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EP 78: Stuck Inside
2k Plays1 year ago
It’s one of those days—you’re stuck inside with the toddlers, and the energy is building. Whether it’s bad weather, a sick day, or just life, being indoors all day can feel like a marathon. In this episode, we’re diving into how to make the most of it with creative activities, sanity-saving strategies, and mindset shifts that will help you thrive, even when chaos is brewing.
We share our favorite go-to activities to burn energy (hello, obstacle courses and dance parties), quick craft ideas that don’t require a trip to the store, and how to keep toddlers entertained without losing your mind. We’re also spilling on what NOT to do—because let’s be real, we’ve all learned a few lessons the hard way.
But it’s not just about keeping the kids busy. We’re tackling the mental side of long days indoors and sharing mindset shifts that can transform the way you approach the chaos. From letting go of perfection to embracing the small, meaningful moments, this episode is packed with actionable tips and laughs along the way.
What We Cover in This Episode:
- Easy, mess-free indoor activities your toddlers will actually enjoy.
- Creative ways to burn energy without stepping outside.
- Common mistakes parents make on indoor days (and how to avoid them).
- Sanity-saving strategies to keep you grounded.
- Powerful mindset shifts to help you embrace the ups and downs of parenthood.
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Transcript
Introduction & Snow Day Adventures
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Oh, we're gonna get into it. What up, my little snow angels? My name is Candace, and I'm here with my best friend, Whitney, and this is the Mom Group Chat podcast. Oh, that was so cute. Hi. I'm jealous of all the snow content. You know, it was the perfect snow weekend because the roads weren't scary. So it was like you could still get out, you could still get your food in like sustinances delivered to you while also having a full on snow weekend, so. it looked like you were in like the mountains. I was like, what? You were like sledding and I just, it was so cute. I love when we get to have snow here. It happens like we usually get one good one a year in Tennessee and I feel like this was the good one. um And now that we live in this new house and have all these trees in the backyard, I was like, are we in the woods?
00:01:07
Speaker
It's like, I'm in Vermont, this is so cool. Well, that's what I was gonna say. Something about your like content from the week, like with your new house and like the woods in the back, I don't know, it was giving, it was giving Northeast. It was giving- Well, and I think the pool not having a tarp over it, it was like hot tub looking, kind of. It was like, should I, I was like, do I jump in? Even though I know, I would definitely- Okay, polar plunge. Titanic freezing. But it was like tempting. You're like, oh, I wish that was a hot tub right now, but.
00:01:45
Speaker
It was really fun. um Oh my gosh. It was so cute. Margo with her giant gloves. I don't know why that was making me tackle every time. You and about 15 other people wrote me. and They were like, Margo's hands. and mcckenzie I think it was Mackenzie. She's like giving NBA basketballs. Literally.
00:02:07
Speaker
It made me laugh so hard because they did look giant, but um that is going to be one of my tips for today. And I'm going to just say it right now. Like we got grating gloves at like the finger gloves because we're going to be going skiing in February. So we're like, we're going to get them like gloves, glove gloves, don't just get mittens. Like they do not understand the concept of separating their fingers. So you just got to get them the mitten kind and not the cotton one, obviously, which was our mistake this weekend um because we got great in the finger one and we got Mario, the mittens, great and hated it. So he got the mittens. She got the cotton one. So, oh, you know, it was cute. Those funny. ah
00:02:52
Speaker
yeah they Yeah, they looked so cute and I look like you guys had so much fun and you told me the attacks that you were like meeting new neighbors, doing some some snowy boozing. I'm jealous.
00:03:04
Speaker
You know, so Candace and I were gonna record last week and then, you know, it snowed and all the stuff. So like Friday, basically, I mean, I worked on Friday. Thank God, Chris got put on pager. So he got to stay home. I don't know how I would have worked if without him. Like it was, I was so busy on Friday. Like he was like, why are you working so much? I'm like, Chris, it is Friday. You know, it's not a snow day for me. He was like, oh yeah.
00:03:33
Speaker
He was like, oh, my gosh, it was really funny, but I was so busy, but um ah it was still like so fun. And we did get to meet. We finally met neighbors with kids. So that was great. yay yeah yeah How old are they today? Where they run?
