Tips

How I’ve Made Pinterest Work for Me

July 15, 2019

Last year, I wrote a post about all the reasons I didn’t use Pinterest. As I said in that post, I wanted to use it. I knew that Pinterest drives traffic to blogs. I knew that there were Pinterest users that would be interested in the topics that I write about. Topics related to motherhood and activities for kids are huge on Pinterest. Unfortunately, for me, there were a lot of barriers. When I tried to use Pinterest, I became very discouraged and didn’t know if I’d ever be able to use it properly. If you’ve been reading my blog at all this year, you’ll have noticed the pins on the newer posts and I’ve gone back and updated some older posts as well. I’m happy to say that I am now able to use Pinterest, but it took lots of learning and researching, trial and error and waiting for features to become accessible. Now I will explain how I’ve made Pinterest work for me as a visually impaired blogger. Plus, I’ll give you some Pinterest tips for beginners.

Pinterest Strategies

One of the things that put me off about Pinterest was that I had no idea how to use it. At first, I was just pinning my blog posts and other things at random. I wasn’t sure how many boards to have, how to organize them, when to schedule pins, how often to repin the same items etc. There is a lot that goes into pinning and promoting your posts. That’s why this free Pinterest Course for New Bloggers is so valuable. This is a free E-mail course that gives you step by step instructions on how to set up your Pinterest profile, set up your boards, find appropriate keywords for Pinterest SEO, create pins that convert and more. It’s free, so it’s definitely worth checking out and it’s a great starting point. Especially if you are new to Pinterest! One lesson from the course focuses on Pinterest group boards which are important for your blog content reaching a wider audience. If you’re not sure how to find or collaborate on Pinterest group boards, Marina from Tinylovebug has you covered. Check out her post, Everything You Need to Know About Pinterest Group Boards.

Equal Access on Pinterest

While I was researching and learning about Pinterest strategies, I was waiting for Pinterest to become accessible. If you’ve read some of my previous blog posts, you might know that I’m visually impaired. I use a screen reader to access everything on the web and sometimes, websites or apps are broken. Meaning, they do not function well or at all with a screen reader. I happen to use Voiceover which is built into all Apple products, but there are other Windows based screen readers as well. Some common accessibility problems with websites or apps may be that buttons or links are not labeled, buttons or links are not clickable or in some cases, websites or apps may be completely image based which means the screen reader cannot read the text or any of the features that may be clickable. Even though a link may be labeled visually for you with some text or an image, the screen reader may just say the word link or it may be a string of letters and numbers that don’t tell us what the link leads to. There are lots of accessibility bugs that we may face on a daily basis which I won’t get into here, but unfortunately, Pinterest has many.

Last year, Pinterest was almost completely inaccessible to me. I was able to create an account, but that was about it. I couldn’t read pin descriptions, the blog posts after clicking through a pin, the notifications tab, anything in the following tab and so much more. There was a huge laundry list of features I couldn’t access. When I asked other visually impaired bloggers about this problem, they just told me not to bother with Pinterest since it is so visual anyway, but that answer wasn’t good enough for me. Pinterest is the largest source of traffic for blogs these days. Why shouldn’t I be able to participate in that? It frustrated me, but I waited. Every now and then, I’d try again. One day, it worked!

I found that I was able to upload my pins, read the pin descriptions and blog posts of others, save and send pins, collaborate on group boards and access most of the profile settings. In the beginning, I could barely do any of that, but Pinterest still has a ways to go. There are still a lot of bugs. I can’t read my messages, so what I do is take a screen shot and then export that photo to an app that can read text from photos. I still can’t read anything in the notifications tab unless I’m in Safari. When I add hashtags, a menu pops up with other hashtags that I can’t read. I can’t read or respond to comments on my pins. The scheduling feature on the Pinterest app is completely inaccessible with Voiceover. Today, I discovered that I could finally read most of the items in the following tab. If a pin doesn’t have a text title, I can’t read it. In order for me to read an image, I have to zoom in and make it bigger and even then in a lot of cases I have difficulty. I’m happy that Pinterest is becoming more accessible over time, but I worry that coding will be updated and those features will be broken again. Is the frustration worth it? Right now, I’m thinking yes because it has brought more traffic to my blog, but time will tell.

Trial and Error

Speaking of frustrations, there are the graphics. That’s another interesting part of this blogging journey for me. I have done lots of trial and error to figure out a way to create pins. I know Pinterest is about eye catching images that draw the reader in. You have to think about the colors, the layout, the font etc. This is not easy for me since I have trouble telling most colors apart and see better with a sharp contrast. I don’t know much about fonts, so I stick to the basics.

