Being a mom to three toddlers, you can only imagine the things that goes on and the many things that are said in the Jacobs household. One thing is for sure- these kids will teach you a whole lot and will gather you real quick, honey. Follow along with me as I share some of my musings on what my toddlers have taught me.

 

BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU

All of my kids have this quirkiness about them that I love. Personally, I think they get it from me because I can be the same way at times. But seeing how they're able to be nothing but themselves every single day, no matter how silly or goofy it is, inspires me to do the same. Learning more to worry less about what others think of me and focus more on my own happiness. 

 

SAY THAT THANG WITH YA CHEST 

 

Josiah is good for this one. Whenever he asks me for something and I'm either distracted with something else or just simply ignoring him (don't act like your kids aren't annoying sometimes and you don't ignore them!), he'll ask again, but much louder. The kids makes sure I hear him the second time, okay?  Leilani on the other hand is very articulate and outspoken and will say exactly how she feels (she gets it from her mama) and will ask why if she doesn't understand something. Riley, the one year old, will let you know exactly how she feels with her baby talk lol. 

 

 

PERSISTANCE AND DETERMINATION WINS

Can't be the only parent who has given in after saying no fiftyleven times after your toddler has asked. Hey, it’s a game well played lol. While their goals and my goals are obviously different, their determination is teaching me that if I have that same drive, determination, and persistence, I can accomplish anything I want. 

 

 

FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE

 

As many times as my kids fight. Shoot, as many times as I've yelled out of frustration, these kids will burst into tears one second and graciously accept an apology the next and go on about their business as if it never happened. Much harder for us adults obviously because we're more developed in our emotions and our views of the world, but their willingness to forgive so easily is something I truly admire. Its something adults needs to do more of, one because holding onto unforgiveness is draining, and two, God calls us to love and forgive one another. 

 

 

CHILDLIKE FAITH 

 

I remember growing up and not necessarily having to worry about how the bills were going to get paid, or where food would come from because I knew my parents would take care of it. Every single day, they know mommy is gonna take care of them and meet all of their needs. Their innocence inspires me to have that same faith with my heavenly father. 

 

 

What are some things that your little ones are teaching you?

It’s no secret that we love books in our household. As a kid, I loved books, and we try our best to foster that same love for learning and books in our children. 

 

One of the things that was important to me was to introduce books that feature characters that looks like my children and have brown skin. It’s important to me that they’re able to see themselves in the characters they read about. We've come across some great finds over the years, so I went ahead and compiled a few of our favorite books with a short review on them. I definitely plan on adding more books to their collection with diverse characters. 

 

 

What’s the Commotion in the Ocean by Nyasha Williams

 

Awesome book teaching children about water pollution along with practical solutions to help save the ocean. I was blown away by the illustrations in this book— absolutely phenomenal!

 

Gigi's Little Dreamer by Carmen Maples

 

The author recently sent us this book and it’s become one of Leilani’s favorites. It’s a book about a little girl excited to go to her Grandma GiGi’s house and all of the fun adventures she has. Leilani has quite the imagination, so the imaginative text and storyline is perfect for her!

 

Princess Hair by Sharee Miller

This book teaches little girls to love their natural hair! As a mother to girls with curls, love having a book like this that teaches girls that their hair is indeed beautiful! This book celebrates hair of all different shapes, textures, and styles— everything from curls to dreadlocks, to braids. Love how it celebrates the diversity of black hair! 

 

ABC What Can She Be

 

Love that this book represents all kids of girls with different skin colors and backgrounds and encourages all the different career paths girls can take! Also love the bold and vibrant illustrations! 

 

God Knows my Name by Debby Anderson 

 

Scripture tells us that God knows exactly who we are. He knows the number of hairs on our head. Love that this book incorporates scripture in way that young children can understand so that they know that they belong to God and that he knows and loves them! 

 

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner 

 

I love the beautiful reminder in this book about how beautifully and wonderfully made we are because God made us. Something I want my children to always remember. 

 

I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

This is a fun book that we read time and time again and my kids absolutely love. Love how imaginative the book as, as well as the quirky illustrations that go along with the book. It encourages children to love and appreciate everything about themselves, from their eyes, nose fingers, and toes! 

 

Peek-A-Boo Morning

 

All of my childen loved playing Peek-A-Boo, so this is just a fun book to read to them! 

 

What books are your kids loving these days? 

 

 

Anyone else’s kids bored in the house and in the house bored? Sometimes it’s a complete struggle trying to find things to keep the kids occupied with because they get bored so quickly and can easily be done with an activity in a matter of minutes— hello toddlers with short attention spans? 

