On my daughter's first day of school the kids were sitting at the breakfast table.  Usually they pester each other and it can be my most hectic and stressful time of the day, but that day Little Buddy (2.5 years old) reached out his hand to his sister (4 years old) and said, "Don't leave.  I'm going to miss you today while you're at school."

He almost had tears in his eyes and was visibly upset.  His sweet sister reached across the table, grabbed his hand and said, "Don't worry, Little Buddy.  I don't have to leave right away.  I can still play with you for a few minutes."  They sat there holding hands for a few minutes and I thought my heart would break.

Then I realized the full reality of this situation.  Poor little Buddy really was going to miss his sister.  A lot.  He'd gotten used to have her around for the summer months.  They do fight a lot, but they play together too.  I decided to try to come up with a few games that he alone would really enjoy.  True boy stuff since he so often gets stuck playing dress-up with princess costumes.  I came up with a bean ramp.

It was very simple, very cheap, and very easy.  My kind of project!  I just got out our sensory bin, which has beans and old pasta.  Then I taped an old wrapping paper tube to a chair and underneath this, I put a cookie pan.  I originally tried this with multiple paper towel holders taped together, but the beans kept getting stuck in there and frustrating Little Buddy, so I was happy to find this wrapping paper holder, which worked much better.

The cookie pan at the bottom was key.  He simply took out beans, pasta, etc., and put it in the tube.  It flew down and made a loud, "PING" noise when it landed in the cookie pan.  The noise was definitely his favorite part and it also contained the mess.  He really enjoyed this and even got out his cars and tried to run them down the ramp.  Of course, he was still sad about his sister being gone, but at least he got try something new.

If you enjoyed this post, you will love our book!  This summer The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble, and Motivated to Learn was released.  If you have ever tried to cook dinner while your kid clings to your leg and cries, this is the book for you!  We give you hundreds of ideas on keeping your kids busy but also helping them learn.  What makes this book unique is that we give you a Mom's point of view and a teacher's point of view, so that you can do activities that not only keep the kids busy, but also keep them motivated to learn and develop their natural curiosity.  Kids behave better when they are given challenging projects to work on, which will in turn give you more free time to do the things you really need to do, like washing dishes, paying bills, and relaxing so that you can be a better Mom!

I used to be an eternal optimist, nothing could get me down.  Then I became an adult.  I started to experience real adult problems, like pregnancy hormones, sleep deprivation, financial worries, and worst of all, watching episodes of Mickey Mouse day after day.  Over the course of the last four years, my sunny nature has slightly decreased.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm still an optimist and I have a great life, but once I get in a bad mood, it's harder to shake than it used to be.

So, after a recent vacation, I came home in a funk.  I got used to not having to cook, clean, or be anywhere at a certain time so when I got home and started preparing my grocery list for the week and thinking about everything I needed to do, I burst into tears.  I truly felt like I couldn't face my life and drastic measures needed to be taken.  How could I turn my life more into vacation?  My poor husband stood by, ringing his hands.  This was very unusual behavior for me and he was at a loss.  The poor guy finally said, "I didn't realize your life was so bad.  What can I do to help you?"

I realized what I really needed was a trip to my parents' house.  My Mom always knows how to cheer me up.  She hugged me, laughed at my tears, and reminded me of what a great life I truly have.  Three hours later, I started to drive home feeling much better.  My daughter, however, was still in a funk.  As always, the kids came home feeling a little tired and also out of sorts from our vacation, and I found my good mood starting to vanish as she whined for me to get her something to drink.  Then she dropped her book and couldn't reach it.  Then she realized she left something at my parents' house.  I started to get impatient with her and I thought about lecturing her on how she needed to learn to do some these things by herself, but then it hit me: I needed to teach my daughter how to look on the bright side.  This is a learned skill.  My Mom had to teach me to be an optimist so why would I expect my daughter to just know it already?

