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11 Best Back-to-School Hacks Our Readers Swear By

Posted on by Kristina Hernandez |

Make back-to-school time easy this year! Our readers are really smart, which is why we asked them about their very best back-to-school hacks.

Getting back into the swing of things for a new school year is no joke. It is hard. The early mornings, the bus schedule, the lunch packing, the homework, the extracurricular sports, the chalkboard first day or school photos. It can be overwhelming, which is why we turned to the most knowledgeable group of people we know to ask for tips: our readers. Here’s what they said.

Back to School Hacks from local moms

#1 Start the bedtime/wake-up time school schedule a couple of weeks before school starts

This was one of the top pieces of advice from our readers. Getting up early on day 1 is zero fun in and of itself. If your kid(s) has been doing it for at least a week or so, it’s a tad bit easier.

Consider planning a couple fun outings the week prior to school starting such as going out for donuts to make the earlier rising time an adventure.

Practice lunch by packing the lunch box and setting a timer for the amount of time that your child has for lunch at school.

#2 Pick out the clothes for school for the entire week.

Multiple readers said they help their kids to lay out clothes for the whole week on Sunday or tell their teens to do so themselves. One reader even had a brilliant idea to use hanging cubbies to put clothes for each day. And this is why we ask our readers these questions.

#3 Don’t buy a brand new “back to school” wardrobe

The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans with school-age kids are spending upwards of $867 per kid on back to school supplies and clothing. That number is enormous but can be cut back without going all out for a new wardrobe for your kids. There are tons of consignment shops and sales to make use of to help get your kids a new-to-them wardrobe.

Also, consider purchasing just a couple outfits at the beginning of the school year versus an entire new wardrobe. Your kids might change their mind on what they want to wear after seeing what other kids are wearing and the colder weather is just a couple months away.

#4 Meal prep

Many of our readers noted that prepping meals ahead of time for during the week is a lifesaver when getting back into the swing of things. One mom even prepares one big meal at the beginning of the week that can feed everyone for several nights and just switches up the sides to add variety.

Anything you can prepare the night before such as packing lunches will also make leaving the house on time in the morning much easier.

Setting up a breakfast station the week before with breakfast foods ready to go can also make the morning move smoother.

#5 Take the “first day of ____ grade” pictures the day before!

As yes, the First Day of __ Grade Back to School photos. You know, the ones where you’re desperately trying to get your kid to school but then remember you want to memorialize the occasion but need a chalkboard and pen and paper and nothing else that you have right then but are already late? Yeah, those. Do them the day before school starts. Reader Kerry says, “Just chill. The chalkboard thing doesn’t have to happen; neither does posting to social media. Let them dress for comfort instead of trying to dress to impress.” Another mom said she just has her kids hold up the number of fingers to correspond to the grade they are going into.

#6 Don’t schedule any appointments that first week of school

No doctor appointments. No dentist appointments. Nothing that will give you even more stress than you’re already handling. Schedule them for a few weeks out from the first day of school if you can.

#7 Use Alexa to help you remember things you/your kids need to do

One reader said she programs her Alexa device to set reminders about things her or her kids would likely forget like when the library book is due, what day of the week her kid(s) needs to wear gym shoes or a reminder to plug in the Chromebook.

#8 Plug in that Chromebook

Be sure to plug in the Chromebook on Sunday night because going to school with a dead laptop is no fun.

#9 Keep the social life to a minimum

One mom said she has found that restricting weekend plans for the first few weeks into the school years has helped her kids to get the relaxation they need and helps them to focus on the new school year.

#10 Use your calendar to keep up with events

One mom said she plugs all of the school events into your calendar on her phone before the school years so she knows what to expect and can plan for events.

#11 Keep all school-related things in one place

Mom Stacy has this amazing idea: “I have a back-to-school binder. It has the school calendar and sections for each child for their supply lists and forms teachers send home for platforms the kids use, passwords, usernames, etc and contact lists.

Anything important that’s sent home, especially those early weeks, goes straight in the binder. The supply list stays so I can touch base with the teacher through the year on possible extra needs or send in extras that are consumed quickly.”

What’s your back-to-school hack?

