Thankfully, we’ve all gotten better at this family travel thing. And our now-teenagers look forward to the games (mostly), even on 14-hour road trips. When you’re on the road again, plan on playing these 15 car games for kids to keep everyone entertained. 

5 Car Games for Kids Under 5

1. Puppetpoolza Party – Anything can be turned into a puppet. Using what you have on hand (See what I did there?), hold a silly conversation with your child. The first time I played this game, I used my child’s Lambie. Lambie talked with a heavy Southern accent and called everyone Pancake and Waffle. She asked my daughter all sorts of silly questions, messed up the song lyrics, and tried her hand at yodeling. That puppet calmed our toddler and made the trip fun for us all.  

2. I Spy – Yep. It’s a classic game for a reason. And while it’s not a new game for you, it is for your child.

3. Hello, Yellow – See how many yellow trucks your child can spot. Give out a small prize when he finds 10. And, yes, snacks count as prizes! Then, move on to another color and another prize, like coloring pages, stickers, or a familiar stuffed animal who “snuck into the car.”

4. Cars of Many Colors – See how many different colored cars you can spot together. Red, white, black, blue, yes! Purple? Maybe. Hot pink? Almost as rare as a Hawaiian license plate.

5. And the Letter Is? – List three words starting with the same letter. Really enunciate the words. Ask your child to guess the letter. For example, you say: Book, Bear, Banana. 

5 Games for Elementary

6. Name That Tune – Create a playlist. Include songs your kids love and your go-to songs. Shuffle the playlist and take turns naming the song. Increase the difficulty by requiring title and artist.

7. The Trifecta of Road Trip Games Printables – License plate game printable, check. Road Trip Bingo, check check. I Spy Alphabet Version, triple check!

8. Spot It – Pick five random things, such as a horse, a school bus, a church with a steeple, a construction sign, and a child asleep in a car. When someone in your car spots an item, she says, “Spot it!” and then picks a new thing for the list.

9. Minute to Win It (Car Version) – How many football teams, colors, Disney movies, instruments, pizza toppings can your child name in a minute? Add to the fun by asking your child to say how many he can name before attempting it.

10. Fortunately, Unfortunately – Make up a story together. Each person takes turns adding one sentence to the story. The first sentence starts with “Fortunately.” The next sentence begins with “Unfortunately.” Then back to “Fortunately.” For example: “Fortunately, we left the house early enough to miss most of the traffic. Unfortunately, we left the bathtub water running. Fortunately, our neighbor has a key to the house. Unfortunately, his dog ate it. Fortunately, you hid a spare key.” Unfortunately, this is one of those car games for kids you need to play yourself to find out what happens next.

5 Car Games for Tweens and Teens

11. Cows on My Side – This game works best with four people in the car. Split the car into two teams, the left side team and the right side team. Teams get a point if they see cows on their side of the road. Teams receive two points if they spot a cow doing something other than grazing. And a team earns three points for seeing an unusual farm animal on their side (llamas, yaks, etc). But, if a team spots a cemetery on their opponent’s side and says, “graveyard,” the opposing team loses all their points. The side with the most points at the end of the trip wins the game.

12. Hey, Mr. DJ – This one isn’t really a car game, but letting your tween or teen take over the music is an easy way to get to know your child a little better. Ask her about her favorite song of the moment. Why does she like that artist? How does she find new music?

13. Mental Dominoes – Start the game by saying a word. The next person picks a word somehow connected to the first one. Whoever goes next picks a word related to the previous word. For example, you say DOG. The next person says BONE. Then someone says DINOSAUR.

14. Team Trivia – Load up your phone with popular trivia apps like this one and this one, and let the fun and games begin. Split into teams or not. The only real rule is no Googling! And, hey, let the winner pick where you stop for lunch.

15. Movie Mania – Start by naming an actor. The next person needs to name a movie the actor starred in. The next person names another actor in that movie. Then, the next person recalls a different movie starring the new actor. If someone gets stumped, she’s out. Play continues until only the winner is left.

