Sanity Savers For When Your Kids Are Sick!

April 30, 2015 by amushro

I’m so excited to announce my new series for the blog called Can You Hack Motherhood? Since my Sanity Savers For When Kids Are Sick was such a hit on the Today Show, I knew these great tips needed to be a shared as a weekly series! So here is the post that started it all and a clip of my Today Show appearance! Keep a lookout for a new set of life hacks and sanity savers every Thursday and if you have any great tips for hacking motherhood, send them to me!

As a mom, I’ve got all kinds of super hero powers, like my kisses can fix boo boos and I can make lunch, kick a soccer ball, talk to my mom on the phone, and nurse a baby at the same time! But even when it seems like I’m just flying through life with my super hero cape on, nothing can send me into a stress induced tizzy like my kids getting sick. Everyone is miserable, no one is sleeping, and I’m looking around wondering “Who’s next?”

I’m not a doctor, but I do watch A LOT of Grey’s Anatomy and have two kids that like to barf in my hair at 3 AM and often get sick at the most inopportune times, like on trips to Disney. So here are my parenting life hacks when your kids are sick:

Making Medicine Less Yucky

When your kiddos are sick and they need to take medicine, the last thing you want is an all-out battle to get them to take their doses. But to be fair, a lot of medicine tastes pretty awful so here’s how we hide that yucky taste and start feeling better:

Put a few mini chocolate morsels on their tongue and when the chocolate melts, it coats their tongue so you can sneak the medicine in minus the bad taste. See chocolate really does fix everything!
For serious negotiations, I turn to a currency my kids understand, lollipops. Dip the lollipop in the medicine and let your kid lick the medicine each time you dip. When they finish all the medicine, they get to eat the lollipop (get yourself one too — you’ve earned it).The Skinny on Soothing SkinIt’s not just the flu or a cold that can have your favorite patients feeling awful, but don’t worry; you’ve got a bag of tricks to fix anything when they have issues with their skin
Itchy dry skin is no match for you! Put your little one in a lukewarm bath with a cup or two of white vinegar and skip the soap and shampoo. Cover their skin with Vaseline or coconut oil—yes coconut oil. They won’t be itchy and will smell like a yummy pina colda.
Sunburns are so painful, but you can come to the rescue with a cool fix of freezing aloe vera in ice cube trays.
My kids are anti-shoes in the summer which leads to a lot of splinters. So this Mamma mixes up a paste of baking soda and water to coat the splinter. Add a band-aid and let the paste sit for an hour. The splinter works itself out of the skin, you can easily pull it with tweezers, and your babe’s feet will stay pain free.Sanity Through ExhaustionYou’re probably a little rusty when it comes to all-nighters. So do a few things to keep sane when you only have one eye open at 3AM.

Be prepared for a night of tummy trouble by pulling out your old towels and sheets for your kid’s bed. Just like lasagna, make layers of sheets and towels. When you need to make late night clean ups, you can strip off a layer and the bed is already made and ready for the next round, sigh
You may already suffer from Mommy-Brain AND you’re exhausted, now you have to remember the last time your kids took their medicine—not happening. Grab a marker and create a small chart on the side of their medicine bottle for doses and the number of days they need to take medicine.
Earaches are so painful and keep everyone awake, but if you take an all white sock, add coarse sea salt and a few drops of lavender, and warm it up in the microwave or a skillet, you have a soothing heating pad to place on a painful ear. Sweet dreams!
Hydration is key when they’re sick, but if they’re lying down or napping, you can fully expect spills on their bed and your couch—but not anymore! Grab a cup with a lid and put a crazy straw in upside down. Even if the cup falls over, it won’t spill! Hallelujah! I might do this every day!Sweet Pain Relievers
Got a sore throat? Try a few mini marshmallows. Why does it work? I have no idea, but it does and it’s yummy.
Popsicles make everyone feel better so add Jell-o to homemade popsicles-it won’t melt as fast—genius– and if you add some fruit, you get a something healthy into you’re a sick kiddo with zero appetite.

These parenting life hacks can fix a lot and get your family back to normal…..

Or as normal as your family can be.

My Today Show’s #ParentingTeam Post– Mom Lessons!

April 21, 2015 by amushro

How fitting that during my Today Show whirlwind appearance, I had my mom by my side and now this month’s Today Show’s Parenting Team Challenge is all about sharing your mom’s best life lessons. It’s funny how moms are always willing to hand out advice, but we aren’t always willing to take it. Then years pass and we realize “dang, she DID know what she was talking about!” But don’t tell my mom I said that!

