Parenting

Motherhood, Parenting

How to Create Successful Morning and Evening Routines for Kids

Today, I am collaborating with Amanda Tallent from The Zebra to talk about morning and evening routines. Having a consistent routine will definitely set your kids up for success. Predictable routines that work will help you, the busy parent as well. Amanda Tallent generously offered to share her morning and evening routine printables with my readers. If you want to create a new morning or evening routine for your children and don’t know where to start, keep reading for some tips and don’t forget to grab these free resources before you leave!

How to create morning routines pin

Before we get to the tips and tricks, I want to introduce Amanda. Amanda Tallent is a content creator for The Zebra and develops helpful resources for families. Her passion for creative writing has led her to cover unique topics ranging from business to lifestyle. She calls Austin, TX home and enjoys crafting, decorating and traveling in her spare time.

Mother and daughter brushing teeth

Time goes by quickly and as our kids grow older, they learn new skills each and every day. With new life skills, comes more advanced communication and even a bit of responsibility. No matter what age your child or children might be, there are simple ways to teach valuable skills that grow their independence. 

Establishing a routine can be very beneficial for kids of any age. Knowing what expectations are and how to handle a schedule helps set them up for success. From making their bed to picking up their toys, teaching these easy habits can pay off later. 

To help encourage your kids in the morning or when getting ready for bed, The Zebra created some printable routine checklists that show common tasks like brushing teeth and getting dressed. To use these printables each day, you can slip them into a pocket protector and use dry erase markers to check off each item.

Rosebud’s Evening Routine

Now that Rosebud is going to preschool it’s more important than ever that I create a consistent evening routine. Since preschool is new for her and she doesn’t attend everyday, I have some flexibility in our routines, but I try to stay as consistent as possible. Here’s our basic afternoon/evening routine.

When I get home from work, we play for 1-2 hours depending on what I’m making for dinner. If the meal involves more preparation, we have less time to play. While I make dinner, she’s either helping me in the kitchen, playing with a sensory bin or having a bit of screen time. I serve dinner between 5 and 6 O’Clock. There are some days when she’s hungry by 4:30, so I may start dinner a little earlier. Since my shift ends in the afternoon, my schedule allows for this.

Rosebud’s Evening Schedule

6 O’Clock: Play time.

6:45: Clean up toys.

I clean up the kitchen, feed the cat and prepare Rosebud’s backpack for the next morning.7:00 Bath time.

Put on pajamas.

Brush teeth.

7:30 Story time.

7:45 Bedtime.

Boy at bedtime snuggling a plush polar bear

I try to stick to this general schedule, but everything depends on how much work I have to do around the house and what Rosebud and I feel like doing. Sometimes, we skip bath time if Rosebud doesn’t need one. This gives her a bit more play time. Other days, we go out to play after dinner if it was too hot earlier in the day. Rosebud’s not a big fan of the hot weather, so she prefers to go outside later. Outdoor play is important, so everything else on the schedule may get pushed back. Just because bedtime is around 7:45, Rosebud almost never falls asleep that early. She likes me to snuggle with her after stories and I stay with her until she falls asleep. She’s usually asleep by 8:30. I bring a pair of earbuds and listen to an audio book or podcast. I’ve found it’s the only thing that doesn’t keep her awake.

You may have to do a lot of trial and error before you find a routine that works for you. The thing I’ve had to adjust most often is bedtime. Rosebud has always been a night owl, so, I’ve always struggled with getting her to sleep. As we all know, sleep is so important. It can make or break the next day.

Morning and Evening Routines infographic

Morning Routines

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that morning routines are a challenge for me. I’ve never been a morning person. I like my sleep and used to constantly hit the snooze button. Since I’ve moved my workouts to the morning, I’ve been better about getting up on time. My biggest challenge is fitting everything in without feeling rushed. However, here are some tips that have helped me.

  • 1. Prepare what you can the night before. Whether it be lunch or your child’s backpack, it saves time to have it ready.
  • 2. Get up a little earlier than normal. I moved my wake up time to 5:30. This gives me an extra half hour to exercise and spend a few minutes working on smaller blog tasks.
  • 3. Avoid hitting the snooze button and get up when the alarm goes off. If you fall back to sleep, you’ll feel worse.
  • 4. Eat a decent breakfast. Even if it’s just a smoothy, it’ll give you some energy.
  • 5. Have your children help with morning tasks if possible. Since Rosebud gets dressed by herself now, I give her her clothes and have her get dressed while I’m doing something else. Little things like this can not only save time, but will help children feel more confident in mastering these skills.

Mother waving daughter off to school

Our Morning Routine

5:30 Wake up.

Do small blog tasks and exercise.

6:00 Shower and get dressed

7:00 Wake up time for Rosebud.

This varies. If she wakes up earlier, it messes with my routine a bit. She either plays with toys while I’m in the shower or watches something on the iPad.

7:05 Rosebud gets dressed.

7:10 Breakfast

7:30 Hair and makeup for me. Rosebud brushes teeth and hair.

7:45 Packing anything we need that wasn’t packed the night before. If I’m making a sandwich, I make it in the morning. If I have a meal that I will have to warm up, I prepare that the night before. I check Rosebud’s backpack.

8:00 Feed the cat.

Then catch up on anything that needs to be done so we can get out the door on time. My routine never runs like clock work, but I can say it’s gotten so much better in the past year.

How to create Evening Routines pin

Printables

To help you with your routines, Amanda has created these free morning and evening routine printables that I have for you today. These printables can help the whole family stay on track and save everyone lots of time and energy by knowing what needs to be done and when. If your evening routine is a challenge or if your morning routine is a nightmare, these printables are definitely for you!

Evening Routine Printable

Morning Routine Printable

What tips and tricks do you use to make your morning or evening routines successful? Tell me in the comments. Also, don’t forget to visit Amanda over at The Zebra where there are many more wonderful resources for families!