The first thing I do is search the stock photo sites for relevant photos. If I find a large enough vertical image that either has copy space or a workable place for text, I export that photo to the Phonto app. It’s a simple image editor. I’ll mention that it’s really not that accessible, but it was simple enough to figure out. My only complaint is that I wish the text color options were labeled. After messing with the text, background colors, fonts and sizes, the image is ready for pinning. Let’s go back to square one for a minute. If I don’t find a large enough vertical image that is related to my blog post, I use an app called MA Long Image. This way, I can make a photo collage with two or more images. After I have my photo collage, I upload that to Phonto and repeat the process. Most people use Canva to create their pins, but I tried Canva and it doesn’t work for me. Most of its features are not labeled or accessible. I’m just glad to have found something that works even though it may be limited.

I’m not writing this post to complain, but I want to raise awareness of accessibility issues. I’m also the kind of person who pushes the boundaries of what can be done. People might ask why I care about Pinterest since it is so visual. As I previously mentioned, Pinterest is a great source of blog traffic, but it’s also a search engine. Many of my coworkers use Pinterest for lesson planning. The activities you can find for kids is endless. Why shouldn’t I have access to that information? While Pinterest is meant to be a very visual platform, most of the links lead to blog posts with text, so there is no reason why that shouldn’t be accessible. Pinterest is more than pretty images. It’s a great marketing tool, not only for promoting blogs, but for selling goods and services as well. I also want my readers to understand how I create my content and the work that goes into it.

Pinterest Tips

I’ll leave you with a few quick Pinterest tips I’ve learned so far.

1. Create at least two or three pinnable graphics for each blog post. This way you can pin the same post to a board more than once, but be sure not to schedule those pins too close together.

2. Speaking of scheduling, find a way to keep track of your pinning schedule. Many people use Tailwind, but that is even less accessible than Pinterest, so I don’t use it. Some people use an Excel spread sheet or word document. This way they can follow which pins were posted to which boards. This will avoid multiple pinning too close together. You don’t want to look spammy.

3. If you can, try to get premium stock images for pins if you can’t take your own. This can effect how well your pin does on Pinterest. If many people are using the same free images, Pinterest picks up on that. If those same free images are used for different pins in totally different categories, it can cause those pins not to perform as well. I happened to see this tip last week.

4. Use Pinterest SEO. Search for keywords before creating your pin description and hashtags. Find out what’s popular related to the topic you are posting about.

5. Don’t be afraid to try different things to see what your audience responds to. Whether it be a different pin layout, color scheme, different types of headlines etc. It may take a while for a pin to get traction, so don’t be discouraged if your pin isn’t a hit in the beginning.
6. Don’t forget to spread the love and pin plenty of other content from other bloggers. It will help you connect and reach a larger audience.
Do you want to learn more about how Pinterest works? Check out this list of 9 Pinterest myths.

As always, thank you for reading. Do you have any great Pinterest tips? Feel free to share them in the comments.

4 Comments

Blogging

How to Leave a Good Blog Comment

June 24, 2019

You know what really makes my day? Getting a really good comment on one of my posts. Blogging is hard work. I write content, do a bit of research, find images, create pins and then promote posts once they are published. This process is the same for every post. When I get a really thoughtful comment, it makes my efforts worth it. When I have taught someone something, made them feel less alone or simply made them think from a different perspective, I have achieved my overall goal for this blog.

If you are a blogger, there are several reasons why you should make commenting apart of your blogging routine. First, comments are what connect you with other bloggers. It is recommended that you find several blogs that you really enjoy within your niche and comment on them regularly. This way, you are building a relationship with other bloggers in your niche and bringing traffic back to your blog. They may start commenting on your blog as well making it a win-win for both of you. Next, comments help with SEO. A comment that uses key words from your post will help your posts rank higher when searching on Google. Finally, comments equal back links to your site. The more back links you have, the more credible your website will be and your domain authority will go up.

If you aren’t commenting or getting comments, you are missing out, but the important thing is your comment should be meaningful and strategic. How do you do that? Well, that’s what I’ll be going over in this post. I’m not an expert on everything blogging, but I have had other blogs in the past and A Flourishing Rose has been up and running for over a year now. With my previous blog, I got over 100 followers by simply commenting on other blogs. I did not have much of a social media presence back then and was blogging by trial and error. It didn’t take me long to figure out that commenting was the best way to build up my network.

Make It Meaningful

When you leave a comment, you want to show the blogger that you are interested in his or her post. If you just say something like, “good article” or “great post”, that doesn’t tell the blogger anything. Why was it a great post? To leave a good comment, here are some questions to ask yourself. The answers will help you leave a good comment.

What did I like about this particular post?

What did this post teach me?

Can I relate to something in this post?

Did this post make me think differently and if so, what changed my mind?

What is your response to the call to action in the post?

Is there something you can add that the blogger missed?

Did you disagree with something in the post? If so, what is it?

Did the post inspire you to do something? If so, what?

Commenting Takes Time

In order to leave a good comment, you need to take the time to read the entire post. It’s painfully obvious when someone leaves a comment without reading the post. Those comments are often generic, but if you read the post, you can answer one of the above questions or think of an entirely different response that is unique. Another reason to read the post is to find the call to action. I often put them towards the end of my posts, but there can be questions throughout. For example, a call to action might ask, “what does your self-care routine look like? Tell me in the comments.” Other calls to action may be that the blogger asks you to try the recipe, download a printable, watch a video, click on links for further reading etc. These are all things you can respond to when commenting.

