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64 posts categorized “Parenthood”

April 08, 2013

Limit your kid’s screen time without whining or complaining

My kids haven't been watching much TV lately but they play a lot of games on the ipad or their old leapsters. Right now they're really into playing Life on the ipad. That was one of my favorite games as a kid, so I get it. Fun game. But is it so great that you should play it two hours a day? No, not really.

If you're like me you may want to limit your child's screen time (ipad, video games, TV, etc). You could just use a timer and a set amount of time each day or you could do something a bit more fun.

Enter the Screen Time Express tickets. Earn these by completing your daily tasks without whining or complaining (see the free printable chore chart). How you use them is up to you! Hand them out daily or weekly. Give as many as you like. As long as you're consistent with enforcing no screen time when they run out of tickets this system will work well!

Laminate them if you want or just print and cut. There's a place for a name so you can be sure they aren't being traded as a commodity. Unless you're fine with that!

Do you have kids that complain they're bored and don't know what to do? Post a list of ideas! Often they just need a little reminding of all the great things they CAN do instead of playing games or watching TV. Here's a fun list to get you started:

artwork
write a story
play a board game
make a fort
ride a bike
make an obstacle course
clean your room
make something for someone
build something with supplies from the recycle bin
read a book
quiz yourself with flashcards
learn something new
play with toys
hunt for bugs
act out a story
build a scupture with clay
help a neighbor
build with legos
cook something
make a map

There are so many great things to do! I'm sure if you sat down with your kid(s) to brainstorm they could come up with 100 possible fun things they like to do!

Download Media time tickets

How do you limit screen time at your house?

April 08, 2013 in Design & Photography, Parenthood, printable | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)

March 24, 2013

Teach your kids to clean (printable chore chart)

If your kids are like mine, they tend to be a bit messy and prefer to do most anything other than put their shoes away or clean their room. With four children, our house can go from perfectly clean to looking as if it was ransacked by thieves within five minutes. It's incredible. Please tell me you can relate so I feel better.

Teaching kids to clean doesn't have to be like banging your head on a wall over, and over, and over again. Though it will be if you let it. But anyone can teach their children to take responsibility and clean without resorting to nagging or whining (them or you).

1. Give them short tasks

If you tell a younger child o go clean his or her room it might not get done how you would like. Be specific. Say, "It's time to clean your room. First, go pull everything out from under your bed." Then once they've accomplished that they can move onto the next step in the chore. Tell me your kids stuff things under their beds as well.

Continue reading “Teach your kids to clean (printable chore chart)” »

March 24, 2013 in Parenthood, printable | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

June 13, 2012

On summer and sewing

This is the last week of school for my kids. I'm very, very excited for the end of school. Very excited. I'm a little terrified of the actual summer but happy I won't have to make lunches every morning.

I love the flexibility of summer but sometimes there is such a thing as too much time with a sibling. My oldest loves alone time. My second hates alone time. Hate might be too weak of a word. I'd say she's more terrified of alone time.

That is why I'm thrilled I found this station rotation idea from Beneath My Heart so exciting. Stations? That's not alone time, that's alone time disguised as fun time! And nobody has to stay in the same place. Yay!!

This works perfect with my summer schedule. (did I say I like summer because it is flexible?) I have a 2 hour block in the afternoons for nap and alone time but now we'll call it nap and STATION ROTATION time! Yes!!

So about that schedule… Last year we made a Summer Fun list. I'm sure you've seen something similar. We were moderately successful. I really loved the idea of the list but when we couldn't get as many things done as we wanted to everyone was just upset. I won't be doing one again. This summer we're just making a rough schedule.

So here is our rough schedule:

<8:00—morning routine/my exercise & study time

8:00— breakfast & cleanup

9:00-1:00— outing (beach, art at the park, pool, etc)

1:00-3:00— naptime for the toddler and Station Rotation for everyone else

3:30-5:30— swim team/nightly showers

6:00— dinner & cleanup

7:00— story time (perhaps continuing our reading list)

7:30— bedtime!!!

Can't wait!! So what will we be doing for our Station Rotations for a 7,5 and 3 year old?

Station 1: Reading— the older two read alone, the younger one has reading lessons

Station 2: Learning worksheets or games

Station 3: Art & craft time

Station 4: Listening time (music, book on tape) or quiet play

And what will my station rotation time look like??? (other than learn to read time, laundry, dishes, vacuuming, etc.) SEWING!! That's right friends. Station Rotation is my ticket to sewing time! And what will I be sewing? Dresses for me! I've got a pattern about ready to start sewing up. I'm not sure what I'll call it but I can't wait until I can start showing it off!

What are your summers like?

June 13, 2012 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

June 13, 2011

Summer Fun: Read the Book, Watch the Movie

I love reading books to my kids. They get so excited about a good novel now. We love snuggling up and sinking into a world unlike our own. The problem is, much of the modern “chapter books” are absolute trash. Bratty kids with bad behavior. Unimaginative plots and shallow language.

Fortunately, if you look further than the “early reader” section at the local bookstore you’ll find some great books. This summer I’ve decided to read through some of the good ones. After making a long list of good reads I noticed that a few of them were made into movies.

This summer the kids and I will be reading a book and then watching the movie adaptation.

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread

The Secret Garden

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh

There are so many more as well. We could spend a whole year on this series. Of course, some of the children’s books made into movies aren’t great specimens of literature and some of the movies adapted from great books are terrible adaptations.

Here are some others I’ve got my eye on;

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, Because of Winn-Dixie, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Danny the Champion of the World, Harriet the Spy, Harry Potter, Heidi, Holes, How to Eat Fried Worms, The Incredible Journey, James and the Giant Peach, Meet Kit: An American Girl 1934, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Little Women, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Nim’s Island, Ramona & Beezus , Stuart Little, Treasure Island, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, A Wrinkle in Time, The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)

And for your picture book age children you might consider these;

The Story of Babar, The Cat in the Hat, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, The Complete Adventures of Curious George, Horton Hears A Who!, Madeline

These are all Amazon affiliate links but I’m sure your local library has all of these titles. I love using Amazon for reading reviews though!

How about you? Any reading plans for the summer?

June 13, 2011 in Education, My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

April 28, 2010

Christmas in April

If your house is like mine, you've likely thought "we have too many toys!" Over the years I've gotten rid of tons of toys the girls just didn't enjoy. I think what we have now are truly quality, creative, and enjoyable toys. There are still too many to play with. The best solution I've come up with is to rotate toys.

Yesterday we brought up a few boxes that hadn't been seen since before Christmas. One giant rubbermaid tub was completely full of books. OH MY. The excitement level was insane. With every book they pulled out of the tub they squealed thinking of all their memories of that book. I have to admit, I was excited to see some of them that I had been so sick of when I packed them up. With a few months off where I didn't have to read Fancy Nancy daily I actually enjoyed her yesterday.

Now I have the task ahead of deciding what to put into the tubs to store away for possibly Christmas in July. So many possibilities. I brought the trains out yesterday so I'm thinking maybe I'll put the blocks away for a while. And maybe some dolls. Goodness, when did we get so many dolls? And now I have a place to put some of the books I've been reading daily for the last few months. I'll see you in July!

Do you rotate the toys in your house?

Reading through dozens of books yesterday made me realize what a fantastic collection we have. There are so many great classic and not so classic fiction kids books out there. I think my favorite are all the non-fiction books. My kids just eat them up. Figuratively. It's so fun to be able to learn about science and nature. And while books like Make Way for Ducklings and Pete's A Pizza are always exciting around here, I think books about gravity, simple machines, animals and weather are chosen more often.

Right now we are enjoying (read: reading over and over and over) the Dr. Suess Learning Library books, Robert E. Wells books and the Lets-Read-And-Find-Out Science books. Here are some of our current favorites;

(Sorry, if you are reading in a blog reader you'll probably have to click through to view our favorites)

There are so, so many wonderful children's non-fiction books.

Do your kids like reading non-fiction? Any favorites?

April 28, 2010 in I recommend, My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

December 14, 2009

Signing…

This post was first published August 5, 2008. Since we are back in the signing stage I thought I'd publish it again!

So, if you have met me, or my kids, you know that we sign. Not fluently, mind you, but we do sign. I am a big believer in teaching your kids to sign. Not just because it comes in handy when they can sign "more" and "all done" but because it is a HUGE confidence builder and frustration deflector. I know this is somewhat controversial, but in my opinion, you should use ASL and not made up baby signs. Of course this is my opinion and I have no studies and scientific data to show you but in our experience it has been awesome. How many people who teach baby signs can say that their kids can communicate with people who are deaf? Not many. Here is our story and how we did it.

When Naomi was about 14 months old she still wasn't saying any words. Nothing to be too alarmed about but she wasn't even doing baby talk so I started looking into how to teach her some signs to help with her frustration. I checked out a few books and videos and then stumbled upon Signing Time, The best baby sign language videos!. We watched a couple from the library and realized that Naomi was able to watch the 20 minute video through a couple times and was able to remember nearly all of the signs on the show. Most of the shows have about 30 signs in them. They were engaging and she loved watching them. This was great considering it was really her first TV watching experience.

I did a little websurfing to find more out about Signing Times and was so impressed with how the videos came about. You can read about it at Signing Time: Our Story. The great news is that they are at the library, and on PBS in most areas. Having a DVR we went the PBS route and recorded all of them. There are now about 26 videos you can get I believe. Give or take a couple. (Updated: There are more videos now!)

By the time Naomi was 18 months old she was saying about 5 words consistently but signing nearly 300 words, and Signing ABC's and Numbers. Impressive? Yes, but I think any kid can learn to sign. You do need to learn the signs too so sit down and watch the shows with your kids.

