Owner: Mother of Two\'s Guide to Sanity URL:http://www.motheroftwosguide.blogspot.com Join Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:49:42 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Useful and practical parenting information, tips, humor and thoughts! Site statistics:Click here
TIP - Disciplining Kids in Public 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Right before Christmas, I took my 6 year old son to Target store to do last minute gift shopping. At the checkout counter, when we were next in line, my son walked over to over to the counter and was staring at the items that were being rung through. Although there were no embarrassing items, I felt that it was rude to have my son staring at the items that the lady was purchasing.So I said to my son in a normal voice, "Let's not look at other people's things. It is rude." The lady heard me, smiled and said, "That's okay." My son got really quiet and started to cry. I was bewildered. I had no idea why he was crying. The lady was nice and I had not gotten angry. So I pulled him aside and asked him why he was crying. He of course just shrugged and continued to cry.So I started down my usual list of questions:"Are you upset because Mommy is angry?""Are you upset because you wanted to continue what you were doing?"He shook his head to both questions. I was at a complete Read more:Public
RESOURCE - Website About Kids Health Topics 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I found an awesome website for parents! This site is easy to navigate, uses clear easy-to-understand language and has tons of useful expert information. It covers just about every topic a parent may need without lots of advertisements and it does not ask you to "register" first. Here are some of the topics they cover:• General Health
• Infections• Emotions and Behavior• Nutrition and Fitness• Recipes• Positive Parenting• Pregnancy and Newborns• Medical Problems• First Aid and SafetyPositive Parenting section is especially good. It covers how to talk to kids about the news, death, drugs, etc. Also, kids and teens can go to their pages designed to answer their health questions. The site is www.kidshealth.org. It is a project of the Nemours Foundation
RESOURCE - Looking to Get Your Kids Out of the House? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In the cold days of winter, when the playgrounds and backyards have frozen over, you can still get your kids out of the house!If you are in the MetroBoston, Massachusetts area, there is an excellent guide book that lists all the different places you can go with your family:http://www.PiercePress.comFor all cities in the US, go to this link for places to go:http://www.gocitykids.com Have fun out there!!! Read more:House
IN THE NEWS - Some Good News About Breast Cancer 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It looks like the rate of breast cancer has gone down...still a long way to go.Here is the link to the article in the NY Times:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/15/health/15breast.html?ex=1166850000&en=c846191a268e6963&ei=5070&emc=eta1 Read more:Breast
, Breast Cancer
, Cancer
SIDE THOUGHT - My New Year Resolution for 2007 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Few weeks ago, I went to my first work/life balance workshop. When asked what I was hoping to get out of the session, I answered that I always felt like I am "neglecting" something to do something else. I am "neglecting" my kids when I am working. I am "neglecting" my work when I am with my kids. I am "neglecting" my husband when I am doing housework. I am "neglecting" my housework when I am out with my husband. I am "neglecting" my health when I drive to a local store instead of walking to it. I am "neglecting" my weekend time when I walk to the store instead of driving. And so on. In other words, even though I multi-task all the time, I often not at peace - there is a gnawing feeling that I am neglecting something. How do I not feel like this anymore?Of course the answer was to set priorities. Find out what are our core beliefs and desires. First fit in the things that are most important to our core beliefs and desires, then fit in the rest into our sche Read more:New Year
, Resolution
CONFESSION - An Unspoken Addiction....Multi-tasking 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This morning I had some free time to just rest. I was suffering from a cold and I had been taking care of all my other sick family members all week. Finally, this morning, all the kids were feeling better and in school. I came home after dropping off the kids with delicious thoughts of just resting. However, once I stepped into the house, my addiction kicked in. I saw dirty dishes that needed to be washed, the laundry pile that needed to be folded and put away, the Xmas presents that needed wrapping, the Xmas cards that needed to be sent out, the meat that has been thawing in the fridge for few days that needed to be cooked, the emails that needed responses, the work that I had put aside to nurse my family, the trash cans that needed to be emptied, the pile of magazines that needed to be read....My eyes darted from one item that needed to be taken care of to another in seconds as my mind did pop-up screens of my to do list. UGH! I pushed all those thoughts aside and reminded myself tha Read more:Multi