Keep SEO in Mind

As I said above, when you leave a comment, it becomes apart of that bloggers post whether it is good or bad. Everything in that post can be searchable through Google or another search engine. Assuming that the blogger is paying attention to SEO, you’ll want to sneak some key words into your comments to help that blogger’s posts rank higher with Google. A comment like, “thanks for posting” does not add to the posts value. However, if the post is about baby lead weening, it’s safe to assume that “baby lead weening” is one of the key word phrases for that post.

Here’s an example of a good comment. “I want to try baby lead weening with my daughter. I think we will try cooked carrots and sweet potatoes for her first foods. Thank you for sharing the feeding tips and the suggestions for baby’s first foods. I have bookmarked the list.” Do you see how I included some key words, mentioned which foods I would try and let the blogger know what I appreciated about their post?

Here’s another example of a wonderful comment from one of my lovely readers. Rose writes, “Oh, man. I don’t think I could have read when the air hits your brain. I am not squeamish about very much but I think the situations would’ve gotten me more than the medical things. I congratulate you on 50 reads. I’d love to know what’s on your TBR list for 2019!” Not only was it obvious that she read my post as she mentioned specific books that I read, but she gave me an idea for a future post. She also gave me something to respond to as she continued the conversation from my post. I like to respond to every comment I get, so it definitely helps when there is substance to the comment. You don’t have to write an essay, but you want to write at least two or three sentences.

Be Careful About Link Dropping

If you only leave a comment to drop your links, that will be obvious. Not only is it rude, but it appears spammy. If you want to link drop, here a couple things to consider. Does that link have anything to do with the blogger’s post? For example, with my previous blog, I did a weekly favorites series where I’d round up a list of my favorite blog postseach week. When I published the post, I’d leave a comment on each person’s post that I linked to letting them know. I wouldbn’t just link drop and run though. Here’s an example.

“Your ice cream cone sensory bin is adorable. I will have to try it with my preschool class. I have included your post on my weekly favorites list which can be found here. Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea.” It took time, but I would get lots of gratitude and appreciation for sharing their posts.

Link dropping can be a slippery slope, but if you feel it relates to the bloggers original post or it contributes meaningfully to the conversation, you can include it, but I’d be cautious. My final note about links is that you definitely want to include your blog url in the appropriate box. That is what will drive traffic back to your blog. Most comment forms have fields for your name, E-mail address, blog url and comment.

Summary

To summarize, a good comment asks a question, answers a question or provides a different perspective. In short, it brings something new to the conversation. Some rules of thumb for commenting include read the entire post, give the comment some substance, keep the blogger’s key words in mind and don’t link drop unless their are special circumstances. Is there anything I forgot? What makes a good comment for you? Scroll down and let me know.

9 Comments

Infants, 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.

2 Comments

Blogging, Motherhood

How To Get Through Blogging BurnOut

May 28, 2019

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, I’ve talked about creating a set schedule and sticking to it. Posting on a regular schedule is an important part of a successful blog. That way, your audience knows what to expect. I’ve been trying hard to get my posts out on Tuesdays and Fridays, but things have been different over these past few weeks. I’m lucky to get posts out on time if at all. I know there’s been silence for about two weeks now because honestly I’ve had no motivation to write. I’ve still been actively promoting my blog on social media, updating old affiliate links and creating new pins, but I haven’t done what I love most, writing and creating new content.

My reality is that I’m a working mom and I don’t want every waking moment that I’m not at work to be spent on this blog. While I love blogging, I still need to spend plenty of time with Rosebud and I need time for myself. Time where I can just relax to enjoy a book or a tv show instead of typing away on the keyboard. I’ve worked on my blog almost every night for a year straight and I finally needed a break. I’d look at my long list of post ideas and none of them stood out. Then I felt guilty for feeling unmotivated and lazy. Yeah. I could just drag myself out of bed even earlier again or stay up past midnight to force myself to write another post that my heart isn’t in or I could just take a break and come back refreshed. Obviously, I’ve made the second choice. I wondered if other bloggers were dealing with burn out, so I reached out to one of my mom blogger groups on Facebook. I asked them what to do when I feel overwhelmed with blogging. I asked what I should do when my motivation isn’t there and I just can’t get it together. They gave me some great ideas and I wanted to share them with you.

Reset Your Priorities

Ashley from A Sweet Life with Style.

Totally a newbie here, but I had to really take a step back and reset my priorities. As much as I love blogging and influencing, I had to realize it was taking away from what matters most – my kids and leaving me COMPLETELY overwhelmed. I am still overwhelmed every single day but at least there isn’t guilt of not being with my kids on top of that ! lol no advice.. but definitely can relate!

Take A Break

Stacy from Protecting Your Pennies.

