ML Interest Tag: hard-times

A Letter to My Son

By Trista Heffner

Photo: Trista Heffner

There are so many things I want to tell you, but it’s so hard—I don’t even know where to begin.

Ever since I was little, I dreamed of becoming a Mom. In fact, until just before I graduated high school, the only job I ever had was babysitting. Caring for kids has always been a passion of mine. I prayed for you for so long. There was a long stretch of time that I didn’t think it was going to happen.

After what seemed like forever, by medical intervention and God’s grace, that beautiful pink line finally appeared. I know now that the long wait for your arrival was just the first of many lessons in patience for me. Being your Mom has taught me so much. You are extremely aware of the emotions around you. You remind me when I’m being too loud. You become anxious. You know when I’m feeling sad. You keep a very close eye on me. You know when I’m relaxed and genuinely happy. You never short the laughter. You’ve shown me the need to slow down. My favorite is when I’ve been so busy doing things and you just grab my hand and pull me away from whatever I’m doing and sit me on the couch. Most of the time that is as far as it goes. You just want me sitting next to you. You remind me in your own way to take a break. You amaze me every day with your resilience. Your dedication to keep trying until perfection. Many of our hard times are you becoming frustrated with something you are trying to do or working on but don’t have the answer yet. Like somehow you failed. The anxiety takes over. You get overwhelmed. It breaks my heart when it takes over and you don’t have the words to explain what’s going on or how I can help. A million things race through my head. What can I do for you? At the moment, nothing that comes to mind feels like enough.

So, I sit there with my arms wrapped around you holding you through the frustration, the tears, the flaps, and the kicks. Reminding you that you are doing a great job. To take deep breaths. I’m here to help, always. We’re in this together. They say “Actions speak louder than words”  and that couldn’t be more true.

You have taught me so much, to not forget to take a breath. To calm myself when something is getting the best of me. You might not have all of the words yet but you show me, day after day, that love needs no words. I am so proud of you. I am proud to be your Mom. I am proud to be your voice. I am proud to share your story. The real. The raw. The joy.

I am proud to raise awareness. Because awareness leads to understanding. Understanding leads to acceptance. That is my dream for you and all the other amazing kids out there. Acceptance. And for this world to be a little kinder. To see you through my eyes for the amazing, smart, sweet, and loving person that you are. I’m so glad God chose me to be your Mom.

This post originally appeared on Hurricane Heffners.

Trista is a mother of two, Allayna and David. David was diagnosed with moderate ASD. She is married to her husband Drew and they live in Wisconsin where she works full-time from home. She enjoys spending time with her family, large amounts of coffee and sharing her family's journey.

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I’m a New Stay at Home Mom & I Was Not Expecting This

By Carolyn Erickson

Becoming a stay at home mom is no easy task.

I went from working six, 10-hour days a week to being a stay at home mom. I loved my job as a manager of a restaurant. Having that job for years I was constantly busy and was used to that lifestyle. However, due to the start of the COVID pandemic, and being four months pregnant, I was unexpectedly laid off. I did not expect the transition to be as difficult as it was.

At first, it was okay. I was pregnant. I was tired and due to medical conditions, I had doctor appointments twice a week for my second and third trimester. So not having to reschedule or miss out on work to make these appointments was a positive thing. I was able to sleep whenever I wanted (which being pregnant was awesome!). My fiance worked harder than ever to make up for the lack of income. I thought once I had the baby, I would return to work. 

Once our bundle of joy came, we made the decision that I would stay at home with the baby for at least a year. It has been five months of being a full-time stay at home mom. It is the hardest, most rewarding job I have ever had.

All you might hear is how great being a stay at home mom is. Well, if I am being honest, I still have a hard time. Selfish is how I feel writing that. But the transition from working full-time to being at home with a baby is difficult. Being in a pandemic does not help at all.

Honestly, I am tired and that is okay. Being tired was something I was not expecting because I was constantly on the go while working.  I am still surprised at the never-ending tasks of being a mother and taking care of a household. Cleaning, cooking, getting pooped on and the always shocking throw up are just the beginning of all of my days. Every night is always a tale of unexpected events with a newborn.

To each and every mom (and dad) whether you work or solely stay at home with the kids, you rock! We do not get the credit we deserve (especially from our kids). This “job” is never-ending but is amazing and rewarding! I was never expecting to be a stay at home mom. Even though I can tell you a bunch of reasons why I am tired, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I feel blessed to be a stay at home mom.