What are your favorite car games for kids?

The post 15 Family Car Games to Beat the Boredom Bug appeared first on iMOM.

The lunchbox note is a powerful thing. You have your kids’ undivided attention for the six seconds it takes them to read what you’ve written. So what’s a mom to say? I think there are 9 types of lunchbox notes that match different parenting styles. Which one sounds like the one you’d write?

1. The “Here’s My Chance to Remind You” Note

If you find yourself writing “Don’t forget to bring home your jacket!” on a lunchbox note, you’re the mom who faces the challenge of managing her little people head-on. You also know the occasional reminder works wonders. Never lose hope. Today might finally be the day he remembers his jacket, his lunchbox, and his notebook…

2. The Apology Note

“Can we put this morning’s fight behind us?” If you’ve ever included an apology or waved a white flag via a lunchbox note, give yourself a hug. You’re setting a great example for your kids that no grudge is worth holding when you love someone.

3. The “Make ‘Em Laugh” Note

“What’s brown and sticky?” The mom who slides jokes or riddles into her kids’ lunches knows that a good chuckle might be all they need to make it ’til the bell rings. Never give up on making your kids smile. Our kids need to see our silly sides. It’s a stick, by the way.

4. The Frazzled Note

“Ask your teacher for another copy of the permission slip! And tell her I’m sorry!” This mom might have to use a lunchbox note written on a napkin to get the job done, but she gets it done! This category also includes the mom who’s sent a grocery list with her kid and took the lunchbox note to the store.

5. The Plans Note

“4 p.m. practice, 6 p.m. dinner (burgers). Want to go for a walk at 7?” If you’ve ever put a schedule in a lunchbox note, you probably love a solid plan. Your parenting style is predictable and reliable, and that makes your kids feel safe.

6. The “Focus on Food” Note

“Eat your apple first!” The mom who uses a lunchbox note to talk to her kids about lunch is practical. She reminds her kids to focus on what’s in front of them and not worry about what’s to come. Carpe diem, kids! And carpe your apple because Mom’s tired of spending money on food that’s not getting eaten.

7. The Encouragement Note

“You’ve got this, kiddo! Show that math test who’s boss!” This is one of my favorite types of lunchbox notes. If you could include a little pom pom in your child’s lunchbox you probably would. Kids need to know someone believes in them, so keep cheering.

8. The Artsy Note

For an entire school year, I didn’t send a written note. Instead, I drew stick figure pictures on my kids’ brown snack bags. In hindsight, I think I may have been going through something… Anyway… The mom who chooses drawings over writing leaves her message open to interpretation. She has a go-with-the-flow type of parenting style. She lets her kids express their emotions, and she probably gives warm hugs.

9. The K.I.S.S. Note

If your typical note just says “i love u” or “muah!” you like to Keep It Simple, Sweetie. You have no agenda except love and affection. Or you’re just exhausted and have no words left. The good news is, a mom’s message of love is usually exactly what her kids need to hear.

Then there’s the non-existent note.

Many days, I think, “I should’ve written a note today. It would’ve taken 10 seconds.” Then I feel crummy. If this sounds familiar, and you beat yourself up for not being a “better mom,” stop right there.

You probably hugged your kids, fed them breakfast, checked to see that they were wearing mostly clean clothes, and made sure they got to school on time. You showed more love than you can fit on a piece of paper, so this self-criticism—cut it out. But also, literally cut it out. Our pre-written printable lunchbox notes are free. We have some for tweens and teens, boys, girls, holidays, end of the year, and even husbands!

What’s your typical lunchbox note message, and does it fit your parenting style?

The post Which Lunchbox Note Fits Your Parenting Style? appeared first on iMOM.

It’s estimated that more than 60% of people experience some form of post-holiday blues, typically in the form of depression or anxiety, because of stress, memories, or unmet expectations. If you struggle a little through the end of December and into January, I’m right there with you. Here are 7 ideas we can use to beat the blues and feel more joy in the new year.

