Big Family Life - What It's REALLY Like

 

I grew up in a big family. It wasn't a traditional big family - my mom had 4 kids, my dad had 3 kids, then they got married and had me. Technically, I have half siblings, but I prefer to drop the half, and just call them my siblings. I grew up in a family with 8 children, but because I was so much younger, I also got to experience life as an "only" child when I was a teenager. It definitely gave me a unique perspective!

I always wanted to have 4 kids, but didn't expect that to happen, so I am definitely surprised that we have more. I know we are considered a big family, but truthfully, it doesn't feel that way. When you grow up with 7 older siblings, a family with 5 kids doesn't seem THAT big. Where we live, however, our family is unusual. 2 or 3 kids is the norm here, and it's hard to find young families nearby with more than 3 children.

We get a lot of questions and comments about our family, in real life and online, so I figured I would give the inside scoop! If you are a long time reader, you were able to watch us go from a family with just two kids and no plans to have anymore to a family with five kids, including one who has Down syndrome. Yes, they are all ours, yes, they are spaced out in age, yes, we know how it happens, and yes, we LOVE our big family. So if you're wondering what big family life is really like, here goes...

8 Tips to Help Your Child Sleep Better with Pact Dream Big Pajamas

I received Pact Dream Big Pajamas for free from Moms Meet to review. Compensation for this post was provided, and this post may contain affiliate links.

Whether you have 1 child or 10 children, I'm sure you probably have times when you are absolutely exhausted. Raising kids can be tiring, and it seems like sleep struggles are the cause of most of that exhaustion! So many factors have to work together in order to help kids sleep well, including plenty of fresh air, a consistent bedtime routine, and comfortable pajamas.

4 of my 5 kids have always been great sleepers, but my 5th child is not. I'm just so tired, that I cave into things like letting him sleep in our bed so *I* can get some sleep. I know it's time to sleep train him, so he can establish healthy sleep habits on his own.

Several things have worked wonders with our 4 older kids, so I know it's time to utilize these methods! He has a comfortable crib and a cozy room, he naps early, he doesn't get caffeine, he gets plenty of exercise, he has the comfiest pajamas, so NOW it's time to start a bedtime routine. It's best for all of us in the long run!

How We Teach Our Kids To Love and Respect the Earth

I think this year, on Earth Day, we're all appreciating our planet just a bit more! With nowhere to go, many of us are relying on the great outdoors to keep us busy. Sometimes I feel like this was Earth's way of saying, "I need a break!!!"

As a mom, I want my children to succeed and do big things. More importantly, I want them to be kind and respectful, to love equally, and realize they CAN make a difference. Kindness is not just for our fellow human beings. It also should be directed at the world we live in!

It's our job to teach our kids to love and respect our planet. We started teaching our kids early, but there is always work to do. As adults, WE are still learning, so we're in this together!

How To Create A Portable Homework Caddy + Homework Tips

Today, my crew headed back to school! Life is already busy enough, but soon, we'll be adding school activities and homework to our to do list. I'm reluctant to leave Summer behind, but I already prepared for the upcoming year! 

One my favorite organization tips for the school year is to create a homework caddy. I put one together back in 2015, and it became a permanent staple on our kitchen counter. All of my kids use it year-round. I loved our original homework caddy, but over the years, I tested different setups, and found one that works really well for us!

Last week, I cleaned out our portable homework caddy, and restocked it with new supplies for the upcoming school year. It's currently sitting on our counter, ready to go. Honestly? It's the ONLY thing ready for back to school! (Long live Summer!!!)

10 Fun Ways To Encourage Family Bonding and Togetherness

This post is sponsored by I See Me! 

Family togetherness is very important to us! I come from a big family, but it's rare that we're all together. My husband's family is often the same way. Neither one of us are fans of that, so we do everything we can to encourage family bonding for our own little family. Our hope is that our tight-knit family will remain close, even when our kids are grown!

5 Easy Ways To Get Kids To Help With Spring Cleaning

As you can probably imagine, living with four kids, four large rabbits and a very large puppy is ridiculously messy. I spend most of my time cleaning up messes, so trying to fit in yearly Spring Cleaning is a huge undertaking. In order to tackle this job, I have to enlist the troops!

