This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine. 3 Tips to Keep Kids on Track, So You Don’t Get Off Track Reaching Your Goals
I can hardly believe the triplets are old enough to do these things, but they are! They turned eight this month. While none of them reached their developmental milestones on a typical schedule, they continue to exceed expectations. It’s amazing to see how far they’ve come from their micro-preemie days. In fact, it’s so incredible, that I still stay stocked up on the Pampers they used when they were little. I share them with caregivers, teachers, friends, and therapists, because seeing is believing! It reminds people of how hard my little ones have worked and how much they’ve grown. It reminds us all to never underestimate them.
Yep, those were their first-ever diapers and they were swimming in them! Can you believe it? Look how tiny they are. Right now, you can get $10 off 2 Pampers diapers or wipes products at Sam’s Club! Trust me, stock up! I changed 30 to 40 diapers daily. You won’t want to miss out on these instant savings on Swaddlers, Cruisers and Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes!
And look at the triplets, now!
They are healthy and thriving now. It’s time to get working on my goals again. But, wait…
You hit the year running, ready to reach all your goals. You were completely on track, until the kids started getting you off track. Sound familiar? This is my life, too! No matter how much we plan, parents have to survive the unexpected every day. Someone forgot their backpack. Another child stayed home sick from school. Dinner burned and the kids are hungry. Soccer practice went longer than normal. You forgot to put the laundry in the dryer and now you have to wash it again. What’s that you say, child? Your soccer uniform is dirty and the game starts in two hours? Can you please stop screaming? Stop fighting with your sister! What is this mess? You said the science project was due next week! What do you mean it’s due tomorrow, and you need lava and a display board? Hold on. Just, hold on! Mommy needs a minute.
You’re not alone, parents! You. Are. Not. Alone.
When the predictable, yet ironically unexpected kid-things happen, it can throw us so far off track, we don’t even remember what our goals are. Well parents, I have a solution. We’ve been going about it all wrong. We’re so stressed about getting ourselves on track, but that isn’t the problem. We know how to stay on track, if we weren’t being interrupted every two minutes. The kids. We love them, but we need the kids on track, so that we don’t get off track. Seriously, that’s the answer! Despite the typical chaos of day-to-day parenting, I’ve actually exceeded my goals so far this month! I’ve just focused on the things I can control, to help balance out the things I can’t.
Specifically, I’ve done these three things to keep the kids on track:
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Fun-On-The-Run
I took some time to prepare fun and ready-to-go activities. These are perfect for times we have to leave unexpectedly, wait longer than expected while at appointments or when I’m working from home and need the kids to be occupied for a little while. I’m all for a great educational show, but I know I can’t just stick them in front of a screen every time I need a few minutes to catch up. So, I created a basket for drawing and paper activities. I made another for painting. There are a few for crafting. Another is full of mini board games. I even have a few specifically for errands, which include mini-slinkies, fidget spinners, yo-yos, and other things that won’t inspire absolutely obnoxious behavior in public. Salt and pepper shakers filled with glitter, some paper, and glue are one of their favorite baskets. Even a basket of wooden letters excites my kids. Just think about the things your child enjoys and try it! When the unexpected happens, I don’t have to think about how to keep the kids on track. I just grab a fun basket and get back to my task. The key to this is not allowing unlimited access to your fun-on-the-run sets. In order for it to be motivating enough to work, it has to be things they don’t always get to use. You’re going to love this! And, we’re in this together, parents. You don’t have to thank me.
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Ready-Set-Check
This is my favorite change because the kids are starting to think of things differently. They are becoming more responsible and self-sufficient. That means, less chaos for mom, and more time to reach my goals! It’s simple. Rather than having a ready-set-go approach to leaving the house, coming home, or any transition throughout the day, we pause and check. Do we have everything we need? What’s the first thing we’re supposed to do when we get in the house? Yes, put your shoes, jackets and backpacks away! YES! Waking up on the weekends is the same. Before they get up and go, they need to get up and check their lists. At this point, they don’t even need them, because they are remembering. Some checklist ideas are morning routine, homework, bedtime routine, chore-war and ready for tomorrow, today. When the kids are on track, I rarely get off track.
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Stop-Drop-and-Stock
The last thing I want to do is run to the store for milk. I say this because it’s happened countless times! So many hours of productivity are lost to emergency trips to the store. If it’s not the milk, it’s toilet paper, soap or bread. So, this week I’m implementing this last tip! I’m certain this is going to be a game-changer! I have five kids so I’ll need five colors of sticky notes. When the kids grab the last (or almost the last) of anything, they need to stop, write it on a sticky note, and drop it in the stock jar. Whenever I’m already going to the store, I’ll gather the notes and stick them on my shopping list. It’s hard to keep kids on track when it comes to new responsibilities, so they’ll get points for each valid note they drop in the jar. I’ll stock us up on the missing items. If I can get the kids on track with this new system, I’d almost never run out of anything again, since they’re always the ones to use the last of it, and not let me know! Don’t forget to take advantage of the instant savings on Swaddlers, Cruisers and Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes, at Sam’s Club ending 1/28!
What things are you doing this year to keep your kids on track, so you don’t get off track? Share in the comments!
By: Alicia Gonzalez
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.
