Relationships Archives - Page 22 of 47

Don’t let mom guilt derail you in your goal to be debt free. Instead find out how to get kids on board paying off debt with these tips.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t let #money incidents with the kiddos derail you from your #debtfree goal. Find out how to get kids on board paying off debt with these easy tips.” username=”diyadulation”]

You’ve made the decision to finally be debt-free and dig out of this hole you have made. You are budgeting regularly and throwing every extra penny at that mountain.

Then you are leaving the art show at school and the kiddos start begging for fast food because they’re hungry. Or your oldest is begging you for money for the book fair even though he already has at least 5 books at home unread.

These incidents don’t have to derail you in your goal if you find out how to get kids on board paying off debt.

I admit, my kids are my weak spot. It is so much easier to tell myself no than it is to tell my kids no.

If you ask them I’m sure they would tell you I say no all of the time because that’s how tiny humans are. When they want a birthday party or money for something at school, however, I am overcome with guilt about telling them no.

Unfortunately, the grandparents are not always helpful on that front making that guilt triple sometimes. You think, “They [your kids] didn’t create this mess so it’s not right to punish them.”

Believe it or not, you are not punishing them. The fact is that in this stage of our life they need to be told no.

It won’t kill them to have a small dinner for their birthday or forego that super cool eraser set at the book fair.

Yes, it is not their fault that you’re in debt but this is not a punishment. It is a temporary stage of life so that you can live even better in a few short years.

That is why it is so important to get kids on board paying off debt. It makes your life easier but also teaches them the valuable lesson of working towards goals and taking ownership of your mistakes.

Be Straight With Them

First of all you have to tell them like it is. Teach your kids what debt is, how you get it, and why it’s bad. Let them know your total debt and your plan for paying it off.

I promise you that even being a thousand dollars in debt will seem like a lot to them because they cannot fathom that kind of money. Keep this conversation simple for young children giving them short specifics.

Warning:

Make this a positive conversation and let them know that you are choosing to pay off debt. Be very clear that this is not something they need to worry about and you aren’t losing your home or not having food. It is important that they know their basic needs will always continue to be met.

Make It Fun

Think paying off debt can’t be fun? Think again. It is easier than you think to make this fun for kiddos. This family even created a hashtag that they would say every time things come up that they aren’t spending money on.

Eventually their toddler even started shouting out the hashtag. This got the message across while still being fun for the kiddos. You can also have rewards for them every time you go to the store and they don’t ask for something.

These should be free things like extra game time on the XBox or 2 stories at bedtime instead of one. Create a list of ideas and share them with the kids before you leave the house to encourage the behavior.

Get Them Involved in the Goals

Remember when you set goals to help get you out of debt? Make these goals alongside your kids. Let them help pick the mini rewards that will keep your family focused for the long haul.

Later, when they ask for things you can remind them of the next reward coming for hitting your goals. That can be a fantastic incentive to keep them on track with you.

Use Play Money

This tip is especially good for young children. Grab some of their play money and every time they ask for something and you say no, write the cost of the item down.

When you get home, count out the cost of the item with them in play money and put it in a jar. As the money in the jar grows, they will have a visual representation of the money they’re helping you save when they don’t get those items.

The fuller the jar gets, the more excited they will be.

You can use one or all of these tips to get your kids on board with paying off debt. You definitely want to do step one and be clear with them about what you’re doing and why. Everything else simply makes the journey easier.

One last warning, keep an eye on little kids when using terms like “watch the money grow”. When our 5 year old got a bank for Christmas and we told her she could watch her money grow she asked how often she should water it.

It was adorable but also makes you a little nervous about finding water in the banks. Don’t forget, paying off debt is a family goal not only a financial one.

What ways do you get your kids involved in paying off debt? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

More Ideas You’ll Love:

DIY Debt Payoff Chalkboard
7 Free Ways to Practice Giving
Stay Positive in Parenting with these Busted Cards
5 Easy & Cheap Kids Crafts – Intelligent Domestications

Take away excuses for taking care of yourself with these open when self care ideas for moms. They will make for a happier, less-stressed out momma!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”On days you are so stressed and tired you’re snapping at your family and unproductive, pull out these open when #selfcare ideas for #moms.” username=”diyadulation”]

It’s no secret that I am terrible when it comes to self care. Although it’s not logical I always think there are more important things to do. I’ll get to it later. Sound familiar?

