If there’s one thing I love, it’s moms that share good info with other moms. From the best diaper bags to money-saving back to school tips, we should all help each other out. Speaking of BTS, one of our favorite bloggers–and mamas!–Naomi Davis of
Love Taza is here to share some of her no-fail tips for sending your little ones back to school. Get the scoop below!
SHEfinds: How did you get started writing
lovetaza.com? Naomi Davis: This summer marks the ten year anniversary of Love Taza! I started writing the site as a newlywed in NYC while finishing my last year of college in the city. I found blogging to be the easiest way to upload and share photos with my mom and sisters on the west coast! I absolutely loved how it gave me an outlet to share my love of photo taking as well as journaling bits and pieces of my newly wed life. Ten years later, with 3 kiddos in the mix, I still feel so fortunate to get to have a little corner of the internet where I can share the things I love about motherhood, family and life in general and that others enjoy following along!
SF: How do you balance time for your site and time for your family? ND: This can definitely be a tricky thing since my husband and I co-parent and work together from home. We often tag team it during the day where one of us gets a bunch of work done while the other does something with the kids. Our children always come first, and I definitely don’t want them to see us on our computers or phones too much at home. We have found setting aside designated working hours helps a ton with finding that balance.
SF: Back to school season is upon us: what are you top 3 tips for moms? ND: Sending your kids off to school is a really emotional time, especially if you’re sending your little ones off to kindergarten or first grade! You feel such pride but also so much stress at the same time. I try to find ways to reduce my stress levels so I can focus on the important things, like making sure my kids are mentally and emotionally ready for this big change! One of my top tips is to use tools that make shopping for everything on your list easier, like
Target’s School List Assist. You can use this to search for your school’s list to add it to your shopping cart in a matter of just a few clicks.
Your kids may feel anxious or worried about the school year ahead, too, so empower them with clothing and school supplies that reinforce positive affirmations and words of encouragement, like those from the
Cat & Jack kids line. Plus, my kids love dressing themselves and choosing what they wear each day, and this line allows them to mix and match different pieces without any trouble.
A healthy and balanced lunch helps keep your kids focused at school, so we always stay stocked up on essentials. I always try to keep my cabinets and fridge full of simple and healthy ingredients like fresh fruits and veggies, hummus and one-ingredient nut butters like those from the Simply Balanced line.
SF: What’s one of the biggest back to school misconceptions out there? ND: As a mom, one of the biggest misconceptions that I’m learning to overcome is you need to do it all yourself. There are so many tools and resources out there that you can take advantage of, from ordering school supplies ahead of time and having it ready when you arrive in store, to buying all the items on your list with one click from tools like
School List Assist. Tools like these not only reduce your stress, but they also give you more time back to spend with your kids before they head off to school!
SF: What are you loving for your little ones this back to school season? ND: I’m really loving the food-inspired trend that I’m seeing in so many back-to- school items this year, like the Target-exclusive Yoobi school supplies that come in different shapes and patterns like donuts, ice cream cones and bananas! I also love iron-on patches and pins that little ones can use to customize their backpacks and gear and add some personality to it all.
SF: Any tips for moms looking to stay within a reasonable budget this back to school season? ND: There are so many deals you can take advantage of during the back-to- school season! Check
Weekly Ads to take advantage of sales, and buy in bulk– that way, you always have the supplies you need at home.
I also like the idea of maybe picking two or three backpacks that are within your budget and then presenting them to your kids to have them choose, or if they are older, share with them the budget you’ve put aside for a backpack and have them go from there. It helps both you and your child stay within your reasonable budget while also allowing everyone to participate!
SG: Some moms may be feeling the end of summer blues: any tips for them? ND: I’d say to mask any summer blues around your kiddos the best you can and try to share how excited you are for this next big adventure of theirs, and how you know they’ll do great! I find that kids can pick up on our moods or energy better than we think they can, even when they are little, so keeping the topic around summer ending and school beginning as positive and motivating as you can. I think in the end, it helps you to feel excited and confident in this next chapter for the kiddos as well! At least that’s what I’m telling myself. ;)
[Photo:
Target]
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