Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness for family and friends.
Legend has it that the Pilgrims made it through their first winter in the New World thanks to the Native Americans who provided food and shared their means for survival in a harsh climate.
Traditional Thanksgiving fare includes mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams and other vegetables, cranberry sauce, ham, and of course, the main attraction, the Thanksgiving turkey. This is all followed by pumpkin or apple pie (or both, in my family) topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Wow, I’m salivating for that meal already, but it’s still more than a week away.
Wait, isn’t it Christmas already?
No, you say?
But everywhere I go, I see Christmas garlands strung across store aisles, Christmas tree farms are throwing open their gates, inflatable snowmen have replaced their jack-o’-lantern counterparts, and Santa has set up camp at the mall.
When I was younger, I remember that after Halloween, I would continue to see autumn-themed decorations and other trimmings wherever I went; it was basically Halloween décor minus the scare factor.
It was still autumn and everyone was celebrating the “Harvest Season.” Thanksgiving was always a nice, smooth transition into the “Christmas Season.”
Now with retail taking more and more of a chunk of our attention to the holidays, The “Christmas State of Mind” needs to start earlier and earlier to feed the gift-giving frenzy of a confused populace who keep thinking Christmas is right around the corner, forgetting that speed bump called Thanksgiving.
Why squeeze out a holiday that is totally non-denominational, brings family and friends together for delicious food, and reminds us to show gratitude for all our blessings?
So I’m here, with a defense of Thanksgiving—let’s slow down and enjoy November, its fiery show of leaves going out in a blaze of glory, the countdown to the Thanksgiving Feast, the constant reminder to “give thanks” inherent in the name of the season.
And to those who wish to rush, don’t panic. As soon as you finish that last bite of turkey and stuffing, you may don your ugly sweater and play those Christmas carols. You still have an entire month, after all.
Jen Kathrina-Anne is a blogger, freelance writer, and graphic designer. When she’s not writing or designing, she enjoys spending time outdoors in the California Bay Area where she resides with her husband and two fearless daughters. Find her at www.hautemommyhandbook.com.
Your bags are packed and you’re ready to go—well, maybe. Nothing throws a wrench into a family vacation quite like forgetting that one charging cord for the tablet or not packing enough pairs of socks. To help you prep for your summer vacay, we’ve put together a list of the must-have items for a family road trip. Check out the list below, and download the printable RV Packing List here!
I’ve resolved to get organized and develop better habits for 2019. I woke at 5 a.m., according to my new regimen, where I can catch a little “me time” and plan my day.
My son—who normally wakes at 7:30 a.m.—has started to jump on the “early riser” bandwagon. Upstairs I go to get him at 5:30. I try, hopelessly to put him back to sleep. Defeat? No. I will just set him up for breakfast and I’ll tune him out for a moment while I start planning.
Okay. Grocery store. A little miscellaneous shopping, perhaps for a blind for the kitchen—man the one we have is driving me nuts.
Here comes kid number two. Wait for it. Yes. there’s the complaint about the food selection in the cupboards. No Goldfish? No cookies? If I had a nickel for every time they said that, I’d be rich. Maybe if they want Goldfish for their lunches everyday, they wouldn’t put half the dang bag in their lunch on the first day of the week.
Grocery. How many times have I been to the grocery this week? Saturday for a quick run. Sunday for a school shop. It’s now Wednesday. But I did send my husband last night as well. This is out of control!
Oh dear. My son is making quite a mess with his cereal. Okay, he dumped it all out. Where did all my tea towels go? Okay. I’m going to pick some up today. And also a list so I stop forgetting what to get while I’m at the store.
Kids are fine. They ate something. They packed their lunches and are off to school. Now I’ll load my son in the car and run errands.
Dang I really should have written a list. Dollar store. Grocery store. Got it. As I pull up to the dollar store, I realize my son’s diaper is full. Where is the stash I usually keep in the car? Oh dear. Guess I’m going to have to make this a quick run.
I reach the dollar store and I manage to pick up a list. I browse a little more. What else did I need here? Tin foil! Got it.
Off to the grocery. Cheese. Fruit. Goldfish. Pancake mix. Check, check, check. Son is still okay in his diaper. Let’s get home before this becomes a problem.
I pull in the driveway and see a note on the door. It’s Purolator. I’ve forgotten I was to accept a package today. It’s a temperature sensitive delivery. Oh great. I change my son’s diaper and get in the car with the delivery notice. I wonder if the delivery person has dropped our package off at the main office yet. Dang, I really should have checked the pickup time before I left.
