Hello dear Mommies,

• Printables in this post:
• ican-do-it-icons.pdf
• haleys-calendar-pg-2.jpg
• calendar-icons.jpg
• haleys-chore-sheet.jpg
• Helpful Links in this post:
• Mayo Clinic

Today I asked my 3 year old if she was hungry, and she turned her whole torso towards me to answer. The red flags weren’t just waving - the lights were flashing - the adrenaline was rising - the whole works. One thing I’ve learned - don’t ignore the “mommy-sense”. I examined her carefully, pulled back her cute blonde hair to reveal what can only be described as a mump on the side of her neck. Now, she has a history of bacterial infections which are usually treated with antibiotics, and we were warned to get her to a doctor immediately if she had vague symptoms that could resemble a cold or infection. So off we flew to the emergency dept at the hospital. (Without her shoes - oooops!)

We’re back, she has adnoi&^%#. I figure if I remember the first part of the word, i can google it, and figure out what we’re dealing with. Oh by the way, a great place to find reliable information on the web: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/symptom-checker/DS00671. So she’s on some pretty pink antibiotics. And one crisis averted for today.

Looking back on the last couple days, I can recognize why all the whiny behavior and general bad attitude. One thing that we tried with her (remember - 3 years old) was a chore chart. Her big sister gets all the chores around here - recycling, cleaning up, setting table - what a bummer! Here are some printables that I hope are useful to your family too. I find that around ages 3- 5, or whenever they start to get board, is a good time to start adding routine, and teeny bits of responsibility.

Child’s Schedule: I start with this picture full of categorized pictures: athletics, academics, music, household chores, personal hygiene, and nutrition. ican-do-it-icons.pdf(a pdf file) Print this out, and cut out whatever chores, or categories you think appropriate for your little one. Add these pictures to different times of the day, and your little one has her/his very first schedule! Here is an example that my daughter used when she was 5:

The pictures above mean:

• stay in bed until 7 AM
• clean up toys
• read books /look at pictures
• tidy shoes (in the entryway)
• complete a quiet time (1 hour in her room)
• set the table
• feed the dog

This gave her some structure, which suited her personality to a tee! I’m a big fan of personal guidance, and creative discipline. Not every child would thrive with a routine. Some need more verbal or kinesthetic cues to switch activities.

To Use: Put the schedule together, laminate it, and place in an easy-to-refer-to place like the child’s bedroom door, or closet. She/he can then use a white marker to cross off those items that are done. Wipe it clean at the end of the day.

Chore Chart: Paste the appropriate icons onto a graph: 7 days across by ‘# of chores’ down. Use 8.5 x 11 paper, and slip the finished graph into a page protector.

To use: Place the chore chart in an area that the two of you frequent often - the breakfast nook, the refrigerator, etc. Tape a baggie full of stickers on the bottom of the chart. And the child can place stickers next to each chore completed. When the chart is full, you can replace the page protector and begin again! Rewards are sometimes fun too. Not always food, I might add: balloons, those noise-makers from the dollar store, a bag of beads & string are some examples.

Here’s a teaching calendar including days of the week, and the weather.
See links below to print full-size versions.

Laminate It Yourself: purchase clear drawer liner/ mac tac from the dollar store to “laminate” your own calendar. Purchase a roll of adhesive-backed magnet, cut into pieces, and adhere to the individual pictures. And voila! You have your own interactive calendar on the fridge! And she/he can even write on it with a white board marker. Markers & magnets are also really inexpensive at Ikea.

Here are the pdf links if you’d like to print them for you & yours:

The empty calendar template: haleys-calendar-pg-2.jpg

The calendar “magnets”:calendar-icons.jpg

Well, whew! One day nearly done. I hope that yours has been a tad less eventful. But thanks for reading mine!
Take care of yourselves dear mommies,

Multitalentedmommy

These ideas are meant for those who ARE socially ept, and find the idea of affronting people with your presence to be a disturbing thought.  How do those of us who respect people’s privacy and time find new friends??

