Frugal Role-Play with Preschoolers

Guest post from Imperfect Homemaker contributor, Andrea.

I don’t know about your kids, but my kids absolutely love to play dress-up.  We have more toy bins dedicated to dress-up and role playing than any other type of toy.  When I walk into my kids’ room, the floor is nearly always strewn with hats, scarves, coats, dresses, and accessories.  My kids may love dressing up, but my wallet doesn’t like the cost of buying dress-up outfits at the toy store.  I always get sticker shock, and then am disappointed in the quality of the items.  So we have found other ways to feed their role-playing habits.

I was especially inspired to make my own dress-up items after visiting the children’s museum in Fayetteville, NC on a recent trip.  The kids move from room to room and get to play farmer, supermarket, ambulance, ER, dentist, post office, banker, army man, TV weather forecaster, and more.  Most of the items were “real” items from that profession, and my kids had a blast.  They were willing to forfeit lunch in order to stay and play longer!

Here are some ideas for frugal role-play and dress-up:

—Use “real” clothing that is larger in size.  When we get hand-me-downs, I throw some of the scarves, hats, frilly skirts, and dressy shoes into the dress-up bin.  The kids love it.  They are creative and turn scarves into ropes when they are braving a hurricane from the safety of the bunk-bed.  Purses become shopping bags when they “walk” to the store with their doggies.  They love playing with “real” items.

—Save household and kitchen items.  When we empty an egg carton I give it to the kids to play with.  After a few days it has usually been stepped on and smooshed a hundred times, so we toss it out.  There will always be another one coming!  I rinse out vitamin bottles and save Band-Aid boxes for doctor play.  We have a plastic Starbucks coffee cup and old measuring cups for our “kitchen”.  Dead cell phones go in the toy drawer, and all of my kids love to walk around talking on a “real” phone.  (My husband wears out his phones quickly!)  When I am ready to pass on a scarf or necklace, I usually take it to the dress-up box instead of Good Will.

–-Make your own.  At the children’s museum, in the play Post Office, my kids loved sorting mail and handing out packages.  So I saved envelopes from the mail for about a week, laminated them, taped up a couple of small boxes, and turned an old wipes box into a mail box.  Put on a blue shirt from Daddy’s closet, and voilà!  Instant Post Office.  We play with it for a few days and then pack it away for a few days to keep things new and exciting.

—An old box can become anything you can imagine.  My kids love to pretend it’s a boat.  We usually keep the boxes from our diaper shipment around the house for a few days.  Turn the box upside down and glue on some red construction paper circles for a stove.  Cut a hole for a mailbox.  Make a baby cradle.  The possibilities are endless (and free!).  Two liter bottles become a jet pack.  A towel and clothespin becomes a super hero cape.  An empty toilet paper tube or paper towel tube can become binoculars or a pirate spyglass.  We cut necktie shapes out of fabric scraps and added a ribbon for instant dress-up.

—Play store by setting out some toys on the coffee table.  Print out some paper money and give them a purse.  One child gets to be the shop keeper and one child can be the customer.  We use my daughter's baby stroller to be the shopping cart.  I love spending $5 and getting $20 in change!  (We will work on math skills in Kindergarten this year 🙂

—My daughter loves to play Mommy, Little Girl, and Baby.  She usually gets to be the Mommy and my husband or I is the little girl.  I gave her a couple of real baby bottles, some newborn size onesies, cloth wipes from my diaper stash, and an old receiving blanket.  She uses the tray from one of the twins’ highchair, and we set up a little meal, change some diapers, put the baby to sleep, and have a good time.  No expensive baby doll accessories needed!

–If there is a particular role-playing adventure that you would like to have with your child, you can scour garage sales and thrift stores for needed items.   You could find army items like canteens and binoculars.  Old hats, gloves, purses, etc. can usually be purchased very inexpensively.  I recently found some tiny tin muffin trays at a garage sale for 25 cents.  Perfect addition to the kitchen set!

