3 Ways to Stress-Free Mornings with Kids

As every family knows, mornings can quickly get stressful and overwhelming with children.  The start to the day requires quite a bit of work:  making a (healthy) breakfast, packing lunches, organizing backpacks and getting young children dressed for the day all before 8AM!  I have tried many methods to keep the chaos to a minimum and these are the simplest steps that work for me.  Give them a try and let me know if they worked for your family or pass along your own simple tricks for a smooth start to the day.

1. Prepare water bottles and backpacks the night before.  I prefer not to make lunches the evening before just so they can be as fresh as possible for lunchtime; however, filling water bottles and organizing backpacks are quick and can shave a few minutes of the morning rush.  I also include a dissolvable, tasteless probiotic in the boys’ water bottles (And they have no idea :).   These go in the fridge overnight.  Organizing the backpack with due homework, papers and library books keeps things moving as well so you and your child are confident nothing is being forgotten.
2. Be the first to wake up.  Impossible sometimes I know.  My oldest son, age 7, is the first up in our family every. single. day.  He rises with the sun and has since he was a newborn.  This obnoxious early morning preference does not bode well with me.  I’m a late sleeper.  But I’ve realized my blood pressure will be lowered immensely between the hours of 6-8AM if I force myself up a few minutes before he usually is or at least around the same time.  Waking up after your children is a tough way to start a weekday morning.  They have free reign of the house and pantry and although my 7-year-old keeps to himself and doesn’t do anything disastrous, I like to be present with him as we start the day (although on weekends all bets are off! I have no guilt about sleeping in a bit).
3. Use a checklist.  For my 7 and even 5-year-old this has been the most effective method to keeping our mornings on track.  Having a visually appealing and easy-to-read checklist gives children a sense of accomplishment as they work through tasks such as “eat breakfast” and “brush teeth.”  Pinterest provides lots of free printable options for this or make one of your own!  Simply type up your child’s morning to-dos in Microsoft Word or handwrite one with colorful drawings for each task.  Bonus points: have your children help do this so they feel involved and a sense of responsibility towards it.  I printed this one from Carrie This Home and inserted in a paper protector.  My sons’ check off each item as its completed with a dry erase marker.  They love finishing it off and voila!  They are ready for the day with little frustration.

Three Ways a Mother Can Rest

As a busy mom of three my moments of “rest” are few and far between.  It doesn’t come naturally to be still among the daily routine of preparing meals, cleaning up said meals, breaking up fights, consoling boo-boos and all the chaos that comes with a 7, 5 and 2 year old.  My need for rest is palpable at times.  I hit a wall almost everyday (usually around 1:00pm) and my ability to keeping going comes to a giant halt.  This is as much to do with my activity as it is my body’s sleep needs.  By nature, I can be a low-energy person.  Early on in motherhood I learned I would never get through the day without following the old adage of “sleep when the baby sleeps.”  Wiser words have never been spoken.   We mothers (and all humans no matter what your daily role) truly need to rest.  For our bodies and our minds.  For our significant others.  For our children.  Because as restful mothers we are so much more patient with those we love.  Consider the following ways you can find “rest” within your hectic lives:

1. Take a nap.  No, I’m not kidding.  Allowing yourself a 15 minute afternoon catnap can do wonders as you finish the day.  How?  Where?  As a ninja napper, let me explain:  Doze off while sitting on a patio chair while the kids run around the backyard.  Lay on the sofa with them as they watch an afternoon television show.  Hell, put your head down on the table (a practice I perfected in high school English Lit) while they work on homework.  Take a snooze in the car during soccer practice! And on the weekends never, ever feel guilty about a longer version nap.  My grandmother used to actually get in bed under the covers to accomplish this on Sunday afternoons.  That generation knew what was up.
2. Go to bed early.  Ha!  You say.  I agree this is much easier said than done but doable once you get in the habit.  I am a night owl so this one is particularly hard for me. Recently though I realized watching the 9:30 showing of Family Feud was not doing helpful in any way.  While its nice to unwind at the end of a long day with some mindless TV, it can become incredibly boring and why be bored when I can sleep?!  Set a “go to bed” alarm on your phone 60 minutes before you really intend to.  If you want to be in bed by 10PM set it for 9:00.  This reminds you to wash your face and do all that nightly stuff plus allows time for you to read or stretch before hitting the hay.
3. Sleep In.  Another toughie.  But if you have a husband, partner, even a babysitter that can be on kid-duty two Saturdays a month at wake-up time plan with them the night before so you can snooze away. When our oldest was born, my husband and I had an unofficial agreement of taking turns with him each morning.  This helped each of us know when we got to refill our sleep tank and offered one-on-one time with the baby.  As kids grow and more are born this isn’t as special its just plain work but still beneficial to the adults in charge.