2 Comments
Parenting, Personal Development

55 Journaling Prompts for Moms

As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, I love journaling. I find that journaling has a lot of benefits. It helps clear the mind, look at things from a different perspective and lets you reflect on your past. It’s a great way of keeping track of your goals, remembering dreams, showing gratitude, preserving memories and if you are a writer, it’s one way to create content. Journaling helps me relax before I go to bed, but I’ve been so focused on this blog, I haven’t been journaling as much. That’s something I want to change because I was thinking about how I’ve been writing to preserve memories for Rosebud. When she was a baby, I wrote so many things down, but for the past year, I’ve definitely been slacking which brings me to the topic of journal prompts for moms. I’ll divide them up into categories and hopefully this will help all of us to start or to continue our journaling practice.

55 Journaling Prompts for Moms pin

Prompts to Preserve Memories

  1. What was your child’s birth story?
  1. What was your family life like growing up?
  1. What lessons did your parents teach you?
  1. What do you wish they would’ve done differently?
  1. What have been the most memorable experiences so far with your children?
  1. Make a list of firsts and write the stories behind them. First words, first food, first steps, first birthday party, first day of school, first night away from home etc.
  1. What was your first memory from your childhood?
  1. Where was your favorite place as a child and where is your favorite place now?
  1. Who were your childhood friends?
  1. What are your child’s favorite toys?
  1. What were your favorite toys as a child?
  1. Did you have any childhood pets? If so, what were they like?
  1. Make a list of things you love about your children.

Collection of journals

Exploring the Future

  1. What are your hopes and dreams?
  1. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
  1. What is the most important lesson you want your children to learn?
  1. Write a letter to your older self.
  1. Write letters to your children.
  1. Where do you want your life to be in ten years?
  1. What are your hopes and dreams for your children?
  2. Woman writing in diary

Self Discovery

  1. If you could have any career, what would you do?
  1. What places would you like to see?
  1. If you won ten million dollars, what would you do?
  1. Who do you look up to and why?
  1. What relaxes you?
  1. Make a list of things that bring you joy.
  1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
  1. What do you love about yourself?
  1. If you’re in a relationship, what do you love about your partner?
  1. If you are not in a relationship, what do you look for in a partner?
  1. What are your biggest secrets?
  1. What is your biggest regret?
  1. What does your perfect day look like?
  1. What new activities or hobbies would you like to try?
  1. What does self-care mean to you?

Pregnant woman writing in journalPrompts for Daily Life

  1. What are you grateful for today?
  1. What happened today that made you smile?
  1. What was the worst thing about today?
  1. What’s on the menu for the day or week?
  1. Write a story with your child.
  1. What conversations did you have with your children today?
  1. Is there something about today that you wish you could have done differently?
  1. What is your morning routine like?
  1. What is your fitness routine like?
  1. Did you have any dreams that you remember?
  2. 55 Journaling prompts for moms pin

Free Writing Prompts

Some people use a word as a prompt and just write whatever comes to mind. It’s a stream of consciousness exercise. I’ll use some words that may pertain to motherhood.

  1. Motherhood,
  1. Growing,
  1. Working,
  1. Change,
  1. Time,
  1. Happiness,
  1. Expectations,
  1. Wonder,
  1. Plans,
  1. Wishes.

Do you have any go to journaling prompts when you get stuck? Tell me in the comments. If you are looking for a new journal, here are some different styles to choose from. Happy journaling!



If you keep a digital journal like me, check out my favorite journaling app.

6 Comments
Education, Parenting, Preschool

Why I Chose Preschool for Rosebud

Up until now, Rosebud has been cared for by family members while I work. I’ve never even left her with a baby sitter or a trusted friend. Leaving her with someone I don’t know at all has been completely out of the question. I had very negative experiences with baby sitters and childcare centers as a kid, so the thought of Rosebud being anywhere other than at home causes me a lot of anxiety. I’ve seen what can happen first hand and just the idea that anything could happen to my daughter is scary. If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I work in a childcare center. Most people would think that the obvious solution would be to bring her to where I work, but the truth is that I know too much. I know exactly what goes on there and there are too many things I don’t want Rosebud exposed to. One example is this experience, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. If it were up to me, we’d live in a society where children didn’t have to go to childcare and they could spend most of the time with their parents, but we live in a world where most families need two incomes just to survive.

Why I chose Preschool for Rosebud pin

The Boredom

After Rosebud turned three, I started noticing a lot of changes in her. She wasn’t listening, she’d argue with everything I said and it seemed like there was something missing for her. She seemed bored. Bored with me and bored with her toys. She seemed more interested in watching tv until we went screen free for a while.

Kids playing in a circle

Socialization

Her only friend was Little Guy and he only came over occasionally. He comes over even less now since he switched childcare programs. She’d often beg me to have Little Guy come visit, but when he was here, she’d struggle with the idea of sharing her toys. She loves Little Guy. They have a good time together, but since he is a year younger, they don’t play on the same level. she’s really into creative and imaginative play. She loves to set up pretend parties, create art and build intricate buildings out of blocks. On the other hand, Little Guy loves to play on his own. He’s happy with a bunch of rubber ducks or pushing food around in a toy cart which is completely appropriate for his age. His idea of playing with another kid is a boisterous game of chase which Rosebud loves, but she wants to do other things as well. There are two separate struggles there. Rosebud is an only child and is not used to sharing her toys and you add the fact that they aren’t on the same level and don’t always understand each other. It has made for some interesting play dates, but no matter what happens, they seem to forget and love each other in the end. Rosebud talks about Little Guy every day when they don’t see each other and Little Guy smiles and runs right in like he owns the place when he comes back to visit. That being said, I know Rosebud needs more in terms of learning to share and making new friends.

