Mornings are hectic if you wake up at the same time as your kids. You won’t be able to have even a few minutes of quiet time before the morning craziness begins. Getting kids ready for school, daycare, or wherever you go that day can lead to stress. This is why it is important to follow a morning routine that will make you want to wake up before the kids.
If you take time to yourself in the mornings you can avoid feeling stressed during the day. You can have a cup of coffee and read, write, or check your blog stats before beginning the morning requirements. This will set you up for continued productivity, less stress, and just a better day overall.
With five kids, I need to make sure I’m taking this time in the morning to set myself up for a great day. My morning routine allows me to have some peace before the kids wake up, and I can get myself ready instead of scrambling around at the last minute.
1. Wake up at the same time every day
There are many reasons why waking up at the same time each day will benefit you throughout the entire day. First, you will have time to get stuff done before your kids wake up (which is the point, right?). You will also have an easier time falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning, you’ll take fewer naps, and you will feel less sleep-deprived.
Some other perks of waking up at the same time include: ⦁ being more alert and focused ⦁ having better short-term memory ⦁ being in a better mood ⦁ feeling less pain ⦁ feeling an increase in your immune system ⦁ performing better at your job ⦁ driving more safely and alertly
2. Make your bed
The best reason to make your bed as soon as you wake up is that it will keep your mattress and sheets clean and only allow the outermost layer to become dirty. The second most important reason is to start your day off on the right foot. By crossing something off your list the minute you wake up, you’ll feel accomplished and motivated from the start.
Making your bed also makes your room seem cleaner and less cluttered, which can reduce your stress levels. This benefit at the beginning of the day can make a huge difference.
3. Drink a big glass of water
Your body will be pretty dehydrated after sleeping for 6-8 hours. Coffee may be your go-to, but it leads to further dehydration. Before you caffeinate in the morning, drink at least one glass of water.
Aside from hydration, drinking water in the morning can help you be more alert and focused. Additionally, drinking water first thing in the morning increases the function of your immune system and helps your metabolism kick in sooner. If you’re not fond of water because of the waste, that could be because of the pollutants in it, which is why having your water come from American Water makes sense – it’s much purer and great for your health.
4. Eat a nutritious breakfast
After fasting for an entire night, your body needs nutrients. Without nutrients shortly after waking up, you’ll likely feel groggy all day. Studies have shown that eating a nutritious breakfast in the morning leads to higher cognitive function and energy levels, helps maintain or reach a healthy weight, prevents heart disease and diabetes, and can also help you maintain or reach a healthy blood pressure level.
5. Get yourself ready for the day
It is so much easier to get motivated when you get cleaned up and ready for the day. Don’t sit around in your pajamas or you’ll be more likely to be lazy. When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about what you can do.
6. Plan your day
Get your thoughts organized, and write down when you need to do each thing on your to-do list. Having a plan helps you get focused and makes it easier to get things crossed off the list that day. This clears your mind for a more enjoyable day and ensures you have time for everything.
What to do Next if You Still Have More Time
Then, if you still have time left before your kids wake up, practice self-care. Do something you love or something that will help you relax a bit.
My favorite thing to do in the morning is to read a book. It’s my quiet time, and it gives me a chance to do what I love BEFORE beginning the real-life stuff.
Having quiet time or self-care time in the morning also helps me stay focused at work instead of constantly thinking about what I’d rather be doing at home. If I already did something that I’d “rather” be doing, I don’t think about it so much at work. It’s the perfect way to end my quiet time in the morning.
Unfortunately, I don’t ALWAYS have time for it, but I’m working on giving myself more time in the morning to ensure this self-care time. When I don’t have time, however, I make sure to get some self-care time before bed each night. Bonus if I get the chance to do it at both of those times. 😉
Final Thoughts on a Morning Routine that Will Make you Want to Wake Up Before The Kids
A well-planned morning routine that makes you want to wake up before your kids is important in ensuring that the rest of your day runs smoothly. Every parent needs a chance to wake up, focus, and gather their thoughts before the craziness of parenting kicks in.
You will find yourself happier and in a better mood, too. So, wake up early, drink some water, and have a cup of coffee while the house is still quiet, plan your day, and do whatever else you need to get done to have a productive day.
What is your favorite part of your personal morning routine? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Spring is FINALLY here and while the temperatures in Michigan still keep slipping into the high 30’s, I think we will soon get some relief. Since next week is supposed to be significantly warmer, I knew I had to move quickly and take the list of things to do this spring out of my notebook and turn it into an actual printable.
I swear, in Michigan, we get 6 months of winter temperatures, 2 WEEKS of spring temperatures, and then the summer temperatures come in full force. It’s a little insane if you think about it.
We have already knocked out a few of the suggestions on the list, but I had only been keeping track in my notebook before creating the free printable. My kids were super excited to check things off the list when I printed it to hang up, though, so I’m glad I let them take over with the tracking!
Anyhow, without further ado, here is the list of 30 things to do this spring:
Things to Do This Spring
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
Sylas (4) LOVES scavenger hunts. Any type of activity where he has a to search, hunt, or follow a map is right up his ally. Since spring brings on a whole new range of textures, sights, and smells, I thought a nature scavenger would be best. This gives the littles a chance to explore the fresh earth and all that it has to offer.
A quick Pinterest post led me to the perfect nature scavenger hunt. I planned on creating one myself, but since this one was so perfect, I didn’t bother.
Spring is pretty breezy, which means it’s the perfect time to fly a kite. Find a spot that’s slightly higher than just a flat area of land, and the flight will soar so high.
We are lucky and have a park just minutes away from our house with a huge hill. My kids go to the top of the hill to fly their kites and from down below, it is pretty magical. When they do it, the kites rarely hit the ground, either, which is pretty awesome.
3. Play tag at the park.
It’s true that you can play tag at home without ever leaving the house, but it just isn’t as fun. By going to the park to play tag instead of doing it the usual way, you are allowing your children to play one of their favorite games in a totally new environment, and how cool will that be for them?!
4. Jump in puddles.
Make use of all the rain that spring brings with it, and have some fun jumping in those puddles. This is the perfect time to pull out the rainboots but, if you don’t have any or don’t feel like looking, just go barefoot!
