Naptime Blog

Being the parent of a preteen can be scary! Most of the time they are struggling to be independent and to fit in at school, at home, and with friends.  I wanted to share a few tips that I came across that are helping me get through J

Let your preteen know that you love him or her no matter what.

Talk to your preteen, listen to his or her ideas and opinions, and do things together.

Get to know your preteen’s friends and learn what they do in school.

Show you care by chaperoning a trip.

Join a parent group or support group where you and other parents can discuss parenting issues.

Attend all parent-teacher conferences at school.

Go to your preteen’s athletic events and school musicals.

Answer your preteen’s questions about health risks.

Teach your preteen to respect himself/ herself and others.

Challenge your preteen to discover his/ her own incredible potential.

Show your preteen that you are proud of his or her accomplishments, both large and small.

Guide your preteen toward choices that will keep him or her safe.

Tell your preteen if you are disappointed or upset with his or her behavior.

Praise, hug, encourage, and say “I love you.”

Express your expectations for his or her goals and accomplishments.

Recognize that your preteen’s life may be very different from your own adolescence.

Your preteen deserves guidance, high but realistic expectations for achievement, and a fair balance between rules and freedom.

Shanta

I just LOVE this time of the year. Nice cozy scarves, sweaters & cute boots. I also love Netflix/Redbox weekends with the family. I normally start my Saturday morning off with a big pot of soup. I try to fix enough that we can eat on it all weekend. They can be so simple to make & cost effective as well. I wanted to share a few of my favorite easy soup recipes with you all:

This 1^st one is from Kraft, I just add my own little kick to it J.

Bacon, Cheese & Potato Soup

3 cups of milk (you can use fat free)

1 can of condensed cream of potato soup

2 cups of frozen Southern style hash browns

1 cup of Kraft Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

2 green onions (thin)

Mix: Milk & soup in large saucepan. Stir in hash browns. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally, simmer on med.-low for 10 -15 mins. Serve topped with bacon, cheese & onion. So easy…….. & GOOD!

Note: You could always add your favorite sausage or veggie to make it even more fulfilling.

Stay tuned for some of my favorite crock pot recipes.

Shanta

For those of you with the true green thumbs, bare with me. I am still an amateur and learning everyday. Keep in mind; some of these are best planted after your 1^st frost. Depending on what region you live in will determine that. Many garden centers can recommend a covering to protect your gardens from the frost.

Here are a few good veggies that can be planted during the fall:

Asparagus                              Lettuce

Beets                                       Onions           

Broccoli                                  Spinach

Cabbage                                 Carrots

Collards

Cucumbers (pickling)

I live in NC, some of these vegetables need to be getting into the ground now, and some can be planted as late as Nov. 15^th. When you go to get your seeds or plants they should be able to help you more with a specific timeline.

I have found that planting a garden has been a great savings to our grocery bill, but has also been a great activity to do with our family for bonding as well as one of those real life teaching moments.

Shanta”

If you are on a budget or just want to do something different for your little ones Harvest Day or Costume party, just Google image costumes for a ton of cool “DO-it-yourself” ideas! There are many commercial costumes available at the local stores, however between the cost, and lack of imagination, nothing beats homemade.

All you need is an imagination and a junk closet, like most of us have. J

Here are a few ideas:

*Charlie Brown classic – the white bed sheet with holes. How charmingly retro!

*For an angel use the same ghost’s sheet and make a halo with kitchen foil!

*Any old large box you may have could be wrapped in wrapping paper & your kid c     could be a present/gift.

*Scarecrow:  Over sized flannel shirt, faded blue jeans with patches, rope for belt and to tie at the cuffs of his jeans and sleeves, stuff the shirt and jeans with plastic grocery, or paper, a little bit of straw to hang out of jeans and shirt.

If you just sit back & think there are tons of easy & affordable costumes right in your closet.

Shanta’

How often do you take a step back for YOU? With life going a hundred miles per hour, when is there ever really time for ME? I ask myself this question all the time. I am a mom, wife, daughter, friend & a school teacher.

I am many things to many people. But sometimes I forget about myself. I often get so caught up in the daily grind that I forget about myself. I pride myself in being a good mom to my babies and a loving wife to my husband, but what am I to myself? Crazy question, I know! If we don’t start putting ourselves 1^st, how can we be great to everyone else?

I know many people say finding a balance is the hard part, but there has got to be a better way. I just hit a major birthday, the BIG 35! And I want to be around for a really long time to enjoy this life that I have been blessed with. I know that I am not taking care of myself like I should.