I know these ideas of how to achieve more rest are fairly obvious but the main point is not to feel guilty about doing them.  Mothers tend to take on more than we should or even realize we are doing.  Our bodies have been through enough — give them a break!

Three Easy-To-Keep New Year’s Resolutions

Well here we are at the end of one year and start of another.  Just walking through Target gave me paranoia on what my New Year’s resolutions might be:  big displays of storage and organization, sales on athletic wear and point-of-purchase set ups showing off detox teas and protein shakes.  The new year typically brings a newfound interest in starting with a fresh, healthy slate.  However often times New Year’s resolutions are easy to state but hard to keep.  With that in mind I am sharing the three I have found to be simple yet effective!

DRINK WATER – simply put.  You’ll be surprised how much water you can drink when you start with a fun, cute water bottle and just keep it on your desk or in your car.  I love the Swell bottles for their pretty designs. Bonus points for adding flavor with lemon or lime slice!

WEAR SUNSCREEN –  another no-brainer.  These days we cannot afford to NOT wear sunscreen even on wintry days.  This is the easiest way to prevent a major type of cancer and not look older than you are (win, win!).  So many make-ups these days offer an SPF.  If you prefer a no makeup routine, a moisturizer with SPF will certainly do the trick.  My favorite by far for a bit of foundation coverage is IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50.  People have actually committed on my skin since I started wearing this product.  AH-MAZING.

STRETCH YOUR BODY – After having three children and not getting any younger my body has suffered a bit.  The most obvious toll has been in my lower back.  After 7+ years of picking up children, strollers and toys, my back has taken a beating.  Since monthly massages are not in the budget I find stretching helps tremendously.  Stretching comes naturally once you get in the habit of doing it and the benefits are amazing!  Better breathing, better posture and more strength just to name a few.  This is a simple resolution because it literally be done anywhere, anytime:  on the living room floor during The Real Housewives, watching your kids play at the park, or even sitting in traffic.  While this is pretty easy to learn some specific techniques are always helpful.  I recommend Stretching by Bob Anderson.  This book has been around for decades and is a go-to for trainers and massage therapists.  In fact an excellent massage therapist is the one who first told me about it!

If I can commit to these three simple resolutions I am certain you can to!  Cheers to a healthy, happy 2018.

Quick Tips For Traveling With Kids

My husband and I recently traveled to Seattle from San Diego which seemed manageable. The flight’s barely two hours. Piece of cake, right? But don’t forget there is the journey to the actual plane. Driving to the airport, the shuttle from parking and the always-fun security line. The breakdown of a stroller, shoe removal and the 20-minute analysis of applesauce pouches (all the while receiving dagger eyes from fellow passengers who just want to GET THROUGH) is enough to send me into anxiety fits. Finally we are on the airplane and have the pleasure of being trapped with two adults, a three-year-old and a 17-month-old in economy class. Did I mention the youngest one is in a leg cast? Thankfully my husband is willing and able to get us through these situations. He puts his head down and just works. I on the other hand do all the prep work (packing, preparing snacks, providing plenty of diapers, etc) and then pray.

For those of you traveling this summer with little ones I have a few ideas to help you arrive to your destination as stress-free as possible. What cocktail you need after getting there is up to you!

Usborne Activity Books
For older toddlers and preschoolers the Usborne line of sticker and activity books are the best. My older son really enjoys these and although it requires some adult help, a couple new ones for take off and landing when electronics are not allowed is key. Our particular favorites are the Little Boys’ Activty Book or Pirates Stickerbook. A fresh box of crayons helps too.