1. Keep the festivities going.

No need to pull the plug on Christmas right away. If you love the sounds, sights, and smells, leave the decorations up a little longer. In my house, we don’t take the tree down until after January 6th. We celebrate the Epiphany, when the wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus. Fun fact: The 12 days between Christmas and January 6th are the OG 12 days of Christmas (before that partridge in a pear tree got so popular).

2. Call a friend or relative you didn’t get to see.

For some people, the post-holiday blues well up because they love the feeling of connection with family and friends and will miss it. Fill that bucket by FaceTiming with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while or reaching out to your favorite cousin across the country.

3. Rest.

You’ve been go-go-going since November 20th. Even if you love baking, caroling, decorating, and wrapping, you’re probably exhausted. Find something that allows your mind and body to rest. I always do a jigsaw puzzle the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Knowing I’ll have puzzle time to decompress gives me peace.

4. Feel your sadness.

Our culture doesn’t like feelings of unhappiness or discontent. Sadness gets written off as a problem you occasionally have to deal with. The reality is sadness can be helpful. Feeling sad can reveal what’s really important to you and help you grow in appreciation for what you have. When you feel the blues, ask what good things happened that you’re going to miss and consider how you can recreate them throughout the year. Maybe you start a monthly dinner with family that lives close by or bake cookies with the kids more often.

5. Tackle something that brings stress during the year.

You might feel crummy because you anticipate returning to work and school. Think of one stressor that work or school brings and what you can do to try to get ahead of it. Do you dread packing lunches? Search with the kids for a couple of meal prep ideas so you can make lunch just once each week. Are you dreading sitting in rush hour traffic every day? Make a plan to listen to a book a week during your drive, or find a podcast that will help you grow in your faith.

6. Set a monthly challenge or goal.

Are your post-holiday blues triggered by a lack of something to look forward to? I love having something other than the holidays that mark each month. Try brainstorming ways to challenge or set goals for yourself or your family throughout the year.

One month could be “explore our city,” another could be “learn how to crochet,” and another could be “read a devotional nightly before bed.” Having something new and challenging to look forward to each month can keep things fresh. And the brainstorming session could be a fun annual activity to wrap up the year together as a family.

7. Think ahead to next year.

Give “future you” a gift by writing yourself a letter. You can even address it: “To me. Open on November 1.” Stash it with your holiday decorations so you know you’ll see it. In this letter, write what brought you the most joy this season and what you wish you’d avoided. Tell yourself how you feel about the money you spent (maybe you give yourself an “attagirl” because you followed a budget) or how you wish you’d drank a little less alcohol or gotten just a bit more sleep.

Processing the season that’s passed will help you name what’s making you sad now and hopefully set you up for a healthier holiday next year.

If the post-holiday blues really get to you, listen to this episode of the iMOM Podcast, “Beating the Post-Christmas Blues.” Subscribe to the podcast to get new episodes every Monday.

What helps you get over the post-holiday blues?

The post 7 Ways Moms Can Beat the Post-Holiday Blues appeared first on iMOM.

Kids get excited about what they’ll get. But, for the next four weeks, I want my kids to think about what they can give. Part of why I love giving gifts is because I enjoy the look on others’ faces. I want my children to experience that joy too. Here are 25 ways kids can count down to December 25 by delivering Christmas cheer to others each day.

Kids can spread Christmas cheer by making a little extra effort each day.

1. Make a countdown-to-Christmas sign for your yard (markers on paper taped to a stool works). Or, in warm-weather climates, write the countdown in chalk on the driveway.
2. Create handmade signs for the front windows that say “Merry Christmas!”
3. Sign up with a charity organization to deliver food baskets to homebound seniors.
4. Make Christmas cards for the people who deliver your mail and packages.
5. Offer to walk a neighbor’s dog.
6. Ask you teacher if she needs any help after school.
7. Facetime a grandparent or relative who doesn’t live nearby. Tell him or her about your day.

