Family Travel (old)

3 Toddler Routines Your Child Needs for an Easy Day

Inside: Want each day with your toddler to be a breeze? Find out the 3 toddler routines to help you prevent meltdowns!

Say goodbye to tantrums! ….and….it’s not as hard as you may think either 🙂

One of the best ways to ensure that every day is a great day for your toddler is to make sure you have these 3 routines!

Routines are amazing because it gives your baby stability, predictability, comfort, and also helps your child have an overall schedule for their day. This will help your baby not only have an overall schedule for their day but also help them anticipate and expect each day’s activities!

Don’t be discouraged by the word “routine”. A routine can be as simple or as complicated as YOU want it to be. But simply, a routine is a series of actions that are performed consistently and daily. See- that doesn’t sound hard at all!

Here are the 3 toddler routines your child needs:

Feeding Routine
Nap Routine
Bedtime Routine

So let’s get down to the details of these routines!

The 3 Toddler Routines

1. Feeding Routine

The first toddler routine that you should start is a feeding routine. A feeding routine is the easiest routine to start and implement because feedings are more consistent than any other daily activity.

A toddler feeding routine can be super simple! All you have to do is before each feeding, start a consistent action to signal to your toddler that they are about to eat.

The goal of this routine is to help your toddler know that when they start to see you do this action, or when you tell them to do a specific action, that it is time to eat.

This routine can be as simple as you setting up the high chair and telling your toddler to jump in, put on their bib, and give them a spoon. Or you can add more steps to the routine, like your toddler stepping on a stool to help you prepare the meal. This can all be a part of a routine!

Your toddler needs this feeding routine because it will help them know that it is time to eat. Not only will they know that it’s food time, but it will also help them mature and develop patience and understanding.

Having a feeding routine also helps with the flexibility of your toddler schedule.

If you are able to do the feeding routine anywhere you go, to visit a family member’s house, to eat out at a restaurant, or even to go on vacation- when you start the routine, your toddler will know it’s food time!

2. Nap routine

A nap routine, in my opinion, is the most important toddler routine. Why? Because it not only affects their naps but can also affect their bedtime sleep. Making sure your toddler naps consistently and the correct length for their age is SO important.

A nap routine can help your toddler be able to nap longer and at consistent times each day. When your toddler is napping, it benefits their whole day!

Just like with the feeding routine, a nap routine will enable your toddler to sleep anywhere, as long as that routine is in place!

If you’re convinced of the importance of a nap routine, you might be wondering “ok so what does a nap routine look like?”.

I worked really hard on my daughter’s nap routine and tried what felt like a million different trial and errors to get it right. But once I FINALLY found the perfect nap routine, she not only began to take long naps but also started taking consistent naps and started sleeping better during the night within ONE week!

I wanted to share my nap routine with you! Because it is detailed, I decided to write it in the form of a PDF download for you to download and print and make your own! This nap routine is so flexible and can be adjusted to your family.

Because of the miracle of a nap routine, I can take my daughter on road trips, vacations, to spend the night at family’s homes, and she STILL naps like if she is at home because of the nap routine that we have in place. Be sure to get your copy of the nap routine below!

3. Bedtime routine

The third toddler routine that you need is a bedtime routine. I love bedtime routines because they can be comforting and truly individualized for each of your children.

One of my favorite times during my day is when I am snuggling and cuddling with my daughter before bedtime. I enjoy making her smile and laugh each night!

As your toddler develops and grows he/she will begin to remember those warm and happy moments before bedtime. I always love to end the day with a smile!

A bedtime routine is not only fun and can be a fantastic daily family bonding time, but it also helps your toddler sleep better!

Bedtime routines are so crucial because it helps your baby know it is bedtime, helps them fall asleep faster, and ultimately stay asleep longer!

Having a consistent bedtime routine will improve your toddler’s nighttime sleep and even improve their days. Because when your child is well-rested, they are happier!

I also created a sample bedtime routine to help you start your own routine! Grab a copy of it now!

>> Well there you have it! Now you know the 3 toddler routines that are super important and that can make every day an awesome day for your child. Remember, routines are amazing because it gives your baby stability, predictability, comfort, and also helps your child have an overall schedule for their day.

Don’t forget the 3 routines:

feeding routine
nap routine
bedtime routine

If you need help starting these routines feel free to access my free resource library and get your very own sample routines so you can start them with your toddler. Access my the free routines in my resource library by filling out the form below!

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, FREE, private access to my resource library filled with printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

I think you’ll love these posts too!

