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Parenting During the Covid- 19 Pandemic

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Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.  Thank you for supporting my blog.

Stay Calm, Or At Least Fake It

As this pandemic was getting worse I was talking to an aquantance who grew up in the UK. She said that she never knew that the IRA was constantly a threat. While I think that our children should absolutely know what is going on, we should hide our fear from them. This doesn’t mean lie but do not let them see your panic when the grocery store is out of frozen food. They see it too already and are worried and will look for you to comfort them.

I know my children can sense when I am upset or dysregulated. They then proceed to get dysregulated too. I do not want to be stuck in my house with a bunch of hyper, worried kids. I am going to do my best to reassure them despite my own fears.

Accept That This Kind Of Sucks, But Is Absolutely Neccesary

School is out in many places. While I will try to provide educational activities. It is not the same. My son who has special needs has an IEP and extra supports that I cannot fulfill or provide him. I have also had to suspend my children’s occupational and speech therapy. Even though we will work on things at home I worry that the progress they have made will go away. Our vacation is cancelled, Passover dinner may just be us, and my kids will slowly drive me insane BUT this is important. We need to stop the spread of Covid- 19 even if our lives are inconvenienced. But, it’s also okay to say that it sucks. Tell your spouse, your BFF, probably not your kids, but maybe your mom too.

Stock Up

We have a months worth of food just in case, we have a lot of toilet paper (but we always did because we buy it when it’s on sale at Costco), and we have some basic medicine. But while my husband was stocking up on milk I was finding ideas and activities for the kids. I went to the dollar store and got whatever crafts they had, bubbles and glow sticks (if I give these to my kids they disapear into the basement for hours)

My oldest son is seven and his school is doing e-learning but that is probably not enough and he needs more educational activities. I ordered him an extra Minecraft workbooks (we already had a few) and will be encouraging him to use our Osmo more. I have also set the computer up with all his school websites to use and also Khan kids. If you have not seen this website/ app it is a great source of free educational activities

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A Mom’s Review: Kiwi Crate

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Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.  Thank you for supporting my blog.

kiwi crate review
Checking It Out

This week we got our first Kiwi Crate! It was a holiday present to my 4.5 year old twin boys. But before we get into the details of the box let’s talk a little about Kiwi Boxes in case you are new to them. They are boxes full of fun STEAM activities! They come in different age levels (ages 0-104) that have different focuses. You can purchase a monthly subscription or just a box. We decided to go with the Kiwi Box. This is for ages 5-8. My twins are a little young for them but we got a one year subscription so they will be 5 halfway through.

What Is In the Box

Well first I was surprised by how small the box was. Once we opened it up I did realize that there was enough materials to have a lot of fun! The box included a manual for the project. We got the arcade project. All the materials to make the project. An “explore” magazing that had related projects we could also do and, because this was our first box we also received a mini poster where we could put stickers on every time we got a box!

kiwi crate review
The Contents

What We Did

kiwi crate review
Fitting The Pieces Onto the Guide

The Arcade box project was to make a claw game. This is the game you see at arcades where a claw comes down and you try to pick up a stuffed animal or other prize. We started with claw itself and spent about 30 minutes piecing it together. I was impressed by the design and even though they were young for the box they were able to help. EVERYTHING was included in the box which was nice. We didn’t need to find the right glue or any other supply.

kiwi crate review
Starting The Monsters

Next up was making the prizes. These were two little “monsters” (complete with googly eyes) that were made out of string and a pipe cleaner. It was super clever and easy for them to understand the simple instructions. At this point my twins completely took over wrapping the string around the guide. It was a great fine motor activity in itself and had an adorable finished product. Because the twins did this part of the project 100% by itself this took another half an hour bringing the project total to 60 minutes.

What My Kids Loved

The biggest thing my kids love was really being able to do it themselves. Despite being on the young end of the age range for this box they could, with me reading the directions and a bit of hands on help, do the project themselves. It also made a cool physical product.

koala kiwi crate
Playing With The Finished Claw

What I Loved

koala kiwi crate
Almost Done With The Monsters

First off, it was exciting. It related to something they see in real life (or Buffalo Wild Wings has a crane machine) so they were immediately excited to do it themselves.

