Parenting Archives - Page 3 of 10

Preparing Kids for the Teen Years

July 2, 2018 by Danielle

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!

How to Battle Daily Stress

May 8, 2018 by Danielle

As a busy mom (or dad) you have to wear a lot of hats. You’re juggling a lot of things at once, and the stress from all of these responsibilities can really start to add up over time. I’m already a pretty high-stress person, so when you add in the dozens of responsibilities I have to take on daily, it can be extremely overwhelming. Here’s some tips I’ve learned on how to battle daily stress – because we can’t run on ‘flight or fight’ forever!

Obviously, it’s important that we make time every day to help wind down from the stress of the day, lest it become too much. We don’t always have that option, but we can TRY to fit in even a few minutes to help us breathe and recover. Let’s take a look at a few ways to battle daily stress:

1. Unplug – Sometimes we just need to get away from it all. No electronics, no phones or social media, and no news. It can really help you unwind and relax after a very stressful day. Sometimes these things can push you over the edge even on a normal day, so unplugging is good for you. When hubby and I went on our big anniversary trip last year, it was the most relaxed I’ve ever been. We didn’t completely unwind, but compared to our normal days, it was a big difference!

2. Take a bath – A nice warm bath with bubbles or your favorite bath bomb can be just the right thing to help you relax at the end of a stressful day.

3. Get enough sleep – It may seem difficult when there is already so much to do but getting enough sleep each night will help you complete all of those tasks on your to-do list while also keeping your stress levels down. Never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep – or a nap!

4. Laugh often – Laughter really is good for the soul and when you can laugh some every day, you help release stress and it creates positive vibes that you will carry with you throughout the day. I’m so grateful that my hubby and kids keep me laughing every day, because sometimes that’s the only thing that helps me not get overwhelmed.

5. Talk to someone – Venting your frustrations, catching up with an old friend, or talking to your partner about your days are all ways to help battle daily stress. Don’t feel you need to just stay quiet and hold it all in. We’re meant to get through life TOGETHER, not alone.

What are your best tips to battle daily stress?

Household Safety Concern I Didn’t Know About

May 1, 2018 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Window Covering Safety Council as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #CordlessForKids #IC

As parents, it’s our main job to keep our family safe the best we can. Having helped my mom with her in-home daycare for many years, I already knew of many potential dangers when I became a mom. There’s still some that I didn’t learn about until later, though, and have had to adjust to keep my kids as safe as possible. One Household Safety Concern I Didn’t Know About until after having kids was cords on blinds – that was a big change we had to make!

It’s so easy to take care of the ‘larger’, more apparent items in your home when you have kids – baby gates on the stairs, outlet covers, knives put up high, those ‘kid leashes’ to help avoid getting lost or run away, etc. There’s a TON when you start to list them out! Until a few years into parenthood, I didn’t even think of the danger posed by corded blinds, and we all know that kids + cords do NOT mix!

Sadly, there’s plenty of stories out there of children who accidentally were strangled by random hanging items – be it cords, belts or similar. This is why it’s super important to use cordless window coverings and blinds in homes with young kids OR to use ones that have the cords inaccessible. I’d even go as far as to say that if you don’t have kids but do have pets, make sure either the cords are high enough your furry little ones don’t get tangled accidentally while playing or that you go with the cordless/inaccessible cords.

PSA: Only Use Cordless Window Coverings with Young Children from Window Covering Safety Council on Vimeo.

This is our first full week in our ‘new’ house – and it’s the first house we’ve owned that wasn’t actually NEW which meant we didn’t get to pick out the blinds ourselves to ensure they were safe. We’re learning all sorts household safety concerns with a 20-year-old house versus a newly built one, a big one being we need to check all the blinds, shades and window covers for cords.

Older window products with cords were a lot more common in the past, so I already am planning to switch some of the older corded ones with today’s safer products ASAP. If you’re not sure which items are the safer choice, just keep an eye out for the Best for Kids™ certification label while shopping in stores or online – it makes it simple to identify which products are the better choice for homes with young children.

Of course, there’s some household ‘dangers’ that we can’t always protect our kiddos from – such as that naptime they try so hard to put off!

Whether you’re also moving into a ‘new’ house, or just like refreshing your home for Springtime, it’s a great time to take some safety precautions that may be overlooked during the busy-ness of the rest of the year. You can even check out the Window Covering Safety Council on Facebook for more info to help you get your household safety concerns put to rest.

What household safety concerns were your biggest surprise?

