Products to prevent and treat lice
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Products to Prevent and Treat Lice (she: Rebecca)

ByRebecca

So, this is a post I thought I would never be qualified to write … at least I hoped I’d never become an expert at dealing with dreaded lice! But, I’m coming to you now as a seasoned veteran of the war against these horrible, nasty, persistent little pests.

Let me start from the beginning. I have a first grader with long, thick, thick, thick (Did I mention her hair is thick?!?) gorgeous hair. At the end of the Christmas break, she started complaining about her head itching, so I casually checked her head only to find the tell-tale white nits buried deep in there. I was horrified! I cancelled all our plans, called any friends we’d been in recent contact with, loaded the three kids in the car and headed straight for the drug store. I bought everything I could find, spent a fortune and went home to begin the war!

Tips for Being a Happy Mom (she: Heather)
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Tips for Being a Happy Mom (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Since the beginning of time, all human beings have sought the same thing: To BE HAPPY! The problem is that in the heat of motherhood, and parenthood and life, happiness can be hard to find. And when “momma aint happy, aint nobody happy.” The cooking and cleaning and whining and chauffeuring, and inability to have 30 seconds of privacy to use the bathroom alone, can sometimes make us feel like it is impossible to be a happy mom.

But that is not the case. Consistent research shows that happy moms have a few things in common. Here are 6 things that Happy moms do. These tips for being a happy mom could work for all of us!

three easy parenting tips
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Three Easy Parenting Tips for 2014 (she: Heather)

ByHeather

If we want to have strong relationships with our children, we HAVE to spend time with them. Not just every once in a while, but research shows that we need to find at least 15 minutes a day to spend with each child on an individual basis. This is uninterupted time where we put our phones and computers and the laundry away and just focus on them. Get down on their level, look into their eyes and really listen to what they say. If you are wondering what you are going to do, sit down together and make a list of all the things that you could do. From baking cookies, to going for a drive, playing a game or just chatting about the day. Then when it is time to be together, you wont waste it trying to figure something out. Pick something on your list and have a good time. Your kids will feel supported, listened to, understood, and you will even see improvements in their behavior. You will find that a little time makes a big difference.

Surviving Motherhood: 12 Ways to Make it Out Alive!
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Surviving Motherhood: 12 Ways to Make it Through Alive! (she: Jamie)

ByJamie S.

Don’t get me wrong, being a Mom has it amazing and beautiful moments, it’s just harder than I ever imagined (I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, right?!).

We are stripping everything down and going back to the basics! At the end of this year I want you to look back and be proud of your accomplishments, who’ve you become, and where you are headed. More and more, I’m coming to understand that happiness is something you do, not something that just happens to you. Positive psychology researchers have identified definite habits that cause happiness (and have determined that it’s not the other way around) — these include gratitude, exercise, doing nice things for others, and lots more. Keep reading for some basic tips for surviving motherhood and finding as much happiness in it as you can in it.

make your child feel special
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Make Your Child Feel Special on Valentine’s Day (she: Amy)

ByAmy Lee

One of my goals as a mother is for my children to know that they are loved, cherished and that they matter.

Since Valentines Day is about showing people how much we love and appreciate them, I thought I would do a few special things to show my girl how much I love and cherish her. Read on for simple ways to make your child feel special on Valentine’s Day.

Fun Printable for Setting New Year's Resolutions www.oneshetwoshe.com
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Setting Goals for the New Year! ~ Family Night Ideas (she: Tonii)

ByTonii

Hey again, it’s Tonii from Blue Skies Ahead. I am so thrilled to be back at Or so She Says…sharing another fun family night idea! I don’t know about you…but I LOVE the start of a new year. A clean slate, a chance to do anything you want and start fresh! I was really excited to do a simple activity with my kids to help them learn about goals and have fun making a visual that we could focus on ALL year long to remember what we want to accomplish in 2014.

First up I made this printable to hang in our home. I love this quote and have found it to be so true in my personal life. There is so much power in simply believing in ourselves!

Everyone is Special ~ November 2013 Inspiration
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Everyone is Special ~ November 2013 Inspiration

ByMariel

Happy Sunday!!

