Photo by CharlotteSpeaks♥{Charlotte.Morrall}’s via flickr creative commons.

H/T Brittney’s Shared Items. Thanks!

• Allow the children to be involved in choosing the new home.  You can only do this to an extent, but being involved gives children a sense of control,which is something they can feel a loss of when a move is taking place.
• Give the children choices…of rooms, paint color, room decor, etc. 
• Ask the kids to “help” pack…and remain patient as they do this!  I am very structured when it comes to packing, so I was a little nervous when my daughter offered to pack for my two-year-old.  But she has packed over three times what I have, and the important thing is that we get it there, right???
• As tempted as you are to send the kids away while you’re moving in, let them be a part of it…even if it’s just for a few hours.  My son is DYING to play with his “cars and trucks and trains in his new house”.  So the plan is to get some of his toys there, unpack them in his space, and let him play while we unpack elsewhere.

Remember to remain as calm as possible during your move, and speak positively of the experience.  We’ve been referring to ours as our latest adventure.  Your children will follow your lead.  And with your positive guidance, the move will be a positive experience for everyone.

Photo by popofatticus via Flickr Creative Commons.

My sweet angel of two and a half years has morphed into the devil’s spawn.  He unlocks every lock on the doors and runs into the front yard and street, he pours EVERYTHING pourable out of it’s container onto any surface available, he shouts “potty words” at the top of his lungs when we’re in public, he opens exit doors that “alarm” when opened, AND…he takes his diaper off and pees…in MY bed…and on his sister.  A couple of nights ago, my husband and I awoke to a bottled water being poured into our bed at 2AM! 

You know what the worst part of all of this is?  Almost everyone I have talked to about this who has a boy has claimed this as “normal” boy behavior.  THIS IS NOT NORMAL.  Typical, maybe, but not normal. 

Thank GOD the kid is cute!  I am going to fall back on that until this “stage” passes.  And until it does, WATCH OUT PEOPLE!!! 

Photo by soursob via Flickr Creative Commons. 

I vow never to wake at 5 am on a Saturday morning to set up heavy, rotting tables that I have kept for this purpose alone.  I vow never to smile at those early birds who arrive, watch me take things out of my garage for an hour, then leave saying, “Nothing we want here.”  I vow not to have to lie to my mother when she asks me why I threw away the fish tank, books she gave the kids for Christmas, or UGLY vase we’ve had in yard sales for the last seven years. 

And…I vow not to send my children away so that I can sell those toys that they have CLEARLY outgrown.  Instead, I will continue to remind them that “giving” is better than receiving.  My goal is to be on a first name basis with my buddies at the Good Will trailer!  Not after a yard sale, but with one small bag, gathered while spring, summer, fall, or winter cleaning! 

For those of you that enjoy them, YARD SALE TIL YOU DROP!!!!  For me and my house, WE’RE DONE!!!

Photo by Daquella manera via Flickr Creative Commons.

So far, my friend has compromised on the location of both the ceremony itself and the reception.  She’s been almost harassed by her mother’s side of the family regarding religious views and traditions, and she’s been challenged down to the contents of the guest list. 

Remembering my own wedding and the compromises we made (although not for my mom…she was great), I started thinking about alternatives to the traditional wedding that causes so much stress. 

• My friend mentioned above has just found out that the all inclusive resort they booked for their honeymoon offers a FREE beach wedding in Mexico.  That’s enough to make me get married again!
• My mom heard of a couple inviting all of their friends to a huge barbecue.  When the guests arrived, they were told that they were to be witnesses to the host’s wedding!  What a perfect way to alleviate the pressure from the control freaks!
• Many couples opt out of a traditional wedding ceremony and simply get married by a Justice of the Peace.  They use the money saved on either a big honeymoon or a fun reception…or both!

As the big wedding season approaches, far too many brides are more anxious to get the ceremony behind them, feeling way too much pressure and conflict.  If this is the case, consider a different approach.  It is YOUR day.  Enjoy it!

Photo by Johnny Jet via Flickr Creative Commons.

Photo by dariuszka via Flickr Creative Commons.

Photo by KOMUnews via Flickr Creative Commons. 

 It’s fair to say that my family has faced it’s share of stress lately.  We have a lot going on, and we’re struggling to keep things as normal as possible for the children’s sake.  So, Saturday evening we sat down with our 2 year old while his sister was visiting her grandparents.  He immediately looked to me and told me that he wanted to play with his sister.  “Emma’s at Grammy’s,” I told him, “Would you like Mommy and Daddy to play with you?”  He looked at me with those big puppy dog eyes (which he was already struggling to keep open), and said, “Dat make me so happy!”  Our hearts melted.  Tears filled my husbands eyes, and of course, I cried like a baby.  We dried up our tears, and the three of us read books and pushed trains on the couch.  Within 30 minutes he was sound asleep, dreaming of his awesome night with Mommy and Daddy! 

We as parents often struggle so hard to make our children happy that we forget just how easy it is!  My guess is that at least 95% of us would look back to our childhoods and agree that our memories are not centered around material things, but the time we spent with family and friends.  I’ve been thinking over the last couple of days of ways that I can offer my children more opportunities for these lasting memories.  I’ve come up with a few.

• Visit a park for a walk or a picnic…leave the phones and travel video games at home or in the car!!!
• Family game night…without the tv!  You’ll find you actually have a lot to talk about.
• Host a barbecue or informal dinner with another family or two.  Hang out outside and allow yourself to breathe in the fresh air.  Set up some outdoor games and include the kids.
• Cook a family dinner together.  Again, leave the television off.  However, we have fun dancing to loud music when we cook!

There are many ways to “reconnect” as a family.  Remember what it’s all about.  Life is too short.  Take the time to appreciate the little things!  Start now…not everyone will have a smart two year old to remind them!