3 Ways To Manage Your Family's Stress During The Holidays

The holiday season is around the corner, and for many of us, the holidays can bring an increased sense of family responsibility and stress. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when advertisements sing about the joys of the season while we're struggling to budget for gifts, food, and travel.
To help you avoid turning to unhealthy stress management behaviors like overindulging in sugar cookies, here are a few ways you can manage holiday stress as a family this year.

Don't try to please everyone

According to Dr. Susan Newman, a social psychology professor at Rutgers University, one of the biggest causes of stress during the holiday season is having unrealistic expectations.
Some parents want to be sure their children get everything they want so there will be no tears," said Newman. "This is an unrealistic goal. Parents, especially with younger kids get lost in the hype."
Manage your expectations and don't try to please everyone. You can't keep everyone happy all the time. Remember that your kids will enjoy and remember the little things like playing hide and seek with their cousins or board games with you.

Toddler Life

Little ones have so much going on in their little bodies and minds. They are still mastering their body, discovering new emotions, feelings and trying to express themselves. Sometimes this comes out in repetitive words like No or Why? No can sometimes even mean Yes. Sometimes when frustrated or overwhelmed they express themselves through a good cry or tantrum. Have patience with with your little one as he/she explores new feelings, boundaries and emotions. Do your best to not personalize your toddlers behavior. Stay present with your own emotions as you guide your little one through experiencing and learning about theirs. 😉🌀🌞 ~ Carol and Stacy 🦋

3 Ways To Make Your Home A Better Place To Grow Up

Guest Post by Devin Conde

Trendy decor ideas and home designs may look nice, but for many parents, these Pinterest goals may not be very functional or even comfortable for their kids. When it comes to creating a holistic home design your entire family can love, you want to make things as cozy and fun to live in as possible.
That said, here are a few ways you can make your home not only a more relaxing place to be but also a great place for your kids to grow up.

Let the light in

It's no secret that big windows with lots of sunlight are things that renters and homeowners crave. In fact, about 45% of homes sold in Maui in 2016 were bought by out-of-state home buyers.
Moving to Hawaii may be out of your price range, but the good news is that you can still let the sun shine in your home. Consider using sheer curtains or roller shades to give your family privacy without shutting out the natural sunlight.
Hanging string lights or globe lights can also make your home feel extra cozy and magical once the sun goes down.

My Five Newest Items For Health And Wellness

1. Bone Broth - I recently became a huge fan of bone broth while doing research on what could help my husband with managing his M.S. and increasing his over all nutrition. We've tried several and even made some ourselves. I personally haven't been the biggest fan of bone broth until I discovered these two brands. LanoLife grass fed broth and Beyond Broth! I love that they both come in handy pouches that can easily be added to hot water. Perfect for on the go or to take on a trip. Beyond Broth is an Organic Vegan broth and super delicious!



2. Cold Pressed Vitamin D Capsules - Living in the Northwest we don't get nearly the amount of sun required to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels so we must eat a balanced diet and supplement. Not all supplements are created equal. I particularly like that these vitamin E capsules are made with coconut oil, are non GMO and gluten free.

Creative Expression While Being A Parent

In our parenting book 10 Ways To Parent Consciously we touch on many aspects of parenting including creative expression.

Don't lose yourself during the parenting process.

It's important to still feed your soul along with feeding your child's soul.

Continue to express yourself through crafts, sports, reading, music or exercise.

Whatever your hobbies are, don't put them on hold for eighteen years.

Incorporate them into your parenting life. Take time to hang out with your friends.