Her last princess movie.

She never wore an Elsa dress. She never asked for her hair in braids or for a funny snowman companion. I was not aware of it at the time, but our family outing to see Disney's Frozen two years ago marked her final princess movie. Some time after those closing credits, my little girl who loved all things sparkle and shine did the unthinkable... she grew up.

While the rest of the little girls in the world were obsessing over Queen Elsa and Princess Anna and squeezing plush Olaf toys for a cozy night of magical dreams, my girl was moving on. One week ago, we peeled the Cinderella decals from her bedroom walls. We donated a few princess dolls to charity last month. My daughter, at 7 1/2 years old, is too mature for princesses. In fact, she's embarrassed to have any connection to princesses. I am not supposed to call her my princess any more.

"You can call me anything else, Mom, but not 'princess'. I'm too big for that." 

We own the Frozen DVD, but I think we watched it twice - by my request, not hers. My daughter's bedroom now shows off a funny Minion poster on the closet door and an Avengers poster on the adjacent jack-and-jill bathroom door. She laughs at the Lego Movie and she buries her nose in Harry Potter books.

All things Harry Potter: for #Halloween!

My book worm of a daughter is starting to get into Harry Potter. She began by watching the first movie, and now we are starting her on the brand new illustrated Harry Potter book series! The stories are incredible without illustration, but as a young yet highly advanced reader, my 7 1/2 year old really enjoys pictures to go with the story.

She is also ready to hit the neighborhood in her latest Halloween costume: Hermione Granger. With just-past-the-shoulder curly hair, she looks the part perfectly once she dons the long black Hogwarts robe and Gryffindor necktie. Just last week, my friend at JaMonkey.com posted a DIY Harry Potter magic wand tutorial... check out this magical handiwork! Here's her DIY Harry Potter wand Pinterest pin as well. 

Image: JaMonkey.com (click for full post)

So we are all set on the costume front! If you want to really make a Hogwarts-type splash for the upcoming holiday, investigate some of these amazing Harry Potter decorating and food ideas from Pinterest:

Image: Buzzfeed (click for full post)

Image: Over The Big Moon (click for full post)

Happy October! Halloween will be here soon! Trick or Treat?!

The separation anxiety continues...

Separation Anxiety...
"Anxiety provoked in a young child by separation or the threat of separation from their mother."

My little man, now 20 months old, is still a total mama's boy. He has a tremendous need to know where I am and what I am doing at all times. He has improved a little bit at his Monday daycare and his Tuesday/Thursday church program, but (seven weeks later) we have not eliminated those drop-off tears just yet.  

Separation anxiety is completely normal in older babies and toddlers. While separation anxiety is most common in small children between 8-15 months old, it is not considered a disorder or major problem until later, around kindergarten or first grade. I think my guy is just our snuggly sensitive one. Our daughter was born with a strong independent streak, but he would prefer to stay close to me at all times. And when he is away at daycare/school, he often repeats our names, "Mama... Dada... YaYa (sister)..." Reminding himself who we are and saying our names is his way of coping until we return.

Hopefully, as we continue to practice drop-off and pick-up three days per week, he will become more and more confident in his understanding that Mama comes back. 

If your child is several years older and still experiencing separation anxiety that has begun to affect regular life, this WebMD article may be helpful: Separation Anxiety Disorder. And, as always, keep your pediatrician informed of any worries. 

New partnership: Six Flags Over Georgia & Make-A-Wish Georgia

Awesome news from Six Flags Over Georgia...

On Saturday, August 22nd, over two dozen Make-A-Wish Georgia children saw their dream come true as they got a behind-the-scenes look at Six Flags Over Georgia! The children shadowed Six Flags Team Members from Maintenance, Retail, Security, Rides, the Six Flags Railroad Train Conductor, walked with the Park President and of course – got to ride some our world-class attractions together!
 

photo courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia

This event was the beginning of a new partnership between Six Flags Over Georgia and Make-A-Wish Georgia. Next spring, Six Flags Over Georgia will host a roller coaster event called “Coasting For Wishes”, which will be a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish. While more details are to be announced soon, people who participate in the event will take part in a 5K, 10K or a Marathon. However, instead of “running”, the fundraisers will be riding a 5K, 10K or Marathon in feet of roller coaster track on our 12 roller coasters equal to each event length (5K, 10K or Marathon).

