Raising Kids
My heart fell into a deep pit in my stomach. I couldn’t escape the painful feeling of a punch into the gut. But the truth is this wasn’t about me. It was about my son. He came home from playing at the park with his friends...bawling. The tears were coming so fast, I could barely understand what he was saying. He fumbled [...]
Mom Life15 Calming Essential Oils That Create Feelings of Peace and Contentment
Inside: How to use calming essential oils to help support your emotional well-being. This includes using essential oils for sleep and calming essential oils to help us relax not just in the evening, but throughout the day! For a moment, my husband and I collapsed into the couch the other night. Staring out into space, my mind went [...]
How to Motivate Kids And Get the Behavior You Want
Inside: How to motivate kids to make thoughtful choices and bring out their best. It's the most powerful way to encourage your child's sprit and inner voice. Two words: Oatmeal. Everywhere. Two more words: Kids. Screaming. Three more words: Mama. Not. Happy. Fifteen minutes earlier my kids scurried down the stairs with [...]
Boundaries, Routines and Early Bedtimes: 13 Habits That Raise Well-Adjusted Kids
Inside: With so much conflicting parenting advice, you may wonder how to raise a well-adjusted kid? Before you hide under the pillow, check out these 13 habits any parent can do. I keep seeing posts about “entitled kids” making the rounds lately. In fact, you don’t have to look hard before you see things written about how [...]
How to Communicate With a Toddler (And Get Your Message Heard)
Inside: If you're a parent with a toddler not listening, you'll LOVE these simple communication strategies that can change everything. Help your child listen better, get the cooperation you want and start enjoying parenting again. My kids and I were browsing through the toy section for a birthday gift last week, when I heard a [...]
MilSpouse LifeMilitary Family Planning: Is There Ever a Good Time?
Inside: Military life family planning...is there ever a good time to have a baby? Plus, four things that you CAN control and count on once you are pregnant to make the addition to your family easier. This is a sponsored post with The Breastfeeding Shop. I was hugely pregnant. Like massive. As in the kind of massive where people ask you [...]
How to End Screen-Time Without a Struggle
Last night when we sat down to dinner, I politely grabbed the iPad from my daughter's hands and said, "You're all done with that now. I will take that. Thank you very much." Unfortunately, this approach didn't work out so well. As I placed the iPad in the living room and sat down to my own dinner, my daughter scowled at me. She [...]
Why Kids Engage in Power Struggles (And How to Fix It)
Inside: Learn the biggest reason why kids engage in power struggles. Plus, get 3 simple strategies to fix them. In our house, I often joke that someone is always crying. And of course, it’s a bit of an exaggeration, but some days it feels like it! The past few weeks, my son wakes up in the morning and immediately bursts into [...]
Schedule / RoutineOne Simple Trick to Help Your Kids Fall Asleep Fast
My in-laws were recently here visiting us in Japan, which meant it was time for another round of our son sleeping in our room again. My husband and I had a whole plan of action ready to go. He would sleep in our bed. This seemed like a great idea, but I was secretly dreading it. I know some parents are great at co-sleeping and room [...]
To the Mom of a Spirited Toddler, You Are Stronger Than You Think
I had this dream once. My strong willed toddler woke up and the entire day there wasn’t a single tear shed. It was a totally awesome dream. Unfortunately, most days that dream is a far cry from reality. Raising a spirited toddler isn't that easy. Most days you probably see me walking from my car to the house carrying a [...]