The Spring Cleaning Checklist You Need

Mom Life

It’s officially Spring cleaning time! You are either getting really pumped to start your cleaning endeavor or super dreading having to deep clean your house. No matter how you feel about spring cleaning, we can accomplish it easily (and quickly!) with a Spring cleaning checklist!

Having a spring cleaning checklist can help you accomplish all of your spring cleaning goals in a flash. My Spring cleaning checklist is simple, easy to use, and will take the overwhelm out of having to clean your home!

Download the free Spring cleaning checklist now!

Before I go into what is in on the checklist and how to clean your home easily, be sure to actually download the checklist! This Spring cleaning checklist will help you clean your home efficiently and effortless (and at your own pace!).

Let’s get down to what’s on the spring cleaning checklist!

The Easiest Spring Cleaning Checklist

I love spring cleaning because as much as I love my “stuff”, I also love to declutter. Since having my daughter, I have been MASS decluttering. Before I was a mom I was kind of an “emotional hoarder” and rarely parted with things due to the emotional attachment I had with them. But now that I am a mom, messiness = mayhem and clutter =chaos.

So I take advantage of the spring cleaning phenomenon and use this time to do a declutter and deep clean of my home. The best part about spring cleaning for me is that because I use a daily, weekly, and monthly, cleaning checklist, the deep clean isn’t that bad because I stay on top of the cleaning!

Because I rather clean for 5 minutes a day than not clean and then have to clean 2 hours every weekend or have to clean for 3 weeks come spring time.

If you want to get my daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning checklists that make mom life easier, fill out the form at the bottom of this post and get the instant downloads in my resource library!

The Spring Cleaning Checklist Overview:

These are the basic spring cleaning “chores” that you can do that will be simple, easy to finish, and make your house clean and sparkly:

Vacuum/Sweep/Mop under all furniture
Clean windows and window sills
Declutter under sinks
Declutter cabinets and closets
Clear off and deep clean counter spaces
Dust shelves and items hanging on the walls
Declutter spaces under beds
Deep clean appliances

Declutter vs. Deep Cleaning

Since this post is about the EASY way to accomplish spring cleaning (even for my fellow lazy moms out there!), you want to first know that spring cleaning can consist of 2 different categories, that can take different amounts of time to complete.

Declutter is going through your stuff and getting rid of things and reorganizing your existing stuff.

Deep cleaning is literally that, cleaning your home on a deeper level. This can include and extra sanitizing or scrubbing something that normally just gets wiped down. My easy Spring cleaning checklist helps you both declutter and deep clean each room of your house in the fastest and easiest way possible!

Let’s talk about how!

Don’t forget to download the simple & easy Spring cleaning checklist now! It even comes with BONUS Spring Cleaning Goal Worksheets you so you can write down the goals that you want to accomplish for each room!

Room By Room

The easiest way to tackle spring cleaning is to do it room by room. Why? Because it keeps you sane and it doesn’t turn your whole house into a disaster zone at the same time.

Do you know why people dread cleaning? Because not only do you have to clean, but it requires taking things out, pulling things down, moving things out of the way, getting behind things, and so on.

It can be WORK. But tackling each room one by one can be a lifesaver because once you’re done with that room- that’s it, you’re done!

Which Rooms First?

On the Simple & Easy Spring Cleaning Checklist, I list all of the things to do for spring cleaning for each room. But I leave it up to you whether which rooms you want to do first and in what order. I find that each person has a different preference because each home is different and has different needs at different times.

For example, maybe your baby is outgrowing his clothes and you need to put away the clothes that are too small. This may the priority for you. So, you utilize spring cleaning to focus on your baby’s room.

You put away the old clothes (or donate them or give them away), reorganize your baby’s closet and drawers. Clean the closet. Throw away any clutter or garbage. Take this time to wipe down the crib, spackle some old holes, and make your baby’s room pretty once again.

All of this is what you can do during spring cleaning!

Clean your home as YOU see fit!

Set Goals

To successfully accomplish spring cleaning, I always find it best to set goals. Why? Because it gives me a way to create realistic, actionable steps to get things done. If I just have on my list “go through closet”, I’m never going to do it. But if I take 2 extra minutes to write down WHAT I need to do in order to go through the closet, I’m more likely to get it done because it seems more attainable.

For example, if I wanted to go through my coat closet (which is an absolute mess- think of Monica Geller’s secret messy closet haha) I need bins to organize and store items in, extra hangers, at least 2 hours of a weekend, and some trash bags.

So, on my Spring Cleaning Goal Worksheet (which you can download below!), I write that my goal is to declutter and organize my coat closet. The items I need are large plastic bins, plastic bags, and hangers. And I want to set aside 2 hours to get it done some weekend in April.

Now that I have a PLAN, it seems wwaaayyyy more achievable!