Girl playing with clay

Mom Guilt

Yes. The mom guilt. The struggle is real! Being an early childhood educator, I always felt guilty for not doing enough with Rosebud. At least I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I wanted to make new sensory bins every week or two, try all kinds of different types of play-dough and do a bunch of art activities. Oh and let’s not forget that she needs outside time. The problem is there aren’t enough hours in the day. When am I going to do all that? I work and am tired when I get home. I work with kids all day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is get out messy finger paints or make up a new batch of play-dough. All I want to do is relax, but what I need to do is make dinner, clean and get ready for the next day. That doesn’t leave me much time with Rosebud, so I usually take her to play outside. I feel a lot of guilt over this because the last thing I want to do is take care of and play with other kids instead of my own, but that’s what I have to do every day. We do art on rainy days and I make up new sensory bins once a month. The crayons and markers are always available to her and we do lots of pretend play in her kitchen. Over the past six months, the mom guilt has been really nagging at me.

Teacher showing a boy and girl dinosaur models

Education

Next fall, Rosebud will be old enough to do the public pre-k, but from what I’ve seen, pre-k is pretty academic these days. I didn’t want Rosebud to go from no structure to all the structure. Academically, I don’t think it would be a problem. She knows her colors, shapes, numbers and is starting to recognize many letters. She knows a lot about the world around her and is a fast learner. I don’t want school to be a negative experience for her, but I think it would be if there were no transition in between.

Why I chose preschool for Rosebud pin

Preschool

Up until June, I was still on the fence about what to do. I often hear about the different local programs and I know the signs of a quality early childhood program so that’s what I look for. There are only three programs in my area that have a really good reputation. Unfortunately, cost is definitely a factor, so I was holding off. Then one day, someone told me about this preschool summer camp. It’s a three week session that runs three days per week. They do art, music, story time and outside play. It’s only a morning program. It seemed perfect. It was the perfect way to find out how Rosebud would react in a preschool environment. So far, so good. She’s finished her first week. She’s been on a nature walk, painted pictures and played with new toys. More importantly, she’s been playing with other kids. According to her teacher, she helps out in the classroom and is wonderful. The best thing is that she’s so happy in the afternoons. She tells me about her day and is excited to go back. I’ve noticed that she is less bored and is listening better. She even took a nap one afternoon which she hadn’t done in months. I am relieved that she is enjoying it and that her teacher seems to like her.

Back when I enrolled her in the summer preschool, I asked about their fall preschool program. They have a two, three or five day option. I chose the two day option for the fall. Now I’m kind of regretting not going with the three day option, but I wanted to see how things go. What I like about this preschool is that it’s play based and parents have said all good things about the program. I agonized over this decision, but it was a huge step for me and for Rosebud too. While I still worry and wonder what she is doing throughout the day, I know that I made the right decision. She needs this for her social and emotional development and I know she’ll learn things along the way. Now that I know she’ll be getting some other enrichment, I won’t be as worried that I’m not doing enough. I can just enjoy my time with her no matter what we are doing. Is your child starting preschool this fall? What was the deciding factor for you? Tell me in the comments.

2 Comments
Childcare, Parenting

What to Pack for Preschool

I’m a childcare provider and there are so many instances where the children do not have the essential items that they need. I know there are a lot of reasons for this. Parents may be struggling financially, there is poor communication between teachers and parents or it may be that parents assume that we can provide these items. Each childcare program is different. Some programs include diapers and wipes in the cost. Other programs serve meals and snacks. Some programs provide swimming lessons or dance classes. With so many different expectations, it’s important to find out what your child needs to have with them when they are first enrolled. Whatever the case may be, here is a list of items your child may need based on age.

How to pack Your Baby’s Diaper Bag pin

Infant and Toddler

Bottles
Unless you are fortunate enough to work close enough to your child where you can breast-feed throughout the day, you’ll need bottles. This is where you should check with your childcare provider. Do they prefer premade bottles or will they make them as needed? What is their policy on frozen breast milk? At the center where I work, we prefer premade bottles that the parents make up at home. This way, we can pop them into the warmer or crock pot and the babies don’t have to wait as long. It’s also easier to keep track of whose bottles are whose this way. We label them, but with eight babies under a year old, it really helps us to have the bottles ready to go. Sometimes, we might need extra milk or the child is there longer than expected, so we have a freezer for storing breast milk that is properly labeled with the child’s name and the date it was expressed. We follow the same procedures for formula fed babies, but I’d recommend leaving a can of formula with your childcare provider just in case.

Baby Food

If your child has started eating solid food, you may want to bring some baby food depending on the childcare provider’s policies. Our program provides baby food and regular lunches for older children. However, many programs do not provide food. Personally, I prefer that parents bring food. This way, you know exactly what your child is eating and chances are, they will eat. I see so many kids that refuse our food either because it is unfamiliar or they think it’s gross. Then the child is grumpy because they are so hungry. There are advantages and disadvantages to providing food or having parents provide food, but it can be a factor when deciding on a program for your family.

Baby clothes

Diapers and Wipes

This is an obvious one, but some places. Provide diapers and wipes, so it’s definitely something you should ask about. Parents will usually give us an unopened package of diapers and the same for wipes, but occasionally there are parents who only provide a few new diapers each day. I find this is the hardest to keep track of and if you forget, your child won’t have diapers for the day. While we try to have extra diapers on hand, it’s not always possible. When diapers are not provided, we end up having to borrow diapers from other children. Then when the diapers are replenished, we have to give some of your diapers back to the children you borrowed from. Some places have policies that state that if your child does not have enough diapers for the day, they cannot stay at the program. It’s also important because some children have skin sensitivity issues and using different diapers and wipes can cause irritation or an extreme rash. that’s why we only like to use what you provide. If you use a specific diaper rash cream or powder, you should include that as well.

Infants, Toddlers or Preschoolers

Changes of clothes

I can’t stress this enough! Infants should have at minimum two or three changes of clothes. With the spit ups, food mishaps and blow outs, infants need ample changes of clothes. This should be obvious, but parents can forget in the midst of sleepless nights while holding down a job.

Toddlers and preschoolers need changes of clothes too. I’d recommend two changes of clothes and check back often to be sure clothing is replenished. Even though most childcare providers will keep track, it helps to work as a team.

