stay at home mommy

Discovering Your Child is Different

I still remember the day like it was yesterday. We took our 18-month-old daughter to a behavioral pediatrician to see if she may be on the autism spectrum. She had been showing signs of having autism such as behavioral outbursts, a clingy disposition to myself, and she did strange things like make her bed every day and stack and re-stack books for hours. The knot in my stomach was too big to manage with tears ready and loaded as we waited in the waiting room to be called back. I was extremely nervous at how everything would turn out. It was a three hour test. My 18-month-old threw tantrums every 20 minutes, she wouldn’t allow anyone to…

By Mary Bockert, ago

Preparing You…or Your Child for School ;)

Oh the day is coming and I am DREADing dropping off my sweet, innocent little girl to school for kindergarten. I’m sure I am not the only parent out there who is feeling the heavy stomach and realizing the day is coming faster than I can blink! 3 weeks…that is it! My baby will be leaving my care that she has gotten for the last 5.5 years of her life and someone else besides myself will be teaching her…YIKES! Having previously taught kindergarten for 4 years, I know all too well the first day jitters parents show…and now I will be on the other side of the door with those same jitters I witnessed other parents express just 7 short years ago.

So how does one mentally prepare for such a “drop off?” I want to express what I have done to prepare myself and my daughter for the day she will walk into the care of someone else and learn by the teachings of another woman. (I am sure you can sense how difficult this is for me…it is my first baby and I can’t imagine my days without her next year).

By Mary Bockert, ago

Creative Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies

Getting my girls to eat their veggies can be tricky if it isn’t one they prefer. I usually have to think creatively, be mindful of their nutrition, and a bit sneaky as well. Here are some tips that may help keep your little one from turning up his/her nose at the dinner table. I know there are some I have not used yet that this momma plans to implement!

By Mary Bockert, ago

How to Create Healthy Habits with Little Ones in the House

I haven’t mentioned this much on the blog but I am a health and fitness coach through Beachbody along with being a mom blogger, a Homeschooling parent, a wedding coordinator, etc. It’s a busy life and because I spin a lot of plates at once, I have a lot of friends and people ask me how I fit it all in. How do I exercise everyday with 2 very young kids at home? How do I eat clean with toddlers in the house? How do I fit in a healthy lifestyle when chaos breaks out?

While these are all good questions, they all fall into one category. I have created a healthy “lifestyle” for my family and me. My week consists of a lot of planning, implementing and executing strategies to keep our lives “healthy.” It has become a habit for us and can for you too…with just a little work on your part.

By Mary Bockert, ago

37 Wishes I have for my Girls…

I often think about what my girls will be like when they are grown. Will they love the Lord? Will they be close sisters? Will they want to spend time with me? Who will they date? Will that person treat them with love and respect? What will their personalities be like? What job will they take on? etc., etc., etc. So…I came up with 37 wishes for these sweet girls. From a momma to her daughters, here goes:

By Mary Bockert, ago

My Child Has Anxiety…Now What?

As Ben and I have learned the secret that drives our sweet 2 year olds behavior, we have taken a proactive look into how we can best help her cope. Diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder just 3 short weeks ago, we have been on a whirlwind of emotions. Once the initial shock of it all had disapated a bit, I could truly focus on the issues at hand…What is severe anxiety disorder in children? How do we best help Delise overcome her anxiety? What might her anxiety look like at different stages of her life? How did this happen? With all of these questions, I turned to the professionals and sought out answers.

By Mary Bockert, ago

What to do in a day?!?

“I’m BOOORRREEEDDD!!!!”

Oh don’t tell me you don’t get those words coming out of your child’s mouth…I would tell you you’re lying! LOL

In all reality, kids need structure to their day…whether they are 1 month or 18 years old. Structure creates a feeling of safety and security. Making it a point to create structure in your household will only make life MUCH easier and I PROMISE you will hear less of “I’m Bored!” comments coming from your child’s oh so clever mouth.

By Mary Bockert, ago