Chapter Books To Read As A Family
As a little girl, I have so memories of my mom reading to me. It was just her, my brother, and I for a good chunk of my childhood and reading was always one of our favorites. As a single mom, she was always busy and reading meant a few stolen moments. We could steal her away from all of the work we knew she needed to get done and just soak up time with her.I couldn't wait to share those same moments with my little boys. I was so excited that they had a library before they were even born. I scoured thrift stores for books I remembered reading as a kid like The Magic Castle series. Every adventure started with "...and Beth opened the word window."
What a beautiful image for a little kid. Reading a book truly was like opening a window into a different world. It doesn't matter what is going on in life, reading with your kids is a special stolen moment just for you. It quites everything else around you and helps you to soak each other up.As my kids are getting a little older, we're starting to expand beyond picture books and venture into different chapter book series. Every day during the school year, we all grab a cozy blanket, find a cozy corner of the house, and read together.
The Magic TreehouseAnnie and Jack are a brother and sister team that find a magical treehouse. This treehouse is their gateway to travel and adventures they couldn't have dreamed of! Every time they go to the treehouse, they travel to a different time and get to experience history hands on!Little House On The PrairieMeet the Ingall's family and learn what it would be like to live in the 1800's. Each book give you a glimpse into their lives. Laura Ingalls is a little girl looking for adventures everywhere she goes. Whether she's at home with Ma and Pa or she's off at school with her friends, she's having fun and making memories!Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Greg Heffley is just like any other kid, except he has a big brother that loves to pick on him and parents who just don't get it. He journals about his life and shares the ins and outs of his life with you. Just when you think things couldn't get any crazier... they do!Percy JacksonPercy Jackson is just your typical, every day kid... except that he is the son of Poseidon. One day Percy discovers his magical heritage and is catapulted into a life of chaos, danger, and adventure!Harry Potter Harry Potter lives with his awful aunt and uncle until one day the letters start coming... and coming! Until finally his family can't stop Harry from reading them. He finds out he's invited to the wizard world! Each book shows Harry getting deeper into a new world that he doesn't know how he lived without!Boxcar ChildrenThe Alden kids go in search of a home and stumble upon a boxcar. They make the best of what they have and make it into the best home they've ever seen!RamonaRamona is a little girl with the most terrible luck at times! She's just trying to fit in at school and with her friends but somehow ends up with eggs in her hair and forgetting to get out of her pj's before school!Hardy BoysJoin the Hardy Boys along on their adventures! Every book has a new mystery and the Hardy Boys are on the case! They scour every street to find the person behind the shenanigans going on!Nancy DrewNancy Drew isn't a stranger to mystery. Somehow they keep finding her and she sets out to find out what's going on. Nothing can stop her and she even gets the help of the town!A to Z MysteriesDink, Josh, and Ruth Rose set out to solve the alphabet mysteries. The books go from the Absent Author all the way to the Zombie Zone! Nothing gets in their way!Junie B JonesJunie B Jones is your favorite kindergartener. Somehow the silliest and craziest things happen to her in each book! Kids instantly fall in love with her character and can't wait to hear what happens next!Ready FreddyFreddy is your favorite first grader! He's trying to survive through a new class, new friends, all while trying to join the new hockey team! It's a jungle out there and Freddy is on it!The Chronicles of NarniaThe Chronicles of Narnia are just that.. Books that share stories from Narnia! Each book has a different adventure and you can time travel back to Narnia to see what magical things are happening!
What is your favorite family friendly chapter book?
How To Help Your Multiracial Family Ease Back To School
As the summer draws to a close, parents everywhere are walking into the back to school haze. They know everything is about to get crazy. Free time is out the door and hectic schedules are about to be back in full swing.There are so many things to do for kids to be ready to transition back to school. Their sleep schedules are off, they spend their days outside with no desire for a structured activity, and they've gotten used to being home with mom and dad all day.
Get Back Onto A Sleep Schedule
Slowly ease your children back to a sleep schedule. During the summer late nights are normal because you're hoping they sleep in just a bit for you.Get them ready for school by setting bedtime a bit earlier and having them wake up by a certain time. Transition slowly to get their body clocks back to normal. If you ditch the transition, the first week back to their school schedule will be rough.
Meet Your Child's New Teacher
Find your teacher's email and schedule a time to meet before school starts. This is a great time for you child to meet their new teacher and maybe even get a little excited!It's also the perfect time to introduce their teacher to your multiracial family. You can share a few of the unique things about your family, words your child may use in a different language, etc. Teachers want to truly know who their students are and be aware of what makes them unique.
Set Up Play Dates With Their New Classmates
In addition to meeting their new teacher, try and set up a play date with some of their new classmates. One of the scariest parts of going back to school is the unknown. It's scary not knowing what to expect and the possibility of not knowing anyone.Make them more comfortable by helping them make a few friends early!
Start A New Back To School Tradition
Start a new tradition to celebrate going back to school! Do a drive in movie the last day of summer, throw a party after the first week with their new friends, or go out to breakfast the first morning. Find something fun that you know your kids will love! Make going back to school a fun thing and something they look forward to!
Make Sure To Have One On One Time With Your Kids Throughout The Week
One big transition kids have when going back to school is less time with mom and dad. They got used to spending all of their extra time with you and now they only get to see you for part of the day.Go out of your way to spend one on one time with them during the school week. It doesn't have to be a huge ordeal. It can be as simple as a little coffee date with momma.
How do you help your family ease back to school schedules and routines?
Traveling Families You Should Be Following
Traveling has always been a huge passion for me. I love the idea of scouring the whole world and learning about different cultures and ways of life.The problem is I got married and started a family at 21.... Everyone says you can't travel with kids, so I guess I cut my traveling off before I even got started...I quickly learned that it was all a load of garbage. I met dozens of multiracial families that traveled the globe together! What a concept. A family that travels! I started looking for them online too. I wanted to learn all of their tips and secrets to see how they made it work.I wanted to know how to make traveling with the whole family a fun thing!We started traveling after we had our second son. After a lot of fear, we decided to just do it. Dozens of hotels, road trips, and planes later we finally have a handle on it. So far we've just traveled around the US together, but we're hoping to hit India this year!Traveling truly is a beautiful thing for families. It takes them out of their bubbles and teaches them about a world bigger than themselves. My hope is that my kids will fall in love with different cultures around the world by seeing them firsthand.
