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8 Money-Saving Tips for Parents: Navigating the Rising Cost of Living

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I am certainly feeling the squeeze on our budget thanks to inflation. And I know I’m not alone. I hope today’s guest post provides some fresh ideas to help you stretch your dollars.

8 Money-Saving Tips for Parents: Navigating the Rising Cost of Living 

Raising a family is a joyous experience, but it comes with its fair share of financial challenges. As the price of food, fuel, and housing skyrockets, parents are finding themselves grappling with the ever-increasing cost of living. However, with some effective money-saving strategies, you can ease the financial burden and learn to live more frugally. This article will explore practical money-saving tips specifically for parents so you can navigate the rising cost of living without sacrificing your family’s well-being.

Create a Detailed Budget 

One of the most effective ways to take control of your finances is to create a comprehensive budget. Start by tracking your income to gain a clear understanding of how much money is coming in. Then, track your expenses, including recurring costs like housing, utilities, groceries, and childcare, to identify areas where you can cut back. Budgeting can also help you avoid overspending which can lead to debt. If you have unpaid debts, see what debt solutions are available and make a conscious effort to repay what you owe, prioritizing high-interest payments. The sooner you become debt-free, the sooner you can focus on building a secure financial future for your family.

Cut Back on Non-Essential Expenses

With the cost of almost everything continuing to rise, it’s crucial to review your spending and cut back on non-essential expenses. To do so, take a look at your monthly costs and identify non-essential payments or services that you can easily live without. This could include unused subscriptions, gym memberships, or beauty treatments. Only driving when you absolutely need to and turning off the heating when it reaches a certain temperature can also help you make significant savings. By taking a deep dive into your finances and cutting back on discretionary spending, you can redirect those funds towards essential family needs or emergency savings.

Shop Smart 

Food costs can quickly add up, especially if you have multiple children. Save money by planning meals in advance, creating a shopping list, and comparing prices. By avoiding impulsive purchases, you can ensure the basics are covered and make significant savings on your weekly food shop. Bulk-buying can also help you stock up on non-perishable items and stretch your money a little bit further. Look out for discounts, consider using coupons, and take advantage of loyalty schemes. Shopping smart can be difficult when you have a large family, but even small savings add up over time.

Minimize Childcare Costs 

For most families, childcare costs form a significant portion of the household budget. However, there are steps you can take to minimise the cost of childcare and free up funds for savings or simply treating your loved ones. Explore various cost-saving measures, such as sharing responsibilities with other parents or considering more cost-effective options. Additionally, research government assistance schemes and subsidies to ensure you’re getting the maximum help you’re entitled to. Expensive childcare costs can be difficult to avoid, especially if you have no other option, but by doing your research, you can ensure you’re getting the best possible value for money.

Save on Clothing 

Children and babies outgrow clothing rapidly, making it crucial to find cost-effective solutions. To make significant savings, consider shopping at thrift stores, participating in clothing swaps, and buying pre-owned items. Borrowing from friends and family members can also help reduce expenses while ensuring your children’s needs are met. Alternatively, reach out to other mothers to find out if they’re getting rid of any unwanted or unused clothing and browse online marketplaces to find clothing in perfect condition at a fraction of the price. Baby clothing is generally only suitable for a matter of weeks, so it can be a great place to make significant savings.

Plan Affordable Family Activities 

The cost of entertainment and dining out has skyrocketed in recent years, but some good old-fashioned family fun doesn’t have to break the bank. Look out for low-cost options and find ways to save money on full-price attractions. This could include visiting local parks, exploring nature trails, organizing outdoor picnics, or attending events in your community. Libraries often offer free resources for families during school holidays, providing a place for you and your loved ones to have fun or simply kill time if the weather has taken a turn for the worst. By learning how to have fun for less, you can master the art of having maximum fun on a minimal budget.

Prioritize Long-Term Goals 

When you’re grappling with the rising cost of living, it can be difficult to focus on anything else, including looking ahead to the future. However, it’s crucial for parents to have an emergency plan in place and prioritize long-term goals. Set up automatic transfers to a dedicated savings account or consider opening a tax-advantaged savings account for future education expenses. Alternatively, set some spare cash aside on a regular basis, such as the day you get paid, to gradually build an emergency savings fund. This can cover the cost of a medical emergency or job loss. Even if you’re not in a position to set aside big chunks of money, small amounts saved regularly will accumulate over time.