I arrive. The delivery person hasn’t delivered the package to the main office yet. Oh well. At least I got to talk to a real person and not an answering service.
I pull in the driveway, again. This time my husband is waiting for me. “Did you forget we needed to switch cars this afternoon?”
“No,” I reply as the memory of this previous conversation rushes to my mind. I don’t usually lie but I needed to recoup some dignity from my forgetfulness.
I bring in the groceries and my extra bags. Ah, the tea towels. Where’d I put that list?
In this day and age, many parents resort to technology in order to keep their kids entertained and occupied, completely forgetting the benefits of arts and crafts. True, technology is very useful, and kids should be introduced to it, but it should never come at the expense of them playing and making things with their own hands. There are many benefits of arts and crafts that go beyond simply allowing your kids to express themselves in a more creative way, and here are some of them.
It improves their coordination and fine motor skills.
Arts and crafts usually require kids to use both hands in a certain manner, which can help them develop fine motor skills and bilateral coordination. For example, drawing dots and lines, cutting with scissors, and even simply tearing a piece of paper are all quite demanding tasks in terms of dexterity – and kids enjoy doing them. This can help them develop faster and become more skilled in other daily activities such as tying their shoes, dressing, using kitchenware, etc.
It helps them express themselves.
Kids tend to be very visual about everything that happens around them, and they generally absorb a lot of information every day. However, there will always be kids who are naturally shyer and not that comfortable with expressing themselves in words. Those kids may look for different, more visual ways to express their emotions and thoughts – and arts and crafts can give them what they need. It is a safe environment that they can control and shape in any way they want by using any materials they like. This is why parents might get a better insight into how their child is feeling or what they are thinking by encouraging them to participate in arts and crafts activities.
It makes them more creative and productive.
There are no limits to children’s imagination, and arts and crafts are a great way for them to turn that endless imagination into something more productive. There are many materials, colors, shapes, and activities they can choose, which allows children to explore different options and pick those that they find the most enjoyable. And who knows, they might even discover a fun hobby, like drawing, that can later become a lucrative career, like graphic design.
It helps them develop other skills.
Young kids usually begin using pens by scribbling random things. However, the thing is, the more they scribble, the better they will be at controlling the pen and their movements across the paper. So, as they learn to control their own movements, they will also learn how to create different shapes, which will eventually lead to creating letters. In other words, the more they scribble, the faster they’ll master everything they need in order to write clearly. Also, you can encourage scribbling by giving them colorful gel pens—scribbling with such fun pens will make them want to do it all the time!
It inspires them to think critically.
Art comes with endless possibilities and choices—will their house have a red roof or black? Will they draw a dog or a cat? How will they draw the clouds and the birds? All these choices inspire kids to think critically, decide, and evaluate their own decisions so they can repeat them or change them the next time. This way, they will become more comfortable with thinking about different possibilities and more confident about making their choices. Plus, it will also make them more likely to try different combinations and come up with their own ideas, which is an extremely useful skill at all ages.
It helps them socialize.
Arts and crafts create a common ground for all the kids who may have different interests or simply haven’t met yet, because most of them will love creating things with their hands—and see what other kids have created. When it comes to creativity, it doesn’t matter how old they are or what race they are – the only thing that matters is what they can make. And since children are naturally curious, they will gladly approach another child if they like what that kid has drawn, built with Lego blocks, or colored.
There are many benefits of arts and crafts for kids, from helping them socialize and express themselves to helping them develop other skills and think more critically. So, if you want your child to have fun and experience all these benefits, encourage them to take part in such activities – they are both fun and useful, and your kid will definitely enjoy exploring their own imagination.
Olivia is psychologist and entrepreneur from Brisbane and a mother of two beautiful children. She is a passionate writer, traveler and conscious consumer, seeking healthy and sustainable products to incorporate into the lives of her family. Her motto is “Be the change you want to see in the world."
This is how I look during most days of quarantine. Are you digging the crazy bun and no makeup?
Well, as crazy as this messy bun looks, and I’m not sure why it always flops to the side, it is a blessing.
A symbol of renewal and change.
I used to be, like so many of us, the one running all over the place, all of the time and it was never-ending and downright exhausting.
To be honest though, most days I was simply running in circles.
Running from being bored. Running from not feeling grounded. Running from going through the motions.
But now, I’m lucky if I get out of my pajamas before noon on most days and it’s not because I’m sleeping.
