How do we trust that where we are now is exactly where we need to be? How do we stay positive through the big changes in life and in moments of overwhelm?

Meet Katy Lineberry, mother of two, who realized when she takes time to appreciate the things in her life now and express gratefulness, she can feel happier about right now and trust the journey ahead?

Katy realized happiness is a choice. A choice she needs to make whether she’s at home with her two young children or at the studio where she teaches music or out building her community in a new place. Its easy to lose site of the goal of feeling happy amidst the daily grind, but having an attitude of making things fun helps her enjoy the ride.

She shares ways in which she makes her parenting fun like singing through daily activities and creative storytelling. When her pre-schooler is on he verge of making a not-so-great choice, she can choose to tap into his imagination with a fun story. This diverts his attention away from the negative choice and toward something positive and fun.

She shares a wonderful life recipe for teaching preschoolers about money. You’ll love the simple way you can teach children about saving, giving, and spending that is fun for everyone.

You’ll love this chat with Katy Lineberry, who shares examples of how expressing gratefulness and appreciation can help us feel more positive and happy in our day-to-day and the journey ahead of us.

We want to follow our passion. To make what we love what we do everyday. But how do we do it? Meet Rebecca Andexler.

Rebecca had a successful career in PR but felt like something was missing. She followed that voice inside her and went back to school to become a chef. Today, her career is a blend of the things she loves most—her family, food, and journalism—she calls it homemakers habitat.

We may not be in a position to start a new career, but we we can make a little time for what we love. Taking one step toward that piece of us that feels like its missing is one step closer to living a more authentic life.

Being true to ourselves doesn’t mean doing it all. As women, we feel some pressure to manage work, the house, the children and look like we didn’t even sweat it. But that is no way to live. Asking for help and building a support network are some of the best things we can do.

When we’re not caught up in doing it all, we can enjoy the things that are going well. For Rebecca, that is collaborating with her husband as he photographs the beautiful food she makes. And with her children through the many family-friendly meals and segments she coordinates.

She shares a very practical life recipe for how you can cook with your children—easy ways to make preparing and eating meals so they look forward to that time around the dinner table that is so important for them.

You won’t want to miss this candid chat with someone who is authentically living a life that is true for her. You’ll appreciate her candor and practical advice on everything from overcoming postpartum depression to carving in quality time with your spouse to getting your family together around the dinner table.

Life Recipe: Cooking with your children

Ingedients:

1. Stool or chair so children are at proper counter height.
2. Have everything pre-measured so they only have to dump containers into larger bowl.
3. Look into age-appropriate cooking tools for children, like a whisk or knives as they get a little older.

Method:

You'll find that children eat more when they help to prepare it. Deconstructing food works well for children. They like to make choices about what they eat. When its laid out on a platter, they can choose what they want. They are more apt to try different things. They choose some things that you wouldn’t expect. Let them explore food and enjoy the experience.

"Make mealtimes family focused. Food at the center of the table and of the family as well."

Quotes from the interview

“We as mothers have to accept as much help as possible and be a community for each other because its always a struggle to balance it all.”

"Creating a support system makes a huge difference."

"People see the first years of motherhood as such a beautiful rosy time. Its not the case for everyone."

“Follow the piece of you that feels like its missing. As a mom you can get so buried in being a mom - there is always some part of you that you fee like..If you had that time, you would love to do this again. If that is something you can pursue and build into a career, follow that as much as you can, follow that passion.”

Bio

She changed her tone, her language, and her expectations with her son and he in turn listens and responds. Their relationship positively changed. This shift came from reading oh crap! potty training. She did potty train but more importantly—she uncovered a simple way to relax and appreciate more in her everyday.

She still faces many challenges—especially with balancing her time and energy evenly among her toddler and new baby. She’s beginning to let go of that feeling that success with one means failure with the other. This comes from a shift in perspective.

She starts every morning and ends every night with thoughts about all the things she is grateful for. This daily practice allows feelings of gratefulness to outweigh all the little challenges she encounters so she gets through them with more calm.