 

 

Hi! I'm Carolyn Erickson! I am from Wisconsin and mother of a beautiful baby girl. I'm a new stay at home mom and I am loving it. I also am beginning my career as a freelance writer and blogger!

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How This Summer-Loving Mom Is Going to Embrace Winter

By Rebecca Murphy

I am an ‘All Things Summer’ kinda gal. I love the beach, endless sunshine, and all sorts of summer shenanigans. For me, there’s nothing a pair of flip flops and a salt-rimmed margarita can’t solve. 

So, when those summer mornings start to get chilly and the sun starts setting earlier, I start to mourn the end of my favorite season. My heart is always very heavy on August 32nd. I have a hard time enjoying autumn’s beauty because all I see is an impending Polar Vortex looming around the corner. WINTER IS COMING!!! I’m fairly confident this will be the winter Jon Snow was warning us about!

A dear friend of mine, one with ‘All Things Winter’ as part of her genetic makeup, sent me a podcast discussing the hygee lifest‌yle. If you haven’t heard of this, hygge is a Danish word that doesn’t have an exact translation into the English language but is more of a feeling of coziness and togetherness. It’s probably better described as a feeling of gratitude, appreciation, and enjoyment of the moments. And here’s where I experienced my AH-HA moment! As a parent coach, it is my job to guide my clients to have a more positive outlook. I help families on a journey to transformational change one small step at a time. Are you seeing the irony here?? My focus has been all wrong and I have been sabotaging myself—okay, winter doesn’t have to be my favorite season, but by all means, I can certainly embrace it and find the good it has to offer. It’s time to take on my personal “Project: Embracing Winter!”

The thing about change is, well, it’s just hard. We’ve all experienced breaking old habits and creating new ones, and it’s downright tough! In order for the change to happen, there has to be a level of awareness, an intentional goal, and motivation to get the ball rolling. And, while we want the change to happen instantly, it’s important to understand that change is more likely to stick with practice, consistency, and a positive outlook. I decided it’s time to take my own advice and learn to change my perspective on winter. 

When I envision how I’d like the next few months to look, all I see is hygge. Allowing myself to slow down and savor the moments—especially the cozy ones! Rather than sulk on the numerous dreary winter days New Jersey seems to offer, I’d like to celebrate the bright, crisp days we do encounter. I’d like to look forward to feeling comfortable while spending time outside in the cold. Ideally, I’d like my family to try new activities outside together…without feeling miserable…and with minimal complaining! In a nutshell, I want to feel like I’m living it up through winter rather than just getting through it. 

After some soul searching, Pinterest surfing, and lots of getting myself mentally psyched, I’m ready to take on “Project: Embracing Winter.” 

1. Reframe is the name of the game! If I’m constantly expecting the worst, the worst is what I will find. Reframing negative thoughts will help me shift my perspective to focus on the good, what’s currently working and the small moments I’m appreciating. BOOM! Automatic gratification! 

2. Inventory the outwear. Time to assess all our winter pieces and order whatever we’re lacking (like super warm socks!) so we can tolerate some extended time in the cold. I’m tossing the idea of dressing to look fashionable, not sure if I ever achieved that anyway! I’m confident we’ll all enjoy the elements more if we are dressed appropriately. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, am I right? 

3. ‘Creating cozy’ inside and outside my home. According to Pinterest, you can reinvent any space by adding some blankets (I’m thinking of the heated sort!), pillows, candles, and strands of lights! And, by the way, I’m fairly confident nobody will be in my house for the next few months, so I’m in no rush to take down pretty Christmas lights! 

4. Let’s make a date! My kids always make a summer bucket list, so why not a winter bucket list? We can put an activity on the calendar each week that will include something everyone enjoys (that’s my ‘reduce the complaining’ plan!!). An ideal outing for us could be bundling up, enjoying an easy hike, and sharing some hot cocoa with marshmallows upon our destination. 

5. Let’s get cooking! Finding new recipes that are hearty and comforting that can be enjoyed outside may be a big win this season. Maybe even getting the whole family involved with making dinners like fondue or sushi could be a lot of fun. For outside entertaining, how great would it be to make a s’mores charcuterie board and a hot cocoa station for outside guests!? Yes, please!!