- go to a busy and large church, if there is one.  Attend mornings for mothers.  Offer to bring muffins or help with coffee.  This gives you an excuse to work with other women who are leading the group.

- introduce yourself to your baby’s caregiver at the Nursery, or play room in the gym.  “I’m Megan’s mother, how are you?”  Have you been doing this long?  Are you here every day? etc.

- go to the park, and ask other mothers (who are also alone - have you noticed?) about their children.

- when walking children to school, ask neighbours - “May we walk with you?”

-  smile, and make small talk with the receptionist at the new doctor’s office or dentist.  I imagine most people announce their presence and walk away.  ie: are they terribly busy today?  Does the doctor work this shift every day?  Do they have your new phone number?  Is the office scent free?  Do they have a good pharmacy to recommend?  Good dry-cleaners, etc?

- volunteer to help your housing coop, or building manager with the garden, or whatever you enjoy doing.  Get feedback from neighbours (a good way to meet people).

- and keep your chin up - if you’re new, then there are others new too!  Or others have lost their good friends to a recent move. 

You’ve done well with each little effort, dear Mommy.  It takes time and perseverance to meet the other Mommy that will become your coffee-buddy. 

Good job!

Multitalentedmommy

No matter what is going on in the house, there needs to be a happy place where your heart and soul is at home.  Just one itty bitty place.  Flylady recommends having the kitchen sink clean every night before going to bed.  Here’s her steps to a clean sink:

For an extra-care-required sink:

1. Fill sink with hot water and add 1/2 cup of bleach.
2. let sit over night
3. rinse well, and
4. clean with window cleaner to a nice shine.

For your basic every-night-before-bed cleaning:

1. clean well with scouring pad/ abrasive soap (obviously don’t do this with porcelain sinks)
2. shine with window cleaner - for a nice sparkling kitchen sink.

And if you’re like me, you don’t really care if your kitchen sink is clean or not.  So there are a couple of things that I do to give me that false sense of control that we all need:

• keep the chair in our room free of clothes
• only allow white plastic hangers in any of our closets
• always, ALWAYS have a centerpiece. 
• for me, fresh flowers are the best, but in wintertime, a bowl of fruit, or a nice looking box will do. 

Sometimes the rest of the house has enough crumbs to feed the whole city’s resident mice; but that table has one nice centerpiece.  And in the morning - there’s my beautiful center piece.  Or maybe I like to take the focus off my hand-me-down kitchen table? 

I’ve heard of other moms who never ever have their CD collection lying around, or don’t ever turn off the music.  The point is that we need to have a happy place! 

 best of the day to you, dear Mommie,

Multitalentedmommy

This is a question I’ve been asking myself lately - what can I not do without? As we pare down our budget, our volunteer times, our schedules. What can I NOT give up? For me, that is my time alone.

Come hell or high water, I need to get a sitter and get out by myself. In Tips & Tools, I have outlined some ideas that I’ve read, heard about, or otherwise assimilated for making friends - finding those women who you actually have something in common with. So whether I trade babysitting, or pay for it, I have to get outta the house. I used to read things like this - and think, “Well, how nice for you! The money to get out of the house, blah, blah, blah.” But, ya know, after a nervous breakdown, and a month in a psychiatric home, I see the value of taking care of myself. It sounds extreme, but believe me - us women - we are NOT indestructible!

So do what it takes - and get outta there, dear Mommy. You NEED it, your kids need you to realize this. Happy mommy = happy family!

Love,
Multitalentedmommy

Hello dear mommies,

Here is our first Mommy Motivation, for this week. It is Monday, and well, we all need a little motivation.

Pic for you:

Most of America’s population thinks it improper to spank children, so i have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of “those” moments.

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child
for a car ride and talk. They usually calm down and stop misbehaving
after our car ride together.

I’ve included a photo of our session together in case you would like to use this technique.

Sincerely,

A friend

You are not alone in this journey, dear Mommy. Drop me a line if you’d like your Kids’ sayings or pics in a future M&M.

Multitalentedmommy