Get the Free Simple & Easy Spring Cleaning Checklist!

This checklist is seriously awesome because it breaks Spring cleaning down and makes it easy and simple! No more scrubbing your house for week and weeks! Just simply use the list to check off your Spring Cleaning as you get around to it.

It’s the perfect checklist for lazy mom’s like me (or even busy moms!) because it has everything on it and you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything and remaking a list- the work is already done for you!

It’s Spring cleaning simplified!

Alllsssoooo, as a BONUS to help you Spring Clean in the easiest way possible, I added Spring Cleaning Goal Worksheets along with the checklist so you can create your own Spring cleaning goals to make your “to-do” list more attainable!

Download the checklist now!

>> So there you have it! Spring cleaning done easy! I hope you download the brilliant and simple Spring Cleaning checklist you needed to accomplish spring cleaning in a breeze!

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Wait! Do you love free printables?

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, FREE, private access to my resource library filled with printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

How to Save Money at Disney World

Family Life, Family Travel

Inside: 12 best ways to save money at Disney World without sacrificing a good time on your vacation.

Are you visiting Disney World but don’t want to break the bank? Me too!

Disney CAN be an expensive place but it doesn’t HAVE to be. I’ll tell you all of the tips and tricks on how you can save money at Disney World during your vacation!

The secret sauce to saving money on your Disney World vacation is to know HOW you can save money. In this case, ignorance is not bliss!

I’ve found 12 tips to save money at Disney World that you can easily do with your family. These tips to save money at Disney could save your family hundreds of dollars per day!

Check out my 12 smart, not so common tips to save money at Disney World! These tips will help you stay on budget while on your Disney vacation. I bet you haven’t heard these tips before so you can get the most out of your Disney World Vacation! #disneymom #familyvacation #disneyworld

I also created an awesome Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack to help you not only plan your Disney vacation easily but plan an amazing, stress-free vacation! Get the Disney Vacation Printable Pack below!

Let’s get down to these money-saving tips!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to Save Money at Disney World

1. Rent Baby Gear

Bringing your little one to Disney World is a magical experience….but it can also be stressful. Babies and toddlers have SO much gear!

Especially if you’re flying or have limited vehicle space, you may not be able to pack every single item that your baby needs every day. Or maybe you don’t want to bring absolutely everything but you know your baby is happier with specific items.

Convenience AND saving money can go hand in hand!

The secret is to rent your baby gear. From toys and high chairs to strollers and mini cribs, you can rent anything your baby needs so you don’t have to lug your whole house on vacation with you.

Baby Quip is an amazing place to rent your baby gear while on vacation! You can search for their products here.

2. Bring Your Own Stroller

Make travel with little ones a breeze and create a home-like experience while you’re away.

If you are traveling with babies or toddlers and need to use a stroller in the parks, you can definitely bring your own. Renting a stroller at the parks could cost you upwards of $40-50 a day.

This option works best if you’re traveling by car or if you’re flying and can bring a stroller on the plane. (Most babies and kid seats come with the ability to check a stroller for free.)

Renting a stroller from an offsite company can cost you much less- about $10-15 a day, depending on how long you rent the stroller. (More on this in tip #2!)

If you have a large, heavy, or bulky stroller, maybe even borrow a lightweight one from one of your friends or family members.

3. Bring your own snacks

One of the greatest things about Disney parks is the ability to bring in your own food and drinks! You can bring snacks, water, juice, sandwiches- pretty much anything. You can even bring in a small cooler with ice in a zip-lock bag to keep your food cold (no loose ice allowed).

If you want to save on food costs, which can be quite pricey depending on where you go to eat, maybe pack food for one meal and only eat one meal at the park. This could have your family over $50 a day!

Toy Story Land Breakfast — Kid’s meal at Toy Story Land- only $5.99!

4. Eat Kids meals

I absolutely LOVE the kids meals at Disney. They offer amazing food, that is healthy too, at a great price. The meals come with an entrée, 2 sides, and a drink for around $5-6! Sometimes I just order a kids meal instead of an adult meal because it’s a smaller portion, less expensive, and comes with amazing options!

If my daughter doesn’t eat all of her sides or doesn’t drink her juice, I just bring a little cooler with me to the park and save all of the extra food for another meal. It’s a real money saver!

Every quick service location offers some form of a kids meal, so keep an eye out for good meals!

5. Limit souvenir spending with gift cards

Disney World can be very expensive because of how much you are TEMPTED to buy. Disney World is pretty much one gigantic store, that every kid wants to buy everything in the store. To help limit spending, I travel with Disney gift cards. This helps me LIMIT my spending and gives my family a budget.