6. Enjoy old favorites in a new way. There are so many activities we enjoy during the summer that could be new winter fun with a twist. I plan to check out some outdoor locations we normally visit during the warmer months like the beach, boardwalk, maybe even an arboretum. With evenings happening earlier in the winter, occasional sunset walks before dinner could be enjoyable. If it’s mild enough, an outdoor movie night would be a great way to spend an evening with family or friends. 

When challenged to make a change, you can resist it and fight every step of the way, or you can embrace the change and make the most of it. While I may not have control over this situation, I do have control over my attitude, perception, and actions (says my inner control freak). It’s certainly not easy to keep your focus on finding the good, but I’m flipping my perspective and taking small steps to make the most of this winter! And, if those tips don’t make me a convert, at least they will help occupy my time as I countdown the days to the first day of summer.

 

Hi! I'm Rebecca from Real Life Parent Coaching. I use my background as an educator to help parents discover & cultivate their strengths and reach their parenting potential. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two kids. I enjoy exploring, being creative & having fun with my crew!

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Why You Should Grow Your Own Bacteria (It’s Science!)

by Karly Wood

We’re all hearing about bacteria these days, but if your kiddos are having a hard time understanding the complexities, a new resource from Microban is here to help. PTOToday is partnering with Microban 24 to offer the Microban 24 24-Hour Science Experiment, an educational resource to teach kids about the bacteria that live all around us.

The online resource is perfect for teachers and parents and offers a boatload of free material. Designed to take the guesswork out of teaching, parents can find downloadable worksheets, memory games, word puzzles and even a virtual lab tour.

photo: Courtesy of Microban

The Microban 24 24-Hour Science Experiment was created in partnership with School Family Media, microbiologists and medical experts. Parents can access three age-based science experiments that teach kids about bacteria in ways––and there’s even an opportunity to grow your own bacteria!

Each experiment includes a guide, video and supply list. Afterwords, head out on a fun virtual field trip to a real microbiology lab!

Check out the fun new resource right here.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: Drew Hays via Unsplash

 

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Pop Quiz: Are You Winning at Pandemic Parenting?

By Krissy Dieruf

Parenting in the time of coronavirus is like walking a blind dog down a dark alley while wearing sunglasses. There is a lot of bumping into walls, crying, and flailing around, trying to grab hold of something seemingly sturdy or concrete. It’s a whole new type of parenting. Scary, weird, aimless, and sprinkled with impulsive maniacal laughter. Or is that just me?  

The floor has been pulled out from under us. Nothing fits anymore. We are in crisis mode, doing our best but likely letting go of some higher standards we once held when we possessed the time, energy, and wherewithal to enforce them. Frankly, the things we used to fret about, like an early bedtime and a low screen limit, have turned into rules working against us in our utterly unchartered lives. Late bedtimes are in, or rather, no bedtimes. And screen time is more like the best time and, sure, have another hour or two, kiddos. Because what else is there for you to do? All of the stress, confusion, emotional exhaustion, life responsibilities, and oh yeah, the lurking coronavirus threatening every move we make, can cause a parent to feel like a spinning cap trying not to spin out of control.

Rest assured, if you have felt any of this, you are not alone. If at any point you have found yourself sinking into guilt or anxiety over the difficulty of balancing everything on your shoulders, or your new habit of letting your kids eat popsicles for breakfast, try not to worry. You have not failed them. If you’re freaking out about how all of the mandates and changes in the schools and communities will affect your kids, take a deep breath. Fear and worry can grab ahold quickly when we doubt ourselves and feel lost in a forest of fog and trees too high to see the sky. Remember, the sky is there. It has not abandoned us. Reach deeper into the darkness for hope and light, and look deeper into yourself and trust that you already have everything inside of you that you need to get through this. You are a good parent.

Ask yourself these questions about ways you may already be weaving strong bonds and cultivating resiliency in your kids to help them strive despite having to go through hard times such as this:

1. Do I hug my kids?
2. Do I tell them I love them?
3. Do I laugh with my kids?
4. Do I listen to them when they have something to say?
5. Do I ask them questions about who they are, what they like, what they think, and how they feel?
6. Do my eyes light up when they walk into the room?
7. Do I compliment their hair, st‌yle of clothes, ideas, and little things they do?
8. Do I read to my kids?
9. Do I show them trust and respect?
10. Do I spend time with them?
11. Do I know their love language and try to try to show love in that way?
12. Do I keep boundaries for safety and security even if some of the other limitations like bedtime and screen time are a little looser?
13. Do I talk about my feelings and validate theirs?
14. Do I show interest in their interests?
15. Do I apologize when I make mistakes?
16. Do I help them when they need help?
17. Do I get support for my kids’ mental and behavioral health needs?
18. Do I hold them when they need to be held?
19. Do I try every day to do my best?
20. Do I forgive myself when the day is over, and it wasn’t perfect?
21. Do I wake up and do it all over again?

