• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Its a Hero

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Sponsor and Advertising
  • Categories
    • recipes
    • brews + food
    • wellness
    • events
    • dairy-free
    • money saving tips
    • Explore Ohio
    • Family Travel
    • tips + tricks
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • giveaway
    • printables

#MomLife

How to build consistency in your homeschool routine

March 14, 2021 by Rachel 12 Comments

One area that many homeschool families struggle is with consistency. Even from just doing this for a short period of time, I know it’s true. Being constant with our schooling is an important factor in keeping things going smoothly. And also for reaching their educational goals and milestones. Building consistency in your homeschooling routine can help build consistency in your everyday life, too! Here are a few ways you can help to build consistency in your homeschool routine.

Prioritize the must-dos

Choose a few subjects that absolutely must be done daily. For most families, this will include reading and math. If you do nothing else, do those two (or three) subjects. Build up the constant habit of daily reading and math time with your children as early as possible. These easy tasks will lay the foundation that will help keep your days running smoothly. Even if your homeschool day is a short one.

Healthy Habits build routines

Building consistency is all about building healthy habits. Create a new habit each month and add it to your family’s day. These tiny changes will turn into healthy habits that will stick around.

How to build consistency in your homeschool

Healthy habits, like incorporating walks, extra outdoor time, hikes, or art time, will help the kids and you. Knowing these things are built into your homeschool day will make everyone more willing to do the less-than-fun things.

Don’t overload your days

Something I learned early on is that it’s really easy to overload your homeschool day. You’ll think you’re not doing or teaching enough. So you’ll add more and more tasks on, but it doesn’t get done; nor does it make your day any easier. Overloading your day will only overwhelm you. And, honestly? You’re less likely to get anything done that day.

How to build consistency in your homeschool

Instead, plan the minimum you need to get done and if everyone is up for more or wants to explore something new pull out the extra work and get ahead. If you do plan out a full schedule try not to look at it for the day until you and your children are ready to dive in to prevent that feeling of overload.

Set rewards for consistency

We decided, as a family, to set rewards for a straight week of consistency. We track our consistency on a chart, earn rewards individually, and as a group. It helps to keep us all accountable. These goals can be things like a family trip to Target on a Sunday morning (the kids personal favorite). But having bigger, monthly goals is helpful, too. Plus, it gives us something to look forward to. This will help fuel each days efforts — even on days where not everyone is feeling the lesson plans.

Track your progress

Truly seeing progress in your child’s learning can be a big encouragement to stick to consistency day after day in your homeschool. It’s true for both the teacher (mom or dad) and the kids. Personally, I wasn’t sure my Pre-K daughter was learning enough. Day after day of sight words seemed to just be hum drum. But that consistency? It paid off the moment she said the first word before I had a chance to say it!

How to build consistency in your homeschool

It was a game-changer. Honestly. I felt like we had been in an endless loop of sight cards. And then one day it just clicked.

Plan intentional days off

When burn out starts to kick in it is easier to stick with it when you know you have a break coming up. Be sure to plan regular breaks at regular intervals with your family. These breaks can line up with your local schools so that your kids can spend time with friends; or you can do your own thing on your own schedule!

When all is said and done, just make homeschooling a priority and have semi-set hours. Flexible and consistent is key. Make priorities, stick to those priorities, and find consistency in the rest.

Tell me — what’s your key to staying consistent with homeschooling?

Filed Under: #MomLife, homeschool, parenthood, parenting, tips + tricks Tagged With: #MomLife, homeschool, motherhood, parenthood

Sheet Pan Pancakes

January 5, 2021 by Rachel 10 Comments

My kids have always been picky eaters. Once they find something they absolutely love, they stick to it. Big time. My eldest loves a bowl of cereal, but that has been an acquired taste. In my 8+ years as a mom, I’ve tried to feed my kids every breakfast food imaginable. But the one thing they always seem to want? Pancakes. And pancakes just so happen to be my least favorite breakfast food to make. Mostly because three kids times three pancakes each means I am standing at the stovetop over a pan for nearly an hour (to make sure there are enough for my husband and I, as well as leftovers). It can be downright daunting! So I got creative. These easy weekday (or weekend) morning sheet pan pancakes are the perfect way to make pancakes for a crowd!