Crayola Color Wonder Books & Markers
These mess-free markers are truly a wonder. For children discovering their inner Picasso, hand them a couple of these along with a Color Wonder coloring book and rest your weary head. No worries about graffiti on the tray tables or you.

Magformers Building Tiles
Although this building toy is targeted for ages six and up toddlers find them fascinating. My 17-month-old would snap these square and triangle shaped magents together over and over again. These are a bit pricey but if they buy five minutes of peace they are worth every penny.

Do I even have to mention a tablet and headphones? This is obvious. Even if you have strict rules about electronics or screen time I say put a moratorium on those restrictions and allow a movie or two on the way to funland.

Remember sometimes in life its the journey that matters not the destination! Any tips for how to entertain kids on long car rides or flights? Please post below. And safe travels!

Sunscreen Round-Up

Protecting your skin has never been more important as we are all (or should be) hyperaware of the dangers of sun exposure. And not just during the summer while at the beach or pool but in our daily lives. Living in San Diego, I have the benefit of beautiful year-round weather. As a stay-at-home mom I am also outside in the weather every day with two very active boys. After trying many different sunscreens I have found the ones I love the best. No matter if you give these specific ones a try or not be sure to protect your skin every day!

FOR THE FACE
Your face is the one body part that is exposed to the sun every single day no matter where you live. Wearing a facial sunscreen should be vital to your skincare routine. The one I have come to love the most is Coola’s Face SPF 30 Organic Cucumber Classic Sunscreen. The fresh cucumber scent is divine.  It goes on smoothly and lightly making it ideal to wear under make up or simply by itself.

FOR THE BODY
Recently I’ve started applying sunscreen every morning to my hands, neck and chest (I should have been doing this for a long time now but I’ve finally gained some sense). Again, living in San Diego I’m exposed to sun most days even just driving in the car. I admit part of my motivation is aging (yikes!) but the main reason is staying healthy. This summer I discovered Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30. It is a fast-aborbing, lightweight sunscreen with a subtle “beachy” scent. I recently went on a girls trip to Palm Springs and friends at the pool asked what fragrance I was wearing! This is a great option for all over body coverage when doing summertime activities or just for day-to-day use on exposed skin.

FOR BABY
I have tried so many sunscreens on my children ages 17 months and 3 years. My favorite to date is BabyGanics SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray. I apply liberally all over them before putting on their swimsuits and reapply as needed. It has no smell, no irritation and rubs in quickly – key for fast moving boys! Once the beach or pool activity begins its hard to reapply so I often use Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunscreen Spray SPF 70. I quicky spray them down and even use it on their scalps! Neither of my children like to wear hats so this is a quick way to protect that sensitive part of the head and believe me it can burn.

What sunscreens have you found to be the best? Do you apply every single day? If you try any of the above suggestions let me know what you think! Comments always welcome.

Dancing With The Stars: Chemistry v. Physicality

In the several years that “Dancing With The Stars” has been on television I’ve probably watched a total of sixty minutes of it.  It just hasn’t ever been in my TV rotation, mainly because while the dancing is entertaining, there is so much filler it becomes a bit of a bore.  How quickly things change.  Last Monday night I am scanning channels and land on DWTS finale night one.  It is Max and Meryl dancing.  It is beautiful.  It is hypnotic.  I immediately assume these two are a couple.  Their chemistry was obvious in a matter of seconds watching them together.  I continue watching and then DVR night two of the finals; which I promptly watched this morning. I am enamored with this couple.  I’ve never seen such a connection between two people even in the movies!  Derek and Amy have a great partnership as well (but who wouldn’t with Derek Hough?).  Amy clearly has been through major hurdles in life and is showing incredible spirit and bravery.  And she’s a hell of a dancer.  But this competition was Max and Meryl’s to lose.  Their dancing talent combined with such intimacy on the dance floor was breathtaking to watch.  Congrats, DWTS.  You’ve converted me!

