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daycare drop-off
In Daycare

Tips for a Smooth Daycare Drop-Off: Short & Sweet

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Daycare drop-off can be a teary-eyed ordeal for parents and kids. The tears, tantrums, clingy to mom or dad, and screaming can be painful for parents to watch. The guilt is heart-wrenching, but there are ways that you can make it easier for everyone. We asked several daycare providers their top tips for a smoother drop-off. The consensus, keep it short and sweet. Here are five tips to keep the dreaded drop-off as smooth as possible  Prepare the night before.  Don’t rush! Do as much as you can the night before; rushing kids overstimulates them and increases their stress hormones, which leads to tantrums. Be prepared the night before, so you’re not rushing your kids and creating a stressful morning for everyone. Stick to a routine.  Babies and toddlers do better when they know what to expect. Keeping a routine means knowing what steps are coming and feeling less anxious about what’s coming.…

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lunch box review
In School

Bento Lunch Box Review

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With so many different brands and styles of lunchboxes available, selecting the right one for your child can be easily overwhelming. Will it break? Can my child open it? Are the more expensive brands worth it? Here is a review of six of the most popular bento style lunchbox brands on the market to help with your decision making process. Bentgo Cost: approx. $30 How is it to open: The two clasp style can take a little practise, but overall this is one of the easier lunchboxes for younger children to open. The lid is tough to lift up with the first use, but overtime it loosens up, making it easier for little grasps.  Benefits: Fits standard lunch bag. Removable, dishwasher safe tray. Easy to clean. Microwave and freezer safe. Leak proof seal around each compartment. Very durable.  Dislikes: A bit on the heavier side Smaller compartments, not ideal…

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Mothers with ADHD
In Mom Moments

Mothers with ADHD; Strategies, Struggles and Support

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For a long time, we’ve been talking about the “hot mess mom” we’ve created memes about her disorganization and laughed collectively about the struggles. Unfortunately, for many Mothers, the hot mess mom is far more than a joke; the prevalence of women being diagnosed with ADHD is growing, and we’re learning that some of the “hot mess moms” are struggling to fit into an ablest, neurotypical parenting world. The largest group of people currently diagnosed with ADHD/Autism is women, primarily Mothers.     Parenting isn’t easy at the best of times. ADHD is added to the regular Motherhood struggles, becoming completely overwhelming. It can bring up feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and anger. Anything from forgetfulness, difficulty planning and following through, focusing, and decision-making becomes a massive burden as you try to cope with your struggles and manage your enormous role as a parent.  Parenting with ADHD can leave you feeling like a…

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In Parenting

Swim and Water Safety Tips for Kids This Summer

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With the summer months now upon us, we’ll be getting outside more, swimming, and enjoying the hot weather. However, we must never forget that anytime we’re near water, it’s important to remember the dangers that can come with it. Swim and water safety tips for kids are crucial to remember in the summer months, and so important to brush up on your swim and water safety skills.    As you spend time in the water, it is essential to remember the importance of swim safety. Being knowledgeable about swimming and water safety can spell the difference between a fun time in the water or an increased risk of drowning, whether in a pool, river, or lake. We spoke with Bear Paddle infant swim lessons, where they teach basic water safety. They reminded us that learning how to swim is a gradual process that can be improved over time. Children can start with…

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teen life skills
In Parenting

Basic Life Skills to Teach Your Tween & Teen to Set Them up for Success

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Studies show that many students these days have little skills when entering the real world. We live in a world with helicopter parents and apps that do everything for us, but we need to be teaching our kids actual skills. Some students have little to no understanding of how to cook a meal, manage their money, do laundry or even how to make a phone call for themselves! They’re increasing having difficulty transitions from home to college, and that responsibility begins at home. The younger you can teach your kids these basic life skills the more confident they become overall. It’s so important that parents don’t do everything for our kids, we need to let them fail a little, we need to give them the knowledge needed to be independent. Here are some basic life skills to teach your tween or teen to set them up for success.  Transportation:   How…