Honestly, I just take a break. Probably not the best thing to do but I do. I’m working now to build up some posts that I can have ready to go and saved that would be applicable at anytime so that I can schedule those if I am having an off week or 2.

Repurpose Old Content

Heather whose blog is still brand new and under construction suggests repurposing old content? Hire out a blog post? I’m struggling with a husband working random hours (nurse; so he’s on 3 days, off 4 and in my hair!), plus one kid in school, the other I’m working with preK stuff till he starts preK this fall. I’m trying to batch work. And getting up early. But take time for you, too. If you’re burnt out you won’t be good to anyone. Write random thoughts about that down (maybe you’ll be able to bring it together for a post of burnout/reviving yourself). Start posts and ideas randomly, as you can, so you have something underway in the future. You can always add to it and then finish it up in weeks like this. Do a quick ‘live’ video for your audience. Something to say hey, I’m a mama, taking some me time but I’ll be back. Update an old post and repost it. I hope some of these ideas are helpful.

Write Just to Write

Kaci from Mykew.net.

Don’t be too hard on yourself because life happens. Maybe try writing just to write vs trying to “write a blog”. I’ve had to do that a couple times and ended up with a couple blog posts at the end of it because I felt like I was being real.

Create A Schedule

Jho from Empowered Moms at Home.

What I did is wake up earlier than the kids. They sleep very late, like 11pm-12 midnight, and wake up late around 10-11am. So I wake up at 7am or try to… Sometimes I wake up at 9am and work on my blog during weekdays. I find it helps that I only publish every other week. I’ll do weekly soon, but for now I can’t put so much since I’m still on the foundation/learning stage. I still am overwhelmed, but having a daily&weekly schedule to follow helps a lot.

Find a Blogging Group

Tanya from The Mama Life.

I am in a wonderful group on Twitter and we do guest blogs and such when we find we are burnt out. It happens more than not. II work a full-time job as well as parent. You get the point. I took a two month break from writing anything but continued to share content on my social network and repost older posts. My traffic hasn’t declined and my audience is understanding….

Write Posts in Advance

Britta from HomeSweetHomeMaker.

When I do get in the mood I write forever 🙂 Last week I wrote 10 blog posts! I also keep a calendar to schedule them out. I do one post each week because that seems to be what I can keep up with. I always do the month in advance, that way if I get in a rut I know that month is at least taken care of. So in May, I’m working on June’s. So if I don’t write at all in May because I wasn’t feeling it, May was already done in April and I still have time before June gets here!!!

I also keep a LONG list of ideas. So if something pops into my mind while I’m driving or shopping I jot it down and keep a list at the end of my calendar. Then when I need an idea I write that in in the calendar. If I can’t get into it when the time comes I’ll push that idea out a few months and pick another topic.

I used to try to write each post as it came to me and that was so stressful. Writing in advance and scheduling my posts is SO. MUCH. EASIER.

I write the article, do the featured image and pin on Canva and add them in, then schedule it. The day or day after it posts, when I have time, I pin it a few times and get it on the share schedules. 🙂

You can’t expect yourself to always be motivated. Find a way to organize things so that it works according to your schedule.

I only have one child and stay at home, but I still have other responsibilities. I spent about 30-90 minutes daily on my blog. I do it with my cup of coffee while my toddler eats breakfast. This is when I do the share threads. I set aside one nap time each week to work on writing. 🙂 That’s it.

Really, it’s all about organization. Once you figure out a schedule it isn’t hard.

I want to thank these amazing bloggers for their suggestions. They gave me the push I needed and gave me inspiration to put this post together. Blogging is more difficult than it looks. There is a lot more involved than most people imagine, but when my creativity is flowing, I really enjoy it. Burnout can exist no matter the job or activity if your life is out of balance. This wonderful post written by Beth from Balancing Bravely lists 8 Surprising Lessons About Burnout that are Essential for Working Mom Success. Is there anything we missed? How do you get through blogging burnout? Tell me in the comments.

13 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

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.

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Gift Giving, Memories, Motherhood, Parenting

What Mothers Really Want for Mothers Day

April 30, 2019

For Mothers Day, I want to sleep in. When I wake up, I want a nice breakfast. Then I want to spend the rest of the morning relaxing and enjoying the spring weather. I want to have time to write in my journal and get absorbed in a good book. I’d also like to spend time with Rosebud, just being her mom and not having to worry about anything. I’d love to end the day with a bubble bath and maybe watching a little tv. It’s not too much to ask, right?

I got thinking. What do other mothers want? I posed this question to a group of moms and here’s what they said. The good news is that most of these things don’t cost a penny. there might be a little work involved, but the moms in your life will love you for it. Here’s what we really want this mothers day!

More Sleep
Cendu
This mom wants just one day to sleep in til noon 😍
You can find her over at Cendu Param.com.
Jacalyn from StopYellingPlease.com.

To sleep in on the weekends like my husband. No one asking me “what should the baby eat for breakfast” or “where are my shoes?” Just to sleep in without interruption and without my body telling me it’s 6 AM and time to get up.