00:03:49
Speaker
yeah Like they had some older kids, like um we met two neighbors. One of them has like this really nice playground that Chris and I have been stalking for them to come outside. We're like, when are they gonna come out? And they came out Sunday morning and we were like, oh, we gotta go. We were like getting dressed and went outside. um But they have like a 10 year old, they all they both had three kids. It was like 10, six, three, like on both sides. okay One of them had all boys, one had boy, girl, girl. So um they were both really cute, both super nice. I was like, thank goodness, like we met somebody. Yeah. Yeah. No, I feel like it takes a little bit when you move into a new neighborhood. It's like you kind of got to get the lay of the land and you got to like scope everyone out from afar and then slowly
00:04:42
Speaker
Well, we moved at such a weird time like Thanksgiving where like no one's out and then that was our chance was when we were all sledding and everyone's in like a good mood. you know so yeah It was perfect timing. um And the kids, like I anticipated being inside a lot, um but the kids really liked being outside, so we just stayed outside all weekend. And I also- Damn, okay, well that totally negates the theme of this episode. I know, I like wrote down all this stuff about being stuck inside with toddlers, anticipating that we would be, and then we ended up like
00:05:23
Speaker
yeah being gone or being outside like so many people came to our house I was like okay this was the quickest weekend ever I like was not anticipating that at all so okay well so there will be others in the storms or other storms in general where where you are stuck inside which yeah, if I was alone on Friday, I think that's what I was anticipating was all that planning was for Friday, me knowing that they were gonna be out of school and I had
Indoor Activities for Bad Weather
00:05:51
Speaker
to work. So like I had all these plans for when I was gonna be solo with them inside and then Chris ended up being off. So I didn't have to like do all that.
00:06:01
Speaker
Yeah, no, I hear you. And like I said, there will be a time where there is a storm that you're stuck inside. Like I know for us, it's more so during hurricane season or when it's so hot outside that like being outside is literally not an option. Unless you're at the pool. Unless you're at the pool, you know. yeah ah So yeah, I don't know. Well, this that's kind of the theme of this episode. If you haven't caught on, we're going to talk about like being stuck inside with kids, what to do, what not to do. And hopefully it will help you guys get through those harder days.
Whitney's Getaway to Melbourne
00:06:38
Speaker
But I want to hear about your weekend though. Oh, okay. So Vinny and I took a little couples getaway to a bed and breakfast in Melbourne, Florida. So random, but that's where John's from. I know I was so funny. I was talking while we were there. We were like.
00:06:57
Speaker
especially when we went out to dinner the first night, we were definitely at like a local, I don't even know how to explain it. It was like a kind of beach bar, but it wasn't on the beach. It was definitely like a place where families go to like after a sports game. Do you know what I mean?
00:07:12
Speaker
Yeah, so there were all these like parents i was there with at least for me growing up that represent the middle of the state. It was like it was like it was it was not a chain. I don't think I don't know. It was so it was called Long Dog Long Doggers. It had a I know very strange, but the food was so good and it was like seafood bar food kind of. It was really yummy.
00:07:39
Speaker
But anyways, there were all these like families there with kids like who definitely like just came from a basketball game or something. you know And Vinny and I were talking about like what it would be like to grow up in Melbourne, Florida. like Neither of us. And I said to him, I was like, I only know one person from Melbourne, Florida. like yeah And I don't even know that person anymore. like He was someone I knew in college. you know but ah Yeah, I don't know. It was just, we we we were so curious about what it would be like to grow up there. Cause it's kind of like a little beach town. I think he surfed a lot. Yeah. It's a surf like surf cause it's on the Atlantic. Um, but anyways, we went to this this little beg and breakfast and I want to shout it out because it is so cute and quaint. It's very like old Florida. How did you find that?
00:08:29
Speaker
Okay. So this whole thing happened because Vinnie's company, after the hurricanes, they like gifted us seven nights at a hotel. They were trying to like help us out in the moment, which we couldn't like leave our home at the time. We had all this stuff. We were waiting on flood adjusters and stuff. So they told us we could use them at any time, like whenever we needed space or like whatever.
00:08:52
Speaker
So we split and they told us we could split them up. So this was two of the nights of our seven nights. And I had searched like best, like adult getaway or like chill, nice getaway.
00:09:09
Speaker
And I didn't want to do like a big Marriott hotel. I don't know. I just wanted something like more quaint. Yeah. And this is like number two on the list of like best bed and breakfast in Florida. It's called port, and I'm going to freaking butcher this. I meant to ask before we left how to pronounce it. It's like, definitely like French. It's like port, court ah poor port, port, port, port. I think is a how you say it.