Just the opposite, I’m present.
I’m present and not rushing out of the side door forgetting where my keys are.
I’m present and able to listen fully to each story the girls have to share, rather than rushing out to pick up the last-minute item I need for dinner.
I’m present, fully present, often waiting for them.
I’m talking with the girls over a cup of tea, not rushing, as they pop down to the kitchen to see me between classes online.
I’m making egg sandwiches and making sure it has a dash of love—not rushing.
I’m driving in the car, blasting our favorite songs and belting out the lyrics (most of them wrong)—not rushing.
And you know what? I’m okay with it.
I’m okay not rushing around and I’m okay sometimes being bored. Because I have gained so much more by not rushing.
It doesn’t mean I’m lazy.
It doesn’t mean I’m unmotivated.
It doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.
It just means I have accepted this slowed-down life and pace for what it is. A way to slow down and finally implement all we so desperately craved one year ago. For me, there is a silver lining to the pandemic. I was finally able to find some calm, some peace.
I was finally able to allow relaxation to seep into every pore of my body.
So the new me, with the weird side bun, no makeup, and a smile on my face, can be found planted in the kitchen or on the couch waiting for the girls to hang out and chat.
Maybe it’s a heart-to-heart, maybe just a quick laugh over something they saw online, or maybe we simply sit, with nowhere to go and embrace the moment.
Ali Flynn Is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Mom and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents and Her View From Home.
For new parents, celebrating a child’s first birthday is huge. You made it through a year with no sleep, spit-up stained shirts, and forgetting to brush your hair before leaving the house. It’s time to celebrate, but you’ll need to treat your child’s first birthday differently than others for it to be successful.
First and second birthday parties are in a category all their own, because your little one is not likely to understand or participate in much. Your baby may even be put off by the noise and extra people in your home.
Budget-wise, I went all out for my twins’ first birthday party. Here are a few things I’m glad I did, and a few I wish I knew.
1. Nap > Party.
Plan. the. party. around. the. nap. I can’t stress this one enough. Maybe 10 a.m. doesn’t seem like the perfect party time to you, but for this party, it is. Your guests will have to be flexible, but don’t worry—your comrades in parenting will understand. If your child gets tired and cranky during their party, you’ll need to nix the timeline and get creative.
My twins were at the end of their ropes by the time presents came around, so we let them open one each (which they weren’t very interested in, anyway) and then put them down for a nap. We opened the rest and got rid of all the packaging—like choky twist ties—before they got up.
2. Keep it Short.
The vast majority of one-year-olds are not up for a marathon event, and you probably won’t be, either. Keep your party short and sweet, two hours or less. Your adult friends can always hang out for the after-party once the kiddos are napping or in bed.
3. Take Photos before Guests Arrive.
Plan for your photographer to arrive 30-60 minutes before the party, but after everything is set up. I suggest starting with family and kid photos first, before spit-up and spilled drinks happen, and while everyone is still in a good mood. Then, your photographer can photograph all of the party details you’ve worked so hard on before your little one(s) and their guests enjoy them.
4. Take off the Pressure.
Give yourself a break. It’s hard to do anything on top of parenting a one-year-old. Plan things you know will be easy for you to do, or assign them to someone else. One thing I’ve learned from working in the event industry is that most guests will never notice all of the things that “went wrong” at an event. If something is causing you stress, leave it out.
I wish I had done a better job of this at my twins’ first birthday party because I was running around town like a chicken with my head cut off the morning of the party and getting snippy with my relatives—not fun for anyone.
5. Give Opportunities for Quiet Time.
New objects in the house, new people, new sounds…a first birthday party can be pretty overwhelming when you’re one year old. Even if your child doesn’t need a full nap during the party, they may need a break from the stimulation. Designate a quiet place for young kids to relax. This is also a good space for diaper changes and nursing if you are inviting other parents of babies.
6. Smash a Cupcake.
Smash cakes are all the rage in recent years. But if you have ever purchased a cake from a professional bakery (not talking about Target, even though I love Target), let me warn you, they are expensive. I purchased a 10″ round for my twins’ first birthday party and spent over $100. There was no way I was going to buy two additional cakes for my kids to smash, so I had the bakery whip up a couple of cupcakes instead.
I was especially glad I made this decision when both twins didn’t know what to do with the cupcakes and poked at them for about 15 minutes before finally eating the frosting and leaving the cake. Money saved and less wasted food = win/win.