We decide how much we can spend on souvenirs and then get gift cards with an allotted amount. If you have several children, you can give them a gift card each with an amount and tell them that is their budget for the vacation. It also teaches them to think about what they are buying before they buy it and to weigh out their options.

So instead of buying a $50 t-shirt on day one, you’ll buy an $8 pin, a $5 magnet, a $15 t-shirt at another location.

If you have a target red card you can also get those Disney gift cards 5% off! So even saving more money!

Find out more money-saving tips like this and how to plan a Disney vacation on a budget by clicking here or the image below!

Planning a trip to Disney world on a budget does not have to be impossible!

6. Order groceries / buy groceries

If you are staying on the Disney site at a Disney Resort, or even if you are staying off-site at a hotel or renting a home, you can save SO much money by buying groceries. Because you can bring snacks and drinks into the parks, you can save money by buying a case of water and bringing and taking a water bottle with you in the park.

Or you can save money on breakfast by buying breakfast bars or quick cereal and milk for your family to eat before heading to the park.

All of these little tips can really help you save money at Disney!

If you are staying at a Disney resort or at any hotel and do not have a vehicle to go to the store you have 2 options:

You can Uber to the nearest grocery store
You can order groceries and have them delivered to your hotel or resort, saving you a trip to the grocery store!

If you have an Amazon account with Amazon prime, you can order through amazon pantry and get free grocery delivery to your hotel! Saving money and saving time- SCORE!

Want to sign up for Amazon Pantry or Amazon Prime?? Click here to get a month free!

7. Take advantage of Complimentary water

Another really great way to save money at Disney World is to take advantage of their complimentary water!

A bottle of water can cost you upwards of $4-$5 per bottle in Disney parks. To avoid this cost, you can request a free cup of water at any quick service location. On really, really hot days, they even put out jars of ice water with cups for you to freely take yourself.

Or you can bring a reusable water bottle with you and fill up your bottle with the complimentary water! That way the water stays cold and you have it on you throughout the day!

Ready to start planning your trip to Disney World but don’t know where to start? I can help! As a certified travel agent, I can help you book your trip, save the most money, and help you plan all the nitty-gritty details so all you have to worry about is having fun!

Click the button below for a FREE QUOTE and to get started!

GET MY FREE DISNEY PLANNING HELP!

8. Breakfast Buffets

I know I tell you a lot of ways to save money on food, but this is one of my favorites. Disney buffets are known to be expensive, but what a lot of people don’t know is that breakfast buffets are almost half the cost of the dinner buffet.

If you really want to experience a character buffet or just any buffet in general, opt for breakfast. You will NOT be disappointed!

Not only is breakfast cheaper, but it also fills you up for most of the day so you are essentially eating 2 meals and are saving money!

Children under 3 eat free at buffets so you can also take advantage and bring your little ones while they are still young enough to eat for free and enjoy the food. The food is absolutely amazing and the variety is outstanding. The breakfast buffets even have dessert!

The buffets can range between $27-$47 a person, depending on the buffet. And remember, kids under 3 are FREE. So having unlimited food AND getting to meet your favorite characters can be a huge bonus!

My family always tries to get in one breakfast buffet during our vacation because we love it so much.

Even if you are not going to a Disney park, you can reserve a breakfast buffet at a Disney resort, such as Chef Mickey’s. You can have the full Disney experience and meet Mickey without even having to pay for a park ticket.

Talk about money-saving!

Disney Buffet — Disney World Breakfast Buffet!

9. Use your Disney credit card

To be honest, I’m guilty of signing up for a Disney credit card just so I can rack up free money to go on Disney vacations. But it ended up being incredible because I use the card for everyday purchases that I would be making anyway, and I get “Disney dollars” for each purchase I make.

My husband and I ended up with about $1200 of FREE Disney dollars for just using the card on things that like utilities, gas, food, and shopping, that we were going to need to pay for anyway!

Plus, you get 10% off Disney purchases at Disney World AND have these amazing character meet and greet opportunities and get FREE pictures. Just for having a Disney credit card!

The credit card had no annual fee and it’s like having a little piece of Disney with me every day. I absolutely love it because it saves me SO much money when we go to Disney World!

Find out more about the Disney Visa Card here.

10. If you have little ones, skip the park hopper

If you are already on the fence about how many days to visit the Disney parks and if you are experiencing sticker shock at ticket prices, don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

What is park hopping?

The Park Hopper addition to your ticket allows you to visit ALL 4 Disney World parks in ONE day. This means you can start at Magic Kingdom at 9 am, head to Epcot at 2 pm, and then end in Hollywood Studios at 8 pm.

You can go to as many parks or as few parks as you like.

