Proud Mommy of Queen and Princess

The memories we make with our family is everything. We may have differences but nothing's more important than family. Why not make something fun and show more of being a team by wearing matching clothes, pajamas or anything from head to foot? Something that you will treasure especially that your baby or kids will see it when they are all grown up. You will not regret this kind of memory. What you will regret is that the time not spent with your loved ones.

I wanna share with you the 3 reasons why you may want to do the matching with your family:

1. It's just a really nice and silly little thing that you and your family can do to bond and enjoy the moment. All of you wearing the same outfit in the comfort of your home is just kind of a cute idea, don't you think? Mom and baby matching pajamas is fun and so comfortable options to make cherished memories; because we all know that raising children can make time feel like its passing by and their childhood goes by so quickly! Thanks to the internet today, we have Lazy One that offers a lot of collections that you can order online like family matching. Here are some of them:

2. A cool family photo. A family portrait. This can make a great holiday gift to send to other members of your family. Even if it's just an ordinary day, you and your immediate loved ones smiling and looking into the camera while wearing matching family pajamas will make for a really neat photo that others will get an idea and will do the same.  

3. Hit the big game in comfort! Get matching jammies that sport your home team's colors and wear them proudly. Not only will you be showing your support, but you and your family will be toasty and comfortable in the process. This isn't only limited to being out in the stands, as you could very well wear them to a party or even in the comfort of your own living room while the game is on. A little awkward? Sure it is, but that's kind of what makes it fun!

There are so many reasons why you may want to do matching with your family. It becomes somewhat a tradition in every household. In truth, a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by the number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love...

Dealing with Repeated Behavior

Now, you can actually take all of your kids' behaviors and divide them into two buckets. One is “things you wish they would start doing” and others are the “things you wish they would stop doing.”

You can actually sit down, have a family meeting, and look at the stuff that you are wasting your day on. How many times are you having to say, “no.” and address the same problems?

Stop Behaviors
We are a whole lot better at discovering things we wish they would stop. Try not to be stress, it's your wiring. It's not terrible child rearing. OK? Here's what we need to do:

• Write down your worries. Make a list. Things that you want them to stop are whining. For me, I can’t take it. It's always the top of the list and it has to be stopped. Things like whining can be counted.

• Have a three count with real consequences. Now, I’m not talking about the endless counting where you get to 10, you go up, you go back. Counting is actually a two-step process. They get a “one” that tells them, "This is a behavior I don't want you to do anymore." They get about five or ten seconds so they can think about a different choice, then they get to the “two.” Once you're at “two,” this means, “we're done if it happens again.” They get another few seconds, just long enough to process, and then they get the “three” and an immediate consequence. The key for “stop” behaviors is by the time you're at “three,” something about their world has to change. That can be leaving a store, turning off the TV, but it's a very clear system that you can make two choices and, after that, we're just done.

• "Start" Behaviors: This is the hard part. These are the things that we want to motivate but we tend to punish. So we want them to get in the car quickly, but what we do is start yelling or getting mad or saying, “We’re not going.”

• Reinforce good behavior with a reward. If you want them, then there needs to be an incentive that happens only once the seatbelt clicks. It can be simple things. It can be a piece of gum. It can be a sticker.

How do you find motivators? Here's the easiest thing: The things that motivate your kid are the stuff they don't want to stop doing.

Don't worry, we're all in this together. Consistency is key, stay motivated. Once you've got your list, you also need to stay motivated, yourself. Be sure to build in some rewards.

Mother's Day is a day we celebrate Mothers. If you are a mom, this is the day chosen for others to show you honor for the countless ways you pour love into the lives of your children, and those whom you treat as your children. You do this in immeasurable ways, and in most cases without limitations or restrictions.

But what about you, mom? Regardless of whether it is Mother's Day on the calendar or not, do you take time to love and honor yourself in this same way?

You should!

Practicing love for yourself to yourself keeps you "full." This allows you to effectively have something worthy to pour into your children. 

I encourage you, Mom, to use the following three ways to love yourself:

1. Think about what YOU need. Maybe you are the "Supermom" who is ALWAYS going above and beyond for her children, perhaps even overcompensating with activities so her child doesn't somehow feel he or she is "missing out" if mom isn't doing these activities. Although you may have great intentions and think this is what being a "good mom" is all about, the backbreaking effort may not be as necessary or as appreciated as you think. Instead of putting so much stress on yourself trying to maintain unreasonably high expectations, think about building a mutual relationship with your child(ren). If you ask your child(ren) what they would prefer, you may be surprised to find out that, more often than not, they really don't care as much about many of those activities that you break your neck to make happen for them as they do about spending more quality time with you. They can see when you are suffering, and believe me, Mom, they really don't want to watch you suffer. They want to support you too.

2. Have a "date" with YOUR child. Making intentional time to spend with your child helps them see (not just hear) that they are important to you. After all, aren't we ultimately trying to communicate their importance to us through all of our efforts? They already know that you are too busy; they see that. But what is all this busyness worth if your child(ren) don't know or believe that they are more important to you than your to-do list? And how much would your stress levels reduce with half of those activities removed from your calendar and replaced with special dates for you and your child(ren) both to look forward to? The sky's the limit in what activity you can do with your child(ren), but the important thing is that your efforts of love will be noticed and will prove fruitful in enriching you both. 

3. Take back control of YOUR schedule. I encourage you to intentionally add activities to your calendar that you actually look forward to doing. There is a difference between juggling schedules around your family members' events and planning around a time of relaxation. The difference: there are less stress and more fun for you in relaxation! Take control back from all the other things that are trying to take control of you, and schedule activities that benefit you. Take time for yourself. And, when you come up with an idea just for yourself, don't just put it on your calendar; show your family so they, too, can HONOR it. Just like you would honor a doctor's appointment, soccer game, dance recital, or math competition by moving things around to accommodate it, do the same for what you enjoy. Your family will not only learn the importance of mom having time for herself because you honor it, but they will also see the difference of a happy mom and a relaxed mom who has more to give to the family as a result.

Move from just being busy to consistently thinking about what you need; intentionally enjoying the time you spend with your child(ren), and take back control over your time. Doing the things that you truly enjoy doing will keep you full and enable you to pour more joy and happiness into your family's life because you actually have it for yourself.

Andrea Ormsby serves twin moms by helping them to get clear on what their next steps should be so that they can mother from a place of strength and courage, instead of from a place of fear. You can sign up for a coaching strategy session with her via http://bit.ly/getmomcourage 

Find out more about her and her services at http://www.andreaormsby.com

Where to buy denim?

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I was compensated for this post.

The school year will be here before you know it. Back to school can sometimes be exciting or some still can't get over the vacation days. Here in the Philippines, it's been a month since the school year 2017 started. It's been so busy preparing and planning for kids' lunch boxes and snacks. Back to the early morning routine of waking up your kids then drop and fetch them to school. As moms, we all do prepare for their back to school essentials. Most schools have uniforms but some can just wear anything decent. Books and school supplies are required to buy inside private schools. In public schools, you can buy anywhere like malls or shops that sell pieces of stuff for students. But did you know in this new generation, we can now buy online for your back to school basics? From clothes to wear to bags and pens are now available to some online shops worldwide.

She started school last Tuesday, June 13, since Monday is a holiday, Independence Day. Here are my bento baon for my Queen: