Any way, the conversation of summer camp came up with my neighbor/friend the other day, so I told her all about the Camp Cleanup we held a few years ago.  She thought it was a good idea.  Oddly enough, my kids liked it too. The house could definitely use it.  And we still have the camp t-shirts from 3 years ago.  (The shirts were so big then that they still fit now.)

The idea behind Camp Cleanup is to give your kids something to do during one week of their school vacation and get your house clean at the same time.  While everyone else’s kids go off to camp, we stay home and clean.  (My daughter just said “we have fun”.)  We spend the mornings cleaning together and then do something fun (or even more fun) together as a family in the afternoon as a reward.  Make camp t-shirts, go to the park, get ice cream, etc.

Going back to read my old post, I remembered that we designated an area of the house for each day and drew from a cup every morning to see what it would be.  Sounds cheezy, but it really did add to the excitement.  We worked our way from ceiling to floor in each area, trying to make it as fun as possible.  You know, throw water all over the kitchen floor and skate around in it with wash cloths under our feet.  Stuff like that.  You’ve really gotta get creative!  (Which is hard for me to do… Not sure what I was taking when I came up with the idea.)

We are thinking about repeating Camp Cleanup this year.  I need some inspiration!!!  Do you have any fun ways to clean that you can share?  How about some great inexpensive rewards to fit the theme?

Kids are also home, on school break, and my routine is completely out of whack. I can’t get any work done without interruption.

I have lost my space. I have lost my routines. I’m freaking out and stressing out in every way imaginable.

Thank God I have a massage tomorrow morning!

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’ The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

Now, said the professor, as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.’ The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.  The sand is everything else; the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.’ Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your partner out to dinner.  Play another 18.  Do one more run down the ski slope.  There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter.  Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.’ One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.

The professor smiled.  ‘I’m glad you asked.  It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of glasses wine with a friend.’

“No” may be a tiny, two-letter word, but it can be your secret weapon. And you can say it. Here are some ways you can say “no” without feeling guilty about it:

Sorry, I’m taking a break.

The number one reason why you should say, “no” occasionally is simply that you deserve a break. You are chef, chauffeur, dish washer, and more. You job never ends on any given day of the week. You deserve a break. If you feel bad for saying “no,” say, “Sorry, I’m taking a break.”

My schedule is full.

We tend to jam-pack our schedule full of activities, leaving time for nothing. Cut back on your kids activities. Start a car pool and share driving responsibilities. Do whatever you can to free up some time in your schedule.

I don’t have time.

You’re headed out the door, rushing to the next appointment when the telephone rings. What do you do? Do you come to a screeching halt and answer the phone? Let’s say you do, and it’s a family member, calling to dump their latest woes on you. Do you stand, tapping your foot impatiently while you roll your eyes and listen to the sob story? This is a typical scene for many moms.

I have another commitment that day.

Say it and mean it. Regularly schedule in time with your family or time alone and if someone ask for your help during that time look in your planner and tell them you have another commitment.

Instead of rushing to be everything to everyone, stop. Ask yourself if you truly have time for whatever comes up. If not, say no by walking away, turning off the ringer on the phone, or not answering the knock at your door.

Always remember that you are a mom—not a super hero. When you have to say no, people will understand; if they don’t at first, they will get used to it eventually.

For more suggestions on living the life that you want to live visit Journey to Joy  (it is loaded with examples and action steps)

You Deserve a Break – 15 different ways to “Take a Break”

Top 10 Ways to Reconnect with Your Family - 4 pages of excellent suggestions on spending quality time with your family.

I hope you enjoy them!

Mothers are expected to possess huge hearts, big shoulders, a minimum of 3 hands, all the answers and the list goes on! What many mothers forget is they are not born with super hero powers to handle all of those things at once.

Mom = Stress. It’s a fact of life. Reducing stress is of the utmost importance to everyone, but especially mothers.

You know stress can lead to depression, heart disease, and an unhealthy mom. Did you also know your stress, if not handled correctly, can have a negative impact on your children too?

The most important things in a mother’s life, her children, are also the most influential. Children are sponges and everything Mom does they will, at some point in time in their lives, mimic. If children see their mother constantly stressed out, they will be more inclined to follow those patterns. What you do today can determine the kind of life your child will lead tomorrow, including how you make it a point to reduce stressful situations.

Mothers tend to overload themselves, which in turn overloads their children. Adults move at a much faster pace and their bodies are more adept to handle the speed of life. Children, on the other hand, are not able to function this way, which can lead to developmental and behavior problems in the long run if constantly pushed to keep up with an adult’s quicker pace.

Studies have shown a mother who is under excessive amounts of stress will hand out harsher punishments than one who is not. Prolonged stress can cause a mother to get to the point that she feels overwhelmed and will not stop to think before handing down discipline. This type of behavior teaches children it is ok to let your mood control your life as a parent.