The Almost Indian Wife We document all of our travels with the kids. Our family shares the ins and outs of traveling with toddlers! Even the moments that make you question traveling at all! At the end of the day we love traveling together and making memories around the world together.Kid World Citizen Becky shares about her love of traveling with her multiracial family. The scour the world together to learn about different cultures, taste unique foods, and all while raising her kids abroad!Suitcases and Sippy Cups One mom and dad decided to leave everything behind and let their wandering spirits guide their family around the world. She shares tips for other parents wanting to travel as a family and helps you make it happen!Travel With Bender Josh is a dad who documents his family travels. They defy the world's saying that you can't travel with kids. By the time his kids were 2 and 3, they had visited over 65 countries! They're living the dream and telling you every step of the way!Two Kids and a MapOne mom teaching her kids that adventure is everywhere they turn. She also shares how they travel on a budget and how you can too!The Family Without Borders This family decided to travel for 6 months straight when they had their youngest daughter! They didn't stop there, they travel all over the world and teach their kids about the world around them.World Travel Family Travel isn't just a dream for this family, it's a passion! They travel the world and let you know allthe details. They help families find great deals, places to go, and teach you how to live an adventerous life!The Jet Set FamilyThis family shares all of their traveling adventures with the world. They go all over the world and want you to see exactly what it looks like! Curious where to go? Check them out and get inspired!Walking On Travels This family is here to remind you that you don't have to give up on traveling when you have kids. Just take them with you and experience the world together!Exploramum and Explorason This mother son duo is here to share the lessons they've learned from a life of travel with you. They have a passion to travel the world and spread kindness everywhere they go.
Do Kids Belong At A Meat Shop
Over the last eight years that my husband and I have been married, we've faced quite a few culture shock moments. Most of them happen when we least expect it. We just go about our day and then we find ourselves doing something we've done for years, only to see the look on our spouses face.Complete and utter shock.Or it's the other way around and we look at them wondering how in the world they don't realize how crazy it is.It gets even crazier when you have kids.About a year ago, my husband and I headed to our local Indian grocery store. We had planned out a few Indian dishes for the week and knew we needed to pick up spices and some fresh meat.We have taken our kids to this Indian grocery store dozens of times... Usually the Aunty or Uncle that works there gives them a sucker and they always try to find the good cookies.I knew they had fresh meat at this one, but I didn't realize how fresh.We went through the store and grabbed all of the groceries we needed and saved the meat for last. We walked to the meat section and I noticed they had a lot of pre-cut meat right up front. I assumed we'd pick from the meat in the fridge. My husband started talking to the guy about different cuts of meat and decided to order half a goat. The man then preceded to walk into the back room.
He walked back out carrying a goat over his shoulder.
Dead.Skinned.Baby Goat.My four year old instantly asked him, what's that? The man smiled and said it's a goat. Do you see his head? Want to watch me cut him up?
WHAT?
All I wanted to do was yell at this guy that just traumatized my four year old.Why in the world would you joke around with a toddler about a dead animal?! Right as I was about to make the biggest scene this guy has probably ever seen, I stopped and realized this was normal for him. He probably sees families come in all the time, children in their arms, watching this process happen.My husband even told me a story of him and his siblings in India. Him and his family had gone to Hyderabad for the summer. All week long, his younger brother and sister were playing with a goat. They had named it and started to treat it as a pet. One morning, they woke up to see it hanging on a tree behind their bungalow.An Aunty and Uncle were preparing it for dinner.As much of a shock as that was to them, they realized early on the reality of having animals in India.I watched my son the entire time. I was glued to his reactions to see if I needed to cover his eyes and run out of the store at any moment. Surprisingly, he was fine. While I was cringing at every moment, he was curious and then distracted by the cookies in the aisle next to us.This was one of those moments that was completely acceptable in Indian culture and a huge shock in American culture.He still goes with my husband to the Indian grocery store all the time and he still has just as many questions when he goes. The big thing I had to remember was just because this was something new to me, didn't necessarily mean it was a bad thing.I'll admit though... I still hesitantly watch their reactions the whole time!
Have you ever experienced culture shock?
What's Expected Of A Foreign Daughter In Law?
Does marrying into a foreign culture mean you are now expected to behave according to your new cultures rules?
This has come up for me in different ways. I’ve mentioned before, I grew up in a family with a single, mom. I was taught to be a strong, independent, and outspoken person. However, the culture I have married into expects humility, submission to leadership, and listening and trusting your elders. There’s not much room for outspoken remarks in there.When I first married my husband, I was very vocal to him. I told him that we are married, starting our own family, but he has to remember, I’m not Indian. He used to laugh.
Yes, hon. I think your white skin was a bit of a give away for me.
I could see some of the cultural differences from the beginning of our relationship. It all started my first Thanksgiving with his family. I was so interested and observed all weekend. I noticed everyone was called by Indian names (Ukka, Mama, Pinni, Ummamma), everyone was extremely close to each other, everyone ate Indian food with their hands, and all of the kids submissively obeyed their elders (even as adults).My husband and I have always wanted to bring Indian culture into our family. So, I tried to find out what was going to be expected of me as a foreign daughter in law. I wanted to be a good daughter in law, but I also didn’t want to be held to every Indian standard there was. In my head, I thought I'd be changing myself if I agreed to be held to all Indian standards.The longer I've been a foreign daughter in law, the more I’m realizing it’s not possible to truly bring Indian culture into our family without being held to some Indian standards.I have responsibilities as the oldest daughter (in law) in the family, as a mother of biracial children, as a wife, as a foreign daughter in law, and as an Akka (big sister).I've learned to love some of these expectations. I love that my husband and I have been able to be there for my brother and sister in law. I love being able to give advice to all of the cousins in the family. I love having family live with us for extended periods of time.Along with so many expectations I love, there are also some that I still struggle with. As an outspoken person, I have the hardest time listening without sharing my opinion. I’ve learned how disrespectful it can be in Indian culture to openly disagree with an elder. In my family, we all share our opinions and often leave it at, let’s agree to disagree. I’ve never seen that as disrespectful. I love that my family shares our opinions with each other. Even if we don’t follow what someone says, I love that we can challenge each other.Submissive obedience in Indian families means an elder tells you to do something and you do it, simple as that. I finally asked someone for advice on this.
Will I lose myself if I agree to submissive obedience?
She asked how I’d lose myself. How could I be myself, without sharing what I thought? What if I disagreed? What if I agreed, but I still want to share what I thought?The more questions I asked myself, the more I realized there's no way to lose myself by listening to someone who loves my family and is trying to help us. I have only been a parent for five years. I have so much to learn. If anything, I’m letting my pride prevent me from accepting help.When elders in our family tell me to do something, I’ve learned to be open. Obviously, I’m so far from perfect in this area. I know my pride will continue to rear it’s ugly head again and again. However, I want to teach my kids to listen to their elders as well. The best way to teach them this is to show them, even adults listen to their elders.This doesn’t mean I don’t have a voice in our family. That is the biggest idea that I struggle with. The western culture in my head says obeying as an adult means I’m being stifled and not respected. In reality it means someone loves us enough, they are trying to help us by giving us advice and trying to make our lives easier.There are the times where I am told to do something with my children and I don’t agree.
