Chores
Daily Dish - Organize your meals
Eating & nutrition, Mealtime, Chores
Pack the following day's meals the night before.
Back-to-school is a great time to get organized
Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Chores
New parents quickly learn that kids come with a lot of stuff. It starts small -- a crib, a swing, a small basket of toys -- but soon toys and outgrown clothing start to reproduce in the wee hours of the night, until suddenly it's hard to remember what your home looked like before you were a parent.Clothing can be a major organizing issue. Kids outgrow their clothes and shoes at an often alarming rate. Back-to-school season is an excellent time to weed out clothing that is too small, too worn, or that your child just never wears. When you're finished, try this tip: Leave a bag in an inconspicuous spot in your child's closet. Whenever you come across an outfit to be given away, stick it in the bag. (You might even want to designate one bag for give-away, one for hand-me-down, and one for storing for a different season.) It'll make the job much easier next time!
Snake in washing machine scares woman
If I could outsource just one household chore, it would be laundry. It's one of those jobs that feels like it's never done, and if you let it get away from you, it goes from molehill to mountain in no time flat.I think that Maine resident Mara Ranger has the perfect excuse for giving up laundry for good. She recently reached in to her washing machine, only to discover that something was moving inside of it. That "something" was an 8-foot reticulated python. She slammed the lid and called for help. I wonder if "called for help" is a euphemism for screaming, jumping up and down, grabbing the kids, and running outside. That's how it would have gone down at my house.
They python -- which authorities speculate came in through the water pipes -- was rescued and will spend its life at the York Animal Kingdom. No word on whether Mara has recovered, but it may be a long time until she feels like doing laundry again.
Morning mania
On the days when we both work, my husband takes on the duty of taking both kids to daycare and picking them up at the end of the day. In return, I help him out as much as possible in the mornings, waiting until everyone's gone before I eat breakfast and take a shower. Usually I feel like this is a good compromise, because having shouldered the burden of dropoff/pickup myself on several occasions I know just how hectic it can be (navigating a parking lot a with a toddler and a baby and getting the kids installed in their respective classrooms while hefting a 38572-lb carseat and an armload of bottles feels a bit like competing in a triathlon. While hobbled. And under enemy fire), but I can't help noticing that there's a fairly huge discrepancy in our mornings.
My husband, 7:30-8:30 AM: Get out of bed, shower. Get toddler, throw on any old outfit that's lying nearby, regardless of cleanliness or fit. Cook toddler a waffle, settle into kitchen table with the paper. Linger over cereal and coffee while reading every single section of paper.
Me, 7:30-8:30 AM: Get out of bed. Get the baby. Change baby, feed baby, dress baby. Bring baby out to kitchen. Empty dishwasher from night before, retrieve clean bottles. Fill bottles, insert bottles into carrying case. Entertain baby, who has become disenchanted with bouncy seat. Entertain toddler, who is requesting that someone read a book, pwease. Notice time and beg husband to hurry up. Notice too-small outfit on toddler and change his clothes.
My husband, 8:30-9 AM: Disappear into office to check email, wander around the house collecting laptop and workout gear, leisurely brush teeth.
Me, 8:30-9 AM: Toss toys at increasingly grumpy baby. Bark at toddler who is constantly underfoot or grabbing things off the counter that aren't his. Ride out at least two full-scale toddler tantrums over such injustices as using the potty or having his shoes put on. Put baby in carseat. Put bottle bag out. Beg husband to hurry, get enormous irritated sigh in response. Rush around picking up scattered mounds of toys and laundry, throw cat outside, put husband's cereal bowl in dishwasher (although seriously give some consideration to placing it under his pillow), hover over carseat making goofy faces to keep baby from wailing.
My husband, 9 AM (or thereabouts): Departs, children in tow.
Me, 9 AM: Collapse to the floor and sob with relief. Now only need to eat breakfast, shower, blow dry hair, put on makeup, get dressed, endure long-ass commute, and arrive to work on time. Note, however, that it's already NINE A.M.
Well, I still greatly appreciate that he does the daycare duty, but I'm thinking I might need to make some small changes for the sake of my sanity. Either we've all got to start getting up earlier, or we need to trade off on who gets to scurry around all morning like a decapitated chicken and who gets time to drink their coffee before it turns into a solid mass.
It's a little less chaotic on the days I stay home with the kids, but honestly, not by much. Are your mornings crazy, too?
Newsflash: Diaper Genie not so magical
Newborns, Babies, Baby essentials, Mommy musts, Chores
As anyone with children knows, dirty diapers smell worse than anything in the entire world. No kidding, once my dog ate cat poo and then threw it up, and even that did not compare to what it smelled like when my son starting consuming solids on a regular basis.
To combat this, and to make life easier in general, the Diaper Genie was born. For those of you unfamiliar with this contraption, it's made out of plastic and has a bucket at the top in which you put the used diaper. You then pull a lever (depending on the model) and it removes the diaper from sight, locking it away in a waste bag for disposal later. Diaper Genies require actual Diaper Genie bags, however, that may be in short supply when you really need a new one.