5. Plant or tend a garden.
Believe it or not, kids LOVE to learn about the land we live on. This is the perfect way to allow them to learn, have fun, and do something productive. I have many flower gardens throughout our yard and half of them were planted by my kids over the last few years. It’s so much fun for the kids to see their hard work pay off when the plants grow into something beautiful.
You can plant flowers or vegetables. Kids tend to try new foods if they made them, so I’m thinking that if they were to plant and grow their own vegetables, they may be more likely to eat them? I’m not sure if that logic works but it’s worth a shot!
6. Have an ice cream bar.
On one of the warmer nights, set out the ingredients for an ice cream bar. This could include multiple flavors of ice cream, chocolate syrup, bananas, candy pieces, sprinkles, chocolate chips, cherries, whipped cream, and anything else that you enjoy on your ice cream. To make this one even more fun, you can take your kids to the store and let them choose their own toppings.
This may be one of the easiest suggestions on the list, to be honest. This is because it’s free, easy, and there is no prep work involved. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, or you can venture out and find some good hiking trails in your area.
8. Have a game night.
My kids LOVE game night. We get out all the kid games and play them one after another until the kids get bored or I bribe them with a movie. Come on… as much as we love game night, you have to admit that we can only settle so many arguments before we’ve had enough.
Anyhow, we choose some yummy snacks (mostly store bought, but we also let the kids choose a few homemade options).
9. Feed the ducks.
This is something that I have never done before, which is pretty crazy if you think about it. I’m super excited to take my kids to do it. There is this super cute park in my city that is pretty popular for feeding ducks (and it has a super old train that kids love!), so I plan on going there.
Now that I think about it, though, I don’t even know what to feed ducks. Is it bread? I’ll have to google that in a minute.
10. Have a barbeque.
Make sure it’s kid friendly! Unless you don’t have kids, that is. Then make it 100% grown up friendly. Since I have kids, however, mine will have to be kid friendly.
That means hotdogs, hamburgers, and lots of kid friendly side dishes. I’ll probably do this one with a bunch of the other outside, at home ones while the food is cooking. No one says you can’t combine multiple ideas from the list at one time. 😉
11. Spend time star gazing.
Honestly, I feel like I don’t spend enough time simply enjoying the outdoors, especially at night time. Instead, I go inside the minute the sun is gone, preferring the bright warmth of my home.
This spring I plan on changing that and enjoying nature a little more. Disconnecting for a while and spending calming time with my kids while learning about our world sounds so peaceful. I also have a star gazing book I’ve been dying to put to use, so this will be the perfect time for that.
12. Blow bubbles.
Kids love, love, love to blow bubbles. All ages. Take some time to do this WITH them, and they’ll love it even more.
13. Draw with sidewalk chalk.
This is the perfect time to practice letters, numbers, sight words, name recognition, and art. The possibilities with sidewalk chalk are limitless. You can also pull out some classic sidewalk chalk games such as tic tac toe and hopscotch. Another fun idea is to draw lines on the ground and have your kids walk on them.
14. Have a picnic.
Kick off your shoes, settle back on a blanket, and unpack your picnic basket. Kids love to have picnics, and it is the perfect time to simply talk and unwind with your littles.
15. Read books outside.
So this probably won’t go as planned, but I envision all of us sitting calmly, relaxing while reading books outside. My kids will probably run around instead, but it gives me a good excuse to read outside and maybe, just maybe, my kids will join me for a little while.
16. Play hide and seek outside.
Face it, everyone in your house knows all of the hiding places inside. It isn’t even fun anymore when you already know where to look. Take the game outside now that the weather is nice!! Set a few ground rules to ensure that everyone remembers to be safe, pair a grown up or big kid with the toddlers, and search for new hiding places!!
17. Watch the sunset.
Is there anything more relaxing and breathtaking than a sunset? End one of your perfect spring days this way, and invite your kids to enjoy it, too.
18. Have a movie night.
Make it complete with popcorn, movie theater candy, and a yummy drink. Let loose a little and let your kids have a fun night laughing at their favorite movie with you and their siblings. It’ll be a night they’ll remember for years to come.
19. Make a spring craft.
I never need an excuse to make crafts, and if you give me an excuse, I may go a little bit crazy. Spring is the best time to do crafts because you can get a little bit messier than normal by moving craft time outside.
Paint a little more, use nature-inspired items on crafts, and maybe even incorporate some ice cubes or squirt guns. Luckily, Pinterest has TONS of options to choose from, and if you follow me on Pinterest I have a board already dedicated to it.
20. Play catch.
Baseball, football, whatever kind of ball you’ve got… just get outside and play catch. So many memories and bonding moments can happen during these seemingly little moments.
21. Paint rocks outside.
Go on an adventure and find your own rocks to paint! This will make them even more special. When you’re done you can save them or head out and hide them around town for others to find later.
22. Run barefoot in the grass.
My kids have already done this a million times this spring, so I think I can cross it off now.
23. Look for shapes in the clouds.
This is another time to lay back, unwind, and give your kids a chance to talk to you. Even better, it may just be a good time to laugh and be silly with them.
24. Shaving cream play outside.
Wear play clothes (or work clothes if you’re an adult), and get messy with shaving cream. I intend to work on letters, numbers, and sight words with my kids, but I know it’ll eventually turn into kids being covered in shaving cream. If it’s warm enough, you can just use a hose to clean off.
25. Have a bonfire.
In the spring, the evenings can be pretty chilly, so after the sun sets, light a fire and put on a hoodie to stay warm. Make it an even better night by roasting some marshmallows and making s’mores.
26. Go to yard sales.
Yard sale signs are the first indicator that spring is here. Stop by a few and let your kids grab a couple toys that may or may not break by the end of the day. You might get lucky and find some super cute home décor, a new patio set, or something even better.
27. Have a toy car carwash.
Get some hot wheels cars dirty and let your kids clean them with toothbrushes, soap, and water. If your kids are anything like my kids, they LOVE water play. Add in some cars and soap and it’s going to be the best day ever.
28. Watch a sports game.
This should be easy to do if you just hit up your local sports field on a Saturday morning. You’ll likely find soccer, baseball, tennis, or track this time of year.
