Hope Johnson 6/23/21 Hope Johnson 6/23/21

little humans BIG emotions

If you’re local to our small town, you’ve probably seen Lacey Rabalais curled up in a cozy corner soaking in the Good Word at the coffee shop. She often hosts her bible studies at the coffee shop and is moving big things in the hearts of so many. She was an easy YES when we asked her to write a “little humans, BIG emotions” guide for when those little hearts need some BIG truth.

An Except from Inside:
This guide is to help you arm your children with God’s truth as they deal with big feelings.

All scripture is from the English Standard Version. “Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” This resource is made by Lacey Rabalais in collaboration with Java Mama Central. For more resources, check out www.laceyrabalais.com!

Big Feelings by Lacey Rabalais X Java Mama at Central Square.png

Between the two dreamers behind the shop and blog here (HI), we’ve got four kiddos from the toddler years to the pre-teen years. We KNOW what big emotions feel like. So when we read what Lacey put together for us, we immediately put it into practice within the walls of our own home …and let me tell ya! Those little humans are FAR wiser than the world often gives them credit for.

Download the Guide HERE

This guide is PERFECT for beginner readers but is simple enough to be read to toddlers.

FROM TEACHING HUMILITY

I AM FEELING ACCOMPLISHED: and I want to be proud

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

- Colossians 3:17

TO THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (KIDS HAVE FOMO TOO)

I AM FEELING TIRED: but I don’t want to miss out

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

- Matthew 11:28

In the motions of working with Lacey and writing this post, I thought back on a tweet from Tobias S. Buckell that I saved. It’s stuck with me big time. We can guide our children only so far before they need to learn how to communicate with us and the world. If we sit back and quiet our hearts, I bet they know how to do that, as brave as it may be for them and us, more than we think.

DO YOU HAVE A LITTLE ONE WITH BIG EMOTIONS?

download the guide now

Hope Johnson 4/28/21 Hope Johnson 4/28/21

WELLNESS // tips for a tidy house

Today, we’re sharing the REALISTIC tips we’ve learned to keep a tidy house with little ones in tow…

Raise your hand if you’ve said “I will NEVER ____________.” …then as a parent, you’ve eaten those words. We can write a laundry list of things we’ve eaten pre/post parenting, including I’ll never let the laundry pile up all over the house. I’ll never turn my dining room into a play zone. I’ll never X, Y, Z. You get it.

Today, we’re sharing the REALISTIC tips we’ve learned to keep a tidy house with little ones in tow.

THE THREE RULES:

FUNCTION + SOLVING THE PROBLEM + TINY TIDYING

The best kind of home organization comes from function, solving problems, and the daily task of small tidying. Here are three great ways to intertwine these three rules through out your home.

1) BASKETS AND BINS
You can use baskets and bins for toy sorting, back porch shoe storage, or a quick “throw it all in the basket and we’ll sort it later" because the in-laws are coming over” method.

2) A SPACE FOR DONATIONS
Keeping a special basket or laundry bin in your closet(s) to quickly toss outgrown clothes into makes it easy to keep clothes and closets up to date. This is especially helpful for babies and toddlers that grow quickly. When the bin if full, it’s time for a trip to your local donation hub.

3) ADDRESS THE DUMP ZONES
If you’ve got an area that is constantly piling up with mail, bags, coats, etc. SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Snatch up some hooks to hang those book sacks you keep stepping over. Get a cute box to store mail (but have a rule that every Sunday, the mail gets sorted out).

4) MAKE YOUR BED
Start your morning by making the bed. As early as your kids are able, start this habit for them as well. This instills a habitual act of tidying up the bedroom prior to starting your day. It takes a few weeks for this to become a daily habit, but we promise it’ll change the leap into your day.

4) TINY TIDIES
The daily ask of tidying up as a small but mighty habit that will be so intertwined throughout the day, you won’t even realize you’re doing it. Scan the living room before you leave it to see if there’s a blanket you can fold or a drinking glass that can be brought to the sink (or the dishwasher). Do small tasks throughout your time at home to keep the house at bay. Have your kids do the same as they exit and enter a space.

ENJOY THE LITTLE MESSES

One day, we’re going to miss seeing dinosaur figurines propped up in the window. There will no longer be hand prints to clean off the fridge. We may even miss stepping on legos in the middle of the nigh …maybe that one is hindsight. By all means, let the kids be kids. Let the tent stay up over night. Let them do the things that makes childhood a childhood.

Sharing your space with kids is a happy blend of “we ALL live and love here,” right?

Hope Johnson 4/28/21 Hope Johnson 4/28/21

WELLNESS // tips for a summer at home

SUMMER TIME!! It’s the best time, right? I know for us, it’s often a time of unplugging as much as possible and LOTS of rest. At the same time though, we get stir crazy (we as in the grown-ups AND the kids). Here are some tips to plan ahead and make it through those “I’m bored” days.

01 // CREATE A ROUTINE FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDDOS (and keep it separate)

Creating a routine is a KEY way to keep some consistency into your day. As parents, especially parents that are home with kiddos a lot during the summer, consistency is vital. Routines are super flexible but important when it comes to little ones and their days.

Great tips for parents: Wake up before your kiddos and do a little house work, have your coffee in the quiet, meditate. It’s a great start to the day and moment to yourself.

For your kiddos, establish one or two things your kiddos can do to “start the day.” This may be different for different ages. When my own little ones were toddlers, they’d go around the house and turn on all the lamps to “wake up the house.” Now, they make their beds, feed the dog, and have breakfast. These routines set the day up on a good foot.

02 // PLAN SOMETHING CREATIVE FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND

Working ahead here is sometimes necessary, but having some creativity planned will keep the excitement in the air for the little ones. This can be something as big as a trip to the zoo or park or a small art project. At the beginning of the week, I like to have an idea of how the remainder of the week or upcoming weekend will go. I prep ahead of time. If we’re going to bake cookies, I made sure I have the ingredients prior. If we’re going to do an art project, I make for I have the supplies. If we’re going to plan outings, I do chores I can around the house during the week rather than on the weekend.

03 // CREATE A PROJECT THAT LASTS THE WHOLE SUMMER

For many, the summer is the ONLY time they can travel. For other, summer is the ONLY time to relax. Whatever the theme is, do it with intention. Maybe the summer time is a big project time to redo the flower beds. Get those kiddos on board with your own goals!

Tip: Summer gardens are a GREAT project for kids of all ages. It’s something they can learn patience and nurturing values from and can be added to their daily routines of caring for.

04 // WORK IN THE CELEBRATIONS FIRST …and then fill in the blanks.

Go ahead and plan that 4th of July BBQ weekend. Mark your calendars for the birthday celebrations. Fill in the remaining weekends with rest, visits with friends, and fun activities. Also, if you’re lucky enough to have friends around you that are game for play days, work out a schedule that you can rotate kid-watching for the day so the other can get in some kid-free errands or a nap! Cheers to a nap!

05 // SCREEN TIME TIPS

We’re parents too. We understand the value and want for screen time. We do it too as we scroll through Instagram and Pinterest. Balance is the key here. Have a list of tasks for your little ones and use those tasks as “screen time currency” to earn screen time. …and you know what, do this for yourself too!

Clean Room = 30 minutes of screen time
Help Put Away Laundry = 15 minutes of screen time

A note for yourself: Don’t look at social media until you’ve had one cup of coffee.

Balance = Key