Little girl with teddy bear

Comfort Items

Does your child use a pacifier? Do they have a special blanket, swaddle or stuffed animal? If so, please bring those in. We want your child to feel as comfortable as possible and want your child to feel at home. Most programs welcome family photos. Especially for infants. In our infant room, we have family posters. Each child has a poster with several pictures of themselves and their family members that they can look at throughout the day. Other classrooms use little photo albums that children can keep in their cubbies. Your child misses you throughout the day and photos can help them feel closer to you.


Packing child’s bag

Outdoor Items

This will change depending on where you live, the climate and the ages of your children, but here’s an idea of what your child may need outside.
Jacket, raincoat or sweatshirt,
Good sneakers for outdoor play,
Rain boots or winter boots depending on season,
Summer or winter hat,
Mittens of gloves for winter,
We prefer the water proof mittens, but they may be harder to put on and may not fit as well as gloves or knitted mittens. Also, some children find it easier to use gloves or knitted mittens because they can use their hands better.
Sun screen or bug spray,
This is important because you know which products if any will cause allergic reactions in your child.

Items for Water Play

Many childcare providers do some type of water play and here are some items you might need.

  • Bathing suit,
  • Water shoes,
  • Towel.

Food

Boy eating lunch

As I mentioned above, some programs require you to bring your children’s food. The amount of food you will need will depend on how long your child will be in care and the meals the provider will or will not include. Some programs serve breakfast and a snack, some programs serve two snacks, but no lunch while others provide all meals. Some programs may not provide any food at all. If you need to bring your own food, carefully read the policies as many places have items that you aren’t allowed to bring. Many programs are nut free which rules out anything with peanut butter. Some items are choking hazards such as hot dogs, whole grapes or raw carrots. I recommend including food items from each food group for a balanced diet. Whole grains, protein, vegetables, fruit and dairy. I also recommend using a lunch box or container that helps keep items either hot or cold since most places don’t have the time or facilities to warm up so many lunches at once.

Essentials to pack for preschool

Optional Items

these are items that I’ve seen parents bring over the years that may be helpful, but not always necessary.

  • Bib,
  • Sunglasses,
  • Teethers,
  • Chap stick,
  • Tissues,
  • Journal for writing notes back and forth.

There may be other items your child will need, but this list is meant to be a basic guide for what your child will need to bring to preschool. Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments.

5 Comments
Education, Parenting, Shopping

Back to School: The Unicorn Eddition

Welll, it’s that time again. It’s getting close to a new school year and that means buying brand new school supplies. Rosebud is starting preschool this year which is the inspiration for this post. I’ll mostly be focusing on supplies for elementary school kids since preschoolers don’t usually need many supplies. Rosebud and I are both unicorn fans, so here is a back to school list, the unicorn edition!

Back to school Unicorn supplies pin

Supplies for Meal Times

Lunch Box

Kids love to have a cool lunch box and here are a couple options for a girl who loves unicorns.


Ice Pack
In case the lunch box you choose doesn’t come with one or you need an extra.

Thermos
If you want to pack soup or other warm food.

Water Bottle
Whether your child is going to preschool or elementary school, they’ll need a water bottle.

Mother giving backpack to daughter.

Backpack

Another extremely important item. Most kids love picking out their own backpack. Here are a few unicorn backpacks to choose from.


Girl with stack of books

School Supplies

Notebook

Folders

3 Ring Binder

School supplies on a chalkboard.

Pencils


Pens
I remember a lot of us having pens when we were in school. Although, I didn’t see pens on the back to school lists I looked at.

Erasers
These are more novelty than anything, but it’s fun to have some unique school supplies.

Pencil Sharpener

Pencil Case

Unicorn Edition: school supplies pin

Markers
I did not find a unicorn marker set, but I found some colored pencils. I’ll include those along with a standard marker set.

Crayons
I’ll include this novelty set as well as a standard crayon set.

Safety Scissors
Who knew there were unicorn scissors?

Extras
Tissues and Hand wipes,

Glue

Unicorn Edition: Water color unicorn pin

School Supply Luxuries

Have fun shopping for back to school items this year. Try not to stress and if possible, give your children some choices about what they would like. In my experience, it helps them get excited about the start of school. Stay tuned for more back to school posts in August! I’ll end this post with this simple back to school checklist.

1 Comment
Parenting, Personal Development

Affordable Self-care for Moms

Today, I have a wonderful guest post for you by Andee Schmidt who is working on her new blog. When it is up and running, I will add the link to this post. I often talk about personal development and the importance of self-care for moms, so I was happy when Andee approached me to share this post on affordable self-care for mothers. Thank you, Andee for writing this post and sharing with my readers. If you’re on a budget and are in need of some affordable self-care ideas, you’ll definitely want to check out Andee’s self-care suggestions.

Affordable Self-care for moms pin

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term self-care being floated about. Many times this idea conjures up a “treat yourself” mentality of shopping splurges and face masks, but that’s not always the case. Self-care can be accessible.

But, as mothers, it might feel like there’s barely any time –or money– to focus on you. Read on in this list of affordable self-care ideas to find out how mothers can prioritize themselves, because health shouldn’t be a luxury.

Woman sitting on a bath tub with rose petals.

Self-Care for Mothers

Moms have the toughest job in the world. You’re probably feeling overworked and overtired, and that’s precisely why it’s important that you take care of both your mental and physical wellbeing.

Ultimately, self-care is the practice of taking action to improve your own health. Honoring your body, mind, and spirit will help you activate the best version of yourself you can be by improving your physical, mental and/or emotional health.

Although it probably sounds impossible to prioritize an hour for just you, treating yourself to time alone has been proven to improve overall wellbeing. In fact, according to VeryWellMind, it can even make you a better caregiver, because it reduces the feeling of burn out.

Free and Affordable Options

Woman painting at easel

Flex your creativity

You don’t need to be artistic to benefit from an artistic hobby. In fact, the pleasure from art usually comes from the process of creation, not necessarily the final outcome. Whether it’s painting, knitting, drawing or sculpting, budgeting some time per week for a creative hobby can have very positive results. Finding your groove with something artsy is a great way to get into a flow state and let your mind relax.

