Our bedtime routine has always been pretty simple. We do showers, a lighter dinner, quiet family time, teeth and a short goodnight—without turning bedtime itself into a long event. Here’s why that has worked so well for our family as the kids have grown.
Road trips with a carsick kid took some trial and error for us. After plenty of long drives—and a few very messy lessons—these are the simple changes, supplies and routines that actually helped our daughter handle the car better.
Easy snacks and simple meals kids can make themselves, from bagels and parfaits to quesadillas, baking, freezer experiments and more—plus the kitchen tools that have helped our kids become more independent.
Independence doesn't always come from big lessons. Looking back, some of the smallest everyday moments—helping with chores, getting dressed, trying something alone, or even making a mess—were quietly teaching my kids to do more for themselves.
Teaching kids to take care of themselves happens gradually. Here are practical personal care skills kids can learn as they grow, from showering and hair care to teeth, nails, clothing and everyday hygiene.
Generosity is never a common trait in kids. In order to raise a generous kid, you need to help them understand why giving can be rewarding. We all want our children to grow up to be kind, empathetic, generous kids that care about others and are willing to give back and make a difference in this world. But raising a child is overwhelming enough so the task of raising a fully conscious and generous kid seems nearly impossible. However, giving back isn't just about the money. There are many ways parents can motivate their children to give back to society,…
We all want our children to learn to swim – it keeps them safe, and it’s an activity they’ll enjoy for a lifetime. If possible, it’s best to enroll kids in a formal swimming lesson program because swim instructors are experts at introducing water skills safely. Since that’s not always possible, here are a few tips and tricks from seasoned swim instructors you can use at home. * This post includes Affiliate Links. When to start getting kids used to water Some babies are born with an affinity for water, but others take their time adjusting. Learning to swim is…
It's hard for anyone to understand their feelings and emotions, especially a young child with limited communicative skills. Reading is an excellent way to help our children understand things from a different perspective, including their own feelings and emotions. Learning to understand them will help children learn how to deal with them and reduce poor behavior. So I've compiled several children's books that express various common feelings and emotions as well as examples of how to or how not to react. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Toddler Tantrums Children aged between 1-3 years old tend to have temper tantrums.…
Sometimes dealing with the power struggles of a strong-willed child leaves us with that feeling that our child needs to be "fixed." But what we really need is to change our parenting perspective and find appropriate solutions to communicate with our strong-willed child. * This post includes Affiliate Links. What Is A Strong-Willed Child? A strong-willed child is often described as "difficult" or "stubborn." Some of the common characteristics include: Determined Passionate Persistent Spirited Constant desire to "be right" Desperately need to be "in charge" Questions everything Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in…
Raising a little human is a tough task for any parent. We are responsible for teaching our children how to walk, talk, and be overall good human beings. A young child, as young as infancy, already begins to understand forms of communication, both verbal and non-verbal. There are several ways parents can encourage communication development in a young child. Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in the Free Resource Library. Email First Name Free Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Two…
A child's behavior is usually described as irrational, hence the random meltdowns, when battling internal struggles and developing fears. It is very common for young children, such as infants and toddlers, to develop a sudden and irrational fear of water. This article will help you determine the cause of this sudden fear of water and help your child overcome it. Free Resource Library Get access to download all my freebies all at once. EmailFirst NameFree Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. * This post includes Affiliate Links. A Child's Fear of Water When…
We nurture our children inside the womb for nine months before getting to actually meet them. I remember the thrill and excitement of getting to see our baby for the first time via ultrasound. My husband and I came up with an idea for a baby keepsake that would go in our baby nursery and be a reminder of where our child came from. Free Resource Library Get access to download all my freebies all at once. EmailFirst NameFree Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. * This post includes Affiliate Links. A Picture…
Potty training is a huge milestone for both parent and child. But how do you know if your child is ready and what are the best ways to go about it? Each child and situation is different so its important to be informed. Next, you'll need time and patience. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Less diapering, but is your child ready? Determining readiness can be a little tricky. Some children may notify you when they need a diaper change. Some may show interest in using a potty or a toilet. And often, there are cases when potty training takes…