I began brainstorming about how my Mom taught me to be an optimist.  It took me several weeks to think of everything and make sure my list was complete (I did ask my Mom but she couldn't remember.  Then she said, "I may be losing my long-term memory but on the bright side I'm still funny."  Case in point, don't you think?.)

So, here is how my Mom taught me to be an optimist:

1. She Helped me Develop a Sense of humor:  We always found something to laugh about, and as quickly as possible.  This helped me realize not to take myself too seriously, which came in very handy during my early parenting years with severe sleep deprivation.
2. She Taught Me to Play the Happy Game: Sometimes people just find themselves in a crummy mood.  That's why they say someone "woke up on the wrong side of the bed."  You have to consciously think about things that make you feel happy so you can stop feeling so down.  Make a list of everything you appreciate in life, or simply things that make you happy.  The good will quickly outweigh the bad.  Keep it simple with things like, "Finding a good book to read, Waking up to see sunshine, getting to sleep in 30 minutes later than usual, when a stranger smiles at you, etc."
3. She Taught Me the Importance of Getting Plenty of sleep.  Help your kids understand that they really should go to bed because they will happier and healthier for it.  It may take 15 years for this to sink in, but I was one of the few college students in bed by 10:00 every night and that was the peak of my optimistic years.  It's hard to be upbeat if you don't get enough sleep.
4. What's the worst-case scenario?  I remember when I would get a B when I thought I deserved an A.  For some reason, I thought it was literally the end of the world and I remember being so angry.  But then my Mom made me realize that it wasn't going to prevent me from getting into a good college or getting a good job one day.  The worst-case scenario is a slightly lower overall GPA so when you look at it like that, it's easier to stomach disappointment and move on.
5. This too shall pass.  This was my grandpa's favorite saying and it's very true.  No matter how many friends are mad at you or how upset you are that you missed the last shot to win the game, within a few weeks, all will be forgotten and there will be a new drama.  This too shall pass.  I said it constantly to myself when my kids were waking up every 15 minutes.  At age 9 months.  And it did pass, Thank God!
6. Appreciate good moments when you find them.  When you do find yourself sitting outside on a beautiful day, take a moment to breathe deeply and appreciate the moment.  If someone does something nice for you, take the time to realize how lucky you are to have someone in your life who cares about you.  These are the moments that will carry you through when you're sad.

So, that day, I began teaching my daughter to be an Optimist.  We played The Happy Game.  It took my daughter almost 15 minutes to grasp it and I had to work hard not to get frustrated with her.  The game went like this:

Me:  "Let's play the happy game!  I'll go first.  It makes me happy when I wake up and see the sun shining.  Your turn!"
Munchkin Girl: "Nothing makes me happy.  I just want Lily!"  (This is the doll she left at her grandparents)
Me:  "I'm sure you'll think of something.  I'll go again.  It makes me happy when I get to see my kiddos laughing about something.  Your turn!"
Munchkin Girl: "I still want Lily!"
Me: "Okay, I'll go again.  It makes me happy when I get to hang out with my brothers.  Your turn!"

It went on like this for awhile until she finally caved and started playing.  By the end of the drive we were laughing and she had forgotten to whine.  Of course, this one game didn't cure her for life, and I fully realize that this will be a life-long process, but she already she has started asking to play the Happy Game when we get in the car or when she's sad.  And that alone makes me a very happy Mommy.

I hope you enjoyed this post!  Thanks for visiting!  I hope you will consider buying my newly-released book.  The reviews have been very positive and you can even download the first chapter on your Kindle for free! Please visit Amazon to read all the reviews and find out more.  Thanks so much to everyone who has already bought the book.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!  

Did you enjoy my post?  Don't forget to vote for me by clicking the banner below.  You can also enter your email address below to receive all my updates!  I really appreciate your support!!