When You’re Living Between Moves

April 30, 2018 by Danielle

We received a complimentary stay to facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone. #myESA

As many of you know, the past two months have been a chaotic mess of moving from one house in a hurry, finding a new house at the last minute because our original pick fell through, then having almost a week when we were between houses before we could move in. So what do you do when you’re living between moves? Find a fantastic home-away-from-home, of course!

Seriously, I never want to deal with all the rushed packing and storage, extreme late nights to get it all done in time, or the emotional toll this has been on is. That being said, last week when we were between houses went much more smoothly than I could have imagined being temporarily homeless! Luckily, we were able to get a 2-bedroom suite at a local Extended Stay America that worked perfectly for our big family!

The kids weren’t quite sure at first about staying at a hotel for that long while still doing school, but as soon as we came in they LOVED it and were really excited. The great thing about an Extended Stay America is that the rooms come with kitchens, so you can still make meals as needed. This was perfect for the early morning breakfasts before school, then making the kids a tasty dinner after all the kids’ activities. It was also a great benefit because we had a place to store our fridge items while our own fridge was in storage!

We didn’t have to bring our own dishes, as they supplied what we needed – just let them know, and the friendly desk staff will help you out. One bathroom was a little weird for our family of 7, but it worked out fine for the week. It was a good size, plus had plenty of storage for our stuff. They had no problem supplying all the towels we needed, either.

The front room had TWO queen/full sized sofa beds, which our girls enjoyed. Keeping them separate form their brothers was a definite sanity-saver, since they’re ‘too cool’ to share with their younger siblings apparently! They fold up nice and easy, leaving it a great family room with little table and TV.

Behind that was a table that made it great for me working during the day – blogging never sleeps, after all! The free wi-fi was a blessing, and during the day the speed was just fine.

To store their stuff was a linen closet in the hall as well…

The smaller of the bedrooms, which the 3 boys shared, was to the side and had a closet that fit all their stuff.

The master room was in the back of the hallway, with a comfy bed and TV. The closet was surprisingly HUGE, which was perfect as we did have several pieces of luggage and other things we didn’t want in storage while we between houses.

The little bonuses made a huge difference while between moves…

Such as the goodies on the bed, plus a welcome card…

…and soaps, shampoo and dish detergent to make your stay feel right at home.

For how hectic the past several weeks have been, I’m so grateful that our time at Extended Stay America while between moves took some of the stress and chaos off of our family. It was like a wonderful mini vacation between everything, and helped us all unwind, relax and enjoy our time a bit more!

How do you deal with being between moves?

Common Health Mistakes Busy Moms Make

April 4, 2018 by Danielle

With 5 kids, we know what it’s like to be a busy parent. It seems like there’s always something to do, and as soon as you think you’ve caught up, there’s a load more things to get done. With all of our tasks there’s a whole list of Common Health Mistakes Busy Moms Make! I know I’m guilty of often letting my own health slide due to my attention to my family and many responsibilities. However, it’s important we don’t skip over our own health while caught up in our parenting duties, so here’s some tips to help!

Here’s some of the most common health mistakes busy moms make and what you can do about it:

Failing to plan meals in advance – You should pick a day of the week (Sunday is a popular choice) to plan your meals for the week. At the start of each day, you should know what is for dinner that night. This helps ensure you have a healthy meal every day. If you need some help and/or hate meal planning, nab our YEAR of weekly meal plans with recipes!

Not drinking enough water – It’s easy to skip water when you’re busy – and if you’re like me and don’t like drinking water anyway (blah!) it makes it even more challenging. If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Invest in a great water bottle and take it with you everywhere you go so it’s handy. There’s also some fun apps for your phone to set reminders to drink throughout the day!

Eating fast food (too often) – When you’re busy and on the go a lot, it can be tempting to grab some junk food, packaged foods, or fast food. Heaven knows how much I love a good burger and fries! I know it’s not the healthiest option if I eat that too often, though. Avoid this and take healthy snacks with you in your bag in case you get hungry when away from home.

Not getting enough exercise – You keep meaning to go to the gym, really. It’s just that you’ve been so busy! Haha – I’ve said that so many times, I’ve lost count! Don’t use running around after the kids as an excuse and call it exercise. It’s important to make some time each day for real exercise. It will help your body and mind, and if you’re like me, can really help your mood 🙂

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Having lots of fun staying healthy while playing with the kiddos! #24HourEsterC #ad
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Taking care of yourself is very important. If you don’t, you won’t be able to continue to care for everyone else. Like on airplanes when you should do your own oxygen mask BEFORE helping others!

What health mistake do you most often make?

