Blogger, author and mother of two – Daniela from “Die kleine Botin” on sustainable family life, DIY ideas and quarantine with kids

Daniela, 39 years old, mother of two daughters and the brains behind "Die kleine Botin" , discovers new exciting DIY ideas for herself and many other mothers every day, shares her personal tips for more sustainability in everyday life and, in addition to parenting topics, always deals with current topics such as Corona, COVID-19 and their effects on everyday family life.

We've known Daniela for a long time and met in person at Playtime in Paris. We've been in touch ever since and were recently inspired by her sustainable Christmas gift wrapping ideas in an Instagram takeover. The mother of two has already written a book , "THE ASSASSINATION DIET," and also covers everything related to parenting, family life, and sustainability on her blog. She provides valuable DIY ideas, tips, and tricks for quarantining with kids, especially these days. We value Daniela greatly, and even though life seems to be turned upside down at the moment, we're all the more pleased that she took the time to interview us despite everything.

1. Tell us about yourself!

I'm curious, communicative, and creative, and always up for networking! I'm a mother to my two daughters with all my heart, love my work, and, above all, I don't know one thing: boredom.

2. How did you come up with the idea of ​​starting a blog for mothers and families?

This idea came about long before the term "influencer" was coined—I started writing texts for moms and parents in 2012. diekleinebotin.at has been around that long, too.

3. How do you choose content for your blog? Are your daughters a source of inspiration?

Much of the content is inspired by real life: I focus on sustainable family living, beautiful DIY, and parenting texts with a lot of honesty. I also regularly feature small, independent labels.

4. Are there moments when mothers thank you for your great contributions?

Yes, I constantly receive great feedback. It happens several times a day on social media channels, and I often receive emails and comments directly on the blog—it's like "really good pay" and the driving force behind every blog.

5. Will there be any special posts on your blog in the near future due to the current crisis situation?

I've already written quite a bit about this, including on the topic " What can we do about fear? 11 helpful strategies in times of crisis (Corona, COVID-19)." It's about uncertainty, anxiety, hopelessness, external control, what fear does to our lives, and 11 strategies that can be helpful in dealing with it. I dedicated another post to the topic "Wash your hands properly with children. Fend off coronavirus, norovirus, and other diseases." On my Instagram account @diekleinebotin , you can now find many small, very simple DIY ideas in the form of videos for the current quarantine period.

6. How do you organize your daily life with your children during the quarantine period?

We've created a fixed schedule! Together with the children, we developed our plan, which is also available as a free download and has been downloaded thousands of times! With just a few things, you can quickly create a weekly planner with icons to " visualize daily routines and appointments ." We've set aside a slot in the morning and afternoon for quiet work (schoolwork and home office). In between, we cook together and do housework. There's room for many small craft ideas, as well as reading books and doing puzzles.

7. Can you give our families some craft inspiration they can try during quarantine?

With pleasure! I love simple and beautiful DIY ideas and have collected some cool suggestions for which you probably have everything at home. Using magazines, fabric scraps, and the like, you can try out some great and entertaining craft ideas with small children . One of the many DIYs for spring, for example, would be the " bunny mobile ," which is very easy to make and also looks great in the children's room. It's a great project for children and a practical way to upcycle toilet paper rolls.

8. Daniela, can you give our pregnant readers a tip on how they can keep fit at home during this time with a baby in their belly?

There are many online courses/offers that are also ideal for pregnant women. It's certainly not an easy situation, and I would try to get as much fresh air and moderate exercise outside as possible while that's still possible. I also think practicing suitable yoga asanas with an open window is a good idea.

9. The current situation, including home office, home schooling, etc., is particularly challenging for parents. Working, looking after children at the same time, lack of sleep... Do you have any tips or ideas in mind that you'd like to share with us?

I've been working from home alongside my kids since 2012... let me tell you one thing: it's not easy! But if you lower your expectations and work in small steps, you'll succeed. It's important not to try to have the perfect household. Setting priorities and taking breaks with the kids is important!

10. Is it possible to keep children and other children fit during quarantine with special recipes? If so, please suggest a recipe! :)

If I had a magic formula for "how to get vegetables into a child," I would probably already be very rich... ;) No, seriously: fresh, regional, and organic are my suggestions, and if that's what you want in a recipe, then it's pasta with a tomato and vegetable sauce (finely pureed)!

11. Since visits to the playground will be canceled for the time being, perhaps a little more creativity in everyday life is needed to get exercise with the children. Can you imagine posting a daily "workout" for children on your blog?

No, I won't be posting "workouts" on the blog; there are some great blogs that specialize in them. Ulli from " fit and happy " has been showing us moms for years how to easily integrate workouts and the love of exercise into our daily lives.

12. Finally, we want to know what your favorite piece from our new SS20 "Lost in Magic" collection is and what will make the quarantine time a little more colorful?

The dresses are a dream again! Congratulations! A highlight for years and one I use constantly is the mara mea mesh bag or stroller net "little thunder" – it's great that it's back in 2020!

Dear Daniela, thank you so much for your time, your openness and DIY ideas during quarantine with children.