You don't have to start them as babies either. My niece, who is autistic, started watching the videos when she was 3 or 4 years old and caught on very quickly. I think most ages up to even late elementary school will enjoy these shows. Daphne started watching them a bit younger than Naomi but didn't catch on as fast. She was our very verbal baby and spoke nearly 300 words at 18 months but only maybe 50-100 signs. She is really getting into it now though. And it does take kids quite some time to figure out how their fingers work. I think signing really helps with fine motor skills. When Naomi was around 18 months old she had a "conversation" on the ferry with a woman who is deaf. The woman was so thrilled that this little baby could talk with her. Granted she was a baby so the conversation was more like "boat, water, bird…." When Naomi was around 2.5 we ran across a man who is deaf in Costco's parking lot and her conversation was a bit more mature, "nice to meet you, what is your name? my name is Naomi…"

Both of our girls learned their alphabet, colors and numbers by signing. I think there really is something to learning with more of your senses other than just sight and hearing. Not that kids need to be pushed to learn their letters… We are hoping they will keep all these signs in use and in their memory vaults until they are old enough to take some classes. It could be very valuable as a second language. So, this is why I think you should stick with ASL over made up signs… I wholeheartedly recommend Signing Times as a way to teach your kids signs. Yes, it is TV so if you have a problem with that then just get over it because this show is awesome. The ONLY drawback to the show is that you'll have the songs stuck in your head, forever.

How has your experience with signing been?

Updated: We don't have Signing Times on our PBS station here so we've invested in some of the DVDs and are really happy we have!

December 14, 2009 in Education, I recommend, My Family, Parenthood, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

December 11, 2009

Give yourself a little

Christmas is all about Jesus. We celebrate Jesus' birth. Do you know why Jesus was born? He came to earth to bridge the divide between God and people. He essentially became the footbridge. The WAY to God is through Jesus. Jesus came to forgive us for not being perfect, because people aren't. And we can't be with God unless we are, so I guess he is the footbridge of Grace.

While we are celebrating this gift we could never repay, this grace, don't forget to give yourself a little. The season is often stressful. Those of you who write lists probably have many lists going. Things to do, things to buy, people to write, places to go, traditions to uphold, etc. etc. The problem is that we get bogged down in all the things we need to do and forget why we are doing these things in the first place.

I have intentionally not mentioned the 25 Days of Giving since the beginning of December. The last thing any giving activity should be is a chore, or something you think you SHOULD be doing and feel overwhelmed or guilty about. So if you set out to try the 25 Days of Giving and you find there are days when it is too stressful, you are too busy, or you are losing focus of why you do it then give yourself some grace. There is no tradition, even those rooted in the best intentions, that needs to be upheld if you can't focus on why you do it.

So if the kids each spill their milk, paint the walls and poop on the floor before 7 a.m., maybe give yourself some grace and focus on God by resting.

December 11, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 08, 2009

25 Days of Giving

When I began parenting, I was challenged by some people to have goals for my children. These aren't the kind of goals that have to do with "success" or money or college educations, but goals about their character. I was challenged to think about what kind of people I wanted my children to become.

We want to raise children that are kind, loving, compassionate, thoughtful, passionate, bold, empathetic, happy, strong, patient, humble, etc. We want them to understand that they were born into privilege and with that comes great responsibility. We want to encourage our children to really be the people they were created to be.

We started the 25 Days of Giving in 2008 as a way of preparing our girls for Christmas. We want them to understand the true meaning of Christmas. It isn't just about waking up early and seeing what presents showed up under the tree. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and the gift God gave to the world. Because of that, we celebrate by doing 25 days of activities to bless other people.

We want to encourage others to join us in our journey. Please consider starting a 25 Days of Giving with your family. In the coming days I will be giving you lots of ideas of ways to participate. If you are worried that this sounds like an expensive project, stop worrying! It doesn't have to be. I have many free and very low cost ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

UPDATED: Please read our list of FREE (and nearly free) giving activities as well as our slightly more expensive giving activities.

We'll be kicking our 25 Days of Giving off on December 1st. We've kicked off our 25 Days of Giving! Would you dare to join us? It isn't too late!

November 08, 2009 in Growing Character, Parenthood, The World, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack (0)

October 29, 2009

Green smoothies that aren’t green

Everyone has their own reaction when they first hear about green smoothies. The truth is, you can pack a lot of nutrients into a smoothie without it being completely green. Because, let's be honest, it's the color you are afraid of, isn't it!

This is the smoothie I make for my girls.

1.5 cups apple juice

4 cups spinach or kale

1 carrot

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

3/4 cup frozen raspberries

This smoothie makes enough for my three girls. You can't beat that! One of the great things about this green smoothie is that it isn't actually green. Even though my girls help put the ingredients into the blender, they always act suspicious when the fruit/veggie combo produces a green (or brown) smoothie. So the trick is to use some dark fruit. While peaches and pineapple or banana are yummy in a smoothie, they aren't dark enough on their own. At least for my girls.

Optional add ins:

1/4 c. ground flax seed

1 c. Kefir

1/4 c. wheat germ

How do you like your smoothies?

October 29, 2009 in Parenthood, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

October 12, 2009

Gratituesday

Tomorrow my baby turns one. I'm sure I say this every time one of my babies turns one, but it has gone so quickly! Sure, there have been some long nights and crazy days, but it has all gone by in the blink of an eye.

Maggie has been the most laid back baby. She has been so easy going and content just to watch what is going on around her. She always wants a hug and gives out plenty of smiles and giggles. Sure, she's had a rough time sleeping for the past three, maybe four months (or has it been 5?), but it is really just a moment in time. Who needs sleep anyway.

As her personality begins to blossom before our eyes and her stubborn side begins to rear it's little head, I can't help but become excited to see where that stubbornness will lead her. Where it will lead us. I am thankful for every moment she expresses her opinions and for her ability to point and scream for what she wants. I thank God she is content enough to venture out on her own and still a baby enough to cry when I venture out on my own. These days are numbered, I know, so I chose to celebrate them for what they are.

Tonight when I hear her crying out for my comfort, I'll go to her, grateful that she has a voice to call me. When she coughs her way through the night, keeping me awake, I'll thank God that I am able to comfort her. If she throws up on me again in the middle of the night I'll grumble be glad I am there for her because time goes so quickly and I don't want to take any of it for granted.

Visit the Heavenly Homemaker for more Gratituesday.

October 12, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

October 11, 2009

Kids will be kids?

Have your kids ever said something in public that made you want to crawl under a rock? How about said something that could potentially hurt someone else's feelings? A while back one of my girls said, "mom, that man is in the girl's bathroom!" rather loudly. I made eye contact with HER and apologized. It is true that my daughter is young and didn't mean any harm, but I still hate to imagine that my children would cause someone else pain. No matter how unintentional.

Not all people agree with me on this issue. Some people think kids are kids and they don't mean to hurt someone so it is okay. I understand that argument, sort of, but I still don't buy it. How about you? Is it cute or offensive?

Of course, sometimes they say things that are just plain funny and only embarrassing to you. What have your kids said in public that you wish they hadn't?!

October 11, 2009 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

October 01, 2009

Enjoying the moment

You know when days run together because you never quite finish the list and the kitchen is never quite clean and you are always thinking of what is next and what you haven't done? I hate that. I'm tired of cleaning and cooking and cleaning and cooking and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning.

I kept the girls all out until 3 in the afternoon one day this week. We bought lunch and ate it in a park then went for a little nature walk along the river. We saw a baby turtle, a chipmunk, geese, ducks and sticks. My girls were in heaven. Nothing better than getting out and running. So much better than a playground. Instead of heading home for nap we went to the farmers market and bought food and, what else, ice cream! Even Maggie got a few bites (third child) and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I love throwing the schedule away every now and then and just enjoying what is around us. The cold days are closing in on us and we are doing what we can to enjoy the fall. I'm trying not to stress about the things that aren't getting done. I have gifts to make and projects to complete, and a sewing machine to figure out. I have 5 things to make too! I haven't forgotten!

So here's to living in the moment and enjoying what we do get done and focusing on the most important "to do's" like enjoying and loving one another.

Do you enjoy the moment or worry about the future and you "list"?

October 01, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

September 21, 2009

From my bookshelf: 1-2-3 Magic

I've read my fair share of parenting and discipline books. Some have been decent. One was hideous (though quite popular). The problem I've had has been that the books are often too full of theory (which I do love) but at the expense of actually telling me WHAT TO DO. I usually turn to books when all my own sense fails.

This book was turned to in a time when we were feeling totally deflated and ineffective in our parenting. We were irritable and threw our arms up, wondering what in the world we were going to do. Enter 1-2-3 Magic. Magic, did I say magic? YES. I can't give this book a higher recommendation.

The book starts off by telling you what to do (and why) and ends by telling you what to do. The middle is full of telling you what to do. And you know what? It works. It really works. And it is incredibly simple. Very easy to implement. We had a 2.5 year old who was defiant, a bit out of control at home and no discipline worked. We tried and tried but failed and failed. I am not exaggerating when I say that after starting this method of discipline we had a new child. Not within a week, but within a day. Really, we did.

So the moral of the story is, go out and get yourself a copy of this book. Say goodbye to yelling and tantrums. Your kids will change too.

September 21, 2009 in Parenthood, Reviews: Books, Patterns and Places | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

September 18, 2009

Finding encouragement in parenting

This week was a week of firsts for us. The first gymnastics class of the year, the first dance class of the year, the first time Maggie rode her pony, the first time Maggie rode her little push car, the first week of my moms' group, the first time I'm trying to sew from a Japanese pattern book. Lots of firsts.

