What was having a baby at 40 like for Joanna Gaines? The celeb designer, children’s book author and mama recently talked to People about life with baby as of late, her brand new little love (nine-month-old baby Crew) and how her latest pregnancy changed her—for the better.

As if authoring a new children’s book, creating several home goods lines and running a lifestyle brand isn’t exhausting enough, Gaines has also made time to raise not one, not two, but five kiddos!

Even though having five kiddos sounds exhausting to many moms, having her fifth baby may have had the opposite effect on Gaines. She told People, “If you ever want to feel young again, have a baby at 40,” adding, “It’s brought this whole new thing for me where I’m a lot more laid-back. People joke that I’m the ‘Fun Jo’ now.”

Not only has baby Crew added a spring to Gaines’ step, but he’s also given her a new perspective on life: “I realized there has to be spontaneity, and schedules kind of go out the door.” Gaines also admits that she’s a-okay if she doesn’t get to everything, telling People, “I’ve just relaxed so much more, and it’s been fun for me.”

If you’re wondering whether Crew’s positive influence has made his mama want to expand her brood beyond five, Gaines didn’t rule out the possibility. “I thought I was done,” she said,  “and then we had Crew.” For now, the mom of five definitely has her hands—and heart—full.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Chip Gaines via Instagram 

 

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The world of toddlerhood brings adventures every day. Your toddler will begin to engage the world around them in a whole new way, learning by leaps and bounds every waking minute. And you’ll be learning just as much. Being a toddler mom isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll be on high alert as they become more mobile—and take in all the bumps and bruises that come with it. You’ll be melted into a puddle of mush as they babble their first words. And you’ll likely find yourself at your wit’s end as you navigate the (very loud) world of toddler temper tantrums. 

While you can’t be prepared for everything that comes your way as a toddler mama, here are some things every toddler wishes their mama knew, things that will help make the road from baby to big kid a little less bumpy—and hopefully make the wild ride a little sweeter, too. 

photo: Adili Kea

1. I like to party!
And, I especially like to party in the middle of the night. Remember when I started sleeping through the night and you (naively) assumed this new, glorious skill of mine would last through my teen years? Ha! Psyche! After sleeping a rock-solid 12 hours at a stretch for months on end, I’ve realized there’s a great big world out there for me to explore. Who has time to sleep! If you could be so kind as to let me out of my jail, erm, crib, I’d appreciate it. I’ll even make you a deal: I promise not to turn the house into a total disaster tomorrow. (Psyche again!)

2. Throwing food is way more fun than eating it.
Look, ma! I can pick up tiny pieces of food with my developing pincer grasp! And look at this! I can throw them, too! Meal time is suddenly way more fun! Maybe it’s the funny splat sound the food makes as it hits the wall or the way it makes the dog sit at my feet, either way, I’m convinced throwing and dropping food is a much better way to pass the time in my high chair than actually eating.

photo: Hannah Kea

3. My food-throwing enjoyment increases exponentially based on the food’s color.
The best food-throwing fodder is anything green. (Read: veggies.) Something about them being more aerodynamic…and not tasting that great. Insider tip: If you want me to down my veggies without a fight, serve ’em up pouch style.

photo: Haley Ross

4. I’m exhausted, but, no, I don’t want to take a nap, thankyouverymuchforasking.
Need I say more?

5. My brain is running a mile a minute, and my mouth can’t keep up.
I have lots of ideas; I just can’t always express them. And that can make me really, really mad sometimes. Like earth-shattering-tantrum mad. What can I say? I’m a child of many emotions, and they don’t all make sense, even to me. I know I wanted the toy train a minute ago, and this minute I chucked it at your face. But, sometimes, that’s how toddlers roll.