If you have kids in spring sports, you’ve likely already watched a sports game or two this year. I’m in your boat, and I’ve written a post about how to survive spring sports season.
29. Go for a drive and find a new park.
I’m pretty sure that we’ve already played at every park near me, so this may take a trip to a nearby city. I love to explore and I know that my kids do, too, so I think it’ll be fun!! This may just have to be our picnic day.
30. Collect plants and other items to make into artwork.
You can make a collage, a picture frame, letters or a name, or anything else that you little artists come up with. Let them choose their own materials and follow their own ideas. It’ll be fun for everyone, and it is the perfect time to teach them (show them) about trial and error.
Things to Do This Spring Bucket List – Free Printable
My kids always LOVE to check items off of a list. They likely get this trait from their list-loving mother, but I’d say she isn’t that bad. 😉
Since we all agree that lists are awesome, I tend to create bucket list printables for every occasion. To thank you for reading my blog, I’m giving the printables away for FREE. Feel free to download and print the spring bucket list printable so that you never forget the 30 things to do this spring, and please send it along to a friend who may like one, as well!!
Okay, I may have gone a bit crazy and created three different printables, but I couldn’t help myself. Choose whichever one you like best!!! The link for each one is below the corresponding picture, just click where it says “Spring bucket list”.
Mmmmm tomatoes. One of my all time favorite foods. I can’t say the same for the rest of my family, however, but realistically, your child should eat tomatoes every day.
My little guy, Liam, is the only person in my house (other than myself) who likes tomatoes. And when I say he likes them, I mean he LIKES them. He eats them first every time I put them on his plate and then asks for more.
The rest of my kids (and even my husband) aren’t fans of tomatoes. They won’t touch them. It’s crazy to me because I eat them raw all the time.
I’ve been trying to push more tomatoes, though, because they are SO good for you. I’ll explain how I’ve been sneakily using more tomato later on in this post but first, I want to tell you WHY your child should eat tomatoes every day.
Why Your Child Should Eat Tomatoes Every Day
1. Helps prevent cancer
Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which has been proven to prevent cancer and slow down the growth of potentially cancerous cells. Higher amounts of lycopene are found in cooked tomatoes, so adding tomatoes to your baked dishes is even better.
2. Helps bone health
Two nutrients that are vital for maintaining and strengthening your bones are calcium and Vitamin K, both of which are found in tomatoes. In order for your child’s bones to repair themselves from minor injuries, they should be consuming a decent amount of those nutrients.
The antioxidants found in tomatoes also help promote the amount of calcium found in your body. Long term, the benefits of tomatoes can prevent osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
3. Good for heart health
It’s never too early to think about your child’s heart heath, and tomatoes can help with that. To prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other heart problems, Vitamin B and potassium are necessary. By making this a regular part of your child’s diet, you are setting them up for long-term heart health.
Teaching them to love tomatoes will also make them more likely to continue eating tomatoes when they are adults, further protecting their bodies from heart disease. A bonus, you and your spouse will also benefit from the Vitamin B and potassium.
4. Improves vision
Vitamin A, found in high amounts in tomatoes, is great for your eyesight. Not only can it improve your vision, but it also can prevent night blindness.
5. Prevents and fights against diabetes
If diabetes runs in your family, you should take extra precautions for your children. Tomatoes play an important role in preventing diabetes because it can help restore biochemicals that are off.
Additionally, the fiber found in tomatoes can make the symptoms of diabetes less severe. It has been found that fiber leads to a balancing of blood sugars, lipids, and insulin levels.
6. Good for mental health
The antioxidants in tomatoes can promote positive mental health. They can help decrease emotional stress and prevent neurodegenerative disease. With depression on the rise for children and teenagers, you should be especially receptive of anything that will help.
How to Get Your Child to Eat Tomatoes
Like I said before, only one of my kids actually enjoys eating tomatoes. Liam (my youngest) will munch on them all day if I’d let him (although with his eczema I definitely wouldn’t let him).
The others claim they don’t like tomatoes, so I have to sneak them into their diet in other ways. This is easier than it sounds and doesn’t involve a ton of prep work.
Some of the ways to get your child to eat tomatoes include:
Spaghetti sauce
Grilled cheese served with tomato soup for dipping
Raw tomatoes served with ranch
Add diced tomatoes to pasta dishes
Use tomato sauce as an ingredient in sauces or dips
Help your child grow a tomato plant. This is super easy, and they will be more likely to eat the tomatoes that they grew.
Final Thoughts On Reasons Your Child Should Eat Tomatoes
The reasons your child should eat tomatoes mainly revolve around health, but they are also an easy, quick, and healthy snack for when you are on the go, too. By teaching your child to love this food, you are protecting their health now and in the future. You’re also teaching them healthy eating habits and allowing them to take care of their own bodies as they get older.
What is your favorite way to incorporate tomatoes into your family’s diet? Do you ever have to sneak tomatoes into your child’s diet? Tell me about it in the comments!
In the past, Easter hasn’t been a very memorable holiday for my family. We celebrate with one side of the family the week before Easter, and then not at all with the other side of the family.
We would do Easter baskets in the morning, and then our big kids would head off to spend the day with their mom’s side of the family. The rest of us would just hang out at home and eat “normal day” foods for dinner. We always made it a fun day and spent lots of time playing with the littles, and we would make sure to do a small Easter egg hunt, but it was never an Easter worth remembering.
This year, I am looking forward to something completely different for Easter. I want this Easter to memorable and exciting, so I have spent the last few weeks searching for ideas and preparing for the big day, and I can’t wait until we get to celebrate!
10 Memorable Easter Ideas to Make This Year Special
1. Start the day with an Easter-themed breakfast
While the highlight of Easter morning is normally seeing what goodies the Easter bunny brought, breakfast could be a close second. I found the cutest Easter bunny pancakes while I was browsing Pinterest and immediately added them to my list of Easter festivities.
Since my little Liam is allergic to egg I will have to use my own recipe or substitute for the egg, but the idea will still be the same. I can’t wait to see my kids’ reaction when they see their Easter breakfast!!
I am absolutely in love with having fresh flowers displayed around my home. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also add a fresh scent to the air that can’t be faked in any way. Love, love, love it.