Teach Your Children Financial Literacy 

Teaching your children financial literacy from an early age can have long-lasting benefits for the whole family. Start by introducing them to age-appropriate activities about money management, such as budgeting, saving, and separating needs from wants. By fostering financial literacy sooner rather than later, you can empower your children to make sound financial decisions and avoid debt. Talking openly and honestly about your family’s finances can help your children form healthy money habits that will stick with them for life.

Navigating the rising cost of living as parents requires proactive money-saving strategies. By implementing these money-saving tips, you can make significant progress towards easing your financial burden. Remember, small changes can have a substantial impact over time, so stay committed to your financial goals and seek support from other parents. With careful planning and disciplined spending habits, you can provide for your family while still building a secure and stable future.

4 Reasons Why Online Education is a Win for Busy Moms

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Thanks to Markerly and Concordia University Wisconsin for partnering with me on today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. 

I often joke about how my master’s degree that I earned by the time I was 23 is now serving as extremely expensive artwork on my wall.

It’s funny because it’s true.

I’m working in an entirely different field than what I have professional training in, and because I consider myself to be quite teachable, so far it has worked out. But there have been many moments when I have longed for a business class or a marketing class I could take online to give me some additional grounding in the subject matter. I also often remind myself that even if I had earned a marketing degree in undergrad or grad school, by now that information would be totally irrelevant since I graduated before social media was a thing. Basically, learning is a lifetime thing, friends.

Online education, as it turns out, is a sensible choice for me if I’d like to develop new skills or just stay current in a field. It’s a fantastic choice for many busy moms out there, like me, who might be thinking of switching careers or who want to enhance their resume with more education before returning to the work force after taking a break to be with the little ones.

If you are thinking about pursuing education for yourself right now, but you feel overwhelmed at the thought of enrolling in your nearest college or university, here are some reasons to consider trying online options.  reasons to pursue online education

1. Convenience

The importance of convenience simply cannot be overstated for moms with young ones at home. In this season of life, we get to do things for ourselves in little scraps of time throughout the day, or very early in the morning (that’s what I go for) or late at night. Or all of the above. An online education, such as what is offered at Concordia University Wisconsin, offers classes that meet asynchronously. This means that you have assignments to complete every week by certain times, but you aren’t required to sit down in front of the computer at a specific time on a specific day. You have the freedom and flexibility to get your work done at the time that works for you.

2. Minimal “Life” Interruption

Since you are taking classes on your computer and at your convenience, your life will experience fewer disruptions. You aren’t going to have to miss important family events for class, for example. You also aren’t going to have to hire a sitter to go to class, or leave work early (if you are already working outside of the home) to attend a lecture. Of course advance planning is going to be requried to get all of your work done in a timely fashion, but with proper planning, the inconvenience to other components of your life will be quite small, which is awesome.

3. Costs Often Lower

When compared with the expenses of enrolling in a more traditional college setting, online courses can often be less expensive. Even if tuition is comparable to your local university, consider additional expenses that you won’t incur with an online option, such as commuting, course materials, and even free course offerings (Concordia Univeristy Wisconsin has many free courses. I recently took one on social media!).

4. So Many Choices

Whether you want to learn a few new tidbits for the fun of it, stay up-to-date in your current field, enhance your educational foundation with a higher degree, or go all out and pursue a doctorate in a completely different area than what you’ve studied before, you can do it all online. Online courses do not mean limited selection!

I know that feeling of being beyond pressed for time,I really do. But if you have a desire to enhance your educational skill set, don’t let yourself believe that this dream has to wait. You may not be able to puruse it as quickly as you could when you were younger and didn’t have all these adult responsibilities, but you definitely CAN take a step toward your dreams right now. In this season of life, many things really dohave to wait, but education doesn’t need to be one of them, thanks to online programs like what is offered at Concordia University Wisconsin.

Creating a Garden the Whole Family Can Enjoy

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A family garden is a wonderful place where people of all ages can come together to play, relax, and connect with nature. It provides a haven for parents to unwind, for children to explore, and for grandparents to reminisce. Designing a garden that caters to everyone can be a challenge, but with a bit of planning, creativity, and collaboration, you can create a space that your whole family will cherish for years to come. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips on how to create a garden the whole family can enjoy.

