Parenting

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

June 20, 2019

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.

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.

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.

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.

What to Wear

Bathing Suitt

Diapers or Little Swimmers

Water Shoes

Be sure not to forget changes of clothes.

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

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

June 16, 2019

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

June 11, 2019

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

June 3, 2019

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.

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
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!

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 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)
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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My Favorites

My Favorite Things for May 2019

May 31, 2019

My list of favorites for this month will be a little different. I’m going to simply link to several articles. I will also include links to a recipe, tv shows and the books I read this month so you can check them out. My blog accomplishments this month consisted of writing a few posts and actually clicking publish. As I mentioned in a previous post on blogging burnout, I’ve been unmotivated and overwhelmed, so I’m trying to get back into the swing of things. Anyway, here is my list.

Articles

Everyone wants to be more productive and less busy. Check out these Simple Strategies to Have More Free Time in Your Day from Cute Little Paper.

If you are a parent of a child with hearing loss or want to know what it is really like to be a parent to a deaf child, read this post from MeaganDeal.com. The more we talk about disability, the more aware people are. One day, I’m hoping that awareness will turn into acceptance.

Here’s another post from my friend, Meagan Deal. If you are short on time and don’t want to spend all day cleaning, here are some Cleaning Hacks for Busy Moms. I’ve been featured on this post as well.

Are you desperately in need of some alone time? If so, you’ll definitely want to check out this list of 30 Mom Me Time Moments for Relaxation.

Finally, are you wondering what art supplies your children need? Are you crafty and looking for inspiration? Here’s a list of the Top Art Supplies for Kids put together by an art teacher.

TV Shows

I don’t watch much tv, but here’s what I’ve been watching during the month of May.

During a group discussion on Facebook, someone recommended Switched At Birth. It’s about two families who are thrown together when they realize that their teen girls were switched at birth. I was originally watching on Netflicks, but since the show is older, it was removed in the middle of the month and I was only on season 3. It was more enjoyable for me on Netflicks because of the audio description feature. I don’t usually turn it on, but since this show has quite a bit of sign language, it was really helpful. Now I’m watching on Amazon, but they do not include the audio description. If you are interested, you can check it out. Here’s an episode from the first season.
  
The other show I’ve been watching is 90 Day Fiancé. Honestly, I’m getting bored with it because they’ve been focusing on the same couples for so long and it seems more scripted than ever. I prefered it in the beginning when there were new couples and it was less about the drama and more about adjusting to life in a new culture. There is a new spin off starting in June called, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, about people who are leaving America to start new lives abroad with their partners. I’ll check it out.

Books

These are the books I’ve read this month, but I wouldn’t say any of them were my favorites. I think I’ll get back to nonfiction for a while.
   

Recipe

I tried one new recipe this month. It’s this Famous Mac and Cheese recipe from Savvy Mom Survival Guide. It took about an hour to make from start to finish. I doubled the recipe and I thought it came out pretty good. Unfortunately, Rosebud wasn’t a big fan. Usually, she doesn’t like to try new things even though she loves macaroni and cheese. She was interested in the sea shell noodles and picked at the cracker crumbs on top, but only ate a few bites. The cracker crumbs gave it that extra crunch!

That’s all I have to share for this month, but I’ll be back in June with more. As always, thank you for reading.

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Motherhood, Parenting, Self acceptance,

5 Ways Motherhood has Changed Me

May 12, 2019

I want to wish all the mothers out there a happy Mothers Day. For this year’s Mothers Day post, I’m sharing five of the ways that motherhood has changed me.

Before I became a mother, I had all these ideas of what parenting would be like. I care for and teach children every day, so I thought it had prepared me and in some ways, it did. I was comfortable with bottle feeding, changing diapers and soothing crying babies. I had learned about the value of giving children choices and setting appropriate limits. I had discovered cool toys and activities that I wanted my children to have. I saw wonderful children’s books that I wanted to read to them.

The thing with childcare is that the children leave at the end of the day. I didn’t have to deal with the sleepless nights, the endless work and the joys and challenges of parenting. I hadn’t grasped the overwhelming idea of having another human being truly depending on you for everything. The instant I found out I was pregnant, my life had completely changed. Here are just a few of the ways motherhood has changed me.

