Parenting Archives - Page 2 of 10

5 Easy Snack Ideas for Toddlers

September 3, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

What busy mom has time to plan an elaborate or complicated snack, especially when you have a little one in tow? Fortunately, there are plenty of great snacks out there that your toddler will adore without having to go crazy. Well, being a mom may have us crazy anyway – but at least we can use these 5 Easy Snack Ideas for Toddlers to help save what little sanity we have remaining!

No, I’m not going to go into the best crackers or packaged snacks – these are just general thought starters with things you probably already have at home in the fridge or pantry. It’s funny, because you may be like ‘oh, that’s obvious’ – but many parents overlook these awesome snack ideas! As with any food, though, please do keep in mind your child’s age and ability to avoid any choking dangers.

Here are 5 easy snack ideas for toddlers:

1. Fresh fruit – Most kids love fresh fruit. You can slice strawberries, grapes, bananas, oranges, apples or kiwi. You might also chunk pineapple, watermelon, honeydew or cantaloupe. Your child might also love blueberries, raspberries or other mixed berries. With so many fruit options to choose from, your child will never get bored! Slice up your fruit ahead of time to serve your toddler when they get hungry.

2. Fresh vegetables – Sliced cucumbers, celery, carrots, and bell peppers are full of fiber and nutrients. You can serve them to your child plain or with peanut butter or vegetable dip. You can keep your fresh vegetables in containers and serve whenever your child is in the mood for a snack.

3. Yogurt – Not only is it high in protein, calcium, and Vitamin D, but most kids adore yogurt! Consider choosing plain yogurt and adding your own fresh fruit to avoid the sugar content in fruit-flavored yogurts.

4. Eggs – Hard boiled eggs can be a great snack option for your toddler. You can make them ahead of time to serve to your child over the course of a few days. Not only are eggs packed with nutrients, but they’re high in protein to help curb your child’s appetite.

5. Frozen fruit bars – These can be a real treat, especially during the hot summer months. Not only are they cold, but they also have chunks of real fruit in them. Plus, many kids believe they’re getting an awesome TREAT when you serve these, so it’s a win-win!

What are your favorite snack ideas for toddlers?

Things to Consider When Looking for Childcare

August 31, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

While I love that I’m able to stay home with my kiddos at this time in our lives, that wasn’t always the case. For a long while, not only did some of my littles go to daycare all day, but I always worked in an at-home daycare for many years – because it was my moms! Having the varied experiences, I have some tips on Things to Consider When Looking for Childcare for your kiddos.

Check Referrals

Talk to those that have used that daycare/sitter before, and those that are currently trusting them with their kids. Not just ‘hey do you like this place’, but real questions about their thoughts on all aspects. Word of mouth is huge for sitters, because most parents won’t just sweet talk a place that cares for kids that doesn’t deserve it. Try to make sure the referrals are not only real (of course), but not related or have no other interest in ‘selling’ that center or person.

Do You Agree With Their Policies

Find out how they handle everything, such as punishment or if you’re late dropping off or picking up. How often do they feed the kids, are they allowed to bring toys or toys (blankie) from home? If someone is sick (child or caregiver), what happens then? Make sure you know all their rules and how things are run.

Do Their Location and Hours Work for YOU

Will you be spending far too long driving between home, there and work? Will it badly affect work if you have to leave early to pick up your child before the center closes, or are they open late enough? Make sure it’s not so far that you can’t get their in a decent amount of time should something happen. How do they handle holidays or vacation days as far as time changes or openings?

Is Their Rate Reasonable

Is it comparable to others in the area of good quality? Be wary of the cheapest, but the most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean best, either. Do they charge even when you don’t come, or for holidays you miss or they aren’t open?

Are They Certified & Following State/Local Laws

There was an in-home daycare in our neighborhood that wasn’t licensed – meaning that not only was there no regulating the child-to-caregiver ratio, but no training required, no safety inspections, nothing to protect the kids or parents if something went wrong. Do they have their CPR/First Aide training (and is it current)? How extensively do they do background checks of their employees, and how often are employees leaving/being replaced?

Do They Have Openings

Especially if you have a child under 2 or 1 (because those spots fill faster, and are fewer because of laws), you’ll want to plan ahead to make sure there’s openings – or at least so you can get on a list for when you need! I know several friends who, unfortunately, were stuck with a daycare they didn’t honestly like because they had no options because of lack of openings.

Does It Appear Safe

Safety is most important, so check and make sure it looks clean. Are the plugs covered, dangerous cords out of the way and furniture (dressers, shelves, etc.) secured to the walls? Check for signs of the big things, but don’t forget the little things. Is the banister wobbly, so a child could potentially fall through? Also check if there’s tiny items all over the floor that babies have easy access to. Do the kids nap in safe, secure cribs or clean mats on the floor? How regularly do things get cleaned and sanitized?

