motherhood Archives - Page 7 of 9 - Marybeth Heckler | Blog

Making the Most of Taco Night with the Family

Written by Marybeth Heckler on March 8, 2021. Posted in Motherhood.

Why is Taco Tuesday so popular? Because people love tacos, of course! If your family rarely makes time to get together and share a meal, starting your own family Taco Night could be just the way to encourage everyone to sit down together and enjoy some yummy food and great company.

Self Care for the Whole Family

Written by Marybeth Heckler on February 8, 2021. Posted in Motherhood.

We all know that self-care is important for our physical and mental health and that moms should be doing a lot more of it. Sometimes, it’s difficult to take that time for ourselves.

While most self-care activities are geared towards moms, learning to care for yourself is important for everyone. To assist you in your self-care efforts, invite the whole family to enjoy these activities together. This investment of time and energy will pay off in spades as you are not only starting your own self-care practice but encouraging your loved ones to participate as well.

Letting Go of Stress

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 10, 2021. Posted in Motherhood.

Want to be a healthier you this year? It’s time to talk about that stress monster that follows you around every day. While some amount of stress can be good for us, too many people are experiencing harmful amounts of stress every day. Here are some methods you can try to de-stress this year and get into a healthier mental and physical place.

Building the Best Snowman with Your Family

Written by Marybeth Heckler on December 21, 2020. Posted in Motherhood.

In the past few years, even the faintest flurry of snow has sent the Frozen song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” scurrying through our brains. Building a snowman with your family is a rite of passage that builds strong familial bonds and memories that will last for years to come. But in the past, we have also seen some really sad looking snowmen.

Here’s what you need to do to make the perfect snowman this winter with your family:

Let it snow — The first thing you need to determine is if the snow is just right for making a snowman. If the snow is wet and slushy, then it won’t be able to stick together, and you won’t be able to make a solid snowman. If it’s too powdery and dry, it likewise isn’t going to be usable. The best option is somewhere in between. If it’s too wet, you’re going to have to wait for fresh snow to fall. However, if it is too dry, you can turn on your water hose and lightly wet down the snow to make it usable.

Find a good spot — Like with real estate, one of the keys to a good snowman is location, location, location. While a lot of people like to build in the front yard to show off to the neighbors, if that area is in direct sunlight then it will melt a lot faster. Instead, find a flat spot that is shaded so your snow masterpiece will last longer.

Make your three core parts — Start by making a slightly larger than average snowball and place it on the ground. Then, roll the ball around and around on the ground, gathering up more snow in the process. As you do this, the ball should get bigger and bigger until you have a base for your snowman. Then, repeat this process two more times. Each time, the ball should be slightly smaller than the one before so that you have the three main ingredients for your snowman. Once you’ve made the second and third balls, stack them carefully on top of the first.

Decorate away — Finally, let your imagination run wild as you create a decorated snowman that reflects your personality. For eyes, you don’t have to use coal or buttons. Instead, you should try something like chocolates. (Also, a great choice for the mouth.) For the nose, of course, you can’t go wrong with the traditional carrot. You can also add sticks for arms and twigs for hair. Just make sure you top it off with a hat.

The next time the kids start singing, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” answer them with a resounding “Yes!” Take these tips to create your perfect snowman and have fun building it as well as some great memories.

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Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Home with Kids

Written by Marybeth Heckler on November 23, 2020. Posted in Holidays, Motherhood.

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner and many of us are looking forward to saying goodbye to all of the chaos and confusion of 2020. Whether you normally stay at home with the kids on New Year’s Eve, or you’re doing so this year because of COVID, chances are that you won’t be going out to celebrate.

If you’re new to celebrating at home and would like tips on celebrating with the kids, or if you’re looking for some new ideas for 2020-2021, here are five tips on how to celebrate the year’s arrival with your kids:

Slumber Party! — A lot of kids are missing out on the joys of being kids this year with the inability to visit with their friends due to COVID. That being said, why don’t you have a family slumber party that can have all of the fun traditions. Set out sleeping bags in the living room (or even better, build a fort out of cushions!) and then get out the popcorn. Watch some family-favorite movies on the television and, if the little ones can stay up that late, celebrate the ball drop on TV like you did when you were growing up.

