Mom Life – Joyful Messes

Homeschool

How to Organize Your Homeschool + Free Homeschool Supply List!

I would have to say that the question I get asked most is, “How do you organize your homeschool?” And this is such a great question! I want to take a few moments to offer you tips, tricks, and ways for organizing your homeschool. An organized teacher is an organized learner We all come to homeschooling with different intentions, purposes, and reasons, and I love that! We each get to bring our own teaching and learning philosophies to the table. However, I think the one thing we can all agree on is the importance of being organized. Make no mistake, an organized teacher is an organized learner. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “More is caught than taught,” right? Being an organized teacher is essential for raising and teaching an organized learner. Children watch adults’ every move and almost always mimic what they see, so it only makes sense to do…

Mom Life

Spring Cleaning Tips for Moms of Infants and Small Children

Every mom with young children knows it’s important to Spring clean your house once in a while if you don’t want to wake up one day and realize something really gross is lurking under your refrigerator. For us moms, it can feel impossible to find the time or focus to get it done. However, there are tips for moms with young children that will help you get your Spring cleaning done in record time, and with your sanity intact. You can learn to make it easy with the right shortcuts, tools, and products. For example, just wait till you learn all the things that are safe to clean in the dishwasher, and how a single appliance can practically clean your whole house! This is going to amaze you. Make It Easy and You Won’t Put It Off The big secret to making Spring cleaning manageable is to regularly clean in…

Mom Life

Gift Ideas for a New Mom’s First Mother’s Day

You might wonder what the best Mother’s Day gifts are for the new mom in your life. You know her best. She may not really need another coffee mug, even if it says something cute. But I bet she’d love it if you put some thought into what might make a new mom’s life more liveable right now. The best gift ideas for new moms on Mother’s Day are things that address the struggles of exhaustion, fear, loneliness, doubt, and anxiety. Also, anything that makes her feel pretty. Some good ideas are flower subscriptions, spa gift sets, Mani/Pedi gift certificates, a pendant with the baby’s birthstone, a fun t-shirt that advertises new-mom status, paid membership in a new mom’s group, or a class that will teach her everything she needs to know about infants, sleep cycles, and breastfeeding. Pampering or Wearable Gift Ideas: Here are some gifts that will go…

Mom Hacks

5 Ways You Must Pay Attention To Your Middle Child

It’s a special place to be the middle child, and there are some important ways you can give your middle child some special attention. First, Read Them Special Books Just as you maybe did with your oldest having a new sibling, your middle child can really benefit from being some books in being in the middle. Here are some great starters: My Middle Child, There’s No One Like You You’re All My Favorites The Middle Child Blues Little House on the Prairie Second, Give Them A Special Toy I remember getting a small toy when my younger sister was born. I’m actually the oldest, but the idea is great for the middle child. I gave each of my boys a special gift from our third baby in the hospital, so they could feel special. Some great ideas for this type of toy is a toy they can care for like…

Kids Activities

Camping Must Haves To Entertain and Protect Your Little Ones

Are you planning an exciting camping adventure in the great outdoors this year while bringing along your younger children? Do you find yourself asking the question, “Where do I begin when planning for safety and entertainment for my kids?” The idea of camping with little ones is something many parents may dream of, but may not necessarily know how to prepare properly for. Keeping your little ones safe and happily entertained is a critical component to maintaining your peaceful enjoyment of the trip when exploring nature’s beauty and the various elements that come with it. Here is an arrangement of useful things to bring along to help with entertainment, sleeping comfortably, insects, and just plain having fun while camping with your infant, toddler, or young children. Infants and Toddlers Infants and younger toddlers require safe, teething-friendly toys and gear to bring along. You’ve got to keep in mind that a…

DIY

Toddler Birthday Parties That Rock His World

Get ready to pull out the snacks and gear up for a fabulous time! Who’s ready to get creative and make a fun-loving birthday party that your toddler is sure to enjoy? We will go over a checklist of steps that will help you ensure your little one and their friends are having the time of their lives! We’ll also mention a few ways to make sure mom and dad are hanging in there and having some fun throughout the process as well. Let’s get our supply list in order and get ready to rumble with the toddlers! Starting off on the right foot is important when it comes to party planning, especially when dealing with a bunch of energetic toddlers with short attention spans! Try following this list of suggested items to purchase, or tasks to complete, and you will find planning a toddler birthday or any party is…

Healthy Kids

Road Trip: Non-Screen Entertainment to Bring For Your Toddler

There are a number of ways parents have found to entertain their little ones in the car on road trips over the decades. For instance, one dad enjoyed singing off-key really loud (not very effective by the way – kind of made their kid want to cry to make him stop), another couple constantly fed their kids snacks to keep them quiet (which led to lots of bathroom stops or a very smelly vehicle). All in all, the various methods and ideas are all random and based on individual parenting styles for the most part … until today’s generation of parents. We have at our fingertips the harmonious beauty of online shopping for securing the most enjoyable and affordable entertainment for our children that can be delivered right to your doorstep! How convenient is that? Try as we might, our tired minds simply cannot compare to the brilliance of a…

Baby Goods

Ultra Cool Gear For Moms and Babies with Budgets in Mind

I love a pretty baby/child item. We have so much gear to carry, haul and manage that it makes things easier if everything just looks pretty and stylish. I feel like the prettier something is, the less I see the mess! I have a great list of my favorite baby gear and mama gear pieces that are totally modern, sleek, and functional! Most are very affordable, and will absolutely make your life easier with functionality. Here’s my compilation of my favorite mommy gear must-haves to make you feel like an uptown designer mom, even when you have spit-up on everything, blowouts, and jelly stains. Ruvalino Diaper Backpack Skip Hop Diaper Clutch Upsimples Travel Bag Baby Bjorn Carrier Infantino Convertible Carrier Lillebaby 360 Ergonomic Baby Carrier Original Black Munchkin Brica Fold N’ Go Travel Bassinet 3 in 1 Diaper Bag Backpack Organizer Cozy Cover Alpine Baby Carseat Canopy, Nursing Cover and…

Mom Hacks

10 STEM Toy Gifts for Kids that Make Them Smarter

I can’t tell you all the toys I’ve purchased that sit un-played with just hours after they’ve been opened. Or, the toys I surprised my boys with, only to find that I was totally wrong, and they aren’t fun. I don’t buy many toys now, and this year for Christmas, I don’t plan to either. This is what’s on the list because they are toys that will challenge their minds, keep them quiet, help us engage as a family, and more. These aren’t toys at all, yet offer so much entertainment! This post contains affiliate links. Guess Who? We’ve been playing this ever since I found it at the Goodwill. A super simple game that we can play together. The 4.5-year-old plays one side, and the three-year-old helps me on my side. I can literally see my 4.5-year-old’s mind working as he tries to guess my card and sound out…

Baby Goods

9 Essentials You Forgot In Your Diaper Bag

Oh, the diaper bag. I’ve had a few now that I am a mom of three boys. I put together a list of nine items I have NEEDED at some point but never remembered to pack. This isn’t your usual diaper bag essentials list of diapers, wipes, binkies, and bibs. These are items you will want, that nobody mentions! I get bored of carrying a diaper bag, so I often switch back and forth between purses, backpacks, and diaper bags. It depends on my mood and where we are going. A backpack is often my go-to because I need to be hands-free with my little ones. this post contains affiliate links Packing the diaper bag is always the harder part. When you are a first-time mom, everything goes. Clothes, extra socks, and shoes, wipes and more wipes, extra bottles, toys, hats, burp clothes, 20 diapers…you know just the whole nursery.…