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De-stressing Mother’s Day for Single Moms

May 17, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy Leave a Comment

Mom sitting on the beach with baby in the background on Mother's Day

This past weekend was absolutely amazing. Mother’s Day could not have gone any better. I’m still riding on the high of the sun and beach and cuteness galore even after five days with long nights of night feeding (still, 3 days shy of 11 months), a workout regimen complete with runs, breakfast preparations, meal prep, and feeding, laundry, dishes, and overall cleanup. It has been a lot to keep up with, but I am ever so grateful for two short work weeks.

It was a short trip but I didn’t feel rushed or shorted on rest which is possibly a little more surprising than one might expect of a single parent. But we joined my brother and his wife’s family at Surfside Beach where my brother’s father-in-law did all the cooking. So piggy backing off of someone else’s original plans (with invitation) saved me from a lot of work on Mother’s Day.

Baby stalking a bird on the beach on Mother's Day — Stalking the birds.

Baby chasing a bird on the beach on Mother's Day — Her moment of attack!

The relief of thinking about dinner and clean up allowed me the ability to simply sit back and enjoy. So I did. I put my baby in her swim suit and we got in the water for a little bit. While the sun came out, the wind was pretty active and the water was still on the nippy side. So we didn’t stay long before I took her back and wrapped her in a towel. Once she was fairly dry, she happily climbed down and played in the sand.

Letting Go on Mother’s Day and in life

Most moms would cringe at watching their baby put sandy hands (sometimes handfuls of sand) in their mouths. It was all I could do to not stress over her antics and scoop her up into my lap to save her from the filth and grime. But I knew that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the beach and the beautiful weather that turned out if I was constantly pulling her hands out of her mouth and dusting her off.

So I let her explore. I let her learn about the earth around her. I let her experience independence (under supervision). Her uncles would come up and say hello and then run back to the water and she would scramble after them…halfway at most. Then she would turn around and scramble back up towards me. We did this all afternoon.

Surf coming in on baby on Mother's Day — Surprise!

I got a nasty sunburn on Mother’s Day. She didn’t. Perhaps it’s the Mexican blood in her? If so, thank you, Jesus! We went to bed that night in a luxurious and spacious camper trailer. I found it on AirBnB (the app). I frequently switch between AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, and TripAdvisor for deals on getaways. Then we got up, ate eggs for breakfast, packed everything up in the car, got back into our swim clothes, and went back out to the beach. I again allowed Daenarys to explore and play without much interference. There were some “no!”s here and there as she tried to eat some rocks and small shells. But I restrained myself from stressing over the sandy hands.

Baby playing in the water with her two uncles on Mother's Day — Playing with her uncles in the water.

Takeaway

I will always remember the adorable little hiney wiggling back and forth as she chased after her uncles down the beach, the way she would stop halfway and look back at me, look at them, and then turn back around and scramble back up to me. Or the hilarious way she would stalk and hunt the birds that were scavenging along the coastline. It was the most memorable Mother’s Day, and we have only just begun.

What I won’t remember? The stress of micromanaging my 10.5 month old’s exposure to germs and dirt. Wrestling an impatient and bored wanna-be-explorer because I wouldn’t let her get down in the gritty sand.

Time is going by too fast. I want her to stay little while at the same time, I can’t wait for her to get a little bigger and see the adventures she goes on using her imagination. Her cousins are coming up with some of the craziest antics that remind me so much of what me and my younger sister would do when we were little. There might be some broken bones (hopefully not), some cuts and scrapes and bruises, but more regardless (and sometimes because) of all of that, there will be memories she will always remember and look back on.

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Life As A 911 Dispatcher

April 25, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy Leave a Comment

Last week at work was Telecommunicator Week. (A telecommunicator is a 911 dispatcher.) There were crossword search puzzles, mazes, hidden phrase activities, and free food all week (with the exception of the potluck at the end of the week where everyone brings a dish to share). There’s a wheel to spin for extra tickets which get turned in for prizes. But the biggest kick we get is Dispatch Bingo!

Dispatch Bingo has a number of various nature codes (types of calls) that might come in. If you are the call taker that took the call or the dispatcher that aired it over the radio, you stamp it and mark it with the call number. First day shift and first night shift to bingo gets a prize.

