As a work-from-home mom, it’s challenging to find ways to keep my kids engaged while I’m working on projects. During the summertime, when I’m selfish about keeping them home as much as possible, it’s even harder. That is why we have a dedicated quiet time hour (or sometimes hour plus thirty minutes) where they know they’re expected to play quietly while I crank out one solid hour of work. Over the years, I’ve found that some activities are better suited for quiet play than others. Here are some of our favorites. Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks These blocks are the best. I even have fun with t ..read more

The average American child spends about 4 to 7 minutes a day playing outside and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen. We're not the most outdoorsy family, but lately, we've been spending the majority of our mornings outside with our plants or chasing bubbles. Here are some of our favorite outdoor play items to extend our outdoor time.  Bubble Machine This machine is fantastic! If bubbles are what your kids love then this is a must. Bubble makers include: bubble gun, bubble solution (x2), battery, charger, plate. Snag Yours Water Table We upgraded our water table (read: it was a birthd ..read more

A few months ago, I was just beginning my monthly facial when my esthetician and I started talking about children. As we compared ages and favorite moments, the conversation shifted to babies. She mentioned that her daughter was ready to be a sister and almost had the chance the previous year. I listened as she told me that she was just past 20 weeks when she lost the baby. I listened as she told me that it’s been almost a year. I listened as she apologized for bringing it up. I listened as the silence began to fill the room as we remembered her precious baby.  As we went through that app ..read more

One area of my life that I genuinely value is having a schedule for my family – especially my toddlers. We don’t sleep in (if we do it’s usually just 15 minutes or less) and I like planning our days – even if we’re just staying home. I am not striving for a perfect day, but I am striving for consistency.  What happens when my girls wake up way too early and I know quiet time is going to be a hot mess? I can tell myself, “In the middle of the afternoon chaos, I am the calm.” Guess what, I’m still going to have a really rough day, but I am meeting negative thoughts of “I’m a terrible mom be ..read more

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s time to head back to school. This is the first year we’ll be in school full-time (by we I mean my oldest who will be a kindergartener) and I am not ready. Well, emotionally I’m not ready, but supply-wise I am good to go. While my child’s school provides a supply list, I like to use this time of year to get supplies for myself, our playroom & art cart, and even our household. Here are six items that I invest in every year during back-to-school shopping. Household Organization There is no better way to prepare for back to school than revamping your ..read more

When I first started following Dr. Joy of My Modern Parenting on Instagram, I didn’t put two and two together that she was an advocate for the gentle parenting philosophy. I just knew that I loved what she was sharing and it was what I had been trying to do with my two children. Today Dr. Joy will be sharing more about that parenting philosophy that I personally try to practice every day. You can find Dr. Joy on Instagram or at MyModernParenting.com. If you’d like to know more about me, Ash, find me on Instagram at @AshArinez or follow @TellAMother for more on motherhood. T ..read more

Today I have you’ll be hearing from our first guest of season two. Tierney Cashman is a mom who has quite a bit on her plate and she’s handling it all with grace, forgiveness and self-awareness that is so relatable. I am certain that you’ll be encouraged as you laugh along with us - even as we touch on some serious topics. Be sure to follow Authentic Motherhood by Tierney Cashman on Facebook. Here's the "cool mom" piece that Tierney wrote. If you’d like to know more about me, Ash, find me on Instagram at @AshArinez or follow @TellAMother for more on motherhood ..read more

I’ve never been crazy about summers – not even when I was younger. Then I became a mom and I wanted to make summers memorable for my daughters. As much as I want that, I also know that summer is very tiring for so many of us. That’s why I want to share a few thoughts on summer and motherhood and this time I’m going off-script to share three ideas with you. If you’d like to know more about me, Ash, find me on Instagram at @AshArinez or follow @TellAMother for sneak peeks into future episodes and more. Tell a Mother is a motherhood podcast that shares everything someone should have told you be ..read more

This podcast episode is not what I was originally going to publish, but the last few weeks have been a challenge for so many in our country and I want to talk about that in this episode. We will never be able to fully prepare for the next time tragedy hits, but I hope that this episode has helped you feel more confident in the fact that you will know how to love your child best the next time their world is affected by unimaginable sadness. If you’d like to know more about me, Ash, find me on Instagram at @AshArinez or follow @TellAMother for sneak peeks into future episodes and more. Resourc ..read more

Some days I struggle with balance in our home. I’ll find myself working for a solid two to three hours while my littles play independently. They’ll only seek me out for snacks or to grab a toy off a shelf. On other days I ignore my work and find myself staying up close to midnight or waking up an extra hour early. I’ll tell myself that I’ll balance it better tomorrow, but that’s just a lie to keep myself from letting it become a habit every day. I’ve decided to embrace that this is simply where I am in my motherhood journey. I embrace that my office is a playroom some mornings so that I can w ..read more