Caught You Being Good FREE Printable--Pinned it, Did it!

I'm sure you've seen a bunch of those "Caught Ya Being Good" ideas all over Pinterest.  If you haven't, here and here are a few of them.  I LOVE the idea of "Caught Ya Being Good", and while I thought the jars were cute, I wanted make my own version of it.

My variation is more like "Wanted For Good Behavior" and has a kinda western theme.  Yes, I know I have girls but I just couldn't resist a wanted poster so I had to tie in the rest. 

The principle is still the same--reward my girls for good behavior.  I'm just so sick of yelling at them all the time that I thought I should start acknowledging when they are good.  Now when I catch them being good (without me asking) they get a sheriff's certificate.  After they've gotten 10 certificates, they get a reward of their choosing whether it be $5.00 for their piggy bank, a date with mom or dad, or an extra treat before bed.

These certificates, however, are not easy to earn.  The girls only get them when they are CAUGHT being good, not when they are good after they have been asked to be.  They get them when they are nice to each other without being told to be, they get them when they play nicely by themselves, they get them for eating dinner without being hounded to eat (yes, it is a battle every night to get them to eat!), and they get them for doing chores above and beyond their normal ones.  These certificates are as much fun to give as they are to receive!

You can make a Caught You Being Good/Wanted For Good Behavior with these FREE PRINTABLES!!

Click on each of the three parts to download them.
Hints for making your poster:

• You can use photo editing software to replace the words "place your child's photo here" with your child's photo before printing, or you can simply print out the poster as is and glue your child's photo to it.
• Cut out the pocket (second photo) and fold the flaps to make a pocket for your child to store their sheriff's certificates until they get enough for an award.
• I laminated all of my parts to make them last longer.  You can do the same or just have them as paper.
• Print your poster on off-white or yellowish paper to make it look more authentic (I wish I would have done that!) 

Creating a special reading place- on a budget

With four kids I don't have a lot of extra cash floating around (who does these days?). My daughter asked me to create a Book Nook for her. I have to admit, I giggled, because I thought "um, you're 5 what do you know about a Book Nook?" While on bed rest from my surgery (coming soon in another post) I got to work and did some pinning on Pinterest. Apparently Book Nooks are where it's at these days! I was able to create a special place for my princess with less than $50. Sweet!!!!!!  We had several extra crib mattresses laying around (which may not sound normal to you but at one point we had three cribs in use at our house). I knew I could make a custom cover for the mattress and add some special flare to it as well.

 I found these stick on letters at Target in the clearance section for only $3.46. I thought they were perfect for the wall. They didn't have enough "R's" so I had to get creative and make an extra "r" out of a "p" (can you tell which "R" is made by me?)

 I Google searched the measurements of a crib sheet (because I couldn't remember what it was) and quickly sewed up a sheet for the crib mattress. I LOVE the colors my daughter and I picked out! I think they POP! The pillows were easy too! I sewed up some covers for some pillows we had laying in our basement and added some ribbon to a couple of them for added fun. (I will admit the largest one- with the piping) is my favorite, ahhh, OK, I take that back, I love the elephant one...no wait...ahh, shoot they're all cute!)

 I had extra fabric left over I made her a completely reversible and lined library bag from a pattern I found online too. You can go HERE to find it. See the pink pocket on top of the shelf with the tissue sticking out of it? It's a cute tissue holder! (She loves that!) You can go HERE to find out how to make one of these. I made an extra one for my purse.

I had the white shelves sitting in my basement from college...so they were "free" for my project. The only thing I ended up purchasing was the fabric, the wall decals and the hot pink garbage can.

Would you like to win your own cutesy facial tissue holder? Enter below! We're giving away FOUR to our US readers.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tips for helping your high potential child

One of my boys is considered "high potential." What is high potential? High potential is defined as a person (or child) with a high functioning aptitude or high intelligence quotient. This is something we've suspected for quite some time and it was only recently confirmed. I can distinctly remember his first Christmas when he was 8 months old, he got this really neat wooden shape-sorter. That kid opened the box and put those shapes into the correct places in a matter of a minute (and I'm not talking about circles and squares; like octagons and pentagons.) His thought processes have always been really literal and he is quite the perfectionist too. These are all signs of something "bigger" going on.

While registering him for Kindergarten the discussion of what the appropriate placement would be for him came up and we decided it would be in his best interest for us to dig a little deeper. Our school district has a wonderful program for high potential children and they offered some amazing suggestions that I wanted to share with you. I am taking this directly from their recommendations so please note that these are not my own personal thoughts, they are of a professional.

