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in Episodes on December 6, 2016 by The Mom Hour

Listener Questions (Holiday Edition, Vol.1): Episode 79



It’s time for another Listener Question & Answer episode, and this time it’s holiday-themed! Join Meagan and Sarah as they tackle three questions from real moms about navigating some of the season’s trickier stuff.

First up, Sheri asks how we keep gift spending in check, and whether we have any budgeting tips to avoid going overboard on presents for our kids. (Our answer starts at 01:12)

Then Kelsey from The Girl Next Door podcast wondered about simple advent traditions to start with her two little ones. (We weigh in at 10:56)

And finally Emily is lucky enough to have two sets of parents/grandparents in the town where she lives, which during the holidays can lead to feeling like you’re shuttling kids all over town and never slowing down to relax and enjoy. (We offer our advice at 20:25)

Wait, there’s more!

We had so much fun doing a Facebook Live chat on Sunday evening. Watch our short 5-minute video (click here if you can’t see it embedded below) for our answers to two MORE listener-submitted holiday questions!

Related

Filed Under: Episodes Tagged With: holidays & celebrations, listener questions

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Comments

  1. Anne says

    December 7, 2016 at 8:47 am

    Hi guys,

    Love the new intro! To add to the advent calendar conversation, we were also looking for something non-candy or toy based, and I found the Eric Carle calendar on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/World-Carles-Pop-Up-Advent-Calendar/dp/0811862933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481118178&sr=8-1&keywords=eric+carle+advent+calendar

    It’s cute and simple, and mostly sturdy enough for my 2.5 year old. My mom also offered the tip of putting the year on the back of the calendar once it’s done and sticking it back in with the Christmas decorations. We’ll probably get a different one next year, but it’ll be fun to look back on.

    Reply
  2. Jill Wright says

    December 7, 2016 at 11:12 am

    We do a super simple paper ring chain (made from construction or craft paper) with 24 rings. We hang it in my son’s room and he tears off one ring each night before bed. He loves watching the chain get smaller and smaller and can count the rings to see how many nights are left until Christmas. It was also a fun and easy project to make together.

    Reply
  3. Alissa says

    December 7, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    I really enjoyed this episode! My oldest’s birthday is the 22nd, so we were somewhat forced into simplifying from the get go. Present-wise, Santa generally brings a large shared gift (Magnatiles, a teepee, etc), and then a book for each kid. It’s worked well so far!

    We’ve had this calendar http://www.lillianvernon.com/product/christmastreecountdowncalendar.do?sortby=bestSellers for the past few years. It’s not the most Pinterest-y, but my kids LOVE it. They take turns hanging the ornaments on the tree, and even rearrange them throughout the day. I was just happy to have one that didn’t involve any trinkets and such, since we have enough going on with a birthday in the mix. (I will say that she absolutely loves having her birthday near Christmas, and on her day we have a “birthday tree” where we add pink ribbon and a birthday hat to our Christmas tree – I store all the stuff in with our holiday decorations!)

    Reply
  4. Janet Moore says

    December 8, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    This is an Advent calendar I love for younger kids. It’s fisher price (so great quality) and fabric/velcro so I have this one hanging in my girls’ bedroom!
    https://goo.gl/images/YvmE8d

    Reply

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We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

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And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
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⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
⭐ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
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⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on comfy shoes!)
It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
New episode! Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, rea New episode!

Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, really.) And board games (maybe?). What's fun for our families right now looks quite different than it did years ago, so today Meagan and Sarah revisit an oft-discussed hot topic on The Mom Hour: family "fun." We share several ideas for ACTUALLY FUN family activities that work for our current seasons, as well as some gripes about things that feel like they should be fun but aren't. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! It isn't always easy to appreciate t New episode!

It isn't always easy to appreciate the mundane tasks of our daily lives, or to see the glass half-full when something goes awry. Inspired by yet another social media trend that had us scratching our heads at first (and then reflecting in spite of our forty-something selves), today Meagan and Sarah talk about situations from our own lives where we romanticized the hard stuff to get by.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you g If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you give them a theme? On the blog this week @hopefulsmiles makes a case for themed Easter baskets helping to simplify shopping, avoid clutter, and stay on budget.

Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

Worrying as a mom is a universal experience (and, spoiler alert: it never REALLY goes away). Today Meagan and Sarah look back over the years on the worries that surface most often in our community. Going by the questions we get from listeners, moms worry a lot about safety (our kids', our own, the state of the world); and we also worry about WORRY (are we worried about the "right" things? is our worry creating anxiety in our kids?). Join us as we revisit these questions and more with that well-worn reminder: it's (probably) all going to be okay.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.
One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to ge One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to get big bursts of task-energy and work way ahead on "adulting" stuff…and then to mentally check out for a few weeks. This was really coming back to bite me when it came to things related to the kids and school, so I thought I’d share the small tweak that helped me stress less in the lead-up to big events.

