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Family Activities For the Home Holiday Home How To Organization Our Family Parenting

Achievable Goals For The New Year

Achievable goals for the new year

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:

  • Finances
  • Home improvement
  • Routine
  • Family
achievable goals for the new year

Why This Didn’t Work For Me

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.

achievable goals for the new year

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

achievable goals for the new year
  1. Follow chore/payment chart (blog post about that is coming soon so check back!!)
  2. Start seeing a larger increase in the savings account.
  3. Hire someone to do the yard work. (so serious. we can never keep up and I’m sick of stressing about it.)
  4. 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.)
  5. 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).
  6. 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.
  7. Post a new blog post 1 time per week.
  8. Make $150 on TextBroker every week.
  9. Lose 40 pounds. 10 pounds every 3 months. First goal: Lose 10 pounds by March 1st.
  10. 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.
achievable goals for the new year

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!

achievable goals for the new year
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Gifts Holiday Home

5 Simple Tips To Get Away With Re-gifting

Before anyone gets offended, this post about re-gifting is *mostly* a joke. You know you’ve done it, though. 😉

We all get little gifts that we may never use… and what do we do with them? Do you store them in a closet for years and forget all about them, or do you re-gift them to someone who may actually get a use out of it?

Re-gifting can be tricky, and you’re taking a chance of someone being offended by your actions. If you do it right, though, no one will ever know, right?!

Before you re-gift something, here are a few tips you should follow.

Tips for re-gifting

Tips For Re-gifting

1. Make sure you don’t re-gift the gift to the person who originally gave it to you.

I know people who have “re-gifting closets” or a “re-gifting shelf” where they store all items they want to re-gift until an occasion comes up that requires a gift. This could be a great idea… until it’s not.

What if you stored a gift in the “re-gifting closet” and then a couple months pass and you need a house-warming gift? You suddenly remember that baking set you got for Christmas a couple months before and you rush to get it and wrap it up. You arrive at the house-warming party, set the gift down, and set about mingling. Fast forward to when it is time to open gifts.

The host of the party begins to open your gift, only to realize that you gifted her (or him) the same present that they had given you for Christmas. When this happens, you will both be embarrassed… the host because you obviously didn’t like the gift they got you, and you are embarrassed because you accidentally re-gifted a gift to the person who originally gave you the gift!!

This could be a problem if you give the gift and another guest at the party recognizes it as the one they gave you, as well.

You have to be careful if you are ballsy enough to re-gift. Maybe tape a piece of paper to the gift that says who gave it to you so that you can prevent a similar situation from happening.

2. Remember to remove the original gift tag.

If there is a gift tag on the bag or the package that the gift is in, make sure you remove it. Nothing will make it a more obvious re-gift than leaving a gift tag right on the gift that says the gift was FOR you, from someone else.

3. Don’t let your kids know you are re-gifting.

Not only do they have big mouths and may possibly blab to the new recipient that the gift was actually given by someone else, they may also pick up bad habits. If they see you re-gifting something you received, they may think it’s okay to not show appreciation. They may also tell the original gift-giver that you didn’t like your gift and gave it to someone else.

4. Don’t give the gift to someone who personally knows the original gift-giver.

Could you imagine one of your good friends giving you a gift and then seeing it in another friend’s home? I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to make the connection. This could happen with family members, as well.

5. Just keep it.

This is the easiest option. It may collect dust in your closet, but at least your conscience is clear. Plus, there is no chance of the original gift giver or the new gift receiver finding out about the re-gift. You will also be setting a good example for your kiddos.

If you have a best friend, sibling, or even child who would appreciate the gift, just give it to them. Don’t wrap it and claim it as a gift you thought of and picked out on your own. Let them know that you thought of them when you opened it and that you think they would get more use out of it than you would.

Final Thoughts on Re-gifting

Re-gifting can be a tricky situation. While you’d hate to have a gift taking up closet space, you could spare the feelings of all involved by either re-gifting carefully and thoughtfully, or you could just choose to keep the gift.

This is an opportunity to set a good example for your kids, as well. You can say thank you, show appreciation, and then keep the gift that was chosen for you. This may teach your kids to be appreciative and polite.

Another option: You could just give (not as a gift) the item to someone close to you. Make it clear that you received it from someone else but don’t think you’ll use it very much.

We have all re-gifted something at one point in our lives, though, so if you choose to do so this holiday season, remember to follow these tips. Everyone will be spared the hurt/embarrassment associated with re-gifting, and your kids won’t be given the wrong idea.

Have you ever re-gifted something you received? What was it and how did it work out for you?

If you haven’t re-gifted, can you give tips on what to do with the gift instead if you will not be personally using it? Leave a comment!

five tips for re-gifting
Categories
Home How To Our Family Parenting

5 Ways to Make Money From Home

make money from home

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.

MAke money from home make money from home

5 Ways to Make Money from Home

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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!

  5. 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!

Categories
Family Activities For the Home Holiday How To Winter

8 Ways to Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

8 Ways to Get Your Fireplace Ready for Winter

With cold weather coming, you are probably ready to warm up in front of your fireplace. Not only will you stay warm, but your house will also heat up without raising your electricity bill. Before you start a fire, however, you must get your fireplace ready for winter. Doing so will protect your home from a house fire.

Whether this is your first time ever using the fireplace or if you use it every single year, you should complete the process before using it for the season.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter, Fireplace, Fireplace safety, get fireplace ready, home, home safety, get home ready for winter, winter, get ready for cold

How to Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

Clean and Inspect the Firebox

You only have to clean it if it wasn’t cleaned out the year before. Any soot or old wood in the firebox should be removed. When you’re removing soot, you should wet it down before removing it to avoid having the ash go into the air.

Once the firebox is cleaned, you should look for any cracks or areas that are missing mortar. Make note of those areas so you can have them repaired.

Inspect the Fue and Damper

The flue and damper regulate the airflow inside the chimney. If they are dirty, they may not open and close properly. You should clean them, and then make sure they are working properly.

Inspect the Gasket

The gasket seals the door and should be inspected every year before the fireplace is used. The door should also be checked for damage. Damaged or missing gaskets can cause too much oxygen to reach the fire, which may cause a house fire.

Clean the Blower

Some fireplaces have a blower, so if yours has one, it needs to be cleaned every year. If you don’t, buildup can occur.

Have your Chimney Swept

Once a year, you should call a professional to sweep your chimney. Oftentimes, soot and debris are left in the chimney from the previous winter. When this happens, it can cause a house fire if it isn’t cleaned out before being used the following year. A professional should always do the chimney sweeping because they have the necessary equipment and expertise.

Inspect the Outside of the Chimney

Check for cracks, loose bricks, or missing mortar in the structure of the chimney and the lining. Make a note of anything you see that may be an issue.