So hop on over to the Today #ParentingTeam site and check out my post. Leave me a little comment and click the vote button! Maybe I’ll get the chance to go back on the Today Show and share a little of my sweet Mamma’s wisdom! Click Right Here To Be Magically Transported!

Also, how sweet is this pic of my mom, kiddos, and me in the hospital after my Lyla was born? Wahhhh look how little my kids were!

No Pants, No Problem

April 15, 2015 by amushro

Friends, a few weeks ago we hit a very critical point in the year. Are you familiar with this:

I call this look “It’s barely spring and you need to wear pants for a few more weeks. So where are the higher socks?” Or maybe you know this style as as “Sweet Baby Jesus, kid! I wasn’t aware that surviving on mac and cheese and chocolate milk alone could make you have such long legs?”

Even though I swore that come hell or high waters I would NOT buy new pants that would only be worn for a few weeks before my kid breaks out his summer uniform, shorts and muscle shirt–yes, muscle shirts, the man is a firm believer in sun’s out, gun’s out–

I found myself hitting up the sale racks in search of pants of appropriate length; however, my main man has some specific requirements when it comes to pants. And friends, it’s getting a little tricky because all pants that enter his closet MUST meet the following description:

1. Pants with the color orange will be given preference before all others.

2. If it says “skinny leg” or has a more trendy name like like “rockstar” or “preppy,” it’s still a skinny leg and you need to walk away, Mom. Walk away.

3. And the most important rule: All pants purchased must be “comfy pants” i.e. pants without buttons, zippers, snaps, or clasps.

So at this point we are anti-jeans at all costs and have a closet full of active pants or basketball pants or lacrosse pants or whatever they name pants that don’t contain buttons or zippers.

On the particular chance that we have an event or a holiday that requires my boy to wear real pants, I approach my son with caution and a long list of reasons why real pants are the way to go. Negotiations ensure and they tend to be long winded and often end in tears and bribery. Usually I cave and allow corduroy or khakis.

But sometimes, friends I win these arguments and I have brief glimpses of the stylish dude I know is hiding behind those swishy, athletic pants. Seriously, his pants are so noisy I can always hear him sneaking up on me.

Sometimes when I get him all dress up I even get hilarious pictures like this! I call this picture “My mom made me wear pants”

Really I should be more understanding. After all, I spend most of my days in yoga pants and get a little grumpy when I have to wear real pants with buttons and zippers too. Apparently he gets his style trends from his Mama.

So point me in the direction of “comfy pants,” please. I’ve got a man with long legs and ankles that need to be covered for a few more weeks.

The Today Show’s Parenting Team and my Life Hacks!

March 29, 2015 by amushro

*Hangs head in shame* Friends, I committed the cardinal sin of parenting: I bragged on social media about my “super healthy kids” and BOOM every freaking cold, cough, flu, and virus within 20 miles hit our house for MONTHS. Ugh, waiting for the health department to drop a bubble on this house any minute. Silver lining, the Today Show Show (yes the Today Show!!!) is featuring my Life Hacks for Keeping Your Sanity When Your Kids Are Sick! So please do me a solid and hop on over to read it and click the vote button. I promise I won’t cough on you! Click Right Here to read and vote!

It’s Here! I STILL Just Want To Pee Alone!

March 27, 2015 by amushro

My blog’s tag line “Laughing at life as a parent so they don’t commit me” isn’t just something funny that fits nicely on my blog. No, friends, it the TRUTH! And really, we all need to laugh a whole lot more, amirite? So let me help you with that because I’m thrilled to tell you that the hilarious book I STILL Just Want to Pee Alone is available now and I’m in it!! My essay is all about kids in public bathrooms, poop particles, and Dr. Oz. It’s getting real, friends.

So it’s time to ignore your kids, tell your husband to fend for himself, get your copy, and get your laugh on! Remember when I told you about the 40 amazing writers that are featured in this book? What are you waiting for? Go! Read! Laugh! Leave a review on Amazon! See how I snuck that in there?

Get your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ans iTunes or you can get the book from me! Just send me an email to questionablechoicesinparenting@gmail.com

Also I’m having a book signing April 10 at the Simply Sweet Shoppe in Uniontown, PA and I’ll be speaking at the Uniontown Baby & Beyond Expo on May 17. If you are in the area, please come see me! I will probably hug you. Hope you’re cool with hugs.