What do I do? I thank them for the advice and then my husband and I decide together.
At the end of the day, my husband and I will do what we think is best for our family. However, I am actively trying to quiet my pride so I can be open to what our family members have to offer as advice and wisdom.As a foreign daughter in law, the standards are different. Some may expect me to follow every Indian standard and others won’t hold me to any. My husband and I talk about which standards I feel comfortable holding myself to. The biggest thing I ask myself is what can I teach my child if I follow a certain standard. If I think it holds value to them, I try to follow it. If it’s not something I want to teach them, I don’t.
You won’t ever be able to please everyone. All you can do is what’s best for your family. You and your spouse chose together what you will do as a family.
The Question Interracial Couples Secretly Ask Themselves
My husband and I are about to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. While it's gone by fast, it wouldn't have been possible with a lot of hard work.Every couple that has survived past the new relationship stage knows how hard a relationship can be. If you want it to work you have to grow together, forgive daily, and strive to be the best person you can be.What about interracial couples?While every couple faces challenges, interracial couples are in a whole new ballpark.In addition to meeting the in-laws, you have to be aware of all the different cultural expectations.You don't just have to figure out how to live together, you have to figure out how to blend cultures in your home.There's a unique edge to just about everything in your relationship. At the end of the day, just like other couples, you have to put in the hard work. You'll have different seasons throughout your relationship. The wonderful seasons will help get you through the rough seasons.Your love for each other trumps anything you will go through together.
However, if we're being honest... there's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point in our interracial relationship. A question we may even be embarrassed to admit.Would it have been easier if I didn't choose an interracial relationship?If we're going to sit here and be frank with each other, the answer is most likely yes.Blending cultural expectations, lifestyles, and beliefs can be overwhelming at times. It's also work that other couples don't necessarily have to put in daily like we do.While both people in the relationship could ask themselves this question, the thing to remember is that culture is one of the reasons you love your partner.When my husband and I started falling for each other, the fact that we had different cultures didn't cross our minds. In fact, I really didn't think about it until I met his family for the first time. Then I was able to see a beautiful culture and family that had helped my husband to be the person he is today.We can all look back on our stories and ask if we could have made it easier on ourselves somehow. Hindsight is 20/20 so yes. We could go back in time and save ourselves a lot of heartaches, but we've grown from every one of them.My interracial relationship has taught me to communicate with my husband, be open to the world around me, and to love hard.I wouldn't change the life I have today with him, even if it meant things could be a little easier. It's the intricate part of our family that makes my life so exciting.What has your interracial relationship taught you?
Surprise We Have A New Addition To The Family
My husband and I have always been big animal lovers. While we were dating we talked about the pets we wanted in the future and we quickly started off our pet adventure a few months after we got married.Three kids and one dog later, something just wasn't right. We wanted a friend for our dog, Bella. We were also talking about buying a house with more space outside that would make having two dogs a little easier.My husband and I started thinking through the kind of dog we wanted, whether we wanted to adopt an older dog or a puppy, and when we would take the plunge.Fast forward a few months and my kids and I were out running errands. We got out a little later than expected and the temperature outside was going up. We had planned on going to the park, but I had no desire to sit there, ending up drenched in sweat so they could play for a few minutes.Instead, I decided to bribe them with a pet shop visit. We love stopping in there periodically because you can see all the cute little pets and we could pick up a few toys for Bella. After a bit of whining, they quickly realized stopping at the pet store meant they could check out the creepy crawly bugs and snakes.They ran inside and B-lined straight to the disgusting bugs I will never, ever buy for them. I have a hard enough time sitting there while they poke the cages!After about thirty minutes of running back and forth from pet to pet, we decided to pick up our Bella treats and pay. While we were waiting in line, we saw the couple in front of us had brought their dogs in with them.A-freaking-dorable!!!
They had a Chihuahua mix and a little Shepherd-Retreiver mix. We instantly fell in love and made baby sounds to them the entire time they were in line. The couple kept looking at us and laughing because the kids were infatuated. Okay, I was too!They finished up their purchase and walked out of the store. I instantly started gushing to the cashier about how cute they were. I let her know the Shepherd mix was the exact kind of dog we want to get next.She stopped what she was doing. She smiled big and said something that would change our lives forever...They're actually trying to get her adopted.Stunned, I asked if she was serious. She laughed and nodded. That was all my boys and I needed. We left all of our stuff at her cash register and ran outside!I asked if they really were trying to find a family for her and how much they were thinking about selling her for. All they had to do was look at all three of my kids who were all kissing her, petting her, and cuddling her as we spoke.Free. All we want is for her to find a good family.
I'll take her! My kids and I started jumping up and down saying we want her and would love to bring her home! We exchanged numbers and scheduled a time to pick her up.She was only 2 pounds and needed to be home a little while longer. Not to mention, she was a rescue and was in bad shape when they found her. They spent a thousand dollars to rescue her and nurse her back to health.After they left we went straight back inside to buy stuff for our new puppy.This was the moment I realized something.I just adopted a dog.I just adopted a dog while my husband was at work.I now have to tell my husband we have a new dog coming home.I sent him a picture and let him in on our family's big news. He thought I was kidding. The moment he realized I wasn't he called me.Are you serious?All I could hear was his coworkers behind him laughing. I thank them for getting him in an agreeable mood! He laughed and asked for pictures asap!He was happy she was the kind we wanted and I heard him shoosh his coworkers saying he would bring her to visit!Then he went back to the meeting he was in before I happily interrupted him. He called me the moment work was done for the day and asked me again if I was serious.He wasn't sure if he should believe me until he got home and saw our kitchen table full of puppy stuff.
About 4 weeks later, we drove to the couple's home and picked up our newest addition. Our whole family is infatuated with her. Even though my husband likes to call her "your dog" I secretly find him cuddling her. He's already a push over with her. All she has to do is whine and he immediately makes us get her and snuggle her!
The moral of the story....It's okay to adopt a puppy while your husband is at work because he will fall head over heals for her!
How To Survive A Long Distance Relationship
Nothing can beat the feelings you have when you first fall in love with your partner. Everything's new and you start to realize what true love really feels like. You wonder how you ever survived without this person in your life and start to picture your lives together.Then you wake up one morning and realize you've ended up in a long distance relationship.Long distance relationships are no secret to interracial couples. Many of us have fallen in love across states and different countries. The distance seems scary at first, but we want to make it work. We know we found the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with and we want to fight for it.The love you have for each other can conquer the distance between you.I'm not going to sugar coat anything for you today. It's hard. Relationships on their own require hard work, but add in a few hundred miles in between you and it's catapulted into a new level of chaos.I've been asking couples in my Multiracial Motherhood Facebook Group for some advice. I wanted to hear from all of them and find out how they made their long distance relationship work. Here are the tips they wanted to share with all of you!
