Full Time Working Parents: Making the Most of Your Time

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Whether we like it or not, many of us are working full-time, while also being full-time parents. You may dream of what it would be like to spend more time with your little ones, but probably won’t get the chance to make that happen.

This is also my situation. I would absolutely love to be able stay at home, rather than drop three-year-old daughter, Lennox, off at childcare. I would love to spend the days doing fun activities, but that just isn’t in the cards for us. As parents, we have to work full-time and be full-time parents, it’s just a fact of life, for better or worse.

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So how do I deal with the fact that I only get to see my daughter an hour each morning and 3-4 hours each evening + weekends? I’m not going to lie; it’s a very hard balance. I’m still trying to figure out, but I have made a conscience decision to make a better effort to make the best out of it.

If I have chores that need to be done, I have Lennox help me. She is now at the age where she enjoys and is fully capable of doing so. She will help me get the laundry together, do the dishes, feed the pets, water the flowers, etc.

When all that is done, I have tried to come up with more fun activities to do with her. Where do I find most of these ideas? Pinterest of course! Crafts are a great way for us to spend some quality time together. From Easter Handprint Bunnies to Hand Print Flower Bouquets, Lennox has fun creating works of art and having mommy right by to help and teach her.

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I have also made it a point to get outside while the weather is still nice, get to the playground, play hopscotch or draw pictures on the sidewalk. All the activities we would do normally, just for a shorter amount of time in the evenings. We both look forward to that time together!

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So, that being said, here are my top 3 tips for making the most of our time together.

  1. Get your little one involved in all of your daily routine chores. Chores are not a hassle for a little one (teenagers? that’s a different story!), they will like helping out.
  2. Find crafts, activities, and local events to do with your children and give them your undivided attention during those times. 
  3. Be ok with the situation – you work full-time, along with millions of other parents, such is life and you are setting a good example for your loved one. 

Doing all of these activities together helps the guilty mom + sad mom moments get less significant. I will always wish I had more time with my daughter, but I know I am doing what I have to, to help support our family and her. I try to make the most of every moment I have with her, because soon she will grow up to be an adult herself!

 I would love to hear what YOU do to make the most of your time with your child!

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Heather is a Montessori Mom to Lennox, Blogger, Designer and toes in the sand girl at heart! She traveled across the country from Cape Cod to meet her husband and now raise their little family in Texas. Heather’s blog, Terrell Family Fun, talks about all the adventures of raising a toddler! Make sure to head over and check out her blog, as well as stay connected on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!

BBQ Chicken Pizza by I Don’t Go to the Gym

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By: Jamie & Kristen of www.IDontGototheGym.com

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We could eat pizza every night and we love all the different unique flavor combinations available these days.  One of our favorites is BBQ chicken pizza but we always like to make our own so we can control the fat & calorie count!  Also, cooking is such a great way to get the kids involved in dinner time!
We start with one of our favorite skinny substitutions, swapping out the heavy pizza dough for a whole wheat tortilla.  This gives everyone their own individual pizza which is super satisfying & a huge help in portion control.  We top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce (double check the calorie count in your favorite brand!) then layer on grilled chicken, pineapple, roasted red peppers, red onion, part skim mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro.  We always try to sneak in extra fruit & veggies wherever we can.  These are the perfect balance of savory & sweet and one of our new favorites!
Hope you enjoy :)
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Nutrition Facts Per Serving 
Serves: 4
Calories: 298
Fat: 6.2 grams
Carbs: 35.6 grams
Dietary Fiber: 4.1 grams
Protein: 26.3 grams
Ingredients
  • 4 whole wheat tortillas (check the calorie count on your brand, ours had 110 calories per tortilla!)
  • 1/2 pound chicken breast
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup canned diced pineapple (make sure it’s in juice not syrup)
  • 1 tbsp pineapple juice
  • 1 roasted red pepper
  • 1/2 red onion sliced
  • 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
  • Handful of fresh cilantro
  • Salt & Pepper
Let’s get cooking!
  1. Season chicken with salt & pepper.
  2. Heat grill pan over medium high heat and add chicken breast.  Cook for 5-6 minutes per side.  Once cooked through, add pineapple juice to pan and stir chicken to glaze.  Remove chicken from pan and dice.
  3. Dice pineapple chunks, chop roasted red pepper, thinly slice red onion and chop cilantro.
  4. Add one tbsp BBQ sauce to each tortilla.  Add 1/4 of your chicken, pineapple, roasted red pepper and red onion.
  5. Top each pizza with 2 tbsp of mozzarella cheese and finish with cilantro.
  6. Place each pizza on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree over for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!
Makes 4 healthy portions :)
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I Don’t Go to the Gym is a healthy living blog that features skinny secrets, healthy recipes and everyday exercises to stay fit without going to the gym.  Started in November 2012 by two health-obsessed sisters, I Don’t Go to the Gym focuses on healthy living & clean eating with all recipes under 500 calories – most being right around 300!  Check us out at www.IDontGototheGym.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/idontgotothegym & Pinterest at Pinterest.com/idontgotothegym.