With a standard base Disney World ticket, you only get to visit ONE park per day.

Park hopping with a baby?

I found that when you have babies and toddlers, it’s harder to park hop. Because of the stroller and extra gear, it may take a long time to get in between parks on Disney free transportation. And when you’re paying a lot for tickets, time is money!

So I usually recommend visiting one park per day. Plus, skipping the park hop option will save you about $70-80 a person.

BUT I only recommend this if you are planning to do the Disney parks for 2 or more days. That way, you can choose one park per day that you want to visit. After all, there are 4 parks and 2 water parks to choose from.

If you are visiting Disney for only 1 day and want to just glance over the park’s main attractions and see the sights, then I would recommend just going for one day and adding the park hopper option, instead of paying for 2 different park days.

Tips for Taking Your One Year Old To Disney World | Disney with a Toddler | Disney Mom | Family Travel Tips | #disneyfamily #momlife #familytravel

11. If you see something you want, check the Disney site for a cheaper price or sales

Disney World is like a huge store where you basically want to buy everything.

But it’s not surprising to believe there are things they sell in the parks that you can purchase cheaper elsewhere. Almost everything that they sell in the parks, you can get on the Disney Store website. The great thing about this is that Disney’s website often has sales and clearances, where you can save 10-25% off of the item that you see in the park.

I don’t recommend this for EVERY item though.

There are some items that are Disney park exclusives that you cannot get elsewhere. Those things are smart purchases because, in the long run, they will be worth more because it is limited edition.

Be sure to ask a cast member if something can be found on the Disney site or if something is a limited edition.

This can save you money!

12. If you want to pin trade, order a batch of used Disney pins online for cheap and then trade them for better ones during your stay

Pin trading is a really fun thing to do at Disney World. But it can also be very expensive.

If you or your child wants to experience pin trading, I recommend purchasing a bulk of used pins from Amazon or Ebay and then trade those pins for better pins in the parks. There’s no use in purchasing beautiful, expensive pins if your child is just going to trade them anyway.

Instead of buying a $10 pin and trading it, purchase 20 pins for $10 on eBay and then trade those for pins that you see and want at Disney!

13. If you missed out on a souvenir at the park, try Disney Springs

If you find yourself out of Disney park tickets and are just really upset that you didn’t purchase something while in the park, do not spend money on another park ticket. Just visit Disney Springs!

I love Disney Springs because it is essentially a Disney park, for free! Even the parking is free! They have every store you can imagine, the world’s largest Disney store, top-notch restaurants, and even an outdoor mall. It’s absolutely beautiful!

I find that sometimes when I’m in Orlando and can’t afford to go into a Disney park, I just visit Disney Springs and get my Disney fill that way! They have almost everything that you can find in the parks. Sometimes I don’t even waste my time in the park with souvenir shopping because I can do that at Disney Springs. Why waste money on a park ticket for something that you can do for free tomorrow?!

SO be sure to visit Disney Springs! It’s a fun, free, Disney day!

Grab your Disney World Princess Guide!

Traveling with a Disney Princes-lover? Download my free guide to the best princess experiences at Disney World!

Including best places to stay, best dining experiences, best meet and greets and parades to meet your favorite characters.

Get my Ultimate Princess Disney World Guide here!

> So, there you have it! Remember, the secret sauce to save money on your Disney World vacation is to know HOW you can save money. Now you know 13 ways HOW to save money at Disney World during your family vacation!

Happy Disney Vacation!

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Smart Moms Travel with Brianna.

As a certified travel agent and authorized Disney travel planner, I can help you make your trip ad magical and stress-free as possible.

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How to Fight Fair in Your Marriage & Avoid Blowups

Marriage Life

Inside: Do you want to learn how to fight fair so you can better your marriage?? Read on for the 5 golden rules on fighting fair with your spouse!

I was washing dishes and his sarcastic remark crawled under my skin. It took me 2.5 seconds to go from calm to Hulk. And it resulted in the biggest argument of our marriage…

Fighting and arguing in your marriage is normal, in fact, sometimes it’s even healthy. But the key to keeping your marriage healthy is to fight fair.

Learning to fight fair in your marriage will not only better your marriage, but will also bring you and your spouse closer in a new way.

These 5 rules for fighting fair in your marriage will make sure that no one “wins” and “loses” in an argument, but provide a way for both of you to communicate openly, honestly, and without judgment.

Fighting fair in your marriage leads to improved communication and better intimacy. Which is ultimately a win -win- win!

Let’s jump into those 5 golden rules!

5 Rules to fight fair in your marriage

1. You are not Godzilla

Fight to improve, not destroy.

