About Alaina Frederick

Alaina Frederick is the Assistant Blog Editor here at Mom's Talk Network.

Moms… Multi-Task at Your Own Risk

Thank you to Heather of Recovering Working Mom for your fun and real story on how moms just need to focus on one task at a time!

Here’s what I’ve learned about multi-tasking: anyone who says they are “great at multi-tasking” has a bubble over their head that also says “I get distracted easily, probably have ADD, and am really good at a lot of things, but not great at anything!”. Either that, or they don’t have kids.

When I was working I had this multi-tasking thing nailed. I was so good that after having my third child, I was driving home from work one evening and talking on the phone, while also pumping breastmilk. My mother, who was on the other end of the phone, was horrified (in hindsight, I am too).

After six months at home with my kids, I now cannot keep anything straight! I used to be highly organized, but now I have to actually write myself notes and put myself on a schedule for everything I do. All this kid time has turned my multi-tasking brain to mush!

For your entertainment, here is an example of how multi-tasking can literally turn you into a bloody mess. While training for my second triathlon (and feeling newly confident in my multi-tasking sport), I was biking with my friend just before sunset. It was a clear day, and from my vantage point I could see all the way to the ocean. As I was riding my bike I had turned my head to enjoy the view and veered off the path. In trying to get back onto the path, I flipped over my bike and this was the result . . .

Ouch!

Not succumbing to the dangers of multi-tasking, the next day I decided that my injuries had made me a hard core athlete and I went running (although I made sure I didn’t use any apparatus where I could hurt myself). This was the result.

Double Ouch!

I had a severe allergic reaction and my eyes swelled shut. I now know that open wounds and moderate hayfever are not a good combination!!! Needless to say, I did not get in the water for several days for fear that I might actually get eaten by a shark!

The moral of this story . . . As I began my journey into stay at home motherhood, a wise woman said to me “You can have it all, just not all at once.” And I have the physical scars prove it. So, my words of wisdom to new at home moms…multi-task at your own risk!

Heather Dugdale’s blog Recovering Working Mom shares her insights about learning how to be a mom and have family fun, while balancing work and life with kids.

Filed Under: Stay At Home Moms

Tips to Get The Best Deal on Your Next Appliance

It can be incredibly stressful when an appliance breaks. How do you cook your family’s dinner? Where do you wash their clothes? And how do you keep the food cold without a refrigerator? Even worse is the stress that comes along with replacing your broken merchandise. Appliances can be very expensive and few people have the money set aside for such things nowadays. If you’re in need of new appliances, but don’t want to spend a ton of money, there are a few things to keep in mind while shopping.

Shop Around

It is very important to look around before you shop, if you don’t, you could be missing out on some killer deals. When you’re out browsing, try to look everywhere, not just the major stores. Expand your horizons by searching thrift stores or even garage sales or estate sales. You never know what you might find. The merchandise may or may not be in perfect condition, but let’s face it, a small ding or scratch won’t affect an appliance’s ability to do its job.

Compare Prices Online

Make your life a little easier by surfing the web before you tackle the stores. Looking online may save you both time and money. With a few keystrokes and a couple clicks of the mouse, you can search a lot of stores in a lot less time. Many stores even offer free or discounted shipping rates if you order online. If you’re not too picky, consider buying a used appliance. You can usually find gently used merchandise by browsing sites like Craigslist or even checking the newspaper. You should also look for coupons. You can often find Sears coupons and other store coupons online. These promotions can provide significant savings at certain stores.

Watch for Sales

After you have looked around and found an item that you want to purchase, ask a sales associate when that particular model might be going on sale. You never know, waiting a week or even a few days could save you some money. Don’t be afraid of the big sales either, shopping on black Friday may be a little intimidating, but it could be worth it in the long run. And don’t forget about rebates–they may take a few weeks, but you still end up saving money. Finally, don’t be afraid to negotiate. If you explain to the salesperson that you have kids and only a small amount of money to spend, you may be able to get them to knock a few dollars off the purchase price. This won’t work at every big chain store, but will work at many small hardware stores, appliance stores, and other stores with a flexible sales policy.

Buy the Floor Model

The floor model of any appliance comes with everything you need but a box. And who really needs their appliance to come in a box? No box might mean your kids miss out on playing in a giant refrigerator box, but it could also mean saving hundreds of dollars. And with the money saved, you could buy a moderately priced and more entertaining toy.

Dent and Scratch

Generally, stores can’t resell an opened appliance as new. This means big savings for some people out there. I don’t know about you but I would be willing to overlook a small scratch or dent to get an appliance 40-70% off. If your family is anything like mine, a scratch or dent is going to occur sometime soon anyways.

Bundle

Do you need more than one appliance? The next time you are at the store talk with a sales associate and find out if the store offers any kind of bundle deal. Some stores will offer discounts for buying more than one appliance at a time, which could potentially save you some big bucks.

Trade In

Before you toss your old appliance out the window you should call around and see if any stores near you accept trade-ins. Trading in your old appliance could get you credit at a store for a new one. This would be nice because you don’t have to post something in the paper or Craigslist and wait around hoping someone will buy your outdated appliance.

