Tag: Mom Life

5 Tips on Doing a YouTube Unboxing Video with a Toddler

I was sent a new subscription box from NostalgicCandyClub.com and thought it would be fun to do a video review with my two-year-old. I went into things very optimistically because I figure all kids love candy, this should be easy! Big surprise- Nothing is ever easy!

So here’s a few tips I learned the hard way:

1) Give them a lift – Get them a booster seat, or a pillow, or anything that makes them a little taller. After getting all my camera angles perfect (or so I thought) I had the toddler sit down and just the top of his head was showing.

Unboxing video with toddler

2) Prepare and research first – Read over everything before you start, and practice what you want to say. That way you are familiar with the product and able to remember what you are saying when things start going weird. Nothing ever goes the way you think as soon as a toddler is involved.

nostalgic-candy-club
The info card I should have read and studied ahead of time!

3) Just expect nothing to go as expected. – They may suddenly decide to not participate, refuse to do anything they’re asked, or say something weird. Be ready to just roll with it.

4) Photograph everything ahead of time and repackage. – Once your toddler gets ahold of things, they never look the same. I was left with a pile of trash and candy at the end and did not get any photos. This is all that’s left:

candy-wrappers

5) Get rid of the toddler. – Ha! Just Kidding. Sort of. Basically, make sure you can do a good review solo and then engage your unpredictable sidekick with a few questions along the way.

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So here’s our attempt at unboxing video. Things did not really go the way I had planned. I was expecting “candy from the past 50 years” as mentioned on their website, but the stuff in the box was from about 100 years ago and I had no idea what most of it was. Also, 100 years ago they had very questionable taste in candy. If I had checked everything out ahead of time I’d have waited for my grandma to visit and done the unboxing with her!

 

Why Sleep is Essential for Moms Looking to Get Fit

running shoesBeing a mom is not an excuse to pass on the habit of going to gym and getting fit, and this was emphasized recently here on Geek Mamas. It can be empowering to have some ‘me time’ and being able to spend a few hours in a day losing some of the accumulated weight during pregnancy.

Of course, it doesn’t stop there, as you can do more research into how to get the best #BodyAfterBaby. Among the many things about fitness and health for moms, it’s important to note the role of sleep and why it should be a non-negotiable part of your fitness regimen.

On catching enough Zs

When you’re a new mom, juggling your own and your baby’s needs can be quite a challenge. This may take a toll on your health – especially when it’s your restorative evenings that are on the chopping block. It’s especially ironic considering that all moms know the importance of their child’s sleep, but don’t exactly prioritize their own.

As it turns out, so many Americans lack sleep everyday that sleep loss is now considered a public health problem. Harvard Health summarizes the effects of inadequate sleep in six different areas of life: learning and memory, metabolism and weight, safety, mood, cardiovascular health, and risks of disease. In fact, the quality and quantity of sleep you get on the regular is so consequential so much so that Time Magazine likens it to the fountain of youth. For moms looking to get fit, adequate sleep helps regulate hunger and appetite hormones while also regulating the way a person’s body processes and stores carbohydrates.

bab1A three-fold challenge

When thinking of getting fit, two things usually come into mind: eating healthy and exercising regularly. However, more and more research is pointing to another pillar in terms of achieving and maintaining a healthy physique: Sleep is just as important, and sometimes even more so, than diet and exercise.

Sleep gives you energy, and prepares your body mentally and physically for your gym time, making sleep an extremely important part of your fitness regimen. Fitness expert Jim White tells Leesa, “When you’re tired you’re less likely to work out, and your body produces more of the hunger hormone leptin, which can lead to overeating. Your muscles recover during sleep – you can’t get truly to a high level of fitness without enough sleep.”

The effects of sleep are so profound that White and other fitness experts would recommend sleeping in after a late night over pushing your body to exercise with just four hours of sleep, which a lot of moms are prone to doing. Success Magazine argues that you need all three parts of fitness – regular exercise, healthy diet, and adequate sleep – to achieve and maintain a healthy body.

bab4

At the end of the day, healthy living is something you can do on your own pace. Finding a gym that also houses a daycare center may be invaluable for moms looking to get fit, while learning more about the importance of sleep gives additional reasons to maintain the lifestyle. Let us know how things are going for your #BodyAfterBaby journey in the comments!

 

The Greatest Shower of All

bathroom selfie in a towelI showered today! And why is that a monumentous occasion? Because I wanted to take a shower and I did! I didn’t have to ask anyone to cover for me, or wait until 9PM! I even shaved! That’s a lot of exclamations! But you get the point, this is exciting stuff.

As a mom, you often feel like your basic human rights have been taken away. You no longer eat, sleep or shower on the your own schedule. So today, a tiny piece of freedom has been handed back to me. Something I used to take for granted. The option to shower when I please, as long as I can keep the kid entertained for at least 15 minutes. It was glorious.

It’s a big day we’ve slowly been working up to. Today was the first time I didn’t get out three times to check on him while dripping water all over the floor. Next time I’m going to get crazy and try to shave AND wash my hair! Whoah!

Things are looking up over here. It does get better. You do get your normal life back, piece by tiny piece. And I’ve never appreciated those tiny pieces so much!

P.S. – I contemplated titling this “the golden shower moment” but probably don’t need that kind of traffic 😂

Talking to Kids – Beyond Baby Talk

talking to your kidsIn yet another installment of “I was wrong about everything,” today it’s about the way we talk to children. Before kids I didn’t understand the difference. I was like “Hi, small child. How’s the weather? OK, now go away.”

But now, I put a little enthusiasm in my voice and enunciate, ask questions about their toys, count and point out colors. I sound excited about silly small things. And they respond! I had always said if I had a child I’d talk to them like adults. None of this silly baby talk stuff. But I didn’t understand there’s something beyond baby talk, and communicating with your toddler in a way that’s tailored toward them not only gets their attention but helps them communicate as well.

And I’m not talking about using made-up words and baby stuff here, I’m talking about really communicating. Using real words, pronounced clearly so they can understand what things are and how to say them. My two-year-old can speak clearly enough to ask my iPad to play car videos for him. He actually has practiced saying words so he can speak to the iPad and get what he asks for almost every time.

So I guess I do speak to my child like an adult after all. Just a really happy, excited, observant, quizzical adult that loves pointing out colors and counting things.

 

Humpty Dumpty Was My Best Friend

I was scrolling through Instagram and ran across a cute pic of a toddler and stuffed animal and it got me thinking of my favorite stuffed toy. The one that I carried with me everywhere and cuddled up with every night. But mine wasn’t a cute little plush animal. My best friend was a stuffed egg.

humpty-dumpty-doll
Not my actual Dumpy, but I Googled ’70s Humpty Dumpty and this is Exactly what he looked like!

Humpty Dumpty and I were inseparable. I called him “Dumpy” and couldn’t get to sleep without him by my side. As I got older and he started to fall apart, my mom kept trying to take him away. One time she threw him in the trash, only to have to retrieve him and give him a complete makeover. By then he had lost his floppy arms and legs, so she covered him with fresh fabric and drew on some striped pants and a new face.

I have no idea at what age I gave up Dumpy, but I’ll never forget him. My son has two stuffed dogs he calls his “woof-woofs.” My husband actually still has his favorite stuffed animal from childhood. It’s a teddy bear named Fuzzy. I made the mistake of putting Fuzzy in the washing machine and had to give him some extensive facial reconstruction, but he’s OK now and has been adopted by our son. We just don’t mention his Elvis like sneer.

So I’m curious, what was your favorite childhood snuggle toy?