Toddlers

Why I Don’t Care If You (Or Anyone Else) Thinks I Have Too Many Kids

July 7, 2018 By Diedre 9 Comments

How do you know if someone has too many kids?

For me, I always knew that I wanted three. Thankfully, my husband and I have always been on the same page.

People make assumptions about large families. Especially when those families are comprised of 2 or more young children. Here's to breaking stereotypes.

We knew the challenges that came with raising children, so we decided to reevaluate after each child so that we didn’t take on more than we could handle.

When I was pregnant with my third child, I noticed looks from strangers when I was out with my girls.

I was told frequently that my hands were full and I was questioned about their age difference.

I’ve even seen the look on the faces of some of my co-workers & strangers when someone announces that they are pregnant with their 3rd or 4th child. I can only imagine the assumptions they are making.

Here are a few I’ve heard:

You Don’t Know How to use Birth Control

When I was 27, I became pregnant for the first time. My husband and I had just celebrated our 1 year anniversary. One of my coworkers had the nerve to ask me if I was sure I wanted kids so soon.

The last time I checked, giving birth and having children is nothing short of a miracle. If I’m not asking for donations from my coworkers or begging gas money from random strangers, why does it bother people so much that I want 3 children?

Believe me, I know how to use birth control.

You are Struggling to Manage your Kids

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen people with 1 child struggling to manage. If you have more than 1 child, then you already know how important planning, scheduling and being organized is.

Even if your home doesn’t always reflect perfect order, there is a science to taking children out in public. Thanks to things like double strollers, baby carriers, educational apps on tablets and snacks, moms all around the world can manage a shopping trip with their kids.

Is it perfect? No. But nothing in life is.

You are Unhappy.

Now that we have young children, we enjoy doing things with them. We realize that raising young children keeps you from doing certain things, but we’re okay with that.

People make assumptions about large families. Especially when those families are comprised of 2 or more young children. Here's to breaking stereotypes.

In my 20’s, I worked hard and was semi-care free. I finished my Master’s degree by the age of 23 and started working full time. My husband and I traveled frequently during his time as a travel agent, and even went to Jamaica when I was 7 months pregnant.

They won’t be little forever, and we are enjoying our time treasuring those moments.

If you saw me frowning at the store as my child was demanding something and I was scolding her in response, that was just a bad moment, not a bad life.

You are Poor

I get it. We live in an age where minimum wage goes up, and so does the price of groceries. The rising cost of childcare has persuaded moms to stay at home in lieu of working outside the home.

BUT….

Being rich is relative. Having multiple children means that I will be rich in love, laughter, memories and cuddles. My children will learn to love and depend on each other. My hope is that they will be best friends just like me & my 3 brothers.

So don’t waste your time feeling sorry for me.

My girls are 2.5 years apart, and people often question me if they are twins. I can’t tell you how many times people have commented, “Wow you sure have your hands full don’t you.”

Yes, some days I do, but some days they are perfect angels. And one day, when my kids are grown and they all come home for Christmas, my heart will be full and I won’t regret one day of raising them all.

People make assumptions about large families. Especially when those families are comprised of 2 or more young children. Here's to breaking stereotypes.

Honestly, I don’t care what people think about the size of my family, the age gaps between my children, the color of their skin, or anything else.

My husband and I wanted our home to be full of laughter and love, and we agreed three children was the right number for us.

Does it get hectic? OH YES.

Am I tired 99% of the time? YOU BETCHA.

Would I trade it all for something less crazy? ABSOLUTELY.

Just kidding. I love that my kids first lessons about sharing come from sharing with their siblings. I love that they have each other to lean on, and when no one else looks like them or can relate, they have each other.

What assumptions have you heard people make about families with 2 or more young children?

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Teach Your Kids Math With An Amazing Easy to Make Fruit Loops Bracelet

May 6, 2017 By Diedre Leave a Comment

Fruit Loops are colorful and delicious, and now they can be stylish too! This fun, easy activity has boundless learning potential and will adapt easily to your child’s age and ability.

Help your special needs child or toddler strengthen common developmental issues like hand-eye coordination and focus, help your math whiz practice sorting, counting, and patterns, and help your budding designer experiment with color and creativity!

Whether your child is one of these or all three, make snack time a rich and supportive educational experience! You will help them practice skills that they will use in school.

What You Need:

Fruit Loops (or other donut-shaped cereal)
Clean shoelaces with plastic ends for easy stringing
2 bowls (or more for sorting)

What You Do:

Have your child pick out a clean shoelace (or string) to begin with and tie a knot at one end. The shoelace can be plain or choose a colored or patterned one for extra pizazz!
Portion out Fruit Loops into two bowls: one to string and one to eat! For sorting practice, have your child help you put the cereal into six bowls, one for each color.
Involve your child in the stringing process, depending on his/her age and ability. You can string one bracelet as he strings another, showing him how to do it as you go, you can take turns adding one Fruit Loop at a time to make a bracelet together, or your child can select Fruit Loops for you to string.
When your child thinks the bracelet looks done, wrap it around his/her wrist to make sure it’ll fit without falling off. If the bracelet is too big, you may have to remove a Fruit Loop or two and save them for the next bracelet! Tie the ends of the string together, and voila! Your child’s edible, wearable art is complete.
For extra math practice, encourage your child to make patterned bracelets with the different colors, or ask him if he can complete a pattern that you start. He can count how many Fruit Loops it takes to go around his wrist. Whose wrist takes more Fruit Loops: yours or your child’s?