Have I mentioned how much I love groups made especially for moms? I do. I love them. I have been involved in quite a few now and I have to say, they are necessary.

The social aspect is great, but beyond that, it is always refreshing to be challenged by others to become better. To become introspective and consider your value as a mother, the impact your actions (not just you words) have on your children, and to consider how your spiritual life impacts it all. I've listened to many, many great speakers over the past 4 years and I have to say, I've taken a little bit away from all of them. I read books and blogs but there is just something refreshing about listening to someone speak about motherhood and life and then have an opportunity to talk about it with friends. When else can you have a deep discussion with friends without children interrupting?!

I was reminded today that my group was first started by 5 moms who were struggling through motherhood and just needed each other for support. From their decision to meet weekly grew a great group full of encouragement and mentorship that is now blessing over 30 women within just a matter of years. That is just beautiful. Perhaps you are lacking a supportive, encouraging environment in some aspect of your life. Have you stopped to imagine what might happen if you started something? Perhaps there are other people in your same boat that need a little support and encouragement. Everything starts somewhere. Get together with a few neighborhood moms to discuss life and motherhood and challenge each other to grow. Find yourself a mentor, someone who has gone before you and has words of wisdom to share. Search out your own group. You won't regret it.

Do you have a support system? How have you found ways to challenge yourself or find encouragement in your parenting?

For another first for me, come back next week for my first giveaway. It's a good one. Really good. I'm very excited. You'll want to win this! Have a great weekend!

September 18, 2009 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

September 16, 2009

I know you've all been on pins and needles so I have to get this out of the way and tell you that I found it! Relief.

Sometimes the only thing that can change a screaming kicking (insane) fit is a change of scenery. Today it was Skype to the rescue.

First, a cookie from grandpa.

Yum, that cookie looks good. Pajamas on the head also help calm a screamer.

Priceless.

Who are these weirdos on the computer? Also, me teeth hurt.

Who me? I'd never throw a big fit! I'm so cute!

Then some grandma and grandpa talking to each other while we listen.

Thanks for the online assistance.

In other news, have you seen this? Am I insane?

September 16, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

August 07, 2009

Investing in the “classics”

Want to own some great kid's books but hate shelling out the money? There are some great compilation books out there. The HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics is one of my favorites. You can view it in its entirety on google books to decide if you want to buy it. It really is a wonderful book. You get your money's worth if you buy it new, but you can get some nearly perfect copies used as well at the Amazon Marketplace. You won't be sorry!

This post is linked to Frugal Fridays.

August 07, 2009 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

July 31, 2009

To leave or not to leave (the house)

I've been having a bit of a discussion on facebook about how often different people leave the house with their kids during the day. You know, on those days when it is just you and the kids. It seems like most people average leaving the house about once a day. Of course, some people prefer not to leave and others prefer not to stay home. Some even leave the house 3 or more times during the day.

I lean more toward the once a day side. I'm a home body so it doesn't bother me (usually) to stay in the whole day if we have to. I really hate feeling like we have too many things scheduled. I try not to plan more than 1 trip a day whether it is a play date, lesson, mom's group, or a trip to the park (we have no yard). Other than that we like to do things around here.

I am really interested in hearing how the other side lives. Here are my reasons for liking to stick around the house more;

We read more and do more learning activities.
It takes a lot of work getting out of the house!
I like the kids to nap in their beds, as much as possible.
We can stick to our routines when we stay home more.
We eat out less.
The girls play REALLY well together at home.

Keeping these things in mind, here are the reasons I like to go out;

Change of scenery
Playing outside is fun
Seeing friends is tons of fun
Exercise
Seeing something new, learning something

These are the reasons I hate going out;

Shopping, for anything. I'm not a mall girl and I'm not a fan of 3 kids in the grocery store. We do it, but I'd rather not!
Running errands. Getting everyone in and out of the car multiple times is just torturous. Which may be odd because the kids don't mind and are really well behaved.

So, how often do you get out of the house? Where do you go? Do you get out more to do stuff for you or stuff for the kids? More shopping and seeing your friends or more parks and beaches? Do you schedule things or just go with the flow? It is really intriguing me how different we all are.

July 31, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

July 02, 2009

How to travel on a plane with children: The best advice

This is the answer to the question you've all been asking.

"How do you fly with a baby, a 2 year old and a 4 year old by yourself?"

The answer I'm going to give is less of a "pack 3 of these and none of these" type of answer and more of a "set your mind in the right place" type.

This advice can apply to parenting in so many aspects, not just on a plane.

1. Eliminate expectations. Don't expect to read your book or watch the in flight movie. Don't expect your kids to want to do the activities you brought for them. Don't expect them to nap. Don't expect the people around you to be helpful. Don't expect there to be an empty seat next to you. You get the point.

I found that I am most frustrated, on edge with the kids on the plane when something isn't going "as expected." I made the mistake of trying to watch a movie while 2 of the kids were napping on one of my flights. Well, guess who was frustrated when I had to get up 8000 times to help someone during the movie and only ended up seeing an hour of it? Me.

What about when you pack the best snacks, the favorite coloring activities and everyone's favorite shows to watch on the DVD player and someone doesn't want to do any of that? What happens when you take all the kids to the bathroom in the airport before you leave so that you won't have to do it more than once on the plane and someone needs to use the potty 5 times on the plane? Do you get upset? Would you be as upset if you didn't expect to only go once?

Much like at home, when I expect to be able to get the kids to bed without any hassle I become upset when it doesn't happen. If I don't expect them to behave perfectly then I am far less disappointed and can actually deal with the situation better. NOT that I am lowering my standard for their behavior. Don't get me wrong. I am just reframing MY mind so that I can respond to the situation more appropriately.

2. Take your time. Don't worry about the people in line behind you and the angry looks on their faces. Arrive early, relax. Rushing and anxiety, oozes off you and onto the kids. Only in kids, it will take the form of whininess, confusion and disobedience.

When you get to security, take your time getting everyone's shoes off, etc. The people behind you will survive waiting an extra few seconds so that you can make sure your kids remain happy and calm and all the right things are placed in the right bins and the stroller is folded and the baby doesn't go through the x-ray, etc.

3. Be mindful about what you say and how you say it. Keep your tone low and friendly. Use respectful words with your children. You may be on edge and they may be taking too long to put their shoes back on after security but you still shouldn't yell at them. Your children are people, talk to them as you would, say, someone else's kids. Even if yours is ALWAYS slow, you wouldn't snap at someone else's kid in security and tell him "what's wrong?! hurry it up!"

Your two year old may be bouncing off the walls on the plane and crying because she doesn't want to stay in her seat. Take a deep breath and close your eyes before you start responding. If you find yourself becoming increasingly frustrated or angry, take a moment to say a prayer. Whether you like it or not, your children will mirror your emotions. The calmer you are, the calmer they are more likely to be.

An airplane ride isn't a time for them to get whatever they want. Be consistent in your discipline but take note of what is most important. Sometimes a little grace is in order. The flight isn't just stressful for you, it is stressful for them as well.

4. Play with your children. The best way to entertain a child on a plane is to play with them. You may be tired of reading the same 4 stories over and over or bored to tears with making up silly stories but your kids love it. This becomes increasingly more difficult the larger the ratio of children to adults is but do what you can. Give everyone attention, not just the squeaky wheel.

Make up a traveling tradition or special travel game. How fun would it be to be 4 and know that every time you road on an airplane you would get some special snack (or gum?) and play "I Spy" with mom? You get the point, be creative, be fun.

See now, it isn't that hard, is it? I ~~suppose I should write something in the future about how to be prepared for everything. You know, the "What should I bring with me?" answer.~~ Check out my new post about what you should and should NOT bring on the plane.

Does reframing your mind help you when interacting with your children? What do you find most useful in keeping kids calm and on track?

UPDATED: I did not mean to give the wrong impression that I believe you should let your children run wild on an airplane. I firmly believe that when a parent is calm, respectful, interactive and well behaved, the children will be calmer and well behaved. I do not mean to brag but this works very well for me. We always get compliments from our fellow passengers on the airplane about how well behaved my children are. I am sorry if anyone has gotten the wrong impression.

July 02, 2009 in My world, Parenthood, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

June 27, 2009

Where is that road?

We've had loads of fun this week. Well, not so much. It started with the discovery on Sunday night that our flight was on Monday, NOT Tuesday. Yeah, glad I checked. Then Monday brought a 4 a.m. wake up, 2 hour drive, 6 hour flight, etc. Oh, and the girls were sick. Sick, sick. Sickness continued throughout the week. And adjustment problems for a two year old. Combined with Arthur not getting home from work until at least 9:30 every night made for some rather grumpy kiddos and a very grumpy mom.

It all culminated with a lovely trip to the doctor on Friday. Naomi was writhing in pain so I got her an appointment and packed everyone up, prepared snacks, and headed to the doctor's office. Upon arrival we waited for a half an hour in the waiting room. Annoying, not the end of the world. The nurse then brought us back, took Naomi's vitals, said the doctor would be in shortly. We waited. Naomi cried. Maggie complained that she was missing her nap time. Daphne complained that I left the snacks in the car, there were no toys, she was bored, she wanted to play, etc. Everyone needed a trip to the bathroom. Naomi cried in pain some more. Oh yeah, the air conditioning wasn't circulating in the room either so we were all very sweaty. Finally Naomi fell asleep. Standing. With her head resting on the chair.

I checked with the nurse to see how much longer it would be. She apologized for the delay. Yada yada. The doctor finally came in. We had been waiting in that room for about an hour and 15 minutes. Insane. The doctor apologized profusely. Yada yada. Tests needed to be analyzed. More waiting.

After nearly 2.5 hours we were out of there. The doctor was going to call the prescription in so we could run right over to the pharmacy and get her on the prescription right away. Yes, at least something would be quick!