Incorporate a Variety of Plants

A diverse range of plants will not only create visual interest but also provide different sensory experiences for everyone in the family. Consider adding boxwood shrubs to create a formal and structured look, while also providing a natural play area for children. The dense, evergreen foliage can serve as a backdrop for more colorful flowers, and their hardiness ensures that they will thrive in various climates.

Mix in flowering plants like roses, hydrangeas, and peonies to add pops of color and sweet fragrances to your garden. Incorporate fruit-bearing trees and bushes, such as apple trees and raspberry bushes, to provide a fun, hands-on experience for children and a delicious reward for their curiosity.

Create Spaces for Play and Exploration

A garden should offer a magical experience for kids, allowing them to use their imagination and discover the natural world. Incorporate features that encourage exploration, such as winding paths, hidden nooks, and secret gardens. Create a fairy garden, complete with miniature furniture and whimsical decorations, to stimulate the imagination of your little ones.

Ensure that your garden is a safe and inviting place for children to play by using non-toxic plants, avoiding thorny or spiky varieties, and providing plenty of open space for running and games. Consider adding a sandbox, swing set, or playhouse to give kids a dedicated area for play.

Provide Comfortable Seating Areas

Every family member should have a cozy spot to relax and enjoy the garden. Create separate seating areas for different purposes and age groups. For instance, adults might enjoy a serene seating area with comfortable chairs, surrounded by fragrant flowers and a soothing water feature. Meanwhile, children might prefer a treehouse or a hammock where they can read, daydream, or play with friends.

Add Fun and Functional Features

A family garden should be both fun and functional, catering to the needs and interests of everyone in the household. Consider adding features such as a vegetable patch, where you can grow your own produce and teach children about gardening and healthy eating. A small pond or water feature can add a soothing ambiance and also serve as a habitat for fish and other aquatic creatures.

Incorporate a fire pit or outdoor fireplace to create a warm and inviting space for family gatherings and marshmallow roasting. For the avid birdwatcher, install birdhouses and feeders to attract a variety of feathered friends.

Managing Sleep Apnea as a Busy Mom

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Most parents find great happiness in raising their children. For the first six years after the arrival of your first child, increased expectations and obligations connected with the parent’s position may cause lower sleep quality and quantity.

Having a baby means you won’t get much sleep. We are proud of our ability to function on a minimal amount of sleep. We view sleep as unproductive downtime. You should notice the importance of sleep to our health.

The medical disorder known as sleep apnea causes moms to have trouble breathing while they sleep. Sleep apnea is characterised by several interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Depending on how severe one’s sleep apnea is, these cycles may prevent the body from receiving adequate oxygen, resulting in daytime weariness and other indications of insufficient sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea results when the upper airway becomes partially or entirely blocked off during sleep. The most frequent form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Sleep Apnea As a Mum

Some women start experiencing sleep apnea right from pregnancy. Your OSA symptoms may go away after giving birth, but this isn’t the case for everyone. It’s not unusual for these women to have had a preexisting case of OSA.

Having children has the effect of further reducing our already meagre sleep time. Babies, especially newborns, need frequent nighttime feedings and reassurance. We attempt to splice it together and “sleep when the baby sleeps,” but it never seems enough.

When you have OSA, your heart rate, breathing, and blood oxygen levels all suffer. OSA is linked to several health problems, including diabetes, asthma, depression, stroke, immune suppression, coronary illness and hypertension

First-time parents can gauge how well they sleep by comparing their sleep in their final month of pregnancy to the first month after giving birth. (around 20 days of life).

Moms missed an average of forty-one minutes of sleep every night, whereas fathers lost only eighteen minutes.

In contrast, mothers had an increase of 30 minutes daily in their daytime napping, while fathers saw no variation.

In this study, fathers get less sleep than mothers during pregnancy and the weeks following delivery. Moms continued to have it worse, with more nighttime waking and fragmented sleep than dads (and mothers probably need additional rest, especially with postpartum recovery and lactation needs).

Regardless of whether they were the primary caregiver, mothers and fathers reported feeling exhausted during the day.