Some get the worst bingo cards where they really don’t want to bingo because the squares they get are fatality-related calls. Then there are some that get the easy bingo cards with rows containing civil service calls, traffic control issues, motor vehicle accidents, missing juveniles, and animal cruelty calls.

New Event This Year

This year, the media team decided to conduct interviews of the dispatchers. We had no idea of the questions they were going to ask in advance so there was no time to prepare. My interview was the worst, and I am ever so glad they didn’t show any of it. But I have rehearsed the questions in my mind since and the responses I should have given countless times since. I’d like to share those questions and responses with you here.

Q: What call has impacted you the most as a 911 dispatcher?

A: This was the one question I got ahead of time from another coworker who had gone before. It was the only question she gave us. So I did have this one prepared. But I would like to share 2 stories with you now.

The story I gave

It was within the first 2 months of my employment as a 911 dispathcer when a call came in. A girl in her late teens was on the line and advised her boyfriend had picked her up and thrown her on the ground. She was upset, shaken, but fairly calm at that moment.

I asked her where he was at now and she told me he was sitting there in front of her in a chair. I was a little surprised at how things were so calm at that moment. He had gone from physically assaulting her to sitting calmly and allowing her to call 911.

Police are on the way, but before I can go anywhere further, she starts shrieking. When I’ve finally got her calmed down enough to understand her, she says he has a knife and he wants to kill himself. I had hardly got that information in the call slip before she starts shrieking again. This time he’s running out in the street trying to get a car to hit him. It is at this point that she tells me that she’s pregnant.

It’s my story!

I couldn’t help but immediately see the parallels in our story. Sure, Julio was never physically abusive. He would never have raised his hand to me. I never once felt, in the height of his anger and drunken rages, that I was ever in any physical danger. But at that time I was 4-5 months pregnant with a boyfriend who’d been successful at committing suicide.

I told her to remain on the porch, to not try and interfere with his attempts. She would only put herself and her baby in danger if she tried, because he was completely unpredictable in this state. The end of the story that I got was that he ran into the woods where the units found him and safely placed him into the custody of mental health professionals. What has happened to him, the girl, and the baby since, is unknown. But that day they all went to bed alive.

Things a 911 dispatcher knows all too well: not all stories have happy endings.

The second call that I will always remember involved a completely uncontrollable female caller. It is a miracle I managed to get an address out of her screams. I could hear a male voice in the background and a lot of commotion. I could not tell if the female was being attacked or what. Nothing I said could calm her enough to understand her words. EMS was on the line and they couldn’t get her to calm down either.

If I had known then what I know now, I would have asked for another person to speak to. But I didn’t know then what I know now. I couldn’t ask for another person to speak to because I didn’t know if the other person was assaulting her!

Within a minute of being on the phone with her, I put in the nature code of a disturbance in progress, priority one. There was clearly something going on between her screams and the commotion in the background. The female disconnected on us, and I attempted to call her back. She answered still as uncontrollable as before, making no sense. She disconnected again. On the third call, she didn’t answer.

Fastest response ever!

Within 3 minutes of the call dropping, a Constable made scene to find no one there, the door open, and a blood trail. I remember it was within 3 minutes very clearly. It was such a fast response. The unit had been in the area, and I had been in touch with the female in the midst of his response, that I was absolutely floored over the fact that no one was there.

Twenty minutes later, we received a call from a local hospital. They had a 2 year old come into the emergency room with a home address of the incident my hysterical female had given. The 2 year old didn’t make it. The mother’s excuse for hanging up on 911? The call taker kept asking “what.” What happened? Both parents thought the 2 year old was with the other parent and a friend ran him over backing out of the driveway.

Contemplating what went wrong

Had I been the only call taker on the line, I might have second guessed my abilities to take these calls. But there were two other call takers on the call: my trainer and EMS. Neither one could understand her either. So please, please, I beg of you, if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where your child’s life is at stake, take a breath and make sure the responders can understand you.