If you answered yes to most or even some of these, your kids are good hands. You are already doing the most important things during this new and bazaar situation that we are still trying to figure out how to handle.

This year will be hard, and school and sports will look different. Kids will not be doing all the things they were supposed to do. There may be a time when we have to catch up, or relearn some things, resocialize and process all the big feelings from all the days inside. That’s okay. Right now, talking, connecting, rolling on the floor, grabbing your belly laughing because a rerun of America’s Funniest Home Videos is on for the one-hundredth time, and it’s still hilarious, is the most important stuff right now. That’s enough. Hugs, hope, snuggling reading together, talking about whatever your kids want to talk about even if it makes your eyes roll into the back of your head with boredom, are the essential things. Good job. Keep going. Your kids are lucky to have you.

When you start to worry that your kids are missing out, or that you’re not ready to become a teacher 3-5 days a week because you have no clue how to teach a kindergartner to read and you don’t remember a single thing from fifth-grade social studies, close your eyes and wipe the sweat off your brow. Look back at times you thrived through adversity. Think about the hard places you’ve worked yourself out of, and the times in your life you grabbed hold of your spirit and grit and incredible sense of humor and made the most of a lackluster situation. These are the skills that serve you well in a long beautiful life. Your kids are learning everything they need to know about life right now from you, and they will be all the better for it.

Krissy Dieruf is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children, loves to sing and dance around the house and has a soft spot for rebels and crazy hair. 

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My Kids Are Going Back to School & This Is How I’m Coping

By Nataly Blumberg

On the outside, I appear to be calm about my kids going back to school. They attend a public school that is well funded and has engaged parents. Last week there was a Zoom call with over 300 participants and the general consensus among the parents is that mandatory masks, new ventilation systems, hundreds of new sanitizing stations, and 45-pages worth of initiatives cover as much as can be expected to keep students, teachers and everyone that works in the school safe.

But I still find myself waking up in the middle of the night from anxiety. I keep thinking that tomorrow night will be different, but it’s not. Part of feeling better is knowing that there are so many others feeling the exact same way. I decided that I would do a bit of research and find actions that I could take to help with the stress. Sometimes it’s about finding what works best for us as an individual, and you can only decide when you’ve read, talked, and done your research.

Nanika Coor, Psy.D. is a Brooklyn, NY based clinical psychologist who specializes in working with parents, recommends being mindful in four key areas.  I took her advice to heart and thought about specific things that I could do to ease my back-to-school anxieties.

1. BREATHE. Her first piece of advice when you are feeling stressed is to, “Stop & breathe: Stop whatever you’re doing. Pause. Take a breath. Make your exhale last as long as you can.” At first, I found this somewhat comical and basic, but the truth is it really helps. Don’t laugh, but the smell of Soap & Glory Uplifting bath products while taking a deep breath in the shower makes me happy and sets a positive vibe for the morning. I feel like I’ve rewarded myself just for being positive and making an effort to be in a good mood.

2. BE AWARE. “Check-in: Focus your awareness on your internal experience: What emotions, body sensations, and thoughts are you experiencing right at this moment? Notice with curiosity rather than self-judgment. Let whatever’s there just be there,” says Coor. The part that resonated with me is about self-judgment. So many times, moms feel that they should have it all together at home and at work and it’s the pressure, more than the activities, that make things hard. I’ve also decided to ask for help and ordered Freshly meals. I spend less time worrying and cooking, more time with my kids and husband, and therefore I feel like I did a better job. That’s the recipe for a start to less self-judgment.

