Book Review: Get Out of My Life, but first could you drive Cheryl and I to the mall?

This is probably my favorite book for parents to read as their child is barreling down on adolescence. Get Out of My Life, but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the mall? is first and foremost, a priceless title. For anyone going through adolescence with a child, they know exactly what living that title feels like.

You need this book:
1. If you think you are going crazy with your teen or pre-teen
2. If you no longer recognize your child
3. If you are beginning to wonder if you are the world's worse parent
4. If you want to give your child a boot
5. If nothing is working at home

What I love about this book:
1. It educates you in layman terms, exactly what is happening with your child
2. It shows you how to be more patient
3. It teaches you what behavior is not "personal," just normal behavior of a child spreading their wings

This is a classic and with humor, education and good solid advise, helps us parents do our job even better as we all survive the adolescent years.

Check it out here.

Authored by Anthony E. Wolf.

Movie Review: Aliens in the Attic: Great Family Nite Fun

This movie is a favorite in our house. It is silly and a little scary and really quite sweet. The premise? A groups of kids at a family reunion do battle with a bunch of aliens (in the attic). Of course the evil alien's weapons only work on adults, so the adults must be kept away from them and kept in the dark. It's funny and sweet and I particularly like that the usual strife between the "smart kid" and the "brawny kid" dissipates at the very beginning of the movie. The kids all work together, are compassionate toward each other and act as a team. Plus, if you do pick this one up, make sure you watch after the credits for "Funky Ricky." You won't regret it. So pop the corn, curl up on the couch and put in a movie the whole family will enjoy.

Time Out for Parents - Three Quick Tips

We all know how important time outs are for our kids. Today, I just wanted to remind all us parents to stop a little bit each day and take some time for ourselves. There is nothing wrong with stopping to get our center back and everything wrong with not doing that.

Here are three simple ways to slow down.

"Mommy" or "Daddy" time.
I take small increments and tell my kids I am having "mommy time." I might grab a glass of flavored seltzer, kick back in my bedroom, read a chapter of a book, look at my favorite magazine, even have a cat nap. I feel great and refreshed after a few minutes and it teaches my kids boundaries. But, keep in mind your kids' ages. Mine are older, 9 and 13, and able to be unsupervised.

Get yourself a backup
My mom is one of my backups. She has been around to help me with carpooling, when I have to run to the market, etc. And when I need a break? She tells me, "Add a little time for you, honey." So,I might stop at a store, take a quick walk, or grab something from the coffee shop. Nice.

The Cushion
When you are running your errands, working, dropping off kids, add in a cushion. Stop and do something you love in the midst of all your maintenance work. Do you love art? Stop at an art gallery during lunch or after dropping off kids. Schedule library time for YOU. Consider joining a team. I was on a "mom's soccer league" for awhile. It was a blast. I almost had a coronary twice a week. But it was different and about me!



Remember to take the time to stop today, even just for a two-minute time out every now and then and get back to center.

Negotiating the Balance Between Clutter and Sentiment

Check out this great article for getting your child's room in order!

Click here to read.

Have a great week!

Maria

Smart Parent - Manage Conflict with Three Pluses and a Wish

Check out this great tool for managing conflict in the home!

Click here to read.

Bonding - One-On-One Time With Your Kids is Easier Than You Think

It is so easy to let quality time with your kids slip through your fingers. Life is a complicated thing. Jobs, mortgages, extra-curricular activities can all find themselves on the top of the docket. The problem?

What about all that quality time you need to have with your child? What happens to that? All too often, it gets swept under the carpet. Tucked away again and again until postponing it is the norm.

I agree, it is challenging to schedule one-on-one time with your child. Life does get in the way. But there are ways around it. When I was a kid, my dad would always take me to the hardware store. I knew that place like the back of my hand. And they knew me. He showed me off to the guys and I loved being in a place that was different, but most of all, I just loved being with my dad.

I follow that tradition with my own kids. Our "mother-son" or "mother-daughter" time can take place when we are gassing up the car, running errands or just cooking together. All it takes is a little tweaking. I can run errands and spend 10 minutes in the toy aisle with my son, checking out all the cool new toys. Or maybe we get some gas and stop for a candy bar in the gas station. Sometimes I stop at the post office after school and we take a walk through our historic downtown and chat about our day.

Quality time doesn't have to be a once a month all day extravaganza. Those days are important, too. But the little moments we take in our every day have tremendous power to remind us how enchanting our relationships with our children can be. Remember to take a little time out of your every day to spend with your kids in some one-on-one time.


Be the parent you want to be with simplicity and organization one day at a time.

Money, Money, Money! Teaching your kids how to deal!

It's the age old problem. Teaching our kids how to manage money. And that is no easy feat!

Check out the article I wrote after interviewing finance guru, Julie Barcus for quick and easy tips on teaching your kids how to master their relationship with money!


Click here to read!