Not so fast. Got stuck in traffic for an hour on the way to the pharmacy a mile away. A water main had broken. Fabulous. Everyone fell asleep so I decided to detour, go through a drive through so they'd have food when they woke up. I didn't want to wake them up at the pharmacy and not have any food for them. So I headed off down the road. 3 miles to the nearest drive through. More traffic. I arrived at the drive through 25 minutes later. Glad everyone was asleep. Bought lunch, Naomi woke up. She had to go potty so we hurried home. I woke everyone else up, went up to our apartment, ate the food, and hurried everyone back down to the car.

As most of you know, it is no small task to get three littles in and out of cars. But, alas, we needed the prescription so we were on our way back to the pharmacy. After unbuckling everyone again we went into the pharmacy, only to discover it hadn't been called in by the doctor yet!! I called the doctor's office and the receptionist said she would do it but it was going to take her another hour before she'd have time. O.K. everyone, back into the car. We drove the 3 minutes back to our apartment and then I got the call. The prescription had been called in. Fabulous… So, back to the pharmacy.

I think you get the picture. LONG day! Can I say how wonderful the kids handled it though? They did well. We survived and hopefully Naomi is on the mend.

***

I mentioned that we needed to buy Maggie a new car seat. I thought to myself for a moment and said, "I'll probably buy it online." To which Naomi replied, "Oh, is that a road?" Why yes Naomi, it is a superhighway.

June 27, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

June 10, 2009

Those moments you think you just might be doing something right

Waking your children up at 5:30 isn't exactly ideal. Especially if you plan to drag them to the airport, through the airport and onto a plane. For 6 hours. I was tired, they were tired. We were all a bit hungry.

Today was the big travel day. I tried to be as prepared as possible. I think I did a pretty good job. More on that some other day. I tried to pack light as far as carry ons go. In fact, I packed pretty light overall. For 12 days, 4 people, I packed 3 suitcases. Though, 1 was full of gifts I brought with me, 1 full of diapers (I wanted the extra space for the return trip anyway) so really it was just one large suitcase. Not bad. The girls each had their little backpacks and I had my big backpack as well as my camera bag.

I have to say that I am really impressed with the non business travelers. Very nice, helpful. Those business men, not so much. But I digress… We made it successfully through the airport, checked bags and the girls' car seats and headed toward security. I did my best to remain calm and relaxed. No need to rush even though you have to take off 6 shoes, 3 coats, take out 1 laptop, 1 DVD player, put 4 bags on the conveyer along with a double stroller and a car seat, sans baby. Then carry baby through and coax the others through, one at a time. Ahhh. THEN we have to get everything and everyone put back together. We did it though. No crying, no screaming or whining. And the kids were good too.

The plane ride was, well, it was about as good as it could have been. The girls were brilliant. I had bought a seat for Maggie and I am so glad I did. I am pretty sure I could not have travelled with the 3 by myself if I hadn't. Especially considering Daphne's 3 trips to the bathroom. Daphne was a bit cranky to start but took an uncomfortable looking nap for a bit and woke up refreshed and only a bit whiny. You know, normal. Naomi was happy as a clam with all her activities, she didn't even watch any shows on the DVD player. I'm impressed. Daphne, however, is at a different stage of life and that is O.K. Maggie was, well, Maggie. Happy, happy, happy.

So other than a few tears, a few dropped crayons, slipping earphones, and those painful ears on decent, we did very well. They got many compliments and everyone thought they were cute. So, today I was proud of my little girls who were awoken at 5:30 a.m., shoved in a car, on a plane and then another car for 2 hours ("It takes so long! It takes so long!") and still managed to hold it together. Did I mention they didn't really eat most of the day either? That's another story as well…

June 10, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

Saving a tree

Sometimes I feel that having a two year old is the ultimate test of character. Or, possibly, the ultimate character builder. If you're really lucky, it continues on into the threes.

I finally decided that we'd just put all the unrolled toilet paper in a pile on the bathroom floor and we'd use it. This pile used to be twice as high (2 rolls). I told her if she was older I'd make her re-roll it but since she is just two, we'll use it this way. Of course, this is one of the least frustrating things that happened this week with our precious two year old.

What crazy things do your toddlers do?

June 10, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

May 29, 2009

Was it me?

I took the kids to McDonalds for lunch for the first time since we've been neighbors. I didn't get the bread for lunch started early enough so we only had leftover spaghetti from dinner and I wasn't that excited about it so we put on our raincoats and rainboots and headed across the parking lot.

It was raining and I was herding my brood across a parking lot and into the restaurant at the same time a man was coming out. He decided to wait for us and hold the door. I was busy trying to manage the kids and my hood and mumbled "thank you" to him. The kids had wandered the wrong direction so I got them through the door and we passed the man in the doorway. Once passed, I heard him say rather loudly, "YOU'RE WELCOME!" And then he made an audible huff/growl. In fact, it sounded threatening. I really expected to hear some expletives fly from his mouth, but they didn't. I'm certain (after hearing his response) that he didn't hear my distracted "thank you" but come on! What is it he thinks the world owes him that he should treat a mother and her three tiny children that way? Is it me? In fact, I'm glad I didn't meet his gaze because I'm a bit of a mama bear if I feel like my children's emotional or physical health is being threatened.

But, alas, it is probably more of a lesson in modeling for my children than a moment for me to teach this man anything. Because seriously, no matter what I said, he isn't going to learn anything from me. He isn't going to treat the next person any differently, but my children are watching and learning from me. So, mama bear chose to walk on and just keep all those things in my head, and teach her children how to take the high ground and be safe, in a world full of crazies. After all, they never even noticed the exchange but they certainly would have noted what I had to say.

May 29, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

May 06, 2009

Toddler and Preschooler Sleep Wisdom: Night Waking

This might possibly be my last installment of what I have called "sleep wisdom". If this is the first one you've read, know that I understand I don't know it all. I've made a lot of mistakes, which is probably why I've dealt with so many sleep issues. These are just nuggets I've learned along the way. If you want to read more about our sleep issues, the most important sleep fix, nightmares, or early waking then jump on over there. I hope some of this helps you on your parenting journey! By the way, my parenting philosophies lie somewhere in between Dr. Sears and Dr. Weissbluth, leaning one way or another depending on the situation. I loved Elizabeth Pantley's books but they didn't work for us.

You all know what I am talking about when I say "night waking". There are VERY few parents out there who haven't dealt with a phase of night waking with their little ones. I'm not talking about babies who don't sleep through the night. I'm talking about 18 month olds, 3 year olds, 4.5 year olds… You know, those kids who SHOULD be sleeping all night, or at least be able to get themselves back to sleep. Do you have a kid who struggles with this? The most important things to remember are that

A) You are no longer dealing with a baby

B) Sleep is when your child's brain develops

C) Your sleep is important too.

D) Tantrums aren't O.K., even at night.

E) What works for others may not be good for your child, or you.

The first thing you should do is try to determine what is causing the night waking. You will deal with a kid who wakes at night from nightmares much differently than a kid who just wants to come hang out with mom and dad for some snuggles. You should note here that if you think your child's waking behavior is out of the range of "normal" you should consult with your physician because there could possibly be a medical issue rather than a behavioral issue. Little ones can have Sleep Apnea or other problems so don't overlook that possibility. Also remember that teething can still cause night waking! Don't forget about those molars. Those hurt! If you suspect an ear infection or some other illness, by all means snuggle that poor kiddo in pain.

Once you've determined what the cause is the second thing you should do is talk with your spouse about how to handle the situation. Some families function very well allowing a toddler to climb into bed with mom and dad every night and others don't. If it works for your family and everyone is still getting all the sleep they need then I say go for it. If it doesn't work for you (who can sleep with a little foot in their face?) then you'll need to look elsewhere for solutions. There is no one size fits all answer to this question. Sorry! It is important that you are on the same page with you spouse.

So, what are these possible solutions (to non medical night waking problems)? Here you go…

Let Waker climb into your bed when she wakes and then sleep the rest of the night with you. We do this most of the time. We resort to this second method if night waking REALLY becomes a problem for us.
Go to Waker, comfort Waker, say a prayer with Waker, tell her it is time to go back to sleep and leave her room. Do not return unless she gets up out of bed. In this case you'll need to tell her again that it is time to go back to sleep and put her in bed. If she does it again just put her in bed- no talking! I've done this for over an hour before in the middle of the night, a few times a night. It is maddening, absolutely miserable, but it works. If you have other children in the house that wake up because of the screaming then do what you can to comfort the others, but don't give in to Waker. Within a few days my Waker was sleeping in her bed all night again and finally rested and pleasant during the day. And I was once again rested and sane.
Let the night waker sleep on a little bed on your floor. This worked for us for a while with one of our girls when she just wanted to be in the same room as us for comfort.
Go to little Waker's room and crawl into bed with her. Not my favorite solution.
Go to Waker, lie down with her until she falls asleep and then sneak out. My LEAST favorite option. Please don't do this, it can only lead to other, more menacing problems. I KNOW.

I am sure I'm missing something, but these are pretty much your only options. By the time your child is this old, she needs to learn how to get back to sleep by herself, whichever method you use. I'd highly recommend against rocking back to sleep each time. Seriously, this will prolong the problem, make it worse and probably cause you to go insane. Remember that toddlers like to push limits and will do what they get away with. They'll scream and kick and look possessed and possibly puke* (yes, they might) when they stop getting their way, but in the end it is good for them, really. Your child's brain needs solid sleep to develop and your job is to guide her in learning how to get that sleep. I know, it sounds a lot more terrible than it is. Keep in mind this method is used for a kid who is having serious night waking problems. Hang in there!