00:09:34
Speaker
I don't know if anyone's curious message me. Um, but it is, it was so cute and quaint and like very old Florida. It was across the street from the beach. We walked on the beach Saturday morning. We just had like the chillest day. And then obviously they serve breakfast every morning from eight to 10 and you can have it in your room or go to the main house and eat it. And then every day from five to six, they have happy art with hors d'oeuvres and beer and wine. So we did that every day. And it was just so.
00:10:03
Speaker
nice and chill um Yeah, I don't know. It was just such a nice weekend. Um, so I literally can't, I can't wait to go back. We've already said we kind of want to make it a tradition like that ah first weekend and in
Wedding Memories & Social Dynamics
00:10:21
Speaker
January. That's the other thing. The other reason we planned it around this time is like, it's our wedding anniversary. yeah Um, we got married on January 8th. So it's very confusing because technically we got married on June 6th, but.
00:10:34
Speaker
That's an episode for another day. Your big hoorah was in January. Right. Big wedding was January. It was so fun. It was so fun. I was reminiscing on it the other day. I was like, God, that was I had a fun wedding. i love fun I love watching that video, and I'm not in it.
00:10:54
Speaker
Where are you? Because I just danced the whole time. like You couldn't you couldn't catch me. I was like a leprechaun. and I was on the stage. I was on the ground. I was doing cartwheels. Like I was having the time of my life because I went alone. This was like high covid times. Chris was working. He was like, I don't know, nervous going in and out of hospitals. I can't remember. Yeah. I mean, we got married January 8th of 2021, okay? Like, and don't come for me. I know COVID was a big deal. It was like the beginning of vaccinations. Everyone tested before we went. I mean, i don't I don't need, I hopefully don't need to explain myself at this point. No one caught COVID from my wedding, okay?
00:11:35
Speaker
by but it was yeah I came by myself and I had the time of my life oh my god well I think a lot of people felt like that it was like the everyone's first social thing back so that's why it ended up being like so such a party I think because everyone just ready to let loose. We were like finally like I get to like mingle with people and like since um Candace and I I mean we've known each other for a long time like I know a lot of her friends so it felt like yeah just such a fun party for me as well not to make your wedding about me but I was having so much fun. We had so much fun. Also our DJ was so good I stand by that it was he was so good and like
00:12:19
Speaker
Don't get me wrong. I love bands, but I love a DJ. I mean, you can't go wrong with either, in my opinion. Yeah. and Like one of my favorite memories from that night. We have this really fun friend, Alina Alina. Why do I always say their names? I guess because I have to have an eleina and you have an eina Alina Alina. OK.
00:12:39
Speaker
Good Lord. um So she was probably one of our wilder friends in college, right? And so she she had had a baby like recently at this wedding. um And so she was kind of like, I'm a mom now. like ida won't I don't do this stuff anymore. And we were like, OK. And the next thing I know, she has one of those glow sticks. They were like huge. And she is on stage with the band. And I was like, that's the girl I know and love.
00:13:09
Speaker
And she's like, I'm a mom! This is so funny. She texted me recently, like drunkenly, and was like, Jordan just cried to me when we were talking about your wedding and how it changed his life. Why? And it like reminded him to live again after COVID. She was like, literally he was sobbing about your wedding.
00:13:34
Speaker
but I was like, okay. Well, I mean, it was scary time. I felt like it was, I don't know. It was just such a good time. And like that wedding probably wouldn't happen. I mean, you know, Florida is like a little bit of a free for all. So that wedding probably wouldn't happen at any other state, but And we had a party, a pre-party at your house the day before. It just was like a long, great little weekend. Me and you and Shannon went and got spray tans one night. And y'all, I like did the Versa. I was like, cheap as shit. And y'all got like the body spray tan. And they were like, would you like abs and stuff? It was so funny. Like all these fun memories. but You literally also just reminded me. I was thinking the other day, I
Surgery Recovery & Cautious Outdoor Activities
00:14:18
Speaker
was like, how
00:14:19
Speaker
I've been doing this new thing this year of like what's one thing I can do this week to like make like do something for myself. And this week it's definitely um and my nails. I'm missing two nails. But I was thinking of like future things and I was like, I think one of those things is going to be a custom spray tan. Just so like I would feel like a brand new person.
00:14:40
Speaker
It's funny, this girl I follow on Instagram, she lives here in Nashville, but I think they just left for the Bahamas. There's this picture of her on the plane and all of a sudden, she's so tan. I was like, wait, she looks so good. I was like, God, it's the spray tan. It works every time. It makes you look so good. If you need to pick me up in the winter, spray tan. I was going to say, nothing can make me act different more than a spray tan.