Have any Damages Repaired When You Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

A professional should handle all of the repairs. Professionals have the proper materials to fix both the inside and the outside of the fireplace. Plus, a reliable professional (read reviews before hiring anyone!!) knows for certain what they are doing. If the repairs are done incorrectly, it could cause a house fire.

Make Sure the Fireplace Has a Cap

Having a cap on your chimney prevents birds, rain, leaves, small animals, and other debris from going into the chimney. You will want to make sure yours is still there and that it doesn’t need to be repaired or replaced.

What to do When Your Fireplace is Ready

Before you light the first fire of the season, make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. If they aren’t, replace the batteries or install new detectors.

Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

After that, you can sit back, read a book, and get cozy in front of your fireplace.

Categories
Allergies Our Family Parenting

Living With Allergies – Our Journey to the Diagnosis

When Liam was just a couple of months old, we knew something was wrong. It didn’t seem life-threatening, but it was stressful and sad that our baby had to go through the vomiting, breakouts, and upset tummy every single day. At first we never even considered that we might be dealing with allergies.

His pediatrician was no help at all. She kept brushing off our concerns by saying things like, “Oh it’s JUST eczema” or “His digestive system isn’t completely developed yet, just sit him up after feedings”. So… we continued trying to control his eczema (which itched so bad it would make him bleed) and kept sitting him up after feedings while he puked up EVERYTHING that he just ate.

I was in tears most days. My son, my BABY, had scabs and sores on his face around his mouth from scratching at the eczema on his face so much. I felt like I couldn’t even take him in public without people judging me as a mother. That’s selfish, I know. But if you could have seen some of the looks I’d get after people saw his face. It was terrible. I did everything his pediatrician recommended to keep it under control and when those methods didn’t work, I went to the internet for tips. Those didn’t work, either.

 

Would Formula Help?

Continuing my internet search, I was trying to figure out what was causing all of these problems. When I typed in the symptoms, I kept getting results that said Liam had allergies. I was breastfeeding and began thinking something in my milk was causing the reactions, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the trigger was. We decided to put Liam on formula and stop giving breast milk altogether.

The formula didn’t help, either, though. So then I had the added guilt of no longer breastfeeding added to all my other mom-guilts.

 

6 Months

When the vomiting wouldn’t stop even after he was 6 months old (that is the magic age his pediatrician kept telling us), I couldn’t take it anymore. We switched pediatricians. The new pediatrician gave us some new ideas to try but, since he didn’t know much about Liam’s history except what we told him, he would have to monitor it before he could determine what the underlying cause was. Fair enough.

We started trying the new ideas for controlling everything and then just a couple weeks after switching to the new pediatrician, we felt like we were getting some answers. We actually saw a nutritionist at our local WIC office and she suggested that Liam may have a dairy allergy. All of his issues were signs of allergies and, more specifically, a dairy allergy or sensitivity. She wanted us to try changing his formula to one without dairy.

I immediately called his pediatrician who said that it was a great thing to try and that it was going to be his next suggestion anyway. We started the new formula that same day.

Liam stopped vomiting as often, and he did get some relief from his eczema. The problems never fully went away, though, but we were thankful for even a little relief.

 

Fast forward to April when Liam was 14 months old.

I made scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast and Liam was loving it. He had been eating eggs regularly for about two months and loved them. Well, as he was eating his scrambled eggs, I noticed he was itching around his mouth. We still struggled with eczema around his mouth so I immediately started stressing and saying, “stop itching buddy, you’re going to make yourself bleed”. I moved his hands away from his mouth a couple of times and then started cleaning up the kitchen. I looked over at Liam and his entire face was covered in hives. COVERED.

I grabbed the eggs from in front of him, picked him up, and started washing his hands and face. As soon as that was done, I called his pediatrician’s office and they said to give Benedryl and watchfor signs of an anaphylactic reaction. I was TERRIFIED. Nothing like this had ever happened before, and I had NO IDEA that he may be allergic to eggs.

With all of my research on allergies, eggs had never even seemed like a problem.

I wouldn’t let him sleep in his crib that day because I wanted to keep an eye on him nonstop. The next day we took him to the doctor and were told to try the “baked egg” challenge. This is where you feed the child something that has egg baked in it. So cake, brownies, something like that. We did, and he reacted again. The doctor said to stop eggs immediately and completely and referred us to an allergist.

The Diagnosis

We met with the allergist and Liam was tested for the big 6 allergies. Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, dairy, gluten. He only reacted to eggs during the test, and it was determined that he had a SEVERE EGG ALLERGY. We would need to carry an epi-pen at all times, as the allergist thought the allergy might become even worse.


The Struggle

Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep your child away from eggs? He eats anything and everything, so if someone leaves a snack cake around, Liam will eat it. He doesn’t understand allergies, so he doesn’t know any better. If he sees ranch on someone’s plate and he can reach it, guess who is eating the ranch? It is SO HARD. There are even some brands of granola bars that have eggs in them! Pesto? Nope. Donut Sundays were canceled in our house, and my older toddlers learned to ask, “does it have egg?” whenever someone tried to give Liam a snack. My big kids learned to read an ingredient label, and we all learned to not feed Liam anything that doesn’t have a label.

When we go to restaurants we have to ask the server to put in an allergy alert and make sure his food is cooked separately. We have to wipe down high chairs and tables with disinfectant cleaner, even if they already appear clean. Sylas (he’s 4 Y/O) always says to our servers when we order Liam’s food “Make sure it doesn’t have egg, please. He’s allergic”. And even when he says this when I am ordering a hotdog for Liam, or a plate of fruit, I don’t correct him and tell him that it’s not necessary to ask, because you never know when it WILL be necessary for this additional reminder.

Re-creating our favorite recipes to be egg-free has been tricky, as well. Fried chicken? We have to dredge it in buttermilk now. Fettucini Alfredo? That’s just a nope because I don’t like the cauliflower version. Chicken fried rice? We haven’t had it since we found out about the allergy.

 

The Scare

It is terrifying that my son may mistakenly be exposed to something that can cause him to stop breathing. With allergies, our lives instantly became a little more meticulous and careful. Our awareness of ingredients and “safe foods” became an obsession.

Liam still wants to eat eggs. If he sees someone eating one he’ll yell “want egg!” over and over again until the egg is out of his sight. He hasn’t yet learned what it could do to him. He just knows that he isn’t getting what someone else is having. I’m afraid to leave him with a babysitter due to this. I also have to ask, “Do you know how to administer an epi-pen?” to every single person I leave him with. And then I’m still not comfortable.

This is what life with an allergy kid looks like. It is scary, and please don’t mind when I am overly obsessive about anything my child touches. Don’t take offense if you see me wiping down chairs and tables are your house. I just never know when that surface had been touched by something with egg.

 

Need Some Tips for Cooking with Allergies?