School recommendations:

1. Grouping your child in the classroom with other gifted students will enhance social interactions and stimulate creative and investigative skills of these intellectually bright students. Research indicates that grouping with children of like abilities leads to enhance self-esteem, cooperation skills and intellectual development.

2. Utilization of differentiated curriculum for the gifted child teaches the higher level concepts at a greater depth of understanding is recommended. In other words, challenge the child in higher levels of reading, math and learning topics at an accelerated pace.

3. Chess- yes, chess! This will encourage the child to tap into an interest but also continue to stretch their spatial relationship skills.

4. Encourage independent investigations in areas of interest or passions. It encourages them to share their knowledge with classmates and teachers and be encouraged to continue this exploratory nature within the school environment.

Parental recommendations:

1. Utilize Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding the Gifted Reader by Judith Halstead. This book provides a great resource for reading level and books that will spark imagination.

2. Understand and learn about overexcitabilities that accompany giftedness. There are five areas of over excitabilities (sensory, psychomotor, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional) that frequently accompany giftedness. The book Living with Intensity is a great resource.

3. Encourage work with mathematics and visual spatial skills. Map reading, manipulative math work and other possibilities will work on their math skills.

4. The book The Parents Guide to the Gifted Child by James Webb is a must have for parents of gifted children.

5. Watch for perfectionism. The book What to do When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough by Thomas Greenspon is a great resource to help deal with the intensity of perfectionism.

Sneaky Ways to Stop Toddler Tantrums

Both Jamie and Lindsi will be some-what "off" of blogging for the next two weeks because both Tottie and Lil' Princess are having tonsillectomies.  Tottie's is on Monday and Lil' Princess' is on Tuesday.  Their surgeries are litterally 24 hours apart and by the same surgeon!  Please enjoy some guest posts and other fun things not normally in our schedule while we take care of our daughters. 

__________________________________________________

A Hazel Musing:  Sneaky Ways My Parents Stop My Tantrums

Now I've turned two, I have upped the ante on the number of tantrums that I have.  As a toddler, it's my duty to live up to the reputation of the terrible two's and I tell that to every toddler I meet!

But I've not managed to master tantrums completely yet, as my parents have some sneaky ways, which they use to diffuse my tantrums and I often forget what the tantrum was about.

I thought I'd better speak out and warn other toddlers about these sneaky tactics!  Also I hope to share with you how you can use your tantrums to get your own way and make your parents think that they are being sneaky in stopping your tantrum (teehee) – beat them at their own game.

There are only a few things that I have tantrums about, one is when I want to walk and I get put in the buggy.  The sneaky way that they pacify me is by telling me I'll be able to walk later, as they explain calmly with reason and logic, that they are in a hurry and that we can walk on the way back.

I listen, calm down and they usually remember to keep their promise, but if they don't then I will throw a tantrum later and insist, insist and insist that they take me to the fields so I can run around and see the twit twoo!

I usually insist on this most days anyway, but if they have forgotten, or I fall asleep before having at  least a mile long wander, Mom and Dad think that it might help me sleep better later if they do take me to the fields (it doesn't always make me go to sleep earlier, as my energy knows no ends).

So you can listen to logic and reasoning, as long as you remember to ensure that your parents keep their promises, but give them an all out tantrum if they dare forget.  Sometimes if you do behave, they do make doubly sure that you have a good time when they have done what they need to do.  I'll leave that to your judgment. 

One tantrum that I have regularly, is about food.  When I don't finish my food, they put it in the fridge and I refuse point blank to eat anything that I see coming out of the fridge.  Just lately though, they have been taking half pots of food out of the food cupboard, which has never happened before – hmm, there is definitely something sneaky going on there! 

When Mom and Dad can't console (or control) me during the day, as they can't fathom the reason behind the tantrum, Dad usually does something silly to make me laugh.  He will pull funny faces, or trip over, or accidentally bang his head (and I laugh so hard when Dad hurts himself).  It's impossible to carry on a tantrum when I can't help laughing!  That's sneaky!

Another reason that I throw a tantrum is when I want something on a shelf that is out of my reach, usually something that I'm not meant to have anyway, like sellotape, scissor or something else that is "dangerous".  How many times do your parents say "dangerous" to you? Its really annoying, isn't it?

This is quite a good thing to have a tantrum about, as my  parents will usually offer me one of my favorite toys, or get down on the floor and play with me to distract me from my tantrum.