I get it. I am a mom. I take these calls with babies whose lives are fading or in jeopardy because of unknown (or even known) circumstances and it grips my heart to imagine if it were my child. I never thought I would be a co-sleeper with my baby, but every time I thought I would break the habit, I would get one of those calls and I couldn’t give up my snuggles. All I wanted to do was snuggle her and cherish the moments.

But your child’s life is at stake and is dependent on your ability to relay the necessary information to the first responders. You have to keep yourself under control until after they are in the hands of medical professionals. Then you can lose your cool and dissolve into hysterics.

Q: How do you deal with the trauma of the last call when the next one comes in right behind it?

(I am rephrasing this question to a certain extent because I can’t remember word for word.) My response went somewhere along the lines of faith and trusting God. I was stumbling my way through my response because I was in front of a camera and had no time to prepare. I am sure it made no sense.

The real answer is that you just do. You keep moving from one call to the next. Each call is different and requires your presence in the here and now for that call and not the last call you were on. No, this job isn’t for everyone. But there are many people out there like myself who just keep moving when the calls come in. We keep an eye out on the calls in hopes that the deputy or officer might add notes in the end to give some idea of what happened, but we all know through experience that the chances of closure are slim.

But we keep going.

There are other stories

If you were to ask my colleagues, you would hear a slew of heart wrenching, bone chilling stories. Some have happy endings and others don’t. But most of these endings we never know about. In fact, except for those that result in death, we never really know how anything turns out.

My colleagues and I have talked to killers, victims, lost children, and angry citizens. We’ve been on the receiving end of back to back, high intense calls with only 5 seconds to breathe (that’s the amount of time the system still registers you as busy after the call has been disconnected). 5 seconds is not nearly long enough to process the last call and gather your thoughts.

But you move on. You keep answering those calls, asking those questions, and getting the necessary response out there. And you decompress later with recreational activities and relaxation techniques.

Takeaway

It takes a certain kind of person to be able to handle the job as a 911 dispatcher. It definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. I can’t tell you how easy it is to become jaded over the human race as you get these calls in, and you learn just how desperately petty, self-centered, and sometimes downright evil people can be. But it is extremely rewarding knowing that your voice is calm in someone’s storm, talking them down from the ledge or breathing a breath of hope into someone’s nightmare.

You may enjoy my previous post regarding Senator Walsh’s disrespectful remarks towards nurses here, or you may check out one of my first posts on some good reading material.

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Play Cards? A Response to Senator Walsh

April 22, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy Leave a Comment

This past week, Senator Maureen Walsh (R-Washington) made the erroneous statement that nurses probably play cards while at work. She also made a remark that if nurses are so tired, they should work 8 hour shifts like the rest of people working the standard 8 hour shifts. This was all in her remarks regarding her suggested amendment to a bill being introduced to state law. The original bill, if passed, would require all hospitals to give nurses uninterrupted meal breaks and rest periods. Her amendment would remove smaller hospital centers from this requirement. Her amendment also would ban hospitals from scheduling 12 hour shifts.

Senator Walsh’s remarks has sparked a crazy amount of memes mocking her statement and due outrage over her severely out of touch mindset. I’m not a nurse, and I haven’t asked my sister-in-law or aunt who are both nurses specifics, but here’s what I can say as someone who works in the emergency response department and has experienced the care of nurses through family members and friends in the hospital.

Nurses Don’t Play Cards. Period.

Anyone who has ever spent some time in the hospital knows that the vast majority of face to face time with hospital staff is going to be that with a nurse. Nurses make rounds routinely. By the time they finish their first round, they start again on the next rounds. Then they have patients who are needy, whether for legitimate purposes or just because they want attention, to keep them busy in between rounds and during rounds.

It’s the nurses who help patients use the restroom, shower or take sponge baths, change diapers, draw blood, and a host of other care-taking responsibilities. The nurse updates the charts with what has been done where, how the patient feels, and follows the doctors orders. My experience has been that doctors are hardly ever around. They pop in once a day, if that, and then the rest of your time is with nurses.

They don’t have time to play cards. They’re too busy with all of the grunt work to sit down and shuffle a deck.

