Kids & Music: The Many Benefits of Music Education

This post is brought to you by Guitar Center and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

My husband and I have musical backgrounds. When we were kids, we played instruments in band, sang in the choir, and performed in musicals. We actually met when we were cast as the leads in a musical, as Adam and Eve! As parents of 4, there isn't much time for our musical interests these days, but he still plays guitar, and I sing loudly to show tunes during my Mom Taxi duties. We are trying so hard to make music a big part of our kids' lives!

Raising children is tough. There are many battles to overcome, and sometimes, as parents, we have to seek alternative methods. Music education can benefit ALL kids, and the benefits are endless! Encouraging children to sing or play an instrument can potentially improve many aspects of their lives. Music education builds social skills, creates discipline, leads to higher self-confidence, builds hand-eye coordination skills, leads to academic improvement, improves retention and cognitive reasoning, and allows kids to express themselves. Music can also lower anxiety and improve physical well-being! Just think about it...doesn't music make you feel happy?

My husband and I encourage our kids to make music a daily part of their lives in some form. They might express themselves by creating tunes with a program on the computer, by singing, by dancing, or by banging VERY loudly on instruments, but all four of our kids embrace music. And if they need a little help along the way, Guitar Center is there to help with all forms of music education!

A Healthcare App for Busy Moms #AnywhereCare

This is a sponsored post in partnership with The Motherhood on behalf of UPMC.

Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, have one kid or 10 kids, life as a mom is busy! As a mom of four, wrangling chaos and juggling kids and schedules is my norm. I don’t have much time to worry about anything else. Worrying about arranging healthcare, especially for sick visits, shouldn’t top my list of worries!

Thankfully, there’s an app for that! UPMC Anywhere Care allows you to have a face-to-face visit with a doctor right from your mobile device or computer! The app is free to download, and it’s also free to sign up for an account. The visits start at $49, but for those with a UPMC Health Plan, the cost is similar to a copay.

If you live in Pennsylvania, you will be able to visit with a UPMC doctor during your video consultation. For those outside of Pennsylvania, you will be able to visit a doctor from American Well, which is an online care group. All video consultations occur in real-time.

The flu seems to be hitting everybody this year, and it can be very serious. Now you can see a quality health care provider with a UPMC AnywhereCare virtual visit without leaving your home! And if you sign up at http://upmchp.us/MHUPMCAnywhereCare by March 5, you will have a chance to win a digital thermometer!

When one of my kids gets sick, it’s a lot of work just to schedule an appointment with their pediatrician. Not only do I have to work around five different schedules, but I also have to arrange childcare for my other kids, unless I want to bring my entire crew to the sick visit.  If that doesn’t work, we end up at Urgent Care after my husband gets home from the office. Although necessary, it does cause added stress for all of us. And if there’s a sick parent? Those appointments rarely happen!

The Best Tips & Tricks for Moving with Kids

DISCLOSURE: This post is brought to you by Northwood Realty Services and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own. 

When we bought our home in 2004, we didn't put much thought into it. We just wanted our own place! The fact that we were very young homeowners was something to be proud of, and the house was built by my husband's grandparents, so it was a sentimental purchase. However, we didn't think about our future family during the home buying process. Now, our home is too small for our family of 6, but the thought of moving with kids gives me major anxiety!

When Grant and I first moved into our home, the 3 bedroom house seemed so big. As our family expanded and our kids grew, our house seemed to shrink. Our kids are growing fast, and we are rapidly running out of room. Oh, who am I kidding? Our stuff is practically exploding out of our home! The time has come to start thinking about our options, and preparing for that inevitable move.

Up until last month, I had no idea where to start! That all changed when a group of Pittsburgh bloggers (myself included), who just happened to be moms, gathered with a group of mom realtors from Northwood Realty Services for a brainstorming session. There isn't a lot of information out there about moving with kids, and we were on a mission to change that!

The end result was an abundance of awesome tips and tricks to take parents through the buying, selling, and moving process with kids! We came up with so many tips and tricks that they couldn't all fit onto the graphic. We voted on our favorite tips, and the most popular ones were used to create this handy guide to help minimize the stress of moving with kids!

PREPARING TO SELL

• Start decluttering immediately. Donate or sell items that are no longer wanted or needed, pack up items that are not currently useful (seasonal/holiday items), and take down as many personal touches as possible. 

