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Things No One Told You About Work-Life Balance With Kids

Hong Kong Tran — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:40:35 +0000

Being a stay-at-home parent is hard enough…how do people balance full-time jobs AND kids at the same time?

There are so many things new parents may not know about balancing work, life, and kids. Kids may be that tipping point, but a balance CAN be achieved. You just need to know a few things first.

Laura T. Coffey of TODAYMoms gives ten things no one told you about work-life balance with kids. Here are a few…

“You will always, always, ALWAYS be tired and always will feel as though you could lie down and sleep for 15 hours straight.” But that’s what you signed up for when you became a parent. Stick through the first few years and things will certainly pick up.
“Just when a real rhythm seems to set in and you finally feel mildly in control, your child will throw up all over his or her daycare provider/preschool instructor/elementary school teacher.” Life happens…and throwing up is just a part of life.

Here’s my favorite. Remind yourself that…

“No matter how tired you are, no matter how hard work is, and no matter how ill-fitting your pants feel, becoming a parent is the best thing you’ve ever done — period.”

Tackling a work-life balance may seem impossible, but hopefully as we at Just Parenting Advice have demonstrated in our articles these past few months, with dedication and a true love for parenting, you can overcome things you never thought you would be able to do.

How do you balance work and kids? Any secrets?

10 Things No One Told You About Work-Life Balance With Kids [TODAYMoms]

Things New Moms Should Ignore

Hong Kong Tran — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:35:18 +0000

Becoming a new mom is something exciting and rewarding. Knowing that you’re about to raise another human being into this world can be scary, but that’s where the excitement lies. You never know what to expect.

Other moms have probably told you what to expect, both the goods and the bads about being a new mom.

Among all the advice that you’ve gotten, here are 3 things you should ignore, as written in Babies Online…

TV Moms
A busy mom with an immaculate house? Yeah, right…
Your Perfect Friend
There are no such things as Supermoms.
Unrealistic Advice

You’re a new mom, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have common sense. Advice that just makes you shake your head in disbelief shouldn’t be followed, no matter how insisting it is.

Do you believe TV moms? Do you have a perfect friend? Have you ever been given unrealistic advice?

3 Things New Moms Should Ignore [Babies Online]

Pita Chip Recipe

Hong Kong Tran — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:37:30 +0000

With all the concern that surrounds kids and unhealthy eating, it’s important that you realize there are much better alternatives out there.

Here’s one of them…

This is a recipe from ParentDish.com that can be a substitute for junk food like potato chips. In 20 minutes these pita chips will have your kids snacking and smiling.

Ingredients:

2 whole wheat pitas
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp low-fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Separate pitas in half and drizzle on the olive oil.
Cut pitas into small pizza slice shapes
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange pita slices (soon to be chips) onto the cookie sheet. Sprinkle on cheese.
Bake in oven for 6 minutes. Toss to bake evenly.
To prepare the dip, add yogurt, dill, and cucumber into a bowl and mix.

And you’re done! A much healthier alternative than fatty potato chips!

Do you have any healthy snack ideas of your own? Share with us below!

Snack Time? Try This Crunchy, Low-Fat Pita Chip Recipe [Parent Dish]

Professor Blames Technology For Dumbest Generation

Hong Kong Tran — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:35:22 +0000

Mark Bauerlein, an English professor at Emory University in Atlanta and author of The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future, believes that technology is to blame for the downfall of intelligence in today’s Generation Y.

Bauerlein argues that…

If you go into a room of strangers, you don’t know how to relate. You can’t replicate your IM habits. It closes people off from a wider engagement with the world.

On the other hand, director of the Center of Aging at University of California, Los Angeles believes that technology “teaches our brain a different way of processing things,” and that it’s not necessarily making us dumber.

I personally think that there are some disadvantages to technology, but the goods greatly outweigh the bads. Technological advances in the medical field, for example, are helping scientists expedite certain processes that used to take weeks or months.

What do you think? Is technology making us dumber?

‘Dumbest Generation’? Professor Blames Technology [USA Today]

Killing Kids With Bad Food

Hong Kong Tran — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Jamie Oliver won the 2010 Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) award with his vision that diet habits in kids can be changed in the home and at school.

I wish for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.

Diet-related diseases are the biggest killers in the U.S. today. But these diseases are entirely preventable, as Oliver repeats in his talk over and over again.

In watching the video below, you will learn…

How often Americans die as a result of the food they eat
How much children’s lives are shortened by diet habits
How to teach kids about food at home and in schools.

Oliver believes that we are all capable of making real, tangible change in the way we feed our children. Do you believe?

Watch the video and tell us what you think!

Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk: How We’re Killing Our Kids With Bad Food [Barking Robot]

Things You And Your Child Will Survive

Hong Kong Tran — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:34:19 +0000

Waves of panic seem to rise when it comes to parenting…

The smallest things that would normally be insignificant suddenly become the biggest problems.

That’s natural. That’s understandable. You want everything to run smoothly because you want the best for your kids. But somehow nothing seems to be right.