I have something similar that one can use with any plastic bags. Right now we're using regular old garbage bags in there and it seems to be working out all right. Except for one thing: The unbelievable, undeniable smell that counts as some sort of bio-terrorism in my book (or at least should). Regardless of carrying the odor away in the immediate, once you pull the bag out of the Genie to change it the smell is upon you--it's like that line from Michael Jackson's Thriller where Vincent Price discusses "the funk of 40,000 years." The new Diaper Genies are supposed to be even better at whisking away the smell, but I haven't used one to know whether or not when you pull out the full bag the smell might kill you.
Do you use a disposal system, and, if so, does it really work?
Diaper pic by Photocapy.
What would you outsource?
I made a to-do list this morning of things that MUST get done tomorrow; it includes going to the grocery and the cleaners and the UPS store, paying the bills, and writing three thank-you notes. Oh and I also have to work. And I may have promised to take my kids to the pool in the afternoon as well.I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done.
Fortunately, if I were so inclined, I could outsource some of my list; according to an article at CNN.com, more and more Americans are doing just that, hiring virtual personal assistants to book doctor appointments, pay bills, and shop for gifts for them. The price is apparently less than you might expect, particularly when weighed against what you would be earning if you were actually WORKING instead of waiting in line at the toy store to pay for that birthday present or crafting that thank you to Aunt Mary for sending dinner over when you were sick.
I like the idea of outsourcing, and I've done some myself -- I have automated bill pay for regular bills, and the dry cleaners picks up and drops off our laundry each week. I can think of a few more things I would like to turn over to someone else -- the grocery shopping, for example, and the cooking, at least a couple of nights a week. But I wonder about things like gift giving and thank you note writing -- don't we lose something if we hire that out? And what does that teach our kids about being gracious and polite?
For most parents, outsourcing errands is less about being able to work more and more about having that time with the family. Have you outsourced anything recently? What do you wish you could turn over to someone else? And what would you do with the time that not dealing with the UPS store or the grocery would free up?
Are Americans turning their kids into wimps?
Just for moms, Just for dads, Fun & activities, Health & safety, Development, Life & style, In the news, Environment, Chores, Resources
Time Magazine recently interviewed an editor-at-large from popular magazine Psychology Today. The topic? Children, and whether or not we're turning our kids into wimps. Hara Estroff Marano, the interviewee, had much to say on the subject of children, and how we raise them. Marano, who is also a grandmother and author of a new book titled A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting, says we are turning our kids into wimps. She says we need to let our kids have bad experiences as it's the only way they learn.
Marano pointed out her research on the college campus, noting that her colleagues commented that many of the students they were treating lacked coping skills. Says Marano, "...they have no idea how to manage the vicissitudes of life." Why has this happened? Well, according to Marano we're worried about our kids being successful. We push them too hard to achieve, and we worry more about branding than experience, focusing on sending them to the best schools, etc., when perhaps the brand name of Harvard or Yale is not what they need. Access to information through the Internet makes everything fleeting and transitional and ultimately obsolete before we can even understand it fully.
Marano also argues, along with much of our nation, that our children are being over-medicated and that play time is not valued as it should be. And, shocker, she feels we're too involved in every aspect of our children's lives. So how to deal? Well, according to Marano, we need to step back, let kids prove their competence, let them play, and make sure we eat together five times a week. I don't know if doing these things will save our kids from being wimps, or if they're wimps in the first place, but she does provide an interesting perspective.
Your thoughts? Do you think we overprotect our children and undervalue their ability? Or is that what it takes to get through this crazy modern world?
Pic by summitcheese.
Some dishwasher detergents banned in Washington state
In the news, Environment, Chores
What are the two chores in a household that are never really finished? Dishes and laundry. Throw in a couple of kids and suddenly a dishwasher becomes very, very important. (Or is it just me?) Families in the Washington counties of Whatcom and Spokane might find themselves having to choose a new brand of dishwasher detergent next week, however. The state is banning any brand that contains more than 0.5 percent phosphorus. Phosphates are naturally occurring, but are also used in many kinds of detergents. They're linked to algae blooms, which upset the delicate balance of a healthy waterway. By banning these kinds of consumer products, Washington state officials hope to protect their state's environment. By 2010, the ban will include the whole state, though for now it only affects these two counties.
Fortunately for consumers, there are several brands out there that are phosphate-free and also do a good job cleaning dishes. Consumer Reports recently recommended the following brands: Ecover (tablet and powder), Citra-Dish, 365 Everyday Value, and Seventh Generation, and as this issue gains awareness, I'm sure many more brands will be hitting the shelves.
Are dads more attractive?
