• Fitness: Prioritizing your Priorities
  • Ask the Teacher: Is my child a tattle-tell?
  • Fitness: Wanderlust Summer
  • Beauty: SPF that fights wrinkles!
  • Moms on 88.3 The Wind: Sunday Devotions

Fitness: Prioritizing your Priorities

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by Kelsey Fields

I went to the grocery store last week and bought three things in bulk:

  1. Cereal and Poptarts. Because school is back in session.
  2. Pre-sharpened pencils. Because school is back in session.
  3. Coffee and dry shampoo. Because school is back in session.

Now that I’m back in school and the kids are too, I am left trying to juggle my job, husband, kids, and all the extras that come with the territory. Like most of you mamas out there, I tend to put my kids and husband first, leaving my well dry and my spirit tired. In order to avoid being a ‘mombie’ I like to remind myself of what’s important by writing down my priorities in order of importance. My top three look like this:

  1. Bravo TV
  2. Coffee
  3. Sleep

Just kidding.

  1. Jesus
  2. Blake, Max, and Micky
  3. My health

Every Sunday evening as I am planning the upcoming week I make sure to schedule set times to nurture each of these priorities. Here’s how I’m trying to fit it all in.

Wake Up Early

There are only so many hours in the day so you really have to make them count. I wake up early, like really early, three times a week to run and do my devotional. This doesn’t take away any time from my loves because those lucky dogs are still fast asleep. Doing my devotional first thing allows me to have a focus for the day. I also run with my best friend so I am able to grow friendships at the same time. Multitasking. It’s what we mamas do best.

Leave Work at Work

I try my best to not take work home with me. Sometimes it’s inevitable. When that happens I only work on it after the kids are asleep so it doesn’t take away from the few hours we have together.

Eat Together

The science behind eating dinner as a family is legit. It boosts your kids vocabulary, keeps them healthier by providing more nutrients, fruits, and veggies, and is a powerful predictor of high achievement scores. Data is still out on whether or not eating McDonald’s together at the dinner table counts. I personally say it does, but I may be biased.

Schedule Something YOU Want to Do

Spending time as a family does not have to be all Paw Patrol and Super Mario Brothers. Each weekend I try and schedule one fun family memory maker. And guess what? Since I’m the one planning it, I get to choose what we do. Plan something that the whole family can enjoy so it doesn’t feel like a chore to spend time together. Let’s face it, you can only spend so many hours at Kiddie City. During the summer you can find us on Table Rock. My kids love it and being at the lake is good for my soul. Also, can we talk about the sleep you get out of your kids after spending a full day at the lake. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. We also love using our season passes at Silver Dollar City. Blake, and I genuinely love going there with the kids. We may like it better than them…

Prioritizing Your Mental and Physical Health is NOT Selfish

Just remember when you are wandering through the aisles of Target  all by yourself after a miserable week (because Target brings you joy in the darkest of days), you are not being selfish. Let’s be honest, all of the things in your cart are probably for your kids anyway. Or when you’re in the bath and dirty fingers poke through from underneath the door asking for Cheetos, it’s okay to answer, “Mommy’s not here right now. Try back later.” You can not give from an empty cup! I never feel bad for going to the gym or recharging my batteries at Target. If my kids want their mom around when they are older, I have to be healthy and take care of the one body and mind that I’ve got.

Take some time this week to jot down your priorities and schedule a time to nurture them. Don’t forget to plan something that focuses on your needs as well as the needs of your loved ones. Mom on!

SWMO Moms fitness category, which is full of healthy tips for all women,  is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops Fitness Series.  

Their mission is to celebrate health and wellness, outdoor adventures and wildlife conservation in the beauty of the Ozarks. Programs are designed to include activities for people of all ages, backgrounds, fitness levels and areas of interest. CLICK HERE for more information or give them a call at 417.873.5214.

Kelsey is an elementary teacher (just finished her first year!), a Beachbody certified Insanity instructor, avid runner and yoga enthusiast. 

When she is not working out, you will find her cheering on the Denver Broncos, substitute teaching and spending time with her family. She is wife to Blake and mom to busy 2 year-old son Max and 1 year-old, Mick.

 

Ask the Teacher: Is my child a tattle-tell?

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With several school days behind us, students and teachers alike are settling in to the new year and working together to make sure it is a great year! Thanks to one local mom that submitted this question for our anonymous panel of teachers!

My child has told me there is another student in his class that has pushed him a couple of times. I encouraged my son to tell his teacher. He said that he did and the teacher told him “not to tattle.” I don’t believe my son should tattle either, but isn’t pushing something he should tell the teacher about? How should I handle this? Should I go talk to the teacher or encourage my son to do something different?