Seriously, it’s SUPER nerve-racking trying to find a place you really trust with you child. Especially as a mom, you always feel leary because ‘WHAT IF?’ Overall, be alert, ask as many questions as you need (and don’t feel bad about it – it’s your CHILD, so they can deal with a million questions if that’s what it takes) and use your best judgement.

Do you have any more tips for looking for childcare?

Hands-on Learning for Kids

August 27, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by the National 4-H Council as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Through my own life, and especially now as a parent with multiple children, I’ve learned that there’s many different types of learning styles. I’m more of a visual learner, while others are auditory. Some learn best by more creative ways, while some are more analytical. Regardless of what style matches best, I think we can all agree on the benefits of Hands-on Learning for Kids. Inspiring kids to ‘do’ as they’re learning can really help the skills and lessons stick, and help set them up for a more successful future.

As I’ve gotten older, it seems my learning speed has sure slowed – probably due to a mixture of busyness (not actively learning) and parental exhaustion. Kids, on the other hand, really learn fast – but when it’s more hands-on they can learn even faster! That’s why 4-H Wellness 360º program is kicking off their year-long national campaign ‘Inspire Kids to Do‘ with 30 Days of Doing. It celebrates all kiddos across the nation who don’t just watch, but also ‘do’ with purpose with awesome tools, tips, as well as resources and stories for parents and children. It’s a great way to get more hands-on learning for kids in your home or community.

Remember a bit ago when I told you all about the 4-H Wellness 360º program and how incredible it is for teens and other youth? They not only are helping teach teens essential life skills, but giving them actual experience leading their peers, thus setting them up for a bright future. Everything from cooking classes and learning about nutrition, to activities like yoga, even lessons on avoiding risky or dangerous behaviors are helping build a framework for today’s youth. By giving them the knowledge they need, along with the confidence, they can live healthier lifestyles – and then go on to share that knowledge and experience with their friends, families and peers. It’s a wonderful cycle of hands-on learning for kids, giving them the tools AND the experience to be the best they can!

There are many kids and youth out there who don’t really have opportunities to learn and grow, so I love that 4-H’s Inspire Kids to Do Campaign gives them those opportunities, and helps them develop into leaders that are ready to tackle life and – eventually – careers. This amazing campaign will help mark the path for 4-H to empower 10 million true leaders of our future, youth who DO with a purpose and can navigate themselves (and help guide others) through life’s challenges -a s well pursue their passions and actively contribute to the worth around them – all by 2025. That’s quite a goal, with a beautiful looking result.

As a parent or youth leader, YOU can be a part of kicking off 4-H’s 30 Days of Doing with a fun Twitter party! During this awesome party, you can build a ‘To Do’ list of skill-building ideas for your kiddos. Be ready to be inspired, chat with fellow doers and possibly win some prizes! To join in, all you need to is:

Log in to Twitter on August 28 from 9:00pm to 10:00pm EST
Search the party hashtags: #gno and #30DaysofDoing
Participate in the conversation with other moms, parents and youth leaders like you

After the party, be sure to participate in 30 Days of Doing – you can inspire kids to DO more by joining in hands-on, positive learning for kids with activities dealing with health, wellness and more. To get started, be sure to download 4-H’s ‘Inspire to Do’ list – and don’t forget to enter the photo contest at 4-H.org/InspireKidsToDo on September 1-30. You could even win a $10,000 scholarship for your kid! I don’t know about you, but I could DEFINITELY use some help with my kids’ future college costs.

What are your best ideas for hands-on learning for kids?

Back to School Preparedness Basket

August 21, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NixUltra #CollectiveBias

I can’t believe we’re all in the madness of back to school season already – didn’t summer just begin? Since we can’t avoid it, may as well make the most of it and ready our kids (and ourselves) the best we can. With everything that comes with the return to school, I love putting together a Back to School Preparedness Basket so there’s no last-minute rushes should something come up!

What’s great about this school preparedness basket is that it can be a gift – to a neighbor or friend with a kiddo starting school for the first time, to a teacher for their class. Or you can just keep it for yourself so your family is ready for whatever may happen.

School Preparedness

Be sure to click the image above to easily shop online!

If you’re a new student parent, you may be like ‘wait, what can happen?’ At school the kids are around a ton of others, so there’s not just a much higher chance of spreading germs for getting sick, but also major worries such as lice. Something as simple as a hug, or backpacks touching, or sharing hats or dress ups – all of those can spread lice around, so your child’s chances of getting it in a group setting, like school, makes the chance of them getting it increase immensely.

That’s why I put Nix Ultra® Super Lice Treatment from Walmart in our school preparedness kit – because IF that happens, I want to be prepared! I feel I can trust this brand more because it’s the #1 Pediatrician recommended brand, and it kills lice and eggs – even if it’s the resistant “super” lice. If my kids get it, I want to be sure that stuff is GONE!