The 8 Hour Shift

Senator Walsh’s specific remarks regarding the 8 hour shift claims that nurses “talk out of both sides of their mouth” regarding how tired they are. Thus her amendment would cap the shifts at 8 hours. What is ironic is that Senator Walsh believes that the hospitals are working in the red and can’t afford to hire more staff to cover the breaks. Yet, from what I understand from my supervisors at a 911 dispatch center where they’ve considered going down to 10 hour shifts, it is that decreasing from 12 to 10 hour shifts would require more staff. The same would thus be true if a hospital had to cut their nurses down to 8 hours.

So if hospitals are going to hire more staff anyway, it only makes sense that they hire a couple more nurses to cover breaks than several nurses to cover extra shifts. Senator Walsh’s solution is simply not practical. Her lack of respect for the nurses and the profession, uncalled for.

Reasons Why Break Requirements Should Be Instituted

The reason why nurse’s ask for uninterrupted breaks is not to play cards, Senator Walsh. There are health reasons both physically, psychologically, and emotionally why breaks are the solution to job satisfaction ratings, employee retention issues, and overall improvement of productivity.

High intense and highly stressful jobs take a toll on the body. With my job, I may sit at a desk for 90-98% of the shift, but I am on the phone with people in critical moments of their day. I have to deal with their emotions: fear, sometimes anger, and keep them calm while I obtain critical information for the law enforcement and emergency response teams that are en-route. I am at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder even though I am not on scene of the incident. And just as soon as my call is released, another one comes in. There is often no relief from the constant barrage of critical calls. No time to process the last call before the next one comes in. My employer allows for a 15 minute break every 2 hours to process the stress and recuperate.

Now imagine…

Now imagine what a nurse’s shift looks like…on their feet all day long. They’re under pressure with the weight of the lives of their patients in their hands. They have to constantly be on guard for dosage specifications, where to put a needle for what, how to properly clean, disinfect, and care for wounds or wind up the brunt of someone’s lawsuit, possibly the cause of someone’s death.

They become emotionally invested in at least some of their patients. And some of those patients they will lose. Yet they still have to carry on for the rest of the patients on their floor. It is emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting.

Yet Senator Marsh thinks they play cards all day.

Nurses may play cards, but if there is one thing for sure, it is NOT while they are on the job. Senator Marsh, you ought to shadow a nurse for a 12 hour shift. Furthermore, I suggest the nurse ask you to follow all the instructions to a T, deal with the crap patients give you, handle the dirty messes, and then come back and make your choice on the matter. Maybe then you will understand just how exhausting and draining it can be.

And let’s just suppose for a moment the hospitals can afford to hire enough staff to go down to 8 hour shifts, the tole is still draining in an 8 hour shift that a 2 day weekend would not be sufficient for recovery and recuperation for the next 5 day work week. That is another reason why jobs like these are designed with long hours on fewer days and long weekends.

See my recent posts on minimal living and a list of women writers whom you may enjoy checking out!

Takeaway

Politicians should refrain from making disrespectful assumptions of other professions. They should make it a habit of walking in the shoes of those whose lives they purport to be supporting or opposing and then come back with an educated recommendation for ways that are actually effective for the benefit of those they serve.

I retraced the clip of her statements here on CNN, but there is a host of other resources out there if you wish to listen to her remarks yourself.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchase made does not cost you extra but it does help support me and my baby. I always strive to be honest in my assessment of products.)

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Baby Meets Water

April 17, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy Leave a Comment

(This post may include affiliate links. See my privacy policy and disclosures page to learn more.)

I am so excited! Why you may ask? I inadvertently bumped my federal student loan payments back a month when I submitted the application to consolidate them all into one. I wasn’t planning on that and didn’t know that was what it was going to do. But I discovered it as I was looking at my finances when looking into swim lessons.

And that’s the main reason why I’m excited. I have money for my baby to get swim lessons! I want her to be comfortable in the water but also safe. I am concerned about being able to allow them to teach her the first lesson which my interpretation of the process is her being able to go under water and hold her breath for 8-10 seconds.

Baby’s Basic Necessities

The swim lessons will require a swim suit for both of us as I will be in the water with her. Swim diapers. And a pair of swim pants which I will have to purchase through them to make sure I get the right thing.

