You are here: Home / Archives for Family Activities

Moving Your Family from a House to an Apartment

May 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you’re used to having a house, the move to an apartment can seem like a serious downgrade. For children and teens, any big move can be a source of depression, especially if they have to leave behind things like the yard that they grew up playing in, or a big bedroom. It should come as no surprise then that the best possible way to ease the transition between a house and an apartment is to maintain a positive attitude and involve everyone affected by the move.

Change Isn’t Always Bad

Look on the bright side: less space will give you and your family a chance to get rid of the excess stuff that everyone accumulates when they have enough space to store it. If you don’t use it, you probably don’t need it. The stuff you keep will be better organized. Talk about the other positive aspects of moving around your kids.

Make Moving a Family Activity

Pack together. When looking at apartments for rent, go as a family and let the kids help decide where their new home will be. Do walkthroughs together and let everyone get familiar with the apartment before you move in. Talk about where the kids will work on their school projects and other homework.

Keep the Familiar Things

Kids often feel uprooted when they move into a new place. Take along their favorite toys, clothing, even photos to hang on the walls, to make the apartment feel like home.

Making moving into a family affair will make the switch from house to apartment much easier on everyone.

 

Filed Under: Family Activities, Home Improvement Tagged With: , ,

Budgeting for Name Brands

May 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you’re a hardworking parent and attempting to provide for your family, sometimes you have to “go without,” meaning that you have to sacrifice the things that you want, in favor of the things that you need, or that your family needs. It isn’t fun to go without all of the things that make you happy, like buying your favorite brands of clothing for example, and so often the best course of action is to budget for these items, and to buy them when your budget can reasonably support it.

Budgeting for Name Brands

Create a goal, such as deciding to buy a piece of Coogi clothing once per month. Set a financial goal, such as being allowed to spend a specific amount of money on that piece. Then work on saving enough money throughout the month to make this goal a reality. Unless you are living paycheck to paycheck and hand to mouth, and cannot reasonably afford to put a few dollars away per week toward this goal, it should not take much time or effort to save up enough money to buy the piece of clothing that you are lusting after this month.

Create a new goal every month, and add a nice piece to your wardrobe each month. This will allow you to have the wardrobe you dream of without having to break the bank in the process. A little scrimping and saving can really go a long way in helping you to achieve your fashion wardrobe dreams once and for all.

Filed Under: Family Activities, Home Improvement, Resources Tagged With: , , ,

Working mothes

April 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many parents struggle with the fact after finding out they are expecting what lies ahead of them with regards to income. More often then not it’s not always beneficial to have two working parents. Many questions will run through your mind such as: Will the husband work?  Will the mom have to work? Will daycare expenses be worth the mother working, or does ?

The best way to figure this all out is figure out if it’s worth having the mother work.  By doing that you need to figure out the cost of the total paycheck you would receive, and then deduct gas, daycare expenses, meal expenses, ect.

By having a working mother in the household, obviously it helps the family not to have such a financial strain.  Also, by both parents working the duties and responsibilities of the household are more often then not shared by the two parents.  Fathers will take on more duties then they are given credit for.

Some working mothers find difficulty in assuming the role of mother at home, then working a fulls day of work at work, then coming home to do it all over again.  The following are some times to help in managing the roles of both.  Try to meditate or relax for small intervals throughout the day.  Even if it means taking a short walk on your lunch break. Get everyone involved with the duties and responsibilities around the house.  Have the kids clean up the dishes after dinner.  Don’t overanalyze things during the week.  If it can wait until the weekend let it.  Most importantly is to make sure to make time for you.

Filed Under: Family Activities, Working Parents Tagged With: , ,

Work-at-Home Moms — Balancing Home, Family, and Work

March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Finding the balance between work and home is challenging enough, but when you work out of your home it can become even more of a challenge. With some planning and organization, it can be done. The most important aspect of finding a balance is reminding yourself and others that although you do not get dressed up and drive to an office every day, that your job is still a “real” job.

