Family | Mom Packed

The Art of Working with Children

Trying to balance a career and a child is a big task for a single mother. Mothers who are on their own have to make time for their children and at the same time maintaining what is required to keep responsibilities on the job a float. The good news is that there are some jobs that woman can consider that will bring flexibility and minimize some stress.

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A career to look into is in the health care field. This allows single mothers to work hours that allows them to make time for their children. They are able to set hours ahead of time with minimal change and when you’re in the healthcare field you can work a few days a week for those that have small infants.

Being a freelance writer is another opportunity for flexible employment. This would be considered a good stay-at-home position so you can be with your child 24/7. You can find freelance writer jobs on the internet, local newspapers or magazines. Various topics can be written on from fashion to cooking. It just depends on your expertise.

If you are looking into going into business for yourself, then having a business where you make appointments might work out better than you think! Being a hairdresser, consultant or a personal trainer can allow you to have set hours to accommodate your family. Catering is also a good deal if you have a strong passion for cooking for others.

There are many other ideas for making a living while enjoying motherhood. It’s best to make sure you do your research to see which career path will work best for your home life.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Child, Flextime, Single-parent

The Best Mother’s Day Gifts Ever

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Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the wonderful moms in our lives and let them know how much they are appreciated and loved.

This year, instead of flowers and lunch, how about giving her a gift that will be remembered. Technology with a purpose is a really great gift idea for the special women in our lives. Not only will it make a special gift, you will be able to find a phone that fits her individual style. This will be the one gift that she will use daily for more than just making calls.

Her new mobile phone will fit her personality and lifestyle, and it is also a gift she will enjoy using and showing off to her friends; new mobile phones will not only fit her style, but it is also a practical gift mom will feel good about using every day.

With her new phone she will be able to keep up-to-date and organized, which in turn will help to relieve stress. She will enjoy the freedom of mobility and the security of knowing that she can easily be contacted. Mom will be able to keep everyone’s schedule, including her own, up-to-date and within easy access wherever she is.

Mom will enjoy knowing that not only can she stay connected to those she loves but she can snap a picture, listen to her favorite music, or access the internet when she needs to and it is all right at her fingertips with her beautiful new mobile phone.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Mobile phone, Mother, Mother's Day

Budget Concerns of Being a Stay at Home Mom

Being a stay at home mom can be a very rewarding career, but it definitely has one major drawback – a lack of pay. There are ways, however, that you can use the skills you have to make supplemental income to ease your family’s budget strains.

Here are some ideas on how to supplement your income as a stay at home mom:

Sell things that you make. There are websites online where you can sell your crafts. You can also advertise in your community and hold craft and jewelry parties. If you have a talent or skill for crafts and sewing, why not use it to earn supplemental income?
Teach piano or another instrument. If you know how to play an instrument, this gives you a wonderful opportunity for supplemental income. You can get a teaching certificate and teach neighborhood kids in your area.
Offer babysitting services. If you stay at home during the day anyway, why not offer to watch kids for other parents who have to go to work. If you only watch a couple of additional children, you will not need to get a license. Plus, turning your home into a business provides tax deduction opportunities.
Work from home. In this day and age, there are lots of jobs that can be found online. You just have to be creative and look for the best opportunities. Being a work at home mom, however, will bring a whole new set of challenges, so be prepared.

Staying at home with your kids while they are young can provide financial strain, but you can look for ways to supplement your income and improve your finances.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Family, