When I was pregnant for the first time, I wanted a boy – so when we found out that we were indeed expecting a baby boy, I was ecstatic.
I dreamed of the messy faces that were soon to come.
The Tonka trucks and Hot Wheels explosion on my living room floor and the rambunctious chaos – I couldn’t wait!
Everyone and their mother told me that having boys was so much easier than girls…
Binkies. Pacifiers.
Like most parents, I have always had a love/hate relationship with them.
I love them because they help comfort my child while giving me a couple minutes of sanity. I hate them when it is time to start making them disappear.
All four of my boys have used binkies. Looking back I realize just how lucky I was at the ease of breaking the pacifier habit.
Two of them weaned themselves with no help from me around 1 year old.
My other son just started refusing the pacifier at 6 months old.
My son’s teacher called me one afternoon screaming into the phone, “Ms. McCollum, your son is running around the room throwing chairs.”
I couldn’t believe what she saying because my son was such a sweet, shy kid and I couldn’t imagine him acting that way.
When I asked her why he was so upset, she told me it was because she moved his behavior pin from green.
Warmer weather is finally here, and that means lots of outdoor fun with our kids.
For younger children, especially those getting ready to start Kindergarten, it is important to include learning activities in their play months before they start school.
If you’ve already registered your child for school, you may have received a long list of skills they need to master before the beginning of the school year.
As each mom enters the phase of toddler motherhood, we all begin to go a little bonkers at some point.
Toddlers are wonderful and energizing and yet somehow, at the same time, terrifying and exhausting.
If you’re a busy mom, or you work from home, independent play can be a lifesaver.
But how do you encourage independent play for your toddler?
When we decided that it was time for me to start working from home, I spent a lot of time trying out different ways to create the perfect environment to foster independent play for my toddler.
With kids, comes toys!
No matter what age your kids are, you probably have a house full of toys and probably only a small number of those toys are actually played with.
My kids are only young (3 years and 7 months), but still – we’ve managed to accumulate so many toys. And I’ll tell you something about me and toys.
Summer’s almost here, mamas!
And that means it’s time to get your summer plans in place now, so you’re not feeling overwhelmed when school’s officially out!
If all your kids are school-aged and you work from home, summer can feel like a major source of anxiety. Suddenly, all your kids are home and looking for fun and entertainment.
This holiday season has been especially fun for my family.
It is the first time our daughter (3) has recognized the lights on houses, decorations around the house, presents under the tree, and all of the other fun Christmas traditions.
I am learning how to keep a clean house as a stay-at-home mom. On the one hand, you think, I’m staying home, will have so much time to clean! But on the other hand, you also have tiny humans running around the house all day undoing everything you’ve done.
I don’t know about you but Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays.
I always end up waiting until the last minute to get a costume.
Not to mention, I really dislike spending money on something my kids will only wear once!