If you are familiar with food allergies, you understand what we are going through. I am going to start posting allergy-friendly versions of favorite foods, so keep an eye out for that!

Do you know an allergy kid or does your child have allergies? Is there a recipe you would like that is allergy-friendly? Let me know in the comments!

Categories
Holiday Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Toys

Gift Ideas for a 3 Year Old Girl

Christmas is coming so we all have a whole list of people to buy for. It can become overwhelming trying to find the PERFECT gift for so many people. A gift guide can come in handy for that. We have five kids and a large extended family so, while I LOVE shopping for gifts, sometimes I draw a blank on what gift to give to a certain person and I look for gift ideas online.

When I have to buy gifts for a child of a different age range than I am familiar with, I look on Pinterest for a gift guide. Do you do the same? If you do, I can help you out with some of those. I’m starting with a gift guide for a 3-year-old girl first because my daughter’s birthday is coming up.

My daughter is turning 3 years old next week!! It is so unbelievable.

I’m excited about her birthday because I know she is going to LOVE her gifts. She is a girly girl, but she also doesn’t mind playing rough and getting dirty.

The only problem is, she already has the stuff she really loves. We don’t want to buy her toys that she will get bored with, and we don’t have space for many more large objects. In desperate need of gift ideas, I turned to Amazon.

Once I began looking on Amazon, things just started standing out to me that I KNOW he will love. I’m sure you all run into that with the kids in your life, too. Gift giving can become tricky. That is where a nice gift guide full of gift ideas comes in handy.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Gift Guide for 3 year old

Gift Ideas For a 3-Year-Old Girl

JaxoJoy Complete Kids Cooking and Baking Set – 11 Pcs

gift for a 3 year old girl

My daughter loves to pretend she is a chef or baker, dressing up and pretending to cook. She also loves to wear an apron and chef hat while she helps me make dinner or bake brownies. She would be so excited to unwrap her own chef set.

This JaxoJoy Complete Kids Cooking and Baking chef set comes with an apron, chef hat, oven mitt, glove, whisk, wooden spoon, rolling pin, and four cookie cutters. My favorite thing about this set is that it comes with an oven mitt and glove. The polka dots and frills are so cute, as well.

The best part about this chef set is that the utensils can actually be used for cooking and baking. She doesn’t just have to pretend with this set… she can actually help cook with utensils that are her size! How fun is that?!

Of course, she can still play pretend with it. My daughter wears a chef hat and apron (not nearly as cute as this one, though) while she’s playing in her toy kitchen. It is the cutest thing.

The apron and chef hat can both be washed in the washing machine, so there is no worry if they get messy. Both items are also made to fit any size girl. The hat is elastic, and the apron can be tied at different sizes.

Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk

gift for 3 year old girl

This Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk comes with four shirts, three skirts, two headbands, one tiara, one choker, three bracelets, one pair of earrings, one necklace, three rings, and a storage trunk. The outfits and accessories allow the child to become Belle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White.

The storage trunk is made of cardboard, which has been decorated to fit the princess theme.

My daughter loves to dress up, so I know this one will be a hit. I do wish that it came with shoes, but for this price, those could always be purchased separately.

This dress up playset is rated 3.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon. The problems with this dress up play set are that Belle and Snow White have to share the yellow skirt, so four children could not play at one time. Another issue is that the material isn’t made from the best quality.

Even with the low quality, my daughter will love this playset and the cost is great.

Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper

Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper gift for 3 year old

It’s a Pogo stick for toddlers!! This Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper is made of foam (obviously), a spring made from bungee type material, and has a foam grip for the handles. and has a squeaker, so it makes a fun noise when the child jumps on it.

An added bonus: This toy is intended for toddlers but can hold up to 250 pounds. This means that adults and kids of all ages can try it out!

The Flybar Pogo Jumper is a great way for a child to stay active, so on days when the weather isn’t cooperating and she has to stay inside, she can still get her wiggles out and exercise in the house. This toy can also help enhance hand-eye coordination, balance, and strength.

It is rated 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Two big complaints about the Foam Pogo Jumper: (1) It squeaks and (2) that……. the squeaker stops working pretty quickly. Um, what? Some hate it, others hate that it doesn’t last longer… it seems there is no happy medium.

Educational Insights Playfoam Combo 8-Pack

gift for 3 year old

Playfoam can be molded in shapes and creations, and it is supposed to never dry out. It also isn’t supposed to stick to anything, so unlike with play-doh, slime, and putty, your couch and carpet should be safe.

For my daughter, I plan on using it to practice making letters and shapes just like we did with play-doh.

Not only is this Playfoam just going to be so much fun, but it also has some educational and developmental bonuses, too. It helps to develop and enhance the child’s artistic ability, creative play, tactile, and sensory exploration.

Another perk; the muscles that she will be using to play with this Playfoam are the same muscles that she will later be using for writing and drawing.

It is rated 3.9 out of 5 stars. One problem is that it can leave a stain on surfaces. Other issues are that if collects pet fur and fuzzies if it falls on the floor, it doesn’t come in re-sealable containers, and there is only a small amount of each color.

VTech Care for Me Learning Carrier

gift for 3 year old girl

VTech’s Care for Me Learning Carrier could be perfect for teaching a little girl how to care for a puppy, or to give a “pet” to a little girl who doesn’t have a real one. It comes with a stuffed animal puppy, a comb, bottle, a  food dish, dog toy, and of course, the carrier.

Whenever the door of the carrier is opened, the carrier says a phrase that helps the child learn opposites. The buttons on the outside of the carrier light up and when they are pushed, they teach colors, shapes, and pet care tips.

Another awesome feature is that when the letter beads are moved, the carrier teaches the child letters and plays music.

This VTech pet carrier is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon. The only complaint is that the door of the carrier is hard for a toddler to open and close, so they often need help with that part.

KidKraft Chelsea Doll Cottage with Furniture

gift idea for a girl 3 year old girl gift guide

I have been wanting to get my daughter a dollhouse since I first found out I was pregnant with a girl. I’m not kidding.

With Christmas coming up, I spent the last couple of weeks researching doll houses and searching for the right one. I wanted one that was big and had lots of rooms.

The biggest struggle was the price point, however, because I didn’t want to spend over $100 on a dollhouse for a three-year-old. Luckily, I found the perfect one and I am so excited for her to see it under our Christmas tree.

This KidKraft Chelsea Doll Cottage has two staircases, three floors, and 17 pieces of furniture. Another awesome feature is that the windows actually open and close, which my daughter will love. This dollhouse is big enough that my other littles can play with her if they want.

The house is made for four-inch dolls, but five-inch dolls work fine, too. The dolls don’t come with it, though, so those would have to be purchased separately.

It is rated 4.1 out of 5 stars. There are images on the walls of the house that show a toilet, a stove, and other household items, but then there is also physical furniture for the toilet and stove. Another issue is that some of the dollhouses come with pieces that don’t fit together properly.