When kids spread Christmas cheer, they bring joy to others.

8. Write a cheery Post-It and stick in on a friend’s locker or desk to find in the morning.
9. Tell a coach or club advisor you appreciate him or her today.
10. Pick up a neighbor’s newspaper on the driveway and place it on his or her doorstep.
11. Have Christmas music playing when your mom or dad gets home from work. Let your parents know you appreciate all their hard work for the family.
12. Cut snowflakes out of white paper and decorate a sibling’s bedroom windows.
13. Help your mom stuff Christmas cards in envelopes and put stamps in the corners.
14. Go to a dollar store and fill a stocking with gifts to surprise a younger child you know.
15. Make a Christmas card for your teacher.
16. Bake Christmas cookies and deliver them to an elderly person on your street.

Spreading Christmas cheer means thinking about other people.

17. Pray for sick children who will be in the hospital on Christmas. Print out iMOM’s free Christmas Prayers printable to guide you.
18. Donate blankets to an animal shelter in your town.
19. Find out if there are kids in your community who could use your outgrown clothing or toys.
20. Decide on a charity as a family that you want to support and contribute some of your own money.
21. Write and deliver Christmas cards to a senior living facility or to your neighbors. Spreading Christmas cheer will make others feel good, but it’ll make you feel really good inside too.

22. Do a simple yard chore for an elderly neighbor or one with a new baby—pick up sticks from a windstorm, drag in the garbage bins, shovel the sidewalk.
23. Leave a candy cane on your teacher’s desk with a note: Merry Christmas! From, ___.
24. Be your sibling’s Secret Santa and leave a surprise on his or her pillow. It could be a drawing, a note, or a piece of candy.
25. To deliver Christmas cheer, greet everyone you see today with “Merry Christmas!”

What does delivering Christmas cheer mean to you?

The post 25 Ways for Kids to Spread Cheer This Christmas appeared first on iMOM.

A lot of research has been done around material gifts versus experiences, and researchers have found, for kids and adults, experiences are the way to go. They might not be as fun to unwrap on Christmas morning, but these 15 experience gift ideas for Christmas will lead to great memories for the whole family.

Experience Gift Ideas for Kids

1. A Subscription Box

There are subscription boxes for just about any interest. Cooking, STEM, travel, even detective work. Most have a three-month option, in case you’ve got a kiddo whose interests change with the wind.

2. An Imagination Station

Make a dress-up rack with princess dresses or magicians’ capes and give the gift of imagination.

3. Outdoorsy Adventure

One year our family went kayaking as a group Christmas gift and loved it. Do your kids beg to go skiing? Christmas is a great time to gift a family trip.

4. A Library Card

OK, a card isn’t an experience, but every trip to the library is! A library card is a great gift for elementary-aged kids. It feels grown up to have their own card, and watching them carefully write their wobbly signature is priceless.

5. Event Tickets

This is smart shopping. One year my husband and I were already planning on buying tickets to the “Dinosaur World, LIVE” show coming in February. We made it a Christmas gift and had something to look forward to.

6. Mystery Picnic

I’m dying to try this with my family. You use your phone to follow clues to locations where you collect delicious picnic ingredients. You see the local sites, enjoy local eats, and spend time with your people.

Experience Gift Ideas for Couples

7. Dinner Made by a Personal Chef

Love being home but hate dishes or food prep? Many personal chefs will bring all the materials and make a gourmet meal in your kitchen. (This is also a great Christmas gift to go in on with a few couples.)

8. Dream Car Rental

Turo is like AirBNB, but instead of homes, it’s car sharing. Rent a classic sports car to drive to dinner at a swanky restaurant, and watch your husband’s face as he tosses the keys to the valet.

9. Hot Air Balloon Ride

Can you say “bucket list?”

