Mom tips for the summer

Freeze Frames

Faige Ettlinger, photographer

Instead of matching your kids, try coordinating their outfits. Too many patterns are too busy, though. You want all the clothing to be something you technically can wear in one outfit.

Mom, you and your teens need to feel great in what you’re wearing. Everyone else will be fine no matter what they’re in.

Make sure the kids are bathed, fed, and rested before the photoshoot. Halfway through the shoot is never a good time to discover that the kids didn’t eat their cereal and are kvetchy.

Trust the process. If you chose your photographer for her expertise, let her choose the poses and places. It might seem like a strange
decision to take a picture in the middle of the parking lot, but she sees the gorgeous soft lighting and knows that it’s going to create the perfect photo.

Bring a small snack or treat. Something that isn’t messy! It should be something you can pop into the child’s mouth and they won’t be busy with it. Winkies and mini-marshmallows are great. Chocolate is not.

For Posterity

Of course, we’re not throwing out your picture! It’s going right into the special frame! Until you bring home something else. Then, that goes on top….

The Changeable Kids Artwork Frame is a lifesaver, not to mention space saver!

One for each kid or one per family. That’s up to you.

Yogurt Pops

Your toddler left another half-eaten yogurt on the table? Don’t throw it out — those things are expensive!

Instead, grab a baking sheet, spoon dollops of yogurt into two rows, and press one chocolate chip into each dollop.

Stick in the freezer… voilà! Ice cream treats for the same picky toddler.

Trust me, these she’ll gobble up!

Obstacle, of Course

From Tzirel, a mom who gets it.

When it comes to semi-guided and semi-independent play, we love a good obstacle course! We love our Battat balance beams (Walmart) and Play Day sensory stepping stones (Walmart), but you can use any objects you find at home, including frisbees and step stools.

Incorporate different games and activities into the course: Crawl under a bench, over a couch pillow, throw two balls in a basket or box. Jumping jacks and counting backward are great ideas, too, or a quick puzzle.

Sometimes, I’ll take simple toys (like rings for a ring toss or puzzle pieces) and drop them at different points throughout the course. They need to collect them all in order to complete the end.

It’s a great way to make old, less exciting toys seem
exciting again.

Elevate the Simple

Twin-mom Tzirel has tricks and tips up her sleeve to make mommy-ing easier and more aesthetic.

This past summer, we were at the park barbecuing with friends. The kids were having too much fun to eat, so I stuck their chicken and vegetables on skewers. Suddenly, they were happy to grab the food.

It’s all about how it’s presented! Food for the eyes and for the soul. Skewers are great for dinner at the park with active kids or for road trips where bowls and forks will end up on the floor instead.

Book Recs

Recs from Ruchie, mom of seven bookworms

Yossi and Laibel Hot on the Trail by Dina Rosenfeld / Hachai
A Yossi and Laibel (of Labels for Laibel) classic! It’s an adorable book with engaging rhymes about chesed on a very hot day, featuring bright, cheerful pictures to keep your not-yet-readers captivated!

What Are We Waiting For? by Rabbi Yisroel Greenwald / Israel Bookshop
Geared toward medium or older kids, it’s a beautifully recounted mashal that brings home the ideas of galus and Geulah. Gorgeous illustrations from Nechama Leibler bring the story to life.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 950)