Parenting Archives - Busy Moms Helper

When You Need a Doctor On-The-Go

November 18, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Compensation was provided by Amwell via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Amwell or Momtrends.

As a busy mom of 5, we have plenty of reasons to need a doctor throughout the year. Right now it’s for that insane flu season – all but one of my kiddos has already gone through it (plus hubby – that was a challenge!). Other times, it’s for their eczema acting up, or my daughter’s asthma – maybe a possible ear infection, strep or allergies being unusually bad. Or the first time one of my kids got stung by a bee and I had no clue what I was suppose to do to help it. Whatever the reason, it’s not always possible to go in to your regular office – so I’m grateful for access to the Amwell app for when you need a doctor on-the-go.

You heard right – an APP that gives you access to a doctor! What’s great is that you can use your desktop OR mobile device, so even if your kid gets sick during a road trip or something, you can still pull out your phone and get help from board-certified, licensed doctors. My biggest worry is if/when my kids have a medical need, but it’s outside of normal office hours – if it’s not emergency room level, but still something I don’t want to wait until the next day or so to have addressed, I can sign on to Amwell and meet live with a doctor. Plus you can CHOOSE the doctor from their list! Okay, here’s how it works…

First, you create a log in. After your info is entered, they give you a list of doctors online right then – and even shows if they already have a patient at the moment so you may have to wait, or if they’re available! I like this option because I know there’s certain situations my girls would feel more comfortable talking with a female. Or, if you don’t have a preference of the doctor, you can just click for next available. And they give you the price first, so no surprises! You put if the patient is you or if it’s someone else (like your child), then input your concern.

One neat feature is the ability to invite others to join in the ‘meeting’ – this is great if a parent is somewhere else but still wants to be there to see what’s going on with their child’s sickness or concern.

I love that they also allow you to input any allergies, medications (and if you don’t know medication spelling, you can just start inputting the name then search for it – much easier!), and even a spot for IF you know vital signs and want to put those in as well. They give you the option to put in your insurance, then make sure you know the amount.

Here’s the great part – on this page (below) you can input a promo code, and I’ve got one to share with you! In that spot, just enter AMWELL50 for 50% off an urgent care visit with Amwell!

It’s also nice that they cover a wide range of needs – from minor sickness and injuries to wellness-type concerns. They can even assist with prescription refills! I heard they also employ behavioral therapists and registered dietitians, so really can assist with pretty much anything our kids throw at us. 😉 Did I mention they’re available 24 hours a day, all week long?

This week was a perfect example of when Amwell was a great resource for us – my daughter has had a weird rash on her chin (JUST her chin) for a couple of weeks now. She’s always had eczema, but never had an issue here – and no other spots on her skin were acting up. I didn’t want to take her clear in to an office plus pay a hefty price, so we pulled up the Amwell app on our phone and chatted with one of their pediatricians. This was one occasion when the ability to upload photos to the app (before you even begin talking with the doctor) was very helpful, since we got a shot of the exact spot of the rash and what it looked like.

It ended up just being a bad case of eczema, probably because her chin is more exposed to all our changing weather – but it was a relief to know it wasn’t something more, and he was able to give us some ideas on how best to get it healed quicker.

Like I said before, you can access them on your desktop at www.Amwell.com – or download it to your phone via the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (where’s my fellow Android users?!) Don’t forget to use promo code AMWELL50 for 50% off an urgent care visit with them!

There’s plenty of times in the past I wish I’d known about Amwell, because kids can certainly spring all sorts of concerns, sickies and hurts on us when we’re not quite sure what we’re doing – and I’m sure you fellow parents can definitely relate! Now you can have more peace of mind and flexibility by using Amwell for access to a doctor on-the-go. Because you know that the times you may need it most won’t be the most convenient – that’s just the reality of parenthood!

Start Your Discounted Doctor’s Visit, Get 50% OFF a $69 Urgent Care — CLICK HERE.

5 Tips for a Multi-age Family Halloween

October 18, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Thanks to shopDisney.com for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Even though we have 5 kiddos, they’re not too far apart in age (8 to 13). I have many friends, however, who struggle to do Halloween as a family because they have a wide spread of ages. What works best for a toddler isn’t exactly exciting for a preteen. You can still have a spooktacular holiday with the 5 Tips for a Multi-Age Family Halloween!

5 Tips for a Multi-Age Family Halloween - how to handle a big age gap during Halloween #ad #shopdisney #halloween

#1 Too Scary or Just Right?

This seems to be what parents bring up first – how do I keep it mild for my littles but ‘scary enough’ for my older kids? While this can be tricky, it’s totally doable by finding themes that ‘scream’ Halloween without the terror. For example, skeletons can be just as thrilling while still being adorable – such as these Mickey Mouse Light-up Hoodies.

Or how about these cute PJ Pals?

