Archive for children
What Real Work at Home Moms Do with the Kids
Posted by: | CommentsAt first glance, the lifestyle of a work at home mom seems idyllic – earning money from home doing something you love while, magically, the kids play quietly in the corner or take their naps when they’re supposed to.
Ha! Any real work at home mom will tell you that just isn’t so. In fact, keeping the kids out from underfoot while you work, and still making time to spend with them every day, is usually an ongoing challenge.
Here are some of the strategies that I’ve used, and that other moms have shared with me over the years, to manage the kids when you work from home.
Send the kids to a daycare or dayhome. I know, you want to work from home so you don’t have to send your kids to someone else for the day. But if having them home is keeping you from getting your work done, this can be a lifesaver. The good news is, because you won’t be commuting, and because you have control over the hours you work, they may not have to go to daycare as often or as long as if you held a job outside the home.
Hire a mother’s helper. Is there a teenager in your neighborhood who would like to earn some extra cash by playing with your kids for a few hours each day? They don’t cost as much as a dayhome provider, and there is the added benefit of your children staying in your own home.
Work around your children’s schedules. Some moms find it most practical to work whenever they’re able to… during nap times and late at night.
Switch with your spouse. If you have a supportive spouse, a popular approach is to switch roles with him when he comes home from work. Have him take care of the kids while you do your work for the day.
Movies and TV. I hate to recommend using movies and television as babysitters, but if used carefully, these can be a great help!
Teach children to work independently. I was homeschooling my children when I began to work from home. I would give them work to focus on for several minutes at a time, while I did my own work. They learned to work independently, and I was able to work at home while homeschooling my children.
Most importantly, yield to reality. For some work at home moms, your business may not take off the way you want it to while your children are still young. If being available for them is a priority for you – as it is for me and many others – there will probably be times when your business will be shortchanged so you can fulfill your children’s needs. The good news is that as your children grow, they will need you less and less, giving you more time to focus on your business.
And when that time comes, you will miss the days when young children vied for your attention.
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
Denise Willms is a Publicity and Marketing Virtual Assistant and work at home mom of two teenagers. Do you want to know more about how you can work at home too? Visit www.wahm-articles.com and search for work at home articles on the topics you’re most interested in. While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe to the weekly WAHM Tips newsletter. You’ll get new WAHM expert articles delivered to your inbox each week!
Making Valentine’s Day Fun for the Whole Family
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To be someone’s Valentine is to be loved by another. Romantic? Of course, but Valentine’s Day is not the sole property of loving couples. It can also be a wonderful day for loving families.
Here are some ways parents can use Valentine’s Day to introduce new family traditions and create some special memories for their kids.
1. Food is often the way to the heart. How about getting the whole family involved in making a heart-shaped meal. Place a cookie cutter into a pan. Pour in an egg or some pancake batter to cook into a heart-shaped breakfast treat. Using a heart-shaped template, trim French toast or sandwiches into a heart-shaped lunch. A larger template can make a Valentine’s Day pizza a favorite dinner or evening treat. And don’t forget the heart-shaped cookies. Get the kids involved in the preparations, and let them decorate their heart-shaped goodies with pink sprinkles or red strawberries. They’ll love it that much more.
2. Kids would love a Valentine’s fashion show. Have each participant, including Mom, Dad and even Brother, put together an outfit from items found around the house. The only rule is that the models can only wear white, pink or red. Get creative – a silk flower bonnet, a white tablecloth evening gown, a red sports equipment ensemble. (Older siblings can help younger ones who are unable to do it themselves.) Then, invite Grandma and Grandpa to see the crazy ideas everyone has come up with to showcase their Valentine’s spirit.
3. Create a family gift that will keep on giving. Work together to create a jar of special notes — include anything that will make the other people in the family feel loved when they read them (a special memory about a great time together as a family, a meaningful poem or quote, something you love about every member of the family). Work on them individually or together. Then, over the next several months pull one from the jar during family nights and share it.
4. Set up a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. Hide Valentine’s treats around the house with clues that lead family members from one spot to the next. This is an easy game to modify for children of different ages simply by setting different levels of difficulty for the clues — little ones can be given pictures and older children can follow written clues.
5. Instead of giving gifts, make “coupons” for each other. Every person could give one or two coupons to every member of the family to redeem whenever they want. Parents could exchange backrubs or a night off from the dishes. To their children, they can give an extra bedtime story, a special meal or treat. Children can make coupons up for their parents and siblings for hugs and kisses, help with another’s chores or a week of taking out the garbage.
Get creative. Put on your thinking caps and you can make great Valentine’s Day memories your family will treasure forever.
About the Author:
Jennifer Kirkpatrick is a busy mom of two and an entrepreneur who creates and sells unique items for kids of all ages. Visit her online store Pipsqueak Boutique for great baby gifts. And check out her clothing line, Define*Me Clothing for fun personalized kids clothes.
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