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parenting

Giving Your Kid Some Independence (Because They’ll Love it!)

Day 3-10:37 pm: Giving my little one some independence has always been a difficult task for me. I have been practicing attachment parenting so she’s been pretty much by my side at all times. It drives my father-in-law crazy and he always tells me to give her some space. But, it’s the way I feel comfortable parenting, and the way my mom raised me (and I turned out alright….I think….). So, when thinking about jobs and even just my job search, I’ve had a lot of anxiety around the potential that I won’t be spending as much time with her. But, I have to keep telling myself that giving your kid some independence is an important part of growing up and development, despite what my heart is telling me.

Do you have anxiety when thinking about giving your kid some independence?

It’s ok, most parents do, no matter how old the kid is. I have been working at my toddler’s preschool but had the day off, and this afternoon I needed some time to submit a few more applications for jobs. Despite my anxiety and hesitation, I decided to book her a spot at the “drop-in” preschool and go to the local Starbucks and work. Since I have been working at the preschool for a year, I know the teachers, I know the kids, and I know that she has a good time.

But, we both have some separation anxiety. I get worried about dropping her off, and she usually cries when I do. Ugh. A vicious cycle. I’m sure she was just picking up on my anxiety. But each time I drop her off she gets better. The crying lasts only a few minutes and then she is fine.

So this afternoon I booked 1.5 hours and drove to the preschool to drop her off.

My heart beat fast. I was starting to get my anxiety. But, I knew that her friends would be there and she hadn’t seen them during the winter break. So I took a deep breath, and dropped her off. And guess what? She was totally fine! She strolled right in like she owned the place. She started doing an art project. The kids ran up and greeted her. And when I said I was going to go run a quick errand, she looked up and said, “You’ll be back quick?” and I said, “Yes, super quick.” Then she turned back around and worked on her art project like it was nothing!

I was thrilled and confused. But, also proud of my little girl who is growing up. So I slinked away, still feeling the anxiety, but knowing that she is fine. And I have to admit, it felt good.

 It was amazing to see her gain her independence.

I went to Starbucks and got a lot done. I didn’t actually join HireMyMom.com yet because I got side tracked on a few other sites like Indeed.com and Upwork.com where I applied to a few jobs. And, those sites were free, so that’s a big plus!

When I went to pick her up, she was playing happily with her friends and when she saw me, she had a big smile and ran over and gave me a huge hug! *Heart melt* Then she said, “Mommy, I had no tears!” and I said I was so proud of her. Then she beamed with pride and I could tell she was proud of herself too.

It was an amazing moment.

To see her have some independence and thrive, and be proud of herself for the accomplishment, was incredible. It made me feel so much better about giving her some independence, and knowing that when I do find a job, she will enjoy having some time at school to be her own wonderful person.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have anxiety around it. But, this was a great win for us.

So remember, giving your kid some independence is ok. And, you will all feel great about it.

Do you Struggle with Meals? Try these Simple Meal Helpers!

Posted in Blog, Cooking, Parenting

Millennial Housewives have to do it all. Raising the wild mini-yous, side-hustling, cleaning the milk off the counter,meal-helpers-1
and eventually trying to cook a meal while your toddler spills flour all over the floor. Don’t you wish there were some sort of fairies that turned into meal helpers?

Well, they aren’t fairies, but there are some apps that can help!

I know how you feel. After a long day watching the kids, trying to get some work done, and constantly bending over picking up toys, the last thing you want to do is stand in the kitchen and make a big meal for your family. I usually throw some pasta in a pot, heat up some sauce, and throw some lettuce in a bowl. It’s not fancy, but it feeds my family.

But, I’m trying really hard to eat healthy and make my family better food, and I know you are too.

So, here are a few apps or services you can use to make your family some meals they actually want to eat.

Blue Apron

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This company sends you a box with all the ingredients you need to make an entire meal. You get to select the number of meals you want and if you have any special dietary needs. Once a week this giant box arrives at your doorstep with everything portioned out and the recipes to make the meals. It’s that simple.

Pros: The meals are actually pretty good, they are healthy, and I love that they come to your door already portioned out. I was able to make some tasty food for my family that they actually want to eat and the recipes were easy to follow.

Cons: Dishes! So many dishes! In the directions they have you place everything in small bowls. You don’t have to, but even if you don’t, you still end up with a lot of dishes. So, it doesn’t make clean up any easier. And, they give you just enough food for that meal, and we rarely had leftovers, so it’s a lot of effort for one meal.

Produce Delivery Box

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There are many companies out there now-a-days that will deliver fresh, local, and even organic produce right to your door. Farm Fresh to You, The Produce Box, and Mother Earth Produce to name a few. You can pick and choose how much produce to get delivered and you may even get to try some interesting veggies you’ve never seen before! A nice, healthy addition to your meal.

Pros: You get local, organic, fresh fruits and veggies delivered straight to your door. Your family can conveniently eat healthy and it will expose your kids to all sorts of new veggies they can try. It’s a easy and fresh way to prepare meals.

Cons: Sometimes the fruits and veggies you get aren’t recognizable. Therefore, it takes a little extra effort to look up online how to prepare them. Also, if you don’t like something you might have a lot of extra leftovers. Also, produce doesn’t last long so you have to prepare it within the week, or freeze it (which isn’t great for some veggies).

 Munchery

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This food delivery service actually delivers pre-made dinners to your door, so no more cooking! You just have to heat them up and put them on the plate. You can go to the website to see what they are serving for the week and pick out what you want. Seriously, for a busy mom it doesn’t get any easier.

Pros: The meal comes already prepared so you just have to heat it and serve. They use local fresh ingredients and every time you buy a meal they donate to the local food bank! You can eat gourmet meals for about the same cost as take-out without the hassle of going to pick it up. You can order all online which makes it super convenient.

Cons: Each meal is pretty much enough for one night, so you won’t have left-overs. And, they are a little more gourmet, so it might not always be something you kids will like. (Unless you have kids with fancy taste!). If you have people with big appetites, it might not be enough food, or you might need to order more meals. But, for an average person, the portion sizes are pretty good.

There are plenty of delivery services like these out there and you need to check to see which ones deliver to your area. Companies like Plated, Imperfect Produce (which just came to my area and I want to try!), and Freshly all do about the same thing. It’s pretty amazing how much help there is out there for Millennial Housewives when it comes to preparing healthy meals for her family. You just need to know where to look! Happy cooking!

 

Have you tried any of these services? What were your thoughts?