7. Get Help.
Raising a child takes a village, right? And on your child’s first birthday, you will be doing all of the regular child-raising activities plus hosting a super awesome birthday party. Invite friends and family over the morning of your party or even the night before for any last-minute tasks like furniture rearranging, balloon inflating, gift wrapping, or crafting. Bonus if you throw in wine for your helpers at night or coffee in the a.m.
8. Safety First.
A lot of party decorations include elements that are not safe for one-year-olds. This could include small items, pointy pieces, or anything with glitter that can be rubbed off and rubbed into their eyes. Also, think about things like tablecloths that can be grabbed and pulled down along with everything on top of them. If you really want to use some of these things, set them up for your photos and keep the baby in another room. Then, take them away until you’re ready to use them or hand them out.
9. Don’t Splurge on Entertainment.
Clowns, magicians, and princesses are expensive to hire. Chances are, at one year old, your child will be indifferent to them, or even scared of the makeup and costumes.
I am a blogger, event planner and freelance copy editor, but most of all, I am a mother and a household manager. My family lives in vibrant Fort Collins, Colorado. I am Mom to twin girls and full-time Bonus Mom to one 10-year-old daughter. I love to be creative and inspire others.
With loved ones spread far and wide this holiday season, personalized and greeting cards are taking on a whole new meaning. Cardlet, a husband and wife-founded app takes sending your loved ones customized greeting cards to the next level with the magic of AR. Show the ones you care about how important they are to you with this service that requires zero trips to the store.
Cardlet is a physical greeting card delivery service powered by an app that helps you schedule, customize and order high quality greeting cards for an affordable price (starting at $6.95) with ease (delivered in 3-5 business days). Every card is enriched with a hidden AR experience that introduces a new dimension to the message it contains, including a feature that allows the card-giver to imbue their very own voice into the card.
As a new mom, Cardlet founder and CEO Jenny Sich was inspired to create Cardlet after forgetting to purchase a Father’s Day card. Confident that there should have been an app to help with that, she and her husband Matt Sich, a software engineer and Apple Worldwide Developers Conference attendee, set out to make greeting cards simpler and more meaningful with technology. This holiday season, as gift-buyers seek to avoid the stores, personalized cards delivered courtesy of Cardlet are a no-brainer way to connect with loved ones while staying home.
“I’m so scared to have teenagers!” or “I want my kids to stay little forever!” I’ve literally heard these and other similar quotes from so many friends and acquaintances when talking about parenting teenage kids.
When our son was entering the teenage years my husband and I decided our motto for these years would be, “Laugh our way through it.” Because we realized very quickly laughter replaces tears, shock, confusion, and fear that comes with parenting this age. If we don’t laugh, we will just spend our time wondering if the adolescents in our care will end up with full-ride academic and athletic scholarships to a top-rated school or flunking out of high school, forgetting their entire upbringing and becoming psycho drug-addicted killers. We all know those are the only two rational choices of course.
Our oldest three children (there are five total), are aged 12, 13 and 14. When they were younger, I remember thinking about how much I loved the little stage. I was so fearful of having teenagers, thinking I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with creatures of that age. They seemed so dark, confused, self-absorbed, weird. Would they want anything to do with me? Would they push back against all we tried to instill in them? Would they still want hugs, heart-shaped food on Valentine’s day and family time? The answer to these questions is yes, yes and yes!! I am seeing now they still need and want all of those things. It just looks a little different.
I tell anyone and everyone that I love the teenage stage so far. I think I love it much more than even those precious little years (although I loved that too). Teens are hilarious, smart and dumb at the same time, curious and self-reflective. They are figuring out what they like, who they are, what they like to do best. They make some choices that make you so proud to be their parent and others that make you want to hide under a rock, but didn’t we all?
One of my favorite ways to spend some quality time (in short bursts because that’s all they will give you), is in the car. Driving here or there with one kid is the perfect time to laugh with them or at them, talk about the hard things in life or their dreams and hopes for tomorrow. While it feels like torture for them to set their lifeline down (phone) and communicate with you for a few minutes, they’ll do it!
Laugh! All the time. Daily. Laugh with your teens and for sure laugh at them. They do the absolute dumbest things that are hysterical. Write them down to use in your speech at their graduation party or wedding. Embarrass them. I promise they actually kind of like it. Drive them right up to school in your work car with the lights flashing, video them after wisdom tooth surgery, do the floss dance in front of their friends (just random examples of course never attempted in our house)! You need laughter and funny stories to carry everyone through these years. Funny memories to reminisce about when the hard moments and pain threaten to drown everything else out.
