Bits & Pieces

Posted on May 18, 2013 by carrie

A few things that got my attention from around the web this week…

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How To Cure Picky Eating

Posted on May 15, 2013 by carrie

Awhile back, I wrote a post here about my middle daughter’s picky eating. Her eating habits were partially my fault, as I let things slide in the food department when I was pregnant with #5. Instead of insisting on her eating what the rest of us ate, I sometimes let her make her own food. Big mistake.

I became determined to help her cure her picky eating, and now 2 years later, she is doing MUCH better. Not only is she eating a lot more foods, but she is much more tactful when she’s served something she doesn’t like.

Reading Bringing Up Bebe and French Kids Eat Everything really challenged me and confirmed my beliefs about food that I had not been ready to implement.

Food Rules for Kids - Courtesy of Karen LeBillon @ http://karenlebillon.com/

For some time, it had bothered me that my kids had a “free for all” mentality about the kitchen.

In France, parents are in charge of food. Most American parents think that children need to snack every couple of hours, and that idea is supported by our favorite celebrity Pediatricians. I remember where this idea came from in my parenting journey – none other than attachment parenting guru Dr. William Sears. While I love his other ideas, the suggestion to let toddlers and preschoolers “graze” constantly probably led, in part, to my children’s developing tooth decay at a young age.

This constant snacking is also partially responsible for the increasing weight problems American youngsters have. Think about it: everywhere you see parents, you see snacks. It seems that noone can even run an errand with a child without taking food along to keep the child sated. I really think this is a bad habit that creates poor eating habits later on in life. Food=distraction, a remedy for boredom. Americans are constantly snacking, and the results are obvious.

So after reading these two books and talking with hubs, we make a family pact to eat only at approved times: breakfast, lunch, teatime (“gouter”) and supper.

It’s not that we starve our kids, it’s just that we encourage them to fill up at mealtimes and let their bellies rest inbetween. When you have a large family, what might be tolerable for one or two kids becomes intolerable when there are several.

Having 7 kids snack whenever they feel like it with no regard to our family schedule or budget is chaotic. It also creates many extra messes.

So that was the first change.

Then, we had conversations about how to tell mom we didn’t like something we were being served. The kids are great about thanking me for cooking a nice meal for them, but occasionally the picky child would loudly complain about the offerings. We gently pointed out the proper way to tell me that you don’t like something:

“Thanks for dinner mom. I’m not a big fan of ___, but the ___ was delicious.”

Or somesuch.

Limiting snacking meant that kids arrived at the table hungrier.

This was especially helpful with the toddler, who was making mealtimes a nightmare with bad behavior. Ensuring that she was truly hungry when we sat down to dinner meant that she would EAT instead of pestering her daddy and creating Oscar-worthy drama.

Initially they complained of being hungry inbetween meals, to which I would cheerfully reply, “Good! Hunger is the best spice!” I said that often enough that they quit complaining. ;-)

With the 10 year old, I also stopped letting her prepare alternate food for herself. In addition to pickiness, she has a sweet tooth and has trouble with self-control (meaning, if there is anything sweet in the house that’s meant to be doled out a little bit at a time, she will sneak and eat it ALL). We had to work on that too.

Another change we made was enforcing a “polite bite” rule.

I don’t ever require the kids to finish everything on their plates. In fact, if I’m serving something I know a particular person doesn’t care for, I give them a tiny serving, or even a teaspoonful. But they do have to TASTE the item in question.

After many months of this, I’m pleased to announce that the former 8 year old, now 10 year old, is no longer in the category of “picky eater”. At least, not out loud. ;-)

She willingly eats: mushrooms, shrimp, onions, parsnips, turnips, greens, broccoli, green peppers, brussels sprouts, asparagus, leeks, and even liver (though I usually sneak that last one into the food, she knows it’s there).

I memorized the phrase “You don’t have to love it, but you do have to eat it.”