00:15:11
Speaker
The confidence is through the roof. Literally. i i'm the pale I'm so pale right now. I had to use it my like palest ah shade of foundation this morning. But for me, oh wait well yeah. I'm like, for me though, is it weird if I get one? Like, I feel like in Florida, yeah, it makes sense for you. But if I'm not going anywhere, like, oh, Whitney, you just showed up to the office.
00:15:35
Speaker
i'm looking so tan in her turtleneck. I mean literally those women in Utah get spray tans like every week. But is it try hard? I don't know. All I do is sit at home. Like what am I doing? I'm just doing it for the office.
00:15:51
Speaker
I mean, you're just doing it for you, you know? I know. I need an excuse. Someone invite me somewhere to a party. ok you know don't yeah Should I have a party? Yeah. um I definitely wouldn't do it till you're... ah Wait, hold on. We need ah an update on your surgery slash incision. Oh, that's true.
00:16:14
Speaker
I'm doing great. Cause we haven't recorded since surgery, right? No. Um, it was so funny. Like everyone was texting me the second day and like I was updating like day of second day and I was feeling like great. I was like, did it even happen? And then like days three through five took me out. I was like, okay, I'm sore. I literally can't bend over. I think I did too much like that second day. Yeah. Because I was feeling so good after the drugs and shit. But, um,
00:16:47
Speaker
yeah Days three through five, I was not feeling great, but I also think I caught like a little cold from the kids. like I was so lethargic and the kids had been sick prior, so I was like, I just i don't know if this is like coming off of anesthesia or if I just feel this way because of my kids. um so Just that on top of, I don't know, being um unable to do a ton of stuff. like yeah But from henceforth, I've been great. like I have my two week checkup Wednesday.
00:17:21
Speaker
um And I think it's all good. Yeah, it was easy. Oh, good. Good, good, good. I've been picking up Margo, not Graydon. The doctor said it should be fine because it was so small. So, um, yeah, I didn't go sledding or anything. I didn't like risk my life and try and open up my belly button again. But, um, I just you know little red bumble coming through your belly but i stood on the wing and watched everyone sled and have fun. But I was outside and whatever.
00:17:53
Speaker
Whitney, did you know that I am 34 years old and I have never sled ever. What do you mean? We never did it when we were in Tahoe. I'd never ever have been sledding. And when I, when we went to Canada with Vinnie's family, I was seven months pregnant with Alice. Like they were like, you cannot go sledding. So I have never been sledding.
00:18:16
Speaker
Oh, well, i mean it's kind of like skiing. i mean You're just sitting. It's fun. Yes, but that sounds way nicer than skiing because I love to sit.
00:18:28
Speaker
I mean, it is fun, I guess, like if you have a good hill. you know like Growing up, my parents backed up to a golf course, so like the world was my oyster. I loved sledding at my house. We would like make ramps, whatever. Here, i'll it's okay. It's great for the three-year-old. I don't know that hill on your Instagram. I was like, damn. No, looking no girl, that ain't nothing. Is it an optical illusion?
00:18:57
Speaker
I mean, it's a hill, but ah it's not like what I grew up on. It's it's good for the three year old. It's not good for like us. We would get like I see what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:09
Speaker
um Yeah, we'll have to do that. Yeah. One of our trips to Tahoe, hopefully. ah When are we going? um We talked about it this weekend. We'll have to talk about that. Oh,
Exploring the Oura Ring & Its Features
00:19:20
Speaker
yeah. yeah yeah Other small update is I got an aura ring for Christmas. Oh, yeah. Tell me. So, OK, first of all, these are so fucking expensive. Like, I don't know. i the The gold.
00:19:37
Speaker
Which is like, obviously I wear mostly gold jewelry. in The gold was like $150 more than the silver. Oh, and how much are they? Like if I was going to get a gold one, it was like $450. They're so expensive. So anyways, I ended up going with the silver because it was like two 75 or something.
00:19:59
Speaker
And I was like, I don't even know that I like it that much. Like, I don't know if I'm going to like it or if it's worth it. So my thing was I'm going to get a silver one and wear it for a year or two or a year. And if I like it, then I'll upgrade and like get the gold one. I've only been wearing it for like a day and a half.
00:20:17
Speaker
But the, and last night's sleep was like weird. Alice woke up in the middle of the night for some reason and just, okay, I don't know if Graydon does this. Alice has been doing this thing where she's, she doesn't like how her covers are laying like her blankets.