I also really loved that the project had the right number of steps. It was divided into separate parts with natural breaking points (perfect for a snack or run around break) and each part only had a handful, or less, of instructions. The instructions were easy for the twins to understand so they didn’t get lost or skip ahead.

The Explore! Magazine was also great! The twins are excited to build a crate for the crane game using the instructions in the booklet and they loved the cartoon at the front. It was a fun extra and adds additional value to the crate.

kiwi crate review

Overall, I would highly recommend the Kiwi Crate to anyone looking for a great STEM activity that is hands on and fun. They are $14.95-$19.95 per month (depending on how many months you sign up for) and they are now 30% off with code SHARE30 I hope you found our Kiwi Crate review helpful! Let me know if you have any questions and be sure to check out our basement toys review too!

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The Best Lunch Boxes for Back To School

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Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase on one of these back to school essentials for special needs children.  Thank you for supporting my blog.

Back to school time is so fun!  While many supplies are dictated by the school and teacher lunch boxes are not.  That makes picking out the perfect lunch box a great place to show your child’s personality while still having a functional lunch box.  These are my favorites:

Best Bento Box

Bento Boxes are a great way to portion food while avoiding unnecessary packaging (that is not only wasteful but also sometimes frustrating for children)  My favorite on is the Bentgo Box.  It has large enough compartments to fit a normal amount of food, it is well insulated and comes in fun colors and patterns that kids will actually like.

Best Stainless Steel Box

For those that don’t like plastic there is an awesome steel bento box for you.  It’s from LunchBots and is available in several colors and with different numbers of compartments depending on your needs.

Best Lunch Box Price

This one was also in the running for cutest!  But, this  Skip Hop lunch bag is also affordably priced at less than $9.00 and it is super durable and well insulated.  While we have never had this exact version (none of my boys wanted something with unicorns)  we had the monkey version for several years and it never showed any wear and tear.  It is not huge and as my son got bigger he needed a bigger lunch box.  While this is solidly a preschool lunchbox and not an elementary school lunchbox it is a great, affordable option.

Cutest Lunch Box

Want something unique and adorable?  This one’s for you.  This donut lunch box is well insulated and big enough to fit a full lunch and thermos even though it doesn’t have a middle!

Best Minecraft Box

Yes, this is a category.  I have a seven year old boy who NEEDS minecraft everything including everything at lunch… of course we have a minecraft thermos too.  Some of them I have found to be a little too flimsy but I love his Thermos creeper soft lunch box.  It is also well insulated and easily cleanable when everything spills (because it will eventually)

Best Soft Lunch Box

If space is limited or you just prefer a soft container for your child’s lunch then my pick is the Goprene insulated lunch box.  This pack stay cools, is easily cleaned and is cute too.


Don’t Forget to Label!

My oldest was not the only one in his class with that minecraft lunch box and of course my twins insist on having the same lunchbox so we definitely label all their lunch boxes and everything in it.  For the box itself we find Mabel’s Label’s Small Rectangle Labels work well and for the stuff inside (water bottles, etc).  the Tag Mates work well.  While the tag mates are technically for clothes tags they definitely stick to the kid’s small stuff too (yay for multitasking products!)

I hope you found a lunch box your little one will love!  For more back to school info check out my essentials for special needs children and IEP tips.

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How to Get Through Witching Hour with Your Sanity

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The Messy Bun Life is excited to have Felicity Frankish of The Baby Vine  share her wisdom on the dreaded witching hour with our community today as a guest blogger.

When it comes to welcoming a new baby into your lives and your home, there is this little thing most people don’t tell you about. It’s called Witching Hour.

Your baby is born and you have the sleepiest, cuddliest and best behaved little one in the world (and you aren’t biased, of course). They sleep, they feed, they repeat, and you are sent home from hospital feeling nervous, yet excited, and ready to tackle this parenting thing head on.