Reflect on the Year — Another thing that you can do as the year passes away is to sit on the couch and reflect back on the year that has passed. Ask each person in your family to name one thing that they liked about the past year or one memory that they are going to cherish. Have everyone write these down so that you can preserve the memories in a scrapbook or memento box.

Share a Toast — For adults, what says “New Year’s Eve” more than a toast with champagne at midnight? For the kids, you should include them in the tradition with their own non-alcoholic versions. Either get a bottle of sparkling grape juice or help them cook up their own “mocktail” like a Shirley Temple. For some international flair, have twelve grapes (one at each bell chime at midnight) as they do in Spain. This tradition is supposed to bring prosperity for the new year.

Get Outside — If the weather is kind, New Year’s Eve is a great time to get outside to celebrate. Set up a fire pit or heaters to keep everyone warm and then break out the sparklers for safe New Year’s Eve “fireworks.” Also, instead of throwing confetti or having a balloon drop at midnight, celebrate with some cans of silly string and let the kids go wild.

Have a Fashion Show — If you want to have silly fun this New Year’s Eve, head to your closet and break out all of your fanciest clothes for a fashion show with your kids. Make sure to take lots of pictures and create a scrapbook later on.

This year, stay home and stay safe for New Year’s Eve. But at the same time, make sure that you and your kids have a celebration that you will remember for years to come.

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Embracing Hygge with Your Family This Winter

Written by Marybeth Heckler on October 26, 2020. Posted in Motherhood.

I love different languages and the way some cultures have one word that is almost impossible to translate but can sum up a series of emotions perfectly. One of those is the Danish word “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-ga”).

This beautiful word is meant to express the feeling of a cozy winter centered around family and friends and enjoying each moment of life. If there’s one concept that I can get behind, it’s that.

So here are some ways that you and your family can embrace hygge this winter:

Enjoy a hot beverage together — On The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon was always offering someone who needed comfort a “hot beverage.” But this winter, embrace hygge by sharing a hot beverage with your loved ones. If you can, make it a family affair with your kids making real homemade hot chocolate (with a little dash of chili if you want an extra kick to yours). If hot chocolate isn’t to your taste, brew up a real pot of coffee or tea and skip the instant stuff.

Make a quilt — What is winter if you can’t curl up under a good blanket and snuggle down and get comfy? This year, you can break out the old comfortable blankets and snuggle with family underneath them as you read a book, watch tv, or just talk. But another bonding activity that can be really useful right now would be quilting. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate pattern. But a simple quilt can bond you with your loved ones and keep you warm—it’s a win-win situation!

Take a candle-lit bath — One of the important parts of hygge is that you should not only connect with others, but that you should also be present in the moment and spend some time for yourself. Draw yourself a hot bath complete with your favorite bath salts or foaming bubbles and just relax. Add some ambiance with soft candlelight and gentle, relaxing music. If you are so inclined, bring a good book with you or you can just lay back and luxuriate.

Share memories — Another great way to connect with family while you are stuck indoors this winter is by looking back at old pictures together. Digital photos have killed the practice of scrapbooking and photo albums. But this is the perfect time to print out those favorite pictures and assemble a photo album of cherished memories that you can share with your loved ones.

After the holidays are over and the decorations are all put away, we still have a few more months of cold weather as we wait for spring. This year, spend this time with loved ones embracing the Danish concept of “hygge.”

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How to Organize a Playroom

Written by Marybeth Heckler on October 5, 2020. Posted in Homeowner.

All of the time that kids have spent at home lately, thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, has probably left you with a disorganized and chaotic house.

This is especially true of your child’s playroom. With the holidays coming up, you might want to get this area under control before you add even more items to their play area.

Here are tips to get the chaos of your child’s room under control and organize their playroom:

Sweep through the room for trash — Before you try to do any organizing, you need to get rid of some of the items your child doesn’t need anymore. First, throw out any items that are broken. This includes toys that are falling apart, puzzles or games that are missing pieces, and anything else that is trash. Make sure you do this alone. Your kids may get a little sentimental and want to hold on to broken items and you don’t need that. Now is the time to absolutely get rid of whatever is broken.

