A Mom's Life
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- Life Skills Your Children Need to Learn
I came across a wonderful article entitled 27 Skills Your Child Needs to Know that She's Not Getting in School at Zen Habits. This is a good reminder the basic skills that children need to learn so that they can function independently and successfully when they venture out on their own.
Tue, 12 Jun 2007 02:11:00 +0000 - 7 Ways for Moms to Manage Stress
June is the new December.
We all know how hectic life becomes around the holidays in December (even if your family doesn't celebrate a particular holiday at that time.) There are endless class parties, gift exchanges, visiting, vacations, and the list goes on.
Well, if you have school age children, June is offering December some stiff competition. Life has become crazy busy. Every day there is a recital, class party, sporting event, celebration, field trip, - you name it. With four children to manage, this month has become a logistical nightmare. Until cloning becomes more common, I have not yet figured out a way for me and my children to be in two places at once.
It has long been known that the holidays cause as much stress as they do enjoyment. Now June has also become a very stressful month. So here is a list of 7 ways for moms to manage end of school year stress.
7 Ways for Moms to Manage End of School Year Stress- Just say No.
If it is impossible for you to be there, bake it, volunteer for it, buy it, or make it - just say no with a clear conscience. Do what you can. - Eat out as much as your budget allows.
Planning, cooking, and cleaning up after meals takes a lot of time. Not to mention the grocery shopping. At this time of year I pare down my grocery list and on the days that I am away more than I am at home, I don't even attempt dinner. And, yes, we also do cereal nights. - Make lists.
At this time of year I experience many "senior moments". If it's not written down, it just won't happen. Each morning I look at my calendar and write notes for each and every item including the time in between. If one of my children has soccer practice I list things I need to take from gear that he needs to activities to keep my three year old occupied. If I am organized, things run more smoothly, and there is less stress. - Budget a little time for yourself each day.
Even if it is just half an hour. Do something you enjoy - read a book, relax, work on a hobby, exercise. "Me" time is important. - Pick your "battles".
You are not the only one feeling stressed. Your children are just as busy and overtired as you are, and will probably be acting out. A little patience goes a long way. - End your day.
This is hard for me. I keep working until I am exhausted. Then I fall into bed, wake up early and begin where I left off. Each day becomes a continuation of the previous one and life becomes monotonous. Set a time each evening to put it all away and enjoy some quiet time or time with your spouse. - Get enough sleep.
Enough said.
Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:15:00 +0000 - Just say No.
- Saving Money for College
Do you Upromise?
www.upromise.com is a site that promotes college savings. Basically, you save money for college while shopping for things that you need.
Online Shopping
Creating a free account is a snap! Then you shop through their links at major retailers like Lands End, LLBean, Bed Bath & Beyond and hundreds of other places where you probably already shop.
Plus
Local Shopping
By securely registering your credit card you will also save on participating grocery products, restaurant dining and certain purchases at local businesses that you frequent.
Equals
Savings!
A percentage of your purchase will then be deposited into your account. You then link this account to a qualifying section 529 account and Upromise will transfer your savings into your 529 account several times a year.
Visit upromise for a better explanation of what they do. Every little bit helps and this is an easy way to put a little extra money aside for the kid's education.
Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:57:00 +0000 - Keeping Food Fresh with DaysAgo
How old are those leftovers sitting in the back of your refrigerator? How about that jar of pasta sauce? And all of those little containers of opened baby food?
Sometimes it is impossible to remember - and since my motto is "If in doubt throw it out" - I probably waste a lot of perfectly good food. Given the recent outbreaks of food borne illnesses it is easy to be paranoid.
So, when I was recently contacted about a product called DaysAgo - a gadget that keeps track of the number of days food is sitting in your refrigerator - I was intrigued.
The DaysAgo is a reusable digital counter that you stick right on your the top of your jar lid or on your food container. (It has a magnet or suction cup backing - depending on the style that you choose.) When you open your jar of sauce, you set the DaysAgo timer to zero, stick it on the jar lid, and put it in the fridge. Then you can forget about it. The next time you need sauce you will be able to see how many days and hours have passed since you last set the timer (read: opened that jar of sauce.)
This unique gadget has many other uses as well. You can use it to figure out how long it has been since you last watered a plant, changed a filter, opened a pair of contact lens', and more.
DaysAgo was invented by two moms, Debbie Stephens Stauffer and Kathleen Whitehurst, who wanted to find a way to keep track of the freshness of baby food. They were featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show's February 2, 2007 "Millionaire Moms" episode and are quite an inspiration to all creative moms with vision.