Weekday Morning Sheet Pan Pancakes

Getting creative and innovative

Listen, every mom has had moments of being at home with their kids at some point in their motherhood journey. But this pandemic took it to a whole other level! Suddenly our kids — and, who am I kidding, we! — are eating 24/7. Grocery deliveries and BJ’s Drive Up orders are now happening twice weekly. It’s basically insanity. And during insanity comes ingenuity. Is that the saying? Probably (most definitely) not, but let’s roll with it.

Weekday Morning Sheet Pan Pancakes

Who would have thought that something as simple as foregoing the griddle could be so life-changing? Okay, perhaps life-changing is a bit dramatic. But morning changing? Totally and completely accurate.

What you’ll need

This recipe is beyond easy peasy. Just grab your favorite pancake mix, water, and some vanilla, and you are good to go! Oh — and a sheet pan. Any old sheet pan will do! Just be sure you grease it (we prefer avocado oil or coconut oil).

Weekday Morning Sheet Pan Pancakes

Sheet Pan Pancakes

Yield: 12 servings

Sheet Pan Pancakes

Weekday Morning Sheet Pan Pancakes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups boxed pancake mix
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 Tablespoons of Vanilla

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP ONE -

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

STEP TWO -

Mix together your pancake mix, water, and vanilla.

STEP THREE -

On a lightly greased sheet pan, pour in your pancake mix. 

STEP FOUR -

Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

STEP FIVE -

Allow it to cool before cutting into it.

STEP 6 -

Cut into 12 servings. Top with butter, syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh fruit, and/or more! ENJOY!

Weekday Morning Sheet Pan Pancakes

© Rachel

PIN FOR LATER

Filed Under: #MomLife, easy recipes, family, recipe, recipes Tagged With: #MomLife, easy recipes, family, recipes

2020 Year In Review Printable For Kids

December 28, 2020 by Rachel 12 Comments

I know it’s a phrase we’ve seen and heard time and time again — there’s no way any of us saw 2020 going like this. While I still managed to hit some significant goals, the pandemic certainly forced my focus to be at home. And that’s not a bad thing. I’ve tried to pass that perspective on to my kids as well. Sure, we don’t see our friends. But we will! And no, we didn’t get to go on vacation as planned. But we will when it’s safe. And so I created this 2020 year in review printable for kids so that we can look at the bigger picture together.

2020 Year In Review Printable For Kids

What I learned this year

I’ve always been a ‘busy’ person. I used to commit to too much and then feel completely drained. And when March hit, my busy-ness came to a full stop. I immediately leaned into it. Because, well, what other choice did I have?

Distance-learning

Who knew that remote learning and distance learning would be such an important part of our vocabulary in 2020?! I’m certain none of us had any idea. When schools went remote in the Spring, I was ready for it. I saw it coming and new that I just had to do what we could to get through until Summer.

Truthfully, distance learning at that point felt more like homeschooling on our schedule. I was grateful. Granted, my son was only in the first grade at the time. But still. And, most of the time, we made it through easily. Sure, we had ocassional hangups; but nothing major.

Being at Home

Ya know, this part of the pandemic didn’t quite bother me so much. I know I’m one of the lucky ones. I primarily work from home, but I did also take a leave of absence at my part-time gig (followed by a lay-off). We would go days and days without driving in the car. And then, suddenly, I would just need to get out. But without anywhere to go, the kids and I would just drive around.

But my husband worked from home for a couple of months and, honestly, it was nice having him around. The kids hated when he had to go back to the office (which, honestly, is just him and one other guy — distanced and masked).

And, after we decided to cancel our August vacation (in April), we made the decision to put some work into our house. We hired a local contractor to put up a very long privacy fence. Shortly thereafter, we hired him to also put in a deck for us. Hours and hours were spent tearing down and then building up a new playset for the kids. Next we built a new sandbox. And, finally, we installed a hot tub.

But we also had more meals at home. More movie nights weigh the kids. And many, many, more memories made.

2020 Year In Review Printable For Kids

Why I’m grateful for 2020

I’ve never ever been a ‘roll with the punches’ kind of person. I like a clear, set plan. But, it turns out, when faced with a global pandemic, I learned to seriously just lean into taking this year for what it gave me.

Don’t get me wrong — I am straight up sad. I’m sad for the lives lost and those who have suffered. I’m even more sad for those on the frontlines who have had to deal with science deniers in the digital age. But I’m also happy that this year brought clarity — some of which was hard-fought. I have lost friends and acquaintances to differences in opinion; but I’ve also gained a whole heck of a lot.

