Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays, and in my eyes, it’s the highlight of summer. On the 4th of July, my family normally celebrates by going to a barbeque, playing in the water, spending time relaxing outside and watching fireworks. I also try to do something fun to teach my kids about the meaning of the day.
This year, we will be celebrating at home and I want to make sure we have a good time. I also want to have a simple and relaxing day, so I had to come up with a plan to make the 4th of July simple and exciting.
Fun fact: I love learning new facts, so it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t research things we don’t know about the 4th of July. Another fun fact, I also like to share my random information, so:
4 Things You Didn’t Know About the 4th of July (but now you do)
Although I teach my kids about the reason for celebrating Independence Day there is still quite a bit we didn’t know, and I wanted to change that this year. I mean, are we really even American if we don’t know a few fun facts about Independence Day?!
1. While the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted by Congress on July 4th, it was actually voted for on July 2nd. Because of this, John Adams celebrated the 2nd of July as Independence day and reportedly turned down celebration invitations on the 4th of July.
2. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826. They are also the only two who signed the Declaration of Independence who then went on to become President of the United States.
3. The tradition of lighting off fireworks began on the one year anniversary of America’s independence.
4. Americans consume around 150 million hotdogs on the 4th of July.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Simple Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July at Home
1. Have a barbecue.
It isn’t July 4th if there is no 4th of July barbeque. The traditional meal of hamburgers and hotdogs with delicious side dishes is a popular way to go, or you can spice it up and offer steak instead. We’ll probably be doing the hotdog/hamburger method since my kids don’t tend to appreciate a good steak.
For 4th of July barbeque ideas click on the image:
2. Wear 4th of July themed clothing.
It’s more fun to dress up for special days, and it’s easy to dress up for the 4th of July! Your kids will always remember that part of the tradition, and you’ll get some great pictures out of it!
You can do crafts, sensory activities, games, or even go on a scavenger hunt. Whatever fun activities you plan, your kids will love it, especially if it’s Independence Day themed. For some ideas, check out my post 6 4th of July Crafts and Activities.
If you want to create an easy sensory bottle to celebrate, check out this post:
No matter where you celebrate from or what you plan to do, you have to watch fireworks! If you or your kids don’t like loud noises, try sparklers instead. Fireworks (or something similar) are a must when it comes to simple ways to celebrate the 4th of July at Home. They are actually on our Summer Bucket List, and I can’t wait to cross that one off!
Final Thoughts On Simple Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July at Home
The 4th of July doesn’t have to be crazy, expensive, or stressful in order to have a good time. A low key and relaxing event can make the day more special to you and your family.
What are some of the ways you plan to celebrate July 4th this year? Tell me about it in the comments!
Whether it is for a kid/parent date, a special day for your birthday boy, or a day that’s just all about [name of child here], there are plenty of reasons to give your child a perfect day. With 5 kids in our house, it is SO hard to give the kids the undivided attention they desperately crave, which is why I decided to come up with the “perfect day” idea for my kids.
It all started when I began implementing scheduled dates where each child would get one on one time with one parent. Chris (my husband) and I take turns taking the kids on dates, one at a time.
I got tired of having to spend a ton of money each time, however, and had to start brainstorming more child/parent date ideas that were relatively inexpensive. That is when I decided to start having some of the dates be all day adventures, full of things that my kids love to do but I don’t always get the time to participate in.
How to Give Your Child a Perfect Day
1. Make their favorite breakfast.
There is no better way to give your child a perfect day than to start it out with their favorite breakfast. If they want to help cook or prepare it, definitely let them do it, but, if not, you can put on their favorite cartoon and let them relax until it is time to eat. My kids always choose pancakes, waffles, bacon, or all of the above LOL.
2. Go to the park and actually play with them on the playground.
I’m guilty of taking my kids to the park and then finding a comfortable place to sit and read a book, especially with my 5 year old. Now that he’s more independent it’s easy to let him play on his own, even though I know he loves it when I actually play WITH him. When I’m giving him a perfect day, however, we do things like play tag, hide n seek, or the floor is lava on and around the play equipment.
3. Go on a nature hike, and spend time noticing the little things.
Some of the parks we go to have trails that go through the woods, but if we are playing at one that doesn’t, we have nature trails nearby. The Dahlem Center is our favorite place, and I like to let the kids choose which way we go. We’ve been hundreds of times and I still don’t think we’ve seen all there is to see there.
Walk with your child on a trail and look at every little thing they point out. If they want to walk slowly, you walk slowly, too. This day is just for them, after all, so let them set the pace no matter how much you want to hurry along.
4. Talk with them, but try to do more listening than talking.
Throughout the activities of their perfect day, spend time talking and listening to your child. There are so many things they want to tell you, but when you are surrounded by the rest of the family it may be hard to get it all in. Let your child express themselves and chat your ear off all day long.
5. Let them help you make a lunch of their choice.
Sometimes, instead of making lunch, we stop and have lunch at the place of their choice. If you do make the lunch at home, however, let your child help you. I find that one of the better bonding times spent with my kids is when we are cooking together.
6. Take a nap with them, or have quiet time with them.
Instead of putting them in their bedroom alone for nap or quiet time, go with them. Lay in their bed and just cuddle, talk quietly, or read books together. Just having you there with them will mean the world to your child.
7. Play their favorite outside game.
After quiet time, head outside for a while and play whatever your child wants to play. This is the perfect time for you to play those games that you normally don’t have time to participate in.