Children need to feel a sense of security and know that their mom is there to help them work through and understand the stressful times in their lives. If children are not taught what stress is and why it is a part of their lives, they will never learn how to reduce it, therefore leading them down a path of unhappiness and unhealthy choices. Give them the tools early about how to deal with stress and more importantly, how to reduce the amount of stress that occurs in their lives.

There is no one who lives an entirely stress free life. In fact, you shouldn’t want your children to have a life with absolutely no stress. The day will come that a stressful situation occurs and they will have no idea how to cope with it, which is cause for an extremely negative outcome.

As a mother you must show your children that stress does not have to control your life. Mother’s have a tendency to try and do it all; even when they know they are not capable. STOP! Make a point, each day, to reduce your stress levels. Eliminating just one stressful situation can make a world of difference in the way you feel and how your children handle stress as adults.

About the Author:  Aurelia Williams is a certified Personal Life Coach and author of Finding More Family Time.

Find More Time for Your Family! Click Here To Learn How.

We have our backpacks and school supplies.  We already purchased some new school clothes.  We just got home from having haircuts.  Am I missing anything? 

We can’t find out who their teachers are until the 24th during Meet the Teacher time.  However, we will be on vacation so I have to call during that time to find out.  They won’t tell me before.  Since my daughter will be new to the school and won’t be able to meet her teacher ahead of time, I think I may have to bring her to school the first day instead of letting her ride the bus like she wants to.  I don’t know.  We’ll see. 

Yes, I know.  The last week of summer break is a strange time to take vacation, but we are meeting grandparents at the beach and that’s when my in-laws decide to go.  I must be accommodating.  (Especially since they are paying for most of it.)

I don’t have teenagers, but thought this would be beneficial to those of you who do. This online seminar has an extremely reasonable price tag too!   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

School’s Out Seminar Helps Parents Plan The Perfect Teen Summer

Contact: Aurelia Williams
Company: Parenting My Teen
Address: P.O. Box 5, Brentwood, MD  20722
Phone:  202-744-2676
Email: aurelia@parentingmyteen.com
U R L: www.parentingmyteen.com
 
Washington, D.C. – Aurelia Williams of the Parenting My Teen resource site and Internet Talk Show will be hosting an online seminar titled “School’s Out! Plan For The Perfect Teen Summer” on May 16th and 17th. This seminar will feature expert speakers providing information and insight on topics such as education, money, and staying out of trouble.

Ms. Williams has not only founded www.parentingmyteen.com, she is also a life coach and part-time work at home mom, who is raising four children, ages 7 – 21. She understands how hard it is to keep teens occupied during the summer.

If you are a parent of a teen, you know that it is too easy for teens to become bored during their summer break, how easy it is for them to get in to trouble, or spend too many hours watching television or playing video games. This seminar will teach parents how to use the summer break to get their children prepared for the next school year, find a job or even start a business, and avoid peer pressure.

Participants of the School’s Out Seminar will not only receive access to the conferences, they will also receive a 10 week Summer Action Guide and an 11-page report that discusses “summer brain drain”. This is the phenomenon that describes the loss of learning that can occur in students over the summer months. The report discusses ways that parents can prevent summer learning loss.

In addition, participants will also receive the opportunity to ask questions through internet microphone or conference room chat; plus, they will receive recordings of the conferences to play back and access time and time again.

Registration is only $19.95 $14.99 and can be purchased through http://www.parentingmyteen.com/schools_out.html.

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“This is the bestest song ever!  I love it!” ~ Courtney, age 5

“Mom, Can we hear ‘Name Your Tune’ again?  It’s very fun!” ~ Dylan, age 7

These are the comments I heard from my children after they listened to their new copy of the Name Your Tune CD.      (By the way, I got quite a bit of work done while they happily sang and danced in the next room.)

Name Your Tune is an exciting new (and award-winning) children’s music compilation that is made-to-order and personalized for each child.  The child’s name is the feature part of every song making this CD all about them.  (Our version was personalized for both of my children, alternating names between songs.  They loved taking turns with their own songs.)

The songs are familiar and much-loved tunes for children, parents and grandparents and are a great way to learn and have fun together.  (Or get work done, as the case may be,  hee hee.)

Thank you Candace for sharing your precious CD with us.

For more information on the CD, visit http://www.nameyourtune.com.

I don’t like beating the crowds for the nice bags at the stores and I’m also really big on quality, non-trendy backpacks.  For those reasons, I buy our backpacks online.

In case you are in the same boat, check out this special at eBags.com: 

$10 Off Plus Free Shipping On Backpack & Messenger Orders Over $75 at eBags.com

Please choose your child’s backpack carefully.  Order a school bag, NOT a kid’s backpack.  A note from the eBags.com website…  “Kids’ backpacks are designed specifically for short-torsoed children, and are usually 16″ or under in length. Most are not meant for heavy loads of books or other gear, but are instead ideal for clothing, lunches and small accessories. “