Kid Powered Car Craft!

On an earlier post I talked about all the boxes I had lying around and how to make helmets. This post is about how to make a wearable car from the larger boxes. Its kid powered (no batteries or laziness needed) and kid decorated if you choose. I chose to decorate this one on my own, but kids can create the look of the car too!

Stuffed Pork and Adult Time!

Life gets so busy when you have kids. Often we find ourselves making the same food over and over again with no flare or care taken. Yesterday, I forced myself to scrimp any extra minutes I had and make something different to show my husband he is worth the extra time to provide a taste meal that isn't based on what the kids will eat. I made us a Tortellini Salad and Stuffed Pork Chops! Now, just because I chose to utilize minutes that would normally go to extra cleaning, decompressing, or day planning to make a meal it doesn't mean the kids disappear and I'm able to just sit and cook from scratch so I used what I had to make it simpler to make, but without losing the taste of the food.

Just a little sad note! Mark Haines will be missed.

Since my daughter was 3 months old, each morning I would put on Squawk in the morning because the ticker fascinated her with its constant movement and red or green arrows. I still turn it on each morning as I make breakfast, from time to time I catch some of what is being said and during breakfast (depending on who is here) I talk about a made up story regarding something they said. It has become a part of our routine and a constant in the day, while I do not understand much or know a lot about the stock market I found myself learning bits here and there, having opinions on what was said that I comprehended, and enjoying the banter between Erin and Mark.

Helmet Head

Items needed:
a box
a knife
white paper
tape (clear packing is better)
glue
buttons (optional)
scraps of fabric (optional)
pipe cleaners (optional)
markers (optional)
paint (optional)
crayons (optional)
egg cartons (optional)
popsicle sticks (optional)
diapers that is too small to use (optional)
Basically anything that can be taped or glued on to create a fun look!

Don't forget the Daddy!

Don’t forget the Daddy!

We focus so much on the mommies and all we do for our children, but what about the daddy or for some the uncle or granddad that fill that male role? Think for a moment on what they do in and for your child’s life. They are important to our children and a key in their development.

Little Sponge Behind Me

So easily we forget how quickly kids learn. They are constantly learning, growing, making connections, and developing who they will be as adults. Most of what they will become will come from us and not only what we motivate and put in front of them to learn, but by what we show them through our own actions. They will see what we do and take it as a model for how to react to different things in the world, if we are negative toward a situation they will learn to be negative, if we are indifferent than they will be indifferent, and if we are excited toward something they will be as well. They look to us for some of the biggest lessons in life and we will teach them without even realizing we are giving them these lessons.

Kid's say the craziest things journal!

From time to time when offering a craft, yoga pose, or other topic involving activities with children I suggest having your “Kids say the craziest things” journal with you or to write in it. So, what is this journal I keep talking about? It’s a record for you and after you have passed (or before, do what is right for you), your children. It documents the moments where your kids said something that you found to be funny, profound, sad, or evoked any strong emotion from you.

GOO!

Here is a fun easy to make toy for kids of all ages. Most of the work is done on the stove, so you will need to do it but older kids who are good with instructions can help with the coloring and putting the goo in bags! For kids that are able to or learning words, have the kids write the color labels to attach above or on the bags. These fun bags last about a week and can help teach colors, textures, how the light reflects on things, and (if you have the bags labeled with their color) letter/word development.

Happy Baby Yoga Pose for Kids!

When doing happy baby with kids remember to never push them past their abilities. Each week, 2-3 days, we do a 15 minute yoga work out in my home daycare. Kids from 1 1/2 to 4 do this and while each does as much as they are able and in a way they are capable of they all get a nice stretch, a scheduled work out time, and some fun new body movements. We do the sun salutations and then add a few jumps, hops, new yoga pose, and teacher assisted summersaults at the end. In the case of this pose we were able to include the babies! In doing these poses always consult a doctor first, only attempt what is in your child’s ability level, and do what is comfortable for your and their body. 

Miss Manners

Teaching manners should be something that each parent starts early and works on throughout the life of their child. In this world, we all want respect and for others to speak to us politely. You cannot expect for others to speak to you or treat you politely and respectfully if you’re not willing to do the same. You cannot expect your children to receive politeness from others if they are not polite themselves. I am talking about manners because lately I’ve noticed that children and adults seem to have lost a lot of theirs in today’s world.

Learning Moments

Each day there are moments in our lives where we can learn something. A childs life is no different. For a child everything is new, to be explored, a question with in a question, and interesting. An example of a learning moment would be today at lunch; a child was looking at me closely, studying me. After I while I asked if they were OK or needed something. The reply reminded me of how much we have to learn out there and how much we can teach our kids.

Children that deal with death

Dealing with death is hard as an adult so what does a child understand, feel, and how do we as parents or caregivers help them? This largely depends on the childs age, the type of death, if they witnessed the death, which died, and if the death was expected or not. The child’s age is the first indicator of how to deal with this sensitive subject.

Tree! Kids Yoga Pose

Each week, 2-3 days, we do a 15 minute yoga work out in my home daycare. Kids from 1 1/2 to 4 do this and while each does as much as they are able and in a way they are capable of they all get a nice stretch, a scheduled work out time, and some fun new body movements. We do the sun salutations and then add a few jumps, hops, new yoga pose, and teacher assisted summersaults at the end. In doing these poses always consult a doctor first, only attempt what is in your child’s ability level, and do what is comfortable for your and their body.