00:20:36
Speaker
And she wakes up screaming in the middle of the night saying, mommy, mommy. And then I walk in there and she's like, Mike, my blankets are moving. That's what she says. I'm like, okay, calm down. You kicked them off, Alice. Come on. Like, yeah. So I have to go in there and I have to like relay her blankets. I'm like, Jesus Christ, child. Honestly.
00:20:55
Speaker
Um, anyways, so it's interesting to see the stats. So I'll keep you guys updated on how I'm liking it. We did go for a walk yesterday and I did like how it like auto tracked and then after that's cool.
00:21:08
Speaker
Yeah. Like after I could just go in there and categorize what it was and it would like fix the stats based on me, like clarifying for them, yeah which I thought was interesting. So I don't know. We'll see. Like for me, it would think I was running cause my heart rate was so high, but I'm just walking. Well, it's funny because the walk, we did like a 45 minute walk yesterday and it said.
00:21:33
Speaker
It auto categories it as cycling and I was like, no, I am walking. So I but because i was holding i was pushing the stroller. I don't know. i mean Yeah. you You weren't swinging. Oh my God. I used to be so into fitness. Wow. How times have changed. and Um, that's okay.
00:21:53
Speaker
I have had the Apple Watch literally since 2014 and I remember but getting it before a Disney trip and I have not just switched to anything else. I used to have something that tracked my sleep and for me it was like, I didn't like knowing. I based my mood off of knowing how much sleep I got. I was like, I'm gonna have a shit day because I got six hours, 45 minutes. like Oh, I got not great sleep and it would tell me and I'd wake up and be like, well, I have to have like a nap or I have to catch up. Like it made me like overanalyze a little bit. And I also see like you're wearing it on your pointer finger. How's that going? I was going to say it takes getting used to, especially because I
00:22:44
Speaker
I'm actually like not really a jewelry person. Me neither. i When I get home, like i want to take the first thing I want to do is take all my jewelry off. like The girls who can sleep in necklaces and stuff, I could never be me. like I'm not going to lie, like even last night when I was wearing it to sleep, like I was hyper-aware of it all night. um So we'll see. I think that I will get used to it. It doesn't feel uncomfortable yeah by any means.
00:23:11
Speaker
Um, but it definitely like is going to take some getting used to. So we'll see. I know. I think that's the thing holding me back is that everyone wears it on their point of finger because like Olivia like raves about it and she, cause we talk a lot about it. And, um, a lot of girls in my group have gotten it.
00:23:29
Speaker
But it's like for me, I don't know if I want it on my pointer finger. I think that would aggravate the shit out of me and the fact that it's thick. I was going to say it's definitely like not the cutest. Well, it's like a man's wedding band. Yeah, totally. If it was yeah that's the other thing that I.
00:23:45
Speaker
to just for clarification here, I got, I didn't get the brand. There's a brand new one that is supposedly thinner and less annoying, but that one's like $600 and I'm, I'm sorry. I don't have $600 to blow right now. And I just, I didn't know if I was going to like it. So I bought the older generation, which is a little bit thicker. So that's the other thing I was I said is like if I wear this and I like it I'll in a year I'll upgrade to the newer thinner one that's like more expensive once I know I like it I just the same as you like I wasn't sure if I was gonna like the way it felt on my hand you know I do so I do think it is very interesting like how it does ovulation tracking yeah that like the other thing so freaking cool like if I was trying to get pregnant again like I think that would
00:24:36
Speaker
definitely like instigate me buying it. But since I'm not, I'm like, okay, I have the watch. like I'll just stick with that. Unless like something else, or it gets, I'll try it at some point probably. I can't say no to technology. like That's so fun. But um yeah, I think if you were like ovulation tracking, working out, like doing all those things, then yeah, it would be like way more appetizing to me,
Creative Indoor Activities for Kids
00:24:59
Speaker
I think. Yeah, totally. No, I totally get that.
00:25:02
Speaker
All right, should we switch into today's topic? Let's switch. OK, so you kind of already hinted at this, but I'm just going to like recap. So you guys were outside for most of the time.
00:25:16
Speaker
Yeah, but I wrote down all the things that I, well, and we did some of these things, but like we wrote down when you are stuck inside with your toddlers, with your with your one-year-old um things to do if it's snowing, storming, like if your spouse isn't there and you can't get outside, you know? um Activities to do when you wanna take up time. All right, let's hear him.
00:25:44
Speaker
Okay, so number one rule, which you kind of stated last time, is just plan ahead. So if you know this day is coming, get your activities in order. Something about like having planned times, almost like a teacher, like, okay, we're gonna leave the house from eight to nine and then come back and have a snack and then da, da, da, da.
