It's back-to-school time, which means it's also time to spend an alarming amount of money on back-to-school clothes, backpacks, shoes, etc. Or is it? Before you break out that credit card, I wanted to make sure you're thinking about one of my favorite stores that's guaranteed not to break the bank- Goodwill. As my kids continue to get older and the cost of their clothes seems to grow along with their fashion opinions, I've realized that I have to find a way to cut back the spending. … [Read more...]
Parenting Hack: The Secret to Getting Your Kids to Love Brushing Their Teeth
*This post is sponsored by Colgate, all opinions are 100% our own. Isn’t bedtime the craziest part of a day as a parent? I think one of the things that makes it such a challenge is that there are so many parts of bedtime, from baths to pjs, teeth brushing to tucking in your child (possibly 7 times). There are some things you can skip at bedtime or re-arrange to make it easier and faster. Baths don’t have to be every single night and you could read to your children over breakfast … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Should You Send Your Ex A Father’s Day Card?
This will be our tenth Father’s Day since the divorce. Like every other year, I’ll take my two sons to the store and help them pick out gifts for their father. Some years I’m surprised I didn’t get lock jaw from forcing myself to smile as I helped them wrap their presents, and I can’t say I’ve never stooped to passive aggressive gifting. (Please don’t ask me about the garden gnome.) It wasn’t always a joy to spend money on my ex-husband, particularly since I was mothering on a … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: How 10 (or even 5) Minutes of Yoga Made Me a Better Mother
I’m a bit of a high-stress person. One of my favorite and most time-consuming hobbies is to replay any and all cringe-worthy moments of my life over and over in my head. When I get bored of that, I like to devote some quality time—usually between 2:00 and 3:00 am—going over any potential calamities that may befall the children or myself in the future. If I have time left, I like to reminisce about Bad Things That Didn’t Happen Yesterday but Could Have. I’ve been told by … [Read more...]
Nighttime Solutions for Your Recently Potty Trained Kiddo
Potty training is no joke. Whether you’re on kid number one or kid number three, like me, it’s always an adventure! With my oldest we started just a little too soon. So I pressed pause, talked to some veteran mamas, and made a new plan. “Let him take the lead,” they said. “Give him the tools he needs but don’t push it, let him know they are there when he’s ready. Take the power struggle out of potty training,” they advised. “You won’t regret it!” Every child is different and every parent … [Read more...]
Easter Basket Finds that are Sure to Delight Your Kids
We are officially under the two-week mark until Easter... are your baskets ready? I take a ridiculous amount of pride in hunting down unique (but inexpensive!) finds for my three kids' baskets. You know why? Because one year my daughter innocently said to me, "Mommy, you are so great at making Easter baskets! You find things I didn't even know I wanted!" That one statement made me so gloriously happy that I was immediately hooked on the high of finding the best Easter basket trinkets ever. … [Read more...]
I Found the Perfect Laptop/Tablet for Kids and I’m Giving It Away!
Don't you love it when you finally find the tool you've been searching for to make things run more smoothly!? For me that elusive tool has been the perfect budget-priced computer for my kids (ages 5 and 7). Bonus: We're giving one away! All you have to do is follow these two steps: Sign up for our newsletter Be sure to click the confirmation email we send you. You'll automatically be entered in the giveaway and, as a bonus, I'll also send you my Free Report: The 3 Apps I Use … [Read more...]
New eBook! Hands On Holidays: Simple Ideas for Making Memories October through December
For the last couple of months I've been working behind the scenes on a big new project for MPMK. I didn't want to say anything earlier for fear that it wouldn't be done in time. But it's almost done now and I couldn't be more excited to share with you my upcoming eBook: Hands-On Holidays. If you want to be the first to know when it comes out, and to take advantage of a special 20% discount, be sure to join our mailing list here! Good News! It's Now On Sale HERE For me, the excitement of … [Read more...]
Back-to-School Know-How: Teaching Kids to Deal with Stress
photo source Is it just me or is back-to-school time a little stressful? (I know it's not just me.) There's so much to do, and buy, to get ready - plus a whole new schedule to deal with. You know who else finds it all a bit overwhelming? Your kids. Which is why I'm so excited to tell you about the latest mini-eCourse from my good friend, and our newest sponsor, Mariah of Playful Learning. The inexpensive mini-course, BE A PEACEMAKER: TEACH YOUR CHILD TO FIND PEACE INSIDE AND OUT, is such a … [Read more...]