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Confessions of an Unbalanced Mom

I used to think balance meant keeping all the balls in the air at the same time. Giving everything in life equal playing time.

I remember clearly the oh-so ordinary Monday night when I recognized how out of balance my life had become. I was pulling pajamas over a chubby toddler belly’s and reminding (read: yelling at) the other kids to brush their teeth. I was in a rush to get all these little bodies in bed, fast forwarding through our routine as quickly as I could because I had a photo session to edit and an article that I was two days late submitting.

Brush, brush, brush. Hurry up, please!

"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

Photos courtesy of  Amara Lea Photography

I had helped them say prayers and had tucked them all in when on my way out the door my 3-year-old asked for a glass of water. I lost it. I had done all the things, checked every possible box on the bedtime checklist… I needed to get to work! Could they not understand??

I stomped angrily to the kitchen, retrieved a plastic cup, filled it with water and stomped back to the bedroom.

I knelt down by her bed as she sat up to take the cup from me and get a sip. She looked at me timidly, knowing I was upset. As she finished and handed the cup back to me, she looked me in the eye and whispered, “Thank you, Mama.”

I hugged her, a tear rolling down my cheek, and left the room.

Instead of heading straight to my office to conquer my never-ending to-do list, I sat on the couch, head in my hands, asking myself why. Why was I doing this?

"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

Confessions of an Unbalanced Mom

I felt defeated by the way bedtime had played out, by my outburst over such a small thing. The truth was that I was absolutely exhausted, to the point that a request for a glass of water could send me over the edge. I felt like I was trying to be it all for everyone and in the process was only disappointing them—and myself.

Balance is NOT about how effectively you can manage your time. It’s not about giving equal air time to everything you’re juggling.

"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

Years ago I read a visual analogy about balance that forever changed the way I approach the concept. In Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman, writer Emily Watts describes a scale filled with small weights on one side (representing laundry, work, extracurriculars, etc.) and a large weight—a brick—on the other side. In comparison to that brick, the little weights on the side seem almost inconsequential. She writes:

I don’t want balance. I want to find the brick. I want to find the one thing in my life that, if I get that right, it doesn’t matter what the world throws onto the other side of that scale.

When we find that brick and place it on the scale FIRST, before anything else, everything else falls into perspective.

I know because I’ve experienced it personally: When I’ve focused on that “brick” (or my highest priorities) in my day-to-day living and have allowed it to guide my decisions, I’ve found a comfortable balance for my family and myself. The problem, though, is twofold:

How do we determine what our top priorities are?

And how do we keep them at the center of our lives?

"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

Believe me, friends, I don’t have it all figured out. Sometimes it feels like a daily struggle to keep the demands of life from derailing my priorities, but I keep trying. Despite my shortcomings, let me share a few lessons I’ve learned through my years of working toward balance.

Lessons in Balance (From a Mom with a Lot of Practice)

1. Listen to the season you’re in.

Balance will look different at every stage of motherhood.

A number of years ago, when I had two kids under five and a newborn, I was writing a book and feeling like I just couldn’t do it all. The guilt over being so busy was weighing me down. One day I was talking with a wise friend on the phone, telling her that I might have to give up the book in order to maintain some semblance of balance in my life. She reminded me that life (and motherhood) is a constant ebb and flow and to remember that this wouldn’t last forever. Live in this flow, and be grateful for it. Then as the busy-ness ebbs, embrace the season of slow and come back to balance.

2. Be forgiving of yourself. 

Yes, balance will look different in each season, but in addition to that we all have to accept that balance isn’t possible ALL the time. A newborn baby, a huge deadline for work, a health challenge in the family—these will demand more of our attention at any given point in time. That’s okay.

"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

3. Guilt does not serve you in any way.

Balance will come and go, striving for it is where the real importance lies.

3. Learn to differentiate between the urgent and the important. 

Are family travel experiences a priority for you? Is reading a book with your kids before bedtime? What about cultivating more feelings of love and empathy in your home?

This simple differentiation changed my life when I first came across it. In the words of Elise Arndt:

The urgent matters of life are those that demand our immediate response, the things that constantly bid for our attention. While the urgent continually begs for our attention, the important keeps silent. It patiently waits for us to take notice. While the urgent seeks us, the important waits to be sought by us. The important aspects of life take discipline to perform, while the urgent are accomplished on impulse. We live in constant tension between the two.

If we aren’t careful, the urgent can so easily take over those things that we value most. Evaluating priorities as urgent vs. important makes it easier to see what should come first. Which leads me to…

4. Above all else, keep your “brick” at the center of your life. 

The other things really mean so little in comparison.


What has been your experience working toward balance? Does it always feel elusive, or are you managing to find it? What’s been helpful for you? 

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"I sat with my head in my hands, wondering how I'd gotten here." Confessions from an unbalanced mom—and the lessons that helped her find it.

