This post was created in partnership with Kids & Company.
Dressing four kids can be a daunting task. Between the expense and how often my kids destroy, or grow out of their clothes, it can be a weekly job to keep up with. Fortunately I have found a rhythm that works for our family that not only saves us money, it squeezes every bit of life out of each piece of clothing.
Simply put, I have separate clothes for my kids on weekdays, (daycare and school days), than I do for the weekends. Because, let’s face it, our kids tend to get messy at school and daycare.
I’ve always said, “a dirty kid is a happy kid.”
Nothing makes me happier than at the end of a hot summer day, when my kids have played in our backyard the whole day and they walk up to me, filthy, covered in dirt, sweat, and sticky popsicle goo and the only option is they have to go right into the bath, before sitting down to dinner. In my opinion, that is a great childhood.
So when my three-year-old comes home from daycare, with food-stained sleeves, paint all down the front of their shirt, and a little hole in the knee of their pants, with a big smile on their face, I know they’ve had a great day.
So, how do I stay so relaxed about the inevitable clothing destruction? They wear old hand-me-downs and used clothing during the week.
In our house, our son get his older cousin’s hand-me-downs, Beau gets her older cousins, and our twins get their older sisters. It’s the perfect solution. Occasionally I will head to Wal-Mart and stock up for the big kids, but I have more than enough clothes that trickles down to our twins.
Simple.
This way I am not spending a fortune on adorable outfits to last seven days each week on our four kids. I only splurge for weekend outfits, which shrinks my shopping list a lot.
So next time you don’t know what to do with that massive unexpected bag of hand-me-downs a family member left on your porch… save it for the weekdays.
Finding a childcare that not only gives me time to build my career, but that my kids also love has been such a wonderful aspect to having more of a work/life balance.
Kids & Company not only has the flexibility I have needed with my unique schedule, but the incredible fresh, from scratch meals they provide for my kids each day (which they actually eat), fills me with such confidence with my choice in childcare.
With locations all across Canada, Kids & Company is a high-quality care and early development centre that parents can trust and kids will love. It started under the leadership of two moms (one with 8 children!), who felt there was a need for flexible care options in a setting with amazing teachers, community, proven development programs and an understanding of today’s families.
Whether it’s their Grab ‘n’Go snacks, parent workshops, or their complimentary care for date nights and shopping days outside of regular hours, nothing has been forgotten.
Here’s where it gets exciting… right now Kids and Company is waiving the registration fee (a $150 value) for Nesting Story readers! Just email amcnaught@kidsandcompany.com to access this exclusive offer.
One waved registration per family for a newly registering child before December 31, 2017. Subject to availability.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kids & Company. While compensation was provided, all opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily indicative of the opinions of Kids & Company.