School Preparedness Supplies

Fun Basket or Tote
Printable Tag – click here to download
Tissues (big box and small portable packs)
Hand Sanitizer
Cough Medicine/Pain Reliever/Etc.
Nix Ultra® Super Lice Treatment
Moist Wipes
Odor Removing Spray (for air and/or fabrics)
Baggies
Lip Chap

Note: these are just SOME ideas of what you could include – there’s so many more things that would be great, like safety pins, eye drops and more that will make you even more prepared for back to school.

School Preparedness Directions

Gather all of your supplies, and prep your basket as desired – line it with tissue paper, a cute towel or rag
Neatly place your preparedness items
Add the tag and some ribbon, if desired
Be sure to store away from children for safety!
Now you’re all prepared for the back to school season – good luck to all!

One thing I’ve learned with lice – the school doesn’t always report if there’s been a case in a class until multiple have – yikes! You can check yourself if there’s been lice cases reported in your area with this handy lice tracker, and if you need help you can use this lice ID tool.

Having dealt with everything from catching flu, cold, strep and – sadly – lice, more than once, I’ve learned to be ready for about anything. I guess with 5 kids at school, it’s impossible to avoid forever! At least I’m prepared with Nix Ultra® Super Lice Treatment which is pesticide free, non-toxic and has an easy application. As a mom, I also appreciate that it’s tough on lice, but gentle on skin. Want to

Saving money during the crazy back to school season is a major help, so while you’re stocking up on everything for your back to school preparedness basket at Walmart, don’t forget this coupon for $3.00 OFF any ONE (1) Nix Ultra® product. Just print it off – it’s valid through March 31st, 2019 so you can stock up all school year long! Once printed though, the coupon will have a printed expiration date so use it within 2 weeks.

Be ready for anything with this awesome school prep basket, and don’t forget all the goodies to tackle all the many things that kids may come home with – and it’s not all just fun artwork 🙂

Who would you give a school preparedness basket to?

Back to School with Food Allergies

August 20, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by the School Nutrition Association. All opinions are mine alone.

School is starting again, and while some parents are worried about finding the exact binder type, size and color listed on their supply list or others are struggling to figure out the drop off routine, there’s parents that a truly worried about their child’s safety, because their kid is going Back to School with Food Allergies. So what can parents stressing about allergies do about their child going back to school? Find out everything they can to be prepared, but also educate themselves to make the best decisions possible for their young one.

Do y’all remember last month when I told you about the School Nutrition Association conference I was able to attend, and how much I learned about the different aspects of the school food programs? One thing I kept asking for more information about was allergies. I consider myself extremely blessed that none of my kids have food allergies, but do have several friends that don’t get that relief. Some are dealing with allergies to peanuts or gluten, others to dairy or soy, some a combination of multiple allergies. Speaking with them, I hear their worry about if their kid will be adequately taken care of at school to ensure they’re as safe as possible. Back to school should be an exciting (although stressful, I admit) time, not a time to really question if your kid will be ok or not.

After chatting with many vendors, school officials and others at the School Nutrition Association’s conference, I felt so much better at everything they’ve taken into consideration to keep the kiddos well taken care of, whether they eat breakfast, lunch or even snacks with the school food program. First of all, at the conference there were plenty of vendors looking to have their foods selected and added to menus at schools that offered several allergy-friendly options. Gluten-free grain options, alternatives to dairy, and even some seed butters that would be perfect to replace peanut or other nut butters! One in particular – 88 Acres – had samples that I really enjoyed, plus shared several recipes using their seed butters (they also offer snack bars and such) so kids can still enjoy a SB & J (Seed Butter instead of Peanut Butter!) and perhaps not feel like they’re missing out. It was really tasty, especially the pumpkin seed one!

One thing I was curious about – how can schools ensure a child with allergies doesn’t accidentally get served the incorrect thing. This is especially worrisome if the child is still young enough they may not be fully aware or understanding of their particular allergy. One program I was shown at the conference expo actually was a full check-out system, so when a child scans their card or number it pops up with any alerts or information that the staff member needs to know. That alone can make school meals much safer.

Also in that program, they can set it up to show SUBSTITUTION options that are okay for that particular child – so the staff can safely provide a quality meal that meets their needs while avoiding troublesome or dangerous (for that child) foods. It can help track insulin records or other medical information necessary for the school nutrition program to do their best, and helps handle alerts that may need to be sent out – such as the weekly menu to parents so they can see it and go over what is or isn’t okay for their particular situation.

I was so excited to learn of the many ways school meals can be made safer, even for kids that have allergies. I don’t personally know the stress that parents of children with food allergies deal with, but I imagine it’s immense. Luckily there are options available to make school less overwhelming in those cases!

If you’re a parent with a child (or children) that has to deal with food allergies, my heart goes out to you and the battle you may have while raising them. I highly encourage you to talk to your school nutrition director about how they handle things like that, and the ways they’re making it as safe as possible for your kiddo. Speaking to some directors and other staff of school programs at the conference, they all seemed to truly care about the quality and safety of the food being served – for ALL the kids, not just those without allergies. So don’t hesitate to reach out! Once you handle that, you can focus on some of the other exciting aspects of back to school – like family reading time!