We talked a lot about how food is a blessing, and how for most of history, people struggled to get enough food. And how it’s still that way in much of the world. I also shared that there were things I didn’t love, but I sometimes ate them anyway because other people liked it, and because it’s good food.

And I ate a beet.

Y’all.

That’s a big deal, because beets are literally the only food that I cannot stand.

But I ate it, and it wasn’t that horrible. I roasted the beets in the oven with olive oil and salt, along with potatoes and carrots, and found them palatable that way. Which brings me to my next point:

Try it served another way.

Even when my kids know there is liver in a dish, they still eat it, probably because it’s been served to them enough times. If your child hates a particular food, keep it on the menu rarely – in small portions, and served different ways. And require “just one bite”.

Don’t get emotional.

This one is a biggie. When I was pregnant and emotional At certain times, it’s hard when your child rejects food you’ve lovingly prepared. Keeping emotions out of it prevents mealtime from being a warzone. That’s stressful for everyone and it only makes the picky person dig in more. Take a deep breath and remember that most kids grow out of pickiness no matter what you do. (But educating their palate in the meantime is still the right thing for several reasons.)

It helped me to reframe picky eating from a “discipline” problem to an “education” problem. In other words, my child was picky because I hadn’t educated her taste buds properly. (Incidentally this is how French parents view food – as a matter of training and education.)

And finally..

Praise progress.

I made it a point to put my arm around my daughter and thank her for eating a food she wasn’t crazy about. It really made a difference for her. Mealtime came to be a good type of challenge for her and a place for her to feel good.

More posts about kids and eating:

Helpful books on how to cure picky kids:

 

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Homeschooling: How To Get It All Done

Posted on May 13, 2013 by carrie

You Can Do It Too - 25 Homeschool Families Share Their Stories
Note: After I wrote this post I got an email announcing that from May 12-19, You Can Do It Too! – 25 Homeschooling Families Share Their Stories is on sale for .99.

What perfect timing! YCDIT is packed with stories of parent’s homeschooling experiences and journeys. It’s wonderful for anyone just starting out or for more seasoned homeschoolers who just need a little shot in the arm. Go here to pick it up. It’s a hefty ebook, I’m still working my way through my copy. :-)

Homeschooling: How To Get It All Done

I’m at a season of life in which getting our homeschooling done before 2 PM each day is happening consistently without any stress or hair pulling on my part.

This hasn’t always been the case!

Things can get a little tough during life changes like morning sickness, a new baby, a child going through a difficult stage (academically or otherwise), or for some other reason.

One of the recurring questions I see on homeschooling message forums is a desperate cry from new or just burnt out parents asking “How do you get it all DONE?!”

If you’re a homeschooling parent who is having trouble managing your day, I hope the following tips will help you. These are things I’ve learned along the way that, when I remember to practice them myself, make a huge difference. ;-)

The first three are part of my overall philosophy of education, others are daily disciplines.

If you’re skimming this article, here are the tips in bullet form. For more, scroll down and read.

  • No formal education until age 7
  • Know your why
  • Teacher, know thyself
  • Keep to 4 subjects a day
  • Don’t be afraid to skip
  • Set a time limit
  • Create “must do” checklists
  • Minimize busywork and teacher-intensive curriculum
  • School year round
  • Limit options
  • Use audio books
  • Meal plan
  • Chores and housekeeping
  • Sunday night homeschool prep
  • Stay off the computer until schoolwork is done

No Formal Education Until 7

This is a big one. In many developed countries (France and Finland come to mind), there is little to no formal instruction before a child is 7. And yet Finland has the most literate citizens in the world, and French schools are notoriously tough. Recently I was reading a post by a stressed out homeschooling mom on a popular forum. She was struggling with getting all the subjects covered each day, and mentioned that she often can’t squeeze in history with her Kindergartener.

Gulp.