Motherhood Taught Me to Love Myself

Motherhood has been the greatest gift of my life as I always suspected it would be. What I didn’t expect was the way motherhood taught me to love myself.

We often sit on the sidelines as moms. We work hard to build a safe home, feather the nest, launch our little people, strong and confident, into the world. And some of us lose ourselves along the way.

After years of raising these people we love most, we aren’t sure that we have more to offer the world. That we are also complete, interesting human beings, beyond the beautiful walls of motherhood.

We pour ourselves extravagantly into helping our families feel loved and nourished and if we are not careful we end up empty and unsure of our own worth.

Motherhood has been the greatest gift of my life as I always suspected it would be. What I didn't expect was the way motherhood taught me to love myself.

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Michaelis Photography

Many years back, thick into my time as a homeschooling mama of three, I read that one of the best gifts I could offer my kids was to model curiosity, what it looks like to be a life-long learner, a whole person with dreams and strengths and weaknesses of my own.

I began to understand that to be a loving parent and an effective homeschooler, I didn’t have to immerse myself in all my kids’ interests; I could help them gather the resources they required but then go off and dive into passions of my own.

I needed to learn that I matter too

I realized that when my kids watched me, I wanted them to see a woman who was joyful and not resentful. Someone who was engaged with life and unwilling to simply subsist through her children’s accomplishments. A mom who delighted in her kids but didn’t give them everything she had. She reserved a little for herself.

I knew that one day they might look back on my example as a picture of motherhood and family life and decide for themselves if building a family was worth it. I want them to know it was worth it.

We can grow and learn and become more fully ourselves even as our kids grow and learn and become.

And if I go deeper and get a little more honest, my kids watched me live with anxiety. They loved me as I walked through a season of pain and depression. And I think they understood that I would not survive or thrive if I did not begin to value my own person a little more.

I needed to learn that I matter too. That unless I could come to the place of loving myself, I would be incapable of offering my family the tenderness and support and companionship that they wanted and needed from me.

Motherhood has been the greatest gift of my life as I always suspected it would be. What I didn't expect was the way motherhood taught me to love myself.

I purposefully set out to learn to love myself more deeply

1. I deepened self-awareness and invited my kids into the process.

Personality tests, love languages, spiritual gifting inventories, these all helped me begin to get clearer on who I am. I asked my dad for a letter, before he died, expressing some of the strengths and weaknesses he saw in me. I began to listen and notice that fear was so often at the root of my anger or decision making. I became aware that when I don’t have a learning curve in my life I tip back into depression. I realized that honoring my need for quiet time each day served both me and my family, even if they didn’t like it in the moment.

2. I honed my inner circle.

Slowly I released relationships that always left me feeling discouraged or depleted. I stopped feeling like I had to make excuses for my introversion and realized I like who I am. I acknowledged that the women I permit into my inner circle need to be strong, thinkers, go-against-the-grain types; women who challenge and inspire but also accept the real me. I began to treat my husband as my best friend by practicing vulnerability and offering him the very same grace and acceptance that I needed. I stopped saying yes out of obligation when that meant saying no to my family.

3. I began using my voice.

I’ve never enjoyed conflict and since childhood struggled with self-worth. I needed to learn to use my voice. Instead of waiting for an emotional outburst I began speaking up more clearly and calmly about what I needed. I became more honest about my fears, more comfortable owning my mistakes without shame. I spoke up when I was on the precipice of breakdown and knew I needed help. Eventually using my voice meant stepping out into writing and teaching beyond the walls of home and family.

Motherhood has been the greatest gift of my life as I always suspected it would be. What I didn't expect was that motherhood would teach me how to love myself.

4. I nourished myself well.

My self-care was no longer optional. Getting adequate sleep and hydration, time to walk and read and putter were essential to my well being. I did the work to break sugar cravings and learned to listen in when my body was depleted and I needed to shift my eating habits or lay on the couch and read for a weekend. I swore off dieting and made the life-giving decision to love my body in any condition and at any size – scars, limp, cellulite and all.

5. I began challenging my thoughts.

I don’t know if it is possible to live joyfully without learning to be the boss of one’s own thoughts. Refusing to allow any old thought that enters the mind to take up residence. This was very hard for me but I practiced replacing negative self-talk or hopelessness with truth and life, sometimes 18 or more times a day. I came to understand that thought leads to emotion which leads to action and that regardless of circumstance I can, by choosing to shift my thoughts, choose who and how I want to be in life.

There was more, of course, to learning to love myself. I needed to forgive all my past “failure” and struggle and practice sitting with painful emotion. To stop all the running and numbing. I learned that I was stronger than I had ever realized.

Motherhood Taught Me to Love Myself

This has been a process and the work continues. But today I can laugh more easily at myself and at the years to come. 21 years in I have learned to relax more into parenting and to honor my own needs all at once.