Then the day comes when I am so stressed and tired that I’m snapping at my family, getting nothing done, and just overall unpleasant. It was in the midst of one of these days that the idea for this open when self care ideas for moms came to me.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a little something you could pull out in these moments to make your life easier? Now there can be.

I have made open when letters as a gift for my husband a few years ago. I honestly don’t know if he ever opened them all.

He’s not quite the romantic that I am. However, I knew this concept could work really well for me.

While I continue trying to get better at taking care of myself, this is great for the interim. If you’re struggling too, these can help you get through the tough days.

What is Open When Self Care

This idea is a little different from the open when letters for your husband. For started, they are not all letters. Frankly, on the really rough days a simple letter isn’t going to cut it. A letter doesn’t get dinner on the table or help you get more sleep. That is what moms need and what these open self care ideas should be.

Self Care Needs List

Before you set up your envelopes you need a self care needs list. On a piece of notebook paper list all of the things you struggle with. I recommend having at least 12 (one for each month) however these can be repeated multiple times if needed.

For example, I really struggle with putting my work away so that is one that I would have multiples of. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Getting Dinner Made

Going to Bed Early

Reading a Book

Taking a Shower

Putting Work Down

Negative Self Talk

Materials

Self Care Needs List
Manila Envelopes (Or any large envelope)
Marker
Items for Envelopes

Step 1

Write down the items on your self care list on the front of the envelopes with the words “Open When”. For example, your getting dinner made would read, “Open When Dinner Isn’t Made.”

Step 2

Next, fill the envelopes with items and letters that will make that moment easier. See below for examples.

Step 3

Put the finished envelopes together in an accessible place in your home. Pull them out when you most need them.

Envelope Item Ideas

Getting Dinner Made

This one can be filled with pizza gift cards for those really tough days. If you’re on a strict budget like us, you can also keep a surplus of homemade frozen pizzas in the freezer. You can also put some inexpensive convenience food in the envelope such as mac-n-cheese or even cereal.

Going to Bed Early

Fill this one with your favorite caffeine free tea bags (I love Stash Teas)or a lavender-filled eye mask (like this DIY one right here). Anything that makes sleep and rest easier is perfect for this envelope.

Reading a Book

Put a new (to you) book in this one that you can devour easily. This is the perfect envelope for guilty pleasure reads. Mine is any of the Lindsay Sands vampire books.

Taking a Shower

Add a bath bomb or candles to this envelope and take a relaxing bath when you open it. Be sure to throw on your headphones so you don’t hear the chaos for a half an hour or so.

Putting Work Down

Let the kiddos and your husband help with ideas for these. Card games, movies, and other fun items should go in this. If your family thinks you need to put your work away, chances are it’s because they need attention from you. These items are things that you can do together.

Negative Self Talk

Have your family write letter about why they love you or what you’re good at for this envelope. Another option that works well (especially if you have little kids too young to write) is to create a video of them answering those questions. When you find yourself talking negatively internally, pull this out.

Now that you have you have finished your open when self care ideas for moms, there is still one thing left to do. Here is what will make this system truly successful: enlist help.

Put your open when envelopes in a place where the entire family can access them. Then if someone notices that I’m having trouble putting my work down or haven’t read a book lately, they can pull out the envelope and give it to me.

The catch is when someone hands you an envelope you have to do it. This will not always be easy, trust me. It forces you to take care of yourself and that is the point.

Your family will often notice your lack of self care before you do. Be gracious and let them help keep you accountable.

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

More Ideas You’ll Love:

How to Embrace a Habit of Reading
Save Money with DIY Beauty Recipes
Make Time for Fun with a Yearly To-Do List
8 Crock Pot Freezer Meals – Domestically Creative

We are back again with the Movie Monday Challenge and I have to admit, this one was trickier for me. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up we decided to go with the theme “Luck” and I really struggled to think of movies. Even Google searches didn’t pull up a lot of results. Finally, I landed on Freaky Friday (the newer one) and from there that led to this awesome Freaky Friday date night lantern.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Shake up date nights at home with this Freaky Friday #datenight lantern! #MovieMonday” username=”diyadulation”]

In case you haven’t seen it, Freaky Friday is about a mother and daughter who switch bodies. They cannot switch back until they are selfless for the other person. Of course, hijinks ensue which are hilarious but the concept got me thinking. When is the last time you did something with your husband simply because he liked it (even though you don’t) and vice-versa?

