I don't know why, but one night when I was bored I started watching 16 and Pregnant. All of their labors seem to last under 6 hours, which is completely unfair! Ha! I was in labor with Alayna for 14 and a half hours and only 7 with Olivia. (Which I think is normal for second labors.) It's just so nostalgic watching that, because I remember what I went through with my girls. My pregnancy with Alayna was the worst, I gained 75lbs, I was diabetic, I was pre-eclampsic and had hypertension. I was in the hospital more than I was out of the hospital with my first pregnancy. The night I had Alayna I went into the hospital because I thought my water had broke, it didn't; but I was leaking fluid. They were going to try to keep me on bedrest until I was a little farther along but my blood pressure was record high and they decided to induce early instead of risking my having a seizure because of the high blood pressure. I remember how horrible it was since I also was GBS positive. I had to be put on several different IVs, pitocin, something for the GBS (I know it wasn't amoxicillin since I'm allergic) and the worst of them all, magnesium for the pre-eclampsia. The magnesium was the worst because of the withdrawal off of it. Horrible... Because of the magnesium, I wasn't allowed out of bed for 48 hours. That also meant I wasn't able to see Alayna for two days in the NICU. :( I also had a horrible reaction to the epidural, I believe they gave me too much... I couldn't feel anything at all below my waist. Hardly any contractions, I actually felt like I was paralyzed. Hey, at least I didn't feel any pain... (Oh, did I mention my mom fainted when they administered my epidural? Yeah, she did...)
It is a constant struggle to get my children to brush their teeth. I want to say that I'm not exactly sure what the big deal is, but I remember fighting my mother on it when I was younger. It seems to be a common struggle among all parents and something all children dread.
Even though it's something we all hate doing or making our children do, it is very necessary. Cavities, tooth decay or other dental diseases are definitely no laughing matter. Especially when we realize, later in life, just how important a white sparkling smile actually is.
So how do we get our children to brush our teeth? How do we get this to be less of a fight three times a day?
Let your children pick out their toothbrushes and toothpaste! I find that when my girls go to the store to decide upon their own design/characters, they're more inclined to be excited about brushing their teeth. Toothpaste for children comes in many different flavors, colors and have many of their favorite characters on the packaging. It can be as simple as letting them make their own decision and getting them hyped up about using their favorite products while brushing their teeth!
You have to make it fun! There are many ways to do this. Many toothbrushes, these days, have music that you can press on the brush. For the duration of that song is how long you must keep brushing your teeth! My daughter had a Hannah Montana toothbrush that played a song. I have also seen Disney Characters, Nickelodeon Characters and some others! Another way to do this is to make up a song to sing for the 3 minutes your child should be brushing. You can make up some funny and kooky songs to sing to your children while they're brushing their teeth! Who knows, they may actually just catch on and start singing it to you when you're brushing your teeth!
If your children are young, like mine are, you must brush their teeth for them. However, before you do help, let them take a crack at it by themselves! Tell them that they can brush their own teeth and be a big girl/boy and afterward, you'll touch up to make sure they're as sparkly and shiny as they can be! It's important that children know the importance of a sparkly pearly white smile.
Limit the sugary drinks, junk food and sugary foods. These foods cause tooth decay and cause the enamel on your teeth to thin and sometimes dissipate! You don't want that, you want teeth to be as strong as they can be! Try out some healthy foods and dress them up to your liking. There are many ways to do this! Sugary foods and drinks can be an occasional treat.
There are various types of gum that are great for teeth and that do prevent cavities! I'm a strong believer in this! If your child is old enough to chew gum and understand how to chew gum safely, give them their favorite flavor of gum after snacks and meals – between brushing. It will help eliminate the food and plaque build up! My kids love this step just as much as they enjoy blowing bubbles with their gum!
Fighting about keeping teeth and gums healthy shouldn't be a hard fight. Maybe using some of these steps into your every day routine will lessen or eliminate the fight all together! Your children will thank you in the future when they have a great smile.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here
As moms, we can't always go to the spa, get a professional manicure, pedicure, massage and I know sometimes we want one more than anything else in the world! I whole-heartedly believe that we deserve one after those long days of chasing the kids, putting clothes back on numerous times, the poops that may worry us and the housework/errands we had to finish. Moms are really supermoms...they are always on the go with very little sleep. How do we stay sane? How do we keep ourselves in check? There has to be a way!
1. MAKE SURE TO MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF - If you don't take at least one hour per day (even when the kids go to bed) just relax. Drink a glass of wine, watch a movie, take a bath... Just spend some time recollecting yourself. If you don't do that, you'll probably start to feel overwhelmed. I know that's how I felt.
2. Take time out to exercise - You can do this alone by walking earlier in the morning or going to the gym earlier in the morning or with your kids. I have gotten many "mommy and me" exercise tapes over the years and Alayna, Olivia and I really enjoy doing them together! It's a fun activity to keep them busy and yourself fit and relaxed. :)
3. Drink plenty of water per day - Water purifies your body and gets rid of unnecessary toxins. It also keeps your skin hydrated and makes you feel better! You should have (6) 8oz glasses of water per day. You may also lose a pound or two in the process!
4. Eat healthy - Add some veggies or fruits into your food planning. Maybe add a salad to your meal. I was very surprised how eating healthier made me feel so much better and gave me so much more energy. It also makes you feel like you're doing something
5. Take some time outside - I can vouch for the fact that if you go out in the fresh air with your kids, it will calm them down and they will usually go to sleep at their bedtime. It's just the fresh air tires them out, not to mention the running around and playing outside as well! That will lead to a happier, healthier you because you can get to relax earlier and not have to have the stress of kids that will not calm down.
6. Take a shower and get dressed as soon as you wake up - I know this from experience, if you wake up before the kids, take a shower and get dressed right then and there. There are some days that I haven't done that, and it ended up 12 am the next day before I even had a chance to take a shower. I know it's more comfy to walk around in your jammies, but getting dressed makes you feel refreshed and better!
7. Read alone or with your kids - Take at least 20 minutes a day and read by yourself or with your kids; whichever you prefer. You'll feel better because reading is very relaxing, and if you are reading with your kids, you're spending quality time with them.
8. Don't diet, change your way of eating - After years of dieting, I realized this is important. Diets are not reliable. You may lose some weight, but as soon as temptation hits and you binge or cave; you will gain it back. Take it from someone who has been there, done that and made that mistake too many times. Rather, change your way of eating. I started Nutrisystem with their plan and their food...a year later, I know enough to cook my own healthy foods and still eat the appropriate serving sizes... I thank Nutrisystem for their assistance in my learning what's a right portion and what's a wrong portion... And I'm still losing weight. :) I definitely do suggest Nutrisystem if you are starting out. Even though it is a plan, it isn't a diet. It's a long term way of life. :)
9. Think of things that you are thankful for every day - It is so easy to just concentrate on the negative things in our everyday life. I have been there. I used to take everything negative and let it get me down. One day, I realized that was not the way to go throughout my day. It didn't accomplish anything and just depressed me! Instead, whenever I feel like I am getting down, I think of things I am thankful for and things that I feel make my life absolutely great. It definitely works!
10. Every week; paint your nails - Rather you paint your own nails or buy a cheap pair of fakes, doing your own nails once a week really helps you feel like you're pampering yourself. I look forward to that one day per week that I give myself a manicure. It makes me feel lady-like and beautiful. Give yourself some attention!
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
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29 year old single mom of two little girls, blogging her way through life. Lives in New Jersey and is obsessed with going to New York City. Self proclaimed theater geek.
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