Baby’s First Birthday

How to celebrate a child’s birthday…simply cake and presents, right?  These days children’s birthday parties have taken on a life on their own.  Big bounce houses, professional face painters, live animals for heaven’s sake!  I admit I’ve fallen victim to this in a small way when celebrating my oldest son’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd birthdays.  Nothing super extravagant, just a home party for the first two years and a beach party for the third, but they were fairly large with lots of details that took me weeks to prepare.  The good news is I truly enjoy entertaining and putting parties together.  However when it came time to celebrate my youngest’s 1st year I felt like taking it down a notch.  I didn’t want to be obsessing over Pinterest posts on chic baby birthday party ideas or glazing through Etsy shops looking for party printables.  I wanted simple, inexpensive (not cartoon-y) decor.  Look no further than Oriental Trading.  This online party supplier has been around for years.  It used to be the place PTAs went for all their school carnival needs but now the quantities are smaller (think 8 dinner plates in a pack vs. 50).  I was able to get cupcake toppers, personalized water bottle labels and party favors to satisfy any young partygoer.

This birthday was extra special due to the fact that my son had dealt with a health issue a few weeks prior and was hospitalized for two nights.  Instead of gifts for him we had friends donate toys to the children’s hospital for children who would truly enjoy something new.  Now that indeed was a very Happy 1st Birthday.

“The Fault In Our Stars” Book Review

I love to read and have revived this love recently when it finally hit me there is absolutely nothing worth watching on television anymore.  Why its taken me this long to realize this I don’t know.  So it became clear instead of whittling away my precious time on the sofa with a remote in my hand I should be reading through my book list.  I have read several books lately but the one that stands out the most is “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green.  Deemed a young adult novel, it really is for any age and is a profound story about two young teenagers, both battling cancer and in love with each other.  I should have know from the start this would not end well but the ride getting there was actually fun and made me laugh out loud on many occasions.  The movie will clearly be a tear jerker and hopefully stays true to the wit and wisdom of these young adults dealing with very mature issues.

Non-Gift Gifts for Valentine’s Day

At a recent MOPS meeting I had the pleasure of listening to the wonderful speaker, Kathi Lipp.  Kathi is a writer and speaker on topics related to motherhood, marriage and women in general.  She has written several books, I am currently enjoying one of them called “The Me Project.”  The subject of Kathi’s talk at MOPS was “How To Be The Wife Your Husband Wants To Come Home To.”  No this is not a throwback to the 1950’s where you are in an apron and heels with dinner on the table and a martini ready.  This is about finding happiness in yourself and what brings happiness to your spouse.  This is also what prompted me to consider what to give my husband for Valentine’s Day.  Not the traditional tie, tech gadget or something else he’ll never use.  More about what “non-gift” I can give and by “non-gift” I mean nothing tangible.  That gift, for my husband at least, is time.  The gift of time.  Give this man some time.  Time to sleep in.  Time to surf.  Time to be with friends.  Time at the house alone.  Time to work on his computer.  Time to watch sports.  Time to clean out the garage (hehe).  Time to simply be.  Another non-gift item? Food.  A healthy meal at the ready for when he wants it.  Fresh chips and salsa in the pantry.  A babysitter on tap and a restaurant reserved.  A way he can enjoy something delicious and ideally kid-free!  Clean laundry.  Yep, I said it.  I actually want to give my man clean laundry.  I do laundry daily.  Its a chore and a hassle.  However I tend to take care of my sons’ laundry needs first, sheets/towels and finally my husband and I until oops!  No clean underwear.  Having neat stacks of clean clothes available and nothing in his dirty clothes hamper for a week would be a gift he wouldn’t ask for but would be thrilled to have. Now that’s the best kind of gift of all.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

Cheap & Easy Art Project for Kids!

While perusing the craft store Michael’s recently I came across a simple, super-cheap painting activity for my 3-1/2 year old.  For only $1.00 (I mean what only costs a dollar anymore?!) I bought a “paint with water” book of Valentine’s scenes.  Each black and white page had tabs of color across the bottom and with nothing more than a Q-tip and water my son could paint until his heart’s content! This activity actually bought about 30 minutes of time while I prepared dinner. Amazing.  We addressed each one and he sent them as Valentine’s Day cards to family.  I looked online and found some other great options for this simple, no-fuss art project for the younger set.  I plan to stock up for those rainy days and long afternoons!