For some perspective, put yourself in my tiny, wobbly shoes. Imagine this: You want something more than anything else in the whole world, and you want it right now but don’t have the means to get it…or the words to express to anyone what you want. See how that feels? You’d get your diaper in a bunch, too.

photo: Haley Shaw

6. More storybooks, please.
I like to look at storybooks, even though I don’t understand the words yet. Seeing all the bright, colorful images helps my brain connect the dots in the world around me. And I like the books even better when there are areas to feel and flaps to lift. So, please, make sure my book basket is filled with colorful, fun-to-touch storybooks. But don’t be surprised if I like to look at the same one over, and over, and over again. Repetition is important to me! There is so much new going on around me, I feel reassured when I know what to expect.

photo: Haley Ross

7. I’m not a baby, not yet a big kid.
You thought my awkward stage wouldn’t come for at least another decade. But it’s happening now. Trust me. Toddlerhood is one of those awkward in-between life stages. See, in a way, I’m still a baby. I need lots of comfort, cuddles and reassurance from my mom. I get scared easily. (That death grip around your neck when you try to introduce me to strangers is your context clue.) But I am also learning to be a big kid, and I love to explore, which I know can make you a little crazy. I’m not trying to give you a heart attack by attempting to stick things into uncovered wall outlets, teetering on the edge of stairs or mastering how to open child-proof bottles. (That “press, twist and turn” stuff? It’s child’s play, really.) Sorry about all that.

photo: Suzanna Palmer

8. Changes of scenery are my love language.
My attention span is still pretty short, between 2 and 5 minutes, so I like to move from one activity to the next…a lot. As you know, I don’t like to stay still either. I’m basically a less furry (but way cuter) Energizer Bunny. To preserve your sanity, here’s an insider tip for you: Remember my love for new things any time I’m starting to get a little grouchy. I respond almost instantly to changes of scenery. If I’m having a tantrum in the living room, take me on a walk. If I’m fussing in the home section of Target, take me to the toy aisle. (Duh.) A simple change of activity or scenery is often all it takes to help me regroup. 

photo: Christy Blevins

9. Laughing with you makes me happy.
I love to laugh! I am starting to understand the world in a new way, which is really growing my sense of humor. Help develop this new part of me by sharing some big belly laughs with me every day. Laughing together will help teach me the joy of humor, whether you’re sneaking in some tummy tickles while changing my diaper, doing silly things and making funny noises, or giggling with me as I build a block tower and knock it down (again and again).

10. This phase won’t last forever.
I know you’re tired, mama, but I am, too. Be patient with me. This getting-to-know-the-world-and-myself stuff is pretty exhausting. But no matter how tired either of us get, if I could talk a little better, I would tell you you’re my number one person in all the world and you’re doing a great job. And, I think under-eye circles are kind of cute. I’m going to make it through these crazy toddler years, thanks to you. And you’ll make it through too. Then, someday, you’ll look back and wish you could do it all over again. So cherish this time as much as you can. And, when you’re feeling a little crazy, I’ve got some good tips: Don’t be afraid to throw some food, give yourself a change of scenery, or take time to laugh.

Signed,
Your Toddler 

—Suzanna Palmer

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One of the best things about being parents of young children is the time you get to spend playing with them and having fun. There’s nothing like that first trip to the park to try out the bike with the training wheels, unless it’s when you go back a while later to take the training wheels off and see your little guy or girl racing the wind.

They say having young kids keeps us young and playing with your kids is one of life’s great joys. At the same time, having little ones can be exhausting. You have all the responsibility of providing for a family along with everything you were doing before becoming parents. It’s not unusual to feel stress, even during fun times—like those (supposedly) relaxing family vacations!

When you feel tired, exhausted or overwhelmed, whatever emotions you have been carrying around can boil over with your spouse and kids. Emotional drama can sweep through a family faster than the sniffles kids bring home from school.

When tempers flare, there’s usually more going on than the words or behaviors that seem to trigger the disagreement. More often than not, there are unresolved feelings from previous difficult or hurtful experiences lurking beneath the surface—what I call trapped emotions.

­People frequently sense that they are burdened by emotions from their past, but they don’t know how to get over them. Trapped emotions can damage family relationships and lead to anxiety, depression and a host of physical, emotional and psychological problems.

Something that commonly occurs in family relationships is feeling triggered: when you become overly upset, emotional or defensive in certain situations. When this happens, usually there are underlying feelings contributing to the emotions you are feeling. Emotional baggage from past traumas (and perhaps inherited from earlier generations) can make us more likely to feel certain negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, disappointment, frustration and sadness.

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to help you better handle daily stress and disagreements, become more accepting and forgiving and bring more joy and harmony to your family life. Here are a few:

Discover what’s behind your own triggers.

