Hey moms! Find all sorts of useful tips and parenting hacks from other moms just like you. The Mom Life: Real Moms Interview Series is a place to get support and advice from people who have been there… or are there. Today we’re hearing about Lissette’s Mom Life.
Lissette is stay-at-home, blogging mom of two. She shares a refreshingly honest view of motherhood and fantastic advice for moms! From allowing kids to be kids but also requiring good behavior and respect to family travel and her favorite products to make life easier, Lissette shares it all!
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I love hearing advice from other moms. Learning tips from moms who are rocking motherhood is so inspiring to me! Moms who have tips for easy weeknight meals, creating family moments, cleaning hacks, money saving, family travel, and just Mom Life in general.
Lissette’s Mom Life
Lissette is a mom of two who blogs at Silly Babies Blog. I have loved reading Lissette’s Mom Life Interview because she says everything I feel as a mom. She’s so real about the amazing moments and the moments when you feel like you could go crazy and lose yourself in it.
Lissette is a Disney-loving mom after my own heart! We have both taken our kiddos there since they were babies. Although, she is lucky to live close enough to go much more often! Lissette is also a work-from-home-mom with little ones who has some great tips for being laid back, but also teaching little ones to be good people. I haven’t related to a Mom Life Interview so well in a while – you’ll love her!
Tell us about your family
My husband David and I have been married for 8 years and we have 2 silly kids; Sebastian the 5 year old and Madison the 2 year old. David works for Royal Caribbean Cruise lines which means we get to travel. As of now, we’ve stayed within sailing only to parts of the Caribbean, but I do see other destinations in our future.
As a mom, what is the best part of your day?
My kids are fun and so full of energy! From the moment they wake up, all I hear is their stomping around the house and their giggles as they play. But I also hear their fights and their constant demands for toys, food, drinks, snacks, bubble baths, more toys, more snacks….! It seems never ending at times. They’re growing kids and they are constantly on the go. As much fun as it can be, it is also exhausting. Since I am a stay at home mom, it is constant. So for me, the best part of the day is when they are all asleep.
3 Words that describe your parenting style?
Laid back strict.
Let me explain. I like to let my kids explore the world. I’ve never been one of these moms that hovers too closely or tells them not to climb to the top of the play ground. I am nearby, but not on top of them telling them to be careful because I want them to learn and know what they can and cannot do. I have only ever had one heart stopping moment (so far), but for the most part they know their limits. Where I am strict is with certain behaviors I will not tolerate. I will not tolerate disrespect and I will not tolerate them ignoring me or their father (or anyone else for that matter) when they are told not to do something, because oftentimes it is for their safety or the safety of others.
Also Read: Why It’s Good to Let Children Play
What is a parenting rule you never break?
My kids are picky eaters. They are on a Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets diet picky. The one rule I will not break is I will not cook something else for them. They need to eat what I serve them or they do not eat. I do make sure that I include something that I know they will like, but I refuse to cook two different meals. I want them to sample different foods and not be afraid to try new things, so I will not give into their demands for a different dinner.
What is a parenting rule you always break?
I am a potty mouth. I have taught my kids that there are adult words that they are not allowed to say. Unfortunately, my son learned from me very quickly which words they are.
How do you prioritize family-time and me-time?
This is my biggest challenge. I don’t feel like I get enough me-time. My husband has been traveling a lot lately for work. Last year, we think he was gone at least half the year, which leaves me lacking in support. I do have my mother and brother that live nearby, but they have their own daily challenges to deal with so sometimes they can’t always help. In truth, I’m horrible about asking for help. I don’t like to impose on people especially when I know they have their hands full already.
What is your go-to, easy weeknight meal?
Spaghetti. The kids love it and so long as I have ground beef to make the meat sauce, my husband does too. It takes all of 20 minutes to cook, and 3 ingredients. I’ve even learned to make a one pot version so I cut down my cleaning my one pot and one strainer.
Also read: One Pot Asiago Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
What is your favorite family activity?
I love to travel and I love Disney World. And coincidentally, Disney World is a 4 hour drive away for us. Since my son was born, we have been to Disney World easily every other month since he was about 18 months old. When I was pregnant with my daughter, we stopped going because I had complications during that pregnancy, but once she was born and had received her MMR vaccines at 1, we were back at it again.