East school night dinners

And then there’s dinner.

Get some new ideas: School-Night Dinner Secrets from our readers

Private Breast Milk Donation Groups Share the Fruits of Their Labor: Columbia, SC

Posted on by Kelly Decker Johnson |

Perhaps you’ve heard of breast milk banks, but have you heard of breast milk Facebook groups? There are Facebook groups worldwide devoted strictly to donating and receiving breast milk. There are two Columbia-area Facebook groups dedicated to doing the same. We’re here to provide details about these groups and even share stories from current group members who have benefited simply because these groups exist.

Breast milk sharing groups in Columbia, SC

Important Disclaimer: Kidding Around provides this article to share these mothers’ stories and for informational purposes about breast milk-sharing groups. Kidding Around does not provide healthcare advice, suggestion, or direction. This is not an endorsement or promotion. Always consult your child’s physician for health care advice and about what to feed your baby.

Donate and receive breast milk: Mother's Milk Bank of SC

Mother’s Milk Bank of SC is run by MUSC and provides pasteurized donated breast milk for babies. Check out our article on Mother’s Milk Bank of SC to donate to this bank.

Breast Milk Share: Columbia SC Groups on Social Media

If you search, you’ll find that Facebook breast milk donation groups are everywhere. But not just anyone can access these…including me. The two Columbia-area groups, Breast Milk Donations for Babies in the Carolinas and Human Milk 4 Human Babies – South Carolina are both private groups, meaning any person must be vetted before joining. 

Joining a breast milk-sharing group

Both groups require anyone interested in joining to first complete their question and answer section. The administrators of these groups then decide if the individual meets all criteria to join. Once approved, the individual can only then donate and/or receive breast milk.

*Full disclosure, For research purposes I tried joining both of these groups, one successfully, the other…no such luck. These groups are so selective that I was approved membership for one of the groups, yet denied access to the other. 

Because I am not currently interested in donating or receiving breast milk, I was unfortunately not granted access to the private group. The reason for my “declined request to join” was the following: “Issue with answers to question. Bystanders don’t really sound like a fit for our group. It’s milk sharing. Peer to peer. Requests and donations.” I, however, respectfully understand their decision and need for their members’ privacy. 

Stories of Donors and Recipients

Over the course of my research, I was fortunate enough to have several members of these private breast milk donation groups reach out to tell me their stories. From a group administrator to several donors and recipients, I’m here to share each of their stories and experiences with anyone who’s curious about joining one of these groups. 

Breast Milk Group Administrator and Donor

Kristen Killebew is the administrator of Facebook private group, Breast Milk for Babies in the Carolinas. Though she isn’t the original founder of the group, she was passed the reins after answering a call for a new group administrator. Killebrew says she initially joined the private group in 2016, with plans to donate her breast milk to other babies and children in need. 

Killebrew’s first experience in breast milk donation began when she answered a milk request for twin babies. “I started donating to a very nice lady who had a set of boy/girl twins when they were fairly young, and donated milk to them until they were weaned,” she says. 

The group administrator says groups like hers are invaluable. “I think resources like this are really valuable for parents who are passionate about the benefits of breast milk but are unable to do so for whatever the reason.” 

She adds, “Some women are on medication that prevents them from safely giving their littles their breast milk. Others just cannot produce enough milk due to low supply for various reasons.” 

Killebrew suggests that many women turn to these breast milk donation groups due to receiving poor breastfeeding support. In turn, she’s just happy to be able to play a small part in successfully providing breast milk to “all the littles” out there. She enthusiastically adds, “I love chunky babies!” 

Donor Breast Milk Recipient

Rachel Scarbrough, 29, is a member of both groups, Breast Milk Donations for Babies in the Carolinas and Human Milk 4 Human Babies – South Carolina. She says  decided to use donor milk after she was unable to breastfeed her son. “I love these groups because they helped provide milk for my children especially during the formula shortage,” says Scarbrough.

In fact, she has relied on donor breast milk for the past two years for both of her children. “My children are two and one. I decided to use donor breast milk after I was unable to breastfeed my son. I breastfed and supplemented with breast milk with my daughter,” says Scarbrough.