She has come to accept that everything takes longer with two young children—especially during potty training—and from this acceptance, she’s learned not to rush through it. Rushing does nothing but build stress. She never wants to live her day rushing to bedtime.

She’s passionate about feeding her family nourishing meals. She shares some wonderful tips around budget-friendly meal planning, stress-free grocery shopping, and baby led weaning. She talks about her active instagram community appropriately called whatIfeedmykid.

You’ll hear many wonderful insights as we get a glimpse into our everydaymom, Jess Bedsole, a mom of a toddler and a baby who is passionate about what she feeds her kids as well as relaxing and appreciating more in parenting and in life.

What is a family mission statement? It can be whatever you want but I see it as a defined vision of what you desire for your family life and the values you intend to live by to realize your vision. Is having a family mission statement important?

Meet NJ Rongner, a mom-of-two, who sat down with her husband to write their family mission statement. Why did she do it? One reason is that it's a guidepost through which they can make the other big decisions for their family.

It enables her to say no without the guilt. For her saying no is a good thing, because it means saying yes to something else. Something that is more meaningful for her family—and by saying no she can enjoy more because she’s not feeling stress from overcommitting.

One of their core values is to raise children who are self-sufficient. She’s okay with things taking a little longer if it means teaching her child a new skill. Skills stay with a person—its a piece of you that sticks with them forever—so its worth the extra time.

Another thing NJ makes time for is reading—its something that fills her up. She offers some great tips for carving time for it in your day. One is reading as an to-do-list incentive. Once she checks off a few things on her to-do list then she gets to read.

Don’t miss this heartfelt and hilarious chat with NJ Rogner who digital strategist and blogger who writes about life, love, and breaking the parenting rules from her blog a cookie before dinner—but remains a mom first. A mom who is makes choices everyday in alignment with the core values and vision she has set for her family life.

Do you dream of starting your own side gig but don’t know where to begin? Meet Susan Maccarelli, a stay at home mom of two who did just that.

She had an idea and took a simple first step—created a blog—and it’s evolved into a fulfilling side business because she created a plan and stuck with it. Hear how she did it, what she's learned along the way, and a life recipe with four simple ingredients for how you could build your own fulfilling side gig.

One thing that she learned is that when you're trying to do too many things, its hard  to enjoy any one of them. That’s why she doesn’t check email while she’s at the park and is okay with screen time for her children at home.

Hear about her family’s practice of sharing one good thing from the day at dinnertime and how they reflect on those things at the end of the week and end of the year. A great way to teach gratitude and appreciate more everyday.

She talks about some of her favorite books with characters who teach how to be a good person and how they have influenced her own parenting. She also shares a lesson she learned from potty training— that forcing our children into something they are not ready for is not good for anyone.

You'll love her very practical life recipe for how to start your own fulfilling side gig. She feels that opportunities are bound to come your way as long as you stick with your plan and stay consistent and persistent.

Don’t miss this wonderful conversation with Susan who offers great insight on parenting, life and finding fulfillment with a side hustle.

When we are expecting our second, we trust ourself more. We did this once and we can do it again. This trust helps us be more positive and present.

One of the biggest worries when we are expecting our second is if we can handle it all. But when we are feeling worried, we can’t be calm and present and trust ourselves.

Knowing that our capacity to love and give only grows when we have another child helps with this worry. In parenting as in life, the more we give, we get back.

And we do get so much back from our children. The love and joy we get back from our children makes even the greatest challenges seem small. We already feel this with one child, and with two or three—or more I would think but I can only speak for three—it is just magnified.

Here are some things that helped me stay positive and present when we welcomed our second and third.