Pamela
To sleep in, and then when I wake up, lots of kisses and a latte in bed.
Check out her blog at Brooklyn Farm Girl.com.

A Clean House
Mercedes from Mom To Girls.com.
I’d like to have a clean house, laundry put away, a good meal, and some time to relax in a bubble bath 😊

Mallory from Mom of War Hear My Roar.
I would absolutely LOVE for someone to do the dishes and the laundry. I don’t mean put the dishes in the sink that morning and… BOOM… done. But also start and empty the clean dishwasher and put the 100 cups that are used throughout the day back in there.
Victoria
I’d like a day where my house is clean and I’m not cleaning it, dinner is made and fresh flowers bought for me. Also, coffee made for me by my kids when I’d like.Xoxo
You can find Victoria at TitleFreeMom.com.

Liz from TheLifeYouDesign.com.
What I honestly want more than anything. I want a day WITH my husband and daughter out of the house. I want to celebrate a mother by being a mother. However while we are gone, I want a professional cleaning service to deep-clean my home and I want to order dinner for delivery and eat on paper plates so there are no dishes.

A Vacation
Kristenne
Aaah… A vacation from my family. Even just for 24 hours. A staycation at a 5-star hotel, with room service massage, a sauna, a pool, a buffet. Of course, I’d probably call a sitter or have my husband take time off work. As a WAHM, taking time out of the house without our baby is a luxury.

You can find her at MisisBlog.com
Hayley
To go somewhere memorable with my family, like a day out or travel to somewhere exotic! Making special memories would be a great Mother’s Day gift for me!
Hailey blogs over at Life As A Butterfly.

Kid Free Time

Mai from the Cheerful Nomads.

Alone time with my husband like we used to. I can’t remember the last time the two of us went out without the kids!

Talya
A trip to Target/Home Goods/anywhere really, sans kids!! With no time limit!!!
You can find her blog at The Mother Fix.

Family Time

Mallory from Mama On Parade.
I just don’t want to do anything for mother’s day. No dishes, no laundry, no work. Just have a fun and relaxing day with my family.

Emma
I just want a day with my own little family where I don’t have to worry about cooking, cleaning, or laundry. With my husband’s work schedule it’s hard to find the time to just have a fun day as a family, so I ask for this each year.
You can find Emma’s blog here at Muddy Boots And Diamonds.com.

Aimee from MommyBabyLife.com.
Call me crazy, but I do enjoy spending Mother’s Day with my family. My husband works a lot so we don’t usually have a lot of quality time with all 5 of us. I like to go to a small town, walk around the shops – picking out a few gifts for myself of course – and get lunch.

Relaxation
Shannon
A stiff drink! No, seriously, a pretty drink with an umbrella sitting outside in my lounge chair the radio blasting, kids playing, and the hubs grilling supper.

Find Shannon over at Southern Blessed Chaos.

Jessica from CareFreeMermaid.com.
Just something simple like a Starbucks brought to me in the morning 😉 & a nice quiet, peaceful bath with a glass of wine at night!

Tricia
I want to have a day where I can read a book, drink a glass of wine, or be lazy and not listen to my kids argue about who ate the last bowl of cereal!

Tricia can be found at HabibiHouse.net.

Lani from LaniOnLife.com.
I want a day at the spa; massage and facial. A day to take care of and focus on me with no stress or worries.

Jessica from Adventuring to Neverland.
A SPA DAY…. Not just a service, but an entire day. I know it’s wishful thinking, butttttt goodness wouldn’t that be graaaaand?!

Something for Mom
Jho
I want to have a Mother’s Day to pamper myself, but I thought of something else. I never had the chance to really pamper my mom, so perhaps it’s that time of the year where kids do something for their moms. Since my kids are still too small to do something grand for me, lol, I’d do something for my mom. And I hope that’ll make me feel good and set a good example for my kids.

Check out her blog, Empowered Moms At Home.

A Day Free From Planning
Lisa from Biscuits and Grading.
I want to spend the day outside. I want to go hike and bike the local trails with the coffee that my husband went out of his way to buy me. I want to eat a lunch (that he picked up) at the park with my family. I mostly just want to not have to plan one single thing. As a mom, all I do is plan and coordinate. I want a complete 24 hour reprieve from planning.

Angel
It’d be perfect to have a day of family adventure all planned out without me being the one picking the place. Surprise me and spoil me on Mother’s Day.

Visit Angel’s blog Mommying Differently.

Making Memories
Taylor from Accomplished Family.
I’d love for my husband to take time figuring out something that my girls could be involved in to make this mother’s day memorable. Doesn’t have to cost! I’m thinking a handmade card or even a painted rock. I’d want to spend time with my family. I’d love to go for a long walk or drive.

Jennifer
My kids are older and I don’t get to see some of them as often as I would like. For Mother’s Day I would love a mother’s necklace, but not initials or birth stones. I want a charm that each one has picked to represent who they are so I could carry around a piece of them always.
Find Jennifer atOneHoppyMomma.com.