Sooooo, with that being said, today is the day that I pledge to put myself on the priority list. I will start with baby steps, but slowly I will find a way to pencil myself in more.

How do you find the balance in your life? Please share…

Shanta’

Mommy of 2 BOYS

Raising kids is tough job.  As moms we need to find “me time.” We deserve at least one hour for ourselves, and only ourselves. Here are some simple ways to escape from the daily grind.

1. Feed your mind. Moms need intellectual stimulation. Read a good book, even if you can only take in a chapter. Bring it around with you so you can sneak in a couple of chapters while the baby naps or you sit in the doctor’s office.

2. Don’t give in to mommy frumpy-dumpy look. Even if you’re just at home, take an extra minute to fix your hair or wear your favorite lipstick or perfume. It’s not vanity: when you look good, you feel good! This will boost your energy levels and your confidence.

3. Give yourself small treats. What are the little things that make you happy?  Cupcakes, chocolate, lipsticks….magazines…etc.

Make a list of 10 things that make you smile and go out and get them!!!

4. Drop out of the “mompetition”. You don’t have to be a perfect mom, and you shouldn’t be pressured to “match” what your co-parents are doing. Find your own parenting style and cut yourself some slack when you make mistakes. You may be a mom, but you’re still human. (MY Favorite)

5. Reconnect with friends. Not just the fellow soccer moms or play date moms but friends who share your interests, offer stimulating conversation, or are just plain fun to hang out with. Organize a girl’s night out and don’t talk about the kids.

(Hard, but possible)

Shanta”

Its getting harder & harder to pack a good, AFFORDABLE lunch for my kids. Did I mention that one is really picky? Juices boxes are usually packed with too much sugar and the easy quick snacks like granola bars & goldfish are not always the healthiest option. I read an interesting article that stated the following 5 items should be avoided when packing your child’s lunch:

1. Juice box
2. Lunchmeat
3. Goldfish crackers
4. Fruit snacks
5. Granola bars

While that list has those easy go to items, maybe not always the best nutritional choices. It can be very difficult to get those 5 servings of fruits and veggies in your diet each day. With the cost of groceries slowly climbing, many are turning to planting their own small gardens to help cut cost.

What goodies do you pack in your kiddos lunchbox?

Shanta

Mommy of 3 BOYS

While trying to turn my photography hobby into an official business. I have spent many hours researching, studying photography (on my own), and taking pictures of any and everything. The most time consuming project I found was building a website. People charge so much, I decided to do it myself! There are so many different webhosting companies to choose from.

A bit scary at first and oh so time consuming. I spent many late nights trying to make it perfect. Still trying to figure out all the links & etc. but none the less I’m pretty proud of the out come. I would love for you to visit and share your thoughts.

www.trueexposurenc.com

If you enjoy photography too, here are a few tips I think are the best for moms & dads that chase their kids around with a camera J

• Keep it simple, don’t over think it!
• Natural light is best
• Keep snapping
• Always keep a camera within reach

Shanta

Mommy of 3 BOYS

I have read many articles, blogs & even watched the T.V show a few times.  I starting taking the Sunday newspaper so I could clip coupons & subscribed to a bunch of online couponing sites (filled up my e-mail with junk :/ too)

Long story short, I was spending more than I was saving on extra newspapers etc.., I guess it really is an art to the whole process. I could never really establish a system. I do use my MVP card and buy store brands etc… but leaving the store with 2 carts full of goodies for less than $15 bucks, has not been the case for me.

Do you have any interesting, EASY, stress free ways of doing it? Please share…

Shanta

Mommy of 3 BOYS

Recently, I saw a very interesting bumper sticker. It said “Why is it that the US has money for War but not our Education System?’ I must admit, that got me thinking. I am an educator. We have not received a raise or step increase in over 4 years now. It’s really sad that our nation doesn’t feel what we do to prepare our young people for the future is not important enough to give more attention to. Aside from raises, faculty & staff, textbooks, computers, and a number of very valuable supplies have been decreased because of budget cuts. Class sizes are at an all time high. 

I really worry for my children and their children. As educators we are doing the best we can for the students each day, but we are doing it with very limited supplies. Often time teachers are having to provide school supplies for our classroom & our students we serve. We are all being hit hard by the economy.

I often wonder if the priorities of the nation are in the wrong places!?!

Shanta

Mommy of 3 BOYS