Homemaker

Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio Thurs Jan 22nd Show

On our show today we had a great chance to meet another fellow Work At Home Mom, today we chatted with Genesis Davis. Genesis is from Guatemala and is a stay at home Mom to two lovely boys Dante and Dorian the loves of her life!

One of the challenges that Genesis mentioned in her interview was having to remind herself that the reason she decided to stay at home was to make sure she spent time with her kids. Not letting work rob  her of that time which I think is something that effects all of us as work at home moms is doing the constant juggling act.

 Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio Thurs Jan 22nd Show: Download

Homemaker

Getting the Whole Family to Help You Get Organized

When you’re the woman of the house, it’s often expected that you’re going to be the one primarily in charge of keeping the home clean and running smoothly.   You may not be able to do everything, however, and really need to get the whole family to help you get organized.

Division of labor in the home is one topic that causes stress among families.  The man of the house often feels that the house is the woman’s domain and therefore he shouldn’t have to help.  And we know what happens when we ask the children to help with chores.  You’d think we asked them to walk over broken glass or something equally sinister.

The problem with organizing the home and delegation of chores is that you may work away from the home as well.  Even if you’re a stay-at-home mom, that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who does the work.  If everyone made the clutter or the mess, it only makes sense that everyone in the family should help to organize and clean.

First, getting the whole family to help you get organized will take some effort.  Be sure not to nag and coerce them into helping just to get to you stop nagging.  They’ll only resent you for it.  Ask them to help, giving them tasks they may find enjoyable, or at least not completely boring.

If you can get everyone to take care of their own messes, it will make your job easier.  Have them put their own clothes in the hamper instead of leaving them on the floor, take their dishes to the sink when they’re done, and clean up anything they spill.  Help them remember that you’re not a slave and that everyone in the family is expected to chip in with the chores.

When your children are younger, you may have to spend extra time teaching them how to clean and organize their own things.  The effort, if they are receptive to learning, will be well worth it in the future.  You won’t have to worry about their being able to take care of their own things, they will be less likely to lose them, and they’ll be better prepared to live on their own when the time comes.

Staying organized, at least as far as being where you’re supposed to be on time, will be easier if everyone knows how to read a calendar.  Whenever the children bring home a paper with an important date to remember, transfer it to a family calendar.  Color-code the calendar so everyone has their own color.  You’ll all be able to look at the calendar and quickly see if you have something to do that day.

To help keep the home organized and running smoothly, you may have to get creative.  Your goal is to help everyone learn personal responsibility even if that means being tough when someone doesn’t pitch in.  Encourage each family member in a way that will appeal and you’re closer to getting the whole family to help you get organized and clean up the house.

Homemaker

The Rewards of Being a Stay at Home Mom

The decision to be a stay at home mom, versus going to work is a difficult one for most moms. After holding a precious baby in your arms for the first time, a natural motherly instinct is to never want to let that wee one out of your sight. The ability to be a stay at home mom is a wonderful opportunity that allows you to truly experience child rearing to it’s full potential. You are the caregiver of your children, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The life of a stay at home mom is one of the most rewarding lives one can leave. Not to say that a working mom’s life is not rewarding, yes there is a place for all of us in this world. Those who rush out to a 9-5 job and then come home to cuddle with the kids, help with homework, cook dinner and do laundry.

Some of the benefits of staying home are obvious, more time with the kids, no need for a babysitter or daycare, the ability to make all the decisions surrounding your child’s care. Then there are those you may not realize at first, no need for fancy clothes, less expense on items such as gas, lunches, and other things that surround the life of a working mom.

Stays at home moms also enjoy the company of their children all day long. Being with kids can be make you feel younger, and put you in tune with your younger days in a heartbeat. You can spend your time baking cookies, or building forts, maybe even creating animals with Play-Dough.

You can also be your child’s first teacher, and teach them the basics of life, sing songs and enjoy nature. Many moms enjoy the challenge of teaching their babies their first word, to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, or to recite their ABC’s and 123’s.

The life of a stay at home mom also includes many times many other responsibilities as well. As a stay at home mom, your spouse often times has expectations of what you will accomplish in one day, including, cleaning, laundry and meal preparation. It can be quite the task to juggle it all, but it can also be a job that will leave one feeling most accomplished at the end of the day.

Charissa Bear is the owner of www.momsinc.biz, a work at home resource site dedicated to helping moms find work from homecareers.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com

Homemaker

Every Mom Needs a Break before the Breaking Point

It’s probably no secret to you that today’s mom is busier than ever. It doesn’t matter if you’re a career mom trying to balance work and family or a stay-at-home mom trying to run the household and manage the many activities your children are involved in. This hectic pace often translates to isolation and leaves you little time for anything else.

I’ve been working closely with stay-at-home mothers since 2002 and it’s no secret that most moms will do everything they can to provide the best for their families, often at the sacrifice of their own happiness. We lose contact with friends, don’t take care of ourselves like we used to and seemingly lose our true sense of self.

Still, it’s not easy when we have heavy demands on our time and sometimes the only spare moments we have are when everyone is finally in bed and the house is silent. When the house if finally silent, take the time to read a good book, call an old friend or put in that exercise DVD you’ve been promising yourself you’d try.

And never be afraid to ask for a break. Ask a trusted friend or family member to watch the kids for a while and go do something fun for a few hours. The kids will be just fine and you’ll be a much happier mama when you return. That’s good for the whole family!

Recently, I spoke to Life Coach Aurelia Williams of RealLifeCoaching.net and she told me, “Being a busy mom, it can become so easy to fall into the mommy guilt trap where you start to neglect yourself. Many moms feel guilty if they take time for themselves and end up taking care of everyone else around them and pushing their own needs aside. This ultimately will leave you feeling burnt out, stressed out, truly unhappy and sometimes resentful. During the journey of motherhood, it is easy to lose ourselves along the way and inadvertently cut off or not seek out the support and camaraderie of other mothers.”

Aurelia also urges you to give yourself “time to unwind, socialize and bond with others, especially other moms.” This allows you to truly rediscover yourself – you know the woman you were before all those wonderful kids came into your life? When you socialize with other moms, you can gain support, ideas and tips to help you with deal with certain parenting and relationship concerns from others who feel just like you do or have dealt with the same issues.

Even when you’re busy, you can always connect with other moms during your children’s activities. Start chatting with other moms at your child’s soccer practice or after her piano recital. Social opportunities are available to you many times in the day – you may just not notice it.

Alice Seba is a mom who never wants to see you go it alone. Find support and advice from other moms just like you at www.MomsTalkForum.com”> www.MomsTalkForum.com

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com