Guess what? You and your kids will make it! Shara Lawrence-Weiss from Examiner.com sheds some light on 10 things you and your kids will get through. It’s not the end of the world if…

You say no and you child begins to cry.
Your child isn’t invited to a birthday party.
You child falls and cuts himself or herself.
Your child sings nonstop.
Clothes don’t fit your child exactly right.
Your child says they hate you.
Your child develops an obsession with one movie…and one only…
Your child says something inappropriate in public.
Your child thinks you don’t know as much as his or her friends.
Your child eats a little of their own poop.

I’m not so sure about that last one, but as for the rest, there’s nothing you and your kids can’t overcome with some teamwork.

Were there ever situations in your parenting where you thought you would never get over?

10 Things You and Your Children Will Survive, Believe It or Not [Examiner]

Reasons To Support Alternative Post-High School Routes

Hong Kong Tran — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:30:23 +0000

Colleges across the country are admitting fewer students each year. College tuition is increasing as well. For example, there is a 32% increase in tuition where I attend school. Some students have dropped out simply because they don’t have enough money to pay for college. And many high schoolers are reconsidering their post-high school plans…

I am a firm believer that kids should get a college education, but it wouldn’t hurt to think about holding off college for a year or so.

RadicalParenting.com gives some reasons why…

Getting a job or an internship to save up money could help pay for college tuition, and is a great way to build work experience
Perhaps in pursuing other routes after high school your kids will find something they want to do, like join a non-profit organization
Passion comes from learning about oneself. In taking the time to realize his or her passion, your child may be on his or her way to something a textbook won’t be able to teach

For 5 more reasons why it’s worth it to reconsider the college route right after high school, check out the link below.

How has the changing times affected your kids’ post-high school routes? Is your son or daughter going straight to college, or doing something else? Tell us about it in the comments below!

8 Reasons to Support Your Child in Taking an Alternative Post-High School Route [Radical Parenting]

Understanding Generational Differences Through Slang

Hong Kong Tran — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:00:12 +0000

Slang is something many of you may never get used to, because slang evolves just like everything else that surrounds your children these days.

But it wouldn’t hurt for you to recognize some of the slang that your kids may be using and see how slang has changed over the years.

Vanessa Van Petten of Radical Parenting traces slang words through the decades.

For example, where did the slang word “sick” come from?

“Groovy” from the 70s became “cool” in the 80s, then “dope” in the 90s to reflect the increase in drugs and crime, then finally “Sick” today.

“Junk mail” turned to “spam” and finally to “spim,” which is spam through the instant message. I won’t be suprised if something comes out of “spim.” Soon…

There are too many slang words to list here, but for a better sense of the evolution of slang and some of the popular slang of today, visit the link below.

Slang can be a useful tool to understand where this generation will head. Just don’t try to use it…or you will be sure to get some facepalms from your kids!

What slang words are you familiar with? Do you understand the slang that your children uses today?

Understanding Generational Differences Through Slang [Radical Parenting]

Seven Secrets To Raising A Happy Child

Hong Kong Tran — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:40:09 +0000

With the bad economy, the increase in tuition fees, and the lack of jobs, it wouldn’t be surprise if your kids don’t turn out to be the happiest kids in the world.

Although you can’t really control what happens outside of your family, as parents you can at least raise happy children. What happens next is up to your kids.

But let’s start with some of the ways you can help raise your children to be healthy ones…

In addition to tips like giving your kids choices, being a role model for your kids, and respecting your children’s privacy, one “secret” that I think would really make your kids optimistic in the future is for you to be confident yourself.

Be positive about your job, and do not walk in the front door complaining about the economy and your coworkers and boss. Let your kids know that you will have a way to support yoursefl and them…When you need a new job, go ahead and look, but do not make it your child’s problem.

You are your children’s most influential teacher–they learn the most from seeing what you do, and seeing how you act and feel. If you feel unhappy about the situations you are in, don’t reflect that onto your children. Don’t make them feel unhappy for your unhappiness.

Following the seven steps at the link below will help you raise happy children for the future.

Are your kids happy? How do you make sure that they are happy?

Parenting: 7 Secrets to Raising a Happy Child [More4Kids]

Technology Makes It Hard To Relate

Hong Kong Tran — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:43:02 +0000

Families.com believes that while technology today is useful, it makes it hard for people to relate to each other.

And when it comes to you and your kids, not being able to relate to one another is detrimental to the parent-child relationship.

You can’t fight the changing times. Well, you can, but you’d be fighting a losing battle from the start. Technology is alive and well and it is immortal. Resisting it isn’t the answer. You need to work with it.

If you feel that technology makes it hard for your kids to relate to others, the solution isn’t to ban cell phones and the Internet. The truth is, your kids will, sooner or later, find a way to weave technology into their lives.

But as a parent, what you can do is set a limit on how much technology can be used around the house. Limit the number of texts your kids can send a month, and the hours they can spend on the computer doing non-homework activities.

You can’t get rid of technology, but you can enforce some rules when it comes to using it.

How do you feel about technology? Do you think it’s a bad thing? Or should we embrace it?

Technology Makes it Hard to Relate [Families.com]