Remember, coloring books aren’t only for children anymore, but you can always have your kids join the fun and color together!

Woman meditating on beach

Relax your mind

Meditation can be intimidating. I don’t know how to do it well or I get distracted are common concerns of those new to the practice. But, here’s the thing, meditating is just about listening to your thoughts and being present in the moment. You can even meditate while taking a shower or while winding down for bed.

Like anything else, meditation takes practice; but here’s a list of good –and free– applications that can get you started: The Mindfulness App, Headspace and Calm.

Become a yogi

You don’t need a large budget for yoga: as long as you have comfortable clothing and a nice quiet space for your practice, you’ll be good to go.

There’s no need to stress about flexibility, stamina or fitness levels. Yoga is more about the mind than the body: learn to be present and mindful of what your body is capable of without worrying too much about perfection. Plus, there are even positions that allow you to lay flat on the floor–mini nap anyone?

Check out some online tutorials or cheap or discounted beginner classes that you can use to get started.

Woman reading a book at a cafe

Curl up with a book

Oftentimes, reading is something that falls to the backburner when you have so many other things to worry about. However, reading can be excellent for self-care. Reading is a relaxing activity that helps you take a break from the stress of everyday. Plus, with the boom of audio books you can even read while taking care of your other tasks.

If you’re interested in learning more about self-care, you might want to start by reading some of the books on this list, or these, if you want to read about motherhood.

Woman walking in the park with stroller

Take a walk

The good thing about walking? It’s free. And you can do it basically anywhere. Pop in your headphones, or put the kids in a stroller and just walk.

As long as you take the time to think about yourself and take care of your mind, you’ll be practicing some form of self-care. Plus, studies have shown that spending time outdoors can reduce mental fatigue, stress and elevate your mood.
Self-care for moms on a budget pin

Finding Time for Self-Care

Now this is all peachy… but, many of you might be thinking: how do I get enough time alone to do that?! Prioritizing yourself can be tough when you feel that every second is going to taking care of others. It’s certainly not easy, but here’s a list of quick tips you can use to find the time alone you need:

Occupy the kids

Use the time when your kids are busy as time to squeeze in your self-care. Play dates, nap time and after-school activities are great ways to both entertain your kids and get some free time for yourself.

Put it on your calendar

If you make alone time sporadic, it will feel abnormal for your family. But if you do it weekly and let your kids and partner know this is “mom’s time”, it will become part of their routine and yours!

Ask for help

The truth is, getting alone time while being a mother is nearly impossible, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Make a plan with your partner or anyone in you support system so you can ensure you are getting what you need. Lean on the people in your life. Also, if you are able, there’s nothing wrong with hiring a babysitter to get a few hours to yourself.

Many of these activities can also be done with the whole family: take your kids out for a walk, to the movies, or the park and you will soon find yourself with time on your hands to think. But if you are able to get some precious alone time, don’t feel guilty for enjoying it. Remember, moms need to be taken care of too!

About the author:

Andee Schmidt

Andee is a recent college graduate from Arizona State University with a love of writing, the outdoors, and funky cafes. You can usually find her hiking or planning her next trip. She is passionate about traveling, frugal living, her family, and the perfect cup of coffee. She is the writer behind the blog : xx . Find her on Instagram as @andee_schmidt or Twitter @andeeschmidt.
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Infants, Parenting

The Essentials for Baby’s 1st Trip to the Beach

Taking your baby to the beach for the first time can be exciting. You can experience the sand, the waves and the sun together. While the beach may be an enjoyable place for you, it may be a little scary for your baby or todler the first time. There will be unfamiliar sights, sounds and textures. When I took Rosebud to the beach for the first time, I didn’t realize how daunting it could be. We needed to take a lot of stuff, so I want to simplify it for you and make a list of the essentials you will need for baby’s first trip to the beach.Mother and baby on beach

Beach Bag

First you need to have something to contain everything. A good beach bag is a must. I use a clear jelly beach bag that is quite large and can hold most of what we need. I couldn’t find the exact one, but here are some similar bags.

Surfer baby on beach

Safety

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is an absolute must if your baby is over six months of age. I chose to use Blue Lizard because it is natural and not too sticky or oily when you put it on. There are a variety of sunscreens to choose from, so it’s worth doing some research. Here is EWG’s list of best scoring sunscreens for kids to get you started.


Don’t forget sunscreen for yourself as well.

If your baby is under six months, it is recommended that you do not use sunscreen. You’ll want to use a seat or stroller with a canopy.

Check out this list of 6 best strollers for rocky or sandy beaches.

Life Jacket

If your baby goes in the water with you, you’ll definitely want to keep them safe. Rosebud used one of these. She was around 18 months and was walking when I took her for the first time. I put her life jacket on her and we held hands the whole time we were in the water. I just wanted her to experience the waves and getting her feet wet. We did not go out very far. Although, she kept trying to walk out further where some bigger kids where playing. She had no fear.

If your baby is not walking yet or you feel more comfortable baby wearing, you’ll definitely want to check out this list of the best baby carriers to use in water.

Sunglasses

I always have sunglasses with me, so Rosebud brings hers with her most of the time as well, whether she needs them or not, but they are helpful on bright sunny days.

Hat

A hat is a must have to keep your baby’s head safe from the sun.

Essentials for baby’s 1st trip to the beach (pin)

Food and Drink

Water Bottle

Hydration is so important. Especially in extremely hot weather. Be sure to bring water bottles for everyone. It’s recommended that baby’s not be given water until they are at least six months of age.


Bottle Holder

If you are breast-feeding, you won’t need this, but if you are using formula or pumped milk, you’ll want something to keep those bottles cold. I like this bottle holder because it’s big enough for two bottles and comes with an ice pack.

Lunch and or Snacks

Depending on how long you are at the beach, you’ll want something to eat.

You could bring a cooler for drinks, a picnic basket with sandwhiches or a variety of snacks that are easy to eat on the go.

