Parenting & Life | There's Just One Mommy

14 Days of Love Notes

OneMommy — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 15:00:58 +0000

February is quickly approaching.

Every year my kids look forward to celebrating 14 days of love, a tradition I started years ago.

Family traditions are so important. They help make memories that last a lifetime, and they also strengthen family bonds.

Giving your child 14 Days of Love Notes is a super simple Valentine’s Day tradition that kids love and will remember years later.

Affiliate links have been used below. See my full disclosure for more details.

Every February we have lots of fun making heart-shaped crafts and doing other Valentine’s Day crafts to decorate the windows and doors around our house.

But our favorite activity each year is when we start with these notes of love. It’s a tradition my kids look forward to every February.

While I try to tell them I love them every day, this heart activity lets me focus on what makes each of them special.

14 Days of Love Notes

We’re all busy, right? But this is a super simple Valentine’s Day activity that doesn’t take a lot of time, but brings a HUGE amount of joy.

To make it even easier, you can prepare all the messages ahead of time.

Spouses and grandparents also love receiving this small notes.

In recent years I’ve started including my husband in my daily notes. He has kept them in a small box.

This year the kids plan on sending hearts through the mail to their grandparents as well. We will probably send all 14 at once to save on postage, with each one marked to be read on different days. It’s a simple way to remind them that we are thinking of them and can’t wait to see them again.

Valentine Notes for Kids

To make sure you don’t miss any days, you may want to prepare all your notes ahead of time.

Start by cutting out plenty of hearts.

Use very thick construction paper or colorful card stock to keep your hearts looking nice over time. This way the person receiving them can keep them to look back on long after February is past.

Cut the hearts from different colored paper. You may even want to use fancy scissors for some of them. Make them as fancy or simple as you wish.

If you are writing notes of love for multiple people it will be helpful to have separate envelopes to organize all the hearts.

Once you have plenty of hearts and envelopes to place them in, it’s time to write your notes.

It may be tempting to write your notes as you go each day, but writing them all now means you won’t forget a day!

Use a fine tip permanent marker or an ink pen to write a short love note or poem on each heart. Pencil could smudge or fade away over time.

Try to be specific when you write your hearts. Think about what makes the person special and unique.

For my husband I like to write about all the simple things he does that I sometimes take for granted, like making pancakes on the weekends and baking the world’s best brownies from scratch.

Ideas for Love Notes for Kids

Need some inspiration?

Try starting with a few of the ideas below and filling in the blanks to make the notes more personal.

I love listening to you _______________(sing, tell stories, laugh…).
I love when you _______________.
I appreciate it when you ______________.
You are so _____________! (creative, funny, smart, generous…)
You are so talented at __________________.
You were very brave when you _____________________.

Check out the video above for even more inspiration.

14 Days of Valentines Love Notes

Starting on February 1, surprise your loved one with one of your love notes.

I like to tape the heart notes, one a day, on each of my kid’s bedroom doors. They love to find them first thing in the morning and watch their door fill up with love.

If you’re writing notes for a spouse, you can tuck it in their laptop, stick it on the steering wheel of the car, or shower them with all the love notes in one location you know they’ll see them, like taping them to the vanity mirror in the bathroom.

It will be one of the first things they see each morning.

As a mom it is easy to get lost in the daily monotony of dishes, laundry, and taking care of kids. Sometimes we miss out on telling those we care for most just how much they mean to us.

Writing 14 Days of Love Notes is the perfect way to let them know just how special they really are.

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Originally published on January 29, 2016.

The post 14 Days of Love Notes first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Show Your Kids How Much You Love Them with 14 Days of Love

OneMommy — Sun, 12 Jan 2020 04:19:18 +0000

Every February my kids look forward to the 14 days of love notes that I post on their doors. It’s a super simple way I let them know just a few of the reasons I love them.

It’s something I’ve done every year since they were little.

This year I plan to take it a step further.

Join me and count down to Valentine’s Day with these 14 days of love ideas for kids.

Affiliate links have been used below. See full disclosure for more details.

Valentine’s Day Activities are always popular for kids in February.

But your child will remember these 14 days of Valentines for kids, and how much you love them, their whole life.

14 Days of Love Ideas

Decorate Their Room — Sneak into your child’s room at night and cover the room with streamers and paper hearts. Afraid you’ll wake them up? Try cutting long strips of crepe paper streamers and taping them to the top of the door frame so they hang down. It takes less than 5 minutes.

