Don't worry - this is not another book about ridding your life of all excess items. Rather, Cleaning House: A Mom's 12 Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement is a parenting book I first read about three years ago and continue to think about with regularity. As I was reflecting on what I wanted to do with my kids this summer, the book again came to mind as I was thinking about what kitchen skills we really need to start practicing more. Kay … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Outgrowing the Tooth Fairy
Our oldest son lost his first tooth the day he turned six. Four years later, I still remember so clearly how that little tooth, so white and tiny, caused such a whirlwind of excitement and emotion. Our son was a mixed bag of thrilled and surprised, flashing his gap-toothed smile around and then asking a little worriedly, “Do other things fall out like this?” His little sister was in absolute awe, tugging his arm and peering into his mouth and sighing about how she couldn’t wait until her … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Taking Your Kids to Do Fun Stuff (Without Losing Your Mind)
You always knew you’d be the parents to take the kids on adventures, explore the world with them, and discover new and wonderful things together. But then life happened, and sometimes just getting out the door with kids can seem like an insurmountable task. Fear not, parents. Your kids can enjoy concerts, sporting events, and festivals with you—and it can even be fun. The only thing standing between you and a day of learning and memory-making is some creativity and a little planning. Let … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Adventures with the Big Girl Bed
We’ve always taken the easy way out when it comes to sleeping. And by easy, I mean whatever involved the most sleep and the least hassle. That’s how we became co-sleepers – it was pretty much born of default, an exhausted mix of laziness and a death grip on the idea that a good night’s sleep was possible with tiny babies. But with our youngest knocking on three, it was time for a change. E had started referring to the spare room, used as a playroom, as “my woom.” When they got in … [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...]
Parenting Styles: The Kid Who Doesn’t Eat
The other night at dinner – and I don’t need to tell you about all the work that goes into planning, preparing and serving dinner for six, let alone the legwork involved in actually getting all six people to sit down in one spot at the same time – our two-year-old took one look at her bowl of some shredded-chicken-and-quinoa dish and slapped the entire thing onto the bench, where it fell to the floor. Cue… absolute silence. The three older kids were wide-eyed, forks halfway to … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Get Your Kids Off Their Screens and Playing Outside
Despite living in rain city USA, I believe strongly in getting the kids outside as much as possible (also, the summers in Seattle are gorgeous). So today I've asked Lea to stop by with her top 5 tips for getting your kids away from a screen and outside to play. (And added a few photos of my family because I just couldn't resist.) Playtime is serious business. Just ask the American Council on Pediatrics. In their concerns about the effect of media on young minds, they encourage … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Taking a 2-Year-Old on a 9 Hour Road Trip to Disneyland
Fun fact – our two oldest kids have the same April birthday. Our son was two weeks early, and two years later, his new little sister was a week early. So far, the dual birthday party thing has worked out, but now they’re ten and eight, and I think that window is coming to a close. So this year, we decided to surprise them with a trip to Disneyland instead of a party. My husband and I were extra secretive about our internet research, ferreting out bargains on three-day hopper passes … [Read more...]
“Mommy, You Had a Gold Star Morning”
"Mom, you had a gold star morning." Those words from my 6-year-old daughter almost brought me to tears yesterday. After what seemed like months of sick kids, snow days, school vacations, and a very busy workload, our routine had gone down the drain. More and more I was finding myself hurried, frazzled and irritated when trying to get the kids out the door, to do their homework, to get to bed, or to do pretty much anything else. I realized when my daughter spoke up, as much as it was … [Read more...]
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