Stay-at-Home Parents
- Separating Kids From Your Work
- Back-to-School Savings
- Stay-at-Home Moms Building Résumés
- Stay-at-Home Dads Rise in Ranks
- One More Family Vacation
- The Evolution of the Toy Box
- Music to a Parent's Ears
- Moving Day, Moving Year
- Be Safe on the Beach
- Sun Protection for Kids
Separating Kids From Your Work
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
With some planning, organization and discipline, you can have the best of both worlds.
Even dream jobs have their downsides.
If you've dreamed about working at home, doing conference calls in your pajamas (not video conference calls, of course), getting the laundry done in between work projects, being home to let in repairmen, not paying a babysitter, and not having to take a day off work for a sick child, those dreams do come true when you work from home.
But there's the occasional nightmare of having your one-and-only copy of the annual report scribbled on with crayon, a screaming infant in the middle of a client's phone call, and entire days when you feel like you're getting nothing done.
Being a work-at-home parent requires a separation of kids and work. Otherwise you'll constantly feel like you're being pulled in whatever direction you're not currently in.
Thousands of parents of young children work from home successfully. They're able to have the best of both worlds, but only with planning, a schedule, and lots and lots of discipline.
My article Separating Kids and Work at Home has some tips for being the master juggler - being a good employee and a good parent.
If you've dreamed about working at home, doing conference calls in your pajamas (not video conference calls, of course), getting the laundry done in between work projects, being home to let in repairmen, not paying a babysitter, and not having to take a day off work for a sick child, those dreams do come true when you work from home.
But there's the occasional nightmare of having your one-and-only copy of the annual report scribbled on with crayon, a screaming infant in the middle of a client's phone call, and entire days when you feel like you're getting nothing done.
Being a work-at-home parent requires a separation of kids and work. Otherwise you'll constantly feel like you're being pulled in whatever direction you're not currently in.
Thousands of parents of young children work from home successfully. They're able to have the best of both worlds, but only with planning, a schedule, and lots and lots of discipline.
My article Separating Kids and Work at Home has some tips for being the master juggler - being a good employee and a good parent.
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
It's not easy to save money when getting children ready for a new school year, but it can be done.
If you're a stay-at-home parent, you're probably like me: constantly on the look-out for ways to cut costs, get a bargain, and get more for less money.
Few things pinch your wallet as hard as getting ready for that first day of school. Even before the list of school supplies comes home, you'll have a long list of things your child needs, wants or simply must have this year.
To put you in the mood for standing your ground and keeping a tight rein on your finances, Suite 101's Family Finances page has articles to help you find bargains on school uniforms, backpacks and back-to-school clothes.
It's not a bad idea to stock up on staples like notebook paper, folders, gluesticks and, well, staples, while you're getting set for a new school year, especially if you can find them at a bargain.
My kids start school on Monday. I'm heading out this afternoon to buy some last minute supplies and steeling myself for the lists that will come home on the first day of school.
Good luck with your own back-to-school shopping!
Few things pinch your wallet as hard as getting ready for that first day of school. Even before the list of school supplies comes home, you'll have a long list of things your child needs, wants or simply must have this year.
To put you in the mood for standing your ground and keeping a tight rein on your finances, Suite 101's Family Finances page has articles to help you find bargains on school uniforms, backpacks and back-to-school clothes.
It's not a bad idea to stock up on staples like notebook paper, folders, gluesticks and, well, staples, while you're getting set for a new school year, especially if you can find them at a bargain.
My kids start school on Monday. I'm heading out this afternoon to buy some last minute supplies and steeling myself for the lists that will come home on the first day of school.
Good luck with your own back-to-school shopping!
Stay-at-Home Moms Building Résumés
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
When it's time to go back to work, take a good look at your time at home with your children. You might be surprised at what you've accomplished.
Changing diapers, pushing the merry-go-round, and mixing up mac and cheese are not exactly career builders.
But that doesn't mean that while you're at home with your children being a full-time stay-at-home parent that you're a complete drain on your future resume.
When it's time to go back to work you'll have to sit down and write your resume. It may be something you've been dreading, but never fear. It won't be as grim as you think.
Employers will understand your need or desire to take time off work to stay at home with your children. Be honest in your résumé, and list those years as being a full-time parent, homemaker or volunteer.
Staying home to raise children is a common choice today and when it's time to go back to work, you'll be in good company.
But that doesn't mean that while you're at home with your children being a full-time stay-at-home parent that you're a complete drain on your future resume.
When it's time to go back to work you'll have to sit down and write your resume. It may be something you've been dreading, but never fear. It won't be as grim as you think.
Employers will understand your need or desire to take time off work to stay at home with your children. Be honest in your résumé, and list those years as being a full-time parent, homemaker or volunteer.
