A few years back, we had a massive blizzard that shut down the whole state for almost two weeks.  Every mom in the state was so sick of cartoon musicals that DVDs were "mysteriously" going missing. Sorry, sweetie, I'm not sure what happened to our copy Ice Princesses 2. I'm sure it will turn up before you go to college. 

Whether you are stuck at home during a snowstorm or a health crisis, it can be hard to keep kids engaged and keep your sanity. The news is weird right now; schools are shutting down for weeks at a time, and that means that everyone is off their routine.

I am lucky; my loved-ones are not in the at-risk groups for COVID-19. What DOES worry me, though is keeping myself sane and my kids occupied in healthy, educational ways, rather than repeat viewings of  Fire Dinosaurs 7 or Ice Princesses 2. This is where the choice board comes in; it gives the ability to switch out individual activities and keep a schedule while also keep things new. ​

I gathered together some of the best moms I know to discuss what we wish we would have known before becoming moms. Below you are going to find advice from amazing moms from all over. 

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Give yourself grace. This is a new, exciting time and you won't know it all. You'll be tired and overwhelmed, but also filled with more joy than you ever thought possible.
​Enjoy the ride! -Heather

Have grace with your partner (and yourself!) and remember they are learning, just like you. Talk about it before the baby comes. It’s so easy to keep score of who does what with the baby - but don’t. And if your husband is caring for the baby, but doing things differently then you are - let him. It’s ok. The more grace you’re able to give and if you’re able to honestly talk through things together - your marriage will only get stronger rather than the baby pulling you apart. -Briana 

How easy is it to put yourself on the back burner when you have young kids? Even more, how easy is it to put your spouse? Remember that person? The one you were so madly in love with just a few short years ago? 
So often, our lives are consumed by our children and jobs, the trudgery  of life. As parents, in my case being a mom, we lose sight of who we were before they came along. I have found that it is so important to take time off from life and enjoy it with my husband. 
This weekend we went away for a couple days while each set of grandparents took a kid, giving us the gift of time. During this weekend I realized how important these weekends can be. Here are a few lessons I learned. 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Like many parents I have found that my kids eat a big breakfast and smaller lunch and dinner. This made me realize how important it is for me to make sure they are getting not only something to fill their belly but something that packs a nutritional punch. 
I try to make sure that they get a fruit at every breakfast. Protein is also a must. I don't know the science behind it, but if my kids eat protein with breakfast they have better concentration, behavior and more energy (maybe we can do without the last one).