Does your child have a special caretaker? Show your appreciation with these 5 simple ways, including nominating them for Create the Good. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Create the Good. All opinions are 100% mine. Every week, my mom comes over with lunch for me and the kids. She'll also bring bags of groceries—bananas, a loaf of bread, things that can add up. Later that afternoon, she'll hang out with my twins while I bring my eldest to his science class. And at dinnertime, she treats us to a meal at a restaurant. Every week. These simple acts of kindness … [Read more...]
Are You Asking the Right Nanny Interview Questions?
Finding the right nanny is important, but could you be asking the wrong questions? Discover the nanny interview questions you need to ask before you hire. I hadn't been this nervous in a while. I've never had to hire any employee in the past, much less a nanny or even a babysitter. I was scared to hand my twins to a stranger—someone I'd hire only after a brief time of getting to know her. And I was clueless about what exactly to look for or ask during an interview. 3 problems with typical nanny interview questions And so I looked online and found questions I was supposed to ask. Many … [Read more...]
How to Tell Grandparents to Stop Spoiling
Learn how to stop grandparents from spoiling. Excessive gifts can impact your child's values and behavior. Tell grandparents to stop spoiling your kids with these tips. The toys, the clothes, even the sweets. SSBE reader Aisha couldn't seem to put a stop to it. As much as she appreciated grandparents showering her child with gifts, it was getting a bit excessive. Receiving gifts may be fine if it were the occasional day or so, but it happened more often than she'd like. Her daughter received so many gifts, she now wants to buy everything. She felt tired of saying "no" to her requests. … [Read more...]
The Working Mom Pep Talk: What Do You Tell Yourself to Keep Going?
Do you feel guilty for leaving your kids to come to work? Some days are harder than others, especially when your child is sick. Here is your working mom pep talk to get you through the day. A fellow mom who wrote about the recent guilt she felt. She doesn't usually feel this guilty for going to work, but this morning, her baby boy was sick. It seemed she only had five minutes to cuddle with him before she had to go. She hated handing him off to the nanny when she felt like she was the only one who knows how to comfort him. She did admit this isn't the norm and that it happened … [Read more...]
How One Summer Camp Conforms to Children (And Not the Other Way Around)
Thank you to Steve & Kate's Summer Camp for sponsoring this post. All content and opinions expressed are my own. Imagine a summer camp where kids get to choose when and how to spend their time. No agenda, no strict schedules. Total freedom to participate in the activities that interest them most. Maybe this morning it'll be bread making, then learning to code in the afternoon. Tomorrow can be all about sewing a pair of jeans, or taking a dance class. In a sea of schedules and off-campus field trips, Steve and Kate's Camp was the most impressive I came across. Except I wasn't … [Read more...]
How Caring for Newborn Twins is Different from Singletons
Are you expecting twins? Learn how caring for newborn twins is different from singletons and what you can do to manage with two babies. "Our bodies are only meant to carry one baby during pregnancy," my doctor said. I knew right then and there that caring for newborn twins would be a challenge. She'd been explaining why twin pregnancies are higher-risk and the complications to look for. Her sentence just about summed it up. Unfortunately, pregnancy complication is only one factor that makes having twins difficult. Caring for newborn twins is difficult—a challenge I remember during … [Read more...]
What You Need to Consider when Hiring an Au Pair
Hiring an Au pair can be a great option to your child care needs. Before you decide, here's what you need to consider when hiring an Au pair. For many parents, deciding on child care includes many factors: convenience, cost, the proximity to work. In our case, putting both kids in day care would've stretched our budget too much. And while we considered a nanny, we eventually decided on hiring an Au pair instead. I'd like to answer a few questions you may have on hiring an Au pair, and considerations you should make before making your decision. What is an Au pair? An Au pair is someone … [Read more...]
What to Do with Grandparents Trying to Parent Your Kids
Dealing with grandparents getting too involved with your parenting? Here's how to establish grandparent boundaries without stepping on toes. "My parents won't listen when I tell them no TV!" a friend vented. Her parents care for her kids in their home. And despite my friend's request to turn the TV off, they continue to keep it on all day. For many parents, it's not just TV, either. They offer food parents forbid, buy too many gifts, and don't follow safety rules. That's not all. I've also heard parents complain about grandparents who smoke. Those who have all sorts of opinions … [Read more...]