Motherhood has been the greatest gift of my life as I always suspected it would be. What I didn’t expect was that motherhood would also teach me how to love myself.

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Create a beautiful personalized Mother’s Day gift

Mother’s day is officially around the corner and I think we all being mothers get a bit nostalgic about our own mothers, and how they have influenced our lives. My mother is no longer with me, and for the last 25 years, Mother’s day have not had any real meaning in my life; it has been something I have celebrated silently in my heart every year, mostly colored by the joy of all she gave me, but also shadowed by always missing her.

This year it will be different, though. It’s my first year as a mother myself and that has brought back many beautiful memories. I have been looking at old pictures of my mother and me together, and they make me feel so grateful for being her daughter. Since I became a mother, they have also added to my reflections and wishes for my own little babygirl’s future.
I have always been fond of pictures, but I have learned the hard way, how important it is to exist in those pictures….and then remember to print them out as well, to be able to fully enjoy them.

All pictures I have from my childhood are hard copies, but the ones I have of my adult life are stored on cd’s, hard drives or floating around in the Cloud not being appreciated. And I don’t think I’m alone doing this. The thing is; when you have an old picture in your hand or you are flipping through a childhood photo album, it creates a feeling of belonging and it makes us appreciate where we come from.

…..where we come from. (I am pondering those words)

Those words would mean considerably more than just our childhood, right? I would like to believe that we come from all the joy we have experienced throughout the years, all the obstacles we have made it through, all the babies we have pushed out, all the ups and downs we have dealt with and all the people we have crossed paths with.

I think that most of us have pictures of these periods in our life, in some way or another….but they are most likely stored in a date marked folder, and probably only accidently being looked at.Remember that saying “Out of sight, out of mind”? When I see my childhood photos, it often makes me think of myself as that little girl, who lost her mom when the fact is; I’m so much more than that. I have lived a longer life without my mom, than with her and I like to believe that, that greater part of my life stands for more. I like to remind myself of all things I have endured to become who I am today and printed photos help me do that.

A printed photo will make you remember how you felt in that moment and what your dreams were. They will reveal if you went through a rough patch or if you were at the top of your game, but ultimately they will reveal all the love and effort you have put into your life. When you appreciate all these bits and pieces of your life, it means you appreciate yourself and everyone deserves to do that.

So in celebration of Mother’s day, let’s appreciate where you come from and print some photos of yourself together with your mother. Or as in my case, print photos of yourself with your kids.

Below I have created a fun and simple tutorial on how to create a personalized Mother’s day gift, where you can use your printed photos. It’s a kid-friendly project and it will teach them how to value and incorporate pictures into their own artworks.
PROJECT INFO:

This is such an easy “cut paper and glue together” project and that is also why it’s the perfect craft project to do with your kids. There are many ways to personalize your artwork; you can get your kids to write their own words, names or sayings, type and print some of your own, or use the one provided below. For the background I used wallpaper, but there are so many ways to add color or patterns. Your kids could color their own backgrounds and draw frames around the photos and make it a really colorful and fun project.

If you are in a hurry and just need a quick background for your photos, I’ve got you covered. At the bottom of this post, you will find some beautiful printables. Simply print them, add your photos & frame it and you are good to go 🙂

Now let’s move on to create a beautiful personalized Mother’s day gift.MATERIALS & TOOLS:

  • Wallpaper or paper with pattern/motifs for background (I buy out of stock wallpaper books and use them for several fun craft projects)
  • One A4 or Letter sized frame (This size frame will nicely hold 2 4 x 6 images)
  • Two 4×6 printed photos (I printed mine in b&w, but you could do color as well. Make it match your background)
  • Scissors, glue, ruler + pencil.
  • Hand-lettered words (download and print below)

HAND-LETTERED SAYINGS A4 SIZE
– portrait
– landscape

HAND-LETTERED SAYINGS LETTER SIZE
– portrait
– landscape

INSTRUCTIONS:
(below you’ll find illustrative images to go with the instructions)

1) CUT MATERIALS TO SIZE
Start by cutting out a piece of wallpaper(or other paper) to fit the backing of your frame. Next cut out the hand-lettered words provided in the download. Use either the horizontal or vertical printout, whichever that will fit the width of your layout. If you feel your printed 4×6 photos are too big for the layout, just trim the edges a bit. Mine was trimmed about 0,5 cm on each side, which makes the pattern around the photos stand out a bit more.

2) GLUE TOGETHER
Use a ruler to measure out where to place your photos and the word strip, and glue everything onto the wallpaper.

3) MAKE & ADD FRAMES (optional)
Cut a few strips of contrasting wallpaper/paper. Make two simple frames from the strips and glue them onto the edge of the photos.

4) FRAME YOUR ARTWORK
Frame your artwork and finish your Mothers day gift off with a beautiful bow or some gorgeous wrapping paper.
  