I’ve gained the understanding that some people are only meant in your life for a season or a reason. Additionally, I’ve increased my appreciation for the basics: a roof over my head, food on the table, my family, and our health. I’ve also strengthened relationships with family and friends. And I do not discount that for a second.

2020 Year In Review Printable For Kids

Whether or not you leaned into this year; whether or not you felt this year was majorly disruptive or a much needed slowdown; take a moment to check in with your kids. Be sure to use this PDF Printable and ask your kids to fill it out (or help them).

PIN FOR LATER

Pin For Later
Pin For Later

Filed Under: #MomLife, children, holidays, printables Tagged With: #MomLife, children, holidays, printables

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Craft with template

December 9, 2020 by Rachel 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but my kids are getting really tired of plain old coloring and painting. Something about this holiday season has my kids just itching for bigger and better crafts. This paper strip Christmas tree craft is equal parts fun and creative! Basically, the perfect combination for antsy kids.

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Craft

It’s easy enough, thanks to the printable template, and requires very few supplies. You can even turn them into homemade Christmas cards for grandparents, aunts, and uncles. It’s the perfect little homemade surprise.

What you’ll need for this project

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Template
Cardstock – blue, green, brown
Paper – various shades of green and patterns
Glitter foam stars
Scissors
Glue stick

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Craft

That’s it!

Using a template

Using this printable template makes this craft a cinch! You can save and print this at home or take it to a print center (and grab some cardstock while you’re there!).

PRINTABLE TEMPLATE

How to make this special tree

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Craft

Paper Strip Christmas Tree Craft

Materials

  • Paper Strip Christmas Tree Template
  • Cardstock - blue, green, brown
  • Paper - various shades of green and patterns
  • Glitter foam stars
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick

Notes

Begin by downloading the template.

You will need two squares the size provided. One in a blue shade, the other green.

From the blue cardstock, also carefully cut out the Christmas tree from inside the square.

Now, cut a bunch of thin strips from the different kinds of paper.

Position the strips in randomly across the green square. Make sure to use different shades of green and patterns, too. This is a great way to use up any scraps. Leave a bit of the green from underneath showing, too.

Then, apply glue around the blue cardstock with the cut out tree. And position over the strips.

Place a foam star on top.

Finally, use the rectangle from the template to cut a rectangle from the brown cardstock.

And glue in place for the trunk.

PIN FOR LATER - Fun Christmas Tree Paper Craft for Kids

Filed Under: #MomLife, children, Christmas, crafty, kids crafts Tagged With: #MomLife, children, Christmas, crafty, kids crafts

Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Craft

December 7, 2020 by Rachel 13 Comments

“It’s the most wonderful tiiiime of the year!” I knew that as soon as we put our Christmas tree up, my three kids would begin the neverending question of “is it Christmas yet?!” Our tree has been up less than a week and I was 100% without a doubt right. Every morning they wake up with the energy they will most certainly have on Christmas morning. They are eager to open their advent calendars and get started on the holiday activity of the day. But 25 days is a long time for a kid to wait for Christmas, right? Well I’m creating crafts just like this Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Craft to help continue the cheer throughout the month!

Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Craft

Crafting Made Easy

As a mom of three wild children, I need no-nonsense crafts. I know for certain my kids would be content with just paint, a few brushes, and a blank sheet of paper. But I want to create some magic that they — and I — can hold on to for years to come. These Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament crafts can be used as cards to mail to relatives or to save as keepsakes. Bonus? They are oh so easy.

Who can do this craft?

This craft is appropriate for all ages, as long as there is adequate adult supervision. I will also note that for parents who prefer tidy and neat finished products, you may want to stick with children three and up. But, truthfully, as long as you’re aware that our little artists are just trying to express themselves, it’s a perfectly fine craft for even young children!

What You’ll Need

There are very few supplies needed for this Christmas craft. In fact, you will probably have most of these supplies on hand!

  • Potatoes (2-4 depending on how many helping hands you have!)
  • Brown cardstock 
  • Acrylic paints – red, green, and blue 
  • Markers – black and white 
  • Assorted adornments (like stickers, gems, sequins, stars) 
  • Scissors 
  • Glue 

How to make Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Cards

Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Card

Potato Stamp Christmas Ornament Card

Materials

  • Potatoes
  • Brown cardstock 
  • Acrylic paint - red, green, blue 
  • Markers - black, white 
  • Adornments - stickers, gems, sequins, stars, etc. 
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Instructions

Begin by folding a sheet of brown cardstock in half. 

