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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
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Health
THE DREADED INSOMNIA Most of us have had an occasional sleepless night before a big presentation or after a rough night with a sick child. Yet, what do you do if every night is pure agony as you watch the clock tick until daybreak? If you’ve had difficulty sleeping more than three times a week for several weeks, you may want to check with your doctor in order to rule out any other medical problems. Situational insomnia will typically go away when a major stressor is reduced or eliminated. Examples of such stressors are high-pressure projects, problems with your husband or boyfriend, major illness, or extra stresses at work or at home. Take care of your body by making a good night’s rest a priority every night. If you occasionally lose sleep, your body can usually make up a certain amount of “sleep debt.” However, if you are chronically sleep-deprived, consider taking a closer look at your lifestyle and your priorities. Real Solutions for the Real Challenges of Today’s Moms Looking & Feeling Your Best While your disheveled beach hair may have looked cool and sexy last month, you may find it feeling a little dull and fried today. More than any other season, summer takes a toll on your hair, wreaking havoc on the color, luster and texture. Get a fall cut: Sun-drenched highlights are starting to grow out, leaving ends dry, split and often much lighter than the rest of your hair. Since the eye tends to be drawn to the lightest part of our face, everyone will be looking at those ends. Time to head to the salon to have things reshaped. Plan on getting at least 2 inches cut off so that all eyes are back on you. Condition it: While you wait patiently for your appointment at the salon, switch to a leave-in conditioner. You can also apply a deep-conditioning treatment available in drugstores and salons. Or, try heated olive oil on wet hair, cover with a shower cap and wash out 10-20 minutes later. Real movie reviews for smart moms Even smart moms with the best of intentions can be caught off guard once in awhile. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a movie theater on a rainy afternoon with kids in tow, not sure exactly what the movie screen is going to reveal. Looking at the marquee, it looks like harmless, animated fun, right? Well, if you hadn’t planned on having the birds and the bees conversation yet or answering questions about where animals go when they die, check out kids-in-mind.com before heading to the theaters next time. This movie review site does not attempt to gloss over anything or sell you on the cute, appealing aspects, but rather tells it like it is with a numeric rating system for three categories: sex/nudity, violence and profanity. Detailed descriptions are provided so that you’ll know exactly what, when, where and how things will transpire in that barnyard. Managing a home office 7 tips for managing your time [1] Set office hours and stick to them. Focus on work during office hours, then transition into parent and spouse mode at the end of the day. Performing a simple ritual, such as closing your office door or making tomorrow’s to-do list, will help you move from worker to parent in a simple, but effective, way. [2] If you walk by your desk piled high with reports, it’s hard to focus on what your family needs. Close the door and walk away or put up a decorative folding screen to block the view of works in progress. [3] Establish boundaries. Create a “Do Not Touch” pile in your work area. Determine how much input you need from family members when it comes to work, and let them know what you expect from them. [4] Create phone rules, such as no talking allowed, use an inside voice, or whisper when mom or dad is on the phone. Screen calls during meltdowns or family time. Do not allow children or unauthorized persons to answer your business line, or only with instruction. [5] Assemble a quiet activity box during special times when you need to focus on your work. If your children are infants or toddlers, stash toys in a milk crate or wicker basket and pull these out before returning phone calls or sitting down to balance your checkbook. [6] Use kid multiplication when all else fails. Give them 10 minutes and get back 20. It’s amazing how perceptive our sons and daughters can be when it comes to sensing stress. [7] Work with – not against – your kids’ schedule by working during naptimes or when they’re in school. It’s the best advice I can give to anyone working from home, especially if you’re just launching your home business. Trying to force your family’s schedule to fit into your mold creates tension and upheaval. Procrastination: Don’t save it for later What is it you know you must do and have been putting off? Whatever it is will weigh on your mind until it gets done. Is it something to move your business forward? Maybe it’s something that you need to do for your family. Whatever the case, these tips will help you address procrastination head on: To-do lists: What are the three things you must do today? Keep it simple and realistic. Write them on a Post-it note and keep it in your wallet. What are the action steps you must take to make it happen? Keeping it close at hand will help you focus on it throughout the day. Work out a system that works for you. It helps get things done. The system must work for you and your schedule. Factor in your daily calendar and family schedule so that you’re not distracted while trying to get tasks done. Perhaps you can pay bills online early one morning before the kids are awake. Make it a no-brainer that is easy to follow, one step at a time. Next, just get started! The hardest part is actually taking action. Once we do, we usually find that it isn’t as bad as we thought it would be. Begin with the end in mind. Instead of thinking of all the tedious steps involved, think about how it will feel to have the job completed. Once you get it done, you know you will feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Set yourself up for success by focusing on that feeling. Celebrate the successes. Acknowledge each little success as it happens, and you will begin to feel the pride and sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Chores and Much More! The onset of fall brings with it the return to schedules, routines and a sense of normalcy again. With summer behind you, you may be seeking a way to get your kids motivated to pitch in around the house while teaching them about finances and responsibility. Here’s a web 2.0 approach to allowances and chores of yesteryear: payjr.com, an online chore and allowance system with email alerts and tracking capabilities. It lets both parent and child review chores through the website. And printable chore charts and online calendars help parents and children manage chores and rewards. SOLUTION OF THE MONTH Did you miss or fall off of the scrapbooking bandwagon? If you’re still feeling guilty about not finishing that baby book or about the bin of artwork, cards and school papers under your bed, here’s an easy solution: Purchase a flexible file folder (with multiple pockets) for each child. If you have a lot of oversized items, use an art portfolio available at craft stores. Create tabs for each pocket according to your child’s age or year in school and organize all the items. Each time a new photo, card or coloring masterpiece is generated, write the date on it and place it into your child’s file system. It may not win scrapbook awards, but at least you know that these precious items are stored and organized. smartmomsolutions.com |
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