PRINTABLES

As I mentioned before, if you are in a hurry, you can use the printables below and still make a beautiful personalized Mother’s day gift.

MOM turned upside down is WOW
– Letter Size
– A4 size
You are the best mom ever
– Letter Size
– A4 size

I hope this project made you have a fun time creating a beautiful personalized Mother’s Day gift. If you created this with your kids you might have ended up with several colorful photo artworks that need framing, but that just means your kids had an awesome time playing with photos.

Hopefully, you also feel inspired to print your photos more often. I believe there’s an important lesson in enjoying our life’s process and appreciating where we come from. I think it’s valuable to teach our kids that too and printed photos are one way to do that.

My baby girl is not old enough to physically create a Mother’s Day gift for me yet. For now, she showers me with snuggles, big smiles and the wonderful fact that I get to be her mother and that keeps my heart more than full. I created these photo artworks for myself to celebrate and appreciate our process together, and to pay tribute to my new role in life. One day my baby girl will be old enough to understand, and I will be able to more actively teach her about where she comes from, how every day adds to her life, shaping her and making her into a wonderful unique human being.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful mothers out there.

/Annika

How Shooting Film Made Me Fall In Love With Photography All Over Again

shooting filmI’ve been a professional photographer for over 10 years. I love photography more than I can even describe, but I’ve been in a creative funk for a long time. I’ve been not feeling inspired and not motivated to make art. I stopped taking my camera everywhere, relying more on my phone to capture memories, and not feeling creatively fulfilled. (Does that make me sound pretentious? It does, doesn’t it?)

When you are a creative person, you need to use your creative muscles on the regular or they will atrophy just like a muscle in your body will. When I am feeling this way, the fastest way out of it is for me to take a class or workshop. I recently stumbled upon Joyce Kang’s workshop called Embrace the Grain. It is a workshop for people that shoot digital interested in shooting film. (I took film photography classes years and years ago in college and didn’t remember anything other than I loved it.) I bought a cheap film camera on eBay, a light meter, a couple rolls of film and figured the worst that could happen would be that the camera would become a shelf decoration.

Confession – I take a lot of online classes with the best of intentions. I promise myself that I will see it through to the end and either I get bored, or life gets in the way. But this class – I didn’t miss a lesson – I did every homework assignment – and participated fully. Not because I am an overachiever, but because I was completely engrossed and invested in the process. I fell head over heels in love with photography again. When my first roll of film came back from the lab, I couldn’t take my eyes off of what I captured. I felt connected to my images in a way that I have not felt in a long time.

(This is not sponsored or endorsed in any way, I’m just sharing because I loved it so much.)

shooting film

shooting film

The beauty of shooting film is that you are forced to slow down. You need to envision the shot that you want and think about how to best achieve it. You can’t look on the back of the camera and see if you need to change a setting or two, you have to see it in your mind and trust yourself. It is such a different approach than when you shoot digital.

After I shot a few rolls, I packaged them up and shipped them to a lab to be processed and scanned. A few days later, I got my files back and when I opened them I remembered what got me into photography in the first place. Being able to have a way to capture the love for the people and the beautiful things in my life. The images in this post are not edited in any way. When you shoot film, you don’t have to spend any time in Photoshop or Lightroom. (Unless you want to.)

shooting film

shooting filmshooting filmWhen I shoot film, I feel more in the moment. I’m not leafing through images to see what I got, I’m not editing them to share when on social media. I’m present and able to really be there with my family and feel a part of what is going on.

Is shooting film more expensive? Yes. But when I think about how much time I’ve gotten back, it is something that I happily will budget for.

Is shooting film addictive? Yup. No doubt. I’ve added a few more cameras to my collection and have dabbled in some different film stocks.

Is shooting film helping me feel creative again? Absolutely. It has carried over to other areas of my life too. The funk I was in is gone.

Is shooting film introducing me to new people and other inspiring artists? Yes. I’ve met so many incredible film shooters, and they are so willing to share their knowledge and help others become as obsessed as they are.

shooting film

shooting filmshooting filmshooting film

When I look at my pictures caught on film, I don’t see the imperfections like I do when I shoot digital. A softer focus, a not perfect exposure, or a funny face from one of my kids. Either it doesn’t bother me enough, or it is exactly what I’ve been missing from my photography for a long time.

If you are feeling in a creative funk, I can’t encourage you enough to push yourself and try something new. It might just be exactly what you need.

shooting filmshooting filmshooting film

Is The Fear Of Missing Out Preventing Us From Simplifying Our Kids’ Lives?

We’re lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little. Is the fear of missing out preventing us from simplifying our kids’ lives?

We're lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little.

Photos courtesy of Andrea Skidmore Photography 

I felt like I stepped back in time this afternoon.

After chatting with a friend last night, we decided to meet for a local hike with our kids. Today, she called me to say she was on her way. My son and I grabbed our jackets, drove to the trailhead and met for a wander in the woods.