3 Easy Tips for Running Errands With Babies & Toddlers

April 28, 2017 By Diedre 13 Comments

This post was sponsored by Evian facial spray & TinyLove, but all opinions are my own.

Becoming a parent means a major lifestyle change. The days of spending all day or evening at event become quite challenging with kids, especially toddlers.

Keeping them clean while running errands presents an even bigger challenge. Here are 3 tips to make running errands with toddlers easier:

Bring Snacks

It never fails. As soon as I pull out of the driveway, I hear “Mom, I’m thirsty! Can I have some water?” Or…..

“I’m hungry!!“

Even if we just had lunch 30 minutes ago, my kids have some kind of internal alarm that tells them they are hungry at the most inconvenient times. Instead of getting frustrated, I usually pack multiple snacks. I even have them within arms reach while I’m driving.

Bring a Change of Clothes

I promise you, the one time you don’t have a change of clothes, someone will spill yogurt all over their clothes or have an accident. This happened to me Saturday.

My 3-year-old has had fewer accidents than I can count on both fingers. She fell asleep while my brother and sister in law were in town sightseeing. When she woke up, I realized that she had peed on herself and in the stroller.

And guess what?

You guessed it. My bag of tricks had no outfit in it.

Be Prepared for Messes

When I’m out running errands with my kids, I love to treat them with ice cream, especially now that the weather is warming up. My favorite them to combat messy hands and faces is Evian® Facial Spray.

Unlike home-made water sprays, you can be sure that Evian’s Facial spray is pure and gentle because it is always sealed at the source. Plus, the leak-proof canister is perfect for your diaper bag or purse. How many times have you had hand sanitizer leak into your purse??

With its powerful micro-droplet mist, Evian Brumisateur® hydrates, tones, and refreshes skin throughout the day. When your kids aren’t making messes, you can spray a light mist right over your makeup to revive color throughout the day. It can also help remove perspiration, ocean salt, and pool chlorine from the skin.

It’s perfect for trips to the beach & pool–it helps remove perspiration, ocean salt, and pool chlorine from the skin.

Use the Stroller & Baby Gear as Extra Storage

When are running errands with little kids, you feel like you are bringing everything but the kitchen sink on an outing. Your arms get full and you are constantly digging for something in a bag.

The stroller works to keep the kids contained as well as storage for all the kiddie gear!

We love spending any free time we get on the farm. Since my son is still getting comfortable walking and falls a good bit, we bring our Tiny Love Super Mat.

It’s machine washable, and easy to fold and carry!

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5 Ways to Make Literacy Fun For Young Children

April 23, 2017 By Diedre 42 Comments

Effective early literacy allows children to begin developing skills in reading, writing & language.

I’ve worked in education for 10+ years. The one thing that saddens me the most is to hear a child say that they hate to read. Fostering a love for reading begins at an early age, when their brains are little sponges.

The key to teaching kids to love to read is to make literacy fun.

Read To Your Child Consistently

Reading doesn’t have to always be a structured bedtime routine. You can purchase bath books and read during bath time, you can read in the doctor’s office while waiting to be seen, or outside at the park.

It doesn’t matter where or when you read, just do it!

Reading to your children encourages a desire to be read to and gives them a curiosity of words and letters. You may even notice your child asking you, “What’s that word?” more often.

Turn a Story Into a Song

We are a musical family and I love using an opportunity to sing to my children. Many of the rhyming or repetitive books allow me to be creative when I’m reading.

In fact, many well-known stories have been turned into nursery rhymes. I use this to my advantage.

Now that my children are a little older, they sometimes decline my singing and want me to stick to the story. Either way, I am happy that they are developing a love for literacy.

This may seem silly, but you are actually teaching your children phonological awareness—a skill they will be tested on in kindergarten.

Get Your Child Involved In the Story

I See Me Books books do this for you! My daughter loves the story that has her name & favorite color on every page. Her kingdom name is our hometown! This book also includes her skin tone, hair color & birth date throughout the story. She points to her picture and her name and tries to read parts of the story herself.

It’s so exciting to see her engage with me while I tell the story. This is a book I know she’ll treasure forever.

Find Books Centered Around Their Interests

Right now my girls love animals & princesses. In fact, they love dressing up in princess gear. They are always more interested (and invested) in sitting still and listening to a book that piques their interest.

If your little one is a busy body & doesn’t sit still long, try finding books that will naturally keep their attention by centering stories around their interests.