Talk Regularly
Schedule Date Nights
Send Each Other Care Packages
Remember To Talk About The Little Things
Have Fun Together
Don't Keep Score
Trust Each Other
Start Your Day By Saying Good Morning And End It With Goodnight
Try To Keep Your Times Together Simple
Let Yourself Feel All The Emotions
Make Trips Happen
Prepare Yourself For Criticism
Stay Positive
Multiracial Family Guide: Hosting Your In-Laws
As a new couple, one of the scariest moments is having your in-laws over to your house for the first time. Most likely, you've already met them before, but it was on their turf. Now you're welcoming them into your own home.Your natural habitat.The place you can relax and be the raw, unfiltered you. You know the place you eat take out directly out of the container. The place you walk around without a bra because they're all dirty. The place you don't bother keeping spick and span because you're too busy.The place you're terrified to let your in-laws into.Before you start hyperventilating, take a deep breath. It doesn't have to be as bad as you're imagining in your head.In reality, having them over to your house can be easier. You're the most comfortable at home, so it can help with your nerves. Not to mention, you are in control of your environment. You can tidy up, hide the Game of Thrones contraband, and set out a vase of flowers.The scariest part is not knowing exactly what they're expecting when they arrive. As an interracial couple, you know things will be a bit different and you'll have to figure out what is culturally expected as the host.This is one of the things I've struggled with over the years. When I have people over to my house, I do what I was raised to do. I do what my family taught me was expected as the host, but over the years I've learned just how different it can be in different cultures.I finally sat down with my mother in law and simply asked her.What should I do as the host when Indian family members come to visit?
Everything Starts With A Cup Of Chai
Chai can make everything better. Truly. Somehow it has a magical effect when people enjoy it together.Whip up a batch of masala chai before your guests arrive. After they walk in the door and the greetings are finished, offer everyone a cup.This is going to give you huge Indian points with your family. You're showing them that you're going out of your way to bring them a little comfort from their own home.Try this simple masala chai recipe for your guests.
Food Is Your Best Friend
When you get your Indian relatives together, they're expecting food. I used to try and do little appetizers or plan to go out and get food soon after, but it's not the same. They want Indian food. Who doesn't? I can't even blame them because Indian food is delicious and it's a great way to bring people together.It doesn't matter if they're coming at lunch, in between lunch and dinner, or late at night... Prepare a few Indian dishes for them. Worse case scenario they say no thank you and you reheat it for the next meal.It means a lot to them when they see all the hard work you put in for them.You could prepare a simple keema curry, almond chicken curry, or even my favorite pav bhaji. Serve it with a big plate of rice and you're ahead of the game.
Shower Them With Gifts
If this is your first time meeting your in-laws, get them a gift. It doesn't have to be anything huge, but gifts are expected. They may not ever tell you this, but it's an unwritten rule in Indian families.You could get them a little container of loose leaf tea, a scarf, a piece of jewelry, or truly anything. It's not the cost that matters, it's the thought.
Be Yourself
At the end of the day, be yourself. The reason you're meeting your in-laws or hosting them at your house is that your partner loves you. They love you so much they want to bring you into their family.All you have to do is be yourself.Share about your first time hosting the in-laws in the comments!
Avoid The Potty Training Backslide This Summer!
Is The Potty Training Backslide Worth It?
When a parent thinks about potty training their child, they're usually filled with a sense of dread. All they can see is accidents on their couch, pulling over dozens of times during their 20 minute drive, and endless loads of laundry to wash the pee stained big kid underwear.Then if you're "smart" like me, you attempt to potty train them before you go on vacation. You convince yourself, it's going to be fine. They will just keep working on it there.Wrong.Instead of improving on their potty training skills, they end up backsliding. All of your hard work goes down the drain as vacation goes on. It may even feel worth the backsliding while you're out laying in the sun.The problem settles in when you get back home. Instead of an eager child, you end up with a disinterested toddler with no desire to potty train again.It's not worth it!
I have potty trained 2 1/2 children in my nearly six years as a parent.My four year old practically potty trained himself. He wanted to be like his big brother and made it all happen. He motivated himself to get it done!My five year old was a different story. He was my first child and I basically had no idea what I was doing. He was an early talker and I just assumed he was ready to be potty trained. Shortly after we "potty trained" him, we went on vacation to Chicago. He completely gave up on potty training there and I ended up in an 8 month potty training battle with him when I got home.
I definitely learned my lesson with my two oldest boys. Now, I'm using everything we've learned with my toddler this summer.Today, I'm partnering with Huggies to help prevent the potty training backlide this summer.
Ways To Avoid The Summer Backslide
If you haven't started potty training before your vacation, I would suggest you wait. You want to potty train when you know you'll be home for a while. I usually schedule a full week at home and then slowly venture out. Take a look at your schedule and plan to start your potty training adventure after you get home from vacation.If you've already completed potty training your child, summer time doesn't have to be a disaster. You can help your child to stay potty trained with a few simple steps.Make It Fun AgainWhen a toddler is on vacation, everything seems more fun than working hard to pee in the potty. Why do something that takes work when you can just go in your pants and let your parents do all the hard work?If you see your child starting to loose interest with remaining potty trained while on vacation, make it fun again. Take a small step backwards and reinforce them every time they use the potty. You could grab a set of stickers or small candy to give them as a reward.Model By ExampleYou can only tell your kids to use the potty so many times. At a certain point, they start to tune you out. This is when it's important to go back to the age old saying, actions speak louder than words.If your child has siblings, let them see how they use the potty. Kids look up to their siblings and they are a huge source of motivation for them. Make sure to point out how they use the potty like a big kid.
BackstepIf you notice your child beginning to backslide, take a step backwards. Instead of letting them tell you when they need to go potty, you can set a timer. Put in a simple timer to your phone and use that as a reminder to have your child try and go potty.While on vacation, it's easy for your toddler to miss their body's cues telling them to go potty. They end up waiting way too long and have an accident. Step in and stop the chain by reminding them yourself.
Let Huggies Help You This Summer
I've used Huggies diapers and wipes since my kids were little. I love to see their passion for kids and their parents. They don't just sell diapers, they want to help parents hold onto special memories with your little ones. Whether it's your child's first step or the first time they use the potty like a big kid, they are there for you.Are you ready to avoid the potty training backslide?If so, head over to your local Sam's Club and pick up a box of pull ups and wet wipes! With a big family, I'm always looking for a good deal. By shopping at Sam's Club, I know I can stock up on my pull ups and wet wipes without destroying my monthly budget.Head over today and save $10 off any two, or $18 off any three diapers, wipes, and pants today!