It was simple.

Uncomplicated.

It didn’t require 37 texts to negotiate the time and place. And we didn’t cancel on each other 5 times over a two-week period before finally meeting.

I’m still smiling. Because it reassured me that life can be easy. It reminded me of what life was like when I was a teenager; the manmade barriers thrown up by busyness didn’t seem to exist then like they do today.

Our kids didn’t need to be enrolled, entertained, scheduled, supervised, coached, or assessed in an adult directed activity to be happy. They led the way and we followed. They were free to take their time. Collect sticks. Throw rocks. Navigate the trail. Find their balance. Get dirty and have fun.

It left me craving more.

I’m conscious of the benefits of a slow childhood so I intentionally avoid over-scheduling our son. But, in our modern world I’m acutely aware that I’m the odd parent out. And that makes it hard.

We're lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little.

Do you crave simplifying your child’s life but don’t know where to start? Claim your FREE GUIDE today for Four Simple and Actionable Tips to start simplifying childhood TODAY. Take back control of your time, freedom and happiness.

When we go to our local park on weekdays it’s either empty or if it’s after school it’s chock-full of organized sports with no space remaining for free play. Our neighbor’s kids don’t jump the fence like we used to and even if they did, they’re only free on Tuesday between 4pm-5pm; every other time slot is filled with gymnastics, hip hop and music lessons.

Developmental Psychologist David Elkind reports that kids have lost more than 12 hours of free time per week in the last two decades. A report titled, Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need Play in School, published by the Alliance for Childhood, reported that kindergartners in New York and Los Angeles spend nearly three hours per day on reading and math instruction, and less than thirty minutes each day on “choice” or play time.

We're lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little.

Children are spending more time in organized sports which has been shown to significantly lower creativity as young adults. It’s not the organized sports themselves that destroy creativity but the lack of down time. Even two hours per week of unstructured play boosted children’s creativity to above-average levels.

With kids being carted from one activity to the next, the days of kids being kids and playing all day long has been erased from our society’s collective memory. We’ve devalued what children need most and replaced it with excessive adult control.

Perhaps, of all the elements of simplifying childhood that I’ve written about, simplifying schedules seems to be the one that causes the most controversy. Yet, it’s a relatively easy thing to do; there are no secrets or special tips you need to do it. It’s as simple as paring back and saying NO.

I think what stops us from simplifying is fear. Fear of missing out. Fear that we may be impeding our children’s future success.  Fear of what other’s may think.
It takes a leap of faith and a brave parent to trust that simplifying our children’s lives and giving them down time to play, connect with their families and create simple joy is what our kids really need. We need to protect them from society’s time thieves as they will only keep taking more and more from our kids.

We're lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little.

I’m heartened by my experience today. Because no matter what choices we make in life it feels better when we feel like we’re doing it as part of a community, even if it’s small or virtual. As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Let’s find the courage to “miss out” together so that we can create white space in our children’s lives and give them the freedom to paint it with the vibrant colors they choose. I have no doubt they’ll create works of art beyond our wildest imaginations.

Do you crave simplifying your child’s life but don’t know where to start? Claim your FREE GUIDE today for Four Simple and Actionable Tips to start simplifying childhood TODAY. And connect with Tracy of Raised Good on Facebook and Instagram.

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We're lead to believe that our kids need to be scheduled, their time accounted for. But, what they really need is freedom. White space. Time to be little.

25 Simple Screen-Free Activities for Kids

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations – no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep the kids entertained.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

Did you know that May 1-7 is Nation Screen-Free Week? It’s a great opportunity for families and communities to unplug and rediscover the joys of life beyond the screen. Kick off an entire summer of less screen time by participating in screen-free week.

Statistics Concerning Children and Screen time

Children today spend an average of 50 hours a week on some sort of electronic device. Screen time can be habit-forming: the more time children engage with screens, the harder time they have turning them off as they become older. Time with screens is a risk factor for childhood obesity. Screen time is linked to sleep disturbances in children ages 6- to 12-years.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

Join us as we replace screen time with…

  • Creative projects
  • Games
  • Being active
  • Outdoor Play
  • Reading

Below you’ll find a list of 25 simple activities that your kids can enjoy this summer – no screens required! These ideas are meant to be a starting point. What else can you add to this list?

