by Pregnant Pauses | Nov 12, 2022 | Blog
This is a fantastic time of year to host get-togethers with friends and family. You’ve probably done the same events year after year. Either Secret Santa or White Elephant, where everyone draws names or brings a cheap gift to exchange. Those can be fun, but why not try something new?
Why not try a holiday swap this year? The premise of a swap is that everyone brings one of the same item. One popular swap this year was for socks or sweaters. Every attendee brings the funniest, silliest socks they can find. Then you come up with a system to swap with one another. Add a little fun to a new holiday tradition.
You can also host a cookie swap. Yum! Everyone makes two-dozen cookies to bring to the swap. Then you each exchange cookies 4-6 at a time with other attendees until everyone has an assortment of holiday treats from everyone. As a bonus treat, you can host a get-together to cook the cookies as well. Bonus: now you have a fun dessert to bring to your family dinner!
by Pregnant Pauses | Nov 3, 2022 | Blog, Dads, Moms
What do you do with those adorable Halloween costumes that you only use once? Here are some ideas to get your philanthropic juices going. It is the season of giving after all. So let’s give a little and recycle a little.
1. Donate them to a women’s shelter. In honor of #DomesticViolence month, giving gently used and cleaned costumes to shelters not only for Halloween but also for dress-up can be an escape for little ones stuck in impossible situations.
2. Donate them to a family shelter. Kids in shelters are often going without when it comes to stuff like this. Remember families that are affected by difficult times.
3. Recycle them. Next year have a clothing swap. Especially when kids are young, clothing swaps are an excellent way to help each other out and save some money in the process. Hand-me-downs are amazing for young families trying to live on a budget.
4. Donate them to the red cross or a thrift store benefiting a community or cause. In my area, I love to do the local thrift shop that benefits our hospital and the Red Cross, but there are many thrift shops, such as thrift shops to benefit AIDS or the Salvation Army that helps get people back on their feet.
Instilling philanthropy in our youngest generation is good for humanity as well, so involve your kids. Let them decide where to donate and take the costumes in themselves. Let’s all raise good humans.
by Pregnant Pauses | Jun 16, 2022 | Blog, Dads
Fathers Day is this weekend and we want to take some time to appreciate all the dads out there. This year more than $23 billion was spent on Mother’s Day, compared to only $15 billion on Father’s Day. Dad, we want you to know that you’re important, too. Little ones need their fathers just as much as they need their mothers, and here’s why:
Dads are the yin to mom’s yang. There is a reason that there are two parents. Moms and dads naturally balance one another out. We’re not just talking about traditional gender roles since both parents can essentially “do” all of the same things. We tend to be attracted to a mate who provides balance to our own lives, and this extends to our children as well. One parent may be more organized and the other may be more free-spirited. Parenting takes teamwork. By maximizing one another’s strengths, you can both parent more effectively.
(more…)
by Pregnant Pauses | May 9, 2022 | Babies, Dads, Moms
Becoming a parent for the first time can be an exciting time, but, as The Child Whisperer notes, most new parents often also feel overwhelmed, thinking about how they’ll juggle the many new aspects of parenting alongside all their other responsibilities. Fortunately, Pregnant Pauses explains that there are numerous apps that can help make the journey of parenting a smoother one.
(more…)
by Pregnant Pauses | Mar 26, 2022 | Babies, Moms, Pregnancy
It is springtime almost! There’s just something about spring that makes an expecting mommy want to jump up and clean (and clean, and clean), especially when it’s Spring Cleaning time. The weather is warming; the air is fresh and crisp; so it’s a great time to prep your home for your little bundle of joy. Here are some items to scrub and spaces to organize that will bring you instant joy (and the instant satisfaction of crossing items off of your long to-do list).
(more…)
