How a To Get Your Child or Children Ready For School (without drama)

Before I was a mom, as I like to call it, my Mom Fantasy moments I saw myself getting my child ready in the mornings as a joyful time the two of us could share, talking about the day to come, making pancakes together, so much fun. Screech to a halt and wake up from that fantasy fast, my mornings are nothing like that, a complete opposite with daily screaming, punishing, and my blood pressure going through the roof just to get a kindergartener dressed, fed, teeth brushed and off to school on time. I had to find a way, I was determined if I were to make it through to high school.

I started to change some of my routines and slowly I began to see real improvements, not perfection mind you but a lot less yelling and a lot happier mornings for sure.

SOME TIPS THAT HELPED ME WITH THE MORNING ROUTINE: 

1. Before bed I lay out my clothes and his clothes for the day ahead

2. I wake up 45-55 minutes before it's time to wake him up, I have time by myself to either meditate, stretch, have my much needed coffee, check emails and just be, a rare moment as a mom.

3. I make sure I'm 80% ready to go for the day even before I wake him up which means showered, some makeup on and at least partially dressed.

4. I wake him up with a head massage and back tickle, ask him about his dreams and always I mean always can get him out of bed with a piggy back ride. About 5-7 minutes.

5. Our son is Not a morning guy it takes him a good 15 minutes to be civil, so I give him space.

Getting him dressed is a chore so I try and make a game out of it. 

1. Let's see who can get dressed faster mommy or you

2. If you get dressed before I get back with my shoes on you can choose the movie we watch this weekend

3. Brushing the teeth is the entire ABC's which he feels proud to recite and actually sings his way through.

*We also got him a Guinea Pig a few weeks ago so one of his new responsibilities is to feed this little creature named Beni whom we're all just loving. Guinea Pigs purr when they're happy and when you pet them sweetly, it's adorable. Responsibilities ( they like ) are a Fabulous way to get a child motivated to do things.

Good luck with the mornings let me know how you do!!

Pregnancy After Forty Is Possible ( my story part 3 )

I just woke up this morning and Realized I have a 4 and 3/4 year old... How the heck did that happen!!!???!

Wasn't I just pregnant, I remember my miscarriage in detail, I remember his birth, the joy, the pain, the utterly otherworldly experience. So how come he's almost five? Where did the time go?

Everyone will tell you make sure you enjoy your kids because before you know it they'll 

be grown up and off to college. I have heeded this advice and remember it just about daily; so I have made myself more available to my son, not an easy task with owning our own business which includes a retail store, a manufacturing company,and a wholesale company, we have a jewelry brand called Turchin Love and Light. I'm exhausted just writing about my responsibilities and that doesn't include what my son and I do on a week day basis; after school activities and play dates are de rigueur. 

My husband that gem of a man takes him to something special on Saturdays then it's family day on Sunday. Life will never be about sleeping in and staying out late again for me unless I want to haunt the bar scene when I'm over sixty, no thank you been there done that! 

What I really want to say here is forget the cleaning up, the exact schedule, or whatever holds you back from enjoying your kids, from time to time, I know it's hard to do but force your self because the look on their little beautiful face when you put down the dishes and decide instead to play cops and robbers, barbies, or listen to the new song they just made up about poop and pee is priceless, as well as those song lyrics!!