If your child has allergies, how do you handle it best?

Note: these are programs/foods that are available and used at some schools, but keep in mind not every school may use the same programs/policies – I recommend checking with your school with questions.

Teaching Teens Life Skills

August 13, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by the National 4-H Council as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #4HWellness360 #IC

I remember when I hit the teen years, I thought I knew everything that I need to really be an ‘adult’ – yes, you can laugh because oh my word, was I wrong! Knowing just how unprepared I was, I know the importance of Teaching Teens Life Skills, especially since my older kids are almost teenagers.

That’s one reason I’m really excited about the 4-H Wellness 360º program – it not only helps to set up secure habits for their families and community in their futures, but it’s even driven by 4-H TEEN leaders! That means that this program, supported by Target, uses the proven influence of young people by engaging the teens to lead and empower their friends and peers, setting up the lifelong healthy habits they’ll need.

I think one area that can be a roadblock for teens is confidence, so having the 4-H Wellness 360º program makes sure they have the knowledge and experience to help build that confidence by offering nutrition education, cooking classes, even yoga class or lessons on avoiding risky behaviors. Once they have that strong framework to live a healthy lifestyle themselves, teens can help share that with others – making this incredible chain reaction for teens to really help shape their future in a bright, healthy way!

I’ve always loved the idea of teens educating younger youth – sharing their experiences, what they’ve learned, and acting as good role models. Peer pressure can be a strong thing, whether good or bad – so this program really helps use that for the GOOD. It also helps that this age is critical for growing skills and establishing behaviors, as well as when they can be most influenced (again, for good or bad).

My oldest hits 13 at the end of this year, and it kind of has me terrified. There was a lot to prepare for in the ‘real world’ that I wish I’d gained more knowledge and experience with as a teen – and in today’s society there seems to be even MORE I want my kids ready for.

More and more, it seems that teens-turning-adults don’t have essential life skills – such as cooking, or how to grocery shop wisely – to help them. I’ll admit, I only knew how to cook a few very simple things when I went off to college – and I was even one of those people who didn’t know not to put the dish-soap type into the dishwasher! Ya, that was a messy learning experience.

I’m so glad there’s programs being made like the 4-H Wellness 360º program to really provide those skills, and especially to teach them how to make not only healthy decisions, but smart and GOOD decisions in their future.

Check out the 4-H Wellness 360º program for your teen

Kids and Money

July 20, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Years ago, as a teen working two jobs, I thought I had good financial skills. Now as an adult, I realized that all I had was a lot of money coming in and little needing to go out, so I was able to handle it fine. With bills and responsibilities, good money sense is crucial. Not wanting my kids to end up struggling as adults, I’m trying to instill good financial habits in them when they’re young. Kids and money talk can sometimes be difficult, but it’s super important to start early!

Like I said, the last couple of years in high school I was working two jobs, so had plenty of money coming in – and other than saving for a very affordable used/fixed up old car, not much in the way of expenses. This gave me a false sense of confidence, so once I hit college – and especially married life – reality hit and soon we were deep in debt. I don’t want my kids to deal with that – being an adult making a good income, just to still be skrimping by because of debt payments from past financial mistakes. Kids and money isn’t talked about very often, but I’m hoping more parents realize the need to teach our kids to budget, avoid debt, and make wise decisions with their income.

See our post from a few years ago on kids and money

One challenge I’ve found, is that since we’re so tight on money, the kids notice this ‘focus’ on money and ‘oh, we can’t afford that’. They don’t realize that it’s come from bad choices in the past, purchasing way more wants we should have skipped out on, or waited for. I’ve been trying to change up the conversation with them, explaining that we wouldn’t be in this situation if we had made better choices.

Teaching kids to differentiate between wants and needs is a huge step in building good financial skills. If they can learn delayed gratification, or being able to do without things you don’t really need (so you have more for what you DO need), as kids, that’s all the more ready they’ll be when the BIG decisions come into play.

Another thing I want to teach them, other than how debt can build up quickly, and really hurt you in the long run, is the importance of saving. Having a car suddenly break down, a broken arm requiring a hospital visit, or losing a job may affect your budget in a big way – so by learning to always have a savings for emergencies or the unpredictable, they can be prepared. Being able to save up for big purchases, such as a car, vacation or home, can make a big difference between avoiding debt, as well.

It’s also important to let them know that it’s okay to have fun – just to keep it in check. Good money skills doesn’t mean never spending it on wants, it just means making wise choices. We love making goals to save up for wants – even if it’s just saving up to go to a matinee movie, or LONG term goals of saving up (and looking for the best deals and savings options) for a family vacation. Our kids have learned that we make trades – we eat out less, or go out to activities less, than other families. By doing that, we’re able to save up for bigger things we all want, that in the long run we’d like better anyway. Being able to enjoy yourself is a part of life, it’s just important to not let it be a big negative afterwards.