Then, without warning, it is like your little one decides one day to just wake up. And from that day forward, at the same time, witching hour will commence.

Don’t let the name mislead you. Witching hour often goes on for much longer than an hour. It is a period in your day where your baby won’t be put down. They want to be cuddle, they want to cluster feed, they want to fall asleep in your arms and they want to cry – a lot.

It often falls at the end of the day when your baby is tired and just can’t settle themselves and your boobs often produce less. It’s a time where you are trying to get dinner of the table, clothes folded and put away, washing older siblings and getting them to bed and so on. Witching hour is hard enough when you have one kid, let alone more.

Here are some tips to make witching hour that little less stressful and to help you maintain your sanity through it.

Be Organised

The best way to beat witching hour is to be prepared for it. Bring in those clothes off the line early, have dinner prepped and ready to go, make sure those bottles are washed and sterilized. The more you can get done in the earlier hours of the day, will take the stress off you when witching hour begins. While it would be nice if we could just avoid this time altogether, being prepared for it does help.

Babywear

If your baby doesn’t want to be put down, instead of confining yourself to the couch, giving babywearing a go. There are plenty of different carrier options out there from ring slings to baby wraps, which are nice and comfortable for a newborn, while leaving your hands free to get things done.

Invest In Devices

While you don’t want your home to become overload with baby things, a good bouncer, swing or swaying machine really is invaluable. Sometimes a gentle rock that can come from an electronic bouncer is all your little one needs to help them settle during witching hour. If anything, it’s a great place to pop them while you run about getting things done. You can keep them in the thick of things so they know you haven’t gone anywhere and you can pick them up and comfort them when you get the chance.

Take a Break

If it all becomes a bit too much for you, don’t be afraid to step away. Put your baby somewhere safe and remove yourself from the situation. This gives you a chance to cool down, catch your breath and head back in to tackle everything. You need to be able to put yourself first.

Call for Backup

If the option is there, call in reinforcements! If your Mother in Law wants to visit, feel free to ask her to come during witching hour to be another set of hands. Guests love to be helpful, so put them to work!

Remember it’s a Phase

Like everything in parenting, it’s important to remember that this is a phase and it too shall pass. As hard as it can be when you are right in the thick of it, it can be useful to realise that this will end some day and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

About Our Guest Blogger

Felicity is mum to her two daughters, Cassandra (3.5) and Vivienne (22 months) and her son Elliot (3 months). Her passion is the parenting industry and creating a community where everyone feels welcome no matter how they choose to parent. It is this passion that led to the creation of The Baby Vine.  You can also find The Baby Vine on Facebook and on Instagram

how to get to the witching hour with your sanity

Mom Hacks: How To Never Go Shopping With Your Kids Again

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Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.  Thank you for supporting my blog.

Well, by never go shopping I mean never drag your newborn, your sick child, or your three super active little boys to the store if you do not want to.  Like most moms I enjoy a good stroll through Target by myself.  I’m a little less enthusiastic about dragging tired twins to the grocery store when they’d rather be doing pretty much anything else.  Here are my favorite programs for shopping while keeping your sanity by not having to actually go IN the store.  Because that toy aisle at Target is always RIGHT in the middle and hard to avoid and really, why waste time shopping with your kids when you can go to the park instead.

Groceries

There are several great options for getting groceries to you without going in the store.  My current favorite is Marianos Clicklist (it’s also offered by Kroger stores).  You have to go in the store, but not INTO the store.  You order online and pick a time slot you want to pick up. You the drive up, call a number and they bring the groceries out to the car.  Perfect for a napping child or a quick run to the grocery store on your way home.  I like Clicklist because the groceries are picked by store employees.  They know where things are so I find there are less “out of stock” items and the produce quality is the highest.  There is a fee by delivery or by month/ year.  If I know the kids are going to be off school and I won’t have time to shop in peace I’ll turn on monthly then go back to just by trip.  You can use the code LEPSTEIN at checkout for $10 off your first order.

