The ultimate Parenthood goals are making sweet memories while raising orderly human beings.
Sometimes…. Ok, most days, things don’t go according to a parent’s plans. Being on time, the whole family fashioning a good look, owning a home that only needs cleaned once a week, and kids that never whine. These are what parents’ dreams are made of!
Social media perceptions can sometimes cause moms to be extra insecure. No one really talks about the struggles.
However, if you use Twitter, you’ll read several relatable, sarcastic, and entertaining tweets about parenting. Instead of questioning what you’re doing wrong in your home, you’ll feel right at home.
There are really too many good tweets to pick from. Out of hundreds, these 10 are among my favorites!
1. Perfect-ish Family
All the parents standing around at BBQ’s and parties.
Nothing brings me more joy than the family I constantly complain about.
1. Wash 2. Forget to move to dryer 3. Rewash the now smelly clothes 4. Move to dryer 5. Repeat steps 1-4 6. Dry both loads together 7. Rerun dryer for wrinkles 8. Move to basket 9. Fail to fold 10. Move back to dryer
Some do yoga and various other forms of meditation. Here’s what any mom really needs though-
That's great, childless friend that just got back from a weeklong meditation trip to Bali where you found inner peace. I got to go to the grocery store without my kids so, you know, samesies
Me, on phone after all day with the kids: "Thanks for calling. These kids are driving me nuts. You have no idea how good it is to hear another adult's voice."
Other adult: "Um, I was just calling to tell you your car warrenty is expiring, and to see if you wanted to extend it."
I think it’s safe to say that no one is the perfect parent. And any given day even the most motivated mom or dad can try to plan for the perfect day. But we’d be fools to expect a mess-free, whine-free, energetic, fun-filled non-stop 18+ years.
At least we have Twitter to share our experiences with. But these hilarious parents’ daily struggles just crack me up!
If you don’t stay at home with your kids, you probably have your own assumptions about the gig. Some look down on stay-at-home moms while some admire SAHMs. Let’s clear a few things up!
According to Forbes, staying home is popular among millenials for a variety of reasons. The gist of it is that mothers are looking to swap working away from home with work at home opportunities or “pinching pennies.”
In the article, “How Much Does Child Care Cost?”, Care.com states that 32% of families spend over 20% of their annual household income on child care. According to this source, the cost of child care deeply impacts families ranging from parents changing careers to parents not being able to afford it.
I’ve been a Stay-at-Home-Mom now for over 6 years. In that time, I’ve worked very hard at preparing our kids for preschool and maintaining the household. All while needing to defend myself. As if moms already need to be judged any more for the way we raise our families! Popular beliefs or myths are pretty much the only thing separating what others think goes on, and what it’s really like!
It’s true that SAHMs don’t have to rush to the babysitter to drop their little ones off for work, spend a majority of the day away from their families, and rush home to get dinner started. However, the challenges of keeping a bunch of kiddos entertained all day, cleaning the house while it gets wrecked, and still getting dinner on the table is no easy feat!
9. SAHMs don’t have degrees or a higher education
Even degree-holding moms have to make an important decision. Follow career or press the pause button. Higher education doesn’t always equal higher pay in the career field. Sometimes the logistics of staying home are for personal reasons, and sometimes it’s a matter of cost-effectiveness.
8. No dreams and aspirations
Very much like #9, moms who stay home have long term plans. We know our families won’t always need us in the same way. We look forward to our futures and checkmarking items off of career goals or bucket lists.
7. SAHMs are wealthy
The occupation is manageable with an average family. As long as the one income can meet the needs of the family, staying home is sustainable. In the long run, there are sacrifices of luxury in order to focus solely on the needs of the household. SAHMs budget, budget, budget!
6. SAHMs are lazy
Assumptions are made that SAHMs aren’t busy and that they sit around all day. But truth be told, trying to keep a bunch of kids out of trouble, fed, bathed, entertained, and off to bed is hard, busy work. Isn’t is true for any mom that once you sit down your kids need something?
5. Mom does all the parenting
Some people believe mom does (or should do all the housework) and child care because she’s not making an income (even when dad’s home). In all fairness, moms are built to nurture their families. But moms are built to be a team with dad including sharing chores, handling bills, and both parents being equally involved are all important.
4. Always home
One of the main things SAHMs do is drive their families around. Doctor appointments, errands, to and from school, someone to show up at school events, to and from extra cirriculars like sports, play dates, visiting grandma, the library, birthday parties, etc… similar to the working mom.
