Toddler Lunch Time Solution

c/o Mira

Toddler lunches are hard. There are a million things to consider. They have to be able to eat it on their own. They usually can't microwave it. They have to store it until lunch. Some schools (like R's) don't allow nuts. There are more "can't eat's" than "eats" in this world. So when R started school this year I knew I wanted to up his lunch game. I reached out to Mira to partner with high hopes.

I did my research before I ordered, and I picked them because they are BPA free and the perfect toddler lunch size. I ordered the 13 ounce size for R's lunch, but honestly I have used it for mine too. The walls are double vacuum insulated and they have a condensation blocker. They are leak proof and stainless steel.  I also love that they support the Community Water Center which provides clean drinking water to those in need. I love buying things from companies that give back.

So here's the run down. With most thermoses, you preheat them by pouring in boiling water, microwaving whatever you want inside, and then putting them together. But I don't want R's food steaming hot, so I am able to skip the first step. I simply microwave whatever food I plan on sending, put it in the thermos in the morning, and pack it in his lunch. Easy. I've checked with his teacher, who says that it's hot and ready for him when he has lunch. The claim on them is that they keep items cold for 10 hours and hot for 5 hours, but the reviews online say that the food stays hot/cold even longer. Food doesn't usually last that long in our house- so we haven't tried that test out yet!

My ONLY thing I don't love about it is that you can't put it in the dishwasher. Which, is because it's a quality stainless steel product and I get it. It's worth the trade off, and it's pretty easy to clean.

Here's some awesome toddler things to put in it:

Hot:

• pastas (R's mac and cheese for tomorrow is cooking while I write this!) 
• quesadilla slices 
• pizza slices (just cut it smaller and lay it sideways) 
• quiche 
• scrambled eggs
• baked/refried beans 
• chili 
• oatmeal 
• nuggets
• fried rice
• pizza rolls
• meatballs (in our case veggie ones- they work too!) 
• asian noodles- any kind 
• enchiladas, burritos, soft tacos 

Pretty much anything cold works too, but I love these in there. 

• milk, and then pack cereal 
• smoothies 

Order it here, it comes in a few different colors: 

And R's lunchbox, which he LOVES can be found here. It looks like they are out of the dump truck now, but check out the taco truck! I love it.

She Works Hard for the Mommy v2

Hi Mama's! My name is Tina Bein, and I am a DONA Certified Postpartum Doula. A lot of people may have heard of what a Birth Doula is, but many don't know what a Postpartum Doula is. And my basic simple answer is-I come to a mom after the baby is born to help her recover, establish breastfeeding, or simply balance motherhood. But the down and dirty part of my job is to watch over mom and even dads for Postpartum Mood Disorders. It can range from anxiety, OCD and the biggest one...depression. 

I started my journey about 12yrs ago, long before I discovered that a Postpartum Doula was a job with my sister. She was a single mom of twins. Everyone thought she just had the baby blues and shrugged her moods off, but It was more obvious  to me that it was more than the normal blues. I knew something else was happening because there were signs that she was struggling, even though she was a great mother. The subject of depression in mothers wasn't openly talked about in her circle of people, so she didn't have support. I urged her to talk to someone because I knew something was wrong. Part of the reason she struggled was because after two weeks, she was on her own. There wasn't support in place for her. 

Ten years ago after having my own baby I felt the weight of this lack of support too. After a week people stopped calling, bringing food, and helping us out.  I never struggled with the depression side, but I did have OCD. Everything needed to be cleaned and perfect. When I noticed there is literally almost no support for new moms, I started to reach out to them. I offered help, brought meals, offered to hold baby while people sat to eat a meal as a couple or family with older siblings. I'd do anything the mom needed to feel that 10-20 minutes of normalcy. When my friend had her baby almost three years ago, my husband told me that I should make this a job. It was something I enjoyed, I felt useful and was helping people. That moment I started to research Postpartum Doula's and everything fell into place. I was so excited. Things took off from that one single moment.