Karen S loves to share shopping deals and coupons through FrugalDad.com.

Filed Under: Home

6 Ways for Busy Moms To Cut Their Budget

In our current economy, it’s important to cut costs wherever you can in order to give your kids the best advantage they can get.

It can take a little bit of savvy shopping, but once you get in the habit, you will find the best deals naturally and easily, and have more money to spend on things that are important.

These six easy tips cover everything from the big things like how to save on car insurance to the little necessities like diapers.

1. Car Insurance – Compare Options

Americans spend way too much money on car insurance. It’s just a fact of life. It’s easy for companies to send their car insurance prices through the roof, because everyone needs it in order to legally drive.

This puts you in a situation where you are essentially being forced to shell out money every month for something you may or may not ever need. The good news is that it’s not difficult to find cheap car insurance.

Just a few minutes on the internet can help you to find the least expensive car insurance for you so that you can move on to something else. Just remember never to settle for the first quote you get.

There’s a reason why there are so many auto insurance companies, so don’t assume that they will all be the same.

2. Meals – Plan Ahead

It is amazing how much money you can save by writing up a menu for what you plan to feed your family at the very beginning of the week. You can even spend Sunday getting the essentials together.

This will eliminate the temptation to pick up an expensive pre-cooked meal from the grocery store or to take your family to a restaurant, allowing you to eat more meals at home and save money in the process.

3. Store Visits – Buy in Bulk

It can be daunting to buy in bulk, but it’s all about picking the right things to stock up on.

Only buy a large quantity of something that you are guaranteed to use forever. Things like toilet paper, shampoo, and dish soap are excellent choices, because they don’t expire and you aren’t going to get sick of them.

4. Home Maintenance – Do It Yourself

Whenever you can, make a point of completing repair and improvement projects on your own.

While it can seem a lot easier just to call a handyman, do-it-yourself projects are not only a great way to save money, they are a great way to learn something new a derive a sense of accomplishment from a job well done.

Make sure you take your limits into consideration or ask a friend or spouse for back-up, but don’t be afraid just to dive in.

There are endless books, websites, and internet videos available that show you exactly how to complete just about any home improvement project you may be considering.

5. Do Your Research – Find Coupons

Clipping coupons has become something of a punchline in recent years, but you will be amazed how much people can save.

The biggest rule of coupon cutting is only to use to coupons for items you were already planning on buying. If you stick to that, you can only save money.

If you want to get really serious about it, considering joining a website specifically for helping people find and use coupons to their best advantage.

6. Be Preventative – Think Ahead

It is tempting when you are low on funds to ignore problems until they get out of hand. You don’t go to the doctor even though you’re running a fever, or you don’t take the car to the mechanic despite the noise it’s making.

Sometimes you simply do not have the money to take care of those things, but if you can possibly make it work, do it. You will end up spending so much less money than if you let the problem worsen.

By following these simple tips, you can dramatically reduce the money spent in your household on a daily basis. Give it a try, and see how easy it is to save money and still take care of your family.

Linda P. is a stay at home mom who works hard to help other moms keep their budgets in check. When not writing online, she can be found volunteering at the animal shelter near her home.

Filed Under: Home

How to Prepare Your Child for College from an Early Age

Preparation for college doesn’t begin in the child’s senior year of high school. It actually starts much earlier than that. A college education is in high demand in today’s market, and that demand will continue to grow. If you have a goal for your child to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree, then here are some steps you can take as a mother to help him or her get there.

Pre-School

At this age, it’s not about the abc’s or 123’s. It’s about organizational skills, personal responsibility and self-motivation. Don’t do everything for your child. Teach him how to clean up after himself. Help your daughter organize her own room and work with her to keep it organized. You’re not looking for perfection, but you are trying to develop skills that will be invaluable to them throughout their lives.

Elementary School

In addition to being organized and willing to work, your child also needs to learn how to study. This is the perfect time to establish the habit of doing homework first and then going out to play. Even first graders will take tests, so this is your opportunity to start teaching your little one how to use flashcards and other study methods.

Extra-curricular activities are important for creating a well-rounded person, and they don’t start in high school. Now is the time to expose your child to different sports, see which one she loves and sign her up for the team. Participating in a team activity and other extra-curriculars like scouting, karate and gymnastics will help your child learn responsibility and time management.

Start talking about college now. When you have the standard “What do you want to be when you grow up?” conversation, talk about how a college degree can help in their chosen field. If your child is constantly changing his mind, talk about how a general Science, Math or English degree could help in any of his chosen professions.

Middle School

Talk to the guidance counselors at the school to find out which classes are needed to help your child get into college. Some courses must be taken at the middle school level for your child to be on track in high school. It is recommended by the U.S. Department of Education that students take History or Geography every year. Algebra should start in the 8th grade and Geometry in the 9th grade or earlier. Additional classes like computers, arts and foreign languages are also highly recommended.