Our Generation Dolls Violet Anna Doll

Gift for girl, gift for 3 year old girl, gift guide

My daughter has been wanting a doll that she can dress up and do her hair. After researching, I came across the Our Generation dolls. I chose the Violet Anna ballet doll because I am signing Josie up for a ballet class as soon as she turns three.

This doll has arms and legs that move, and her outfit can be changed. Our Generation offers SO MANY cute outfit options that can be ordered separately. The ballet doll comes with a leotard, tutu, tights, and ballet shoes, so it is perfect for what we need right now.

You can also buy vehicles, animals, sports equipment, career items, and many other accessories to accompany the Our Generation dolls.

Spirit Riding Free Barn Playset

Spirit Riding Free barn, gift for 3 year old girl, gift for a girl
My daughter is OBSESSED with horses and loves the show Spirit on Netflix. This Spirit Riding Free Barn Playset comes with a Lucky doll (the main character), Spirit (Lucky’s horse) a bridle, wheelbarrow, tack box, trough, hay, weathervane, bucket, ladder, chair, ottoman, lamp, a sign, and a sheet of stickers so the child can decorate the barn how she wants it.

This barn playset also comes with eight fence pieces, so she can build a fenced in area next to the barn. The barn has an upstairs area for the characters to hang out, and the lower level holds three horses. It has a sliding door to make it easy for the horses to come in and out.

There are two sides to this playset so more than one child can play at a time, too. Extra horses and characters can be purchased separately (more gift ideas, maybe?).

This barn playset is rated 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Complaints are that there are many small pieces, and also that the materials used are cheap.

Playskool Mrs. Potato Head

Mrs Potato head, 3 year old gift idea, girl gift idea

This Mrs. Potato Head comes with 10 accessories including eyes, a nose, mouth, purse, hairdo, tongue, hands, ears, and legs with shoes. All of the pieces can be used on other Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures, so they are interchangeable.

The child can work on putting all of the pieces where they “belong”, or she can put an ear on the face and the eyes on the side. This toy is so much fun because she can do whatever she wants with it.

I am thinking that this could be the perfect quiet time toy because it is fun and engaging at the same time, and can keep a child busy for quite some time since they can put the pieces where ever they want.

It was rated 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon. The biggest complaint is that the hair doesn’t stay on. There were also complaints that the storage area in the potato isn’t big enough to hold all of the accessories, so you may need a different storage solution.

PicassoTiles 26 Piece Building Blocks

I bought these Picasso Tiles as a cheaper alternative to Magnatiles for my 10-year-old for Christmas last year and they were a hit. My 10 Y/O loved them, but so did my toddlers. My daughter is always trying to sneak into my son’s room to get his Picasso Tiles. He doesn’t like the littles to play with them, though, because … siblings.

The best thing about the Picasso Tiles is that it is an amazing opportunity for children to learn in many different ways. They can learn colors, shapes, and numbers, all while learning about magnets and using their imagination. I also love that more than one child can play at a time.

These are definitely being bought for Josie this year. She will be so excited that she has her own Picasso Tiles! I know this is my favorite choice of all the gift ideas so far.

The Picasso Tiles are rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon. The only complaint has been that the 26 pieces aren’t enough, but I think that for a 3-year-old it is plenty.

Play-Doh Cake Party Gift Ideas

gift guide, gift ideas for 3 year old girl

My kids and I love play-doh. It is so much fun. There are so many creative options, and so much learning potential.

This Play-Doh Cake Party set can be perfect for a 3-year-old girl because she is starting to understand how things work. She will have a blast making cakes by using the oven and cutters.

This set comes with five play-doh cutters, a decorating tool, two plates, a spatula, fork, knife, three containers of play-doh confetti compound, and two containers of regular play-doh.

With so many different options, this play-doh set might keep my daughter busy for at least an hour. I can’t wait to find out!

Final Thoughts On Gift Ideas for a Girl

There are so many options when it comes to gifts for a 3-year-old girl. It can be hard to choose the right one. She may receive three of the same gift, or she may just be uninterested in the toy that was advertised at your local toy store. It’s hard to say exactly how a child will react to a gift. So, I’m hoping that my gift guide will help you out.

I am an experienced mom, and I have a daughter who is turning three in just TWO DAYS (Where does the time go!?), so take my advice – I know what 3-year-old girls like. Even if she doesn’t reaaallly know herself, I normally have a pretty good idea for gift ideas.

Are there any gift ideas you would add to this list? Is there a gift you’ve been considering but you’re unsure of? Which gift on this gift guide is your favorite? Tell me all about it in the comments! I love to chat!

P.S.

I am going to be posting gift ideas for a 10-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, and a 1-year-old boy in the next couple of weeks so watch for those, too!! I’ve already put together a gift guide for a 4-year-old boy so if you’d like to check that out, here it is: Gift Guide for a 4-year-old Boy.

I hope your holiday shopping goes well and that you find the perfect gift for every person on your list. (If you don’t find the perfect gift, just search on Pinterest for a gift guide).

Categories
How To Our Family Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Toys

8 of the Best Play Kitchens For Kids

Play kitchens are more than just fun for our kids because they are also a great learning experience. It is important for toddler and preschool-age children to learn through play, and dramatic play allows them to fill the role of a chef, waiter, mom, dad, or any other role. Your kids can express themselves while they learn about everyday concepts and organization.

Using a kitchen playset has other perks, as well. It helps children become familiar with different foods in a positive way, so maybe your children will be more likely to try (and enjoy!) vegetables a little more at dinner time. Your children will also begin to learn cooking skills.

These play kitchens are easy to set up and are very durable. Most of them come with many accessories including dishes and food, so your kids will never run out of ideas. A play kitchen also offers the opportunity for multi-child play.

It can be difficult to choose a kitchen playset because there are so many options on the market, but I have narrowed it down for you. I have researched some of the best kitchen playsets available, and I am going to give you the details about each one.

Kitchen Playsets, play kitchens

Best Play Kitchens

Teamson Kids Play Kitchen

play kitchen, kitchen playset

The Teamson Kids Play Kitchen has two refrigerator doors, one that includes a pretend smart screen. It includes storage space, an oven, a stove, a sink, and everything else that will make this seem like a real kitchen to your kids. This kitchen is big enough for more than one kid to play at a time so socialization is encouraged.  