People You'll Meet While On Vacation
My family and I just got home from vacation! Our week was full of late nights, early morning, friends, hysterical laughter, games, and new friends.It’s been a while since I’ve gone on vacation with so many people. Originally, I was going to go to Orlando alone attend BlogHer. The more my husband and I talked about it, the more we realized it would be more fun to turn it into our family vacation for the year!Who doesn’t want to take their whole family to Orlando!?We ended up traveling with a total of 5 adults and 5 kids. As you can imagine things got crazy and we made some beautiful memories that I hope my kids have forever.It didn’t take long for us to realize we all like to vacation differently.
People You’ll Meet While On Vacation
The Lazy VacationerThis person likes to relax during vacation. They don’t see the point in filling up their whole trip with dozens of activities. Instead, they sleep in, enjoy a nice cup of coffee on the balcony, and soak it all in.Every day is an opportunity to savor new memories.The Cram It All In VacationerThis person has an idea of their perfect vacation and crams in every activity on that list. Exhaustion is the last thing on their mind. The biggest concern for them is missing something.You won’t miss anything either because they’ll take enough pictures to last a lifetime.The Couch Bound VacationerThis person likes the idea of vacation rather than the vacation itself. All their itinerary includes are the couch, snacks, and binging the latest show on Netflix.Don’t bother trying to get them to do anything on vacation. You’ll hardly see them leave the room, much less get them to check out the tourist spots.
The Dare Devil VacationerThis person likes to chase the thrill during their vacation. As soon as you get to your destination, immediately find the closest hospital. Some of their crazy adventures end in broken limbs. They have no fear because their broken bone is their souvenir from their latest thrill.Your vacation won’t be boring if they come along.The Indecisive TravelerThis person is always up for fun! They just want to be there for the experience of it all. The only problem is getting this person to make any decision is like pulling teeth!You better hope you’re not alone on vacation with one of these vacationers or you’ll end up in your room the whole time trying to figure out where to go.The good thing is they’re up for anything!The Early Bird VacationerThis sums up just about any child you go on vacation with. They don’t care what time everyone goes to sleep the night before, they’re still up at the break of dawn!They’re so excited for the vacation that they wake up before everyone else to make sure they don’t miss anything. If you’re really lucky, they’ll even wake everyone up with a Smurf song like my little boy!While they’re full of energy, no one wants to room with them in fear of losing all sleep while on vacation!
What type of vacationers do you have in your family?
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How To Pack For Your Next Road Trip
Summer is officially here and it means vacation season!I love vacation season. It's my family's chance to travel around and see family members that live a ways from us. This summer we have plans to go to Chicago, Cincinnati, Orlando, and hopefully Vancouver!As our kids have gotten older, planes trips have become more expensive. Our youngest is now old enough for us to buy him his own seat. In reality it's a double edged sword. Part of it is nice because it means I don't have to hold him the whole time. On the other hand it now means we have to buy 5 tickets when we travel as a family.Expensive.Hundreds of dollars just on the tickets.This summer we're saving by road tripping instead of flying. This means more money in our pockets, more crazy car ride adventures, and some amazing memories.
Road Trip Essentials
Before you set off on your own road trips, make sure you pack well. I've made the mistake of packing way too much, not enough, and about every other packing faux pa!This time I'm learning my lesson and taking advice from all of you! Here is a list of travel essentials needed on every road trip.
First Aid Kit
Make sure your first aid kit has all the medical essentials you need. You never know when someone can get hurt and it's better to have it all with you if it does happen. You can even add in your allergy and car sickness medicine.
Cooler With Snacks
Pack a medium sized cooler with some of your family's favorite snacks. Don't pack things you wish they would eat, but do things you know they eat daily.
Small Blanket
Find a light weight blanket that is perfect for your kids. Then you don't have to worry about them fighting over how cold the AC is.
Spill Proof Cup
Spills and messes are going to happen, but don't let it be a sticky juice mess! Find spill proof cups for the kids and make it a bit easier.
External Battery
Electronics won't stay charged forever. This is why it's important to pack an external battery pack to help in your time of need.
Accessable Change Of Clothes
Take out a change of clothes that you can grab during the ride if the kids have an accident.
Notebook and Crayons
Switch things up a bit and have another activity for your kids. We like to grab a small notebook and crayons.
Headphones
Pick up some headphones so you can have a bit of peace on your drive. You kids can plug them into their electronics and then mom and dad don't have to hear the games the whole drive.
Favorite Toy
Don't. Forget. The. Toy. Find your child's favorite toy and be sure to pack it!
Mess Free Snacks
Pick up some mess free snacks for your kids to snack on during the drive!
What are your road trip essentials?
Summer Safety: How Big Families Can Stay Safe At The Pool
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JumpIntoSummer #CollectiveBias
Life with three boys under 6 years old can be pretty hectic. Everything just gets a little more complicated. When I had two kids, I had just enough extremities to keep up with them. I could hold them both at the same time... I could hold one hand and hold the other...Then I had my third son and I quickly realized things had changed. I thought it would just be little things, but it was so much more. I had to think strategically about everything. If I went grocery shopping, I had to go to the place with the extra large carts to fit all my kids. If I went to the park, I had to wear one on my back while I held the other kid's hands. I had to make a plan everywhere I went. Some places became a simple no. I knew it would be too complicated to bring the kids while I was by myself and I'd have to wait for my husband. Then the summer hit. We recently moved to North Carolina and found a house with a pool. I was just as excited as the kids to spend the entire summer in the water. Then the nerves set in. How would I be able to keep three kids safe at the pool? I knew I couldn't physically hold all three of them and they aren't good enough swimmers to go on their own. Right as I was about to give up, a friend recommended Stearns® Puddle Jumper® 3D Life Jackets to me. She swore that they were amazing and helped parents feel more secure at the pool.
I tried it for my five-year-old and they changed my life! Stearns® Puddle Jumper 3D Life Jackets help parents keep their kids more safe while swimming! Parents have enough to worry about and these vests help take the fear at the pool away. They're designed to wrap around your child's chest and arms. Not to mention, they're designed so they can't hike up to their neck. It doesn't matter whether your child is a confident swimmer or a beginner swimmer. They help keep their head above water while still letting them learn the basics of swimming.
