A mom can be the hardest person to shop for: they typically never ask for anything for themselves, and you’d feel like a jerk if you just gave them a new vacuum or blender. But the fact remains that you should get them something for occasions like Mother’s Day, their birthday, and Christmas. So what’s a well-meaning person to do when they need a gift for mom? Hence my list of the best gifts for a selfless mom. These items are frugal, useful, and promote self-care in even the humblest of mothers. Because even if she doesn’t say it, she doesn’t really want a dish scrubber for her birthday. Continue reading
Category: Just for Mom (Page 3 of 4)
This category is like it says: just for mom. Here I include articles that have to do with self care, mom guilt, and other issues which don’t directly affect your baby nor child. As we continue to grow here at Real Simple Mama, I thought it was important that I have a section to show moms that we are strong, and we aren’t alone.
Any breastfeeding mom can tell you that their journey nursing their child is full of ups and downs, tears and smiles, chaos and calm. I’ve recently learned about breast milk jewelry: a meaningful gift for a nursing mom. The pieces are beautiful and I had to find out more! So I spoke to Kellie who owns Milk Vine Jewelry and makes this beautiful, personalized jewelry for moms all over the world. Continue reading
I think that all parents have a vision of the best version of themselves. We want to do it all, and no matter what our lives look like, we find faults. I know that I did; that is, until I clearly defined what the best kind of mom really is… at least to me.
As a mother, I would often riddle my tired brain with “If I were a better mom, I would…” I had a perfect mother on a pedestal in my mind, and I constantly compared myself to her.
But not anymore. Continue reading
If you’re a parent, you know that people can sometimes tell you things which are not helpful at all (and instead, drive you crazy or stress you out). My great friend Marie, who helps parents over at Create Balanced Life, has some words of wisdom on this. Here’s what she has to say about that one annoying thing people tell new parents – her least parenting advice – and what to think about instead. Continue reading
I’ve read about a thousand posts about self care for moms. And I always get anxious that taking care of myself means sacrificing quality time with my kids, or time to clean up and get work done. There are so many great ideas out there, but I feel guilty when I think about leaving my toddler crying on the floor so that I can sip my coffee while it’s still hot. I can’t enjoy my alone time with some of these extravagant ideas… and some I just plain can’t afford.
So here’s what I’ve done: I’ve looked at my own life and what works for our little family. I’ve looked at things which make me happy and recharge the batteries of my soul. And I’ve looked at things which are easily doable on a regular basis, when (gasp!) the kids are around. What’s made it into this article are the things which fit every one of those qualifications.
The result? Self care for the busy mom. These tips won’t make you feel like you’re a horrible mother, because your kids won’t suffer. You can take care of yourself while taking care of the kids, too.
Just remember: you can’t serve others when your cup is empty. It’s taken me years to admit this, but it’s true. So take care of yourself and be well, my friend. I’m in the trenches with you, but I’m still smiling! Continue reading
If you’re a stay-at-home parent, you may feel the stress from not making an income. Sure, you’re raising your babies and saving on daycare; but it’s still hard to not feel like a burden sometimes. I know I do, being married to an educator in a humble little house. Or hell, maybe you just want some extra spending money. But although the guilt can be significant, it’s not like you can really have a full-time career while caring for your children at home.
Still, wouldn’t it be nice if you could make some extra money with little effort?
I’ve been working on this list of apps for over nine months, and I’m here to report that there are some pretty low-effort ways to make some bonus cash on the side, without taking oodles of your time.
So, without further delay, here are my favorite money making apps for busy moms! Continue reading
It’s a new year, and you want to be more organized! It’s such a great feeling of accomplishment to feel that you’ve “done” something and can cross an item off of your list. But if you’re like me, your to-do list just gets longer and longer (and you get more and more pissed off). I’ve finally tweaked my system and would love to show you how to make your to-do list work for you!
Happy 2017! Holy crap it feels like last year was about 1,752 days long. But now it’s in the past and it’s time to look forward. On to bigger and better things!
I’ve never been a huge resolution person. I start goals when I see fit and I change or erase them when I can tell that they’re not working for me. And now that I have children, it seems like I hardly have time to pee, much less sit and ponder what I’d like to accomplish in 2017. But it’s doable! And I think that writing – and sticking to – a set of resolutions can be good for body, mind, and soul. Especially as a mom.
Here are some of my tips for setting realistic resolutions. Continue reading
I’ve been a Catholic my whole life. One thing which is rather unique to my faith is the importance of the Virgin Mary. Sometimes overlooked in other denominations, Mary was hand-picked to be the Mother of God, and spared from original sin. I always felt close to her when I was growing up; she was so young, and so unaware of everything which would befall her. And yet, her faith persevered.
As a mother, my love and admiration for Mary has only continued to grow. Continue reading
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the stunning images which have gone viral: a mother breastfeeding her child. This new trend for the breastfeeding selfie, aka “brelfie“, is not only helping to normalize breastfeeding, but it’s a gorgeous keepsake for the mom. Breastfeeding can be so difficult, painful, and time consuming, that these photos are extra special! You could save these to your phone, upload to social media, or even have them printed!
The guides I’ve seen for making a brelfie weren’t easy to follow (and the process is quite simple, as well as free), so I’m jumping on the bandwagon to tell you how to make one! Essentially you’re editing a brelfie photo on your phone with a free app, adding the tree with roots and then some badass filters.
This process can take less than 5 minutes, but I warn you: it’s addicting!
