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

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Summer is upon us, and there is no better way to start the summer than by focusing on the latest fashion trends. In the summer, look and feel your best. By examining the latest fashion trends, everyone will know what to expect. Let us examine what the summer of 2012 has in store for women’s fashions.

Vintage and Comfort Chic

This season, the new maxi dress is back. The styles are chic and comfortable. Designers have paid painstaking attention to the patterns and designs feature in these dresses. Many can be purchased in a single color, but the patterned dresses are truly distinctive and are sure to turn heads in a crowd. Whether headed to an outdoors event, festival, or dinner date, the maxi dress paired with vintage jewelry and embellished patterned wedge shoes is an ensemble that can compete with any red carpet summer look! View Post

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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

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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

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Florals and bright colors are a huge trend this season, so if there are no plans of you heading to the tropics then there isn’t no excuse why the tropics can’t come to you, courtesy of Kohl’s that is.

Over the weekend I headed off to Kohl’s Department Store with my $100 gift certificate, $10 Kohl’s cash and 30% coupon, in search of the perfect tropical trend look. Admiring my favorite designers, from Jennifer Lopez to Vera Wang I knew that this was not going to be an easy task. However, I stopped in my tracks when I saw that the LC Lauren Conrad collection had the 3 F’s that I was looking for: Floral, Feminine and Flirty.

Looking for something that was ultra-wearable and versatile I immediately feel in love with LC Lauren Conrad Floral Empire Hi-Low Maxi Dress ($72.00 original, $50.40 sale price). What’s great about this trend is that it can be easily rocked from day to night, perfect for an afternoon tea party or dinner with the girls.

I also added a leather braided brown belt by Sonoma life + style ($26.00 original, $15.60 sale price) to accentuate the waist. And what outfit wouldn’t be complete without a great pair of shoes. So I choose these LC Lauren Conrad Platform High Heels ($59.99 original, $39.99 sale price), not only was I looking for a great pair of heels to show off my legs, but they were also super comfy while dancing the night away.

So, here’s my checkout price: TOTAL: $64.20 (includes 30% off discount + $10 Kohl’s cash) Wow!! What great savings??!!

Are you excited about bringing the tropics to your wardrobe?

Disclosure: Bloggers received a gift card on behalf of Kohl’s via Glam Media to complete the trend look. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kohl’s. All trademarks and service marks are owned or licensed by Kohl’s Illinois, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc.

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