10. Dance Lessons

If your husband would go for it, dance lessons might be the most fun idea on this list. Even if you have two left feet, you’ll leave each lesson smiling and more in step.

11. Season Tickets

To the theater, the local team, the local concert venue… Season tickets give fans a chance to dive deep into sports or the arts.

12. Cooking Class

This is another one you can do with the family, but my parents still talk about the Chinese cooking class they took in their first year of marriage. Make good food and great memories at the same time.

Experience Gift Ideas for the Family to Give YOU

(Just subtly drop hints!)

13. A Subscription to Masterclass

What do you want to learn? Interior design? How to perfectly style your hair? How to think like an FBI profiler? Ukulele? If you love to learn, Masterclass is a goldmine.

14. Mom’s Day to Play

Let your kids and husband book all the things you love, like a massage, lunch with your friends, and a cleaning service to make the house spit spot for when you return home. (Yes, the kids could clean it, but you know the pros will do a better job.)

15. Bookstore Getaway

If you love to escape to a bookstore and get lost in the aisles, drop this hint to your family. They can wrap an old book and tuck a gift card between the pages. But that’s not the experience! You get an afternoon to yourself to sit with a coffee, a pastry and a brand-new book, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Ways to Make Opening Experience Gifts More Exciting

Let’s be real. Most experiences come on a piece of paper—certificates, vouchers, tickets. Not only is that a snoozer to open, it’s a pain in the neck to wrap. So you’ve got to get creative.

Most experience gifts can be paired with an inexpensive trinket or accessory for a more exciting presentation. We’ve wrapped a set of spatulas to go with a subscription to a kids’ cooking club, and those tickets to see “Dinosaur World, LIVE” were in the mouth of a T-Rex hiding in the Christmas tree.

This is also prime time to break out one of iMOM’s printable scavenger hunts. The hunt for the final clue and big reveal will be a Christmas memory your kids will cherish.x

What’s an experience gift your kids have loved?

The post 15 Experience Gift Ideas for Christmas appeared first on iMOM.

So when I got older and got a job, I went a little crazy on Christmas, draining my bank account to buy everyone what they wanted. Giving Christmas presents can be a lot of fun, but it can backfire if we’re careless like I was back then. It’s about finding a better balance between need and greed. We need to buy the right gifts for the right reasons, and we can do that with intentional gift-giving. Get better at intentional gift-giving with these 4 questions to ask yourself.

1. Am I using gifts to compensate for something?

It’s an easy trap to fall into thinking we can make up for not being engaged in the lives of our kids by buying them the things they want. I’ve done it. We can buy our kids every gadget on Amazon, but it won’t make up for the time they want to spend with us.

Pro-tip: Instead of buying each kid a toy, buy an experience you and your kids can have together.

2. Will the gifts my kids want move them toward or away from our family values?

As we are inundated with ads leading up to Christmas, many of which skillfully manipulate us on a subconscious level, it’s easy to find ourselves putting items in our carts that actually contradict the kind of family we want to be.

Pro-tip: Smart devices almost always lead to isolation. Consider a Christmas gift that the family can enjoy together.

3. What is a gift you can give that will help your kids step into their gifting?

Christmas isn’t the time to try to force our hobbies onto our kids. You may love fishing, but that doesn’t mean your kids are going to. Besides, if we give our kids a gift they’re interested in, it’s more likely to get used in the year to come instead of getting shoved into the back of their closet until we donate it to the Salvation Army.

Pro-tip: Spend strategic time with your kids to ask what they’re really into lately.

4. Can I afford these gifts/are they reasonable?

Have you ever felt pressure to get certain gifts just to make it look like you can afford them? I didn’t go into debt that first Christmas, but the gifts weren’t reasonable, and I spent way more than should have. Sometimes in the frenzy of the holidays, we lose sight of our budgets and just buy, buy, buy. If you realize this is the year you have to get control, you might have to have a hard conversation with your kids about what to expect on Christmas. Being responsible with money is a lesson that will set them up for better financial health.