More Empathetic

Becoming a mother has given me a different perspective and makes me a better childcare provider. I am much more empathetic towards other parents. I used to be really judgmental. I thought I’d be one of those parents who wouldn’t let their kids watch much tv. I was going to bottle feed and who cares. My baby wasn’t going to have a pacifier. My baby would sleep in her own crib. You get the picture. My reality after Rosebud was born was completely different. During my pregnancy, I had done some research and decided to breast-feed. My baby eventually got a pacifier because I was tired of being one. She slept with me because she refused to sleep by herself in her crib. My choices were sleep or insanity. I chose sleep. Unfortunately, she gets more screen time than I’d like. I need to get things done around the house and sometimes I just need a breather and it keeps her occupied.

Now when other parents come in with these struggles, I understand. When moms come in with really small bottles of milk because it’s all they’ve pumped, I can empathize. When they want their babies pace fed, I get it. When a single mom lets her kid watch tv every night because she needs to get stuff done or just relax, I’m right there with her. When a parent doesn’t want to hear that something is wrong with her child, I completely understand. While the educator part of me wants to help that child as soon as possible, the parent part empathizes with the denial and wishing it wasn’t true.

More Cautious

Before Rosebud, I was more likely to step out of my comfort zone and take risks, but I’ve noticed that I’m a lot more anxious now. I worry about everything, especially the future. I remember my high school days where I was excited to be going off to college. I went across the country to start over in a totally new place. I was more confident, more independent and full of hope.When things didn’t work out there, I was crushed, but I picked myself up and returned to a local college. After lots of volunteering, I eventually got a job and then my life basically stayed the same for several years until Rosebud was born. Back in high school I did some traveling as well and that stopped.

I don’t remember the last time I went anywhere alone. I’m less confident about applying for jobs, meeting new people or trying new things. I have Rosebud to think about now and I think about how everything I do might effect her. I admit, I can go overboard. I’ve tried to make a lot of changes, but I’m not as confident as I was before. My anxiety plays a big part in that. I am a work in progress. Pushing through the hard stuff is an important thing that we all need to model for our children.

More Aware of Time

After I became a mom, I suddenly realized, I didn’t have any time to myself anymore. I insisted that I’d be showering everyday and I never gave that up. I needed that to feel like myself, so when Rosebud was a baby, I put her in the bouncer in the bathroom while I showered. I heard other mothers say how they could barely get a shower in and I decided that wasn’t going to be me. My time slipped away in other ways. I barely could write in my journal anymore. I rarely watch tv now. My crafting hobbies have pretty much disappeared. There are a ton of cleaning projects I’d like to tackle, but when? My time is divided three ways. There’s Rosebud, my day job and the blog. Other than that, there’s a few hours of sleep in between. I will never take good sleep or free time for granted again. When I have time to write in my journal or take a ceramics class, I enjoy it so much more now.

I Will Not Settle

When I found out I was pregnant, I decided that I could never settle. This applies to all areas of my life. I couldn’t settle for a bad relationship because I didn’t want my daughter to have bad relationships as an adult. I want her to see a healthy relationship. Two people that treat each other with respect, looking out for each other and supporting each other. I didn’t want her to grow up seeing constant fighting or a relationship that was distant and unhappy. I want Rosebud’s childhood to be filled with happy memories, not painful ones.

I can’t settle in my career. I need to find something I truly enjoy. Childcare has taken it’s tole since Rosebud was born. While I have become a more empathetic childcare provider, I have become a far less patient one. My exhaustion of 24-7 childcare, office politics and my wish to be home with Rosebud have pushed me to the tipping point. That’s why I’ve been working so hard to find something else. I want Rosebud to know that she doesn’t have to settle either. It’s hard when you have to balance responsibility with what you know is right in your heart.

I Trust Myself

I’ve heard a lot of parenting advice over the past three years and you know where I’ve found the solutions? From my own gut instincts. Since becoming a mother, I have learned to trust myself. People said I was creating bad habits by letting Rosebud sleep with me. At fifteen months, she transitioned into her own bed and has been a great sleeper. In my heart I knew she was ready. I followed my own instincts and it worked out. The same went for potty training. I got endless advice and pressure and I tried so many things. Eventually I gave up. Yes, I gave up. I said, we aren’t doing this right now. I told her that when she was ready to use the potty to let me know. A few weeks later, she came to me and said she wanted to use big girl panties. A week later, she told me she didn’t want the night time diaper any more. She’s been dry ever since. I always thought she’d do it when she was ready and she did. I felt guilty for not following my instincts and caving in from outside pressures, but I learned an important lesson.