It's hard to believe that just four short months ago my daughter was afraid of bugs.  She freaked out if even a little bitty ant came into her playhouse.  Then I was inspired by my co-author, Susan Case, to "create a little scientist".  Per Susan's suggestion, I gave her a magnifying glass and a net, and I have to say that I have created a monster.  Our current inventory is:

• 2 Frogs
• 6 Worms
• 4 Grasshoppers
• 1 Stick Bug
• 1 Cricket

Much to my husband's dismay, we keep these in small plastic containers all around the house.  It's turned into quite a circus around here and for our latest trick, we have figured out how to....Tame Grasshoppers!!   Again, I'm shocked that my little girl who will only wear dresses wants to do this, but she is hooked.  This is what a grasshopper looks like in a box.  A little creepy, huh?

Well, one day the kids decided to try to hold the grasshoppers and lo and behold, we discovered that after they've been captive for a few days, they turn into nice little pets.  Little Buddy was the one who started it and Munchkin Girl quickly begged for him to share his new pets.  They literally spent an hour one day carrying this little guy around, and passing it back and forth and talking to it like it was a little baby.  As with all of our pets, her name was Rosita:

The first thing they want to do when they wake up is look at their "pets" and this has been going on for weeks now.  I would say I definitely have two little scientists on my hands.  The ultimate showing of how we have tamed the grasshoppers came this weekend when the kids put them on Little Buddy's helmet.  Those little grasshoppers sat dutifully on his helmet while he raced around the driveway with his little balance bike.  At one point, he crashed his bike, and Big Sis went running out there.  We thought she was going to see if Little Bro was okay.  Instead, she knelt down by her grasshoppers and picked them up while cooing, "Are you okay my little precious ones?"  She did not give a backward glance at her brother, who was sprawled on the ground crying.  I guess we know where her priorities are!  Check out those grasshoppers on his helmet below!

We have an entire chapter in our book devoted to encouraging science in little ones, and how it.  To find out more I hope you'll consider checking out The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn

It's official.  My daughter knows letters T, S, N, A....and well, that's about all the official ones for now but we are making definitely progress!  I still love the dot makers that we used a few weeks ago to make our amazing tye-dye coffee filters, so I decided to use these to work on letters.  I simply made the letters with circles first, sort of like I did for the Rock Letters, and then I just gave her the dot makers.   As you can see, she thought this was a super fun and stuck with this activity for quite awhile.

Even Little Buddy had fun with the dot makers, although he didn't exactly make the letters (he's 2 and a half), but he still enjoyed it and claimed that each letter was an "S!!!!"

If you enjoyed this post, you will really enjoy reading my newly-released book!  I teamed up with Susan Case who is a former Kindergarten teacher and a passionate advocate for learning through play, and we wrote the book together to give a Mom and a Teacher point of view.  You can watch a video that explains more here:

Sometimes being a parent is all about making decisions.  And last weekend, I had a tough decision to make.  I took Little Buddy running with me in the jogging stroller and then we stopped at a perfect little park.  We were the only ones there and I tried something new.  I brought a ball with us.  We had so much fun rolling the ball down the slide and he even climbed up this little rock wall/slide thing and I was really patting myself on the back.  I got exercise and now he was getting exercise too.  What a glorious Fall morning!!

 

Then all of a sudden Little Buddy went to the corner of the Park.  "Leave me alone," he yelled.  "I'm pooping."

Oh NO!!!  Diapers.  The one thing I forgot.  I had water, snacks, Kleenex, my phone, even diaper wipes.  But I immediately knew that I had forgotten diapers.  I frantically searched the stroller even though I knew that I wouldn't find even a lonely, single diaper.  We were about 20 minutes from the car and another 15 minute car-ride from home.   I had to laugh...sometimes being a Mom can be so unglamorous.

Here is the funny part.  When you become a Mom, you do something one way and then you just keep on doing it.  For my entire career as a Mom, I've handled this the exact same way.  I rush them home with a smelly diaper as fast as I can and then change them.  I don't know why it's never occurred to me do anything different, but that day I had an inspiration.  Why not let him go without a diaper?  Even the mere thought of this seemed foreign and wrong to me. 