3. Don’t contribute financially
The VeryWellFamily.com says stay-at-home moms would be paid 143,000 per year if paid for all of their services. If the budget is still tight after all those savings, Moms have more opportunities to work out of home. Some legit jobs include writing, photography, coding, transcribing, sales, and more. Currently one trend is to sell essential oils or teeth whiteners, all while staying home with the kids.
2. Not stressful
We may be flexible when it comes to time management. However, one of our biggest stressors is budgeting everything well and coming up with alternatives (for projects, activities, and meals). Sometimes a project or trip will have to wait if it can’t fit in the budget. Staying at home can also be tough on a mom’s social and emotional needs.
1. Always love our job
If you can happily do anything while sleep deprived, then go you! But for most parents, we’re tired, our job never ends, and we’re also really good at judging ourselves. Sometimes that gets in the way of enjoying the job.
Not all jobs are equal. And not all families are equal.
In the end, we’re all the same. Working moms and Stay-at-Home-Moms face similar challenges. We’re facing issues with our kids listening to us, cleaning up after themselves, and having them finish homework. We’re tired, we’ve repeated ourselves one too many times, and we we all just wish life was a little easier.
Working mom or Stay-at-Home Mom, we love our families more than anything. We’re all really just doing what we deem best. Over all, our families depend on us, whichever path we choose.
As a stay-at-home mom of 6 years, I made it my job to find ways to guide our family in the frugal lifestyle. Because you know, if you’re not making an income (alongside your spouse), the best you can do is save it and stretch it.
In 6 years time we haven’t gone on any fancy family vacations, we hardly dine out, and we even get picky with our monthly bills and groceries. I don’t get my hair or nails done. Not even a hired babysitter.
It was a challenge living on one income, but we made it work. We had everything we needed.
So, what happened when my husband took a job that paid less? Well, I promised I’d do whatever it took to make the difference up, if not more. So, I applied to a weekend job near home. Because of my husband (Steven)’s job and military obligations, I’m not able to work much (when it comes to making sure one of us is home with the kids).
When I took this part-time job, I realized that it was actually freeing as a (mostly) stay-at-home mom. I began to have a purpose outside of home and more importantly, I started getting more adult socialization. And on top of that, it’s comforting to have a little extra income.
Then, this weekend happened. I was scheduled to work when my husband was on orders. And the grandparents were all busy with their weekend plans, living their own lives as they should. And I had never hired a babysitter before. I panicked.
How do you even find a babysitter?
I can’t even afford the babysitters on care.com and I wasn’t about to ask just anyone. So my in-laws suggested a friend to help me search. She asked around at Youth Group at our church and soon enough, someone was interested.
Leading up to work, I had been slightly nervous, wondering:
How will our new babysitter and my boys feel about each other?
Will it be weird to leave them with someone I don’t know much about?
Will the boys behave?
Will they be busy and have fun?
Will I get an emergency call at work?
And will she enjoy it enough to come back?
Then, this nice girl shows up at our house and I introduced myself and the kids to her. I show her around, show her the list of phone numbers, rules, and things to keep busy.
And I was certain there would be one kid clinging to me as I ran out of the door. Our youngest had just woken up and wanted me to hold him. Weirdly enough, without a cue, he ran over to her, hands upward, to be picked up. Such a good feeling!
I called Steven on my quick little drive to tell him that I officially left the house! It was exciting! It was freeing!
When I came home I discovered that the kids were busy THE ENTIRE TIME! They had so much fun with the new babysitter that they were begging me to have her over again! They also went to bed easy that night and slept in later than usual the next morning.
My husband and I got thinking we should’ve had a babysitter all along, because now we can:
Go on dates when grandparents can’t babysit
Have someone watch the kids so I can run errands (if Steven’s on orders)
Make appointments at the bank, car dealerships, and other financial institutions
Go Christmas shopping alone
Both potentially work the same day
The biggest realization of hiring a babysitter is WOW! WHAT A DIFFERENCE! For our whole family! I’ve been living under a rock for 6 years!
Babysitters are a blessing to families because while they care for our kids, they have energy to play with our kids that we sometimes don’t, and they make great role-models.
Regardless of your situation, it’s definitely worth finding someone to hire at least every once in a while! Just think of what you could do with the extra help! Back in my babysitting days, I was hired for regular date nights, a day for mom to tend the garden, and once a week so the parents could take dance lessons.