3. LOOK WITH A POSITIVE LENS. Coor also recommends that parents, “Zoom out with a positive lens: Assume positive intent. What if you assumed that both you and your child are trying to get your needs met in the best way that you know how at this moment, however unproductively. Call up some compassion for you both.”  My kids want more attention and I have laundry to fold. Plus, conference calls and soon homework. We both need time and that’s why I’ve incentivized them to help with more chores. By doing things together they can feel that I am happier and calmer, and we get to crack jokes while we work. One extremely important lesson and I cannot emphasize this enough, is you cannot criticize the way they help. Just don’t do it. If they are doing it with willingness, tell them how it makes you feel. Think about the emotion and not how clean or well-folded something is done. Remember, you’re looking with a positive lens and it’s one step at a time.

4. RESPOND FIRST, THEN REACT. Coor’s last piece of advice is to “Choose the least harmful response you can: Respond rather than react. What can you do right now that brings the least amount of harm to your child’s body, mind, heart, spirit, and self-esteem?” There are a few ways that I’ve tried to implement this in my life.  First, if I feel like I’m really going to lose it, I leave the room and say that I’m coming back when I calm down. This actually is much more effective than screaming at the top of my lungs while something is happening because my kids know it’s serious and they have time to realize what just happened.

The other way I’ve used this advice is by taking something away that demonstrated that I was doing something extra because I care, not because I had to.  As an example, for a while, my kids would not stop bickering. Day in and day out it was misery. I screamed, I pleaded, and I cried. Nothing helped. Then I decided to tell them that if they continue one more time, they would have to get to school on their own. My reasoning was that I had to take time out of my day to fight the traffic and the school bus lines so that my kids would have door-to-door service. It was something that I did for them because I cared. Not because I had to. The fighting continued, I stopped driving, they took the bus, and the fighting ended. They got the point.

To me, it doesn’t matter that things have changed in terms of COVID-19. Things changed because the response was more meaningful than harmful.  Parents do things every single day that show love and care, and at a certain point, kids are able to understand that this is a shared activity.

5. GET HELP. If things seem really difficult and you are struggling, get help. It’s the most important thing that you can do for yourself and your family.  Almost everyone is having a hard time and you are not alone. Parents Anonymous is a family strengthening organization and has added resources to help during the pandemic.

This is my place to start and it might change in the weeks ahead. But, I’m already starting to feel calmer.

I'm a mom of two children, wife, and love my fur baby, traveling and playing UNO.  My passion is discovering services and products by entrepreneurs, especially those that can cut down on some screen time and help our family create lasting memories together. 

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The Story Pirates Release an Album Based on Kids’ Story Ideas

by Jennifer Swartvagher

The Story Pirates are known for taking kids’ wildest story ideas and turning them into award-winning musical sketch comedy. Today they released a digital album of 12 original songs, Cats Sit On You. These fan-favorite songs from seasons 2 and 3 of Story Pirates Podcast, were remixed and mastered for the new album. 

Cats Sit on You
Cats Sit On You is already a hit on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, based on a  one-line story written by Alex, a 6 year old from California. In full, it reads: “Cats sit on you, and sometimes they take over the school.” Another hit from the podcast, “Banana Clown,” is a fan-favorite song featuring Grammy Award-winning rapper Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. The original story is about a guy who has a hard time finding the right job, written by an 8 year old from Massachusetts named Benjamin. Another hit from the podcast is “Humming,” a song about a simple habit that snowballs into a worldwide trend, from a story written by Emily, an 11 year old from Texas.

The timeliest song on the album is “The First Kids to Work at the Census,” which debuted on the podcast in April. It’s a song about two kids who just want to put their natural talents to work. The original story is by William, a 7-year-old from California, whose dad actually works for the U.S. Census.

Tonight, Aug. 28 at 7p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), The Story Pirates will celebrate the album release with a live-streamed improv show called the Story Creation Zone, and a Cats Sit On You themed dance class, exclusively available to Story Pirates Creator Club subscribers. For information, and to start a free trial, visit StoryPiratesCreatorClub.com. An album release celebration featuring the songwriters and performers, plus special guests, will be announced in September.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: The Story Pirates

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6 Strategies to Stop Siblings Fights & Restore the Peace

By Krissy Dieruf

While the world has been social distancing, family units have been getting a healthy dose of together time. Siblings especially have spent an extended amount of time together without friends or activities. Some days have probably been amazing. Others may look more like a WWE match. Hours upon hours of sharing and interacting can begin to wear any friendship thin.