If you really need some inspiration, Pinterest offers just about every DIY imaginable!  I have a Pinterest idea board with some frugal options, as well as ideas that may take a little more time or money.  They make great gifts!  Now get off the computer and go have some role-playing fun!

Solutions for a Better Night’s Sleep

Are you finding that you have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep at night?  Here are some things you should try:

1.Get your body on a routine by going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning. When you keep your sleep schedule consistent, your body will know exactly when to produce serotonin and melatonin, making you feel much more awake during the day and ready to sleep at night.

2. Make sure the room is completely dark. Any light suppresses your body’s ability to produce melatonin. Additionally, you should discontinue use of electronics well before bed time as the backlight also suppresses melatonin. Dim the lights, keep noise to a minimum, and help your body realize that it is time to sleep.

3. Avoid stimulating activity right before bed as this can suppress sleep
hormones.

4. Exercising during the day helps your body produce sleep hormones
more effectively.

5. Avoid caffeine, preferably all the time, but especially in the afternoon
and later.

6. Chamomile tea can help your body relax and feel sleepy.

7. Do all that you can to reduce stress on your body. Stress hormones affect your sleep cycle just as a lack
of sleep affects your stress level.

8. There are also some aspects of your diet that you should make sure are present if you wish to promote good sleep. These include healthy fats, which give your body what it needs to produce sleep hormones.  Foods high in antioxidants also aid in hormone production and include colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, and green or herbal teas. Sugar and carbohydrates, especially in the evening can give you a blood sugar spike making it difficult to fall asleep and later wake
you in the night when your blood sugar levels drop. Instead, make sure your dinner includes plenty of healthy fat and protein to keep your blood sugar level even. Many people are deficient in magnesium, which can cause your body to feel restless. The best way I have found to supplement magnesium is to use a topical magnesium lotion. (I buy mine from Real Traditions.) It is most easily absorbed by the body in this form and if you happen to give your body excess, it will be eliminated.

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Conquering Naptime Mischief

My kids are required to have a quiet time every day.  I personally need that time to recharge in that middle of the day.

They are usually pretty good about staying in their rooms and being quiet.  But there are other things that go on…

Yes, somebody likes to color.  She's so quiet that I think she's asleep.  Then when naptime is over — surprise!  Look at my pretty picture, mommy!  I don't think there is a blank wall left in her room.

Am I the only mom who has a kid like this???

Enter my new secret weapon in the war against naptime mischief:

Yes, baby monitors aren't just for babies anymore!  (Disclosure: VTech sent me a VTech Safe & Sound Pan and Tilt Monitor to review.  All opinions are my own.)

I seriously love this monitor.  (I don't use the word LOVE unless I really mean it.)  It's hard to describe such awesomeness in one short blog post, but I'll try:

1. Instead of just hearing audio, I can see what's going on with this video monitor.  Since my little girl is a pro at stealth tactics, I need the visual element.

This occurred as I was composing this blog post…

The video quality is actually quite a bit better than what you see in the pictures too.  I was having a hard time getting a good picture.  It also has full color video, but the color doesn't really show up if it is dark in the room.

2. If she gets out of my line of vision, I can use the monitor to move the camera that is set up in her room and see whatever I need to see.

Ah, there she is…

I can move it side to side and up and down so that I have a view of the entire room.  I can also zoom in if I need to.

3. If I need to talk to her, I can press the talk button on the monitor and she will hear me from the camera in her room.  It is so sensitive that I can talk in a whisper and she hears me.  I love this because if I go in there her baby sister will sense that I'm there and wake up, but if I whisper through the monitor the baby doesn't wake up.

4. This system can have up to 4 cameras connected to the parent unit (must purchase additional cameras separately).  I would love to get an extra camera for the boys' room.

One of the most important things I wanted to know about this monitor was whether or not it was secure.  After reading a scary news story about a family who had someone hack into their baby's video monitor and watch their child and talk to him in the middle of the night, I wanted to be sure there was no danger of that happening to us.