On our Facebook page, Mommas Group, one topic Moms struggle with is babysitters. After some research, care.com is useful, but not all moms feel comfortable using the site. Not to mention, the cost calculator. Moms in our region don’t typically pay $15 or $20 an hour for care.
To join this conversation, please comment below how you found your babysitter, your region, and what you pay. If you don’t have a babysitter yet, what are your questions and concerns?
Mother’s Day is a big deal for us moms! Afterall, many agree that becoming a mom brought purpose to our lives.
While Moms appreciate gestures or gifts, what most of us want is even more meaningful. A day to feel special. A day to really feel like our families appreciate us.
Maybe a day to sleep in, not lift a finger, and good behavior. No cooking or cleaning. No changing diapers. No going anywhere. Just sitting out in the sun with a drink in hand. Being surrounded by our families. Sounds nice to me anyways! 😀
Every year since our oldest has been in school, the teachers have helped the kids make Mother’s Day gifts. These are by far my favorite! In preschool, he painted wooden cutout flowers. This year, the kids worked on something even more simple that really touched my heart!
They made giant construction paper cards with one side devoted to painted hand-print flowers. The other side is “All about Mom.”
The close-up reads:
“Let me tell you about my mom.
My mom is 32 years old.
She likes to sit on the couch.
The best thing she cooks is eggs.
Her favorite food is Chinese food.
Her favorite thing to do to relax is to sleep.
We like to spin together.
She is really good at cleaning the house.
As you can see, my mom is special because she plays with me.
Love, Christopher”
His answers are pretty close anyways. Definitely had me smiling because it’s so cute!
As a Mom, this is special for so many reasons. I love his little hand-prints. And I love that he took time to think about why I am so special to him. This masterpiece made my week!
Like many moms, I struggle to feel like I’m doing a good enough job.
No matter how much moms do for their families, often, we feel like we aren’t good enough. It’s so hard to keep up with it all. It’s no wonder!
We balance school, work, chores, extra circulars, church, marriage, family time, health, emotion, routines, fun, and hey, even the checkbook. We have all the in between jobs from driving the kids to the doctor, and making sure everyone has clean underwear. We multitask so much that we can’t even remember what we accomplished all day. Meeting our family’s basic needs consist of so many extra steps that are forgotten about like putting a meal on the table. I mean, I can’t be the only mom who plans out a grocery list all week, and plan dinner starting in the morning hours.
Thinking back to my childhood, all I remember was playing and having fun. I remember my mom showing up to every baseball game. Every school event. Every appointment. She made time to play toothfairy. She read us so many books. And with that excited narration too! She admired our works of art. Made our beds. Cleaned the house in any bit of free time she had. She balanced everything, with what appeared to look like a breeze. And somewhow she was amazingly patient with us. All. The. Time.
And when I became a Mom, I thought, “well if she raised 4 of us, I’ll certainly do fine with less kids.” With three little boys, I look at my mom now, with a much deeper appreciation. Now I experience the restless nights, worrying about a fever when the kids are sick. I worry about balancing second chances with discipline. I worry when I’ve forgotten show-and-tell or a special dress-up day at school. And I worry if I’m giving all of the kids equal attention and meeting all of their emotional needs. And how on Earth do you squeeze in that extra time with your spouse to let them know you still care?
This is one of the first points from “Mom Set Free.” This book is for Moms wanting to make a spiritual journey. I highly recommend it!
Moms have such a hard job! We face so many challenges, even our own thoughts and feelings. So stop putting yourself down. You might not be the perfect mom you always thought you’d be. But look at what you do in one day. Look at what you’ve accomplished.
You are the kisser of boo-boos, the tickle monster, the dance partner, the snack attendant, the potty train praiser, infant interpreter, the pusher of swings, dignified driver, the walking “why” responder, the artist appreciator, the mountain of laundry climber, and so much more!
If only you could see yourself in the eyes and hearts of your family!
Gift your mom something really nice for Mother’s Day to show her how much you care! Then let her know how special she is and how much you appreciate her often!
Here’s a quick video on the topic of how mom’s view themselves VS how kids view their moms. It made me cry, so be sure to have a box of tissues nearby!
Are you looking for tips on getting your kids to eat healthier?
This question has been going around lately.
The truth is, we started our healthy routine right away. We incorporated habits we learned growing up and applied them to our family. And that’s what’s made it fairly easy for us. However, sometimes your kids learn to be picky from other kids. And sometimes they are just downright stubborn! That can be so frustrating!