, Unspoken
CONFESSION - Obsession With My Belly 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Okay, I am not normally a vain person and I am not obsessed with my looks. However, lately, I find myself constantly checking out my belly! I find myself admiring the stomachs of Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. I am constantly checking out other women's bellies! I am becoming dissatisfied with my lumpy stomach and my potbelly. What is wrong with me??? I am more rational than this! Read more:Obsession
PRODUCT REVIEWS Coming Soon! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hello!First of all, thanks to all the readers who come and visit my blog! I really appreciate it. It is nice to know that you guys are out there reading what I write!Thanks also for all the comments - they are great! Keep them coming!Along with TIPs, IN THE NEWS, CONFESSION, SIDE THOUGHTs, SIDE HUMORs, and RESOURCEs topics, I will also be posting PRODUCT
REVIEWs. I will be reviewing parenting magazines first. If there are products that you would like to be reviewed, email me at info@motheroftwosguide.com.Thank you again!MoTMother of Two Read more:Coming Soon
IN THE NEWS - Calling All Amateur Photographers! Staples Hometown Photo Contest 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Staples, the office supply store chain, is having a photo contest for amateur photographers. The winner gets a trip to Iceland! So here is an opportunity to use that expensive digital camera that you got for Christmas! Or it is a good excuse to go buy one. All that practice taking picture of your cute kids should have prepared you for this task!Here are more details in the Boston Globe:http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2006/12/staples_wants_y.html Read more:Amateur
, Calling
, Contest
, Photo
, Photo Contest
, Photographers
, Staples
RESOURCE - Free Diet Program with Discovery Health Channel 1970-01-01 00:59:59 If one of your new year's resolutions is to lose some weight, here is a free way to do it. The DiscoveryHealthChannel
is offering a FREE National Body Challenge 2007. It includes 8 wk membership to Bally Fitness Club, recipes, tracking, etc. Go to http://health.discovery.com/BodyChallenge/index.jsp for more details. Read more:Program
TIP, IN THE NEWS and RESOURCE - Looking for a Baby Sitter? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Want to go out alone with your spouse on a Friday night? Need some free time alone? Want to go workout at the gym every other day? But alas, you can't find a babysitter! And you don't want to ask your parents (again!). And you don't really trust that high school kid down the street. Well, it turns out that there is solution. Check out this newsclip from Today Show about a service provided by a company called Sitter
City: http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=c184a11a-c6fd-48cb-9939-0231244baa5c&f=00&fg=email www.sittercity.com connects you to a babysitter in your area. You can interview the babysitter candidates, get referrals, etc. I had no ideas this type of service existed until recently. Have fun Friday night!
TIP - Cheapest Way to Buy Diapers 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Diapers get pretty expensive! After much research, the conclusion is that the cheapest way to buy diapers - Huggies or Pampers -is through Amazon.com. Here is how:Amazon.com considers diapers to be part of their Grocery area. And they offer $10 off Grocery items if you purchase $49 or more and FREE SHIPPING. Let's do the math with an example:At a supermarket or drugstore:Huggies Baby Shaped Diapers Size 3 Both Mega Pack Price: $15.99 Size: 60 CT PKG Unit price: $.27 per diaperAt Amazon.com:Huggies Baby-Shaped Diapers, Size 3 Pack of 144 Diapers Price: $29.99Size: 144 CT PKG Unit price: $.21 per diaperthen if you buy two of these packages for $29.99 x 2 = $59.98, then you will get $10 off by using promo code grocery3, your total comes out to $49.98! And free shipping! That comes out to unit price of $.17 per diaper. You will save $.10 per diaper then if you brought the diapers through the supermarket or drugstores. Hey, if you think about how many diapers your baby goes through, that i
SIDE HUMOR - My 2 Year Old Now Has Three Parents 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Yesterday, I heard my 6yr old son tell my 2yr old son in a tone that sounded amazingly similar to mine, "No, don't do that. That is a no-no. Sit down. Down. Down. D-owwwn!" Of course, the 2yr old sat promptly down and waited for further instructions. The older brother looked pleased and thrilled at his new found power and leadership over another being in the house. The younger brother looked obedient and did not question his brother's authority. Little does he know that there was no going back now; he will have three parents - Mom, Dad and now his older brother - for the rest of his life! Read more:Parents