The DaysAgo sells for $10.00 for a pack of 2 units and can be purchased at their website of their company (double u products, inc.) - www.howmanydaysago.com
or at specialty stores for gourmet housewares and baby products.
Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:04:00 +0000 - 10 Steps to Successful Potty Training
Apparently June is Potty Training Awareness Month.
I find this to be a bit of a curiosity. The art of potty training toddlers has been around since the evolution of man, so I would imagine that most people are aware that potty training does, indeed, exist.
However, I will concede that the strategies of potty training have differed through the centuries and across cultures. Having potty trained all four of my children, I know what worked for us and I am happy to share it with you.
All four of my children were potty trained around their second birthdays. My oldest (who is a boy) trained at 22 months. The rest trained between their 24th and 26th months. I know this is not common, as most people wait until the child is closer to three years of age.
But by the time my children were two, I was done. I did not want to change diapers anymore. So, as soon as they showed any interest in the potty, I ran with it.
I honestly believe that potty training is as much about training parents as it is about training toddlers. If parents can get beyond the messiness and inconvenience of it all, potty training can be a quick and easy ordeal.
10 Steps To Successful Potty Training- Do not begin the process until your child shows some success/readiness
- Once you have decided to start the process, do not waver or your child will become confused.
- Go cold turkey! This is the most important step. Once you begin potty training do not go back to diapers or Pull-Up type training pants (only use these at nap and bedtime).
- Throughout the day let your child wear underpants or no pants in the house. If you must go out, put plastic training pants over the underpants. Your child will feel the wetness but the mess will be minimized.
- If you must go out, take the potty with you! Keep it in your car in case nature calls before you get home. (Some plastic bags for disposal will also come in handy.)
- Give your child tons of praise for his successes and lots of patience for his failures.
- Do not get angry or frustrated with your child for "accidents" even if they are on your new white rug.
- Stay close to home for about a week - until the successes outnumber the accidents.
- If you begin to doubt your decision to attempt potty training, give it at least a full week before you decide to give up. It really takes time and patience before you will see results - think of it like having a new puppy, really :-).
- Nightime potty training should follow but will take longer, anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more.
Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:32:00 +0000 - I/O Brush - A Learning and Design Tool
The I/O Brush is a technological invention with amazing potential.
It is a computerized paintbrush that copies colors and patterns from the real world and paints them onto an LCD canvas.
If you are a bit of a technology geek, like me, you will find this article and video clip fascinating.
This could be a wonderful learning tool for children and open up new avenues in the world of computer aided design.
At the very least, it is a glimpse into the future.
Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:15:00 +0000 - There's A Bug in the Coffeemaker!
It's been a long day.
I figured I should set the coffee for tomorrow, so in that bleary eyed, early morning stupor, I could just hit the on button and have my java jolt ready in no time.
So, I poured in the water. What made me look? I have no idea. But floating there on the top was one of those annoying silverfish things. They're not too bad scurrying across the floor many moons apart - but floating in the coffee machine - yuck! (If I am the only one that sees a stray silverfish in my home, then you need to let me know!)
Now, the water tank in my coffee machine is not easily accessible, so what did I do?
I left it there for my husband to figure out in the a.m. Then I will scrub the coffeemaker as best as possible and run a few washes of water through the system.
Hopefully, my husband doesn't wake up first and do a really sweet thing - like make me coffee.
Sun, 03 Jun 2007 02:54:00 +0000 - The Dip by Seth Godin
I just read a wonderful book called The Dip by Seth Godin. On the cover it self describes as:A little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick)
This motivational gem tells us that any project, undertaking, business, hobby that we start will eventually experience a "dip" or low point. This is when we ask ourselves the question "Is it really worth it?"
The answer is not simple. It involves a lot of reflection. If we believe we can be the best in that particular field, then riding out the dip is the way to go.
But if we feel that this particular endeavor is leading nowhere then it is ok to quit. Quit?! Seth's departure from conventional wisdom makes sense. Why invest more time and money in a dead end?
The key lies in knowing the difference between a dip and a dead end (or cul de sac, as he puts it). Quitting should never be an impulse decision. The best piece of advice in this book is on page 64 - 5th paragraph. Check it out for yourself!
Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:47:00 +0000 - Dear Children - Have a Great Summer!
Dear Children,
With summer fast approaching we are all ready for a little relaxation - that includes ME.
I love having you all to myself during the summer months but this summer, I am not signing up for the four C's - chauffeur, cook, cleaning lady, and cruise director.