Scarbrough says she has cumulatively received over 5,000 ounces of breast milk over a two-year period. And the good news is, there’s no ceiling when it comes to how much or how long a mother can donate breast milk. “Any donation amount is a blessing. You can be a donor for as long as you would like to pump or donate for,” she says. 

Breast Milk Donor and Recipient

Lizzie Dixon, 28, is a member of Facebook group, Human Milk for Human Babies of SC. She says she first learned of breast milk donations when a woman she previously worked with had a devastating late term miscarriage. 

“Since her milk came in after delivering her baby, she decided to pump milk to donate to babies in the NICU for a while, rather than just letting her milk dry up. This struck me as so selfless to want to help others that way even in the midst of her loss,” Dixon marveled. 

Unbeknownst to her, Dixon would soon find herself on the receiving end of breast milk donation. Shortly after her son was born, he was placed in the NICU. “Due to breathing problems, he received donor milk through his feeding tube until I was able to pump enough for him,” says Dixon. 

In addition to being on the receiving end of breast milk, Dixon is also a new breast milk donor. “I donated for the first time this week!,” Dixon exclaims. She says so far she has donated approximately 72 ounces to another local mom who posted that she needed milk due to low supply.

And after a pleasant first experience donating, Dixon says she intends to donate again. “I plan to donate again whenever I have extra milk in the freezer that I am unable to use for my daughter,” she adds. 

In the Facebook group Dixon belongs to there are no minimum ounces required to donate. There’s also no particular vetting process or criteria for donating or receiving in this group either. She says she has, however, seen mothers in need of breast milk offer to pay for drug tests for potential donors. 

Dixon adds, “Recipients can request donations that meet certain requirements such as dairy free, no medications, etc.”.

Similar to other Facebook breast milk groups, the rules in Dixon’s group for storing breast milk are the same. Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, in the freezer for  6 months, and up to 12 months is acceptable especially if stored in a deep freezer, she claims. 

There’s no money exchanged in the group in which Dixon belongs. She does say however that other forms of “payment” are acceptable. She clarifies, “The group I’m a part of doesn’t allow compensation aside from replacing storage bags and pump parts for the donor if needed.” 

Dixon says she has definite plans to donate breast milk again. She says, “I think it’s a great way for moms to support each other!” 

This group has made a lasting effect on Dixon, as she says it feels “really good to be able to help another mom and baby and for my extra milk to not go to waste!” 

NICU Breast Milk Recipient

Marisa Beard, 24, is a member of the Breast Milk for Babies in the Carolinas Facebook group. Her first experience with donor breast milk began when donor milk was given to her son in the NICU.

“We had to use donor milk until my supply came in because he was early…my body wasn’t ready yet to make the milk he needed,” she explains.

Beard says her son received 30ml of donated breast milk every three hours for about a week. But Beard says she stopped supplementing with donor milk once her supply came in. 

How does someone receive or request donor breast milk in the hospital? Beard says the option was suggested to her because of her strong desire to provide her son  

with breast milk versus formula. Beard says, “They knew I was planning on breastfeeding so they asked if it was okay to give him donor milk.” 

She recommends donor milk to any mother in a similar situation as her. Beard suggests speaking to lactation consultants should you find yourself not able to produce milk, “I would definitely recommend any mamas to always talk to lactation in the hospital about donor milk and don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice.”

Beard’s positive NICU experience with donor milk has inspired her to become a donor herself. She says once she increases her milk supply, she’ll be donating within her Facebook group Breast Milk for Babies in the Carolinas.

From recipients to donors to mothers of babies in the NICU, these private breast milk Facebook groups have become a haven for a variety of women seeking help. Whether you’re someone with a surplus of breast milk or struggling with your own milk supply, these local breast milk groups open a whole new window of options into a world you may never have known existed until now! 

Free Car Seat Safety Check: Columbia, SC

Posted on by Kidding Around Team |

Need to have your child’s car seat checked in Columbia, SC? It’s true what they say, “you can never be too safe”, especially when it comes to your children! And car seat safety is absolutely no exception!