For me, Easter is the day when I really start to feel like Spring is here (or near). I am hoping my family all feels that way on Easter, and having flowers decorating the house should help with that.
I know many people cook on the grill on Easter but, for our family, that doesn’t seem very Easter-y. I mean, we cook on the grill so often during the spring and summer that I feel like it just makes Easter seem like any other day.
Having a traditional Easter dinner will make the day seem more festive and special, so my menu this year consists of ham, scalloped potatoes, Easter bunny shaped rolls, asparagus, carrots, and a variety of fruits.
4. Fill plastic Easter eggs with something other than candy
My kids get a ton of candy at our family Easter egg hunt so I hate buying them more candy for our own hunt. In the past, I have done it anyway and ended up with more candy than any family needs in a lifetime.
This year, I am going to fill the plastic Easter eggs with non-candy items instead. At first, I struggled to come up with a variety of items small enough for plastic Easter eggs so, in case you’re like me, I’m including my list of ideas for the Easter egg hunt.
Pieces of papers with numbers that correspond with a specific larger item (kite, bubbles, chalk, activity book, etc.)
Un-inflated balloons
Tiny figurines (Dollar General has Paw Patrol characters that are small enough to fit)
Fingernail polish
“Coupons” (stay up 30 minutes past bedtime, have an extra 30 minutes of screen time, choose your favorite snack at the store, no chores for a day/week, etc.)
Coin money
Paper money
Hotwheels cars (I had to open the package to fit the car in the egg)
Goldfish crackers
Raisins
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
5. Have an “Easter egg hunt” for adults (AKA: Beer hunt)
Easter isn’t just for the kids!! Get out there and have some fun. You deserve it after all the careful planning you did for Easter!
Have a non-drinking adult hide the beer around the yard, and then the rest of the adults all rush off to see how many they can find. You keep (and drink) whatever you find, of course!
6. Do memorable Easter crafts
Easter crafts can be done anytime leading up to Easter, so you can get extra creative with this ideas. This is handy because you won’t have to squeeze all of the fun stuff into one single day. It also makes it possible for you to help your littles with their crafts, or you can take the time to talk about the meaning of Easter while working on crafts with them.
On the actual day of, you can plan a craft that the kids can do all on their own since you’re likely to be pretty busy that day.
A fun idea for a craft during the Easter day celebration is coloring pages. Kids will be able to do this at their leisure, and they won’t require adult assistance.
7. In the week leading up, do Easter-themed activities
This might be my most favorite part of any holiday. Easter is the most fun because of the plastic Easter egg idea, though. You can use plastic Easter eggs for so many activities, learning concepts, and sensory play.
Dessert is my favorite part of the meal, so I plan on making it extra special. Just like with the adult Easter hunt, adults cannot be forgotten at dessert time, either. I plan on making a few desserts; one that the adults will love, one that the kids will love, and one that everyone will love. This way, no one will be disappointed.
You can help your kids get by until dinner with yummy Easter treats. I plan on bringing out one treat when we first start our celebration preparation, one while the food is cooking, and one later on while the adults are catching up. I want these treats to be Easter-themed, but also kind of interactive and fun.
I am so, so, so excited about this part. This idea came from the TV show on Netflix, and if you haven’t watched “Nailed It” on Nexflix, I highly recommend it. I already bought Easter cookie cutters and we are going to make sugar cookies in the shape of eggs, flowers, bunnies, and other Easter or spring inspired shapes.
Once the cookies are baked and cooled, we are going to choose a couple design ideas from Pinterest and have a challenge to see who can come closer to nailing the design.
Final Thoughts On Memorable Easter Ideas
Easter tends to be a “forgotten” holiday in our family. We don’t ignore the holiday or anything, but we have never gone all out before. This year, I plan on changing that. I want to make this Easter memorable for everyone in my family, adults included.
Tell me about your Easter plans!!! What traditions does your family follow? What new ideas do you want to implement?
The moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived… SPRING IS HERE!! Do you know what tiny little event most of us forgot about? Spring sports season AKA: THE BUSIEST SPORTS SEASON OF THE YEAR.
I am so serious… spring sports seem to be busier than any other season. This may all be in my head (and the yearning for a relaxing summer schedule doesn’t help), but it is a problem none-the-less.
This year has gotten even busier for me since my pre-schooler is signed up for t-ball. So now we have our oldest on the high school soccer team, our 11-year-old playing major league baseball, and our preschooler playing t-ball.
How Will We Survive the Spring Sports Season!?
When I realized that we would have so much going on every single day this spring, I began to panic. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t pretty.
Then, after taking a deep breath and reminding myself that I have to do this no matter what, I started brain storming. We have done spring sports every year, the only difference is that this year will be a little (or a lot) busier. I realized I needed a plan.
To start, I started thinking back on our past spring sports seasons and then took notes on the following:
The items I commonly found myself needing but didn’t have
Our dinner predicament
The lack of time I had for anything else in my life (self-care, housework, quality time)
How to be in multiple places at one time (impossible, obviously)
From there, I was able to compile a list of ways to survive the spring sports season this year.
5 Ways to Survive Your Child’s Sports Season
1. Keep an “emergency” bag in the car full of things you might need.
This bag should contain all of the things you find yourself needing, but you never seem to have with you. I always find myself in this predicament where I’m asking all the other moms for ibuprofen or a jacket. This method doesn’t always work for me, so this season I plan on being ahead of the game.
Some of the things I plan on keeping in my emergency bag are:
ibuprofen or Tylenol
bottled water
snacks (for the kids and I both)
a jacket (it gets chilly toward the end!)
sunglasses
sunscreen
small toys for the littles
I plan on keeping this bag in the car at all times, and my goal is to not have to re-pack it each night before heading out.
2. Plan ahead for dinner
I know I’m not the only parent who gets stuck hitting up a fast-food drive thru after practice most nights, right?! I can’t do that again this year! Not only does it leave me feeling like a terrible mom, but it also just makes me feel so unhealthy, bloated, and frustrated with myself.
This year, I plan on using my crock pot for the nights that I know we won’t have time to cook. For other nights, I plan on packing sandwiches and yummy sides to take with us to practice.
Another option is to cook meals that can be reheated the next night for a quick and easy dinner. I plan on using my meal planning printable religiously because sticking to the plan will be so much easier that way.