10 Ways to Teach Kids Healthy Tooth Brushing Habits {Featuring WooBamboo!}

DISCLOSURE: I received the products featured in this post in partnership with WooBamboo!

If you have young kids, then you know it can sometimes be a struggle to get them to brush their teeth. It's just one of the many things that kids like to turn into a battle! Brushing teeth is a big part of every daily routine, so it's important to encourage healthy tooth brushing habits as early as possible!

My three older kids have great dental care habits, and they love to visit the dentist, but it's still a work in progress with Liam. I have to get very creative in order to make tooth brushing fun for him. After 3 years of battling him (he is STUBBORN), we finally (almost) won the war!

Over the past few years, I tried it all with Liam. Some methods failed miserably, while others worked like a charm! In an effort to help other parents dealing with the same struggle, I'm sharing ten of my favorite tried and true ways to teach kids healthy tooth brushing habits.

4 Steps Mothers & Daughters Can Take To Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program.

Do you have a person in your life who is so important to you that the mere thought of losing them takes your breath away? For me, that person was my grandma. She lost her battle to breast cancer many years ago, and not a day goes by when I don't think about her and miss her.  

As October draws to a close, it's important to shift my focus away from Down syndrome awareness for a bit to something that affects millions of women. It's also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is every bit as important. It's estimated that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during the course of their lifetime. As a mom to four children, two of whom are daughters, this statistic terrifies me!

I'm willing to bet that most people personally know a woman who was or currently is affected by breast cancer. That's why it's crucial to continue to bring awareness to this topic. I don't believe in focusing on regrets in life, but I can't help but wonder what if when I think about my grandma.

The Dreaded Childhood Stage: Finding Successful Ways to Discipline a Teenager

I have a confession: Motherhood has always been easy for me. That is, until now. We are just weeks away from the teenage years, and I am struggling! There have been more tears and stressful moments over the past few weeks than there have been in the past 13 years. As a mom, I'm feeling lost and overwhelmed! 

Just as it is with any stage in childhood, I have to learn to adjust to the new normal. It's just that unlike the other stages, this phase is taking a long time to get used to. My previous parenting methods are no longer working, and I feel like I'm constantly battling a young adult who thinks that he's the only one who is right.

Raising teens is HARD. I can easily count off a hundred other things I would rather be doing, but unfortunately, I can't avoid this responsibility. Suddenly, my adorable, tiny human who once thought the world of me now thinks I'm the enemy. And if I'm going to be 100% honest, there are some days when I just don't like him.

If your jaw dropped at that statement, stick with me for a moment. Perhaps you can't imagine EVER feeling that way about your child. I once felt the same way, even though dozens of seasoned moms informed me otherwise. But you can't truly understand something until you experience it. And although I love Dylan with all of my might, and would do anything to give him a happy, healthy life, there are times when I just don't like the person he becomes when the hormones take over.

I miss the days of playground drama. The arrival of the teenage years brings a bunch of new issues along with it. These days, mood swings aren't the only thing to worry about. There are much scarier problems that cause me to lose sleep at night because I spend too much time worrying about the what ifs: drugs, smoking, drinking, bullying, relationships (if you catch my drift), depression and suicide. Nothing is easy anymore! I just keep asking my husband two questions: How are we going to keep him safe and on the right path in life and HOW are we going to survive the teenage years?

Suddenly, Grant and I are dealing with a kid who just wants to spend time with his new girlfriend, focuses mainly on his social life, and is not turning in homework. The mood swings cause him to be his super sweet self one moment, then turn into a little monster the next.  He loses his temper over the littlest things, yells at us, and always has to be the one to have the last word. He wants his independence, but isn't quite ready to have it all the time. He doesn't understand why he can't do adult things all the time, and sometimes he just isn't a nice person.

As you can imagine (or can understand if you have a teenager), it truly is infuriating. I just want my loving, sweet boy back 24/7. That isn't going to happen anytime soon, so I have to find other ways to deal. Repeatedly taking away electronics, and bribing him with his first cell phone sitting within sight isn't working anymore. That's why I turned to Boys Town.