Holiday Popcorn Treat — Surprise your child with this special treat after school. Or, better yet, gather the ingredients and mix up this sweet and salty concoction together.

Valentine’s Day Game — Play a Valentine themed game with the kids. Make your own heart-shaped spinning Nerf targets and take turns with your child testing out your target skills. Or, try out this fun Heart Relay Race.

Lunch Box Note — Does your child pack lunch? Make them smile by tucking a few of these Valentine’s lunch box jokes in their lunch box.

Valentine’s Day Slime— Does your child like slime? This sparkly slime is super easy to make and can be made in red, pink, or lavendar –perfect for February.

Heart Shaped Cookies — Pick a day to bake cookies together. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out sugar cookies. Then let your child decorate them with sprinkles.

Homemade Valentine — Remember making Valentines as a child? Make a special one for your child. Get out some colored paper, scissors, and markers. Add Valentine stickers. Try using paper doilies to make it extra fancy.

Valentine Scavenger Hunt — Send your child on one of these 14 fun scavenger hunt ideas.

STEM Activities — Young kids will have a blast with this melt the frozen heart activity. Older kids will enjoy these STEM Activities for Valentines.

Dance Party — Turn up the jams and have a silly dance party. It just takes a couple songs to get everyone giggling and smiling.

Do Their Chores — Does your child have a chore they really hate doing? Let them know you are doing that chore for them for one day.

Heart Crafts — Nothing lets a child know how much you love them like when you spend time with them having fun. Pick a craft to do together.

Cook Their Favorite Meal — Show them how much you love them by cooking their favorite meal. Want to really hit it home? Ask them to help plan the menu. Then they’ll know the meal was really planned with them in mind.

Candy Bouquet — Surprise them with a bouquet of all their favorite candies! Check out this simple tutorial and see how a trip to the dollar store can help you create a gift that even a teenager will love.

This year show your child just how much you love them with 14 days of love in February.

50 of the Best Educational Gift Ideas for Homeschooling Families

OneMommy — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 04:13:11 +0000

“What do the kids want this year?” Whether it’s Christmas or a birthday, that’s the question most parents are faced with each year.

I love watching the kids get excited about their gifts, but sometimes the amount of toys and clutter in the house can feel overwhelming. This can be especially true after birthdays or holidays, when the kids receive presents from multiple people.

Instead of junk toys that will soon be forgotten, we love educational gifts for kids the family can enjoy together.

Sneak in a little learning with these fun Lesson Plans for Disney Movies.

If you are looking for some awesome educational gifts for children this year, you’ve come to the right spot.

I’ve asked some of my favorite fellow homeschool families what their favorite presents have been, and used their responses to create a list of the best gift ideas.

Whether you’re looking for gifts for homeschoolers, or present ideas for all the kids in your life, you’ll find something for everyone below.

Affiliate links have been used below, meaning I may receive a small commission. See my full disclosure for more details.

Educational Gifts for Kids

Microscope

Microscope Slides— Check out the pre-made slides for viewing things like a bee’s wing and a cross-section of a flower stem. Blank slides are great for older kids who are ready to prepare their own slides.

Telescope

Binoculars

Robotics Kits— Know a child that loves robots? Give them some hands-on fun with one of these kits.

Solar Power Car— Can the sun power a car? Discover just how power the sun is with this kit.

Magnatiles— Kids of all ages will have fun builting with these colorful tiles.

Snap Circuits— These are a great way to introduce circuits, while letting kids get hands-on experience with electricity. Working doorbells, lights, and other features make them lots of fun.

Monthly Subscription Kits — Check out MyTek Bot Kit, Raddish Cooking Club for Kids, Little Passports, or Steve Spangler Science Box .

Scrambled States of America — Kids will have fun learning basic American geography with this quirky game.

Perplexus Puzzle Balls — These 3-D mazes are so much fun! The small ones make great stocking stuffers.

Fun Math Board Games— Who says math isn’t fun? These games will leave kids laughing as they work on math facts, counting, and money skills.

Lego Chain Reactions — This 80 page STEM book is the perfect gift for Lego fans. It comes with 30+ Lego pieces to combine with the bricks you already own to build 10 different machines.

Genius Lego Inventions — This awesome book shows kids how to turn their bricks into a wind up car, pinball game, and more. Complete with full directions and colored illustrations.