This does not solve the problem of when you don’t want to or can’t leave the house.  I like Instacart but I don’t love it.  That said I actually used it today so it’s my favorite of the don’t leave your house at all options.  I was planning to grocery shop after the kids went to bed but my husband got stuck at work and Instacart rescued me for pretzels and strawberries I need for tomorrow’s lunches (and a bunch of other stuff too).  Better planning would probably have solved the whole issue but you’re on a blog call The Messy Bun Life so we can’t expect perfection.  I like the ease of Instacart.  It comes right to your door and is usually pretty quick.  The fees are about the same as Clicklist.  The problem is that for some stores the prices are significantly higher.  But some are comparable and sometimes I have a sick kids, or poor planning, and just need my groceries.  The other problem is that the you are at the will of the picking skills of your independent instacart shopper.  Sometimes they are fine, and sometimes they aren’t.  As long as you doublecheck and provide feedback when necessary instacart is a good option for when you can’t, or don’t want to, go anywhere.

Supplies

Well, Amazon is the big one. It has pretty much everything and with prime sometimes it’s within one to two days.  The downside is sometimes even with prime it takes a little while longer (things aren’t in stock) and you have to be careful about the price of things that are being resold.  I spent $10 for 6 kids bath bubble pens that were clearly marked as $1 (probably from the target bullseye section from the packaging).  Whoops!

I may have mentioned I love Target.  I actually grew up in downtown Chicago and we didn’t have Target until I was in my mid-twenties (gasp!) which is probably part of my obsession.  I don’t usually love taking my kids to Target.  I have three boys, a 6 year old and twin 4 year olds, that have more interest in the pokemon section then guest bedroom bedding sets or the amazing array of dry shampoo.  The order online, pick up in store option has always been my favorite way to do quick target runs.  When the drive up option started rolling out I was a little skeptical if I would ever need it.  Then my twins got sick.  Not super sick but that grumpy, needs to nap but doesn’t feel well enough to comfortably sleep sick.  Then we ran out of pretzels (this happens a lot) and were running low on everything else.  Plus I was looking for a reason to get the twins in the car so they would take a good nap.  So I tried the drive up and it was awesome!  It’s like it sounds: you order online, then drive up and they bring it out.  My biggest concern was how long it would take once I stopped before they came out.  I didn’t want the twins to wake up.  It was quick.  Future trips, which now happen regularly, were equally fast and it has become my go to for small to medium size target runs when I don’t have time but I am driving somewhere close to it.  Prices are the same (and right now they seem to be running a lot of specials), they pick perfectly and the selection is most of your everyday stuff you would buy from Target.  Target for the win!

Clothing

I hate clothing shopping in store.  Honestly, I hate going clothing shopping with OR without the kids in a store.  That’s why I’m sort of obsessed with Stitch Fix.  If you aren’t familiar Stitch Fix is where you fill out an online style survey including sizes and the approximate price you want to spend (items range from $25 to $500).  Your personal stylist sends you five pieces to try based on your preferences.  You pick what you want (and pay for it then) and send back what you don’t want. There is a $20 styling fee that is applied to your order.  I have my account set for an automatic box every three months so I have new clothing seasonally but you can order on demand or set up an autoship.

I did not realize until someone brought it up how much of my wardrobe staples are from them: my favorite shoes, jean jacket, sweater, and jeans are all Stitch Fix.  Those stylists are pretty good.  I have never had an order where I didn’t love something and sometimes they are dead on.   You provide feedback every time so the more you shop, the better the boxes become.  You can get $25 off your first order here!

That’s my roundup of my favorite programs to avoid taking your kids shopping. Be sure to check out some of other mom hacks about learning fine motor skills and outfitting your basement for motor skill development and fun!

 What are your favorite resources and store to avoid spending the time, energy and sometimes money, of taking your kids to the stores?

how to never go shopping with your kids again