1. Trust yourself. I’m the one who knows whats best for me and for my child. Welcome tips and advice from others. But take it or leave it in the context that every child is different. Every parent is different. The same things that worked for your first child may not work for your second. You can handle anything that comes your way. Trust yourself and do what feels right. Be present, positive, and patient and what to do next will come to you.
2. Evenings are baby time. When people came over to help, I would usually give them the baby and spend time with the older children. During the day, I would give as much attention as I can to the older ones knowing they really need it now. Then when the children went to sleep, that would be my special uninterrupted time with the baby to just cuddle and let the baby nap on me.
3. Baby carrier. Wearing your baby a lot is the best advice I can give. Get a wrap for the newborn stage and something with more support like an ergo for when they get a little bigger. Its good for the baby to have that closeness with you. And good for you to get on doing things that need to get done. I think being worn a lot helped my babies be calmer and with their sleep. The baby loves it and you’ll be able to carry on with life while carrying her.
4. Nurse if you can. For me, nursing the babies was amazing. Nursing meant dedicated time for me to slow down and relax during very busy days. And it meant dedicated closeness with my baby everyday. It is tough through growth spurts and evening fussiness in those first few months when baby wants to nurse more regularly. But beyond those tough times, it is a total blessing to not have to worry about making bottles. To have it on demand whenever and wherever you need it. I know its not possible for everyone, but I encourage it to anyone who can knowing its hard at first but makes so much easier in the end.
5. Snack time.  Try to set up a snack for yourself and your other children around nursing times. You’ll need something to keep older one busy during feedings. Special activity bags are nice to pull out. Or snack time. Nutrient-rich quick snacks for you, like granola bars or brown rice cakes with humus or fruit and veggies, are really helpful to build into your day so your milk supply stays strong.
6. Baby Proof your home. If you haven’t done this already, do it. There will be many times when you are changing diapers, nursing, or calming a crying baby that you need to know that your older child is safe. Do all the things they recommend because it is piece of mind knowing that if you are upstairs with the baby and your older child is downstairs alone that there is nothing that is really unsafe for them. Of course things can always happen, but knowing your older one is contained in a safe place, takes some stress off you. And the last thing you need during this time is more stress.
7. Swing. I think a swing is greatest gift with second babies. All of my babies slept in swings during the day for the first three months. They sleep so well in it and you can still go about your daily activities with the older ones. The babies learn to sleep with all the noise and activity going on. When they weren't being worn they were often swinging and they were calm. My babies loved it.
8. Pacifier. I think a pacifier is another wonderful thing with second babies. Pacifiers helped my babies be able to go to sleep on their own. One of the best things with my second and third is that I didn’t have to rock them to sleep.I put them in their swing or crib and they were able to self soothe and go to sleep. Having a mobile in the crib really helps as well. The pacifier is golden those first few months. It helps them through those cranky times when they just need to suck and you need to make dinner or get your older child to school.
9. Routine. This is one thing that is easier with your second. You already have a nice routine set with your older ones, so your baby falls into routine so much faster and they are better for it. I get them immersed in all our routines as soon as I can and this helped establish their own routine. For me, the more consistent the routine, the calmer the baby.
10. Sleep for baby. Sleep begets sleep. You hear about it but you don’t think its true. It is. I always find my babies are happiest when they have a lot of sleep. I always made sure that baby is back to sleep within 2 hours of his last waking. So if baby wakes at 9am from nap, you should be putting him back down by 11am. Even if they just slept for 3 hours. Feed, play, and back to sleep. Let them sleep however they can, carrier, swing, carseat, stroller. 
11. Sleep for you. In those first few months, sleep whenever you can. Nap when the baby and older children are sleeping. I think somewhere around 3 months is when life can resume again somewhat because you are getting regular sleep. You can get your evenings back because baby is going to sleep around 7 when the other children go to sleep. You can either go right to sleep then too. Or you can have some time with your husband, read a book. It can be sooner for some but 3 months is when most colic ends, baby sleeps longer and regular intervals. I believe that sleep deprivation is the toughest thing in the first couple months. Once we are getting some sleep again, life changes and everything is better.
12. Perspective. Its amazing how your perspective shifts when you have another child. An outing with just one child now feels like a breeze. One-on-one time is such a blessing. You’ll wonder why you ever thought it was complicated before. That shift in perspective is really wonderful. It helps us appreciate more more moments. Seeing beauty in little things like a nap with your baby cuddled on top of you. You cherish it more.
13. One-on-Onetime with your older ones. They will need extra love from you. That is why when they are awake, I try to give them as much time and attention as I can. It will be hard because you will be tapped and you need your time too. You will find energy you didn’t know you have and giving special time to them prevents them from breaking down as badly with meltdowns, negative behavior. If you feel like you have no energy from a long night, take a quick shower or go for a walk. Don’t be afraid to bring whomever you need to into the bathroom with you while you get that shower. Just do something when you feel lifeless gives you energy you need to go on.
14. Get out. Take advantage of this time when the baby will just sleep in the stroller. You can do a lot with your older one. Your older one will be better after trip to park or zoo. Everyone will feel better and refreshed with fresh air. Look on the websites of local places. Many have a nursing room. That way you can nurse baby and have your older one with you and then go about the outing. Snacks or some kind of activity are helpful during those times.
15. Plan. Your planning will come into effect more than ever. You’ll want to be prepared to head out and do things right after you feed your baby. Because you’ll usually have a 3-hour window then. Because feeding baby while watching child is tough. Always having some snacks and activities on hand help with nurse sessions while you are out. Doing it in the car works because your older one is contained. Save some screen time for nursing times as well. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. The more you can do proactively the better.
16. Say yes to help and ask for it if you need it. Whether its someone offering to hold the door for you or a neighbor offering to watch your older one for a couple hours. Say yes. People are kind and do want to help. It makes them feel good and gives you a break. They say the greatest way to gain a friend is to ask a favor of them. If your feelings are really bad, talk about it with your doctor, your family. Talk to someone, anyone. Don’t let yourself be alone with feelings. There is so much going on in your own body and you are caring for two other humans who have so many needs. You need to take care of you. Reach out if you need to. There is help out there to make you feel better so you can be better for your family.
17. Take one breath to become mindful. It only takes one moment of mindfulness to change your reaction from frustration to calm. To choose love over anger. To choose an adult reaction instead of belittliong. When you are about to lose it choose to take one breath. Focusing on breath will help you choose differently. To zoom out and not feel as frustrated. To see the positive in something that seems negative. One positive thought can change the direction of thoughts from sloping up to sloping down.
18. Make time for you. Your days will be filled. You have to make some time for you in your busy day. Your emotional state is so important and doing something that fills you up helps that. You an easily reach a slippery negative slope if you don’t have control of your emotions. You are better equip to handle whatever comes your way if your emotional state is positive. And some time for yourself helps that. Early on, it may only be 10-minutes. But 10 minutes may be all you need to rejuvinate. And then take more time as it becomes available.