Yet at two and a half, he really was close to being able to be potty-trained anyway and selfishly I just wasn't ready to leave the park yet.  It was rare for me to spend time alone with Little Buddy and this was the most stress-free time I'd had in weeks.  I decided to do the unthinkable: let him go WITHOUT a diaper.  Or underwear.  I simply took off his poopy diaper and then just simply didn't put a diaper back on over his bare little bottom.  I just pulled up his pants and then I told him he could keep playing.  He was very confused at first, but once he realized it was okay, he immediately embraced this concept.   It was definitely the first time in his young life that he was allowed to play or do ANYTHING without a diaper and he was LOVING it!

As for me, it was strangely liberating.  Sometimes life is so rigid that I forget that I have a lot of power as a Mom.  I can make the decision that if I have the guts, I can allow my son to "Go Commando" at the park so that we can enjoy another twenty minutes.   No one is going to run along and scream at me to put a diaper on my son.  First of all, they won't even know.  And secondly, I'm his Mom!  There is no law that says your Little Buddy must wear a diaper at all times.  And it felt wonderful to break the rules!  

In retrospect, I'm sure other Moms do this all the time, but it was a first for me.  And I'm happy to report that he did fine and made it all the way home without an accident and was very proud of himself.  He must have told me 15 times, "I'm not pooping, Mom!"

So now I guess it's time to officially potty-train.  Heh.  We'll see.

On a different note, I would be thrilled if you would check out my new book!  I teamed up with former Kindergarten teacher, Susan Case, and this summer we released The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble, and Motivated to Learn.  If you have ever tried to cook dinner while your kid clings to your leg and cries, this is the book for you!  We give you a Mom's point of view and a teacher's point of view, so that you can do activities that not only keep the kids busy, but also keep them motivated to learn and develop their natural curiosity.  Kids behave better when they are given challenging projects to work on, which will in turn give you more free time to do the things you really need to do, like washing dishes, paying bills, and relaxing so that you can be a better Mom!

Okay, okay you got me.  I admit that my kids don't read yet and this photo was staged.  But we had a lot of fun taking this photo and the point is, I wanted to make sure you knew that my book is out because I REALLY think it can help Moms out there!  I co-wrote it with a former Kindergarten Teacher, Susan Case and what makes it unique is that we give the Mom perspective and then a Teacher perspective.  Here is what's in it for you:

• Literally hundreds of ideas on ways to keep your kids busy
• Data and research on why it's so important to nourish your child's brain at a young age
• A list of how to get started on crafts and projects even if you aren't crafty by nature and have never been to a craft store (trust me, you aren't alone.  I've heard it from a lot of folks)
• Stories of putting these projects into real-life scenarios
• Visuals on how implementing these ideas can truly make your family happier
• A kiss from me!

Well...maybe you won't exactly get a kiss from me, and you probably wouldn't want one anyway, but I would still be eternally grateful!  But don't listen to me...To give you an idea of what you might expect to get out of this book, here is what one reader put on Pinterest. 

A MUST read. I've read this book and it has so many great and simple ideas on how to stimulate your children's minds so they will want to play on there own and you will be able to do things around the house or just relax without turning on the TV for the kids.

I have been so humbled by how many of you have already bought the book and I want to say THANK YOU!!  It has been consistenly ranked in the Top 5 on Amazon for the category of Motherhood since its release in July and I can't even tell you how happy that makes me!!  If you've already read it and liked it, would you mind recommending it to a friend?

Susan and I did a short video, discussing more about the theory behind the book and how you can benefit from it (As an added benefit, you get to put a face to the name....if you've been reading my blog for awhile, you can watch this video to make sure that I'm normal!  :-)


Feel free to download the first chapter on your Kindle so that you can get a feel for whether you want to spend your money on this!

We humans have a strong tendency to hold a grudge. When my kids start acting crazy, I have a hard time getting in a better mood and moving on.  However, experts say this is very important, especially for self-esteem.  The authors of Parenting with Love and Logic Magic, The Early Years, stress the importance of moving on after a time-out.  The kid has paid the price and they shouldn't have to continue to pay the price all day just because Mom is in a foul mood now.