Well, I got there and discovered they don’t want the babies wearing disposable swim diapers. Instead they’re supposed to be wearing TWO reusable swim diapers together. It was a trick but they did manage to fit on her (big) little hiney.

We got there really early for the 4 p.m. swim class and they offered to switch me to the orientation class at 3:30 since I had never done it before. I was initially thinking I was going in for orientation when I filled out the information request Monday night, so I went ahead and switched to orientation which ended up giving us one on one attention by the swim instructor who walked us through each step of the class.

General Idea of the Process

It wouldn’t be right for me to give every step of the process. But there were plenty of times where Daenarys got to experience going under water. She loved some of it, especially when they brought out a little baby doll. She was all over the baby. And then there were parts that she was not a big fan of. And the underwater experiences weren’t the biggest culprit for her few tears.

Then we were done and we got out and I put a dry diaper on her, threw her in the car, and we drove home where she napped the whole way. I’m really excited about the progress she will be making over the next few weeks. I am also excited about the little friends she will be making as we’re in class. The class she will be attending was going as I was drying off and putting her dry diaper on, so I took a moment to let her watch them do it. All of those babies were smaller than her but not necessarily younger than her.

What I want to teach my baby

Not only do I want my daughter to learn how to swim, I want her to grow all around. I want to give her ample opportunity to meet other babies and to broaden her world. I also want her to not be “comfortable”. I want her to learn to push herself and do brave things.

This experience also allows me to get out of the house and do something that will benefit her in the long haul. It will also be another reason for me to get out and walk to the pool regularly to practice her skills and get comfortable in the water.

I strongly recommend you look into getting your children, even babies (Daenarys is almost 10 months), into swim lessons. If you can afford to graduate them into the next class as they graduate, great. I will probably be looking at doing one class a year. My tuition was pro-rated because I’m coming in partially through the semester. I don’t know how much the full semester would cost and it only just fit inside the money I had incidentally set aside.

Takeaway

She won’t be swimming independently this Summer, but she’s being introduced to the process which will be good building blocks for future skills learning. She gets some socialization. Furthermore, she learns early to push herself out of her comfort zone. I want my daughter to live bravely in all that she does.

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Living Minimalistically On A Single Mom’s Budget

April 15, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy 5 Comments

(This article may contain affiliate links. Should you purchase an item through one of those links, I may earn a commission off of it. It does not cost you extra but comes out of the quoted price by the company. However, I promise that I do not recommend things that I would not or have not used myself. I promise to give my honest opinion.)

Living Minimalistically involves spending money on experiences together instead of on materialistic things that hold no value

This world has become pretty materialistic. People are in debt up to their eyeballs because they have to have the latest technology, all of the gadgets and whistles, biggest houses, and fanciest cars. Children walk the aisles of the stores asking for things and then throwing tantrums when they don’t get it. And sometimes the parents cave in and get it for them (worst thing you could ever do for them is cave in to their temper tantrums, don’t do it!)

But a big culprit in overspending and indulging our kids is the mother’s (or parent’s) desire to give their kid the best, to give them everything. It’s all out of the best of intentions but it results in burn out, stress, anxiety, and debt. As single mom’s, we have enough to carry on our shoulders. We don’t need the extra burden of debt (and the clutter all of those extras would mean).

What do I mean by living minimalistically?

I use that term to mean living without a lot of materialistic items that are only useful for a short time or for empty entertainment. Empty entertainment would be TV, movies, and electronic games. Examples of materialistic items that are only useful for a short time would be clothes, toys, or even necessities like diapers and car seats. Some of these will be necessary, but I will share ways to keep expenses on said things down.

Personal Experience

I personally have a closet packed with stuff I haven’t touched since I moved in here with my brother and sister-in-law. Some of it is decorative things that I picked up for my future home, but a lot of that stuff is just…stuff. I also have a car full of junk that I need to go clean out. What good has all of that stuff done me? Not much but give me anxiety over trying to get it sorted through and relinquished to the trash (or giveaway bags). I know that I have a big problem with not holding onto things for the chance it might become useful later on. It’s kind of a hereditary problem. I’m working on it now because I don’t want my daughter learning to do that as she grows up.

Stop the Mom Guilt!

