*Hangs head in shame* Friends, I committed the cardinal sin of parenting: I bragged on social media about my “super healthy kids” and BOOM every freaking cold, cough, flu, and virus within 20 miles hit our house for MONTHS. Ugh, waiting for the health department to drop a bubble on this house any minute. Silver lining, the Today Show Show (yes the Today Show!!!) is featuring my Life Hacks for Keeping Your Sanity When Your Kids Are Sick! So please do me a solid and hop on over to read it and click the vote button. I promise I won’t cough on you! Click Right Here to read and vote!
Archives for March 2015
It’s Here! I STILL Just Want To Pee Alone!
My blog’s tag line “Laughing at life as a parent so they don’t commit me” isn’t just something funny that fits nicely on my blog. No, friends, it the TRUTH! And really, we all need to laugh a whole lot more, amirite? So let me help you with that because I’m thrilled to tell you that the hilarious book I STILL Just Want to Pee Alone is available now and I’m in it!! My essay is all about kids in public bathrooms, poop particles, and Dr. Oz. It’s getting real, friends.
So it’s time to ignore your kids, tell your husband to fend for himself, get your copy, and get your laugh on! Remember when I told you about the 40 amazing writers that are featured in this book? What are you waiting for? Go! Read! Laugh! Leave a review on Amazon! See how I snuck that in there?
Get your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ans iTunes or you can get the book from me! Just send me an email to questionablechoicesinparenting@gmail.com
Also I’m having a book signing April 10 at the Simply Sweet Shoppe in Uniontown, PA and I’ll be speaking at the Uniontown Baby & Beyond Expo on May 17. If you are in the area, please come see me! I will probably hug you. Hope you’re cool with hugs.
New Here? Come for a tour!
Well hey there, friend! Are you new around here? Did you wander on over after seeing my TLCme Life Hacks webseries or catch one of my TV appearances? Great, I like you already! We love new people over here at Questionable Choices in Parenting. Let me give you a quick tour.
I’m Amanda: Candy Land loser, yoga pants enthusiast, a mom of three, Life Hacks Expert, a Lifestyle/Mom/Family writer and personality. You’ll find a lot of my life hacks and parenting tips posts here or over at my other site AmandaMushro.com. You can see some of my TV appearances here!
Something important to note: I’m all about fun. Even if that means turning myself into a turkey for morning TV!
So stop and stay awhile! Check out my TLC webseries or check the Can You Hack Motherhood tab for my very best life hacks. If you want to giggle, click on the Laughs tab and check out some of my funniest posts. If you want something a little more heart warming, check out the Family tab.
If you like what you see, subscribe to my blog (just add your email address over there on the left), or find me on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, or Instagram
Yes, I’m the Mom Crying at Kindergarten Orientation
I already know that I wear my heart on my sleeve; I just wasn’t aware that I also wear every single emotion on my face too.
“How are you doing?” seems like a simple pleasantry between two people. But this was a loaded “How are you doing?” and not in the Joey from Friends “How you doin’?” kinda way, but in a “Are you OK?”
In the fall, my boy will be headed off to kindergarten and today I’m at kindergarten orientation registering him as a new student. I thought I had my emotions in check, but I caught the eye of the principal mere moments of entering the school.
“How are you doing?” she cautiously asked.
“Me? I’m……..”
I consider giving the polite answer of “I’m fine, wonderful, excited, thrilled!” but in that moment, when she and I are eye to eye, I know she’s on to me.
“I’m…” I continue, “I’m going to try to keep it together today.”
“But they haven’t even gotten to school yet! You’ll be fine.”
In my attempts to hold back a sob, I answered with a too forced “Sure.”
So what was it that gave me away, Mrs. Principal?
Was it my eyes? Did they defy me with the telltale signs that I was crying in the shower this morning?
Could you sense that I had been punched in the stomach when I pulled up to your lovely little school?
Could you see on my face that even though I’m standing in a school that parents and students love, that is surrounded by a neighborhood that people flock to simply to attend your school, a school that has artwork and student achievements wallpapering the walls, that I’m searching hard to find something I don’t like.