Take a big school trip, for example (see also: competition / tournament / fundraiser / bar mitzvah: anything that sits weeks to months out on the calendar, that involves a lot of smaller tasks, and that will get extra-demanding in the final lead-up). I used to spend a ton of time and energy as soon as the Big Thing was announced – printing packing lists, inputting details into my calendar, reading all communications thoroughly, etc. – and it felt great: Look at me! Working so far ahead!

Then I STILL found myself scrambling as Big Event got closer because I’d forget to check BACK in with those lists and instructions. I’d assumed a kind of mental complacency originating from that first eager dive into the details. Often there were new instructions or updates, plus tasks that were objectively too far out to take care of during my initial power-session would later sneak up on me and send me scrambling.

What I do NOW is to set a recurring reminder for myself once a week to check in with Big Event stuff. When it appears on my Todoist “Today” page, it’s always kind of a surprise. Oh right! That thing IS getting closer! The check-in means I review any recent communications and add more granular tasks to my list with specific deadlines attached to them (ask neighbor to borrow duffle; sign release form; etc.).

It’s completely changed the way I feel as Big Events get closer. Do we still scramble? 100%. But I don’t feel as gobsmacked by the reality-check that there’s still more to do when I felt as though I’d already done it all.

Are you curious about how I use Todoist to reduce overwhelm? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.

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It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unp It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unpleasant for sure, and when worries go unchecked they can dominate your life in ways that are worth addressing. But even when you’re not clinically anxious, freaking out or fixating on something having to do with your child is a universal experience.

In our “Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About” series, we look at motherhood worries with the benefit of hindsight. We share what we fretted over, how it turned out, and whether we might have been able to dial back the worry and enjoyed the journey a bit more.

If you haven't listened to these episodes already and you're feeling worried right now, we highly recommend queuing them up. We've been there, and it mostly turned out okay. Plus, next week on the podcast we're talking more about the things moms worry about - some of the universal themes that come up again and again in our community. 

Click this image the link in our bio and you can see all five of these TWSHFOA (how’s that for an acronym!) episodes on one handy page. Or just search "freak out" in the episode list wherever you get your podcasts.
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Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is stil Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is still going strong after eight years, 644 episodes, and more than 15 Million listens! Click the subscribe links in our bio or ask your smart speaker to "play the latest episode of The Mom Hour podcast".

New episodes release every Tuesday and alternating Sundays all year round. Our archives have conversations about every stage of parenting from before-baby through launching young adults - and every aspect of motherhood, too.

#podcast #podcastformoms #mompodcast #parentingpodcast #mommypodcast #mamapodcast #womenpodcasters #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #themomhour #motherhood
Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podv Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podversary? Birthcast? No matter how you slice it, The Mom Hour turns EIGHT years old on March 19!

Want to totally make our day? Leave a comment that tells us - in life milestones - how long you've been listening (i.e., "the baby I was pregnant with when I found you guys is now in kindergarten" OR "I have a middle schooler who was in preschool when I started listening" OR "I was on leave with my first when I discovered the podcast; now I have four kids!")

We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

-M &S
Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor ro Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor roundup, where we thank our partners and remind you of their great deals. For our unique promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. Remember, when you check out our sponsors and use our links + codes, it helps support our show. Thank you!

We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW partner:
💰 @fearlessfinance ($50 off your 1st meeting!)

And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @caraway_home (10% off cookware!)
⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
⭐ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on comfy shoes!)
It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
New episode! Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, rea New episode!

Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, really.) And board games (maybe?). What's fun for our families right now looks quite different than it did years ago, so today Meagan and Sarah revisit an oft-discussed hot topic on The Mom Hour: family "fun." We share several ideas for ACTUALLY FUN family activities that work for our current seasons, as well as some gripes about things that feel like they should be fun but aren't. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! It isn't always easy to appreciate t New episode!

It isn't always easy to appreciate the mundane tasks of our daily lives, or to see the glass half-full when something goes awry. Inspired by yet another social media trend that had us scratching our heads at first (and then reflecting in spite of our forty-something selves), today Meagan and Sarah talk about situations from our own lives where we romanticized the hard stuff to get by.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you g If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you give them a theme? On the blog this week @hopefulsmiles makes a case for themed Easter baskets helping to simplify shopping, avoid clutter, and stay on budget.

Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

Worrying as a mom is a universal experience (and, spoiler alert: it never REALLY goes away). Today Meagan and Sarah look back over the years on the worries that surface most often in our community. Going by the questions we get from listeners, moms worry a lot about safety (our kids', our own, the state of the world); and we also worry about WORRY (are we worried about the "right" things? is our worry creating anxiety in our kids?). Join us as we revisit these questions and more with that well-worn reminder: it's (probably) all going to be okay.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.

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