So stop the mom guilt about not buying your baby/children every toy out there. They don’t need it. Your apartment/house doesn’t need it. Your sanity will thank you.

But how do you afford the big ticket items that are fairly necessary, like a walker, car seat, and a highchair? Start with the Facebook marketplace. You could easily grab these things from someone off the marketplace for pennies on the dollar. May not be the cute thing you were hoping for, but if you’re single and unattached like me, the likelihood of you needing it for long term is slim. And should you find someone later on, connect for life, and choose to have more kid, you’ll have a partner to help cover one that you like more.

Another option is to borrow them. I am presently borrowing my aunt’s highchair. The cover was kind of worn after her three kiddos and she threw it away, but the chair still works for the purposes I need them, which is holding a child so I can feed her much easier with both hands free. You might also consider if something is really necessary. Bouncers are super handy for putting them in something that somewhat contains them (hands off the dirty floors and unable to eat random items they find under the couch), but you can easily throw them in their playpen/bed with toys to solve that problem. Avoiding buying a bouncer and going straight for the walker would easily provide the same containment while still providing them the tools to help them use their legs.

I used a cash gift from my friend (baby daddy’s coworker) to buy her walker. Her bouncer was provided by her aunt. But both aren’t necessary. And if you have limited space, you’ll pull your hair out tripping over both. Pick one and use the options above to find one cheap (or free). But be sure and wash the materials and clean/sanitize the hard surfaces if purchasing used, especially if you don’t know the person you’re getting them from.

Where living minimalistically shouldn’t mean taking the shortcut

The one item I fully recommend you not take shortcuts with is the car seat. If you’re purchasing a car seat used, make sure you know it’s from someone you’ve known for a while. Car seats have expiration dates. And you have to replace them once they’ve been in an accident. I would not trust the history of a car seat purchased off of eBay, Craigslist, or the Facebook Marketplace from someone I don’t know. Don’t play around with your child’s safety. Get you a budget going and keep that in mind as you are approaching the time your child needs to graduate. Set aside a little each month towards that item so it’s not hard to make happen the month it becomes necessary.

I was fortunate to be gifted my car seat and stroller duo by my family at my baby shower. I particularly requested the grey version of it and it will come in handy for my sister-in-law who is having a little boy this August. Since my car seat was purchased new and I have never had a wreck with it in the vehicle (have never had a wreck since she was born period), it is still within the expiration date and completely safe for the new baby to use. So I can help them out on one of their coming expenses. (They may want a different set, but at least it’s available should they not care about a particularly different style.)

But guess what happened this month? Daenarys came due for an upgrade due to her weight. Her first car seat was only rated up to 22 lbs and last month she weighed in at 21 lbs and 1 oz. I loved her original car seat as it came with a jogging stroller and it was a well known brand. So if you’re pregnant and looking for a stroller, I thoroughly recommend the Grayco Fastaction Jogger and car seat combo which you can find below.

Sacrificing Convenience for Living Minimalistically

But if you know it would be really tight trying to cover the next upgrade that will go with your child until they no longer need a car seat, and you can do away with the convenience of being able to carry your child in the car seat as you go about shopping, church, or the park, you might start off with the adaptable car seats they now provide.

I did some research and was originally planning on going with the Safety 1^st Grow and Grow Sprint 3 in 1 car seat. But before I could get to the first payday in April where I had budgeted the extra expense in, the Grayco Milestone 3 in 1 car seat went on sale for $129.99 (it was sadly a temporary sale and does not appear to still be on sale), so I snatched it up instead (after doing some research on it to be safe).

So think about what your budget is like. If you know someone is wanting to gift you your first car seat/stroller set, you could take the opportunity to save for the upgrade later, or you could save the expense altogether and request the convertible car seat from the beginning (the only problem would be if your child was born early and would be released from the hospital weighing less than 5 lbs. The lowest weight the convertible car seat is rated for is 5 lbs.)

Don’t forget about the clothes!

I bought a batch of 12 month clothes off of the Facebook marketplace for $20 well in advance of the time she would need them. At least well in advance of the time I thought she would need them. She wound up graduating into them much sooner than expected. But I digress.

