Nanny to Mommy

I don't know about your kids, but mine have enough toys. We have a playroom full and now they are starting to take over their bedrooms and this is after donating a ton! I honestly don't know how they get so many; we are just very fortunate to have a lot of people in our lives that buy for them. But I have been thinking of moving to something different this year instead of toys. What if there was a way to help them learn to invest instead of cluttering our home with more stuff they don't need?

I have been trying to teach my daughter about earning her own money. Right now in the US, only 7 states require high school students to pass a basic finance test in order to graduate. The lack of financial education in schools are the major reason young Americans aren’t prepared to invest in their futures. But 89% of parents say tying allowance to chores is good training for the real world.

This conversation is sponsored by Cars.com. All opinions are my own.

We have actually learned a lot along the way and I wanted to share some of my tips for finding the perfect family vehicle.

So if you follow me on SnapChat, then you saw a picture that I sent out asking, "Does this sound like too many chores for a 6 year old?" I didn't really expect any response, but I wanted to put it out there on a platform where I can actually get responses if you care to chime in.

So I decided Wednesday of last week that I wanted my daughter to start helping with more chores. She is 6 now and needs to learn responsibility. She also needs to learn how to do household chores so she knows how to take care of herself one day. If you're interested, I printed the Chore Chart found HERE.

I have seen that meme shared MULTIPLE times (including by close family) that says "Hey Millennial Parents, if your kids knows how to work an iPad then they know how to work a washing machine!" I felt this statement had a lot of truth to it, but

Thanks to Sam's Club for sponsoring today's conversation and saving me time. All super mom hacks and opinions are my own.

It is the end of the school year time. And my daughter has something (if not multiple) events at school every week this month. Plus she has recently started tumbling. On top of that, I also signed my son up for pre-school, I have multiple errands, I go to the gym, I volunteer at my daughter's school, I have house work, and I work from home. Life can feel like it is stacking up sometimes, but I manage with a few super mom life hacks I have learned along the way and today I want to help you manage your busy mom life too.

I am one of those parents that thinks watching television is good thing for your family. I actually think it can be educational and a unique teaching tool. We have even used shows to help my daughter deal with bullying. And we love our family movie nights. But I do like to know what my daughter is watching because I don't want her to watch something that she is too young to understand or something that will give her nightmares. So I have created my tips for kid safe streaming.

It's 4:45 am, do you know where your kids are? That's right! You have a toddler and it's Saturday, but they think it's time to wake up for the day! Oh joy. Routine is key with children, in fact they thrive on it. They also say it takes a village to raise a child. In the age of technology, we have My Tot Clock.

My Tot Clock is the perfect all-in-one toddler clock for tiny tots and their sleepy parents. It includes a sleep clock, alarm clock, nightlight, timeout timer, and activity timer in one! The magic of My Tot Clock is that it changes colors to teach little ones when it's time to sleep (blue light) and when it's okay to wake (yellow light). Parents set the routine! My Tot Clock, with analog and digital clock displays, also plays bedtime stories, lullabies, fun wake-up music, and even white noise to make the traditionally stressful bedtime and morning routines more enjoyable.

Potty Training. I said once the new year hit, we were going to buckle down and get it done. But how do you teach an unwilling student? Seriously. I am researching and trying every trick in the book. In all my searching, the number one tip is to be prepared! Be prepared that they'll have accidents, be prepared to clean up, and be prepared to reward as well. So I have compiled a list of products that make potty training easier and help make you more prepared.

Colic. The hours and hours of crying that you just can't seem to ease. It's rough. My daughter had colic. I had never experienced it with another baby before. When I was a nanny, their daughter had colic, but she would only cry at night after I had gone home. But my daughter was a different story and I remember the long days of bouncing and rocking and burping. Baby colic is quite common: In fact, 3 out of every 10 babies may suffer from it at some point. Baby colic usually starts in the first 6 weeks of life and may continue for 3 to 4 months (or longer). So I decided to share what worked for us to relieve our baby's discomfort and hopefully you can find some relief too.

Picture by Peach & Oak Photography

This is a sponsored guest post.

If you’ve noticed that your child is coughing and sneezing a lot, often complains of a poorly tummy, always seems to break out in sore rashes and spots, or often can’t see for watery eyes, they may be one of the unlucky 1 in 13 to suffer from a food allergy. Unfortunately, the most common childhood allergies also tend to be things that can be found in abundance around the average home, and you may not even realize the allergy exists until the symptoms are already there. If the allergy is particularly severe, you may find yourself shocked if you aren't already in the know.