Find some funny people. Friends, family, parents of other teenagers. You need a community of people to get together and laugh about how dumb and funny the teenagers around you are.
And, for the love, get a family motto. Feel free to use ours. Parenting is the absolute hardest and the best job out there. Laughter is truly the best medicine out there. So enjoy the little stages and enjoy the teens too! Step out of fear having teenagers and into the joy and laughter it can bring! LOL!
I am a part-time teacher, CHP wife, mom to 5 kids biological and adopted, ranging in ages from 14-5. I love friends, trailering, fun dinner parties, booze, exercising ( because booze) and being with my family. In my spare time....ha ha ha ha!
Unfortunately, forgetting a child is in the backseat of the car is not something that only happens to “bad parents.” In fact, 2018 was the highest year on record for tragic pediatric vehicular heatstroke. Experts agree this can happen to even the most devoted parents. With that in mind, all parents and caretakers should be aware of the scenarios that can cause distraction from the baby in the backseat.
Not all these scenarios can be avoided, but if parents and caregivers are aware of these four situations that can happen to anyone, they can ensure extra precautions are taken at these times to avoid forgetting their child is in the backseat.
1. Having a Bad Day. When frazzled parents are having a bad day at home or at work, it is easy to forget everyday things like your little baby sleeping quietly in the back of the car. Being distracted by a rough work day or a difficult family problem can cause a parent’s mind to wander.
2. Distracted When Getting Out of the Car. As social media and texting become more prevalent, people are becoming more distracted. If you’re checking social media or on the phone while getting out of the car, it is easy to forget important routines.
3. Popping Out of the Car for “Just a Few Minutes.” If a parent is just jumping out of the car to pick up ordered groceries, drop of mail at the post office, fill the car with gas or another quick task, it can be dangerous. It’s easy to forget your baby waiting in the back of the car when your mind is focused on completing a quick and easy task – and unfortunately even what feels like just a few minutes is dangerous in a hot, closed vehicle.
4. Other Caregivers. When a grandparent or babysitter is watching a baby and it is not their normal routine, it can be all too easy for them to forget the baby in the car. Additionally, if one parent typically does pick up or drop off at daycare, a day out of the ordinary when the other parent is responsible for the baby can be fatal if extra precautions are not taken.
Because there are several scenarios in which children can be forgotten in hot cars, it is important for safeguards to be put in place. Not all of these scenarios can be avoided—bad days will happen, emergency phone calls sometimes must be taken via Bluetooth in the car and every parent will use babysitters. The important thing is being aware of these situations that cause child vehicular heatstroke in order to avoid tragedy. While they are almost always genuine accidents by loving parents or caregivers, they are easily preventable when steps are taken to keep distractions at a minimum.
One easy solution to prevent this potential tragedy? The eClip. It’s a device that attaches easily inside the car and connects to a cell phone via Bluetooth. It alerts parents if they walk more than 25 feet from their car without removing their child.
Michael Braunold is CEO of Elepho, Inc, the company that created eClip. eClip is a device that attaches easily inside the car and connects to a cell phone via Bluetooth. It alerts parents if they walk more than 25 feet from their car without removing their child.
Every pregnant woman has experienced that phenomenon that seems to cloud your brain as your adorable baby bump continues to expand. No, you’re not losing your mind. Baby brain or mom brain might make you feel like a screw is loose, but in fact it is just one more of the challenging side effects of pregnancy. More research confirms what we’ve long suspected that pregnancy brain is 100 percent real.
A new study conducted by researchers at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia confirmed that cognitive function does in fact decline in women during pregnancy. The researchers analyzed data collected from 20 different studies on the subject of changes in cognition connected to pregnancy. The data used included 709 pregnant women and 521 non-pregnant women. The study concluded that pregnant women had lower overall cognitive function, memory, and executive function than non-pregnant women, especially during the third trimester.
More research is needed to determine how much of an impact this decline has on pregnant women, but as senior researcher Melissa Hayden explains, “These small reductions in performance across their pregnancy will be noticeable to the pregnant women themselves and perhaps by those close to them, manifesting mainly as minor memory lapses (e.g., forgetting or failing to book medical appointments). But more significant consequences (e.g., reduced job performance or impaired ability to navigate complex tasks) are less likely.”
Did you experience baby brain when you were pregnant? Share your thoughts in the comments.