As it turns out, since this monitor is not connected to the internet in any way, it would be very, very, very, very, (did I say very?) difficult for someone to hack it.  I am happy to know that I can watch my kids and talk to them without some strange creep having that ability too.

So now I can keep an eye on this little artist of mine during naptime!  I wish I had gotten one of these a long time ago; we would have a lot less painting to do!  (But it's a beautiful mess; remember that mama!)

If you need your own secret weapon, you can check it out right here.

So tell me, moms — What kind of naptime mischief do your little ones get into?

Baby Essentials for the On-the-Go Family

Soccer games.  Piano lessons.  Grocery shopping.

When you have kids, there are always places to go.  And when you're trying to keep up with your big kids' activities while at the same time bringing your baby along, there are several things I can think of that will make your life a little easier.

1. Diaper bag.

Okay, so this one's probably obvious!  But, what are the things that you need to keep packed in your diaper bag at all times so that you can grab and go and never be without the things you need for baby?

• Diapers and wipes – I cannot tell you how many times I think we are just going to “run to the store really quick”, so I don't bother to make sure the diapers and wipes have been restocked.  Let me just say that every time I don't make sure there are plenty in there, we end up regretting it!
• Extra clothes – Those times you regret not bringing the diapers and wipes are very likely to be times when you'll wish for an extra pair of clothes too!
• Plastic bag – See above if you can't figure out what it's for!
• Pacifier – When your family is on the go, you may end up being out during baby's naptime or feeding time.
• Blanket – If you're out during naptime, a familiar blanket may help baby fall asleep somewhere besides his bed.
• Hat – If you're taking baby to ballgames or other outdoor activities, you'll need to make sure his delicate head is protected from the sun
• Toys – Soccer games may be fun for the rest of the family, but they may not interest your baby nearly as much.  Make sure you bring something fun for him to do too!
• Snacks – when your baby is starting to eat solids, having a little snack and drink in the diaper bag will do wonders toward keeping him happy while you're out and about.

2. Nursing cover – if you breastfeed and you'll be out when baby is hungry, you may want to bring a nursing cover with you.  (By the way,  you can get a free one here!  Just use the coupon code ENBABY when you check out and you'll get one for the cost of shipping only.)

3. Shopping cart cover – when your baby is old enough to sit up, I recommend using a shopping cart cover.  Shopping cart handles have nasty germs on them and babies like to put everything in their mouths!  Not a good combo!

4. Car seat – I guess this is another obvious one!  You can't take your baby anywhere without a car seat!  I recommend the Combi Shuttle, which can be paired with any of Combi's strollers to create a travel system.  I really like that it is specifically designed to offer protection from front, rear and side impact collisions with its Combi Tru-Safe® Side Impact Protection and anti-rebound bar.    It also offers lots of comfortable padding for baby and has straps that are very easy to adjust.  You can learn more about the carseat here.

5. Car seat cover – These are so nice to have!  When baby falls asleep in the car seat, you can keep the cover down to help keep it dark and quiet so he can get a better nap while you're out.  They're also nice for keeping sun and wind off of baby when you're walking between the car and the store, and they're great for keeping random strangers from reaching down and pinching your baby's cheeks!  You can get a free shopping cart cover as well when you use the coupon code ENBABY at checkout.  You'll pay shipping only, which is somewhere around $12.

6. Stroller – When you've got older kids, a stroller is invaluable.  You need about 8 arms to keep track of everything and everybody, and trying to hold a baby at the same time just adds to the chaos.  All of the Combi strollers can be used along with the Combi Shuttle car seat to create a travel system.  Instead of having to unstrap your baby and buckle him into a stroller, you can just clip the car seat right into the stroller with the baby still in it.  (This is especially a lifesaver if your baby is asleep!)

Combi sent us the Cabria stroller, which is perfect for the on-the-go family because it folds up so small.  I have never seen a travel system so compact, but I'm glad it is because there is so much else that needs to go in the back of the van!  It's got a smooth ride, and that nice big shade keeps the sun off the baby.  It's also very easy to fold up. (Remember that part about needing 8 arms?  A stroller that's easy to fold is a big plus.)  The only downside is that the storage basket underneath is very small.  I'm assuming it wouldn't be able to fold up so small if it were bigger.  Oh well, I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.  You can see more about the Cabria stroller here.