3. Squeeze in some “free time” whenever you can
OK, I know this might seem impossible, but it is SO important. Self-care is still important, even when your kids’ lives are extremely busy. You have to take advantage when your partner offers to handle all the running around once in a while, or you could ask one of the other moms to pick your child up for practice in exchange for a night where you do the same for her.
Figure something out so that you can get your housework caught up, read a book, watch your favorite TV show, or even take a long shower without interruptions. You can also use this time to spend some quality time with your other kiddos, because quality time can easily be pushed to the back of your mind during this busy time of year.
4. Become comfortable with saying “no”
You don’t have time for everything, and the sooner you admit to that the better off you will be. Be picky about what invitations you are accepting, and be comfortable admitting that you don’t have the time (or energy) to volunteer for a bunch of extra events.
5. Plan carpools with the other parents, or split forces
During the spring sports season you will be spending a large amount of your time with the other sports parents. Chances are, many of them are just as busy as you are this time of year. You can offer the other parents a deal that might just help you both out (and if it doesn’t help them, maybe they’ll just do it to be kind).
The deal:
You take the kids to practice one night, and the other mom does it the next night.
Now, if this doesn’t work for you, you can always split forces with your child’s other parent. Rotating who will be responsible for practice each night can help with your kids’ overlapping schedules. Parent one will be at baseball practice while parent two will be picking up the teenager from soccer practice, and then rotate the next night.
Final Thoughts on Ways to Survive the Spring Sports Season
The spring sports season brings so many mixed emotions for me. While it is the busiest time of the year, so chaotic, and a bit overwhelming, it is so much fun to watch my kids doing what they love and making memories that will last forever.
My goal for this year’s spring sports season is to enjoy every bit of it. With these tips, I’m pretty confident it’ll happen. I can use all the help I can get, however, so leave a comment and tell us your best spring sports season hacks.
Depression is on the rise in the United States, and it doesn’t discriminate against anyone. Once thought of as an issue that targets adults, depression in teenagers is actually alarmingly common.
Teenagers are under more pressure than ever, and they likely haven’t quite figured out how to manage it all. School, homework, extra curricular activities, studying, and all of the other activities that are packed into their short day can be downright overwhelming.
On top of that, there are social issues that they have to deal with. For instance, kids can be MEAN, and we may never know what is being said in the hallways or on social media. Our kids are bothered by what is said even if we have told them to ignore it.
While some kids adjust just fine and make it through their teenage years mostly unscathed, some teenagers aren’t as lucky. Depression can creep in and affect even the smartest, most popular, and coolest kids. Our teenagers may keep a straight face but still be bogged down by something that we can’t see.
What Is Depression?
It is normal (and completely okay) for your teenager to feel sad, down, or unmotivated once in a while. They may not want to do the things they normally do or hang out with their friends at times. This doesn’t mean they have depression.
Depression occurs when these instances become common occurrences and linger for longer than a few week or so. It may affect how well a teenager fulfills their duties at home and at school. The American Psychiatric Association defines it as,
a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
Teenagers of all ages, backgrounds, and family economic statuses can be affected by depression. It becomes more common as teens get older, but it can still affect even young teens.
Although teenagers from any background can suffer, there are instances where some teenagers are more likely to suffer from depression. Those instances include:
a family history of depression
pressure from school
excess peer issues
family problems
a move to another town or school
a lack of healthy problem-solving skills
a chemical imbalance in the brain
a lack of self-esteem
teenagers who become stressed out easily
teenagers who are naturally pessimistic
continued exposure to violence
history of neglect from their caretakers
history of abuse
extreme poverty
Signs and Symptoms of Teenage Depression
Sadness
Irritability
Disinterest in their usual hobbies
Change in appetite
Weight fluctuation
Lack of sleep or oversleeping
Low energy levels
Sense of guilt
Difficulty focusing
Suicidal thoughts
Self-harm
Feeling hopeless
Feeling like everyone would be better without them
Anxiety
Unexplained body aches
Hostility
What To Do If You Think Your Teenager Is Depressed
The first step is to have your child diagnosed with depression. If you think something is off, you want to know for sure what the problem is before attempting to treat it.
The diagnostic process is super simple and straightforward. The doctor will ask you and your teenager a series of questions. After that, a diagnosis should be determined.
Sometimes, the doctor will request blood tests to make sure that the depression isn’t related to a medical condition. Once that is determined, it is time to think about what to do to help your child.
Dealing with depression in your teenager can be scary, but some good news is that depression is the easiest mental disorder to treat. As a result, almost all of those who suffer respond positively to treatment. However, for it to be treated successfully you have to seek treatment.
There are two common treatment options which include:
antidepressant medication
psychotherapy (talking to a professional in an individual, couple, or group setting)
There are also self-help treatment options that you can try with your teenager at home to encourage long-term coping skills. These options include:
In addition to these treatment options, you can do a couple of things on your own to try to protect your child. You can learn how to keep your child safe online, and even set up a cell phone contract to help buffer the social media issues that are so prevalent today. Another way to help your child, you can make it a point to spend a little more one-on-one time with your teenager. For those who won’t thrive in their immediate surroundings, it can be worth looking into rehab facilities for teens to get them expert help and advice in different environments created for their success and well-being.
If you think your teenager is depressed, it is SO important to seek treatment right away.
Final Thoughts on Depression in Teenagers
Depression in teenagers is on the rise, and it is important to look out for the signs and symptoms of teenage depression. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide or other destructive behavior. It can significantly alter your child’s life.
Most of the time, depression in teenagers is surprisingly easy to treat. With the right treatment, the signs and symptoms of teenage depression can be significantly reduced.
Kids are becoming technology savvy at such a young age, and it is inevitable that they will someday have a cell phone. Even if a cell phone doesn’t have data service, preteens and teenagers use apps that do all the same things (and more!) as a phone that has data. A WiFi connection is the only requirement for connecting with people from all over the globe, so I came up with a cell phone contract to help keep them safe online.
Preteens and teenagers oftentimes have the mindset that the bad things that happen in the world won’t happen to them. Even if they understand the risks, sometimes they make mistakes without thinking things through.