One tantrum that they allow me to cry about for sometimes over an hour (if the fancy takes me) is that I'm not allowed to go to sleep in their big bed, I have to go to sleep in my bed.  I only do this occasionally, but I can't seem to win that one.  I hope they don't start ignoring some of my other tantrums too!

I hope that this advice helps other toddlers pick their tantrums wisely.  It's all about compromise and bribery on both your side and your parents – make them think that they are in control, but remember you will win some and lose some.

Hazel Nutt is a baby blogger who loves to share her take on the world through words and art. She writes funny posts that should tickle the humor buds of most parents.  She particularly likes blogging her toddler opinions and advice on how to train parents, to ensure that other toddlers can also wrap their parents around their little finger!

Hazel Nutt also writes and reviews picture books and devours (sometimes quite literally) picture books on a daily basis, as she enjoys them so much. Find Hazel and her opinions here and please enjoy: http://www.HazelNutt.com

Why you should teach your child a second language now--Guest Post

Bilingual Benefits--Why you should teach your child a second language now

From increased creative thinking to improved multi-tasking, Heidi Bernal, principal of Adams Spanish Immersion School in St. Paul, Minn., sees firsthand the benefits of students learning a second language. “Children are like little sponges and they’re already in a learning mode,” she says. “Most are not afraid to jump in and take a risk (when learning a new language). We use dance, pantomime and pictures and they pick it up quickly.”

Bernal points out that new research shows that learning a second language increases brain function. In addition, she says there are long-term advantages such as better job opportunities, and savvy parents, wanting the best for their kids, are looking ahead to their futures.

“Spanish is the fastest-growing language group in the United States so there’s a practical use,” Bernal says, “But there are also kids learning Mandarin, and with the global economy, those children might work in international business some day.”

Tips for parents 

Nancy Rhodes, director of foreign-language education at the Center for Applied Linguistics, in Washington, D.C, says learning a second language, particularly for younger children, doesn’t have to be taught in formal classrooms. She recommends that parents provide fun and interactive language-learning environments. For example, children can learn by watching TV shows like Sesame Street, which teaches basic Spanish words to preschoolers. Many parents also add bilingual books, CDs and toys.

“I would suggest to parents that there are all sorts of programs you can do at home,” Rhodes says. “The more you expose your child to language the better, even if it’s playing CDS and playing songs. You just want to expose the children to the different sounds…

Then it won’t seem so ‘foreign’ when the child starts to learn and really study a language.”

Guest Author: Purna Virji
Purna Virji possesses a talent for learning new languages with six in her present language-speaking repertoire. She is a former producer for an Emmy-nominated television show with a master’s degree in international journalism. She currently works at Pimsleur Approach, the world leader in the audio-based, language-learning program developed by Dr. Paul Pimsleur.

What to do with last years Christmas cards

If you are anything like me you have a bit of guilt when it comes time to take, toss, or store the Christmas cards you received last year. I personally feel a huge sense of responsibility to save them....no, I'm not a hoarder! I just figure people took the time, effort and money to send me a card and I can't just toss them. This past January I got to thinking about it and came up with a neat way to save those cards without investing a lot of money or space into it! So gather up those cards and grab a paper hole punch while you are at it.

I sorted my cards first by size...it just made it a little bit easier to punch holes in them. Get your kids involved and have them help you sort by size.
I took three or four cards at a time and punched two holes into each of the cards.  If your kids are old enough (and strong enough) have them help you with this too.

I then printed out 2011 Christmas Cards on a pretty Christmas patterned piece of paper. You can get crafty with this and make it as fancy as you want...in order to save time I just used a piece of printed paper.

Secure the cards to ring clips (found at any office supply store) or zip ties. I used ring clips because I like that I can add, subtract or take them out if I wanted to. I like to keep mine under my coffee table throughout the years so people that stop over can glance through them, if they want.

This is also a great way to teach your younger kids who's who of your friends and family throughout the year!

What do you normally do with your old Christmas cards?

The Spirit of Giving With Your Kids

The holiday season is a great opportunity to spend time together as a family and create teachable moments of giving.  There are so many opportunities to give back, especially during the holidays.  Below are just some ideas on how to start a holiday giving tradition in your family.

You can begin by thinking about the interests of your family and research ways to give to related organizations.  There are organizations related to literacy, animals, homelessness and so much more.  You may want to reference my recent post on finding a legitimate charity to support.  You could also ask older kids to research their own organizations and present them to the family for a vote.

