Making It Up As I Go - A Parenting Podcast from Alamo City Moms

In her post from April of 2020, Lauren walks us through some activities to help kids deal with stress and introduce mindfulness. Little did we know that almost a year later, we'd still need these activities as we continue to navigate a global pandemic. From mandalas to nature crafts, helping guide our kids through activities far removed from Zoom meetings and face mask-wearing and social distancing is healthy for the whole family. Read the original post here.

This post and episode are brought to you by Palenque Grill. Palenque Grill at La Cantera now has an app! With pickup and curbside now available, you can get your favorite dishes to-go, and enjoy them at home. Plus, you’ll soon be able to earn points toward rewards with each purchase, through the app or in person! The app is available to download now on the App Store or Google Play store. It's full-on summertime and as Elizabeth says, "We hold this truth to be self-evident: that nothing, absolutely positively nothing in the summer happens without our involvement. Our kids cannot go anywhere, eat anything, put clothes on, go to sleep, and sometimes if we’re really winning, use the restroom without our supervision." In this episode we're talking about some summertime truths—the adorableness of little kids in swim team speedos; lessons our teens should learn and why summer is the best time to teach them; and why "mom" is the keyword in "momentum" as it applies to the long, hot days of June, July, and August. Things No One Tells You About Summer Swim Team The swimming world, like all sports, has its own culture and nuances. Beyond expensive team suits (in sizes that are foreign to non-swimmers), endless searches for goggles and caps in the cavernous swim bags, and going through gallons of sunscreen, there are other things that were both surprising and enjoyable that I’ve discovered about summer swim league. Five Things My Teens Are Going to Learn This Summer As summer began, my hubby and I realized that our time is short before our kids, especially our soon-to-be high school junior, leave home. We have been pretty good about teaching our kids life skills, but realized that there are always more good things to get across before the birdies leave the nest. During a relaxing moment on the back porch and after discarding several amusing ideas, we put a short list together of five things we want to teach our kids this summer... Momentum Starts with Mom: The Great Inconvenient Truth of the Summer I was only two weeks into this ritualistic test of endurance known as summer break when it dawned on me that I—and I alone—was responsible for somehow ensuring that everyone in my family made it through this summer alive, and I’m going to be honest with you: in that moment, it felt like Mission Impossible.

Holidays - some of us get warm fuzzies when we think of the holidays.... some not so much. Join us as we talk about how traditions have changed, evolved, and the power of just saying 'no' to traditions that aren't working. Just a heads up - we're talking about some aspects of the holidays that might ruin the magic of Christmas for the little elves in your life. At the table: Erin, Jennelle, Amanda G., Taylor, Rosalinda, Meghann, Maria, Danielle, and Christine

Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine's Day comes around once a year. The expectations, the build up, the disappointment, and the joy, sentiment, and fun - all wrapped up into one pink and red covered holiday that Hallmark has overtaken. The day sure has come a long way from celebrating St. Valentine and his scandalous weddings, hasn't it? In this episode, we hear from Erin on how to get the Valentine's Day you really want followed by Kathy telling about how she was inspired by an airport bathroom to see love in little things. Kristin shares her tumultuous relationship with Valentine's Day (starting in elementary school) and Whitney shares about the special love she and her sisters have for each other. Articles in this episode: It’s the Most Uncomfortable Time of the Year: Happy Valentine’s Day by Kristin Sharing the Love by Sharing Yourself: Getting the Valentine’s Day You Really Want by Erin Love Ya Like a Sister by Whitney All Forms of Love by Kathy

When we say we're here for all moms—we mean it. We don't, in the slightest, just mean 'perfect' moms, in ideal marriages, with sparkly lives. We mean the moms who get STDs from their partners, who feel incomplete without another child, who are cheated on for 13 years, and who have to put their kids in daycare for 9 or 10 hours a day. In this episode, we hear from Aidee as she navigates the feelings of guilt and a bit of remorse for choosing to work full-time and put her kiddos in daycare. My Kids Spend Nine Hours at Daycare Every Day and I Have Learned to Be OK with it Elizabeth can't imagine the level of deception she'd have to go to to have an "oops" baby even though she desperately wants another. Please, Sir, May I Have One More?: Longing for Another Child when “Oops, I Did it Again” Isn’t an Option One contributor talks about learning to trust her gut when her PAP smear results show she got an STD (from her husband...). True Life: My Husband Gave Me an STD The final story included in this episode is about learning and healing after 13 years of affairs come out into the open. True Life: My Husband Had Multiple Affairs Thank you to our strong, smart, and courageous contributors for sharing their stories with us so that we can share them with you. The ACM community is here for you—no matter what hard motherhood lessons you're in the midst of learning.