#2 Pick Their Favorites

Little ones may be all about Buzz Lightyear or Tinkerbelle, while older kids probably prefer Descendants characters or Black Panther. Whatever they’re into, you can get each child their own favorite costumes, accessories and more! This also helps them feel unique and have more fun with ‘their’ Halloween.

#3 Costumes for Everyone

Help your kids feel more ‘together’ despite the age differences by joining them in dressing up! Yes, I’m encouraging grown adults to have some fun *gasp* – but seriously, it shouldn’t just be the kids choosing their favorites and participating in the activities, the parents should be included to make it really feel like a family event. This is particularly helpful for the ‘older’ kids who may be worried it’s childish to dress up. If they see you in costume, they’ll feel like it’s just fine to enjoy it!

And yes, include the more furry family members, too!

#4 Share in Decorating

Get input from everyone – big or little, young or old – on your family’s theme for decorating this year. Maybe the younger ones can help with plush characters or yard signs. The older kids may be trusted with things that require a bit more care and responsibility – such as garlands or glass figures. This way everyone feels a part of the process, but still have tasks geared to their level.

#5 Matchy?

What better way to bring the entire family – regardless of age – together than with fun matching Halloween outfits? I know some people are very much in the ‘each person needs something different’ group for their family Halloween clothing, and I agree with that sometimes. I’m a huge lover of awesome matching pjs for my crew, though! Or go for something more basic, like these cool and CUSTOMIZABLE tshirts.

Another option, for those that want to mix it up a bit, is to pick a matching THEME then each person gets their own character. I’d love to go as Jack & Sally, maybe with a little Oogey Boogey or Zero!

There’s also picking the same movie – like Toy Story – or go with a ‘universe’ such as Marvel or Star Wars! There’s so many options to choose from, you’re bound to find something that works for every family.

Final Tip

Overall, the important thing is to consider each of your child’s interests (no matter the age) and include that in some way for our family’s Halloween activities. Age gaps can be difficult, and you may end up putting some kids to bed earlier than the teens – but that just means some extra time you can do more ‘older kid’ things with them, after doing some things the little ones would enjoy.

Hope everyone has a spooktacular family Halloween this year!

How to Organize Your Day with a Toddler

September 13, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

The benefits of staying home with your kids are many, but that doesn’t mean everything always goes smoothly – especially when you have a toddler running around. In fact, caring for a toddler all day makes it difficult to get anything else done around the home. So, how do you care for a toddler and do all the other things you have to take care at home without running yourself ragged? Here’s some tips on How to Organize Your Day with a Toddler!

Moms and dads that stay home with their kids have a wonderful opportunity to spend precious time with their little ones that many parents who work outside of the home don’t get. You get to be there for all of the little things that you may otherwise miss. It’s certainly not easy, though, so organizing your day well can make a huge difference in how exhausted you end up when bedtime hits.

Here’s how to organize your day with a toddler:

Start with a simple, flexible schedule. A schedule will help you remember all the important things that you need to get done throughout the day so you can stay on track. By keeping it flexible, you won’t feel overwhelmed when something unexpected happens or when your toddler is simply having a bad day (or you are, because we KNOW that happens) and you don’t get through the list.
Set aside some special time just for your toddler. Use this time to play games, go outside and have fun with your toddler. This will ensure that you do spend quality time with her instead of running back and forth trying to play while taking care of other tasks. We’re all familiar with mom guilt, so this will help with that, as well.
Provide a safe environment with age appropriate activities to keep him/her busy while you take care of business. The activities will keep them occupied and happy while you work. You’ll also get more done because you know they’re in a safe environment where you don’t have to watch her every second (but please do watch as is age appropriate!)
Plan your meals in advance and eat around the same time every day. It’ll help you establish a daily routine that your kids learn to expect, in addition to helping you stay organized.

These simple tips are easy to implement into your daily schedule and they can help you keep your day organized even with a demanding toddler running around.

How to Live with Purpose

September 9, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

As parents, especially moms, it’s easy to kind of lose our sense of self or our purpose in life. To help, here are a few philosophies you need to take on that show us how to live with purpose. People measure success in different ways and if you want to be happy and feel successful with your own life, you need to determine what YOUR definition of success is. Then you need to take the steps to reach it, and to focus on what is important to you.

This will look different for all of us, depending on our goals or what our priorities our – but the basic ideas to help us figure it out are the same. Here are some simple steps on how to live with purpose:

1. Live your life according to your beliefs and values. This will help you stay centered and feel content.

2. Set priorities and then stick to them. Easier said than done sometimes, but important to set as a life goal.

3. Do something to make a difference. How can you help others? Can you make a difference in your home? Your community? Your church or neighborhood?

4. Live in the moment. These moments will pass you by so quickly. Be here. Be aware. Be in it. Experience what life has to offer.

5. Find balance in your life. When you live with purpose in your heart and that purpose on your mind, you can find your balance.

