Monthly Archives

March 2019

  • 5 Simple Tips for Taming Tantrums

    I came across this quote from author L.R. Knost not long ago and it has become my mantra for calming meltdowns, tantrums and anything in between.

    “When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it is our job to share our calm not join their chaos.”

    Tantrums are a completely normal part of child development. It’s how our little ones express themselves over anything from discomfort to simply not getting what they want. But that doesn’t mean it’s not exhausting, frustrating and down right chaotic to try and diffuse them. Sometimes the response that our children need the most is the hardest to offer in the moment.

    In my experience, the most effective method for disarming a tantrum is a calming, positive approach. Here are 5 Simple Tips for Taming Tantrums that may help to deescalate meltdowns and preserve your sanity.

    1.) Remain Calm

    It is entirely true that children feed off of our emotions. If we treat a child’s tantrum with fierce anger and frustration it is possible to intensify the tantrum rather than mitigate it. Try to remove all emotion and focus on yourself, especially the guilt or embarrassment which can heighten feelings of overwhelm (remember, every parent has been there!) Your child isn’t trying to give you a tough time, they’re having a tough time.

    2.) Use Positive Language Alternatives

    Avoid the use of “no” if at all possible and try these positive language alternatives.

    3.) Try a Calming Diversion

    Does your child have a favorite book or comforting blanket? Offering these items could help console a child during a tantrum. Other tools could be a calming jar (such as these), relaxation activities such as deep breaths or yoga poses, essential oils, and songs. When the meltdown occurs in a public place without access to these tools, try removing them from the environment in which the situation began. If your child runs, throws or hits during a meltdown assess surroundings to ensure safety before approaching.

    Hugging is an excellent use of diversion, but always ask if they need a hug beforehand. Studies have shown that proprioceptive input through hugging is extremely helpful for regulating the senses and helping tame a tantrum. Something as simple as a tight squeeze can provide a sense of calm & return your child to the moment.

    4.) Observing and Learning

    Is there a pattern or trend for where these tantrums occur? Say, in the toy section at Target or when deciding on what to wear in the morning? Research indicates that events leading up to a tantrum can be critical to whether or not it actually occurs. Noticing where and when your child is likely to have a tantrum is essential in diffusing or avoiding it altogether. Maybe bypass the toys next time at the store, or offer options on outfits in the morning so your child feels in control. Another thing to keep in mind is choosing battles wisely. Ask yourself this question:

    Will this decision impact my child down the road?

    Examples: Something like, wearing a helmet on the tricycle could potentially have long term effects and is probably a battle to be fought. Forcing a child to hug a relative before they leave (and thus inducing an incident) is likely not life altering. Maybe have a conversation later about hugging and why we show affection instead of ensnaring yourself in an emotionally escalated situation.

    5.) Consistency and Not Caving

    A sure-fire way to keep the tantrums coming is to cave or give in to the tantrum. For example, if a child melts down in the candy aisle begging for a lollipop, giving her the lollipop will underline the negative behavior and reinforce it for next time. If the child is denied the lollipop repeatedly, it’s possible for them to learn that a tantrum in this particular instance will not get them what they want. Be consistent and confident with your choices as you know best for the child, not vice versa.

    Hey mama, taming tantrums can be tough! Check out our Mental Health Task List to encourage self care and preserve your sanity!

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  • The Best Baby & Kids Pajamas Under $20 on AMAZON

    I am that extra mom that coordinates my kid’s pajamas with holidays, books, hobbies, you name it. And because they’re always growing out of their jammies (and we wear them a lot in this household) I’m constantly checking around for good deals on quality sleepwear. Furthermore, Amazon offers some great brands for super cheap and admittedly I LOVE the convenience. Below I’ve listed my favorite brands and what I have found to be the best baby & kids pajamas under $20 on Amazon! Happy shopping (and hopefully sleeping!)

     

     

    Picture of the best children's pajamas under $20 on Amazon

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

    I can’t get enough of these puppy PJs from Spotted Zebra and I just ordered them for my son! Bonus buy – these are less than $10 and come with the short sleeve option which I love.

       

    How cute are these Bunny sets for Spring? Order now in time for the Easter holiday and have the kiddos open their baskets in style, or have the bunny bring them on Easter morning.

       

    We are a books-to-bed family and nothing gets my oldest pumped for reading like pajamas that match the book we snuggle up to at night. Purchase the books along with the PJ set and it serves as an awesome gift as well. Click here for Llama Llama Red Pajama and here for Brown Bear Brown Bear.

      

    Leveret is one of my FAVORITE brands because of the adorable patterns and the no slip footies. My youngest son is beginning to pull up on everything and the extra grip is a safety plus. I’ve ordered several pairs, and in fact have a matching pair for myself! They also come tag-less for littles with sensitive skin. I have featured the mermaid pattern here but be sure to look at the other patterns available.

    Burts Bees – not just the creamy chapstick in your purse! These are 100% organic cotton and also have the no slip footies. More patterns available for this one as well.