00:26:07
Speaker
Um, so just having a plan, having your, your, um, crafts, if you're doing crafts, like having that all together the night before. It's just going to save your sanity. Totally. Um, so the first one being snow painting. And I got this idea from our friend is you fill a water bottle with food coloring and then you go and spray the snow and you can like make smiley faces and um kind of like pretend paint in the snow. Wait, that is so smart. Isn't that fun? um And you can do it like if you build a snowman, you can start like spraying it and do like tie dye snowman. So it just depends. We only have one spray bottle and um we didn't have any food coloring, but that was like the one thing I did want to try. I was like, that's going to be so cute. But.
00:26:59
Speaker
That is such a cute idea, honestly. Yeah. um So that being first, but you do have to get outside for that one. Yeah, but that's okay. I think honestly, like something that you are reminding me is like sometimes with kids and like hard days like this, it's so easy as a mom to be like, Oh, that's such a hassle. Like I don't want to get them all bundled up to go outside, but sometimes like that effort like is worth it in the long run. And you just kind of got to get through that. Like.
00:27:32
Speaker
Like, yes, is bundling the kids up and getting all the winter gear out. Like, is that ah annoying a little bit? But like, ultimately it's going to give you so much time. I also read this statistic about how getting outside in super cold air regulates nervous systems. Have you seen that?
00:27:49
Speaker
No, and they say that getting and in temperatures like 40 or below that you, it like automatically regulates the central nervous system. So your kids are more regulated outside. That's why like people in Norway, like, the like let their babies sleep outside and stuff.
00:28:09
Speaker
which i totally get like it was pretty cold here last night and vinny and i went on a walk and i was feeling pretty anxious i just had the sunday scaries and i swear to god after that walk and being in the cold air i felt so much better just a walk i just a walk calms you down every time i love a walk um But yeah, being outside, it wasn't like terribly freezing. And i we have all the gear um just from like Tahoe, thank God. like So then Margo got to wear all the stuff that Graydon wore in Tahoe. We got Graydon new stuff because we're going skiing um in February. So um we had the gear and we laid all that out the night before. And like that part doesn't bother me. I think the rule of thumb with going outside is how however long it takes you to get your kids dressed,
00:28:56
Speaker
that's the goal you should set for staying outside. So if it takes you 20 minutes, be outside for 20 minutes. If they start complaining, just stay outside, like make it worth your time and their time. But you know, they end up having fun at some point. And um yeah, they might cry. Yeah, they get cold. Yeah, their hands get cold, whatever. But um we just made them stay out there. ah So the second one being,
00:29:23
Speaker
which this was fun, we did do this, is like building a a fort, which we have this new tent that we got for Christmas. I'll post about it. It's from Gather. It is so cute. And it's massive. like It doesn't look massive, but then once you're in there, you're like, actually, like I could sleep in there.
00:29:39
Speaker
um So you build a fort with blankets around it and then we created a fake fire in there and we got flashlights and did stories. So that was really like a warm and cozy fun thing. Did it last forever? No. no great Great and liked it. Great and liked it a little more. Margot's like rambunctious right now. um But she really likes stories. So she'll sit in your lap and kind of like flip the pages and she thinks everyone's data in the book. So she's like, data, data, data.
00:30:08
Speaker
but um So we did that, um another being obstacle course, which Do you remember? Oh, wins every time. Classic. Honestly, classic. It's every, when I looked up things for this episode, like obstacle course was on every list. Which is not just like, not just floor is lava. We're going under chairs. We're like going through tubes. Like we are making this as difficult as possible. And I like this. You could do this indoors, out or outdoors. yeah Like it's an indoor outdoor activity. Yep.
00:30:45
Speaker
Yeah, um speaking of, we had friends that tried to build like forts and igloos with the snow outside and they were like, it was way harder than I thought. I was like, yeah, you definitely need like some sticks and shit to like help with that.
00:31:00
Speaker
Did you ever watch Winter House? Well, yeah. Do you remember when Luke built that igloo? I was um i was so impressed. He like built a photo. He like knew everything about how to build an igloo. It was insane. I wonder if he goes like ice fishing and has to do that. He definitely does. He seems like that kind of guy. You know, he just disappeared and I like didn't care. I know.
00:31:26
Speaker
Yeah, I didn't really care for him. There was something about him that was like kind of try hard. I don't know. It's the guitar for me. Get out. It's the Wonderwall constantly just just put it up. No one wants you to bust that out at the end of the night. Kind of shit. Sorry for yeah anyone whose husband does that, but.
