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How To Survive The Terrible Twos

February 21, 2018 by Ashley Leave a Comment

If you came here hoping to really learn some magical trick to help you survive the Terrible Twos then you are sorely mistaken because you won’t find that here, not really anyway. Here are the new fun tricks I’m putting forth into my life while I deal with my son now that he has turned into a Terrible Two Monster. (Yes, yes, I love my son, but seriously sometimes he is a monster.)

Pretend your child doesn’t exist.

This may sound a little extreme, but when a Terrible Two tantrum hits sometimes you have to just keep going on with life like nothing has changed.

Now, my son has a slow-motion tantrum that he thinks will get him what he wants, but it never works and makes me want to laugh. He will slowly lay down on the floor and then start screaming. It is very much an act that often leads to him rolling around on the floor as well as screaming. He has only done it once in public and quickly stopped when I continued to walk in the store. I’m thankful he is clingy because walking away really worked for us.

Invest in soundproof headphones.

Ok, so I don’t really use soundproof headphones, but some days I wish I did. My son yells and screams while refusing to sleep and it makes me wish I could drone out the noise. An overly tired boy just doesn’t know when to quit and it just rubs my tired nerves the wrong way sometimes.

Wine it up.

This will make me sound like a drunk, which I’m not, but a nice glass of wine or a cold beer helps end a long day of Terrible Two antics. I find it calms the frazzled nerves and keeps me a little more level headed when my son decides he is too good for sleep.

Note: This post is meant to be funny. Please don’t get offended because sometimes we all need a little humor in our lives. (I know I do!)

Filed Under: Featured, Parenting Tagged With: Children, Family, Kids, Parenting, Terrible Twos, Toddler

How to Make Time For Personal Reading While Raising Children

August 8, 2016 by Ashley Leave a Comment

This is an advertisement for SheSpeaks/St. Martins Press

Make time for reading

Do you have young children?  If you do you might feel over whelmed like I do and have struggled to find time in your busy schedule to actually read an entire book from cover to cover.  I used to be a voracious reader and would complete a book a day with ease.  Sometimes I wonder how I was able to read a book a day while working and going to school, but I was able to and I am determined to get back into the flow once again!  If I can do it with a needy, clingy five month old who only wants his mommy then you can, too!

No excuses allowed!

I know you were already working up that excuse; about to say, but I have _________ to do.  Fill in the blank with whatever excuse was about to pop out of your mouth.  If you have time to sit on Facebook, or sit on your computer then you have time to read a book.  I know some of these things can be a lot of fun, but reading has benefits that you might not realize.

Benefits of Reading

The following are some great reasons to stop and read everyday:

  • Reading, unlike television, gives your mind a chance to unwind and de-stress from your daily life.
  • Reading can also give you a chance to get a little peace and calm and a little me time away from the children.
  • Scientists have also found that reading helps your mind to stay fresh and alert.  It can help to keep the mind from declining by exercising your thought processes, memory, and imagination.

Booklovers would love to be able to sit down and read for hours on end, but that is not always possible.  Many people’s lives are way too busy to be able to sit down and read for hours without something needing to be done.  Having children around can make it impossible to sit down for hours to read.  That is why it is important to know that even just a few minutes of reading can do a body good.

Making Time For Reading with Children

Making time for reading when our children are around isn’t always the easiest of tasks.  I can tell you that I struggle to find time to read with an infant in the home,  My son is currently five months old and he requires my attention most of the time, but I have still found time to sit down and read.  If I didn’t find this time I would certainly go crazy from stress.

  • Keep a book close by.  This is very important because sometimes you can only find a few minutes to read, but those few minutes can mean the world to you.
  • Take a bath instead of a shower.  If you take a bath instead of a shower while your partner takes care of the children you can take that time to freshen yourself as well as unwind and relax with a good book for a little while.
  • Bring your book to play-dates and kid’s sports or other activities.  You can still watch your children and have some time to read.  It is a chance when you have someone else taking care of your children and can let your mind get lost in the book.
  • Choose shorter novels.  If you choose shorter novels you won’t feel like you are stressed about being able to finish the book.  It gives you a goal. but not one that seems impossible to reach.
  • Read when the children go to sleep.  You might be exhausted from a long day, but even reading for just a few minutes can make a huge difference.  It can give your mind the chance to unwind so that you can sleep better and more soundly.

Behind Closed Doors Reading

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Finding the perfect book to start with might be a little daunting; that’s okay because I have the perfect book for you.  Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris is the perfect book to start your new path on regularly reading.  This book took me a few hours to read and I was drawn into the story moments after I opened the book.  It is a psychological thriller that will immerse you into the world of the characters without a second thought.  This book may take you longer to read if you are not a speed reader like I am, but that makes it even more of a reason to choose this book as your next read.

It is long enough that you don’t feel like it was short and didn’t have enough detail in the story while also not being extremely long so that you don’t feel daunted by a crazy long novel that will take you weeks to read when you already don’t have a lot of reading time that you can set aside from family time with your children.  On top of all of that, I love that you can find the book on Amazon in a variety of mediums like Kindle format, paperback, and hardcover.

SheSpeaks’ #BehindClosedDoors Twitter Party

The SheSpeaks’ #BehindClosedDoors Twitter Party is on August 9th at 2pm EST.  Participants will have the chance to win Behind Closed Doors prize packs and chat with the author & other book lovers about summer reading and the book of course! Participants must RSVP to be eligible to win.

