The Room Reset Ritual: Teaching Kids to Tend Their Space (Without Losing Your Mind)

The Room Reset Ritual:  Teaching Kids to Tend Their Space  (Without Losing Your Mind) Method One: The Teamwork Tidy (Ages 5+) This isn’t just about cleaning—it’s about co-creating a space that feels peaceful, proud, and lived in. Here’s how we do it: 🗑 Step 1: The Trash Bag Sweep Walk into the room together with a trash bag. Do a once-over. Anything obviously broken, torn, or trash-worthy? Gone. This sets the tone: we’re clearing space for what matters. 🧾 Step 2: One Task at a Time Give your child a single, clear task—like picking up all the papers. While they do that, you (or a sibling) tackle the clothes. When that’s done, move on: Child: books, coloring books, notebooks You/other child: board games, electronics, random bits 🧱 Step 3: The LEGO Game Make it fun. Whoever builds the funniest animal out of the Legos they find gets to pick the post-cleaning snack. (You’ll be amazed what a snack incentive can do.) 🧸 Step 4: Big Toys + Letting Go Time to sort ...

Parenting Myths Debunked: Lies, Legends, and the “I Told You So” Moments

 

Ah, parenting advice—it comes at you like a relentless infomercial. Friends, family, that one mom at the playground who swears by kale smoothies for infant genius development. Some of these tips are gold, others... not so much. Let’s spill the tea on these classic parenting myths and set the record straight—grandparent style.  


1. “Holding Your Baby Too Much Will Spoil Them”

- Oh yes, because babies should obviously enter the world fully independent, pay rent, and file taxes by age two. Holding your baby doesn’t spoil them—it comforts them, builds trust, and keeps them from screaming like a tiny, angry CEO demanding better management.  


2. “Sugar Turns Kids Into Maniacs”

- Listen, kids don’t need sugar to turn into pint-sized tornadoes. Have you ever seen a toddler who’s been awake too long? Unstoppable force. Unhinged energy. Sugar doesn’t fuel chaos—kids do. Science backs this up, but honestly, so does common sense.  


3. “Letting Kids Win Makes Them Weak”

- Ah yes, because we need to toughen them up for the brutal world of board games and backyard races. Reality check: confidence matters. Letting them win sometimes teaches them to enjoy learning, build resilience, and maybe, just maybe, not flip the Monopoly board when things don’t go their way.  


4. “The ‘Terrible Twos’ Are the Worst”

- Terrible twos? Honey, the threenager stage is where the real chaos begins. That’s when they develop opinions, negotiate like tiny lawyers, and use the word “no” with the confidence of a CEO rejecting bad deals. But truthfully, this phase isn’t about them being terrible—it’s about independence, growth, and pushing buttons *just because they can*.  


5. “If It Worked Back Then, It Works Now”

- Ah, the golden “back in my day” defense. Yes, some wisdom stands the test of time—but let’s be real, so does bad advice. Car seats weren’t a thing, sunscreen was optional, and "just walk it off" applied to everything. Parenting evolves for a reason, and sometimes, old-school methods get upgraded.  


Final Sip of Wisdom: 

Parenting myths are like unsolicited advice—you don’t need all of them, but sometimes they make for great stories. At the end of the day, trust your instincts, keep your humor intact, and remember—no one actually has it all figured out.  

And here’s the real secret ingredient: *parenting is a lot easier when you remember what it felt like to be a child.* That frustration when adults didn’t listen? The excitement of discovery? The need for reassurance? The more you tap into your own childhood emotions, the more your gut instinct will guide you toward raising kids who feel seen, heard, and understood.  


What Parenting Myths Have You Heard? 

Now, I want to hear from you! What’s the wildest parenting myth you’ve come across? Have a family legend, questionable piece of advice, or a story about an old wives’ tale gone wrong?  

Send it my way at havingteawithhoney@gmail.com —let’s spill the tea together! Who knows, your submission might just make it into the next post.  

Want to stay anonymous? No problem! Just let me know in your email, and I’ll keep your name out of it. The stories are what matter most, not who tells them.  

Enjoy a cup 🫖,

Honey

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