6. Follow your passions. Being a mom doesn’t mean you need to give up on your own dreams and passions.

These are just a few tips on how to live with purpose. There’s plenty of others, and you can probably think of some on your own – just feel free to use this as inspiration and a starting point. The most important thing is not to get so caught up in your busy life as a mom that you forget about the things that are really important. I know, easier said than done 😉

Ultimate Time Saver App for Busy Parents

August 23, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Thank you Medici for sponsoring this post. Medici connects doctors and patients in an easy to use app!

Who else is struggling to get through back to school season? There’s so much to take care of, and then once school starts we’re back to insane schedules between classes, homework, sports, and activities! Phew, it can be exhausting, but at least now we can save quite a bit of stress, time AND money with this Ultimate time Saver App for Busy Parents — Medici! It’s not your ordinary app, and let me tell you why…

First of all, Medici is an app you can download to your phone for free, and then connect with doctors, psychiatrists or even the vet without having to make an extra trip. That means skipping the waiting room the next time you or your kiddos need to see a doctor, so you can spend more time with your family. It can be super stressful for parents who are already busy with all life’s demands to try to fit one more thing into their schedule, especially when the office hours aren’t always when we can fit it in! With Medici, you can text, voice or video call with a doctor (or vet) over a secure HIPAA-compliant platform.

It’s easy for doctors to sign up, so if your preferred one isn’t already on Medici (there’s a lot on there) it’s not difficult to find the type you need. One of my favorite things about this is that when my kids are feeling miserable, I don’t have to load them into the car for a drive only to sit waiting at the office. Now they can rest at home while we figure things out with their pediatrician over Medici. That means they’re more comfortable, I can get them the help they need without the hassle, and the faster they can get feeling better and back to play!

If medicine or a more advanced look is needed, you can get ePrescriptions, eReferrals (for those time a specialist may be needed) and even Lab Results right there in the app. Nice and convenient, right? This will be handy for that once a year when at least a few in our family get strep, because our doctor knows this happens and now we don’t have to drive all the way to the office when the second or third person gets it!

Whether you’re a busy parent, pet parent or even just a couple (because we know us parents can get sick just as easy — but who has time for that?), Medici has you covered from pediatrician to vet to OBGYN, so you can have all of your family’s doctors just a text away!

This is seriously the ultimate time-saver app, because most busy parents know all too well that having to switch up schedules and driving to the doctor’s office can really throw a wrench in our already full day. Nobody likes it when someone in the family gets sick, but at least Medici helps take some of the stress and hassle (and even cost!) away with their convenient, easy-to-use app. If you’re looking to conveniently get your basic healthcare needs met without having to change your schedule, I encourage you to download Medici and try it out for yourself!

School of Rock: The Band

August 9, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Thanks to School of Rock for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Woohoo – my boys just completed their first ever concert since starting their lessons at School of Rock, and learning their instruments! One of the great parts about having them attend this place is that they get to participate in a band (at their level) and get actual experience performing together. Here’s a bit of our experience with School of Rock: The Band.

I’ve shared a bit of our awesome experience at School of Rock so far, but wanted to share more details about the band aspect. That’s right, along with their weekly private lessons with qualified and experienced instructors who are passionate about music, the kids also get one 90 minute lesson (or 2 hours, for ages 12 and up) with others at their level to make their own ‘band’! They practice their specific songs together, and learn how to work as an actual band – then they get real life experience at popular venues in the area to perform.

I admit, I was nervous at first because how could my boys do well in a band format starting in June when they just started learning their instruments in mid-May? Luckily the staff at School of Rock know exactly how to work with the youth to help them progress at a good pace, and find a good fit so that the band is a positive learning environment, not stressful.

Right from the start, my kiddos loved playing in their band! They felt more motivated to practice even harder, since there were now others depending on their development and not just themselves. Even though they just started lessons in mid-May, and the band in early June, they did fantastic at their concert last week! Leading up to it, they worked extra hard because they were so excited, and my Thor kept calling performance day his ‘special day’. They were thrilled to get this opportunity, and felt so proud of themselves for a job well done!

And yes, my youngest was nervous, but had no hesitation for getting up there on stage and doing his best on the guitar – and can’t wait until their end of semester performance so he can do it all again!

I’ve been so proud of my boys for their progress on their instruments while at School of Rock, and can’t wait to see how far they go from here on out!

What instrument would your kids choose at School of Rock?

Family Home Binder Printables

August 5, 2019 by Danielle 1 Comment

Isn’t it such a pain to sort through a ton of documents and files to find the information you need, especially when you’re in a rush? Now you can keep all your family’s important info in one, easy place with these Family Home Binder Printables! We’ve got everything from medical forms and emergency contacts, to shopping lists and babysitter sheets, plus budgets and more to make your life as a busy mom much easier and organized.