Just for dads, Love & sex, Chores
When I completed the survey I wrote about last week on the subject of "Sex and the American Dad," there was one question I felt I was not qualified to answer. The question asked whether my wife found me more, less or equally attractive compared to before we had kids. Actually, I can't imagine that anyone would find me attractive, let alone a hot babe like my wife, so I just assumed she married me for my Land Rovers. When I asked her, however, she paused and then provided a measured, calculated answer: "More, because you are such a good father." Thanks, dear, you've got my vote.So I asked a few other moms I know. One mom told me, simply, "I'm too tired to think about that." I can understand that, and suspect a lot of others can too. Having kids doesn't leave a lot of time for adult activities.
Another mom wrote back to say "I find my husband more attractive when he helps with our son, less attractive when he hides out with the computer or TV (you know, general avoidance behavior) while the rest of the house is unraveling." Raising kids is a lot of work and it's definitely easier when you've got two people helping out -- which leaves more time and energy for aesthetic considerations.
Share and share alike: Equal parenting
Money & work, In the news, Childcare, Chores
Admit it: at some point in your life as a parent, you have added up all the things you do for the children and the house and the family. If you are lucky, this accounting has not been part of a larger wrangle about what's fair in your house, but it is more likely that this equity math has come up in a less-than-pleasant discussion with your spouse or partner, one in which you accuse each other of not doing enough, and then list all the things that you do to keep everything rolling.We all do it; it's inevitable. Or is it?
This weekend's New York Times magazine features an article by Lisa Belkin about couples who have consciously chosen equal parenting -- the completely fair distribution of labor within the home. They divide work and laundry and kid duties 50/50, even if this means working less and scheduling more. And for these parents, equal is successful. But is it realistic?
Statistically, no; in couples where both the husband and wife work full-time, surveys show that the wife does 28 hours of housework and the husband, 16. That's not even close to a 50/50 split. One sociologist found that in families where the wife worked full-time and the husband stayed home, the wife still did the majority of the housework.
The best Father's Day presents are FREE!
Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Just for dads, Fun & activities, Holidays, Chores
Lately it seems a lot of pressure has been placed on getting presents for each other for pretty much every holiday that comes around in a year. I don't know if it's the economy, the effect of its sluggishness on me, or some sort of pregnancy hormone telling me it's materialistic for consumers to be expected to shell out a lot of cash for Mother's Day and Father's Day--right up there with Christmas!
This year I've been thinking about free gifts that aren't cheap cop outs for Father's Day. What could I get my husband, who is an unbelievably amazing father to our son and, somehow even, to our unborn daughter, that won't break the bank or make him feel like he's getting the shaft--after all, it seems Mother's Day dwarfs Father's Day on most counts (which is unfair).
So what can we do for dear old dad? One thing I've always found fun and sweet is to go through all the old photographs and put together a collection of dad, mom and the kids through the years. I try to turn up long lost friends as well. That's totally free, and as much fun to create as it is for dad to peruse. Another idea? Head to the park for a picnic. Ok, yes, you may wish to go to the grocery to pick up a few of dad's favorite treats, but you were going to eat anyway, right? Take everyone to a nice shady spot, lay everything out and promise to provide clean up duty so dad can just relax and enjoy.
Coupon cutting queen spends $10 on groceries
I can't go into Target without spending $100, which is why I never, ever go to Target. But if I could get some lessons from coupon queen Chrissy Thompson, things might be different. She once bought $380 worth of merchandise at Target for -- are you ready for this? -- two cents.Thompson has coupon clipping down to a science and has whittled her $200-$250 per week grocery bill down to as little as $10. She combines weekly sales fliers, coupons, in-store discounts, and customer rewards to buy only the things her family needs. When she does come home with something extra that she got for free, she donates it.
It really all sounds thrilling. Imagine practically eliminating groceries from your household budget. This is where Thompson loses me, though: Each shopping trip takes up to four hours, with stops at seven different stores. My kids get cranky after three stops and I get cranky after two. Seven stops would push me to the brink of sanity, then give me a good, hard shove over the edge.
Still... a trip to Target for only two cents? It's tempting.
Kids and clutter
Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Chores, Resources
Got kids? If you do, chances are you have clutter too. Many parents, myself included, follow the old 'forest for the trees' principle--if you concentrate on the kids' stuff, you can't see what a mess your whole house actually is! Well, now perhaps it needn't be that way. An interesting article from the San Mateo Daily Journal helps put matters into perspective.
Kids, they say, seem to have the most stuff. Between what they bring home with them from school or the yard or wherever else, along with all the gear necessary to raise a wee one (not to mention the things the child simply HAS to have because everyone else in his or her class has one), it's more stuff than a parent can ever imagine having had as a child.
Conversely, the kids usually get the smallest rooms in the house, save the bathroom. All that stuff in such a small place is going to make clutter, or spill out everywhere else and clutter that space too. If you're like me and live in a small space to begin with, the tips in the article, such as using clear (labeled!) plastic bins and making sure you get furniture that serves more than one purpose (see: my pack and play is a bed and a place to play) might be just what you're looking for--amid all the clutter, that is!
Pic of what would look like my fridge if it were covered with baby stuff instead by Wm Jas.
