The Trick Guaranteed To Make A Kid’s Fake Smile Real

real smile

Let’s face it, taking pictures of your kids is a crap shoot. Getting a real smile takes not only effort but requires a sacrifice to the gods. Miracles like that don’t just happen. While I know perfection is unrealistic and I love a good story that goes along with a horrible picture, I am human. I want cute photos of my … Read More

3 Fail Proof Ways My Kids Eat Anything I Cook

tricks to get kids to eat

I have learned how to get my kids to eat anything I cook. If your house is like mine, my kids hate anything that comes out of my kitchen. I render their favorite meal instantly disgusting. I could remove all vegetables from their plate and they would still turn up their nose. So I began to ponder one of life’s … Read More

My 1 Year Old Put Me In My Place

put me in my place

As a mother, it is natural to have moments of insanity brought on by your children. Times when their actions push you to the brink. These events typically result in an eruption of emotions and a lot of yelling, resulting in mom guilt. It is rare to have someone around to witness and check you when it happens. Your kids slink … Read More

12 Ways To Make Your Kids Feel Special

tips to make a kid feel special

This last week my mind has drifted to the topic of making kids feel special. I have connected with a handful of readers that lost a sibling. They were moved by my siblings are the forgotten grievers post and graciously shared their stories with me. Once again I tell myself, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” Over and over I … Read More

18 Easy Questions To Start A Conversation & Get To Know Your Kids

18 Ways to start a conversation.

The quickest way to strengthen your relationship with your kids is to start a conversation. Conversation creates connection. Demonstrates interest. Improves your ability to communicate. By asking the right questions, you learn valuable information. Investing time strengthens your relationships. These conversations create positive interactions. The information gathered gives you personal information to relate back to and build experiences around. It … Read More

Get A Personalized Video or Call From Santa!

Every year our kids receive a personalized Santa video. This has been a long time Christmas tradition for us. Kind of a way to bring a little more Santa magic into the house. The Portable North Pole offers a variety of videos, scripts, and options to personalize your Santa interaction. This is especially important if you have more than one child. … Read More

Why We Created A Safe Word

As we exit the store, my eyes begin constantly scanning. I’m looking for cars driving by. Reverse lights coming on as someone prepares to back out of a parking space. People lingering. Who am I parked beside? Is there anyone sitting in the car? Trying to anticipate everything. My daughter walks beside me. She pauses to look both ways as we … Read More

How A Sore Throat Showed My Daughter She Can Get Through Anything

A great lesson to learn is that you can get through anything life throws at you. Seems simple. Yet, I’m not sure it’s something we just know. Fear gets in the way. It forces us to focus all of our effort on the stress and worry of what is to come, making it that much more scary! So you need a … Read More

Dealing with Children’s Emotions – We Were Doing It All Wrong

When you become a parent, your entire day is spent dealing with emotions. The tired, crying baby that won’t sleep. The irate, irrational toddler that got the wrong color sippy cup. The defiant child that refuses to clean their room and rolls their eyes with disgust. Constant arguing and then squealing with joy. It is one extreme to the other. … Read More

Lessons In How To Get What You Want

Do you ask for what you want? My guess is no, at least not directly. What do you want? This is a question asked frequently at our house. It seems like a big question. Yet, right now it’s applied to the small stuff. That’s part of the plan. It started a couple of years ago. I noticed my kids wouldn’t directly ask for … Read More