After lots of asking around as to what people preferred, we made our home binder printables simple and clean-looking, while still being stylish with some pops of color. It goes perfectly with our 2018 Free Printable Planner, as well as our awesome 52 Weeks of Meal Plans (with recipes) Book! We tried to include the majority of lists and documents that a busy family would need, helping you keep track of everything in one, convenient place. Once you have the PDFs, you can print off as many as you’d like (such as with the monthly budget sheet or weekly menu and shopping lists) – for personal use only, of course 🙂 We even included several cover options, so you can print off whichever you like best.

What’s included in the Family Home Binder Printable pack?

4 Cover Designs – front and back (front has choice of ribbon decor or plain in that blue label piece)
Weekly Tasks and To Do Spread
Page for listing household Utilities & Services information
School Information
Weekly Menu & Shopping List
Medical Forms
Family Emergency Plan, Map (fire escape route) & Contacts
Emergency Contact Sheet
Monthly Budget – one blank and one with some general expenses filled in
Babysitter Helper Sheet
Birthday List

Family Home Binder Printables

That’s a LOT of pages, but super important to have handy when your family needs them. You can nab the entire set now for just $1.99 – what a deal!

Let’s talk about the individual sheets now, shall we? Since many of us need help getting our tasks organized – otherwise we try to keep all our to do’s in our head – here’s the Weekly Tasks & To Do’s spread:

It has the days listed out along the top, and then to the left it’s divided into AM, PM or Eve (evening) so you can spread it out a bit by times, as desired.

One that many people forget to have on-hand is a list of their utility companies, contact information and account numbers – because we don’t really think about it until something happens and we need it RIGHT THEN. Now you can have them all neatly listed out on this sheet. We pre-filled some of the lines with the general types of utilities many people have, but it still has plenty of lines for adding in others as needed.

I never really thought to have a sheet of all my kids’ school information until we took a ‘parents only’ vacation and my uncles were watching them for almost 2 weeks.

Now you can print off a sheet for each school child, and have everything on there – from their homeroom teacher’s info, to their schedule (including bus) and more.

Along with having that easily accessible when you have a sitter, how about a BABYSITTER HELPER sheet? You can add the details for that particular time, plus things like what they should eat and what times. So useful!

For a long while I was using plain, boring paper to write out our family’s weekly menu – now it’s much more fun (and not such an eye-sore on my fridge) with this cute weekly menu that I can fill in.

This is the same design I use in our Meal Plan on a Budget Book, along with the fun shopping list page.

I’m crossing my fingers and knocking on wood right now as I type this (you know, just in case I jinx myself) – but we’ve only had to take a child to the emergency room ONE TIME. With 5 kids, that’s such a lucky blessing! When that did happen, though, I wish we had this medical form so I could have all of his information in one spot to take with us instead of trying to dig it all out and call hubby back home to find the stuff I just didn’t remember. Super stressful!

You can even use it when going to new doctors and such, since you can put all of their allergies, medications, past surgeries and the like on there. This page alone would’ve been well worth the mere $1.99 cost when we had our ER ordeal – and you can nab the whole set for that cost! Woot woot!

To go right along with that form – other emergencies can, unfortunately, happen to our families. Times like this, we don’t have a moment to spare – so it’s extremely important to have a plan. These emergency pages allow you spots to input your family’s emergency plans…

…including a sheet of more emergency contacts. We also included a mostly-blank page where you can draw out a rough idea of your home escape plan, for instances such as a fire.

This is great to practice with the kids regularly, so they know what to do should the worst happen.

Okay, now that we’ve covered those very urgent, hopefully-won’t-be-needed forms, let’s move on to something a little more fun – a place to put all those birthdays we try to keep in our minds constantly! Whether you just track your immediate family’s special days, or include every aunt, uncle and second-cousin-twice-removed, there’s spots for each month!

I know not everyone likes keeping a budget (I’m actually in love with budgeting, so for me it’s fun), but in case you do there’s a sheet to track all of your monthly finances!

We’ve included a sheet that’s partially filled in with common expenses, but also have one blank in case you really want full control over the items and order 🙂

Phew, that’s quite a ton of papers – but when you’ve got an entire family and household to care for it can be SUPER helpful to have all that information in one place. You can either put it in folders, staple it together, place it in a binder, or even just spiral-bind the packet yourself. Whatever you choose, this family home binder printable set is great for any busy mom, dad or family!

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This is included in our Busy Mom Bundle, along with other fabulous printable packs!

Check out our other products HERE

Unofficial Disney Activity & Autograph Books

2018 Planner & Calendar

Summer Camp Kits or Kid Activity Packs

A YEAR of Meal Plans plus Recipes – on a budget!

Back to School Printable Checklists

July 22, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central forOshKosh B’Gosh. I received an OshKoshB’Gosh gift card to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #backtobgosh #bgoshjeanius #IC

I knew the transition from 1 child in school to 3 all at once was going to be rough – but oh my gosh it’s only a few days into the new year and I’m going crazy! With school starting at 7:45am, it’s a mad rush in the morning – then they’re so eager to play after they get home that nothing is getting done. Luckily we’re all set with awesome new clothes thanks to OshKosh B’Gosh, and now these Back to School Printable Checklists should fix the other hassles! originally shared August 2015

Even my kindergarten boys find it much easier, and more fun for some reason, to get everything done in the morning when they have a list to check off. After school they know to get it all done before asking to go play so I don’t have to keep asking ‘did you remember to do XY or Z?’ There’s even a sheet for bedtime to help with that busy time!

Each printable includes a filled out one with general tasks for each time of day, but also a blank one you can fill in your own things for them to do with a white market, if desired. Download each one here:

Good Morning Sheet Good Afternoon Sheet Good Night Sheet

Then just cut out, laminate so they’re reusable, and even add a ring to hang it neatly for them to access!

Getting dressed is one of the kids’ favorite parts of day right now because they’re SUPER excited about their new clothes! I let them pick them out (mostly on their own) last time we swung by OshKosh B’Gosh. I loved the prices – they loved the selection. I mean, what kid wouldn’t be off-the-walls THRILLED about glow in the dark shirts?!

No, I don’t know what this ‘pose’ of Thor’s was – but he wanted to make sure I got his shirt AND jeans in the photo. I was so glad we could nab the quality jeans at a great price – and they have the adjustable waist that my skinny-minny kids need!

Even Hulk, our preschooler this year, got some fun new items for his closet – and he looks so much older in these, don’t you think? Too cute!

Since it can get expensive outfitting FOUR kiddos, I’m always grateful for additional savings like this coupon!

Our school has a bit of a dress code, so we have to be careful to adhere to their policies while still letting our kids pick fun designs and pieces to show their own personalities, like Thor showing off his love of green that still glows in the dark. Jeans are always acceptable, and so easy to match with anything really – just add a bold print or a touch of the neat glow and you can send them out the door in style!

Black Widow even found sparkly leggings! Of course we had to grab a bunch because…they’re SPARKLY!

Want to make a difference while checking ‘back to school clothes’ off your shopping list? OshKosh B’gosh, in partnership with K.I.D.S./ Fashion Delivers, Inc., and DonorsChoose.org are offering the opportunity for you to donate a new pair of jeans or make a cash donation to a students in need this school year.

Now through September 16th 2015, all denim donated will be delivered to local children in need through K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers. Cash donations will be dispersed to local DonorsChooose.org. The Carters Charitable foundation will match all the denim donations with a new piece of clothing, and all cash donations up to $50,000! Check out more on the ‘B’gosh Jeanius Campaign here.

Why Extracurricular Activities are Good for Kids

July 19, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We received complimentary lessons to help facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Parenthood is exhausting, especially with multiple kids and all of their additional events. We already have so much going on each day, so fitting in their dance, karate, music lessons or whatever else can seem daunting. Sometimes, we may even wonder why the heck we’re allowing anything more, when even school and homework can be overwhelming! While I’m a firm believer that children shouldn’t be OVERLY scheduled, here’s some reasons Why Extracurricular Activities are Good for Kids.

Now, in our house we limit each of our kids to just one extracurricular activity at a time (with a few very rare exceptions). Three of my kiddos have been taking latin ballroom classes for a few years now, and two of my boys just started doing music lessons at School of Rock for the summer semester – and that’s been a huge blessing! When those two had nothing to do, they felt left out – they didn’t know WHAT they wanted, but knew they were missing out on something. Once they started learning their drum/guitar skills, though, they’ve really blossomed and their daily attitude is much happier and more positive. It truly shows that extracurricular activities are good for kids!

Helps Build Their Passion

Many adults nowadays don’t even know what they’re passionate about – they just focus on getting a good-paying job. Not that that’s BAD, necessarily, but even outside of work they don’t know what they really enjoy. By letting kids try different things as they’re growing up, they can learn what they’re really excited about, what makes them eager to put in the practice/work for. This can help them decide not only what to do later in life, but also leave the option for an ‘extra hobby’ as an adult, too.

Future Benefits

Along with that, they can build up their skills in whatever their hobby is – such as my boys’ guitar or drums – and use that to provide a living for their family when they’re older. Their instructors at School of Rock really enjoy their ‘work’ teaching kids music, and I can almost guarantee they grew up building their knowledge and experience so that they COULD do that. Not only do they get to share what they love, but get to earn a living spreading those skills. Likewise, one of my girls has a dream of being a dance instructor on the side when she’s an adult, and is working hard to make sure she has the skills and experience necessary for that. Think long-term!