Tragedy

This is a break from my normal blogging. A friend of Mommy Moments with Abby underwent a tragedy this weekend with the death of a 2 year old. The family is trying to raise funds for a funeral for this little lamb. They have set up a bank account for any donations you'd like to make. Please contact tiffany.mills18@yahoo.com via email for further information on who to contact. Please only contact them if you are making a donation, thank you. If you'd rather give a donation in person the family and friends are holding a car wash to help raise funds this Sat. the 14th of May and Sun. the 15th of May at the Sonic at 19th Ave and Bell in North Phoenix, AZ. If you’re able to, please come and help give this little one a proper goodbye! Thank you!Abby

Dress-Up Vest!

Kids are not picky when it comes to their imagination.  They just need some materials to help it grow and develop.  A great way to do that is to recycle some of your husbands or your larges old pants and make them into dress up clothes!  

Mother's Day

There were many different things to do today for mother’s day! So many places in Phoenix were offering deals to celebrate! We decided to go ahead and take on the deal for free admission to mothers and grandmothers at the Children's Museum. It was, as I found, a workout and mental stressor for the mom's, but a total blast for the kids.

Mommy identity vs Non-Mommy Identity: How to develop some Mother's Day gift ideas!

So many mommies will be celebrated on Sunday and I thought it would be interesting to look at the dynamics of being a mommy. Once you become a mom, even if you do not maintain custody for whatever reason, you will forever be a mom at least in the physical sense. That said, not everyone who gives birth will take on the mommy identity. Many will, and for those who do, it will forever be what they are known for first. Often people will refer to you as a new mommy, then a toddler mommy, then when kids are older and have more friends you'll be known as (insert child's name here)'s mommy. Your name won't be used as often and while it will still show on your driver’s license and other communications and transactions will essentially not be vocalized toward you for many years. This obviously is not true if you’re a working mom where while at work your name will once again identify you, but you'll become just mommy once you leave that office. This is a very cool thing to me because it shows and respects what I am and who I am. It is my identity as my kids come first and are what I love to live for.

Baby Food Making!

Have you ever read what goes into the baby food you buy at the store or wondered how a little jar of mashed up food is able to last sitting on a store shelf or in your shelf for so long and still be "natural" or good for your baby? Now, I will admit to buying baby food by the jar or pouch from the store and it is just fine for babies. That said I do feel that if you can find the time to make it yourself it is better. You get to tailor the food to your baby and their personal preferences as those develop, you cut costs, and you know exactly what is going in your child because you made it. The problem I see is over making food and ending up with more than your little one can eat before it goes bad. I recently decided to make some baby food as my youngest will be starting to eat foods this weekend. First, get the food you plan or want to start with; some doctors say start with fruit or apple sauce, while others say start with a veggie. I say do what is right for you. I start with sweet peas and then will go to peaches alternating between veggie and fruit for a more balanced diet.

Whose place is it?

I realize this may be a sensitive subject so I ask that you just let yourself ponder instead of allowing emotion to create a reaction. Parenting a child is not an easy task since you are dealing with a developing creature whose instinct is to survive in the most comfortable way possible for itself. A baby wants to be held, fed, changed, and to sleep and reacts in ways that will achieve these goals. These needs don't change with age, but the comfort or method they are received due as we grow and find preferences. A toddler will test boundaries in order to see how much they will be allowed to do and how much will be provided for them without their effort towards what is desired. As a parent we all decide what we want and will do in regards to reacting and teaching our children.

Balance

I decided to write today as all the kids are down for quiet/nap time and I've faced an unusual dilemma today. Usually the day are pretty busy and time at a computer or to watch a TV show are rare, but today was especially frustrating. As many have heard Osama Bin Laden has been killed and the world is experiencing history once again. I would love to have the TV on reporting the news so I could see and experience these events given their significance, however due to having multiple ages and other peoples children under my roof I am unable to keep the news on these events due to the potential violence, unseemly language, and that it would disrupt the daily schedule. Instead, I find myself sitting wondering what is being said, occurring, and if any change is present or just anticipated at this moment.


As a parent, we all must decide what we want our children exposed to and as a caregiver it is not my place to expose other people’s children to something like this which potentially will display violence. If it were just my children I would put this on as I feel the moment is significant and something that they should be exposed to even at their young age due to its historical significance. A child may not fully understand what is occurring, but when they are older I will be able to say to them you saw this on TV and heard it when it happened.

However, this will have to wait until this evening when it’s just my kids and no structured educational program is occurring. That said a part of me is glad that I'm not able to just put on the TV and instead I am experiencing another day of these children’s growth. If the news was on I may have missed two of the kids creating a game where they see who can do a puzzle the fastest, or how the older kids decided to try to teach the younger kids a new alphabet letter they learned today, or a toddler making noises and bouncing a toy to entertain a baby. These are important moments as well and as part of me would enjoy being able to keep up on the world events, this micro world in my home has events of its own occurring as well. This causes me to remember that the world events will still be on the news or on the web when the kids go to sleep at night, but the events happening here do not have a playback or repeat button that can be hit.

I end this first post by leaving you with this simple realization I have had today and will probably have again: It is important to keep yourself aware of what is going on in the world around you as lesson can be learned from these major events that will go down in history, however never allow yourself to become so wrapped up in the outside world that you miss out on the historical events of your own life!

Abby