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 27.5” L x 11.8” W x 37.2” H
  • Product Weight: 20 pounds
  • Assembly Time: Two hours
  • Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Step2 Best Chef’s Toy Kitchen Play set

play kitchen, kitchen play set

The Step2 Best Chefs Kitchen Play Set has an oven, refrigerator, counter, and an open kitchen window to pass things through. This kitchen playset has lights and makes noise. It comes with a recycling bin and has hooks attached to hang cups or other items. There are 25 total pieces included with this playset. It is easy and quick to put together.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 11.5” L x 34.4” W x 38.5” H
  • Product Weight: 21.4 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 20 minutes
  • Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

KidKraft Uptown Natural Play Kitchens

play kitchen, kitchen play set, dramatic play

Featuring a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, and dishwasher, the KidKraft Uptown Natural Kitchen can make your child feel like they are in a real kitchen. Kids love to pretend to be grown-up and do all the things their parents do. Using the appliances that their parents use could be so exciting. This kitchen playset also comes with a phone, paper towel holder, and chalkboard.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 43” L x 17.8” W x 41” H
  • Product Weight: 72 pounds
  • Assembly Time: three hours
  • Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Little Tikes Cook ‘n Learn Smart Kitchen

kitchen play set, play kitchen, bluetooth kids kitchen

Unlike many other kitchen playsets, the Little Tikes Cook ‘n Learn Smart Kitchen uses Bluetooth to connect to an app that you can have on your cell phone or tablet. This kitchen playset also has sound effects for cutting food, cooking, and running the water. It comes with 40 accessories so your child can be entertained for hours.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 17” L x 22” W x 30” H
  • Product Weight: 10 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars

My Little Chef Teamson Kids Wooden Play Kitchen Set

kitchen play set, play kitchen

My Little Chef Teamson Kitchen Play Set is made from wood and has a stove, cabinet, oven, and microwave. It is durable and can give children the feeling that they are in a real kitchen. There are different color options available, as well. The assembly time for this kitchen playset is very short, about 30 minutes, so your kids could be playing in no time.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 38.25 L x 11.50 W x 36.75 H
  • Product Weight: 54.67 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Step2 Elegant Edge Play Kitchen Play Set

kitchen play set, play kitchen with food

This Step2 Elegant Edge Play Kitchen Play Set has everything that a real kitchen has. It has a microwave, oven, dishwasher, stove, phone, refrigerator, and a sink with a faucet and sprayer. This kitchen playset also has a silverware drawer, baskets for food, plate, and cup racks, and cupboards. Plus it comes with accessories including pots, pans, and food. It has a light and makes noise, too, so your kids might just love it!

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 102.5” L x 36” W x 39” H
  • Product Weight: 70 pounds
  • Assembly Time: One hour
  • Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars

Best Choice Products Kids Wood Kitchen Toy Toddler Pretend Play Set Solid Wood Construction

kitchen play set, play kitchen, wooden kitchen playset

This Best Choice Products wooden kitchen playset has two separate stove tops so it can be easily used by multiple children. With five drawers, it can hold many accessories and make clean up easy. It also has six smaller areas for storage.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 39.5” L x 11.8” W x 42” H
  • Product Weight: 48 pounds
  • Assembly Time: About two hours
  • Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Smoby Bon Appetit Electronic Roleplay Kitchen with 23 Accessories & Cooking Sounds

play kitchen, kitchen play set

The Smoby Bon Appetit Electronic Roleplay Kitchen has unique features compared to other play kitchens. It has a pretend espresso machine and three coffee pods, along with many other accessories.

If you are a coffee drinker, you know that your children like to pretend to drink coffee sometimes. It could be so much fun for them to be able to role play making coffee.

This kitchen playset also comes with plates, cups, forks, knives, spoons, pans, boxes, and utensils. The best part is that the price of the kitchen is much lower than other kitchen playsets.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 20.5” L x 13.2” W x 38” H
  • Product Weight: 7.6 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars

Final Decision About Play Kitchens

Kitchen playsets are such a good toy to buy for your toddlers and preschoolers. They are great for your child’s development, so much fun, and a way to keep your child busy for long periods of time. If you need the perfect Christmas or birthday gift, you might want to consider a kitchen playset.

Just make sure you do your research (or use the research I have already done) and read comments/reviews about each play kitchen that you are considering. You’ll want to find the perfect one for your child and your home.

Now that you have an idea of which kitchen playset you want to buy, read my post about 7 Ways to Play with a Pretend Kitchen for Dramatic Play! It is full of ideas and activities for the kitchen playset to make it even more exciting for your littles.

Let me know which play kitchen you think is the best one! Is it one on this list or do you have a different play kitchen that your kids love? Tell me in the comments!

Kitchen Playsets
kitchen play set, play kitchen for kids
Categories
Big Kid How To Our Family Parenting Teenager

Keeping Kids Safe Online – 8 Simple Tips

Whether we like it or not, technology is a HUGE part of our children’s lives. They use it daily, and older kids use the internet at school quite often, too. Keeping kids safe online is SO important these days, and it can be kind of tricky to do so. Cell phones make it impossible for parents to always be there to monitor what is happening on the internet, so we must set some rules and guidelines that our children should be trusted to follow. Now, we can set these rules and guidelines and hope for the best, but we all know that kids sometimes make mistakes or need reminders.

I have a 14-year-old and a 10-year-old… two kids who use the internet on a daily basis. The 10-year-old plays games online with his Playstation and Xbox, and he uses YouTube. The 14-year-old uses so many social media apps and has accounts on them all. She is obviously harder to keep up with online, but we make sure to put in the effort in order to protect her. Like I said before, with all of the scary things happening in our world today, stemming from situations online, it is more important than ever to think about keeping kids safe online.

Your teenagers may think you are being mean when you check up on them to see what they are doing, but when they are older they’ll understand you were only looking out for them. It is SO important to protect our kids from the dangers of the internet. We have all heard the horror stories, and we always think it won’t happen to our children, but we never know.

 

Keeping Kids Safe Online

 

