Sustainable & Creative Living
A few weeks into the new school year, I realized that our family was struggling to adjust to the increased amount of homework that our third grader was getting. It was difficult to juggle the new after-school routine, homework, and our existing sports and music lessons. To help us stay on track, I created this Printable Homework Calendar. It has helped our family tremendously.
Being a parent is hard, especially when your small child doesn’t behave in the way that our adult brain expects them to behave. Because they are a child, not an adult. This post discusses one of my favorite ways to reinforce good behavior rather than discipline bad behavior. The Pom Pom Jar is a reward system that reinforces your child’s good behavior and has quickly become a household favorite!
I have a young child, and like most parents, at times I’ve struggled with their bad behavior. I’ve tried a lot of different approaches, but nothing seemed to work consistently. That is until I discovered the Pom Pom Jar. This simple tool has transformed our family life. If you’re struggling with your child’s behavior issues and haven’t found something that works for you and your child, I urge you to give the Pom Pom Jar a try. It’s a simple way to reinforce your child’s good behavior, and it’s easy to track.
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Calling all team moms!! If you’re looking to put that special mom touch on your kids’ sports snacks then check out these fun and yummy After Game Snacks for Kids Sports. Make them memorable- add team colors, an inspirational note, and yummy snacks to fill they’re little bellies after a hard game!
My 8-year-old just started flag football and I’ve come to learn that each week a different family helps support the team by providing the after-game snacks. Knowing my turn as snack provider was coming, I scoped out previous snack bringers and thought maybe I should just go with the norm- fruit and chips in a zip-lock bag. Although I knew that would be the easiest thing to do, the crafter in me just couldn’t bring myself to settle on the norm. I just had to find a way to put my special mom touch on every bag. [Read more…]
They’re screaming and crying, kicking and hitting, face bright red, and tears streaming down their face. And just like that, you’re in the midst of a full-blown tantrum. This is when I calmly and quietly walk to the Calm Down Basket, take my crazed child “nicely” by any limb I can get a grip on, and [Read more…]
It’s officially beach season in Florida and if you’re a regular, like me, then you already know to stock up on water, snacks, sunscreen, and toys. Lots of toys—especially if you’re going to be there a few hours!
I love beach days in the summertime! There’s nothing like the salty sea air and the hot sun that make me feel like [Read more…]
Are you having behavior issues in your home? Are you desperate to make a change in yourself and your child? Read this book! 1-2-3 Magic by Thomas W. Phelan, PhD is an easy-to-read book about effective discipline for children 2-12 years old. It will change your life!
A recent conversation with one of my closest girlfriends prompted me to write a review on a behavior and discipline book that I read almost 2 years ago. 1-2-3 Magic by Thomas W. Phelan, PhD is an easy-to-read book about effective discipline for children 2-12 years old. I tell every mom I know about how its healthy and effective methods of discipline have helped transform the way I deal with tantrums, bad habits, and defiance without all the
yelling, arguing, and spanking.
It’s almost that dreaded time of year for parents….Daylight Savings! You know spring is officially here when moods are crazy, schedules are off, and kids are not going to bed or waking up on time! Ahh, the sweet taste of daylight savings. [Read more…]
Weaning from the pacifier can be a tough transition for parents and toddlers. It was a stage I had been dreading, which is why I put it off for months. I was most nervous about my son’s sleeping habits changing so I kept telling myself “we’ll try taking it away next month”. Finally, after my son’s first visit to the dentist, I decided to take the plunge.
The dentist had confirmed what my husband and I already knew and that was that J’s pacifier was causing one his front teeth to stick out quite a bit more than the others. When he broke the news that the pacifier had to go as soon as possible, my heart sunk because I knew it was my fault for holding on. That night my husband and I made a pact to work on phasing out his pacifier right away. [Read more…]
The right potty chair or seat can be the key to a smooth potty training experience. And I’m here to tell you that not all potty training chairs and seats are created equal. If your little one is potty training or close to starting, check out this Guide to the Best Potty Training Chairs and Seats. [Read more…]
When I first started thinking about teaching my 2 and-half-year-old son the alphabet, I thought the easiest approach would be to just sing the ABC song over and over and he’d eventually catch on. Wrong. He couldn’t even stand to hear me sing the ABC song let alone sing it over and over again. I’d get about 5 letters in and I’d hear my sweet boy say, “Mommy stop, stop singing!” Ugh! After being thoroughly offended for about 2 minutes, I had to think of a different approach. I decided to try using the Letter of the Week strategy and after about 4 weeks he was hooked on letters and singing his ABC’s anywhere and everywhere! My favorite is when he sings at the top of his lungs while we’re in the stall of a public restroom…it makes my heart smile every time! [Read more…]
Potty training can be a dreadful time for toddlers and parents. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family about the awful process. Some parents warned me it could take months or years to get my son out of pull-ups and into underwear full time.
So, before I started the potty training process with my son, I did a lot of research on what to expect and how to prepare myself (and him). After endless reading and stressing, I came to the conclusion that no matter how many blogs I read, my process and my experience would be different because no child or family situation is the same. I just had to dive in, expect the worst, and hope for the best. [Read more…]
As a fairly new parent, I worry incessantly about my 2-year-old getting hurt, sick, bullied, abducted, or drowning. Sometimes I forget about how dangerous my own house can be. Chemicals, hot stoves, pools, ponds, electrical outlets, and heavy furniture are just a few of the looming dangers lurking in plain sight. As my son gets older and becomes more curious, I fear less about bumps and bruises, and more about ingesting chemicals or wandering to the pond behind our home. This is why I baby proof everything! [Read more…]
Last Christmas when I was shopping for gifts, I saw this adorable little trinket that said “follow your dreams” on it. It’s the kind of cute little thing I’m always buying for one of my girls. I picked it up, examined it, thought for a moment, and put it back down. I wasn’t in the mood to promote my kids following their dreams if they didn’t involve them living within a fairly close proximity to me or the rest of their family.
