My very first diary, from fourth grade, was an American Girl-branded notebook that only provided a handful of lines to write about my day. A few decades later, I easily fill three to five-ish pages every day, even though I only spend about 15 minutes a day journaling. It’s a practice that has gotten me through life in more ways than one. When I don’t know what to think about a situation? I … [Read more...]
Why I Let My Kid Start a YouTube Channel
For months, my daughter asked to start her own YouTube channel. Naturally, these requests typically happened after her "tablet time" when she often watched YouTube videos and (gasp) watched kids open or play with their toys. (I know, I know; some parents absolutely abhor these videos. I used to have mixed feelings about them myself, but I came around to the idea that they could be "okay." Keep … [Read more...]
Homeschool Isn’t Going As Planned, and That’s Okay
When we first decided to homeschool our two kids, I went a bit crazy with all my curriculum shopping. I bought curriculums, books, art supplies, and science experiments galore. I read up on how kids learn (especially through play). As nervous as I was to be responsible for teaching my kids, I was also excited to go along with them on their journey of exploring, discovering, and learning. As … [Read more...]
Five Meditation Ideas for Moms
I tried countless times to do meditation. I tried Oprah's meditations, but clocking in at 20 minutes or so, if I did it during the day, I was inevitably interrupted by one of the kids. At night, I’d fall asleep. So what about before the kids woke up? Ha! With my youngest regularly waking at 6am, if not earlier, that wasn’t about to happen. (Affiliate links included). But with the … [Read more...]
Gift Guide: Encourage Creativity and Imagination with these Gifts for Kids
"Look mom!" my two-year-old declared. "Paw patrol tower!" He pointed to his latest creation: a very tall stack of duplos, complete with what he said was a "slide" at the top. It was not, in fact, a slide, but more Duplos. (Affiliate links included). His creativity astounded me and almost convinced me that he didn't need a Paw Patrol tower for Christmas (but his obsession has been so long … [Read more...]