Boys Town offers a Parenting Email Series, giving advice on parenting challenges you might be experiencing.  This free email series consists of 4-6 weekly emails that help you face these challenges, and often offer a teaching activity. Now that's an easy #ParentingWin!  

Boys Town's popular email series includes:

• Parenting Principles
• Success in School
• Potty Training
• Teen Discipline 
• Toddler Tantrums
• Sleep Issues
• Kids and Technology
• Today's Teen
• Tween Discipline
• Anti-Bullying

Visit HERE to sign up for the weekly Parenting Email Series of your choice (or all of them)!

So why choose Boys Town? Boys Town is backed by 100 years of research and experience. The content is developed by psychologists, psychiatrists and parenting experts, so you know you will be getting good parenting advice!

As for us, I obviously opted to sign up for the Parenting Email Series on teen discipline. I needed all the help I could get! (As I write this post, my son is stomping through the house because I told him not to eat a bowl of cereal just before dinner. Oh, the nerve!)

The first issue discusses dealing with frustration, which is one of Dylan's biggest problems. He just needed to find a way to deal with his emotions when he gets frustrated. We taught him to identify these feelings as they arise, determine where those feelings are coming from, breathe deeply to relax, discuss frustrations with a neutral party, and find other activities that make him feel good. While this is still a work in progress since we just started, the reminder to breathe really seems to help! 

I'm hopeful that by the end of this email series, I will have a better grasp on our new reality of parenting a teen. And hopefully, we will all survive the teenage years, and come out on the other side unscathed. Of course, only to repeat it in 2 years...and 7 years...and 9 years. WHAT were we thinking?!?

If you, too, are experience a parenting challenge, find out more information about the helpful Boys Town Parenting Email Series! 

5 Ways To Get Organized For School

Hello, I’m Keri and I am so excited to be sharing some ways to get organized for school with you today! As many have already started school and the rest of us are preparing to, all the moms are thinking about all things related to back to school. 

In the middle of school shopping and figuring out new schedules, this is the best time to think about how to get organized for school. Starting the school year off with these five organization methods in place, will help your school year be much smoother! 

Landing Zone

I am all about creating landing zones in our house. A landing zone is a home for a specific item. When you create landing zones and follow through with using them, there is less clutter and less wondering where your keys are. 

Create a landing zone for your kids bookbags. This will help relieve so much stress, because no mama likes tripping over bookbags. I love to use what I have to create landing zones, so look around your house. What can you use?  

Put the landing zone in a practical area. Our bookbags get hung up on the hooks by the front door. It makes sense because that is right where they walk in. 

After School Snacks

Kids come home from school  hungry! What are some snacks you can have on hand for them? What are some snacks you can easily send with them to take the after school care? While you are out buying pencils and book bags, also pick up some good after school snack options. 

You can even take time on the weekend, to prepare some after school snacks. Cut up some vegetables and have them ready in the fridge with hummus, make some cookies ahead of time, stock up on granola bars for the cabinet. 

Homework Station

No one is a fan of homework, but having a homework station can help lessen the stress. Put together a caddy of all the supplies your kids may need for homework. Basic essentials: sharpened pencils, colored pencils, ruler, paper, markers, and crayons are generally needed. Set the caddy in an easily accessible location. 

School Papers Plan

You are about to enter into the time when there is a constant flow of papers piling onto your counters. Decide now what system you will use. Will you file the papers? Keep them in a binder? Come up with a plan and explain it to your kids as well. From day one, use your plan and soon it will become second nature. 

I love to use clipboards that hang in our command center. It is so simple. Each child has a clipboard and it holds all of the current important papers. The papers that I will not referance as often get placed in a file folder in a little caddy. 

Meals

As school and sports kick into gear, mealtimes can become hectic. This is a great time to consider preparing some freezer meals for your family. Put together a basket of granola bars that can be grabbed last minute. Stock up on some paper plates for rushed meals. 

Are you ready to get organized for school? If you feel overwhelmed by these five things, pick one to tackle and then add in the others one at a time. 

Thanks for letting me share today! If you want more practical tips and encouragement for moms, I would love for you to head on over and say hi! You can also sign up to receive my FREE Say Hello To Thriving Motherhood Guide. 