, Three
Confession - Completely Wiped Out 1970-01-01 00:59:59 On Saturday, I was completely wiped out. I was absolutely, positively exhausted -physically and mentally. Completely drained. I wished that everything and everyone could just disappear for a brief moment so that I could re-collect myself. But of course, nothing and nobody did. Read more:Wiped
RESOURCE - First Steps to Starting Your Own Business 1970-01-01 00:59:59 As many of you know, I quit my corporate job of 15 years on September 28, 2006. Since then, I had my share of ups and downs of starting my own business and I learned a lot, FAST! Here is the article that I wrote for the Women's Business
Boston that was published on December 1, 2006. I hope it is helpful to you if you are thinking about starting your own business!Ask these questions when taking the "Leap'Friday, December 1, 2006 So your friends are saying, "Wow, you made the jump!" "Congratulations!" "So excited for you!" "You are an inspiration!" "I am so jealous!" "You are going to be great!" And your family is saying, "Are you crazy?" "So many others have failed!" "You have a family to support!" "I am concerned for you" "You are dreaming!" Of course, this is about you quitting your job to start your own business. As you start down the path of entrepreneurship, before you start ordering your office furniture and business Read more:First
RESOURCE - Young Writers and Illustrators Contest 1970-01-01 00:59:59 If your child is in kindergarten, first, second or third grade, he/she can enter the Reading Rainbow Young Writers
and IllustratorsContest
! The deadline to enter is March 28, 2007. The first place winner in each grade level gets a laptop computer!Here is the link for more details on pbskids.org:http://pbskids.org/readingrainbow/contest/index.htmlBy the way, if you are not familiar with the Reading Rainbow show on PBS, it is a great show for kids! The show goes through one book in detail, then they have children recommend books that they have read! Each show has a theme and Levar Burton hosts. My child makes a list of all the books they recommend on the show to find them at the library!
IN THE NEWS - Husbands Can Be Trained 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Does your husband or partner drive you crazy? Do you wish you can change his behavior and habits? Check out this article in NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/fashion/25love.html?em&ex=1169182800&en=b8d895ff1576a6dc&ei=5087It is a fun read. It talks about how like with training exotic animals, you can train your husband. Simple really - recognize and reward good behavior, ignore bad behavior. Hmmm. Read more:Husbands
, Trained
T-Shirts for a Cause! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 T-shirts available for the worthy cause! Mother of Two's Guideâ„¢ is all about parents helping other parents. What better cause for Mother of Two's Guideâ„¢ to support than One Family, Inc?The One Family Scholars program provides scholarships for low-income and formerly homeless women to attend college. Read on:One Family Scholars is a program of One Family, Inc., a not-for-profit organization created by Paul and Phyllis Fireman and family to end family homelessness in Massachusetts. The program provides college scholarships coupled with career development and leadership training for low-income and formerly homeless mothers. With financial aid and the support of an "extended family" to help them achieve their academic goals, the Scholars have the opportunity to forge a permanent path out of poverty for themselves and their families. Ethnically and racially diverse, the Scholars form a motivated group of leaders with the skills, knowledge and credentials to inform, improve and impleme Read more:Cause
, Shirts
TIP - What's There to Eat? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 After six years of parenting, here are the staples of food items that I discovered are great to have on hand for those times when you need to "whip up" something to eat for the kids (and that are still relatively healthy):•Annie's Homegrown Microwavable Mac & Cheese. Made with organic pasta, both my 6 year old and my 2 year old love it! And it only takes 3 minutes to make.•All kinds of apples and cheese. Serve them together sliced and the kids are getting protein, calcium and fruit!•Hebrew National Franks Beef Reduced Fat Hotdogs. Healthier than most hotdogs, the kids love the taste of them. •Baby carrots. Serve them with salad dressing for dipping. Kids love anything that they can dip.•Pamela's Products Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix. It is all natural, gluten and wheat-free. They make excellent pancakes, muffins and even cookies!•Whole wheat bread. For grilled cheese, hotdogs, French toast, even pizza toast!•Omega 3 rich eggs. Try serving them hard boil.
