When we spoke with Amanda Kloots, we talked about her “parenting essentials.” Basically, all the products and items that help her and her 3-year-old son Elvis get through the day. She shared her top recommendations with us (find them below!), and she also let us in on the most special thing she uses in every interaction with Elvis. It’s not something you can buy and it’s something she thinks society has lost. It’s a simple way to show someone you love and respect them and see them, and it’s something the fitness instructor and cohost of The Talk has been conscious of since Elvis was a baby.
Eye contact.
“Whenever he’s really frustrated or acting out, or if I really want him to focus and listen, even if it’s a very tender moment, I hold eye contact,” Kloots tells SheKnows exclusively. “We look at each other and I tell him whatever I need to tell him. Whether it’s me saying, ‘Elvis, what you just did was not okay,’ or if I’m just saying, ‘Elvis, I love you so much and mommy is always here for you,’ it doesn’t matter.”
“It’s all about [helping Elvis feel seen],” she continues. “Not only heard, but seen…It has honestly really changed Elvis and my relationship.”
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It’s just one of many ways she shows her love, and if there’s one thing Kloots loves, it’s love (and her adorable son, of course). She reflects on the amount of love “that pours out of her” since becoming a mom, and it’s so touching.
“I think I’ve kissed Elvis a million times a day, and told him, ‘I love you’ a million times a day, and it still isn’t enough,” she says, making us emotional. “I love that he reminds me on a daily basis to enjoy life and to tell people you love them and hold them and kiss them, because why not?”
Because. Why. Not. It’s one of those beautiful messages that children [perhaps unintentionally] remind adults of all the time. Kloots says he also teaches her about patience, about “having fun in every moment,” and about the importance of finding your “inner child.” He’s her teacher and her muse.
“I love how much he inspires me,” she shares. “He’s inspired almost every project I’ve done since he was born.”
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The latest project he inspired was Kloots’ partnership with Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel. She created a three-part series of fun, effective exercises designed for caregivers. She knows that caregiving can put a lot of physical strain on people. They often need to lift or push their loved ones and do other things that cause aches and pains that caregivers tend to push aside.
“It’s really important for them to make sure that they have exercises in their back pockets that they can do at home throughout the day. These exercises help make sure they are staying strong so they can work hard and be the best versions of themselves.”
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She didn’t say it in so many words, but given how palpable Kloots’ love for Elvis is, we’re sure she would say her son helps make her the best version of herself. Because of all the things he teaches her, and because he is always by her side. And being there — just like holding eye contact — may be simple, but it goes a long way.
“I love having a little buddy. I always have thought of Elvis as my little buddy, it’s just that you have this built-in best friend,” she says. “And especially being a widow, it’s the best thing in the world to have this little person with you all the time, so that you don’t feel alone.”
Ahead, Kloots shares all the things that make her and her built-in best friend’s day brighter.
The podcast I’m listening to right now
I’ve been listening to Jay Shetty’s podcast a lot recently. I love the messages and the interviews that he does. I love his purpose for that podcast, just finding meaningful things and reminders about life, love, happiness and what’s important. I really enjoy listening to that because it’s a great check-in and a great reminder of what we need to be reminded of.
The book my kid is obsessed with
Tell Me Your Dreams is definitely my favorite book to read to him right now. It’s his story, and it’s him on the cover. I created this book for Elvis, it was inspired by Elvis, and it’s what we do for his bedtime routine.
I love dreaming. I love believing in dreams. I love going for dreams. I love dreaming of something and making it happen. I wanted to instill in him from a very young age that he can dream, and in dreams, anything can happen and you can see anyone. So, these dreams that I created for him each night and then turned into a book are all of those things, these big adventures – adventures he gets to go on with his dad that I have nothing to do with. But in the morning, I get to come in and get him from bed and ask him all about his dream.
I think it’s a great book to read to a kid because not only does it encourage your child to dream, but it also helps kids that sometimes can be scared to go to bed. They don’t want to get into their bed, they don’t want to go to sleep, they don’t want to be alone. But if you leave them with this big idea that you get into bed, close your eyes, and you get to dream, it’s an exciting, positive way of putting your child to sleep.
What I’m currently reading myself
I just started my sister’s new book that came out today, My Own Magic. I love audiobooks, and I started the audiobook today. I am so excited to read it. I feel like even though I know her like the back of my hand, I know from writing books that the things that come out when you’re writing are stored thoughts and memories that you have in your head that you don’t always necessarily share. Then, when you’re writing, they come out. I’m so proud of her for writing this book, and I can’t wait to read it. I think she’s one of the most talented writers I know, and I’m super excited about it.
