I love being a mom

I feel like life is now complete. Being a mom is like taking your heart out of your chest and watching it walk around.

My favorite time of day is when my 6-month-old baby girl first wakes up. She always lifts her head to look me straight in the eye and beams her contagious little smile, as if this person is trying to say, "Mommy, I'm so excited to see you."

Easy tips for getting your kids to sleep

Children have to be alert for their lessons it's hard to problem solve if they are sleepy. A lack of sleep affects their attention, behaviour and learning. 

School-age kids require an average of nine hours of quality sleep each night with kindergartners needing closer to 10 hours and most high school students functioning well with eight hours of Z's. However, 30 percent of children suffer from some form of insomnia. The following tips will help you getting your kids on a health sleep schedule for the school year:

Start now

Determine what time your children need to get up every morning for school, so you can set a school year bedtime that allows them the amount of sleep they need to function optimally.

Remove sleep stealers

These include TVs, iPads and other electronic devices in bedrooms, caffeinated beverages, late-day naps and scary movies close to bedtime. It's  crucial to establish a bedtime routine which should be short and sweet and should not involve electronic media. 

For younger kids, with-down time followed by a bath, jammies, then a bedtime story sets the stage for a good night's sleep.

Stick to a regular schedule

On the weekend everybody stays up late and sleeps in, which could really shift your schedule; it's almost like getting jet-lagged every weekend. Don't vary wake-up times by more than two hours on weekends. If you're following these guidelines and your child is still having trouble falling asleep or waking up, is snoring excessively or is napping during the day, it's important to see your pediatrician.

School-age children should not be napping, if they are getting eight or nine hours of sleep and haivng a daytime nap, that is unusual symptom and you should talk to your doctor. Children should wake up spontaneously if they've had enough sleep. If they always need a parent to wake them in the morning, that is another clue they're not getting enough sleep."

 

Super traits of strong moms

Being a mom doesn't come easy; it tests your will, your patience, and your capacity to love. It also strengthens women. Motherhood may be the best cure for a broken heart and spirit. Listen to the wise words of the moms who share the ways that being a mom makes them stronger.

You have no choice but to be strong

When women have children, they have to be strong no matter what. Mothers are the first line of defense. They are there to protect and serve, even when they have had a terrible day. In those moments when a mother wants to throw in the towel, she eyes her children and realizes she can not. So she sucks it up. She is strong because she has to be.

You become selfless

One mother said that she does for her kids what she wouldn't do for herself.

You learn to do it all with no sleep

Sleeping sis overrated! That's what mom's say to keep going without any sleep. As a single woman without children, I can't imagine sleeping four hours and being a superhero to little ones. I would be the crankiest Super woman ever. But mothers just do. As Elizabeth, a single mother of two, explained, "You learn to do everything everyone else has to do in this world.... but without sleep." Talk about willpower.

You are quick on your feet

Mothers have to juggle gazillion things at once, and most do so well. They may not all think so (moms often feel guilty about something) but I am here to tell you that you are fabulous. A mom's ability to cook break fast, take work calls, get the kids ready for school and analyze situations at the drop of a hat (and take action) is sort of a miracle.

You are more intuitive

With little ones running around, you have to pay attention. Mothers notice nuances and changes in behavior. They can feel when something is off. This sixth sense helps them mother better and make better decisons for them selves and their kids. Motherhood hones our intuitive powers.

You become a leader

When we are leaders we must be strong. When you are a mother, you are lading by example, not by default. Even when you want to cry, you can not break down for hours in front of your children, because your children are watching and learning from you

You learn how to overcome obstacles

because you are a leader as soon as you give birth, you have overcome obstacles. You can not crawl under a rock and let life pass you by. Regardless of what you or your family is going through, you leap over the hurdles. You problem solve. You suck it up and do what has to be done to crush the issue. That's almost superwoman.

 

How to make Valentine's Day special for your children

Valentine's Day is not a holiday that gets the hype to Christmas or a birthday, but it can still be a time for you to create special memories with yous kids, no matter how old they are. Creating these memories will help your kid remember his childhood with fondness and a glow that comes from feeling loved. Wondering how to make the day special for your little ones? Here are some ideas that you are going to love just as much your kids will.

Give each other homemade Valentines

Even if your child is a sullen teen or tween, she will enjoy getting a valentine from you. Even if she/he does not show it. Gather some craft supplies and spend an afternoon creating masterpieces for one another. Use colored paper, yarn, glitter, pom poms, ribbon, sequins and anything else your heart desires. It will be so much fun trading valentines with each other.

