parenting Archives - Bare Feet on the Dashboard

17
Aug
2015

Helping Babies Learn to Chew with Gerber’s 3rd Foods® Lil Bits™ Recipes

Introducing babies to solid food and teaching them to eat can be a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be. The Pearl Girl and I were invited to a sponsored party to learn about new Gerber’s 3rd Foods® Lil Bits™ Recipes and today I’m sharing what we learned and how you can win daily prizes from Gerber for your little one. After babies start eating solids they soon must make the transition to chunkier pieces they have to mash and chew. That’s where Lil’ Bits come in. They fill the gap as a transitional food to help babies learn to chew textured food that is developmentally appropriate. Read on to find out more about the development of Lil’ Bits and how to win the #GerberChewU Instant Win Promotion.

(more…)

15
May
2015

One Easy Way to Get Kids to Want to Brush Their Teeth

categories: kids, parenting

Managing your child’s hygiene can be a daunting task. Those little fingernails grow so fast, the dirt just seems to stick, and they never want to brush their teeth. While the nails and the dirt can’t be helped, we’ve found the easiest solution to get our kids to brush their teeth. I shared strategies for teaching kids how to brush their teeth last week. Establishing healthy oral care routines for kids is so important, so this time I’m sharing how to get them WANT to brush their teeth. It is so simple, I can’t believe it took me so long to figure it out.

(more…)

11
May
2015

Five Simple Strategies to Help Kids Conquer Bed Wetting

categories: kids, parenting

It isn’t fun to talk about, but bed wetting can be such a frustrating struggle for kids and their caregivers. Our son was potty trained for months, with no accidents during naps or a night when all of a sudden he started wetting the bed again. It was so hard not to get mad and frustrated when we were changing the sheets AGAIN after months of dry nights. When I learned that enuresis (bed wetting) is normal for kids long after the potty training years, I realized we needed to develop a few strategies to make sure we were all getting good sleep and help us conquer bed wetting.

(more…)

10
May
2015

Motherhood Changed Everything

categories: baby, parenting, pregnancy

I often think of the befores and afters of my life, how I came to be who I am today and how I evolved from the person I once was. Transformations happen naturally as we grow and mature, and sometimes abruptly through traumatic events or drastic changes. Reflecting on milestones is big part of the human existence. We think about our graduations, weddings, job changes, deaths of loved ones, births of children. I’ve experienced a lot in my almost 36 years, but the biggest transformation of my life has come from motherhood. I am a very different person today than I was five years ago, and the two sweet babies who made me a mama are the reason.

(more…)

01
Apr
2015

Easy Ways to Give Your Kids a Green Childhood

categories: baby, green living, kids, parenting

Raising kids to appreciate and care for the world around them isn’t easy in our society that loves instant gratification, constant entertainment, and disposable everything. We want our kids to become adults who appreciate the earth, take responsibility for their effect on it, and work towards conservation for future generations. We believe that it is our responsibility as their parents to teach them about nature and how to love it and care for it. Today I’m sharing a few easy ways we work to give our kids a green childhood. April is Earth Month, so this year I’m joining with a group of bloggers for a series on Natural Parenting and Green Living. Join us we celebrate Earth Month and help each live a greener, more environmentally responsible life. We are far from the greenest family on the block, but we are working to become more eco-friendly every day.

(more…)

18
Feb
2015

A Babies Don’t Keep Poem for the Modern Parent {Free Printable}

categories: baby, free printables, parenting

My mom always had a plaque hanging on the wall with the last lines of the poem “Song for a Fifth Child” by Ruth Hurlburt Hamilton. You probably know it as the “Babies Don’t Keep” poem. Knowing that our Pearl Girl is probably my last baby has given me a new appreciation for the sentiment behind Hamilton’s poem. Rocking her fifth child became more important than all that other busy work of keeping house.

(more…)

17
Feb
2015

The One Baby Product We Use the Most

categories: baby, birth, parenting

After almost 4 years of parenthood, we’ve come to know exactly what products we love and don’t love. When I had the sponsored opportunity to share the Graco® Pack ‘n Play® Playard Portable Napper & Changer™ with y’all I knew I had to. Why? Because our Pack ‘n Play® is the #1 baby product we’ve used with our kids, and will continue to use.

We’ve used it with both kids from birth through toddlerhood, and are still using it with our daughter (almost 2). It is so practical, functional, and affordable for use on the go and at home. Find out more about why we love it and all the great features below. Bonus: We’re hosting a Graco® giveaway here valued at $105!

(more…)

02
Feb
2015

Five Tips to Feel Better & Stay Sane When Your Family is Sick

categories: medical, parenting

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and DripDrop®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DrinkDripDrop #DripDropHydrates http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

The winter sickness season is the worst. My family passed around one illness or another from the day after Christmas until the last week in January. *Fingers crossed* I’m praying we are done being sick, because I am OVER it. We’ve had colds, the stomach virus, pink eye, and a minor dose of the flu, as well as the never ending cough that sounds like my kids are tiny coal miners. You know the drill – one person starts showing symptoms and the roulette wheel spins to see who comes down with it next. I love my husband more than life itself, but when he gets sick it is way worse than the kids. I asked my mama friends for their best tips, and added my best advice to help you battle the crud. After the month long war on illness we’ve waged, I’m sharing five tips to help you and your family feel better and help you stay sane when your family is sick.

(more…)

02
Jan
2015

The Best Kid Activities of 2014 ~ Crafts, Education, & Parenting

categories: crafts, kids, parenting

With the new year fresh and full of possibility, I like to take a minute to reflect on the one just ended. This little blog has grown like crazy and I am constantly blown away by how many of you visit, read, share, and pin. I am so thankful for each one of you and for the way your support enables me to be home with my kids and have this creative outlet. Thank you. I am also so thankful to be part of a fabulous network of kid bloggers – moms, dads, grandparents, and education professionals – who partner to make each of blogs better together. We’ve joined forces once again to share the very best of our work from 2014. Each blogger has added their BEST post from the past year in one of the three categories below – crafts, education, and parenting.

(more…)

02
Oct
2014

Too Loud! Helping Kids Tolerate Loud Noises & Learn Volume Control #Sensory4All

categories: kids, parenting, play

Too loud! Too loud, Mommy! This phrase is often heard in our home and accompanied by yelling, crying, and hands held over ears. The same child often loves to create a noise level much higher than the one that bothered him by yelling, banging, and testing the range of his voice. What I’ve learned recently is this behavior is linked to his auditory sensory needs, and I can help him adjust and get those needs met. If your child has behaviors you long to understand, I urge to join in during Sensory Awareness Month as the #ProjectSensory team of bloggers shares posts about Decoding Everyday Kid Behaviors. Every child has sensory needs, and you can help them meet those needs with simple solutions.

(more…)

Category: parenting