Lastly, we should be showing them (by example) the blessings of giving. Whether it’s tithing to church, donating to local charities, or helping provide items for the homeless – help them gain that love of caring and giving to others while they’re young, so hopefully when they’re grown it remains.

Kids and Money Overview

Teach delayed gratification for wants
Know the difference between needs and wants
Show the value of time and money – give opportunities to work for money
Debt can build up fast, and can hurt you for a long while – affecting your future budget/income
Plan and save for big purchases
Always have a cushion for unexpected/emergency costs
Make trades – spend less on eating out so you can spend more on vacations
Don’t forget to give – share the blessings
Have fun, make goals – just be wise about your choices

What are your best tips for kids and money?

Also check out these awesome posts about kids & money…

School Nutrition Association’s National Conference

July 16, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by the School Nutrition Association. All opinions are mine alone.

Raise your hand if your kids, or someone you knows kids, eats breakfast or lunch at school. I’m betting that’s pretty much everyone, right? Now, raise your hand if you know everything that goes into those meals. I don’t just mean the foods – although many have on idea the standards and regulations school meals must meet – I’m more talking about the behind-the-scenes stuff. The planning, budgeting, shopping, checking nutrition amounts, and so much more. I’d never thought of all the little details necessary to get those meals to our kids, but after attending the School Nutrition Association’s National Conference, I have a lot more appreciation for it all!

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I flew out to Las Vegas last week to spend a day learning and exploring at their annual conference. Until then, I’d never given much thought into my kids’ school meals other than the actual food and nutrition aspect. But oh my goodness, I was a bit overwhelmed at just how MUCH goes into all the planning, preparing and more! But I’m getting ahead of myself a bit – first, what is this conference?

It’s the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference, held in a different city each year where school lunch directors, managers, and others attend to learn all about the current information, trends and more for their school’s meals. This year it was in super-hot Las Vegas, at the Mandalay Bay South Convention Center. The seminars that fill up the days are really interesting, and vary in topics from National Policies/State Agency Workshop, to Simple Solutions for Customer Service, and even ones like Going Digital with Team Nutrition and Reducing Food Waste at School. The attendees are there to learn all that they can so that they can make the best choices for their schools!

I was able to attend two sessions in my awesome day there, the first being ‘Celebrating Local Foods in Schools’. They discussed all the different rules and USDA-funding regulations that help school purchase more foods locally. It was really interesting, though quite over my head because I never knew so much went into something like buying foods for schools. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t think it an easy thing, but they have to consider different budgets (money coming from this source can be used to buy this, but this other source of money can only be used to purchase this, etc.) and meet some intense (at least it seemed to me) rules when doing something as simple as ordering tomatoes. All of this is part of their way to make sure the foods our kids are eating are healthier, and that we’re also supporting local businesses.

The other session to wrap-up our day was my favorite: Reaching Kids on the Go – Food Delivery, Pre-ordering and Food Trucks. You read that right – FOOD TRUCKS! Kids have so many options nowadays, and if schools don’t keep up with the newest trends or what may be more ‘cool’ at the time, they may have less kids electing to eat school meals. This can often mean the kids aren’t eating at all, or that they’re eating meals that are much less healthy for them (such as fast food or less-wise choices brought from home). I’ll tell you much more about what I learned at this class later, but dang it was interesting!

Now for a confession – my FAVORITE part was the exhibit floor, because there was food EVERYWHERE! Brands of all sizes and types come out to the School Nutrition Association’s event, offering samples and information for incredible foods (some brand new – and many not even available in stores) to try and show school meal directors and ordering managers WHY they should select their foods to include in their schools’ menus. In my few hours looking around, I didn’t even have time to visit half the booths, but still had so many amazing food samples. I loved it – and definitely wouldn’t mind doing that part of a school director’s job!

When I say brands of all sizes and types, I really mean ALL! There were huge brands like Tyson Foods that we all know, and smaller ones such as 88 Acres, who make seed butters that taste AMAZING and can offer a healthy alternative to nut butters. Everything from breakfast foods, to lunches, to even snacks (donuts made with whole grains? Yup!). And they weren’t just the tiny samples you find at the local grocery store on Saturday mornings, they were a half-plate of delicious Asian orange chicken and rice, a whole street taco, baby hot dogs on buns and even half chicken burgers. I doubt a single person was hungry for HOURS after walking around the exhibit hall!

I loved seeing such a variety of things for schools to now consider, such as 100% Juice slushie machines – where were those when I was in high school?! They realize kids nowadays want variety, and since kids are more use to eating out than years ago, items that are similar to what’s being offered at local restaurants is more appealing. The schools know they need to keep this in mind when making their food decisions, and want to give the kids meal that don’t just meet the health standards, but also make the kids excited for the school foods.