With all of the dangers in the online world, it is important to keep our kids as safe as possible. The first step to this is talking to them about what is allowed and what isn’t. This gives them the opportunity to understand the expectations and to ask questions.
My Solution? A Cell Phone Contract For Preteens and Teenagers.
My kids are responsible for paying for their own data each month. The phones are usually gifts and we cover any insurance costs, but the data must be paid by them.
Neither of them has a job, but we have a detailed chore chart that has each chore listed and how much they will be paid to do it. At the end of the week, I pay them. They can earn as much or as a little as they want, and it is entirely up to them if they want data. Chances are, they do, so it isn’t an issue for us.
I created two versions of the cell phone contract for preteens and teenagers so that I could share them with you. One contract has a bullet point for paying for their own data and one does not.
What Happens If They Break The Contract?
My kids (14 and 11 years old) understand that if they break the cell phone contract they will be punished. Having a cell phone is a HUGE privilege, so the phone is taken away anytime they fail to follow the contract.
The first time they break the contract they lose their cell phone for one week. For each additional offence, one week is added. My teenager broke 3 rules at one time, so she lost her cell phone for 3 weeks.
If she breaks any of those 3 rules again, her time without a phone will be doubled. If she broke a different rule next time it would only be a one-week punishment because she hadn’t broken that one before. Does that make sense?
I know that kids will slip up, so this is a huge learning experience for them and myself. Each time they get their phone back we go over the contract again.
Final Thoughts
Online safety is important to me, and it is so important for our children to understand the dangers. I want to be up front and clear about what is expected of them when they are on the internet and interacting with others. Not only do I want them to be safe, I want them to be respectful, as well.
What do you do to make sure your children understand and practice online safety? Tell me about it in the comments. 🙂
When your child begins going to school they will be more successful if they have an expansive vocabulary. Not only will it help them communicate and understand better, but it will also help them learn to read. This is why it is so important to build your child’s vocabulary.
The vocabulary that your child already knows and is familiar with will be what they build their reading skills on. Knowing more words allows children to understand words and stories better, but it also helps them determine what a new word means based on the context of the rest of the sentence.
This all goes back to having a decent vocabulary. You can help build your child’s vocabulary at home before they ever even begin preschool. It isn’t difficult to do, it simply takes consistency on your part.
Ways To Build Your Child’s Vocabulary At Home
1. Talk with your child.
Have normal conversations about all parts of your daily life together. Don’t refrain from using words that the child might not understand right away, and avoid using “baby talk” altogether as it could hinder the process. The child will use the context of the conversation to begin forming a meaning for the unknown words that you use.
In an article written by William O’Grady for the Cambridge Extra (an online linguistics magazine), O’Grady explained that,
“Children need to hear language being used to talk about things …. This is the type of speech that provides children with the raw material they need to learn a language…”.
By talking with your children about normal, everyday things, you are helping them learn to determine the meaning of a word, how to use it in a sentence, how to ask questions and all other aspects of language.
2. Read with your child every day.
One of the best ways to build your child’s vocabulary is to read with them every single day. Every time you read a book with your child, you are helping them learn new sounds and words. Over time, they will start to use the context to fully understand, but they must develop a decent vocabulary before this is possible.
While reading a book, it is also the perfect time to stop and explain new words to your child. If you notice a word that they may not have heard before, you can ask them if they know the word and, if they don’t, you can help them understand. You will be able to explain it in a child-friendly way while also explaining to them how that new word fits into the story (the context).
3. Avoid introducing too many words at once.
Children will never remember the words you are trying to teach them if you introduce a bunch all at once. Their little minds need a manageable amount of information. No more than 5 words should be introduced at once.
You can, however, add a previously taught word into the mix along with the 5 new words. This will just help solidify the word that was already taught and won’t overwhelm them.
4. With the help of your child, create a child-friendly definition for new words.
After you explain what a word means, try to come up with a more child-friendly version of that definition. Ask your child what they think the word means, and form the definition from what they say. You will want to clear up any misunderstandings, but try to keep the language the same.
5. Ensure repeated exposure to the word.
When a new word has been introduced to your child, it is up to you to enforce repetition of that word. Without repeated exposure, your child will likely forget the word completely.
6. Show the child an example.
You can show your child an example by showing them a picture. If a picture isn’t an option, show them something that describes the word. For instance, if you are teaching your child the word “furry”, you could show them (and let them feel) the fur of a dog or cat.
7. Show your child the word.
Write the word down and show it to them. Or, if it is printed in a book, show them which word it is. Seeing the word written can help them remember it later.
If your child can write, you could even have them write the word on their own. This also promotes letter recognition.
8. Have your child say the word.
Saying the word is probably one of the best ways for your child to commit the word to memory. By having the child use their auditory sense, they will be able to recall the word more easily next time.
9. Show your child how YOU figure out unfamiliar words.
Let’s face it, everyone struggles with a new word every once in a while, even adults. When you come across a word that you aren’t familiar with, try to figure it out by speaking out loud about it. Let your child see how you figure out a new word. They do learn from you, after all.
Final Thoughts On Ways To Build Your Child’s Vocabulary
Children will be more successful in school if they have a more expansive vocabulary. Not only will it make the process of learning to read a little easier for them, but it will also help them communicate better.
In order for your child to have a large vocabulary, you should spend time teaching your child new words. You can do this by reading and talking to them, promoting the regular use of new words, having them say the words, and by writing the words. Creating a child-friendly definition and example helps, as well, as does showing them how you figure out new words.
Which of these 9 tips you are planning on trying out to build your child’s vocabulary? Do you have any additional tips? Tell me about it in the comments!
The New Year is already here, and I just sat down this morning to figure out my New Year’s Resolution. I wanted it to actually be achievable goals for the New Year. It was a tough call because I can honestly say I won’t be going to the gym every day (or even once a week… I have 5 kids LOL), I also won’t ALWAYS eat healthily so I’m not going to restrict myself there, either. Every resolution that I considered just didn’t seem right.
I instead thought about what areas of my life I wanted to improve in, and things that I wanted to learn about. It seemed that everything I desire fits into two categories:
Instead of heading into the rest of the year with vague resolutions to improve finances, improve our home, and focus on family, I decided to make a list of how I can accomplish all of those things.