Please understand that if we all pitch in, summer will be a lot more fun.
Don't complain if I don't allow all four of you to have friends over all day, every day. I know - we may not be busy, but my energy is limited and so is my patience.
Don't sulk if I don't drive you everywhere you want to go, whenever you want to go. Same reason.
Enjoy this time with your siblings and, yes, your mother. You don't realize how fleeting this carefree time together is.
And, above all, remember that a happy mommy is the key to the best summer ever!
Love,
Mom
This "Dear Children" post was written as part of the MamaBlogga Group Writing Project.
Wed, 30 May 2007 14:39:00 +0000 - Apple Camp
Apple, Inc. is offering free summer learning sessions (Apple Camp) for kids aged 8 to 12 at Apple stores around the country. My kids are technology and computer buffs and they jumped at the chance to spend a morning or two learning about things they can do with an Apple computer.
The four topics being offered are podcasting, iPhoto and iWeb, Music (including iTunes and GarageBand), and iMovie. You need to register online and apparently the space fills up quickly. The sessions are 2.5 hours and a parent is required to stay on premises during that time (this is a great Apple gadget shopping /wish list building opportunity!)
As the summer vacation fast approaches, I realize that there are large blocks of time during which we will have nothing to do. I know that is what summer is all about, but there is a fine line between relaxation and boredom. So, it is nice to find a few things to add variety to a lazy week.
It seems that I am not alone in running "Camp Mommy" this summer. Sherri at The Rebel Housewife is running a "Camp Mommy" of her own and she offers some links on finding some Free Summer Movies for kids.
If you have any suggestions for summer boredom busters, please leave a comment!
Wed, 30 May 2007 02:28:00 +0000 - Google Webmaster Tools Explained
Is your web site Google friendly? How do you know?
Everyone with a web site wants to be listed in search engines such as Google - search engines can bring you a lot of new traffic and help people to find you. But if someone does a search for your site or a topic that you have written about your site needs to be on the first few pages of search results. If your site is buried on page 1026, no one is going to find you.
So what can you do to increase your "page rank"? Well, a whole industry - called Search Engine Optimization - has been built around that question, and I'm not going to get into that here. But in order to optimize your site it is helpful to know how Google sees your site.
Enter Google Webmaster Tools. They are free! And it's relatively easy to sign up. Basically, these tools are a package that provide you with stats and error info about your web site and allow you to submit a sitemap to Google - which ensures that Google will crawl all the pages on your website.
First and foremost, in order to use Google Webmaster Tools you must have a Google account. Luckily, that is free too. Just go to www.google.com/mail and sign up.
Once your account is set up go to www.google.com/webmasters/. This will bring you to Google Webmaster Central. Check to see if your site is currently indexed by Google (just do a Google search for site: your website URL). If it is not currently indexed then go to www.google.com/addurl.html and submit your site.
You are almost there. In order to view stats and errors about your site using these tools you must first verify your site. Google wants to make sure that you are the owner of the site and not some other snooping busybody. To do this you must add a META tag to your site's home page or upload an html file. Google walks you through it, so it is not too difficult.
OK, now that you are all set up and verifed, you can access your stats and errors and submit a sitemap if you so wish. Google does a good job of explaining their webmaster tools via their help section. I have provided some links to informative explanations.
Dashboard Page
When you first access the webmaster tools you will be on your dashboard page. This lists all your sites, gives you link to add a sitemap, and shows you whether the site is verified. When you click on any one of your sites you will be taken to your summary page for that site.
Summary Page
This page tells you when Googlebot last crawled your site and whether pages from your site are inclded in Google's index. There are four horizontal tabs to choose from (I know, there are only three in the picture, apparently the links tab has been after this screenshot was taken) - Diagnostic (which is where you currently are), Statistics, Links, and Sitemaps.
Diagnostic Tab
On the diagnostic tab you are given a vertical menu which includes choices for crawl errors, tools that include robots.txt analysis, managing site verification, preferred domain, enhanced image search, and URL removals.
Statistics Tab
This page gives you your crawl stats (including the PageRank of your pages in Google based on a high, medium, and low distribution). You also find your query stats here - this tells what search terms people have used to find you and what position within the search that your page was located. Page analysis and index stats are also included here.
Links Tab
The Links tab provides you with a list of external links - pages within your web site that contain links to other web sites, and a list of internal links - pages within your website that link to other pages within your website.
Sitemaps Tab
Here you can submit a sitemap and see information about your submitted sitemaps. This tool is probably very useful to large sites that have many pages. Google even has a tool called Google Sitemap Generator which will create a sitemap for your URL. There are also third party programs that will help you to create a sitemap.