When you find yourself feeling upset, overly emotional or defensive about something a family member says or does, you are most likely feeling the effect of old trapped emotions as well as the ones that come up in the moment.

Establish boundaries.

If you have a family member who leaves you feeling drained and upset, the best way to protect yourself is to create boundaries. You can decide in advance what you will and will not tolerate. Whatever boundaries you create, you need to stick with them and respect yourself, even if the other person doesn’t.

Feeling beat up? Disengage.

It takes two people to have an argument. You can always just turn around and leave. One of the things you can say in this situation is “I love you, but I need to honor myself by leaving.”

Make strategies for better family interactions.

Consider your past interactions with difficult people and how they normally act. Do they have frequent outbursts? Do they complain a lot? Are they unpredictable? Then come up with a plan. Decide in advance how you are going to act and react when that person misbehaves.

Practice acceptance and love.

Look for the good in people. This is especially important with children, who tend to live up to our expectations of them. If you are looking for positive things, you are more likely to find them. You’ll be less likely to blow up—and blow things out of proportion—when something rubs you the wrong way.

Forgive

In any disagreement, forgiveness begins with letting go. If you have trouble forgiving, seek for the divine and ask for help in prayer. Look for ways to see the person who offended you in a positive light. You might focus on something you love about them. Forgiveness brings freedom and peace for you and for your family.

Our families are a place where we can learn and practice healthy ways of recognizing, acknowledging and expressing emotions. No one is perfect. But by being more intentional about choosing how we act and react in emotional situations, we can give our kids skills that will help them grow into emotionally healthy adults.

Dr. Bradley Nelson
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Veteran holistic physician and author of The Emotion Code, Dr. Bradley Nelson is an expert in the emerging fields of Bioenergetic Medicine and Energy Psychology. He has certified thousands of practitioners worldwide in helping people overcome unresolved anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness and other negative emotions and the physical symptoms associated them.

I loved my daughter before she was even born. I made a promise to do everything I could to make her life as promising as I could. Once we received her autism diagnosis, this promise didn’t change. We changed a lot for her: any accommodation that could make her life easier we did. So, as a dedicated and exhausted mother, I want to share with you some of the things that helped my daughter that might help you.

Learn as Much as You Can

The first thing I would suggest is to learn as much as you can. That being said, make sure that you’re getting your information from sources that are devoted to helping you and are reliable. Trust me, there are some sources out there that are scarier than they are helpful.

The first person you should ask is your child’s doctor. Trained professionals typically know more about the specifics of what they’re diagnosing a child with than speculation that you might see from strangers on the internet.

There are sites you can trust, though! I found organizations such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society very helpful to learn about what ASD entails.

Find a Schedule That Works for Them

Children with ASD do very well on a schedule. It’s important to find a schedule that works for your child and stick to it. This includes a morning schedule, school if they are old enough, and an afternoon and evening schedule. I can’t stress enough that this schedule should be adhered to.

My mistake initially was to have a different schedule for the weekend and throughout the week. I quickly realized that this was difficult and confusing for my daughter, though. This was especially true concerning differing sleeping hours. For example, letting her stay up late and sleep in on the weekends didn’t work out.

Getting & Staying Asleep

On the topic of sleep, bedtime can sometimes be a nightmare. Over time, however, we found a few ways to help her out.

First, is what I just mentioned – the need for a schedule can’t be overstated. Once again, this helps her stay on track and she’s comfortable in knowing what to expect. For bedtime specifically,  the routine starts early with no television or rough play two hours before bedtime. Then, about 30 minutes before bed, we start to brush teeth, read a bedtime story, etc.

Yet, as any parent of an autistic child can tell you, staying asleep through the night is a struggle in and of itself. Our first instinct was to sit with her and stay with her while she slept. It didn’t take long to realize that this wouldn’t help prepare her for the future. It also didn’t take long to realize that it was a great way to tire ourselves out by staying up all night.

One thing that helped us was buying her a weighted blanket. I’d read about them online and heard that they helped keep anxiety down and helped with sensory sensitivity, so I picked one up for her. I wasn’t entirely sure it would work but – to my great relief – it helped her stay comfortable and sleep through the night.

Starting School

I was incredibly nervous as it got closer to her starting school. After all, there I couldn’t control her environment to not cause a sensory overload. I’ll be honest, it was hard at first. It took a while for her to feel comfortable around the other kids and she was easy to agitate. The fluorescent lights, certain textures, and the other kids talking all at once were upsetting.