       

    These Avauma sets are the most expensive on the list but I love how cozy and simple they are. These thermal pajamas will stay warm on cold nights and hold their structure well through many rounds in the washing machine.

       

    We hope you found some new Pajamas to lay the kids down in at night! Be sure to check out our 10 Easy Easter Crafts and Activities for Preschoolers

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  • 10 Easy Easter Crafts & Activities for Preschoolers

    If your child is anything like mine, then they love creative activities. We have put together 10 easy & fun Easter inspired crafts and activities that are sure to get your preschooler into the holiday spirit this April and a great way to create new memories with your littles!

     

    Check out some easy Easter crafts for preschoolers below!

    Like the ideas you see in this post? Make sure to bookmark this page or pin an image so you have all these ideas on hand when you need them. To learn about each project, click on the image.

    Easter Yarn Craft

    Bunny Pudding Cup

    Cardboard Tube Bunny Stamps

     

    Paper Plate Bunny

     

    Easter Chick Handprint Craft

    Chick Easter Project

    Project by momvstheboys.com

    Easter Math Puzzle

    Easter Egg Potato Stamping

     

    Easter Bath Bomb Bunny

     

    DIY Easy Easter Lollipop Craft

     

    Easter Playdough Mat

    If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy some other activities for kids on our blog. And if you tried out any of these projects, be sure to share below!

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  • Spring Cleaning Checklist – Free Printables Included

    Picture of Rock It Mama ultimate spring cleaning checklistThere are few rites of passage as we move into spring, and for me – one of them is spring cleaning! As a family who has had our fair share of winter sicknesses, I am ready to get my spring cleaning on and eliminate all lingering germs. And if you are too – I have made this handy spring deep cleaning checklist for you, along with a customizable weekly cleaning schedule you can fill out on your own!

    See below to download your FREE spring cleaning printables!

    Picture of Rock It Mama ultimate spring cleaning checklist

    This checklist is a great reminder to tackle all those essential, but easily forgettable tasks. And these downloads are a great addition to your Family Home Binder printables available in my post here.

    Are you a fan of spring cleaning? What are some items on your list that you think I should add to mine?



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  • How to Make a DIY Solar System Necklace – Kids Learning Activity

    My three year old is at the age where his interests change over night. One minute it’s dinosaurs and diggers, the next it’s paints and play toys. Lately he’s been dressing up in his astronaut costume, and I wanted to engage him in a learning activity that would help to explain what we understand about the universe our solar system.

    This solar system necklace was the perfect way to introduce these ideas and consequently, he loved it! Now I can point to each planet and he can recognize them with ease, and the best part is, he can wear his art proudly around his neck. Interested in engaging the littles (preschool and up) in a creative science learning activity? Read below on how to make a DIY solar system necklace!

    Picture of Rock it Mama Solar System Necklace Learning Activity

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

    You will need:

    • Assorted wooden beads (3 different sizes)
    • Acrylic Paints (Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, Silver, Metallic Bronze)
    • A wooden skewer
    • 30 in. chain
    • Small sized paint brush

    Supplies for Rock it Mama DIY Solar System Necklace

    Directions

    To help distinguish each planet, I used 3 different sized wooden beads. For the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn I used the larger sized bead. Earth, Neptune and Uranus were painted on medium sized beads (Technically Earth is closer in scale to the smaller planets but it was aesthetically pleasing to make it a little bigger and plus, its home!) and for Mercury, Venus and Pluto (If we’re still considering it a planet) I used the smallest sized bead.

    It was much easier to place the beads on the skewer and paint from there, and also turned out to be an excellent fine motor exercise. Wait for the base paint on the planets with rings to dry before adding the stripe, and before painting the green on planet Earth to represent the land masses. Seal each bead with a clear coat for preservation. Take creative liberties with the colors of the sun & planets or use the color guide below.

    Picture of Rock it Mama DIY Solar System Planets and Corresponding Colors

    Lastly, place the colored beads on the chain and clasp it tight. We hope your littles enjoy making their solar system necklace as much as ours did. Feel free to leave a comment below if you decide to try it out!

    Completing this project has inspired this one to create even more! If you’re looking for more educational activities check out our Where Do I Live? Activity to Teach your Kids their Address!

    DIY STEM Activity

     

     

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  • Kids Consignment Sales – Part Two: Prep Your Inventory

    Last week, I shared 5 tips for a successful consignment sales and today I am piggybacking off the part one post to share the step-by-step process of prepping your inventory.

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of clothing for consignment sales

    Take Inventory

    Look through the items you wish to get rid of and take a look at the tips for choosing your items (in last weeks post). As a consignor, the very first step is checking with your consigning rules or policies so you are aware of what is and is not acceptable to sell.

    Here are some of the popular kid items perfect for consignment events:

    • Clothing
    • Shoes
    • Toys
    • Books
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Baby Gear – DockATot, strollers, jumpers, car seats, high chairs, baby carriers, etc.
    • Maternity Wear
    • House Decor Items – varies depending on consignment sales

    Choose items that are in good, working condition and are likely to sell – remember, if you wouldn’t buy it don’t consign it.