Staying home to raise children is a common choice today and when it's time to go back to work, you'll be in good company.
Stay-at-Home Dads Rise in Ranks
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Interesting statistics about stay-at-home dads have been brought to light in recent Suite 101 articles.
Some interesting facts about stay-at-home dads have come out in Suite 101 articles this past month.
In The Facts Surrounding Stay-at-Home Dads, Suite 101 writer Stephen Richardson writes that there are more than 200,000 stay-at-home dads in the United Kingdom. At the same time, the number of stay-at-home moms is decreasing, with more women returning to work after giving birth, according to the article's statistics.
Suite 101 writer Anju Mootilal cites statistics about stay-at-home dads in her article Stay-at-Home Dads.
I've known many stay-at-home dads, shared playgroups, served on PTA committees with them, and swapped recipes. There's nothing innately female about this job of being a full-time caregiver to your own children. It's not so much maternal as it is parental.
If the current trend continues, being a stay-at-home dad will no longer be a non-traditional role and will be just another choice men get to make when children come along.
In The Facts Surrounding Stay-at-Home Dads, Suite 101 writer Stephen Richardson writes that there are more than 200,000 stay-at-home dads in the United Kingdom. At the same time, the number of stay-at-home moms is decreasing, with more women returning to work after giving birth, according to the article's statistics.
Suite 101 writer Anju Mootilal cites statistics about stay-at-home dads in her article Stay-at-Home Dads.
- There are over 160,000 stay-at-home-dads (SAHDs) in the United States.
- The main reason why men choose to stay at home was to avoid sending their children to daycare.
- The number one compliant of many stay-at-home dads is dealing with sudden isolation.
I've known many stay-at-home dads, shared playgroups, served on PTA committees with them, and swapped recipes. There's nothing innately female about this job of being a full-time caregiver to your own children. It's not so much maternal as it is parental.
If the current trend continues, being a stay-at-home dad will no longer be a non-traditional role and will be just another choice men get to make when children come along.
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Before jumping on the back-to-school bandwagon, take an end-of-summer mini-vacation.
It's that time of year: When you look at the calendar and realize you have a back-to-school night coming up, your child's dance teacher wants to know what fall class you want, and your beach towels are looking a little worn out.
School will be starting soon and if you're like me, you're starting to feel the panic that you didn't fit in everything you wanted to do this summer.
I'm going to try to sneak in two little trips before my kids' cross country and band activities kick in the week before the first day of school. One is a plane trip back home for a family reunion and another is a long car trip to visit friends. I'm hoping that the whirlwind of one last surge of vacation will help prepare me for what's to come: a calendar full of parent meetings, school projects, music lessons, sports schedules and all that autumn brings with it.
A last summer vacation gives us a chance to delve back into our summer skills, the biggest one being handling kids on a trip. Traveling with children can be fun and adventurous, but at the same time stressful and exhausting.
A late-July/early August vacation might not only give us a much needed last summer fling, but may also leave us looking forward to a more structured school year.
Bon voyage!
School will be starting soon and if you're like me, you're starting to feel the panic that you didn't fit in everything you wanted to do this summer.
I'm going to try to sneak in two little trips before my kids' cross country and band activities kick in the week before the first day of school. One is a plane trip back home for a family reunion and another is a long car trip to visit friends. I'm hoping that the whirlwind of one last surge of vacation will help prepare me for what's to come: a calendar full of parent meetings, school projects, music lessons, sports schedules and all that autumn brings with it.
A last summer vacation gives us a chance to delve back into our summer skills, the biggest one being handling kids on a trip. Traveling with children can be fun and adventurous, but at the same time stressful and exhausting.
A late-July/early August vacation might not only give us a much needed last summer fling, but may also leave us looking forward to a more structured school year.
Bon voyage!
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
With toy organizers now a high-growth industry, there's no excuse for toys all over the house.
When we had one child and approximately 2,000 toys, we had several large toy boxes throughout the house. My philosophy was "the bigger the better." Each one held a huge number of toys, one was an old cardboard moving box that was bulging on the sides. Heaven help you if you wanted Batman's left boot, which was buried deep in the rubble.
When we had two children and approximately 6,000 toys, I had the idea that we should separate them into categories. One toy box had the super heroes, another had the cars, another had building blocks and such, and the big cardboard box was retired and replaced with a big plastic box.
When we had three children and approximately an infinite number of toys, my passion for organization kicked into high gear and I bought some storage units and started filling the bins and baskets with toys. Not quite obsessing into alphabetical order, I did however get some enjoyment out of separating dolls and doll clothes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and cars, trains and anything with wheels.