Baby’s First Year: Things I Never Knew I Needed

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By: Courtney Buteau

As a journalist, I do a lot of reading. As a mom, I do even MORE reading. And by reading, I mean obsessive Googling of parent reviews for kids’ products.

Since having my second child four months ago, I’ve been doing this often and because of it, I’ve found myself the new owner of some pretty cool things. So, I figured I’d share my findings with other moms.

Most of these items were purchased online, so if they can’t be found at a local store, at least you know you can get your hands on them.

simple wishes hands free bar
Hands-free Pumping Bra

I can’t believe it took me six weeks to purchase a hands free pumping bra. For a month and half I was holding those flanges with one arm while trying to do other things at the same time. What a scene that was! Buying this bra changed. My. Life. Not only was it comfortable, but I became more effective at breast pumping because the bra held the flanges in place. The bra also gave me freedom. Life was a party when this baby was on. I ate breakfast, helped my daughter do a puzzle, held my infant and solved world peace. Seriously, I would recommend this to any mom who plans to pump their breast milk.

babymoon pillow

Baby Moon Pillow

Since all babies are placed on their backs to sleep, a major concern for parents now is infant flat head syndrome. And while it’s been strongly recommended by pediatricians to do lots of tummy time with your baby, some just don’t like it.

The Baby Moon pillow is meant to be used as a supplement to keep baby’s head off flat surfaces. So far, it’s been working great and we use it on the activity mat, changing table and while in infant chairs.

Obviously, this little pillow can’t cure an already flat head, but it’s nice to have the help early on. After six months, the Baby Moon pillow can be used as neck support.

mybaby soundspa on the go

Homedics Sound Machine

My doctor said my son did not have colic, but man was he fussy for a while. It mostly happened at night around 7 p.m. and would last until 9 or 10. My daughter never had  nights like that, so this was new territory for my husband and I.

After many times of turning the microwave fan on or running the blow dryer, we decided we needed a sound machine. This one was the smallest machines I could find and even has a built-in timer, so it automatically shuts off. I like that it’s small enough to travel with, it is not huge like others I saw on the market.

It worked almost immediately and would calm him quickly. While he’s not fussy anymore, (poor little guy!), he still uses it every night to fall asleep.

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NogginStik Developmental Light-up Rattle

My son is at the age where he can grasp things and shake them. It’s really adorable to see him get excited once he realizes he’s the one making the noise. Currently, he loves the NogginStik Developmental Light-up Rattle. While the design is simple, the small rattle sure does pack a lot of punch.

The NogginStik head lights up red, blue and green, stimulating baby’s eyes and encouraging visual tracking.
This is a great toy to take on the go.

While moms may not need all of these cool items, maybe one could help you out.

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Courtney is a super charged mom, who loves taking care of her daughter, son and Lhasa Poo.  