• Give each room in your home a single purpose and remove all unnecessary items.

• Consider renting a storage unit, and remove as much stuff as possible from your home until you move. 

• Sell any items that are in good condition, and save that money to cover additional closing or moving costs!

SELLING

• List your home over Halloween to expose potential buyers to your home as they take their kids trick or treating.

• OR list your home over the holidays when it looks extra cozy and festive!

• You can also list your home while you are on vacation so you won't have to worry about keeping your home clean for all the showings!

SHOWING YOUR HOME

• Invest in a storage container for each room. That way, if there is a last minute showing, you can quickly clear all the daily clutter from each room and shove the containers into closets or in the back of your car.

• Try to keep pets out of the way during showings, but better yet, take all pets out of the home during showings if possible!

• Conveniently schedule showings while you are out of town. 

BUYING

• Even though the holidays are stressful, buyers are more willing to negotiate during the holidays. It could work to your advantage!

• Make a wish list of everything you are looking for, but be flexible. If something could be changed, it could be the perfect house for you.

• Focus on location. That's one of the most important things, and you should walk around outside and explore the surrounding town before making a decision.

• Get your kids involved in the process. Have them write a pros and cons list of what they liked/didn't like. Assign them the job of taking pictures of each room. All of these things could help in the decision making process!

• Bring a babysitter to showings so they can step in if and when needed. 

• Bringing your kids will alert you to any dangers that may be lurking inside or outside the home.

PACKING

• Instead of using large boxes, pack everything in smaller boxes so they can be carried easily and unpacked quickly. It will feel less overwhelming.

• Pack the most important and most used items together so they can be unpacked first.

• Clearly label each box with the exact room it needs to go in.

• Create a master list of what is in each box so you don't have to frantically search through boxes to find what you need.

MOVING

•  If your kids are in school, try to time your move for early Summer. That way, the kids can adjust to their new home, start making friends, and be able to participate in Summer sports.

• Take lots of pictures of your kids in your old home and in the backyard, so you can record all the special spots, rooms and memories. Take a video of one last tour through your entire home.

• Consider using a removable growth chart from the time your child is born, so it can come with you wherever you go!

• Set up the kids' rooms first so they feel more comfortable when they arrive in their new home. 

• Have a first night in your new home tradition! Have a pizza party or camp out in the living room for a fun family movie night!

SPECIAL NEEDS

Can you tell which tip I added to the guide?!? Coming from the mom of a Toddler Tornado/Houdini, I know we will have to bring Liam, who has Down syndrome, along when we look at houses. If there is a dangerous spot, he will find it! If there is a way to escape, he will figure it out! We need to know these things BEFORE purchasing the home!

My other tip is to reach out to other special needs families in the area to get the scoop on services, schools, and medical care for your child. You can find groups on Facebook, or reach out to a local medical professional or hospital for advice and connections. It helps to hear about the community and services from a parent who is in your shoes!

As for my family, I don't know what the immediate future holds. Although I'm still overwhelmed by the entire process, I do know that we need a bigger house ASAP! I already started to utilize some of these tips (hello, decluttering) so moving with kids won't be as stressful when the time comes!

Are you buying or selling a home in the Pittsburgh area? Northwood Realty Services, which is one of the region's largest real estate service providers, can help!  Northwood Realty Services has 39 offices in 30 counties in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. They can help you with every step of the buying and selling process!

Covestro with The Motherhood - #CovestroSciFair

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post in partnership with The Motherhood on behalf of Covestro.

“Tell them every day they can do it.”

It seems like simple advice – be sure to tell your kids “they can do it!”  -- but when Paige Kassalen says it, if feels powerful. It feels meaningful and full of drive. As a parent myself, her simple advice to be proactive and consistent with encouragement feels profound and filled with purpose.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Paige, let me introduce her:

Paige is the role model we’ve all been looking for, especially for our young girls. She’s a Pittsburgh native, electrical engineer by training and a market analyst that supported Solar Impulse, a Swiss-based venture that became the first plane to circle the globe powered only by the sun. She’s been featured in Glamour and Teen Vogue, called out as a millennial paving the way and honored by Forbes in their 30 under 30.

Since 2010, Covestro, a developer of raw materials for plastics, foams, coatings and adhesives, has been a partner of Solar Impulse. Covestro provided key materials and its expertise for several Solar Impulse applications, including the plane’s silver coating, door, cockpit window and insulation. While the Covestro materials support the plane in the air, Paige provided support on the ground as the only U.S. female engineer, and youngest member, on the ground crew.