I didn’t go overboard. There are so many more things I could have added to my list, but I wanted to start with an achievable goal. I figure that I will be more likely to follow my goals through when I actually have a goal that seems possible, instead of a vague idea to work toward the goal.
I didn’t want this: Spend more time with family. Instead, I wanted something specific: Dates with kids weekly.
Then, I even went further into it and wrote:
“Dates with kids weekly. One kid each week, rotating schedule. After 5 weeks of individual kid dates, one big family outing. Then start over.
Not all of my achievable goals for the New Year were that long, either. That was probably the most complicated one. (List of all 10 of my goals for the New Year will be listed at the end of the post).
Later tonight I plan on sitting down and making a concrete schedule of dates with the kids. I may make and print out a calendar of the whole year and write it on there. Then I can put it into a binder so that the kids can always look and see when their next date is.
Plus, it might be fun to put a memento from the date in the binder afterward. Then, next year on New Year’s Eve we can look back at all of our date memories from the year.
I wanted to figure out a plan to implement each of the things I wanted to achieve. Once I narrowed it all down and wrote out my detailed list, all of the fun ideas came naturally when I began typing up my plans. The “date binder” was one of those that just came as I was planning.
So – back to the achievable goals for the New Year. Instead of just choosing one or two vague ideas of which areas I wanted to improve in, I came up with 10 smaller achievable goals.
10 Achievable Goals For The New Year
Follow chore/payment chart (blog post about that is coming soon so check back!!)
Start seeing a larger increase in the savings account.
Hire someone to do the yard work. (so serious. we can never keep up and I’m sick of stressing about it.)
FREAKING LAUNDRY. (and yes, this is how I wrote it on my list. I guess this one might be vague but I will be typing a schedule for everyone in the house to follow.)
Dates with kids weekly. One kid each week, rotating schedule. After 5 weeks of individual kid dates, one big family outing. Then start over. (We have 5 kids, hence the 5 weeks. If you have less/more, adjust the number accordingly).
Crunch numbers for vacations for the year before January 14th. Come up with a savings plan and a plan of when to make payments by February 1st.
Lose 40 pounds. 10 pounds every 3 months. First goal: Lose 10 pounds by March 1st.
Buy “clutter baskets” for each person in the home. Put anything they’ve left lying around the house in those baskets and distribute accordingly after school.
Final Thoughts On Achievable Goals For The New Year
All 10 of these goals are achievable goals for the new year. I won’t have to make a HUGE change in my lifestyle, I’ll just have to plan a little better and look for ways to cut costs while also making more money. Plus, I just need a plan to contain all the freaking clutter that my family accumulates each day.
I never follow through with my New Years Resolutions because I never come up with a list of ways to actually accomplish my goals in life. This time is different.
It may sound crazy to have 10 New Years Resolutions, but if they really are achievable goals for the new year, you can hit your goal sooner and see all the progress you have made. Plus, when you do accomplish one, you can come up with an even bigger goal next time.
Did you set any goals for yourself for the New Year? Tell me about them in the comments!
As a mom, I wanted to be home with my littles. I worked a full-time job, and I was depressed every single day because I would have to drop my littles off with a babysitter and spend the next 9 hours away from them. When I picked them up at the end of the day, they were usually grumpy and clingy. Then, we would get home, have dinner, work on homework with the big kids, give baths, and then it was bedtime. I had to make money in order to supplement my husband’s income, so it wasn’t possible for him to be the only one making money.
I felt like I literally never had time to cuddle, play, and spend time with my kids. It was so hard on me. Plus, the cost of child care was just ridiculous, it didn’t make much sense to work. I quit my job and began trying different things to make staying at home a long-term possibility.
What I Tried
I began my stay-at-home mom journey thinking I would open my own daycare out of my home. Quickly, I realized that it wasn’t for me. I felt like I never left work, I still wasn’t able to give my kids the attention I wanted to give them, and I was more overwhelmed and stressed out than before. Plus, it made my house SO MESSY.
Next, I decided to try freelance writing. I began researching, and I found my niche there. This one really does work for me, but I’ll get more into that later.
Then, there was taking surveys. This works, but it isn’t something I still do. Again, I’ll get to that more in just a little while.
I’ve tried direct sales in the past and those are just definitely not for me. I don’t like to sell, apparently, and I hate making my friends and family feel obligated to buy things that they don’t really want.
I’ve also tried selling clothes on the Facebook marketplace, doing transcription work, and rating ads on Facebook. I have tried a wide variety of ways to make money from home, and a handful of things I have tried have worked to help me earn more than $1,000 a month!
How it Has Helped My Family
$1,000 a month may not seem like a ton of money, but it has really made all the difference in living paycheck to paycheck and having a little spending money each month.
There were months in the past when we couldn’t even pay all of our bills. This resulted in late fees, overdraft charges, and it was incredibly detrimental to mine and my husband’s credit scores. It would seem like no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t get ahead and stay in a good place financially.
I am so serious when I say that this $1,000+ every month has helped us reach our short-term financial goals, keeping us ahead of our bills, leaving money for saving, and for doing fun things as a family. Now we will be able to begin saving for the bigger expenses, such as putting new flooring in our home or remodeling our kitchen.
5 Ways to Make Money from Home
Freelance Writing –
This is, without a doubt, my favorite way to make money as a stay-at-home mom. I love to write, and if I had known it could be so easy to do online, I would have done it YEARS ago. After doing my research, I determined that TextBroker was the best place for me to start since I had never done freelance work before. I started out as a 3-star writer and quickly made my way up to a 4-star writer. As a 4-star writer, I earn .014 cents per word. So, for an article that is 2,500 words, I would earn $35. I get paid from Textbroker every Friday.
What I do on TextBroker is choose a job from a wide variety of topics, read the client briefing, and decide if I want to accept that job. They are all writing jobs, obviously. I actually write quite a few blog posts on TextBroker. By submitting the article to them, I am giving them permission to list themselves as the author. I no longer own the writing once I have submitted it to them.
