Truth
I used to be jealous of how my husband played with the girls.
He would get down on their level and play with them for hours — taking out every puzzle, book, and crayon. Meanwhile, instead of joining them, I would stand around fretting about the mess.
In the end, the mess was always put away — but in the meantime, I missed out on some key bonding times with my daughters and spent way too much time being annoyed.
My advice to other moms is to play like a dad and make the pick-up time a game.
Tip
On road trips, always pack a lunch that includes ginger ale with straws for belly aches.
My kids don’t normally get soda, so this is a big treat! Stopping for food takes too much time (minimum an hour).
Lastly, when you stop to go to the bathroom, pick a gas station with an outdoor bathroom… that way you avoid candy raids in those convenient stores.
Find
The VeraTemp Non-Contact Thermometer
I could never take my kid’s temperature before I found this. I never got the hang of the forehead one and was too lazy to put on the covers for the ear probe. This non-contact thermometer is great because it gives me an accurate reading without touching my child.
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Contributor: Mary Ann from Today’s Moms
Check out her websites: Todaysmoms.tv, Shttymom.com
Follow her on Twitter at @todaysmoms and @shttymom.
Join her on Facebook at Today’s Moms and Sh*tty Mom.
Check out her books: Today’s Moms: Essentials for Surviving Baby’s First Year
Mary @ A Teachable Mom May 1, 2013 at 11:34 am
I have tears dripping on my keyboard after reading your confession/tip to play like a dad. I also missed years of bonding time with our daughters by being anxious over the messes instead of jumping into the fray. While I’m much more willing to play today, we still joke that toys are for looking at in the cabinets, not playing! I really appreciate you naming this and reminding me to join in. Thank you!