I intended just to make room for the new toys but, before I knew it, I was on to our closets as well (this is what Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life is doing to me people). By the end of the day I'd sent my hubs off to … [Read more...]
Outdoor Preschool: How to Dress for Hours of Rain & Cold
I've shared here before that our son goes to an all outdoor preschool, but only briefly. In case you missed it, let me say it again. Our son attends a preschool 3 1/2 hours a day, two days a week which, aside from the bathroom, has absolutely no indoor facilities. And, yes, we do still live in Seattle where it rains approximately 9 months a year. Are you shocked? Think I'm nuts? … [Read more...]
No More Nagging for Something to Drink
Being a parent is a test of efficiency. It reminds of waiting tables many years ago. You have a million things to accomplish in about 10 minutes and impatient customers will let you know how you're measuring up on the job. Except now days you're serving kids, and sometimes they can be a teeny bit impatient and you may hear a lot of, "Mom, I'm thirsty", "Mom, can I have a drink of water?", "Mooooom!". This summer, I tried putting a water jug outside with cups for the kids to … [Read more...]
Dealing with Night Time Fears Through Play
One of my boys was blessed with my very over active imagination, which can be fun during the day, but not so much at night. We've battled our nighttime monsters in different ways. We talk about what good dreams he wants to have that night - where he wants to go, what he wants to do etc. I've also given him an old remote control so if he wakes up from a bad dream he can change his dream channel. Another way to battle those monsters is by melting them! This activity is fun … [Read more...]
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