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In Parenting

Worrisome Toddler Behaviors That Are Actually Totally Normal

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Toddlers are weird. Yea, I said it. You’ll have a hard time finding a mom who hasn’t questioned their behavior at some point and in some capacity. Parents are usually prepared for tantrums, crying, hitting, and even biting. But sometimes, our toddlers throw us for a loop when they do something outrageous that we’re not prepared for. So, when you find your toddler acting in a way that seems highly unsocial, bizarre, or harmful, we can worry about why it’s happening and whether we need to seek advice or be concerned. Often, the behaviors aren’t as destructive as we think. Here are a few common worrisome toddler behaviors that are actually totally normal. Some weird toddler behaviors that make us nervous wrecks but relax, mama; these odd things are normal: Hair twirling or pulling: This behavior can be alarming or frustrating if they’re tangling their hair. But, it’s simply…

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In Parenting

The Complexities of Mother’s Day; Tips on How to Celebrate as a Single Mom

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With Mother’s Day around the corner, we need to remind ourselves that while it’s a beautiful day to celebrate, everyone experiences it differently. It used to be a day when mothers were doted on by families with flowers and homemade cards. But, lately, we have begun to wake up to the complexities of Mother’s Day. Those complexities include so many different reasons people find this day hard. Perhaps you’ve lost your mother or are struggling with infertility. So many people had mothers who weren’t there for them, some are watching their moms fade away to disease, or perhaps they live far away from their mom. There are so many ways the day can be triggering and complicated and stir up trauma. We recognize all these complexities and struggles with the day. If this feels like you, then feel free to take a pass on this post. Celebrate, or don’t, in any way…

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In Parenting

Birth Order Theory; The Leader, the Negotiator, and the Baby

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We have no control over our birth order, whether we’re first, middle or youngest child – there is nothing we can do to change that. The Birth Order Theory shows how birth order plays a role in our personality traits. This is disconcerting when studies show where we sit in the birth order plays a profound and lasting effect on child development. However, Birth order is not a personality trait that appears at birth. Instead, it’s a theory that develops based on family structure and dynamics and how they shape personality traits during a child’s developmental years. These can also change and evolve; gender, adoption, blended families, and child death all play a role in the structure of birth order.   We all know a typical firstborn and a rebellious middle kid and a spoiled last child. We’ve probably also seen the comical depictions of birth order on TikTok. How much does our birth order impact our…

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camp, summer camp
In Summer Camp

How to Choose the Right Summer Camp

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Summer camp is a big deal. It can alter the way your child sees the world, the friendships they have for life, and the experiences that shape them…. but no pressure. How to choose the right summer camp can feel like a balancing act. Between scheduling, finances, interests, distance, there is a lot to consider.  Here is a checklist of the things we think you need to consider when choosing the right summer camp for your kids.     1) Financial Decisions This is often the top reason to select one camp over another. Day camp varies from approximately $25 to $150 a day. Some things that influence the price are the type of camp the location, but it’s also worth inquiring about the price. The following may be included in the price, making the high price tag fit your budget after all.   -Is any food is provided   -whether a bus…

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In Mom Moments

Thanks Tips… On Dropping the Mom Guilt

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We all have mom guilt at some point. I don’t know one mother who hasn’t felt the pressure of balancing relationships, childcare, career, etc. and feeling that we’re falling short of what’s expected of us. Guilt is a moral emotion that occurs when a person believes or realizes—accurately or not—that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or have violated universal moral standards and bear significant responsibility for that violation. Guilt is closely related to the concept of remorse, regret, as well as shame. But where do these standards come from? Why do mothers have so much guilt? Who set the bar? Our society and culture have taught us guilt. Our community has set expectations of what we’re supposed to do and accomplish, and there unrealistic. These expectations were set in the 1950s before women entered the workforce and lost our villages. Then, women entered the workforce, got paid…

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