Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom. {This week: Post by Jaimi} I didn't really expect these challenges of motherhood to show up. My confidence that I was going to be able to keep my household clean, organized, calm and happy all the time was a … [Read more...]
How to Help a Baby with Colic
Looking at the clock made it so much harder. The darkness outside and early hour of the morning was leaving me with little patience. Wanting to cuddle and comfort my baby in the hours of fussiness left me on the thin line of frustration. Not finding a solution to the fuzziness made me wonder how to help a baby with colic. Feeding, holding, shushing was not working. I dug … [Read more...]
Ice and Muffin Tins Fine Motor Activity for Infants
A simple activity for infants can completely change the way your day feels. If you are stuck at home or feel like you just need to break up the day and spend some focused play time with your older infant, a simple activity like this ice and muffin tin fine motor activity for infants is a quick go-to. It's fun to watch babies explore. That is what I loved the most about being … [Read more...]
Ways to Soothe a Crying Baby
It was one of those moments where I thought I was going to lose my mind. While trying to soothe a crying baby I felt my body tense up, my teeth clenched, and I was so exhausted, frustrated and empty of ideas, I started crying. I did not want to be mad at my baby. I wanted to soothe my child. I wanted to have a magic touch in that moment of total anxiety, panic and … [Read more...]
Heading to the Beach with Kids
{Guest Post by Jennifer Taylor} Heading to the beach with kids is not so simple as just jumping in the car and leaving, especially when you have toddlers and infants in tow! There is planning and preparation that goes into spending a fun day at the beach, There are some safety rules to follow as well. A day at the beach is one of the most fun ways to spend a hot summer … [Read more...]
Stuck in the Bad Moments of Motherhood
Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom. {This week: Post by Kristin Helms} “I was up four times last night…again!” I was complaining (again) to one of my mom friends at the park while we pushed our toddlers on the swing and swayed side to side with our babies in … [Read more...]
Number Path Learning to Count Activity
Children are capable of learning so much through play and their everyday interactions with you at home. I love working in learning activities into our daily life to encourage my children to learn and explore at their pace in a low-stress way. This number path learning to count activity can be used for crawling infants, walking toddlers and preschoolers. It is one of those kids … [Read more...]
‘Sticky Ball’ Fine Motor Activity for Infants
In 5 minutes, you can prep this fine motor activity for infants and toddlers. Around 6 months old, infants can grasp and handle toys and balls pretty well. They may even be rolling or lightly tossing a ball to you during playtime. Infants develop so much over the course of their first year, but it is fun to see all the changes. This activity can be done with infants as young … [Read more...]
DIY Books for Babies and Toddlers
Creating DIY books for babies is a simple way to introduce babies and toddlers to reading and books while creating an infant activity they can play with for months and years. I made DIY books for my oldest daughter (baby #2) when she was less than a year old and we still have the book I made for her 4 years later! They are pretty sturdy , but you should always supervise. … [Read more...]
Lessons of a First-Time Stay-at-Home Mom
Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom. {This week: Post by Grace Star} As a mom of two under 2, I remember sitting at my dining room table finally getting a chance to eat some lunch. Manny, my newborn, was taking one of his ten minute naps and Jack, my 19-month … [Read more...]
7 Tips to Encourage Reading and Writing Skills in Young Children
[Guest Post by Janis Cox] With 7 simple tips, you can encourage reading and writing skills in your children. Studies are showing that the earlier children are shown words, the earlier they will make the connection between symbols and language. Early squiggles from children are important – … [Read more...]
DIY Photo Blocks
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure. These are fun! I originally used this idea of creating DIY photo blocks when I was working in the infant room in a daycare center. It was on a military base, and with the parents (most often the dads) traveling a lot for work, we made these blocks with the children's family photos so they could see their family … [Read more...]
Routines and Schedules for Stay-at-Home Moms
This post contains affiliate links. Please view my disclosure for more information. Do you need a routine or schedule at home? Routines and schedules for stay-at-home moms can help us feel so much more productive! I am a fan of a daily routine or rhythm. It helps me remember what things I want to try to accomplish each day (try being the operative word). If you are struggling … [Read more...]
Simple Tips for Water Play Indoors
This post contains affiliate links. Please view my disclosure. Water is never boring for kids! Whether you have a toddler, preschooler, or older child, water is a great sensory activity for kids at home. Even my oldest finds creative ways to play with water. You do not need to have an outdoor space to play with water. It's a great simple activity to try indoors on days when … [Read more...]
Simple Activities to Encourage Infant Development
Are you looking for activities to do with your infant? As a former early childhood teacher, I can vouch for the importance of developmentally appropriate interactions with infants and how it benefits their growth. It helps them thrive physically and mentally. As a mom, being able to use activity ideas with my children when they were infants was a great way to spend quality time … [Read more...]