3 Negative Effects of Lack of Sleep for New Mothers

1. Mood Swings

New parents indicate that OSA is linked to increased negative emotions and aggression. Chronically sick moms are seven times more likely to develop mild depression than their well-rested peers.

Babies with sleep issues are likelier to have a mother who suffers from postpartum depression. When parents were advised on how to get their infant to sleep better and the mum started OSA treatment, the mother’s mood also improved.

2. Mental Capability

Lack of enough sleep impairs various mental functions, including alertness and response time, while carrying out crucial tasks. Parents require exceptional working memory since they constantly switch between multiple responsibilities.

The ability to quickly change tasks — from trying to send an official email to handling the urgent needs of your infant who has to go potty RIGHT NOW — requires cognitive flexibility.

This skill is essential for maintaining a healthy marriage and parenting an infant. Finding the correct words to express yourself is a sign of verbal fluency.

Every day, we put these abilities to use by solving problems and controlling our feelings. And what do you know? Sleep deprivation and OSA have adverse effects on all of these mental abilities.

3. Depression

Because of impaired judgment and focus, OSA may impair a mother’s capacity to care for her child. Because infants commonly inherit their mothers’ circadian sleep rhythms, sleep-deprived mothers may unwittingly damage their infants’ sleep quality.

While it’s normal for new parents to have trouble sleeping at some point, persistent insomnia despite weariness is a sign of OSA, postpartum anxiety and mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Even if you’re taking all the recommended steps to combat postpartum depression, such as seeking assistance, sleeping when the baby does, and making sleep a top priority, you may still be experiencing deeper issues.

Is There Anything You Can Do to Fix Your Sleeping Apnea?

Your doctor will suggest some self-care measures in addition to any medical interventions. Before recommending a CPAP machine from a supplier like cpap direct, they may recommend one of these alternatives instead. Home remedies for obstructive sleep apnea can include things like:

  • Attempt a new sleeping posture (attempting to sleep on your left side).
  • Alterations to one’s diet can aid in the control of postpartum weight gain.
  • Relax and give yourself a break. It’s challenging enough to be a parent. Are you managing daily on a minimal sleep schedule? Despite the difficulty, you tend to pull it off. Popcorn is the perfect example of returning to basics.
  • Get plenty of sleep. Our well-being and contentment depend on it so extensively. Those chores are less crucial.
  • Set a bedtime for yourself. You’re fully aware of how sleep deprivation affects your children. You’re not immune, though you’re slightly better at concealing it.
  • Seek assistance. You may need to delegate responsibilities to your loved ones. They are willing to lend a hand because they know you are struggling.
  • Reduce your screen time before bed. It prevents the sleep hormone melatonin from being released, throwing off the body’s internal schedule. Your Facebook news feed could be your connection to the outside world and the source of stress and anxiety.
  • Remember that you owe your body sleep. The lack of sleep becomes inconsequential after a while. Now that you only sleep six hours a night, you constantly yawn throughout the day. How far behind you are on sleep and how seriously it affects your mood and ability to think can help put things in perspective.

Medical Treatment for OSA

Women suffering from OSA symptoms may find relief with continued use of a CPAP direct machine and self-care.

Conclusion

Many factors, including normal pregnancy weight increase and hormone changes, might contribute to obstructive sleep apnea in moms.

Even though OSA can cause serious health problems, several therapies are available to help you get a better night’s sleep and feel better after pregnancy.

Baby Budget: Designing a Nursery for Your Home

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In honor of the birth of my new niece, Felicity, please enjoy today’s guest post on designing a nursery!

When you have a baby on the way, you may want to start making preparations as soon as possible. This may be even more important if you know you will need to be rather careful with your budget. Rather than spending as much as you have on your new baby, you may want to consider buying certain items second-hand, or accepting donations from friends or family. When it comes to decorating your baby’s nursery, you may also want to think about how to keep costs as low as possible. This can free up money to be spent on other necessities that may need to be bought brand-new, such as car seats.

Artwork
Having professional photos taken while you are pregnant can be nice, but it can also result in a high cost. Instead, it could be a good idea to create some modern photo prints for your baby’s room using photos that you or your loved ones have taken. Likewise, if you have printouts of any scans you have had, these could also be scanned onto your computer and then uploaded. The end result can be a number of beautiful canvas prints that can adorn not only your baby’s nursery, but also other rooms of the home as well. You may want to consider hanging them fairly high up as, while your baby may not be able to reach them immediately, you may not want them becoming a hazard in years to come.

