Parenthood

5 tips to make summer fun for your family without burning yourself out

Summer can be a time of chaos and overwhelm, but it doesn’t have to be. Learn how to simplify your life with these helpful tips for managing expectations, creating a daily routine, planning ahead for fun, and simplifying meal planning.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Summer is a time of sun-kissed skin, beach days, and BBQs. It’s the season of vacations and lazy days by the pool. But as much as we look forward to the warm weather, summer can also be a bit overwhelming.

Having kids home all day means more time for family bonding and adventures together, but it can also mean more sibling fights, constant requests for snacks, and SO. MUCH. LAUNDRY.

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Spring cleaning with kids: Clever ways to make chores fun

Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a drag. These tried-and-true cleaning hacks for families will make spring cleaning with kids more fun…and teach them valuable life skills!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Kids love to make messes, and they are REALLY good at it. But cleaning up? Not so much.

Still, teaching kids to clean up after themselves is an important life skill…and if you’re anything like me it helps your sanity, too.

So what’s a mom to do when the mere mention of chores elicits dramatic groans and endless excuses?

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Healthy packed lunch ideas for kids (with free printable checklist)

Want to teach your kids to pack their OWN lunch for school this year? Or maybe you just need ideas to make the process easier for yourself? Either way, this school lunch checklist is your complete guide to easy and healthy packed lunch ideas all year long!

School lunch box filled with healthy packed lunch ideas.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

School day mornings can be crazy. There are breakfasts to make, kids who need help taming their seriously impressive bedhead, and missing shoes to find.

In the midst of the morning hustle, it can be hard to make time to pack a healthy lunch that kids actually want to eat.

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Chore sticks: a super simple chore system for kids

If you need a super simple way to get your kids to help around the house, try using chore sticks! It’s the easiest, best chore system we’ve ever used.

Part of being in a family is working together to take care of the home we all live in. This is something I feel strongly about, but it can be tricky to find a system that works for more than a couple of weeks.

I’ve been there.

I’ve tried a bunch of chore systems over the years, but the super simple plan that we’ve come back to several times—and is working brilliantly for us right now—is CHORE STICKS.

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How to create a simple after school routine (+ free printable checklist)

Help your family keep home and school life organized with a simple after school routine, complete with free printable checklist!

With kids heading back to school right now, it’s a great time to revisit family routines and get some good systems in place to make life run a little smoother this year.

Have your kids headed back to school yet?

My kids just started back at public school after homeschooling last year, so I was a little nervous for them, but so far so good!

I’m still working my way through revamping all my household systems (I had a LOT of things that got pushed to the back burner for the past year and a half…can you relate?), but one routine I set up right away was our after school routine.

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5 ways to make family dinnertime meaningful

If your family dinnertime is in need of a little makeover, try one of these simple activities to get everyone talking and laughing together. Make dinnertime matter!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

With back to school just around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about our family rhythm and routines. For the past year and half my kids have been home with me every day, and we’ve had lots of time together.

Once school starts, my big kids will be gone for more than 6 hours per day! I’m excited for the opportunities that will open up for them–and for me–but I’m also a little sad about losing so much family time. It’s gotten me thinking about how to replace quantity with quality time.

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How to fit in more time to read aloud to kids, even when you’re busy

Life gets crazy sometimes, and it can be hard to carve out time to read aloud to kids, but these simple ideas will help you fit in the reading time that you know is so important!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

I grew up on a steady diet of books. My childhood was filled with days spent carrying armfuls of books out of our local library, being mesmerized by the strange ocean creatures I encountered as I flipped through our National Geographic books, and listening to my mom read The Chronicles of Narnia as I snuggled in bed at night. Books were everywhere in my home.

I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but I realize now what a wonderful gift my parents gave me by filling my life with books.

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Our family motto for this school year

Each school year, our family chooses a motto to focus on. Here’s our (much needed) goal for 2020!

I usually get really excited about the beginning of the school year. As a former teacher, I love school and I get a little giddy when I start to see large bins of pencils and crayons front and center in the grocery store, begging families everywhere to bring them home and place them in brand new backpacks.

This year has felt weird though. Anyone else?

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Daily summer schedule for kids that will save your sanity

Summer break is the time for lazy days, big adventures, and making lots of memories. Still, kids thrive on structure (and so do I). Having a flexible summer schedule for kids will help you keep life balanced.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

I LOVE summer time! Give me a sunny day and a big slice of watermelon and I’m one happy girl. I dream of roasting s’mores, exploring mountain trails, and splashing at the pool together. Summer is magic.

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How to clean…faster…simpler…easier (tips for moms)

Cleaning a house with kids around is a task that never ends, but these quick “how to clean” tips will help you tame the mess and give you more time to enjoy those messy kids.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Let me be clear from the start: my house does not constantly look like the cover of Magnolia Home. I wish it was always spotless and free of clutter, but the reality of raising kids is that our house has people in it…quite a few people…several of whom are small and make lots of messes every day.

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Parenthood

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