Things every Mom should know

I was recently reading through a very old Parents magazine and came across an article titled "39 Things Every Mom Should Know".  I'm going to split it up into several posts so this one isn't ridiculously long.  The top 10 are as follows...

1.  You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed restaurants.  Ever.  I wish someone had told me that.

2.  Don't make birthday parties a huge deal.  (I don't totally agree with this one personally.  I like making b-day parties special, but I try not to spend too much money.  Not sure if that's where they were going with that.)

3.  Do your chores while kids are awake.  Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing. (*I struggle with this one!)

4.  Put Band-aids on everything your kids want to. Why not?

5. If the kids are awake, bite the bullet and be awake yourself.  You'll waste so many hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it.  If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.

6.  Just throw away the poopy underwear.

7.  Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

8.  Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you are camping-you'll be glad you did.  But if other people's kids do it, don't judge too harshly-it's all about karma. If you're in the midst of potty training all bets are off.  You gotta do what you've gotta do.

9.  Buy cheap shoes when kids are little.  Feet grow faster than you think.

10.  Don't forget about board games.  You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad.  And Clue rocks.

Stay tuned for more...Hope you are having a great week.