Photo Credit: The Aussie's handy work with Oliver's and Professor's heads.
'I know what you’re thinking: “Sunburns? It’s not even summer yet!” This is true, but as long as the sun is out, and so are kiddos, you need to protect that sensitive skin. Plus, before you know it, the Easter holidays will be here, after which the beautiful Spring and summer months will be at your door kicking your life outside and into high-gear covered in blazing rays of Sun. Keep reading. You'll wanna know these facts and tips...
Now is as good a time as any to make sure you and your child are well prepared for the sun. Whether you’re hopping on a plane to distant shores for spring break or staying closer to home for a family-style staycation, sun safety is equally important.
Here are a few pointers on how to protect your child from the sun.
Cover up
One of the most basic steps you can take is to ensure your kid is covered up. Long-sleeved t-shirts and trousers are effective at shielding the skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays, which damage the skin. Bear in mind that light colors may not be as effective; in fact, when wet, they absorb as much sunlight as bare skin. Also, make sure your child wears a proper sunhat with a wide brim as opposed to a baseball cap. Unfortunately, caps offer no protection for the ears and the back of the neck.
You could always go all out like I did. It kept Ollie cool and safe from the sun's rays during afternoon walks or trips to the zoo.
Sunscreen and sunblock
When it’s too hot for long sleeves and trousers, applying sunscreen, is of course, essential. Start with a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and apply liberally 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. Don’t forget those hard-to-reach areas like ears, back of the neck, and feet. If you’re going swimming with your little one, remember to reapply their sunscreen afterward, as well as your own! Even if you’re planning to stay dry, sun cream should be reapplied once every couple of hours to ensure the best UV protection. You can find more information on proper sunscreen application here.
FUN FACT: When it comes to choosing the right sunscreen, The American Academy of Dermatology recommends everyone use sunscreen that offers the following:
Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays).
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or greater.
Water resistance.
Sunglasses
Although protecting your child’s skin is quite rightly a priority, it’s important not to forget the eyes – over-exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts in later life. Therefore, make sure your little one has a pair of sunglasses to wear along with their hat. Not all sunglasses have adequate protection from harmful rays, however, so it’s vital to check the product details before committing. If they are not labeled with “100% UV protection” or “UV 400 protection”, assume the glasses don’t have it. Fortunately, there are plenty of stylish options out there with this level of protection, including this collection of Ray-Ban Juniors.
Keep an eye out
If you have older kids, there will come a time when they will naturally want to go off with their friends and play in the park or on the beach. When this happens, the first thing to do is ensure they have a fresh application of sunscreen before they go outside – either by supervising them or doing it yourself. During the early afternoon, when the sun’s at its strongest, it’s also worth remembering that harmful UV rays can still be strong even on a cloudy day. Try to stay nearby and set a limit on how long they can stay in the midday heat.
Set a good example
As for any other part of parenting, setting a good example for your children to follow is key. Sun safety should never be a “do as I say, not as I do” topic! Many of us will admit to forgetting to apply sunscreen or staying out in the sun a little too long from time to time. These bad habits can be difficult to shake off at times, but if you’re not careful, your children may also develop a casual attitude towards sun protection.
Bottom Line: Teaching the importance of sun safety early is critical for a life-long understanding of the whys and hows for protecting your largest organ.
The time has finally come, my lil' guy is ready for epic sleepovers. He's been talking about having a sleepover with his best friend since they were four, but they never went through with it. That all changed three weeks ago when Ollie took the plunge and stayed the night next door at his best friend's house. I couldn't believe he made it. I stayed up all night waiting for the call to get him. It never came. What did come was the next morning when the two boys were already planning a sleepover at our house.
Y'all, who knew the idea of having a sleepover could cause so much angst?! Where would they sleep? What would they do all night? Do I plan activities? What do I feed them? Do I make them go to sleep? Do I just let them be crazy all night and try to not lose my mind?
Thankfully, a little Q&A with other parents, online research and a new super comfy Gel Foam Bedgave me all the confidence needed to host an epic sleepover. Here's how it's done...
