This is a three-part post in one. There are so many tips and ideas packed in here! I’m sharing the tired struggles of being a stay at home mom, 15 specific ways to battle mommy burnout and my best, simplified discipline advice. There is also a benefit to being a mom that you have probably… Read More When I’m tired of being a stay-at-home mom
I have so many free printables for you today! I’m gearing up for summertime at home with three kids very close in age. I’m being proactive about the inevitable bickering, lots of time together and the dreaded “I’m bored.” I want to talk about a few things that are changing the way we are disciplining,… Read More Behavior chart, consequence jar and bored jar
My third child is two and a half. She’s killing me today. Over the last couple days she has climbed up the washing machine to get in the medicine cabinet, colored her entire face with a purple marker, destroyed all my makeup as she got “boodeefull,” walked out the front door without a word, refuses… Read More 11 things to do when Mom can’t take any more
Clara has really amped up her game since she turned two. She learned how to open doors and climb out of her crib in one day. The next day I put her down 34 times for her nap. The following day, 60 times. 60 times! We put all the bar stools in the garage because she climbs… Read More 25 effective toddler discipline strategies
Summer is coming! I’m kind of freaking out. I am not into having a reenactment of The Great Summer of Bickering that we had last year with the boys. So I’ve decided I’m going to be proactive this summer instead of reactive like I have been in the past. I’ve worked with a kindness chart with the boys… Read More Kindness chart to end sibling fighting
We have chosen to focus on experiences instead of presents for our kids’ birthdays. That means that the build up is for the trip of their choice, instead of gifts. We plan it, anticipate it and focus on that. In this post I’m also letting you in on why we do it this way, how much… Read More How we do birthdays with less gifts
What does your spouse do that fills your heart to the brim? What do you do that makes your child’s eyes light up big and bright? We each receive love differently, so if we speak each other’s language we’ll get farther faster. Marcello and I were introduced to Gary Chapman’s book “The Five Love Languages” as… Read More Are you speaking your family’s love language?
This is a tricky post to write. But if I don’t write it, I would feel dishonest. I’ve been going through a bout of depression and lots of I-don’t-wanna-be-a-mom-today moments for the last month. I said it. It’s not pretty. It sounds ungrateful. But it’s still true. Depression is not a common enemy of mine,… Read More When Mama is TIRED
My five year old is starting to learn the value of a dollar. Ok, he doesn’t realize the value, but he has figured out that it can buy him things! I’ve known this time was coming and my wheels have been turning on how to allow him to earn money, but stay clear that some chores we do… Read More Kids chore chart to earn money
The boys are three and five years old. I have shown them love with my whole heart during their short time on this earth, but I’ve also let them rule my emotions. I have let them get the better of my temper, lost control, yelled and acted like a child myself more times than I… Read More The week I changed the way I parent
It has gotten out of control around here the past few weeks. It started when Luca had a tonsillectomy and the two weeks of recovery were intense. We babied him and took the doctor’s advice, giving him ice cream and juice, anything to keep him from getting dehydrated. His throat hurt so badly he refused everything at… Read More Things have spiraled
My kids have been trying to wake up between 5 and 5:30 a.m. for the past two weeks! This weekend the time falls back an hour and I have been terrified. Are they going to wake up at 4 in the morning? I had to figure something out. I have been fighting with my three year… Read More Getting my kids to stay in bed