Clear out items to donate — Now that you’ve gotten rid of the broken toys, go through with your child and help them pick out toys that they don’t play with anymore. Point out to them that it is especially nice to help those who are less fortunate by donating toys, games, and puzzles. Encourage them to practice charity and, at the same time, clean out the room as much as possible.

Get a system of bins — Playrooms don’t tend to be very big and you want to maximize as much floor space as possible so your child can actually play. To do this, get a bin system that is vertical and goes higher rather than taking up a lot of horizontal space in the room. Get multiple smaller bins instead of one large “toy box.” With the toy box, your child will throw everything out as he or she looks for that one toy they want to play with. With smaller bins, they have less things to go through to find what they want. Also, use clear plastic bins so you can see inside easily.

Sort by type — After you set up the bins, organize and label them by categories. If your child loves race cars, then you might want to create a bin to just hold these. If they are into board games, then separate those into an individual bin. Whatever system works best for you is ok, but it is essential to have some kind of system.

Only get down one bin at a time — Your child might have a couple of toys that they always gravitate towards. But if you want to get them to play with a variety of toys, you might want to consider only getting out one bin a day. This way, your child has fewer options and doesn’t feel overwhelmed. And, if the bins are stacked up, they won’t be able to get into the other toys that you haven’t put out for them. Plus, cleaning up one bin is a lot easier than five or six bins.

Getting your child’s room clean and organized isn’t just an important activity for keeping your home orderly. It’s also an important practice to help teach your child so that they can learn responsibility and how to keep themselves organized as they get older.

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Fall Break Staycation Ideas for Families

Written by Marybeth Heckler on August 30, 2020. Posted in Motherhood.

Think back to some of your most cherished childhood memories. I’m going to bet that a lot of them are centered around summer vacations with trips to visit family, hitting the beach, or enjoying amusement parks. And chances are you’ve been trying to recreate those kinds of memories with your own family. But now that the summer is over, it may seem like those opportunities are fading with the heat.

If you want to do something fun with your family this fall but don’t have the time to go on a long trip, consider these staycation ideas in your area:

Fall Festivals & Pumpkin Patches — During the fall, there are plenty of local fall festivals and pumpkin patches that can provide you with plenty of opportunities for family fun. Many of these don’t just have the opportunity to buy or carve pumpkins. They also feature cornfield mazes, games, arts and crafts, and great snacks like funnel cake and hot apple cider.

Haunted Houses — For those with older kids, you might want to check out the local area for a haunted house. Many of these attractions are enlarging over the years from a simple house to outdoor trails through mazes or the woods complete with scary characters ready to give you the chills.

County Fairs — Another great activity during this time of year is annual county fairs that pop up in locations across the country. These fairs, complete with kiddie rides and more exciting activities for the adventurous, are really popular. And you might even want to try one of the scary fried concoctions that appear every year like fried Oreos or even fried bubble gum. (Yes, that’s really a thing.)

Camping Trip — Once the summer heat dips, then fall is a great chance to get outside and do some camping. Whether it’s in a cabin in a state park or just a tent in the backyard, all of these activities let you get back to nature. This is also the perfect time of year for this so that you can enjoy the fall foliage and watch the leaves change colors.

Get Outdoors — Even if camping isn’t your thing, this is also a good time to enjoy outdoor activities. Try hiking a trail or taking a kayak for a short trip around a lake.

All of these activities are great opportunities to build memories and bond as a family. The fall also presents you with staycations that you don’t get to try during the rest of the year.

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Fourth of July Family Traditions

Written by Marybeth Heckler on June 18, 2020. Posted in Holidays.

We are huge fans of family traditions and one of our favorite holidays to celebrate traditions is on the way—the Fourth of July. We also love hearing about other families and their customs. But it’s also really easy to let your Independence Day celebrations begin with a cookout and end with fireworks.

If you’re interested in finding new ways to celebrate our country’s 244^th birthday, here are great ideas you can use to start your own Fourth of July family tradition:

Outdoor Games—Sure, we all know about how everyone loves to grill outside and eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and other July 4^th But while you are manning the grill, the rest of the family can enjoy some time outside by playing outdoor games. Badminton, horseshoes, and cornhole are all great games that young and old can enjoy together.