New Here? Come for a tour!

March 25, 2015 by amushro

Well hey there, friend! Are you new around here? Did you wander on over after seeing my TLCme Life Hacks webseries or catch one of my TV appearances? Great, I like you already! We love new people over here at Questionable Choices in Parenting. Let me give you a quick tour.

I’m Amanda: Candy Land loser, yoga pants enthusiast, a mom of three, Life Hacks Expert, a Lifestyle/Mom/Family writer and personality. You’ll find a lot of my life hacks and parenting tips posts here or over at my other site AmandaMushro.com. You can see some of my TV appearances here!

Something important to note: I’m all about fun. Even if that means turning myself into a turkey for morning TV!

So stop and stay awhile! Check out my TLC webseries or check the Can You Hack Motherhood tab for my very best life hacks. If you want to giggle, click on the Laughs tab and check out some of my funniest posts. If you want something a little more heart warming, check out the Family tab.

If you like what you see, subscribe to my blog (just add your email address over there on the left), or find me on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, or Instagram

Yes, I’m the Mom Crying at Kindergarten Orientation

March 18, 2015 by amushro

I already know that I wear my heart on my sleeve; I just wasn’t aware that I also wear every single emotion on my face too.

“How are you doing?” seems like a simple pleasantry between two people. But this was a loaded “How are you doing?” and not in the Joey from Friends “How you doin’?” kinda way, but in a “Are you OK?”

In the fall, my boy will be headed off to kindergarten and today I’m at kindergarten orientation registering him as a new student. I thought I had my emotions in check, but I caught the eye of the principal mere moments of entering the school.

“How are you doing?” she cautiously asked.

“Me? I’m……..”

I consider giving the polite answer of “I’m fine, wonderful, excited, thrilled!” but in that moment, when she and I are eye to eye, I know she’s on to me.

“I’m…” I continue, “I’m going to try to keep it together today.”

“But they haven’t even gotten to school yet! You’ll be fine.”

In my attempts to hold back a sob, I answered with a too forced “Sure.”

So what was it that gave me away, Mrs. Principal?

Was it my eyes? Did they defy me with the telltale signs that I was crying in the shower this morning?

Could you sense that I had been punched in the stomach when I pulled up to your lovely little school?

Could you see on my face that even though I’m standing in a school that parents and students love, that is surrounded by a neighborhood that people flock to simply to attend your school, a school that has artwork and student achievements wallpapering the walls, that I’m searching hard to find something I don’t like.

Could you sense the dull pain in my chest? The pain from realizing that in a few short months I will be putting my heart on a big, yellow bus and I’ll wave and wave until I can’t see him and just like that, he’s off to school.

Let me assure you, Mrs. Principal that my boy, he will be fine. He will walk the halls of your big school and he will show everyone how smart, kind, funny and sweet he is. He’s so sweet he’ll rot your teeth and he’s so funny, he’ll make every teacher laugh. He’ll make friends and he’ll be JUST FINE, more than fine. So really all of this, this face I must be carrying today, it’s really about me.

It’s about me all excited and wistful and scared all in one at kindergarten orientation. It’s me chiding myself for being so emotional and knowing my Mom friends will have a field day with me when I recount this ridiculous interaction between you and me.

But I just can’t help it and apparently, can’t hide it either. So I will watch your presentation, be befuddled by the carpool, nod quietly when you show us the playground, and try my best to not make an audible sounds of distaste when I see the “kindergarten hall”

Because, after all, Mrs. Principal, in a few months you and I will see each other in the hallways for parties and PTA meetings, and I can assure you I won’t be crying then. And maybe in a few years, when I make this kindergarten orientation trip for my daughter, I won’t be crying. Probably, I will probably be crying.

So you and I might be right back here, and you can assure me it will all be OK and I’ll believe you.

I STILL Just Want to Pee Alone. How About You?

February 24, 2015 by amushro

The other day I tried a really novel idea–I LOCKED the bathroom door. Crazy, I know, but we have these locks on the doors and apparently they do stuff like keep kids, dogs, and husbands out of the bathroom while it’s otherwise occupied. Fascinating!

It was about 30 seconds after lock implementation that I realized why those locks aren’t used by mothers very often. It might have been the banging on the door. Or the cries of “Mommy, something is wrong with this door. I can’t get it.” Or the sudden crash that came from the toy room that sent me running with yoga pants around my ankles.