How to Truly Find Balance in Your Life

March 30, 2018 by Danielle

Does anyone else experience those times in life when you just sit there thinking ‘how the heck can I handle everything?’ With all that we busy moms are asked to do, it’s an extremely frustrating task to find balance with it all. And not every person has the same responsibilities or desires for their time! One mom may need to provide some or all of the family’s income. Another may be the main household ‘manager’. Still another may be a full-time chauffeur due to their kids’ many activities. Most of us do more than one of those things, too! So how do we manage our responsibilities with spending quality time with our families AND making time to care for ourselves? Here’s a few tips on How to Truly Find Balance in Your Life – hopefully they’ll help us with this stressful balancing act a bit!

We hear a lot of talk about “balance” these days. Balancing your personal life with your mom duties, balancing work and home life, balancing this-and-that – but what does it really mean? The first, and most important, thing to know about balance is that it is not static. It comes and goes and weaves in and out of your life as things change throughout your day, week, and months. You need to understand that it evolves and regularly be aware of it. Learn how to self-check to see if you are feeling balanced.

Just because you “find balance” doesn’t mean you will feel the same tomorrow. You may need to find it again. In time, it will get easier and easier to form good, positive habits that help you maintain balance in your life, but it is still a daily process. It isn’t something you just find and keep forever. It’s a constant struggle, like a constant balancing act we have to do – and it can change constantly as our roles, responsibilities and life challenges adjust.

Next, you also need to know that healthy eating and getting enough sleep each night will help you. It sounds basic – that’s because it is. It’s simple enough, yet many people struggle with it. You need to have your body and mind in the right place and this begins with healthy living.

Don’t be afraid to say no. Many of us moms find our lives getting kicked out of balance because we take on too many responsibilities or try to do too much. It’s important that we learn to say no and be comfortable doing so when the time comes. You can’t do everything, nor should you try.

Okay, so that sounds a lot easier than I think it is – but I think these few things are the most important steps for working towards balance. It’s okay if we don’t always get it perfect, but what matters most is that we’re trying – for our families sakes, as well as our own!

How do YOU best find balance in your life?

Fearless Learning Support at Explore Horizons

March 16, 2018 by Danielle

Thank you to Explore Horizons for partnering with us on this post! #fearlesslearning #fearlesswriter #fearlesstesttaker #fearlessmath

Often when people hear ‘tutoring’, they think of help for those falling behind or struggling with certain aspects of their education. I’ll admit that I used to think that way, too! Since letting all of my kids try out the program available at Explore Horizons, it’s changed my perspective. I’ve learned that children of ANY level or ability can really benefit from Fearless Learning Support at Explore Horizons – whether it’s to catch up, stay strong or even get ahead!

With five kiddos, we have varying levels of learning – they each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and don’t all learn the exact same way. This can be hard to meet ALL their needs in a typical school setting, because they need more individualized help to really assist with their learning. That’s one reason I’ve loved the past few weeks at Explore Horizons, because their method is a ‘whole child’ approach. They provide tutoring for kids of all abilities in the Pre-K through 8th grades in math, reading and writing that’s engaging to the kids, making them actually EXCITED to learn. Every child receives a plan customized to their own individual needs, really increasing their likelihood of success. And when a child truly feels confident that they can succeed, that’s when they can truly conquer anything. It’s an amazing compliment to a school education, and can really give them a stronger foundation for success.

So how does this work, you may be asking? First, Explore Horizons has several locations available around the Dallas-Fort Worth area – so go to their site and locate the one nearest you. Contact them to schedule your child’s evaluation, which helps them put together a plan that will best assist and support your child’s educational needs. Once the plan is in place, they’ll explain how the sessions and such work. Basically, with the monthly fee you receive:

Up to two tutoring sessions per week, 75 minutes each
Professional educators
Individually tailored tutoring
Regular one-on-one parent progress meetings
Open homework clinic on Wednesday evenings
Reserved one-on-one tutoring session per month

You’re able to drop in during their operating hours without having to pre-book (super convenient if you don’t know you’re exact schedule in advance – just decide the day of!). Their customized plans align to your school district’s curriculum, and they offer preparation for test taking. With the STARR tests coming up, I loved being able to take my 4th grader to those STARR prep sessions for a little extra confidence and support for her! Oh, and they offer ne thing that would’ve helped ME a ton in my youth – handwriting development help!

I was nervous at first that my kids would be annoyed when I told them they were going to be attending a tutoring session – and they were, until they got there. They absolutely LOVED the staff, who were so friendly and knowledgeable (and patient – a huge benefit when working on learning) and the learning program is actually fun for the kids, so they look forward to attending each week. Some of my kids need a bit of extra help to catch up to their current level, while a few are ready to advance more but don’t receive that time or attention in school. Explore Horizons was perfect for this, because they cater it to that child’s particular needs and levels. It’s NOT just for kids who need extra help – my more advanced kids loved being able to work on more challenging things above their ‘normal’ grade, and it helped them feel more motivated to learn.

