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To the Overwhelmed Mom this Holiday Season…

Christmas is right around the corner and, let’s face it, the holiday ain’t what it was 20+ years ago when we were kids!

The Light Bright has been replaced by the iPad which has an app that can track Santa’s trip across the globe. Social media has raised the bar on mom-to-mom comparisons about whose house has the merriest and brightest Christmas ever on the face of the planet.

We’ve graduated from Hallmark-Christmas to the cyber-explosion of a Pinterest-Christmas. Everything is so pretty and fun! If only we could do it all…

But alas, Elfie has sat on the top of the Christmas tree 5 nights in a row, Santa’s cookies are going to be store-bought this year (if we even remember to buy some), half the lights on the house are burnt out (and we only used 2 strands to begin with), the bottom half of our tree is bare because our toddlers just can’t keep their hands off of the sparkly glass balls, and pretty sure half of our Christmas decorations are still up in the attic somewhere.

Christmas here, Christmas there, but dishes and toys are still everywhere and chores are never-ending…the to-do list goes on, and on, and on…

Yet, instead of rejoicing in other’s creativity and accepting our own limitations of time and energy, we are trying too hard to keep up with the Jones’, or criticizing them to make ourselves feel a little better, “Ok, stop making all the rest of the parents out there look bad.” Where’s the Christmas cheer?

Rest assured… You aren’t a horrible parent if you don’t have an elf, for example, or if your elf doesn’t do amazingly theatric things. And contrary to the new message going around by non-elf lovers, you aren’t a horrible parent if your elf is freaking awesome.

So let’s covet the picture-perfect Christmas magic sprinkled across Facebook by the mythical “super moms”… or let’s grumble and boycott any traditions that put our Charlie Brown tree to shame… OR let’s stop trying to live up to the expectations of the endless idea generator that is “The Google” and celebrate the joy and merriment of the holidays with our families.

So, how can you create the perfect Christmas for your family without the weight of overwhelming excess?

First, think of your favorite holiday memories from your childhood… was it the smell of your Christ

mas tree? Seeing the same ornaments year after year and adding one more glitter and glue craft from homeroom? Watching your dad balance not he roof to hang Christmas lights and then waiting til dusk to plug them in? Christmas music? Hot chocolate? How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Popcorn garland?

None of my favorite memories were social media-worthy, and yet they still give me the warm fuzzies even to this day.

Second, pick your favorite idea/tradition/activity and that your specialty. No one family is doing Elf on the Shelf, gingerbread houses, 12 days of Christmas, advent, caroling, Christmas cards, Griswold Christmas lights set to music, letters from Santa, letters to Santa, parades, plays concerts, and more… and if they are trying to do it all, believe me, they are overwhelmed just like you… even if it looks like they are having the #bestchristmasever.

So, stop feeling guilty that your Christmas doesn’t look like her Christmas… please. Breathe… scratch some things off the to-do list and enjoy your holiday. Your family will appreciate it and so will you. And how amazing will it be one day when you see your own children keeping that one special tradition alive for their children?

Third, use your talents to guide your family’s traditions. What are your hobbies or strengths? Are you a good cook? Spend your time making delectable holiday treats. Are you a crafte

r? Use those talents and time decorating your home. Are you a teacher? Plan activities through December that reflect different traditions around the world. Are you a musician? Take your family caroling throughout your neighborhood. Do you have a servant’s heart? Volunteer at a soup kitchen with your family and friends.

The activities that reflect the things that you actually ENJOY doing will make the holiday season a joyful one. Your kids will notice the drop in stress-level, too!

And remember… these holiday traditions are to be planned out by you and your spouse, (or just you if you are a single parent) and you can take pride in the memories you are creating – it is not for anyone else to judge how you choose to celebrate in your home.

So whether your tree looks like…

or your house looks like…

or your Christmas cards look like…

or your festive wrapping looks like…

or your kid’s gingerbread houses look like…

(well, they all look like candy explosions or are half-eaten anyway)…

your kids will have an amazing Christmas if you snuggle them, and love on them, and share with them the real reason for the season. Let us all simplify and celebrate together. We are tired of being overwhelmed, and we know you are too!

Sincerely,

A Note from Jessica:

1. My favorite childhood Christmas memory was putting ornaments on the tree. We would run back to the box and get so excited making observations about ornaments or remembering familiar ornaments.

