I know that I’m saving my family a lot of money by raising our kids at home instead of paying for daycare. But things are tight when you’re a family of four on one teacher income. So I’ve been looking for months at the best ways to really make some money at home, while taking care of two young children. Today I’m here to tell you all about my two winners, Rev and User Testing: two real simple ways to make money freelancing. Continue reading
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I know it sounds cheesy, but I made a New Year’s Resolution for 2017 to take better care of myself. And a big part of that was to lose the baby weight which I’ve gradually gained from birthing and breastfeeding two kids in four years. But mentally and physically, I was ready to make a change. Here’s a busy breastfeeding mom’s review of Weight Watchers. Continue reading
We are new to the world of backyard chickens, and we’re loving it! The single biggest expense we had to research, however, was the chicken coop. Now that our girls are living outside full-time, I wanted to give you an honest review of our chicken coop kit: the good, the bad, and some tricks to help you love it as much as we do! This is my review of the Innovation Pet Deluxe Chicken Coop, complete with a video tour at the end! Continue reading
I often get asked “How do your kids get along so well?” My two children are a little over two years apart, and they’re together with me all day every day. Yet they adore each other, watching over each other and exemplifying kindness and compassion. While I don’t pretend to know exactly how this worked out so well, I racked my brain for some ideas that parents can use to help their children get along better with their siblings. Continue reading
August is National Breastfeeding Month, and we are of course celebrating here at RSM. With over four years’ experience in breastfeeding and pumping, I feel like I should get my own parade! But breastfeeding isn’t always about the beautiful, serene moments where you and your child are locking eyes with mutual adoration. Sometimes it looks like a working mom sitting in a closet with a machine whirring away. Yep, pumping moms are breastfeeding moms, too.
So to celebrate National Breastfeeding Month, I wanted to do an article about pumping breastmilk. Because it can be stressful, time consuming, and isolating (and trust me, my experience was less than stellar). But don’t worry: pumping doesn’t have to suck. Here are some tips for how to pump breastmilk, both from myself and Jennifer Jordan, who’s the Director of Mom and Baby at Aeroflow Breastpumps. Continue reading
Your child is going to screw up. It’s inevitable, and that’s ok. But talking to a child when they’re in the wrong can either be productive and encouraging, or difficult and counterproductive. This is an attachment parenting-style strategy of how to talk to your child when they make a bad choice. Continue reading
We got chickens in April 2017 after doing a few months of research; true to our nature, my husband and I scoured the internet and learned all about everything from care to supplies to breeds. But, like many things in life, there are some things which can’t be taught except by experience. Here are the five biggest myths about backyard chickens: take it from us! Continue reading
Bedsharing has been a lifesaver in our house, from saving my breastmilk supply to ensuring that everyone gets a decent amount of sleep. But I don’t feel like it’s mainstreamed into society well; with that, come a lot of secret society truths about bedsharing that only fellow bedsharers would understand. Here are a few of my favorites. Continue reading
It’s time to start reading more “big kid books” to my four year old. These stories have more depth, more advanced vocabulary, and require a longer attention span. I think he’s ready, and I’m excited to share so many great titles with him! But I want to check for his comprehension as we go. Here I’ll share the meaning and benefit of listening comprehension, some of the titles we’re reading together, as well as an outline for a listening comprehension lesson that you can do with your child (including a free printout!). Continue reading
America needs to step up its game when it comes to taking care of the family. We are a world power and a first-world country, yet there are so many things about being a parent in the US which are ridiculously lacking. While I won’t get into the massive issues which need attention, I have thought of five things that all businesses should do to help parents and families. These are fairly easy to implement and can be done by most stores and restaurants. Let’s all work to make the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave a sanctuary for families, too. Continue reading
