Looking for childcare can be stressful for parents. Learn the right interview questions to ask, plus what to consider before making your decision. I had one week to find a nanny for the twins. Now, I'm not a procrastinator. In fact, quite the opposite: I started my search for a nanny several months before I planned to go back to work. But just one week before that nanny was set to start, she called to decline the job. Yeah... not easy on the nerves. I found myself scrambling to find childcare, somehow fitting in interviews as well setting aside a few days for the nanny to shadow … [Read more...]
Toddler Too Attached to Grandma? How to Cope with Your Emotions
Is your toddler attached to grandma so much that he prefers her over you? Learn how to cope with your emotions and discover the REAL issues to focus on. It's the feeling that stings every mom: the sight of her child pushing her away in favor of someone else. Even if that someone else is grandma. At every opportunity, your toddler dives into her arms. He has a meltdown when she leaves the room, even if you're right next to him. Meanwhile, you're struggling to put on a brave face, even though inside it hurts to see your toddler attached to grandma. Maybe grandma is his regular … [Read more...]
Toddler Acting Out at Daycare? What You Need to Do
Handling your child's behavior when you're not there can be a challenge. Learn exactly what to do with your toddler acting out at daycare with these tips. Disciplining at home is hard enough, but what do you do when you're not there to manage your child's behavior? From daycare to preschool and even to a nanny caring for your child, you'd think it'd be easier to let someone else handle his behavior. Instead, you more likely feel helpless hearing about your child's outbursts. You might even feel judged, wondering what the staff must think of your parenting skills. Perhaps you're … [Read more...]
Do You Appreciate Your Child’s Caretakers? Show Them with These 5 Ways
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
Excessive gifts can impact values and behavior. Learn how to stop grandparents spoiling grandchildren without offending 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. And she wanted her daughter to … [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...]