When I was pregnant with my son, I was worried how a new little person would fit into our family. Newborns need so much attention and I was worried how my toddler would feel. But as soon as we came home from the hospital, my little man fit into our family. We have a system set up and it has helped us find our formula for happiness.

This is a sponsored guest post.

 

As your children grow up, you need to make sure they’re getting the vitamins and minerals they need to develop healthy and strong bodies and minds. Indeed, there’s a wealth of information dedicated to the subject of children’s nutrition. Knowing where and when to get the necessary vitamins for children who need extra minerals is something parents should learn, in order to give their kids the best chance in life as they can.

I'm teaming up with Kandoo to share a fun way to celebrate the potty training process, plus a chance to win one of 50 Potty Training Prize Packs. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter to win one of 50 Potty Prize Kits from Kandoo!

Hosting your own potty training party is easy! Whether you're getting your little one excited to start using the potty or you're celebrating a big success, a potty training party can add some fun and excitement to the potty training experience.

This is a sponsored post.

The matter of children’s health is a source of stress for many parents, especially considering how frequently kids seem to get ill or injured. Much of the time, little accidents can be dealt with at home, with nothing more needed than a comforting kiss on the boo-boo and a bandage. However, there may come the odd occasion where more serious action is required, which may involve a trip to the hospital in some form or another.

Thank you to Safety1st for the information provided in this post.

School’s out and the question everyone asks is – where will you go this summer? According to AAA road trips top the list this year. This Memorial Day Weekend was marked as the highest travel volume in 10 years…and that was just to kick-off the season. 



Image Found HERE

With many families hitting the road this summer and the upcoming 4th of July holiday, Safety 1st wants to make sure parents and children have a safe summer while on the go. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 75% of car seats on the road are installed incorrectly. Here are some easy tips to think about before hitting the road.

I was recently introduced to coconut oil by my sister-in-law as a treatment for diaper rash and then I started doing a little research and found that there are SO MANY uses of coconut oil for natural remedies. I recently had the opportunity to review some and so I decided to share the many uses I have found.

 

This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and RESCUE blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

I have two kiddos, a busy husband, a noisy dog, a hectic schedule, and a part time job blogging. Life can get chaotic and stressful at times. That's normal, that's life. Stress is something everyone deals with. And we all have different ways that we go about relieving it.


Here are some tips I think help relieve stress and please feel free to share some ways that help you in the comments below.

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for GoodNites* TRU-FIT*. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

This post is about nocturnal enuresis. Or bedwetting. Bedwetting is a natural, fairly common condition. But unfortunately bedwetting is something that many parents (43% according to a GoodNites® brand study) believe children can be "trained" out of, which is just not the case. Bedwetting is something that can't be controlled. But there are solutions to help your child feel confident, even at night, so they can still have fun.

This is a sponsored guest post.

 

Pregnancy can be the most important phase in the life of a woman, and if it’s the first time there is a lot of anticipation, anxiety experienced by the to-be parents. These are the nine most important months of your life when you are actually creating the basic character of new life. Here are five things to take care of during this phase to make it smooth and stress-free.

This interview opportunity is sponsored by Pampers.

We'll soon be turning the clocks forward as Daylight Saving Time is quickly approaching, leading many moms to wonder how the time change will affect their baby, especially when it comes to little one's sleeping patterns. “How will my baby adjust to the time change?” and “Will that mean a different wake up time?” are just a few questions mothers may have.

I recently had the opportunity to interview “The Sleep Lady” Kim West to help ease moms’ concerns by offering essential sleep tips. Kim West is a mother of two teenage girls and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been a practicing child and family therapist for more than twenty years. Known as The Sleep Lady® by her clients, she has helped tens of thousands of tired parents all over the world get a good night’s sleep without letting their children cry it out alone. Kim has appeared on Dr. Phil, the Today Show and Good Morning America and is the author of three books: “GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT: The Sleep Lady’s Gentle Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep, Stay Asleep and Wake Up Happy”, the “Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook” and “52 Sleep Secrets for Babies.

Check out the video below! Please remember this was my first interview EVER and I was super nervous. I tried to think of different questions that maybe not many other bloggers would ask.

When you are a new mom, the main thing you need is support. But it doesn't come naturally for some. But finding a support system is one of the most important things you can do for yourself as a new mom.

 

When I was a first time pregnant mom, I thought I knew everything about being a mom because I had worked at a day care, been a nanny for five years, and taken countless child care classes. I certainly learned after those first few days that I really had no clue what I was doing. I had read book after book about pregnancy and labor, but I didn't think to read about what to do when the baby got here.