1. Pick Your Poison
The first thing you have to ask yourself, what kind of sleepover do you want to host? Do you want to be an all-out overachiever and plan an extravagant night of fun? Or do you want to be easy-breezy go with the flow? Or somewhere in the middle. Before you answer, I want to give you fair warning... If you go wild with a super themed party complete with out-of-this-world themed snacks, that is where you are setting the bar for all sleepovers to follow.
Whether you are an over-achiever or a go-with-the-flow parent, below are some great, and easy enough, ideas to help you host an epic sleepover.
DIY Pizza + Movie Marathon
Stuff the idea of ordering three pizzas with a multitude of toppings, halved on each pizza, to please everyone. Buy premade pizza rounds or dough and let everyone make their own pizza. Another great twist on the movie night popcorn is offering a popcorn topping and mix-in buffet. Again easy and crowd-pleasing!
Indoor Camping + Scavenger Hunt
This is a great idea during those cold winter months. Pitch the tent and throw in loads of pillows, blankets and fairy lights. A fun way to wear down the little ones is make up a fun scavenger hunt. Have stations with small puzzles and videos that hold the clues to the next stop. It fills the time and keeps their brains churning.
Ultra-Girly Get Together + Mask Tye-Dye DIY
A pamper party with fun crafts is always a winner. Think: Mask tye-dye party or paint Kindness Rocks. BONUS: When the rocks are dry take a late-night neighborhood stroll to hide the rocks.
Backyard Camping + Glow-In-The-Dark Games
I LOVE the idea of blowing up a backyard pool and turning it into a cloud of pillows and blankets for a night under the stars. Keep the backyard party going with glow-in-the-dark ring toss, egg hunt, water bottle bowling and DIY faux firefly jars!
Themed Throwdown
If you feel up for the challenge, head to the party supply store and go theme crazy. Consider everything down to the pajamas and slippers. While it may kill you to go all out, your slumber party could end up being the event-of-the-year!
Think: LEGO, Superheros, Pirates, Princess...
2. Games For The Win
Don't have the budget or time to pull together an extravagant planned sleepover? Then make sure you have a few games ready to fill the lulls in the night. Or better yet, make it a game night and keep them guessing on what's next with timed events hidden inside balloons!
There are LOADS of fun games to play at sleepovers all over the internet. Here are a few of my favs...
Would You Rather IRL: Make up a Would You Rather game with real-life choices! Think: Eat Sardines or clean up dog poop. (Get the kids to do all the stuff you don't want too! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!)
Hide & Seek: Speaking of sardines, have the kids try the new fun twist on Hide & Seek called Sardines.
Bob for Apples: It's one of the oldest party games because it NEVER GETS OLD!
Keep, Pass, Eat: Even without Covid-19, it's best to use wrapped/sealed pieces of candy for this one.
And of course, video games. But that's a given.
3. Snacks or Die.
Don't depend on only your pantry or the pizza dude to feed the crew. Make sure you have snacks, meals, and drinks planned. But before you head to the store, call the parents to see if you should be aware of any food allergies or forbidden foods. I have a friend who will not let her child have anything with certain food dyes. Making the call also opens the line of communication between you and the parents.
Two of my favorite easy snack ideas were the all-night cereal bar and premade snack kit.
This little snack kit is perfect for containing spills and keeping everyone organized.
**Whether or not you want to set up a food bar or have snacks on hand, make sure they are easily accessible and as low on sugar as possible.
4. The Sleep Spot
Being that it's a sleepover, you're gonna need a solid sleeping arrangement. After all, there is a point where sleeping should commence. Even if it's when the birds start chirping.
This was one of my biggest concerns. Ollie has nowhere near enough room for two sleeping bags to fit on the open floor space in his room. I knew it was time to finally put a trundle bed under his open bunk bed space. He'd been using the space as a 24/7 fort, or really, the place he would stuff everything when I told him to clean his room.
I was able to secure the Miranda gel foam bed-in-a-box mattress from Sound Sleep Solutions and was BLOWN AWAY! It's INSANE what can be done with a mattress these days. And it was SO LIGHTWEIGHT! I could carry it up the stairs by myself! In the words of my mother, "That mattress is far superior to any mattress I've ever bought."