I’ve been there, trying to make sense of the manuals, all the straps, struggling to get everything pulled tight…it’s stressful to say the least. If you’re expecting, or even if you’ve had a car seat installed in your car for years, we’ve got all the info you’ll need to have your seats double-checked by the experts and set your mind at ease.

Columbia, SC Car Seat Inspections

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Parents: You Don’t Need to do All the Christmas Things

Posted on by Kristina Hernandez |

The Christmas season is supposed to be all about joy, peace, and a fleeting holiday spirit that seems to be gone quicker than a wispy trail of smoke once the dishes are done after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s all of a sudden a whirlwind of school holiday parties, making a list of gifts and going all out to fulfill that list, trying to create magic at home with an elf just because everyone else is seemingly doing it, taking a holiday overnight trip, and trying to see all the Christmas lights and displays because your family will be deprived if they don’t do that. 

This is for all you parents who are hanging by a thread trying to make this season the most spectacular of all for your kids and just don’t know if you can hang on much longer. To all of you: you don’t need to do all the things. 

Your Christmas tree doesn’t need a giant stack of presents under it. Your kids don’t need the latest toys. You don’t need to stretch yourself so thin trying to cram the most you can into this holiday season. You and your kids are not deprived if you don’t do it all, buy it all, and sacrifice your sanity for an experience, toy, or magical experience that will soon be forgotten. 

Don't do it all at Christmas

You don’t need to do it all

Last year, parents estimated they would spend about $276 on Christmas gifts for each of their kids and a whopping 41% of Americans were willing to go into debt for gift-giving. Meanwhile, the estimated worth of unwanted gifts hovers around $15 billion. Those aren’t small figures, especially in today’s world where many families are struggling with everyday bills. Kids don’t need the latest toy, the most expensive phone, and all the other material things that they’ll forget in a month’s time. Smaller gifts or experience gifts, like memberships to places you and your family go often (hello, SC Parks Pass!) go a long way towards making great memories together all year long. 

I’m not sure why we parents sometimes feel like we need to do all the things during the Christmas season. Maybe social media, maybe endless ads, maybe just talking with friends about all the cool stuff they are doing, or maybe it’s what our parents did with us that we are trying to replicate with our own kids. Whatever the reason, it’s totally fine – more than fine – to back off from the deluge of activities that come with this season. 

You aren’t depriving your kids if you don’t do it all

Your kids will be okay if they aren’t doing everything their friends are doing and it’s a good opportunity for them to learn that not doing everything their friends are doing isn’t something to be ashamed about. We all have our own struggles and priorities and I think it’s good to learn early on that kids don’t need to fit in to have fun. I wish I would have learned that a lot earlier than I did in life. 

I didn’t grow up doing a ton of activities during the Christmas season. Sometimes our family would take a trip together, which was a blast. We would go during Christmas and experience it in another state or town and have fun together exploring a new city and making dinner together in a small kitchen in our hotel room. It was awesome.

We didn’t do parades but we did go drive around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods with popcorn that we cooked over the stove and tried not to let explode all over the kitchen. We had fun decorating our Christmas tree together. One year my dad found a tree that legit looked like the poor little tree from Charlie Brown’s Christmas and it turned into the joke that never ended year after year since we couldn’t do worse than that tree. 

I don’t remember the gifts I got or gave. I don’t remember sitting for Santa photos. The memories from the Christmas season that remain are those with my family. I do remember one gift: it was tickets to a New Jersey Nets (a professional basketball team) the day after Christmas or so. I had played basketball with a passion as a tween and teenager and that gift was special. That’s really all I remember in terms of gifts. 

Choosing sanity

Because of those memories and because I have zero desire to drive myself crazy during these weeks leading up to Christmas, I intentionally try to minimize what we do. While I love writing about new activities for Christmas for Kidding Around, aside from those excursions, I try to take these weeks of Advent to spend quality time together with my kids. We go look at Christmas lights, go ice skating, go to live nativities and remember the real reason for this season, take time to volunteer, and read books together on Christmas. And, I intentionally try to not go overboard on gifts for my kids. 

I want to get to Christmas and not be completely worn out or fed up or just plain unhappy. After all, this is indeed a season of joyful expectation. If you’ve got to seriously scale back your calendar to be happier and less stressed, then by all means, do it. You truly don’t need to do it all so your kids can experience the magic of the season. They will remember the special moments with you above all else and that’s what matters.