But before she actually began wearing those clothes, I discovered this handy clothes lending method which saved me from buying any of the clothes in between 3 months and 12 months: my older sister. She has a daughter a couple years older than mine and packed away her clothes as she grew out of them for future children. So I have actually been using her clothes, along with the bags of clothes Daenarys’s aunt and uncle bring her whenever I see them.

So if you don’t have nieces or nephews to borrow clothes from for your kids, check out the Facebook marketplace. It’s pretty darn handy.

Mentally Enriching Tools

Don’t forget books. The kids can only read so many books at a time and you only have so much space to keep them in! But what do you do when you get tired of the same books over and over again? Living minimalistically shouldn’t affect their brain development. Have you heard of the Little Free Library? It’s the best invention since sliced bread! (Okay, second best only to coffee!)

The Little Free Library is a network of boxes placed all over the country where people put their books that they don’t read, want, or need anymore. They can take one out as well. The idea is it is a free book library without the need for a library card. You can find one near you by going to this link and clicking the search button with your special parameters. I fully envision the magical excitement that can be created as we take our kids to see what adventures lie inside them. What’s great about books? You don’t have to pay for entertainment streaming subscriptions, gaming systems, or movies. There you go, just saved you a ton of money right there. (You should be reading books, too! You can start by checking out one of my earlier posts if you’re looking for reading materials.)

Diapers!

Diapers is one of the everyday big ticket items you got to spend your money on. There is no getting around that. I purchase my diapers in the biggest box they come in from Walmart. They come out cheaper per diaper that way. But if your adventurous, you might consider purchasing some good cloth diapers. You can wash them and reuse them and save the money on disposable diapers (and go green!) It really is up to you.

Takeaway

There are many ways you can save money on the big ticket items that are necessary. And there are ways you can cut down on the need for so much non-essential stuff. I believe you will find yourself much happier if you can cut your own things down and raise your children to be healthier and happier people by living minimalistically. After all, sitting at a screen for the hours today’s kids do certainly hasn’t helped the obesity rate in America. And our youth’s education has been dumbed down over the last couple of decades. You’re better off spending your money on experiences spent together than on materialistic items that will eventually be discarded, some sooner than others.

Join my band of Gypsy Mothers!

Looking for a community of single mothers? Join my band by following this link. No one needs (or wants) to make this journey alone.

Female Powerhouse Roundup

April 10, 2019 by TheGermanGypsy Leave a Comment

Today I want to give a shout out to all of my fellow mom bloggers out there! The following biographies and links will take you straight to their page. These moms are incredible and hard working and I know you will enjoy getting to know them and learning a little more about them each day. Comment below and let me know which ones you particularly found useful!

Hi, I’m Darcey, a mom to an active and curious three-year-old girl. I’m an early childhood educator who is passionate about play based learning. You can find me at http://www.aflourishingrose.com

I write about motherhood, personal development and my experiences as an educator. Visit my blog for parenting tips, book recommendations, gift ideas and much more.

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aflourishingrose

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flourishingrose

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/roseflourish

I am Mai, a mother of two beautiful girls in my thirties. In this blog, I share about many of my random musings on motherhood — as it has given me a different perspective in life.

A beautiful yet complex journey and not for the faint of heart. Follow me and my random musings here at https://cheerfulnomads.net.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheerfulnomads/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/iammrsmommai/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/iammrsmommai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCheerfulNomads/

I’m Pheng Lineses, the face behind Thinker Mom blog. This blog is for mom and moms-to-be, working and stay at home. Sharing life hacks, frugal living, and practical ways to manage a balanced family and work life. You can find Pheng at https://thinkermom.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/phenglineses/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phenglineses/

Tweeter: https://twitter.com/Pheng_12

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peng.lineses

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/phenglineses/

Bloglovin’: https://www.bloglovin.com/@phenglineses

I’m Shay and I’m just your average boymom! I love sharing simple tips for moms, fun activities for the kids, and crafts on a budget. As a military wife, I also really enjoy sharing tips and stories about life in the army. My goal is for my blog to have something to offer for all moms. We’re all on this mom boat together and we’re all just trying to make it to bedtime. Visit Shay at shay-and-sons.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayandsons

Hey! I’m Cait, & I am a single mama of two amazing girls. I am a homeschooler, survivor of domestic abuse and a mental health advocate. I also am the owner of my own Virtual Assistance company. Being a mom is tough, & being a single mom is even tougher! On Adventures of Single Mom, I like to share tips, tricks and even personal stories hoping other single mamas can relate & find kinship in the fact that they aren’t alone in this crazy life. Follow along with the fun at www.adventuresofsinglemom.com, and find us on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/adventuresofsinglemom/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/adventuresofsinglemom/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/adventuresofsinglemom/

Failure to Thrive No More writes about the struggles and triumphs of Special Needs Parenting. Her son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder—Dyrk1a Syndrome—in 2018, and has been raising awareness ever since. She has also included her love for Self-Care, Fitness, and Military Life! Check out this blog at https://failuretothrivenomore.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaxsonsmomjennie88

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jennife19558408

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaxsonsmomjennie

Real Mom Moments is a place for moms to share and support each other in the moments we cherish, hate, celebrate or just barely survive. Moms also find encouragement here to take time for themselves and nurture their own interests and passions. Living the mom life is incredible — in addition to super draining and lonely. It’s so much easier to get through the ups and downs of each long day when we feel connected with an understanding group! Find relatable, humorous, and motivating experiences at https://realmommoments.com (Real Mom Moments – A Place for Moms to Keep it Real)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real.mom.moments/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealMomMomentsBlog

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/RealMomMomentsStephanie/

Hi, I’m Jenn! A mother, a behavior specialist, a business owner, wife of a scientist, and lover of all things fermented. I was blessed with six amazing kids that range in age from 4 to 24 years old. With a background in behavior, two marriages, and 20+ years of parenting, I’ve got a lot to say about family time and raising kids in different stages of life; where to take them, what to feed them, and how to keep them entertained. Plus, things to do to maintain my own sanity like traveling, crafting, cooking, and shopping. I’d love to share my wisdom with you, so visit me at onehoppymomma.com and don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage to enjoy while reading.

Instagram: instagram.com/onehoppymomma

Facebook: facebook.com/onehoppymomma

Pinterest: pinterest.com/onehoppymomma

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpJEgn4UpVu7AvYjraiiPUQ

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Laura started her blog in February 2019 because she love to help other moms! She is constantly recommending products, sharing what has worked or not worked for her, etc. with her mom friends and now she can share these things with many more people! At http://www.lalatomama.com/ you will find Mom advice, product recommendations, Mom stories and even some of the adventures Laura goes on with her 3 boys! Laura work full-time in Human Resources so she does this on the side and loves it!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaLaToMaMa/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lalatomama/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lalatomama/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaLaToMaMa1

Meredith is a former pediatric RN turned stay at home mom to two littles. She has never met a carb, Target aisle, or glass of red wine she didn’t love. Join her over at www.motherhoodbymeredith.com as she finds grace in the messy side of motherhood.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodbymeredith/

Pinterest: https://pin.it/vxxezftdpeyzfg

Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/motherhoodbymeredith/

Kale is a blogger, mother, wife, teacher, friend, and child of the one true King. She also has a soft spot for teaching children about community service. Kale married her exact opposite, Steak. They are living the dream in the Midwest with their two wonderful children. The family is constantly entertained by their hilarious mutt. Steakandkale.com is where you can find her writing, guiding, organizing, budgeting, eating plants, and cleaning up after the mutt.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteakandKale/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteakandkaleC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steakandkale1/

Meagan is married to her high school sweetheart and is a stay at home mom to their two little girls. McKenzi, 7, and Sarah, 20 months. McKenzi is deaf and has a cochlear implant so this topic is talked about quite a bit on her blog. Meagan hopes to educate others on hearing loss in children. Her blog also has many tips on breastfeeding, co-sleeping, money saving ideas and more.

You can visit her blog at https://www.meagandeal.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meagan.deal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meagandealblog/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/meagandealblog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/meagan_deal

Takeaway

There are moms out there just like you and me! We are not alone. Lets support each other in this journey.

Join the band of Gypsy Mothers!

Join my band of Gypsy Mothers and let’s grow together! This world is a big world made to feel very small when we are trudging through life alone. Don’t go it alone. Join me!