First day of Kindergarten - in 1983 #childhood

In honor of back-to-school time, I'm reviving this past memoir. My first day...

In the Autumn of 1983, a five-year old me entered Kindergarten. My father parked the red Chevy Caprice Classic along the curb of the steep hill adjacent to school. My sister and I clambered out of the car after saying our quick goodbyes to Daddy. He was headed to work at the chemical plant; my big sister was in charge of leading me by the hand to Mrs. D’s kindergarten class. With my left hand in her right and our homemade corduroy book bags slung over the opposite shoulders, we crossed the threshold into our first day of the school year.

My young heart skipped a beat. Where many in my place were nervous, I was brimming with excitement. My sister was in my place this time last year. I knew the school, I knew the teacher. I had nothing to fear. But as I looked into the expectant eyes of the teacher and that comforting grip on my hand began to loosen, my confidence waned.

I could not hear the cheerful welcome from Mrs. D. My heart, giddy only moments before, fell into the pit of my stomach.

Separation anxiety in toddlers + tips for daycare

My little guy has been away from me for perhaps six total days in his entire 18-month life. Most of those were when he was quite young so he didn't really notice; he just needed milk and some interaction.

Now, at 18 months old, my toddler has a pretty forceful case of separation anxiety. His face crumples when I walk towards a door and he rushes to cling to my arm, leg, foot... whatever he can reach first. His round adorable face turns red and he wails as I pry him away, plant a quick kiss, and tell him I will return shortly. His separation anxiety surfaces even when he is in his own home with Daddy or grandparents. He just wants Mommy - right here, right now, ALL the time.

Day one of daycare was difficult. Day two of daycare (because it was more than one week later) was even worse. Despite having "free time" to work on all of my business and home to-dos that day, I worried and cried about my baby hanging out with near-strangers, in a strange place, without me.  It took all of my might not to pick him up five hours early! He had a difficult day with a lot of tears. He was safe and had moments of fun, but he definitely did not love it.

Numerous experts tell us how to manage separation anxiety in toddlers and how to make the transition to daycare less stressful on everyone. These are some of the most commonly-repeated tips:

• TRUST the caregiver and interact happily and in a relaxed way, so your child can sense your comfort level and understand he is safe

Snips and snails and sugar and spice? #kids

Do you remember "sugar and spice and everything nice" and "snips and snails and puppy dog tails"? Cute rhyme, but my sweet girl and baby boy are so much more.

My boy is made of grins and squeals and lots of meals. He loves to laugh and make others laugh. He has about twenty face/body movements that will crack the grumpiest of grumps. He runs everywhere with pounding little feet and squeals with joy all day long. He also eats a lot. Meals and snacks and more meals and snacks for that guy!

My girl is made of stories and flips and clever quips. She is a writer and teller of magical tales. She spends a lot of time moving, flipping and bouncing in her own hilarious ways. And she has a quick wit that gives us the giggles out of nowhere.

Kids are the best little creatures on earth, aren't they? They simultaneously make me happy and exhausted, and I cannot imagine what I ever did without them!

What's it like in your house? What would your poetry be for your child?
 

10 reasons: I wish to be a kid again

Who has it better, adults or kids? 

While adults get to stay up late and basically eat whatever they want (like a milkshake for dinner), I think I'd like to be a kid again. 

 

Why it's better to be a kid...

• You have a chauffeur
• You have a chef
• You have a maid (sometimes, anyway)
• You have a nurse when sick
• You DON'T have to navigate office politics
• You DON'T pay taxes
• You DON'T need money for gasoline
• When you feel like crying, you cry. 
• You get summers "off"
• You get more gifts for birthdays and holidays 

If my daughter and I could switch places for a day, I would request a lot of snacks, talk almost non-stop, eat dessert after dinner, and leave Moon Dough crumbs all over the floor. Then I'd ask to read books at night and sleep with a soothing sound machine and one dozen stuffed animals. 

What do you think, grown-up or kid?

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Linked up to Mama Kat's Writers' Workshop at KatBouska.com - prompts each week and link-ups every Thursday!

Summer reading plan: Kid-Friendly Non-Fiction #GASummerRead

My daughter is a natural-born reader. She learned early and has always found true enjoyment in words. She reads brochures from travel stops, age-appropriate magazines, picture books, fiction chapter books, and non-fiction books. She reads to her baby brother and to us. She reads a lot on vacation too!