History and Kindergarten are two words that do not go together in my household!  (Of course, a 5-6 year old is going to get some history from the books I read to them, family Bible reading and study, etc…)

My Kindergarteners are learning how to read, playing outside, getting dirty and generally figuring out how to behave themselves appropriately. It’s very important for kids to spend a lot of time exercising their bodies and exploring their world before we require them to sit still and exercise their minds. Charlotte Mason had a lot to say on this subject, and so do a lot of modern day experts.

And just because I don’t require formal schooling, doesn’t mean the child isn’t learning a ton. They’re being read to a lot, asking lots of questions, doing early math through play, hearing me teach the others, figuring things out on their own, and they pick up a ton of knowledge this way. This summer I’ll be teaching my 3 year old phonics and some preschool math… only because she is ready and really wants to, and this will be fun for both of us. But it’s not a requirement.

Know Your Why

It’s not just kids who want to know “Why do I have to diagram sentences Mom!?” or “Why do I have to do this math when you don’t even understand it Mom!?”. We as teachers need to understand our why. Periodically I like to assess my overarching goals and values with homeschool. Developing a homeschool philosophy helps keep you from burnout.

Keep To 4 Subjects A Day

Interestingly, in the state where I live, homeschoolers are required to teach only 5 subjects: reading, language arts, math, social studies (which used to be called History), and science. How you handle this is up to your discretion. If you read and discuss a book about botany, that’s science AND reading. And if you do copywork and narration and dictation based on that book, it’s science, reading and language arts. Many subjects have a lot of overlap.

In our homeschool, we’ve found that it works well to do some subjects every day (math), and some subjects every other day (history). “Content subjects” such as literature, history and science don’t have to be done daily, whereas “skill subjects” like math and writing are best done every day. You can even focus on one content subject such as history or science on one day a week and do all of the lessons on that day. Some parents even enroll their children in a co-op or class for a few weeks a year to tackle a subject they don’t like or can’t seem to get to.

Don’t Be Afraid to Skip It.

If your curriculum has a lot of repetition, don’t be afraid to skip around. Some kids need tons of repetition, some don’t. (And they might need repetition in some subjects and not others.) Don’t be afraid to fast forward or skip around if your child has “got it”.

Set a Timer

In a school setting, subjects are divided into periods or classes. When the bell rings, students move on, no matter how much was accomplished. It might work for you to set a timer for your subjects – when the time is up, you’re done. Move on.

Create a “Must Do” Checklist

- and check things off as they’re completed. This could be a large dry erase board, a Kanban style board, or a simple computer document you print out and keep handy. I did this for a time, after the baby was born. Mostly because I needed the visual aid to remember what we were supposed to do every day. If you’re the kind of person who needs to check things off a list, create one to keep yourself on track.

Teacher, Know Thyself

Are you a plan ahead for the entire year person? Or do you do better planning monthly or weekly? I have a loose plan written before the beginning of the new school year, but I update and change things probably quarterly, if for no other reason than I get bored. :-)

Minimize Busywork and Teacher-Intensive Curriculum

I don’t do unit studies because they require too much gathering of materials. At this stage, I need an “open and go” curriculum. I also make sure that everything my kids do for school really counts. That means reading real books together instead of doing “reading comprehension” workbooks.

School Year Round

We don’t currently do this, but it’s a great option so you can relax a little.

Limit Options

This won’t help you with moment by moment teaching, but it does minimize stress overall. Put blinders on. Behavioral economists have taught us that too many choices cause stress and unhappiness. If you tend to get stressed when reading homeschooling blogs, perusing Pinterest, attending homeschool conventions, or subscribing to “deal” sites for homeschool (I recently unsubscribed to Educents for this reason!), then forget it all. Once you’ve chosen your curriculum, STOP looking. Only let yourself look to these resources if you have a real need for something new. There is no perfect curriculum, so stop searching for it.