 

At this point it feels like we’ve done all the quarantine things to keep them occupied— we’ve built the forts, blew the bubbles, played the board games. This mama has Pinterested all the age-appropriate activities. After a while the kids either get bored with the same activities, or they just simply can’t figure out how to do something together without fighting. 

 

One thing my kids love doing is drawing and writing, so when Chalkola reached out to me about trying their chalkboard and chalk markers, I was all for it. Not only would it be something different, fun to keep the kids occupied, but it'd even be something I could incorporate into our day to day teaching sessions. 

CHALKOLA MARKERS

Our Chalkola bundle came with a box of thirty markers filled with a variety of vibrant colors, as well as a 12.5 x 10.5  inch Chalkboard. The markers are the perfect size for little hands and helps with their fine motor skills as they learn how to use writing utensils better. Leilani for the most part knows how to use a pencil and, but Josiah is still learning, as he is just two. 

The markers also come with a reversible tip, which I thought was absolutely genius! The round tip is perfect for writing while the chisel tip is great for more creative drawing and calligraphy. 

To get the markers going, the instructions advise you to shake for thirty seconds with the cap on, and then press the tip multiple times to get the ink going. While I did this part, I sang some songs just to keep their attention until we got the ink flowing through the markers. Once the ink was there, the kids got to work!

 

I love how bright and vibrant the colors are, which is something I wasn't expecting. They also write really smooth and dry fairly quickly for liquid chalk markers, so that was also a plus. 

We have yet to explore the endless possibilities of the markers, but I love the versatility. Not only can you use them on chalkboards, but they can be used on paper, dry erase boards, glass, windows, and any other non-porous surfaces.  

CHALKOLA CHALKBOARD

Okay, so there's a few things about the Chalkola Chalkboard that I love:

1. The chalkboard is the perfect size for my kids to use, so both kids can write on the board at the same time without really fighting over it. 
2. The chalkboard comes with a kick stand and tray to hold your markers. 
3. The chalkboard is super versatile and is something everyone can use. It's perfect for quotes, signs, and even homeschool activities.
4. The chalkboard is big enough for both kids to use, but also small enough to store away when we're not using. 

KID FRIENDLY

I try my best to make sure my kids are using things that are safe and non-toxic. I love that Chalkola is Child-safe, non toxic, acid free, and xylene free. The markers are also water-based, so they wash off clothes fairly easily. Don't know about you, but that is a #parentingwin in my book! I don't have to worry about the kids inhaling any strong odors, or worrying about any stains or adverse reactions if the ink happens to get on their hands. 

GET CHALKOLA TODAY

It's official. I'm declaring Chalkola a mommy must-have and a summer essential for all the moms who are home trying to keep their kids busy! Literally so many uses out of this Chalkola bundle, making it perfect for all moms! Head on over to the  Chalkola Website and make sure you use code DANYELLEJ10 for 10% off your Chalkola purchase. 

Don't worry, if Amazon is more your thing, I got you there too sis! You can also find Chalkola products on Amazon, so head on over to Amazon and make sure you use code CHALKOLA10 for 10% off your Chalkola Bundle. I'm telling you, while summer is still here and we're still in the middle of being quarantine, I highly recommend stocking up on some essentials for your summer arts and crafts projects. 

Today has just been one of those days. I'm running on very little sleep, work is just hectic, trying to keep up with the many deadlines of blogger life, and the kids are being...well, kids lol. Not to mention we're still kind of in quarantine and my oldest is asking to do all of the things we simply just can’t do right now. 

SHUT IN WITH THE FATHER

We can't talk about peace on the midst of chaos without bringing up the Prince of Peace— Jesus. Communicating with God through prayer, praise, and worship has gotten me through plenty of days. On days where I’ve felt like I couldn’t make it in my own strength, I’ve had to rely on my Heavenly Father to get me through. And he’s never failed me. 

LOG OFF SOCIAL

With everything going on and new information coming out in the media, sometimes it’s best to just unplug. With my kids going crazy during the day and everything I’m seeing on social media, sometimes it all can just become to much. Consuming all of that information can definitely be overwhelming on top of your normal day to day. Log off social media if you have to for your own sanity and mental health. 

SPEAK THE WORD

On those tough days, I have to remind myself of God’s promises. Reminding myself that His grace is sufficient for me(2 Corinthians 12:9)  and that He is a very present help in my time of need (Psalm 46:1). So grateful for the Holy Spirit who is my help when I literally feel like I don't have the strength to make it through the day. 

How do you find peace in the midst of chaos? If your a work from home mama especially, I'd love to know how you've been finding peace in the midst of everything going on.