Baby sitting on beach

What to Wear

Bathing Suitt


Diapers or Little Swimmers

Water Shoes

Be sure not to forget changes of clothes.

Kids playing on beach

The Fun Stuff

Beach Towels

Blanket

Totally optional, but a blanket is a good choice if you don’t want the extra bother of bringing chairs.

Comfortable chairs

Essentials for baby’s 1st trip to the beach (Pin)

Toys for Sand Play

Phone or Camera to Take Picturess

I was not the one taking pictures when we went to the beach. Since I was in the water with her, I never let go of her hand, so taking pictures were out of the question until we were safely ashore. I kept the use of my phone to the bare minimum while we were at the beach. I used it for taking photos of her playing in the sand and checking the time. The whole point is to unplug and enjoy nature and family time anyway. If you want to document though, it helps when there are extra sents of hands.

If you can get a break from supervision duties, bring a book and relax. If you need some book suggestions, check out this list of top beach bag reads for moms by the Confused Housewife. Most of all, enjoy the beach and the wonder of your baby seeing it for the first time. Are there any beach must haves that I missed? Tell me in the comments.

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Parenting

A Letter to My Father

I usually don’t write anything about Fathers Day. I could’ve made up a gift guide to get some blog traffic, but what would I know about that? How would I know what dads want? My parents divorced when I was very young and I barely ever remember them being together as a family. I wanted to acknowledge the holiday somehow, so here is a letter to my father. This is very personal and is difficult to share, but I hope it helps someone or maybe even myself.

A Letter to My Father pin

I’m not sure how to start this letter. Should I write, dear dad? No. That doesn’t sound right because I haven’t seen you in over 20years now. I’m sure I’ll never see you again and I accept that. It is probably for the best. Maybe I should address this letter, “to my father”, but you don’t deserve that title. I guess I’ll just jump right in then. I’m writing this letter because Father’s Day is very close and I always start thinking of you around this time because I see Fathers Day stuff everywhere. I work with kids and of course, we always make Fathers Day cards and projects with the kids. That doesn’t bother me though. I’m happy for the kids when they have a good dad in their life. Sometimes I wonder what you are doing now and if you’ve changed your life at all. I wonder if you ever think of me or if you regret walking away. Mostly I think about what you’ve missed out on and definitely what you are missing out on now.

Father teaches child to ride bike while the mother stands next to them.

I know if anyone realizes who I am and who you are, you’d be embarrassed and would hate to find this post. You wouldn’t want anyone to know that any of this is your fault. I know that my disability bothered you and I’m sure you were embarrassed about that as well. You didn’t want to deal with my problems and I’m sure it was difficult for you, but you do those things as a parent. You accept your child, meet them where they are and solve problems together. At least that’s what a good dad does. Regardless of my short comings, I’m successful in a lot of ways. I contribute to the world. I care for children. I reach out to others. I write. I create art. I try to be a good daughter, a good friend, but most of all, I try to be a good mother.

Mother holding baby behind tree trunk

I have a child of my own now. That’s what I meant when I said I think about what you are missing out on now. You are missing being a grandfather to an amazing little girl. She’s bright, energetic, funny and sweet. Maybe you have had that opportunity with my sister. You always called her my sister, but I know she’s not biologically related to either one of us. That never mattered though. It doesn’t matter whose DNA she has. Obviously, the emotional bonds mattered much more as I always saw her as my sister. That is until we didn’t see each other anymore. That is the one thing I truly miss. I always wanted a sister. I have my brothers and they are close, but I feel like the odd one out. Sisters have a different bond. I always wondered why you liked her more than me, but deep down I already knew. It was painfully obvious. She wasn’t defective.

Two women sit in front of waterfall

I suppose it was because she was successful and you figured I’d never amount to anything. I’m still not as successful as I’d like to be, but I am more than what you or your family envision. I ran in to a family member of yours one day at Walmart. I couldn’t tell you who it was, but I was in my late 20’s and I had just graduated from college. They just assumed I had graduated from high school and actually asked if I went to a special school. It goes to show how little they know and what your family thinks of me. Unfortunately, you had the same attitude. I used to think it was me and I admit, sometimes I still do. I wonder why or how anyone else will accept me when you couldn’t. I know that it’s possible because mom accepts and deals with it in her own way. She believes I’m capable even though she’s over protective at times. At least she taught me things and is proud of what I’ve done. She’s not perfect. No one is, but at least she’s always been there and I know she loves me. She had to work full-time plus do the job of two parents. They say the negative almost outweighs the positive. You can hear ten positive things about yourself, but you’ll remember that one negative thing. Our relationship or lack of one has left a hole in my life. One that will never be filled and I’ve come to terms with that a long time ago.

Little girl hugging stuffed animal

I talked to this psychic once. She claimed that she could connect with spirits. She said she connected with your father and she felt a lot of aggression. I don’t know much about any of your family or what it was like for you growing up, but based on your life as an adult, I think I can assume that your childhood was no picnic. I know that your dad died when you were very young. I’m sorry about that. I’m not sure if it was him who she connected with, but the psychic told me that your leaving was your gift to me. A gift on a soul level. It sounds crazy, but maybe that’s the best you could do. Sometimes it’s better to just walk away. I’ve learned that the hard way. In my head, I understand this, but in my heart, I never will.

A Letter to my Father envelopes and flowers pin

Fathers Day is approaching and I was just going to skip over it. Pretend like it doesn’t exist. That wouldn’t be hard to do because that’s what I’ve always done except when my grandfather was alive. He was my male role model. A good dad. Everything I wished you could’ve been. He taught me the value of hard work and what it means to be honest. I remember playing in his shop, helping him in the garden, playing card games and his stories about what it was like for him growing up. That’s what Fathers Day is really about. Celebrating men like him.