I’ve applied this to other areas of my life. If I get a weird vibe about a situation, I trust myself instead of trying to make excuses or staying to be polite. I haven’t always been good at advocating for myself, but if something is wrong, I am starting to speak up about it. It’s amazing how we get conditioned to ignore our inner voice. We need that guidance, especially when we are parents.

Motherhood has changed me in so many ways. Everything from simple daily routines to being more emotional about certain things. Some changes are for good and others not so much, but I wouldn’t change a thing about Rosebud. I’m so glad she came into my life. How has being a parent changed you? Tell me in the comments.

5 Comments

Education, Gift Giving, Parenting, Preschool

Gifts Your Teachers Will Really Appreciate

May 5, 2019

This week is Teacher Appreciation week. If you are wondering how to show appreciation, I have a few ideas. This list is made with early childhood educators in mind, but will work for school teachers as well. It all depends on the needs of your schools and classrooms. At our center, a handful of parents will bring in food on Teacher Appreciation day and maybe a couple of parents will bring a small gift. During the rest of the year, we rarely get a thank you or any acknowledgment for the work that we do. In fact, many people don’t even see early childhood educators as teachers at all. They see us as glorified babysitters.

Yes, we change diapers, feed and clean up after kids, but our work involves so much more than that. We read, teaching them vocabulary. We show them how to use crayons, markers and paintbrushes for pre-writing skills. We use messy art activities to encourage creativity and self-expression. During meals we teach social skills like how to take turns talking and how to share with others. As educators, we have to know when the unplanned teachable moments pop up as well.

We teach about math, science and technology. Although it looks like just playing to most people, research shows that children learn best through play. Children are getting less opportunities for play with the push for academics at younger and younger ages. Being an advocate is another of our many hats. We try to treat every child like they are special and give them one on one time when we can.

Our job has a darker side. We have to watch for signs of abuse and neglect. We have to separate children who get aggressive with each other because they do not have the words or the comprehension of sharing. Sometimes we get bit, scratched, hit, kicked and spit on. Many children have special needs and we get little support since they aren’t school age. Many parents I’ve worked with fight us at every turn because no one wants to hear that there is something wrong with their child. As a parent I can empathize, but as an educator, it makes my job so much more difficult. That brings me to the high stress levels and high turn-over rates. My coworkers seem to change every few months and we never really get to build a connection. Educators and children thrive when there is a strong cohesive team. When we don’t have that, our classrooms suffer and that’s when we really need support from you, the parents.

I didn’t choose this job for any rewards or gifts I’d get, but the few times I have received a gift or note of gratitude, it has really brightened my day. When you feel appreciated, it makes some of the struggle worth it. Most of us choose to be teachers to make a difference in the lives of children. When we hear that we have, it lifts our spirits. Here are a few gift ideas to show your teachers that you appreciate their hard work.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are fantastic! Whether it is for coffee, a nice dinner or a gift card to get supplies for the classroom, it’s all appreciated. I like picking up breakfast on the way to work. After a long stressful day, it’s nice to enjoy a meal that someone else has prepared. Gift cards serve this purpose well. If you don’t know what classroom supplies your teacher needs, a gift card is a great option for that.

The Wish List

You could also ask your teacher for a wish list. When you buy things for the classroom, we appreciate it very much because we pay for most of the toys and materials out of our own pockets. At one of the centers I’ve worked at, we posted a weekly wish list. It could include anything from flour for play-dough to paper towel roles for projects to raisins to make a special snack. We got to do some wonderful activities with the children because of the generosity of parents. The items may not even cost a penny. They may be items laying around your house. We’ve used egg cartons, old magazines, yogurt containers, fabric scraps, buttons and cereal boxes to name a few. Items that usually get thrown out can be repurposed as kids art projects or props for the dramatic play area.

The Gift of Time

Volunteering your time is another great way to show appreciation. We could always use an extra set of hands in the classroom. If you have special talents or interests, please let us know. Maybe we could use your help. Do you enjoy gardening, many centers have gardens or outdoor areas that get neglected. Are you a crafter? We love items for dramatic play areas like homemade dolls, dress up clothes or if it’s a craft we can teach the kids, even better. Do you like to bake or cook? Baked goods or a home cooked meal that we can enjoy during the day is wonderful. We are usually rushed. Some of us skip meals or have to gulp our food down, so it’s nice to have something to nibble on throughout the day. If money is tight or if gift giving really isn’t your thing, you could write a note of gratitude instead. Your kind words and thoughtful gesture will be appreciated more than material items ever will. Do you have another way to share your time or talents with us? Let us know. Chances are, we will probably welcome and appreciate it.

