Modern Parents Messy Kids

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An Inside Look: Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge

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It's about this time of year that the folks in my neck of the woods start making plans for family vacations come spring. (It's somewhat of a natural consequence of the start of the rainy season.) But our family isn't joining them this year for two reasons: We did the vacation thing BIG last year and it seems prudent to keep it much more low key this year Our youngest is at the perfect age (20 months) for making the idea of a plane trip or long lines at an amusement park sound … [Read more...]

Parenting: The Santa Question

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Image Credit: © Steve Wilson | santa-clause | CC by 2.0 I adore Christmas. I love the lights and the decorations, the music and the good cheer. I get all nostalgic about “the reason for the season,” lapsed Catholic that I am, and I especially love the whole notion of Santa, particularly through the wide eyes of our four kiddos. Really, it’s downright magical. But with an eight year old in the house, I’ve been thinking lately about what I’m going to say the day he stares up at me and … [Read more...]

Parenting: When Kids Dish Out (Your) Attitude

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Image Credit: © Donnie Ray Jones | Elsa's Getting Mad | CC by 2.0 It’s a startling thing to see this whole parenting thing – specifically, your whole parenting thing – from the perspective of the kids you’re parenting. Kids are sponges, I know, but it turns out, their innate talent for picking up on your curse word slip (whoops) is the least of it. Our oldest son is eight, and our oldest daughter is six. And we are dealing with all kinds of attitude these days. I’m hip to the testing … [Read more...]

3 Free Apps I Use with My Kids Every Day

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Image Credit: © Johan Larsson | 12.18.11 | CC by 2.0 Like a lot of parents, I wrestle a bit with how much screen time I allow my kids- whether it be in the form of TV, on their recently acquired Kids' Edition Kindle Fires, or on my phone. The latter is definitely where they get the least amount of time. I've just never been the mom that hands my phone over to my child in the car, at the grocery store, etc... Partly because I'm scared to go down that rabbit hole, but mainly because I'm … [Read more...]

12 Ways To Make Mornings With Kids Easier

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I am not a morning person. Anyone in my family (or extended family) can attest to that.  In fact, I know this sounds crazy... but getting up early is one of the things I dreaded most about having children. I mean, I am a CHAMP at sleeping. I can sleep until late afternoon if no one wakes me up. But alas, they do. Every. Single. Morning. And now that the school year is in full-swing, there's just now way around it. The good news? I've learned a few tricks over the years. Tricks that … [Read more...]

Parenting: The Late Walker

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What do you do when your fifteen month old refuses to walk? Like, refuses to even try and gets all pouty and indignant when we clap our hands and call to her, before scooting away on her little diapered bottom? I checked with Dr. Google, and while lots of babies take those first wobbly steps around their first birthday, she’s still in the “perfectly normal” range, so phew. But what is the hold up here? Not one of our kids walked early – none of this before-the-first-birthday stuff at our … [Read more...]

The “25 Piece Minimalist Mom Wardrobe”

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My minimalist mom capsule wardrobe was so popular the last two years (and made dressing each day so fun and easy) that I couldn’t help do it again this year. Only a little bigger and even better. Every piece here is a proven winner- that shirt, cardigan, hoodie, and pair of jeans that you'll reach for again and again. The ones that you love to wear and can be worn a millions different ways. These are the items that keep us comfortably chasing the kids all day- cotton, denim, and sneakers- … [Read more...]

Kids & Phones: A Guide for the Newbie Mom (from a Mom In the Trenches)

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Our family is still slowly dipping our toes into the world of having school-aged kids. One of the topics that seems to keep coming up when chatting with my mom friends in the same position is that of the cell phone. And, of course, that one topic leads to a bevy of questions. When are kids ready for one? When might it be a good idea for communication/safety concerns? What rules and limits should be applied? How do we keep our kids, and those expensive phones safe? When questions like these … [Read more...]

What I’m Reading: Raising A Rockstar Reader

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I've got another great read for you guys today and I think what you're going to love most about it is how super easy and quick it is to get through. Because, let's face it, as much as we all have the best intentions about reading that super-helpful parenting book, it often just doesn't get done. Raising A Rockstar Reader is different though. It is truly one of the most skimmable and easily digested books I have ever read- and it's packed with really great info. too. Hooray for a great book … [Read more...]