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I think we need to change the way we catch up with one another as women. The question comes, so what are you doing? Well I’m a …fill in the blank. How about we change this world to “what is your Title?” We know we are God’s daughter first, who is also a mom, a sister, a wife, a secretary, a writer, a doctor etc. I am amazed by how we feel less than each other based on what we do. We are in this world to support, and encourage each other.  As I raise my 5 kids I want them to feel great about being a Christian and doing what God has called them to do; no matter what people’s opinions are. Now I am not trying to hush the mouths of people, I just want to make sure my kids can discern between opinions and facts. To be honest I struggle with this myself. This is where love and encouragement comes in. God has called and gifted each one of us. Yes our gifts can be similar but we all play a key part in this life and we all need to be encouraged to do what we are called to do.
Go today and everyday with the joy of the Lord and enjoy each day to the fullest.
Moving can be an exciting and stressful time. As we pick a new place to buy or rent, do improvement, pack boxes we can forget the huge change that is coming for our kids. They have questions like, “Will I get to take all my toys”, “Does our food go with us”, “What about our animals”, Can we take the microwave”? All legitimate questions for a kid. Make sure the kids are involved from the beginning. Kids do better when they know what is going on. I know it’s work to take them in and out of the car to look for house; I understand the extra time it takes packing boxes when they want to play with the stuff. Let them pack a few of their own boxes and have them label it. Moving can be very scary and traumatic for kids. One thing I like to do is pick up a little gift, stuffed animal (Because we need more-Right?) for siblings walkie talkies; than the day we move into the new place I give the kids the gift. My adult daughters still remember the walkie talkie phone I got them when they were 8 & 10 and they said that was so cool even though the move was an exciting one, it helped with the transition. Good luck with all your adventures and may you be blessed by the roads you travel.
As Christmas vacation approached I started to think about our traditions. In our family we like to decorate early for Christmas; we start during Thanksgiving vacation. Then out comes the hot chocolate, sprinkles, whip cream and of course the candy canes. Usually every Tuesday in December we have hot chocolate and do homework in the family room. Of course this isn’t limited to Tuesday, if other days we feel like doing it and the schedule works out, we enjoy our afternoon treat. Anyways, it is important to have your own family traditions, whether it’s around holidays, summer time or just because. Kids look forward to traditions. They can be anything you want that works for your family. Some other things we enjoy doing are: Jamba juice and french fries or frozen yogurt for dinner. This usually takes place in the summertime. Another family favorite is the sleep over in the family room; yes, even daddy and mama join in the adventure. When this happens in the wintertime my hubby always has a fire in the fireplace and keeps it going all night long. We love to play games, Pictionary, card games, I spy, spoons, and any other games we choose. This is year round for us but especially when everybody is out of school. We live about a mile from a donut and coffee shop; we love to take family walks and get donuts and coffee. Walking and talking is the highlight of the trip! So go make some new traditions and create many lasting memories with those precious babies of yours. May God bless every adventure you have together!
Spend time and invest in your family!
So what is the right age for a tablet, computer, phone, maybe email, or social media? Well I believe this varies by parents. Once you introduce your kids to something new you need to be on top of it and in full communication with them about that item. Think about T.V. You don’t give your child a channel changer and leave them alone for hours to “explore”. I know all the things I listed above can be scary; being a parent is scary. You choose what your child gets and when. As well as how much time they get with each device. Remember all of these are privileges, not necessities. Always remember; you know what your child is ready for at what age. We have rules in our family of no cell phones till the end of 6th grade, and no social media accounts until Jr. High. They can only have family as friends/followers to start with until High School. Now let me share how we do social media. First of all, we know all user names and passwords. Second, we must pre approve friends before friend/follower request are sent or accepted. This continues until they graduate high school. You may ask “Well what about secret accounts?” Easy. We go on our kid’s phones, computers, social media pages- from their computers of course. They know if anything is questionable, their computer, phone, etc. is ours to take. Even if they received it as a gift. They live in our home, therefore, our rules. Let me tell you, it takes work to have all these electronics. We have 5 kids and that means we can’t be relaxed about it. We are constantly checking phones, computers, tablets, social media, etc. With everything we allow them to have, we have to check up on those things. We have well behaved children, but I make sure they are on the right track every day. So a few tips on all these electronics.
1. Make sure you have an open, honest relationship before giving them any of these gadgets.
2. Never allow computers/ tablets/phones in the bedroom especially with a closed door.
3. We plug in all phones in our family room area every night, no phones in the bedroom.
4. No phones at the dinner table.
5. Make sure to limit all electronics to your contentment.
6. Remember you are the parent; it is your job to teach your sweet babies about responsibility.
7. I use the line from Spiderman, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.
So what is
the right age and when is the right time to potty train?
So here are
some things I have been told:
“Children
should be potty trained by 2”; “what are you doing, that child should be using
the toilet by now”; “Oh I would never have 2 kids in diapers at once”
So the correct answer is your child will tell
you. I know that sounds silly. Let’s start with the basics. First off your child needs to be able to
communicate with you that he needs to go to the bathroom. So if your child is not a great talker,
wait! Secondly your child should have a
desire to go use the potty or not want his diaper changed. I
remember we started to train our first son and he had 3 accidents in about 2
hours, needless to say we waited a few more months for him to be a bit more
aware of his body. I think too many
times we are told there is a specific age that a child needs to be potty
trained; you know just like when they should quit breast feeding or be off the
bottle. Every child is different my
first potty trained before she was 2 while #4 was 4 years old when he was
finally ready. You must go with your gut
and your knowledge of your child; not what people tell you needs to be done. Ok, so for the fun part how to do it. If you go out a potty chair in the car is
great so it is conveniently located.