Here are a few specific suggestions for giving during the holidays:

·         Frequently local social service agencies offer an opportunity to adopt a family or a child during the holidays. 

·         Donate toys your kids no longer use to Second Chance Toys or a local organization serving children.

·         Donate gently used books to an organization such as Read Indeed or Adopt A Book.

·         Deliver a meal to a neighbor or via Meals on Wheels. 

·         Donate excess diapers, clothing, or food to a local food shelf or shelter. 

·         Incorporate a collection drive for your favorite organization into your holiday parties or events.

Another great resource for family volunteering is Doing Good Together.  I would love to hear your family giving traditions in the comments! 

Bio:

Stacy Pearson writes The Blogunteer, a blog dedicated to inspiring volunteerism, giving, and kindness by highlighting the many organizations already making a difference and individuals who give their time. She is a Project Manager by trade and a volunteer at heart.  She has a husband and two young children.  You can follow The Blogunteer on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  

Chores and Allowance

Kids. Chores. Allowance.

At some level we all know that these three things should go together in some way. But the how and why of it all sometimes gets lost in the sleep deprivation and “don’t do that’s” of parenthood.

Let’s start with chores. The general school of thought is that kids should do chores. What those experts don’t tell us is how much work it is to make it happen!

Yes, kids should do chores – for many reasons. But enforcing a chore system in your house can sometimes seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

So let’s start with the benefits of chores:

The positives for mom are pretty awesome -

When the kids do chores, mom has a little bit less work to do – eventually. If our kids can ever get a handle on doing things like cleaning and laundry, then theoretically, our lives will get easier.

The other benefit is a greater level of respect for all that Mom does and how hard she works to keep things running.

The positives for kids are character rewards –

Kids who do chores learn how to work!  Since the majority of our lives are spent working, this lesson is a big one! I don’t want to raise lazy spoiled children who think it will all be done for them. Chores clear that issue right up.

Chores also teach my children that we are a team. Everyone helps! No one is above taking out the trash or feeding the cat. It’s so important for kids to know that they have something of value to share with the world – even if it’s just their ability to set the table.

So chores are a good thing. How soon? How much? Which ones?

Most kids can start helping around the house by age three. They can pick up their toys or bring down the bathroom trashcan to be emptied.

As kids get older, they can handle tougher chores. My guys (10, 9, and 5) are a real help around the house. They bring all the dirty clothes to the laundry room before they leave for school. I’ll wash, dry, and fold it for them, but they put it all away. My guys are also responsible for their own bathroom. They clean it! They scrub the tub and wipe down the sink and replace the hand towel. Don’t get me wrong - I supervise, but they do the work.

Should we pay kids for chores?

This is a tricky question, and there are a few different schools of thought here.

Some people think kids should just work for free – “I feed you and clothe you, so you do chores.” A valid argument.

Others pay by the job. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. If you do all your chores, you get a set amount per chore – kind of like the real world where no work = no pay.

In our house, we sort of combine the two concepts.

Everyone works. No options. No exceptions. We all pitch in to keep the house running. And every week, everyone gets paid. Each child gets an allowance once a week.

What’s the point of an allowance?

Allowance gives kids the opportunity to learn how to handle money. I can’t think of many skills more important than knowing how to handle money: how to save, how to spend wisely.

If our kids never have any money to spend, how will they learn these concepts?

So I give them money. Not for free. They do work. I just don’t directly tie the chores to the cash. Everyone works, and everyone gets paid. A direct relationship between the chore and the pay was just too hard to keep track of.

We certainly don’t have it all figured out, but this chore/allowance thing is working at our house. My children are learning how to work and how to spend, save, and give. It’s a work in progress, but we are seeing results.

I would love to hear from you. How do things work at your house? What chores do your kids do? How do you get them to actually DO those chores? How much of an allowance do they get?

About Me!

So who is this girl who is inviting you over for coffee? What do you need to know about me?

I'm Dawn.
I'm a woman of faith.
I'm a wife, mom, and friend.
I have a husband I adore. But our marriage isn't perfect.
I have three sons. I love them, and sometimes even like them.
I have issues. I try to own them and work through them. I don't always succeed.
I'm a work under construction.

I started my blog, Come Over For Coffee, as a place to talk through the stuff of life - the sticky stuff like friendship and marriage, and the fun stuff like coffee and shopping. I don't claim to have all the answers. I definitely have lots of questions. I'm blogging under the assumption that together, women can figure stuff out.

