Tag Archives: Family Togetherness

Coronavirus Lockdown: Mother Daughter Weekend Edition!

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b965bb0b-889b-470d-a3c5-423d6f87eace“I really wish this weekend didn’t have to end,” my six year old said. I told her, “We don’t need to set aside a special day to spend time with each other and that I enjoy being with her.” Last week, Quinn asked if we could have a mother and daughter day so that we can have extra fun together, and I said, “Why not make it a weekend!?” She wrote out a list of  five activities she’d like to do and asked when our weekend would start. When I told her Friday at 3:30pm, it couldn’t come fast enough for her. She was absolutely ready for our day to commence and let me know when it was a 3:29pm.

On Friday, we used the cotton candy maker from my childhood along with the new flavor sugars I ordered. She went with cherry, and I had blue raspberry. Though I did give mine to my husband since I knew I’d be having a weekend filled with tasty treats.

Bright and early on Saturday after breakfast, I attended a dance party lead by Quinn and learned some new, cool dance moves to Kids Bop songs. My Fitbit watch even noticed how hard I was dancing because it logged me for nearly a half hour of an aerobic workout. We even drew pictures together and used the free app Happy Color to do color by numbers and made it a competition to see who could get done their picture first. We played Mario Kart Tour using the app (another free game) and even got my sister and niece to join in from their home for a virtual race. It was so much fun and brought back memories of when I was younger playing race car video games.

After having some pizza delivered from Papa Johns, I rented the new “Trolls World Tour” movie through Amazon Prime video. We were able to watch on our big screen in our basement, along with my husband, giving it that movie theater feel as a special surprise.  We made our own ice cream sundaes, had popcorn and just a really good time together. Honestly, I didn’t want the fun to end either.

Though many of us are now having even more time with our children as a result of the lockdown, how much of that is “fun” time together? Yes, these are serious times, but it felt so good to just laugh, be silly, play games and enjoy each other’s company. Quinn gave me such a big hug and kiss yesterday and told me, ” I love you so much, Mommy! I can’t wait to have a mother daughter day again!” To which I responded, “Me neither!”

Stop By Quinnie’s Fun House: Learning & Playing with My Daughter

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There’s a YouTube channel out there for just about anyone who wants to be entertained, learn something, share a review or to have a platform to express themselves, For the past few years, my six year old has been asking to have her own channel, and after giving it some serious thought and researching, I thought, why not?

I want to try my best to always support my daughter’s aspirations if I can, and this one actually gives us an opportunity to strengthen our bond while I sharpen my video editing and digital design skills. I have a feeling that it will also help my first grader to continue expressing herself verbally and further developing her cognitive and critical thinking skills.

She decided on the name all by herself, “Quinnie’s Fun House.” We’re hoping kids come have fun with her while she plays and learns with dolls and accessories, art, games, learning resources and more. Here’s to a new journey I’m looking forward to taking with my little girl!

All the best,

Tanya

A Class Act App that Hits Close to Home

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Last September, I posted about an app my daughter’s school is using: Class Dojo and how wonderful it is. I was so impressed that I even signed up for Class Dojo Beyond: a reward system where my six year old could earn points and rewards to use as a supplement for the star rewards chart we’ve been using since Quinn was a toddler.

For the past few months, we’ve been gradually using Class Dojo Beyond, and so far it’s been terrific. Even though Quinn my six year old enjoys reading, using learning resources and helping out around the house, earning points and rewards keeps her motivated and accountable. It’s been a great way to not only teach basic math but problem solving. She often strategizes and determines if it’s worth using a screen time reward or a reward to stay up a little later on the weekend. Whenever she cashes in points, the next question is, “How many points do I have left?” Without me suggesting it, she told me, “I want to make sure I always have at least 100 points, Mommy.” I think this is quite wise on her part.

We’ve found that Class Dojo Beyond is far more than a point reward system. There’s some fabulous bonus features. One day, I noticed a routines section which enhances the experience. Dinner chats presents random questions to get the conversation going and can certainly be used beyond the dinner table. The questions range from what cartoon character would you be to share a time when you were scared to if you only had one wish, what would it be and why? I love this feature, not simply because of the critical thinking but because of the bonding and sharing component.

If your child’s school uses Class Dojo, and Class Dojo Beyond as an option, it is worth the additional fee. Not only children, but adults can benefit from this resource. It helps instilling those core values that can make a solid and positive person.

All the best,

Tanya

Treasuring Life, Moments & Positivity by Accident with My Daughter

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It happened within a few seconds. Yesterday, a car speeding down the highway hit my car and kept going. With my six year old in the back seat, I was shocked, flustered and upset but at the same time grateful, grateful that we were okay and that I was able to handle our car and not lose control. Quinn immediately focused on the positive saying, “Maybe we can catch them. Maybe there’s no major damage.” She even wondered if it was a male or female driver based on how reckless they were. Luckily, we have a dashboard camera, Garmin Speak, (I highly recommend having a dashboard camera) which caught the entire accident along with the driver’s license plate because as residents right outside of Philadelphia coming from Delaware, and I was a bit shaken and really just wanted to get home.

As I contemplated on the drive home, I thought about how our lives could have changed within seconds if the hit was a more serious accident. I thought about how we could have potentially hit another car if we were hit hard enough to be forced into another lane or a car in close proximity.

But rather than focus on the negative or allowing this incident to set the tone for 2020, I’m rejoicing in knowing how important it is to not only treasure life but the moments we have with our loved ones. Though my car has some cosmetic damage, I am so grateful that my daughter and I walked away with no scratches just treasuring life, moments, family and friends as we move forward in 2020.