Since I couldn’t be there to help her every second, I decided it was best to discuss things with the teacher. Luckily, she was a seasoned teacher and had taught another student with ASD in the past. We discussed some of my daughter’s triggers and figured out some ways to help her in the classroom. For example, she created a more rigid schedule for day-to-day learning and used plenty of visuals in her lessons.

This was a big deal to me. To have back up in a teacher willing to make accommodations to help my daughter.

This brings me to the final point. It is exhausting to be a parent to any child, but this can be especially true for cater to a child’s special needs. Remember, you aren’t alone in this. There are resources available to help you and the benefits of a support system can’t be overstated.

I'm Annabelle Short, a writer and seamstress of more than five years. I love making crafts with my two children, Leo (age 9) and Michelle (age 11). I split my time between London and Los Angeles and write for Wunderlabel. 

Photo: Heather Thompson

I am at a point in my life where I find myself questioning my parenting abilities daily. (To be honest, it started five years ago when my daughter was born.) But now with a five-year-old and a two-year-old, I find myself going to sleep every night filled with frustration at the way in which I handled things throughout the day. Usually, I’m in tears because I was too hard on my daughter (the five-year-old) or I resent the things I did or didn’t do with my two-year-old son.

Mom-ing is hard. It’s exhausting. It is filled with never-ending worry, battles with myself (and mini versions of myself) and constant thoughts of coulda, woulda, shoulda. And I only have two! You moms with more than two kids are my heroes. Seriously. I would die.

The last few months have been particularly trying for me. My daughter is in kindergarten and at the age where she talks all day. Literally, nonstop. It is mentally exhausting.

Then, there’s my son who does not stop moving from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. His job on this Earth is to make messes and therefore, my job is to clean them up. As I am cleaning up one mess, he is making another. It is physically exhausting. And I’m a personal trainer! I’m used to being active! But this is a whole new level.

A few weeks ago, I was laying in bed with my husband sobbing. I was explaining all the reasons I had failed that day: I yelled way too much, I lost my patience repeatedly, I didn’t get the housework done, etc. I remember saying that I always imagined I would be a good mom—not the version I had become. I would talk things through my kids instead of yell at them, they would never eat junk food, I would play with them all the time, all the things every new mom has the intentions of doing.

Being the good husband that he is, he listened. He told me I am a good mom. Then, he told me to stop thinking about what I did wrong that day and instead, focus on what I did right. So I did. I wrote them down.

I realized that raising kids is just like any other thing in life: it is filled with ups and downs. With good and bad. So I started a list of things I did wrong (my cons) and countered it with things I did right (the pros). I decided that as long as my list broke even, I wasn’t as bad as I thought.

Sure, it would be nice if the pros exceeded the cons, but hey, mom-ing is hard. My list looked something like this:

Con: At 7 p.m., I became so tired I lost my patience and yelled at the kids during bath time. A lot.

Pro: I got up at 3:30 a.m. this morning to exercise, which put me in a great mood. I was happy and energetic when I woke them up and they were happy.

Con: My kids ate microwaved chicken nuggets for dinner and no vegetable because I just didn’t want to fight that battle.

Pro: I made them a pretty good, balanced breakfast and lunch. By good I mean it wasn’t all sugar or microwaved.

Con: They watch too much TV. Today and every day.

Pro: I do homework with my five-year-old daily and quiz her on math and spelling in the car line at school. I practiced numbers and shapes with my toddler. I mean, it was only for the two minutes he would sit still, but I tried.

Con: My two-year-old watched YouTube for an hour while I ran my business from home.

Pro: At least it was about animals so he was learning? This one might be a stretch.

Pro: Tonight, even though I lost my patience and yelled, my daughter told me I was the best mommy in the world. So maybe—just maybe—I am doing something right.

The purpose of my list was to change my focus. To stop concentrating on the bad and start remembering the good. I don’t want to ignore my cons because those are the things I need to work on, but I need to remember the pros, too.

I am not a bad mom. I am a mom trying to figure it out.

I am trying to get through the days and raise good humans. Sure, they watch too much television, eat too much sugar and throw temper tantrums. But on the other hand, they are extremely smart, considerate, funny and strong-willed. They aren’t perfect, but neither am I.