Connect with Keri

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Bio: 

Keri lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and three kids. She loves to use her day-to-day life to encourage other moms to thrive in whatever season of life they are in. 

The Potty Training Supplies Basket

I've successfully potty trained three kids but it's taking quite a bit longer the 4th time around! There are a few hurdles that Liam still has to overcome in the Potty Training process but thankfully I have experience on my side AND a few tricks up my sleeve!

Potty Training is messy, time-consuming and frustrating. My number one tip is to always be prepared! Stock up on supplies and have them within reach at all times. After going through the entire process twice I learned to gather all of my potty training secret weapons before we begin and to place the items in a handy basket which I keep right next to the potty!

Our Potty Training Supplies Basket includes:

• Board Books to read while sitting on the potty
• Training Pants or Underwear
• Lollipops
• Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths
• Small toy

Kids who are potty training can become bored with the process quickly. I keep a few books and a small toy in my basket of tricks. When I sense that Liam is ready to flee I pull out one of those items to distract him. It always buys me a few extra minutes of potty training time. I try to swap those items every few days to keep the basket exciting! (Some great toy ideas are playdoh, silly putty, mini coloring books or lacing beads.) When they have a distraction they tend to relax which makes letting go a bit easier...if you catch my drift!

When all else fails a lollipop always does the trick! I'm not a fan of potty training rewards so I only use the lollipops as a distraction. I prefer praise and positive reinforcement over rewards!

Extra training pants or underwear is essential! I like to keep a few extras in our basket just in case. Right now Liam is still using training pants but when the time comes we will toss extra underwear into the basket instead.

When we start potty training I always make the switch from baby wipes to Flushable Cleansing Cloths. I keep a pack in the Potty Training Supplies Basket, I keep a pack in my purse and I keep a pack in my diaper bag.  I never bought them before I had kids but they became a necessity once we started potty training. Now our entire family can't live without them!

Our favorite brand is Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths. Not only are they soft and strong but they have a Clean Ripple Texture for a confident clean! (Let's face it...toilet paper doesn't always do the trick!) Thanks to the SafeFlush technology we can use them anywhere. Unlike baby wipes these wipes start to break down immediately after flushing!

We always stock up on Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths at Sam's Club!  Having a Sam's Club membership is crucial for our big family. We can save money on all the items we frequently purchase by buying the items in bulk. This busy mama can also save time by taking advantage of the free club pickup (order items online and pick up your order at your local Sam's Club) or subscription service. I can buy everything we need at Sam's Club including blankets, toys and clothing! It's a one stop shopping spot that I love!

When you buy Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths at Sam's Club you get 11 packs (462 sheets) for an ultra low price. My family of 6 goes through the packs quickly so it's beneficial for us to stock up!

I loved Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths before but now I love them even more. Starting in September the new flip top packs will be available at Sam's Club!

What makes these packs so special?

• They're super easy to open. My 3 year old and 5 year old can do it on their own!
• They're just as easy to close. No more futile attempts at lining up the stick-on cover perfectly so it creates a tight seal. Which means...
• ...no more dried out Flushable Cleansing Cloths. They stay fresh from the first wipe to the last!
• The flip top lid makes them quick to dispense. When you're dealing with the often messy potty training accidents this is amazing!

I am a huge fan of these new packs!

Visit the Sam's Club Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths page to learn more or head over to the Sam's Club membership page to find out how you can save! If you need me I'll be spending countless hours with my potty training toddler!

Thank you, Cottonelle, for sponsoring today's post and for giving my entire family a more #ConfidentClean!

How I Get My Kids To Do Chores Without Complaining {GUEST POST}

Happy Monday, my friends!  I'm currently enjoying a family vacation at the beach so some fellow bloggers are covering my blog posts this week!

The first guest post is from Loving Little Dixie. Sarah is sharing how she gets her kids to do chores without complaining. I'm sure most parents would gladly accept some help in this department!