For some children, reading is more of a chore than a preferred leisure activity. Summer may mean prodding and pushing and steering the kids away from the TV or video game system. While some down time is important over the summer (we certainly watch our share of TV), it is also important for them to continue honing their reading skills, both for reading ability and comprehension of story structure and facts. 

Our summer reading plan focuses on kid-friendly non-fiction. Here is a sample plan if you are looking for ideas for your kids: 

2 Science + 2 Biography + 1 big book of fun facts

Science non-fiction books: 
Some of our favorite science non-fiction books are from Usborne Books. They have a "beginner" and a "discovery" selection of books like Cats, Dogs, Snakes, Bugs, Ocean Animals, Night Animals, Weather, and Trains. We will make sure we read at least two of these selections this summer. 

Finally warming up to the idea of American Girl

I always considered American Girl dolls to be a huge waste of money. I mean, it's a doll. You know, plastic with fake hair, just like other dolls in other stores. But because of their name and label, American Girl dolls are expensive! A basic American Girl doll comes with a price tag of $115, and that doesn't count any extra clothing, pets, shoes, furniture, hairstyles... you get the idea.  

I have always considered myself lucky that we could browse the American Girl store and depart without a question, a request, or a tantrum because my daughter, now seven years old, has never been much of a "doll person". Her menagerie of stuffed animals have been the ones to attend school, watch movies, play games, and get fed just like dolls might at another little girl's house.

Until this past weekend, I have never heard a peep from her about American Girl. Even when the catalogs arrived at our house, my daughter would browse the photos and learn the dolls' names, but she never asked for one. Now it looks as if we may have an American Girl Christmas. Santa had better get ready! (She knows better than to ask Mom and Dad for a $115 toy.)

I am warming up to the idea. I am glad that we did not fall into the American Girl doll craze earlier, when she would have been too young to take proper care of an expensive doll or even understand what "expensive" really means. 

Get outside! Favorite nature activities for children

Take a simple stroll - find a nice sidewalk among some trees or in a park and just walk together. Talk. Enjoy the sunshine and the family time.

Smell the flowers - let the child gently touch and smell various flowers and plants. Which ones smell good? Which ones smell strange?

Pick berries - this is an annual tradition with my nieces and nephew when they visit North Carolina in the summer. Grab some bags or small pails and see who can pick the most, or the biggest, or the prettiest berry from the patch. 

Visit a botanical garden - the Atlanta Botanical Garden is a fantastic option if you are in the area. Beautiful gardens, an orchid house, and a children's garden can entertain families for hours.

Catch lightning bugs/fireflies - this combines the excitement of staying out late with hunting and catching action to make it fun for everyone.

Dip your toes in the water - kids love water. Find a small creek or a park with a stream, or the ocean if it is nearby. Have some fun splashing and cooling those toes.

Water the plants - even now, at age seven, my daughter enjoys watering the plants outside. Watering the plants helps teach kids about what things need to grow and watering cans (and water hoses) are fun!

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Linked up to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop again this week! Prompt: Choose a photo from a previous April and write a poem or blog post. (These photos are from April and July from various years and they reminded me of all the outdoor fun we love to have!) 

Rainbow Treat Cups: a happy classroom birthday treat that takes only minutes to make

I do not hide behind a veil of Pinterest-perfect. So when the adorable Room Mom suggests a "cute little take-home treat" to accompany the cupcakes for your daughters' shared birthday? I have a moment of panic. But then I kick it into my BalancingMama gear. I have a huge to-do list, questioning clients, and a young toddler clinging to my leg and grabbing the computer, but I will get it done. My misson: cute, sweet, and no baking involved.

If you need a really quick, classroom-friendly, colorful treat for a birthday, try these adorable Rainbow Treat Cups.

• Plastic disposable rainbow-colored shot glasses
• Skittles candy
• Gummy bears
• Plastic Wrap
• Ribbon

I made 24 happy little rainbow treat cups for Amelia's birthday celebration, and it took about 20 minutes. Amelia is thrilled with the cute size and colors (and gummy bears are her favorite!) The treats are peanut-free and school-approved. You could make all kinds of kid-friendly treats and desserts with disposable shot glasses. I will be using them again!

Semi-homemade treats? Check! It is another mission accomplished for this BalancingMama.

Happy 7th birthday to my sweet and creative little lady!