My biggest soapbox is that being who we are - with no apologies for how we've been created - is the surest way to get the most out of life.

I'm easy to find. You can email me at comeoverforcoffee@gmail.com. You can follow me on Facebook or Twitter

Or you can just Come Over For Coffee!

Lunch Box Notes

We all know that bento box lunches are the rage lately.  Search the internet and you'll find all kinds of moms showing off how creative they can be with their kid's lunches.  In fact, Lindsi has come up with some great bento lunches!  I, however, am not that creative, nor do I feel I have the time to go crazy packing a lunch that my daughter may (or may not) scarf down in 10 minutes.  I bet most of you feel the same (kudos to those who are more like Lindsi though!).

So how do I make my daughter's lunch special?  How do I compete with an awesome bento box?  I put random notes in her lunch box!

This is not a new idea.  In fact, my mom used to put notes in my, my sister's, and even my dad's lunch box when I was growing up.  From a simple, "I love you," to a longer heartfelt letter, I loved being surprised when I opened my lunch.

I now pass the tradition on to Nutty and will continue it when Tottie is in school.  Like my mom, I have no set schedule.  Random notes are much more fun.

For now, my notes are simple.  Nutty is only in first grade and I want her to be able to read them herself.  They'll get more meaningful and personal as time goes on and she is able to read more.  Despite the simplicity, Nutty enjoys the notes and though she doesn't say it straight out, I know they make her feel special at lunch time.

Do you put notes in your child's lunch?

Kids In The Kitchen--Guest Post

Getting your kids in the kitchen may seem like a lot of work, but it is one of the best ways to teach them life long lessons! I am going to tell you about the amazing benefits that you and your child will receive from spending time together in the kitchen while we bake monkey bread.

Let’s start with washing our hands. This is the perfect time to teach your child a thing or two about microbiology. You can say something like this:

There are teeny, tiny bugs that are invisible to your eye. They live all over the place! Some of them help us, but some of them can make us sick. It’s important to wash our hands so that we only keep the good ones around us.  Let’s sing happy birthday twice as we rub our hands together really fast with soap, and then we can rinse them with water. Why do we have to rub our hands together really fast? Good question! That’s what’s going to get the bad bugs off, since soap alone won’t do the trick, so rub, rub, rub!

Click photo to enlarge

Now it’s time to start baking the ooeey, gooey monkey bread!!

Step 1: Read through the recipe. If your kids are at an age where they can read, have them read it to you while you gather the supplies together. Hey, look at that! They are getting some reading practice and they will hardly even notice it! If they complain, then have them gather the supplies while you read it out loud to them. Little do they know, they have to read the labels on the containers to be sure that they have the right ingredients. Sneaky, sneaky…

Step 2: Make sure that you have all of the equipment that you need. A knife, a cutting board, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, a plastic bag that zips shut, a baking pan, a microwave safe bowl, and a timer. As you do this you can discuss the importance of being prepared. Not only will it save you time, but you are less likely to be frustrated!

Step 3: Have your child read the directions of the recipe to you, or you can read it to them. Then begin the proces...

**While cutting up the dough, you can discuss knife safety and demonstrate to them how to safely use these sharp instruments.

**When you measure out the sugar, you can discuss different ways you can use the measuring cups to equal one cup.
**Be sure to show them how to level off the measuring spoon of cinnamon so that they can learn that baking requires precision. You can even discuss some of the chemical reactions that they may see in other recipes to help you explain the idea of why precision is important.
**When you melt the butter in the microwave, discuss why a microwave safe bowl is important. Let them know that you never want to put metal into the microwave and tell them why.
**Show them how to safely handle hot containers of food and explain to them why they need to wait for you to do these parts of the recipe.

Step 4: Once the recipe has been put together, bake it in a 350 degree F oven for 28 minutes. This is the perfect time to ask your kids if they have any questions. They may have questions that can open up a line of communication for you to discuss other things, like what is going on at school, or what they have been learning at friends houses.

Step 5: Once the monkey bread has cooled, be sure that you eat some of it together. By watching you eat something that they made, you are showing them that you appreciate their efforts. You are also showing them that you trust them to be good cooks. I promise you, not only will you and your kids have bonded, but their confidence will definitely be boosted too.