This morning, I planned on writing a happy post about what you need for a baby’s first trip to the beach, but then I was inspired. I was inspired by this wonderful sweet letter that another woman wrote to her dad. Only it was all positive. Brimming with love and admiration. Of course it would be, Fathers Day is for celebrating dads, but what if your dad isn’t in your life? What if you never knew your dad? What if your dad is a horrible human being? I’m not saying that about you. There must have been something good underneath, but there are so many people who can’t celebrate their dads for whatever reason. This post is for them, so they know they aren’t alone. This letter is for those of us who don’t have our dads. This letter is for those of us who feel left out when we see supportive and involved dads. If you don’t have your dad, I can relate. If you are a good father who supports and cares for his children, thank you. I hope you realize how important you are in your child’s life. Happy Fathers Day.

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Friendship, Motherhood, Parenting

Looking For My Tribe

I’m writing this post because of situations I’ve had recently both with coworkers and old friends. One reason I have created this blog is to talk about some of the difficult issues that come up surrounding motherhood. For me, isolation is one of those issues. To be honest, I’ve never really fit in anywhere. I’ve always had trouble meeting people and making friends. Maybe it’s my shy and introverted personality. Maybe it’s my visual impairment that puts people off. Maybe it’s another flaw in my personality or maybe it’s the world we live in today. Whatever the reason, I’ve never really found my tribe.

Looking For My Tribe. (Group of friends pin)

This past week, I reached out to an old friend. We exchanged a couple of messages, but the conversation fizzled out pretty quickly. It ended with me asking about his kids and how his work was going. Whenever I hear from this person, there are always excuses about how busy he is, but it’s clear he’s just too busy for me. It’s like that with most interactions I have with people. I make all the effort to keep in touch, but get very little in return.

Upset girl standing away from group of gossuping friends.

The Isolation

I hear this from a lot of adults. They feel isolated. It’s hard to make friends and it’s hard to see the ones we have regularly. Another friend and I were talking the other day about how isolating parenting can be. She told me that many of her friends had kids young, so now they are in a completely different stage of parenting. They don’t want to deal with the birthday parties, the baby showers etc. It’s harder to find things in common. I miss the ease of childhood friendships. Kids bond over playing the same sports, liking the same music or it could just be as simple as deciding they will be friends and then sticking to it. Then we all grow up. Now that we have smart phones and the internet, we seemed to have forgotten how to interact with the people around us.

Are we passing our isolation on to our children?

Two children playing with water ball

Awkwardness

Rosebud is social by nature. She still has trouble with sharing her toys, but she generally loves to be around other kids. The thing is, she doesn’t have much of an opportunity for that since she is not in childcare. I want her summers to be fun and memorable, so I took her on a few field trips last year. For starters, I took her to the library where they have a play room. Presumably, children can play together there. We spent some time looking at books and playing and hoped another kid would show up. Well, a father and his two kids eventually did, but he sat with his kids outside the room and was clearly waiting for us to leave. It was awkward, so we left.

Mother carrying toddler

Hovering

Our next trip was to a small children’s museum. Honestly, it was just a larger preschool classroom that advertises itself as a museum to get funding for their program. Rosebud had a good time playing with the different toys there, but I hoped she’d get to play with other kids. There were a couple other kids her age, but instead of encouraging the kids to play together, the parents hovered and followed the kids from place to place. When I was a kid, the kids played together and the parents would talk. This was true even in new places with new kids. Especially if the place was relatively small and you could see the kids from where ever you were.

Two little boys trying to take a truck away from one another.

Aggression

Our third trip was to a larger museum for children where Rosebud’s favorite thing was a room full of blocks and balls. There was a boy around her age who was there with his brother. They were building a tower with the blocks and then filling it with balls. Rosebud noticed this and started gathering balls for them, but whenever she brought balls over to them, the smaller boy would tell her to go away and that they weren’t playing with her. She was too young at the time to feel the rejection and kept filling buckets of balls for them.

Are We Isolating Our Children (pin)

After a while, we went to another room that had different kinds of tunnels with balls. They also had an exhibit where you could keep balls floating in the air. It was basically a cone with air being forced out of it. Anyway, there was another boy around her age and she noticed his dad bouncing balls over the cone. He could keep several going at once which made her laugh. When she noticed the boy, she went over to stand next to him. There was plenty of room for them both to play with the ball machines, but the boy kept hitting her and pushing her away no matter what she did. I kept having her move away from him, but she really want to play with him. After a little while, we decided to leave because I didn’t want the boy to keep being mean to her. Maybe he was the one who should’ve left, but I didn’t want to cause a scene or try to have an awkward conversation with his dad. However I told Rosebud to tell the boy that she didn’t like it when he hit or pushed her. I also told her to stay away from him and that she didn’t have to be around people who were mean to her. While hitting and pushing is developmentally appropriate to a point, as a childcare provider, I’m seeing an over abundance of aggressiveness. That seems to be the first response to everything. Many kids seem to get physical without remorse and I’m convinced that there’s more involved than kids just being kids.Sleeping baby holding mother’s hand.

Insecurity

Then one day at our neighborhood playground, Rosebud was enjoying the slide when a father and his four-year-old daughter showed up. While Rosebud was excited to see another kid, I couldn’t wait to leave. I had a quick conversation with the father and we left. While this is what I complain about, I couldn’t help but feel like I needed to get away. First, I wasn’t sure if they wanted the playground to themselves. Then all these things ran through my mind. What would I talk to this guy about while our kids played? What if Rosebud did something to the other child that I didn’t see? What if his daughter did something to Rosebud? What if I had to chase her if she ran off the playground? Sometimes she’d run off and I had to run after her. I didn’t want to do that in front this man who I didn’t know. I didn’t want him to notice my visual impairment and think that I was less of a parent. I didn’t want this stranger to see me make a mistake, so it felt safer for me to leave. Then I wonder if I denied Rosebud an opportunity to make a friend. Will I have to keep doing that?