All Sound Sleep Solutions mattresses are made in the USA and they have been rated #1 by Better Homes and Gardens! As a bonus, the box is huge so the fun for the kids is really endless. It's possible my son was just as excited about the box as the mattress.
Y'all, if you've bought a cheap box bed in the past, and have lost all hope for them, I'm here to tell you all hope is not lost. I wholly recommend checking out Sound Sleep Solutions' Gel Foam Beds. Currently, (8/20) the company is offering a $350 off summer sale - that's basically 40% off the mattress! If you're reading this post after the sale has ended, no worries, use CODE: Firsttimemomanddad at checkout to get $350 off!
Click the image below to see full specs...
*I worked with Gel Foam Bed in the creation of the article. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links were used within this post.
Thanks to COVID-19, chances are you have been stuck at home with your child for what seems like forever-and-a-day. To add insult to injury, millions of children are not going back to school anytime soon. Most likely, January. So, if you're asking yourself, How in the hell am I going to survive this madness, then keep reading for a few tips to save your sanity...
1. Get over yourself. YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL!
The first rule of Stay-at-Home Parent (SAHP) Club: YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL. Seriously, let it go. Consider this time an incredible blessing with your child. Don't waste it stressing out. Your mantra is one-day-at-a-time. There will be no parenting awards given out at the end of quarantine. Do what you can, and don't stress about the rest.
Admittedly, it took some time, but I finally learned, I'm not a superhero. Being a boss mom, wife, domestic diva, and get my work done all on the same day is crazy hard and should be avoided at all costs. I'd half-ass so much inevitably I'd have to go back and do it again. So, rather than stress out about doing it all, I do what can and I'm happy with that.
2. Create a safe place for both of you.
For parents of super littles (0-3yrs):
Create a place in your home where you can leave your child for a few minutes and walk away. When Oliver was a baby, it was his crib, then eventually his pack-n-play in front of the TV or window, and now, the iPad. (That’s right, I let my kid watch TV before 2 years old. Judge me. I don’t care.) Tip: No, Pack-n-play? The highchair with a snack is a good spot.
I LOVE this photo... it's a 10-month old Ollie!
Again, this is a 10-15 minute fix. Not a babysitter! A few minutes away can do both of you a tremendous amount of good. Get your shit together. And get back in the trenches.
For the Big Kids (4+), I've found making up a task for my son to do is great for buying a few quiet minutes, or more... folding the clothes in his drawers for a treat. Or hide something in the house and send your child on a treasure hunt, or sort toys or read a book and give a book report to earn a treat.
The point of the 'safe place' is so YOU BOTH can have a time-out whenever needed. The minute you are going to lose your shit, and it happens to the best of us when we have a child attached to our ass 24/7.
3. Play with your child(ren), don’t just go through the motions.
One of the biggest issues with being a SAHP is getting things done. It's nearly impossible when you're answering four hundred, 'Why?' questions, cleaning up crumbs and spills and digging You child’s toys out of the dog's mouth. I can get so caught up in the daily mom-madness I forget my little guy is looking for a playmate. A good playmate. Not, a mommy so preoccupied in thought only sort of playing and sort of not.
I've found if I mentally prepare myself for giving my son undivided attention for the next five to ten minutes, I can relax enough to play wholeheartedly and appreciate every minute. I've also found that all my son wants is a few minutes of my attention before he is satisfied and off to the next stop in his day. I'll also offer ideas of things to do I enjoy as well like coloring or a board game. We both have way more fun, I get up feeling like a good mom, and my son is happy to resume his solo play. It makes SUCH a difference.
4. Get out of the House!
The minute I get cabin fever, I pack up Ollie and we go on an adventure. Lately, picnics have been our go-to. There's a private airfield by our house we go to for plane watching while we eat lunch or cheeky donut breakfast. We also go for hikes in the woods, bike rides or do something as simple as going on a bug, leaf, and sick hunt in the backyard. Or, just go for a drive in the car. Break up the day when possible.
5. Plan ahead to get ahead.
As soon as you finish reading this post, grab a pen and paper and write down activities both in the house and out you enjoy doing with your child. Make a separate list of activities your child(ren) enjoy doing on their own. Cut each idea into a strip of paper and throw it in a jar. When y'all get bored, pull an idea from the jar.