Carmen is the mom of three rambunctious little boys. She blogs about her family’s adventures at Adventures of the Triple B's, a place for parents with active kids to find comfort in stories that may or may not sound familiar. She uses her background in child development and her own experiences as a mother to offer tips about how to keep active children out of trouble. She talks about how to keep them safe, how to clean up their innumerable messes, and she offers recipes that they may slow down enough to actually eat. If you sometimes stop and ask yourself, “Why me?” especially while your child is scaling the walls, then come on over! Besides finding Carmen on her blog, you can chat directly with her on Twitter,Facebook, or by emailing her at adventuresofthetriplebs@gmail.com.

Early Second Language Learning--Guest Post

 

As an adult, have you ever felt frustrated when you couldn’t communicate with another person due to a language barrier? Perhaps you then wished you would have studied a foreign language beyond the mandatory high school or college courses. In today’s society bilingualism and even multilingualism are a norm. As the demographics of our country rapidly change, it is vital to understand about foreign cultures and languages. Employers greatly value individuals who are bilingual and frequently applications who boast these skills stand out in a highly competitive job market.

 There have been a wide variety of research studies demonstrating the benefits of early second language learning . School systems all across the country continue to implement and improve their foreign language curriculum. Many schools now offer elementary language immersion programs where children are taught by teachers who speak fluently in the targeted foreign language. The goal of immersion programs are for students to become fluent in the foriegn language, as well as succeed in each of the regular academic subjects’ weather taught in English or the targeted language. As parents, we all want to provide our children with the most comprehensive education we can. When seeking out educational programs think about researching your options for second language learning programs through your local school district.

What You Should Know About Early Second Language Learning

1. Teaching a child two languages does not put them at risk of emotional difficulties or intellectual disadvantages.
2. In the early stages of acquisition of a second language, children learning two languages may show developmental lags in the area of language learning. These lags are small and do not last very long.
3. Research studies have shown that bilingual children can identify communication needs of their conversational partner earlier than monolingual children.
4. In regards to vocabulary development, bilingual children generally have a smaller vocabulary in each language when compared to monolingual children. When documenting how many “words” a child is using it is important to account for words in both languages.
5. Children who learn a second language most often receive higher test scores on many cognitive ability tasks including mental flexibility, non-verbal problem-solving, comprehension on the origin of names, distinguishing between semantic similarities and phonetic similarities and judging grammatically correct vs incorrect sentences.
6. A child who learns a second language before the age of nine is more likely to speak with a native accent. Visit the American Hearing Language Speech Association to find out more about second language learning . If your child is learning a second language that you don’t speak be sure to read this article on tips for helping your child learn a foreign language. 

Do you speak a second language? If not, what language would you love to learn?
Hi, I'm Mindi, a working mom of two boys crazy little boys, Xander and Noah. During the week I work at a children's hospital as a Speech-Language Pathologist, all while wishing I was at home playing with my boys. I blog over at Simply Stavish about my family, knitting, crafting and my latest passion, photography. Join me each Monday for my weekly feature, Words In the Sand, where I share information on topics in speech, language, voice and oral motor development. Are you concerned about your child's speech, language or feeding skills? Check out my post on how to locate a Speech-Language Pathologist. I would also love to connect with you through Twitter or Facebook.

Falling into the "Super Mom trap"

Super Mom VS. A Super Mom

Source

Super Mom- you know the type. She's in the PTA. She makes meals from scratch. She sews her kids clothing. She uses cloth diapers. She has fresh baked cookies waiting when they arrive home from school. Oops, wait- she drives them to and from school, they don't ride the bus. She has a spotless home. Her marriage is one others envy. She is involved in church leadership. She always looks clean and put together. She is fashionable. Her home is something out of a Martha Stewart magazine. She has baby books filled out in great detail for each child. Their artwork is ALL saved and stored properly. She never wears glasses, she always has time for contacts. When you ask for help she is the first one to volunteer. She runs the bake sale. She has a garage sale every year. Her SUV is always clean and smells wonderful. She writes a blog for her family, for fun, for her crafts, and for her cooking endeavors. She's perfect!

A super mom- YOU, ME, HER! Reality of what a mom is. We signed up for the PTA...whether we attend is another story. We make some meals from scratch. Our sewing machines collect dust in the basement. We considered cloth diapering, but realized it was so much easier to just toss the dirty one. Fresh baked cookies come from a pre-made mix. We drive our kids to school...on the days they miss the bus because we overslept. Our homes ARE spotless, but in areas where we take photos O-N-L-Y! Our marriages are good, they continue to grow. And so on and so on....