Snacks from a 1980s childhood

In the Autumn of 1983, a five-year-old me entered Kindergarten. I was in elementary school during the heart of the 1980s. That meant permed hair, giant plastic glasses, the "amazing" Apple 2C computer (with Oregon Trail, of course), little girls doing hand-slap songs, and boys trying their hardest to get their Hot Wheels to actually achieve a loop via the flimsy yellow track.

What about snacks?  I definitely ate a few things in the 1980s that I would steer clear of today, like:

Vienna Sausages - No offense to anyone who enjoys these, but what was I thinking? I probably ate a little can of these water-packed meat sticks every day after school for years.

Handi-Snacks - Do you remember those individual packs of crackers with a compartment of "cheese" spread and a little red rectangular plastic stick? 1980s kids thought it was so cool to spread our own "cheese" product over our crackers all by ourselves. Unfortunately, it was much less actual cheese than it was a concoction of oil and salt. A lot of salt.

Mommy and Me: Days of sun and childhood

They are only young for what seems like a moment. One day toddling across a playground with a chubby hand in yours, the next swinging like Tarzan across monkey bars with ease. If I blink, one will be off to college while the other prepares for high school. 

Sometimes I manage to stop the chaos in my head and just... watch. 

"There are no happy endings. 

Endings are the saddest part, 

So just give me a happy middle,

And a very happy start"

-Shel Silverstein, Every Thing On It

"How do you like to go up in a swing,  
Up in the air so blue? 
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing  
Ever a child can do!"  
-Robert Louis Stevenson, A Child's Garden of Verses

 

If you got out from behind your camera this weekend, link up with us at Really, Are You Serious.

Getting to know local author Stephanie Davis #books

Smart and confident women know how to get things accomplished. Atlanta PR pro and children's book author Stephanie Davis saw a gaping hole in the industry and is making her mark with her Kayla The Great series featuring a spunky multicultural little girl. I shared a review of Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress with you recently, and I also had a chance to interview the author.

Being a professional in "real" life with a love for writing on the side myself, I am in awe of her accomplishments and her go-get-'em attitude. Read the interview with Stephanie Davis below, and stay tuned for more on the new Kayla the Great book publishing soon! 

Stephanie, what inspired you to write children's books?

I love writing and I love children. A few years ago, one of my family members gave birth to a baby girl. I wanted to buy the baby a book as a gift. I searched far and wide, and I was so surprised at the lack of female lead characters in children's books. I was even more disappointed to learn there were very few characters of color. I had the idea of Kayla The Great years ago, but after I realized there was a huge lack of diversity in children's books, I decided it was time to bring her to life. My intent was not to make a grand statement with my books. Kayla The Great is here to represent the world we live in. And I really wanted children to fall in love with books. I wanted them to enjoy reading and see images of themselves and others in books. 

Is Kayla modeled after you as a child or any child you know?

Kayla The Great is the combination of little girls I've met throughout my life, my nieces and my little cousins. She's also loosely based on me. 

New experiences: learning to step into them, even a bit blindly #parenting #education

My daughter began a new accelerated learning program at school this week. She will complete her first grade year with a new teacher, different classroom, and totally unknown schedule on Mondays. She was accepted for this "gifted" program via a letter and some parental forms in the mail a few weeks ago. We were given no information about what to expect, just a school supply list and a date.

My first instinct was to email the teachers with twenty-five questions about where she will go, what she will do, the other students she will be with, what she will miss in her other class, how she will make up the work, what time she will eat lunch... you get the idea. I wanted to prepare her for absolutely everything.

See, my daughter is exceptionally bright, yet somewhat introverted with a reluctance towards change. It took her several weeks to become comfortable with the new group of classmates in the transition to first grade, and now the school was pulling her out and into a new situation all over again. She was nervous the night before and asked me many questions, most of which I could not answer at all.

I couldn't answer them because I decided a week prior that I would not ask the questions. I had an email barrage of questions halfway drafted when I thought, maybe there is a reason they didn't give us a detailed synopsis of the days to come? Perhaps, going into a situation blind is a valuable lesson that can be learned?

Kayla celebrates girls, diversity, and uniqueness! #books #multicultural #giveaway

photo: Kayla The Great website

Books, books, books. My first grader is obsessed with reading books! No complaints, here. As a mom and fan of reading myself, I love to encourage her thirst for written entertainment and knowledge. She enjoys books of all kinds from picture books, to fantasy fiction and non-fiction biographies or science topics.