25 Simple Screen-Free Activities for Kids

1. Explore in your own backyard – there’s no telling what you might discover.

2. Why not bring a little bit of nature indoors – we’re growing our own butterflies this year and my kids can’t wait.

3. Go Bird Watching.

4. Draw a life-size self portrait.

5. Blow Bubbles.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

6. Try watercolor resist painting.

7. Have a picnic.

8. Make melted crayon rock art.

9. Play a game of lawn dice.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

10. Make slime with this easy slime recipe.

11. Paint a walking stick and go on a nature walk.

12. Make walnut sail boats.

13. Play in the dirt.

14. Pick a bouquet of flowers.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

15. Go on a Nature Scavenger hunt – download the free printable scavenger hunt cards here.

16. Make your own toy camera.

17. Play a Favorite Board Game Together.

18. Go for a bike ride.

19. Play a game of catch outside.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

20. Write a letter or make a homemade card for a friend.

21. Go to the park.

22. Draw a picture with sidewalk chalk.

23. Go to your local library and choose a book.

24. Visit one a National Park – they’re free these 10 days in 2017!

25. Play at the lake.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

Michaels is your Kids summer fun headquarters! They have everything you need to spark creativity in your children and get them enjoying more screen-free time outdoors this summer.

Looking for more inspiration? Make sure you visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ summer project ideas.

Summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to stretch their creativity, get outside and explore, and use their imaginations. Absolutely no screens required! Here are 25 simple screen-free activities to keep kids entertained.

Eos® Lip Balm Mother’s Day Cards

Eos® Lip Balm Mother’s Day Cards – Mother’s Day will be here before you know it! Celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite eos® lip balm!

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

It’s the little things that mean a lot and letting mom know how much you love and appreciate her on Mother’s Day is simple with these printable cards. It’s not about how much it costs, it’s about taking the time to tell her how much you appreciate all she does!

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

Putting together something handmade, even something as simple as these cards, is always a hit with Mom! All you need to do is print, cut, assemble and you’ve got a special gift that Mom will love.

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

These cards can be made in bulk with a group of kids to give to their Mothers for Mother’s Day. With a little bit of adult help with the cutting the kids can assemble them, no problem!

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

Supplies

White Cardstock

An x-acto knife

eos® Lip Balm Limited Edition Spring Pack

Instructions

Click here to download eos® Mother’s Day Cards here and print.

Cut out the circle that is marked in the center of the ice cream cone using an x-acto knife.

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

Open eos® lip balm and place the lip balm through the hole.

Secure the lid of the lip balm.

Give this simple gift to Mom and let her know how sweet she is to you!

Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

More about eos® beauty products

Eos® makes effective beauty products, including natural lip care products, that are designed to bring delight and style to daily routines. We combine premium ingredients with beautiful colors, invigorating scents, and delicious flavors. Our natural lip balm, hand and body lotion, and shave cream products are hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, gluten-free, and packed with nourishing vitamins and natural skin-conditioning oils.

Purchase the Limited Edition Lip Balm Spring Set here

Purchase the Limited Edition Hand Lotion Spring Set here

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Mother's Day will be here before you know it – celebrate the special mom in your life with a simple card and her favorite EOS lip balm!

Two Words That will Instill your Child with a Powerful Confidence

For the times when we doubt our parenting skills, but desperately desire to instill the right words. Words that will pick our kids up and carry them through.

I have four girls. They are the craftiest-most entrepreneurial bunch I’ve ever met, and they didn’t get it from their mama. Those girls can craft and cook up the biggest storm when left to their own antics.

“Can we make a cake?”

“Can we go through our old toys and have a garage sale?”

“What about a lemonade stand?”

“I know! A play! A play! And we’ll make all of the costumes.”

Two simple words every child needs to hear. A simple parenting approach to encourage our children for years to come.

Photos courtesy of Ashley Soeder Photography

Oftentimes, I hesitate because I know that all of those big ideas equal big messes. Craft supplies strung from cabinets and drawers, paper, scissors, tape, and markers everywhere. Toys sorted in odd piles, fabric being sized on the littlest sister, or flour and sugar coating my once-clean kitchen floor.

While they should be able to clean up their own messes and have appropriate guidance from their mother (a topic for another day), it creates a tremendous amount of anxiety for me.

I know I need to be more relenting—it’s something I’m working on. I want those little girls to know that their mom believes in them. That they can become who they want to be. That they can do hard-and-creative things, even if it gets a little messy along the way. I had a parent that encouraged me this way, so it’s only fair that I do the same.

This is what my own dad would say to me:

“YOU CAN.”

“YOU CAN do that thing.”

“YOU CAN become that.”

Those two words meant that anything I could dream up, I could do.

Two simple words every child needs to hear. A simple parenting approach to encourage our children for years to come.

Two words that have helped me through countless obstacles of self-doubt, have helped me challenge my inner-critic, and have guided me to settle for nothing less than what I really want in life.

Funny thing, looking back my dad made it seem easy, but as a parent myself it feels more complicated than that. I worry that if I’m not intentional, I might miss my chance and that’s a bit scary.

However, if I listen, I can still hear him tell me:

“YOU CAN.”

“YOU CAN be that mom.”

He’s right. I CAN.

I CAN be that mom. WE CAN all be that mom—that parent that encourages our kids to do hard things, and to believe in themselves, because one day we won’t be there calling the shots.

