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In Mom Moments

How to Be a Good Sports Parent

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Most kids give sports a try at some point in their childhood. If it takes, and they enjoy it and keep it up, it usually becomes a big part of the week for the whole family. Many parents who never considered themselves sporty suddenly find themselves soccer, hockey, or dance moms. We’ve all heard the stories of dance moms (heck, there is a show about them!); it’s essential to remind yourself that your kids’ participation and enjoyment of a sport can depend on your attitude as a sports parent. Your attitude and character as sports parent also teach your child life-long skills, respect, good sportsmanship. Being a good sports parent involves supporting and encouraging your child’s interest in sports while setting appropriate boundaries and expectations. Your job as parents includes providing transportation to practice and games, helping with equipment and uniforms, and being a positive role model by displaying sportsmanship.  …

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In Parenting

Birth Announcement Ideas, Captions, and Etiquette

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Updated Jan 2025  Is a baby on the way? Congrats!! Your life is about to become much more beautiful (and exhausting). Sharing the news of your little bundle’s arrival is probably on your mind; friends and family will be eagerly awaiting the exciting news. Parents are planning to make the perfect announcement well ahead of time. But it can be hard to know what to say, when, and how to say it. Especially within a few hours of birth – you’re feeling overwhelmed and probably exhausted, so you’re probably not feeling very creative. With social media, it has never been easier to announce your baby’s arrival – but you still need to make it perfect!  The etiquette around birth announcements on social media is a little wishy-washy, so we want to ensure you share the news flawlessly. Here is a list of birth announcement ideas, captions and etiquette. We must…

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In Pregnancy

Baby Registry: Must-have’s vs Nice to Have’s (and what makes a great gift!)    

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As a first-time parent, it can be hard to know what you need. When finances are tight, it starts to feel like you may be buying things you don’t need. Often this is the case; other times, you shock yourself with how many you need (I’m looking at you burp cloths!). You’ll receive many of the same gifts (blankets!), and sometimes you don’t get the gift you want. Here is a list of the must-haves versus the nice-to-haves. Plus, a few don’t bother items. If your budget allows for the nice-to-haves, they’ll make your life a little easier. But if you’re making these purchases on a budget, you’ll manage fine with these must-have baby items. Here is a FREE printable version of the list below. Must-have: Bassinet or crib Crib mattress Mattress protector Bedding Baby Monitor (unnecessary for smaller houses and apartments) Nice…

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In Seasonal

Cost-Effective Winter Birthday Party Ideas

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Winter birthdays can be a challenge for parents who want to throw a fun and memorable party for their kids. With the cold weather and limited outdoor activities, it can be difficult to come up with ideas that will keep the kids entertained. But fear not! With a little creativity and planning, you can throw the perfect winter birthday party that your child and their friends will love. Here are some cost-effective winter birthday party ideas kids will love: 1. Snowman Building Contest If you’re lucky enough to have snow on the ground, make the most of it with a snowman-building contest. Split the kids up into teams and see who can build the best snowman. Provide them with a variety of accessories, such as hats, scarves, and carrots for the nose. And of course, hot cocoa and cookies are a must after all that hard work! If you have…

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In School

Custom Holiday Teacher Gifts on a Budget (Under $20, $10 and $5 Ideas!)

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Each year we want to show our deepest gratitude to the teachers who do such an outstanding job. However, it can really add up financially when we start counting each child’s teachers, plus bus drivers, crossing guards and before & after care providers. We want to show our appreciation, but we also need to be aware of our budget. Here are some ways that we can still offer these amazing people cute custom gifts, while still keeping our budgets in check.  Everybody loves a custom gift; it truly shows the thought and care that went into it. Gift cards are great but can be picked up in bulk last-minute without much thought, so to show you’ve put thought into your gifting, keep it as custom as possible and you’ll make an impact! Here are three ideas of how to take a simple custom gift, and make it extra-cute, all while…

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In Daycare

What to Pack for Daycare; And What Comes Back-And-Forth

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Sending your baby to daycare for the first time can feel overwhelming. What do you pack? How much of each item do you need? You want to ensure your child has everything they need for a comfortable, happy day while making life easier for daycare staff. There are many things to think about, especially if you have a child with medical needs, sensitivities, or who’s just quite emotional; all these aspects affect your packing list. So, while this guide and list is the essentials, you know what’s best for your child as a parent. What might be essential for your child is daycare, but it may not be for another. (First things first, purchase your adorable daycare label pack! so you can label all these important items and avoid lost stuff, germy mix-ups and costly replacements) What are the essentials for daycare packing?: Clothing Having enough clothing on hand ensures…

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In Seasonal

Tips for incorporating Halloween candy into a healthy treat!

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It’s the time of year when moms and dads start preparing for the onslaught of sugar our little trick-or-treaters are about to receive. It seems the lead-up everywhere we go there are buckets of candy for kids to grab from. Of course, we don’t want to deprive our kids of the sweet treats, but too much sugar and they don’t feel satiated. When they don’t feel satiated, they reach for more candy. Plus, they’re not getting any added nutrients. There are ways in which you can turn that Halloween candy into a healthy treat. So instead of not allowing the candy, the best way to combat this is to incorporate it into a healthy treat. It’s also a good way to use up any uneaten candy you didn’t give away on Halloween night. Here are four simple recipes to turn Halloween candy into a healthy treat Materials for chocolate dipper…

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how to talk to kids about periods
In Mom Moments

How to Talk to Our Kids about Periods

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You don’t have to call yourself a hard-core feminist to believe that periods shouldn’t be a taboo subject, and that we need to eliminate the shame and embarrassment attached to our cycles.  The best way of ending this stigma, is by talking to our kids. Our boys and our girls. Our boys need to understand menstrual cycles from a young age so that they can have an understanding, build empathy and awareness. This is crucial to eliminating shame in young girls feel about their bodies. By now, we all understand that it’s important to talk to our kids, but some of us still need tips on how to talk to our kids about periods. The conversation starts at home, but for many women it’s a difficult one to broach. This comes down to how we were taught about our periods. It can bring up awkward feelings and memories and emotions…

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In Parenting

Tips to Help Your Kids Open Up about Their School Day

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One of the most exciting things about our kids starting a new school year is hearing all about it. But, in fact, that rarely happens. Kids are notorious for giving one-word answers or clamming up when we ask about their days. It can be heartbreaking to parents who want open lines of communication and are eager to hear the details of their kids’ day. Kids’ minds work differently than adults; developmentally, they’re just not ready to recall all the details of their day after school. Unfortunately, this is often the time that we see meltdowns happening or our chatty kiddos shutting down. But don’t worry, this is normal. While we may think we need to embrace what happens at school, stays at school but not all hope is lost. Here are a few tips to help your kids open up about their school day. 1) Don’t bombard them with questions.  …

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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, clinginess to mom or dad, and screaming can be painful to witness. The guilt is heart-wrenching, but there are ways to ease the transition for everyone. We asked several daycare providers for their top tips to make the experience smoother. The consensus: keep it short and sweet. Here are five key tips for a less stressful daycare drop-off. Effective Daycare Drop-Off Strategies to Reduce Tears and Guilt: 1. Prepare the Night Before for a Stress-Free Morning Don’t rush! Preparing the night before is essential. Rushing your kids in the morning overstimulates them and increases their stress hormones, which can lead to tantrums. By getting ready the night before, you avoid the stress and chaos that can make the morning more difficult for everyone. 2. Stick to a Consistent Routine Babies and toddlers thrive when they know…

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