• Home
  • About »
    • for Beginners
    • Disclaimer
  • Links »
    • Educational Resources
    • Parenting Websites
    • for Chicago Parents
    • Mommy Blogroll
  • Archives »
    • by Category
    • by Tags
    • by Date
    • Most Commented
    • Most Read
  • Contact

Practical Mama

Practical wisdom and balanced lifestyle for parents

  • Home
  • Parenting
    • Positive Parenting
    • Parenting Fun
    • Working Mother
    • Community Involvement
  • Baby and Child
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery/Birth
    • Breastfeeding
    • Kids’ Health
    • Sleep
    • Potty Training
    • Kids’ Safety
  • Play & Learn
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Play
    • Books
    • Education
    • School
    • Birthday Parties
  • Home
    • Home Organization
    • Gardening
    • Sewing
    • Backyard Chickens
    • Product Review
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Nutrition
    • Practical Cooking
    • Kitchen Tips
    • Menu Plan Monday
  • Health & Fitness
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Beauty
  • Travel
    • Family Travel Tips
    • Chicago
    • International Destinations
    • US Destinations
  • Blogging
    • News
    • Giveaways

Positive Parenting

Feeling-o-meter to help children identify and describe their feelings

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

My son gets frustrated and upset very quickly. He has a short fuse. He always describes his state as he's "MAD". Whatever happens, he's always mad and whenever that word comes out of his mouth, things get escalated pretty quickly.I explained to him that most probably he doesn't get MAD in every situation. He doesn't feel the same level of … [Read more...]

Parenting Fun

Back to school, back to blogging

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

It's been 3 weeks since we've returned from our month "long" vacation and children started school. Between a month which I wouldn't get myself to sit in front of the computer to blog because I was vacationing and another month I couldn't sit in front of the computer to blog due to back-to-school craziness, it was one of the longest blogging hiatus … [Read more...]

Parenting Fun

Eight

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Every year, writing a birthday post gets harder. Explosion of feelings that my children ignite inside my chest, every minute, every hour, cannot be explained in one post.I am definitely one lucky mother, of two of the greatest kids ever.And my firstborn, my son, is turning 8 today. I am in total disbelief that I am a mother of an 8-year … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

How to get your children help clean-up

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Every weekend, children - have to - cleanup and organize their own living and playing areas. Then 5 minutes later, until next weekend, they run around like a tornado and we end up with a house like a bomb exploded in the middle. Now that they are 7 and 5, I do not clean up their territories anymore. Unfortunately, they do not keep it tidy or they … [Read more...]

Parenting Fun

Her brain vs. his brain

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

I like yoga but I can hardly meditate. I cannot empty my mind. I never understood how one could not think about anything. A big example: my husbandWhen I and my husband first started to date I would talk and he would listen. (Later on, he figured he needed to talk to shut me up) There would be long pauses of (awkward for me) silence, when I … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

“First think, then act” status update

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

It's been more than a month, since we've completed the “First think, then act” program in February. I wanted to share the results with you. I also learned that today is "National Siblings Day".The month of February was a work-in-progress. My beloved kids really tried to work on the communication, mostly because they did want to get a green icon … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

Sibling Relationship: Making new habits

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

For the last few weeks, my son and daughter literally lost their capabilities to communicate and getting along well. The constant bickering, stubbornness, competition, disrespect and fights got worse. Not only did we lose our peace in our home that but they carried their unacceptable behavior out of the house to family visits and public … [Read more...]

Kids' Health, Positive Parenting

“Taste it once” rule

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

My kids aren't picky - luckily - and they have a good appetite. However, time to time, when they are offered new food or dishes, they might be reluctant to try. My son is a little bit sensitive to smell and texture in taste. My daughter, might refuse either to imitate her brother, or just because she's decided so. It sometimes works other way … [Read more...]

Family Travel Tips, Positive Parenting

Why I love family vacation

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

After 7 days of teachers union strike, public schools started 2012-2013 school year today. The extended summer break came to an end.Before the summer break, among most of the parents around me and on the blogs that I read, the main consensus about vacation was “a vacation is not a vacation when it's with kids”. I seem to be the one of the few … [Read more...]

Parenting Fun

Tired of thinking

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

I get tired of having to think and having to make decisions on many small things, every day, instead of the actual physical chores and errands. I feel like my brain is steaming from all the thinking:what to prepare for breakfast what to prepare for snack bag what to put in the backpack for activities of the day how to answer "I don't … [Read more...]