Looking For My Tribe (Friends eating desserts at cafe pin)

Final Thoughts and

Questions

This brings me back to the struggle I have with making friends. Am I unintentionally passing it on to her? Before she was born, I thought it’d be easier to make friends as a mom. I thought there’d be play groups and more ways to connect. Of course we’d have something huge in common, being a mother. Then real life happens, insecurities pop up and then motherhood becomes more isolating than ever. Most of the play groups or children’s activities in my area are during the day. Childrens activities and play groups are great places for making mom friends if you are a sahm or have a flexible work schedule. Unfortunately, I’m a working mom with a standard work schedule, so it’s not possible to attend. There are also the logistics of transportation which makes things even more complicated and I usually decide it’s not worth climbing the mountain.

Since I haven’t figured this out yet, I’m posting some questions to you. How do you make friends as a mom? Do you feel isolated or have you found your tribe? How do you facilitate your children making friends? Let me know in the comments.

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Books, Parenting, Toddlers

7 Interactive Summer Books for Toddlers

As I’ve mentioned before, I love interactive books. While there seems to be less and less of them being made, I search for them anyway. When I was a kid, interactive elements such as scratch and sniff, 3d popups and even sound helped me get into a story. We all have different ways of learning, but I think we are much more likely to remember something when we experience something using all our senses. Since I can’t read the printed words or see the pictures very well, interactive elements help me bring books to life for Rosebud. We read plenty of regular books with only words and pictures, but when we can interact with our books in another way, it’s a special treat. Here are the best interactive books I’ve found for the summer. The book descriptions are from Amazon.com.
7 Interactive Summer Books pin

Llama Llama Sand and Sun: A Touch & Feel Bookby Anna Dewdney

While I was doing some research for this post, I was excited to come across this book. Rosebud loves her Mama Llama books and almost knows them by heart. We don’t have a summer time Llama Llama book, so we will be checking this one out. It might be a little young for her at this point, but she loves books with touch and feel elements, but it would be perfect for a toddler which is why it’s on my list!
Book Description
Read along with Llama Llama as he splashes in the waves and plays in the sand in this brand-new touch-and-feel board book!

Seymour Sea Turtle Snaps up Lunch

Seymour Sea Turtle Snaps Up Lunch
by Matt Mitter

This is an older book, but Rosebud has fun with this one. This is the story of Seymour the Sea Turtle who is tired of eating sponge everyday. He tries other foods only to realize that sponge is his favorite. I think we all do this. We try new things only to realize we really prefer the familiar.

Book Description
Tired of always eating sponges, Seymour Sea Turtle tries other dishes including coral and shellfish until he realizes how much he likes to eat sponge.

The Ocean (Touch and Explore)
by Nathalie Choux

This is another gem that I found. I had never heard of this author before, but she has a whole touch and explore series. This one is all about the ocean and it has a lot of great reviews. This series of books is definitely worth checking out.

Book Description
Touch And Explore™ is Twirl’s multi-sensory series for children who want to do more than just listen! Already bestsellers in their original French editions, these well-crafted interactive titles encourage hands-on engagement, learning, and knowledge retention.
What’s rough, scaly, smooth, or bumpy? What crawls or dives? In this splashy treat for visual learners and pre-readers kids can discover the facts, feel, and functions of over two dozen marine animals.
They’ll touch shiny scales and bumpy barnacles, turn a flap to find a clownfish hiding among the anemone, touch a shark’s sandpapery skin, and discover who can squirt ink and change color!
This sea-feast for eyes and hands will encourage kids to immerse themselves in a fascinating beyond-the-bathtub habitat. It’s a trip to an underwater world that’s just a touch away!

7 Interactive Books pin

On My Beach
by Sara Gillingham

Most of the books on this list are touch and feel, but this one is a little different. It has a finger puppet in the middle. This looks like a cute story and the author has a series of these books. Rosebud does not have this book, but I’ve seen these in the toddler room I worked in several years ago and the kids loved them!

Book Description
Turn the colorful die-cut pages of this irresistible board book to discover just what makes little crab’s beach so cozy. Is it the soft sand? Is it the salty seaweed? No, it’s his loving family! Bright pictures, a sweet reassuring message, unique layered pages, and an adorable finger puppet combine to create interactive reading and playtime fun!

By The Seashore (A Touch and Feel Adventure)

By The Seashore: A Natural Trails Book (A Touch and Feel Adventure)
by Maurice Pledger

This is another older book. Rosebud loves this one. She knows all the fish and loves to find and count the jewels. This book has it all. It’s touch and feel and has flaps to lift.

Book Description
Combining wonderful illustrations with lift-a-flaps and touch-and-feel components, this unique book introduces children to the different textures that they might find on the seashore.

Where Is Baby’s Beach Ball? A Lift the Flap Book
by Karen Katz

This is a cute story. Baby is looking for the beach ball and every page has a flap to lift. Rosebud loved these books as a toddler. She still looks at them occasionally, but last year, all her Karen Katz books were in heavy rotation.

Book Description
It’s summertime, and Baby is looking for the beach ball–but where can it be? Little ones can lift the large, sturdy flaps in this board book to reveal pretty seashells, crawly crabs, and more! Babies will love this interactive adventure!

Fruit Pop and Sniff

Fruit (Pop and Sniff)
by Piggy Toes Publishing

I was looking for a scratch and sniff book with a summer theme. Unfortunately, I didn’t find one, but then I remembered this scratch and sniff fruits book. Summer is the perfect time for fresh fruits! Rosebud loves this even though she says the fruit smells are gross. She goes back to the orange over and over though. This is one of the better scratch and sniff books I’ve had. The scratch and sniff element is built right into the page. It’s not a sticker that can be pealed off. I bought this book almost ten years ago to use with my preschool class and the smells are still strong and pretty realistic as well. There’s no story, but the focus is mainly on the giant pop up fruits and the scents on each page. It’s great for toddlers, but it can be ripped easily as the pop ups are delicate. Now that Rosebud is a little older, she is starting to be much more careful with her books.

Book Description
Pop & Sniff books are interactive pop-up books for young children and their parents. Featuring brightly colored photographs, large, sturdy pop-ups, and simple interactive elements, these books encourage learning and foster creativity in the youngest of readers.

What are your kids favorite summer themed books? Let me know in the comments. Happy reading!

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