The best way to balance family, home, and job is to organize your life. This means organizing your time, your schedule, and your family’s responsibilities. Use chore charts and calendars to keep everyone on track. Set a specific time when you are “at work” each day and stick to your schedule whenever possible. Keep everyone, family and friends alike, informed of your schedule. Request all social visits to be done outside of your work time frame. Coordinate with your spouse that he manages all kid-related issues when you are working and he is at home.

Setting aside a separate room or area of the house that is your “office” and only working in that area will help keep you focused on work. If you feel as though you need to set aside time during the day to accomplish household tasks, then set your schedule in a way that makes this possible. For example, if you need to work an 8-hour day, get up and work for 4 hours in the morning then take a 2-hour break and work on projects around the house. Set a timer if necessary to keep you on track. After your break go back to work and work another 4 hours.

Filed Under: Family Activities, Homework Help Tagged With:

Budgeting the Business known as “Your Household”

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Budgets aren’t just for growing businesses; family’s budgets are just as important as a local business. After all, your family, your children, your pets, and your spouse are all depending on that budget to work in their favor, for that bottom number to be positive. It may seem easy to stick to a budget, but when you start racking everything up you can be amazed at how much you are spending.

My family spent $1,700 in groceries last month alone. That’s nearly one paycheck for me. I couldn’t possibly imagine it would be that high. I assumed that we were buying unnecessary food or throwing out more than what we were eating. But after going through the bills I realized we needed all of that. I already clip coupons and go through the weekly flyers, but cut backs still needed to be made.

A friend told me about how she used financial software to budget her family’s expenses. I assumed that only businesses used that, but she told me that when you look at household expenses in general it really isn’t that different. We have payroll, I pay my kids a weekly allowance. We have heating, water, electric, cable, and internet. We have profit coming in, myself and my husband’s paycheck. I assumed the software would be hard to use, but with a few friendly online tutorials I was off and running.

I always used to laugh at my mom for driving across the street because chop meat was on sale for a nickel less, but now I understand that every penny adds up. I have been using the financial software for about six months now. We are now able to plan our family vacation to a five star resort to Hawaii in the summer.

Filed Under: Budgeting, Family Activities Tagged With: , ,

Really Enjoying Togetherness

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Family time is becoming more precious as more demands on our lives try to cut into it. This is why it is so important to take steps to ensure that your family time is uninterrupted when you do get it. One way to do this is to take advantage of vacation time, and family cruises make this easier.

Because you are on a cruise ship for at least part of the time, it’s going to be easy to schedule time for everyone to enjoy their favorite activities separately then come back together to share their adventures. And because cruise ships, especially those that cater to families, offer so many supervised activities for children and teenagers, parents do not have to worry about their children getting into trouble.

So on any given day aboard the ship, after a family breakfast together, mom and dad may enjoy hours in the casino or working out at the fitness center while the kids join others their age for some carefully chaperoned fun time. Later, everyone can meet for lunch and a rest, and then go to one of the pools. The whole family can take turns on the water slides or Mom and Dad can just relax and watch the kiddies as they splash down into the water.

Families with teenagers may be able to allow them a little more freedom on family cruise holidays instead of insisting that they join organized activities. A little research and information gathering beforehand will let mom and dad know the places where teenagers can safely go, and those that have age restrictions. (These are usually carefully watched, so sneaking in won’t be an option.) The most important thing is that at least for a few hours each day, the whole family will come together. It is at these times that family bonds can be strengthened, and family cruise holidays can be credited for helping with that.

Filed Under: Budgeting, Family Activities Tagged With: , ,

Perfect Presents

January 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are a few times through the year that, as a parent, you need to find the perfect present for your children. Kids always know exactly what that perfect present is, too. Unfortunately, you may find that that great new gadget or toy that your child wants is a little beyond your means. In fact, this happens more often than not. Some parents even find that it happens almost every time it comes around to get a new present. There are some things that you can do to keep this concern at bay.

First, make sure that you are saving money through the year. Most likely, the current trend for the perfect present is not going to be cheap. Keeping up with your savings, and knowing that you plan to spend some money on your child is important.

