Mommy & Me Errands by Chic Mom Blogger Tara

It can be extremely challenging managing 3 children under 5 years old. At such a young age patience is very short and they still need lots of attention from mom. My oldest child is 4, and over the years I have learned how to get the most out of my day. We live in Japan and we don’t have that many options for childcare. We’ve decided as a family that it would be best for me to be a SAHM. Often, I have to take all of the children with me to run my errands. I have been forced to get creative with how I keep the kids busy and calm while I get things done.

So just recently browsing around the ¥100 store(dollar store) I found these food stickers. They were super cute with pictures of basic items that you would find in the supermarket.I thought it would be a great idea for the kids to use these to help me make shopping lists! They cannot write yet at 2 and 4, but they can use stickers. I could keep them busy for a few minutes making their lists while I change the baby, and get everyone ready to leave.

The first time I tried it they naturally took every sticker and put it on their lists, that was ok, but then I started thinking about how this might turn into something expensive. This is when I decide to get the 100 count pack of blank labels and just draw out a few items that I really wanted to get from the grocery store that week or the night before (it does not require sophisticated art skills….I have none). This way if they chose every sticker it would not be a big deal, and I actually had a practical list to use once we got in the store.

This is working extremely well for me and now that my 3 month old baby is here I need those few minutes to get my thoughts together. Three car seats! Amazing how spending just ¥100 can change your life.

See more from Tara on her blog, TaraKamiya.com, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Etsy.

Tara Kamiya

I was born and raised in New York City where I later met my husband.

We were chosen by an American reality TV show to have our wedding shown to the world in the form of a competition (Four Weddings season 2). It was a fun experience that has led to many other opportunities.

I am currently a blogger, YouTuber and freelance writer. I’ve been to Canada, Africa, and Costa Rica. I now live with my husband and 3 children in Japan.

To contact Tara email her at kamiyatara@gmail.com