Have a special meal

Most kids like to eat and having a special treat makes them feel really excited and loved. Plan a meal to share with your children on Valentine's Day and I guarantee it's something they will never forget. Try heart-shaped pancakes, toad in a hole using a hear-shaped cookie cutter or fruits and veggies cut out with a tiny heart cutter. You can also dye milk pink an put red and pink sprinkles on oatmeal. Fun!

Have a love scavenger hunt

Kids love following clues, especially when they know a surprise is waiting for them at the end. Cut several hearts out of pink or red paper and write clues on each one. Have your child follow each clue through the house to find the final reward. maybe it is a cookie with milk or a new stuffed animal. Whatever the reward, the hunt for it will be a big part of the fun.

Make a fun craft together

Kids of all ages like to create something and Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to make a masterpiece. For little ones, try a craft where you dip their hand or foot in red and pink paint and turn it into a cute animal. Older kids might light doing a tie-dye project, marbled paper or a yarn craft - in Valentine's Day colors, of course.

Wear themed clothes

Start a new tradition where each year you get a new garment themed for Valentine's Day. Maybe it is a new set of pajamas or a t-shirt. It does not really matter as long as you each get one.When you all wear yours on Valentine's Day, you will think of each other and smile all day long. 

Single mama for more than ten years!!

 My Anne

 Anne's mama

I can not say that I am experienced enough to a single mama area for eleven years!! No, because every day there new challenges out there which I face.

What Are Some Challenges That Single Mothers Go Through?

Single moms often face more financial stress than moms in a two-parent household.

Whether it is by choice or the result of an unfortunate circumstance, single motherhood brings about its own unique sets of joys and challenges. Understanding the challenges that single mothers face can encourage proactive solutions and arm parents with the tools needed to make the most of the single-parenting experience.

Financial and Health Care

Single mothers often experience the stress of financial strain, especially if they do not have the support from an ex-spouse in the form of child support or alimony. According to Mayo Clinic.com, single-parent households also generally have less access to health care. Increased costs and financial burdens mean that some working moms are forced to work overtime or take on a second job to maintain financial stability, which can translate into less family time.
 

Spare Time and Support

Single moms are responsible for managing the home and child rearing by themselves. Even with help from family members, the bulk of responsibilities for dinner, laundry and other household tasks falls primarily on the single parent. This can result in exhaustion and less energy and time for other things, like an active social life.
 

Child Behavior

According to Healthy Children.org, many fathers stop seeing their children on a regular basis after the first year of divorce. This can cause children to act out from the hurt and lack of a positive male role model. Behavioral problems can also occur when single moms are too over-scheduled, making it difficult to manage discipline effectively. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, youth in father-absent homes have higher chances of becoming incarcerated and are more likely to get poor grades.
 

Recommendations

To help minimize the struggles of single motherhood, both parents can make a plan to stay involved, if possible. Scheduling time to rest and relax and building an emotional support system are important ways to reduce stress and exhaustion. Healthy Children.org recommends professional counseling to help cope with the challenges of single parenthood, and Family Doctor.org recommends that children of single mothers take advantage of connections found in play groups and after-school activities

How to help your heartbroken child

Seeing your child deal with heartbreak is heartbreaking for you as a parent. Whether it's watching their first crush choose someone else or they're going through a difficult breakup, it tugs at your heart strings. All you want to do is make everything better. While you can't exactly do that, there're things you can do to help them get through this difficult time.

Don't minimize their pain

It can be tempting to tell your child that the pain they're feeling is small compared to what could be going on in their life. You are only trying to put thins into perspective but this is not usually helpful. The pain they are feeling is big to them. Try to refrain from comments that minimize what they are going through. They need you to understand that they feel sad and upset.

Empathize

What can help your child is emphathizing with them. sharing stories of yuor first heatbreak or when a crush did ot turn into a relationship can help them feel not so alone. It is a good reminder to them that they will get through this difficult time. another benefit is that it helps your to relate to how they are feeling. there is nothing like remembering when you were heartbroken to feel emphathetic.

Make their favorite meal

Of course this will not fix everything but it's a small gesture of kindness. It is nice to know someone's thinking of you an ddoing something just because they love you no matter what age you are. If spaghetti and meatballs or hamburgers and fries are a favorite then now is the time to pull them our. Even a temporary brak from their sadness for a meal they love is helpful. there's no denying that food can be comforting.

Remind them their future is bright

Hoe is always helpful. It is good to remind your child that their future is bright. Talk about all the great things that are waiting for them next week, next year or years in the future. Getting their mind off of their troubles can be helpful. Helping them shift their focus to positive things can help them feel better.

Give them space

There is also value in giving them some space. They may want to be alone to deal with their feelings. the is okay. Allowing them to have that time to process their feelings is healthy. We all need time to sort through our thoughts and feelings at times.