I recently received a new Orbit Clean Dishwasher from Frigidaire, and the company asked me to write about how I use my dishwasher to simplify the daily clean up in my home. With three busy boys, keeping up with housework can be a challenge, but I have a few tips that help me keep things (somewhat) under control. Here are 5 Tips (I use) for Simplifying Daily Cleanup:
1) Don't let dishes and laundry pile up - Put dishes in the dishwasher after every meal, and make sure the kids learn to put their dirty clothes in the hamper as soon as they take them off. It is important to stay on top of dishes and laundry so that they don't become overwhelming.
2) Sweep after every meal - My boys have trouble eating over their plates, so I try to quickly sweep my kitchen after every meal... before my boys can track crumbs through the rest of the house.
3) Make sure everything has a place - It can be challenging, but I try to make sure everything has a place. If every coat has a hook, it is less likely to end up on the floor. (e.g. You can check out my "Makeshift Mudroom" here.)
4) Get the kids to help - Make it simple for kids to help by teaching them where things go. In our house, we have labelled toy bins, so it is easy for my boys to find things and put them away when they have finished. (You can check out my "Toy Storage Solution" here.)
5) Do a little every day - There is nothing worse than a big weekend clean up, so try and do a little every day. "Wing it" (like I do) or set up a little schedule. (e.g. Clean the toilets on Mondays, dust half the rooms on Tuesdays, dust the rest of the house on Wednesdays, etc...) Doing 15 minutes each day keeps things under control.
As you can imagine, a dishwasher is a valuable appliance in my house, and my new Orbit Clean Dishwasher from Frigidairehas all the features I need to keep up with the mess created by my busy boys. I need clean dishes that I don't need to rinsebefore washing them, and I don't need to dry after the dishwasher has stopped, and my new dishwasher meets this "must have" criteria. I also like the fact that my new dishwasher easily fits all of my dishes because of the adjustable top rack -- and it even has a special spot for my wine glasses and coffee pot!
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to managing daily clean up? Do you have any tips to share? I can use all the help I can get!
♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy) Disclosure:I am part of the Frigidaire Canada Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
My youngest son is starting school for the first time in September, so I thought it was a good time to share some tips to help parents prepare their kids for starting school. Some of these tips are based on my own experience (as a mom), and others came from some great teachers I know.
Here are 11 great ways to prepare kids for the transition to "big school":
1) Read books to your child so that they see reading as a source of enjoyment. In preparation for school, you can choose some books with a "starting school" theme. Our two favorites are: The Kissing Hand and Llama Llama Loves his Mama.
2) Have your child practice printing his/her name with an uppercase letter as the first letter, followed by lowercase letters. Also, practice recognizing the other letters of the alphabet. While you are reading to your child, point out letters, and have them identify them.
3) Teach your child to go to the bathroom on their own. Take them to a public washroom, and have them do everything themselves. Teach them how to lock and unlock a stall door, use soap, get paper towel from a towel dispenser, unbutton and button their own pants, and wipe their own bum.
4) Practice getting dressed. Practice buttons and zippers, and if they can't tie, buy velcro sneakers.
5) Think about lunches. Have your child practice opening containers without help, let them know how long they will have to eat, practice good handwashing and eating out of the lunchbox (not off the desk), show them how to pack things up properly after they have finished eating, and talk about healthy meal options for them. Also, don't be worried if the lunch box comes home full at first. Sometimes lunch at school can be overwhelming and takes getting used to. Encourage your kids to eat their lunch at school, but if it comes home, they can finish it as an after school snack.
6) Talk about what will happen. Before the big day, talk about what will happen... e.g. you'll take the bus, you'll have your own desk, you'll eat lunch in the cafeteria, you'll play outside after lunch, etc... It can also be helpful to tour the school and visit the playground before the first day.
7) Label everything. Your child will lose some of their belongings, and labels will help you get them back. (You can support my blog by purchasing labels through my affiliate link. I recommend the School Pack. Thank you!)
9) Get up early on the first day, and make sure clothes and lunches are taken care of the night before. Being organized will help ensure that the child doesn't feel rushed, and this will eleviate unnecessary stress on the first day. It might even be worth a "first day run through" the day before.
10) Keep the lines of communications open. Often children are tired after school, and this makes them reluctant to talk about their day. I find that it helps if I ask specific questions after school. e.g. Who did you play with at recess? Who did you play with at lunch time? What did you do when you played outside? Did you make any crafts today? What was your favorite part of the day? Were you a good listener today? What was the worst part of your day, etc.....