(Please note: Combi sent us the Shuttle car seat and Cabria stroller free of charge to faciliate this review.  However, I sought them out and requested it because I thought this would be a great stroller for a family with lots of kids -and it is! )

You can order the Shuttle car seat and/or a stroller on the Combi website, where you'll receive free shipping on orders $50+.  I also recommend following them on Facebook and Twitter so you can keep up with giveaways and specials!

What did I forget?  What else do you need as an on-the-go family?

How to Be Your Kids’ Hero When You’re Not the Supermom Type

Pinterest is fabulous.  It's a treasure trove of incredible ideas.

But many times the ideas you find are completely unrealistic for normal people.

It may seem like every good mom makes teddy-bear shaped pancakes for her kids to eat for breakfast.  It may seem like every good mom carefully plans out complicated crafts for her kids on a regular basis.  It may seem like your children are missing out because you've never made a homemade water blob or braided your daughter's hair like a princess.

Let me tell you something.  Most of the moms I know are happy to stick a piece of toast in front of their kids and call it good.  Doing a craft means pulling out the construction paper and some crayons (markers only if mom's in a really good mood).  Homemade water blobs?  Sorry kids, not that, but you might be allowed to play in the sprinkler if I have any clean towels for you to dry off with afterward.  And the hair thing?  In the amount of time it would take me to watch enough YouTube videos to figure out how to do that, you will have outgrown the desire to have your hair braided like a princess anyway.

But it is still possible to do fun stuff with your kids even if you are regular old, plain jane, boring type of mom.

Here are some ideas of fun things to do with your kids when you don't have 3 hours to assemble craft supplies or watch youtube videos about doing girl's hair.

1. Go outside and play with them.  Play with a stick, a ball, a bike, anything.  Your kids will be thrilled to have you outside giving them your full attention.  No homemade water blobs required.

2. Read books to them.  When I was growing up I loved nothing more than for my mom to read to me — and I learned to read and write before I ever started kindergarten.  Regardless of what you might learn from Pinterest, children can learn to read and write without creating letters out of playdough, cutting their sandwiches into letter shapes, and tracing letters in the sand.  (I'm not saying there's anything wrong with those learning activities, but if you're the non-supermom type, rest assured that snuggling your child in your lap with a book is just as exciting and educational for them.)

3. Buy store-bought treats.  Guess what?  Your kids will like fruit snacks from the store every bit as much as the homemade ones you saw on Pinterest.  (Disclaimer: the homemade ones are probably more healthy, but you can find store-bought organic options without a lot of nasty additives — like these.)  The secret is to make treats be…well…treats.  If you give your kids treats every single day it's no longer a treat and they will always be wanting something bigger and better.  But when a treat is really a treat, you will absolutely make your kids' day when you bring home something fun from the store.  (And their health will be a lot better off too.)

4. Let them help you cook.  You have to cook anyway, so you might as well let the kids join you.  You'll be getting dinner made and spending time with your kids all at the same time.  Cutting cheese slices into animal shapes won't be necessary, as it will be all the fun your kids need just to be with you, feeling all grown up about cooking.  Not sure what the teeny tiny ones can do to help?  Here are 10 ways kids can help in the kitchen.  If you want some more in-depth info, Laura at Heavenly Homemakers has a couple great e-books: “What to do With Your Kids in the Kitchen” and “Teaching Your Kids to Cook“, or this 12 Week Cooking With Kids Curriculum is awesome!

5. Do crafts together.  Personally, I think a kid gets a kick out of doing crafts regardless of complicated they are.  The opportunity to use scissors and glue puts a smile on my kids' face.  There are hundreds of incredible craft ideas on Pinterest, but many of them make me shudder at the thought of trying to help my kids complete them without their having a meltdown that their melted crayon art didn't turn out exactly as they'd hoped.

image via craftfail.com

Instead of going for the super-complicated crafts on Pinterest, keep it simple.  Your kids will probably actually enjoy it more anyway due to their short attention spans, and you'll be a lot less stressed.

