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...]
Time management and planning tools for parents
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...]
House rules poster for children
Lately, sharing and jealousy issues have drastically escalated between the siblings. Big brother has been less than cooperative and agreeable. As usual, I started thinking about proactive solutions or help them find their own solutions.Sibling rivalry, as I have accepted, is inevitable. My daughter is more interactive and she is trying to do … [Read more...]
Product Review: Responsibility Chart by Melissa & Doug
I got this "Magnetic Responsibility Chart" from a friend who hasn't been using it for a while. We hung it in my son's room as a continuation of the actions we've taken along with "House Rules Poster". It has magnets for every "desired behavior" such as helping with house chores and communicating with each other etc. You put the desired behaviors or … [Read more...]
Loving to be a SAHM
I love to be a stay-at-home-mom on days like these. Take a music class... then run to the museum to enjoy free museum days... [Museum of Science and Industry has free admission until Jan 31] Especially now that my daughter is 13 months old and she can walk.So it is not a stay-at-home!!! situation really, but I enjoy these things. I enjoy my … [Read more...]
Parenting solutions for parents with many kids
I don't like that the parenting books that are written for the first and the only child. Sleep, potty training, discipline, or play/game books... Everyone assumes parents have one kid. If they are the experts and have something to tell us about kids, they also have to figure out most of us have more than one.I got "Siblings without rivalry" … [Read more...]
Luck, be a husband…
I read "Choosing my own's" Jamie's Love letter to her husband. I was thinking about writing something similar recently, because I think I am one of these lucky ladies. Knocking on wood, really, I think finding the perfect someone whom you can share life, love and kids is pure luck.I feel like he's a part of me. But not like I am totally … [Read more...]
Downturn
When I go out everyday to leave my son to preschool, I pass by a gas station. Today regular was $2.29. I think 3-4 miles up North it might be around $2.09. It's always very low north of the city. I remember, the days we used to pay $4.50 weren't that far past.It's nice to see the drop in gas prices, but I also see the big "going out of … [Read more...]
Craving
I am terribly craving to read a book. I have so many waiting for me on the shelves of my library. Childcare and child psychology ones, books about plays, novels, books in foreign languages - which if I don't practice soon enough, I'll forget. And I am about to order another batch from Amazon.com, after a long long time. I was able to get by, by … [Read more...]
Up and down
These last 2-3 weeks have been full of ups and downs like a roller coaster. I console myself continuously saying, "this is nothing", "these will go away" and "we can take care of this". I am also grateful that we are in good health (at least nothing untreatable, god forbid). It is kind of a test, I guess. Here is a list of my ups and downs for the … [Read more...]
First Day of School
This is my son's first day at school. He started his preschool today. I have been getting him ready for a week or so, telling him, he would play with his friends and toys, and singing songs and playing outside. He mostly listened to me quietly but he commented, once in a while, "Mom's coming along, right?". I explained him, "Yes, I will. Then I am … [Read more...]
How to balance work and parenting when working from home
I’m behind on my posting schedule because I don't have enough time to take photos for some of my posts. In the meantime, I wanted to write a post on a slightly different topic which doesn't require photos. There are many parents who work full time in an office but would like to spend more time with their children. On the other hand, there are some … [Read more...]
A great quote to share
My daughter is still incubating and - thanks to my mom and husband - I am enjoying my time before the baby by reading more books. Here is a quote I wanted to note from the book I am reading now, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers, an addition to the Baby Whisperer books, which I highly recommend.“You can, and should, be in charge, but … [Read more...]
Books to help children prepare for a new sibling
Here are the list of books we used and loved on preparation of the arrival of a new sister:I am a Big Brother My son and I have enjoyed this book the most. This is ideal for children of my son’s age (2,5). You can also find big sister version of it. I am a Big SisterHello Baby! This is a nice book as well. Lots of illustrations. This is … [Read more...]
Preparing our son for the arrival of his new sibling
We have completed our preparations for the arrival or our new baby as much as we could. I went out for one last time to buy things which were on my missing stuff list. After my son, we did not have that many missing items anyway. I only bought containers for milk, garbage bags for diapers and boppy pillow. The old ones were really old. I found an … [Read more...]
How to find, interview and hire a nanny
Step 1: Where to find the candidates:From local parents’ group forums. Sometimes people will suggest babysitters they have previously worked with. e.g. www.npnparents.org in Chicago Craigslist: I found our nanny on Craigslist. You still end up going through the same interview process, checking the references etc. Nanny/Babysitter … [Read more...]
Evidence that reveal you are a new mother
The time flies by. It's already February and I wish, I can just slow down the time.Time seems to go faster after being a mom. You wake up, then suddenly it's night. You go to bed, then it's morning. Sometimes an angel stops by to help you for few minutes to give you a break, time seems to slow down a bit. Or you go to work, or have a night out … [Read more...]
Why?
…. is a license (education) not required to have and raise a child for a mother and father, even though a license is required to drive or to get married?….care all kinds of adult education classes, such as sewing or make up courses easier to find and more popular than child care classes?….do public schools and colleges not offered courses … [Read more...]
How to soothe a crying baby – Video
Well, our Japanese friends did it again. You fed, burped and changes your baby but (s)he is still crying. All you need is a glass of water to calm her/him down. You take a mouthful of water. Then make a whistling sound similar to birds chirping as if you are sipping it from a straw. Voila!Has your baby stopped crying?My son is 18 months old … [Read more...]
5 minutes for mom
I have been working out for weeks. I increased my running time. I was working out with DVDs when I had to stay at home. Now, I am sucked back into the black hole called "I cannot find time to workout" and I am waiting for someone to pick me up and show me the light at the end of the tunnel. Neither my son's needs end, nor the house chores. I do not … [Read more...]