Teaches Them Responsibility

We all know that school homework can be a struggle – big time! But when your kids have something fun to do, especially something that they CHOSE to do, it can be a whole different story. I fight with some of my kids about school daily, but never have to nag about practicing – they just do it every morning like clockwork! With my two boys doing instruments, since they have only been working on this for a little over a month, they’re still learning HOW to practice more productively – such as dividing their practice time between their different songs for band, or knowing to spend more time on a certain skill their struggling with. If they don’t practice, they learn to be accountable for that with their class or fellow band members.

Also check out the Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids!

Gives Them an Outlet

One of my boys has SPD (sensory processing disorder), so he’s always bouncing and needing movement. Some days it’s hard to make sure he gets enough of that stimulation he needs, but once he started playing the drums – getting to bob his head to the beat, hit the drums with sticks and the foot kicker, and move back and forth between the different drum/cymbal pieces, you could really tell a difference. It’s been great not only for that motion he needs, but also all that extra energy that kids can get! When my other son is driving me bonkers because he has too much built-up energy in the house, I suggest he goes and does a few dance rounds – works like a charm!

Healthy Social Environments

My kids have been both public schooled and now homeschooled, and in both situations I can honestly say that I’m super grateful for the friends they have during their outside activities! Friends at school (or in homeschool groups, or whatever) are great, but they don’t seem to be quite as close. I think part of that is within the class or band, they share that same passion and are working on it together, already giving them something to connect with. I’m not saying our kids are friends with EVERYONE in their activities, but their best friends have certainly come from their extracurricular activities. They learn to get along better, work together and to help each other progress in their skills, which is such a blessing for kids.

How else are extracurricular activities good for kids?

Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids

June 22, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

School of Rock provides us complimentary lessons so we can fully review this program. All opinions are mine alone.

I grew up taking piano lessons, and for a long time I was so frustrated that my mom wouldn’t let me quit. Now that I’m a parent, I look back and realize all that I gained from that – not just learning more piano, but also real life skills. Now that two of my boys are taking lessons for guitar and drums, I enjoy watching their growth and excitement each week. Many parents don’t realize how valuable taking lessons can be for their children – so today I’m sharing 5 Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids!

When I say music lessons, I’m not talking necessarily just guitar and drums (that’s just what my kids are doing right now) – I mean any instrument, vocal lessons, or even just learning how to read or write music! They all have these same benefits, just with varying methods. Here’s some of the benefits of music for kids – and just some of the reasons I’m thrilled my boys are taking lessons at School of Rock!

Learning Hard Work to Reach Their Goals

In real life, things don’t come easy to most of us. If we have goals we want, we need to make hard work towards them, sticking to it even when it gets hard or frustrating. It’s best for kids to learn this when they’re younger, so it’s not a ‘rude awakening’. By working towards mastering a certain song on their instrument, or having a goal to play drums at a certain tempo with no mistakes, they’re learning this process at a younger age so that when it’s the ‘big things’, they’re ready.

Time Management Skills

Just like with any skill, it takes practice – which means making time regularly to work on the music, practice their instrument, and really build up those skills. Just like when they’re adults needing to manage their time with tasks at work, they’re learning to do so not only with something they’re passionate about, but also how to overcome those slump days when they just don’t feel like making it a priority – but doing it anyway!

Improving Their Music Skills

Who knows if my boys will grow up to be in a world-famous band, write record-breaking tracks or just simply enjoy breaking out their guitar or drums for some fun time with friends. Perhaps they’ll teach lessons to others when they’re grown, passing on the skills they acquired from their own amazing instructors at School or Rock. Whatever they choose to do with these specific talents and knowledge of music and their instruments, they’ll have plenty options and enjoyment!

Building Friendships/Relationships

Not only do they build respectful relationships in their teacher-student situations, but with their group band lessons they’re making friends, learning to work and grow together, and acquiring great teamwork skills. They get to see the results when everyone puts in the hard work, and how all the parts fit together for a rockin’ good time!

Improve Memory & Cognitive Skills

I loved this article that School of Rock shared about how important it can be for children. Not only does learning the music, the parts and workings of their instrument, and the parts to various songs help their memory skills, but it makes strong connections in different parts of their brain. This development can keep their mind sharper for longer, and make it easier to learn other information or skills because their brains already have experience building those networks.

BONUS: Build Confidence

Confidence is something that’s of high importance to many parents, since it can be the foundation for a happy, healthy life for their kids. It’s one of my favorite benefits of music lessons! With all of the hard work, managing their time, working together, sticking with it even when they want to quit – then seeing the amazing results at the end, they can help strengthen their confidence because THEY did that. They put in the work. They progressed in their skills. They took the steps to go further and further, and now can look back to see how far they’ve come since the start – and how far they can go if they continue.

I love seeing the growth my boys have had already, both with the music AND the life skills. I can’t wait to see how much more will happen as they continue their music lessons with school of rock, and where these important life skills will take them in their lives!