Legos— Whether you buy a kit with directions, or just a tub of the colorful building bricks, Legos are always a popular gift for kids.

K’Nex Roller Coaster Building Kit — Kids will learn plenty of physics as they engineer their very own miniature roller coaster.

Logic Games (Try Qwirkle, Blokus, Gravity Maze, Dr. Eureka, or IQ Twist.)

Catapults and Crossbows Science Kit— Kids will have a blast learning about the energy, motion, and force while making their own catapults, crossbows, and trebuchets.

Klutz Craft Kits— You just can’t beat the Klutz brand when it comes to craft kits. And they have such a wide variety, such as making soap, sewing mini stuffed animals, and making bracelets.

Chemistry Set— Seriously, there are so many fun ones to choose from out there. You can get kits that grow crystals, ones that do a variety of fizzing experiments, and, of course, your standard set with booklet that walks you through several experiments to try at home.

Make Your Own Bubble Gum Kit— What a fun way to explore chemistry!

Mr. Root Beer Home Brewing Kit

Sewing Machine — I suggest a real sewing machine, not one of those “kids sewing machines” which don’t really sew. (Trust me, they are a disappointment.)

Butterfly Growing Kit— Kids will be fascinated as they watch their caterpillars turn into butterflies that you can then release into the wild.

Story Cubes— These are a fun way to get kids writing and telling stories.

Metal Detector — A good metal detector doesn’t have to be expensive. There are lots of good ones that are the perfect size for kids.

Kindle Fire (or other reader) — Encourage reading with a bit of technology. A tablet makes it easy to always have a book (or 2 or 3) with you, wherever you go.

Kids Cookbooks — Even preschoolers can help in the kitchen. Older kids can start learning to cook simple meals on their own, a necessary life skill everyone should learn.

Fort Building Kit— Take that blanket fort further with this building kit. This is awesome on snow days.

Slack Line Kit— Get kids outside and working on balance, concentration, and coordination.

Plasma Car— No pedals, just wiggle power to get this moving. And since it holds up to 150 pounds, it’s perfect for big kids, too, and those of us that are kids at heart.

More Gifts for Homeschool Families

Nice Globe

Large White Board and Dry Erase Markers

Boogie Board— Better than a white board, because the ink won’t smudge. These are perfect for doing math problems on, practicing spelling words, and doodling without wasting paper.

Ink Cartridges for the Printer — Homeschool families go through a lot of printer ink. This is one gift that will definitely be appreciated.

Museum or Zoo Membership — Membership to a local museum or zoo is a wonderful gift for the whole family.

Planetarium Tickets

Subscription to a Child’s Magazine (We love Highlights and Ranger Rick!)

Gift Card to a Local Book Store

Art Classes (Check your local YMCA or Fine Arts Groups.)

Music Classes — Check local high schools for opportunities when it comes to learning an instrument. There are also online piano and guitar lessons that are perfect for busy homeschoolers.

Tickets to Children’s Theater

Tickets to the Symphony

Subscription to Netflix

Subscription to Amazon Prime

Whether you are looking for gifts for homeschool families, or you just want some educational gifts for kids this list is the perfect place to start for birthdays and holidays.

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Originally published November 2, 2017.

The post 50 of the Best Educational Gift Ideas for Homeschooling Families first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Magical Mermaid Gifts for Girls of All Ages

OneMommy — Tue, 14 May 2019 19:13:14 +0000

This year we had the opportunity to take our daughter to see “real mermaids” at the local aquarium. I filled up my phone with pictures of her playing pat-a-cake with the mermaid on the other side of the glass.

After going through the line, she asked if we could go back because “it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Of course I took her again.

Her love for all things mermaid inspired this mermaid gift guide, packed full of the perfect mermaid gifts for girls that love mermaids. You may also want to check out these 15 homemade gifts for kids.

Mermaid Gifts for Girls

Whether your child is a toddler or a tween, this list will help you find the perfect mermaid gifts for kids of all ages.

Affiliate links to the products have been provided for your convenience. See my full disclosure for more details.

Mermaid Stuff for Kids

Tail Blanket — Beautiful crocheted blanket that looks like a mermaid tale.

Mermaid Blanket with Matching Doll Blanket — Kids will love snuggling into this soft, sleeping bag-styled blanket. I love that their favorite doll can snuggle into her own matching tale.