Pro-tip: Set up an automatic debit of $20 per pay period to go to a specific Christmas account.

Are you a good gift-giver? How can we be better at intentional gift-giving?

The post 4 Questions to Ask Before Buying Gifts for Your Kids appeared first on iMOM.

We all want to deliver and make our kids smile on Christmas morning. Maybe it’s a toy or a relative we hope will visit. Whatever it is, we try our best. But sometimes our kids still don’t get what they want. Here are 3 ways to respond to Christmas disappointment.

1. Listen and empathize.

“This was the worst Christmas.” My friend’s daughter hit her with this gem a few hours after all presents had been opened. My friend couldn’t believe it. “I was up ’til midnight wrapping gifts for her and then on Christmas, Annabelle wouldn’t stop complaining about everything she didn’t get.” Another friend told me her son had cried that night because his grandpa and grandma hadn’t driven in from out of state to see them. “He just sulked through dinner,” my friend told me, “and went to bed in tears. It’s not like I could tell him about Grandma’s diagnosis on Christmas!”

To get through Christmas disappointment, it helps to have someone empathize with you. “I know you wanted your grandparents with you on Christmas. I did too.” Even if it’s disappointment over a gift, you can still say, “I’m sorry you didn’t get that toy. I know you really wanted it.” Doing so validates your child’s feelings and helps him feel less alone, feeling the way he does. It also forges a deeper connection between you.

2. Relate and then rebound.

When I was little, my mom often told me about a pedal car. “It’s a miniature car with a steering wheel that you can pedal down the sidewalk. I always wanted one,” she said. Nowadays, toddlers motor around in mini-Jeeps, which I learned are basically battery-operated, modern pedal cars. My poor mom, I thought. Never getting a pedal car!

But is it the worst thing in the world? A child who hasn’t been disappointed doesn’t learn to work for something. We don’t want our kids to end up entitled. “The more we give in,” writes Amy McCready in her book The ‘Me-Me-Me’ Epidemic, “the more we foster the entitlement attitude in our kids.” Learning you can’t always get what you want, and that life isn’t always fair, is important. You may feel bad in the moment, but know that your child is getting practice dealing with disappointment and learning how to bounce back. These are gifts that can’t be wrapped up with a bow.

3. Appreciate what you have and look ahead.

“I’m the only one who doesn’t have one,” my son said, referring to a gaming console. But he had a lot of other great toys and books, which I knew he enjoyed. And I preferred he spend his free time on non-screen-related activities. “Plus, in our family, we like to play board games together and watch movies,” I said. “We wouldn’t have time to do those things if we got into video games.” I don’t know if he appreciated my sentiments in the moment, but I’m hoping our family’s values will sink in as he grows.

Today, kids have playrooms and basements stocked with pretend kitchens, trampolines, train tables, and more. As McCready says, “In our culture of plenty, gratitude is something we have to teach our kids and practice with them.” She suggests we do so by going out of the way and perhaps over the top to show our appreciation for others. She also advises us to coach our kids to “focus on the thoughtfulness every bit as much as the gift itself.” Our kids may have some disappointment on Christmas morning, but we can do things now to work on their attitudes so that next year, they’ll show more gratitude for what they already have.

Even though Christmas Day has passed, think about saying some Christmas prayers over the next several days with our sweet printable.

Has Christmas disappointment arrived at your home? How have you handled it?

The post 3 Ways to Respond to Kids When Christmas Disappoints appeared first on iMOM.

There’s a lot of self-imposed pressure on parents to make the holidays perfect, and for single parents, I think it’s taken up a few notches. Just as the pressure might be greater, so is the need to savor each moment. But you can’t do that if you’re pulling out your hair. So take a load off with these 5 ideas for Christmas help for single moms to avoid holiday stress.