Cooking

Lacy from Uplifted Simplicity.
My favorite gift is a day outside gardening and grilling with my family. We love to plant flowers in the afternoon and then eat whatever my husband has grilled up for dinner.

Jacqueline from MomMoneyMap.com.
I would want my husband to cook us a meal from scratch. No frozen pizzas or meals that just have to be heated in the oven, I want to see him chop the vegetables, and cook the grains and meat. A homemade pie couldn’t hurt either!

The Perfect Mothers Day
Stacy
My perfect Mother’s Day would be breakfast in bed with lots of coffee, time to take a bubble bath and get dressed in peace, A nice lunch with a fun family activity. That afternoon I would get some quiet time or a nap. A mix of some much needed “me time” and family time is the perfect Mother’s Day to me.
Find Stacy over at Protecting Your Pennies.

Jamilyn from SideKick Mama.
My perfect Mother’s day would be a full night’s sleep (we have a baby) and waking up to a clean house and finished flooring! We are so close to completing our kitchen flooring. It definitely would be nice to have it done!

Audrey from RosesRompers.com.
I would love a full night of sleep and having someone else cook breakfast for me. AND do the dishes afterwards. Gluten-free healthy pancakes please! And also having the house cleaned thoroughly for me. And at night, a long soak in the bathroom with a book by my favorite author!

Appreciation
Alexandria from Always Us.
Appreciation for all the things mamas do!
Check out her Gift Guide for Mothers Day 2019.

Erin from Lullaby Lark.
I made the decision to put my career on hold to stay home and raise my children, one of whom has special needs. I would love for my family to show me that what I do matters to them, that I’m making a difference.
Ayesha from WFHMama sums it up nicely!
I want Mother’s to be celebrated on more than just one day out of the year. ❤️

To summarize, we want plenty of sleep, a clean house, home cooked meals, relaxation, fun family time and memories that last a life time. Above all, we want to know that we are loved and appreciated. What will you be doing for the moms in your life this Mothers Day? Tell me in the comments.

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Gift Giving, Parenting, Pets, Shopping

Easter Gifts for Your Fur Babies

April 18, 2019

Easter is almost here and by now, you probably have decided what to put in your kids Easter baskets. Maybe you have already put everything together. I have everything stacked up in my closet and will spend the next couple of nights putting items into plastic eggs and filling Easter baskets. Then I remembered that I have nothing for Diamond. Before Rosebud was born, the cats got gifts for all kinds of occasions. They had their own stockings for Christmas, they got special treats and toys on their birthdays and I’ve even bought them Valentines Day themed toys. Well, how about an Easter basket? There are only a couple days left, but here are a few items that your pet would love.

Treats

What pet doesn’t love treats? You can get anything from junk food to something organic. There are so many options and flavors.

I didn’t realize these were only food toppers at first, so I bought some and Diamond and Mellow loved these. They would lick the plate clean.

Toys

Toys are a great way to keep your pets entertained even when you are out. I’ve had to try a lot of toys to find one that the cats like. Diamond loves toys that crinkle or toys that she can chase. Mellow loved fleece balls and feather wands.When Diamond was a kitten, she loved bubbles. Not so much anymore. All the dogs I’ve I’ve lived with loved Jolly Balls, tug toys and Kongs.

If you want to get your pet some special Easter toys, here are some cute options.

A Cozy Bed

How about a nice cozy bed? Diamond loves hers. The softer and more plush, the better according to her. There are lots of options and styles to choose from.

Scratching Posts

This category is strictly for cats. A good scratching post or two are definitely a must have if you have cats. This way, they can scratch in a safe place that won’t damage your furniture. Some cats love the rope, but others like scratching on cardboard or even wood.

Accessories

Maybe your fur baby could use a new collar, leash or different food bowl.

Are you getting anything for your pets this year? Tell me in the comments. I’ll end this post with one of my favorite pictures of Diamond.

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Childcare, Parenting, Preschool, Toddlers

Potty Training Strategies That Work

April 5, 2019

I’m happy to say that Rosebud is potty trained! We have been on quite a journey, but she’s finally got it. We actually started potty training when she was around 18 months old because I bought one of the child sized potties. She learned really quickly what to do. She was staying dry for most of the day plus peeing and pooping in the small potty. Then she came down with a really bad cold and we took a trip to Pensylvania. That ended her interest in the potty. We tried off and on over the next year and a half, but she marches to the beat of her own drum. It became crystal clear that she would do it in her own time and that’s what she did. However, there were a few strategies I used along the way that helped in the potty training process. I’m an early childhood educator, so I know these work with other children as well. You may need to only use a couple of these or combine all of them to work for your children.