Consequence Chart for Moms and Kids

May 24, 2019 by Lynn Driver 11 Comments

Hey, ladies! It’s Lynn, back today to share something with you that has been so helpful for me: a Consequence Chart for Moms and Kids. It’s really very simple but will go a long way toward saving a busy mom’s sanity! (originally shared June 2015)

As parents, we have to handle all kinds of situations with our children, and discipline is just part of our job. Using this tool will help you know what to do in those frazzled moments when you don’t know what to do! This handy little consequence chart will cut down on frustration for moms and kids.

When my oldest kids were young (and my youngest were even younger), I found that I got frustrated trying to decide what to do about each little incident that occurred. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard for me to think of a creative, effective consequence for a behavior while several other things are going on around me (and possibly several other children are needing my attention, as well.) I wanted the punishment to fit the crime, if you will, and to be well thought out and (here’s a biggie) consistent. It was hard to achieve all those things with just knee-jerk reaction discipline. Even when I thought of a really good idea, I didn’t always remember it when the time came that I needed it.

Enter the handy-dandy little consequence chart. I decided I needed a plan. I am a planner and a list-maker, so I put those things together to decide how I would handle misbehavior. I first ordered a chart similar to this from a curriculum company I liked, but later made my own and liked it better.

It’s the best 15 minutes I’ve ever invested, and it’s free! Here are the simple steps to making your own Consequence Chart:

Whenever you notice a behavior you want to address, jot it down.
Think about what you believe would be an appropriate consequence for that behavior, and for the age of your child(ren). Discuss these with Dad and make sure you agree. (Get creative- use your favorite parenting book for tips!)
List the misbehaviors and their corresponding consequences on some diy graph paper. (I used pencil to fill in the blanks, to allow for tweaking later.
Hang the chart in a place of importance (the fridge, of course.)
Gather your kids and explain the if-then nature of your chart. (If they are old enough, give them a chance to voice questions or concerns.)

*The chart shown is for illustration purposes only.

When the next situation occurs, you and your child can “take a trip to the chart” to see what needs to happen. Speaking from experience, this cuts down on stress for mom while helping kids have a clear understanding of expectations. You can also add things to the list when you notice something that needs to be addressed, and change consequences that don’t seem to be effective, thus the pencil. (Just be sure the kids understand the changes you’ve made.) This simple little chart has been a real life-saver for me over at Riggstown Road, where I’m always on the lookout for creative ways to do things.

I’d love to hear your ideas on what to do when you don’t know what to do, too!

Most Helpful Printables for Families EVER!

April 5, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

GUYS – after doing this site for over 5 years now, and all the feedback, questions and thoughts from fellow busy parents everywhere, I decided to do something that will truly be ‘Busy Mom’s Helper’. Ready for it? It’s a complete set of printables that are designed with one purpose in mind: helping busy families! You can nab the entire set, or pick the individual one(s) that you want most. If you’re ready to dive in and check out the Most Helpful Printables for Families EVER, then here we go! (oh, and if you get the whole set, you also get our 2 most popular pdf books as a FREE bonus!)

Nab this ENTIRE set – including the bonus items – for just $5.99 HERE (or see below for smaller sets just $1 each!)

Because one of the whole points of this printable set is organization, I’m going to list out all the amazing pages that are included under their basic ‘topics’ below, so you can search for the ones you’re most eager to see (or the ones that would help you the most). We have practically everything in our 5 sets: Money & Financial, Kitchen & Meal Planning, Scheduling & Time Management, Security/Personal & Home Management, even some fun-but-helpful pages for Trip Planning!

Set 1: Money & Financial
Nab this set for only $1

Debt Tracker
- balances, payments, etc.
Emergency Fund
- tracker for balances, as well as fun chart tracker
Family Budget
- blank and pre-filled
Goals
- track your progress and balances

Set 2: Kitchen & Meal Planning
Nab this set for only $1

Our Favorite Meals
- list out family favorites for easier menu planning
Food Inventory
- pantry, fridge & freezer – keep a running list!
Shopping List
- broken down to store sections: aisles, dairy, meat/deli, produce, frozen & misc.
Weekly Meal Plan
- blank to fill in breakfast, lunch and dinner as desired
Menu
- pretty, styled listing to display your menu for the week

Set 3: Scheduling & Time Management
Nab this set for only $1

Appointments
- such as doctors, dentist, etc.
Birthdays
- list each by month for the year
Blank Monthly Calendar
Goal Tracker
- with steps broken down!
Full page for plenty of notes
Pet Information
- food, medicines, vet contacts, etc.
School Information
- start/end times, bus schedules, checking weather, etc.
Tasks in Minutes
- got a few minutes to be productive – here’s some ideas in 2 minutes or less or 5 minutes or less
- blank and prefilled with some ideas
Weekly Tasks
- 3 different layout/week options (Sun-Sat, Mon-Sun or dates at top and AM/PM/EVE on side)
8 different front cover designs/styles & 4 matching back covers

