Tag Archive: Real Mom Talk
Finding summer activities for kids who range in age can be challenging. Older kids get bored.. the younger guys can’t sit still, so what’s a good middle ground? For the last few summers, I’ve watched seven (yes, seven) kids, ranging in ages 1-13. From this experience, I’ve found it IS possible to have a good summer that’s packed with engaging, budget-friendly activities for everyone. Hike/Walk/Ride: Everyone, not matter the age, enjoys spending time outdoors and getting a good dose of fresh air. Head to the park or bike trail and let the older kids bring their scooter if there’s a path. Bring a box to collect leaves
Caring for a baby is something you don’t really know.. until you KNOW. Everyone sure has a lot of advice to share when they see your growing baby belly. Take some of it with a grain of salt, or heck — dismiss it all! With that being said, here’s what I’ve learned in my brief 8 months of parenting. For context, I’m a neurotic non-perfectionist and this list refers only to BABIES (really just my baby) and not CHILDREN. I don’t know a thing about children yet. Figure out the pump ahead of time. You may find yourself sobbing at 1:00
When I returned to work after having my third baby, I can’t tell you how many times people would shake their head and say, “I just don’t know how you do it!” As if I was crazy for trying to keep my job and raise children at the same time. These comments usually didn’t come from men either! I heard it from other women, even other moms! Perhaps it was my post-partum hormones, but I took it as a back-handed compliment—even though they probably said it with good intentions. The thing is, I didn’t feel like I was doing “it” very
Every mom is a good mom. You wake up early every morning to feed your kids breakfast — whether it’s cereal, eggs, or a quick granola bar. You’re up, working hard, to get your kids ready for the day… even if you had a rough night with a sleepless child and could use a few extra ZZzzZs. Every mom is a good mom. You may need a shower from constantly being on the go, but instead, you pull your hair back, throw on a pair of sweatpants, and sport that “tired mom” look with a smile. Every mom is a good
After reviewing my resume during a job interview, the interviewer said, “You have been a personal chef, nurse, coach, financial advisor, janitor, photographer, videographer, life coach, counselor, and chauffeur?” And I replied, “Yes, I’m a mother.” That’s not actually true. It’s supposed to be an ironic joke showcasing the multi-faceted roles that mothers take on daily. When I had my identical twin girls, all of my instincts kicked in and I felt like I was born to be a mother. Now, many years and children later, I wouldn’t mind running away to the beach for a couple days. I call
When my twins turned 2, I realized I was experiencing burn out. Like my parents, my children consumed everything. I cooked only what they ate, all of our outings were based around their naps and instead of going to the movies or tapas restaurants, we would go to the zoo or park. It was wonderful to have kids, but I was forgetting to take care of myself. I really needed a girls night. I wanted to talk about something or someone other than Dora. I spent the last two years indoors investing in my kids, which is awesome, but I
Pop quiz: What’s worse than staring blankly at your pantry each night, wondering what on earth you’re going to cook for dinner? Answer: Nothing! At least, that’s how I feel! And about 7 years ago I realized something had to change. I had just returned to work after having my first child, and I was desperately looking for ways to streamline our evening routine. By the time I got home from work, tried to think of something to make for dinner, cooked, cleaned up, then my baby was ready for bed! I felt like I wasn’t getting any quality time with
With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to share a fun and easy snack mix recipe perfect for anytime of the year! We are big snack/trail mix eaters around here and this little snack is fun to make and delicious to eat. Not to mention it’s quite a handy little snack for the busy parent. I will usually make a large batch and store some for later! Here’s how to make this fun Easter-inspired snack mix! Ingredients 6c. Plain Chex Mix 2c. Pretzels 2c. Annie’s Homegrown Cheddar Bunnies (you can find these in most grocery stores) 1c. Nuts (I
So you think your child is ready for potty training. Awesome! She is exhibiting all the signs of readiness: she wakes up dry after nap and in the mornings, tells you before or after she goes, loves to exhibit independence, shows interest when YOU have to go (that’s always fun), and hates having a dirty diaper. There are probably more signs but I feel these are the most obvious. So whether your child is 18 months or almost 4, if he or she is exhibiting some of this behavior, you may want to give it a try! I’ll admit that
Getting 3 kids out of bed, dressed, fed, and out the door each morning is a circus: matching outfits, brushing teeth, combing hair, finding shoes, putting on coats. It’s chaos. A time-sucker. It’s not for the faint of heart. Mama’s always trying to find a way to make it easier. I used to pick out a week’s worth of outfits per kid every Sunday night. This way we’d have an easier time getting out the door each morning. Sometimes this would backfire. On more than one occasion, my daughter put ALL of the clothes on, as well as her brother’s