Try a Child Sized Potty

Some people advise against using a child sized potty, but it worked for Rosebud and it has worked for several of the kids I’ve worked with. It especially helps when you are training a child under two. Rosebud was scared of the big potty. When she sat on it, she felt like she was going to fall in and a couple of times, she almost did. I had to hold her up because she couldn’t reach the floor and she wasn’t sure what to hold on to, but once I got the small potty, she was able to relax and focus on peeing or pooping. Some say that it’s harder to transition to the big potty, but in my experience, the kids have wanted to use it when they feel comfortable and are a little bigger. Rosebud still uses the small potty sometimes. She usually uses it when she has to poop because she feels more comfortable, but if it isn’t there, she’ll go on the regular toilet with no problem. If you don’t want to buy the child sized potty, they sell these seats that go over your toilet seat that cover most of the hold so that your child won’t fall.

Sticker Charts

I’m going to say it up front. This did not work at all for Rosebud, but I have seen sticker charts work well for many children over the years. Most children love stickers. In fact, we do this in several classes at the childcare center. For those who don’t know, these charts have a certain amount of spaces that get filled in with stickers. Each time the child uses the potty, they get a sticker. Click here for a variety of free potty training sticker charts. At work, we usually give one sticker for pee and two stickers for poop, but you can decide what would be best for your child. After the chart is filled, the idea is to get a reward. It could be a special treat like an ice cream, a toy or watching a movie. Younger toddlers will care more about the immediate reward of getting the sticker and may not understand the long-term goal of getting a bigger reward. You may want to skip that part and just opt for stickers. However, if your child is a preschooler, he or she will probably understand this concept better. It’s really up to you and what you think is appropriate.

With Rosebud, we might have filled one chart, but she didn’t care about the stickers. They didn’t motivate her at all. I learned that she is internally motivated which will serve her well as an adult. Many of the kids I work with are more motivated externally. Meaning they get their motivation from other people or things in the environment. They love getting the stickers and are so proud to finally get a full sticker chart to show their parents. They want to go on the potty because they’ll know they’ll get a reward. I’d recommend special stickers for this. If your child likes a certain character from movies or tv. Maybe they would like glittery or puffy stickers. Just something out of the ordinary and only used for going on the potty.

Books

There are books about anything and potty training is no exception. I read a few of these to Rosebud and she seemed to enjoy them. This was one of the things that helped her make the connection. A Potty for Me is a good one. In one of the books, it showed a cat going in the litter box, a dog going potty outside and of course, a baby trying the potty for the first time. Rosebud started making the connection, realizing that Diamond and Mellow used the litter box and we use the toilet. Books are great because they can reinforce the lessons we are teaching and help them make those connections. Books can teach children about their boddies and some of the life skills they need to learn. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood coincidentally has an episode about using the potty. We watched that several times as well. If you can get a double wammy with books and tv shows, even better.

Choosing Their Own Underwear

I took Rosebud to the store and let her pick out her own underwear. She liked the Paw Patrol panties, so that’s usualy what she uses. Since she likes them, she wants to keep them dry. One of the women I work with experienced the same thing. Her granddaughter has Frozen underwear that she picked out. She keeps them dry because she doesn’t want to get the characters wet. If all else fails, have them pick out their own underwear and make a big deal about how special they are.

Use Less Clothes

When Rosebud turned three, I decided to try the Three Day Method. It was a huge mistake. I knew there would be a lot of accidents, but many of them seemed deliberate. She’d go pee in the closet or in other random places in the house. She understood what the potty was for, but since the pressure was on, she decided she wasn’t ready. It was a horrible three days. We both only ended up mad at each other, but I learned that less clothes really does help. She did much bettter if she had no pants on or just her underwear. If she had regular pants on, she still had accidents. During your potty training process, I highly recommend letting them be in just their underwear and a shirt while at home. They can easily pull their underwear down and go potty and there will be less washing for you. Also, there won’t be anything there to absorb it so it will be uncomfortable for them if they do go in their underwear. Chances are, they won’t want to do that many times. As a side note, have them help with clean up. They will start to understand that going outside the toilet makes a mess and they will get tired of cleaning up after themselves.

Follow Their Lead

This is my biggest piece of advice. No matter what advice you hear from family and friends, you know your own child. You know if they are ready. If they are ready, it won’t be as much work. They’ll be willing to let go of the diapers. They will understand what the potty is for and be able to control their boddies. Kids have more intuition and understanding than we give them credit for. Rosebud knew when she was ready. She started telling me she needed to go potty. After she stayed dry through the night for about a week, she was the one who said that she only wanted to wear her underwear at night. She said she didn’t need diapers anymore. She’s been staying dry ever since. There were a lot of steps forward and just as many steps back, but we got there.

Extra Tips

Role modeling is so important. It might sound a little weird, but have your child go potty with you. Since you probably don’t get too many trips to the bathroom alone anyway, they might as well be productive trips. After a while, Rosebud wanted to go on the smaller potty while I used the big one. Kids are happy to be doing anything that grownups are doing.

Put a stool in the bathroom. This is useful for kids to get up on the toilet and they will have something to put their feet on while they are sitting up there. They may feel uncomfortable since their feet can’t touch the ground. Having the stool there can help them balance, allowing them to focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about falling. It’s also useful for hand washing. I put one of these stools in each of my bathrooms. Rosebud loves them.