Paint the walls
Painting the walls yourself can be significantly cheaper than hiring a decorator, especially if you have undertaken such a task before. You may want to consider colors that will allow
your baby to relax and sleep peacefully, without stimulating their mind. Should you not know the sex of your baby, you may want to stick to neutral tones, such as pale yellows and pastel greens. For those who have a talent for art, this could also allow you to create a mural feature wall within the room, featuring characters or designs that a child may love. Even if you don’t have a natural inclination for art, you could still adorn the walls with geometric shapes, or even the alphabet, to make the space look more creative.

Make your own decorations
There may be a number of decorations you would like to see within your baby’s nursery. While some may need to be bought, others could be created. You may be able to find step- by-step instructions on how to make your own mobile to hang above your baby’s crib, using materials that are either cheap or likely to already be found in your home. When doing so, it can be important to ensure that everything is properly secured, and that your baby won’t be able to reach or pull on these decorations.

Designing your baby’s nursery doesn’t need to involve a high budget. You may be able to create a space that exudes warmth and love while keeping those costs low.

Top Tips for Moving to a Different State

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Special thanks to Emily for today’s guest post. I’ve experienced moves across state lines and there’s a lot to keep in mind as you do it! 

 

Moving to a different state is an exciting new chapter in your life, but moving across the country can definitely be extremely stressful too. This is especially true if you’re moving somewhere completely unfamiliar or somewhere far away from your family. 

 

However, there are some ways you can prepare yourself for this huge transition in your life. Keep reading to discover the top tips on moving to a different state.

 

Research 

 

First of all, it’s crucial that you do your research before you make any firm decisions on moving. This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised to know how many people impulsively move to a new state thinking that this will solve all their problems. Making these impulsive decisions could mean that you don’t think through some key factors and end up regretting the move. So, whether you’re looking for a house for sale in Sacramento, California, or Naples, Florida, make sure you do your research and really consider whether a new life in this state would be right for you and your family.

 

Find a home

 

Once you’ve decided that you want to move to a particular state, you’ll need to find the right neighborhood and, of course, your new home. To start this process, you’ll need an experienced real estate agent who’s extremely knowledgeable about the area you want to move to. Your real estate agent will be able to give you plenty of further advice and information about your chosen neighborhood and your expectations for a home in the area. Additionally, you should remember to consider the amenities and services near your potential home, such as stores, restaurants, and schools.

 

Find a moving company

 

After you’ve bought your dream home, the moving process can truly get started. To move across the country, you’ll need to find a reputable and reliable moving company that can safely transport your belongings. To find the right moving company, you should check as many online reviews as possible and also ask your friends and family for recommendations. If you know someone who’s moved recently, they should be able to give you some helpful advice.

 

Declutter

 

The cost of transporting your belongings will depend on the overall weight of everything that you’re moving, so you should definitely do a big declutter before you pack. To start decluttering, work your way through each room in your home and ask yourself if each item serves a purpose in your life. Remember that you can purchase more items once you move, so you don’t need to hold onto things ‘just in case’ they might be useful.

 

Pack early

 

Finally, make sure you start decluttering and packing as soon as possible. Moving to a different state is a massive undertaking, so you don’t want to be panicking and rushing around at the last minute. To reduce your stress levels as much as you can, start packing early – you can pack away non-essential items early on and then only leave out the essentials until you have to move. 

 

Overall, these tips will help you prepare properly and avoid stress (as much as possible) during your move, so make sure you don’t forget them!

 

Shine The Light On Your Home Energy With Solar Power

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The sun gives the earth more than twenty times the energy it needs to run, whilst being a completely renewable source. In other words, it has more than enough energy for us to do everything we need to do – and never runs out!

Grand words maybe, but how can you use the sun’s rays to power your home? This article shines a light on everything you need to know about home solar panels, and where to find reputable solar companies to help you on your way.

The advantages of solar power for your home

From saving money to helping the environment, utilizing solar power holds numerous advantages for homeowners.