With things taking off like they did the balance of family scheduling and homeschooling became a bit of a challenge, but we figured it out, step by step. First we found reliable child care and someone who could teach them or over see their independent work. I feel like I was able to overcome so many unusual obsticles because of my supportive husband and the amazing Birth Professionals I surrounded myself with. Life gets crazy, and sometimes we take our clients emotions home with us. What I like to do is blast music for my drive home and use "Stress Relief" or "Grounding" essential oils. This helps me come home calm and ready to see my family. Being a Postpartum Doula is the most amazing field I have been in. And I love it, it just radiates out of me when I meet moms! If you'd like more info, see my website here, like my facebook page, or email me at tinathedoula@gmail.com.

If you'd like to be featured on "She Works Hard for the Mommy" please send me an email! 

Explore Virginia State Parks One Step At A Time

Another under-used feature of Norfolk Public Libraries:  If you are interested in the outdoors, you can use your library card to check out a back pack with lots of great stuff for taking your little ones hiking. First, there's a pass that will get you in FREE to all the state parks in Virginia. Then, there are suggested activities with some cool tools that kids will love: a bug catcher, a butterfly net, and a magnifying glass.

There are lots of help included for the parents too. There's a sheet that tells you where to find the parks online and how you and your family can participate in a state-wide Trail quest. You get a pin for each one you visit.  There's a sheet on how to get the most out of your visit, along with activities and suggestions on things to do while there. There's a bunch of guides about bugs, slugs, birds, and mammals, as well as trees and wildflowers. (Although I often try to forget that there are bugs there...) 

Not all libraries have these so check with your favorite one to see if they have them. You can check these out for two weeks so there's plenty of time to go on a trip across the state! If you live in another Tidewater city, call your library and see if they have this! Happy hiking! 

Toddler Tuesday: Questioning Edition

I work with first grade students, so the question stems that I ask my kids every day are very different than the ones I ask my toddler. One of the questions that parents always have for me is how can they help their child become a better reader. I usually tell them that the questions they ask help shape their critical thinking, communication, and comprehension skills.

For little guys, it's obviously very different, but there are still question stems that you can craft to specifically build these skills.

For working on language:

• What do you see? 
• What sound does he make? (pointing to an animal) 
• What's that called? 
• Can you find the letter A? 
• What's something that starts with SHH on the page? 

For working on spatial understanding:

• What shape is that?
• Where are the circles?
• How many squares are there? 

For working on critical thinking:

• Where do you think he will go? 
• What do you think will happen next?
• Do you think he will do that again?

For working on empathy: 

• How do you think she is feeling? 
• How would you feel? 
• Did he make a good choice? 
• Is he being kind? 

For working on comprehension:

• Where are they? 
• What happened at the beginning? end? 
• What was your favorite part? 

Studies have found that reading 14.2 minutes per day can drastically change a child's life. This starts right now! Even if they can't understand the book, they are learning vocabulary, how print works, and learning so many concepts! This is one of the most powerful graphics that I always show my parents. Fall is the perfect time to dig in with a good book too! Happy reading! 

Meal Tip Monday

Here's another meal tip from Fit4Mom! Looking for a yummy and nutritious breakfast or snack for you AND the kids? Try these!

Use up veggies or other leftovers in these protein-packed on-the-go breakfast cups. Kiddos love the handheld shape, moms love the nutrition and deliciousness inside. 

I pack these in R's lunch too. Pop them into a thermos and Bam! I like the silicone cupcake wrappers for making them. We throw anything that we have in them; cheese, onion, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, anything can go! Add the veggies first, then pour in the beaten eggs. Preheat your oven to 375 and cook for about 25 minutes or until they rise. To reheat, microwave for about 15 seconds. 

This tip was brought to you by Norfolk Fit4Mom. For more tips like this, like their facebook page.