Here are 5 tips to help us all on the journey

The things that we say are important, but the things that we do speak volumes too.

1. Notice them

Are we taking time to unplug and really notice our children? To notice what they are doing, what they are feeling, what they love, what they dislike?

This is one of the best tips of parenting advice I’ve ever received, so I’m passing it on.

We don’t always have to say “Hey! Great job!” to encourage our children, perhaps we can simply notice. Notice what they are working on, notice what they are interested in, and then let them see us noticing them.

That simple notion may be more genuine and supportive than we’ll ever know.

2. Be a positive voice.

On those exhausting days this can be a tough one! It can take a little more energy to stay on the up-beat, but a soft-gentle voice is an encouraging voice. It says I’m here for you, and I really care about you.

Two simple words every child needs to hear. A simple parenting approach to encourage our children for years to come.

3. Teach them by showing them.

I can incessantly tell my 4-year-old to put on her shoes, and she still won’t do it.

“I can’t do it!” She complains.

“Yes you can, try harder!” I’ll say.

“I can’t!”

Until I finally stop what I’m doing, decide to help her, and use that positive voice, nothing changes.

“See, first you put on your socks…the words on the bottom go down…then you open your shoes up really big…and in go your feet…now the little Velcro can close…you’ve got it!”

Stop, show, and teach them.

4. Let them try.

“You want to write a play?”

“Make some costumes?”

“Let’s see what we can do.”

“What are your ideas?”

Yes, I CAN let them try.

5. Let them fail.

This last one’s important, but not the easiest.

Not long ago, my girls wanted to have a mini-garage sale on a slow-very-people-less afternoon. For all the times I shunned them, I finally agreed.

No one came, but you know what? They didn’t care. Their failure was sweeter than not being able to try.

And me? I had only helped them facilitate their wings. But I did it.

I told them “YOU CAN.”

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Two simple words every child needs to hear. A simple parenting approach to encourage our children for years to come.

Dear Mom: Lice Is No One’s Fault

This is a guest post from Anne Gates, author of Uninvited: A Mom’s Guide to Killing Lice.

I sat on the sofa with one daughter tucked into my arm and the other draped across my lap. It was two days before Christmas, and although I had last-minute preparations to take care of, I’d chosen to set those thoughts aside and snuggle up with my girls for a holiday movie.

I was inwardly congratulating myself on choosing to be present with them when slowly something unusual broke through my steam of consciousness: My daughter kept raising a hand to her head.

I watched her more closely and noticed she wasn’t just pushing hair out of her eyes or biting her nails… She was scratching her head.

Alarm bells sounded in my mind, but I took a breath and assured myself it was nothing. But just to be sure, I invited her into the kitchen to make popcorn with me, and while we were under the warm, bright lights of our kitchen, I took a closer look at her scalp.

Just to be sure, I told myself again.

One mom's experience with the childhood ailment we all dread—and the lessons any of us can take away from it.

One close look revealed exactly what I’d been hoping I wouldn’t see: a head teaming with lice.

My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach and me feet were paralyzed with indecision.

I’d never in my life had lice; I had no idea where to start. And on top of that, this didn’t look like an early case of it. This looked like something that had been festering.

How hadn’t I noticed? How many times had I pulled her hair into a ponytail or brushed it after a bath, completely unaware of what was really happening on that scalp? 

I felt awash with guilt, and as I looked around at our home—the couch we’d just been sitting on, my other daughter’s head of sandy blond hair, my own hair for that matter—I was completely overwhelmed.

It turns out both my daughters and myself had advanced cases of lice. The degree of our infestation was beyond what I could handle, so I called in a professional to help us pick out the nits and de-lice our home. There were many tears from all three of us.

I felt horrible. So grossed out, so dirty feeling, so guilty that this had likely been going on for a month without my knowledge. The professional tried to put my mind at ease, but that mom guilt was persistent.

After we were finally lice free, I became highly proactive about preventing reoccurrence—only to have all three of us get it again a few months later. This time, I caught it within a week so it wasn’t as severe, but we still hired a pro to help with the combing. Again, I felt guilty and figured I hadn’t been vigilant enough.

Summer break gave us a reprieve, and when the girls went back to school, I again tried everything to prevent it (sprays, braids, etc.). But right before Thanksgiving, my youngest came home with it yet again.

Getting hit with lice three times in ten months lit a fire under me—a desire to share my experience with other moms and relieve some of the stigma associated with this all-too-common childhood ailment.

Let's give our fellow parents a blanket of support. Dear Mom: Lice Is No One's Fault

Lessons from My Family’s Experience with Lice

1. Contracting lice has nothing to do with the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of home or hair.

Lice don’t suddenly spring up because you haven’t vacuumed in three weeks or washed your child’s hair since last Saturday. It is spread by direct contact with a surface (usually a head) already infested with lice.