Set 4: Security/Personal & Home Management
Nab this set for only $1

Babysitter’s Helper
- from contact info to schedules
Chore Charts for Kids
- 6 different color combos
Emergency Contact List
Family Emergency Plan
- including extra sheet to draw out escape plan
Home Inventory
- keep record of your possessions per room – could come in handy for insurance someday
Utilities & Services
- know who to contact for what
Kids Clothing Tracker
- great way to save money – tips here!
Maintenance & Repairs
- keep record of common items, such as replacing filters
Family Medical
- information for each family member
Medicine
- sheet for tracking what’s in your cabinet (and when it expires) as well as tracking dosages
Passwords
- in case your secure digital record gets lost, keep a paper one (in a secure place)
Projects to Complete
- supplies, steps, and progress
Upon My Death
- for those left behind to know where important things are – list for accounts such as banking or investments (blank and prefilled), as well as items such as address book and will (blank and prefilled) – be sure to keep in a very secure location, but where trusted ones know where to find it!

Set 5: Trip Planning
Nab this set for only $1

Note: there is a colorful general trip set as well as a Disney-themed set of each of the below (unless stated otherwise)!

Trip Budget
- blank and pre-filled
Packing List
- essentials, clothing, toiletries, etc.
Trip Prep
- to-do’s 6-9 months prior, 1-2 weeks prior, etc.
- blank (plus a prefilled one for Disney)
Safety Tips
- before leaving, while away & once returned home (colored only, no Disney-themed on this one)

As you probably noticed, several of the printables have both a BLANK and a PREFILLED option – we wanted to be the most help to the most people, so included the prefilled for those that really like having the most common things already there for them. However, we know many will vary in what they’d put, so made sure a blank form was still included. Like we said at the beginning of this post, we’ve been collecting input, ideas, and requests for a LONG time to see what type of printables would really be the most helpful for busy families – we tried to include as much as possible, and any that seemed to be requested by enough people to be seen as a common need.

Get the Whole Pack & Bonus Items!

Did you see the two BONUS items, too?! We’re including our super popular ‘Unofficial’ Disney Autograph & Activity Book (our most popular printable EVER) as well as our extremely helpful (and probably our second most time-consuming project we’ve ever done) 52 Weeks of Meal Plans! That’s a whole year of breakfast, lunch & dinner planned out – including the budget-friendly recipes. I told you I wanted this pack to be as helpful as possible for fellow busy parents, so felt that it wouldn’t be complete without these two great resources! And since we sell those two items individually for $2 each, this is a killer value. I want this to help as many as possible (though I do still have to support my family, of course, otherwise I could list it for FREE) so here’s the deal…..

Nab this ENTIRE set – including the bonus items – for just $5.99 HERE!!!

Yup, we’re crazy – take advantage of it 😉

Even if just SOME of these would make your life a bit easier, that all seems worth it – don’t you agree? I mean, parenting is crazy enough, so even the slightest bit of help can be a huge blessing! Whether you use ten of these sheets or ALL of them, I just hope they bring a little more ‘calm’, organization, time and relief to your family’s busy lives!

#1 Too Scary or Just Right?

#2 Pick Their Favorites

#3 Costumes for Everyone

#4 Share in Decorating

#5 Matchy?

Final Tip

Here’s how to organize your day with a toddler:

Family Home Binder Printables

This is included in our Busy Mom Bundle, along with other fabulous printable packs!

Check out our other products HERE

You may also like…

Helps Build Their Passion

Future Benefits

Teaches Them Responsibility

Also check out the Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids!

Gives Them an Outlet

Healthy Social Environments

How else are extracurricular activities good for kids?

Learning Hard Work to Reach Their Goals

Time Management Skills

Improving Their Music Skills

Building Friendships/Relationships

Improve Memory & Cognitive Skills

BONUS: Build Confidence

I’d love to hear your ideas on what to do when you don’t know what to do, too!

Nab this ENTIRE set – including the bonus items – for just $5.99 HERE (or see below for smaller sets just $1 each!)

Set 1: Money & Financial Nab this set for only $1

Set 2: Kitchen & Meal Planning Nab this set for only $1

Set 3: Scheduling & Time Management Nab this set for only $1

Set 4: Security/Personal & Home Management Nab this set for only $1

Set 5: Trip Planning Nab this set for only $1

Nab this ENTIRE set – including the bonus items – for just $5.99 HERE!!!

Yup, we’re crazy – take advantage of it 😉

Set 1: Money & Financial
Nab this set for only $1

Set 2: Kitchen & Meal Planning
Nab this set for only $1

Set 3: Scheduling & Time Management
Nab this set for only $1

Set 4: Security/Personal & Home Management
Nab this set for only $1

Set 5: Trip Planning
Nab this set for only $1