parenting tips Archives - Mommy Kat and Kids

How Reading Aloud To Your Children Helps Build Life Skills

October 2, 2020 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It goes without saying that reading is one of the most important skills a child will ever learn. And while reading aloud to your little ones is a great way to help develop literacy, it actually has many other benefits that you might not know about!

From developing a deeper emotional intellect to honing teamwork and social skills, children can benefit a lot from reading their favourite books out loud, or from listening to their parents do so. Here are three important ways that reading aloud builds life skills:

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New Parent 101: How to Stay Well-Rested with an Infant

October 20, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It’s been a long time since I had a baby in the house, and I have to admit I had forgotten just how exhausting having a baby was when I gave birth to my new little bundle of joy.

As cliché as it sounds, I actually fell asleep in a bowl of cereal one morning! My husband was just as exhausted, sitting across from me at the table. We laughed and decided then and there that there had to be a way to get more rest.

Parenting is tiring…there’s just no way around it! But if you’ve got a new baby in the house and spend most nights in and out of bed wondering how much DO newborns sleep, these tips will help you get a little more rest when you need it!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You don’t need to do this alone. You and your partner shouldn’t feel like you can’t ask for an extra hand as you adjust to life as a parent. You know the expression: it takes a village! So, call on your village. You’ll be surprised how happy your friends and family will be to help. [Read more…]

It’s Time to Give Yourself a Parenting Break! Embracing the Real Side of Parenthood

November 30, 2016 by Kathryn 17 Comments

Parenting is tough, but it gets even tougher when we spend too much time comparing ourselves to our own ideal image of what a perfect parent should be. And as much as I love social media, I also know that a constant barrage of perfect images can be discouraging to those of us doing our best every day!

That’s why I love Quaker Canada’s new campaign to #stopCOMPAREnting. It’s time to show the real side of parenting in all its disorganized, wild and wacky glory! So I’ve decided to embrace some of the ways that I will always fall short of reaching my own parenting ideals. These are four reasons I’ll never be a perfect parent…and I’m okay with that!

1) I will not create perfectly balanced, Pinterest-worthy lunches.

bento lunch — Photo credit to my good friend Jody at Mommy Moment, who makes the most beautiful Bento lunches!

I have two boys in school five days a week, which means I pack just under 400 lunches in the course of a year. And I am a little ashamed to admit that I’ve probably ogled twice as many beautiful, themed Bento lunches on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. From checkerboard cheese to rainbow fruit kababs…who wouldn’t want to surprise their kids with a masterpiece like that?

But let’s get real. I have just over an hour each school morning to make breakfast, make lunches, get my boys dressed, check agendas and get everybody out the door. They’re happy with a wrap, some fruit and a Quaker granola bar, so I am too! [Read more…]

How to Help Your Kids Express Themselves

September 29, 2016 by Kathryn 1 Comment

As adults, we often joke about wanting to be a kid again, but the truth is it can be hard to navigate childhood. They desperately want to be older and do things that are out of their reach, and processing their feelings when we turn them down can be difficult. They have so many emotions but don’t always have the maturity to know what to do with them. You don’t have to be a therapist to help. As parents, we have can learn many ways to help kids express themselves in a positive way. Read on for more!

Take Them on a Trip

This might sound weird, but road trips can work magic for getting your child to really open up and talk. Consider taking them to see something fairly educational, like these three monuments, the Grand Canyon, or the White House. Family trips are something they will value for years to come, and the stories they create about them are even better. They’ll also be able to write about them in school and, of course, writing is another form of self-expression. If you can’t get a road trip on the calendar any time soon, simply ask them questions while you’re driving them in the car. There’s something about the lack of eye contact that allows them to feel free to say what they mean. Turn down the music! [Read more…]

Top Three Ways to Spend Time Outside with Your Baby this Summer #MomTrust

May 27, 2014 by Kathryn 31 Comments

Maybe it’s because I live in a province that’s known for harsh winter weather, but as far as I’m concerned, there is nothing more wonderful than being outside once warm weather has arrived in Saskatchewan. In fact, for the last two weekends I’ve been in the back yard relaxing in a lawn chair reading almost from dawn until dusk!

While my boys are usually outside with me as well, they spend those sunshine-filled hours playing on the swing set, jumping on the trampoline or running through the sprinkler. But even when they were younger, I found plenty of ways to have fun outside with them. This month, the Playtex Mom Trust asked me to share a few of my favourite outdoor activities with infants and toddlers. If you have a baby in the house, these are my top three ways to have fun outside with your baby this summer!

baby boy in stroller — Baby Zackary relaxing in his stroller at just a month old!

Get Walking

Not only is walking great exercise, it’s a chance for your little one to see more of the world around him. Even a simple walk around the block exposes a baby to new sights, sounds and smells that help expand his knowledge of the world. I used to make a daily trip to the post office each day pushing my baby in the stroller, with occasional longer walks to run errands or visit the park. He loved relaxing in his seat in the shade as we walked! [Read more…]