MEET SARAH:

I'm a Bible reading, coffee drinking mom of three learning to love life in a small town. I'm married to a general contractor and, together, we love turning houses into homes. We lived in seven houses in four metropolitan areas before moving to a small town to start our own construction business. I blog at Loving Little Dixie, where I hope to inspire others to step into the role for which they were created, live life with purpose and focus on what matters most - wherever they are planted. I am learning to do the same.

I am the kind of person who has to do it all and do it perfectly.

My husband graciously reminded me one morning after I had a complete meltdown that I do not have to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I have two sets of extra hands that need to be utilized.

When you have three kids living in your house, the amount laundry and trash and dishes {to name a few} multiplies exponentially.

My kids typically start helping around the house at age 4, doing things like making their beds, picking up toys, putting away laundry and brushing their teeth. At this age, they are eager to help.

As they get older, they become more difficult to motivate, which leads to me trying to do everything myself.

Enter REWARDS EXPRESS.

This app changed my life. We’ve been using it for several months now, and the system still works. My kids, who are ages 7 and 9, now do multiple chores a day without complaining. They even ask to do extra chores on occasion.

You can assign points to specific tasks and assign those tasks to the child of your choice. Once they earn a certain number of points, they can redeem their points for rewards.

 Everything is completely customizable. You choose the tasks, the rewards and the point values for both. The app takes care of the rest.

Anything that simplifies life at home is a win in my book. How do you motivate your kids to help out around the house?

Disclosure: There are no affiliate links in this post. This is not a free app, but I will not make a commission if you choose to purchase.

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Thank you so much for sharing this awesome app, Sarah. I can't wait to try it for my older kids!

Tips & Tricks to Rock the Spray Park with Kids

We have so many favorite activities on our Summer Bucket List! Cooling down at a spray park is definitely one of our most favorite things to do in the Summer!

Heading to a local spray park is such fun and simple activity!  As a mom with 4+ kids with me at all times, I like simple. My only challenge is keeping Liam out of the maintenance building! Apparently, he just wants to help the man who maintains the pH balance and water flow!

After some trial and error, I discovered several ways to make an afternoon at the spray park with multiple kids run smoothly!

1. Pack wisely. If you will be spending several hours at the spray park, you will need these essentials:

• Sunscreen
• Towels
• A full change of clothes for each child
• Reusable wet bags and a mesh laundry bag
• Drinks and snacks
• Napkins and wipes
• Picnic blanket
• Sunglasses/hats/flip-flops
• Chairs/Beach umbrella
• First Aid Kit (you'll need it at some point)
• Large tote to hold everything

2. Pick the perfect spot. If you can snag a spot in the shade, that's perfect. I finally learned to put a beach umbrella in the car, though, because those spots are usually taken! Pick a spot near the water area with a clear view.

3. If you have a baby or a toddler, take a stroller. It's no fun trying to set up your spot or pack up to leave with a little one running away from you the entire time! Plus, sometimes you just need a break!

4. Take more drinks than you think you'll need. Trust me on this one! Put those drinks in a cooler, add some ice packs, then toss in some snacks that need to stay cool.

5. Pack snacks that won't melt in the sun. I learned my lesson with this one! Thank goodness they could rinse off because what a mess!

6. Take along some inexpensive beach pails. And LABEL THEM! For some reason, the kids love using these to play in the water and other kids always grab them. No beach pails? Don't worry! An empty water bottle does the trick!

7. Reapply sunscreen every hour. Even better, purchase swimwear with UV protection. I absolutely love SwimZip!

{Liam's Rash Guard & Trunks}

8. Make sure each kid has a friend. Playdates at the spray park are the best!

9. Keep a few small outdoor toys in your car so you can pull them out if one of the kids get bored. I prefer a ball, bubbles, a few small cars and sidewalk chalk.  Somebody always gets bored!

10. When it's time to leave and the kids change out of their suits, zip the suits into a reusable wet bag. Gather up the towels and picnic blanket and toss everything into a mesh laundry bag. It can go straight into the laundry room when you get home! I like easy cleanup!

One of MY favorite things about going to the spray park is that the kids burn off all their energy! The drive home is usually silent and the kids often doze off. Parenting win!

I always like to hear new ideas, so what are your favorite tips and tricks to make a trip to the spray park run smoothly?

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