What I'm doing to try and be a better mom

About a month ago I was taking my daughter to her gymnastics class and I noticed that one of the kids in her class were trying to get there moms attention but mom was on her phone and totally ignoring the kid. I felt really bad for the kid as she was trying so hard to get her attention. It was at that moment that I made a promise to myself to be a more attentive mom.

When I am at gymnastics if I can see my daughter out the viewing room window I make sure I watch her and that every time she looks up she sees me watching her. When I can't see her that is when I can look at my phone.

At night we have started a new tradition/bed time routine. I went and got a kids novel its 3 stories in 1 and its 33 chapters long. Every night we read a chapter of the book before bed while cuddled up. Sometimes if we are at a good part we will read 2 chapters. I find that since doing this L has been going to bed so much better than in the past and looks forward to our reading times.

Mother daughter dates! I have been trying to do a mother daughter date at least 1-2 times a month with L. We go to dinner or do something fun just the 2 of us next month we are going to go to Paw Patrol live together! L is super excited about this.

I am trying to put my phone down and or work down more often and playing with L wether it be a tickle battle playing a game or watching some video about something she was interested in.

If I do anything at all anything that could make a difference with my girl I hope that being more present in her life and showing her love in ways other than heres a new toy or let me buy you this I want her to appreciate time and time spent with me and other people in her life I want her to value things like that more so than valuing the things I buy her.

I have to say since I have implemented some of these rules or guidelines for myself I have seen a big improvement with L and her moods and how much we used to fight compared to now. She has been helping more and listening so much better. Hopefully this keeps up and I can raise a great kid!

5 Book Summer Reading List!

Summer reading list! I very much enjoy reading but I never have time to do so but this summer I am determined to read 5 books. It is a big challenge that I am going to attempt but I really want to succeed with it. I went through my books I currently own and haven't read yet and then went and bought a couple more the other day to make up my 5 books.

Book 1

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
Chapters link to book here

This book I saw and read the description of when I was "window shopping" on chapters website one day it wasn't out yet but low and behold it was at the store the other day and I had to get it.

I just recently found out as well that they are making this book into a movie. Hopefully I can finish it before the movie comes out.

Book 2

The Bad Mother by Amanda Brooke
Chapters link to book here

This is also a book I bought the other day and thought If I am reading about the perfect mother might as well read about the bad one too. haha!

Book 3

Into The Water by Paula Hawkins
Chapters link to book here

This is by the bestselling author who wrote Girl on the train the reason I bought this book was really because the cover drew me in. I'm a sucker for a good cover.

Book 4

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Chapters link to book here

This is a book I have had for a while now and just haven't started reading it yet. I in the past have been way into teen fantasy fiction I'm big on easy readers so we will see how this one is.

Book 5

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
Chapters link to book here

I have had this book for a couple months now and I think I started reading a couple pages of it but haven't gotten into it just yet I have read one other Jodi Picoult book and it was pretty well written so I had bought this one thinking that I was able to get through the other one I should be able to get through this one.

So there it is my summer reading list fingers crossed I can do this! Wish me luck!

Daycare no more!

So L only has a couple days left and then she is done with Daycare. I have such mixed feelings about this I took the plunge this year and a lot of things are changing for us I went full time with my business. So I stay home all day and work from home. L has gone to daycare since she was 1 and full time since she was 2. I feel like My daycare has raised her more than I have which is a very weird think to think and I kind of hate that I think that. It's basically the same as a kid being in school the teachers have your kids all day so they are the ones taking care of your children.

The plan was that at the end of June L would be done daycare and I would have her home with me for 2 months before she starts school in September. This is no longer the plan as Daycare needs to let her go now. So I will have L home with me full time for 4 months instead of 2 which in all honesty is fine with me. L is such a good kid and I'm looking forward to spending time with her and doing things.

The other thing that will be really nice is saving money Daycare is so expensive and I have L in one of the cheaper daycares but I end up paying $700 a month. I am looking forward to not having to fork that out each month and hopefully we can put that money away instead. Hopefully that will bring us closer to our goal of buying our own home.

I have a bunch of things planned for the first few weeks of no Daycare. L has been wanting to go to the library for a little while now so I think I will probably take her there one day next week. She loves books and reading so it could be pretty fun.

I also have a plan for us to go to a local indoor playground we have here which she loves. If we go in the morning between 10-12 They have a discount and free coffee so that's a bonus! I'm also going to see if L's little boy friend and his mom can go as well to make it more fun for her. We will see!

It's going to be different and fun all in one. I'm working on getting things organized and planned in the fact that I want to start doing a chore chart and rewards system with L. I was going to do it with a money reward but have since decided that I am going to do a ticket reward system. she earns so many tickets depending on what the task is and then She can cash in her ticket for certain rewards that will have different ticket costs. Its still a work in progress.

Wish us luck!