6. The art of Art is truly an Art.
I don't care how old you are, arts and crafts are always fun! Plan a few creative projects to do as a family. Paint a room, redecorate, buy cheap frames to paint and personalize, then take fun photos or find old ones for the new frames. Make wind chimes from sticks and rocks in the backyard or found on a walk. Or make your own frameable art!
No doubt, it's a blessing to get to be home with your child, even if sometimes it feels like a punishment from the land of Karma. You'll never get these years back, so embrace them. When you think you are going to lose your sh!t take a few deep breaths, then go back and look at your beautiful child. Be thankful that you are there to share these precious moments. If COVID-19 has taught us anything... every moment matters...
When you are feeling overwhelmed, remember this too shall pass and when it does you will miss it very, very, very much.
Have a Stay At Home Parent survival tip? Please share!
If you've been a long time reader, then you know, I was diagnosed with skin cancer at 22 years old. As a child growing up in Miami, the sun was a part of life. What wasn't a part of my life was, sunscreen. My sensitive skin would burn from the first drop of the PABA loaded, chemical concoctions that doubled as sunscreen in the early eighties. My mom tried to keep me out of the sun, but in south Florida, it was pretty much impossible.
Now that I'm a mother, and totally freaked out about my son having the same skin issues I do, I am the queen of safe fun in the sun.
Last year, I made Star Wars Lightsaber Valentines for Ollie's class that teachers and a few parents complimented me on! They were pretty cool if I do say so myself, and super cheap to make! I thought I would share the idea for the other parents out there with Star Wars obsessed littles.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet because this valentine is so easy, your child can help! Four simple steps. 1. Find the Star Wars Valentines that suit you. I picked ours up at The Dollar Tree, but have seen them everywhere else! Look for a design that will be easy to incorporate a lightsaber.
2. Have your child fill out the valentines. I know it can be annoyingly slow process having your child fill them all out, but chill out, this is a great learning opportunity and penmanship practice!
3. Pick out red/yellow/blue/green glowsticks from the pack. Use those first. You can either crack them the day of the class Valentine exchange, or wait, and let the child crack the glow stick. The latter is my son's preference.
4. Cut a small slit where you want the glowstick to slide in the card, and that's it.
There you have it, one trip to the Dollar Tree and the Super Cool Star Wars Lightsaber Valentine can be yours for under five bucks!
Can you believe Valentine's Day is almost here?! I'm still getting over Christmas. In an effort to get in the Valentine's Day mood, I hit up Google and Pinterest for the latest and greatest 2020 Valentine's Day Treats and Cute Ideas. I found a few too good not to share.
Still a classic favorite of mine. This little gem is something anyone would love. Create the document in a Word program leaving room for those little fingers and toes. Print on a heavy paper stock. Then dip those tiny fingers and toes in non-toxic paint. Or this... This one too. So easy and so cute!
#LOVE
This is a classic, that you can do year after year. Fill grandma's garden perhaps?
Salt Dough Stepping Stones This is so easy! Mix: 1 Cup of salt 1 Cup of Flour 1/2 Cup of Water Roll out like dough then form into a heart. Get those little toes and a butter knife! Once the footprints are made, use a butter knife or thin end of a fork to PRESS in the letters, DO DO NOT drag, letters will get screwed up.
Bake @ 200F (or 100C) for 3 hours.
Once completely cool, paint and let dry.
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Since so many of us have to make a class Valentine box, I thought I would remind you how easy it is.
Three things: Old box. Wrapping paper, tape. Feeling wild, add your imagination to the mix... Speaking of a class party, here's a cheap ad easy heart hat.
TIP: forget the white plates. Use pink/red plates. (pictured above) Feeling all crafty? Kick the heat up a notch or two. Here's another great party idea, check out these super easy heart cupcakes.
Do a family dinner everyone will love! Heart-shaped Pizza!
Roll out the dough, then shape into a heart.
Wanna know the fastest way to your man's heart? Two words: Bacon Hearts NOTHING says, I Love You, Man, like bacon hearts!
For perfect hearts, cut strips in half, then shape half a heart at a time.
Speaking of guilty pleasures, you could always make a Cork Heart!