The point? The point is this: I'd rather be A super mom than SUPER mom! Why? Because by being Super Mom's we put a false facade out there of who we really are. The most important thing to me is to be able to look back and remember the time I spent with my kids, the memories I made, the laughter...rather than the beautiful outfit I sewed, craft I made or what have you. Don't get me wrong, I love to sew, craft, bake, cook and quite honestly clean....but the reality is that those things get done AFTER, after I do the important things- love on my kids.

The Reality? The reality is that my house is often a disaster, shoot I can't keep up sometimes. Sometimes my kids get frozen meals for dinner, and that's OK. My kids get to do crafty fun projects with me, but honestly I am a total control freak and the disaster of my home creates such anxiety in me that the thought of doing something to ADD to it is often too much.

The Truth? The truth is that I am laying all out on the line here. I am NOT Super Mom...I am a super mom! I wouldn't want it any other way! I'm not bragging, honestly I'm not. Being a super mom is my #1 goal in life, screw the Super Mom!

Recycling for toy storage

Disclaimer- this is NOT a product review post and we're not endorsing Tide Pods, this is simply an example. Also we'd like to take a second to remind you to keep all cleaning products out of reach of children. This very product has been mistaken for candy by some children, please be careful, we love your kids and so do you.

I personally love my laundry soap choice, it's quick and easy. The one thing that I do not like is the massive bottle of plastic I toss afterwards. I feel guilty and bad that I just added to the landfill. I love the way I re-use these containers for toy storage! Check it out....

First things first, wash and thouroughly dry the container out.

Print out a photo of the object you are going to store in the container and add the word to it as well. By doing both you are teaching your child a few things---first, they are learning that things have a place and it makes things easier if they know where they go. Second they learn to match the way the word looks with what the object is. It's a win-win!

Carefully trim your photo to the size you want it to be. I used an old plastic bowl and traced around it before I cut it out, it worked perfectly!

If you have a fancy-shmancy sticker maker you can use that...or you can also use glue or really sticky tape and attach it to the back of your photo.

Smack that photo onto your plastic storage bin recycled container and smile.

Fill that newly repurposed container up with the correct contents.

Here is another example of my storage containers for toys. I am kinda cuckoo when it comes to organization. But I like it that way.....believe it or not it keeps me sane.

Chore Chart and Rewards

The other day as I frantically cleaned my house, pending the arrival of several guests, I desperately tried to get my kids to help me. After several FAILED attempts I realized where I had gone wrong. It all goes back to a few years ago. I always cleaned the house when they were down for naps. They never saw the work that went into keeping the house clean, thus they never had to help. Fail on my part, big time! My kids had no accountability for chores and certainly no consequences for not completing chores. This had to change!

Introduction to chore charts. I found this awesome Etsy store, Abbies House, that sold great chore charts and some awesome magnets to boot. My husband I discussed which chores we thought were appropriate and also added some for the future as they got older. We comitted to a purchase and we are in LOVE with these charts! (Just an FYI- Abbies House didn't ask me to do a review, I am doing it simply because I am so pleased with the quality and the product.)

We all sat down at the dinner table and had a discussion about responsibility and chores. We explained how the charts worked to the kids and we also explained the expectations. Each day they had certain chores that needed to be completed before they were allowed a special privledge. They also had weekly chores on their chart that worked the same way. Plain and simple, do the chores, earn rewards. Don't do your chores, consequences.

Rewards. I am not really a fan of paying my kids to do something they ought to be doing in the first place. Each family has to do what is right for them and for us B****** Bucks (no I'm not swearing, I'm blocking out my last name)came into play. We had Abbies House send us a pdf file of money with our family name on them "B******" and added bucks to it. These work as "money." The kids were told that for each buck they earned they would earn extra priveldges and they were also told that these bucks could be taken away with negative behaviors as well.

Things they earn- extra Leap Pad time, an extra cartoon show, an extra treat, special one on one time with mommy or daddy. They could also save up their bucks for REAL money if they chose- every 5 bucks earns them a real dollar.

What sort of things do you do in your home to teach your children that the house is a family job?

Mocktails--Fun Summer Drinks!

Summers are filled with picnics and BBQs, pool parties and lazy days at the beach, weekends at the cabin and camping trips.  We love any excuse to get together with friends and family.  Often, the coolers are packed with delicious food and lots of ice cold beverages.  If you happen to be pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, are the sober cab for your fun get togethers, or want special drinks for the kids to enjoy, the Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS) has some refreshing ‘summer sippers’ that we think you’ll enjoy.  With help from supporters, they have compiled a whole recipe book full of great non-alcohol drinks worth checking out, whether you are a mommy-to-be or not!  

