Need Quiet Sensory Fidget Ideas for Your Online-Schooling Kids? If your kids are anything like mine, you have a lot of wiggling, flipping, flopping, getting up and down, playing with stuff nearby, and difficulty paying attention to their online classes. They need to MOVE, and sitting in front of a screen most of the day is the exact opposite of what they need. Enter: Quiet Sensory Fidgets. There’s plenty of points we could debate about that, but as I write this, we are still in the midst of the worldwide pandemic, and my kids’ school districts are still delivering classes via Zoom and other online platforms. I have a houseful…
-
-
Quiet Fidgets Part 1: Fine Motor
Need Quiet Fidget Ideas for Your Online-Schooling Kids? If your kids are anything like mine, you have a lot of wiggling, flipping, flopping, getting up and down, playing with stuff nearby, and difficulty paying attention to their online classes. They need to MOVE, and sitting in front of a screen most of the day is the exact opposite of what they need. Enter: Quiet Fidgets. There’s plenty of points we could debate about that, but as I write this, we are still in the midst of the worldwide pandemic, and my kids’ school districts are still delivering classes via Zoom and other online platforms. I have a houseful of very…
-
Diffuser Blends for Online School At Home
Diffuser Blends for Online School at Home Are you one of the many, many families trying to navigate your school’s temporary online school options? Me too. Have you been thinking about homeschooling anyway, and now your kids are thriving? Or are you frazzled and worried, and your kids are struggling? Either way, your family will benefit from these diffuser blend ideas. Below are several suggestions that may help everyone in the room (I’m looking at you, Mom! I’m right there with you!) Diffuser Basics Quick rundown on diffuser basics. You can use any diffuser that does not heat up the oils – but I highly recommend doTERRA diffusers. I have…
-
Sneaky Self-Care Ideas
Sneaky Self-Care Ideas Are you a crazy-busy, in-it-up-to-your-eyeballs, no-time-for-self-care, frazzled mom? You barely have two seconds to put together, and you’re running full-tilt from the second your feet hit the ground in the morning, until well after midnight when you fall asleep at the kitchen table, surrounded by yesterday’s dishes and miscellaneous chaos and work that you just couldn’t get to. Me too. Later, when the cat runs across your face and you snort yourself awake, you realize you have a kink in your neck, you’ve been drooling all over that permission slip, and your left foot is asleep. And you have MAYBE three good hours left before you have…
-
Essential Oils for Kids
doTERRA for Kids YES, you CAN use essential oils with kids! Like any other powerful, effective natural health tool, you’ll want to do your research, make wise decisions (because you know your child best) and be smart in how you use oils. But YES, many essential oils are AMAZING for children! Focus, sleep, behavior, wellness…..so many issues can be easily addressed with essential oils. Just be smart. doTERRA Kids Collection – 6 Unique Rollers doTERRA has answered the need for oils specifically created for children. This doTERRA Kids Collection contains six proprietary blends, diluted and prepared especially with children in mind. This collection has very quickly become an absolute favorite…
-
doTERRA’s Baby Collection – Essential Oils for the Littlest Ones
doTERRA’s Baby Collection doTERRA released its brand new Baby Collection! This line of products was introduced as a temporary addition to the many amazing oils, blends and products doTERRA already offers, and might be made permanent, depending on demand. doTERRA’s Baby Collection is BACK IN STOCK!! Limited Time! Can Essential Oils be Used on Babies? Of course they can. With caution, as you would anything else. Babies’ skin is delicate and sensitive, and their immune and filtering systems are new, so oils must be highly diluted. Pure Essential Oils should be treated with the same respect you would treat any medicine, natural or synthetic. But pure essential oils can be…
-
How to Survive Mother’s Day as an Adoptive Mom
How to Survive Mother’s Day as an Adoptive Mom Mother’s Day is about being sweet to your Mama, right? Telling her I Love You and Thank You and You’re The Best. Giving her flowers and mushy cards and making her breakfast in bed. Taking her out to lunch so she doesn’t have to do any work today. But what if it’s not? What if your kids came to you from hard places, and Mother’s Day triggers big fears and hurts for them, and they ruin it and hurt your feelings every year? Understand Their Discomfort & Dysregulation Kids who learned very early in life that adults, and Moms in particular,…
-
27 Ways to Show Love to a Crazy Quilt Mama
27 Gifts to Give a Crazy Quilt Mama Do you know a Strong Mom with Hard Kids? She’s a Crazy Quilt Mama! Just trying to make something beautiful out of life’s messes. Do you need gift ideas, or just want to do something nice for her? Whether you’re close to her and her family not, you’ll find appropriate and helpful ideas below, along with a few links to resources (some are affiliate links). PS: If the Crazy Quilt Mama is YOU, you have my full permission (as a fellow Crazy Quilt Mama) to do these things for yourself. You deserve it. And I bet you could use some love today 🙂…
-
Even Mother’s Day Isn’t Really a Day Off
Mother’s Day is Not for the Faint of Heart Ah, Mother’s Day…a day where Mom is treated like a queen, given gifts and delicious food, everything goes as planned, and the children are little angels….and then there’s reality. Here’s how Mother’s Day went around here (note the positives sprinkled in ). Daddy and the kids watch Shrek 3 and eat cereal on the living room floor so Mommy can sleep in. (this is the first positive) Even before the first cup of coffee, the children bombard Mommy with candy, balloons, special drawings (Mommy with a zillion sharp teeth!), and Mommy’s restocked toolbox. Somehow Mommy’s tools seem to grow legs and…
-
Surviving a Two Week Staycation with a Houseful of Middle Schoolers
Surviving a Two Week Staycation with a Houseful of Middle Schoolers Yes, you heard me right. I’m staring down the barrel of a 17-day Holiday Break with five wild & wooly kids, all middle schoolers (or close enough). As I write this, Christmas Break is only three days away. We will be traveling to see family for the first few days, but after that, it’s a Super Frugal Staycation all the way. And Dad has to work some of that time, so this Mama’s trying to get prepared. Our kids are all close in age (just about stair-stepped), which makes for some interesting times 🙂 Most of their lives, we’ve…