When I was younger, I used to help at my church youth group to teach kids to swim. One of the biggest things I learned was that the first step to learning how to swim is to feel confident in the water. They had to be able to trust themselves while swimming. Stearns® Puddle Jumper® 3D Life Jackets help give kids the confidence they need.Now that my two younger kids are ready to get in the water, we went to Target to find their Puddle Jumper® Life Vests. They were so excited to find that they have 3D characters on them! I was excited to see that they were adjustable. All three of my kids have such different builds and it's usually hard to find one thing that works for them all. The adjustable straps help to make sure they fit them all comfortably.
Keep these pool safety tips in mind if you're going to the pool with a big family like mine.
- Get your children comfortable in the water.
- Make swimming fun!
- Always make sure an adult is present.
- Make sure your beginner swimmers have on a life vest while swimming.
- Walk around the pool.
- Don't swim when tired.
- Take breaks.
- Make sure you always see your kids.
- Stick to one spot of the pool while they're getting comfortable.
- Get swim lessons.
Are you ready to brave the summer? If so, head over to your local Target and pick up your own Stearns® Puddle Jumper® 3D Life Jackets! Whether your have PAW Patrol® or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle® fans, they’re in luck! Let them pick out their own vests and get excited about swimming this summer!
Enjoy your summer with Stearns® Puddle Jumper® 3D Life Jackets!
How To Get My Family More Comfortable With Our Family's Mixed Culture
Sometimes the idea of getting the whole family together can get a little stressful, especially if it means the in laws come along too. It's one thing when you spend time with everyone on their own terms, but it's another thing entirely when they're out of their comfort zones.After my husband and I had our boys, it all seemed easier. Most of our family events were focused on our kids and it helped our families to have something in common. They all loved our boys to pieces and it made them more comfortable in that environment.We did learn a few things through our first few get togethers. Most of what we learned was through trial and error, but at the end of the day these three things helped a lot!Include Your Family's Traditions At Special EventsFind opportunities to include your family in traditions during your parties. Every family has their own traditions for special events and they're the perfect way to include everyone.We found a fun way to include both of our families traditions during our kid's birthday parties.Growing up my family used to do smash cakes. They would make a cake for the guests and then a little cake for the birthday kid. The best part of the smash cake is watching the little ones dig into it! Some of our kids were more aggressive with it than their siblings, but it was always fun.In my husband's family, they hand feed each other during special events. It's a special moment for family members to love on the child.My husband and I decided to combine the two traditions. We made a smash cake for our birthday boy, but had our family members feed him a bit of the cake before they could dig in.
Let Your Family Know What To ExpectOne of the biggest things that leads to fear is the unknown. We fear things because we don't understand them. This is why it's so important for us to talk to our families about what they can expect as we blend cultures.During the week of my wedding mine and my husband's family got together. I don't know who was more nervous... me or them.My family had so many things to learn that week. Their were new traditions, new customs, new languages, and new people.At the end of the day, the thing that helped the most was talking. They needed a safe place to ask questions. The more we all talked, the more comfortable they all became.
Encourage Your Kids To Teach Them About Their CultureMy kids love teaching people about their traditions and what better way to learn about something new than from a bunch of cute kids.When we eat Indian food in front of my family, my kids teach my family how to use their hands. They show them the correct technique and how they like to do it. They've even started to teach my family little Telugu words they know! It gives them a sense of pride to be able to share something that means so much to them.How have you helped your family to be comfortable with a new culture?
Teaching Our Young Boys To Dream Big
This post is sponsored by Melanites™
As a mother, I love watching my kids dream big. All three of my boys have huge imaginations. They're always thinking up new adventures in our backyard. Whether they're in a spaceship on the way to the moon or driving an ice cream truck, their imaginations take them all over the world.I want them to know the sky is the limit to what they can dream up. We read stories and watch movies about characters that are brave enough to go scour the world. As my kids get older, we've started to talk about the stories and movies more often. This was when my four year old realized something wasn't quite right...My four year is extremely proud of his brown skin. He's always telling everyone his daddy is black and he's "brown all mixed up" because he's a little bit of mommy and daddy.I love hearing him talk about it. It makes so proud to hear how he boldly proclaims this to everyone he sees. He wants the world to know that he's Indian like daddy and American like mommy.
He was the first one of my kids to ask me why there weren't more brown kids in his movies.I knew the conversation was bound to happen. I've done my best over the years to collect multicultural books and find books with main characters that look like all three of my kids.However, the reality is there aren't that many. Most of the books we found have a brown boy as the best friend or a side character.My question is what is that teaching our kids?What will our kids start thinking when they realize they're always the side character in the adventure?Will they start to modify their dreams to fit what the world is showing them?This is why it's so important that we as parents teach our kids that the sky is the limit. We need to come in and break down the limits that society has put in place for our kids.
One of the ways we can do this is to make sure they're represented in the toys they have at home, their books, and in their daily lives.
Today, I'm proud to be partnering with Melanites™ to bring diversity into our very own homes. They recently launched their new action pal! His name is Jaylen and he is your kid's new best friend.
I loved seeing the look on my kid's faces when they pulled him out the box! They were so excited to start playing with him and go on adventures with him!
Jaylen isn't just a fun toy for my kids.He is helping break down this idea that they can't do something based on their biracial identity and he's empowering them to dream big!
A Year Of Tiny Living
Hi! My name is Sara Miedema and I blog over at Tiny Home Dream. A little over a year ago, my husband decided to return to school after over a year of unemployment. In an effort to save money and stretch our resources, my husband, 2 children (ages 2 and 4) and I moved into a 300 sq foot RV.
We spent a month ripping it apart and renovating it before our big move and it’s been such a great home for us! I thought I’d share a little bit about what tiny living with a family is like by reviewing our first year.
Summer
We moved in right at the beginning of summer and it was SO lovely! The space that our RV is parked on is totally fenced in, so our kids were able to enjoy lots of freedom in our backyard, something we missed in our old house! The first summer felt a lot like camping, in the best way possible. We spent most of our time outdoors. Lots of campfires and hot dog roasts!
Our tiny home was easy to keep clean and tidy and since we were hardly ever inside, it was hardly a chore to clean it. Our kids learned so much about playing together, pretend and outdoor play. My husband and I enjoyed the relief from financial stress and the time we were able to spend together.
Adjusting to our tiny space was surprisingly easy, we transitioned our kids to sharing the same room and once they were used to the idea, the rest of it was easy. We got used to cooking and baking in a small kitchen and got comfortable using a compost toilet. We spent more time at home than at parks and beaches, because we love our outdoor space so much!
Fall
Thankfully, we enjoyed a mild fall and it gave us time to get used to the idea of spending more time indoors. We invested in good rain gear for the kids and pulled out some hidden boxes of toys as we moved indoors more and more. Unless it was absolutely pouring, the kids continued to play outside for several hours a day. We also began to attend programs in our county to help us get out of the house more often. Storytime, drop-in preschool, dance class, Bible study and toddler time kept us busy almost every day.