I had to really become super-human yesterday to put this into practice.  I caught Munchkin Girl pinning Little Buddy's head to the couch while I was making lunch for them.  She had a mischievous grin on her face, and she knew full-well what she was doing.  I'd already warned her that if she did it again she was headed for a time-out, but after she was finished with her punishment, I found that my blood was still boiling.

I knew we needed to re-direct our energy or I would never be able to move one in a nice way.  I pulled out her all-time favorite project: Christmas sprinkles.  We've used these in the past many times to work on letters, but I thought I would try something new since this was a unique situation.

First I traced my hand for her to show her what to do.  Since she's done this sort of thing before, she knew just what to do.  She used the glue to trace what I'd done, then she asked for the sprinkles.  I always use this foil tin to catch the mess.  My daughter was thrilled and I was thrilled to see her lovely smile instead of her evil grin.  She absolutely loves this game and it was the perfect way to move on after a time-out.

After she finished my hand, she traced her own hand and did the glue and sprinkles.  Squeezing glue is always good for fine motor strength.

Then we moved to her foot and my foot.

Then she begged to do it with her doll, and I thought "Why not?"  She held her down while I traced around her.  I even added the doll's name and this turned out to be the most favorite finished product of the afternoon!

If you enjoyed this post, you will love our book!  I teamed up with former Kindergarten teacher, Susan Case, and we released The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble, and Motivated to Learn in July, 2012.  If you have ever tried to cook dinner while your kid clings to your leg and cries, this is the book for you!  We give you a Mom's point of view and a teacher's point of view, so that you can do activities that not only keep the kids busy, but also keep them motivated to learn and develop their natural curiosity.  Kids behave better when they are given challenging projects to work on, which will in turn give you more free time to do the things you really need to do, like washing dishes, paying bills, and relaxing so that you can be a better Mom!

Sometimes I'm so worried about whether my kids got enough breakfast and whether I put on sunscreen, that I forget that life isn't always going to be like this. My kids will be grown-ups someday.  I got a special glimpse into that this week.

My best friend Dani has been one of the few constants in my life.  Neither of us has sisters, and I truly feel that she is the special sister that life has given me.  However, she is a moron and decided to move away from her friends and family.  Okay, now before you yell at me, I'm just kidding.  I guess this doesn't make her a moron, but it sure makes me sad because she is very funny.  Here we are at my own rehearsal dinner and she was the Maid of Honor:

Dani has been visiting her parents for the last few weeks and we have gotten to see each other several times.  The kids have played together since her little girl is three and is right in the middle of my kids' ages.  The three of them are like three little peas in a pod....until Little Buddy decides to start growling at the girls and acting like a "Monster" and then they run away screaming, but that is a different story.

So, the last time we saw each other, I said, "Okay, what should we plan for next week?"

She replied, "I can't!  We leave on Sunday!"

"B-b-b-but, I thought we had another week!  I'm going to miss you guys so much!" I sputtered.  We hugged and said our good-byes and I got the kids strapped into their seats and we went on our separate ways.

As we were driving home, Munchkin Girl started kicking my seat and yelling "Mommy!"

"Yes?" I said.

"Mommy I'm sad for you," my daughter said.  "I don't want your special friend to leave.  That will make you too sad."

And that's how I got a glimpse into my grown-up daughter.  I suddenly saw vividly how my daughter could support me.  She wasn't worried about her own friend leaving (although she is obsessed with Ella and talks about her constantly).  She was worried for me and her concern for me truly touched me.  Plus, I'm so thrilled that she has learned the importance of having a good friend.  She has seen how much Dani means to me.  I really don't want these early days to end because I love picking out her outfits and hearing her say funny things, but it's nice to know that I have a lot to look forward to as well.