All the best,

Tanya

Happy to See 2020, a New Year, with My Family, Especially My Little Girl

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The crowd was immense, and the noise horns became deafening as we awaited that magical moment: the countdown to the new year. Well, actually, it was the countdown to noon, a kid-friendly celebration at the Franklin Institute to celebrate the ending of one year and beginning of another. My daughter and nieces were excited and ready with their horns as the timer approached zero, and the children and adults alike erupted with cheers, more horn blowing and even a huge nitrous oxide cloud (It is a fun science museum) making its way towards the entire crowd to top off the celebration.

In previous years, we’ve done the countdown til noon at the Please Touch Museum as a family, but what made this year extra special was not just that we were at a different location or that we even got selected to be interviewed for the news, but that last year we were at home still nursing Quinn back to health after she was hospitalized for nearly a week during the Christmas holiday, and yesterday was such a sharp contrast and treat to see that beautiful smile on her face and happiness in her voice as she shared what she hopes the new year will bring.

With this new year, I’m sure many people will reference the 20/20 analogy of 2020 in hopes of “seeing” life more clearly. Though I’m always evolving and learning, I truly am grateful for the vision and growth I’ve experienced as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and just a person. Though she’s only six, I attribute a great deal of my growth to my daughter.

Here’s to family, friends and many blessings in 2020 and the years to come!

All the best,

Tanya

Mesmerizing Moments at the Philadelphia Zoo’s Luminature

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The weather was perfect, and the view was absolutely mesmerizing with colors from just about every spectrum in the rainbow. Though my daughter and I, along with my friend and her daughter, were at the Philadelphia Zoo, we were magically transported into a spectacular world of lights reminiscent of scenes from the movie Avatar: Luminature!

Immediately upon entering the gates, I kept stopping every few feet to take pictures and admire the beautiful scenes while the girls were eager to get to the next light display. My six year old said, “You’re walking so slow, Mommy! You never walk that slow!” I couldn’t help myself. The lights had me totally captivated as though I was in a trance. Seeing the lights and displays, hearing the background music and the giggles from the girls and feeling the joy in the atmosphere truly touched my spirit.

It made me think about the power of light and the occasional necessity for darkness. In order to fully enjoy and see the beautiful lights, it needed to be dark. Then we could fully appreciate the illuminated pathways, trees and displays as we navigated through the zoo. Sometimes we may have dark moments in life, but a little light can give us a glimmer hope.

When I look at my daughter, I see her as a beautiful light. She often shines bright, especially when I may be experiencing a dark moment. While admiring the light, any darkness I was experiencing becomes a distant memory.

If you’re looking for a fun, beautifully captivating activity to do and live near Philadelphia, I strongly suggest Luminature which runs through January 5th!

All the best,

Tanya

On Christmas Day, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Mesmerizing Smile and Eyes that lit up the room like a Christmas Tree!

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On Christmas Day, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Mesmerizing Smile and Eyes that lit up the room like a Christmas Tree!

My six year old is her mother’s daughter. By 4am she was up, ready and excited to come downstairs to see what she got for Christmas from Santa, her dad and me. She opened the gifts and excitedly said thanked us. Though she repeatedly said, “I’m so happy,” she didn’t have to say a word because the big smile on her face and the way her eyes lit up said it all. Though I’m on just about four hours sleep and a bit tired, her excitement will carry me throughout the rest of the day.

Merry Christmas To You and Your Family!

All the best,

Tanya

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Sweet Family Time in Hersheypark

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On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…Sweet Family Time in Hersheypark!

Yesterday, my daughter and I had a wonderful time at one of the sweetest places on earth: Hersheypark! Though we’ve been there before, this was our first time going during the Christmas season. My sister and niece joined us, and we all had a wonderful time. It wasn’t overly crowded, it was unseasonably warm, and we got to see Santa’s reindeer, including Rudolph, caught a Christmas show, enjoyed some treats, hot cocoa and the beautiful lights everywhere.

Based on the fun we had, this just might become a new tradition for us each year. Today, I’ll have to keep it short so that my daughter and I can have some Christmas Eve fun! 😉

All the best,

Tanya

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Memorable, Merry Mommy’s Girl Moment

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On the Ninth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Memorable Mommy’s Girl Moment!

Since day one, my daughter’s been a daddy’s girl. Yes, she loves us both, but I admire the closeness and special bond she has with her father. Those two are inseparable. So when the opportunity presents itself for us to strengthen our mother/daughter bond, I’m all in!

Dressing alike or with similar color schemes is something we both enjoy, so my six year old was so excited when her Elf on the Shelf gifted us matching pajamas.

“Let’s both come out of our bedrooms at the same time with our pajamas on,” Quinn suggested. With a big smile on her face, she actually asked if we could take pictures together when I’m usually the one asking to take pictures . This truly was a memorable, merry mommy’s girl moment that I will cherish for years to come.

All the best,

Tanya

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Feeling of Gratitude for Having a Healthy, Happy Family!

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On the Fifth Day of Christmas, My Daughter Gave to Me…A Feeling of Gratitude for Having a Healthy, Happy Family!

Last year on this exact date, my little girl was very ill, so ill that she was hospitalized through Christmas Eve. It’s an experience I never want to endure again, so when she said, “I hope I don’t get sick like last year,” it made me think about how grateful I am for family and friends.

This year, over thirty close family members and friends came together for our annual holiday party, and we all had such a wonderful time playing games, eating food and tasty treats and simply enjoying each other’s company. My six year old had a blast as she navigated the room giggling and having big fun with her cousins.

Yes, it’s nice to get and give gifts, but the gift of health and happiness of me and my family and friends far surpasses anything I could ever receive. I truly am grateful that my daughter is well this year. Sometimes, we all get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, so I’m so glad my family and friends all took time to celebrate the holidays with us.

All the best,

Tanya