As a side note, if you have more than one child who wakes up at night, then you may need to divide and conquer. (not that you are "conquering your child"). When Maggie was a baby and both our other girls were having serious night waking issues I handled Maggie's night waking and Arthur handled the other girls. One parent CANNOT be up all night with multiple children.

What have you done that helps everyone get a better night's sleep? Any wisdom for the weary, tired parent?

May 06, 2009 in Parenthood, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack (0)

May 05, 2009

Finding what matters most

They say if you want to see what matters most to a person to look at their checkbook (or I suppose their credit card statement or quicken files…). I'd go a step further and say to look at how they actually spend their time. How many hours a day do you spend watching TV or reading the news, or on the computer? How many hours are you cleaning? How many hours a day are spent worrying or feeling overwhelmed?

Now think about the 5 things/people that are most important to you. Children count as 1, please don't rank them 😉 Now reflect on how you spend your time. Do these things match up? No need for guilt. If it doesn't match up just find one way to improve it today.

As a side note, I hope you are all reading Brandi's blog while she is in Uganda finding potential care sites for Children's Hope Chest. Seriously, this will help put some more perspective in your life and help you reevaluate your priorities.

May 05, 2009 in Growing Character, Parenthood, The World | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

April 25, 2009

Great reading this week

I've been touched by a couple posts this week in the blog world. I'll be enjoying the sun here. If it isn't quite as nice where you are you can sit inside and read these.

Are you BUSY? Thirsty for Him has a great post about Mary and Martha.

"Serving Jesus, like Martha, was a good thing, but the best was sitting at His feet."

That's right. Martha was doing something good. She was actually preparing a meal to feed Jesus. Are you busy doing things. Doing good things like serving your family and loving people? Don't forget that the BEST thing is to sit at Jesus' feet.

Make and Takes has a post featuring Jyl from Mom it Forward about How to Raise Charitable Children. Definitely worth a look.

Need activities to occupy your toddler or preschooler? Trying to turn the TV off? The Homeschool Classroom has good links for how to keep preschoolers busy (and you don't need to be a homeschooler)

And I've been enjoying Mom's Toolbox's daily SOAP. A daily Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.

And I know a few of you would be interested in this blog. Missionary Moms. Wonderful blog.

And for those of you who sew, a new spring top sewing tutorial from Made by Rae. I love this top.

Now I'm out the door…

April 25, 2009 in Growing Character, Parenthood, The World | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

April 18, 2009

The myth of the “Supermom”

There is a tendency, as a woman, as a mom, to read other people's blogs and think they have it all together. Or more together than you do. You see all the activities they do with their kids and think of all the days you are just happy to get them fed and clothed. You see the crafts and educational projects and think you should be doing more. You see the talk about them doing this bible study, or that one and think you should be doing that too. Read their daily schedule and feel yours is inadequate, or nonexistent. You see that their kid was potty trained by 18 months and slept through the night until 9 a.m. by 2 weeks old and you wonder what you were doing wrong. You know what I mean? I do.

The truth is, there is no such thing as having it all together. Nobody has it all. Even if it seems they do, they don't have your kids, your house, your partner, your job, etc. You know what I mean? We are all unique, with unique children and unique circumstances. We can learn from one another and hope to improve our attempts at motherhood, at marriage, but when it comes down to it, their lives probably aren't quite as rosy as their blog paints. Even if they don't mean to paint it that way. You know what I mean? So go ahead and give yourself some grace.

April 18, 2009 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)

April 16, 2009

What’s the deal with mac ‘n cheese?

My kids love boxed mac 'n cheese. They like it with regular noodles (as opposed to rice or whole wheat) and the cheddar cheese flavor. More specifically, the orange cheddar cheese flavor. They'll eat most mac n' cheese dishes when we go out to eat. I slave away shredding cheese and boiling noodles to make our own mac 'n cheese and do they eat it? NO they do not. So tell me, how do you make the homemade stuff seem more like the powdery goodness they like? No baking? No flour? What's the secret?

April 16, 2009 in Parenthood, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

April 08, 2009

One of THOSE days

You know those days. The morning when your littlest one wakes up too early, after you've been up several times that night. You pour cereal into your bowl followed by soy milk. You don't like soy milk in your cereal. You get a chance to shower and you put conditioner on first. You clean up the toys and turn your back to do a load of laundry only to find all those toys and more strewn everywhere. Oh yeah, and the laundry you did yesterday is still in the washer and is super smelly so you had to run it again. The kids are constantly fighting and screaming and tattling and whining. You know, those days. I'm NOT having one of those days today, which is more notable than having one of those days.

We went a whole week without a nap for our two year old. Just hours of screaming (with bursts of giggling thrown in) followed by hours of whining and general two year old behaviors at their worst. A whole week. Last week was one of THOSE weeks. I am ELATED to say that this week we've been 3 for 3 so far on the two year old napping and even 2 for 3 for the four year old napping!! I'm thinking I should pinch myself but I know I'm awake because I have that cough back. Ugg.

April 08, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

April 04, 2009

The cutest prayer ever

Naomi's prayer before bed last night included this line;

"…and thank you for making shirts with pictures on the front so we know which way to put them on…"

April 04, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

March 21, 2009

“No, you won’t.”

Naomi announced to her dad the other night that "When I turn 13 I am going to have a baby in my belly."

March 21, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

March 19, 2009

My other bad, bad boy rears her little head

We found Costco yesterday. I should write about how we were apparently a 3 ring circus, or at least that is how people looked at us. Gasp! The horror, children out during the day! How does that woman do it?! In fact, I got more comments about how hard it must be than I have ever gotten in one place. Anyway…

We were at the checkout and a woman came up to me and told me what beautiful children I have. Thank you!. Then she said, "and so well behaved!"

Naomi responded. "I'm a bad bad boy!!" That was our finale.

March 19, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

March 16, 2009

Hello Boston!

We made it! We survived our day of traveling and our first day in our new city. We've had a few bumps in the road but on a whole it has been pretty smooth.

Bump #1- Flight delayed. Plane changed. Travel to different concourse. Board plane 40 minutes late. Sit on runway for an hour in a hot plane, buckled up with tired baby who wants me to stand. BUT, the kids did very well on the actual plane ride. Especially considering they "slept" in a hotel the night before, were rudely awakened at 6 a.m. and rushed to the airport to sit and wait and wait and wait.

Bump #2- Time change! Kids up until 11 p.m. first night. Boo! We got them down by 9:30 tonight! Yeah!!

Bump #3- Maggie started spitting up bright yellow this morning. Found a pediatrician and took her right in. No other symptoms, she appears healthy other than the yellow yuck so we are keeping an eye on her.

Bump #4- We live next to an Old MacDonald's. Right next door.

Bump #5- They don't have Signing Times or Magic School Bus on TV here!! What?!? All hell may break loose tomorrow when we break the news.

Bump #6- This place is furnished. They said the kitchen would have cookware and bakeware. I'm not sure what to bake in my one casserole dish. NOT cookies. NOT bread. NOT a lasagna. NOT brownies. Seriously. I don't make casseroles because we don't eat cream of mushroom soup!

Bump #7- The bathroom smells. Bad. Kind of like mildew. Kind of like dead rodent. No evidence of either. Arthur doesn't mind the smell.

Our clothes, toys, sewing stuff and video games arrived safely today, along with our cars. We can now function because Rock Band is here. The place doesn't feel like "home" but I'm sure nothing would after leaving our awesome house. Daphne is having a bit of a hard time adjusting and even though she says she likes our new house she has asked to go "home" a couple times. Naomi is doing very well. I'm not sure she really understands this whole apartment living thing. She keeps asking to play upstairs.

I'm not very thrilled with our location but I'm going to put on my positive hat and enjoy it while we are here. I mean, not everyone gets to live next door to McDonalds on a super busy 2 lane road it takes 20 minutes to pull on to. We are excited to start getting to know people and learn the neighborhood. For now though, I think I'll stay inside. It is cold.

March 16, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

March 07, 2009

Kids with no toys…

Yes, cooking their sister.

March 07, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

February 17, 2009

The not quite essentials for newborns

Once you pick up the essentials for your newborn and all your essentials for breastfeeding you can start thinking about the things that are pretty good to have as well…

A reclining umbrella stroller. I never had one of the big stroller/car seat combos and didn't miss it at all. I had a universal infant car seat stroller with my first and it was really great to have. After the first few months or so we only used our umbrella stroller. I haven't used a stroller at all yet with this baby and she is 4 months old, so you decide. If you do a lot of walking or jogging you can consider getting something three wheeled with air filled tires. This is a great website for reviews. Most jogging strollers don't recline so you can't use then at first. Make sure they'll fit in your car before you buy them!!

Play Mat . My girls always loved laying on these and looking at the dangling animals. Lots of entertainment. All of the girls have been in love with the lion and giraffe in this set.

Cradle Swing. I highly recommend getting a swing if you can. It helps some babies fall asleep and it makes other babies happy. Rarely do babies hate swings. I love the cradle swing because it reclines a lot and can be adjusted to more of a seat. More importantly, it can swing from side to side or back and forth. I've also had a swing that is a bouncy seat/swing combo but I wouldn't recommend it. It does save space but I'm not a big fan.

Baby Monitor. I use these a bit with my kids. I've never lived in a place that I couldn't hear babies on the other end of the house but if you go outside to the yard while one is sleeping you'll never hear without a monitor. Check reviews online when deciding which one to get. Make sure it is a different frequency than your cordless phones or any wireless router you have in your house. I have one that has sounds and lights up with noise and I like it a lot. It isn't available anymore but it is a First Years brand and is still working well. It has some rubber on the sides of the receiver which has probably kept it from getting broken since it has been abused slightly over the years. The video monitors aren't necessary but if you want one, go for it.