2. I specialize in the art of making my dad’s gumbo. You know you live in Louisiana when…

3. My talent is coming up with seasonal activities, printables, or crafts. My Aunts always made sure we had plenty to do… Now I realize it was probably so that the adults could socialize.

A Note from Casey:

1. My favorite childhood Christmas memory is when I got my dollhouse! It currently sits in my workshop and a few Christmases from now, I will be surprising my daughter with it newly repainted!

2. While my favorite tradition that I have chosen to focus on is Elf on the Shelf, you will never see me posting pictures of a beautifully displayed Christmas dinner because I’m more of a take-out kind of chef 😉

3. My talent is crafting and decorating, so I have been spreading Christmas cheer all over the walls of my home, except the laundry is still piled high on my sofa, so your eyes are more drawn to that than the decor… cleaning is definitely not my talent.

December 21, 2013 by Casey | 0 comments

DIY Play Kitchen

Y’all, I have been DIY-ing to share with you the play kitchen and market that my husband and I made from an old entertainment center and a fishing rod and reel holder! It was a lot of hard work, but in the end, it was way cheaper than buying a play kitchen from the toy store. Another bonus was that I was able to design it so that it would look good in my living room since we don’t have a play room or space for a kitchen in the kids’ rooms. I could not be more in love with how it turned out!

The key to making your own play kitchen is to have a good vision to see what could-be with a little TLC. I found the old entertainment center at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore (my favorite place for finds like this) for just $10… but my friend still had to talk me into buying it because I couldn’t quite see the vision yet! Buuuut… It was 50% off that day and so I had to just try and see! I was willing to lose the $10 if I completely made it look horrible (extra storage in the carport). The top wasn’t in the best condition, but I could find something to cover it up.

The rod and reel holder was found on a local Craig’s List – type Facebook page. I just randomly saw it and said, “That would make a GREAT market!” (There’s that vision I was talking about). I talked the guy down from $30 to $15! I’d like to say I have great negotiating skills, but I think he was just ready to get rid of it.

We already had some old fence panels lying around (we had to replace a few on our fence that our dogs CHEWED through… I have a few neurotic dogs) and bam! Free counter top!

MAKING THE SINK:

We used a stainless steel mixing bowl for the sink. I was originally going to use a dog bowl, but they were actually more expensive than the mixing bowls at Wal-Mart… I went with the cheaper and it’s actually deeper… $8 there. I bought the faucet at the Habitat store as well. It was $12, which was more than I wanted to spend, but it wasn’t used like the rest of them were and had a good shape to it.

ADDING EMBELLISHMENTS:

I bought knobs for the stove and handles for the front sliding doors from the clearance section at Hobby Lobby and painted the burners on (and lightly sanded the burners to make it look more rustic).

I also bought a few baskets from Joann’s Fabrics that were 60% off, plus I had a 25% off in-store coupon! I got my tiny market basket and my large play food storage basket for $15 total.

I used an old piece of scrap wood for the shelf and decorated it with things all around my house. The shelf brackets were purchased from Hobby Lobby when they were on sale for 50% off! The window was an old find that I’ve had for months and I had no idea what to do with it until this project came along. I have seen similar windows like this at local antique stores and my favorite Habitat store always has these lying around too!

My 6, 4 and 1 year olds ALL love their play kitchen! We made this a group gift because we know all of them would enjoy this. It has been the toy that has been most played with at my house since Christmas!

Below are pictures and links to the play kitchen items we purchased! Enjoy!

Each of the kids got to open 3 gifts as well (just like Jesus got 3 gifts from the wise men). Lena (age 1) got pots and pans because she likes to bang Mommy’s a lot.

James (age 6) got a cash register that has a working calculator because he loves learning how to count money (we played “store” a lot even before Christmas).

Leyson (age 4) got “Peel ‘N’ Play” fruit and vegetables since he loooves to cook.

January 9, 2014 by Casey | 0 comments

Those Dreaded Chores!

The endless job that everyone hates: CHORES! And boy oh boy, we mommies sure do have a lot of them! So how about a little HELP around here??? Anyone? Kids?

After a huge 6th birthday bash at my house, everyone (including me) wanted to run and hide at the mere mention of “clean up.” The amount of work to be done was just incredibly overwhelming. You know that feeling of “where do I even begin???” We adults feel it, and kids do too.