Sometimes, this is not possible. Things happen, and you may find that your child’s birthday is creeping up, and you haven’t been able to save nearly enough this year. If this is the case, there are some options. First, you could get a loan from a friend or family member. This is not ideal for many people, as they do not like to borrow from friends and family. Another option is to use a credit card. Unfortunately, many people do not have credit available to them. If this is the case for you, you may want to consider looking into a payday loan from a company like Payday One. You will be able to get the cash that you need for that perfect gift for your child, and pay it back with your next paycheck.

Making sure that you get your child a present that they will appreciate is important to many parents. Unfortunately, the funding isn’t always as readily available as you would like. Check out your options before giving up on that perfect present.

Filed Under: Budgeting, Family Activities, Working Parents Tagged With: , , ,

Finding the Best Family Holiday Deals for a Christmas Cruise

January 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The cruise ship MV Funchal in Helsinki, June 2009
Image via Wikipedia

Family holiday deals on cruises might be just what you and your family need to unwind during Christmas. If you have kids, going on a cruise during the holidays is a fun way for your entire family to relax. Cruises are a stress-free way to vacation because much of the planning is already done for you.

Lots of Fun and Very Little Planning

If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of planning a vacation during Christmas, just know that a cruise might very well be the simplest solution to your holiday vacation needs. With a typical vacation, you’d have to deal with booking flights well in advance and reserving a hotel room and a rental car. With cruising, however, you can sit back and relax. Simply choose the cruise line of your choice and you instantly have lodging, meals and transportation all taken care of for you.

Going on a cruise during Christmas is a perfect getaway. You and your family can take advantage of the various recreational activities on the cruise ship. One parent can relax and sunbathe while another mingles with other parents and their kids. Children can go swimming or play games with other kids. Regularly scheduled meals and evening entertainment make your Christmas vacation relaxing and enjoyable. Shore excursions add to the fun and excitement.

Finding Family Holiday Deals on Christmas Cruises

To get started on finding a family holiday package, determine which destinations appeal to you. You might choose Barbados, Puerto Rico, Alaska or some other location that sounds inviting. Think through how many days you and your family can be away and determine your budget for the trip. Check for deals online or speak to a travel agent to help you narrow down your choices. Be sure to ask for special holiday packages, family deals, and discounts for children under a certain age.

Filed Under: Family Activities

Keep Your Kids Warm with Lots of Layers and Quality Gear

January 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
BERLIN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 19: A woman bundle...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

One thing we all know about winter is that it can brutal, inside and out. It can be hard on the skin, the lungs, and can make going outside an uncomfortable experience. The problem is, kids don’t always know this, which is why parents need to be conscientious about their children’s cold weather needs.

In the recreational-adventure world there is a phrase that says “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad equipment.” This is very true. Just because the weather is disagreeable doesn’t mean you have to stay hunkered down inside waiting for the spring. With the right gear, winter can be just as fun and enjoyable as the other nine months of the year.

With temperatures swaying back and forth along the thermometer in strange and unpredictable ways over the past number of years, having good gear is essential for keeping your child protected in the winter. A t-shirt and a light coat are good for fall weather, but in the winter, layers become essential.

When buying a coat for your child, buy a large size (but not too large) so you can fit a layer or two under that. The overcoat—the outer layer is the most important. Get one that keeps out wind and allows room for mobility. Clothing manufacturers, such as Rocawear, provide these kinds of coats at prices that are often affordable.

Scarves are also a good addition to any winter wardrobe. If a coat seems ineffective, it may not be because of the coat itself but rather the wind finding a way to sneak beneath it. A scarf keeps wind out of the neck; gloves with elastic bands keep wind out of the sleeves, and a “belt’” or elastic waist on a coat keeps cold from getting in through the bottom.

With the right gear, your child will stay warm while generating and conserving his or her own heat. After all, sledding is an aerobic exercise!

Filed Under: Family Activities Tagged With:
« Older Posts