1. Be in the moment.

I made the mistake one year of letting myself dwell on the ages my kids would be the next time they were at my house on Christmas morning. After being sad for a moment, I got mad at those thoughts for taking away a few moments of joy. Now, when any of those feelings creep in, I look at what’s going on and say a prayer of gratitude. “Thank you, God, that we get to watch Home Alone together.”

Sometimes it’s busyness that zaps us out of the present moment. As you drive around looking at lights and singing carols, don’t worry about what dish you’re bringing to the office potluck. Write down the tasks bouncing around your head so you can focus on being with your kids.

2. Do what matters to you. Don’t do the rest.

“Crackers,” our Elf on the Shelf, lived in our house for one Christmas. Then he decided my sons were well behaved enough that he should go back to the North Pole for a reassignment. Seriously, this elf nearly pushed me over the edge. At the time, I was unmarried, so any overnight mischief he got into was on me. I put my foot down and decided he had to go.

If the elf is what brings you and your kids joy at Christmas, do it. If you love to bake and want to whisk up dozens of cookies, throw on that apron and preheat the oven. If neither of those things matter, let go of the pressure to feel like you have to do them. Do what matters to you, and let go of the rest.

3. Stick to a budget.

Single parents feel pressure to give their kids everything kids of married parents get, maybe more. But your kids don’t measure your love in gifts under the tree. Sure, they make a list and hope to get everything on it, but don’t buy so many presents that you’re in debt until June. Set and stick to a budget that will keep the financial stress at bay.

4. Decide once what presents you’re giving.

This time saver is the perfect kind of Christmas help for single moms. Other than your own kids, put the people you have to buy for into categories: teachers, kids, adult family, adult friends. Pick one item for each category. Maybe for teachers, you buy a gift card; the kids in your life, like nieces and nephews, get a puzzle; adult family members get a calendar you made with your kids’ pictures ushering in every new month; and adult friends get a mason jar filled with the homemade jewelry cleaner you swear makes your earrings sparkle like new.

5. Wrap with friends.

I think people who like wrapping presents are crazy. The measuring, cutting, taping, corner folding… It’s all so tedious, but doing it with friends makes it much more bearable. Many single parents struggle with loneliness during the holidays. If that’s you, a wrapping party will help you fill a need for connection while knocking out the chore.

So pick one friend’s house, and load up the gifts and wrapping supplies in your trunk. Be sure to bring a blanket to cover them up in case your kids like to snoop. You and your friends can share supplies, use each other’s handwriting to disguise Santa’s signature, and, of course, pass the time with great conversation.

What suggestions for Christmas help for single moms can you add?

The post 5 Ideas to Help Single Moms Avoid Holiday Stress appeared first on iMOM.

This is a classic example of how moms lose sight of the practical side of mixing toddlers and Christmas festivities because we so badly want to have a magical experience. I had expectations for my son at age one that are reasonable only now that he’s 11. It was just too much for him then. Are you handing your toddler too much right now? Learn from my mistakes and pull back on these 3 “lots” at Christmas.

1. Lots of Stimulation

We were walking out of a Cracker Barrel a few weeks ago and the table display near the door showed off a motion-activated Santa. As my tween sons and I waited for my husband to pay the check, Santa’s constant “Ho! Ho! Ho!” had us searching for his off switch. My younger son said, “I wouldn’t mind if Santa’s batteries ran out.” The lights and sounds are all more stimulating to toddlers, and they don’t know when or how to ask you to flip the switch to off.

The Antidote: Stick with your routine as closely as you can. Combining blinking lights and singing elves with a lack of a 3 p.m. nap will lead to a Christmas disaster. As much as you want to fit more in at Christmas, look for moments in the day when you can turn off the music or TV. Weave in some silence or a calm activity like coloring or reading to help your toddler decompress.

2. Lots of Sweets

I wish my body knew what was a Christmas calorie and what wasn’t. Gingerbread men, Nana’s fudge, and that second cup of hot cocoa—none of those calories should count, but they do. The same thing goes for kids. If you wouldn’t normally let your little one have five cookies after eating a handful of M&Ms, Christmas isn’t the time to throw your standards out the window. Future you will be grateful that you’re not dealing with a sugar crash while in line waiting to see Santa.

