Inside: There’s a place for both being entertained and learning to play independently. Learn the difference and how to make sure your kids are independent in play. There’s a time and place for both playing and entertaining, but it’s important we consider the benefits of both so we can have them in proper balance in our homes. I took a walk the other day with my daughter. I was trying to get my steps up somewhere at least near 7,000 for the days (since I got a Fitbit to avoid Blogger Booty) and she was just trying… well… to play. We picked flowers for my grandmother, threw sticks in the pond ..read more

Children love imaginative play, here’s how you can help encourage your toddlers and preschoolers to use their imagination daily. I’m a big fan of encouraging my children to use their imagination and play independently. When kids play pretend they fully engage in play in a way that has endless benefits. There’s a difference between being entertained and playing, and encouraging imagination and pretend play helps children learn to use all parts of their brain and actively engage in life. This is far preferable than too much screen time. Tidy Routines CHECKLIST Follow this checklist until ..read more

Looking to do a Christ-centered Easter activity? Here’s a He is Risen activity with a printable included! Post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.  During Lent this year I really wanted to do some Easter activities focusing on Jesus and the story of the cross. So, with my mother’s help (who is the artist) we created a printable to do a 3D version of the day He arose! Here we printed out (shown below) the papers and the kids colored. Or some of them colored, rather. Read These While You’re At It Spring Cleaning Projects (Moms & Kids!) That’ll Reset the HomeSpring Garde ..read more

There are many amazing lessons to be learned from gardening. Here are some things I’ve done to garden with my kids. Also included are some great supplies you may need. This year I wanted to put more effort into gardening with the kids. We have the space, we already eat the types of foods that grow well in summer in our area, and we had the willingness. The kids love to help out so we made a plan… 101+ 15 Minute Projects In just 15 minutes a night (while you’re in your pajamas!) take your home (and heart and mind) from stressed out to organized. “In the spring, at the end of the day, you ..read more

As a mother with multiple children, it’s sometimes difficult to meet everyone’s needs. Here are some key points and strategies to help. While pregnant with my third, fourth, and fifth many people asked how I was going to do it all… I soon realised that “all” is a word that can never be defined except by its user. To some people doing it all means getting to keep all of their personal endeavors. To others, it means staying home with kids and working from home as well. Still…to others it simply means making sure your children are fed and alive. Whatever the definition, a mother has the wonder an ..read more

Lots of people spout the benefits of routine, but that leaves many parents wondering “are the routines for the kids or for me?” Routine… a dirty word to some. a saving grace for others. There are those who swear by it and others who think it’s just a parent’s ploy to rob a child of freedom to play and explore on their own terms. Ultimately, however, research shows that it’s a win win for everyone in the home. That seems like a big claim, but it is backed up by research and moms around the globe. Sample Daily Routines (by age!) Get my cheat sheets and find your family’s groove. Chor ..read more

Sleep is important when it comes to raising healthy and happy children. Yet, so many mothers struggle with how and when to put their kids down. This may be the help you need: Sleep becomes a topic of great thought and discussion when it comes to raising children…especially babies and young toddlers. It often amazes me when I hear mothers explain their exhaustion due to the fact that their children won’t just “go down” I would like to start by saying that children don’t understand the benefits of sleep. Sometimes they don’t know what is best for them when it comes to sleep routine, have to be t ..read more

You are a tired mom. Chances are, the more tired you get the more you are likely to become an angry mom. The more angry and tired you become the more you can’t get a grip on your emotions. Frequent night wakings can be a thing of the past, read on.  It’s a twitchy feeling. A gnawing, large, suffocating thing going on inside your chest and brain that threatens to overpower you. You are no longer yourself. You are not the warm, nurturing, peaceful mother of Daytime. No. Now… in the middle of the night… for the 4th time since midnight… You are Psychotic Mom from the Kingdom of the Sleep Depr ..read more

Here’s how to take naps when baby naps… in real life. Are you struggling to survive the newborn phase? If you need to get more sleep then here is how you can nap when the baby naps. You may be a tired mom. Exhausted and stressed. So happy to have your little bundle of joy in your arms, but still figuring out how to weather the fog and get to a new normal. I hope these tips afford you a bit of rest. How to Nap When Baby Naps… In Real Life Remember, this is a unique season of life that you should embrace with open arms. It truly goes by in a flash. Read These While You’re At It My “Daily E ..read more

There are a few reasons your baby fights sleep. Read here to learn why your baby is likely fighting sleep, plus solutions. We’ll dive in to what fighting sleep actually means. Whether your baby is overtried, trying to settle down by releasing stress, resisting the bassinet, or something else. Let’s dive in. On her Facebook page she wrote, “I was up for two hours last night because of an animal outside… I am so exhausted and annoyed!”  She was heavily pregnant with her first baby and due very soon. The comments were all full of, “You better get tougher than that since the baby is coming ..read more