The number one rule to fighting fair in your marriage is to fight to actually IMPROVE your relationship. If your argument to hurt your spouse? Or to improve an aspect of your marriage?

A lot of arguments are not “planned”. Most arguments in your marriage happen…well because they just happen.

It’s so important to come to an agreement with your spouse that each of your arguments, whether planned or not, is to IMPROVE your marriage. Not to destroy it.

This means that no matter what you are arguing about, the common purpose is to not only just “get through it” but to enhance your marriage.

One of the most common arguments my husband and I have is about paying him more attention. I tend to get so caught up in my day and the things I need to do that I really don’t give him enough of my time when he comes home.

This causes tension between us. And when the tension rises, anything can make either one of us blow up. So, we’re really not arguing about why the trash is not out, we’re arguing out of the emotions that we feel that are stored up.

Instead of me yelling at him for why he has an attitude when I asked him to take out the garbage and he gave me attitude…I need to shift the argument to something that has a positive outcome. Such as, “why are you so frustrated right now? Did something happen?”

I’m fighting to improve our well beings, not destroy his character.

Don’t be the Godzilla of your marriage.

2. Be Careful of landmines

Avoid each other’s triggers!

One of the best ways to fight fair in your marriage is to avoid the triggers in your spouse.

You know, the things that trigger them to blow up. I feel like arguing in a marriage is like battling in a minefield. One step on the wrong spot and there it goes.

Both you and your spouse have triggers. The things that we hear that make us angry, sad, and hurt. There are situations in our life that are triggers.

There are trigger words.

Trigger actions.

Trigger anything!

It is YOUR job to find out your spouse’s triggers. And AVOID them. Especially in an argument.

And if you know those triggers, do not use them against your spouse. I know it sounds crazy, but when we are angry and in a heated argument, sometimes we want to hurt our spouses because we are acting out of the way “they are making us feel”.

Sometimes we purposefully press those trigger buttons because we know it is a sure way that will gain a reaction out of our spouse.

This is NOT fighting fair. Do not intentionally hurt your spouse because they hurt you (whether they intentionally or unintentionally hurt you).

Like we talked about in rule 1, we don’t want to fight to destroy, but to improve!

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3. Aim

Fight with purpose, not aimless.

The third rule of fighting fair in your marriage is to ALWAYS fight with a purpose. Every single argument, whether it’s tiny or huge, should have a purpose.

And if you find yourself in the middle of the argument asking yourself, “what is the actual point of this fight?”, then stop, and ask your spouse. Each argument should have a purpose. An aim.

Because if you are aimlessly arguing and fighting all the time, what good is it doing any of you?

You want to come out of each fight with something you conquered. Whether it was you improved communication or you were more honest with each other, or you decided on a something that you were both arguing about. There has to be a PURPOSE to the argument.

This helps you fight fair because you are not just yelling and taking jabs at each other for no reasons. Having a common purpose in the fight gives you an even playing field to communicate and get your points across to each other.

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4. Be quick to listen, and slow to react

The fourth rule of fighting faith in marriage is to be quick to listen and slow to react.

It is human nature to want to defend ourselves and react quickly. But the key to fighting fair is to be quick to LISTEN. Not quick to react.

Being quick to listen to your spouse gives your spouse the opportunity to fully communicate. And if your spouse is doing the same for you, then it gives you the opportunity to communicate without interruption.

Most arguments in our marriages escalate quickly because we are not LISTENING to the other person. We are misunderstanding what they are saying and reacting based on our judgments.

This is not fighting fair.

Fight fair in your marriage is having the common rule: we will be quick to listen and slow to react.

5. Don’t underestimate silence

The last rule to fighting fair in your marriage isn’t really a rule, but a rule of thumb. Silence is not a bad thing in an argument. Silence does not always mean that your spouse is ignoring you or not listening to you.

A great rule of thumb to have in your marriage to be able to fight fair is to come to the agreement that silence is not to be underestimated or misjudged.

Sometimes when we are in an argument we need silence to collect ourselves and to process what was said and that is taking place.

If your spouse is silent, come to an agreement that each of you needs to express that you need a minute to take a step back. Sometimes, silence is good. Sometimes, silence is the key factor in your argument being a fair fight.

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No time or money for date nights? That’s okay!

Keep your marriage spicy & alive with these 5 date night-in ideas! The download includes a whole kit of ideas, recipes, supply lists to help you plan a stress-free date night-in.

So there you have it! Here are the 5 rules for fighting fair in your marriage:

Fight to improve, not destroy.
Avoid triggers
Fight with a purpose, not aimless
Be quick to listen and slow to react
Don’t underestimate silence

Learning to fight fair in your marriage will not only better your marriage, but will also bring you and your spouse closer in a new way. After all, marriage is about enhancing your intimacy and being one.