049

These mocktails/summer sippers are super yummy and are not only good for pregnant ladies, they make perfect drinks for kids, and some are a great substitute for calorie filled alcoholic beverages if you are on a weight loss challenge like Jamie is this summer!

Nightlock

We wish this recipe book existed when we were pregnant a few summers ago!  You can bet, however, that these recipes will be on the list for Nutty's birthday party at the end of July!

Go ahead, we dare you to try these MOFAS Mocktails.  You won't be disappointed!

ToysInTheDryer and MOFAS would like to remind you that no amount of alcohol is safe to drink while pregnant.  Help us spread the message - 049 –zero alcohol for nine months.  For more information on MOFAS click on the logo above.

This post is part of a cross-promotional campaign between MOFAS and ToysInTheDryer.  We were not compensated in any way.  Opinions are 100% our own and we believe in MOFAS mission.

The Importance of One-On-One Time With Your Child

On Monday, Lindsi did a post titled 9 Ideas for One-On-One Time With Your Child.  Today, I'm going to emphasize why it's so important to do ideas like these, and spend one-on-one time with each of your children.

As you may know, I recently reviewed the book, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms."  In my review post I said that the chapter "Make Special Mommy and Me Time" really struck a cord with me.  You see, I spend a lot of one-on-one time with Tottie.  She is my youngest, isn't in school yet, and hasn't made many friends who's houses she can go to on her own.  I feel very connected to Tottie because of the amount of time I spend with her.  On the contrary, I spend little to no alone time with Nutty, my oldest.  She just finished Kindergarten, has many friends, and always has to deal with her little sister being around when she is home.  I feel like I do not have a strong bond with Nutty.

I'm a #DontSweatMom! You can be one too--Giveaway

A few weeks ago I (Jamie) decided to join the campaign to become a Don't Sweat Mom.  What is the Don't Sweat Mom campaign?  It is based on the book "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Moms" by Kristine Carlson. The campaign is creating a community of moms that are coming together to stress less and choose happiness more. It’s about finding our joy in everyday parenting.

As Colorado Mountain Mom said in her book review, I too had a little blogger regret after I signed up for this campaign.  Like her, I didn't think I was going to have time to read the book.  I quickly discovered, however, that the book was broken up into short, easy to read chapters.  It doesn't have any particular flow, so it's convenient to simply pick the chapters that you want to read and skip around.  In fact, this blog post has taken me MUCH longer to write than actually reading the book!

There were many chapters in "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Moms" that struck a cord with me.  "Make Special Mommy & Me Time" became clear when I finally got my first large chunk of time alone with my 5 year old (Nutty) since my 3 year old (Tottie) was born.  As the book states, "Sometimes our kids don't know how to verbalize that all they really want is some of our attention."  Since Nutty has been in preschool and now Kindergarten, it's been easy to spend alone time with Tottie, and because Tottie is more demanding than Nutty, I often forget that Nutty needs one-on-one time too.  Nutty and I got some great, and much needed Mommy & Me time when Hubby took Tottie to his parent's house for a few days.  The "Don't Sweat..." book reminded me that I don't need to wait for Hubby to take Tottie away for a few days, I could easily take 10 minutes a day to pull Nutty aside and spend time with just her.

"Keep The Lines Of Communication Open" along with the chapter "Practice Breathing Before You Speak" made me realize that I am in desperate need of a communication revamp with my girls!   I often react rather than respond to situations, and I end up yelling a little too much.  I need to remember to breathe before I speak allowing me to "access [my] inner wisdom and bring [myself] into a calm resolve that is conducive to healthy responses.  Keeping in mind the 12 factors for effective communication that Kristine shares will hopefully improve the way I relate to my girls and in turn, I hope, strengthen our relationships.

"Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Moms" doesn't tell you how to be a good mom, it makes you think about the type of mom you are now and gives you ideas for how to improve by focusing on who you are as a person.  You are first a woman, and second a mom.  By improving who you are as a woman, you improve who you are as a mom.  

Want to be a #DontSweatMom too?  Enter to win a copy of "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Moms" below (or buy your own copy) then join the community on Twitter and Facebook or check out the website.  

You can get the first chapter of the book for FREE here! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received a free copy of the book "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Moms" for the purpose of this review post.  I received no other compensation.  All opinions are 100% my own.