Rating ads on Facebook –
I do this through a company called Appen. Appen used to be called LeapForce, so maybe you have heard of them before. I applied with Appen without fully understanding what the job was. It’s not that I was oblivious to what I was applying for, I kind of understood, but there are many different projects available. I applied for a few different projects, and I was accepted to the Nile Project. The Nile Project pays $11 per hour to rate ads on Facebook. It is SO easy. Tedious, but easy. The only catch is that you can only work 1 hour per day on this project. That’s okay, though, because it quickly adds up. I only get paid from Appen one time a month. There are more opportunities on Appen that don’t require rating ads, but that is the only one that I currently do.
Simple –
Simple is actually a bank account that I use for my spending money. I also make around $200 a month on Simple. I just tell people about the bank account, all of the perks that it has, and then I send them my link to sign up with. They will receive a debit card in the mail and, once they activate their account, I transfer $1 into their account (I never even need to know their account information, other than their e-mail address). They spend the $1 that I sent, and then I get $20, and they also get $20. It’s a win/win for both of us!! Plus, they get an awesome bank account out of the deal, too.
I wouldn’t typically do something like this to earn money, but I am actually so in love with Simple that I tell people about it all the time. Might as well make some money by talking about it, right?! I love it so much because it has the option to add savings goals. When you enter your goal, it tells you how much you have to save each month/week/pay period, and as long as you do it each time, your goal happens on track. There are separate areas you can put the money for each goal, too.
I have 4 goals going for myself right now. One is more mine and hubby’s annual trip to South Haven, one is for a Chicago trip with the kids, one is for new flooring, and the other is for Christmas next year. I love this option, and I love how easy it is to use it. Plus, I love that it is so easy to read and figure out.
Another awesome part about Simple is that it has an area to input all of your expenses. Since this account is the one I use for spending, I actually haven’t had to input any bills. Instead, I input things like groceries and gas, because I consider those to be my spending.
If you are interested in Simple, just click the link, send me an email, or drop a comment below. I will, of course, help you out and answer any of your questions.
Start a blog –
There are so many ways you can make money with a blog. You can make money through affiliate sales, ads, and sponsored posts. Those are just a few of the options… the possibilities are pretty much endless. Having a blog is also SO much fun. I love being able to express myself, be creative, and meet other people like me in the blogging community. There is no pressure with having a blog because you can do it all on your terms. If you start a self-hosted blog, you have full control of all aspects of your blog.
I have a self-hosted blog through Bluehost, and I use WordPress as the platform. If I wasn’t self-hosted and just used a free site from somewhere like WordPress, I might not be able to make money in the process. It is so easy to set up a blog, and so much fun once you get started.
If you are interested in how to start a blog and what to do once you have started one, I wrote a blog post about it a while ago. Feel free to ask me about this anytime!
Taking surveys –
Taking surveys is fun and all, but it is very time-consuming. I don’t actually do this one to earn extra money, but I have in the past. My 14-year-old stepdaughter recently just started doing it herself and has actually earned a decent amount of money with it. She wanted to earn some money for Christmas shopping, and she has almost finished buying everything she wanted to buy. It definitely does earn you some money, just not as much as other options.
How I Do It
So for me, I prefer to use TextBroker, Appen, and Simple to make $1,000 or more each week. At a minimum, I work to earn $200 a month on Appen, $600 a month with TextBroker, and $200 a month with Simple. When I have a goal in mind, I can always work a couple extra days with Appen, or accept one more article than normal on TextBroker. With Simple, it is more about getting lucky when someone agrees to use your link to set up a bank account, so I don’t usually push myself to talk about Simple anymore than I normally do. Textbroker is the easiest way for me to earn even more money each month.
I have 5 kids… their ages are 14, 10, 4, 3, and 1. I obviously cannot work for eight hours a day. Between meal times, play times, preschool drop off and pick up, I have to squeeze work time in at specific parts of the day. This usually means waking up before the kids and knocking out an hour of work. Then later, at nap time, I squeeze in another 2 hours of writing (if I’m lucky).
Sometimes after I pick my preschooler up I can put a movie on and let them eat popcorn in the living room while I finish up what I had been working on at nap time. The rest of my work has to wait until after the kids’ bedtime. After they go to bed, I work for an hour (two at the most) and then have to stop to spend time with my husband. It is a little complicated, but I make it all work out. All of that may have confused you, so here is an easier glimpse of my daily schedule as a work-from-home mom:
My Work/Mom Schedule
5:30 AM – Wake up, making coffee, wake 14 y/o up for school
5:40 AM – Work for one hour (usually TextBroker)
6:40 AM – Wake other 4 kids up for school and get the toddlers/preschooler dressed. Feed everyone.
7:40 AM – Leave for preschool drop off
8:20 AM – Arrive home, begin playing, reading, and singing with the toddlers. Snack time during.
10:00 AM – Craft/activity or table toys
11:00 AM – lunch, and then we clean up the house
12:00 PM – nap time
12:15 PM – Mama works
2:15 PM – If toddlers aren’t already awake (they usually are), I wake them up and get them ready to go.
2:40 PM – Leave for preschool pickup
3:20 PM – Return home. Sometimes turn on a movie, have a snack, and mom finishes some work.
4:15 PM – My 10-year-old gets home from school, homework and talking and playing follow
5:30 PM – Daddy comes home!! YAY!
6:30 PM – Dinner should be ready to serve
7:30 PM – Baths and bed
8:30 PM – Mama Works
Every day for us is very busy and I feel like I am always on the go, or something is always waiting to be done. I love it, though, and I wouldn’t change it for the world because I love being home with my kids. Being able to take a spontaneous day off just because I want to spend extra time with my littles is the best part about working from home. I love making it to class parties and other school events, too. Every bit of this schedule is worth it to me.
Final Thoughts on Making Money From Home
It doesn’t have to be hard to make money from home. I make money online every single day, and I can work as much or as little as I want. You are literally your own boss, and that is so amazing. You can take time off whenever you want, work overtime if you want, or just work for one hour every day. It doesn’t get much better than that.
With the ways I have begun working from home, I can look ahead at my finances or goals, and work extra hard one week to meet a need or want. Being able to decide how much money I am going to make that week is so cool to me. It really puts me in control of my finances, and I work so much better that way. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have found, and I know it is only up from here.
If you have any questions about how to make money from home, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I wish I had found these opportunities sooner, and if I can help you out at all, I would love to do so!
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