A lot of factors go in to living a healthy lifestyle including good influence and routine. I’m not a health and nutrition professional, I just know that these factors have helped our family to make good choices!
10 Healthy Eating Tips For Kids:
1) Avoid filing your house with junk food! This has been a huge lifesaver for us! We hardly ever buy cookies, ice cream, chips, candy, or pop. Part of it is so I don’t have the temptation and part of it is because it doesn’t usually fit in a frugal budget.
2) Let your kids pick whatever they want from the produce aisle! You might be surprised at what they pick. When my kids feel like this is a special treat, they tend to choose lots of colorful fruits and veggies. Our middle told me that he loves broccoli. I find it so funny when he chomps a big piece of raw broccoli.
YUM! BROCCOLI!
3) Keep plenty of healthy options easily accessible. Keep carrot sticks, celery sticks, and cucumbers available in Tupperware, along with a dip. Have smaller apples or washed grapes and berries available in a fruit bowl on the table. I even pass out little containers of peanuts or almonds to the kids.
I just learned another momma does a lunch like this with her kiddos too! Such a fun, easy time-saver!
4) Don’t eat out too often. Dining at your favorite restaurant is a luxury, and with that, should be enjoyed like a treat. The menu will usually contain a lot of additives like fat, oil, butter, salt, and sugar. When you cook at home, you are able to cook with less additives. You can even steam cook your food to reduce the extras!
5) Be a good example! Feed them things that you will eat also. Have spinach salad and show them all of the yummy toppings and dressings they can try from. Show your kids that you enjoy nutrition!
Have you tried frozen grapes? You should!
6) Grow your own produce! Every mid-May our family goes to the local farmers market and pick out potatoes, green bean seeds, tomato plants, and a few other random things to grow. Once these start producing, the kids pick them off the plants and eat them right out of the garden. I mean, what’s better than a warm, juicy sun-ripened tomato right off the plant?
7) Teach your kids how to cook. It’s hard to let little kids do too much in the kitchen, but little helpers are great for standing up on a chair and stirring. As they get older, they are great at measuring. And when they get a little older, they are great a cutting soft foods with a butter knife. And as they get a little older yet, they start to learn how to use a microwave. Then the stove.
8) Eat at routine meal times. This promotes our bodies to work properly and helps our bodies to stay energized. Not eating at the same time can affect your blood pressure and BMI. Here’s an article about it!
9) Have meals together at the dinner table. Eating meals together as a family is first a great way to bond and also encourages us to be mindful of what we are putting into our bodies. For example, I tend to eat more unhealthy snacks/ convenient food late at night when watching T.V. Do you do that too? (And your table doesn’t have to look this pretty to eat together!)
10) Explore new foods and flavors! Maybe your family will find a new favorite! Is there a new fruit, veggie, or herb in the produce section? Did you try those raw and cooked (of the ones you can try both ways)? Would a certain sauce make it taste better?
Wouldn’t it be nice to take really beautiful pictures that you are proud to frame (because of the people in them and the quality)?
I’m proud of my T-ball kid crushing that ball like he’s a pro. And I’m proud of the image quality and fine details that help me relive this.
If you loved, How to Take Good Photos of Kids, you’re going to love this! That’s specifically written for moms and dads wanting to learn the basics of taking quality pictures of the kids. Today, we will continue on with the photography tips as promised!
What do you use to capture most of your pictures; cell phone or actual camera? What is your goal of snapping each photo; is it meant to message a friend or share on social media? Or do you actually plan to print those?
An average DSLR camera takes at least 3x better quality pictures than that of an average cell phone camera. So with that said: know your goal of each photo. You certainly want to photograph in higher quality if you want to print and even frame it!
So, here are some simple pointers for you to try your own mini sessions or candid shots at home:
Prep Equipment:
Before you are ready to shoot, you need to have all of your equipment ready:
DSLR camera (set on “Fine” if printing, can also try RAW settings)
Fully charged batteries (backups are always good)
Preferred lens (I like a 55-200 mm lens for portraits)
High speed memory card (with plenty of space available)
I like to use a 64 GB high speed card. This just means that your camera will process the image faster, which is important when shooting in high quality or RAW.
Then I keep my photos on it until I have backed them in other places or printed them. Then that should be it for equipment. It’s best to shoot outside if you have minimal equipment. Then you don’t have to worry about (indoor photography) adjusting shadows, highlights, and coloring.