Finally, try a special toy, book or game that will help them sit on the potty for a few minutes. Sometimes I’d read a book to her, let her bring a small toy or use the Baby Bubbles app on my phone. She’d sit there for two seconds and decide she was done. I needed something that would keep her attention long enough to sit there and try. Eventually you won’t need these extras, but they can be a big help in the beginning.

Remember, that every child is different. They will learn to use the potty eventually. I find that they learn faster and are more likely to stick with it if they don’t feel pressured into it. Go at their pace even when you want to hurry it up. When Rosebud was finally truly ready, it only took a few days. The piece of advice that really matters is to follow your instincts and not to worry about strategies that won’t work for you or when the other children you know were potty trained. In the end, it won’t matter. I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Good luck with your potty training journey. What potty training strategies have worked well for you? Tell me in the comments.

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About me, Blogging

My Favorite Things for March

March 31, 2019

I want to share some of my favorite things and accomplishments for the month of March. This is something new I plan on doing at the end of every month from now on. Writing down my accomplishments will keep me accountable and moving forward and why not share some of my favorite things? You might like them as well. For this month, I have a book, a recipe, a perfume and some articles to pass along.

Accomplishments

I’ll start with my wins for the month of March. At the end of February, I started using my Pinterest account which had no views. As of this moment, there are 39,000 views. I know that’s a relatively small number for Pinterest, but it’s just the beginning. I think it’s good considering the endless accessibility issues I have with Pinterest, my limited ability to create eye catching photos and my lack of knowledge on how Pinterest works. I have been reading and researching which has given me a better understanding of strategies for using Pinterest. It’s a work in progress, but what isn’t? My second win and one of my goals for 2019 was to reactivate my Amazon associates account. I’ve been working hard to update older posts as well as create new content. Now the trick is making those sales. My third accomplishment was getting approved for ShareASale. That will be my next project.

Book

As I’ve talked about on the blog before, I always have an Audible book that I’m listening to. Earlier this month, I read the Ex-Wife by Jess Ryder. It was one of those books that sounded kind of interesting, but I wasn’t too sure about it. I found it in a two books for one credit deal. After the first couple of chapters, I really wanted to know what happened next. I listened to most of it in one weekend. I won’t give anything away, but the ending seemed to be an opening for a second book, but who knows. I’ve read a lot of books lately where loose ends aren’t tied up.

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

Recipe

Unfortunately, I did not take a picture when I cooked this, but I’m not a food photographer anyway. This Easy Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is so simple to make. It tastes good. Rosebud loved it and that is saying something. She’s going through an extremely picky eating phase. The best part is it takes about ten minutes. The other great thing is you make it in the instant pot. I love having only one pot instead of a bunch of pots and pans to wash. The macaroni comes out perfect and it is very cheesy. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Perfume

I ordered some makeup and got a sample of Viva LA Juicy Noir by Juicy Couture. I quickly used it all and then had to order more. It’s hard to describe the scent. It’s kind of fruity, but it’s not over the top sweet. It’s not too strong unless you use more than you should. I normally stick with one or two scents that I use most of the time, but this one has become one of my favorites. What are your perfumes that you absolutely love?

Articles

Okay, so I have several for this month. I couldn’t narrow it down to just one, but they all serve different purposes.

This first article is about raising daughters and gender stereotypes. It’s well written and reminds us what is important about raising a girl. Click here to read, The Trappings of Girlhood.

I saw this cool article from Whimsyroo with a list of bath time activities. I know Rosebud gets bored with the same bath toys and this post has some great ideas to make bath time more fun. I love this blog and all the fun activities she posts. Click this link for Creative Bath Time Activities for Kids.

I am a big fan of journaling and one of the benefits of journaling is gratitude. If you journal about the things you are grateful for, it can boost your mood and if you are a believer in the law of attraction, gratitude will bring you more things to be grateful for. That being said, listing the same five things you are grateful for can be a little boring and not seem worth the effort, but Monica from Mindfully Monica explains how to start a gratitude journal that actually works.

Full disclosure, I saw this one a little before March started, but I have to share it. I’m featured on this post from GROWMOMMY.COM! Rosebud’s antics earned me a spot in this list of 10 Hilarious Reasons for Toddler Tantrums.

This post from Be Anxious About Nothing brings to light the very important and overlooked issues of disabled domestic abuse. The post was written in defense of Dr. Phil and his recent show with a couple where the man is disabled and the woman is not. I knew nothing about it until seeing this post, but there has been outrage online due to the show’s supposed ablism. I say supposed because I have not seen it and don’t want to comment without viewing it first. However, I will share this post because disabled people are more likely to be the victims of abuse and that has to stop.

This final link is to a Ted talk about being a good listener. Too often we forget to really take the time to listen to someone. Sometimes all someone needs is to be heard.

How to Listen Better – Tips From a Deaf Guy, from Stephen O’Keefe.

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