00:31:49
Speaker
I can't stand it. Well, now that was one of the things I loved about Barbie was that call out of like calling out all the guys with the guitar. It's so funny. Oh, oh, God. I was going to say, OK, oh, oh, one more thing. All right. I'm thinking of Southern Charm now. Have you been watching it? Yep.
00:32:10
Speaker
ah I was like that Molly girl was like in the first two episodes and then she disappeared and I totally forgot about her like it's so funny how they do a be testing on like if you care about a character or not and you don't even realize that they're doing that and I was like I don't care about her her her storyline wasn't that fantastic is that the the model girl yeah yeah I wasn't wild about her. No, actually, it's like decided they got that other chicken that used to date Shep. And so it was like they're testing like which character is the audience like more into, you know, so it's so funny. i'm a little I think I'm more intrigued by the second girl. What's her name? Yeah, because she dated Taylor's. She's more. She seems more in the fold. Mm hmm. I don't know.
00:33:00
Speaker
Anyway, I just thought that that was like interesting that they're like doing that anyway. Um, okay. So next being like baking, of course, like if you want to like so do a pizza from scratch, if you want to bake cookies from scratch. So those types of things, which is a very winter activity, which sounds usually sounds more fun than it is. Um,
00:33:24
Speaker
then ah this is pretty much it. But FaceTiming calling your family, take up 20 minutes. How was your day in the snow? That's a good one. that's a good you know um We started this thing that ends up killing a lot of the time of the call. and Alice is in this phase where she likes to hold the phone and like be in charge. and she has now doing She likes to do like show and tell on FaceTime. She'll take the phone and go and like show toys or she'll show the craft she made.
00:33:58
Speaker
Honestly, that's a great hot tip. It'll kill 15, 20 minutes of the call. Did you show and tell? Honestly, yeah. Hot tip. That, um and then lastly being, if your kids can sit and watch TV, doing like a movie, um movie time, or making it like a ah snow themed movie, if you're stuck with the snow. Candace. I'm sorry. I got a cough too. I'm struggling. Every time I cough, so since my kids like gave me this tiny bug, I have like a smoker's cough. It's like, yeah.
00:34:37
Speaker
Um, yeah, just do it. Oh, hold on. Oh, I have this annoying post nasal drip that has been constant for a month. You've had it forever. Oh my God. Two months. I swear to God. I feel like you've had it this November. I just ended up asking Vinnie's dad, like what the fuck can I do? Because it's out of control. He told me I need to be taking allergy meds every single day.
00:35:07
Speaker
Yeah, I've got that z a lot, bro. It like sends me into these coughing fits. It's so annoying. I'm sorry. You're my little coffer.
00:35:24
Speaker
OK, that's it. And if I have a couple. Oh, my God, I'm sorry. Oh, no, it's OK. One thing is I feel like this is a common thing with like kids things, but sensory bins. I feel like I feel like Instagram has a tendency to like glamorize and over complicate the sensory bins.
00:35:49
Speaker
I'm telling you, I have done this with Alice, where I just dump a bunch of dry pasta that I have in my pantry up to a Tupperware bin and I let her scoop with a spoon into a pot and like pretend to cook. That's all you have to do. And it will take up 20, 30 minutes. I'm telling you. um I might do that tonight. Margot's in that like Margot's in that phase where she likes to take things out, put it back in, take it out, put it back in. So.
00:36:17
Speaker
She would love that then. okay And then the other thing, which my girls are very, very into is dance parties and karaoke parties. Alice got a karaoke machine for Christmas and I am raising a future pop star. so The girl is obsessed with karaoke and dance parties. And I feel like when you're stuck inside all day, like getting out physical energy is so important. yeah And so those obstacle courses, the dance parties, the whatever, like those physical things are so important to like burn it all off, you know? Sure. I need to do that. Okay. And then I have a list of what not to do.
00:37:06
Speaker
And this isn't specific in
Avoiding Over-Scheduling & Embracing Imperfection
00:37:08
Speaker
the way of like, don't do blah, blah, blah. I don't know. It's it's more of like. general I don't know I don't know what I'm saying I'll just dive right into it okay first things first over packing the day with activities if you try to schedule like every minute with back-to-back like crafts and games and projects like it's gonna lead to burnout we for you and for them It's also not leaving any space for like them to go a little bit deeper into something that they're like really feeling, you know? Yeah. So like, okay. So like when I said earlier, like having sort of a schedule, keeping it loose, like yeah one activity in the morning, one in the afternoon, like we don't have to go crazy here. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, next.
