Jessie James Decker's secrets for raising happy children, keeping the kids 'sane' on flights
Country star, designer and author Jessie James Decker shares her tricks for traveling with young children and how even the busiest parents can sneak in fitness.
Jessie James Decker makes her roles as a wife, mother and musician look easy, gracefully balancing the spotlight and life with little ones.
The country star — mom to Vivianne (5), Eric, aka "Bubby" (3) and Forrest (1) with hubby Eric Decker — has more than a few tricks up her sleeve for raising a happy family.
The proud mama told Fox News Lifestyle all about her tips for traveling with young children, her workout advice for busy parents, and the favorite family traditions she’s looking forward to this summer.
Fox News: As a mom of three young children, what’s your advice for parents who feel nervous about flying with little ones?
JJD: That’s such a thing I get asked about, as a mom, all the time. Traveling with kids, babies, especially under 5, is no walk in the park. It’s very stressful, and you do need to be very prepared.
That’s the time when anything goes, in my opinion, just to stay sane. iPads, bring ‘em on. We call them “emergency suckers,” I buy in bulk these vitamin C [lollipops] from Whole Foods. We whip those out, [pull] out those iPads, bring those markers, bring the coloring books. Anything goes on a plane just to keep the kids sane, but you must be prepared.
Bring the snacks, bring the waters. Make sure the [drinks] have the caps, you don’t want things spilling. I recommend never getting a drink when they come through without the lid. Or even when they give you those lids — they’re gonna spill, no matter what. It’s inevitable every time.
JESSIE JAMES DECKER SERVES UP ADVICE ON FOOD AND FEEDING A FAMILY
Many parents can struggle to find time for fitness. What's your advice for busy moms and dads for sneaking in workouts?
My mom has always taught me that there’s little things you can do to get in some kind of workout or activity. For example, when you go to the grocery store or Target, don’t go to the closest parking spot. Find the furthest one, that’s an extra walk. And take the stairs, always take the stairs. I don’t like elevators. If there’s stairs, even six flights of stairs, I’m gonna take them. Even at my house, when I go up and down the stairs, I’m sprinting, up and down the stairs. It sounds silly, but they’re little things that I think add up eventually.
But it is hard, when you’re a parent, to try and find that time, but I always say, if you can get just 15 to 20 minutes in… Do a circuit training, or something, you don’t even have to have weights. Get your 75 jumping jacks, and 20 pushups, and do 100 crunches, 100 lunges, if you can get all that in, you’ll be set. If you do that consistently every day, you’ll see a difference.
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With school out for the summer, what traditions or activities are you most looking forward to with your kids?
We have a beach house in the Gulf, in Florida, and that is our happy place. We go as much as we can, and we look forward to being out on the beach, on the boat. Our home is right out there on the bay, and getting out on the dock, with our dogs, taking [the kids] to the country club pool, and they get their little ice creams, and they just get super excited. That’s something we look forward to.
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