I'm not saying the toys all stayed organized or even that they all got put away at the end of every day, but my toy storage solution was a saving grace to me as a stay-at-home mom who lived, ate, slept and worked inside the house.
You don't have to be an organization freak like me to get excited about organizing your kids' toys. Take a trip to Target or your favorite store and take a look at what's out there now. Online stores like Clutter Free Kids can give you some great ideas.
Now get those toys picked up!
When we had two children and approximately 6,000 toys, I had the idea that we should separate them into categories. One toy box had the super heroes, another had the cars, another had building blocks and such, and the big cardboard box was retired and replaced with a big plastic box.
When we had three children and approximately an infinite number of toys, my passion for organization kicked into high gear and I bought some storage units and started filling the bins and baskets with toys. Not quite obsessing into alphabetical order, I did however get some enjoyment out of separating dolls and doll clothes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and cars, trains and anything with wheels.
I'm not saying the toys all stayed organized or even that they all got put away at the end of every day, but my toy storage solution was a saving grace to me as a stay-at-home mom who lived, ate, slept and worked inside the house.
You don't have to be an organization freak like me to get excited about organizing your kids' toys. Take a trip to Target or your favorite store and take a look at what's out there now. Online stores like Clutter Free Kids can give you some great ideas.
Now get those toys picked up!
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Research shows music is good for kids in so many ways.
I learned so much researching The Argument for Music Education. I've known for a long time that music is good for children for lots of reasons, from birth (or even pre-birth, some believe) through college. But what I didn't know is the correlation between music lessons and higher SAT scores, better math grades and better academic success overall.
In my opinion, the best school districts are those that put a high value on arts education. My own children, in the Fayette County schools in Lexington, Kentucky, were required to take humanities courses starting in middle school. My son was required to attend some type of arts performance or event monthly during his junior year, and their middle school and high school had orchestras, bands and choruses that were top notch.
After reading up on the benefits of music education, it made me glad we offered our children lessons in guitar, piano, clarinet and bassoon, even though there were times when nagging them to practice became something I dreaded.
Now that my children are older, I'm glad we stuck it out and kept the music playing - on one instrument or another - in our house all those years.
In my opinion, the best school districts are those that put a high value on arts education. My own children, in the Fayette County schools in Lexington, Kentucky, were required to take humanities courses starting in middle school. My son was required to attend some type of arts performance or event monthly during his junior year, and their middle school and high school had orchestras, bands and choruses that were top notch.
After reading up on the benefits of music education, it made me glad we offered our children lessons in guitar, piano, clarinet and bassoon, even though there were times when nagging them to practice became something I dreaded.
Now that my children are older, I'm glad we stuck it out and kept the music playing - on one instrument or another - in our house all those years.
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
As the mom in a move, you're in charge of positive attitudes.
I moved this week and as anyone of you who have ever relocated to a different state or region, you know things are pretty crazy around my house right now.
I've done this before, seven times, so I have lots of advice on moving. This time around I did my best to follow my own advice, but by Day 2 in the new house, I once again found myself surrounded by boxes full of completely unrelated things, near tears, the kids complaining that they were starving, and my husband griping that I didn't get rid of enough junk before we moved.
Moving with kids is a particularly difficult task, because you can't just hole up in the house and organize your kitchen cupboards and put things away. At some point and at regular intervals, you'lre going to have to take the family exploring in your new neighborhood, find something fun to do, and cook an occasional meal.
As the mom in a move, it's not only your job to reinvent a new household, but you're also in charge of attitudes - keeping your own positive and convincing your kids that this is a good place, an adventure and a new start.
I'm still only on Day 5, but I'm not doing too badly. I found two nearby Starbucks for my daughter and tonight we'll go to the beach to watch fireworks. The boxes will have to wait.
I've done this before, seven times, so I have lots of advice on moving. This time around I did my best to follow my own advice, but by Day 2 in the new house, I once again found myself surrounded by boxes full of completely unrelated things, near tears, the kids complaining that they were starving, and my husband griping that I didn't get rid of enough junk before we moved.
Moving with kids is a particularly difficult task, because you can't just hole up in the house and organize your kitchen cupboards and put things away. At some point and at regular intervals, you'lre going to have to take the family exploring in your new neighborhood, find something fun to do, and cook an occasional meal.
As the mom in a move, it's not only your job to reinvent a new household, but you're also in charge of attitudes - keeping your own positive and convincing your kids that this is a good place, an adventure and a new start.
I'm still only on Day 5, but I'm not doing too badly. I found two nearby Starbucks for my daughter and tonight we'll go to the beach to watch fireworks. The boxes will have to wait.
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
If you're only an occasional visitor to the ocean, be aware of the hazards and dangers, and keep your vacation a happy one.