8 Tips For Keeping Kids Safe Online

    1. Create a contract for your kids to sign about internet use. Set ground rules and include punishments so that your kids know ahead of time what will happen if they break the rules. In this contract include a section about creating new accounts. You should be helping your child, no matter what age, create accounts. You should have the passwords and email addresses associated with each one. This shows them that you expect them to ask permission before doing anything online, or they will have their internet privileges revoked.
    2. Keep electronics out of bedrooms an hour before bedtime. This should go for you too, parents! Set the example. This allows you to better monitor your child’s online activities. During the day you are more likely to pop in and check on what they’re doing… later at night, us parents are relaxing after a long day or maybe even sleeping. Our kids know this is our routine, so they’re more likely to break the rules at those times. Not only can it potentially help with keeping kids safe online, it will help them sleep better if their phone isn’t right at their fingertips.**Side note- If your kids are younger it might even be better to keep electronics out of bedrooms completely.**
    3. Understand their internet use. If you are serious about keeping kids safe online you have to become familiar with what your kids using on the internet. Are they using SnapChat? You need to use SnapChat, too, or at least know how it works and how to navigate it. Same with Instagram, Music.ly, and any other social media app that they use. If you understand how it works you will have a better chance of noticing red flags. It’ll be easier for you to monitor their usage, as well, if you know what all the apps do. For your younger kids, you obviously don’t have to understand all the latest social media apps. Instead, you will have to understand the websites they choose to use. We know things like ABC Mouse are safe, but there are gaming websites that do have chat rooms. Not only that, but there are (of course) ads on websites that your child may click on, even accidentally, that could lead to inappropriate or unsafe content. Determine which websites are okay for your child to navigate while you’re not in the room, and make it clear that other websites require your presence.
    4. Teach them to never share information. We assume that our kids know to not give out personal information, but they should be reminded about the dangers of it. They shouldn’t give their full name, phone number, e-mail address, or school name. Any other personal information should be avoided, as well. Every little detail that our kids give out on the internet makes them that much easier to track down. A huge one… they should be told to NEVER SHARE THEIR LOCATION. On SnapChat there is an option to share your exact location at all times… it might be smart to put in their contract that they should not be sharing their location. Even if your child has an online friend (I know some parents allow this), encourage them to avoid giving this personal information. They may feel like they can trust their friend, but you never know who is really on the other side of that screen. Make sure they know that they are never to meet up with someone they met online. Show your older kids horror stories if you have to… just get the point across. Even a couple episodes of Catfish might make them understand that not everyone is who they say they are. When our 10-year-old plays video games online he is able to talk to complete strangers that he is playing the game with. I’m not always comfortable with this, so I listen in quite often. He has to have his bedroom door open when he is playing online in his room, or he has to sit in the living room. I have told him over and over again to never tell anyone his full name, what city he lives in, or what school he goes to. Keeping kids safe online even extends to video games these days, so you may need to think about the location of the video game system in your own home.
    5. Encourage them to tell you everything and promise not to over-react. Our kids may avoid telling us about things that happen online because they are scared we will be angry or over-react. They need to know that they can trust us to help them handle the situation without freaking out. If they are being harassed online or if they get themselves into a scary situation they need to feel comfortable coming to us with that information. We can only protect our children if they trust us, so make sure to hold up your promise here.
    6. Set parental controls. You can set parental controls on many websites now. YouTube and Google both have parental controls, and setting these controls can prevent inappropriate content from showing up in a search. You can check individual websites or you can go into the browser settings and put parental controls on there.A program called Qustodio allows you to set controls and monitor what your child is doing online. This program can be used on three different devices, including iPhones and Androids. It is kind of perfect because there aren’t many programs parents can run on our kids’ cell phones. Plus, the program is easy to use.
    7. Check history. I cannot stress the importance of this enough! Even if you trust your child, you should be checking in on them. Our children are just that… CHILDREN. Kids make mistakes and they rely on our guidance to correct those mistakes. If we are blind to their mistakes, we can’t fix them, which just allows that negative behavior to continue. For younger kids, they may not know that a website was inappropriate or dangerous. Finding the mistakes ahead of time allows us to fix the problem before it comes something bigger. For my family, checking the history on their devices is the best method for keeping kids safe online. A few times when my 10-year-old has used my laptop to play a math game that his school recommends I have checked the history. Each time, I found out he was on YouTube instead. I know this isn’t exactly dangerous, but he was doing something he shouldn’t have been doing. I was able to find that out through the history. This also allowed me to see that he needs more supervision when he is online.
    8. Review friends lists and followers. This one is so important to me. Our kids should not have “friends” or “followers” on social media that they don’t know in real life. We have a 14-year-old, and she was adding anyone who sent her a friend request or follow request. She wasn’t doing it to be defiant or to meet strangers… she just didn’t think much of it. It’s “normal” to have many followers, and it’s almost like a competition for teenagers. Teenagers don’t think it’s a big deal, but it’s important that we explain to them WHY it can be dangerous. Our 14 year old would get random private messages from boys. In the messages, they would ask her name, age, where she lives, and if she would send them pictures. Luckily, after the talk we had, she always shows us these messages and then blocks the sender. She would never have mentioned it to us before, but we helped her understand how serious those situations can become. Even though she has earned our trust, we still check in on friends lists. This isn’t a secret we keep from her, either. She’s fully aware that we check her social media, and she understands the importance of keeping kids safe online.

 

Keeping Kids Safe Online Keeping Kids Safe Online

 

I know there’s more that can be done in regards to keeping kids safe online. I am only suggesting some of the basic, easy ways. It’s a good place to start, and then you can adjust, if necessary, for your kids. Every child is different, so the level of monitoring will be different, too.

What do you do to protect your children online? Has your child ever had a scary online experience? Comment below!

 

Keeping Kids Safe Online Keeping Kids Safe Online Keeping Kids Safe Online Keeping Kids Safe Online

Categories
How To

How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps (and what to do next!!)

how to start a blog

Have you ever thought about starting a blog, but you just didn’t know where to start? Maybe you know where to start, but you don’t know what to do next? If this is you, I’m here to tell you that it’s not as hard to start a blog as you may think… you can start a blog in 3 easy steps. I’m serious.

Whether you want to start a blog to have a creative out, to promote a business, earn an income, or to meet others who share your interest, everyone starts in the same place. You have to figure out how to start a blog before you can move on to your reason for blogging.

Figuring out how to start a blog can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin, but I’ve done the research already and want to share with you how to start a blog in 3 easy steps!! Taking it one step further, I even included tips for what to do after you start a blog.

**This post contains affiliate links, which means that I will receive a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This is at no additional cost to you, it only helps me keep my blog up and running. I fully back the products that I recommend.**

How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps

1. Decide what you want to blog about.

You can’t blog about everything, so you’ll need to think about what you’ll primarily be posting before you start a blog. My blog is primarily about parenting and marriage. Those are two vague topics, but they tell my readers what they can expect to find on my blog.

Keeping my topics a little more vague (but still making my general topic obvious) gives me the freedom to post ALL things regarding parenting (crafts, parenting tips, kid-friendly recipes, activities, etc.) and not just one parenting topic. Same with marriage… I am able to post whatever I want about marriage and my readers know to expect that, but at the same time, my readers also know they aren’t going to find a random book review thrown in because the topic of my blog isn’t books or book reviews.

2. Choose a blog name.

Obviously, before you start a blog you have to decide on a name. You need a name picked out before you start a blog because you’ll need your name to be on your blog and in the URL.

Since I blog about parenting and marriage, my blog name was easy for me, Mom Wife Wine. Simple, catchy, and it helps prospective readers know what to expect when they come to my blog.

You can make your blog name whatever you want, but it helps to come up with a name that will allow people to get a small feel of what your blog will be about.

3. Set up your blog.

Honestly, out of the 3 steps to start a blog this one might be the easiest. It can be hard to decide what parts of your life you want to blog about, and it’s even harder to come up with a blog name, but setting up your blog is SO easy. This is where you actually start a blog.


