I'm a Mom - What's Your SuperPower?

You knew it would happen when you gave it to him, but you gave him the gum anyway. Now you have a big nasty wad of gum stuck in your carpet. Don't panic! We have some tips for how you can get the gum out of the carpet quick, easy, and best of all - without ruining your carpet in the process. Solution 1: Get Cold A common way to remove gum from carpet is by freezing it. Like most things that are frozen, gum gets very hard and becomes brittle. Once frozen, the gum will break apart into pieces with a gum scraper tool, plastic putty knife, or other safe scraping tools. After removing and vacuuming the gum, you may have to spot clean the area to remove any remaining residue or staining with an oil/grease/tar type solvent. Solution 2: Heat It Up Another method to remove gum from carpet involves using a hairdryer. Apply heat from the hair dryer to soften the gum. The softened gum should stick to a cleaning rag or plastic bag and release from the carpet fibers as you lif...

The finest preschools use play-based activities to teach young children. They understand that although children learn in many ways, young children tend to be highly active learners. They need to be left to work through the many uses of the objects they encounter to learn effectively. Although it may not look like it, every activity teaches a child something new. Parents need not be concerned as to why their preschoolers are playing instead of learning their A, B, and C’s. A play focused curriculum allows a toddler to participate in all activities and learn at a pace that is most comfortable for them. These lessons on how to interact with the world around them are critical to the development of life skills including patience, generosity, leadership, & friendship while providing a solid foundation for more advanced learning. You may be wondering – how is it possible that my child is learning when all I see them do in the classroom is knock over a block tower or play wit...

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Took a walk to get some groceries from the store with my 9-year-old daughter. The store is 1 mile away from my house. We brought one backpack. This is important. The walk started out pleasant. Not too hot, there was even a nice breeze. Got to the store and did our shopping... just $80 for groceries for the week. As it turns out, I severely underestimated how much I could get with 80 bucks (even though I am excellent at finding discounts and coupons l, so I should have known 1 backpack wouldn’t work) At the register, I quickly discovered that my puny backpack was not up to the task. So I bought a cloth bag to try to consolidate the groceries. Managed to leave the store with me carrying three heavy bags and The 9-year-old happily carrying the donuts that were on sale. For some reason, the temperature increased by several hundred degrees while we were shopping and that light breeze now felt like the air that comes out when you open an oven. We began our trek back, The 9-year-...

As a single mother with 4 children at home and a business to run, I simply didn't have enough time to clean my own home, keep up with my kids and manage my business effectively at the same time. It seemed every time I started cleaning, something new would come up that needed my immediate attention. Cleaning up after the kids go to bed felt like a punishment for putting them to bed. I was exhausted and running myself into the ground. Although I wanted to be that unicorn mom who keeps the house clean, the children entertained, holds down a full-time job, and somehow manages not to go completely bonkers after a week - I knew I couldn't do it. I needed help.  So, I hired a maid service . You see, I wish cleaning was fun… but it’s not. That’s why there are professional cleaning services. In all honesty, life is too short to spend 2+ hours a day cleaning your home just to make it look decent for unexpected (or expected) guests. I have more important things to do with my...

The first day of school is a major change for young children and their parents, especially if the child has never spent time in a preschool or childcare setting. It can be extremely stressful for everyone involved, but you can help your child adjust more easily to a more structured learning environment . Set a Bedtime and Stick to It Kids who get the correct amount of rest/sleep do better emotionally, socially, and academically in school. A good night’s sleep is a must for success at preschool and throughout their academic career. Create a Relaxed Morning Routine Start your family’s day off right with a relaxed, calm, unrushed morning routine. Although this may mean that everyone wakes up a bit earlier than usual on school days, it affords parents and children the opportunity to enjoy a healthy breakfast and time to get ready for the day at a more casual pace. By slowing down in the morning routine, everyone can start the day off in a better mood. Control Your Anx...

Toddlers love to spend time with Mom, Dad, Grandma or Grandpa but sometimes it can be difficult to find activities that are both fun and educational without a high price tag. One standby I used with my daughter when she was still little was art. It didn’t need to be extravagant – often, we took a box of crayon shaped chalk and created murals on the porch or used objects we already had in the house to create our artwork. Here is a cute and easy art project for parents to spend quality time with their preschooler. Baby Bird’s Nest What You'll Need: Paper plate Shredded brown paper – you can use a brown paper bag 1 piece of colored paper (orange or any color your preschooler wants to use) Three pom poms (use the color your preschool likes) Three Popsicle sticks Googly eyes Brown paint (a small amount is needed) Paintbrush Scissors Glue Make It: Cut a paper plate in half and staple the rims together (leaving the top of the nest open). Paint the plate and let ...

Many camp programs take children as young as 3 years old - and while this might sound too young, you may want to reconsider that stance, especially if your child will be entering preschool or kindergarten in the fall. Introduction to School-like Structure Summer camp helps give preschoolers a preview of school. This is especially true for children who have not been in a daycare or preschool before. The change from laid-back, flexible days at home with a parent or caretaker to the more structured classroom environment can be difficult for young children. Summer camp introduces kids to ideas like following a schedule, learning group rules, taking responsibility for their belongings (backpack and lunchbox), and getting along with other children in a group setting.  Summer Camp Helps Ease Separation Anxiety Summer camp gives preschoolers a great "practice run" for children who don't have a lot of experience being away from parents and caregivers. Afte...

Critical thinking skills, or for that matter much of early-childhood education takes place right at home, months or years before children begin preschool. Kids learn to talk and to walk, to color and to cut with scissors as well as developing their critical thinking from the people around them. Children develop these important thinking skills as they learn to cooperate with their peers and when they learn to read short picture books by themselves. Though critical thinking is emphasized from pre-kindergarten to college or graduate school, it is a skill that parents can begin to introduce to their children from a young age. It is less complicated than the term implies. Here are three ways you can foster critical thinking skills in your little scholar: 1. Encourage Your Preschoolers Natural Curiosity Young children are naturally inquisitive. This starts very early in their lives, even before they can verbalize their curiosity, as they make discoveries about their environment us...