Let Them Help You Pick Out Books

When your toddlers go to kindergarten, they will be expected to go the library and pick out their own books. The more you practice at home, the more prepared they will be.

My daughter loves to read her Princess: The Day in the Life of a Princess book. It brings her fairy tale dreams to life. Everyone enjoys feeling special, and having her own customized book does just that.

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How to Get Kids Over the Age of Two to Nap (So Momma Can Rest Too!)

April 11, 2017 By Diedre 12 Comments

*I was given the sleep zzz in exchange for my honest opinion. As always, my opinions are honest & my own.*

Once babies move from infant stage to toddlers, they become more curious about the world and start to refuse naps. Most children from age 18 months to 3 years old still require naps, however, the length of nap time may vary from child to child. If your child sleeps around 12 hours at night, they may require less sleep than children who sleep less at night.

Set Up a Routine (And Stick to It!)

Setting up a nap time routine can look very similar to bedtime. After lunch, begin winding your child down by closing blinds, reading a story, or turning on gentle music.

Napping at the same time in the same place helps your toddler learn that napping is part of their everyday routine. Pick a simple routine that allows your child to self-soothe.

Keep in mind that if you draw out the routine for naps like you do at night for bedtime, your child will become accustomed to it and will require it daily.

Nap Early in the Day

Late naps can throw off bedtime and keep your kids up later than you desire (thus defeating the purpose of the nap). Sometimes you have to trick them into sleeping.

Hey, I’m not above taking a short ride down the road or around the neighborhood if I know my kids are on the verge crazy town but refuse to sleep.

Allow Them to Nap With a Comfort Item

A comfort item could be a favorite blanket, stuffed animal or pillow. Using a comfort item helps your child to substitute the item for you-this will give you some free time to rest or accomplish some things around the house.

My kids love the Sleep Zzz pillow. If you’ve ever used a U-shape pillow while pregnant, you know how addictive these pillows can be (even after pregnancy). It’s large enough to cuddle with everywhere…on the bed, couch, or even the floor! And I’m proud to say that this is an item actually made in the U.S.

This summer we’ll be spending some time at the beach in a condo & you can bet the sleep zzz pillow is going with us!

Substitute Sleeping for Resting

Some toddlers just won’t nap despite your efforts–and that’s okay!

Instead of demanding that they sleep, encourage them to rest their bodies. Compromise by letting them read in bed or lay quietly for a designated amount of time.

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Working Mom Guilt: 4 Hacks to Make School Nights Easier

October 7, 2016 By Diedre 32 Comments

Working outside the home is a juggling act. It requires moms to split themselves in a million directions.

Between homework, dinner and bedtime, it’s enough to make the stress levels of moms raise 100%.

Check out this list of 4 hacks to make school nights easier for working moms.

Pack lunches the night before or early in the morning

Before I started prepping everyone’s lunches the night before, I wasted several minutes in the morning packing lunches and making messes.

Then if some unexpected event happened (like it often does with children) I was thrown off.

I started pre-packing my kids snacks in snack boxes and bags, so in the morning I could easily throw one in the diaper bag or lunch box.

On occasion, I am too tired to get it all done in the evenings, so I rise early to finish whatever I didn’t get to the night before. Most of the time, this includes my husband’s lunch. His usually gets fixed in the morning!

Meal prep for the week during the weekend

This is one of the best ways I’ve found to make my life easier while I’m working during the week.

How many times have you come home after a long day of work and discovered that you’ve forgotten to take out something to cook, or you simply have no idea what you are going to feed your family?

Making a menu (weekly or monthly) helps you plan what you will cook during the week and helps remove the stress during the week.

After you cook 2-3 meals, you will be prepared for the week without having to scramble every evening! Then when you pack your lunch the next day, use Reynolds™ Disposable Heat & Eat Containers. They are a great alternative to plastic, so you won’t have to worry about hunting down those plastic tops.

For those of you that are environmentally conscious, you will love that they are made with plant fibers and are perfect for the microwave!

Prepare a week’s worth of your children’s school clothes at a time

For my oldest, this is easy because she wears uniforms, so essentially she’s wearing the same combination of clothes daily.

I still practice washing clothes a few nights a week and on the weekends, then hanging all of my girls clothes on their closet door for the week.

This adds at least 10 minutes to my morning because I’m not hunting for clothes. Try it!

Wake up at least 30 minutes before your family

I commute 40 miles one way to work, so I have to rise early to make sure I get my kindergartener to school on time and I get myself to work on time.

After everyone is asleep at night, I usually have minimal energy to get anything done. I started waking up at hour (5:00 AM) before I wake up my daughter, and it has changed my life.

Anything that I didn’t get done the night (folding laundry, lunches, etc) I have time to squeeze it in before the chaos of the day begins.

What other hacks have you found to make school nights easier? I can’t wait to hear about them!

Oh, and share this post with another working mom–she’ll thank you!