You could always start a free blog, hosted by a website like WordPress or blogger, but it can be tricky to do it that way. I’ve heard many bloggers say that they won’t even read a blog if it isn’t self-hosted and they can see this by looking at the blog link. If your blog name is followed by .wordpress.com or something similar, it is clear that you are using a free blog service.

Just for the record, I do read blogs that aren’t self-hosted, I just know lots of bloggers who won’t.

Another reason using a free site can be tricky is because it’s hard to monetize your blog that way, and the hosting website can shut your blog down for any reason, without warning, and you could lose ALL of your content.

It was an easy decision for me, but only after I researched SO MANY web hosting services. Once my research was complete I knew that BlueHost was definitely the one for me, and I was confident in this decision.

Some of the benefits of Bluehost include:

  • Free domain
  • Free security technology
  • You can install WordPress to use with Bluehost with just one click.
  • Low prices
  • 24-hour technical support

I think it’s important to emphasize that Bluehost is so inexpensive, which was important to me because we only had one income at the time, and the quality is top notch. More than a year later, and I still love it.

I have never had any issues with Bluehost and I’ve found it SO easy to use. I’ll literally never change to anything else. WordPress is really great, too, so it’s awesome that you can install it so easily with Bluehost.

Once you’ve gotten to this point, the rest is easy. You simply choose your Bluehost package, and then Bluehost will walk you through the rest of the setup. I don’t know if other web hosting websites walk you through the setup, but I know Bluehost does and it was so easy.

***Important Note*** Do not make your blog “live” right away. I’ll get to that more in the next section, but you need content first.

****CLICK HERE TO START A BLOG WITH BLUEHOST****

how to start a blog

What to do After You Start a Blog

So you have now created your blog, but the next steps can be a little daunting as you’re getting everything going. It doesn’t have to be, though!! Take it one step at a time and work your way through the list until you’ve got everything done. Some steps take longer than others and that’s okay!

1. Design your blog.

Some people pay for a cute layout, but there are free ones available and are pretty easy to find. I use a free layout myself that I found on WordPress, I just created my own logo using Canva and made some minor changes to the rest of the layout. Your blog should look good and the layout should be easy to navigate if you want viewers to return.

2. Create content.

This is obviously the most important step when you are just starting your blog (or anytime, for that matter). I mentioned in the previous section that you should not make your blog “live” right away. I say this because if a visitor comes to your blog and you only have one or two blog posts, they aren’t likely to come back again.

You want to have AT LEAST 25 blog posts on your blog before you go live. This gives readers many posts to click around on and decide if they want to come back and read your new stuff later on.

3. Promote blog.

You want to start promoting before your blog even goes live. Set up a Twitter account, Instagram account, a Pinterest account, etc., and start gaining followers and hyping them up for your blog release.

Twitter is my favorite social media platform because you can get lots of support from other bloggers on Twitter. I get the most views from Twitter and Pinterest, so I focus on those areas more than the other.

Before you go live, start making connections on social media. Make friends who are interested in your blog topic, write tweets with “sneak peaks” about your posts, and post a countdown to the day your blog will go live. Work on building followers on social media and the views will start coming in as soon as you go live.

4. Go live!!!

Make a big “event” out of this on social media. Tell everyone how excited you are and ask them to check out your blog. Be active during this time so you can interact with new viewers.

5. Get more traffic.

After you get your initial traffic from social media, you’ll need to start branching out and finding new sources of traffic. You can do this by writing guest posts for other bloggers or by increasing your following on social media. Make awesome graphics for Pinterest, because lots of traffic can (and will) come from there. You can start an e-mail list to help increase your viewers, too.

6. Monetize.

So, this is the last step because, in order to make money, you have to have consistent blog views. Once you think you are ready you could start monetizing through affiliate sales (like Amazon) and Google AdSense. I’ll be writing a separate post about monetizing (and what to do next) at a later time, so sign up for my e-mail list if you want to be notified!

Other Thoughts On How to Start a Blog

And, I guess you could count this as another step to both lists; you have to constantly learn. You should always be researching ways to improve your blog and grow your following.

There are blog courses available online, or you can just do your own research to figure things out if you prefer. It is always nice to have a mentor, however (someone who has been blogging longer and has already done all of these things), and you can likely find friends like this on social media. You can ask them questions and get advice from them, which will save you time and frustration.

Final Thoughts On How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps

I hope this guide has helped you and given you some peace of mind with your blogging adventure. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section. I reply to all comments and would be more than happy to help you in any way that I can.

I mentioned a mentor of sorts before and, if you reach out to me, I’d love to help you along the way! If I don’t know the answer I can help you figure it out! 

how to start a blog how to start a blog how to start a blog

Categories
Marriage Printables

30 Day Marriage Challenge: 30 Days to a Stronger Marriage

30 day marriage challenge

A marriage can never be too strong, so I have created this 30 Day Marriage Challenge for ALL couples… ones who are at a good place in their relationship and those in a marriage that needs a little work. You don’t have to be in a bad place in your relationship to strive to make the marriage stronger.

I created this 30 Day Marriage Challenge to be a better, more attentive, intentional, loving, thoughtful wife. Will you join me in this challenge? If you want to be a better wife or husband, download the free printable and start tomorrow! It doesn’t matter what day you start on, as long as you start with day one and cross the days off as you go on.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

30 Day Marriage Challenge

1. Write a love letter to your partner. 

In the letter, tell your spouse whatever you want them to hear. Tell them how much you love them, what you love about them, where you want your relationship to go, your hopes for the future, etc. Just speak from your heart. If there are specific issues within your marriage, you can even write about those, too. Try to keep the letter positive, even when addressing issues. You can read the letter I wrote to my husband HERE.

2. Make your partner’s favorite meal.

Does your husband or wife like breakfast or dinner better? Maybe they prefer brunch? Whatever it is, cook their favorite meal for them! Do the prep work, the cooking, and the cleanup. Let them know you are thinking of them and want them to enjoy their meal without any effort on their part.

3. Clean the house on day three of the marriage challenge.

Everyone loves a clean house, but sometimes, it’s just hard to get it cleaned (especially when you have kids) and keep it that way. For me, this means stressing about how messy the house is but never getting the time to clean the house. I’m sure it’s the same way for my husband. For this challenge, clean the home for your partner. Don’t make them do any of the work, and let them enjoy having a clean house (even if it’s just for a day). They will feel less stressed as they settle in to relax. 

4. Plan a date night out. 

Take care of all the details for a successful date night. If you’re on a budget, search for free options in your area. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a fun night or evening out. Just make sure you plan something that your spouse will enjoy. Don’t forget to make a plan for a babysitter, if needed, too.

5. Tell your partner how you feel about them. 

Don’t just say, “I love you,” to your partner. Go in-depth and pour your heart out. The goal is to make sure your spouse knows how important they are to you.