On April 1, Paige will be the keynote speaker at Carnegie Science Center’s 2017 Covestro Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (Covestro PRSEF). She will be sharing her experience as a member of the Solar Impulse ground crew and demonstrating that a career in STEM creates endless opportunities. The science fair will kick off on March 31st (competition day) and wrap up on April 1st (awards ceremony) at Heinz Field. This Pittsburgh tradition has been taking place since 1940 and is the third-oldest science fair in the United States! Just when you think Pittsburgh couldn’t get any cooler! 

In fact, there’s a lot of history around this event and the sponsoring organizations. For nearly 60 years, Covestro (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) has called Pittsburgh home. Covestro is a sponsor of Carnegie Science Center and the title sponsor of the science fair. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Carnegie Science Center, it is one of our very favorite places that is perfect for kids of every age! The exhibits are very interactive and offer hands-on experiences based in science and technology. Like Paige and Covestro, Carnegie Science Center also has a very serious mission to excite and inspire young people to explore careers in STEM. Fun and educational: what’s not to love?

Paige truly embodies everything we hope for our young children as we encourage them to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As Paige suggested during our recent Q&A, it’s easier to picture yourself in a role when you see someone relatable already in that role. How cool for my sweet daughters (and sons!) to have her as a reference and a role model! It’s empowering for all of the “young creative problem solvers!”

It Feels Like Home at Chick-fil-A

I was recently given the incredible opportunity to be a part of the Chick-fil-A of Pittsburgh Mom Ambassador panel!

So much thought went into the #CFAPITTMoms welcome package that arrived in the mail. From shirts for our entire family to stuffed cows for the kids, Joslynn, the Chick-fil-A Area Marketing Director, thought of everything. There was even a Chick-fil-A name tag for me, which made my oldest son exclaim, "Mom!  You got a job at Chick-fil-A?"

 

I was already a fan of Chick-fil-A before I received the invitation.  There are just so many things that make Chick-fil-A stand out from the fast food crowd, which makes it a great choice for my family!

The atmosphere at Chick-fil-A is very warm and welcoming, and the service is truly exceptional. Every time I walk into the restaurant, I am happily greeted by at least two employees before I even make it up to the counter.  My baby is immediately handed a container of cheerios, and the employees at the registers always make it a point to ask how my day is going and greet each of my children before they take my order.

I speak from experience when I say that Chick-fil-A is the ONLY fast food restaurant that does that.

I'm often on my own with my kids when we go to Chick-fil-A.  Any parent who has multiple children knows that it's often a challenge to order food and get settled in at a table.  Chick-fil-A does everything they possibly can to make it a positive experience for me.  Not only do they carry our drinks to the table, but they also bring over a highchair and place the disposable stick-on placemats (that they provide!) on the table for me.  That's such a big help for a mom who has her hands full!

The service doesn't end there! Every 5-10 minutes, an employee stops by the table to see if I need a refill, napkins, utensils, or sauces.  If I need anything, they immediately get it for me.  Their customer service is unbeatable!

Chick-fil-A is the only fast food restaurant that has healthier fast food.  We don't eat at other fast food restaurants often.  We only eat at the other restaurants for playdates or when they're chosen for a birthday dinner.  I'm NOT a fan.  I always leave with an upset stomach and always regret eating there. Chick-fil-A is different.

The food at Chick-fil-A tastes better and seems so much healthier. The chicken and fries aren't coated in that disgusting, stomach-turning oil that other fast food restaurants use, and there are so many healthy side options.  When I'm at Chick-fil-A, I don't feel the least bit guilty about eating the food or feeding it to my children!

I choose Chick-fil-A for the happy, clean, safe environment and the above and beyond service, but I also choose it because my kids like going there.  They love the delicious food and they love to play in the enclosed indoor playground! 

I also choose Chick-fil-A based on an experience I had there. 

My sweet Liam.

For those of you who are just getting to know our family, Liam has Down syndrome.  When Liam was about 6 months old, I went into our local Chick-fil-A.  Liam was an extremely tiny 6 month old, who still resembled a newborn.

