What's Helping Me Get Through February
February is a sneaky busy month for parents! As a mom of 3, I'm feeling this intensely... There are a few random items/systems that are helping me right now and I'm sharing them to hopefully help you!
February is a very sneaky month for parents! It seems like it should be a cozy love-filled time, but instead it’s extremely busy!! It’s a short month, and on top of that there is so much that parents must do… Valentine’s Day and all that’s required for kids’ classroom parties, President’s Day long weekend (or full week off for many schools!), summer day camp sign-ups, figuring out spring break travel or camp/childcare plans, plus questions and contracts from kids’ schools about next school year’s enrollment – and all while feeling the sting of holiday spending – it’s A LOT!! Plus, in my family my oldest son N(10) has a birthday in early February so we’re always planning his birthday party, his classroom celebration, and gifts and cake and all of that exciting stuff that is also filled with pressure!
In light of all the busyness that February brings, as your Type A Mom friend who is here to share ways to streamline the behind-the-scenes work of parenting, I thought that this week’s newsletter should be about some simple and helpful ways I’ve found to lighten February’s load, or to just get through the month easier… So, here are some links to click for what items and hacks have helped me stay sane during the first nine days of February 2025…
GREEN TEA
I’m never without my favorite green tea from The Coffee Bean or Alfred - it’s the perfect amount of caffeine and comfort to keep up my energy - coffee can be too much added intensity during busy times so that’s why I’m relying on green tea right now. Plus, drinking tea out of this mug with my initial on it that I bought on my last trip to London makes me so happy during these hectic days – it’s available online which I didn’t know when I bought it and carried it carefully all the way back here lol.
ELECTRIC TEA KETTLE IN MY ROOM
Ultimate sign of laziness, or genius? I prefer the latter because having this electric tea kettle next to my desk means I can quickly refill my green tea all day. Plus it’s pretty to look at!
AMAZON PRIME
Sorry not sorry… this has been so helpful with N(10)’s birthday party favors, with my kids’ classroom Valentine’s cards, and with N(10)’s birthday gifts – fast and easy to get all those things during a week (and month!) when I don’t have extra time to drive, park, and wander a shopping mall.
ETSY
I printed this set of 40 printable activities for my daughter C(8) and my son A(5) and they have been staying very busy doing them, and I ordered personalized classroom Valentine’s Day cards that list my son A(5)’s name on them so I don’t have to write them (or force him to do it!).
NIKE SLIP-ON RUNNING SHOES FOR KIDS
My youngest son A(5) likes to dillydally in the mornings, so shoes that are quick and easy to put on really help us!
DISHWASHER SAFE LUNCHBOXES
Cleaning these are so easy - I just take out any old food and then put this PlanetBox lunchbox in the dishwasher – no scrubbing needed!
MEAL PLANNING RECIPE BOOK
I’ve been choosing some favorites from this simple recipe book I put together – no chopping onions or super long cook time- simple food for busy nights!
FROZEN VEGETABLES
Frozen vegetables are so easy to store and then grab right when we need to use them - plus they’re already chopped up which makes them simple to serve! There are many articles about how, despite being frozen, they keep their nutrients really well, so I feel great about using them!
SCREENSHOT CAMP SIGN UPS WHILE IT SAYS PROCESSING
I had an intense summer camp sign up this Wednesday… The sign up site was taking a long time to process my information and send me a confirmation. I was worried that it wasn’t going to go through, so just in case it changed to a page that said it didn’t get my information or couldn’t process it, I took a screenshot that said all was correct, it was just delayed. That way I figured I could send it in to them if I needed to prove I’d signed up!
TOOTHBRUSHES IN THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM
Putting my kids’ toothbrushes in the downstairs bathroom so it’s easier for them to brush their teeth before they leave the house in the morning saves us a bunch of time!
A BACKPACK DROP-OFF ZONE
As soon as my kids come into the house they take off their shoes and then they drop their backpacks in a “drop-off zone” at the entrance to the kitchen (against a wall so it’s not in anyone’s way). This is super helpful for me to find what needs to be unloaded and cleaned, and for when my kids need to find their homework that they have to do that night, and for when we all need to reload their backpacks. Plus, having this zone makes it easy for the kids to grab their backpacks on the way out of the house in the morning! This simple idea has saved many minutes and us from many arguments about where anything us😉
FLEWD BATH SOAKS
About two nights a week I take a bath after the kids are in bed, and I use these soaks. They’re formulated for whatever I feel needs attention – lately I’m loving the “insomnia ending” and the “anxiety destroying” options.
READING ACTUAL BOOKS
The third book in The Empyrean Series (Onyx Storm) was released and I read it as fast as I could – took me 1/3 of the book to get back into it and then it was amazing. Reading an actual book and not a screen helped me decompress from busy days and from information coming at me from all angles on my phone.
SNOW TRAVEL WITH KIDS
This isn’t something that is helping me this month since we aren’t traveling to snow, but a lot of my friends are taking ski trips this month so I wanted to include it here in case you are too. I lived in the snow with my 3 kids for over a year, and we travel to snow, and ski often, as a family, so I have a lot of experience with what kid ski and snow gear actually works to keep kids warm and comfortable! Friends who are taking their kids to the snow for the first time during February have been asking me for snow/ski gear advice so I put together a list of our favorite items - take a look and please reply with questions for how my kids like to wear these items - I promise they’re all kid tested, loved, and approved!
WATCHING REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS AND SOUTHERN CHARM
I’m having so much fun watching my two favorite reality TV shows right now – they are not disappointing me this season and I’m so here for the escape they provide.
Hope I’ve given you ideas for how to streamline some of the parenting work of February, and for how to ease the surprising amount of pressure that this month brings!
❤️, Amanda, your Type A Mom friend
PS - If you’re looking for a way to help LA, this fundraiser that
is coordinating is collecting funds to rebuild libraries at elementary schools in Pacific Palisades. I went to St. Matthew’s for preschool and elementary school so this cause is very close to my heart and I’m so grateful for what Zibby and Zibby’s Bookshop is doing❤️