I know I have talked about this before but it is worth bringing up again…it is that important! Growing up, I had a great relationship with both my mom and dad. They both taught me so much and influenced my life for the better. My dad played an intricate role Read more…
Moms and dads of the digital age are well aware of the growing competition for their children’s attention, and we’re bombarded at each turn of the page or click of the mouse with both cutting-edge ideas and newfound worries for raising great kids. We want our kids to achieve their Read more…
Ben: “I have a surprise for us!” Me: “Good or bad?” Isn’t that the truth…once you have kids and the honeymoon phase has long gone, you get into a rut and surprises may or may not be a good thing. Poor Benny…he tells me he has a surprise and I Read more…
Amazement doesn’t cover the emotion I have when I see my little one who struggles with gross motor and motor planning develop skills that guide her along on the right path after just one gymnastics class. We started gymnastics with Delise this past week to help her with her gross Read more…
“Wait, Momma! Put here!”
Those words I hear all too frequently from my now 2 year old as she meticulously places her animals, blocks, books, you name it in its proper place. At first I was excited to have such a “clean” kid who had a spot for EVERYTHING! Before we would leave a room, it needed to be set up JUST right, before going to bed, we needed to go through JUST the right routine, while reading books, we needed to stack them JUST right, yada, yada, yada…you get the point.
“I need more juice please!”
“I have to go potty!”
“Can we go outside?”
“One more minute?!?”
“I’m hungry!”
“Will you play with me?”
etc., etc., etc…….
I love my kids and I love spending time with my kids…BUT…I get extremely burnt out (quickly I might add) if I don’t schedule in “Me” time. Yes…you heard me…I SCHEDULE in “Me” time. I found that if I didn’t schedule it in, it didn’t happen…like EVAH!
It was tantrum city in our house this morning as Ben and I argued with Annora to get ready for her first day of school…EVER! She was clearly nervous and it oozed out of her as disrespect toward Ben and I. We tried to reason with her but she was clearly not ready for reasoning. After a LONG breakfast conversation and some coercing, we were able to get out the door on time and get to “school.”
Annora asked me the other day if a pack of people that were close by were strangers. I replied by asking her if she knew them. She shook her head “no” and she came to the realization on her own. I was pleased that she knew the true definition of Read more…
Healthy recipes that kids enjoy…Hmmm…now that is an oxymoron!
My first daughter will eat everything and anything (minus asparagus). She was introduced to a variety of foods since day one and has a very well-rounded pallet. Since that had worked, my husband and I did the same thing with Delise thinking the same thing would happen and….NOT SO MUCH! She couldn’t be a more pickier eater. She LOVES junk food (which we don’t keep in the house) so she eats like a little birdie in hopes we will break down and feed her chips for dinner. I also realized that sometimes snacking was a big part of her lack of motivation at the dinner table.
Toddlers are notorious nibblers. Their small bellies mean they can’t eat a lot at one time, and their go-go-go nature means they don’t want to sit at the table too long. Here are some snacking strategies that I have found useful!
“Oh my word is it a seizure?” I FRANTICALLY gulped back tears and paced the house with Annora cradled in my arms. She was arching her back and bobbing her head in the strangest way. To say I was CLUELESS on what to do is a COMPLETE understatement! Just thinking Read more…