The Antidote: This isn’t going to surprise you. It’s moderation. You’re in control. Your child doesn’t grocery shop. So limit the number of sweets you bring into the house, and tell Grandpa the max is two cookies (because you know he’s going to sneak your kiddo a third).

3. Lots of People

One of the best parts of the holidays is the way they bring us together with people we love. You get together with church or neighborhood friends for a gift exchange; you see extended family at Christmas Eve dinner, and you bundle up the kids for the annual tree lighting ceremony downtown. But with all that, your toddler is being touched, held, and pulled in different directions nonstop for about three weeks. Some kids love all of the attention, while others can’t handle the stress.

The Antidote: Set boundaries and prepare your toddler. If you’re holding your daughter and your church friend says, “Give her to me for a minute,” don’t be afraid to say no, especially if you have a shy child. Before everyone arrives for the party, pull up pictures on your phone and remind your child who each person is. Remind her what present each brought to her birthday party earlier in the year, and she’ll be eager to see them all walk through the door.

How can you make things smoother for your toddler and Christmas activities this year?

The post 3 ‘Lots’ Your Toddler Gets Handed at Christmas appeared first on iMOM.

These really are the sweet years. I’m convinced of that. My kids want to hang out with me, they care about my opinion, and they might actually think I’m cool. But it still doesn’t make it easy to always say yes to giving them the time and attention they constantly ask for. But while we’re in this phase, let’s try to embrace it and all the activities for school-age children that we won’t have forever. Here are 25 things to do with and for kids this age while you can. 

1. Don’t just swim. Do a cannonball, play Marco Polo, and splash until your hair is soaked. 
2. At bedtime, lie down with them to talk about the day. 
3. Enjoy a hug while you’re still taller. Need an excuse to hug? Try our Hug a Day printable.
4. Visit them at school for “muffins with mom” or your school’s special day for parents. 
5. Read aloud to them. 
6. Build a sandcastle in the summer or a snowman in the winter.
7. Hold hands in the parking lot. 
8. Run through the sprinklers.
9. Pause to take in the magic of Christmas through their eyes.
10. Laugh at their disgust for kids of the opposite sex. Ew, cooties!
11. Compare your hands, palm to palm, and remind them you’re still bigger and stronger.
12. Do their hair and tell them they’re beautiful or handsome. 
13. Push them on the swings. Hop on and go for a swing, too.
14. Give them a pep talk to get on a ride they’re just now tall enough for. 
15. Get excited about school supplies, especially crayons and colored pencils. 
16. Use all the time in the car to have good conversations and sing along with your favorite songs. They’ll be driving themselves soon!
17. Peek in on them while they sleep and notice the little bit of baby left in their faces. 
18. Take a day off of work to chaperone a field trip. 
19. Bake something sweet together. Sit on the kitchen floor and watch it through the oven window.
20. Go for a family bike ride.
21. Let them sit on your lap in the car and steer it into the driveway.
22. Have an indoor campout. 
23. Do all the holiday things with gusto—hunt for Easter eggs, ooh and ah at fireworks, go trick-or-treating, and make the hand turkeys!
24. Accept a big kiss. 
25. Ask them to tell you about their favorite thing—dinosaurs, singing, swimming, a book. Listen intently, and ask questions to get more details. 

As I think about all these special moments or activities for school-age children, I find myself hoping they don’t end when elementary school does. I mean, we can still hold hands with our teens if they’ll have us, right? Let’s work hard to help our kids be kids and embrace the childlike with them even if it means getting our hair wet when we just washed it. 

Have a toddler or a teen? Check out these 25 things to do with your little one while you can and 35 fun things to do with your teen.

What is it about this age you know you’ll miss when your child is older?

The post 25 Things to Do With Elementary Kids While They’re Kids appeared first on iMOM.