Mary Bockert

Fun Summer Activities to Get the Kids Moving

SUUUUUMMER!!!!!!!

Who doesn’t LOVE the warmer weather, the sandals coming out of the closet, the cookouts, the windows open in the house and car and all of the festivals going on? Spring and Summer are my two FAVORITE seasons followed closely by Fall. There are merely endless opportunities to get moving, be active, and enjoy the weather.
Our family turns the TV off and we PLAY. We play outside, inside, we have play dates, we explore local parks, etc. In fact, I have had NO PROBLEM keeping my littles busy over Summer break. I want to share the many ideas that you too can implement into your summer routine.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Five Reasons Your Kids Need a TeePee Tent

We all know that kids love a play house and a teepee tent for kids is a super cute choice. In addition to the fact that your kids will love it, there are lots of benefits and uses of kids teepee tents. Here, I will highlight a few uses for a teepee tent for kids and why I think that you, as a parent, will love teepee tents just as much as your kids! This post is brought to you by La Vie Vert’s ideas.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Embracing the “Different”

This little 3.5 year old has been on quite the journey…and taken my husband and I on quite the journey as well. 💗

From an EXTREMELY young age (like 3 months) I knew Delise was unique and different from the “norm” (whatever the heck that means 🤷🏻‍♀️). Little did I know that she would transform my heart 💗 and help me to embrace her way of thinking, seeing the world, and loving life.

It took about 3 years for the two of us to truly “get” one another. I’m not speaking about loving one another…that came naturally for me as she is my precious gift from God. No, It was just, well…where I saw black and white, she sees a thousand different shades of gray.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Lucas County, Ohio Fairs and Festivals to hit in the Month of June

Oh it is that time of year!!! I LOVE checking into everything going on in the area and exploring with my family. I usually plot out all of the different “to-do’s” in the area and my family hits the festivals and fairs with grins and giggles. I know how overwhelming it can be to try and figure out the good places to go and things to do so I thought it might be helpful to share some fun things going on in the area.

By Mary Bockert, ago

My Top 3 Toys for my Child With Sensory Processing Disorder

The day I found out my child had a sensory processing disorder (SPD) was the end of our search for answers to her strange and “different” behavior. The silver lining was that we FINALLY had an answer for her terrible tantrums, her OCD tendencies, and her “clingy” personality. Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. … Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming.

Oh Boy!!!! “Now What?” How could I possibly help my child overcome some of her obstacles when the world was telling me to go in a thousand different directions? After much research and trial and error, I had my go-to toys that truly helped her overcome her SPD obstacles.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Properly Packing Healthy, Kid-Friendly Snacks and Meals for a Theme Park

A six year old, a 3.5 year old and a 6 month old…

Those are the ages of my three beautiful girls. Those are also the ages of three little ones going to their first amusement park to have yet another new adventure in their short young lives. If you are anything like me, you feel the stress of the trip the day you think up the idea to go on it. What should we pack to eat? Should we pack or buy our food while there? How will the girls do without their naps? What should I pack for snacks? Does the park allow food from the outside? What should the girls wear? What if it rains? etc.

AHHHHHHHH……

By Mary Bockert, ago

Raising Three Girls to Love One Another

Sibling rivalry…UGH!

It amazes me how much I was wrong. Wrong about how parenting really went, wrong about how simple I believed parenting to be, wrong that I thought our girls would just “get along” without my husband and I intervening….LOTS of wrongs to try to make RIGHT with trial and error. To this day, we are still learning and adapting to a new way of life with 3 girls. Our oldest two are so different…complete opposites. Honestly, I LOVE the fact that they are different from one another and have different interests. That being said, I was unaware of how difficult it would be to mesh the two personalities together and have them get along. For some reason I assumed that the two lovely ladies would magically understand each others differences, love one another and want to spend every waking moment together…BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Being naive as a parent can be one the most beautiful things or, in my case, one of the most detrimental things.

By Mary Bockert, ago

8 Signs Your Baby is Ready for Baby Food

My little bundle of joy is almost 6 months old and I just remembered the doctor telling me that I should be trying cereal or first baby foods between the ages of 4 and 6 months. Oops! So I frantically ran to the grocery store, bought some rice cereal, and mixed it with formula to “try” what I should have already started. What I quickly realized is little Miss Tawny is NOT ready for foods. This started to alarm me and I decided to do some research about baby food readiness. What I found to be the “norm” boils down to 5 characteristics your infant will display letting you know they are ready to move beyond formula and/or breast milk.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Fit Mommyhood…How to Give of Yourself and Still Fill Your Own Tank

Being a mommy can be tough, trying and HARD. Between cleaning the house, getting everyone ready and out the door for school, working, planning and making dinner; finding time for yourself seems far from reach. Been there and done that…and I have learned through trial and error how to carve out time for myself as a busy mom.

It isn’t about squeezing out a minute or two here and there, but more about intentionally making time for YOU. At first, it may seem or even feel selfish to take time just for you but if you neglect yourself for others too long, it starts to break your spirit. Keeping the person (YOU)  in tact before “Mommy” is key to successfully feeling like your tank is always full or better yet, overflowing.

By Mary Bockert, ago