Teacher 1:

I don’t think he was tattling if the pushing has happen more than a couple of times. Yes, I think you should talk to the teacher and voice your concerns. Surely, the teacher will understand that you aren’t wanting your student to tattle, but you don’t want it to turn into more than it already has. Also, if you child is uncomfortable and worried about being pushed than that is interfering with you student learning in her classroom. As a teacher we always want our students to feel safe, comfortable and be able to learn in our classroom. I would want you to contact me so I could address the problem and get the pushing stopped as soon as possible.

Teacher 2:

It is sometimes hard to find a balance between advocating for your child and helicoptering them, especially as they get older and are able to do more things for themselves.  If your son did talk to the teacher as you instructed him and that did not resolved I would say it is time for you to reach out to the teacher.  I think that we often put a negative outlook on parents contacting teachers and teachers contacting parents, but we shouldn’t.  We are all in this together and the more we communicate, the better environment we can build for students.  Call or e-mail his teacher. Let them know that this is an issue that your child is talking about when they come home and that you have asked them to report it, ask the teacher if your child has brought that to their attention, and then go from there.

Teacher 3:

Communication is key with parents and teachers. I encourage all parents to reach out to me anytime they have a concern. Keeping in mind there are two sides to every story, I welcome the opportunity to work out these issues with parents and often like to involve the student in the conversation as well.

If you’re like us, you are probably constantly on the hunt looking for ways to improve your child’s education and help them reach their full potential. Our anonymous panel of teachers have some great advice. If you have a question for the teachers, email us and we’ll send it to them. Then look for your answer here. Email to: info(at)SouthwestMissouriMoms.com

Sunday Devotion: Letter to Mom of Middle-schooler

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least of these

11 ¶ Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right. ~ Proverbs 20:11 (NKJV)

By Bro. John L. Cash

Dear Anne,

I hope you and Atticus have had a good week since my last letter. I’ve re-read it this morning, and I think my advice still stands: “When it comes to the developing faith of your children, PRAY—don’t panic.”

And after giving it some more thought, I’ve reached a conclusion. As parents, we are usually very poor judges of where our kids are in their relationship with God. I have a good reason to believe that, because that is what the Bible teaches. Jesus said that individuals are not even good judges of their OWN relationship with God.

Take a look at this passage:

Matthew 25:31 ¶ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

33 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36 ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

38 ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

39 ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;

43 ‘I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’

45 “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

You’ll have to admit, it’s kind of an eye-opening story. The way I read it, there are a lot of people who are going to be surprised on the Day of Judgment. Some people will think they were awesome Christians in this life, and the Lord says He never knew them. And others who thought they never did anything for God will find out that they loved and served Jesus every day. What a nice surprise!

Whenever I read this passage, it always makes me want to re-think my relationship with Jesus Christ. Is showing compassion to others the habit of my life?

And there’s a wonderful flip-side to the story. Maybe our kids are just the kind of people that our God is looking for. Maybe their spiritual condition is better than we ever imagined.

Isn’t that a wonderful, comforting thought?

More next week,

Brother John

john l cashDr. John L. Cash has spent the last 29 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. (On week days has a desk-job at a public school, where he used to teach Latin on closed-circuit-television.) He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in the parsonage next door to the Antioch Christian Church (where “Kissie” the pastorium-Siamese-cat has been making a lot of noise during the middle of the night and waking folks up this week.) Their kids include Spencer (age 23), his wife Madeline (age 23), and Seth (age 20).

Moms + Meals: “Fast-Food”

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Ok, we aren’t talking about running through a drive through to grab dinner, although, we all have to do that on occasion. We are talking about how to whip up “fast-food” for you hungry kids. I don’t know about you, but the minute I pick my kids up from school they are ready to eat! I do let them have a small snack while I am unloading the car and getting ready for dinner, but I try to make sure it is somewhat healthy. Our favorite snacks include:PicMonkey Collage

  • string cheese
  • yogurt or gogurt
  • cutie oranges
  • mixed nuts
  • raisins
  • apples
  • blueberries or grapes
  • craisins
  • almonds (try mixing the almonds and craisins together!)

 

 

We know it’s hard to make dinner in a snap, especially while you have your kids interrupting you non-stop. “One Pan Dandy” is always a hit at my house! Kids like it and it only dirties one dish, which means mom likes it because clean up is a breeze!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of ground hamburgerone pan dandy
  • 1 can of green beans – drained
  • 1 package of frozen corn
  • 1 can of Rotel- drained

Substitutions: You can add rice, macaroni noodles, asparagus, or other vegetables your kids like.

Directions:

Brown your hamburger and drain. Add green beans, corn and Rotel and let simmer together for about 10-15 minutes. It’s very simple, you can involve your kids in mixing and pouring the ingredients. It is by no means a fancy meal, but it works on those busy school nights when you don’t have time for much more!