The money saving aspect comes in when you have paid off your solar panels and experience freedom from monthly energy bills – more on that later. 

Solar energy also has some practical advantages. For properties in remote locations, it can provide the perfect solution to being off the main electric grid. With your own electricity-generating system, rural homeowners can become completely independent with their energy production.

What are the downsides?

As a trusted solar panels company will advise, there are a few considerations before going ahead with solar. 

Not least, the start-up investment can be expensive. Irrespective of how many panels your home needs, the cost can run into several thousand dollars. You will see a return on investment in a few years, but nevertheless you will need to find a way to fund the initial equipment purchase. 

The lifespan of most solar panels is around 25 years. Towards the end of their life, the performance of panels starts to depreciate, so you should plan this into your financial models. 

Unsurprisingly, the sun is also a factor in evaluating solar energy. The best solar company near me can configure the system in the best way to maximize sunlight on your panels, but poor weather and cloud can impact the performance of even the best installed systems. You can work around this by installing batteries to capture energy for (literally) a rainy day, but bear in mind this incurs additional costs.

Space is also a factor. Roof space is vital for hosting your panels, whereas you will also need to be able to find space for the other components of the solar energy hardware such as batteries and converters.

What are the solutions?

One solution to the cost of batteries is to utilize the ‘net metering’ system. This means properties that are on the main electricity grid can remain connected. 

With this scheme, at times when your panels generate excess energy, you can opt to feed this back into the grid. In return, you are permitted to draw from it at no extra cost when you need it. 

You can also find some creative ways to take the sting out of the initial equipment purchase. Ask your solar energy partner about localized grants, loans or other financial products designed to incentivize solar installations. You will likely need to put in some of your own cash too, but this can minimize your initial outlay.

Getting Back Into A Normal Routine Post-COVID

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Getting Back Into A Normal Routine Post-COVID

 

With schools and daycare centers closed, and many people working from home, COVID-19 has probably completely disrupted your normal day-to-day routine. Even though things aren’t quite back to normal just yet, it’s important to start trying to get back to a more regular routine.

Aim for a daily routine

Even if your kids aren’t back in school or their normal childcare arrangements, you can start to set up a daily routine so that things are happening at the same time each day. Get everyone up at a regular time, have breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time, and schedule in time for learning and play. 

 

Things might not be back to usual just yet, but setting up a stricter daily routine gives everyone a bit more structure to their day. It helps you to get back on track, ready for returning to school and work when it does happen. 

Incorporate regular playtime 

With schools closed your kids have probably been having lots of extra time to play, but even as you start to get back into a normal routine it’s important to still include regular playtime. It’s not just for your kids to have fun, playing helps kids to understand and learn a whole range of life lessons as well as key social skills. Plus play is a good time for kids to express themselves, and forget about all the upheaval and disruption that’s still happening. 

 

If your children are getting tired of the same old toys after months of being stuck at home, then monthly subscription boxes for kids such as the Sago mini box could be a perfect alternative. When you sign up, every month a new box will arrive filled with an exciting make-and-play activity. Each one is based around a different theme to keep your kids engaged and entertained for hours. 

Create a weekly schedule 

COVID-19 has thrown pretty much everything into uncertainty and plans are consistently being disrupted. But it’s important to try and get back into the habit of planning out each week at the start. 

 

This gives your kids a clear idea of what they’re going to be doing whether it’s going out, just doing certain activities at home, or even household chores. It gives them something to look forward to and a bit more stability throughout the week, which will help with getting back to a normal routine. 

 

If you’re struggling to keep up with various schedules then use the Cozi Family Organizer to stay on top of everything. You can add in appointments, events, school commitments, and virtual class schedules, as well as track chores and share a grocery list with everyone. By adding a bit more organization to your week it’ll be a lot easier to get back to a normal routine. 

Get an early night 

It’s easy for bedtimes to get disrupted when you’ve fallen out of your regular routine. But getting to bed at the same, earlier, time each evening and getting a good night’s sleep is essential. 

 

Over a couple of weeks start to move bedtime forwards a bit every few days and implement a bedtime routine that helps your kids to unwind. Try to avoid watching television or looking at any screens for an hour or so before bedtime. Instead, get them settled in bed and read a story together so that they can fall asleep more easily.