More Parenting

11 Best Back-to-School Hacks Our Readers Swear By

Private Breast Milk Donation Groups Share the Fruits of Their Labor: Columbia, SC

Free Car Seat Safety Check: Columbia, SC

The Not-So-Lonely Hearts Club {a single mom’s Valentine’s Day story}

Parents: You Don’t Need to do All the Christmas Things

The Christmas Season: How early is too early?

The Christmas Season: How early is too early?

Posted on by Taryn Gamble | No Comments

The “how early is too early?” Christmas season debate is on. Decorations are going up all around the Upstate. Do you think November decorations are too ambitious? How about Christmas music? What album is Alexa playing on repeat at your house? Here’s Kidding Around Contributor, Taryn, with her take on the early start to the holiday season.

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Have we been trick-or-treating wrong all these years?

Posted on by Taryn Gamble | No Comments

An Amble with Gamble: Stories from the parenting trenches

Is your family getting ready for the Halloween tradition of door-to-door trick-or-treating? As you prepare, here’s a humorous reflection of previous Halloweens and the trick-or-treat experience from KA Contributor, Taryn Gamble.

-Come take a stroll down memory lane with me-

Another Halloween come and gone.

I definitely would not put myself in the Halloween enthusiast category. I mean, I like dressing up my kids and eating 3 Musketeers as much as any human being should but hanging skeletons from my front porch and pretending to be an axe- murderer is just not my idea of a good time. To each his own, though.

I managed to avoid Halloween festivities for the last six years, but this year, the kids were adamant that they wanted to pick out costumes and join in the neighborhood excitement.

Fine.

Children in costume
My children looking despondent pre-trick-or-treating. Don’t let their expressions fool you. They were wildly excited.

But why do kids always choose the costume that suddenly doesn’t come in their size? My 8 year-old wanted to be Ironman which, to daft little me, seemed fairly mainstream. How hard could it be?

I could find every other superhero costume known to the galaxy in a size medium, but not Ironman. No.

One Halloween Express and two Walmarts later, we finally tracked down a size medium Ironman costume. The Lord was testing me. I don’t know if you’ve ever traversed a Halloween Express and two Walmarts in one afternoon with four children under 8 years old, but let me assure you, it’s above your paygrade.

My 3-year-old girl had her own hopes and dreams of being Spidergwen for Halloween. For the record, I was thrilled by her decision. The character of Spidergwen is pretty boss if you ask me, so my daughter’s spunky, ballet-dancing self would have been the perfect Gwen Stacy!

Alas. Let me tell you what I found: the only companies manufacturing toddler-size Spider Gwen costumes also seem like the type of factories heavy into human trafficking and slavery. I’m not even joking around here. The locations were highly suspect.

While I now realize that probably any costume I purchased from the big box store came from one of those locations, I couldn’t, in good conscience, order directly from the operation. There went my poor girl’s aspirations.

Don’t fret, though. She settled on an Elsa costume two sizes too small for her at Walmart—as one does—and could not have been more excited on Halloween night with her arms wedged into tiny glitter mesh tubes up to her elbows. Kind of reminded me of a burst can of biscuits, but in the cutest way possible.

While the five of us were out enjoying the cool night and gusty winds, we had the unique experience of being offered chili at two locations.

Chili. Like the soup with beans.

Now, I love chili—heavy on the sour cream, please—and it is certainly weather-appropriate this time of year, but how on earth am I supposed to consume a bowl of chili while keeping my children out of the street? This was all new to me. Do you just ladle it into the bucket? What’s the protocol here? Seemed unconventional, at best.

So what did I do? I took the ding-dang chili, of course!

And wolfed down three to four bites on each porch. Trust me on this one. WORTH THE CHALLENGE. While the threat of being poisoned by strychnine was certainly there, I took that risk because chili should never be declined.

Many a dad was nursing their own bowl of chili, so I was in good company—just missing a full beard and camo jacket. That Piedmont Life, I tell you. Several mothers looked at me like I was an imposter, but I suppose that comes with the territory when you’re clearly enjoying yourself with four happy, costumed kids in tow. We are a rare breed.