    Next you want to make sure to check the recall list on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website for any non-clothing items, just to ensure there are no health or safety problems associated with them. Additionally, if you plan to sell a car seat, always double-check the expiration date – which can be located on the manufacturer label. These items, if expired or recalled would not be acceptable. If in the end you still have items you want to get rid of, but won’t sell, this would be a good time to start a donation pile.

    Gather Supplies

    You will need quite a few supplies for prepping your inventory. Here are my suggestions:

    • Child-sized HangersYou can get these from Dollar Tree, Walmart for pretty cheap. As you continue to consign each season, you will be able to collect them as you go.
    • Large Safety Pins
    • Small Safety Pins
    • Magic Erasers
    • Stain Remover
    • Zip-Ties
    • ZipLoc Bags – Various sizes
    • Cardstock – 65lb
    • Clorox Wipes
    • Clear Packing Tape
    • Scissors
    • Iron
    • Bright Patterned Duck Tape – Optional
    • Febreeze Fabric Refresher – Optional

    Wash and Clean Items

    Everything will need to be washed, wiped down and sanitized.

    • Clothing and Bedding
      • Treat spot stains before washing all items
      • Wash and dry, preferably with baby laundry detergents to prevent irritation, if someone was to have a skin allergy or sensitive skin
      • Iron all clothing for best presentation – wrinkled items will NOT sell
      • Use scissors to cut loose garment thread

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of loose garment thread

    • Baby Bottles, Gear & Toys
      • Bottle sets sell well at consignment sales. Wash and sanitize all pieces and do not include the nipples
      • Wipe down all toys with Clorox wipes and get in between all the nooks and crannies
      • If your toys can get wet, consider running them through the dishwasher or soaking them in the tub with white vinegar and leave to air dry
      • Magic Erasers can do wonders. Wipe down baby gear with sanitizer and get all the scuffs and marks off using this magic scrubbing tool
      • If toy is battery operated, replace all batteries for potential buyers to test out item

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Picture of Crayola Easel before and after cleaning with magic eraser

    Magic Eraser is Your Friend

    • Carseats, Strollers and Highchairs
      • Wipe down and clean with magic eraser
      • Thoroughly clean straps and seat covers
    • Shoes
      • Try to consign like-new shoes only
      • Clean with soap and a toothbrush to get out any dirt, wipe all marks and scuffs with a Magic Eraser and wipe down with a Clorox wipe

    Price Items

    After you have decided how you want to sell your items – whether as separates, outfits, bundled, etc., you are ready to start entering your inventory into the consignment software and print out your tags onto card stock. Always be sure to be as detailed as possible on the tags and to price realistically. And if you are like me and just want to see the items gone, start off at a clearance price and then allow your items to be discounted so they have a better chance of being purchased (which results in less items to pick up at the end of the sale). See our last post here for the consignment pricing guide.

    Tag Your Inventory

    As mentioned in my previous post, presentation is everything! So even after washing, cleaning and replacing all parts, you still need to make sure your inventory is displayed nicely. Here are my top tips for tagging your items.

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of clothing for consignment sales

    • Hang all clothing so that the hanger looks like a question mark when you look at the front
    • When tagging two-piece items, hang them on the same hangers and have them display front of the shirt/pants/etc on each side
    • Pin clothing with large safety pins on each end with the hanger in between for security and so they do not slip off
    • Pin the tag onto the front of the item with a small safety pin
    • If you are selling multiple outfit pairs together, zip-tie or tape the hangers together

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of clothing for consignment sales

    Presentation is key, even when tagging your consignment sale inventory

    • Shoes should be zip-tied together with the tag in between
    • Packs of clothing (socks, hats, etc.), toys (Imaginex, Hot Wheels, etc.) or bundles of books should be packaged in a ziploc bag. Seal and secure the opening with clear packaging tape and tape the tag to the front
    • If you don’t have original boxes, place baby bottles and accessories in ziploc bags and tape the tag on
    • Purses, carriers and pumping bags can be secured and tagged using zip-ties
    • Baby gear such as strollers, coloring easels, bouncers and more should have the tags taped to them
    • Optional: Use bright or patterned duck tape to mark your hangers and other items. This is helpful if a buyer sees inventory of yours they want to purchase, they are likely to keep an eye out for more of your items by using this trick. This is also helpful during pick-up at the end of the event and will help you locate your items easier

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of clothing for consignment sales

    Prep for Transport

    To make things easier when dropping off your inventory to the sale, be sure to first sort your items into categories such as: home decor, toys, shoes, infant clothing (by size), maternity clothing. For storage, pack everything in large plastic bins to prevent wrinkling and disorganization along the way.

    I hope these tips helped you as you prepared your items for your next kids consignment sale! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and I would be honored to help.

    Happy consigning and good luck!

    Kids Consignment Sales - Part Two: Prepping Your Inventory | Rock It Mama | Image of clothing for consignment sales

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