 

You could also try using a sleep and mindfulness app like Moshi that’s designed to help kids fall asleep. Choose from audio stories or relaxing music to help kids wind down and fall asleep as you bring bedtime forward. 

 

If your kids are at the age where they have a nap during the day, aim to fit it in at the same time every day when possible. This also allows you to have a set time in the day to catch up with work or other bits and pieces. 

Prioritize play dates 

Socializing during the height of the pandemic was very difficult, but another important part of getting your kids back into a normal routine post-COVID is going to be setting up regular playdates. Arrange one or two playdates each week and meet up with another family in a local park or play area, wherever you and your kids feel safe. 

 

Ensuring your kids socialize with others on a regular basis, even if it has to be at a safe distance, is essential to their development and will help to prepare them for returning to school. Getting outside will also get them active and help them to burn off some energy. 

 

By following these steps you should be able to get you and your kids back to a more normal routine post-COVID and provide them with a bit more stability and reassurance.

What’s Been Going On Lately

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Hello beloved blog readers,

I’ve been so quiet on here for such a long time. The season of my life for the past few years has left me feeling much more quiet than I’ve been in previous versions of myself.

But just now, I found myself coming up for air, and feeling a desire to reach out and connect, so I’m taking the opportunity before I go back under the waves for however long.

We are in year 4 of homeschooling our children, who are now in 6th and 3rd grade. When the world fell apart last March, we were at a decided advantage for our school life to encounter very little disruptions, apart from extracurriculars. The more we do school the less value we seem to see in the traditional approach to education, and the more and more we start to dance with the idea of unschooling (a term I strongly dislike but will use for lack of a better substitute). We have figured out that we want to lead our children with guiding principles and values, and we want them to be wildly curious and willing to venture out into the world to tinker with things and simply figure stuff out. It’s a crazy departure from how our nation believes children should be taught, and it’s a far cry from the way either one of us grew up learning, but here we are, walking into this great unknown, and just praying that we are doing right by our kids. I think we are.

My husband began working from home in mid-March (he’s still working from home, and his Zoom meetings are a background noise I’ve become accustomed to). We’ve had tons and tons of quantity time together, but not nearly enough quality time. I think perhaps we aren’t the only family who feels so very close, and yet in some ways, still disconnected. Some days are better than others. It ebbs and flows, just like everything else.

Over the past few years, I have struggled to understand and gain control over my anxiety, and I’ve also made some great headway in that department, thanks to seeing a therapist and accepting help from anti-anxiety medication (something it took me many MANY years to be willing to try). And we’ve grappled with the emergence of auto-immune disorders (many of you will understand how vague and confusing these diagnoses can be).

And the state of our country has shaken us again and again, and put strains on many relationships we have with loved ones. I keep trying to show up and understand perspectives other than my own. And I keep being completely knocked over by how threatened facts seem to have become. It makes me want to crawl under the covers and hide. And I’ve done plenty of that in the last few years, for good or for ill.

Most of my time is spent being a reference librarian for the kids, and helping to connect them with whatever resources they need to learn about whatever it is they want to learn about. I do occasionally substitute teach middle school, which I find to be very enjoyable, and I have a growing love for thrifting and antiquing, sometimes for my own personal use, and sometimes to resell for a profit.

Since my interests have pulled away from showcasing the latest and greatest products for busy parents, and since I’ve been doing more listening and less talking over the last few years, I’ve pulled away from blogging. I think part of the reason why is because the push to have magazine worthy photography, coupled with intense search engine optimization in order to maximize pageviews just doesn’t speak to me right now. I crave more authentic connections, and I’m interested in things that don’t necessarily translate to splashy photos and lots of sales.

But I’m realizing that one of the great things about owning this little corner of the internet is that I can choose to do with it whatever I want. I don’t have to create pinnable images every time I have something on my heart that I’d like to share with you. I don’t have to try to rank on Google for a search term just because it’s something I want to share with you that day. And what a relief it is to let go of that pressure!

So I will try to come back on here from time to time, and just share with you things that are making my life better right now. And I would very much love to have you chime in whenever the inspiration strikes, because the connection is where the treasure is, not the pageviews.

I’d love so much to hear about how you are doing. What has the past year been like for you? Any new interests?