Pretty Over Perfect Jessica and Michelle

From sleep training to screen time, there are so many ideas out there for parents. We review some of the ideas that have worked well for us, as well as ideas we’ve changed our minds about. Parenting is a constant challenge to grow and learn alongside our kids, and learning means we don’t always do things right the first (or second or third) times. Thankfully, it’s a long term game, so we get to make adjustments as we go. Michelle recommends the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt fo...

Catch up with us as we share our favorite fiction and non-fiction reads for summer, podcasts and music we've had in our ears lately and what we're doing with our kids on the hottest day of summer. Jess's FavoritesBooksThe Selection Series12 Dancing Princesses Series You're the Girl for the JobHabits of the HouseholdPodcastsA Secret Tool to Keep Your Kids Entertained This SummerUnpacking Panic Attacks and Emotional WellnessMichelle's FavoritesBooksWhere'd You Go Bernadette

Today we’re bringing you 7 tips for enjoying summer with the kids home - whether you’re a working or at-home parent during these months of freedom, and yes, some chaos. We’re all about setting our intentions for the season ahead so as to fully embrace the extra time we get with our little ones - and set flexible frameworks for everyone to enjoy. We chat about what to do about summer meals, snacks and slowing down!

We’re back with part two of organizing with kids in mind: talking household routines, systems and schedules that keep us from drowning. We discuss how and when to purge without making your family hate you, plus how to get out of the endless cycle of accumulate/purge. We also talk about setting up routines that keep the home from getting out of hand, and how to get kids involved with chores and feeling like a part of how the house functions.

Organizing with kids in the home is a whole new ballgame - and the family’s needs change frequently through ages and stages. Today we tackle some of the common sticking points for young families: toys and laundry. We discuss how we are handling these in our own homes, as well as guiding principles for everyone. Finding solutions that work for our families begins with discovering what kind of maintainers we want to be, and what level of cleanliness or organización we desire. Let’s get started!...

Everyone needs some tools for remaining the adult in tense parenting situations. Jessica and Michelle go back and forth about the different stages of childhood and how to handle big emotions from someone going through it, and someone looking in from the outside.