Manners take a lifetime of learning because there are always more ways to apply them. That's why it's important to teach manners to children while they're young, as toddlers, so that they can develop them with time. When To Teach Manners to Toddlers The best time to start teaching manners is within the toddler stage. At this stage, children can follow simple directions and are more eager to please adults. It is also the time when they develop habits and patterns, and you'll want them to pick up on good ones.The toddler stage is when children begin to understand the…
Some people really enjoy cleaning but most of us dread it because of the amount of work it takes to manage our households. Even though sometimes it feels like we never have enough space, sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the amount of bathrooms and square footage in my home just because I have to maintain it all. Every mom needs a set of tricks up their sleeves, these are my best cleaning tips for moms. Motherhood overwhelm As a stay at home mom, I'm overwhelmed with all my duties. Sure, I'm home but I'm not lounging on the couch watching TV all…
With my son turning four this year he becomes eligible for a free program called VPK, or Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten. I’ve been resisting the idea for months. Recently, I've come to the realization that I need to accept that my kid needs to go to school and I cannot delay it any longer. It's time for me to start the preschool research process. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Deciding Whether To Send Our Kid to Preschool My husband and I have always been in agreement that we didn’t want to put our kids in daycare or preschool. We wanted our kids…
As a stay-at-home-mom, I'm responsible for maintaining our home while taking care of our children. People don't realize that just these two tasks are full-time jobs. But I've learned that sometimes there's a way to implement doing house chores with your toddler or preschooler. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in the Free Resource Library. Email First Name Free Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. Children Mimic Everything - Even Cleaning I often feel guilty when my kid asks me to…
Shopping for baby and toddler stuff can get really tricky and expensive. With new products out in the market, there's a lot of trial and error for determining which ones are half decent or really worth having. Take my word for it, I've been through my fair share of shitty products, but these are all worth having on your baby registry to ease your life as a parent. Free Resource Library Get access to download all my freebies all at once. EmailFirst NameFree Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. This post includes Affiliate Links. Where…
Throwing a Baby Shower can be really fun. It's a great way to celebrate the new mom or new parents as they go through a new journey and welcome a new baby into their lives.Traditionally, the mother has no involvement in planning a baby shower, it is usually a best friend or close relative who plans it for her as a surprise. But these days, most moms-to-be want to be involved in the planning in some aspect. And these days a lot of baby showers are co-ed as well.Rather than having someone throw me a shower, I was in charge…
Having the right tools makes a huge difference in the way we do things. Feeding your baby can be such an exciting milestone. So having the right feeding tools for your baby at the right stage is essential.Kids are a huge market for products. Some of those products are amazing, some are decent, and some are complete garbage. Make sure you're checking ratings and reviews before buying anything!This is a basic list I've compiled of some of my favorite mom-approved products and tools for feeding our children within the baby and toddler stages.Side Tip: Quality is always better than Quantity. You…
Within three months of dating, my husband and I would have talks about having kids. We had goals of having our children before hitting our thirties so that we could still feel youthful by the time they would graduate from high school. It's a goal that most people set but later find more complicated due to schooling, career paths, having the right partner, and especially "being ready". My husband and I were lucky enough to have found each other at a young age and having kids just after college so we've achieved this goal twice so far, maybe even a third by…
Turning 2 is such a big deal, for both parents and children. From 18 months to 24 months our kids develop so much and for the next year there will be so much more change as they become independent little two-nagers and three-nagers. If you've met one you'll know why they're coined teenagers. This gift guide will help you find appropriate gift ideas for any 2 year old based on their developmental growth. * This post includes Affiliate Links. The 2 Year Old Gift Guide Categories My little girl just turned 2 and I'm seeing her grow so much in…
Potty Training a child is a huge milestone but it is also a huge hurdle. This article covers all things Potty Training, including common struggles, our long journey with my son, and some of my best tips and lessons learned.You're welcome to scroll down to the bottom for the recap and additional tips. Make sure you subscribe to get the Potty Charts in the Downloads section. The Potty Training Hurdle Potty Training a child is a huge milestone but it is also a huge hurdle. Here you'll learn about common potty training struggles, tips on determining readiness, methods of potty…
You've heard of baby talk, or child-directed speech. But did you know just how valuable baby talk is for infants and toddlers?By narrating my actions and breaking things down into steps with baby talk, I'm able to prepare my kids for what to expect. I started abusing baby talk to prevent toddler tantrums. Toddlers get frustrated when something happens out of their expectation so using baby talk helps to prepare them while also tremendously enlarging their communication and vocabulary. Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in the Free Resource Library. Email First Name Free…