Think about how much your relationship would grow if you both did things for each other on a regular basis that the other person knew was exclusively for them. That would be pretty powerful.

That is where this Freaky Friday date night lantern comes in. After you’ve made it, fill it with date night ideas that you each love even if the other person doesn’t. Not only will this bring the two of you closer, it will also make weekly date nights at home easier.

Materials

Small Empty Red Coffee Can
Hot Glue Gun and Glue
Gold Glittery Ribbon (Similar)
Red and Yellow DMC Floss
Scissors
Small Rectangle of Cardboard

Step 1

Start by removing the label from your coffee can and cleaning the can thoroughly.

Tip:

The label will come off easier if you fill the can with hot water first and shake it with the lid on. This loosens the glue that holds the label on.

Step 2

Next, begin gluing strips of gold ribbon to the sides of the can with hot glue.

Step 3

Continue until the can has a strip of ribbon every 1 inch or so.

Step 4

Then add another strip of ribbon around the base of the can with hot glue. Make sure to overlap the ends to make it more secure.

Step 5

Repeat step four at the top of your coffee can. Be sure to do this on the bumped out part and not on the very top. You still need to be able to attach the lid.

Step 6

Now, unwrap your DMC floss and lay it out so that you can pull from it easily.

Step 7

Begin wrapping your floss around the piece of cardboard as pictured. Continue until you think you have enough for your tassel. I lost count of how many times I wrapped it. That is how many layers I made.

Step 8

After you have finished wrapping your floss, wrap the excess around the top to secure it temporarily.

Tip:

You can bend the cardboard if needed to get the floss through the center.

Step 9

Next, cut the bottom end of your wrapped floss.

Step 10

Carefully pull the floss off of the cardboard and permanently secure the folded end with a long piece of yellow floss. Knot it multiple times for best results.

Step 11

Next, wrap a piece of red floss around the top as pictured and secured with a double knot.

Step 12

Trim any excess red floss from the knots.

Step 13

Now trim the loose ends of the tassel to make them even.

Step 14

Then cut a hole in the center of your coffee can lid with scissors. I simply poked mine through. I didn’t try to get a perfect hole.

Step 15

Next, thread the long yellow floss through the hole in the lid from the top down.

Step 16

Tie a small piece of floss to the end of your threaded yellow floss. It doesn’t matter what color it is. Mine is red because I used the excess I trimmed from the knot around the tassel.

Step 17

Finally, tie the new piece of floss in a bow with the yellow floss and double knot. This will keep it from pulling out. Be sure to check the length at which you want your tassel to hang before committing to the knots. The knot placement will determine this.

Date Nights

Now that your Freaky Friday date night lantern is finished, it is time to fill it with date nights. We are currently trying to have one date night a week so we need a lot of ideas. Each of you should try to come up with at least 10-15 date night ideas. The catch is that you should pick things that you love that your spouse has maybe never tried or doesn’t enjoy quite as much. For example, I love Scattergories but my husband doesn’t really enjoy playing it. On the flip side of that, he loves playing video games and I have never really been a big gamer. These would both make perfect date night ideas for the lantern.

Fill It Up

Cut a piece of white printer paper into small strips (like fortunes from the movie) and fill them out with date ideas. Then toss them into the lantern and take turns blindly drawing one on date nights each week. Keep in mind that these should be dates that can be completed at home and in 1-2 hours ideally. You want to be able to whip them out after the kids go to bed and enjoy a fun date without being up until the wee hours of the morning.

If you want to add even more suspense to your Freaky Friday date night lantern don’t share your date ideas with each other. Let it be a complete surprise when you pull them out each week. If your husband isn’t a big chick flick or family movie guy, then you could totally put Freaky Friday movie night on one of the dates. Now it’s time to see what other lucky ideas the girls came up with for this month’s Movie Monday Challenge. I expect to feel lucky and inspired in no time!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

On the last (or fourth) Monday of each month, a group of bloggers participate in a #MovieMondayChallenge, hosted by C’mon Get Crafty! We decide on a topic, genre, or specific movie to use for inspiration and everyone gets free reign to create something wonderful!

This month’s challenge was. . . . “LUCK! Everyone was allowed to choose their own favorite film so long as it was inspired by the challenge word.

Now let’s see what everyone else was inspired to create for this month’s #MovieMondayChallenge!! If you’d like to join our Facebook group, you can request an invite here.

An InLinkz Link-up