6. Thank your partner for all they do. 

Does your husband or wife work hard to provide for your family? Is your partner a stay-at-home parent who handles raising the kids and running the house? Does your spouse work super hard to update the home or keep everything maintained? Whatever your husband or wife does for the family, let them know how grateful you are. You can tell them by saying it aloud, or you can do something special like make them a card or buy a small gift.

7. Turn off electronics for the night. 

Give your spouse your undivided attention by turning off all electronics. When you don’t have the distraction of electronics, it will help you focus your attention on them without occasionally looking down to check your text messages or Twitter feed. It’ll stop the chime of your phone from interrupting a conversation or cuddle session, too.

30 day marriage challenge

8. Tell your partner three things you love about them. 

I always appreciate hearing what my husband loves about me, so I assume he would feel the same way. You can make your partner’s day by telling them the things you love about them. On day number eight of the marriage challenge, spend some time thinking of meaningful things you could mention.

9. Wake up early and have coffee together on day nine of the marraige challenge. 

Sometimes early mornings are the only time my husband and I have together. I’m often tempted to sleep in while he gets ready for work and heads out, but it’s always a good time for bonding when I wake up early with him. Having a cup of coffee together in the morning makes both of our days better.

Love coffee? Check out this coffee subscription box that I love!

10. Compliment your spouse.  

I think many spouses forget to compliment their partner. We become so accustomed to seeing that person every day that we sometimes take them for granted. If your husband looks especially good today, tell him. Likewise, if your wife’s hair looks great, let her know. Whatever it is, tell your spouse when they look good.

11. Get dressed up for your partner.

You don’t have to go as far as a suit and tie or fancy dress (unless your situation calls for that), but look good for them! Put on an outfit you know they love on you, do your hair, and wait for them to get home for the day. They’ll be thrilled to walk in the house to their partner looking put-together for no reason at all, and you’ll feel good about yourself, too.

12. Talk about your favorite memories together.

Spend some time reminiscing with your spouse. Talk about all of your favorite memories that involve the two of you together. For my husband and I, these talks go back to the beginning of our relationship. We love talking about the things we did before we had kids, and it reminds us of who we were when it was just the two of us. 

13. Give your partner a massage.

Everyone likes a massage, and the physical contact will make you feel closer to one another. Who knows, maybe they’ll return the favor. Want to make it even more special? Use massage oils! You can find them with essential oils or scents that help with relaxation, like lavender massage oil. **click the link for the one I use.**

14. Kiss your partner first thing after work. 

I’m a stay-at-home mom, and my husband works a full-time job. I’m always happy to see him when he gets home from work, but lots of times I’m in the middle of changing a diaper, breaking up a toddler fight, cleaning a mess, doing dishes, or cooking dinner. I’ll shout out, “Hey babe!” and continue doing what I’m doing while he gets settled. It isn’t until he comes to me that I kiss him some days. With this challenge, I’m going to kiss him the minute he walks through the door. Making it a priority means I’ll stop whatever I’m doing, greet him at the door, and give him a big kiss.

15. Praise your spouse. Marriage Challenge Day 15 

Did your spouse fix something around the house or make the kitchen look amazing? Did they help you wash the kid’s stroller that you’ve planned to do? Are they playing a game with the kids? Praise them for it. 

Adults appreciate praise just as much as kids do, but adults don’t give it to one another as often. Tell your spouse when you think they did a good job. 

16. Send flirty text messages throughout the day. 

My husband and I used to do this often when we were first dating/living together. Not so much anymore, though. Now we (or I) send messages like, “OMG, WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME?! THESE KIDS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!!” There’s nothing flirty about that, and it’s probably making him dread the moment he walks in the door. For day 16, I will make it a point to send him flirty text messages instead and avoid the negative texts.

17. Bake your partner’s favorite dessert.

If you can’t bake or don’t have the time, you can buy your partner’s favorite dessert. It’s all about the thought here and letting your spouse know you’re thinking of them. Go out of your way to put a smile on their face.

18. Plan a movie night and watch your spouse’s favorite movie.

Yes, watch their favorite movie even if you hate it. Prepare your spouse’s favorite movie snacks, get comfortable, and settle in for a night of your partner’s favorite movie.

19. Pack your spouse a lunch and slip a love note inside.

Just a short, cute little message to let them know you are thinking of them, even if it just says I love you.

20. Give your spouse two hours of alone time.

During these two hours, they get to do whatever they want. Take the kids (if you have kids) and get them out of the house.

21. Create a playlist of your special songs. 

Remember the song you first danced to when you were dating? Or the song you used to listen to in the car while driving around? Add those to the playlist! Add your wedding songs and whatever other songs are meaningful to your relationship. Ours aren’t all love songs, so don’t feel like the whole playlist must be mushy, slow songs.

22. Take over a task you know your spouse doesn’t like. 

If your husband or wife is in the middle of doing dishes and you know they hate that chore, take over. Tell them to go sit down and let you do it for them because what better way to show that you care about the things they like or don’t like? If my husband did this for me, he would be taking over bathing the babies, for sure.

23. Surprise your spouse with their favorite treat or drink. 

My husband LOVES Slurpees from 7-11, so I’ll be making a trip to 7-11 for a Slurpee on day 23 of the marriage challenge. I might pick up a Snickers bar, too. The treat and drink don’t have to be anything fancy, just something you know your spouse will appreciate and enjoy.

24. Spend time just kissing.

That’s it. Nothing complicated here. Cuddle up on the couch or lie in bed just kissing.

25. Take cute or silly selfies together.

You don’t even have to post them to social media if you don’t want to. Just have some fun and be silly together. You’ll find yourself laughing by the time you’re finished, and you’ll have a couple of new pictures with your spouse.

26. Plan a successful date night in for this marriage challenge. 

Come up with a fun idea for the two of you to do at home. It can be whatever you and your spouse like to do together. If you need date night ideas, check out my Date Night Ideas post.

27. Learn about your partner’s love language. 

I talk about learning love languages in my post: 11 Ways to Keep the Spark Alive in Your Marriage. It is essential to know your spouse’s love language to make sure you show love to them in the way they interpret and understand it best.

28. Ask your spouse what you can do for them. 

Simply ask what they need help with on day 28. This simple question can lighten their load so much. Plus, it’ll make them happy knowing they can count on you.

29. Lay in bed and talk.

When was the last time you did this? Just lay there, pretend you don’t have anything to do, and enjoy each other’s company. Talk about all the things you don’t usually have time for.

30. Work on a project together. 

This project could be big or small. Whatever you want. All that matters is that you work on it together.

**Download 30 Day Marriage Challenge FREE PRINTABLE here**

30 Day Marriage Challenge

So what do you think? Are you going to join me in this marriage challenge? I hope you do! Let me know in the comments, and we can work to hold one another accountable!