Google Webmaster Tools FAQ are also very helpful.
This post was written as part of the eMoms at Home To Do Wish List Group Research Project. Thank you Wendy, I look forward to reading all the submissions and crossing a few items off my to do list as well!
Fri, 25 May 2007 09:39:00 +0000 - Raising Independent Children
Today was an eye-opener for me. I realized that my children are heavily dependent on - me. Of course I am a central figure in their life - I knew that. But they seem to need me at a level that I just cannot sustain.
Let me explain. My husband took a vacation day today, so he was home. With beautiful weather outside, I put my gardening hat on and went a little crazy. My daughter and I visited the local gardening store and picked up far too many flats of annuals - more than mommily possible to plant in one day.
Sure enough, the evening arrived too soon. I took a break from planting to drive the boys to their practices and run a few errands. Upon my return, my yard was just as I left it - strewn with flats of plants and gardening tools. I told my husband that I needed to finish up and would be in shortly, "why don't you take charge of dinner and serve a wonderfully healthy meal of hot dogs?"
"Sure " was the reply.
From that point on, every two minutes - I kid you not - every child including my husband called outside to me - EVERY 2 MINUTES. "mom, I need this", "mom, help me with that", "mom, dad said I can't do whatever" and on and on. The final straw came when one of my older children came outside and wanted me to toast his hot dog bun because no one else could do it the same as me.
Now, I know it is nice to be loved and needed but this is ridiculous. And - NO - I didn't toast it for him! But I realize that my children (and my husband) need to become more self-sufficient. Oh sure, they would manage just fine without me, but if I am there - I am like a crutch that they use to lean on.
I really don't know what the answer is but I know that I will "burn out" being everybody's everything.
Fri, 25 May 2007 02:37:00 +0000 - Spring Cleaning
It must be spring! I am on a cleaning and organizing binge. But there is too much for me to do in just one day or even one weekend for that matter.
I have developed a two list method to tackle spring cleaning that is working well for me.
I have my standard "to do" list which I prepare daily. And now I have my "to do when I have time" list which is ongoing.
Every time I come across something that needs fixing, organizing, cleaning, or some other sort of attention - it goes on list number 2. If there is a particular drawer or closet that needs a rehaul, it goes on the list. Recently, a few of the throw pillows in our family room burst at the seams (apparently the boys had a few too many pillow fights!) Mending went on the to do when I have time list.
If I don't make a list of these little "special projects" then I will promptly forget.
But the key to this system lies in moving one special project from list number 2 to list number 1 on a regular basis (daily, weekly, whatever works for you). In this situation a third list - called "Honey Do" - can also be very useful!
If you have any spring cleaning tips that work, please comment!
Wed, 23 May 2007 01:50:00 +0000 - Laundry - Organized!
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With four kids in the house - I do laundry ALL the time!
I have had so many methods of organizing this humdrum task that that at times I cannot remember which method I am using each week. For me, it is usually a game of catch up. When I hear the cry, "Mom, I don't have any clean _______!" (socks, underwear, shirts - anything can fill that blank), then it is off to the races. In fact, today I have spent the last 2 hours catching up on laundry and, I hate to say it, but the end is not in sight.
So, I started searching the web for some help with my laundry woes.
Lucky for me, I came across a site called The Time Manager at a very catchy http://ineedmoretime.com. The author, Barbara Myers, is a professional organizer with some great ideas. She has posted a list called 12 Ways to Organize Your Laundry, and it covers everything from enlisting your family's help to the logistics of placing your hampers.
The list even contains a point that is so obvious, I can't believe that I've never done it - Post a stain remover chart in your laundry room! Kids and stains go hand in hand, wouldn't it be nice to have a handy reference on how to salvage that favorite shirt?
I realize that in the past I have tried several items on the list. But it is always good to have a little reminder. If I want to come out from under this pile of dirty laundry then I need to put a plan in place and STICK WITH IT. The kids need to pitch in and make it a habit. Getting this task under control will definitely reduce the stress levels in our home.
Mon, 21 May 2007 15:59:00 +0000 - Mom Tip of the Week
Plenty of Sleep = Good Behavior
OK, we all know that. But this time I'm not talking about the kids.
It's the moms that need the sleep.
As we find more and more things to fill our days, we start to burn the candle on both ends, so to speak. Go to bed late, wake up early.
If I get enough rest, I find that my kids are happier - and, yes, I behave better!
Fri, 18 May 2007 10:36:00 +0000