I also want to say thank you so much to all of you out there!  I love writing my blog and I love having so many visitors!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support on my book too!  I have been so honored by all the wonderful comments we have gotten!  One of my favorites was from Dawn@Prickly Mom:

Love your book! Seriously, I rate it up there with my heroes Elizabeth Pantley and John Rosemond in terms of day-to-day usefulness. Bravo!

You can download the first chapter for free on Kindle to make sure you like it! 

Did you enjoy my post?  Don't forget to vote for me by clicking the banner below.  You can also enter your email address below to receive all my updates!  I really appreciate your support!!

One of the best things I ever bought was a bag of colored Poms.  I had no idea what colored Poms were before I had kids, but now I just love them.  If we are ever in a bind for something to do, I know we can always get out the colored Poms and invent a game.  So, if you're looking for something to do with your kids and you want to use stuff you already have around the house, here are some ideas:

Sensory bowl:  Seriously.  Just put them in a bowl and see what your kids do with them.  They will probably start making soup or throwing them up the air.  You'd be surprised what kids can come up with.   Child expert Susan Case says giving kids opportunity to use their imagination and create their own fun is one of the most important things we can do for our kids.  I remember one rainy afternoon my kids spent 48 minutes playing happily with Poms, 2 kitchen pans, and 2 spoons.  I know because I timed it.  Just out of curiosity.  I'm weird.

Sorting: Give your kids several bowls and show them where to put the yellows, the greens, the blues, etc.  Did you know that when kids sort objects, they are actually practicing early math skills?  I didn't know that either, but according to child expert Susan Case,

"When children sort and pattern, they actually learn mathematical skills. Children begin sorting things at an early age. In fact, according to some researchers, young children spend over 40 percent of their time sorting objects into sets, counting objects, or exploring patterns and forms."

Play "Hide the Blueberries":  Kids need exercise.  What better way to do that than a modified Easter Egg Hunt?  Put your kid in one room and tell them to count to 10 or 20 or whatever they are capable or doing.  Then you go in the other room and throw the Poms all around, under chairs, in the corner, etc., but make sure to make it easy for them to find or they will get frustrated.  Then they can take their bucket around and search for all the "blueberries"!  They get the exercise and they also have to practice delayed gratification while they have to wait for you to be finished hiding everything.

The Counting Jar:  Use any old jar and put all the Poms inside.  Glass jars are preferable because the colors look vibrant and appealing from outside.  Then simply ask your child to pull out the Poms and help them count as they go.  Your child will likely automatically sort them into her own piles, and again, this reinforces the skills she will need to learn math later in life.

Make a Rainbow: Draw a simple rainbow pattern and show your child which colors go where.  Then she can fill in the rest!

Use Tongs to Sort: For some reason, kids love this game.  If you are doing this with your Preschooler, make sure to put the Poms on the left side so they have to go from left to right.  It is good for them to get in this habit since all reading and writing goes from left to right.  Just give them a cookie pan or something to empty the Poms into.  This is great for fine motor and muscle strength and even toddlers can enjoy this game!

If you liked this post, you will LOVE my new book (which is currently ranked#4 on Amazon in the category of Motherhood!).   If you have ever asked yourself questions like, these, then this is the book for you!

Hello my lovely followers!  I have some exciting news for us!  I have been working with the Steve Harvey Show and they want me to ask my followers if anyone interested in being on the show!  It is a brand-new show on NBC and it is on right before the Ellen DeGeneres Show, on during the daytime.  This particular episode is about discipline.  The show is coming right up and they would prefer someone who lives in the Chicago or surrounding area or who might be willing to fly to Chicago.  Is anyone out there interested?  If so, please email me directly (katiefnorris at yahoo.com) with a bit of info about your family and also pictures if possible.  

From all the hype out there, this going to be a pretty popular new show and you have a chance to be in one of the first episodes!  Please let me know ASAP if you are interested!

Did you enjoy my post?  Don't forget to vote for me by clicking the banner below.  You can also enter your email address below to receive all my updates!  I really appreciate your support!!