One of the newest books we have come across is Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress. Six-year old Kayla The Great is an energetic biracial girl who lives with her family in Atlanta, GA.(Amelia loves that we share the same home city!). Kayla wears bright, colorful outfits and her favorite dress, a red one, is the subject of the first book in the new Kayla The Great series. Her favorite dress? It goes missing! And Kayla must embark on an important mission to locate it.



photo: Kayla The Great website

The author, Atlanta-based Stephanie Davis, created this bi-racial little heroine because she saw a need in the children's book industry. Did you know that less than 4% of books feature Latino children? And less than 2% feature an African-American child? A recent study from University of Wisconsin reported those facts. And the presence of multicultural content in children's books has not increased in the past 18 years! Take one look at my blue-eyed, light brown-haired girl and you will see she is not of minority ethnicity, but it is just as important for white children to enjoy stories about all races and cultures. How else will we continue to evolve in our acceptance and love for others? Amelia does not see differences at age six and I hope she grows up just as color blind through all of her years.

 Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress is an ideal story book for ages 5-8 of any race or ethnicity. The character is a fun-loving heroine and it is enjoyable to "follow" her on her mission to locate her favorite item of clothing. And if you read and love this book? Stay tuned, because the next in the series is coming out soon! Kayla The Great Goes To Washington will be available February/March 2015. Follow Smart Sweet Kayla on Facebook for all the latest info.

WIN TWO COPIES OF KAYLA THE GREAT - one each for your child and a friend
Share the love of girl power and diversity! You can win two copies of Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress - just enter via the simple Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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I am a blogger ambassador for the Kayla The Great series. I was provided compensation to share information with you about this book and the upcoming new release. All opinions are 100% mine.

Christmas in sunny Florida

The Christmas chaos has come and gone. Our day was not quite as expected since the kiddos were sick. Amelia was recovering well by Christmas day and enjoyed the time with extended family, but baby Andrew was not well at all. He is still not himself, almost one week later; we are currently trying a breathing treatment (wheezing) and a new antibiotic (ear infection that won't clear). Poor baby!

Happy New Year to all!

My Christmas sweetheart

And a boy who just did not feel like it

First grader's tips for calming your fears

I discovered at the start of this school year that my six-year-old daughter has an actual phobia. Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting. When she has nightmares, they do not often feature monsters or bad guys. Her nightmares are often about someone throwing up at school. This happened once last year and twice so far this year. Not exactly a frequent occurrence, but she is afraid nonetheless.

She and I discuss this fear frequently, and especially last week after several very difficult mornings.  She understands that her reaction to vomit is physical and involuntary. She likes the big word, Emetophobia. We are working together so she may learn simple ways to cope and calm the physical reaction.

The other day? A child vomited in her class. She said her body became jittery and her teacher said she was pale. But this time, she did not end up in the school clinic. She actually made it through the day. The following morning however, she was inconsolable and quite afraid to attend class. But she was brave, and she got herself out of the car and ventured into the school building, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Needless to say, I thought of her all day long.

She greeted me with a smile as she clambered back into the car after the final school bell had rung. She immediately presented me with a journal entry she wrote at school. She tore it from the journal, because it was a note especially for me:

"Dear Mommy,

I was fine today at school but in the morning I was a little sad. In the end it got better.

I talked to my teachers.
I talked to my friends.
I thought happy thoughts.
And it all got much better.

So I want you to know that I love you. You're the best mom ever." 

I think these coping skills are phenomenal for a first grader and applicable to anyone. When we have worries or anxiety, it helps to talk to supportive people. It helps to focus on the positive.

I could not be more proud of her accomplishment that day at school. She tackled a frightening situation in a very grown-up way and gave us some pretty smart advice.

Children are our best investment @SaveTheChildren

My husband grew up understanding the power of a hurricane. I have been landlocked for all of my life, so I don't fully comprehend that power. However, I understand how much devastation can come from significant weather events; I've seen the aftermath on the news. The stories of children are the hardest to watch.

 

 

Wednesday, Oct. 29 is the 2-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy’s U.S. landfall.  Sandy affected 24 states, killed 162 people, caused more than $50 million in damage and damaged or destroyed 650,000 homes and hundreds of child care centers and schools.  It was the day that life turned upside down for thousands of children who suddenly lost everything – including their very sense of stability. 

 

Save the Children is still working with many of these children to help them rebound.