How to Leave the House with Three Kids (Without the Stress!)

Trying to figure out how to leave the house with three kids? It’s not always easy, but it IS possible. Figure out how to get out of the house (on time!) with these tips from a fellow mom who has been there.

I was at the Aquarium, Izzie on my hip, one eye on Cole and the other on Evie. Wait – where’s Evie? Oh, there she is! Yes, one eye on Evie. Check. A woman with a toddler caught my eye and exclaimed, “Wow! I’m not even brave enough to bring both my kids to the Aquarium. How can you leave the house with three kids?”

I never know how to respond to these confessions from other Moms. As a Stay-at-Home-Mom, if I didn’t brave the outside world and leave the house with three kids, I’d never leave. So hiding inside doesn’t seem like much of an option.

And sure, some places we go are much more painful than other places. (Yes, I’m looking at you Costco and Trader Joe’s). But a place specifically made for kids? It’s not always fun and it’s basically never easy, but I promise you that if I can do it, so can you.

Here are some tips to get you out of the house (and on time!) from a fellow mom who’s been there.

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Smoothies

Looking for the perfect smoothie? Click here to find out our secret, and giggle along with thesaltymamas.com. #smoothie #secretrecipe

Once upon a time, when Lila was a littler girl, she became obsessed with all cold drinks. First it was the condensation on our soft drinks, and then we transitioned to Jamba Juice IMG_20140721_112451092smoothies.  Pretty soon, we introduced our family’s favorite summer sipper- Icees. And slurpees, and freezes. Whatever you wanted to call them, it didn’t much matter. She was in love with the icy cold sweetness, and at about a dollar a piece, they were a cheap and easy treat on a hot day. I have given her far more Icees in her short little life than I would care to admit. Somewhere along the line, the differences between Jamba Juice whole fruit goodness and sugar-filled-crushed-ice got blurred, and she decided Icees/Slurpees were called smoothies, too. It wasn’t something we did intentionally, but my GOODNESS does it make me look like a better mother.

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4 Myths About Play-Based Preschool

Considering a play-based education for your kids, but worried they won't learn anything? Check out these four myths about play based preschool! #playbasedpreschool #reggio #reggioemilio #reggiopreschool #outdoorplay #reggioinspired #reggiokids #reggiochildren #reggioemiliainspired #reggioactivities #reggiopreschool #reggiotime #reggiotoddlers #preschool #preschooler #preschoollife #toddlerlife #preschoolmom #preschoolactivities

When I first sent my son to preschool, he went to a traditional preschool – the kind I remember, and you probably do too! A carpet with letters and spots for each kid to sit. Charts on the wall showing the alphabet, calendar, weather. Super cute crafts for every holiday, with a Pinterest perfect sample of what they would be making that day. But he wasn’t learning his letters. He wasn’t great at sitting. He wasn’t participating in the crafts. So we moved him over to a play-based preschool. And he LOVED it. But everyone else? Well, they thought we were crazy. And I learned there are a LOT of myths about play based education.

Being the delightfully stubborn person I am, I threw myself into learning as much as I could about the educational style that was benefitting my son so very much. Over the next two years, and as I went on to enroll both my daughters in the school, I’ve come up against a lot of concerns and criticisms from people that, frankly, just didn’t know what they were talking about. So if you’re curious about play-based preschool, or wondering why in the world your friend is sending her kids to one, here are some of the myths you may have heard – and hopefully some truths to help clear things up.

Considering a play-based education for your kids, but worried they won't learn anything? Check out these four myths about play based preschool! #playbasedpreschool #reggio #reggioemilio #reggiopreschool #outdoorplay #reggioinspired #reggiokids #reggiochildren #reggioemiliainspired #reggioactivities #reggiopreschool #reggiotime #reggiotoddlers #preschool #preschooler #preschoollife #toddlerlife #preschoolmom #preschoolactivities

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When Dance Parties Go Bad

The morning started out in our usual way. Mommy makes coffee for herself, breakfast for all the kids, makes Cole’s lunch while the kids eat, and then once the kids are done/too restless to eat without making a bigger mess than I’m prepared to handle we move to the living … Read More