Just after I turned into the Hulk from the sarcastic remark my husband made to me, we went into an all-out brawl. At the end of our argument, we just stared at each other.

My husband leaned in and hugged me. That day, we made the pact to fight fair.

I haven’t turned in to the Hulk since 🙂

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Tips for Eating Out with Baby

Baby Routines

Inside: Find out the secret to eating out with your baby successfully! These tips will help you master being able to take your baby to any restaurant!

My daughter was 8 months old and I was experiencing cabin fever– bad.

My living room walls were closing in on me and each second it felt like my house was getting smaller and smaller. I felt like Alice in Wonderland! The last thing in the world I wanted to do was cook dinner.

My husband came home, looked at me and said the 7 most perfect words I could hear at the time: “Don’t cook. Let’s go out to eat.”

Eating out with your little one can be challenging, but sometimes you just need to get out of the house. And you can’t let the fact that you have a child hold you back!

Are you craving your favorite restaurant but afraid to take your baby out to eat? Don’t worry, I’ve totally been there!

The true secret to eating out with your baby is to prepare, prepare, prepare!

Taking your baby out to a restaurant with you is not only possible but can be easy. I’ll share all of my tips and tricks to help you master eating out with your baby!

If you follow these tips, not only will you be able to master eating out with your baby, but you’ll also be able to take your baby ANYWHERE!

Say goodbye to feeling trapped inside of your house and hello to all of the different possibilities that you can take your baby to!

To help you truly master eating out with your baby, I created this awesome Restaurant Kit for Baby Checklist for everything that you will want to bring with you when you eat out!

This ultimate checklist has everything you will possibly need to have an amazing meal out with your family without worrying about your baby having a miserable time. Get the checklist now!

Let’s get down to it!

Tips for Eating out with Your Baby

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Stock your diaper bag with essentials

The number one thing that you are going to need when eating out with your baby is a stocked diaper bag. But not just stocked with anything…but with the RIGHT things!

In my Restaurant Kit for Baby Checklist, I give you the ultimate list of everything you need to stock your diaper bag with before eating out with your little one. With this checklist, trust me, you won’t forget anything!

Some of the important things to definitely have that most parents don’t think about is:

Disinfectant wipes
High chair cover
Plastic bib
Handheld toys
Plastic placemats
Utensils

Those are just some of the important items to have, but to get my FULL list, download my Restaurant Kit for Baby Checklist now! It even has a list of things that you can bring and make a restaurant “busy” kit for your baby or toddler to keep them entertained and having fun!

Go to a family friendly place

It’s important that when you go out to eat with your baby or children that you are visiting a family friendly place. It’s not the best idea to visit a place that has fancy white table clothes and 5 different glasses on the table.

The key is to be a family friendly environment. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a kids place” like Chuck E Cheese, but you’d be surprised at how many local restaurants and diners are actually family friendly.

Some restaurants offer crayons and coloring pages and chalk and a mini chalkboard too!

Look at the menu beforehand

There are 2 reasons to look at the menu before going to a restaurant with a baby:

To see if there is anything that your baby can eat
To see if you need to bring your own food for your baby

I’ve been taking my daughter to restaurants with me since she was 4 months old! When she was still little, she would just sit in her car seat and have a nice nap.

Then when she got older and could sit up by herself confidently, I would put her in a high chair close to me and just bring her food to eat from home!

As she got older and started eating more of a variety, I would then just order food that I knew she could share with me.

Don’t be afraid to bring your own baby food, jar food, homemade food, and snacks!

Bring a high chair cover

If your baby is old enough to sit up and eat in a high chair at a restaurant then you want to be sure to bring a high chair cover. I’m not a particularly super paranoid person about germs, but I feel like that when it comes to food, I like things to be as clean as possible.

I believe that the restaurant does clean down high chairs after every use, but there’s no way to be SURE. I don’t know if the last kid spit out food or drooled all over, which is totally possible!

Because I know how messy babies can be (my daughter can be very messy!), I like to be on the safe side and bring my own high chair cover. That way, I KNOW what my baby is sitting on is clean. It also reduces the risk of her getting sick.

I purchased this 2 in 1 convertible highchair cover and shopping cart cover. It’s super easy to use and even rolls up into a little bag so you can bring it anywhere with you!
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Bring a disposable adhesive placemat

Having an adhesive placemat at a restaurant is SO helpful because it not only keeps the table clean from baby messes, but it also give your baby something to play with!

These placemats are disposable and have different characters and designs on them.

