Entries in the Category 'Get through a hectic day'

What to do when your kids are bored

June 18th, 2009 / 2 Comments

A reader asks, “What do I do with my kids when they complain that they’re bored?”
Does it irk you when kids say, “I’m bored!”?
While substituting a 4th grade class, a girl came up to me during recess and said, “I’m bored!” I looked at her and said, “And your point is…?” My sarcasm was lost [...]

Plan for the Perfect Teen Summer

June 9th, 2009 / No Comments

It can be hard entertaining smaller children for the summer months but have you ever tried keeping a teenager engaged and entertained?
School ends and suddenly, your teen has no idea what to do. Or they waste their days staring blankly at the TV screen, playing video games or even worse, they just get themselves into [...]

Turn a bad day into a good day

February 5th, 2009 / 2 Comments

The day was hectic.
After I took the kids to school, I met with difficult clients, followed up with a frustrating transaction, and fought traffic coming home.
There was nothing for dinner. I was hungry, tired, and irritated. “Get out of my way so I heat up some leftovers!” I snapped. I shouldn’t even have tried to [...]

Not a perfect parent

February 2nd, 2009 / No Comments

It’s still hard for me to believe that my son turned 21 a couple of weeks ago! It is true what they say, children DO grow up fast!
Time crawled when my kids were babies when all I saw were dirty diapers and midnight feedings. But time, though it may have seemed slow, does not stand [...]

Stop your toddler from whining

January 21st, 2009 / 5 Comments

A reader asks, “How do I stop my toddler from whining?”
Honestly, even adults whine! I get whiny when I don’t get what I want. “I want a new kitchen…I want a vacation…I want to eat out every night…”
I whine when I can’t control the circumstances in my favor and get what I want.
So it [...]

A 10-minute breather each day

October 28th, 2008 / 4 Comments

I was the featured guest post on Moms Talk Network yesterday on the topic of “10 Ways to Rejuvenate in 10 Minutes a Day.” I give some practical ideas that have worked for me, that would help a busy mom gain back some “perspective” in the midst of a busy day.
If you don’t have time [...]

Balanced dinner conversation

April 11th, 2008 / 4 Comments

“I feel left out when you guys talk. I don’t know what you are talking about.”
As the third and youngest child, my daughter is 6 years behind our second child and 7 1/2 years behind her older brother. At the dinner table, we would be talking about getting ready for college when she is [...]

Have you hugged your kids today?

February 12th, 2008 / 2 Comments

A big bear hug… doesn’t it feel good to give and receive one?
A baby is often held and hugged, but we forget that people of any age, especially our teenagers, and including ourselves, can use a big bear hug at just about anytime.

A sense of humor

February 5th, 2008 / 4 Comments

“Why didn’t anyone tell me being a parent would be so hard?”
Let me tell you now - being a parent is HARD.
I was talking to a friend who has a one-year-old daughter. “She takes so much out of me,” he sighed.
Yes, being a parent is hard, but it’s also a matter of perspective.
While parenting is [...]

10 ways to relax - with the kids around

February 1st, 2008 / 4 Comments

Have you ever had one of those days where you could barely squeeze in 5 minutes to use the bathroom?
At one time I had my 3 little ones in diapers, it’s a wonder my bladder didn’t explode! Or I could’ve used a diaper myself.
As a busy parent, we hardly have a moment to [...]

When it’s one of THOSE days

December 8th, 2007 / 1 Comment

No matter what a great parent we may be, we all have one of THOSE days…the baby is hollering, the kids are fighting, the dishwasher overflows, there’s nothing for dinner…
We’ve tried all the usual tricks - bake cookies, play with Playdough, eat snacks, watch TV, eat another snack…
Nothing is working.
I just read a great idea [...]

Laugh together

September 15th, 2007 / No Comments

Are relationships a little strained in your home?
Has everyone been stressed lately, pressured with work, school, and chores?
What you need is to get de-stress with a good laugh.
This will be a fun activity to do with your children today, on this Day 15 of our 30 Days to Better Parenting Challenge.

Go to the bookstore or [...]