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…]

This post was brought to you by Hellmann’s® and JONES Voice.

When it comes to the food I feed my family, I’m passionate about fresh, real and wholesome ingredients. Jeremy and I both love cooking and we know that no matter what type of new dish we’re trying, using products made with high-quality ingredients makes good food even better. That’s why Hellmann’s Real mayonnaise is a must in our house. And living in Saskatchewan means that we know quite a bit about the work that goes into putting good food onto the table.

But not everyone has that same insider knowledge about the food we eat each day, and that’s why Hellmann’s created the Real Food Movement®! Designed to help families learn more about how the food we eat goes from the farm to the table, this campaign encourages everyone to think about the work that goes into the food we love.

[Read more…]

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

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

Join the Hellmann’s Real Food Movement and Help Teach Your Kids Where Their Food Comes From!