Author: Christine

It’s hard with three children to be home all day for weeks and not have that spouse quality time. It’s so important to a marriage to make your relationship a priority right?

We’ve been struggling to find the time for ourselves. Between work, home school, chores, dinner, reading to the kids, by the time bedtime comes for the kiddos, we are beat. Some days it really is an effort to spemd that time together.

Some ways we have found to spend some alone time without the children are to watch a movie together after the kids are in bed or sometimes we will put a kids movie on for them in the basement and set them all up, then we watch ours together, alone, without the kids.

Another way we find to spend time together as a couple is to take a walk around the neighborhood. Let’s be honest, the kids are kinda tired of all the walks we’ve been taking these last few months so sometimes they are excited they don’t have to tag along. Our oldest is old enough to home with the others for 30 minutes while we walk around the block.

We’ve played restaurant. My kids helped me make an easy dinner, they set the table and played restaurant. I let my nine year old make us pudding for dessert, an easy thing for a kid to make. The kids put on “romantic” background music and loved serving us. They even dressed alike so they looked the part, they spend hours working on a menu and setting the table. I must say, the kids loved it and my husband and I had a blast too.

Good old fashion card games is another fun way to connect. SkipBo and Phase 10 are a few of our favorites. Sometimes it will bring out the competitiveness is either you or your spouse, so be careful with this one.

Now things are slowly opening and we have moved to a safer at home approach, I still see us staying at home quite a bit. But having the option to eat out and do something fun, outside the home with my spouse is something to look forward to.

What are some ways you are connecting with your spouse? Let me know in the comments!

If you have school-aged kids, May is usually a very crazy time of year. Piano recitals, moving up ceremonies, Mother’s Day programs, science fairs, band concert, graduations, picnics, field day, the list goes on and on.

Usually, I’m bombarded by Sign Up Genius. Lists after lists appear and I’m scared to even open my email because of fear of another signup lurking.

But this year, May was quiet. May was different, there was no signup lists, no end of year ceremonies, no Mother’s Day programs, no preschool graduation for us. No scouts end of year party or camp out, no moving up ceremonies.

The school play was postponed until later this summer, no end of year choir concert, no end of year parties. We did a drive-by, pick up your stuff, and wave to your teachers. We all tried our best but it still felt cold and sterile.

Field Day was on your own and post your pictures online. The kids always look forward to this all year long. And I appreciate our school trying to fill that void for my kids.

Usually, I’m run ragged from running to one event to another for each kid. Usually, my calendar is FULL of commitments, food to bring, places to be or items to buy (thank you Sign Up Genius).

Usually, I look forward to the Mother’s Day programs, recitals etc. I mean we mothers eat it all up,right?

Usually, I’m beaming with pride watching my kid present at the science fair or reading a poem they wrote. Usually, I take home the program and place it directly in their memory boxes. Usually, my heart is overflowing from pride with all the year’s accomplishments.

Usually by the end of May, I’m exhausted, longing for summer break.

This year was so full of the unusual that I long for the busyness, I long for the usual. I guess the old saying is right, careful what you wish for!

We are all putting on a brave face but it’s such an unusual time, an unusual end to the school year and an unusual summer ahead.

We have a May birthday at our house and I want to make it special for her since we don’t know if we are still under a stay at home order.

We usually celebrate lavishly at our house and this year will be no different. I have been seeing creative and out of the box ideas on social media, so I thought I’d compile a list of some of my favorites:

• Cards-Put out the word on social media and ask friends and family to send birthday cards to your child. I know my kids love getting mail.

• Birthday videos-Have friends, family send birthday videos of love, or have them sing happy birthday to your child.

• Virtual Party-Arrange a Zoom or Google Hang Out birthday party. Arrange a time for your child’s friends can get together virtually and celebrate! You could even make some cupcakes and deliver them curbside to their friends so you can all sing to the birthday child. Plus their friends get a sweet treat as well.

• Baking Fun-Make the birthday cake together, get your child in on the decorating. Kids love using icing and sprinkles.

• Birthday parade-ask friends and family to drive by with signs, balloons, and honks of birthday love.

• Crown the birthday child-Make a special crown for the birthday girl or boy and have them wear it all-day. The birthday child gets to pick which game to play, what’s for dinner, the movie pick, etc. The birthday king or queen is the decision-maker for the day. (Within reason of course-think cruise director type decisions.)

• Decorate-Make the house look like it’s a party zone, balloons, streamers, party hats, the works.

• Gifts-Order birthday gifts online, better yet, try to support a small business that offers curbside pick up or delivery.

• Wakeup call-Gather the rest of the family and surprise your child with an early morning rendition of Happy Birthday.

• Now Showing-Print faux tickets to a movie, make popcorn, and have a viewing of your child’s favorite movie.

Being a stay at home for over 12 years, I’m no stranger to being at home with my children.

It took a while to get into a routine, with my firstborn, I was in sort of a whirlwind for a long time.

One golden piece of advice from a seasoned mom was to take time for me and that meant showering, doing your hair, and getting dressed.

Trust me, you will feel so much better, it’s like the making your bed theory. You remember hearing that if you want to change the world, start by making your bed, right?!?

So even though you are staying home, not going anywhere at the moment, shower, do your hair, make that bed, I promise it will make you feel better and more productive.

I have a 12-year-old, an eight-year-old and a five-year-old. If you are like me you are trying to navigate through this pandemic and how to talk to your kids about it.

My older children sort of get it, they know about the virus, why we are staying home and the purpose of washing our hands frequently.

That doesn’t mean they are not struggling with staying home, missing their friends, not going back to school for the rest of the school year.

They are mourning and it’s alright, we are trying to encourage them to discuss their feelings and take some alone time if they need it.

We are telling them it’s OK to be sad, it’s OK to feel confused. We as parents are feeling all that as well.

Our preschool has sent out some great resources for my five year old and how to discuss all this with him.

I wanted to share a storybook that I’ve read to him and I think it has been helpful.

Another great resource is a Coronavirus time capsule that your child can fill out. It was sent to me by our preschool and I think it’s a great chance to discuss this time with your child. And a great item for their memory boxes. I’m so grateful that our preschool provided these tools for us.

I pray that these resources help you and your children! Please share in the comments how you are talking to your children and ideas that have helped you.