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As this blog grows and opportunities come up I keep finding myself gone more and more to fun blog conferences! (I have one coming up in 3 short weeks!)  I hate leaving my kids and husband. I hate having to put on real pants and I hate coming home to a destroyed house. Husband is the kind of parent that thinks he has done a good job if the kids make it to school and are fed. (by Mcdonalds and pizza hut usually) There is no laundry done. No chores are done. Rooms aren’t clean. Homework is not finished. Books are not read. So I like to keep up the “momming” even when I’m not there! Last blog conference I came up with this super fun idea!
Here’s the gist. I hide toys/presents/candy/games around the house. I take a picture on my phone of each place I hide them. Then each day, after the kids have done their chores, homework and sent me a picture of their clean room–I send them the picture where their present for that day can be found! IT seriously worked like a dream! I got a text message 3o minutes after my son had gotten home from school and he had done all his chores, cleaned his room, read for 2o minutes and even helped his sister with something! He was so excited! And it wasn’t even that great of a prize!
Here are some of the random things I bought for my kids. Minecraft mini figures, legos, football cards, chapsticks, littlest pet shops, color books, bath bombs. The Dollar store is AMAZING–You could easily find so much stuff for…$1!
I Â usually hit up the craft store for some kind of kids activity (something that will take them awhile to make–perler beads are fun, cool color changing markers, shrinky dinks or diy wind chimes. Â Make sure it’s stuff you don’t mind them doing while you aren’t there–like painting or using the oven and iron!
And of course you can always do CANDY!!! and one day I do a big ticket item…a new movie or game (we LOVE spot it! (get it here) They have a Disney version and a jr version! Perfect for everyone!
Then the night before I leave, I walk around my house and hide the presents in random spots that I know they won’t accidentally run into the presents before I send them the picture.
That is the trickiest part. After you do it one time…they know their presents are around somewhere. They will try to snoop for them! You’ve got to hide them pretty good!
I snap a picture on my phone of each and every spot. And then I write down what day, and what present is where for who. So each day the kids get the same “kind” of presents. Like day one could be all treats. day two is the craft. Day three is a toy etc. And then I snap a picture of the list (so Everything is on your phone!) you are ready to go wherever or whenever!
Then each day after the kids get home from school and do their chores (and send me a picture of their clean rooms) I send them each a picture of where their present is hidden.
ALSO:
And I know we just got done with Easter–but how fun would it be in October to surprise the kids with a hunt! I’m actually leaving a few hours before my kids get home from school so I’m going to hide eggs in their rooms so when they come home they will each have a mini egg hunt to do! Here is the printable –just right click and save to your computer!
Do you have an awesome “Momming” hack?
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