Either way, it is normal for siblings to fight. Siblings rarely share similar personalities despite being raised in the same family. Differing ideas, preferences, goals, wants, needs, temperaments, and personality traits are going to create friction. Maybe even cause a few little fists to fly. Rest assured, there are things you can do to help your kids get along better, and also to change any behaviors that might trigger a tussle.

When your kids start to royal rumble, try these 6 strategies:

1. Let them work it out. The first thing to do if your kids are arguing is to wait and see if they can work it out themselves. Depending on the age of your children, sometimes they can come to a conclusion on their own. Do this only if the argument is verbal, never if it’s physical. If kids start physically fighting, stop it immediately and help them to calm their bodies.

2. Separate and calm. If you have a little one who immediately lashes out physically by pushing, hitting, or kicking, offer them something else to make contact with when they are mad. It’s never okay to hit, but you can punch a pillow, rip up a newspaper, or kick a bean bag chair. Then take some deep breaths and calm down.

3. Let them tell their story. Giving kids a chance to tell their side in an argument can be empowering. Even though to us it’s ridiculous to fight over the same stinking orange LEGO when a zillion other Legos are sitting right there, it’s a big deal to them. Feeling heard is essential. Often when my kids get a chance to tell their story, they can even catch a glimpse of how their actions added to the problem.

4. Verbalize feelings. Kids often react to emotions quickly and don’t always know what they are feeling. Saying the feelings out loud for them helps to ground them at the moment, and help identify what is going on internally. “Jimmy, it sounds like you are really mad that Lucy took that LEGO when you wanted to use it.” And “Lucy, you are feeling jealous of his LEGO house, and now your feelings are hurt because he said yours is dumb.” So often, when my kids hear me spelling it all out with their feelings, instead of telling them what to do, they feel validated and can move on. Sometimes they even apologize to each other without being prompted.

5. Pay attention to the need, not the negative behavior. When kids repeat the same frustrating behaviors that cause fights and friction, it is likely because they are trying to meet a need. For example, if a child is picking on their younger sibling to bug them, they are probably bored, jealous, or feel hurt by that child and want to pay them back. When we see negative behavior, we instantly want to give a consequence to make it stop. But when we do that, the child’s need fails to be met. The conflict will likely return. It is much better to ignore the behavior and pay attention to the need. When kids are fighting, say something like, “I wonder if you’re doing that because you’re mad/sad/worried/hurt?” This identification gives the feelings attention, not the negative behavior. Offer positive ways for the child to get attention, such as asking the sibling to play, for a hug or time together.

6. Shake some love. I remember a video I saw a few years ago where a mom talked about her “love shaker.” It was a can she had put rice in and taped up. Anytime her kids seemed like they were having a hard time, she would shake it over their heads and say she was shaking love all over them. I thought it was the sweetest idea, and while I still haven’t made a can of my own, I do something similar when my kids are bickering. Without teasing them or minimizing their problem, I start hugging them and telling them how amazing they are. I gush about how special and kind and thoughtful and gorgeous and funny they are. Sometimes I even use a silly accent. They giggle and roll their eyes and forget what they were fighting about in the first place. Sometimes kids are feeling bad about themselves and don’t know what to do with those big feelings, so they take it out on siblings. Shaking love on them and reminding each kid how awesome they are helps them feel good, like they want to share the love too.

Arguments between siblings are incredible learning lessons for how to interact and argue in healthy, appropriate ways within various relationships throughout their entire lives. Siblings fight, but they can learn to work it out, makeup, and get their needs met. The important thing is to stay calm and help each child verbalize feelings without throwing a fit or a fist. Godspeed, my friend. 

 

 

 

 

 

Krissy Dieruf is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children, loves to sing and dance around the house and has a soft spot for rebels and crazy hair. 

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Grab These Mini Succulents at ALDI While They Last

by Jennifer Swartvagher

If you haven’t already, it’s time to jump on the succulent craze. Starting Aug. 12, head into your local ALDI to find these adorable Mini Succulent Varieties. These affordable little plants are part of the weekly finds so they will only be available for a limited time. 

Mini Succulents

Succulents are perfect for the gardener who doesn’t have quite the green thumb. If you have a hard time keeping plants alive then succulents are definitely for you. They are very low maintenance and require very little watering. They thrive both indoor and outdoors so they are perfect for apartments as well. 

 

Grab a few to create a display on your outdoor patio or find a few adorable hanging planters to show off these sweet little plants. You can also plant them in any small container. Look how precious they look in these PurAqua Belle Vie Sparkling Flavored Water cans repurposed as planters. 

