When my kids were old enough to start school, my mother-in-law passed down a tradition that she continued into adulthood with her children. On the first day of school, she would take a photo of the child holding the door knob ready to leave. She did this every year and even has a photo of her children in their college cap and gown, holding on to that same door knob. I've continued the tradition with my kids. Now that I have two high-schoolers and a middle schooler, I don't think my kids would … [Read more...]
Free Printable: First and Last Day of School Questionnaire
Everyone's kids are back in school now right?! Great- I've got a freebie you'll love. The beauty of this is you don't have to do it on the very first day of school, anywhere in the first month or so will do, so the pressure is minimal! It's a questionnaire your kids fill out at the beginning of the school year and then again at the end of the year. Get the FREE Back-to-School Printable Now! It's such an easy keepsake! No taking pictures and printing them out, no props needed. Just get your … [Read more...]
Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Families
Image Credit: © Shawn Spencer-Smith (text added) | family in shadow | CC by 2.0 The New Year is a great time to come together and set some family goals for the upcoming year - and it doesn't have to be done on January 1st, it's not too late! In case you need a little help, I've put together a list of 10 New Year's Resolutions for Families. You'll notice that a lot of the items on the list are things that you're probably resolving to do for yourself this year - I just added a family … [Read more...]
A Perfect Way to Volunteer with Young Kids (And Help New Moms in Need!)
We talk a lot here about doing our best to raise kids who aren't entitled. Yet, one of the things I struggle with most is finding good ways to get my young children involved in volunteering. From soup kitchens to neighborhood road clean-ups, there just aren't a lot of opportunities that my kids (ages 2, 6 and 7) are old enough for yet. If you find yourself in the same predicament, I've got some great news. Next week is Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 26 - 30, 2016) so we’ve … [Read more...]
A Simple Hairstyle for Girls that Every Mom Can Pull Off
Now that school is back in session, are you feeling the pressure to come up for fun new hair styles for your daughter? We've got one for you today that's so incredibly easy, ANYONE can do it and it will quickly become your go-to 'do whenever you're in a hurry to get out the door. If you find yourself overwhelmed with fancy french braids, this is the hairstyle for your daughter. There is no braiding involved, just a simple twist. Plus, it works on girls with both thin and thick hair … [Read more...]
Do You Know The “Right” Way to Hug Your Child?
One of the things I have loved, loved, LOVED about being momma to baby M are the pre-nap snuggles. My third baby is the only one who truly loves to snuggle with me. Even as infants, S and C would wiggle in my arms as I rocked and sang to them before nap. They weren't upset, they just wanted to look around - at the room, at the fan, even at me. They were never fully relaxed enough to snuggle up as I had envisioned they would. Eventually I came to terms with it, figuring that's just how … [Read more...]
How to Set up a Healthy Pack-Yourself Lunch Station for Kids
I'm all about making life easier when possible. As moms we are juggling a million things and making lunches for school is one of those things that seems like it should be an easy task, but ends up being one of the tasks that I avoid until the last minute. So here's what I've discovered. Just like anything else, preparation is key. You may have seen our serve-yourself snack station over the summer. I decided to apply the concept to lunch. If I let the kids have make their own lunches … [Read more...]
Sending Kids Off to College on a Budget
*This post is sponsored by QVC but all opinions are 100% our own. Check out #QVC for more info. on the QCard. I don't have any children heading off to college yet; my oldest just started kindergarten, so those days are still a ways off for our family. But my husband's youngest brother begins his first year of college in a few weeks and even that is pretty much blowing my mind. I met him when he was nine years old, so it is hard to imagine that he's old enough to head off for university … [Read more...]
Parenting Hacks: Bedtime Routines for Kids
A quick reminder before we get started that our FREE positive parenting webinars with TODAY Show parenting contributor Amy McCready are this coming Monday, September 29th, 2014 at 10am PST/ 1pm EST AND 6pm PST/9pm EST! Reserve your spot for “Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling” before they fill up! We've all seen the sitcoms where the parent is putting the child to bed about a hundred times. The excuses range from one more drink of water to one more bedtime … [Read more...]