We rarely felt cooped up, and relished a quiet day at home! As the days grew colder and it rained more and more (PNW, don’t forget!) I started implementing daily quiet time with our kids. Our 2 year old gave up naps right around this time and I needed a few quiet moments to myself every day! The kids spent a lot of time listening to audiobooks and playing quietly with their toys. As the rain poured, we found several leaks in the roof and did our best to repair them. It was discouraging and frustrating, one of the downfalls of living in a 25 year old rig….
Winter
Our biggest challenge was definitely surviving the winter! The previous winter was mild and we only have a tiny dusting of snow and very few days below freezing. Of course, this winter was brutal! I’ve heard it was the coldest one we’ve had in 30 years! On one of our first cold days, our pipes froze and we were not only without water, but facing the reality that we had a whole season of freezing weather ahead of us!
We brainstormed and budgeted and researched and in the end, came to the conclusion that there wasn’t much we could do without spending a fortune. Instead, we turned off the water and drained our pipes each time the weather dipped. This meant many days, and weeks, of no running water. We lugged water in in 5 gallon jugs, did laundry elsewhere and showered anytime we were visiting friends or family. Our friends got used to us tossing in a load of laundry and bathing our kids each week at Bible study and our neighbors graciously helped us out when they could!
It’s also worth mentioning that we found out we were pregnant at the beginning of the winter. So along with these challenges, I also struggled with nausea and exhaustion. We celebrated a simple, cozy Christmas in our tiny home and loved it!
In January, an ice storm presented us with another challenge when our power was knocked out. Several large branches broke and landed on our roof and the strong wind rocked us back and forth so it felt like we were on a boat. We ended up making the trek to my parents’ house to wait out the storm.
Surprisingly, staying warm was never an issue. 4 bodies and a couple space heaters in our tiny space kept us nice and toasty all winter! I found myself growing discouraged and burnt out on tiny living, especially when the weather forced us to stay home for days on end. The first stretch of days above freezing were such a relief!
Spring
I can’t describe the joy we felt when the weather began to get warmer! Running water felt like such a luxury and doing laundry in our own space was a treat! The kids began spending more and more time outdoors again, usually ending up filthy and muddy, but I didn’t mind!
We were able to pack up our space heaters and dehumidifier, which made our small space feel larger. The kids and I were able to go for walks and play outside and visit parks and beaches again. At this time, we were also able to make the last payment on our student loans and that gave us another big reminder as to why we made the choice to live tiny! We realized that we had been able to save almost a thousand dollars a month in living expenses and that gave us renewed motivation and determination!
As we approach summer again, we’re loving our home and space! We just passed the one year mark and we wouldn’t change a thing. Our next big challenge is coming this month, as we’ll be adding a newborn to the mix! We’re preparing our home for a new baby and trying to envision what the next year of tiny living will be like!
Follow Sara Along On Her Journey!
Father's Day Is Our Chance To Tell Him How We Feel
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CelebrateAllSummer #CollectiveBias
Father's Day is right around the corner and my boys are getting excited! They've been planning out the perfect day to let their daddy know how much they love him.I've loved seeing the relationship my boys have with their daddy. In the beginning, they were complete momma's boys. I could tell my husband was nervous that they'd always be that way.Then I saw it happen before my eyes. I'd find them searching through the house looking for dada and the look on my husband's face was always priceless. His heart was completely full in those moments.Over the years, I've seen him do everything he can to be the best dad for his boys. He works harder than so many people I know, he always makes time to throw the ball around the yard with them, and he's showing them what it means to be an amazing man.
Father's Day is our chance to let him know how much we love him.As life get's busy we don't always take the time to tell each other how we feel. We assume they just know what we think and how much we appreciate them.American Greetings is there to help us find the words we want to say. Father's Day is the perfect time to let it all out. These dads work hard all year to be an example to their kids and much like every other parent, they don't always think they're doing great. This is our time to let them know how much we appreciate everything they do.My kids had a blast choosing out their cards. My four-year-old found a card with a "superhero daddy" and my other boys found cards that fit their personalities perfectly.
This year for Father's Day, my kids are going to spoil their daddy with cards that tell him exactly how they feel and a delicious brunch. We even decided to mix together two of my husband's favorite things... Indian food and pizza.We've decided to whip up a delicious batch of Curry Spiced Waffle Pizza. If he could survive on Indian food and pizza, I know he would. I let his taste buds be the inspiration for our tasty Father's Day brunch menu.
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Whether you want to find the perfect words to tell dad you love him or you just want to celebrate your best friend, American Greetings is there for you. Sometimes it's hard to find the words to describe how we feel about the close people in our lives, but these cards are perfect.We went to Walmart looking for Father's Day cards and ended up leaving with cards for Hug Your Kids Day and Finally Summer! I had to cut my kids off in the end because they wanted to leave with them all!
I love American Greetings because they don't just have cards! We were able to get everything we needed for Father's Day in one simple trip! We picked up our favorite cards, a gift bag, and even tissue paper! They have it all!
Pick up your American Greeting cards today, but don't forget to use this coupon!Are you an Ibotta fan like me? You should be! They have a ton of great savings! You could head over to Walmart today and purchase any American Greetings® Card at Walmart and Earn $1 on Ibotta ! They've even sweetened the deal by offering another deal! You can purchase any American Greetings® Card at Walmart and Earn $1 on Ibotta !
Multicultural Corner #2 Traveling To Thailand!
This post is brought to you by Saffron Road
The kids and I just completed our first year of homeschool! I was really worried it was going to be hard with all three kids, but it turned out really well.We quickly found a stride that worked for us and did most of our stuff outside. All three of my kids are hands-on learners, so we learned what we could at parks or in our backyard. Not to mention, the ability to wear them out while they learned was a huge plus!One of my favorite parts of teaching the kids from home has been our little multicultural corner. About once a month, we choose a new area of the world to learn about. We do it through fun books, games, crafts, and our very favorite... food!Indian culture has shown me how food can bring cultures together. It doesn't matter what your differences are. All you need to do is whip up a delicious meal and enjoy together. I also think it's a great way to teach kids about the world around them. They not only get to hear about a new culture, they get to explore it with their taste buds.
Where Are Our Taste Buds Taking Us To Today?