00:38:03
Speaker
Expecting Pinterest perfect results. Okay. I feel like I learned this last year. If anyone was following me on Instagram last Christmas and I made those salt dough hand things, hardest craft of my life, honestly. And then I was so disappointed at how hard it was and how much time it took. And I was like disappointed in the result. And I feel like one of the things I've had to learn as a perfectionist and a mom is like,
00:38:34
Speaker
It's fine if something's not like beautiful and perfect. like Let them enjoy the mess. Let them like explore. It doesn't have to look exactly how I want. like It's not the end of the world. I tell myself that every time I'm coloring in the coloring book. It's hard. And then Graydon does one big ol' swoop in there and I'm like, God. Well, there went all my work.
00:38:59
Speaker
I know it's so yeah um okay the other one is giving too many options at once I have a really hard time with this because if I have a lot of things on the docket sometimes I'll just be like what do you want to do do you want to have a dance party do you want to play with dollies do you want to go outside like whatever like I've really i I've started to learn that like I can't give that many options at once she just gets like kerfuffled and yeah I can't answer. So I don't know. I think it's a good rule of thumb to just like stick to one activity at a time. And like they don't know what they don't know in the sense of like what you have planned for the day. yeah So just like guide them in the direction of like what you think is best to do in that moment.
00:39:49
Speaker
Yeah, I think of that in the terms, like that's what a teacher would do at school. like They already have the curriculum for the day. So it's either that or, I don't know, our our toddlers are at that age where choices are like a big deal to them. So maybe just giving them two and letting them pick. Yep, totally. OK, the next is underestimating the power of a break.
00:40:14
Speaker
And that is for the parents and for the child. Like if you are parenting this day with your partner or someone else or with another family, like try to schedule it to where like maybe you get 30 minutes of time to just like get dressed and like take a moment or watch a show in your room or whatever. And then alternate. If you guys both take, if you and your partner take breaks, you're going to be more like willing I don't know, to like dive in with the kids. You know, I want to do a break all day. I want to be on break all day. That's my favorite part is the break. I know.
00:41:05
Speaker
Let's see. Oh, this is a big one. This one says ignoring their mood. If they're clearly not in the mood for something, forcing it will just lead to frustration for everyone. So even if it's on your schedule and you wanted to do this craft or you wanted to do like this activity, if they don't seem into it, move on honestly, because forcing them to do something they don't want to do is just going to lead to temper tantrums and like meltdowns.
00:41:33
Speaker
The only exception to this is family pictures. Right. You will take that picture.
Conclusion & Craft Kit Recommendation
00:41:42
Speaker
Well, I think all that is makes sense. um These are great ideas. think The other thing we didn't really talk about this in the activity thing, but I think it's worth mentioning because we did mention like crafts. But but having some sort of simple craft is really fun and I want to shout out here a mom friend of mine Claudia who just started Chill Mom Craft Co and she creates these like craft kits and each month there's a new craft kit and it comes with four crafts you can do
00:42:19
Speaker
And she'll ship them to your house. And it's like the perfect amount of like it's the perfect amount of supplies. like You have enough supplies for that craft to finish it and like the instructions. And then that's it. like And I think that's what is so overwhelming and over-simulating about crafts. It's like getting out all of the supplies. And then you have to you have all this leftover paper and leftover googly eyes and leftover felt sticks or whatever. Yeah.
00:42:48
Speaker
the thought of getting like perfect amount of supplies just for this one craft. And you know how k crafts are with little ones like you're not going to do all four in one sitting like getting four of them a month. You can do one a week or something like that. So yeah I'll tag her um when I put this episode out because I just think that's brilliant idea. Yeah, that's so cute. I feel like there's so many times Alice brings home a cute craft from daycare and I'm like, oh,
00:43:18
Speaker
I should do things like this with her at home, but I don't have the medical capacity to plan on it. So that's why I like the little target packets, what they had for the holiday. And I think they have stuff that's out for Valentine's day where you can just grab it and it's all in the box. I'm like, perfect. That's our little Valentine craft. I love it. Yeah. know So smart. This was great. All right. Well, I love you. Stay warm out there guys. And stay sane.
00:43:46
Speaker
Bye. Bye. Thank you so much for being a part of our mom group chat. New episodes drop every Tuesday. And don't forget the group chat is blowing up on our Instagram page. So make sure you're following along over there. All right. Got to go. My toddler just put something in her mouth.