The beauty product I never leave the house without
Especially during the time in my life when I had arthritis flare-ups in my wrist and in my thumbs, Voltaren was in my purse every day. It’s amazing how arthritis pain made it so that I could barely button my shirts, button my jeans, or zip anything. It was so painful, so Voltaren was always in my purse.
I also love a face oil called Circa 1970. It is something I carry with me all the time because I like to keep my skin hydrated. I put it under my makeup, over my makeup. It is just the most wonderful face oil, so I don’t leave home without it.
The app that makes my life as a parent easier
As of right now, my calendar app. I have to say, I resisted using a calendar app for so long because I am a person that writes everything down. I’m old school, I write it down and then I put checks next to it and I like to scratch it off. But, when you are away from your house all day and you don’t always have that planner by you, I succumbed and started using a calendar app. It does change your life and it is very helpful. It’s amazing what you can store in there, so that’s my go-to.
The music we listen to as a family
We listen to everything! Although I will say, this child is very picky about what he listens to. Right now, he’s obsessed with My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade.” We listen to it on repeat. We also listen to “Come Sail Away” by the Styx on repeat. Those are his two favorite songs. If we’re venturing out of those songs, “Who Are You” by The Who and “Break It Down Again” by Tears for Fears.
If he allows me a song, which now I’ve trained him to go, “You get a song, I get a song, you get a song, I get a song,” I love “Dreams” by The Cranberries. I love Coldplay. I love Beyoncé. I’m pretty much your Top 40 kind of girl. I’m getting into country, and I kind of love everything. Paul Simon is a huge favorite of mine, so I’m kind of mixed in with everything, and so is Elvis. But he gets stuck on a song, and he is definitely stuck on My Chemical Romance right now.
The TV shows and movies I actually enjoy watching with my kid
I do love watching movies with Elvis. It’s very fun. We try to do this on Friday nights where we’ll cuddle up on the couch and have, as I call it, a pizza picnic, which basically just means we make pizza and eat it on the coffee table in front of the couch, and then we watch a movie. We’re going through all the animated Disney movies. We watched Aladdin. He likes Cars and Luca. We’ve gotten into Frozen and Frozen Two. He thinks Olaf is the funniest thing in the entire world, so he’s so cute with that.
He loves YouTube. He loves watching kids play with monster trucks or kids playing with trains, which I thought was very strange. I never understood why kids like to watch other kids play games. But then somebody was like, “We do the same thing, it’s called reality television, Amanda. We watch adults do adult things all the time.” And I’m like, “Oh my God, that’s so true, we do.”
The parenting accounts I follow
I love weelicious and whatsgabycookin on Instagram. These are two of my favorites because they are moms, and they’re very inspiring with what they cook. I don’t do a lot of cooking at my house, only because it’s hard. I find it’s hard to get inspired to cook for just myself. After I’ve cooked Elvis’s dinner, a lot of times I am just not wanting to even try to cook something for myself. So I’ll just order something. Again, you put yourself a little bit on the back burner.
But I love to follow these two ladies because they’re just so inspiring and everything that they make looks so good. I save so many of their recipes in hopes that I’ll make these things one day. I’ve tried a couple of the recipes and I pulled them off, but it’s also just fun follows.
The non-screen-related toy that keeps my kids occupied
He loves his drum set. He got that for Christmas from a friend, and he plays his drum set every day. And I have to say, I don’t even mind it. I mean, it’s loud and it’s crazy, but he’s really good. Oftentimes he is just trying to mimic his favorite songs and he wants to sit down and give me a concert. He doesn’t play for hours on end, he’ll just play for 10 minutes, go play something else, come back, play. So, it’s never an annoying thing. I just love that it’s creative, and I’m so happy that he loves music so much.
The products my kid can’t live without
His favorite snack, Quaker Oats granola bars. I mean, this kid I think is going to turn into a granola bar with how many granola bars he eats.
The clothing brand that helps me ‘mom’ in style
My new favorite clothing brand is Lisou London. I love it because it’s very girly and fun with crazy patterns. I love feeling girly, but also testing boundaries and having a good time. I also love Fashionkind. It’s a website and they are all about sustainable clothing and supporting local designers. Everything on their website is super unique and almost one of a kind or made for your order. I think that it’s fun to find those pieces that are unique and support people that are doing something cool and on a mission.
To get even more parenting recommendations, read about the other stylish moms featured in our Momsessed series.
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