Beyond the foods (though I consider those the best part, of course), there were companies offering new solutions to the programs school use for charging students’ accounts or managing profiles for allergy information. There were new machines or equipment to make the kitchen run more efficiently and food be served in a more smooth and/or attractive manner. I even got to speak with a company that makes several types of the disposable trays that schools use! Not all schools have the plastic reusable trays I grew up with, so alternatives such as foam trays or cardboard-like ones are available. They’re even developing ways to make their compostable trays more affordable, to compete with the less environmentally-friendly foam options.

In a nutshell, at this event there were school meal staff (such as directors and managers):

Sampling and ordering new foods to add to their school menu
Learning new programs and software to assist in the orders, charging systems and more
Gathering contacts for new equipment for the kitchen
Finding new companies to bulk process and order much-needed items (such as a company to take a bulk order of tomatoes and make it into ketchup, salsa, tomato sauce, etc. that the schools can better use)
Getting information on nutrition, policies, new trends and ideas, and much more

Guys, there’s so much more to share with you that I learned at this event that would be wonderful for parents to be more aware of – like, how do schools keep track and deal with allergies? Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing that and more at a later time. I feel that as parents, we SHOULD be more aware of all the behind-the-scenes stuff. Not only so we have more knowledge of our kids’ school meals, but also an appreciation for the many workers and all the time and dedication put into providing the best possible for the kiddos.

Check out even more at the School Nutrition Association website!

Preparing Kids for the Teen Years

July 2, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

My girls are 11 and 12, meaning that in less than 2 years I’ll be the mom of two teenagers. I’m trying not to panic, but have to admit that it really freaks me out! I was a HORRIBLE teenager and put my mom through so much, I can only imagine what my girls have in store for me. I’ve collected some tips for Preparing Kids for the Teen Years – maybe they’ll help you other soon-to-be-teen-moms, as well! It may be challenging, but at least we don’t have to be preparing for teen years alone.

Preparing Kids: Don’t Wait to Discuss the ‘P’ Word

Yes, I mean ‘puberty’. This is definitely not a favorite topic of most people, and it can be an uncomfortable conversation for parents to have with their kids – but it’s super important that you discuss it with them. It’s probably best to talk about the changes they’ll go through – the physical as well as the emotional – before they’re overwhelmed in the middle of it all. The more you treat it as a very normal thing (because it IS a normal thing!), the less embarrassed they’ll be by it.

I remember when I first hit puberty (it was a bit earlier than the other girls) I wasn’t too embarrassed – it was a normal part of life, so why make a big deal? But when other girls started acting like it was this awful, horrifying thing that had to be kept hushed and secret, I began to let them convince me it WAS weird. Help your kids feel comfortable, which will also help their confidence.

Preparing Kids: Communicate Often (be available to listen)

When kids are little, it can be frustrating to hear every little thing about this one show or random game, or perhaps a tidbit from school that happens almost every day. It takes a lot of our energy and patience to seem interested in what WE consider the ‘little, unimportant things’. But guess what – they may be important things to THEM. And if we help them learn that we’re happy to listen and will be there for them to go to when it is the more ‘minor’ things, they’ll feel more comfortable coming to us when it’s a bit more major.

We parents expect respect from our kids, but it’s extremely important that we reciprocate. If our kids don’t feel like we respect them back, why would they want to share these crazy things going on in their life? Why would they trust us to react without judgement or criticism, or trust any advice or thoughts we may give?

Preparing Kids: Pick Your Battles

This is suggested in so many aspects of life, and with teens it can save your sanity! There’s going to be so much going on, that you can’t nitpick or comment on every single thing that may not be perfect. Save it for the things that will truly matter. If you spend all of your energy fighting about a clean room (not saying they shouldn’t clean their room, it’s just an example), then how much MORE are you going to feel the need to fight about things like dating, drugs, school, good friends, etc.

Small Things Might be the Big Things

Just like I mentioned earlier – what we consider to be little or insignificant may be very important to your teen. Don’t shrug things off or downplay how much it matters, or they may not come to you with anything.

Teach and Give More Responsibility

Kids kind of learn that actions have consequences when they’re younger – hitting your brother may get you a time out, or not doing your homework may mean missing out on a school event. When they’re teens, actions matter more and have more lasting or severe consequences. Make more of an effort to teach them, so they can understand their choices better – and hopefully make better ones when life throws obstacles or unwise things in their way.

While we should expect more responsibility of our teens, keep in mind that they’re not only still learning – but their brains are LITERALLY not fully developed. Their frontal lobe isn’t to the level of an adult yet, so be reasonable with your expectations. Guide them, give them some slack, but help them so in the future they’re prepared.

Prepare Them for the Future

Not only prepared to do well in school and make educational or career choices, but to also be prepared to support themselves. One of my biggest frustrations as an adult is finances, and a large part of that is because I was never taught. In the teen years, it’s crucial that they learn good money sense – how to earn it well, manage it well, and especially to save and avoid debt. This lesson can make a MAJOR difference in their future, trust me!