I just finished reading a wonderful book to my kids. Have you heard of the book, Wonder by R.J. Palacio? I really had no idea what to expect from it, just that it must be good, with thousands of five-star reviews. Turns out, we loved it too! It’s the story of a young boy, with a serious facial deformity. He has avoided public schools, up until the 5th grade, when he hesitantly decides he’s ready to give it a shot. As expected, there are some rough moments for him, and some moments that are downright horrible. But, the book is filled with tender moments and great examples of love.

cereal bowls for kids
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The BEST Cereal Bowls for Kids ~ I’m Serious.

ByMariel

Is it weird to do a blog post about cereal bowls? Um, probably. But, we all use them, so it can be relevant, right?

Okay, so with six kids I am frequently replacing my glasses (broken), sippy cups (lost), silverware (in the sandbox), and cereal bowls (used to hold random food bits to lure wild animals into my yard.) I tell you what. It’s a little crazy. If I’m out of small spoons, I just need to take a trip to my back yard. I’m sure to find a few. I think I actually have an Instagram pic of my sippy cups find…

‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)
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‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Hello my friends!! Many of you are getting ready to start school, but here in Tennessee, school has been in session for two weeks. I know – CRAZY! So for us, the fun has begun. I think starting school is a mixed bag for most kids. It never seems to be the easiest transition for everyone. Some of my kids have not had the best beginning and have struggled for different reasons. Not everything has been school related. Some of it is just normal icky things that life throws your way. But a struggle is still a struggle. Needless to say, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. Watching them struggle has reminded me of the challenge of being a mom.

One of the hardest things about being a mom is knowing that we can’t fix EVERYTHING. We have to watch our kids face challenges, we see them struggle to make sense of things, we see their heartaches, and there’s only so much we can do. But, the key is that there ARE some things we can do.

‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)
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‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Hopefully, you’re all rested and recovered from the busy 4th of July weekend. My birthday is the day after the 4th, so we’ve been extra busy. Good, but busy!

A few weeks ago my boys and I went to Seussical the Musical with my mom and sister. Have any of you seen it? If not, you really should. You can often find it at local theater companies, and I know our high school did it one year as well. My three boys (ages 3 and 6) were so entertained! The characters, the outfits, and the music are infectious!

Horton from Horton Hatches the Egg and Horton Hears a Who is the main character in the musical. There’s a line in one of the songs that comes from Horton Hears a Who. It says, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” I used that quote all of the time when I was teaching first grade, and now that I’m a mom I use it even more.

The Humble Chair ~ Building Kid’s Self-Esteem (she: Veronica)
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The Humble Chair ~ Building Kid’s Self-Esteem (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Recently, we’ve had some kids struggle with a few different things. They haven’t been major things, but to THEM, they have felt HUGE. I’ve watched as these struggles have worn away at their self worth. I started looking at each of my children and realized that there are many things that tend to whittle away at their feelings of worth and value. So, I decided it was time to do “The Humble Chair”.

WHAT is the “Humble Chair”?

It’s a simple activity that allows you to focus on building someone up.

Children & The Comparing Syndrome ~ “I Can…” Can (she: Brooke)

Children & The Comparing Syndrome ~ “I Can…” Can (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Right now the big issue I’m dealing with at our house is the comparing/competition syndrome. I have twins, and it’s probably something I’ll constantly be dealing with with these two boys. They are best buddies, and get along amazingly well, but there are those moments. All you mothers out there know these moments. Moments when one of your twins (or any child) scores three goals at Saturday’s soccer game, and the other scores none. Moments when one twin notices the letter (reading level) on the back of brother’s home reading book is higher than his. Moments when one twin gets invited to play at a friend’s house and the other doesn’t. Moments when the younger (not quite 5) cousin from out of state comes to visit and can read chapter books when your kindergarten twins can’t. I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea.

A few months ago I was at my parents’ house and ran across a little book that had simple ideas for nurturing your child’s self esteem. There was an idea in the book I loved. It was called the “I Can…” Can. It’s as easy as it’s name suggests.