I have been guilty of sending my children in to clean their own room after they have taken all of 2 seconds to destroy it while I was busy with my own chores.

Kids: “Mooooom? Can you just come help us?”

Me: “As soon as I finish _____. You guys start and I will come when I can…”

And then frustration sets in when, an hour later, I have finally finished sweeping, mopping, doing dishes, picking up the living room, doing laundry, and they have accomplished, well, destroying the room even more, the mess now spilling into the hallway.

Fortunately, today was not one of those days. Today, I woke up with the mindset that WE (this includes the kids) were going to get things done around the house. When my kids woke up, I told them that at 8:30 we were going to begin our chores.

Big Kid: “But Moooom. I want to play my new board gaaaaaame!!!”

Me: “That is a GREAT idea! That will be our reward for when we finish cleaning up! Now, at 8:30, I want to see my Happy Helpers ready to work and when we get our chores done, we can play your new game! You have one hour to eat breakfast and do whatever you want to do. Timer starts: NOW!”

Tip #1: Kids react more positively when expectations have been established and there is an end goal in mind.

In this instance, I have given my kids an opportunity to choose their own task for the next hour, knowing that when that time is up, they must then do what Mommy needs them to do. My kids know that the term “Happy Helpers” means that I do not want any complaining when it is time to do chores; a positive attitude is expected. They also have something to look forward to when chores are over, so they should work efficiently (haha that’s funny right there ;-).

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Tip #2: Make a checklist. If it works for adults, it will work for kids too!

Just like Mommy and Daddy, kids also like to see which tasks have been accomplished and how many more are left. They are like little versions of us or something. And BONUS: they get to practice prioritizing, list making, fine motor skill development/handwriting (drawing check marks or lines through the chores that have been finished) and reading.

Here are some age-appropriate chores that we include on our checklist:

Sweep the floors.
Wipe the counters.
Tidy the living room.
Sort the laundry.
Fold the laundry.
Make the beds.
Pick up the toys.
Wash the windows.
Feed the dogs.

Tip #3: Let them choose which task to do first.

As soon as 8:30 rolled around, I showed the kids the list of what needed to be accomplished. “Oh, I want to wash the windows!” “I want to wipe the counters!” I gave one the Chlorox wipes and the other the Windex and let them go to town! Letting them do their favorite chores first put them both into Happy Helper mode (which means Mommy stays in her Happy Helper mode too)!

Tip #4: Simplify the task.

Laundry: Write categories on index cards for your kids to sort the laundry into different piles. That way, the piles are smaller when it comes time to fold them.

Give your kids their own pile to then sort again into “hanging clothes,” “clothes to fold,” “underwear,” etc. and they can bring them to their rooms to put them away.

Sweeping the Floor: take painters tape and mark out a square area for them to sweep debris into. I normally don’t task my 6 and 3 year old with sweeping the entire floor, but if they have spilled, for example, dry cereal, I pull out the tape and give them a place to sweep it all into. They find this incredibly fun for some reason. Then I hold the dust pan for them while they sweep it in.

IMG_20130722_093448_334 Picking up toys: Look around and what specific toys do you have a bajillion of that are scattered around the room? Legos? Blocks? Play food? For my kids, it’s cars. I tasked my 3 year old with the job of picking up all of the cars. It’s like a giant, 3D seek-and-find book! He had this giddy look on his face as he ran around the room searching for toys!

Notice how many bins I have on the shelf for other toys, but for the toys that we have the MOST of, it’s just one giant bin to throw them all into! Easier for Mommy as well!

Tip #5: Make a big chore seem smaller!

I like to take yarn or painters tape to rope off sections of the room so the boys can clean smaller areas at a time. We start in one area and get it clean, then move to the next area, then the next until eventually the whole room is clean! I mean, it’s easier for us Mommy Teachers to do that as well, right? First we will clean one room, then move to the next room, then the next. We have already mapped out our own grids in our heads, so give your kids a visual so they can learn to do the same!

One of my pet peeves is when I ask the boys to pick up a few items from the living room to bring to their bedroom and they pick up one toy at a time to carry across the house and place it just inside their doorway. I mean, at least pick up two things, one for each hand! So that leads me to:

Tip #6: Fewer trips = faster cleanup.