IN THE NEWS - Before You Give Your Baby or Toddler Cold or Cough Medicine, Read This 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In time for this winter cold season, the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention advises parents to NOT GIVE cold medicine or cough medicine to babies or toddlers under the age of two. They said that it could do more harm than good due to complications that these medicines may cause. According to CNN.com article, "More than 1,500 toddlers and babies wound up in emergency rooms over a two-year period and three died because of bad reactions to cold or cough medicine..."See the complete article on CNN.com:http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/11/cold.medicine.infants.ap/index.htmlAs painful as it is to watch our babies suffer with their little stuffy noses and their coughing, the US CDC suggests just "fluids, hugs and time." Read more:Cough
, Medicine
PRODUCT REVIEW - Seeking Product Testers and Writers 1970-01-01 00:59:59 We are seeking Product Testers and Writers
for the new Mother to Motherâ„¢ e-magazine! Mother to Motherâ„¢ e-magazine is a bi-monthly on-line publication that dedicates itself to one specific topic with each issue. Unlike other parenting magazines that look at many topics in a general matter, this e-magazine will pick one topic and discuss it in depth. Written by parents for parents, it will provide real life examples and solutions that work. We are very excited about publishing our first issue in March 2007!Please visit http://www.motheroftwosguide.com/contribute.shtml for more details on contributing to the e-magazine!Please spread the word! I look forward to your contributions! MoT"Mother of Two" Read more:Seeking
TIP - Routines, Routines, Routines for Kids 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Here is an advanced copy of my article that will appear in the Feb/March 2007 issue of the Boston Women's Journal. There is a blog post called "Routines
, Routines, Routines (Husband and wife)" dated 4/13/06 that discusses having routines as a parenting couple.Mother of Two's Guide Series - Family Routines - Part Two (Children)January/February 2007Routines are the basic building blocks of my family. Weekdays and nights are especially hectic (and chaotic!) since my husband and I are both working parents. Jo Frost from the Supernanny show is right - Having a set order of events is not only a good thing, it is a must! As a family, we wrote out the family schedule, discussed it and we all signed it. My 6-year-old son is so proud of it; he reads it to all our houseguests! Here are the basics of our routine: Weekday morning routine. Our 6 year old watches one 30 minutes recorded children's show (recorded so that we get to control what he watches!) in the morning after he wash
Introduction 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hello, Mothers, Girlfriends and like!I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences in hopes of making it that much easier for the next person. Please share your tips and experiences as well. We are on our way to becoming more efficient parents and mothers! Talk to you soon!MoT"Mother of Two" Read more:Introduction
SIDE HUMOR - My Hobby According to My Son 1970-01-01 00:59:59 During dinner, we were talking about our hobbies. When it was my turn, my 6-year-old son chirped up, "I know! I know! I know mom's hobby. It is DOING LAUNDRY!" "Why do you say that?" I asked."Because you do it ALL THE TIME!" he answered. Read more:Hobby
TIP, RESOURCE - What Exercises Get You the Best Results? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I always wondered if the exercises that I manage to squeeze in from to time are the best ones. Well, the Discovery Health Channel listed three "must exercises" for women. Hey, we are all about being efficient!Here is the full article:The Three Exercises
You Must Do for a Tighter YouBy Karen BerneyIt's often said that the best fitness program is one you'll stick with. True enough. If you don't like what you are doing, you'll look for a reason to quit. But if you're going to invest time and energy into getting fit, you also want the biggest bang for the buck. So here are three of the best exercises any woman can do. Exercise No. 1: Bicycle the AbsA study of 30 healthy women and men, ages 20-45, sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and led by Peter Francis, Ph.D., at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University, compared 13 of the most common abdominal exercises and ranked them from most to least effective. Overall, the best exercise for strengthening the rec
SIDE THOUGHT - Difference Between Working for Yourself and Working for Someone Else 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Recently, I have decided to work for myself after working for a company for 15 years. People constantly ask me how I like it and what the difference is between working for myself and working for someone else. The main difference is - freedom: Freedom from "department-ation', job titles and job descriptions, schedules, office politics, and red tape. I had flexibility at my previous company, but now I have freedom. The freedom, however, is not free. I miss the paychecks. I miss the resources. I miss delegating. I miss "running it by someone". I miss the co-workers. The freedom, however, is worth the price. I enjoy thinking of an idea and then making it happen without meetings. I enjoy eating lunch at home. I enjoy spending more with my children during the day and working at night. I enjoy wearing black shirt and jeans everyday. I enjoy drive to work when there is no traffic.Again, let me say again - I do miss that paycheck very much. And I am working very hard to not mi Read more:Yourself
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