My daughter loved them and it kept her so entertained when she was a baby! Now that she’s a toddler she loves to trace the designs and it keeps her busy and having fun while mommy and daddy eat!

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Help goes a long way

Of course, you can eat out with your baby by yourself, but some extra help can truly be lifesaving! If you’re taking your baby out to a restaurant for the first time, I would recommend taking your spouse or a family member or friend so you can have an extra hand to help.

Sometimes your baby will need help eating and you can’t focus on eating yourself. Having someone to help can be great because you can take turns tending to your baby.

After all, you’re going to a restaurant so you can enjoy some outside food and to have a nice time!

Reinforce with disinfectant

Like I mentioned, I’m a strong believer in making sure things are clean when I am out and about with my little one. I may look like the crazy lady at the table, but before I put my baby down I always disinfect the table, chairs, and menus with a travel disinfectant wipes.

I’ve been doing this since my baby was born and I think it is one of the reasons that my daughter has never been sick with the flu or stomach bug that goes around.

You have no idea how much of a headache you can be saving yourself later by just taking 2 seconds to wipe down a surface or a chair.

I also disinfect each baby changing station before I change my baby in public. I once witnessed a little girl throw up on a changing table and someone just cleaned it with a paper towel and NO soap or disinfectant!

Needless to say, I was scarred and now I disinfect each time I change my baby in a bathroom!

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End tables/round tables work well

If you are worried about being in other people’s way at the restaurant with your baby being in a high chair, I found that end tables and round tables work really well. It’s best if you are able to remove a chair from the table and replace it with the high chair instead of just sticking your baby at the end of the table. Some people are not as baby friendly and can “bump” into the high chair when they are walking by.

You can avoid this happening by requesting a table where your baby can be placed at the actual table and not just at the end of it.

Choose a time according to baby’s schedule

If your baby is on a consistent schedule, then you want to make sure you are eating out with your baby at a time that you know your baby will be in a good mood.

For example, don’t go to a restaurant at the time that your baby usually naps. Your baby will be grumpy, cranky, and irritable from being tired. Try to go out around when you know your baby will eat or have a snack so your baby will be happy.

After all, you want your baby to be happy and not be miserable! This will make the time out more enjoyable for your as well!

Free Restaurant Kit for Baby Checklist

Don’t forget to download the free restaurant kit for baby checklist so you can be sure to pack everything you need for eating out with your baby! Everything on the checklist will give you the ability to pack an awesome “restaurant kit” to help your baby stay happy, content and entertained! I also include a diaper bag checklist to help you make sure your diaper is stocked with everything you need while you’re out with your baby and family!

Get the checklist now!

>> So, there you have it! Here are 8 tips for eating out with your baby successfully! Don’t be overwhelmed with taking your baby out. Instead, enjoy the time out with your family!

Remember, the true secret to eating out with your baby is to prepare, prepare, prepare!

If you follow these tips, not only will you be able to master eating out with your baby, but you’ll also be able to take your baby ANYWHERE!

Now, when you’re having your own Alice in Wonderland experience…don’t even think about cooking. Get out of the house and feel confident knowing you can accomplish eating out with your baby!

Have any other tips that you do when you eat out with your little one? Feel free to share them in the comments below!

Family Travel (old)

The 3 Toddler Routines

1. Feeding Routine

2. Nap routine

3. Bedtime routine

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How to Save Money at Disney World

1. Rent Baby Gear

2. Bring Your Own Stroller

3. Bring your own snacks

4. Eat Kids meals

5. Limit souvenir spending with gift cards

6. Order groceries / buy groceries

7. Take advantage of Complimentary water

8. Breakfast Buffets

9. Use your Disney credit card

10. If you have little ones, skip the park hopper

What is park hopping?

Park hopping with a baby?

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11. If you see something you want, check the Disney site for a cheaper price or sales

12. If you want to pin trade, order a batch of used Disney pins online for cheap and then trade them for better ones during your stay

13. If you missed out on a souvenir at the park, try Disney Springs

Grab your Disney World Princess Guide!

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5 Rules to fight fair in your marriage

1. You are not Godzilla

2. Be Careful of landmines

3. Aim

4. Be quick to listen, and slow to react

5. Don’t underestimate silence

Free Date Night In Kit!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Check out these other posts on marriage!

Tips for Eating out with Your Baby

Stock your diaper bag with essentials

Go to a family friendly place

Look at the menu beforehand

Bring a high chair cover

Bring a disposable adhesive placemat

Help goes a long way

Reinforce with disinfectant

Wait! Love Free Printables??

End tables/round tables work well

Choose a time according to baby’s schedule

Free Restaurant Kit for Baby Checklist

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