11) Empty back packs and do homework as soon as you get home from school (if possible). This is a great habit to get into... and the sooner the better.
What is your best tip for moms and dads that have little ones heading to school for the first time? Did it make my list?
Last weekend, my boys hosted a yard sale and lemonade stand with 100% of the proceeds going to Cystic Fibrosis. They collected old toys, made signs, baked cookies, and waited on customers, and they raised $264.35. It was a proud mommy moment for me.
When it comes to teaching kids about giving back, here are some tips I have found helpful:
1) Let the kids pick a charity or cause that is meaningful to them. (My boys have a little cousin with Cystic Fibrosis, so it makes them feel good knowing that they are helping make him better.)
2) Let the kids decide what to do. (My boys have organized Christmas parties, sold toys, and worked lemonade stands.)
3) Let the kids do the work.(They will feel more connected to the act of giving, if they are doing the work themselves.)
Do you have any tips for teaching kids about giving back? Feel free to share them below.
Disclosure: I am part of the Sears Back to School Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Back to school is around the corner, so I wanted share this back to school countdown chain I made with my boys. Each chain link contains a fun activity we can do together.
Isn't it cute? I love how my boys' adorable faces are peeking out of the windows of the bus.
I have found the best campfire snack... seriously. The boys and I tried it out last weekend (with our new backyard fire pit), and it turned out fantastic! If you like cinnamon, you are going to love this cinnamon sugar campfire snack.
To make this great alternative to s'mores, you'll need: a marshmallow roasting fork, tin foil, canned biscuit dough, butter, cinnamon, and sugar.
Then, just follow these simple directions:
1) Cover a roasting fork with tin foil. 2) Stretch out a piece of biscuit dough, and wrap it around the roasting fork. 3) Spread some butter over the dough. 4) Sprinkle both sides with a cinnamon/sugar mixture (1/4 cup white sugar and 1/2 tbsp cinnamon) 5) Roast over a very hot fire as close to the heat source as possible until it is no longer "doughy". 6) Allow to cool slightly, and then enjoy!
This is such a delicious alternative to roasting marshmallows. If you give this cinnamon sugar campfire snack a try, let me know what you think.
Summer is flying by, and the boys and I are still working on completing all the items on our Summer Checklist. With two weeks to go before school starts, we have completed 35 of the 50 items on our list. Yesterday we completed #36 -- have a dance party in the living room -- and let me tell you... my boys have some serious dance moves!
My boys make me smile all the time, and as a KINDERMom, I am excited to share KINDER's fantastic new app with you. #KinderSmiles is a fun and interactive way for parents to capture and share moments of joy in a playful way. Once you're a KINDER® fan, it's just a few simple steps:
It's an easy way to capture summer memories. My strip includes pictures of my boys hosting a lemonade stand for charity, my boys at my 5 year old's pirate party, and my boys at my 7 year old's spy party. So many #KinderSmiles, and so much summer fun!
What has been the highlight of your summer so far? Do you have any "must do" items left on your summer bucket list?
Disclosure: I’m part of theKinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Last week my youngest son and I completed the last craft in our "crafting our way through the alphabet" adventure. We made an adorable Zebra mask(from a paper plate), and we did a little letter Z printing practice. Keep reading to check out all the fun letter Z alphabet crafts and activities.
To make a zebra mask:
1) Cut two "eye holes" from a paper plate. 2) Cut a strip of black construction paper for the mane, and cut slits 3/4 of the way down the paper. 3) Cut a round circle from a piece of black construction paper. Glue mane and snout onto the paper plate. 4) Cut ears from a piece of cardstock. Color the inside of the ears pink. 5) Draw zebra stripes with a marker, and color them in with a black crayon. 6) Glue two pink buttons onto the snout. 7) Allow all the glue to dry, and then tape a popsicle stick onto the back.
After our craft, we did a little printing practice. If you want to practice printing the letter Z with your little one, right click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it.
Looking for more "letter Z" crafts? I love this "letter Z zebra", don't you? Start with a Z and then glue on stripes, a nose, an ear, a googly eye, and a yarn mane.
And this "Z is for zoo" craft is simple and fun. Draw a cage, and have the little one add some zoo animal stickers.
That's it! We have finally completed our 26 alphabet crafts. It was a really fun project for my little guy and myself. Have you made any of myalphabet crafts with your child? ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
PS... Check out the fun monkey paper bag puppet here.
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