8. Build a fort with them.
All of my kids like to make forts. They are constantly asking me to build one with them, but, on a normal day, I’ll enlist when one of the other kids to help instead. On their perfect day, however, this changes and I build the biggest and best fort with them
9. Watch their favorite movie in the fort while eating their favorite snacks.
Since you have to make the most of your fort, you should gather all the best snacks and bring them into the fort. We also like to grab pillows and blankets so we can get extra comfortable. Then, you should let your child choose a movie to watch from inside of the fort while you enjoy those snacks.
10. Take them to the dollar store and let them pick out a few items.
My kids choose their weirdest stuff, and that is perfectly okay. Oftentimes, we buy a package of balloons, blow them all up, and play games with those for a long time at home.
Other times, we buy paint and make artwork. You can even find dress up items and snacks that your kids will love! It’s not about the quality here, it’s just about giving your kid an amazing day.
11. Participate in whatever play activity they ask of you.
Don’t tell your child no today (unless it’s a safety hazard or expensive). If your child asks you to play, then go play! This is their perfect day, and they will love nothing more than you playing with them with all of their favorite toys.
12. Let the child choose and help cook dinner.
Okay, let’s get real here… you may not be able to keep your entire family out of the house for the entire day, so dinner time may include the rest of the family. Even so, this is still one child’s perfect day, so let them choose dinner and help cook it if they want to.
13. If they like baths, let them play in the bath extra long.
My kids LOVE bath time, but, with 3 littles who needs baths, I tend to rush them along. During their perfect day, though, they get to spend as much time as they’d like playing in the bathtub.
14. Read an extra book or two at bedtime.
I’m not one to say no to extra books anyway, but there is a point where I’m thinking I just want to go and read my OWN book LOL. The perfect day means they should get extra, however, so sometimes that means I’m reading to them for an hour straight or until they fall asleep.
We don’t just read the words, we also look at and discuss the pictures and events that are occurring in the book. With my 5 year old, I ask if he recognizes any of the words on the page, too.
15. Lay with your child as they fall asleep.
Allow them to ask questions or talk while you lay together instead of shushing them for bedtime. They’ll get sleepy and quiet eventually, and then they’ll fall asleep.
Important Tips For Giving Your Child a Perfect Day
You must be present!
This is the first and most important tip. Your child craves your undivided attention, so make sure you’re giving it to them most of the day. This is their perfect day, after all, so put the phone, computer, laptop, tablet, etc. away and be present for your child.
Customize the day for your child.
Each child is different, so you may have to change things around a bit. With my daughter, we make time for DIY facials, mani’s, and pedi‘s. This is our “thing”, so we make sure to do it each time. It’s her favorite part!
Listen to your child – even the things they aren’t saying.
If your child doesn’t seem to be enjoying an activity on their perfect day, move on! Definitely don’t take it personally, instead take note for next time that they would rather do something else.
Final Thoughts On Ways to Give Your Child a Perfect Day
At the end of your child’s perfect day, your child will go to bed so happy and feeling so loved and noticed. There is nothing better than that, and it is something your child will remember for a very long time. If you make this kind of thing a regular tradition, your child will remember it for the rest of their lives and maybe even pass it along to their own kids someday.
You may also find that after you give your child a perfect day you’ll feel great, as well. While you may have skipped housework or other things you need to get done at home, seeing your child so happy and spending one on one time with them will make it all worth it.
What would you do to give your child a perfect day? Tell me about it in the comments! I may just add it to our own perfect day routine.
We get 18 delicious summers with our children. This is one of your 18. If that’s not perspective, I don’t know what is.”
-Jessica Scott
Believe it or not, summer will be here before we know it. My big kids only have one week of school left, and my preschooler has been done for almost two weeks now. Our summer shenanigans are so close to starting that I can already feel it, hence the need for a summer bucket list.
This is the first summer in 3 years that I haven’t been a stay at home mom, but that isn’t going to stop us from having all the same fun as usual. I just have to plan a little more strategically to get in all of the same activities. One bonus, though, is that since I’m working this year, we’ll have a little extra money to do stuff we’ve had to miss out on in the past.
Since my littles are getting older and are able to express what they want, I’m excited to get their input for our Summer Bucket List. If you have been following my blog already, you know that I love printables, so, of course, I have a printable for my kids to fill in their own bucket list.
I created these printables last year, and my littles were still too small to understand the concept of filling in their own. My big kids loved it, though, so we are just using the same one again this year. I’m hoping my littles (ages 5, 3, and 2, BTW) will love it just as much this time around.
Summer Bucket List Ideas
Go to the beach
Go to the zoo
Make lemonade
Have a water fight
Have a bonfire, roast hot dogs, and make s’ mores
See a dollar movie
Go to a splash pad
Have a cookout
Visit a nature center
Watch fireworks
Watch a parade
Catch fireflies
Visit a library
Go to a garage sale
Play soccer
Play mini-golf
Go camping
Make homemade pizza
Go on a trip
Summer Bucket List Printables
To start, I know these printables have more than 19 activities on them. I made them last year, and we loved them so much that I didn’t want to recreate a new one.
All 19 activities are on the list, so you can think of the rest of them as bonus activities. 😉 If you’d prefer to only do the 19, however, you can print a blank template and just write in the 19 activities to do this summer.
Since I have to plan a little more effectively this year, I created and printed some blank calendars for the summer months. I then looked at my summer bucket list and picked a date for each activity. I spread the activities out throughout the entire summer so that the fun can last the entire three months.
Final Thoughts On Things to Do This Summer – A Summer Bucket List
Summer may seem like it will go on forever, but it’ll be over before you know it. You only have three short months to make memories with your kids before they go back to school, start a new grade, and grow a year older. Make the most of it this year so that you can look back with no regrets. What activities do you make sure to do every summer with your kids?
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!
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