A typical session for us – we arrive and are greeted by the awesome staff. They call my kiddos ‘the clan’ because it’s FIVE of them 🙂 My kids write their name and arrival time on the sign-in sheet, and I’m told what time about they’ll be done. It’s typically 75 minutes long. They get their books, are assigned a station, and get working on their goals for that day with the assistance of the staff. Each station has up to six kids with one tutor helping just those kids – I love the smaller sizes, so they can really get the help, support and attention they need! After working their time, they have a ‘recharge station’ where they can play some games and have a little bit of earned fun. At the end, they’re given up to 4 lizard cards (depending on how many they earned for how well they did their goals for the day), and told how many spaces to move their name on the lizard chart – more on those rewards later though! Then they’re released to me at pick-up, and I’m updated of how each child did that day. I love the great communication between their team and us as parents – it takes a village, that’s for sure!

When kids feel like they’re able to learn – and enjoy it – a whole new world opens up and they really up their effort. I love how excited they are when they understand something new, or overcome something that they were struggling with before! That’s one thing that Explore Horizons believes in – creating a generation of fearless learners.

You’ll be kept updated of their progress each session, since when you pick them up one of their awesome staff lets you know what they worked on, what they may have struggled with a bit, and what they did amazing on (whether it’s asking for help, learning a new concept, or figuring out a new way to work a problem). The kids’ goals are clear from the start of each session, so they know what to work on. During your monthly progress meetings, they’ll give you a DETAILED report of how they’re doing, including what level they’re working at and with what average score and mastery scores. For example, I knew Black Widow was reading at a higher level than her grade, but didn’t realize she was doing really well in reading AND math at a whole grade level above where she’s at!

Their engaging program helps keep track of where the kids are at, and adjusts as needed. One of my twins is a bit lower in reading than his ‘actual grade level’ is, so the program adjusted to fit that AND adjusted to ensure that his math was where HE needed it, not where the grade level said. It’s great knowing that not only is the staff customizing their tutoring session, but the program they’re working on will cater to their individual needs, as well.

They also have a reward system – because we know kids LOVE rewards – in which they earn ‘lizard cards’. The kids get a kick out of these fun cards, which they can collect. They also move up the lizard chart to earn certificates, and there’s a prize shop where they can earn enough cards to ‘buy’ a cool prize. They’re so excited for it, and it gives them even more encouragement and motivation to do their best!

So what are you waiting for? You can find Explore Horizons on their website or on their social accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Mornings Saved with School Breakfast

March 5, 2018 by Danielle

This post is sponsored by the School Nutrition Associated for National School Breakfast Week. #NSBW18 #SchoolBreakfast #TrayTalk

I’m sure I’ve mentioned a time or two (or dozen) before how much I dislike mornings. It’s such a mad rush to get everyone up, ready and out the door – and we can just hope that nobody forgot something important! Unfortunately, for busy families it means not having time for a good breakfast, even though it’s one of the most important meals of the day. Luckily, mornings are saved with school breakfast – and this week we’re celebrating with National School Breakfast Week!

At our school, I know so many kids who rely on the school breakfast because it’s just not available at home – either due to time, finances or whatever reason. When I walk in the doors every morning with my kiddos in tow, we walk right past the lunchroom that’s bustling with kids enjoying a good start to the day. Plus, it’s a great time for them to chat with friends and prepare for the day ahead together! It’s also a relief to parents, knowing that if they just can’t make breakfast or lunch every day, their kids will still have a great option.

I’m thrilled that some important changes have been made to the school menus in the past decade – with more whole grains, fresh fruit and veggies, less sodium and sugar, and local ingredients or from scratch cooking when available. I know all you fellow busy moms understand the stress of making sure our kiddos eat more healthy – especially with so much junk around – so it means a lot to me as a parent to know that the offerings are better for them than when I was younger.

In fact, research shows that kids who participate in the school breakfast programs tend to eat more fruits, drink more milk and have a wider variety of foods than those who don’t eat breakfast. About 14 million kids eat school breakfast every school day – so that’s a lot of little ones getting better nutrition in their tummies!

I’ll fully admit that I HAVE to have breakfast every day – without it, I’m lethargic and honestly a total grump. I don’t mean to be, but I just can’t function well without starting my day with a good meal – and I know growing kids need it even more! It not only helps their mood and healthy weight, but students who eat breakfast are more likely to score higher on standardized tests, reach higher levels in math and reading, are able to concentrate and remember better, and be more alert throughout the day. YAY!