As a television journalist in Providence, Rhode Island, Courtney takes great pride in knowing the latest about pop culture, food and parenting trends. She has a strong passion for these topics and is excited to share her tips and knowledge on her blog, ModMommy.com.  
Follow Courtney on Twitter: @CourtneyCal.  

Like The Mod Mommy on Facebook. Follow on Pinterest.

I Am Harder On My Oldest Daughter

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By: Chaunie Marie Bruse at Tiny Blue Lines

Over the weekend, I sat on a friend’s couch and listed to another mother describe the horror of her daughter’s newly-entered pubescent years.

“Oh, it’s bad,” she confided in a conspiratorial whisper. “The ‘I hate you mom’s’ have already started.”

My mind flashed back to that morning, when my four-year-old had locked herself in her room, arms crossed over her chest and blonde hair flouncing as she screamed those exact words at me.

And I sighed.

The truth is, I’ve been having a bit of a rough time with my eldest as of late. Every morning I pray for patience and every day I inevitably lose it at some point or another. It literally feels like the teenage years are upon us already. I’m not sure where my daughter picked up the lovely, sassy behavior that she is so quick to display, but I loathe it with every fiber of my being.

adahelmetI do not tolerate it and I do not indulge it. She is sent swiftly to her room and told her behavior is unacceptable. I’m not sure what the best way to deal with it is. My husband (teacher and all) is big on not giving her “negative attention” in fear of the behavior continuing, so I try not to make too big of a deal out of it while sending the message that it won’t be tolerated.

Easier said than done. 

All in all, though, part of me wonders if it’s just because I am harder on her than I am, and will be, to my other children. I know that I led different things slide with Mya that I didn’t tolerate at Ada’s age. I think about the way I was treated in comparison to my younger siblings (I know, I know, classic older-child symptom) and it makes me want to bawl

Am I just treating her differently? Expecting too much out of a four-year-old? Am I, in a way, causing some of her defiant behavior?

I’m just not sure. But I do know one thing.

Mama and Ada needed some one-on-one time. And yesterday, when we spent two hours outside, exploring Easter Bunny tracks, hunting for woodchuck holes, walking the trail, pulling Ada on the sled and laughing as she plopped down for a snow angel, I thanked God for that time with my daughter.

As the sun broke through the clouds and on my face, fresh air I hadn’t felt in who knows how long, and we ran, breathless and muscles aching, I felt my soul start to heal a little bit. I pulled my little girl on her purple sled down our road, as fast as I could, watching her eyes look up in wonder and I shouted into the thin, winter air, “Ada, I love you so much!” and my eyes filled with tears at the smile on her face.

It’s a new day and a new week, and I pray that I can hold on to that peace and give my little girl what she needs this week.

Wish me luck. And I’m curious–moms of olders, do you ever feel like you are a tad harder on your oldest one? Do I need to nip this in the bud now or is it inevitable?

Fun Facts About Mother’s Day

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Image: chiccheapnursery.com

We love moms! We cannot wait to celebrate with ours this Sunday!  Whatever you’re doing with your mom, here are a few fun facts about Mother’s Day that we bet you didn’t know.

    1. The first Mother’s Day was founded by Anna Jarvis on May 10, 1908 and made into a national holiday in 1914 by President Wilson.
    2. 50% of households give Mother’s Day cards – totaling about 152 million cards.
    3. Perfume is one of the most popular gifts given on Mother’s Day.
    4. Mother’s Day is the third most popular holiday after Christmas and Easter.
    5. Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants – so make sure you make a reservation!
    6. In the vast majority of the world’s languages, the word for “mother” begins with the letter M.
    7. Mother’s Day is the second biggest retail spending holiday in the U.S. according to the National Retail Federation.
    8. 84% of American celebrated Mother’s Day in 2011.
    9. The most popular gift-flower on Mother’s Day is the red carnation.
    10. Mother’s Day is the largest card-sending day of the year.

Sources: wtov9.com, chiff.com, examiner.com, 1011now.com, missourieconomy.org, imao.us