Audio Books

Using audio books when you are otherwise occupied (such as in the car, during meals or quiet time, or while doing housework) is a great way to get more done. We listen to Story of the World CDs while running errands to review history lessons. These are available on the Peace Hill Press website or Amazon. First Language Lessons audio companion (also from Peace Hill Press) teaches grammar. I just ordered this for my 1st grader. You can find free audio books online or at your library. They’re a great way to get more “reading” in.

Meal Plan

My entire day goes better if I know what’s for dinner. I make my meal plan on Sunday nights for the following week. It’s a few minutes very well spent.

Schedule Chores And Housekeeping

Some people do better if they get right into schooling before housework, because they’ll get distracted and never begin. Others need to have a semblance of tidy or their brains won’t work properly. I’m in the second camp for the most part. We do a quick cleanup of the kitchen and dining room and my oldest starts laundry after breakfast. Then I ignore the messes until later when schooltime is over.

Sunday Night Prep.

This is a habit I’ve had for some time that has proved invaluable. On Sunday night I sit down with my notebook and make my to-do list for the next week. I also think about what we’ll be doing in our homeschool then too. If you take a few minutes to print out worksheets you’ll need, make a list of library books to check out (or reserve them online), set goals, think about what supplies you’ll need for science or history activities etc – you enter your week with a proactive instead of reactive mindset.

Stay Off the Computer Until After Schoolwork is Done

This is perhaps the most important tip of all!

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First Word Problems

Posted on May 11, 2013 by carrie

(Not to be confused with first world problems.)

Victoria said her first word yesterday. And of course it’s….

… DaDa.

That’s all right baby.

I was only the one who carried you for 69 weeks of years, and who experienced the precipitous labor and all. I’m the one who has had to lose 40 pounds to get back into her size 6′s and whose biceps scream at her at the end of the day. And who has nursed you all night long every night since. And I’m the one who has been whispering “mama” in your ear for two months.

But I’m not bitter.

Or anything.

Why do so many babies say DaDa first?

She’s also saying something that sounds like “hungry”. I sat down to feed her yesterday, telling hubby “she’s hungry”.

“Unga!”

And there’s ba-ba, and bwa-bwa (brother?). And mum-mum.

And hubby swears she said “Vika” the other day, which is one of the incarnations of Victoria. She’ll probably be 3 before she can say that.

Of course, she is still a budding genius despite her choice of first words. Do you know what she’s doing in these pictures?

She’s trying to make that toy spin. She’s seen her big brother do it, so she throws it and puts a little twist on it. Sometimes she succeeds!

Accompanying "BwaBwa" on Guitar

She’s the light of our lives.

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Food Waste Friday and Wheat Free Week

Posted on May 10, 2013 by carrie

FoodWasteFriday
I did better than last week, but I still tossed more food than I would like to. I’m honestly in awe of The Frugal Girl who wastes so little. 8 black beans? Really? That’s the kind of thing I would just throw in my mouth instead of putting back into the fridge.

  • 1 cup of moldy mixed veggies – another casualty of “forgotten leftovers” in the fridge
  • half a pan of soaked oatmeal – my kids like oatmeal, but the leftovers sat out overnight and got moldy fast. I can’t ever seem to get oatmeal right. I always make too little or too much, it’s never the right amount.
  • half a bag of English cucumbers – oops. Forgot to make that salad I planned.
  • 4 rotten bananas – the weird thing about these is that they never turned black. The peels just split open to reveal mushy, slimy bananas. And because gnats have taken over the kitchen at the moment, I didn’t want to save them for muffins or banana bread.

Well … progress, not perfection.

I am loving our farm share so far. The best benefit is that we are eating more vegetables that I wouldn’t normally buy. Like turnips, which are delicious cooked and mashed with apples, salt and butter. And lots of leafy greens. Which we do eat, but we’re eating more of so they won’t go bad.

For a week (at least), beginning Thursday, my 7 year old and I are on a wheat free diet. The book Cure Your Child with Food: The Hidden Connection Between Nutrition and Childhood Ailments has convinced me to give it another go.