Also read: Walt Disney World with a Baby
Beyond that, I also love to take the kids to the local zoo. Watching their faces light up is amazing, plus our zoo has an amazing playground and splash pad so if it’s too hot out, I will take their bathing suits and let them run around in the splash pad.
What advice would you give new moms?
Whatever plans you have for your pregnancy (if you’re still pregnant) or any images you had about what parenthood is, throw them away. Out the window. Right now. The one thing I learned from becoming a mother is that I know nothing, just like John Snow. Everything you thought you knew, every movie you’ve ever seen, every self help book you’ve ever read will not prepare you for the realities of motherhood. Kids come with their own personalities that will directly contradict your own. They are absolutely maddening and so adorable all at the same time. It really is enough to drive you crazy.
Also, don’t bother buying a new car or new furniture. Don’t remodel at all. It will all be trashed in 5 years time. Just worry about maintaining your sanity, making sure your kids are alive, and in between try to teach them to be decent human beings. If you can come out the other side, you’ve done a good job.*
How do you balance work and home life?
This is a struggle since work and home happen in the same place. The kids don’t understand when I say I’m working. They don’t understand that I sit at the computer doing everything I can to grow a business so I can make my own my like I used to before having them. I do also have my own selfish reasons for wanting to start the blog and earn money. It is something for me to do other then taking care of kids and a house all day. It keeps my mind going and keeps me stimulated. Because listening to Baby Shark for 2 hours straight is enough to drive a grown woman batty. I need to be able to have a decent conversation (even if it’s online) with other people that doesn’t include talk of sharks.
Family Travel: What is your favorite spot or family travel memory?
My favorite spot is Disney World to watch the kids just come alive! It truly is a magical place for them. Even if they are young, they still get so much out of it. They get to imagine themselves as anyone they want to be. My son loves meeting all the characters. He gets all giddy. The first time he met a character, I remember preparing myself for him to get scared and not want to be near them, but the first thing he did was to give Minnie Mouse a kiss on her nose. It was the sweetest moment!
I also went because we were getting his first haircut down while at the park, which is just an amazing experience on it’s own! He didn’t take to the haircut all that well, but he did get to play with some light up spinning toys and I was able to keep a lock of his hair, a Mouse Ears hat with “My First Haircut” embroidered on it, and a certificate proclaiming he received his haircut there with the exact date.
Read all about Disney World with Toddlers for our experience with our Disney first haircut!
We have a very special connection to Disney World. It is where my husband and I grew up visiting on summers and weekend getaways, and now we get to share that with our children.
Do you have a can’t-live-without Mom/family products to share?
I have two things that keep me sane throughout the day. First is my headphones. I have these amazing sound dampening bluetooth headphones that I will put them on and I cannot hear a thing! When I need a break from screaming kids, I put them on, play some zen music and all is right with the world again. When I can deal with the kids again, I will take them off and deal with them, but for a quick 5 minute reprieve, they are perfect.
The second thing is Alexa. I love Alexa so much! I have an Echo in the kitchen and Dots placed strategically around the house. While I’m cleaning, if I realize I’m running out of something and I need to put it on my shopping list, I tell Alexa and poof! There it is. If I’m cooking and I need a timer, I tell Alexa and I’m on to the next thing. If I realized I needed to do something, I tell Alexa and it’s on my to-do. If I had a great idea for the blog, I tell Alexa and it’s saved in my notes. If I have a kid sleeping on me in the room and the TV is on in the kitchen, I tell Alexa and she turns it off for me. When the kids are feeling particularly needy, I will play some silly music and we are all dancing and singing in the middle of the kitchen. She is like having my own personal Rosie, except without the ability to do the physical work.
If you enjoyed reading about Lissette’s Mom Life, check out last week’s Mom Life Interview.
Thank you so much to Lissette for sharing her mom life with us! If you also totally relate to Lissette, or just want to hear more from her, check her out at Silly Babies Blog. I know I will be following!
I loved reading about Lissette’s Mom Life. Meet more moms and read their advice and experiences every Saturday! You can also find more Mom Life tips on our Mom Life Pinterest Board.
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