Mini Succulents

Each mini succulent retails for $1.99.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of ALDI

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Why Kids Need to Practice Fundamental Movement

By Janeth Harrison

We all know that our kids don’t stop moving, like, ever. It’s in their nature to move as much as possible, especially in their younger years. You see it every day when you tell them to go get their shoes (for the millionth time) and they decide to literally spin all the way to their room and back. No? Just my kid? Let’s move on then.

Whether your child is an active little jumping bean or a cuddly couch potato, movement is essential to their development. But even more important than just general movement is movement with intention! If you’ve been following our homeschool preschool journey, you know that we have been incorporating Fun-damental Movement Time into our school days (if you want to catch up, click here). All caught up? Awesome! Below are a few FAQs to help you gain a few nuggets of information on Fundamental Movement and how important it is for your little ones!

What is Fundamental Movement?

Fundamental movement covers a wide range of skills that contribute to the physical literacy of the child. What is physical literacy you may ask? Physical literacy is defined as the ability to move with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities in multiple environments that benefit the healthy development of the whole person.

So in other words, physical literacy is not only moving but moving well. Fundamental movements are the foundational blocks of physical literacy. These blocks generally begin their development around ages 3-5. Totally makes sense as to why these little friends are wiggle worms, no? While these terms may seem daunting, these movements are easily identifiable but not often practiced in your child’s day-to-day.

For example, during school, our kiddos have been practicing walking backward, something I honestly didn’t make my son intentionaly do before. I thought, “Well, he’ll just figure it out, I guess?” I hadn’t really given it much thought! As it turns out, walking backward works a child’s spatial awareness. Spatial awareness, in turn, contributes to more complex functions, such as navigating successfully through an environment (airports, concerts, theme parks) and driving. Even sooner than that, functions such as dressing also involve spatial awareness. That’s just one example of the many skills children have to work to develop. Other major fundamental movements include:

  • balancing
  • running
  • jumping
  • catching
  • hopping
  • throwing
  • galloping
  • skipping
  • leaping
  • kicking

Why is Fundamental Movement important?

Children who are physically literate will thrive. When children are confident in the way they move, that confidence is evident in other aspects of their life as well. They will be more willing to try new things or to make new friends all on their own. Fundamental Movement also promotes a healthy lifest‌yle. When children have developed fundamental movements, they excel in physical activity. It doesn’t seem a chore to have to move, on the contrary, it makes them feel good. The earlier children create healthy, active habits, the more likely they are to continue these positive habits into adulthood. It’s amazing how much the growth of a child involves movement. Success with fundamental movements directly contributes to the well-being of the “whole child.”

How can I get my child moving with intention?

As a parent, I’ve had to pay more attention to how my son moves and give opportunities to practice fundamental movements. We’re lucky to have Dustin of Phoenix Holistic, who is super knowledgeable, curating our Fun-damental Movement Time with our kiddos. Some of the skills we have been working on at school as well as at home are walking/hopping backward, jumping from a crouched position with hands overheads, and standing/hopping on one foot.

Model the Movement: Remember, these things don’t necessarily come naturally to children so you’re going to have to show them what it looks like to do any of these movements.

Provide Support: Quite literally, lend a hand to your little one. Chances are, if these movements are fairly new to your kiddo, they’re going to have a hard time starting out. It’s like learning how to workout with the correct form before adding any type of added resistance. They need to be able to feel comfortable in what they are telling their muscles to do and that may require a bit of hand-holding at the beginning.

Make it Fun: Our unofficial motto over here is “Learning Through Play.” Children learn so much better when they’re playing! I recently had the opportunity to take a million trips to the bathroom every day with my 3-year-old as we were potty training and we were both over it about 2 days into it. So we decided to bear crawl to the bathroom, and frog hop to the bathroom, and tiptoe to the bathroom, you get the idea. During school, the kiddos were pretending to be seeds and crouched down, and as they grew they popped up! Be on the lookout for any time your kid can practice these skills through play!

This post originally appeared on https://sonoranstylemama.wordpress.com/.

Janeth Harrison is a Mexican born Arizonan raised mother of a beautiful baby boy. She is a 3rd grade teacher and lives in the West Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area along with her husband, Daniel and two dogs, Axl and Hexum.

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