Encourage your child to stay active not only in sports or other extra-curricular activities, but also to join different clubs that may be offered through the school. Grades are important throughout the school experience, but they take on a greater role in middle school.

High School

Plan your child’s curriculum with college in mind. Most schools offer a college preparatory program that can help you child when it’s time to make the transition. Take the time to learn about the college admissions process now. Stress to your child that all grades from high school will be looked at by colleges. The good study habits should already be in place, so encourage your son or daughter to continue with them.

A Word on Failure

At some point in your child’s academic career, you will have to step back and allow your son or daughter to take the reins. It’s great to hover over homework when they’re in grammar school, checking every paper to make sure that they have remembered all of it. However, you can’t do that for them when they’re in high school. As soon as your child is ready, start trusting them more to get the work done. Have consequences for failing to do the work, but don’t micromanage them to make sure it’s all done. Ideally, your child should be able to handle his own homework, remember assignments and be trusted to work independently by the time they are in middle school, if not before. It may require letting him or her miss a few assignments and have to deal with a loss of privileges as a result. However, letting your child fail at something and face the consequences may prove the best way to prepare him or her for life.

 

Jenny Masterson is a career advisor and also contributes content for thebestcolleges.org, a website providing college reviews as well as a multitude of online computer degrees listings.

Filed Under: Homeschooling

How to Survive a Camping Trip with Children

A camping trip sounds like a great idea, especially since the hot, humid days of summer are just a memory. Camping is a great family activity. Moms, don’t despair! Whether you are new to camping or are a veteran camper, there are ways to enjoy your camping trip without going crazy.

Preparation

Preparation is the key to any successful camping trip. And lists are the key ingredient to preparation. Making lists is one thing that moms know how to do.

  • Make a list of the foods you want to take. As you are planning your menus, pick meals that don’t involve a lot of perishable foods. Chili is a great meal that just involves opening cans. Another choice that is similar would be tuna or chicken casserole. It’s best to have these hearty but simple meals when you have a lot of hungry campers.

  • Go through each meal and decide what cooking gear you need. It’s best to cook on your portable camping grill and use the campfire for s’mores.

  • Don’t forget cleaning equipment too. Choose environmentally friendly, biodegradable soap. Bring plenty of containers to keep your waste in. Paper towels and Handiwipes come in handy too.

  • Organize your food into plastic bags, each representing one meal.

  • Choose appropriate clothing. It’s best to layer clothes so you can adjust to changing temperatures during the day.

  • Don’t forget the big items like your tent and your folding car camp stove. Also, don’t leave your sleeping bags behind. It can get pretty chilly at night time.

Choose Age Appropriate Activities

Choosing age appropriate activities is very important. Moms, you know your children best. If your children are old enough, they should be involved in choosing things to do on the campout.

  • Your older children should have some input in the type of campground you choose. Do they have a special interest in swimming, fishing or horseback riding? If you follow their suggestions, you can be assured they won’t be bored.

  • If you have babies or toddlers, they will probably be happy with their familiar toys. If you are at a beach or in an area where there is space to dig, buckets, shovels and toy trucks would be appropriate.

  • There are lots of activities for school age children. Try to include some nature education in their fun activities. Bring paper and glue and crayons so they can make or draw collages from the rocks, leaves or twigs they find on the ground.

  • Purchase a good nature field guide with pictures and learn about the different types of flowers or birds or insects that they are interested in. Bring a digital camera and encourage them to take pictures. Make sure to include the best birding binoculars that you can find. Good binoculars, will help them in their study of birds or even insects.

  • Teenagers should be encouraged to journal about their experiences and especially how they feel about what they are doing. The writing can be accompanied by pictures. An album of the trip that includes writing and pictures could become a family treasure.

  • Try really hard to leave the electronic devices at home. There are lots of card and board games that will interest everyone and will encourage a lot of family interaction.

  • Allow time to sit around the campfire and tell stories and maybe sing a few songs. These are moments that will stay with your family for years to come.

Assign Chores

Everyone likes to feel involved in the trip. Assign chores for each member according to their abilities. Moms, you know best what each child is capable of doing.

  • Young children can be responsible for finding kindling for the fire and marshmallow roasting sticks. They can set out the plates and utensils on the picnic table.

  • The older children can choose a meal and prepare it. They can be responsible for getting water and bringing it to the campsite. Just make sure they always have a buddy with them.

  • Everyone should be involved in cleanup. It’s important to teach children that even though it may not be fun, it still is needed and must be done.

  • Your teenagers can even be responsible for setting up the tent. A camping tent with a swing door is a great asset if you have children.

  • Of course, everyone can help carrying items from the car to the campsite.

  • When it’s time to leave, send out a trash patrol to make sure you have left nothing behind.

A camping trip should be fun and easy for everyone. Proper planning will insure this happens most of the time and Mom won’t be overwhelmed with all the chores. However, if something does go wrong, just roll with it. Often, the goof ups are the things that are remembered and talked about in years to come.

Stephanie is the publisher of Always-Outdoors.com. The website contains many posts and articles on outdoor activities. She also reviews outdoor products.

Filed Under: Travel
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