And did you know that some schools are adding Breakfast in the Classroom, Second Chance Breakfast, Grab and Go Breakfast and others? It’s their way to ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast before school begins – because it’s heartbreaking how many little kiddos wouldn’t have breakfast at all if their school didn’t offer one!

So to celebrate National School Breakfast Week March 5th-9th this year, there’s going to be daily activities, new healthy menu items and awesome breakfast programs being implemented in school – just check out the TrayTalk.org blog and the Tray Talk Facebook page to join in on the fun! There you’ll also find some handy resources for parents or guardians, with things such as interviews and stories from school cafeterias and nutrition experts.

Here’s some extra fun for your kiddos as well – some cool school breakfast themed coloring sheets! Just go here and print or download 🙂

You can even get really playful with some photo prop printables – get the kids, classmates, teachers and – heck, even the principal to join in on this clever fun. I call this one “my banana!” 😉

Just print them onto cardstock, cut them out and either hold them up just like that or attach them to a craft stick or something. These sure made for some awesome pictures to celebrate National School Breakfast Week!

What’s your kiddos’ favorite breakfast?

Why Leftovers are a Busy Mom’s Best Friend

March 2, 2018 by Danielle

Mornings are a rush, after school is a mad dash and bedtime is a marathon – daily life for busy parents is tough! We struggle to fit in all of the ‘have to do’ items, much less squeeze in some ‘nice to do’ ones. That leaves little time for relaxing, breathing or just spending quality time. This is why leftovers are a busy mom’s best friend – they’re easy, offer variety, avoid waste & really save on much-needed time!

In our family, the kids can pretty much expect that we have leftovers 2-3 nights a week. We usually arrange it to be during our busiest nights (usually dance days, since class goes from right after school until late) to be the most helpful. It’s written right into our weekly menu, so there’s no surprises – because we all know how kids can have a meltdown over one simple plan change! When we first started this years ago, I was against it and tried to stick to the ‘new meal every single night’ method – and it sucked. Luckily I learned to appreciate leftovers for our busy family, because it’s sure saved my sanity on numerous occasions!

Here’s some reasons leftovers can be a busy mom’s best friend

Cook Once, Eat Twice: cooking takes time – the meal prep, baking time, etc. If you make bigger batches, then you’re only spending that time once but getting maybe two meals out of it. It’s especially nice if you like more complex or time-consuming meals, because it averages out nicely when you spread it for more than just one dinner.

Less Waste: I know us parents hate it when food gets wasted because our kids don’t finish their plates, but what about the waste of leftovers if you don’t use it later? It may just sit in the fridge with good intentions, but then it goes bad and into the garbage before being enjoyed again. By planning for leftovers, it gives you a very real, specific time for you to pull those out and get the finished.

Quicker Meals on Busy Nights: Whether you’re like us and have some late nights because of the kids’ activities, or just have so many errands and such to do, not having to spend a ton of time preparing a whole new meal is a big relief. When we’re on our way home from dance class and I’m just thinking how tired I am, and how ready to go to sleep the kids are, it’s nice knowing that hubby’s just warming up some leftovers and we can all just sit, eat and get ready for bed.

If you’re looking for quicker, budget-friendly meals – be sure to check out our Meal Plan Ebook!

More Variety: I have some super picky eaters in my family, and it seems they’re all picky about different things – which makes for a big headache trying to whip up a meal that everyone will enjoy! On leftover nights it’s nice because we can heat up the remains of two or three different meals, meaning a wider range of things the kids can choose from. Those that liked that sticky finger casserole from the other night can have more of that, while the kids that preferred the mango chicken tacos can pick that. Hubby wants more of the spicy noodle soup? No problem!

Easy Meals to Take-Along: Not having to make something new for packing in your work lunch is really nice, especially if your morning prep is already rushed. I work from home, and since I have to squeeze in tons of work into just the school hours, it’s great to just pull something out of the fridge and heat it up really quick for my lunch. If it was something that took longer, I may make the excuse that I don’t have time and not eat – which I know isn’t healthy for me.

There’s so many ways leftovers can be a huge help for busy families – I know it’s been wonderful to plan on that regularly in my own household! Plus, I don’t have to decide on SEVEN different dinners each week. Instead, it’s just four or five plus two to three nights of leftovers – yay for more time and hassle saved!

If you want more help with your weekly meal planning, don’t miss out on our Meal Plan Ebook – it’s a whole YEAR of weekly meal plans already done for you, plus all the recipes in one handy pdf book. Plus, we kept the meals cost-effective, so the grocery cost averages to less than $5 per person per day!