We all have our lists. I can’t cook, but I can clean. I don’t like to play Barbies, but I am always in for a board game or book. I am not crafty, but I can find anything online. I am not the best mom, but I sure do love my kids.

When you are having a bad day, try making your list. Automatically, you will find the cons, but really make an effort to find those pros. They are there. And if you can’t find them, ask your kids. They will tell you—because even when you think you are doing everything wrong, they think you are doing so much right.

I am a fire wife, a mom of two (ages 5 and 2  and a business owner. I am passionate about fitness, help and helping others. I feel like lifting weights and writing are both free forms of therapy. 

In a digital world, too many job seekers use the knee-jerk strategy of trolling “black hole” online job boards. Women, especially, often feel more comfortable avoiding the necessary networking and research—which is a real detriment when you’re a mother looking for less-advertised flexible jobs.

Make this year THE year you get out of your comfort zone and continually build—little by little—an ever-expanding network of influential professionals. Today networking does not mean asking busy strangers to join you for an awkward discussion over lunch or coffee—or attending large networking meetings where it’s hard to approach people for conversations.

Technology eases the networking process and here are four simple networking resolutions if you want a flexible job that blends work and life.

1. Leverage LinkedIn

For all professionals LinkedIn is the place to be—it’s essential to have a strong presence. Since many employers don’t advertise flexible jobs, networking is the key to finding companies that believe their employees should in fact have a life. LinkedIn helps you engage influential professionals outside of your own networks.

Don’t ever say you’ve exhausted all your networking connections…it’s virtually impossible within a professional community of 500 million LinkedIn users. Need some help getting started? Check out this list of the 31 best LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers from The Muse.

2. Identify your unique skill set.

An “I’ll do anything” attitude is never a plus for job seekers. Employers want to fill specific gaps on their teams. When they’re looking for part-time or freelance professionals, for example, they want to see an even narrower portfolio of skills.

Permanent full-time employees tend to be generalists who have job descriptions that morph in many directions. Flexible workers are often experts who can zero in with precision on projects or initiatives.

3. Get out of your own head.

When it comes to flexible work, it’s easy to make lots of unfounded assumptions. Like “most employers aren’t flexible,” “there’s no flexibility in my industry,” “I’ll have to take a pay cut if I work in a flexible way.” You can’t draw conclusions based on a couple of articles you’ve read or a conversation or two with professionals in your field. Even a career coach cannot give you all the answers.

The best approach is networking research—tapping your LinkedIn connections (see above) for more comprehensive “insider data” about specific industries, companies and flexible opportunities that will fit and fund your life.

4. Become a detective.

The reality is that flexibility goes up as company size goes down. Lots of talented professionals get fed up with the big company bureaucracy and flee to their own ventures. They have great training, connections and clients—and the ability to be human about blending work and life. Search LinkedIn for people who have worked for big companies in your area and you’re likely to find more than a few who have gone the entrepreneurial route.

More and more women are acknowledging that continually earning, saving and investing is a form of caregiving for our families. And that does not mean a more-than-full-time, chained-to-your-desk corporate job—we all have lots of options to fit work around life and be the present and involved parents we want to be.

As a mother, coach, speaker and author, my book, Ambition Redefined, details my mission to keep women working toward financial security in a flexible way. I encourage no-apologies independence from the “lean in” mantra: find your own brand of ambition and success, take advantage of today’s flexible workplace, chart alternate career paths that accommodate and fund life.

Any parent who has spent long nights and days comforting a colicky baby can relate to the exhausting experience. Even celeb parents aren’t immune from the clutches of colic, including Hilary Duff’s daughter it seems.

Duff and her boyfriend Matthew Koma welcomed their daughter Banks Violet on Oct. 25, 2018 and it seems the newborn phase hasn’t been easy for the couple. Duff took to Instagram looking for support and tips on dealing with colic in her infant daughter.

Duff posted a pic of herself holding two-month-old Banks with the caption, “Calling all parents of colic babies…..this ends right?” In a plea that all parents can relate to Duff continues:

“Can you ever set them down with out them screaming OR waking up? We have read everything the internet has to offer… nothing besides nursing basically every hour or less helps! We have done all the obvious things ..please leave magic tricks in comments. Oh and happy new year lol.”