This is a wonderful book by the way. If your child has any perplexing symptoms and your doctor can’t find anything wrong… give it a read. Food allergies can cause such a dizzying array of problems. From ear infections to sinus issues to depression, hyperactivity, insomnia, constipation, stomach pain… and more.

I have a confirmed allergy (blood tests, etc) and strongly suspect she does too. She went off wheat for a long time, and still had some annoying symptoms… but this was because she also reacts to pasteurized milk. Raw milk causes her no problems. I’m glad ALDI has begun selling gluten free products, so I can stock up inexpensively.

My oldest son just had to make deep fried Newman-O’s tonight. ARGH!!

 

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Bits and Pieces

Posted on May 10, 2013 by carrie

I find it amusing when scientific research supports what parents do naturally, when they aren’t overthinking things.

A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that cleaning a recently dropped pacifier with your saliva-meaning you put it in your mouth before inserting it back into your baby’s-may actually help strengthen your child’s immune system and keep them from developing certain allergies.

“At 18 months the children whose parents licked the pacifiers had one-third the risk of developing eczema compared to children whose parents used a different cleaning method.”

I find this hilarious. My sister, who had 4 boys like stairsteps, often told a joke about a mother’s ever-lowering standards as she adds more babies to her brood. It goes like this:

When the first baby drops the pacifier, you pick it up, boil it, and hand it back to the baby. When the second baby drops the pacifier, you pick it up, rinse it under the tap, and hand it back to the baby. When the third baby drops the pacifier, you pick it up, lick it off, and hand it back to the baby. When the fourth baby drops the pacifier, you take it out of the dog’s mouth and hand it back to the baby.

“Research has shown that babies need to be exposed to a wide variety of bacteria, viruses and other organisms to help their immune systems develop and mature properly. If this doesn’t happen early, the baby’s system tends to overreact to harmless particles like cat hair, pollen, or various foods, treating them as if they are dangerous, which can lead to allergies. Our emphasis to keep things exceedingly clean over the last few decades may actually be depriving a baby’s immune system of some of the organisms it needs to help it thrive, according to the study.”

There’s also evidence that children who live on farms are healthier, as well as kids who have several siblings, as well as those who grew up with pets. This study is an interesting counterpoint to one several years ago that seemed to suggest that kissing your baby was a bad idea because you could give them germs that cause tooth decay.

(Bacteria isn’t really responsible for tooth decay, but whatever.)

I wonder how many parents who read that info stopped kissing their babies because they trusted “experts” whose opinions flip flop around constantly?

None of my kids has ever taken a pacifier, but that’s not the point. Studies like this are the reason I don’t do hand sanitizer or use “sanitizing” cleansers in my home. And also why I don’t freak out if my 8 month old crawls under the dining room table and finds a bit of food her sister didn’t sweep up.

I find the comments on the above link hilarious too. The parents seem split down the middle, into two camps: the OCD germ freaks and the more laid-back ones.

Which camp do you fall into?

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Smatterings

Posted on May 4, 2013 by carrie

A few articles that impressed me this week:

“A FEDERAL advisory panel recently set off a controversy by recommending that most women without special risk factors delay breast cancer screening until they turn 50, not 40 — and that mammograms then take place only every other year.”

There are only a few HOURS left to nab the Homemaker’s Ebook Bundle. I can hardly wait to begin delving into mine. :-)

Have a great weekend!

 

 

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A Philosophy of Baby Sleep

Posted on May 3, 2013 by carrie

Two of my favorite bloggers have written posts lately about baby sleep that I enjoyed.

Kim at LifeInaShoe linked to a tongue-in-cheek article on the dangers of reading baby sleep manuals.

And Headmistress of the Common Room shares links to research debunking the myth that cosleeping increases SIDS risk. Because it doesn’t. And the study that seemed to show a link was done in a very unscientific, crappy (that’s the scientific term) manner. They included babies who died while sleeping with a drunk, high, morbidly obese, sick parent or who were sleeping with an adult on a sofa or chair, or with siblings. Those scenarios aren’t safe, period.They shouldn’t have been included in the study.