Pacifiers. Buy them right before baby is born and don't open them! Keep the receipts taped to them just in case you don't need them and need to return them. After baby is born you may want them and some kids want to try out a few kinds to find what they like. We like MAM around here. They come in different sizes so make sure you get the 0+ ones and then when they turn about 6 months old get the bigger ones.

A crib. Even if you are going to co-sleep, you might want baby to take naps in a crib. OR, you might get a baby that isn't a fan of co-sleeping, which can happen! You may want something in your room so baby can sleep there for the first few month. You can also use a mini crib or Pack N Play, or a Co-sleeper, Mini Arm's Reach Co-sleeper, or a Close & Secure Sleeper. Of course, there are bassinets as well. It is really up to you. Check them out, see what you like. Remember that bassinets are outgrown within a couple months usually. If you use a Pack N Play it will have more longevity but it isn't that comfortable. We used a mini crib and loved it. Daphne slept in it until she was 1 because Naomi was still in the full sized crib. The mattress that comes with those is usually very thin so think about buying a better one. Whatever you do, try out some cribs in a store to see what features you like best. If you want one that has a drop side, what kind do you want, etc.

Crib Sheets & Mattress Pads. No matter which way you go as far as a crib or bassinet goes, you'll need waterproof mattress covers and sheets. Get at least 2 waterproof mattress covers and 2 sheets. Accidents happen at night and you'll want to have a spare in case you need it. Spring for the fitted kind of waterproof pads if you can. There is a lot of debate about crib bumpers and I am of the opinion that you don't need them and they are dangerous. If you absolutely must have a bumper, get the Breathable Baby Crib Bumper.

Rocker/Glider. Not mandatory but nice to have.

Blankets. We like to use blankets on the floor or couch when we lay babies down. This helps protect the floor AND the baby! They are also good for in the stroller and car seat. Beyond quilts and lap blankets I have enjoyed having Bundle Me blankets. They come in different sizes, colors and styles.

Clothes. Babies go through a lot of these. If you want to go beyond my sleeper and onesie recommendation, don't go nuts. Most babies will grow out of the 0-3 month size well before 3 months.

Changing Pad. These are handy whether you have an official changing table or not. This cover is the best, so soft and cuddly. I have others but this is by far my favorite.

Waterproof changing mats. I have a few of these and use them a lot. They are great in diaper bags or when changing baby on the floor or a bed.

Baby bathtub. Bath thermometer. I had a bathtub with my first two and can't find it now. I wish I still had it, they are useful but a sink will work fine for a while. I miss the tub now that Maggie is getting bigger. A thermometer isn't necessary at all but I had one and was surprised at how warm I liked my bath water! Too hot for babies! Baby temp was colder than I had guessed.

Sleep Sacks. Love these. We use them after babies stop being swaddled (sometime between 4 and 5 months for us) until they are in a big bed. Skip the smaller sizes because they aren't necessary.

Miracle Blanket. Babies are wiggly. Most babies will learn to break free from a swaddle before they are ready to sleep on their own. You don't NEED these, but they've helped my kids sleep much better.

Head support. Most car seats and strollers are not made to support babies heads correctly. You could always use a rolled blanket or let baby's head wobble but I like these.

I'm sure I missed things that are handy. But, like I said, none of it is absolutely necessary! What else would you add to this list? What would you take off?

February 17, 2009 in Parenthood, Tips & Tricks, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

February 13, 2009

My “bad, bad boy” and other tales

Life has been interesting around here lately. I am pretty sure my nerves are shot and my brain is fried. Getting a house ready to sell is no easy task with three little ones. We are thinking we should have decorated when we moved in, rather than when we were moving out… but that is another story.

I love to sit and think about my children. Smile about their awesome little personalities (or BIG personalities as it may be) and wonder what Maggie will be like. It truly amazes me that Naomi and Daphne can be SO different. I can't think of one way that they are alike. Can you? I love them so much. But on to the shot nerves…

I don't remember Naomi being such a difficult two year old! AAAAHHHH!!!!!! Daphne is such a bear sometimes. She is bull headed and defiant and willful and mean at times. I'm sure she'll mellow out in the coming year, or at the very least it will serve her well as an adult (not the mean part) but I'm having a hard time waiting for those days to come.

Her thing for the past few days has been saying she is a "bad, bad boy." The boy part isn't new. She has enjoyed calling herself a boy since she figured out what a boy was. I think she does it because it gets Naomi riled up. She will do ANYTHING to get Naomi going. The part that concerns me is that when I talk with them about how they are not bad girls (or boys) and there is a difference between doing something bad and being bad, Daphne smiles and says, "no, I'm a bad, bad boy." O.K. She does enjoy being contrary, but I really do think she enjoys doing bad things too! I won't get into all the "bad" things, but don't rule anything out.

How did you get through the "two's"?

February 13, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

February 01, 2009

The essentials for breastfeeding

Even though breastfeeding is natural, it doesn't always come naturally. If you are planning to breastfeed your baby I'd recommend learning how to do it before you have to do it. There are classes out there but you could probably do just as well reading a book. These are the things I found necessary for successful breastfeeding.

The Nursing Mother's Companion. This is the best book out there and you'll be glad you have it. I went back to it time and time again with my first two babies. It was invaluable.

The phone number of a lactation consultant. Many women have difficulty in the beginning and calling a lactation consultant within the first couple days of breastfeeding if you are having pain or problems with the baby latching is one of the wisest moves you can make. Ask your doctor for a recommendation ahead of time.

My Breast Friend. I had a Boppy with my first baby and I think it actually caused some of the problems I had breastfeeding. I got a My Breast Friend and love it 100 times more than a Boppy. Of course, a boppy comes in really handy when baby is learning to sit and a MBF isn't useful in that way, but I digress.

Lily Padz. These are the best there is when it comes to breast pads. At first you'll definitely want something that absorbs more so get some disposable pads. The cloth ones don't hold much.

Soothies. I loved these for the first few weeks. I am the only person in the world that had an allergic reaction to Lanolin (which is highly recommended as a way of soothing sore nipples).

Nursing Tank. I wore these almost exclusively during the first month. The soft cotton was way more comfortable and it was easier to get a little air, if you get my drift. I prefer the kind that you unhook the clasp and lower rather than the kind you pull up or down. I can't find a link to my favorite kind but I got them at Motherhood. You'll need nursing bras too but I can't make a recommendation. I've tried a lot of different ones and with each baby found I preferred something different.

Breast Pump. Which one you get depends on what you need it for but every nursing mother will need one if she wants to ever feed baby a bottle. I had a hand pump with my first baby and hated it and therefore didn't use it. It took a long time and was difficult to use. I got an Ameda Purely Yours with my second and I am so glad I did. A double pump electric is way more efficient. They are a lot more expensive than hand pumps so it is up to you what way you want to go. If you plan to give daily bottles or work you really need an electric double pump.

Bottles. Don't go nuts buying bottles before baby comes along. Unfortunately, babies are often picky about which bottles they will drink from so you might have to experiment with different types. My girls actually tended to like the cheaper Gerber bottles the best.

A nursing cover is nice to have but not absolutely necessary. I started using one with my third baby and it is nice when you are in a restaurant or at your in-laws.

Here is my best breastfeeding advice for the first few weeks. Always get comfortable and get a glass of water first. Sit somewhere your feet are firmly on the ground (or a stool). Don't slouch over, put a pillow behind you if need be. If baby isn't latching correctly, don't be afraid to start over again and again until you get a good latch. If you are having pain, call your LC. Air out as often as possible to help with any healing that needs to occur.

What did I miss? Did you find all of this necessary or is your list of "must haves" shorter? Any good advice for the newbies?

February 01, 2009 in Parenthood, Tips & Tricks | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

January 23, 2009

Hats off to Single Mothers and Military Wives

I just competed a few weeks of being husbandless and let me tell you, I don't know how those of you who do this on an every day basis stay sane! O.K. it honestly got much better once Daphne stopped going through her raging twos and settled down but it still was very tiring! My friend, Liz, has her husband home on R & R right now from Iraq. Since he has been in the military for the past 4ish years she has been alone with the kids more often than not and I am surprised she is sane. Hats off to you Liz!

The crazy truth is, it wasn't all that bad. I REALLY missed my husband and it drove me nuts at the end of the day not to get a little break or to just hang out on the couch chatting about nothing. He hates when I say this, but the house has been cleaner. I'm not sure exactly WHY this is but I have my suspicions. It might have to do with me being up more hours in the day. Arthur thinks I just cleaned more. I'm not as convinced. At any rate, I am ecstatic to have my husband home again and hope we don't have to be separated anytime soon.

January 23, 2009 in My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 21, 2009

“It made me cry”

No, I'm not talking about the inauguration, though I did start crying (happens a lot these days). We had pizza for dinner last night. Naomi does not like sauce on her pizza. When we make it we don't put sauce on her portion. When we buy it we just hold our breath and hope she eats. This was take out. Thankfully the sauce didn't show through on this pizza. She asked me about 4 times if it was cheese bread or pizza. She's three and knows the difference so I attempted not to lie and said something to the affect that it was pizza with cheese and toppings… she didn't buy it but started eating it anyway. As she got closer to the crust she noticed a bunch of sauce. She started crying and screaming, "there's sauce, OH NO, there is sauce!" She spit out the piece in her mouth and continued screaming. Being the good mom I am, I didn't point out that the whole piece had sauce and she had been eating it and liked it… Instead I told her she didn't have to eat the rest of the pizza since there is sauce and gave her a new piece. She looked up at me with her big eyes and soft voice and said, "it made me cry." She ate the second piece, until she got close to the sauce at the crust…

January 21, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

January 10, 2009

Trials.