You can do it, Mama!

Yes there will be challenge and highs and lows as there always are in parenting, But the highs will be higher and thats what gets you through the lows. You’ll be challenged in new ways but you will triumph too in ways you didn’t think were possible.

And try to remember the moments with little ones are fleeting.  Enjoy them. Try to be present, and positive, and prepared so you can be your best. Take care of you so you can enjoy more with your children. They have so much love to give you, but you have to be open to receiving it. And that comes from presence and positive.

Do you see taking some time for yourself as selfish or an act of self-love? Are our children mirrors to our own selves—teaching us to experience life more fully and deeply? Meet Jackie Healy. She believes parenting helps us to grow more into ourselves.

She believes self-love is so important in parenting. By making some space for ourselves through exercise, silence, doing something we love. It helps us get in control of our emotions and be open and really listen to what our children are teaching us.

Jackie shares a wonderful life recipe for how to really listen to your children and honor them by letting them feel their emotions.

She reaches out to her community of friends for help in parenting but ultimately trusts her intuition to make decisions. She believes there isn’t one book or one way of parenting that works for one child. You have to listen to yourself.

Hear how she is stepping into her own truth not just in parenting, but in her career as well. She is building the path to start her own business as an intuitive guide by doing what she loves—listening to people, feeling people’s energy and helping people through any blocks that are hindering them from realizing happiness and fulfillment in their lives.

Don’t miss this insightful and uplifting chat on parenting, personal growth, and living with self-love with our EveryDayEveryMom Jackie Healy.

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