The post has already received thousands of comments from followers offering support and advice. Yes, colic does eventually end, but when you’re in the thick of it can feel like forever. As Duff’s ‘Gram reveals, sometimes just knowing that there’s someone else out there going through the same thing can be the best remedy in the moment, too.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Hilary Duff via Instagram

 

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When you’re exhausted and desperate for just one night of uninterrupted sleep, getting your baby to sleep through the night can become your number one priority. If this seems impossible, you’re not wrong: according to a new study, most babies don’t sleep through the night.

A new Canadian study published in the journal Pediatrics found that only 57 percent of babies sleep for eight hours straight by the age of one. The researchers looked at surveys of parents of nearly 400 infants starting at six months old, and then checked in again with 360 of them when they were 12 months old.

Photo: Tim Bish via Unsplash

“At 6 months of age, according to mothers’ reports, 38 percent of typically developing infants were not yet sleeping at least 6 consecutive hours at night; more than half (57 percent) weren’t sleeping 8 hours,” the study authors wrote. “At 12 months old, 28 percent of infants weren’t yet sleeping six hours straight at night, and 43 percent weren’t staying asleep 8 hours.”

As the study explains, sleeping through the night by six months is often considered the norm, but it’s pretty far from what is really happening. The researchers hope that these findings will help parents feel less stressed about trying to get their babies to sleep through the night.

“If there was only one thing I could tell parents, it would be do not worry if your infant does not sleep through the night at six months of age,” Marie-Hélène Pennestri of McGill University, who led the study team, told NBC News.

The study followed the babies until they were three years old and found that there was no difference in development in the babies who slept through the night by an early age versus those who didn’t. The study also found that babies who were breastfed were more likely to wake up at least once a night.

“New mothers appear to be greatly surprised about the degree of sleep disturbance and exhaustion that they experience. As a potential protective strategy, mothers could be more informed about the normal development of the sleep-wake cycle instead of only focusing on methods and interventions,” the study’s authors concluded.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

 

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So how does this Costco magic work exactly?

You’ve just spent the afternoon filling your cart with gallon-sized tubs of Goldfish and towers of toilet paper—and now you’re starved. But the wait at the warehouse club snack line is waaaaaay too long. Well, now you’re in luck, because here’s how to skip the food court line at Costco!

Yep. You can actually skip the lengthy, looping line.

It all starts at the check-out, that is, the regular shopping check-out line. While at the register, simply order whatever yummy treats you want to nosh on. While you’re there at the register, go ahead and pay for that pizza, hot dogs (but not those Polish hot dogs), or any other menu items. And that’s it!

Then, just take your receipt from the register to the pickup area in the food court. Here’s where the skip-the-line part comes in: instead of having to wait with all the other exhausted Costco shoppers, just show your receipt and get your food.

Oh, but wait. That’s not the only skip-the-line hack we’ve got for you. Let’s say your kiddos are craving pizza—because when aren’t they? Instead of waiting until you’re done shopping, waiting in line and waiting for your pizza, call ahead. When you’re finished shopping, your pizza will be ready and waiting for you!

Best. Costco. Hack. Ever.

 

 

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Yeah, your number one New Year’s resolution is to eat better. That is, until the kiddos are craving pizza. And you’re way too exhausted to make the five different dinners that cover everyone’s own personal tastes. Nope, there are no short order cooks here. But pizza kind of covers everyone. And if you order at Pizza Hut between now and Jan. 8 you can get half off!

What’s that you say? How can you get a full 50% off pizza? Don’t worry, it’s not some sort of crazy leftover special and you don’t have to place your order during “off” hours only. All you need to do is order any menu-priced pizza from Pizza Hut’s mobile app or website. Yep, all app and online orders get you half off your fave pizzas — making you the mama of the year (we know…it’s only a few days into the year).

And this deal isn’t just for those nights when you just can’t stand up straight long enough to cook a full family meal. Vice President of Marketing for Pizza Hut Zipporah Allen said, “The holidays are over, but entertaining season is in full swing. And we’re kicking off 2018 with a deal that helps slow the spending, but not the fun.”

What’s your favorite pizza topping? What about your family — do they share the love when it comes to your topping of choice? Tell us in the comments below.