My kids were at a Florida beach for spring break this year and my 17-year-old son and I were walking along the beach when we saw what looked like a blue water balloon.
"Is it alive?" he wondered aloud.
"Of course not, it's a water balloon," I said, convinced that its bright, vibrant, blue color was not something found in nature.
Well, as you can imagine, it wasn't a water balloon. And it was alive. It was a man-o-war, which can be dangerous to clueless midwesterners who poke and prod what they think is a piece of litter.
My son and I and are a perfect example of how hazardous an occasional vacation day at the beach can be. Unfamiliar with sea life and its dangers, water conditions, the power of the sun's rays and other beach hazards, anyone who spends 50 weeks of the year on land and splurges for a vacation or two at the beach is a disaster waiting to happen - or at least a day of discomfort from a bad sunburn and a jellyfish sting.
Beach Safety for Kids outlines some beach dangers to be aware of, particularly the sun and its ability to cause sunburn more easily and quickly at the shore. Don't let it get you down. Just pack up that sunscreen and first aid kit, stay near the lifeguards and enjoy your vacation!
"Is it alive?" he wondered aloud.
"Of course not, it's a water balloon," I said, convinced that its bright, vibrant, blue color was not something found in nature.
Well, as you can imagine, it wasn't a water balloon. And it was alive. It was a man-o-war, which can be dangerous to clueless midwesterners who poke and prod what they think is a piece of litter.
My son and I and are a perfect example of how hazardous an occasional vacation day at the beach can be. Unfamiliar with sea life and its dangers, water conditions, the power of the sun's rays and other beach hazards, anyone who spends 50 weeks of the year on land and splurges for a vacation or two at the beach is a disaster waiting to happen - or at least a day of discomfort from a bad sunburn and a jellyfish sting.
Beach Safety for Kids outlines some beach dangers to be aware of, particularly the sun and its ability to cause sunburn more easily and quickly at the shore. Don't let it get you down. Just pack up that sunscreen and first aid kit, stay near the lifeguards and enjoy your vacation!
Posted by
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Failing to put sun block on your children before they go outdoors could be criminal.
The sunscreen industry has been front and center in the news recently.
The new FDA rules on sunscreen, enacted last summer, won't take effect for another year, but the public has been made more aware of the importance of UVA protection on the bottle of sunscreen they buy.
Earlier this month, the devastating impact of failing to use sunscreen was spotlighted by a case in Kentucky. A father was arrested and jailed for letting his 2-year-old son go outside without sunscreen. The toddler had second-degree burns from the sun, including golf-ball-sized blisters on his skin, after being outside for just 90 minutes.
Internet chat rooms and blogs are abuzz with parents saying, "It's about time!" and others asking how a father can be charged with first-degree criminal abuse when seriously abused kids are routinely sent back to their parents.
Regardless of how this case turns out for the Kentucky family, it has implications for parents everywhere. I've always considered sunscreen one of my "Mom's Things to Do." Buying it, remembering to pack it, putting it on the kids, nagging the kids to put more on, and knowing the differences in brands, SPF numbers and types. Now I feel that if I don't do all these things, there could be criminal implications.
This summer, make sunscreen your constant companion. WebMD recommends these sunscreen guidelines:
The new FDA rules on sunscreen, enacted last summer, won't take effect for another year, but the public has been made more aware of the importance of UVA protection on the bottle of sunscreen they buy.
Earlier this month, the devastating impact of failing to use sunscreen was spotlighted by a case in Kentucky. A father was arrested and jailed for letting his 2-year-old son go outside without sunscreen. The toddler had second-degree burns from the sun, including golf-ball-sized blisters on his skin, after being outside for just 90 minutes.
Internet chat rooms and blogs are abuzz with parents saying, "It's about time!" and others asking how a father can be charged with first-degree criminal abuse when seriously abused kids are routinely sent back to their parents.
Regardless of how this case turns out for the Kentucky family, it has implications for parents everywhere. I've always considered sunscreen one of my "Mom's Things to Do." Buying it, remembering to pack it, putting it on the kids, nagging the kids to put more on, and knowing the differences in brands, SPF numbers and types. Now I feel that if I don't do all these things, there could be criminal implications.
This summer, make sunscreen your constant companion. WebMD recommends these sunscreen guidelines:
- Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors, to allow it to be absorbed into the skin.
- Shake well before using and use about an ounce (a handful) to cover your entire body.
- Use on all parts of your skin exposed to the sun, including the ears, back, shoulders, the part in your hair where the scalp is exposed, and under the edge of clothing, where shifting might expose more skin.
- Reapply sunscreen often throughout the day, especially after getting wet or sweaty.
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