A More Personal Gift

If you know your teacher well, then it will be easier to give a gift with a more personal touch. Here are some ideas to get you started.

What do you do to show your teachers that you appreciate them? If you are a teacher, what things do you really appreciate from parents? Tell me in the comments.

7 Comments

Blogging, My Favorites, Parenting

My Favorites for April 2019

May 4, 2019

It’s better late than never, right? Here are my favorite things and blog accomplishments for the month of April. This time, I have another book, a fruit smoothie recipe, Peeps play-dough and several articles.

Blog Accomplishments

I’m so excited! I made enough Amazon affiliate sales to get my account approved. For those who don’t know, you need three sales within the first six month period or your account gets closed. My first time around, I only got 11 clicks and no sales. This time, I’ve gotten 69 clicks and five sales. While the clicks are minimal compared to a lot of bloggers out there and the commissions are small, it’s something. I have to start somewhere. My second accomplishment this month is the increase in traffic. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s slow progress.

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

I’m always looking for tasty recipes that Rosebud will love and if she can help me in the kitchen, it’s a bonus. We were making pretend smoothies in her toy blender and I had just bought a bunch of fresh fruit. She had never had a smoothy before, so I asked if she wanted a real one and she did. I made smoothies often before she was born and here’s the recipe we came up with.

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt,

1 cup almond milk,

1 banana,

1 half cup blueberries,

5 strawberries,

A handful of grapes.

Directions:

Chop fruits into smaller pieces and add to blender.

Blend until you get the desired consistency. I have a smoothie setting on my blender. It took less than a minute. I’ll try it with different fruits next time.

Book

I only read two books in the month of April, so there wasn’t much to choose from when picking my favorite. I enjoyed Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. There were a variety of stories. Everything from his speech therapy lessons as a little boy to his days living in France while trying to learn the language.

Peeps Play-dough

I had been seeing Peeps play-dough pins on Pinterest for a couple months now and knew that we had to try it. Here is the recipe we used.

I used five of the pink bunny peeps. I added four table spoons flour and one table spoon crisco. Melted it in the microwave for 30 seconds and then mixed it up. We ended up with a small ball. I was hoping there would be more play-dough, but there was enough to try it out.

I started out with big Easter themed cookie cutters, but there wasn’t enough play-dough for that, so I took out the plastic eggs instead. We have two different sized eggs and she liked rolling balls and putting them in the eggs. Eventually, she was pretending to cook, breaking up the play-dough and putting it in her mixing bowl. This play-dough dried out quickly, but it was a different texture and fun to experiment with.

Favorite Links

This first link definitely struck a chord with me. As an early childhood educator, I see the consequences of this every day. I see the kids who have no idea how to play. They wander from place to place not sure what to do with the toys. they don’t understand that they can pretend. A box doesn’t have to be a box. The kids get frustrated quickly, have super short attention spans and for some of them, their time in our program is the only time they play outside. This article is a good read.

Loss of Childhood – Are We Pressurizing our Children Too Much?

Another related article I saw in April was, My Childhood vs My Kid’s Childhood.

I could totally relate as it was a throw-back to the 90’s. I wrote a similar post last year. If you grew up in the 80’s or 90’s, I’m sure it would take you down memory lane.

One of my sensory bins was featured in this post. Are you not sure what to do with all those Easter eggs? Check out this post for some fun ways to repurpose those plastic Easter eggs.

Since many of us have lost the fine art of socializing, I thought this article about internet friendships was a good read. I think that you can develop a real friendship online, but of course it helps if you can eventually meet them. There’s nothing like sitting down with a friend for a chat. Online friends can be a good source of support and sometimes they can break some of the isolation.

Since spring is finally here, I’ll leave you with this amazing list of 60 fun summer activities for kids. There are so many cool ideas that I’d love to try with Rosebud. There’s something for every family and I was lucky enough to be included in the round up.

As always, thank you for reading. I’ll be back next month with another round of my favorite things.

3 Comments

Blogging, My Favorites, Parenting

My Favorites for April 2019

May 4, 2019

My Favorite Things for April, 2019 pin

Blog Accomplishments

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt,

1 cup almond milk,

1 banana,

1 half cup blueberries,

5 strawberries,

A handful of grapes.