At any rate, the real case on the chili front is that I was so full when we arrived home that I didn’t eat a single piece of Halloween candy! Could this be because I had to give baths and put four kids on speed to bed? Highly probable. Could it also be that I hid the Halloween buckets in an inconvenient place upon our arrival home? Likely answers all around!

But I’m putting all my coins into the chili bucket–the unsung hero of Halloween in South Carolina. Friends, whip out those crockpots and styrofoam cups and be the toast of the town.

Chili 2022 for Office. Don’t even bother with cilantro. No one wants that when there are Reese’s Cups to be had.

Still Making Your Halloween Plans?

5 Tips to Reduce the Pressure of Overscheduling Your Kids

Posted on by Kristina Hernandez |

If you find yourself running ragged all week with zero time for family dinners and feel more like an Uber driver than a parent, maybe overscheduling is the problem. We asked our readers about this topic and for some possible solutions. 

I have no middle ground on overscheduling my kids for activities. It’s basically all or nothing with some classes or organized events thrown in. Why? For two reasons: firstly, I played competitive sports from age 12 through high school and still regret that my poor siblings were dragged all over the place to watch me play sports and that it cut into better things my family could be doing together. Secondly, that having very few evenings and weekends free to do what I want with my kids sends my anxiety through the roof. 

Avoid overscheduling your kids

When we asked our readers if overscheduling your kids is possible, the majority answered with a resounding yes. Scrolling through social media only reinforces this as parents are asking where their two-year-old can play organized sports or dance classes for their 18-month-old. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to ask these questions but experts tell us that overscheduling kids at any age can lead to very little free time and opportunities for relaxation and creativity. It can also lead to burnout – for both kids and parents, which isn’t fun for anyone.

Overscheduled & Overstimulated

The author of a book called Kids Under Pressure, Karen Sullivan, expands on this topic: “Parents put children under enormous pressure with heavily orchestrated schedules of extra activities, all of which are designed to help them succeed in life. However, this leaves little free time for children to be children and to relax. Children are often left feeling they are not good enough because they are not ‘the best’.”

She goes on to say that because of the time suck of these “heavily orchestrated schedules” there is no more room left for fun. And that causes stress. She’s just talking about the kids and not the stress this places on parents. 

One of our readers shared that “Many parents are so obsessed to do allll the things society tells them they should. Sometimes less is more. These kids are overscheduled and over-stimulated.” 

The Comparison Trap

It’s so, so easy to compare yourself and your kids to other people with the prevalence of social media. I see friends post about all the cool activities their kids are involved in and I will freely admit that I have moments where I wish that was one of my daughters involved in those activities. But I quickly get back to reality and know that I’d lose my mind if that was my life.

Another reader of ours put it this way: “Remind yourself that kids need to be kids. If you find yourself feeling like an Uber driver. Or like your family are like ships passing in the night, and they don’t have time to just be kids (ie play in the neighborhood, use their creativity and imaginations, and learn what boredom is and in turn how to entertain themselves), probably too much…. But you have to feel like you’re comfortable with what they are scheduled for. Not what other people are doing with their kids but what is right for your family. We were not created to be in constant go mode. Not as kids and not as adults.”

If you feel yourself falling into that comparison trap, think about how you would feel if that were your kids and your crazy schedule and your budget. It may not work for your family or your own personality and that’s totally ok. It’s fine not to schedule your kids for every class or activity.

View of Lake Glenville

Every family is different

When my daughters did gymnastics, I made sure their class was at the same time on the same night to minimize our weekly disruptions. We ended those classes when covid hit and while I’d like to enroll them again, I need the same kind of schedule where they both can do classes at the same time. My oldest daughter did Cub Scouts for a few years, which was perfect because it was one meeting a week that I could take both my kids to and the activities fit well into our hiking and outdoor-loving schedule. I did say no to swim team a few years ago when I found out the swim meets were on Saturday mornings. As a working mom who plans the best adventures on weekends, I was not about to give that time up for sitting at a pool during the prime summer months. But that’s me – if you’re the swim team cheering, soccer mom yelling kind of parent, that’s awesome.