Mermaid Swimwear — Let her live out her fantasy and be a mermaid with this fun swim set.

Mermaid Hooded Towel — This towel is more than just a way to dry off after bath time.

Monofin Flipper — The swim flipper that lets them swim like a mermaid.

Mermaid Pendant Necklace — With the rainbow colored stones on the tale, this necklace is sure to be a hit with that special little girl.

Seashell Locket — Perfect necklace for any little mermaid.

Mermaid Dolls

Rainbow Colored Mermaid Barbie — She will love the colors on this rainbow mermaid doll.

Ariel Doll — Every girl needs their own Little Mermaid to play with.

Magic Swim Mermaid — This doll magically swims when placed in water.

Mermaid Plush — This doll is perfect for snuggling.

Favorite Moments Mermaid Pack — 7 miniature mermaids with color-changing tops, including Ariel and her sisters, perfect for water play.

Mermaid Books

Three Little Mermaids — A beautiful board book with moving parts that toddlers and preschoolers will adore.

Pinkalicious and Aqua, the Mini-Mermaid — Pinkalicious meets Aqua in a beautiful cove full of rainbow colored shells. With gorgeous pictures and all the fun that Pinkalicious books contain. (Grade level 1-3)

Lacey the Little Mermaid Fairy — We love the fairies in the Rainbow Magic books series, and this one was an extra special hit. A chapter book that will keep mermaid fans reading. (Grade level 2-5)

Disney Princess Ariel: The Birthday Surprise — A fun chapter book for girls that love Ariel. (Grade level 1-3)

Mermaid Tales Sparkling Collection — The perfect book collection to get reluctant readers excited about reading. 5 exciting undersea adventures. (Grade level 1-4)

The Tail of Emily Windsnap — When 12 year-old Emily’s mom finally lets her take swimming lessons she makes a startling discovery. This book is perfect for every girl that ever dreamed of being a mermaid. (Grade level 3-7)

Mermaid Arts & Crafts

Mermaid Paper Doll Kit — With 6 beautiful mermaids, 3 seahorse friends, and over 200 punch-out fashions, this paper doll kit is perfect for mermaid fans.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Mermaid — You just can’t beat the quality of Melissa & Doug toys.

Glitter Mermaid Paper Doll — Small enough to toss in a purse for your child to enjoy when stuck at the doctor’s office or at a restaurant. Perfect for a stocking stuffer.

Paint Your Own Wooden Mermaid — What’s better than mermaids? One that you get to decorate yourself!

Shrinky Dink Mermaids — Your child can have the fun of decorating their own Shrinky Dink mermaids to display.

Scratch and Sketch Mermaid Adventure — Using the stylus reveals a rainbow of colors in this twist to a coloring book.

Mermaid Coloring Book — Simple mermaids to color for the youngest of fans.

Puffy Mermaid Stickers — Reusable puffy sticker play set with 65 colorful stickers.

Mermaid Jewelry Kit — Create your own sparkling jewelry with plenty of sea-themed beads, such as starfish and dolphins.

Mermaid Doll Making Kit — Give your child the chance to make her own cuddly mermaid without having to sew.

Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle — This is a 48 piece heavy duty puzzle with storage case.

100 Piece Mermaid Puzzle — This puzzle has a beautiful scene with a mermaid surrounded by fish, perfect for ages 6 and up.

I will always treasure the memory of taking our daughter to see the mermaids.

She was right, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. After all, I know she won’t always believe they are real.

This year I’m going to keep some of that youthful innocence alive with a few of these mermaid gifts for girls.

To the Mom of the Child with Head Lice

OneMommy — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 03:53:32 +0000

Right now you’re panicked. You have no idea where to begin.

You’re skin is crawling just at the thought of them.

Maybe you were braiding your daughter’s hair when you found them.

Maybe you felt your stomach drop as you tried to brush the sand out of your son’s hair and realized it wasn’t sand.

Maybe you got the dreaded call from the nurse’s office.

No matter how you discovered them, there they are. Little, tiny, almost microscopic creepy-crawlies have invaded your child’s hair.

Head lice.

Maybe you raced to the drugstore, hoping you wouldn’t run into anyone you know as you walked to the register with a box (or 5) of lice shampoo in your hands.

Or maybe you already had a box in the medicine cabinet, waiting, just in case.