No progress. Daphne's sleep issues, which we've established aren't really sleep issues, are continuing to plague our house. Of course, this is an issue of Daphne wanting attention, control, however you want to express it.

Last night we followed the plan and did a bit of battle. Bedtime routine went down as usual. Jammies, teeth brushed, toilet used, chapstick on (yes, this is part of the routine) and books read. We added our discussion about what kinds of good dreams they'd like. To which Naomi replied, "I'll dream of good ants." Poor girl, I wonder if she remembers any good dreams. So we talked about all the good things she could dream about. Then we said our prayers.

Daphne was tucked into her bed in the room the girls share. She insisted on the correct way of putting on her blanket. I obliged and told her I wouldn't be back to fix them when they moved. It was only a minute later when she began to scream about her blanket not being on right. Screaming went on for quite some time, maybe an hour. Then her tactics changed. Daphne got up. She came into the hall as if packed for a trip. She had her dog, her elephant and her blanket. She put on her sweetest little voice (which is a definite calculated effort for my loud child) and asked to sleep in my bed. This began what Supernanny would describe as the "stay in bed technique." I went up and down the stairs transporting her back to bed. That went on for a while. Finally she decided to stay in bed and just whine and talk. After two and a half hours she fell asleep. Ahhh.

She slept 7 hours and then woke up, ready to battle. Screamed for 45 minutes in bed (somehow Naomi slept through this) and then started the getting up and getting put back in bed thing, over and over and over again. Finally at 7 a.m. I called it quits and told her she could stay up.

Nap rolled around and after nearly two hours of the battle I gave up and she didn't nap. Tonight she is back in the crib. I'm done with this. As I write this she just fell asleep on the couch. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 10, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

January 09, 2009

Trial and Error

Well, I have gotten tons of advice about this sleep issue. Thank you for all the comments and emails! More is definitely welcome because it is FAR from solved. Tonight we are trying some new things.

A. Both girls will be in their own beds (in the same room).

B. We'll discuss dreams before bed and talk about what kinds of good dreams they'd like to have and then we'll say a prayer for good dreams. Great idea Kelly!

We'll do our usual bedtime routine and put THE blanket on properly and then let her get it back in place when she moves half an inch and it destroys her zen (which is pretty much what we've been doing).

I'll let you know how it goes.

January 09, 2009 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 08, 2009

At the End of Wit

I need help! I've got two year old problems. My lovely, darling, little Daphne has, quite frankly, gone crazy. She's been walking on the other side of compliant for a few months now but yesterday she scared me. If she wasn't my child I certainly… well, anyway…

Here is the back story. Daphne has been sleeping all night since she was five months old. Occasionally she'd wake up at night but only when she wasn't feeling well. Enter Maggie, one lovely baby sister. Daphne suddenly needed nighttime companionship. Being the sensitive parents we are, we complied with that need of hers because adjusting to having a new baby in the house is hard for a new big sister. Now we are stuck. We got to a point when she was waking up too much and thus her father wasn't getting enough sleep. As a parallel story, her older sister, was also having sleep issues and needed sleep companionship. Arthur and the girls played musical beds for a few weeks. So, here we are, the father not getting enough sleep. Change must occur.

We moved Daphne to our spare room bed and things seemed to perk up. She liked the change from the crib. Didn't seem to mind sleeping on her own, for a few days. Then came the "sleep with me" mantra she would begin to chant at night. Over and over, each time becoming sadder and harder to refuse. Tired Father, also being loving father has difficult time hearing these cries and complies. Tired Mother does not agree with Tired Father's methods but says nothing. UNTIL, the "sleep with me" chant begins to invade nap time. Tired Mother allows Emotionally Deprived child to chant all through nap time because Tired Mother cannot actually sleep with Emotionally Deprived child and take care of Baby Sister. Upon arrival at home that evening, Tired Father hears what Tired Mother thinks of the situation.

Tired Mother and Father collude to end the "sleep with me" chant with minimal success. There are moments of greatness and regression. After much battle, Emotionally Deprived child comes up with a new mantra. "I need my blanket on my tummy." Emotionally Deprived child loves her blanket. No, she is IN love with her blanket. The tummy/blanket thing was not new. The chanting/screaming was. Multiple times a night. Tired father or tired mother would reenter room to fix said blanket and upon arrival hear in an ever so sweet and sad voice, "sleep with me."

Back to the current events. Yesterday the blanket obsession escalated from what was "I need my blanket on my cheeks" (which had been the mantra for a few days), to "I need my blanket on my face." Tired Mother attempted to comply so that nap time could commence. Unfortunately, Emotionally Deprived child was apparently not entirely, shall we say, sane. Emotionally Deprived child writhed and screamed and sweated like a pig with fleece clothing and a warm minky quilt on her head. Emotionally Deprived child was so wet she had the appearance of having bathed in her clothes. Tired Mother could make no sense of Emotionally Deprived child's words, nor would she stop flailing and screaming to allow Tired Mother to understand what she wanted. This went on for nearly 30 minutes.

Tired mother pulled out all the tricks with no luck. No distraction, hugging, attempting to fix blanket, nothing would work. There was no other option but to call All Knowing Grandma. Emotionally Deprived child stopped screaming and flailing immediately and came out from under said blanket with a smile to talk with All Knowing Grandma. All Knowing Grandma talked about the weather and other small talk. Then All Knowing Grandma got Emotionally Deprived child to agree that her blanket shouldn't be on her face, but rather on her neck and said blanket doesn't have to be perfect. Ahhhhh…. thanks All Knowing Grandma. Nap occurs.

Bedtime. "I want my blanket on my neck!!" Tired Mother calls Out of Town Father for backup. Out of Town Father calms Emotionally Deprived child immediately. 10 minutes later Tired Mother hears, "I want my blanket on my neck!" All manor of screaming and flailing under said blanket commences and Tired Mother is reminded of how tired she really is. Things happen, events occur, and Emotionally Deprived child has ONLY 5 night wakings with blanket issues. Tired Mother is tired and really needs help here. Parallel story has continued like this; Older Sister continues to have nightmares and comes in to wake Tired Mother nightly and often ends up sleeping with Tired Mother because she is too scared to return to the scene of the crime. Tired mother is "at the end of wit." On a lighter note, Baby Sister slept until 6 a.m. this morning!!!

Here are the non-negotiables

1. Tired Father will be Out of Town Father for another one to two weeks.

2. Tired Mother needs more sleep.

3. Emotionally Deprived child cannot sleep in Tired Mother's bed.

Now, advise me of what to do!!

January 08, 2009 in My Family, My world, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

January 07, 2009

The ultimate list of ways your kids can give to others

Here it is folks. The LIST. Much of this was generated from all of you lovely people that gave me ideas for my 25 Days of Giving I did for Advent with my girls. Hopefully this will be useful to you as well.

1. Put together a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child
2. Put money in a Salvation Army bell ringer’s bucket
3. Adopt a family through your local mission or shelter
4. Bake cookies for friends, neighbors, family & teachers
5. Tidy up the neighborhood
6. Make and send cards to family/friends telling them what they like about them
7. Do something kind for someone secretly
8. Shower family members with kind words
9. Place spare change in the missionary jar (at church)
10. Give food to local food bank- take it there themselves
11. Send handmade cards to the military
12. Visit a nursing or retirement home
13. Visit a local animal shelter and play with the animals
14. Donate food to a local animal shelter
15. Collect scarves and hats for the homeless
16. Make cards or drawings and give them to people in retirement homes
17. Let them pick out a new toy for Toys For Tots or similar program
18. Save their change and donate to a cause
19. Release a book somewhere that someone might want one. Leave a sticky note inside saying it is for whoever finds it.
20. Help a neighbor with a chore they need done.
21. Bake cookies and share them with the recipient.
22. Pick out a pair of shoes for “Soles for Soles”
23. Hot Cocoa/ lemonade stand to raise money for a cause
24. Volunteer at your church
25. Stay late in their classroom or nursery to help clean.
26. Choosing water at the fast food restaurant and giving the money saved for a cause.
27. Have a “pick up trash” day where you look for litter everywhere you go.
28. Do a story time at a local mission/shelter.
29. Sell something to raise money for a cause.
30. Buy a needy family a Christmas tree.
31. Draw little pictures and write notes- leave them around town for people to find.
32. Make craft kits to take to the children’s hospital.
33. Visit elderly members from church.
34. Bring home baked cookies to Fire Fighters, NICU nurses, Police Officers on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
35. Make sandwiches and pass them out to homeless people.
36. Buy gift cards and put them under someone’s windshield wipers.
37. Hand out flowers to strangers- bus station, senior center, etc.
38. Have a car wash to raise money for a cause or wash cars for free.
39. Make cookies and have a bake sale to raise money for a cause.
40. Write notes to teachers or caregivers about what makes them special.
41. Befriend someone they don’t normally talk to.
42. Bring hats to the hospital for children that have lost their hair.
43 Let them pick out an outfit from their closet to donate to a charity that gives clothes to needy children.
44. Sign up to sponsor a child through World Vision that has your child’s birth date. Help them write letters.
45. Check with your local mission or shelter to find out what needs they have. Buy blankets or socks, etc. with your kids and deliver them to the shelter.
46. Have your kids help prepare a meal for a new mom or someone who is sick.
47. Mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn.
48. Donate new crayons to the children’s hospital.
49. Help your child organize a sponsorship drive for World Vision, Compassion International or other child sponsorship program.
50. Ask for canned food for the food bank in lieu of gifts at a birthday party.

Anything I left off? Help me expand the list!

Please feel free to use this list but give credit where credit is due! Thanks!