But for myself, I really think I’d lose my mind if I had to work all day, homeschool, and then shuttle both my kids to places all week and on weekends. No way. My time with them is too short and too precious. And it’s not like we don’t do anything. We travel often for my work with Kidding Around and have incredible adventures together, go paddleboarding all summer, camp, hike, and have that quality, uninterrupted time with each other that helps to enrich our relationships. 

One other thing I would not be able to handle are dinner times and cooking if my kids needed to shuttled all over the place during the week. I know that healthy eating and homecooked meals would fall by the wayside, which not only means unhealthy food for our family but also more money spent on fast food – and that would put even more stress on our family. Yes, I could plan ahead but with working full-time and homeschooling, it wouldn’t work well for us. But that’s my own family and everyone is different and probably more organized than myself!

VillagePark Playground

Playing & creativity also provide benefits

While sports and creative arts certainly provide multiple benefits to children like physical fitness, muscle coordination, boosting of self-esteem, the ability to focus and problem solve, the benefits of play are also numerous. The Genius of Play points out that play also provides:

  • Creativity
  • Social skill development
  • Cognitive development
  • Physical development (i.e., balance, coordination)
  • Communication skills
  • Emotional development

Play also provides an outlet for stress. Think about it as an adult. We need that downtime from our work to rest and relieve stress. For myself, that’s anything outdoors. Send me on a seven-mile hike up Table Rock and I’m good to go for the week. Kids need that same kind of stress relief and if they are always running from one activity to the next, they aren’t getting it.

So what are the solutions to overscheduling?

My own personal solution is to skip pretty much everything that requires my kids to be in multiple places during the week. But that’s me and while it works for us, other parents likely think this is a little crazy or that their kids absolutely need to be involved in some kind of activity. So back to our readers, who have more solutions than I do. 

1 – Each kid gets one sport at a time 

This was a common response when asked how to solve the problem of overscheduling. 

One mom said, “My kids get 1 extra curricular activity each, that’s it. It’s important to spend time as a family and learn how to entertain yourself.”

2 – Each kid gets one sport at a time and the practices must be limited

Another mom took it a step further and limited practices that the sport required: 

“My kids are allowed to have one sport going at a time And it can’t be anything that’s going to require More than two practices a week during the school year.”

3 – Stay out of competitive sports. 

Competitive sports often require multiple practices a week plus games on weekends, including traveling to surrounding states several times a year. One mom says no to that: “We have 4 kids and DON’T do competitive sports for this exact reason. Takes away family time and money.”

4 – Choose a couple of lower key activities and stick to those. 

One mom, who I totally identify with, says she’s an introvert so it’s a little harder on her to stick with a taxing schedule so she does more low-key activities with her kids: “We are introverts and I have health issues so we keep it low key on activities with lots of socializing. We do library day once a week or every other week and get together with others once a month or so. Plus, we have Sunday morning & Wednesday evening church. Smaller activities we might do more often, bigger activities less often as they are very taxing on me.

5 – Take a day off.

 If you find yourself overscheduled, don’t be afraid to take a day off now and again. You really can just not go to dance class this week, or skip that practice and go hiking with the family instead. 

Do you have any other suggestions for parents who feel like they have overscheduled their kids? 

More Parenting Tips and Ideas

11 Best Back-to-School Hacks Our Readers Swear By

Private Breast Milk Donation Groups Share the Fruits of Their Labor: Columbia, SC

Free Car Seat Safety Check: Columbia, SC

The Not-So-Lonely Hearts Club {a single mom’s Valentine’s Day story}

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10 Parent-Hacks for Amazing & Memorable Trips to the Farm this Fall

Posted on by Bethany Winston |

Want to make sure your family trip to the farm is amazing? Farms in the fall are perfect places for family fun and lots of memory-making. But, bringing your whole crew anywhere can sometimes be a little stressful, right? So, we have some tips to help you make your fall farm trip easy with nothing but fun and happy faces.

Tips for family trips to the farm
Famoda Farm

Wear the correct clothes.