Could you sense the dull pain in my chest? The pain from realizing that in a few short months I will be putting my heart on a big, yellow bus and I’ll wave and wave until I can’t see him and just like that, he’s off to school.
Let me assure you, Mrs. Principal that my boy, he will be fine. He will walk the halls of your big school and he will show everyone how smart, kind, funny and sweet he is. He’s so sweet he’ll rot your teeth and he’s so funny, he’ll make every teacher laugh. He’ll make friends and he’ll be JUST FINE, more than fine. So really all of this, this face I must be carrying today, it’s really about me.
It’s about me all excited and wistful and scared all in one at kindergarten orientation. It’s me chiding myself for being so emotional and knowing my Mom friends will have a field day with me when I recount this ridiculous interaction between you and me.
But I just can’t help it and apparently, can’t hide it either. So I will watch your presentation, be befuddled by the carpool, nod quietly when you show us the playground, and try my best to not make an audible sounds of distaste when I see the “kindergarten hall”
Because, after all, Mrs. Principal, in a few months you and I will see each other in the hallways for parties and PTA meetings, and I can assure you I won’t be crying then. And maybe in a few years, when I make this kindergarten orientation trip for my daughter, I won’t be crying. Probably, I will probably be crying.
So you and I might be right back here, and you can assure me it will all be OK and I’ll believe you.
Our New Favorite Early Reading Apps for Android
While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own #MoreVA #VZWBuzz
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I have NO idea how parents entertained their kids before the creation of smartphones. I’m not just talking about mindless games that do nothing for their little brains, but the educational apps that keep their attention, keep them learning, and keep them happy. Both of my kids are very tactile learners, so interactive apps really appeal to them. Since my son is headed off to kindergarten (sob!) in the fall, we’ve moved past basic letter and sound recognition games and now we are on to early reading games. Here are some of our favorite early reader games that the kids have been playing on my Android Turbo!
Endless Reader– Around here, Endless Alphabet is a favorite app, so we were excited to move onto Endless Reader. In this app, kids are introduced to “sight words.” These are the most commonly found words in early reading, and learning these words are key to reading success. In this app, the words are shown in context and the kids have a blast with all of the silly sounds as they see the words, hear the words, and manipulate the words in puzzles.
Kids Learn to Read– I really like apps that have a variety of games within the app so my kids are challenged, not easily bored, and willing to come back to the app again and again. Kids Learn to Read does all of this with letter sounds, making their own words, and matching games. Tommy Turtle is the star of this fun app that focuses on hearing and seeing how letter sounds blend together to make early reading words.
Super Why Phonics Fair- Based on the hit PBS show Super Why, kids go on a adventure with the Super Why gang as they focus on phonics through interactive games. My kids really love the stickers they earn during each level and I love that the advanced levels for more challenging games.
I Story Books– There is nothing I love more than snuggling up next to my kids and reading books. With I Story Books you can read to your child or they can listen to a narrator read a number of fairy tales and classic stories full of colorful illustrations. There are different versions of this app so you can find the types of books that appeal to your kids the most. New books are added every two weeks, and both of my kids are really loving the classics and the science themed books.
Sight Words Kindergarten– This app is great for early readers and readers struggling to learn and recall sight words. Through six interactive games, kids are shown small groupings of words so through repetition and memory. As they start mastering the words, the word groupings get larger to become more challenging.
Playing games on your smart phone and tablet isn’t just for kids! Join @theonlinemom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and @thetechdad on Friday, March 13 at 12 noon PT (3 pm ET) as we chat about Smartphone and Tablet Games!
When: Friday, March 13, 2015
3:00-4:00 pm ET
12:00-1:00 pm PT
‘Smartphone and Tablet Games’
Join @theonlinemom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and @thetechdad on Friday, March 13 at 12 noon PT (3 pm ET) as we chat about
Smartphone and Tablet Games!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a MOGA Pro Power Controller or a Droid Turbo smartphone!
Join @TheOnlineMom on the Video Recap right after the chat for another chance to win a prize!
To RSVP:
- Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com(subject line: VZWBuzz) and include your Twitter ID.
- Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://ow.ly/ImCn5
- Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) on Friday, March 13 between 3 – 4 pm ET
- Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!
A NOTE to my nTelos Readers:
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