Oh, and if you want to spend a few dollars to take even more stress out of the whole craft thing (can you tell I'm not the crafty kind of mom?), you'll want to take advantage of this free box from Kiwi Crate!  This is one of those things that will make you look like supermom without your having to do any work.  I normally wouldn't spend extra money on stuff like this, but when you only pay $3.95 for the cost of shipping, I say it's worth it to do something that your kids will think is totally cool!  (Just please don't forget to cancel your subscription after you receive your free box – unless you want to keep the subscription of course.)  You can get that free box here.

All right, you other non-supermoms –  what other ideas can you share?  What makes your kids' day without giving you gray hair in the process?

 Oh, yes.  I'd be bad not to mention this book that is a lifesaver for so many frazzled moms who are trying to get a little housework done without kids making messes behind them as they go.  And of course, these are all non-supermom activities!  Get more details here, or get it now:

[wp_eStore_fancy1 id=7]

7 Reasons You Need to Drink More Water

The need for water is so often overlooked, yet the effects of inadequate water intake are some of the most detrimental you can experience.

Here are 7 reasons you need to drink more water:

1. Your body needs water to flush out toxins.

2. Dehydration can cause your body to produce excess histamine, which can trigger allergies.

3. Lack of hydration causes blood volume to drop, making the heart work harder to supply the skin and muscles with oxygen and nutrients.  The harder your heart has to work, the more fatigued you feel.

4. When your body does not have enough water, it will pull water from your colon, causing you to become constipated.

5. Without enough water, your brain cannot function properly, resulting in mental fog, poor short term memory, dizziness, and headaches. Depression, fear, anxiety, anger and other emotional turmoil can also occur as a result of water deficiency in the brain.

6.  Too little water restricts blood flow, causing muscle aches and pains.

7. Dehydration causes you to be more susceptible to infections.

Perhaps you feel that you do a good job of drinking enough liquids and that you are likely not dehydrated. It is actually very easy to become dehydrated if you are drinking beverages besides water. Other beverages like tea, coffee, fruit juices, and soft drinks may contain water, but they also contain other ingredients like sugar, caffeine, or artificial sweeteners which can contribute to dehydration. Even though you are consuming water within these beverages, the more you consume, the more you are dehydrating yourself. For example, in the case of caffeine, your body must relinquish up to three cups of water for every cup of caffeinated beverages you consume in order to flush the caffeine from your system. You may think you are drinking plenty of water in addition to the caffeine, but you would have to drink three times as much water as caffeinated beverages just to “break even”.

You may also assume that because you do not feel thirsty that you are not dehydrated. When your cells are a little low on water, the brain receives a signal in the form of thirst. When your cells become dehydrated, however, they are no longer able to function properly and send the brain the “thirst” signal.

Once you begin to rehydrate yourself, your cells may have hardened to the point that they do not absorb or retain water very well. You may find yourself needing to use the bathroom frequently. Many people make the mistake at this point of thinking that they are now drinking too much water and begin to scale back again. If you will continue to power through this phase with drinking the recommended amounts of water, your cells will become more efficient at absorbing water and you will begin to feel more energetic.

You should be drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day. A good way to start the day is to drink a solution of water concentrated with mineral-rich salt, such as Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt (I personally use Redmond Real Salt.) Add ½ teaspoon salt to 2 ounces of water, drink, and follow with another 8 ounces of pure water. The salt water will help balance the pH of your cells as well as to encourage the cells to absorb water more efficiently.   You can tell if you are properly hydrated if your urine is a pale yellow color. Darker urine indicates a greater concentration of waste products due to the kidneys’ efforts to conserve water.

How do you rate?  Are you drinking enough water every day?

And don't forget to sign up for the 10 Week Healthy Living Challenge!  Each week we'll be focusing on one simple change that will have a big impact on our health and energy levels!