A farm is a great opportunity to take some adorable, matching farm-themed photos, but it’s important to realize that it is a farm. Farms have dirt, fire ants, and typically a lot of sun. Cute smocked outfits, warm “fall” clothes, and open-toed shoes might look great in photos but may not be comfortable, practical attire for having fun at the farm.

If your main goal is photos, consider either outfit choices that are comfortable and can get dirty or take your photos and schedule another visit for full farm activities.

We recommend wearing:

  • Clothes that can get dirty
  • Closed-toed shoes that are comfortable for walking such as tennis shoes or boots
  • Layers, even on cooler fall days it can feel really hot in the sun especially if you spend an hour wandering in a corn maze.
  • A hat or sunglasses if it’s a sunny day
Moo Cow farms cow cuddling
Moo Cow Farms

Bring snacks and water.

Most farms will allow you to eat on the property or at your car. Some serve food, but not all. Most do not have a place to refill water bottles.

We recommend making sure you have plenty of food and water.

There will likely only be porta-potties at the farm so plan accordingly.

Wear your sunscreen. It can get hot in October in our region.

Apple slingshot
Apple slingshot at McLadke Orchards

Go over farm etiquette before getting out of the car.

It’s important to go over basic farm rules with your kids if they are unfamiliar with farm etiquette. Farming is hard work and it’s important to respect the farmer’s property.

Follow all farm signs and rules.

Be sure to treat plants with respect. Only pick what you plan to pay for and don’t destroy farm property such as forming new paths in a corn maze.

Don’t throw produce such as pumpkins or corn unless it’s part of a farm-approved game.

Watch your kids closely. Farm equipment can be dangerous.

Don’t feed animals unless signs give permission to feed them and only feed animals food that is approved by the farm.

If you have the opportunity to touch or hold animals, remind your children to be gentle.

Be prepared before you get lost in the corn maze.

Corn mazes are fun but they also are in direct sunlight and involve a lot of wandering around trying to figure your way out.

Your kids will likely insist on picking all of the turns which often results in walking in circles for hours.

  • Make sure your preschooler/toddler understands that they have to stay with you because losing a child in a corn maze is more excitement than most of us want when visiting a farm.
  • Take a photo of the corn maze before you enter. That way if you get lost and tired, you can still find your way out.
  • If all else fails, follow the wall-hugger trick.
  • Make sure you have your water with you.
  • Go to the bathroom before your start the maze.
  • If your kids are little, they usually won’t know the difference between the entrance and exit so you can always have a short visit into the corn maze and just exit out the way you came before everyone gets tired.
Corn maze
Denver Downs

Pick the right farm.

If you want to pick apples or pumpkins, make sure the farm lets you pick them before arriving. Some orchards and farms only sell pre-picked produce.

Some farms allow you to enjoy all the activities for one price, whereas others charge per activity. If your main event is picking apples, paying once for the jumping pillow or hay ride might be the right choice. If your main activity is playing at the farm, consider one with an all-inclusive price.

Denver Downs Slide
Denver Downs

Check to see what forms of payment they accept.

Some of the farms in the region only accept cash or check. Make sure you are prepared.

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Parent-Tried Tips for Getting Your Kids to Talk

Posted on by Bethany Winston |

How do you get kids to talk to their parents? How do you spark meaningful conversations with kids? You love your kids and you want to hear about their day and what’s happening in their lives. But, how do you encourage your kids to talk to you? Try these tips from parents just like you for encouraging kids to communicate and talk to you.

We have all been there (well, at least most of us). It’s the first day of school or our kid goes to camp, and we can’t wait to hear all about it. Then our kid comes home and only provides information in one-syllable answers … “fine.” Or maybe, our kid talks or at least used to, but our life has gotten so busy that we realize we haven’t had a deep conversation with them in days or even weeks.

Talking with our kids is important. In fact, the Palmetto Basics includes talking to your kids as one of the most basic ways to help your child’s brain grow. We also know that talking with our kids and as a family can continue to strengthen relationships and our children’s personal growth as they grow older.

What are some tips then for getting our kids to talk or better to talk to them in a way that invites conversation? We polled our readers to hear what they do to foster family conversations and these are their tips.

Encouraging Kids to Talk to Parents
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