RSVP here for your chance to win an awesome prize at the Twitter party!

Filed Under: Family, Featured, Parenting Tagged With: Amazon, Amazon.com, Book, Children, Kids, kindle, Reading

Save $75 off STEM Summer Camp with Digital Media Academy

January 22, 2016 by Ashley Leave a Comment

If you have a child who just loves technology then you should keep reading because the Digital Media Academy has some of the most fun and educational camps for children who love technology.  They will get to celebrate technology in a new way.  This is really the type of camp for the technology-abled children who might just not be interested in some of the outdoor camps.

dma arduino-solder

Save $75 off the World’s Best Technology Camp* when you register by 12/21/15!

Automatically save $75 on each camp for when you register by February 18, 2016!

Digital Media Academy is excited for the the 2016 summer camp season!

dma_logo_blk-1

Founded at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy is ranked the world’s best technology camp.

Kids and teens learn computer programming, app development, 3D modeling, robotics, graphic design, film making, and much more. DMA summer camps are one or multiple week experiences taught by industry experts and tech professionals. Campers get hands-on experience creating projects using the latest hardware and software from Apple, Canon, Adobe, and more.

Girl Power! Made by Girls is a new program dedicated to empowering female learners through community and closing the gender gap in the tech industry.
Give your teen a pre-collegiate experience or build a child’s confidence through project-based learning. Learn at some of the most prestigious colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

dma winter-savings-ad

Hurry, $100 savings period ends February 18, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.!

#CreateTheNext this summer at Digital Media Academy! $100 savings period ends February 18, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.

Questions? Call 1(866)656-3342 to speak with a Guest Service Representative or email info@digitalmediaacademy.org.

If this sounds like a camp that your kids would enjoy I would suggest watching the video below.  You should also have you kids come and watch the video to show them just how much fun it would be to go to camp.  I could definitely see my nephews loving the camps that DMA has to offer.

*Worth.com

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Camps, Children, Parenting, Technology

The Importance of Reading to Kids with Mabel’s Labels

December 13, 2015 by Ashley 1 Comment

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island. — Walt Disney

Sweet Little Stocking Stuffers, Festive Labels, and New Personalized Books!

I am a huge advocate for getting children to read.  I read at an early age and have always loved to read pretty much everything that is put in front of me.  My mom was so great for instilling this in me and I will hopefully do just as good of a job at instilling this love for reading in my child as he grows up.

Mabel’s Labels knows that reading to kids is important for their growth and development, and also one of the most rewarding and heartwarming activities we can do with our little ones. That’s why they created this adorable video of Mabel’s Labels staff reading with their kids. After you watch it, be sure to check out the great personalized books for kids they have available to make reading with your kids even more special this holiday season.

Discover all the great new products Mabel’s Labels has for the holidays.

There are all sorts of ways to be merry with Mabel’s this year!

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Children, Christmas and holiday season, Kids, Reading

Finding Loop Holes Around Car Seat Buttons for the Physically Challenged

December 1, 2015 by Ashley 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

buckle bopper back

I didn’t voice my frustrations very much here on the blog about my struggles with finding a car seat that I would be able to push the button on, but you might have caught my open letter that I wrote to Baby Mama Marketers when I was in a crazy emotional state not long ago.  It was very hard for me because I felt like manufacturers were not considering a huge line of consumers when they create their car seat buttons.  I have been terrified about all of the things that I could possibly not do on my own due to my physical limitations and it has caused me to break down many times throughout this pregnancy.  I have thankfully been able to find loop holes to fix many of the problems that I was concerned about and I have just found the most amazing device for moms who have problems with their hands.

Please hear me out.

buckle bopper front car seat buttons

So, if you are someone who is has dexterity issues with your hand for any reason and have children in your life you will want to buy this Buckle Bopper. I am currently pregnant and went to the store to try pushing the buttons on all of the car seats to find one that I would be able to push and ended up bawling my eyes out in the middle of the store because I could not get a single one to budge. It was the most devastating thing for a new mom. I thought for sure I was going to be stuck going places with someone and could never be independent with my child due to the fact that I could not get them out of their car seat.

I can push car seat buttons now!

buckle bopper car seat buttons

Thankfully I was told about this Buckle Bopper by another person who is handicapped with CMT like I am and instantly came to Amazon to find it. I was still nervous that I would not be able to push the button down, but I was wrong! I went straight to the car seat in the store that I have been wanting (the Chicco NextFit Zip convertible car seat) and pushed the button with ease! It was the most exciting thing ever! I then attempted to take my nephew out of his Graco car seat and managed to get him out with only three tries pushing the button in. I can imagine that it will only get easier as I learn how to do it just perfectly for me.

So, if you have a neuromuscular disease, muscular dystrophy, or arthritis I highly suggest you invest in this. It does not cost much and it is surprisingly easy to use. I was scared because I have issues gripping anything, but the rubber that goes against your hand and the rubber that goes against the button makes for a world of difference.  I am going to swear by this device.  It isn’t even that expensive.  You can buy one off of Amazon for under $15.  This would also make a great gift for grandparents who possibly have arthritis issues or for a baby shower gift for the new mom who doesn’t have a lot of strength in her hands.

buckle bopper car seat buttons
Photo Credit: Buckle Bopper and Amazon

 

You can do it, too!

Filed Under: Baby, Family, Featured, Parenting Tagged With: Child safety seat, Children, Handicapped

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