Even though the school year is over, my kids are dying to see the new culture we're going to explore! Today, our taste buds are taking us all the way to Thailand!I won't lie, I've been counting down the days until we could learn about Thailand! During our first year together, my husband and I spent most of our date nights at Thai restaurants.We both became completely obsessed with the food and loved the stories we would hear from the owners of the little restaurant. It ended up being a great fit for us because my husband could get his dishes Thai hot (burn your mouth off spicy) and I could get mine mild (white girl spicy)! It was perfect.I love being able to introduce my boys to Thai food because it brings back so many memories for my husband and I.Today, we whipped up some Pad Thai! Our house is filled with such a delicious smell. I had to fight my kids off just to be able to take a few pictures before they devoured their bowls!
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Today's multicultural corner is brought to you by Saffron Road!
I have fallen in love with their company because they have so many kinds of simple dishes!They have Indian freezer meals and their simmer sauces are to die for! This month we've already made their Mango Chicken and Pad Thai.I'm usually in a rush when it comes to dinner time so these quick dishes are just what we need! We can quickly whip up an international feast and my family is beyond happy!
Share Your Own Multicultural Corner Resources, Activities, and Recipes!
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Does It Make My Son Racist To Notice Different Skin Colors?
"Mom, look! He's black like daddy!"
This was what my 4 year old decided to yell as we walked through Target. The funny thing was that the man he was referring to looked at him and smiled, but a lady walking behind us was the one that gave Levi a double take. She wasn't mad necessarily, but you could tell it made her uncomfortable.My son is very visual, like most kids his age. When he retells me some of his adventures from the day, he tends to refer to children and adults by skin color. It's the descriptive words that his brain instantly recognizes."Can you get the black boys phone number so he can come and play?"In his mind, he's just describing his new friend like he would with any other adjectives.I've struggled over this one a bit. Everyone has such different opinions on what's acceptable, but at the end of the day, I had to make a decision for my kids.When my son was talking to me about his friend from the park, I responded by modeling different descriptors."Oh yeah, the kid with the orange shirt? He was really nice!"I don't correct him for using skin color as his descriptor, but I provide him with others as well. As a biracial child, I think it's important for him to realize we are who we are because of so many things. Our skin color doesn't define who we are, but it's one of many pieces of our identity.
Should We Raise Our Kids To Be Colorblind?
Another approach to this would be to raise our kids with a color blind mentality. It basically means you teach your kids not to see skin color.As a multiracial family, I can't see how that's healthy. My kids are being raised in two different cultures. Those cultures have influenced so many things about our family's identity and our daily decisions. If we were to teach our kids to stop seeing color, I feel like we'd be telling them to stop letting their Indian/American culture influence who they are.I've had people tell me I focus too much on my kid's culture rather than teaching them to simply be kids. I do it because I want my kids to be raised with a global mindset. If we're only teaching them about one culture we're ignoring all of the other amazing lessons they can learn from different cultures around the world.We currently attend a multiracial church and our pastor is always talking about being color blessed instead of color blind. I love it because it encourages us to embrace what makes us unique rather than ignore it.I want my kids to see the differences we all have so they also understand the unique part we all have to play in our diverse world.
The Real Problem
At the end of the day, the problem isn't kids using colors to describe people around them. The problem is when we make negative and hurtful statements about people based on the color of their skin.We are raising our children in a society that still struggles with racism and prejudice. As far as we've come from the days of Martin Luther Kind Jr. and the Lovings, we still have a ways to go.It's because of this that race becomes an uncomfortable conversation. People would rather be colorblind than talk about something that makes them feel awkward. In reality, I think a lot of parents are scared of saying the wrong thing.I've been there too! It's one thing to talk about race in the comfort of your own home, but it's a different story when it happens in public. You don't want to offend anyone, but you don't want them that talking about different races makes you feel weird.I've just started to break the uncomfortable barrier by asking questions. If I'm not sure what to say, I'll ask friends around me. By asking the question, they know you want to be respectful and you'll even learn a few things!I want my kids to do the same thing. I encourage them to learn more about people and to feel comfortable noticing what makes us all unique.
Embrace The Mess This Summer With These Fun Activities!
The Bigger The Mess, The Bigger The Adventure
As a mother, most of my day is spent cleaning up messes that get made quicker than I ever thought imaginable. I'm constantly trying to keep boogers in noses, pee in the toilet, and dirty fingers off my couch.Summer time can get a little crazy for parents. While it's supposed to be a two month long vacation, it turns into chaos rather quickly. When kids don't have school work they happily find other things to keep them busy.I'll let you in on a little secret... it involves a big mess.The more I've been thinking about this summer, I've realized messes aren't the end of the world. I tend to be a control freak when it comes to my parenting. I want things to stay the way I envision them which means as little mess as possible.In the end it only ends up with me near a nervous breakdown while my kids get dirty anyways.Then I had an earth shattering moment... I realized summer time is the absolute best time for messes. All you have to do is let the kids go outside, get as messy as they can, and then turn the sprinklers on!It's a win-win situation!
Your kids instantly think you're the best mom in town because you're letting them get as messy as their hearts desire and you can get them clean before they even step foot in your house.This is exactly why our summer motto is "The Bigger The Mess, The Bigger The Adventure."My kids are only going to be little kids once. I love watching them go outside and turn our backyard into a jungle filled with giant creatures they have to run from. I love seeing rain turn magical powers that gives my kids the ability to fly.While I may see these crazy, mud-covered children as something else I have clean up, they see it as a huge adventure.
20 Messy Summer Adventures
- Digging in the dirt for treasure
- Finger Paint In The Bathtub
- Chalk Bombs (Crushed up chalk and a bit of water in a water balloon)
- Squirt Gun Painting
- Mud Painting
- Puffy Paint (Shaving Cream and Glue)
- Sensory Bin Filled With Cooked Spaghetti
- Make Bright Colored Slime
- Use Your Own Body As A Stamp Outside
- Giant Bubbles
- Spray Chalk
- Muddy Trucks In The Play Pool
- Exploding Mentos (Mentos in Clear Pop)
- Messy Twister (Adding colored shaving cream to each spot)
- Paint Slip And Slide
- Bubble Wrap Painting
- Foam Sand (Sand and shaving cream)
- Fairy Soup (Water and whatever they can find in the yard)
- Ice Cube Painting (Water and food coloring)
- Shaving Cream Blocks (Use shaving cream as the "glue" to keep it together)
Kleenex Is Here To Help Moms Embrace The Mess
At the end of the day all you need is a sprinter and a Kleenex On The Go Package. Kids are going to get messy and summer is the best time to embrace it.It doesn't matter if you're at home, at the park, or on your way to vacation, embrace the mess this summer. Just have fun and if you're brave enough... join in!The best part is there is no mess that the Kleenex On The Go Pack can't handle! I always have one in the car and one in my purse. We've used them for anything from muddy hands to paint covered faces. It makes cleaning up the mess a breeze.
Head over to your local Walmart today and pick up your own Kleenex On The Go Pack and embrace the mess this summer!