Education, Working Mother

My educational utopia

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

In yesterday's post I wrote on various educational philosophies and the certain aspects of which I like about these philosophies, was the summary of what my children learn at their school, the research I have done to learn what I can provide them better as well as things I came across due to selective attention.As I wrote yesterday, I think it … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

A world without praise and encouragement

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

When you hear from experts on education and discipline, there is a big issue surrounding the use of  "Good Job!", aka praise. There is a really bad stigma around praise, almost as much as veral or physical abuse. Ok, I might be exaggerating a bit, but repetitive praise is widely cited as an obstacle character development. All the books I have read … [Read more...]

Parenting, Positive Parenting

Parents as teachers, parents as entertainers and other parenting styles

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Every parent has a different parenting style. In our household, I and my husband have self-assigned duties and responsibilities in the daily life of our children, based on our individual personalities and interests.For example I am a teacher parent. I am the "Secretary of Education". I feel more comfortable with activities such as reading, … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

The armchair’s flight, the end of the fight

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

We have one sofa and one armchair in our living room. This is our one and only armchair. The kids argue and even sometimes fight over who's going to sit on it. If they are in a good mood, they sit on it together. It is wide enough to fit them both comfortably. However, sometimes they get stubborn.Some days, I ignore them and wait out until they … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

Daily routine chart in pictures for young children

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Thousands of parents around the world are asking the same two questions every single day:What should I cook today? How can I keep my child(ren) busy and entertained today?It's not any different for me. I am not a spontaneously entertaining mom at home. My son is used to having us entertain him, so he is not very skilled at keeping … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

An ordinary day – Dinner Delight

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Continuing from An ordinary day – Breakfast and leaving homeI need to show up at school pick up time with snacks. My son would be incredibly hungry and he can't  wait until we get home. I usually pack a home-made burger, a sandwich, or couple of granola bars.On Mondays, my son has gym classes.  When I am pick him up, his first questions … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

An ordinary day – Breakfast and leaving home

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Continuing from An ordinary day, Good Morning.After trying out different methods for years, with trial and error, I learned that best way to manage kid's menu is(a) offer two alternatives, prepare/cook what your child choosesor(b) offer two alternatives but sell them what you want them to eat in a sneaky way.In the worst case … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

An ordinary day – Good Morning

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

From the narrow window of my blog, our life might seem pretty easy and relaxed since I mostly write how I manage to do multiple things, share practical ideas, and solutions around the life with children. If I come up with a good post, it means that, I had to  struggle and stumble and finally find a way to get through the emotional and physical … [Read more...]

Parenting Fun

Practical Parenting in Real Life

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

This blog, like many other parenting blogs, is like a small stage of our real lives. Especially Practical Mama, not being a personal / diary blog, reflects very limited portion of the daily hustle. I share tips and tricks that I try and find helpful after so many trials and errors. That means there is a lot of trial and error going on behind the … [Read more...]

Positive Parenting

Time management and planning tools for parents

By Practical Mama |
This post may contain affiliate links

Time management is very important for me. It doesn't mean I am super skilled in time management. On the contrary, I totally suck at it.One major flaw that I have is that I get easily distracted. I think about zillion unrelated things while I am trying to work on a task. I leave that task in the middle and move on to something else.Unless I … [Read more...]

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »
Get the newsletter

All the latest sent straight to your inbox so you never miss out!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.


I am a mother of two and a type of person who you would call “Jack of all trades, master of none”. As you might guess from categories, I love my children, reading, sewing, gardening, traveling and cooking. I also work full time so I have to be practical to do all the things I want to do in a 24-hr-day. More About Me


More on Practical Mama

How to boost your immune system for winter
How to make your own bone broth
Record your own lullaby
Sandpaper Letters

Trending

  • Massage for ear infection and earache
  • 20 Thermos school lunch ideas
  • How to hack a pull up bar to use as gymnastics training bar for kids
  • How to turn flat sheets into fitted sheets
  • Packing hot school lunches and keeping them warm
  • DIY: Bedside organizer caddy with printable pattern
  • Organizing LEGO instruction booklets
  • How to prevent knee holes in pants
  • DIY- How to build a balance beam
  • Tea party themed birthday party

Categories

Archives

Copyright ©2021, Practical Mama. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs