No one prepared me for the inevitable when I found out I was having a boy. OK, maybe cause I never really asked, but still someone should have warned me. So when I kept hearing how boys are so very different from girls, I just assumed the obvious biological stuff, but nope and was I in for a shock. View Post
For any parent who has made the decision to go back into work after having a child, you will know this decision is not one to be made lightly. There is just so much to consider; from childcare to preparing your little one for the times you will be busy with your other, working life.
If you have already made this momentous decision, or are about to start job hunting, you may find the following five tips very useful for surviving life as a working parent:
1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
As a working mom or dad, you learn how to prioritise pretty quickly and discover that all the huge issues that would keep you awake at night previously, such as whether the kids toys have been picked up off the floor before bedtime, aren’t actually that important in the grand scheme of things.
OK, in an ideal world your children’s bedrooms would be spotlessly clean and tidy at all times. The cakes you take to the school fairs would be home-baked, and your children’s school shirts would be sparkling white at all times….but it really isn’t the end of the world if this doesn’t happen.
2. Delegate
In my family we all work together to achieve things – this means delegation and working as a team, and applies to all areas of our life, including: housework, cooking, shopping and admin.
Draw up a weekly chores rota which includes all members of the family. My girls have been sweeping the kitchen floor and polishing tables since the age of around two. Yes, you will get through a great deal of polish, and not every crumb will be picked up (see tip 1) but the skills will stand them in good stead and they will feel very proud that they have been able to contribute to family life. View Post
With the recession still nipping away at our heels and niggling money worries encouraging us to save instead of splurge, the vast majority of us will be thinking of creative ways to have fun with our families for less this summer.
The fantastic news is that there is actually a multitude of fun, free activities for you to delight in. Some of them can even be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home:
Make a camp in the garden
Your kids will love this. It’s just like taking a holiday, but you get to use your own bathroom! Put up your family tent (if it fits in your garden) and use the camp stove to make real camp food – anything with burgers usually works!
You might trust older kids to sleep in it alone, allowing them to invite some friends over for a sleepover. Not only will they love this slice of independence, you wont have to lay awake listening to them giggling at 2am!
Younger kids will enjoy sleeping out there with you. Join your sleeping bags together, tell each other funny stories and make shadow puppets to make it a night to remember.
Sign up to a reward and cash-back site
This relatively new phenomenon allows you to earn while you spend!
To use a Reward site, you simply click through the retailer you plan to purchase from via a reward cash back site, and you earn commission on anything you spend with them.
There are several reward sites offering this fantastic service, so make sure you shop around for the best one. You will have to become a member to take advantage of the offers, but once signed up, you simply log, find the retailer of your choice, click the link on the cash back site in order to be directed to that retailer.
Once you have bought something, you earn rewards, coupons and cash back which you can withdraw from your cash-back account as soon as you have reached a specified target.
House Sitting/Home Swap
How do you fancy taking a break for free? House sitting may not pay well, but in return for free accommodation and a tax-free food allowance, you must agree to feed pets, water plants and agree to not leave the house for more than a few hours a time.
House swaps offer you the chance to swap homes with people in more far-flung locations, and are a great low-cost holiday idea for families with young children, You are able to swap with like-minded families, which means the amount of equipment you would otherwise have to take is significantly reduced! View Post
With the warm summer months among us, barbecued sloppy Joes and hearty beach burgers can become regulars on the menu. Lazy summer days make it easy to skimp on the healthy foods and simply say, “I’ll add ‘eating healthy’ to my New Years Resolutions in 6 months.” However, with fresh seasonal foods making a debut this season, summer is the perfect time to eat clean—not only for yourself, but for your children, too! Take a look at the following healthy habits you should develop this summer. Feel free to print it, tape it to the fridge, and live by it!
Healthy Habit #1: Portion control is everything.
Many people lose weight and keep it off with the simple strategy of portion control. Eliminating or even limiting certain foods is hard during the summer time, but it’s even harder on your waistline if you don’t. To combat this dilemma, do the next best thing: eat reasonably small portions, limit the foods you know you should limit (yes, that means skipping out on those greasy burgers), and don’t stuff yourself.
Healthy Habit #2: Set a good example.
If you are bringing a dish to a summer party or barbecue, bring a naturally nutritious dish or make a low-fat version. This way, you’re not only giving yourself a healthy option, but you’re giving partygoers the option to eat healthier. If you have children, do not overeat in front of them. You are their role model and if you eat in moderation, they too will follow that lead. Also, don’t feel obligated to eat anything that you don’t want to. No one is going to get upset if you don’t try their frosted chocolate cupcake if it means helping you meet your lifestyle goals. View Post
Pregnant? Yay, congratulations! But you may be feeling a little less than enthusiatic about your impending growing belly if you are experiencing morning sickness. Even the term “morning sickness” can leave us feeling a bit queasy, cause seriously, we all know that its not in the morning that we are feeling sick.
Related Post: What To Avoid When You’re Expecting
So, here are 10 things that have been shown to relieve the misery:
