Pants too tight? Buy some new ones
Tired? Drink some coffee Messy house? Blast some music and tidy up Have to pee? Get up and go Crying kids? Slow down, pay attention, and give them what they need (all real life in my house in the past 24-hours) You get the idea. We have control of more things in our lives than we sometimes realize. Ladies, we tend to suck at this self-efficacy thing. We can control our motivation, behavior, and social environments much more than we often believe. We've got to get out of our own way, put our big girl pants on, and handle shit (including all the real shit that comes with #momlife). What are you waiting for? What's bugging you right now? Instead of complaining about it, scrolling to take your mind off it, or letting it put you in a bad mood, get up and do something about it. That's all. I'm off to tidy up, whip up an easy dinner, and get these babies to bed so I can get eventually some sleep. Quote: The Attachment Parenting Book by William Sears and Martha Sears  
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 Some couples are romantic. We're not.
Our days our filled with parenting adventures, and our evenings are filled with learning and totally geeking out on projects. Less than five year ago, Nishantha and I met teaching teachers and then connected by comparing Goodreads accounts. He said he wanted to have kids with me on our first date. The rest is a fast-paced history. Now I have three Valentines. I love you, Nishantha!  How does your morning start?
I hope you get to take a few minutes to enjoy your family or your alone time before rushing into the day. My morning used to start with a headache and dogs hogging my bed. Now, I avoid those headache triggers and my sweet old puppies sleep downstairs. ☀️As the sun comes up over the mountains, I’m normally more tired than I would like, but I wake up to, “Mommy, it’s good-morning time!” and smiles. Our family’s been taking a few extra minutes each morning to just snuggle before I rush to my much-needed coffee and Nishantha begins to get ready for work. It’s something I hope we can keep in our routine when I got back to work. Mamas with littles, I know we’re all so tired in the mornings. Keep going. Try to get to bed earlier. Appreciate the little ones who keep us up and wake us up. I hear this phase won’t last forever.  🎤The last time I stood here, I was on stage.
It was about fifteen years ago. There were few hundred screaming Girl Scouts in the audience, reporters with cameras, and my own troop somewhere in the crowd. I was emceeing a council bridging ceremony. At that time, many of my peers were starting families, but I was just starting my busyness marathon. I was substitute teaching, coaching three sports, leading a Girl Scout troop, working weekends and summers at camp, and volunteering at events like this. Now, I'm sharing the motherhood journey alongside many of those Girl Scouts, including my little sister who was in my troop. People ask me if I wish I had started a family sooner. No. I'm so proud of the teaching, coaching, scouting, volunteering, learning, and leading I did before becoming a mom, and I'm even more grateful for the wisdom these experiences have given me. 🤱🏻Teacher mama friends, were you a teacher first or a mom first? PS Go buy some Girl Scout cookies and sign your girls up for camp!  What did you have for dinner tonight?
I hope it was simple, stress-free, somewhat healthy, and took a short amount of time to prepare. If dinner is drama at your house, just try making it easier. Let go of all those Pinterest-inspired meals. I’ve read a few times about a plan that is even easier and used by many CEOish working moms. Are you ready for their secret? Just eat the same simple meals on weeknights! It looks something like this: •Monday: pasta •Tuesday: tacos • Wednesday: air fryer protein & veggie • Thursday: one-dish meal • Friday: pizza Our family tried this for awhile and it worked. We even did a BBQ night in the summer. We’ve also gone through phases of just eating a huge fancy salad for dinner. We love to keep dinner simple. Right now, we just rotate a few simple kinds of meals, like pasta, tacos/nachos, fried rice, and a veggie protein and vegetable. We get a little creative when we have time, but I keep the freezer and pantry stocked with simple things we can whip up in a few minutes. I think a lot of mamas already keep dinner super simple, but that’s not what’s shared on social media. An air fryer veggie burgers, microwaved sweet potatoes, canned beans, and maybe a salad may not be pretty, but they make a great meal. And, it’s cheaper a subscription delivery service and healthier than eating out. Instead, we like to share products and pretty. Friends, I want you to do the opposite. Instead, show off your simple meals. We learn from what we see. Being real is the best way to be helpful.  What’s a new thing you’re afraid of?
Noutin is currently afraid of the parachute. Snuggles and soothing words help him calm down when he starts to fuss. Because he’s getting support, he’ll soon get over his fear and be able to join in the fun with his sister. It works the same way for adults. If you’re a little afraid of trying something—a hobby, a vacation, or even a side-hustle project—find someone to support you. Find someone who can remain calm when you’re nervous and talk some sense into you when you’re overwhelmed. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to go for it. PS If I’m here if you need a pep talk!  How many did you get last night? What was your average last week?
I don't even have to say it. You already know I'm talking about sleep. You know you SHOULD get 8 hours every night. Honestly, how many hours do you normally get? If you're like me, not enough. It's a struggle in our house, too. Babies wake up. I get it. Here are some reminders for both of us, sleepyhead:
If you're staying up late working, put the brakes on it. You'll be more productive when you're well-rested.  Mama friends, how many families are in your feed?
Working mamas, how many working mamas are in your feed? Remember that who you follow shapes how you feel. And even when we don’t intend to, we compare. Sometimes I catch myself thinking things like, “Oh! I should ______, too!” Then I zoom out. Many times those super-granoly or super-teacher or super-business women I admire are in a different phase of life than me. I have two babies, I’m a teacher (still on maternity leave), and I commit a handful of hours a week creating content and resources for you. Friends, if your feed needs more mamas like you, •Find them •Follow them •Watch their stories •DM them •Become IG friends and maybe even become real world friends someday. Mama friends ahead of me, mama friends with me, mama friends a few months behind me, and future mamas, I appreciate you. If you’re up for it, raise your hand 🙋🏻♀️ below to help more mamas find you.  Where are your people? Are you more Insta or more Twitter? Tell me below. 👇🏼
As you know, both groups are bursting with conversations that are influencing the way we teach and learn, but most of us tend to just hang out mostly on one platform. If you're reading this, I'm guessing you're more of an Insta teacher. I've participated in both communities and want them to mix more. That's why I'm so excited to announce that I will be hosting a panel and social with a few of the best #teachersofinstagram and #teachertubers in California at Spring CUE 2020! @toocoolformiddleschool @my2ndgradelife @smartiestyle @darin_nakakihara @lessonswithlaughter @thecaffeinatedclass Aaah! Can you believe these leaders will all be the same place AND you get the chance to pick their brains! For those of you who don't know, CUE is an edtech and pedagogy conference. Most of the attendees, like most of the #edtech world, tend to be more Twitter and LinkedIn than IG and YT. I'm hoping bringing everyone together will spark some meaningful conversations. If you are going to be joining us in Palm Springs, CA, March 19-20, you have to come to our events to say "hi," take pictures, and ask questions! If you are on the fence about going, you should send an email to your admin right now to ask if you can attend. It doesn't hurt to ask. A few times my admin denied me and I got my union to send me. PS If you're a Twitter teacher, you say "hi" to me on there @nataliepriester Don’t forget to tell me which platform you prefer! 👇🏼  Nouarie says she’s the butter in our “baby sandwich”
And now she says her brother is the peanut butter. I don’t think I’ve ever had a butter and peanut butter sandwich, but this sounds good to me. Best to just leave the jelly out of it! |
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February 2020
CategoriesNatalie PriesterI'm a teacher, mama, and mentor. I created the You Before School e-course and more. I'm here to encourage and share self-efficacy skills for women. |
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