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Natalie Martinez

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In Fundraising

Tips For a Successful PTA Experience: How to Make a Real Impact as a Parent Volunteer

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Joining the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) can be a rewarding experience, but it can also feel overwhelming—especially if you’re a newbie. Whether you’re diving in headfirst or approaching with caution (and maybe a little reluctance, that’s me!), bringing your A-game can make a significant difference. Here’s some tips for a successful PTA experience and ways to make real impact as a parent volunteer. Know Your Mission (and the Bylaws) Before jumping into PTA meetings with enthusiasm, it’s essential to understand the lay of the land. Start by reviewing the PTA’s bylaws to know how things work, including voting, membership, and decision-making rules. Familiarize yourself with the association’s goals—what are the key objectives for the school year? Knowing these helps you align your efforts with the group’s larger mission. Also, look at ongoing projects so you can see where your contributions will have the most impact. Being informed makes you an effective…

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In Parenting

How Often Should You Replace Bottle and Sippy Cup Nipples or Spouts?

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Baby bottles are a huge part of parenting, and sippy cups are super important when your little one is moving from bottles to regular cups. But you’ve got to take care of them to make sure they stay safe and work well! One big thing to keep in mind is when to switch out the bottle or sippy nipples or spouts. Here are tips on how often to replace baby bottle or sippy cups nipples and spouts, and how to know when it’s time to make the switch. How Often Should You Replace Baby Bottle or Sippy Cup Nipples or Spouts? The lifespan of sippy cup nipples or spouts can vary a lot based on the material, how often you use them, and how well you take care of them. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to swap these parts out every 1-3 months. Checking them regularly and…

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In Parenting

A Montessori Summer Break Schedule: Unleash Your Child’s Creativity at Home

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With summer in full swing, I’m sure most parents are wondering how to keep their kids entertained, with the cost of living increasing it’s becoming more difficult to take a group of kids for a day out to an amusement park, or zoo. Many parents are finding themselves at home, trying to fill the day without relying too heavily on screens.  There are ways to thrive this summer, and not just survive. You can easily incorporate some Montessori principles into your summer routine that will make your life much easier, give your children independence, and have a fun and successful summer without overspending! Embrace the wonders of nature: budget-friendly outdoor adventures. Plan for a mix of structure and free play each day. This balanced approach not only keeps your children engaged but also reassures you that you’re providing a well-rounded summer experience. Montessori principles in your summer routine: Morning predictable…

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In Parenting

How to Be a Supportive Cheer Parent

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Being a cheer or dance parent can have its challenges; it can be exhausting and time-consuming. You need to keep very organized, supportive and involved! You’ll be wearing many hats, from chauffeur, hair stylist, nutritionist, chef, personal assistant, travel agent, psychologist, and probably even a few more! All of these jobs are equally important. But the most important of all, is the role of supportive parent. Managing all of these can be very hard. Here are some tips to ensuring you’re a supportive parent and managing the expectations of your cheerleader and the studio they represent. Tips to be a supportive cheer parent: Don’t lose perspective: Wins, losses, scholarship opportunities, status and endorsements can cloud judgment and cause a parent to lose perspective. This can ruin the experience for your child and negatively affect the coaches, other team members, parents and officials.  Remember – we are working with kids here!…

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In Seasonal

Unique & Practical Teacher Gifts

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T’is the season to start thinking about gifting. that doesn’t come as a surprise, but as a parent, the thing that always does catch me off-guard is the amount of gifts I need! Between my two kids, we have 6 teachers, 4 coaches, plus the 3 lovely ladies in our aftercare program. That’s an additional 13 gifts I need to consider!  They would all be grateful for a card, but I’m a gift-giver! I just love to show how much people mean to me, and gifting is my love language! I’ve found the solution to the perfect unique and practical teacher gifts – without overspending and still keeping it special and personalized! I’ve been using Mabel’s Labels since my kids were babies, and I’m a huge fan! Their labels are stuck on my kids’ stuff through everything! Plus, we never lose anything! That’s NOT because my kids are organized, but…

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In Parenting

Anxious Kids; Transition Tips for Starting a New School Year

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It’s the time of year that starts to creep up on some families. No matter how fun summer has been, it comes to an end; some of our kids become anxious and dread the unknown ahead. A new year at school can be exciting, but it can be a tough transition for other kids. New class, new teacher, new friends, some see the unknown as exciting and fun. However, for kids who struggle with transitions and change, these exciting times can require a lot of planning and care. Here are some anxious kids transition tips for school. First, parents may begin to see behavior changes in their anxious or sensitive kids this time of year. Kids may start to ask a lot of questions about the new year (which is particularly difficult when you don’t have the answers for them).    Some signs they may be struggling with transition to…

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In Mom Moments

Kids at the Pride Parade; Why I Bring My Kid and You Should Too!

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June is Pride Month! We plan on celebrating, supporting, and learning. We have attended the Pride Parade for many years and are excited to participate again in 2025. My daughter will be 6 this year, and I’m excited to have her attend. But we’ve put a lot of thought into attending and ensuring that we’re doing it respectfully. Pride is a big deal for the community and not one to take lightly or use simply as a costume party. Here is a guide to some things to consider about attending Pride; why I bring my kid, and you should too! Firstly, it’s important to understand why you’re going. So many people have fought for the right to be at the Pride Parade. It’s not just a day for glitter and rainbows. So make sure that your reason for taking your child is genuine and not to play dress-up. Make sure…

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In Food

How to Host Superbowl Sunday Like a Champ

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When you experience the Sunday Scaries like I do – adding a Superbowl party into the mix brings me a great deal of anxiety. This year. I’m hosting *yikes* But I have done this before, so I know I can do it again! Here is the plan I followed previously, and I can proudly say, I had a great night! So, if you’re hosting the Superbowl this year – follow my tied and true tips to making it easy on yourself! You veggies & dip don’t need to be in the shape of a football stadium, and your dessert doesn’t need to be shaped like a football, believe me you’ll still have a good time! FOOD: Make a list This year with the price of groceries so high, I did some calculations and the amount of ingredients needed will cost far more than the cost of buying pre-made trays and…

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In Food

Pantry Labels: Five steps to a Pretty Pantry

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New year, new beginnings! It’s the time of year when we start to look around our house and discover that some areas are a hot mess. The media tells us that this is the time to find a fresh start, clean-up and get organized. So here we are – looking at our pantries and realizing this is an area that really needs so organization. And organization means LABELS! We love the look of a neatly labeled pantry. And perfectly cute pantry canisters labels. Not only can you be a feel organized, but in doing so you your pantry into something Pinterest worthy, and that’s so satisfying. However, here in lies the problem – cannister commitment issues.  It’s so hard to commit to a canister with a beautiful label if we’re worried it might change. We’re here to tell you show you 5 ways you can move beyond cannister commitment issues.…

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Teen halloween safety tips
In Parenting

Halloween Safety for Tweens & Teens; Because Times Have Changed!

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We often discuss kids’ safety on Halloween, wearing bright colors, crossing the street, and checking candy. But as our kids become tweens, the rules seem to change, and there isn’t as much info floating around on Halloween safety for teens and tweens, especially in modern-day society. Eventually, our kids will reach a point when they wander out without adults or perhaps attend a party. The rules are different. While we want them to be independent and have fun with their friends, it’s also essential to send them into the world armed with all the tools to stay safe. Your must talk to them before going out. As painful as they may find it – it’s super important. Read safety tips to make yourself aware of and open the discussion up with your tweens and teens. Tips: Pick a route ahead of time. Make all the parents aware of this route…

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