Safe co-sleeping IS safe.

Everyone in developed countries is too worried about baby sleep.

Parents think that where baby sleeps and how s/he gets to sleep is terribly important and has repercussions and ramifications in their adulthood, when it just doesn’t and just isn’t. After my own unscientific, anecdotal, 15 years long research on 6 babies (and 7 kids, because while I didn’t raise my stepdaughter from infancy I can still think about how her sleep was handled), I’ve come to this conclusion.

I do it like they did in Luke 11:5-7. You might not get the point depending on what translation/version you read, but the family in Jesus’ example was co-sleeping. Which is what EVERY family did back then, and still does in probably 80% of the world. If co-sleeping was unsafe or wicked or detrimental to the marriage, then Jesus wouldn’t have mentioned it in this light.

No mammal leaves its baby alone at night except human mothers who read parenting books instead of listening to her God-given instincts and hormones.

Now, if your baby slept perfectly well (and you slept well) in a crib in another room, that’s fine too… I don’t judge anyone. But I also don’t accept the harsh criticism and judgment of parents and so-called experts who judge me for co-sleeping, and who claim erroneously that I am putting my baby at risk.

Most of my babies only napped well in my arms or near my body or at my breast, and they’re all (save the baby of course) out of my bed and sleeping through the night and don’t have sleep “issues”. And they’re perfectly independent sleepers now. All kids go through periods of needing more help to fall asleep at night. For some it’s when they’re babies, and for others it’s toddlerhood. My middle kids resist bedtime some nights… but that’s pretty normal too. (The older kids don’t do this because they’ve finally realized that they’re not going to miss anything terribly exciting and it feels bad to be tired the next day.)

Having Whooping Cough has messed up the toddler’s sleep a bit but she’s slowly getting back to her schedule and illness has that effect anyway, even with a baby who’s sleep “trained”. People who practice Cry it Out methods of sleep training report that they have to keep doing it over and over … after difficult teething episodes, after illness, after a move, after a trauma… if it “worked” so well then the repeats?

There is evidence that ignoring  a baby’s cries leads down a slippery slope whereby a mother becomes less and less bothered by her baby’s needs. And by bothered, I mean affected. A mother is supposed to be horribly uncomfortable when her baby cries. If she isn’t, it means she’s systematically trained herself to ignore what’s natural. She becomes insensitive.

“Responding to baby’s cries is biologically correct. A mother is biologically programmed to give a nurturant response to her newborn’s cries and not to restrain herself. Fascinating biological changes take place in a mother’s body in response to her infant’s cry. Upon hearing her baby cry, the blood flow to a mother’s breasts increases, accompanied by a biological urge to “pick up and nurse.” The act of breastfeeding itself causes a surge in prolactin , a hormone that we feel forms the biological basis of the term “mother’s intuition.” Oxytocin, the hormone that causes a mother’s milk to letdown, brings feelings of relaxation and pleasure; a pleasant release from the tension built up by the baby’s cry. These feelings help you love your baby. Mothers, listen to the biological cues of your body when your baby cries rather than to advisors who tell you to turn a deaf ear. These biological happenings explain why it’s easy for those advisors to say such a thing. They are not biologically connected to your baby. Nothing happens to their hormones when your baby cries. “

(Emphasis mine.) Source: AskDrSears.com

Guess what? Comforting your baby is good. (Do we need to spend research money to tell us this?)

If you want an expert to quote when meddlesome people are disturbed by your co-sleeping, quote Professor James J. McKenna’s of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory

Of course, I won’t lie and say that co-sleeping is never tiresome. Pun absolutely intended. It can be, especially with a toddler who won’t nap well without you. But there are ways of weaning an older baby or toddler from your presence during naptime. And there are gentle ways of discouraging nighttime nursing in an older baby or toddler, or even night weaning altogether.