At the time, I still felt awkward telling people that he had Down syndrome. When an employee asked how old he was, I took a deep breath and told her that he was 6 months old but was still very tiny because he had Down syndrome.  I held my breath, anticipating her response.  Instead of the awkward eye aversion or the dreaded I'm-so-sorry reply, she simply smiled, touched his cheek, and told me he was perfect. It was nearly impossible to hold back my tears.

At that moment, I felt as if my family was welcome and accepted.  THAT is why I choose Chick-fil-A.  That is why it's one of our favorite places to go. And that is why I was thrilled to be a part of the Chick-fil-A of Pittsburgh Mom Ambassador panel!

Last Wednesday I attended the Blogger Ambassador Kick Off at the Manchester Bidwell Culinary Amphitheater in Pittsburgh. I felt welcome the moment I walked in!

To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.  I expected a room full of bloggers, but instead the panel of bloggers was very small and the room was filled with the local Chick-fil-A franchise operators.  Everyone was so nice and the room was set up so beautifully. I couldn't wait for it to begin!

At the beginning of the event, we all had the chance to stand up and introduce ourselves.  One thing was evident: the majority of us had big families!  Prior to introductions, I met the franchise operator of my local Chick-fil-A and we chatted a bit.  During introductions, we discovered we had a connection.  We both have sons with Down syndrome!

As I mentioned earlier, I was already a Chick-fil-A fan, but what I heard during the presentation made me respect the company so much more.

Chick-fil-A really is the better (for you) fast food!  They only use natural, sustainable ingredients that are fresh and healthy when preparing their food.  Their chicken is hand-breaded or grilled.  The food is also craveable.  They tend to offer classics with current flavor trends to please the customers.

As a mom, I love the options for their Kid's Meals. The choices are chicken strips, chicken nuggets, or grilled chicken nuggets.  For the side, you can choose waffle fries (which aren't greasy at all!), a delicious fruit cup, or a Buddy Fruits Pouch.  All four of my kids are able to build a Kid's Meal that they love!

So much work goes into introducing new foods into the restaurants.  A dedicated team, which includes a Dietitian, a Chef, and a Culinary Scientist, works hard during the 5 step process (Understand, Imagine, Prototype, Validate, and Launch) to perfect the product.  Some products were in testing for 5-10 years before launching!

Chick-fil-A is continuously working to pursue "cleaner" ingredient statements, offer Diet Specialty Items (such as a Gluten Free Bun option), and offer more organic ingredients. Although Chick-fil-A already has so many delicious items on their menu, there's still more to come!

All of these items are subject to change, but hopefully you'll be seeing the Frosted Coffee, Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad, Cranberry Lime Lemonade, Frosted Cranberry Lime Lemonade, and the Egg White Grilled Breakfast Sandwich within the next year!

After all that discussion of food, I was hungry!  Thankfully, Chick-fil-A spoiled us with a delicious dinner!

The company was great, too.  I had the chance to meet some wonderful local bloggers, including an Instagram favorite, and chat with some other crazy parents (AKA those of us crazy enough to have 4+ kids)! We shared some parenting stories and enjoyed the delicious food, including a new item that was flown in for the event. I can't wait until it's on the Chick-fil-A menu!

Everything was really good, but surprisingly, the Greek Yogurt Parfait was my favorite. I really disliked Greek Yogurt until I tried this. It was SO good and I highly recommend it!  (I ordered one today at a Chick-fil-A playdate with our friends!)

After we ate, the presentation came to an end, and we got to tour the Manchester Bidwell Training Center.  Manchester Bidwell was just awarded the True Inspiration Award from Chick-fil-A.  It's an award that's given to an organization that is doing something remarkable.  The Manchester Bidwell Training Center definitely seems like a remarkable place that is changing lives!

It was an incredible evening! I learned so much and met so many wonderful people. I felt welcome from the moment I walked in the door until the moment I left with a bag full of goodies. It was an evening that started with handshakes and ended with hugs.

Chick-fil-A excels at giving families the chance to have fun in a positive, safe environment. They aim to be remarkable, and they truly are! It's why my family goes back again and again.

"We are more than a restaurant.  We're a home."

Thank you for being our home away from home.  I am honored to be one of the #CHICKFILAMoms!

Thank you, Chick-fil-A and The Motherhood,  for this AMAZING opportunity!

I want to know: What's your favorite item on the menu at Chick-fil-A?

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*I was compensated for writing this post, but all opinions are my own. Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for sponsoring this post.