Preschool

It’s Back to School Time I always feel a little anxiety as school begins for the fall. My oldest starts first grade!! He was just a baby. A new teacher, a new grade, and so many hopes and dreams. Will the teacher like my son? Will my son like his teacher? Will he enjoy his classes? Am I prepared for the fall? Is my son ready to go? I always have to sit down and make a checklist. I’ll share my list with you. School Uniforms: How many do I have? Do I have enough for the fall and winter? (There will be spaghetti day.) What’s the jacket situation like? Do we need new shoes and a new book bag?...

How to be a respectful parent without losing your sh*t? Well, I don’t have the answer to that, but read on if you would like to get a little closer to the answer. First, I’ll open with this TikTok gold that a lot of us can relate to: https://www.tiktok.com/@momthoughts/video/6986397679383268613?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgow5nkYGGYc%2Bm6gr70kQYlNuwZWT4jox3Z2KTMtNYnDRUgGEXqrLBZx2zecm%2F0SN5NvGgA%3D&checksum=594ed08dc57a31f7eabdf54253d857feaa5c8286335d9c5b5a109fee56571807&clips_cover_ab=v3&enable_clips=1&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAA6RNUT_xosbfhmQJoFfzXSboiI6sIKsxWqZPu3ywNiO9AyrUoPxVXY0_ZTRxdKYgZ&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=6986397679383268613&share_link_id=4C9A2099-DB57-46F3-91BA-9C990C62D3CD&source=h5_m&timestamp=1627441357&tt_from=sms&u_code=d9kf4h4aijk14a&user_id=6769390469007213574&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=sms&_r=1 Second, I’m going to explain the difference between respectful parenting and permissive parenting. Respectful parenting gets a bad rep because it is often confused with permissive parenting. Respectful parenting is treating your child as a human being and connecting with them. After all, you wouldn’t yell at or hit your other family members, co-workers, or friends. It is important to note that it does not entail not disciplining your child. Permissive parenting, on...

Both of my older girls have dropped their afternoon naps a little after their third birthday. As devastating as it can feel to lose that glorious time of uninterrupted nap time bliss, we have transitioned them to afternoon “rest time” which has worked really well overall. So, if your little one has stopped napping, take a deep breath, it’s going to be ok! Here are some tips for rest time magic: Set the expectation for rest time. Don’t start doing outings or running errands or letting them watch a show during that usual nap time. It will be hard at first, but if you set the expectations right away, they’ll adjust! Start small. It is unlikely that your child...

I took a snapshot of my kids this morning. I intend to keep it close by, so it can serve as a benchmark. We have reached a turning point in our family. We have finally arrived at the point in life that most parents of small kids look to with anticipation for what feels like forever. Diapers have all been thrown away. Bottoms are being independently wiped. Mouths are being fed by utensils independently held the correct way (Well, mostly). As parents, we spend so many years training our children up to get to this point. Every time my kid runs her own bathwater, ties his own shoes, or fixes his own bowl of cereal, I almost want to run around the house with...

Dear Tiny Yogurt Handprint, This is the 5th morning you and I meet like this at my dresser drawer. It makes me chuckle, because there was once a time when the first sight of you would have sent me dashing for the Pledge. It’s been days though, and I still haven’t touched you. Boy, has motherhood changed me. Initially, I chalked it up to the fact that I haven't stopped running around chasing after your artist long enough to get rid of you. However, even when I found the time, I stopped myself. I now realize that I'm pretty fond of you, and I think I've become attached. More than that, I imagine the day you stop popping up on every...