Honestly, when my babies are young, I enjoy slowing down my activity while they nap on me. Sometimes I nap with them, other times I wear them in a sling or front carrier while I carry on with my work (great exercise!). Taking a daily nap when you have a young baby is a good idea for several reasons. One, you have more energy for your husband at bedtime. Two, you help keep your fertility away. Nursing during a daily nap is an important part of Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing or “Ecological Breastfeeding”.

Once babies start crawling and walking, they usually tire themselves out well enough to nap alone, giving you some time to spend with other kids or doing what you want. Or, naptime can be a daily Quiet Time like it is in my house, where I can read or study or browse online while resting and enjoying a break from ALL the children.

What’s your philosophy on baby sleep?

 

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Free: Battle With the Bugs Ebook

Posted on May 3, 2013 by carrie

Some time ago, I interviewed Dr. Heather Manley, mom and Naturopathic Physician, on the show. The topic was Creating a Natural First Aid Kit.

Dr. Manley is the author of a bunch of books for kids called Human Body Detectives. They take you on a microscopic tour of the body and are great for homeschoolers or any parent who wants to make learning about the body and how it works fun for kids.

Just a quick heads up that one of the books, Battle With the Bugs, is FREE to download for Kindle (for your laptop, phone or cloud if you don’t have an e-reader) today and tomorrow only. 

Go HERE to download it FREE

And click here to check out Dr Heather Manley’s other books on Amazon

As a reminder, the HUMONGOUS Homemaking Ebook Bundle is only on sale for about 24 more hours. Read more about it here or go directly to the order page here.

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Awesome Books I Haven’t Reviewed Yet

Posted on May 1, 2013 by carrie

My family loves the movie Nacho Libre. We’re big Jack Black fans anyway, but there’s something about this movie that overturns our giggle boxes for weeks after we see it.

There’s a scene in which Nacho asks his companion and fellow luchador why he hasn’t been baptized, Esqueleto replies, “BeCAUSE. I neva got around TO it, oKAY?”

Nacho’s response? Well, see for yourself.

As I looked at the list of things included in The Ultimate Homemaker’s eBook Bundle, I realized that many of these I’ve already read and loved and intended to review here on this blog.

I never got around to it.

These include: Tell Your Time, One Bite at a Time, 31 Days to Clean, Frumps to Pumps, Minimalist Guide to Baby’s First Year, Mindset for Moms, 42 Days to Fit, The No Brainer Wardrobe, Simple Blogging, How to Have Your Cake and Eat it Too and 4 Moms of 35 Kids.

Wow that was a mouthful. ;-)

It’s here I have to admit my serious blogging procrastination habit.

Each one of these books was excellent. The No Brainer Wardrobe has overhauled my closet and made me think differently about my clothing. (It’s also the reason I have matching wooden hangers and nothing else in my closet!) I think of this book every time I buy clothes or look at my closet.

4 Moms 35 Kids is awesome for us moms of several kids, but the advice is wonderful for any mom, and was written by a couple of my very very favorite women online.

How To Have Your Cake And Eat It Too is de rigeur for a blogging mom or anyone who has a work at home business. (Or who wants to!)

Simple Blogging gave me permission to have the blog I really wanted instead of someone else’s idea of the perfect blog. I LOVE this book and Rachel herself. Actually, I DID review this one here: Simple Blogging.

Tell Your Time is a really short ebook, but it’s the David to Goliath “time management” tomes. I still have this one printed out in my files and often think of it’s 4 categories.

In a nutshell, several of the ebooks in this bundle are easily worth the less than $30 price tag.

You owe it to yourself to check it out. And as Tsh of SimpleMom.net pointed out, buying ebooks is a wonderful way to say Thanks to a blogging mom you read every day for FREE. (I wrote about this point here in my post about supporting bloggers.)

On top of that, there are several other bonus products added that are actual physical items you may have had on your wishlist!

Go here to check it out!

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