You’ve filled the washer with sheets. Hauled blankets and towels to the laundry room. And vacuumed.

Oh, how you’ve vacuumed.

The pillows, mattress, carpet, and every stuffed animal you can find. Twice.

Every day.

And then there’s the combing.

You’ve tugged that fine tooth comb through all that hair, from end to end. Carefully wiping it off between swipes. Removing each and every intruder. Trying to soothe your child, knowing you will have to do it again. And again.

You’re wondering how long you will be fighting this battle.

I know it seems endless. But it’s going to be okay.

It’s going to be okay.

You will get through this.

Until then, know you are not alone.

While the word lice is whispered in hushed voices as parents divert their eyes and talk about the itchy problem, it can, and does, happen to families of all backgrounds, regardless of race, education, or income. That’s right, it’s an equal-opportunity offender.

It’s time to stop whispering the words head-lice like it’s something to be ashamed of.

They don’t jump or fly; you aren’t going to get them just by walking by the couch where your child was sitting.

They don’t live forever (though it may seem so right now). Lice only live 24-48 hours off a human head.

So if your child has more stuffed animals than you can count, pack up the ones they don’t sleep with every night and store them somewhere for a few days. Save your crazy daily vacuuming (or tossing them in the dryer) for the ones they can’t sleep without.

And grab yourself a glass of wine (or a scoop of ice cream). You’ve earned it.

I promise you, you’re going to get through this.

We’re all going to get through this.

15 Fun Back to School Traditions

OneMommy — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 04:54:25 +0000

That first day of school was rough. There were a lot of tears.

Of course the were all from me when I got to the car, not from my little girl as I dropped her off for kindergarten. I wanted to do something special for her first day, so we stopped for ice cream on the way home, and a tradition was born.

It’s back to school time for many. Whether you have a child just starting school or you’re looking for a new idea to make this year extra special for the kids, these 15 back to school traditions are sure to make the time memorable.

Whether your child attends public or private school or you homeschool, these back to school traditions will make that first week back fun for everyone.

And, to make things go even smoother, check out these ideas for organizing school supplies.

Back to School Traditions

Serve a Special Breakfast. Cut their toast in the shape of a heart. Make a smiley face on top of their cereal with some sliced up fruit. Or try one of these 21 Back To School Breakfast Ideas.

Decorate Their Bedroom Door. While the kids are sleeping, decorate their door with streamers and balloons or even just a fun sign that says, “Happy First Day of School!”

Take that first day of school picture. Looking for ways to make kit fun? Check out these 15 Ideas for Adorable First Day of School Pictures from Kids Activities Blog

Grab one of these Free Printable First Day of School Signs from Simple Play Ideas to make the picture even more special.

Have a scavenger hunt. Put those school supplies to work before the big day with this printable School Supply Scavenger Hunt from The Dating Divas. There’s a picture version for non-readers and a list version for older students.

Craft together. Crafting is always popular when it comes to holidays. Celebrate the start of the school year with a few Duct Tape Crafts for School from There’s Just One Mommy.

Try a bit of magic. Ease their anxiety with this Magic Dust for the First Day of School from The Educators’ Spin on It.

Pray. This Back to School Prayer for Kids from I Can Teach My Child is perfect for kids heading to public school, private school, or homeschooling.

Read a book. These First Day of School Books from There’s Just One Mommy are perfect for those starting preschool or kindergarten.

Set up an interview. This First Day of School Interview from Spaceships and Laser Beams is the perfect way to record your child’s interests and save them. Look them over together at the end of the year or save them for when they graduate.

Give them a gift. Try the German tradition of making a giving your child a schultute, or school cone, and fill it with small treats and gifts like scented markers and stickers. Check out this post to learn How to Make a Schultute (Kindercone) from Red Ted Art.

Give the German tradition a twist and Make a Schultute as a First Day of School Teacher Gift like they did on Kid World Citizen.

Send them a note. Write them a short letter and stick it in their lunch. For non-readers try drawing a silly picture to make them smile. Check out these Free Printable Lunchbox Notes from Our Best Bites for more ideas.

Have a snack ready. 12 Cute After School Snack Ideas from There’s Just One Mommy

Go Out for Ice Cream. When the kids come home from their first day, head to your favorite ice cream shop for sundaes and to hear about their day.

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The post 15 Fun Back to School Traditions first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.