The Mom Crowd

Do you remember that scene in the beginning of the movie Parenthood (it came out in 1989 and if you haven’t seen it since you became a parent you totally should because it is really funny) where the Buckmans are driving home from a baseball game and their oldest son is singing, “when you’re sliding into first and you’re feeling something burst, diarrhea, diarrhea…“? It is a very catchy tune and funny, of course. It is one that all kids are sure to love.

But is it funny when your kids come home from school or a friends house and sing it to you? Are you like me–do you secretly hope that your kids will never learn cuss words or say things like, “I’m going to kill you!” or “Mom, can I have a toy gun because so-and-so has this really cool one at their house and I want one too.” (Things my kids have learned from other kids.) What about when your kid learns to hit others because that is what he/she sees other children doing? What do you do when your kids are influenced (by what you see as negative behavior) by other kids? What is the best way to respond?

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A few weeks ago, The Mom Crowd was given some products from “Raggs“, a program now showing on public television.  I was told it was a fun, lively, educational show that pre-school children would love.  So I tried it out on my daughter Lucy.  It didn’t take long for her to find it completely mesmerizing, and within a day, I started hearing the request, “Watch Raggs?” 

Raggs is a rock & roll loving dog, whose friends (Trilby, B. Max, Pido, and Razzles) are in his band.  When they’re not performing for scads of jumping children, they’re hanging out in Raggs’ clubhouse talking about all kinds of topics, like jobs and friendship.  The show is sweet, colorful, and physical.  There are segments that invite the kids to join in on dances and other movements, as well as montage videos of real people, like what you’d see on “Sesame Street”.

Overall, I have not found “Raggs” to be as irritating as other childrens’ shows (which shall remain unnamed).  Lucy loves it and talks about the characters all the time.  She likes her Raggs coloring book and the stickers that came with it.  It won’t be long before I’m sure to hear her singing the familiar Raggs tunes.

Here is a video of the Raggs Kids Club Band singing “What’s the Dealio?” 

You can also check out these links for more information:

Series Overview

Online activities for the kids

How to find Raggs on tv where you live

Have you seen Raggs?  What are your impressions?  Do your kids like it?

Have you ever been sitting on the floor playing with your little one and felt bored or lonely? I know I have. I consider myself an outgoing person. I have plenty of friends. My husband is even a work at home dad and I still get lonely and bored at home.

I know I can call my friends and set something up. We have to coordinate naps and schedules and let the stars align. Also, on a selfish level I struggle with the thoughts “I always initiate,” and “Why can’t someone call me for once?” Whenever a friend does ask me for a play date I always try to say yes just because I am so happy they asked.

When I first came home I coordinated a mass play date with almost every stay at home mom I knew. It seemed to go okay but no one really seemed interested in continuing the group, so I didn’t try to keep it going.

The internet and blogs keep me going everyday. I am so thankful for having a blog to share my thoughts on parenting and to meet other moms. However, there is still something about seeing a friend or anyone in real life that meets a need on a different level. The grocery clerks that know my daughter by name don’t count.

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SAHM is the internet savvy way of saying “Stay-at- Home-Mom.” Stay-at-home Moms choose for many reasons to stay home with their children. For some, the costs of childcare outweigh the income made if the mom worked outside the home. Other moms are miserable working their 9-5 job and are looking for a change of pace. Other moms choose to forego the workforce so they can spend that time with their children. No matter the reason, there are millions of women who are SAHM.

Ask any SAHM and you’ll receive a laundry list of job titles she holds. Childcare worker, teacher, taxi driver, facilities manager, short-order cook, laundry attendant, janitor, counselor, CEO, entertainer, personal stylist, administrative assistant, accounting clerk, nurse, plumber, automotive mechanic, and cake decorator are only a few of her job titles.

While there is no monetary compensation or typical work benefits like 401k’s or sick leave, there are a lot of satisfying rewards in being a SAHM. The obvious include being there with your children for every milestone, boo-boo, and story time. The not so obvious (and somewhat selfish) benefits include, having breaks for yourself when the kids are napping, all day pajama days, and a more flexible schedule (unless Connor is your child, requiring you to be home for his 9:00am and 1:00pm naps because he is too cool to sleep in the car. LOL!)

The hardest part of being a SAHM for me is that I have three bosses (my husband, Darah, and Connor) who do not always synchronize their job assignments for their lowly slave me. Even with the most supportive of husbands, sometimes he will expect things of me that are just not possible depending on the mood of the day. Some days are very laid back and I’m able to shorten my to-do list. Other days are so chatoic and I’m unable to accomplish anything! These days may include a sick child, a child who won’t nap but desperately needs one, or a child who takes off his poopy diaper and smears it all over his crib. The “more flexible” schedule comes at the cost of having to be on call of untimely events.

I found this article which outlines four things every SAHM needs to know. These four things include:

1. Be proud of what you do.
2. Keep in touch with friends.
3. Stay organized.
4. Get in touch with your creative side.

What are your days like? Do you find your job as a SAHM harder or easier than when you worked?

Darah and Connor are into everything! They’re incredibly nosy and love snooping in trashcans, couch cushions, and cabinets. When we went on vacation, I knew I was going to have to be a few steps ahead of them if I didn’t want to constantly be saying, “don’t touch that,” “put that down,” “out of your mouth,” “leave that door shut,” “honey, can you please keep that away from him?” Taking a few extra moments to plan for the very un-baby proofed hotel room we were going to be staying at worked to everyone’s advantage.

Baby Level

• Get down at your baby’s level and crawl around your entire hotel room looking for choking hazards, sharp edges, or anything that may be dangerous for your child. You’d be surprised at the odd things left behind from the previous guests in your room under the beds, in the chair cushion, and in the drawers. If you have a child who can open doors, bring along a couple of doorknob covers.

Duct tape

• Duct tape will seriously be your best ali in baby proofing your hotel room. Cover outlets, tape up cables and cords, keep those closet doors that don’t have latches shut, and latch those drawers shut all with duct tape!

Balconies and Windows

• Make sure that your child cannot open the door to your balcony and that the window coverings do not pose a danger to your curious child. Cords hanging from the blinds can be extremely dangerous, so make sure they are not in your child’s reach

Restraint

• Make sure you call ahead and request a crib for your child to sleep in, or pack your pack-and-play. My three year old is in a big-girl bed, however we made sure she had a pack-and-play crib to sleep in at night. Not only did this keep my children safe at night, it also served as a great time-out for my three year old when she was acting naughty.

Bath-time

• I brought my own comet and sponge to clean the bathtub out for my kids. You don’t have to be that crazy like me, however you do need to make sure you keep an eye on the bathwater temperature! Hotels sometimes do not set their water heaters to the same level yours is at home, and so the water can get extremely hot very fast!

Common Sense

• Never leave your child alone. You can take all the precautions you want, but you will never have a completely baby proofed room. Don’t forget the lock the deadbolt on your door as well to keep anyone with access to your room OUT!

What baby proofing tricks do you use when you’re on vacation?