January 07, 2009 in Education, Growing Character, Parenthood, The World | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

December 28, 2008

Where did I go wrong?

We work really hard to help our children work through their fears and “scary” emotions. This is a conversation I had with Naomi (3.5) recently.

Naomi: Mom! Look at me!! I’m being so brave!

Me (distracted by something else): Good job honey.

Naomi: I’m touching the stove and I’m not even scared!

December 28, 2008 in My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

December 05, 2008

Day 5

Today was so much fun!! So far, day five of our 25 Days of Giving was my favorite. The girls handed out flowers to random people! We bought roses at Costco and intended to hand them out at the Senior Center but there were no seniors there when we arrived so we went to the bus station, which ended up being a wonderful idea! The girls made a lot of people happy on their way home from a long week of work. The girls had a blast. Naomi kept saying, “I’m having so much fun!”

The girls having fun passing out smiles…

December 05, 2008 in Growing Character, My Family, My world, Parenthood, The World | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

December 01, 2008

25 Days of Giving

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to raise my children to think beyond themselves. To care for others and to understand that the blessings God gives us are meant to be shared with others. As parents we struggle to know exactly how to raise our children in a society that glorifies self centered teens who want $100,000 16th birthday parties.

This year I’ve decided to start celebrating Advent with my kids. I love cute little Advent calendars. I had one of sorts as a kid and got a Hershey kiss every day leading up to Christmas. I loved it. This year I decided that instead of my kids GETTING something every day, we will GIVE something every day. I don’t expect this to be easy. I want to focus on things my young kids can grasp. Tangible things. I want to find ways for them to connect to the giving. I expect this to be extremely difficult. I expect to fall short and have days that we fail. That is O.K.

I want you to join us on this journey! You don’t have to do 25 days of giving, but one or two days set aside would be great! You don’t have to have children! Here are some things to consider;

1. You don’t have to spend money to give
2. Be creative, think inside and outside the box
3. Inspire others to give as well

This ISN’T meant to be boastful! Let’s inspire each other!

I want to kick off this giving extravaganza by giving something to you (sort of)! You can enter to win 3 ways.

*Get your name entered once by leaving a comment here with an idea you have for ways kids can give. I need lots of help so please inspire me with your great ideas!
*Get your name entered a second time by writing a post on your blog documenting a way you gave to others. Add the URL link to that specific post on the Mister Linky below.
* Enter a third time by mentioning The 25 Days of Giving on your blog and linking to this post so your readers can come here to be inspired to give. Send me an email so I know you’ve linked to me! See the email link in the sidebar or email me at thetraintocrazy (at) gmail (dot) com

I’ll have my little random generators draw a name out of a hat on Christmas to see who the winner is! You will win an apron from Lazy Lavender! They have the cutest aprons! This is the best part, the winner will also have a donation made in their name to Amazina Ministries International. You will sponsor a child for a year! Your sponsorship will provide a child with their yearly school fees, a school uniform, shoes, all school supplies, 2 hot meals a day, and any needed medical care. Your sponsorship also helps provide these children with tutors and spiritual leaders, to help the do their best, physically emotionally and spiritually.

Amazima Ministries in an organization based in Uganda, East Africa. We are striving keep these children alive, and not only that, but to give them life to the fullest. We want to educate the poorest of the poor here intellectually and spiritually. Today, Amazima Ministries shares Christ’s love with 150 children, providing them with school fees, supplies, healthy meals, medical needs, and spiritual encouragement. We provide a home and a family for children who have never had the luxury of either. We provide encouragement physically, emotionally, and spiritually to those who need it most. We provide these children with truth. The truth of a bigger world through education, but more importantly the truth of a God who created them beautifully in His image, a God who loves them and values them and wants the best for them. These children have never known that kind of love.

December 01, 2008 in Education, Growing Character, My Family, My world, Parenthood, The World, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)

November 13, 2008

Baby Wearing

International Babywearing week started Wednesday. Is it usual for a “week” to start on a Wednesday? Adventures in Babywearing is having a contest to give away a new baby wrap or sling. This got me thinking about the babywearing apparati that I have.

They all serve their special purpose and come in handy at different times. I have a Moby Wrap, a Kangaroo Adjustable Pouch, a Baby Bjorn, and the Ergo Baby Carrier. Here are my personal pros and cons for each.

Moby Wrap
Pros: Very comfortable. Baby’s weight does not hurt my back or shoulders. The baby likes the wrap.
Cons: It is a LOT of fabric and can be tricky to figure out at first. It is also not something you can quickly just throw on, though it doesn’t take too much time.

Kangaroo Pouch
Pros: Easy to get on, easy to use. Comfortable for baby.
Cons: I had to see a chiropractor for a month after using this a lot when Daphne was a newborn. Too much pressure is put on one shoulder.

Baby Bjorn:
Pros: Baby’s weight is evenly distributed. Men don’t mind using it.
Cons: Can only be used for baby’s first year. Baby hangs by the crotch which isn’t good for baby for long periods. Can only be used for front carry.

Ergo Baby Carrier:
Pros: Easy to put on. Very comfortably. Comfortable for baby. Can be used with older children. Can be worn on front or back.
Cons: Difficult to first get baby on your back though it gets easier with practice.

I definitely prefer the Ergo out of all of these because of its usability over the lifespan of the baby/toddler. Some people use the wrap or pouch with older kids but I haven’t. The Bjorn is my least favorite.

I’ve never tried a Mei Tai or o sling but I’d like to. What is your favorite baby carrier?

November 13, 2008 in Everything Else, My world, Parenthood, Reviews: Books, Patterns and Places, Tips & Tricks | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

November 06, 2008

Teaching Faith to Kids

Wow, this is a big topic! We discussed this in my moms’ group today. Thanks Minhee! This could be a whole series of books but I’ll just mention briefly what jumped out at me.

Number 1: Loving your kids models God’s love for us. Taking care of their needs and showing them love and compassion is helping them to build a positive model of their relationship with God.

Number 2: You must have your own active faith before you can teach others.

Number 3: Model! Don’t tell your kids about situations they should pray about or how to have faith, show them! Pray with them, read with them, live it out in your life and explain it to them.

Number 4: Be intentional about your parenting and your actions. Think about what you want to teach your kids and then figure out how to go about that. If you want your kids to learn to pray before meals, think about WHY you would do that. Why do you do some of the rituals you do?

I’ve been thinking about different family traditions and rituals people have to help teach faith, thankfulness, generosity, etc. While my kids are fairly young for much of it, it is exciting to think of the things we can incorporate in our family soon. I’m always looking for great ideas. I’ve loved some of the Thanksgiving ideas I’ve read on various blogs lately about teaching kids to be thankful and teaching them about giving. What do you do in your family to teach faith or thankfulness?

November 06, 2008 in Education, Growing Character, My world, Parenthood, Unsolicited Parenting Advice | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 03, 2008

On having three…

Everyone asks what it is like having three kids now. I think it all depends on the babies. If my third was as difficult as my second my answer might be completely different. As it stands, I think going from 1 to 2 kids is harder than going from 2 to 3. It probably has to do with the fact that I already know how to take care of more than one at a time. It doesn’t hurt that number 1 and 2 can play together and entertain one another.

We are fairly organized around here. Organized in our parenting that is. We have the same routines every day. We eat at the same times, nap at the same times, go to bed at the same times (early). We are a well oiled machine. Of course, some days we feel a bit rusty lately but for the most part we stick to our routine and that helps us a lot. The kids know what to expect, there are no surprises.

I’m still trying to figure out how to get a shower every day. I firmly believe that showers are completely necessary for my daily sanity. That and a clean kitchen. These things are not a given right now so I’ll let you know if I figure out how to get all this done. The baby is three weeks old tomorrow so I’m sure we have a lot of learning left to do. I am a firm believer in saying that the only thing certain about babies is that everything changes so we’ll see what the next few weeks and months have in store for us.

Anyone else have 3? Any tips or tricks? Anyone have 3 under 4 years old? How do you do it?

November 03, 2008 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

October 27, 2008

Two Weeks!

Wow, Maggie is 2 weeks old! So, what is it like having a newborn, a two year old and a three year old? Busy, tiring, stinky! Thankfully Maggie is a sleepy baby and rarely cries if she is awake. Naomi and Daphne are great big sisters. Naomi likes seeing Maggie and rubbing her hair. She has no interest in holding her still though. Daphne is much more enthusiastic about showing her affection toward Maggie. She cries if Maggie is sleeping and she can’t go visit her. She wants to be looking at her and touching her every moment that Maggie is awake. Don’t call her a big sister though because for some reason she doesn’t think Maggie is her sister, no matter how much we talk about it.

I realized today that since Maggie sleeps or eats most of the time she’s only been laying down on a blanket a couple moments in her life. We took the opportunity to let her do a little tummy time tonight and the girls enjoyed being able to lay next to her. Much to our surprise, Maggie rolled over! I’m sure it is a fluke but we have to laugh because Daphne didn’t roll over once until she was EIGHT months old! Naomi started rolling all over the place at 10 weeks but 13 days seems a bit early. We had noticed the past few days on the changing table that she rolls onto her side so I’m wondering if she’ll be able to figure out how to roll over again anytime soon. We’ll see. It just shows that every kid is so different! It is impossible to compare these milestones because all of our kids are totally “normal”, they just accomplished different things at different times.

Here is some of the fun we’ve been having with Maggie.

October 27, 2008 in Home Sweet Home, My Family, Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

October 24, 2008

Trust the FDA?

The FDA declared a while back that bisphenal A (BPA) is safe. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel just published an article that investigates the possible corruption behind it all. Definitely an interesting read.

October 24, 2008 in Parenthood | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

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