Making Memories in the Car Line

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by Meagan Ruffing

This post is made possible by the support of our sponsors at Les Jacobs Ford, located on State Highway 37 in Cassville! Have a question about purchasing a new vehicle or need Darrin and his crew to take a look at something? They would be happy to help! You an give them a call at 1.888.259.3009.4863308My two oldest children have just gotten to the age where I find myself spending more time in the car than I would like shuttling them back and forth between here and there. Friends told me this day would come. They said, “Enjoy the time at home when they’re little because once they get school-aged you’ll be spending most of your time in the car.” Well, they were right and for someone who considers herself a road-rage wreck, this is not good.

 I knew I had to figure out a way to make this time in the car a more productive one. Yes, I still catch up on phone calls but I don’t typically like to have my phone near me in the car; it’s too much of a distraction and frankly, it’s just not worth the risk of getting into an accident.

I started thinking outside of the box for things my kids and I could do in the car while we waited in car lines and attempted to get from point A to point B when everyone else in our town had the same idea.

So, it all started with a bag of birthday blowers. You know, the ones you blow into and a tubular paper comes straight out making a loud noise with it. Yes, exactly the ones you’re thinking of from New Year’s Eve. Start with those and see what happens. I bet your car ride is much more fun tomorrow. Once you’ve tried those, give these next few ideas a try and see if you can’t turn that frown upside down.

  1. Dance parties in the car can still take place sitting down. Turn the music on or better yet, play a CD that you know your kids like to dance to and encourage them to sing their hearts out. With songs averaging 3-4 minutes a piece, an entire CD will get you through at least one way and then you can play a new one on the way home. This type of fun gets everyone involved and will even put a smile on those not so “morning” attitudes that can throw us curveballs.
  2. Highs and Lows. This is a great game and an important one to play, especially at the end of the day. Ask each of your kids what their high and high-low-gamelow was for the day. High means the best thing that happened (movie at school) and Low means something they’d prefer not to deal with again or a situation they would like to do over (someone hurt their feelings). Not only do these questions get your kids thinking, but it gets the parent and child communicating. Even if your son doesn’t feel like talking or says he can’t think of anything, say, “Okay, well, when you’re ready, I’d love to hear it. I’ll tell you mine first.” And then go ahead and tell him what yours were. Keep your “Low” age appropriate for them but do share if you’ve had a bad moment or disappointment during the day. This reminds your kids that you’re human too!
  3. The Alphabet Game. You might remember this one from road trips you’ve taken in years past. Tweak the game a little bit and see if your child can find the letter and then tell you what the word says. For example, “Hannah, tell me when you find the letter ‘B’ and then tell me what the word spells.” This is great for elementary aged kids who are learning how to read. For the younger ones, just have them spot the letters for you. It’s still fun and they’ll be encouraged to get through the entire alphabet.
  4. car, 2Breakfast Bar. Lately, we have all been eating our breakfast in the car. This is not something that I want to get accustomed to but there are some mornings when we just don’t have the time to all sit down at the table. The night before I know will be a busy next day, I will put my kids’ breakfast in little snack bowls and get their cups filled up and in the fridge so that I can just pull everything out in the morning. Think dry cereal, granola bars, yogurt drinks, muffins, and fruit. If you want a low-key commute in the morning that doesn’t involve a lot of screaming, yelling and whining, food is always the answer. Always. This is also true for the car ride home. Make sure you have snacks in your glove box at all times. Kids are always “starving” when they get of school and there’s nothing quite like a satisfied child and a full belly to get you guys geared up for the after-school shenanigans of playing outside, homework, dinner and bedtime.
  5. Encouraging Phone Calls. As I said earlier, I sometimes use my commute time to make phone calls. What I didn’t say is that I am specific about who I call during that time. Ever heard the phrase, “Little ears are listening?” That’s right. Your kids are super close to you in the car and can hear what you’re saying even when you think they can’t or even when you assume they are not paying attention. I am intentional about this part of my day which is why I usually call my grandmother. I want my kids to hear me speaking words of encouragement into her ear just as much as I want them seeing me being poured into by her words of wisdom.car, 1Embrace the car ride for what it is; something you have no control over and the next season of your life for which you can choose to turn into something productive. Get yourself ready for tomorrow’s car ride. It’s going to be a good one!
M Ruffing

Headshot photo of Meagan by Lazer Lee Photography

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist, speaker, and author. Her debut book, “I See You,” will be available this September. This will be Meagan’s second year as a car line mom and she intends to add new tips and tricks to this list to help her with the hustle and bustle of early morning drives. To sign up for her free parenting newsletter, visit www.meaganruffing.com and be sure to say hello on Facebook at writermeaganruffing and join her group, “Overwhelmed to In Control” where she talks about all things mothering.