Non-Explosive Fireworks—If you live in a state that bans fireworks, or if you have little kids and are worried about their safety, then you can make “non-explosive” options. One way is to let the kids make “sparklers” by tying red, white, and blue ribbons to a stick and then running around swirling these behind them. You can also fill a balloon with patriotic colored confetti and then pop these to let the confetti fall over everyone. Finally, if you just want to light up the night sky, you can always go on a firefly hunt. Once you catch them, place them in a jar with holes in the lid and let them be a natural night light.

Watch a Patriotic Movie—How about a family tradition that is both fun and educational? If you’ve never seen 1776, then you are in for a treat. This film from 1972 stars William Daniels (better known as Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World) as John Adams. It’s a highly accurate depiction of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with one big difference—it’s a musical. This is the perfect option for younger kids as it’s a G-Rated film. If you’ve got older kids, however, you might want to check out Disney Plus which is set to debut the original cast of Hamilton just in time for the 4^th.

Make Red, White, and Blue Tie-Dyes—Buy some cheap white t-shirts and turn them into patriotic tie-dye shirts. You just need the white shirts and some simple materials to create a cool effect that you can wear for years to come.

This Fourth of July you can create memories that will last a lifetime for you and your family. These are some great ways to build traditions with your family that can be carried out for years (and even generations) to come.

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Backyard Summer Camp for Kids

Written by Marybeth Heckler on May 21, 2020. Posted in Motherhood.

Summer is coming and for those of us who have been tucked away in quarantine, it may seem like we’ve already been on one continuous break with the kids. But, now that distance learning is taking a break, there may be fewer activities for you to keep the kids active. But you don’t want to let them become couch potatoes and video game zombies.

Here are ways to recreate the summer camp experience in your own backyard.

These activities are guaranteed to help you keep the kids from being bored and help you maintain your sanity this summer.

Sprinkler Fun — Let’s start with a tried-and-true favorite from everyone’s childhood: playing in the water sprinkler. This is the perfect way to get cool on a hot summer day.

A DIY idea for this is to make your own sprinkler. Get a 2-liter soda bottle (empty) and poke holes in the plastic with a knife or scissors. Then, attach the garden hose to the bottle and affix it with duct tape. Once you crank up the water, it will come shooting out of the holes and your kids can have fun jumping through the stream.

Soda Bottle Rocket — While you’ve got those empty soda bottles, try this little science project. First, tape pencils to the sides of the bottle so that the bottle can be placed opening down without covering the neck of the bottle.

Then, fill the bottle with vinegar, add baking soda, and then quickly cover the bottle opening with a cork. Flip the rocket upside down so it rests on the pencils and wait for the chemical reaction to shoot the rocket into the air.

Make a Shaving Cream Painting — This one may sound bizarre but hold on a minute. It’s actually a great way to get artistic expression and fun sensory play combined.

Get several cans of shaving cream from your local dollar store. Then, use food coloring to dye the shaving cream into different colors. Set up a tarp in the backyard and let your kids use the colored shaving cream to create pictures from rainbows to sky scenes to whatever their imagination can conjure up.

It’s messy fun, and the tarp can be easily hosed down and reused later if the kids want to try this again.

Tightrope Walking — If you want to help your kids train for a career in the circus (or at least work with their motor skills), do a tightrope play area. If you have two sturdy trees, run two soft ropes between them. It doesn’t have to be high—just a couple of inches.

Then place the second rope high enough for your child to use as a handhold as they walk across the lower rope. If you don’t have a pair of trees, you can also use fence posts or poles in a pinch.

This year, we may still be dealing with a quarantine lockdown in our homes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t let your child explore their backyard and turn it into a home summer camp with these activities.

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Tag: motherhood

If you want to do something fun with your family this fall but don’t have the time to go on a long trip, consider these staycation ideas in your area:

If you’re interested in finding new ways to celebrate our country’s 244th birthday, here are great ideas you can use to start your own Fourth of July family tradition:

Here are ways to recreate the summer camp experience in your own backyard.

If you’re interested in finding new ways to celebrate our country’s 244^th birthday, here are great ideas you can use to start your own Fourth of July family tradition: