Connected parenting

DIY picture frame

May 22, 2016May 21, 2016by Sheridan JohnsonLeave a Comment

DIY picture frame

I remember back in the day, when I was in Elementary school, we made little picture frames out of popsicle sticks, and I wanted to re-create that with my little toddler!

Here are all of the supplies you will need:

crayons
popsicle sticks
beads of any sort
stickers/decorations
hot glue gun (to make sure it sticks as well)
a picture cut to fit the sticks

-First, I let Brielle color the sticks any colors she wanted (front and back)

-Next, I took the glue gun and glued all of the sticks together in the corners and added the beads on top with hot glue and then let that dry

-Then, I let Brielle place little stickers and decorations all around the sticks

-Finally, I let her help me cut the picture to the correct size, and I hot glued it to the back of the frame, let it dry, and it was complete

So easy, and so fun! Brielle and I used this craft as a learning time experience practicing colors, shapes, and improving her fine motor skills.

30 days, children, Connected parenting

Exploring your own weakness

February 9, 2016February 7, 2016by Sheridan JohnsonLeave a Comment

In the last and final section of this series of the 30 days towards connected parenting, Rachel talks about the importance of exploring your own weakness.

I think for Shane and I, we both have different weaknesses that we had to address, and face, head-on.

Sometimes there are things in life, or a marriage that are hard and difficult to talk about, so most people would just avoid them, instead of putting them out there and facing them. That can only last for so long, and I am glad that we were able to discuss this with each other, and the impact it has on our children.

A couple of our examples, were that Shane has a weakness for saying “yes” to anyone/anything. He didn’t realize the impact of his generosity and kindness to others was having on our family. He wasn’t spending as much time at home, he was putting us after others, and he didn’t even realize that sometimes he can say “no” to people, and not be afraid to hurt their feelings. He had to work on finding a happy medium that worked best for him and for our family, that we could both agree on.

Me, on the other hand, have the tendency to support every.single.organization/friend/charity, by donating big or small, and while I used to be able to do that without even blinking an eye because we were making so much more money, I didn’t realize that I continued to do it, even when I dramatically cut my hours to be a stay at home with Brielle during the week and only work weekends. Spending money is my weakness, and even while it was helping others, it was hurting our family financially so we came up a game plan of how much is “ok” to spend each month, and if I pick up extra shifts and we have extra, that it’s ok to help out as much as possible!

Both situations are completely different, but recognizing them and taking ownership of our own actions, can only help us in our future communicate better, and not be so afraid to address the weaknesses that lie within us!

This 30 day parenting definitely took me longer than 30 days to complete, but I am SO happy that we took the time/energy/effort into this, and I am LOVING the outcome!

30 days, Brielle, children, Connected parenting, Family, marriage, parenting

Talking about parenting with your partner-section 11

December 22, 2015by Sheridan JohnsonLeave a Comment

In this section, Sara talks about how you should talk about parenting with your partner.

Parenting literally takes an army, but one of the most important people included in that army, should be your spouse. Shane and I have both agreed and disagreed on many parts during this parenting journey.

Speaking with each other and being on the same page, is a task to accomplish, but it is so important! Our two year old little girl, picks up on everything and she totally tries to work both of us to get what she wants.

One major topic that we discussed early on was whether or not to put Brielle in daycare. After a WHILE of talking/thinking/praying about it, we chose to not put her in daycare, and have my parents babysit while I was working. To this day, that is still how it works out, and we couldn’t be more blessed!

Another recent major topic, that we are not FULLY set on yet (more because of my reservations), is to homeschool or not. I write a blog post (here) about which is best between public vs homeschool, and I love different aspects about them both. I am just going to continue to teach Brielle new stuff each week, expand her knowledge and experiences, and teach her as much as I can throughout her life!

While no two people can be perfect, we can always strive to be better versions of ourselves! May this next year bring new experiences and more joy than ever before!

30 days, Brielle, changes, Connected parenting

Roadblocks to connection- Section 10

December 10, 2015December 10, 2015by Sheridan JohnsonLeave a Comment

In section 10, Rachel talks about some some major roadblocks to connection with our children.

What do you dedicate most of your time to? Does it align with what you want to prioritise? Do your children feel like your priority? What distractions do you feel you could reduce or remove to better use your time?

When I think of roadblocks, I immediately think of technology. I feel like the advancement we have now in 2015, is WAY better than what I grew up on. My family had one computer that we had to share, that was SO slow, and we somehow all made it work.

Fast-forward to now, and Brielle uses my Samsung Note Tablet that she calls “hers” daily. I used to use this for a while to keep her distracted on all of the fun games I downloaded, but now she LOVES netflix and youtube. I can’t believe how my 2 year knows how to work the tablet better than me, at times!

Rachel asks us parents to answer some questions, which will allow us to take a better look at some problems that might exist, when it comes to connecting with our kids. Here is my response:

Most of my time is dedicated to Brielle. I spend every moment I am not working with her, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. She is only this age once, and after everything we have been through, we know that Brielle would definitely benefit from having more time with us, rather than less.
Yes, it aligns with what I am prioritizing. She is my biggest/highest priority, and if she is happy and content, then I am doing an “okay” job as a mom! Shane and I have always put our marriage first, and then children second, and we have Brielle pretty high up on both of our priority lists.
Of course all of my children are my priority. Even Lamar and Rochelle in Heaven. I take time out each day to talk to them, say a prayer for them both, and just make sure that they know they are loved each and every day. Brielle knows that she can do everything that I am doing (whether it’s cooking, crafting, or taking pictures), and I will not turn down her willingness to be involved.
I feel that removing her time from her tablet, and just having more one on one communication would benefit us both. She loves to talk, and I love to listen, so it seems like the perfect solution. I have also minimized the time she spends watching t.v, and since we now live out in the country, I like to occupy her time by going outside and experiencing the beauty of nature and all that it has to offer.