Parenting

Parenting is tough! Sometimes we need help. I want to give it to you! Here you’ll find ideas for bonding, tips on raising responsible kids, ideas for battling the meal time chaos, and general guidance on dealing with some every day struggles that can be overwhelming at times. I want to provide you with solutions to make those struggles easier so you can get on with loving on your family and fully loving your life.

How to Make Your Family Feel Loved with Small Surprises!

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There are all kinds of ways to make your family feel loved. Telling them you love them, hugs and kisses, and spending quality time with them are some of the most obvious ones. But I think that small gestures, surprises, are the best way to make your family feel loved. Why a surprise gesture is the best way to make your loved ones feel MORE loved! Once a week, I get to pick up Zach from school. Normally, his Dad picks him up after work. But on my off day, I pick him up early so he doesn’t have to go to childcare after. Since he’s little, he’s only there a few hours. Which means I have just enough time … More…

The Importance of a Bedtime Routine for Kids & How to Create One

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Creating a simple bedtime routine for kids is one of the best things you can do. Both for a happy, well rested child, and peace in the house. When kids have a routine, they’re less likely to fight bedtime and more likely to have sound sleep. The routine in our house is really simple. After before bed we get pajamas on, brush our teeth, read a couple of books (or a few chapters of a book), go potty and get a little drink of water, and then go to sleep. We also lay down with him for about 10 minutes or so. We either talk a little or sing a few songs. He in no way needs us to lay … More…

3 Awesome Chapter Book Series to Read to Preschoolers

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Do you have a preschooler that you love to read to? We do! Reading has always been a part of the bedtime routine in our house, since before Zach understood what the heck we were saying. Now, he loves reading time so much that I went on the hunt for some chapter books to read to preschoolers that he might like. This post contains affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links will provide me with a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support helps me run this blog and I thank you! They aren’t super easy to find, if you can believe it. It seems authors and publishing companies think that if kids aren’t … More…

The Decision to Only Have One Child: Why it’s completely okay and we don’t feel bad about it

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There are lots of great reasons to have more than one child. If I’m being honest, I agree with a lot of them. Yet we made the choice to only have one child. Most people assume that when parents of only children say they aren’t having more, it’s a choice based in selfishness. I don’t think that could be further from the truth! The decision to have one child is built around a lot of thought. Each couple has their own considerations and whether they’re known or not, they should be respected. It’s incredibly unfair to pass judgement on any parents for their choice in having however many kids they chose! Whether you only have one child or you decide … More…

How to Keep Kids Safe Around Dogs

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Choosing to have dogs in a home with children is a decision many parents make. And it is a great one! I cannot imagine my childhood without our lovable German Shepherds or our Siberian Husky mix who lived to be nearly 18 years old. They were my protectors, my playmates, and a source of constant entertainment in our home. Naturally, I want to provide my son with those same memories. But, if there is one thing I learned throughout all of those years with our dogs, it’s that they are animals. Animals who can and will act on instinct, usually to protect themselves. Even though we love and trust them, and they do us, it is critical to always be … More…

How You’ve Changed and Grown: A Letter to My Son

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My Dear, Sweet Boy, This week, you turned four. I know all parents say “the time has flown by” and “you’re getting so big,” etc. And all of that is true. But more than that, I’m just so amazed by how drastically you’ve changed and grown over this time and also how much we’ve changed and grown together. Especially in the past year. At the beginning of age three, you were struggling in daycare to the point where they decided that they could not manage to handle you. They thought you were autistic. I cried in the director’s office as she told me warning sign after warning sign that they saw in you and threw information at me. Shortly after, … More…

7 Ways to Make a Birthday Extra Special!

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It’s no secret that I love celebrating and everything that goes along with it. Planning and organizing an awesome birthday party? Yep. Making holidays extra special with holiday traditions? You bet. One thing I want to do is find little ways to show my son how important he is to us on his birthday. I’ve been thinking about this a lot as his birthday gets closer (three weeks!). I’ve been thinking about all the ways to make a birthday special, but without going crazy on cost or spending a ton of time I just don’t have. He’s getting older and hitting the point where he’ll begin to remember his birthdays and how we spend them. I want nothing more than … More…