Directions:

Chop fruits into smaller pieces and add to blender.

Blend until you get the desired consistency. I have a smoothie setting on my blender. It took less than a minute. I’ll try it with different fruits next time.

A Pillow with glasses and a book ready to be read.

Book

Peeps Play-dough ball

Peeps Play-dough

I had been seeing Peeps play-dough pins on Pinterest for a couple months now and knew that we had to try it. Here is the recipe we used.

Peeps play-dough and cookie cutters

Boy floating in cardboard box reaching for a glowing star.

Favorite Links

Loss of Childhood – Are We Pressurizing our Children Too Much?

Another related article I saw in April was, My Childhood vs My Kid’s Childhood.

I could totally relate as it was a throw-back to the 90’s. I wrote a similar post last year. If you grew up in the 80’s or 90’s, I’m sure it would take you down memory lane.

One of my sensory bins was featured in this post. Are you not sure what to do with all those Easter eggs? Check out this post for some fun ways to repurpose those plastic Easter eggs.

Two women smiling

As always, thank you for reading. I’ll be back next month with another round of my favorite things.

0 comments

Parenting, Personal Development, Shopping

The Ultimate HomeMaking Bundle for 2019

May 3, 2019

For a limited time, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is available!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate with Ultimate Bundles and if you make a purchase through the links in this post, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

What’s Inside?

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is perfect for busy moms. Whether you work from home, work outside the home or if homemaking is your primary job, there is something in this bundle for you. The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is jam packed with resources to help you care for yourself, your home and family. Are you in need of good parenting resources? The bundle includes Emotional Overload: 3 Steps To Fewer Tantrums, Greater Connections & More Cooperation

by Rachel Norman among other parenting resources. Are you in need of recipes or meal planning ideas? You can find that in the bundle as well with The Humbled Homemaker’s Meal Planning Printables Bundle

by Erin Odom. If you are a blogger and need some help making Pinterest work for you, HerPaperRoute Guide To Pinterest Marketing

by Chelsea Clarke is also a part of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.

Even More Resources

As you can see, this bundle covers a variety of topics because we wear a variety of hats! We need to take care of ourselves, our families and our homes. The resources in this bundle are filled with strategies to help you do that. Focus on yourself with Courage Against Uncertainty, Habit Tracker Printables and the Lean Fit Home Workout Guide. Support your family with Command Center for Kids, Mom’s Bff Planner, Creating Family Vision Boards and Date Night Bucket Lists. Take care of your home using the Declutter Your House in a Weekend, the Homekeeping & Cleaning Kit and much more.

A Great Value

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is a great value! This amazing library of courses and E-books are worth over $2200, but you can get it now for $39.97 for a limited time. The sale ends May 6, 2019. Click here to get the full list of included resources and fore more information about how the bundle works. The homemaking bundle was released just in time for Mothers Day and could make a great gift for the busy moms in your life.

0 comments

Parenting

Beach Bag

Safety

Sunscreen

Life Jacket

Sunglasses

Hat

Food and Drink

Water Bottle

Bottle Holder

Lunch and or Snacks

What to Wear

Bathing Suitt

Diapers or Little Swimmers

Water Shoes

The Fun Stuff

Beach Towels

Blanket

Comfortable chairs

Toys for Sand Play

Phone or Camera to Take Picturess

The Isolation

Awkwardness

Hovering

Aggression

Insecurity

Final Thoughts and

Questions

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

Seymour Sea Turtle Snaps Up Lunch by Matt Mitter

The Ocean (Touch and Explore) by Nathalie Choux

On My Beach by Sara Gillingham

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

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

Fruit (Pop and Sniff) by Piggy Toes Publishing

Articles

TV Shows

Books

Recipe

More Empathetic

More Cautious

More Aware of Time

I Will Not Settle

I Trust Myself

Gift Cards

The Wish List

The Gift of Time

A More Personal Gift

Blog Accomplishments

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Book

Peeps Play-dough

Favorite Links

Blog Accomplishments

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Book

Peeps Play-dough

Favorite Links

What’s Inside?

Even More Resources

A Great Value

Seymour Sea Turtle Snaps Up Lunch
by Matt Mitter

The Ocean (Touch and Explore)
by Nathalie Choux

On My Beach
by Sara Gillingham

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

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

Fruit (Pop and Sniff)
by Piggy Toes Publishing