Pull ups; I used these over the choners
when we went places so messes were minimal when they did happen, but also my
child could still feel the wetness from not using the toilet. I trained my kiddos on mini chocolates or
M&M’s; 1 for each pee 2 for poop. I
always packed some chocolates in the diaper bag for when we weren’t at home. Remember to not get mad when there is an
accident they are learning When an accident occurs, take the child and have
them sit on the potty because they may have to go some more. Then help wipe up or bathe your child and get
fresh clothes on and reassure them they can do it. I suggest packing a bag for when you are not
at home. 3sets which include: choners,
pants, socks, shoes if you have an extra pair.
If you are going to teach you boy he can stand up while peeing; cheerios
are a great tool for aiming. We have our
boys sit down when we are at home, friends or relatives house. They can stand up when they use public
restrooms. Good luck and enjoy the
adventure, some of the best stories come from potty training days!
So as I stood in my kitchen getting and giving hugs and kisses to my hubby; I glanced over to see the kids look up and then look away with no reaction. That got me thinking of how normal this behavior is with us. We are always showing affection to each other especially in front of our kids. We hug, kiss, and even dance in the kitchen. As parents we are great at physical touch with our kids, but I think we sometimes forget to give our spouse the same touch in front of our kids. When kids grow up seeing this; it will be easy and natural for them with their future spouses. If you are not use to this; I challenge you to start today by greeting your hubby at the door and giving him a huge hug and long kiss before the kids get to him!
It is so exciting preparing for a new baby. Whether this is number 2 or 5; every baby is such a blessing. The family dynamics change with each new baby. Let your child know you are expecting, so as the watch your belly grow they can talk to the baby and be a part of the exciting adventure with you. Starting at this point you can let them know they are going to be the big brother/sister and this is going to be their baby sister/brother. I think the most important thing with children is to make sure each child feels special as the new baby arrives. So I buy gifts for each child for the first 5 days. These gifts can be paper and crayons, to a journal, small game, or action figures, or candy. The gifts don’t have to be expensive just something special for the big sister or brother. Now let me explain how I do the gifts; I secretly buy the gifts about a month before the baby is born and wrap them in bags and label them day #1, day #2 and so on. I pack the ones for the days I’m in the hospital. Then after the baby is born while holding the baby I give the kids a gift and tell them it is from the baby; “Little sister wants give this to you”. I can tell you my 13 year old daughter knew the gift was bought by me but it was still extremely special to her. Â
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   Let me start by saying I don’t go many places without my kids, especially in the evenings.  So when I do go out; the next day my kids are extra clingy.So the nights I am not home to tuck them into bed I remind them tomorrow night is ours.Then the following night I make sure to set aside at least 1 hour for extra cuddle time, book reading or just talking.  I have found this to be helpful for my hubby or older daughters who tuck the little ones in on the night I am away.  It also helps with the frustration my kids have with me that I was not there.
So you’re expecting! This is an exciting and nerve racking time. I like to be prepared for all situations. Babies are so unpredictable they like to share their leftover “burps” on us, along with the exploding up the back of the diaper.  Shouldn’t every mommy get the opportunity to do a full baby wardrobe change while out in public? Anyways I have created a list of items I think are essential for a mommy to have.Â
|
BABY NEEDS |
HOME |
DIAPER BAG |
|
aspirator |
1 |
1 |
|
baby q-tips |
 |  |
|
baggies for diaper bag |
 |
1 |
|
bath wash |
2 |
small one |
|
bibs |
6-8 |
1 |
|
boppy |
 |  |
|
bottle warmer(car) |
 |  |
|
bottles |
6-1O |
 |
|
bounce seat |
 |  |
|
breast pads |
1 box |
 |
|
breast pump |
 |  |
|
brush/comb |
1 |
1 |
|
burp clothes |
12-14 |
1 |
|
car seat |
 |  |
|
changing table |
 |  |
|
crib |
 |  |
|
crib set |
 |  |
|
diaper bag |
 |  |
|
diaper pail |
 |  |
|
diapers |
2 packs |
7 each day |
|
exersaucer |
 |  |
|
formula container |
 |
1 |
|
front pack |
 |  |
|
gowns |
1O |
 |
|
hand sanitizer |
1 large |
1 small |
|
hats |
10-12 |
1 |
|
head supports |
 |  |
|
high chair |
 |  |
|
humidifier |
 |  |
|
lap pads |
3-4 |
1 |
|
long sleeve onesies |
10 |
 |
|
lotion |
2 |
small one |
|
milk baggies |
breast milk storage |
|
|
mittens |
4 |
 |
|
monitor |
 |  |
|
nail clippers |
1 |
1 |
|
nursing shield |
 |  |
|
ointment |
1 |
1 |
|
onesies |
10-14 |
2 |
|
outfits |
10-14 |
1-2 |
|
pacifier clips |
4 |
1 |
|
pacifiers |
5 |
1 |
|
pjs |
1O |
1 |
|
port-a-crib |
 |  |
|
powder |
1 |
small one |
|
receiving blankets |
7-10 |
1 |
|
sheets |
2-4 |
 |
|
sleepers |
7 |
 |
|
socks |
12 |
2 |
|
spoons |
 |  |
|
stroller |
 |  |
|
swing |
 |  |
|
thermometer |
1 |
1 |
|
thick blankets |
4 |
 |
|
towel |
5-7 |
 |
|
travel bowls |
 |  |
|
Tylenol |
1 (after 1st shots) |
1 |
|
union suits |
O7 |
 |
|
wash cloths |
1O |
1 |
|
wedge for crib |
 |  |
|
wipes |
2 containers |
1 travel |
My Nuggets of Wisdom 