Now, cut your potatoes in half along the width. You will need one half of a potato per color. Also,  spread your paint colors on a flat surface such as a paper plate. 

Then, dip the potato in a paint color. Make sure the potato is completely covered with paint. Press the potato onto the brown cardstock. 

Carefully lift the potato up to reveal the stamp underneath. 

Do the same with the other colors. Let the paint dry completely. 

Next, draw an ornament cap with the black marker. Draw a line going off the top of the card, as  well. 

Finally, decorate the baubles with your choice of fun adornments. We chose stickers, gems,  sequins, and stars, but this is a great chance to get creative! 

Also use the white marker to decorate the baubles further by adding lines and more detail.

© Rachel
Category: Christmas

PIN FOR LATER

PIN ME - Fun Christmas Potato Stamp Card Craft for Kids
PIN ME - Fun Christmas Potato Stamp Card Craft for Kids

Filed Under: #MomLife, Christmas, crafty, holidays, kids crafts, parenting Tagged With: #MomLife, Christmas, crafty, holidays, kids crafts, parenthood

My Self-Care Routine with Riondo Prosecco and By Any Reads

December 3, 2020 by Rachel 11 Comments

This month I turned thirty-five. My 36th birthday came in with little fanfare, but I feel more present than ever. In fact, I rang in this year by focusing on a just a few things: myself and my family. And that’s why I am here to share my self-care routine with Riondo Prosecco and By Any Reads.

Why Self-Care Matters

Self-care is a term we throw around a lot these days. For me, self-care means unplugging and focusing on myself. But it’s something we all need. I know that I can easily get burned out if I don’t take a step back, take a breath, and focus on myself for point two seconds. In fact, just last week I was drowning with the need for a bit of time to focus on myself. Taking care of others, working from home, and homeschooling will (and can) do a number on anyone. Now, more than ever, it’s important to take care of ourselves.

My Self-Care Routine

I will admit it: I am addicted to social media. Sure, it can be fun. But in the past however many years, it’s also been a wonderful platform for me to use my voice and a wonderful way to stay connected. But there are major downfalls. Social media has made clear divides between people. Some of those divides just cannot be repaired. So self-care is exactly what I need in my life.

Riondo Prosecco and By Any Reads

Unplugging and unwinding with Riondo Prosecco and By Any Reads is my go-to for self-care. I mean, I need to be away from social media. And what better way than by joining a virtual book club like By Any Reads?! I get to connect with people across the country and do something I love — read!

Self-Care Routine with Riondo Prosecco and By Any Reads

This months book is Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. The book is both powerful and inspiring. As a cisgender white woman, I thought perhaps I would not be able to relate. But her book is about so much more than her experience as a transgender woman.

book club

This book brought so many feelings to the surface. I’ve been struggling with my own sort of identity crisis. Turning 36 means that I’m nearing the dreaded ‘middle-age’. And I’ve talked quite a bit about my experience in becoming a mother and trying to ‘find myself,’ or rather, get to know myself again. It’s a journey I’m still on. And this book was a great example of how our lives are just one small transformation after another.

Are you interested in joining a virtual book club? Follow @RiondoProsecco on Instagram to learn more about December’s book selection!

My hopes for this year

My hope is that I can be an encouraging voice for my community. And that community includes YOU. I want you to #TakeASeccoTo yourself. Enjoy self-care in small ways. Even if that means sipping on Riondo Prosecco and reading a book. Get to know yourself through small acts of reflection.

PIN FOR LATER

easy tips for a self care routine to unwind even in chaos

Filed Under: #MomLife, books, brews + food, busy mom, parenthood Tagged With: books, brews + food, parenthood, self growth

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 44
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Blog Archives

Grab the Button

It's a Hero

Recent Posts

  • Ham and Cheese Sliders with Aioli Recipe
  • Air Fryer Cheez-Its Recipe
  • Copycat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
  • Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
  • Copycat Reese’s Eggs Recipe
  • Copycat Marshmallow Peeps Recipe — Super Easy
  • Instant Pot Sausage & Spinach Soup Recipe
  • How to build consistency in your homeschool routine
  • St. Patrick’s Day “Gold Treasure” Cake Pops
  • St Patrick’s Day Hot Cocoa Bombs Recipe
Collaborate with Rachel Loza on influencer marketing
dealspotr.com
Follow