More Than a Mommy

OCD in Toddlers…yep…I said it!

“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.

By Mary Bockert, ago

What I do for “Me” time as a busy, working/ stay-at-home mommy!

“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!

By Mary Bockert, ago

First Day of School

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.”

By Mary Bockert, ago

Why oh why do my kids prefer snacking AND Tried and True Recipes GALORE (That my kids will eat!)

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!

By Mary Bockert, ago

Oh to leave or not to leave? The diary of a working stay at home mommy…

It was a year ago almost to the day and I was watching my colleagues grow their business in Nashville, TN at a national convention while I stayed home with my babies plucking away at my network marketing business. It seemed unfair that I was home figuring this CEO thing out by myself…not getting very far at all yet my coach friends were soaking in a ton of new knowledge at a national convention. It was at that moment that I realized I could do BOTH! Not only could I stay home with my babes and be the best mommy I knew how to be, BUT I could also grow a substantial business while they slept, napped, etc. to help my husband with some of the burden with monthly bills. So…that day, I signed up for the following year’s Coach Summit and decided it was something I needed to do for me, our girls and our family.

By Mary Bockert, ago

How to dress your child without breaking the bank!

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I was SOOO EXCITED and couldn’t wait to dress her. I went shopping (maaaaybeee daily) and QUICKLY realized that dressing these little beings is ExPeNsiVe!!! I needed to come up with a plan so that keeping our sweet princess clothed and looking adorable didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. Who doesn’t want their little girl dressed in the sweetest of dresses and bonnets with adorable lace anklet socks and mary jane shoes?!? I know that was my first thought until I realized that just that outfit alone was an$80 investment.

EIGHTY DOLLARS!!!!!!

By Mary Bockert, ago

123 Magic…Voila!

Your little one won’t eat their dinner, they REFUSE to leave a play date, they talk back in an attempt to really get you fired up, they stomp in refusal to do something you have politely asked them to do, they sit in protest of something you have said, they argue with their sibling….yada, yada, yada! I’m sure if you have a child, you can relate to this list in some form. Even the most even tempered, happy go lucky kiddos have a melt down that can drive a parent BATTY!

By Mary Bockert, ago