I recently got the “duh” idea to give my kids either bags or baskets to fill so they can bring multiple toys to their room at once. They race around the living room, fill their bags, run to their room and put the toys away (i.e. dump the toys on the floor).

Tip #6.5: Do this chore BEFORE the kids clean their rooms.

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Tip #7: Let it slide!

Sure they missed a spot… sure there are streaks on the windows, but they worked hard, they got [most of] the job done, and we have way too many chores on our list for today to be picky, so just let it slide and praise them for being Happy Helpers.

Warning: There WILL BE more messes, such as the water Leyson spilled that almost made Mommy face plant on the floor. Just add it to the “to do” list (it never ends anyway).

And, sometimes when you send the 3 year old in to just clean his room, he may actually surprise you…

…until you look under the bed.

Updated 8/3/13: Tip #8: TURN UP THE MUSIC!

A little music gets everyone moving!

http://youtu.be/POAJqQcLpFc

Please comment below with ideas and tips on how you handle chores with your kids!

July 23, 2013 by Casey | 1 Comment

Sticker Activity Ideas

When I was little, my friends and I all had a sticker collection. Lisa Frank was a hot commodity! We would pretty much show and tell this collection, and sometimes trade. But there are so many ways to make use of stickers – more than just maintaining a shelf life.

If you read “Join The Club” then you may remember that I was inspired to write up some sticker activity ideas for you to use what you already have to create fun and meaningful teaching opportunities. Below are the ideas that came to mind, but feel free to share pictures on my facebook page of any sticker creations your little ones have designed 🙂

Use stickers:

1) To check off chores accomplished using a chore chart. (This can teach responsibility & show data represented on a chart.)

2) To mark important days on a calendar. (This can teach calendar skills & how to read information from a table.)

3) To award positive behavior or to award children for each full serving of fruits & veggies your child eats at dinner. After a certain number maybe they can “rent a new movie” “bring a friend bowling” or some other fun incentive. (This teaches number sense & goal setting.)

4) To make patterns on paper strips that can be used to tape around your little one’s wrist or ankle to make a bracelet or anklet. [This can teach patterning and classifying (depending on how your little one chooses to make a pattern….by shape such as star-circle-star-circle, by color such as is pictured, by object such as horse-cat-horse-cat, etc.)]

5) To make a sticker book of stories using the stickers in place of some of the words. So for example if you have number stickers & animal stickers you might help your little one come up with something like this: “(1) little (horse sticker) was galloping down the road, to meet (2) little (cat stickers) that were chasing a toad.” (This can teach math, reading, and creative writing skills.)

6) To organize a sticker collection (place the stickers in sheet protectors and place in a binder by groups with divider tabs such as letters, shapes, animals, colors, scratch and sniff, etc.) (This can teach organization, classifying, sorting, and matching skills.)

7) To represent characters in math stories (This can teach conservation of a number, number sense, counting, and adding.)

Hope this helps you to use what you have to create teaching opps…please share your stories!

May 18, 2012 by Jessica | 1 Comment

Faux Pas of a Mommy Teacher

Faux pas is pronounced (fōh-pah) meaning “false step/mistake” in french. We wouldn’t be mommy teachers without mistakes and learning experiences of our own along the way. Don’t get me wrong, this is NOT a new concept to me, but here is my faux pas that started with great intentions:

Broken Piggy Bank — Our decorative "Piggy Bank" .... in pieces!

But first, my great intentions….

Every time I post a Mommy Teacher activity I accommodate it for my 21 month old. On President’s Day I was working on building his oral vocabulary of money by simply introducing the penny, encouraging him to put it in his pocket, and tracing a circle around the coin onto paper.

My coin jar, aka Sean Patrick’s savings, was sitting on the baker’s rack in a not-so-long-ago unreachable spot, but I hadn’t assessed the situation in a while because he hadn’t paid any attention to it (pun intended).

My next oversight was allowing him to take notice of me as I took coins out of it for our mini lesson….which only peaked his curiousity in exploring the jar that I took the coins out of.

After the mini penny lesson, Sean Patrick was pulling the coin jar off the shelf before I could tell him to stop so I ran across the kitchen and swooped him up before the coin jar could crash on his feet.

I spent the next hour picking all the coins and sweeping up the broken jar with strict guidelines for Sean Patrick to stay away so he wouldn’t get hurt….he listened and was consequently bored for some time.