If you plan on breastfeeding, your milk supply will be with you at all times. But you'll need a few nursing essentials to make things a little more comfortable for you and baby. For starters you'll need accessible clothing, like nursing bras and tops or dresses that make your breasts easily accessible. Secondly, you will need a breast pump, bottles, and a milk storage system. Thirdly you will need more particular things for your breasts, to protect from leakage or for healing and therapy. And lastly, you may need a nursing pillow and some swaddles/burping cloths. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Free…
My daughter has always had that baby soft skin. To this day, at a year and a half, she still does. She's got that soft and fair skin that can easily be irritated. When she was a few months old she started developing some rash-like patches around her chest, arms and back of her thighs and suspected a food allergy or Eczema. Turns out she just has fair and sensitive skin, dodged a bullet! However, I do take similar precautions and use soaps and lotions meant for Eczema as well. Disclosure: I have included some affiliate links throughout this post.…
Everyone deserves to be celebrated on their birthday, including toddlers. But it doesn't have to be a huge bank-breaking party. I prefer to plan simple and exciting toddler birthday parties on a small budget. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in the Free Resource Library. Email First Name Free Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. Improvising Toddler Birthday Parties For my son's second birthday, I had to change his party location and setup within a few hours due to weather conditions.…
Our son was about to turn three when we decided it was time to move him from his crib/toddler bed into a full-size twin bed. He was ready for the upgrade, but we had one big concern: he moved around a lot in his sleep, and we worried about him falling out of a much larger, higher bed. After the toddler bed rail we bought didn't work with his new bed frame, I needed a quick and inexpensive alternative. I ended up making a simple DIY toddler bed bumper using three pool noodles taped together and placed underneath the mattress…
If you’re wondering how to style baby girl hair — especially with cowlicks or super fine strands — you’re not alone. I went through this phase with my daughter and quickly learned that baby hair has a mind of its own. In this post, I’m sharing the simple tools and styling tricks that actually helped tame her wild strands, plus a few affordable accessories that stayed in (and didn’t hurt her head). Whether you’re prepping for photos or just trying to keep hair out of her face, these tips should help. As kids get older, hair care eventually becomes one…
When our babies start to stand, cruise, and learn to walk socks can become a slippery issue. In my home we don't wear shoes inside to avoid tracking in dirt and, in socks, it can be fairly slippery. But I figured out a way around the slippage, with DIY non slip socks for my toddlers. I expected to only do this little DIY for their learning-to-walk stages but we ended up loving it so much that I still do it just for fun. This really comes in handy because toddlers are runners and they're always distracted. Non slip socks make…
Raising multilingual children has been a journey of family, culture, and connection. Sharing how our family approaches English, Spanish, and Portuguese as our kids grow — and what we’ve learned along the way.
As a mom of two, I've found so many benefits from having my toddlers helping around the house. It teaches them a responsibility while we get to tackle house tasks and bond together. The Debate Over "Child Labor" There's been a lot of back and forth about kids doing chores around the house. Some say it takes away from letting a kid be a kid while others say it teaches responsibility. I think the real concern is, how it's enforced. Of course it's essential that a child does not grow up in prison-like conditions, where they are forced to do…
Everyone follows different parenting styles. Before we even become parents, we've already decided how we want to raise our kids. What I didn't know is that different styles actually have labels. I recently read an article about the six styles of parenting and it really got me thinking about my own parenting and what is really best for our children. "The 6 Styles of Parenting" The article focused on the pros and cons of six parenting styles: Helicopter Free Range Authoritarian Permissive Authoritative Uninvolved Helicopter Parenting A common term used with parents who are overly involved in their children's lives. Children raised…
Baby stores will try to sell you mini appliances for steaming, pureeing, and storing homemade baby food. If you have a blender or food processor you can steam on the stove or microwave and puree them without buying new appliances that will take up space and become useless after a few months. And better yet, if you take the extra time to do several different kinds at a time you can be set for weeks or months at a time by freezing. Basically, meal planning for your baby!Blenders and ice cubes will soon become your best friend.I figured out this trick with…
We all know watching too much TV or staring at our phones or computers for too long can harm our eyes. We've all been through those headaches. Babies and toddlers, however, have new and sensitive eyes that are still developing and cannot handle nearly the same amount of screen time as adults can. So is it okay to allow our children to watch TV with us or watch videos on our phones? What are the effects of screen time during toddler development? When is too young? And what/how should we limit our children's screen time? Doctors might tell you one thing but…
