motherhood

I feel this calling to help moms out there in any way I can with my platforms. I’ve been trying to come up with ways to help in a super positive and supportive way.

Yes, I’m so grateful we’re healthy and have this platform to connect with one another, but on the other hand I’m scared and have moments of anxiety. Then trying to entertain (mostly Oaks) during this time has been a challenge, but it’s also been fun to connect and get creative with our time. I’ve enjoyed this time together so much, but there are moments where I feel out of control and wish there was something I could do. I wanted to share some ideas with you of fun things to do with your kids to get through this time.

Kids for the most part are pretty easy to entertain. It’s just time consuming and exhausting for us, but one thing I’ve learned is to get silly. That helps lighten the mood no matter what you’re doing.

Dance Party. This is an easy one. Turn on your favorite jams an dance like a maniac.
Build a cup tower. Get red solo cups and stack them, then knock them down with balls or run into them. You can even take it to the next level and get a sharpie and number them, or put letters on them and see who can hit certain letters.
Marble Tower. This is literally the best toy I’ve ever bought. Because A. it’s fun for the parent to build, so therefore your happy energy feeds off to them and they’re much happier, therefore you’re bonding. And Oaks loves this so much. They’re so many different ways to build it. I keep the marbles up and away out of reach and don’t have Liv around while we’re playing.
Play Soccer inside or outside.
Color eggs
Bake Cookies. Let them join in and help you.
Bubble machine: that way you don’t have to do any of the work
Play hide and seek. Oaks can play this for hours.
Go on a bear hunt. Set up stuffed animals and hide them all over your house, turn off the lights and go on a “bear hunt”.
Make paper airplanes
Stack Blocks
Inside Bowling
FaceTime playdate with a friend or family member they adore
Scavenger Hunt: use their favorite snacks or toys
Play monsters in the closet.
Hide plastic eggs all over the yard, for an early egg hunt.
Throw frisbies.
Hide stuffed animals in trees outside and go on a hunt. Toss balls at them. Oaks thinks its the coolest.
Give them a cleaning rag and have them wipe down the baseboards and say whoever does it fast enough, gets a treat. This is a win win.
Get a large bowl or deep dish pan, fill it with water and bubbles and let them play with the toys in the water. You can even have them “clean them off” with the dish scrubber.

If you have the means, I made a list of Oaks favorite toys for 3-6 year olds that a lot of you thought was super helpful. If not, tons of free things that you can do, or even find around your house!

I think that journaling Oaks life is something I really try to do and make time for. I wanted to share with you guys what I’ve been doing and using to journal. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, unless you make it that way and don’t keep up with it… like me right now ha. But I really try to do these things so that I can remember the sweet things he does. I don’t want to forget them!

MOMS ONE LINE A DAY. This is a journal of 5 1 lines you write down everyday that were heart felt, funny, or milestones that happened that day. It’s super short and simple. You have about 1 sentence on each line everyday. I write THE MOST simple things down. For example “we woke up and made waffles, and then played blocks and he kept laughing as they fell down”. Just little things like that. Or “oaks gave me the first kiss today!” All those little daily things they say that we can easily forget. I’m not perfect, so I don’t write it down everyday, but I really try to at least 3-4 days a week. Do it when you know you will. I do after I put Oaks to bed every night. It also makes me feel so grateful for all the things that happened that day. It makes you realize that these little moments are so sweet and special and to not take them for granted.
CHATBOOKS. SO when Oaks was born, I made a separate private instagram account that I could upload all his photos too. Then I signed up for Chatbooks through that. If you aren’t familiar with chatbooks, they send you a little book with the caption every 60 photos, so it’s like a cute little scrapbook made SO easy for you. So I’m currently about 4 months behind on his which is SO stressful, so with this one I recommend uploading at least 5 photos every week and keep up with it, so you don’t get behind. But I LOVE getting these in the mail. Sometimes I write novels on each one, but sometimes I’ll just write a memory about that certain photo. You can also have them send you as many as you want. I’m going to order them for Oaks to keep when he gets older. If he cares haha.

But these are the two things I really try to keep up with! It doesn’t get to be a huge task unless you make it that way, like myself right now haha. But just make it a goal to do it every day. Set aside 10 minutes. We all have 10 minutes. Thats easy! It shouldn’t take you to long.

What are some ways you journal and keep memories of your kids? Share them below!