While I may never pee alone again, I seem to be in good company, and I’m beyond thrilled to revel the cover of the new book that I’m going to be in I Still Just Want to Pee Alone. It’s available March 27, 2015!

This book is a sequel to the wildly successful book created by the hilarious Jen Mann of People I Want to Punch in the Throat. You’ll find essays about motherhood being the toughest and most absurd and hilarious job, and we can all relate to our deep desire to just PEE ALONE! If you were a fan of the first one, you are going to LOVE this book. Here’s the line up of fantastic writers in I Still Just Want to Pee Alone:

Bethany Kriger Thies of Bad Parenting Moments

Kim Bongiorno of Let Me Start By Saying

Alyson Herzig of The Shitastrophy

JD Bailey of Honest Mom

Kathryn Leehane of Foxy Wine Pocket

Suzanne Fleet of Toulouse and Tonic

Nicole Leigh Shaw of Nicole Leigh Shaw, Tyop Aretist

Meredith Spidel of The Mom of the Year

Rebecca Gallagher of Frugalista Blog

Rita Templeton of Fighting off Frumpy

Darcy Perdu of So Then Stories

Christine Burke of Keeper of The Fruit Loops

Amy Flory of Funny Is Family

Robyn Welling of Hollow Tree Ventures

Sarah del Rio of est. 1975

Amanda Mushro of Questionable Choices in Parenting

Jennifer Hicks of Real Life Parenting

Courtney Fitzgerald of Our Small Moments

Lola Lolita of Sammiches and Psych Meds

Victoria Fedden of Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds

Keesha Beckford of Mom’s New Stage

Stacia Ellermeier of Dried-on Milk

Ashley Allen of Big Top Family

Meredith Bland of Pile of Babies

Harmony Hobbs of Modern Mommy Madness

Janel Mills of 649.133: Girls, the Care and Maintenance Of

Kim Forde of The Fordeville Diaries

Stacey Gill of One Funny Motha

Beth Caldwell of The Cult of Perfect Motherhood

Sarah Cottrell of Housewife Plus

Michelle Back of Mommy Back Talk

Tracy Sano of Tracy on the Rocks

Linda Roy of elleroy was here

Michelle Poston Combs of Rubber Shoes In Hell

Susan Lee Maccarelli of Pecked To Death By Chickens

Vicki Lesage of Life, Love, and Sarcasm in Paris

Kris Amels of Why, Mommy?

Mackenzie Cheeseman of Is there cheese in it?

Tracy DeBlois of Orange & Silver

So on March 27, get the book, use those fancy locks, tell everyone you have “business” to attend to, and get ready to laugh out loud with everyone reading this book!

Moving Up A Box

February 19, 2015 by amushro

I really love every part of my birthday. I love cake. I love being the center of attention for an entire day. I love using my birthday as an excuse to get out of things:

“Sorry, I can’t do laundry. It’s my birthday”

“Sorry, I can’t cook today. It’s my birthday.”

“Sorry, I can only eat cake All. Day. Long. It’s my birthday”

While I’ve never been one to get hung up on age, this particular birthday has given me reason to take pause and all because of a little box.

The other day I was filling out an application for something– I cannot remember what the application was for because momnesia, it’s real and it’s wicked– and when I went to “check the box for your age,” I paused because I realized, I was moving up a box! Normally I fall into 30-34 or the 27-34 box, but now I’m moving on up to the 35-40 box. Yikes! How did that happen?Really, at what point did my box officially become “mid-thirties” and closer to 40 than 25? 35, huh?

Really, I usually have no hangups about getting older, mainly because I’m too busy, frazzled, and exhausted to really contemplate age, but I was definitely taken aback. And to be honest, I don’t really know why.

So instead of feeling down in the dumps and being an emotional eater all day today, I’m going to think of all the awesome shit people did when they were 35. Like this:

Julia Child started cooking at age 35
Evelyn Ashford won her final Olympic gold medal at age 35
Frederic William Herschel, an English astronomer, invented contact lens.
Mozart stopped composing because he died (Wait, that’s a horrible example!)

Maybe all of these accomplishments will inspire me to simply eat all the cake out of joy and anticipation of what this year of life has in store for me– I already have a few fabulous things brewing personally and professionally, and did I mention I’m eating cake all day?

So this new box, it ain’t no thing because much like a fine wine, I get better with age. Which is ridiculous because I only drink cheap wine, but I digress.

So 35, let’s do this!