Teach Them to Serve

It’s pretty natural for people to focus on themselves – especially teenagers. Help teach them to serve others, to recognize and focus on the feelings and needs of others. This will not only help them become amazing adults who can make a difference in the world, but will help them have a happier life because they’re not just focusing inward to themselves.

It’s Okay to be an Emotional Rollercoaster

Looking back, it’s clear that much of my teen years were spent on a rollercoaster of emotions – not just day to day but even minute to minute. The biggest stress was not knowing WHY I’d be crying one instant and fine the next. Or crying and feeling angry but not understanding why I felt that way. I’m trying hard to point out to my kids that it’s normal – their hormones are going to go out of whack as they get closer to the teen years, so it’s literally a chemical imbalance in their body causing that. It doesn’t mean they’re unreasonable or ridiculous. And it may help them get past those mood swings better when they understand that’s all it is, and that it’ll pass.

Friends Can Ruin You

Parents often talk about ‘good friends’ or ‘bad friends’. It’s important to not push your child away by criticizing their choice of friends, but find subtle or creative ways to help guide THEM to point out ways the friends may either be helping them in their life – with their goals and where they want to go in the future – or hindering that. That can help your child make their own decision about their friends!

Watch for Warning Signs

Pay attention to your child, their actions and words – and even more subtle things – just to keep an eye out for warning signs of really bad choices that could hurt their lives or futures. Catching things before they get too far can make a huge difference in redirecting things and getting back on the right track.

Remember Walking in Their Shoes

It’s really easy to get frustrated – my kids aren’t quite teens YET, but I still feel like I’m going crazy dealing with all the pre-teen drama and such! The thing that’s helped me the most is remembering when I was a teenager, how crazy it was and how difficult to understand everything. This helps me see from their perspective a bit, and grant a bit more patience.

Wishing luck to us all as we’re preparing kids for teen years!

Best Smartphone Apps for Busy Moms

June 4, 2018 by Danielle

Between running kids to dance class or karate, helping with homework, managing the cleaning, making meals and the million other tasks we busy moms do, it can be difficult (and nerve-racking) trying to handle it all. I’ve been trying to find different systems that can assist with things, making life just a tiny bit easier. If you’re a fan of a useful app, then check out these Best Smartphone Apps for Busy Moms!

Keep in mind, everyone should make their own best decision when choosing what to download and use, so please make sure to check into things for yourself. This list is just my opinion of some helpful smartphone apps for busy moms that may take off some of the stress. From finding a sitter, to tracking to do lists and even great music streaming, there’s a bit of something for everyone! All of the following apps are available on both Android and iPhone.

Best Smartphone Apps for Busy Moms:

1. Allrecipes Dinner Spinner – Are you getting tired of cooking the same things week after week? The Allrecipes Dinner Spinner app can give new recipe ideas to add more excitement to your meals.

2. UrbanSitter – If you’re tired of using Care.com, you might consider trying out UrbanSitter. You can find and book baby sitters using this app and even pay by credit card! Always use caution and check people carefully when hiring someone to care for your children.

3. Have2P – One of the most frustrating things is when your child has to use a restroom and you’re not sure where to find one. Fortunately, Have2P has got you covered! This app can help you locate public restrooms, which can be a LIFESAVER for a busy mom playing chauffeur all day. And yes, I totally did a double take and laughed loudly when I read the app name!

4. Remember the Milk – You won’t have to worry about forgetting the milk – or calling your child’s teacher or scheduling that vet appointment – again! This to-do list app will remind you of things that need to get done to help you stay organized. No more keeping our extensive task list in our head – because we don’t have space for that!

5. Pandora – This music streaming app is a great option if you’re trying to find kid- friendly tunes to listen to the in the car or home. You’ll find everything from Kidz Bop Kids to Disney soundtracks. You can even make your own ‘stations’ so you have one to pull up when the kids are around, and maybe another for when it’s your turn to enjoy some music by yourself (not that that happens often, of course!)

6. Google Keep – this is where hubby and I keep lists of things, such as tasks or shopping, so that we can both add, delete, organize or whatever and access it from phones or computers.

These are just some of the best smartphone apps for busy moms, and we’re sure there’s also many more to help make life a little easier.

What’s YOUR favorite family-friendly smartphone app to help busy moms?

How to Plan Summer When you Homeschool

June 1, 2018 by Danielle

Summer is pretty predictable when your kids attend public school, but many are not sure how to plan summer when you homeschool! Maybe you’ll take time off, maybe you’ll work year-round, or perhaps a combo. Either way, it’s likely that schedules will be a bit different – so here’s some tips to help.

As a homeschooling parent, you have more control over when and how you educate your kids, but it’s pretty normal that summer will interfere at least SOME with your regular plans.