(And while we’re talking about cleaning, rest assured that cleaning your home is the last thing you need to worry about when you first spot lice nits. The chances of contracting it from furniture are slim. They can’t fly or jump; they crawl from one head to another.)

2. Ninety percent of moms end up with lice when their kids get it.

If you contract lice, know that you are not alone. Consider all the times you’ve held your child’s head against your own. Forehead to forehead when you want to look deeply into your daughter’s eyes… You son’s head against yours when he climbs into your bed after having a nightmare…

You are a hands-on mom who is always there for your kids; there is nothing wrong with that.

3. We can’t control everything, despite our best efforts.

Even the best preventative sprays are not going to work if your child has head-to-head contact with someone who has lice. And unless you know what you’re looking for, it’s hard to diagnose. You could easily be combing and styling your child’s hair every day and not notice it for weeks.

Our experience with lice, although I certainly wouldn’t wish to repeat it, has actually helped accept how many things are outside of my control as a parent. Our children may come home with lice, yes. But they may also be diagnosed with ADHD or a sensory processing disorder or an unexpected, long-term illness. They may make friends that we wouldn’t pick for them. They may (and likely will) make choices we wish we could change.

So much is outside of our control. So let’s appreciate our connections with them more than anything else, and let’s give each other—our fellow parents—a blanket of support.

A Resource for Parents Dealing with Lice

I wrote a book for the mom who finds out her children have lice at 7pm on a random Thursday evening. That panic that you’re feeling? It’s real and universal.  I remember spiraling in my kitchen, not knowing what to do, where to start, or what I needed. In the book, I outline the process baby step by baby step.

Uninvited: A Mom’s Guide to Killing Lice

But for now, leave with this:

Take a deep breath. It’s not your fault. You and your children are not dirty, you couldn’t have controlled this, and you should never stop hugging and loving on those kids.

One mom's experience with the childhood ailment we all dread—and the lessons any of us can take away from it. Dear Mom: Lice Is No One's Fault

To All the Mamas with Little Ones Still at Home

To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – don’t ever forget the beauty of what you’re doing even in the middle of the chaos.

To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – don’t ever forget the beauty of what you’re doing even in the middle of the chaos.

Photos courtesy of Jenny Cruger Photography

This is really important

I mean super important, and I know you’ll hear it, but you need to stop, just for a second (catch your breath) and read these words.

Please please please do not compare your home, your schedule, your crazy with any of us mamas whose littlest one is in school.

Because that will make you crazy, want to pull out your hair frustrated.

Beyond frustrated.

To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – please please please do not compare your home, your schedule, your crazy with any of us mamas whose littlest one is in school.

Overwhelmed. Wondering why you can’t keep it together. Worried that you’re not doing enough. You know, all those mom guilt and angst things that we deal with day in and day out.

Because I know. For years and years and years I wanted my house to be clean and to stay clean and for it to be quiet and to stay quiet and for the dishes to be done and the laundry and to not go from room to room cleaning up. I scrubbed marker from the wall and picked up goldfish from the floor and read stories and did naps and had a backyard that was an advertorial for Little Tikes.

To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – please please please do not compare your home, your schedule, your crazy with any of us mamas whose littlest one is in school.

 

When they’re little, it’s kind of futile to chase having order

– or at least sustained order.

I’m not sure why I never learned that lesson when they’re little. I’d fight and clean and push and grade myself way way too hard. But I was grading myself on the scale of no longer having littles at home.

When they’re gone all day things stay put away. When they’re little well, you know. You’re in the midst of it – the depths of mothering patience and tolerance and giving.

And it’s quiet.

So I know, I know it’s crazy. I know it will feel like it will never ever ever end. I know the clothes you just folded got pulled out of the drawer. I know that you have to cut things into triangles and not squares. I know that naptime is the best. I know that somedays you feel like you’re running a sprint. I know that you hear your name cried to you every 24 seconds at times. I know.

To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – don’t ever forget the beauty of what you’re doing even in the middle of the chaos.

 

I also know that it ends

So this is what I want you to do. No more comparing. It’s okay that your house looks crazy at times. You know why? You have littles in your home. And you’re in the years of unbelievable busy. Don’t run from it. Just do your best. And try, as much as you can to take time for yourself and to give yourself grace.

A whole bunch of grace.

Especially if you tend to like things perfect like I do. Because that can create such tension. But, sweet mom, I don’t ever want you to forget the beauty of what you’re doing even in the middle of the chaos. You are raising littles, prepping them, getting ready to let them go. And that’s amazing.

Keep on carrying on. Don’t compare to me. Mine are in school. And that’s a new set of crazy.

Just be you.

And do exactly what you’re doing.

A version of this post originally appeared on Finding Joy. You can connect with Rachel of Finding Joy on Facebook and Instagram.

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To all the Mamas with little ones still at home – please please please do not compare your home, your schedule, your crazy with any of us mamas whose littlest one is in school.

 

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