Search Results for: blog when are you going to have kids part ii

Tips for Salvaging a Rough Morning

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Not every day starts out bright and filled with sunshine. There are going to be some days when kids wake up “on the wrong side of the bed” and are grumpy. Fortunately, there are some things that parents can do to salvage a rough morning – and prevent it from spoiling the rest of the day. Rachel Macy Stafford wrote a piece for Huffington Post Parents called “10 Ways to Salvage a Bad Morning Before Parting Ways”. In it, she has listed 10 ways that a parent can influence a grumpy child to change his or her mood and have … Continue reading →

The Bedroom TV

My father just offered to purchase a television for my daughter’s bedroom. I’m still waiting for John Quiñones to pop out of my hall closet because there’s no way my dad’s proposition can be legit. He’s testing me right? Like Quiñones does to all those unsuspecting individuals on “What Would You Do?” A new flat screen TV for my 8-year-old’s bedroom… riiiiight. From a guy who refused to allow me to touch our family’s TV, which didn’t move from its spot in the living room.  The same dad who mandated that an egg timer be set each time me and … Continue reading →

Simplify Halloween

And by “simplify” I mean “keep it cheap.” Fortunately, cheap doesn’t have to translate into ugly. Goodness knows my 8-year-old would just “diiiiiiiie!!” if I suggested we scale back on Halloween costumes and decor. However, like many families the world over; we live on a budget. A tight budget, that doesn’t allow us to go bat wild celebrating pagan holidays. Still, I don’t want her missing out on all of the candy-coated fun, so instead of canceling Halloween, I find frugal ways we can participate without going into debt. Here are some of the inexpensive ways we keep the holiday … Continue reading →

Baby’s First Plane Trip- Part II

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A little while ago I wrote about the fact that my baby was going to experience his first plane trip. I had a lot of anticipation regarding how he would do, but I was confident he would do great considering my older two kids have always been great at flying. The flight out there was pretty uneventful. We left on time, I had to wrestle baby a little bit because he is in that grabby, crawly, “I need to move!” stage. So, it was hard having him as a lap baby for two and a half hours. However, I did … Continue reading →

I’m A Big Kid Now

Potty training. Are there any other words that can make a parent want to throw up their hands in surrender? Some kids are so easy to potty train, they practically come out of the womb wearing Barbie panties, others, we wonder if they are going to school in pull ups. As a single mother diapers are an extra expense, and the sooner you can get rid of them, the easier it is on your wallet. However, being a single mother makes potty training more difficult. Usually your child spends time with people other than just you, and not everyone is … Continue reading →

Vacuum Fears Part II

It never crossed my mind that my children would be scared of the vacuum cleaner. From the moment my son experienced the sights and sounds of the vacuum cleaner, he was terrified. After lots of tears and exercise (he was always running away), my son and I fell into a vacuuming routine. First I would announce that I am going to vacuum which of course required picking up all the toys, clothes, papers, etc that were scattered all over the floor. Then we would move side tables, chairs, and other small pieces of furniture out of the way. Finally, I … Continue reading →

When To Start Solids-Part I

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Every family is different and every baby within that family is different too. Often, you will hear conflicting information on when it is appropriate to start solid foods for your child. I know some parents who are putting a little rice cereal in the bottle from a very young age to help with reflux issues. Some parents start their kids on solids at around 4-6 months old. And, others rely on a baby led solids approach where they skip over baby food altogether and let their child lead the way as to when they are ready for solid foods. When … Continue reading →

Birthday Parties to Remember

The countdown to my daughter’s birthday party is on. However, unlike in years past when she decided on a theme for her shindig two weeks after Christmas, this time around the jury is still out. With time ticking I came up with a list of potential themes that I could probably pull off without enlisting Martha Stewart or Colin Cowie’s help. Here are just some of the fun, fun, fun suggestions my daughter will be choosing from: Bugs: My mom is a ladybug fanatic and has all kinds of decorations we could use for the party. Granted, my daughter is … Continue reading →

When Waiting Pays Off

While many people assume that booking early will yield the best price on airfare, often, waiting until the last minute can pay huge dividends. When you can score a round-trip, non-stop flight from Chicago to Honolulu for just $500 by waiting until 48 hours before your departure to buy; that’s success in my book. Of course, if you are flying with multiple family members, including four kids under the age of five, it may not be possible to be so flexible. Still, waiting can produce big rewards, especially if you are booking a flight to a popular vacation destination, such … Continue reading →

And Snap, the Job’s a Game!

Getting your kids to do chores around the house may seem like an impossible task. Let’s face it you probably don’t like vacuuming anymore than they do, so of course they are going to fight you on it! The younger you start the easier it will be. Believe it or not, even your toddler can help with simple chores around the house. Time to get those creative juices flowing! The more fun your kids are having the more likely they are to want to do chores the next time you ask them. Turn on some music and see who can … Continue reading →