Here are some basic tips to plan summer when you homeschool:

1: Decide if you will break for the summer – Will you go all year round, or will you take some weeks off in the summer months? This is the most important first step to determine. If you go all year, you won’t need to change your schedule very much. If you break, you will need to plan for that and adjust your schedule accordingly.

2: Determine what time you will doing certain things – When will you wake? When will you eat lunch? Will the kids nap or are they too old for naps? When is dinner and bedtime? Making your summer schedule involves knowing when you will be doing these important things.

3: Plan your summer schedule – Now sit down and write out the full summer schedule. Remember to remain flexible, but having a schedule in writing helps everyone know what to expect so things go more smoothly in summer, and all year long. This also helps for adding in any fun vacations or outings you may have.

Now that you know more about how to plan summer when you homeschool, you’re ready to get started! Whether the summer has already started for you, or you’re just getting a head start on next year, it’s good to have a game plan in place so everyone knows what to expect.

If you homeschool, how do YOU do summers?

Considering a Pool Fence for Safety?

May 11, 2018 by Danielle

One of the biggest things we wanted to take care of as soon as we moved into our new house was to install a pool fence. Once we chose which house we would be buying, knowing it had a pool (I admit it, it was a huge selling point for our family!), we took to the internet to find which option would be the best for us. I was surprised at how many different companies and types are available! We finally found the one that would work best for our family, and today I’m telling you all about our experience in case you’re also considering a pool fence for safety.

Just a note – we did NOT receive any compensation, discounts, anything at all in exchange for this post. Protect-A-Child doesn’t even know I’m writing this!

First of all, you need to decide what your main reason for having a pool fence is. For looks? To just keep out neighbor kids who may find their way into your yard? Large pets? Or do you have children that you want to keep safe from the potential dangers of a pool? Ours was the kids and pets, but I will say that I also wanted something that looked good, as well. Nobody wants an eyesore around their fabulous pool, right?

Some of the fences we looked at were more flimsy – if pushed hard enough by a large kid or animal, it could knock over and/or break. That definitely wasn’t what we wanted! We also found some that would work amazing – for a few years – but then would wear out or become too old to be sturdy. Finally we found one that would LAST a long while (they offer a limited lifetime warranty) and was extremely durable – Protect-A-Child!

The poles they use are semi-bendable, making them extremely unlikely to snap. When looking at them myself, the fabulous Greg (who was showing us the system) even had me TRY to put all my weight on it – but it moved just slightly. He even tried with his weight, and just a little give. Not enough to bend it over much, but just enough give to make it durable. My kids – and even my big, heavy dogs – aren’t going to be knocking these over or breaking them!

They’re inserted into holes in the cement (they drill the holes for you), and latched into place. You CAN remove them by giving the pole a certain twist and pulling it out. Not something a child could do themselves, but adults can if you’re in the mood to remove the fence – such as a pool party! For when you do want the poles out, they give you little caps to cover the cement holes – so water or other junk doesn’t get in there.

Each panel is about 3′ wide (can be cut shorter if the size demands, such as with our steps), and they’re connected at the top by a secure fastener that takes two strong hands to unhook.

Again, not something a kid can do. The mesh is sturdy, and doesn’t give when our heavy dogs lean or brush against it.

It comes in several colors, but I preferred the black option – Greg said most people like that one best, too. You can choose 3.5 foot or 4 foot. We originally were going to get the taller one just for extra safety, but after reading more and experience first-hand how secure and sturdy it was, we stuck with the 3.5 foot option. It looks much better, anyway! And don’t worry if you have steps or angles – they cut them to fit 🙂

The gate automatically closes and latches. To open, you pull up the handle and pull the gate open. There is a key lock as well, so you can really make it safe as needed.

They’ll come out and do a demo for you – really fast and simple. You get to see the poles, latches, netting, everything. They measure the area and discuss your options, then give you a no-obligation quote. After our demo, we talked a bit and decided to go with Protect-A-Child, so we gave Greg a call and scheduled out installation date. I was so impressed with the techs that came and did our installation, as well. Very professional, and much faster than I expected!

They measured everything out, making sure to check where/how we wanted the fence line. Then they go to work drilling the holes, measuring/cutting/sizing the panels, and getting it all put in. After they were done, they made sure I knew how everything worked – the gate, taking out/putting in the poles, unhooking the top latches, etc. They gave me the warranty papers and the invoice, I paid, and that was it!

Greg called later to make sure everything went well, and to let me know to call if anything needs adjusting (the gate may settle after a bit, then they come and adjust it really quick for you as needed). It was a super easy process, and more affordable than I expected! For our fence, we paid $16 per foot, plus the gate was $325 and then it was $25 for the lock-in feature (a no brainer, in my opinion). For our 102-feet of fencing, our total after tax was $2145.51. That’s INSTALLED, so no extra or hidden fees.

We LOVE our fence – not only does it look great, but we don’t have to worry about the dogs or the kids accidentally getting into the pool or some other potential danger like that. That piece of mind really makes me one happy mama!