Background:
Then choose your background. Something less busy or neutral will look nice. A clean, unfocused background. Your subject needs to be in focus and stand out.
10 years ago I was a little league photographer. Our go-to was having the kids stand about 10 feet out from a (pine) tree line. The kids would stand in the shade of the tree also, to soften the sunlight.
The background here isn’t busy. It’s blurry and neutral, which helps my subject stand out better.
Angle:
The angle will do a couple things; change your perception of how large or small the subject is, help you to see into the face and eyes of your subject, change the background, and also gives your image more focus. This is because your subject is going in the same direction toward you, instead of running across your screen.
If you change the angle of a photo, you change the whole perception.
Take multiple shots:
Even professional photographers have to take extra shots. If I want to print pictures, I’m careful to take at least 1 or 2 extras. But if I’m dealing with running kids, or wiggly kids, I take at least 20. I hardly ever ask them to sit still.
It takes patience to photograph kids. Mini sessions may require a little bit of instruction. Like “I want you to sit here and hold this prop.”
It is your job to have that background (natural outdoors or a cute set-up you made) ready to go before putting your subject in place. Also know the perception you’re going for ahead of time.
Ideally, you want to eliminate kids becoming too impatient. So, after everything is set, you should be able to place your subject and snap a few. Switch them to standing up or holding different props. You know that attention span of theirs won’t last long.
Plan for 20-30 minutes of camera time depending on their age. If your kids are hungry or tired, you may just want to stop.
The best part about candid shots are it should be free and easy. They play while you look for new angles. There is no instruction. These are the most sentimental to me anyways.
This day I let the kids play while I took at least 100 shots. I was really enjoying this vintage look! This would look great on my wall!
So remember:
Picture Purpose
Prep equipment
Clean Background
Angles/Perspectives
Extra shots
The real reason for the picture is key. Memory preservation. Don’t try to perfect the way the kids are standing and things. Just make sure you get shots of them having fun, smiling, and just being themselves. Trust me, you won’t care in future years if you have the perfect image as much as you will care about seeing their playful young selves.
Now you just need to combine this with the 5 photography tips that I gave you last! If you haven’t read that article yet, here it is. How to Take Good Pictures (of Kids)
Now, do you have enough frames for all of the amazing photos you’ll be taking of your family?
As Moms, we face challenges that no one may even ever know about. And the truth is, being a parent is hard. Sometimes we just need that extra love and support.
Here is the story of a Mom on a mission. This Etsy shop owner designs gorgeous hand lettered cards which are crafted with a special purpose in mind. “Mamas loving mamas.”
Here is Erin!
Photo Credit: Melissa Perry Photography
Hi! I’m Erin, a mid-west mama living her dream, as ever evolving as it is.
I grew up in a small town with a church, ice cream shop and pizza place nearly every block (and a landscape allowing you to see for miles). But, now home is in a slightly bigger town, surrounded by foothills (mountains to me!), new pizza places and cute twang in conversation.
My husband and my hearts were stolen fourteen months ago by our sweet little lady, who looks just like her daddy, acting just like her mama and she’s kept us on our toes ever since.
Photo Credit: Melissa Perry Photography
After she was born, I LOVED my job as a case manager, but knew I loved being her mom more. We made the difficult decision for me to transition into staying at home with her. (Like I said, ever evolving, ha!) It is a transition I am incredibly grateful for and absolutely love but I would be lying if I said it hasn’t been without (big) struggle.
As I struggled, I talked with others, and found a common thread, not only with mamas, but with women- there was a need. A need for honesty, support and small ways to know of their strength, jobs well done and the empowerment to believe in their own stories.
Y’all, mamas need mamas and women need women!
In this discovery, I created EdenCo, a small hand-lettering shop, creating cards and custom projects. While I am neither an artist nor entrepreneurial genius, the work created is inspired by real life; with the hope of spreading joy, reassurance and random acts of happiness (while embracing the imperfections of daily chaos of moms and women alike).
EdenCo card collection, “Mamas loving mamas.”
I’m thrilled to team up with the beautiful Anna, creator of such a wonderful cyber space, to release our first collection of cards created for specifically from my inspiration: Mamas loving Mamas.
My dream for the collection, was to make the cards simple, relatable and affordable, so it would be easier to send them with babies in hand, or in-between work meetings. My hope is they arrive in mailboxes across the country, simply bringing smiles.
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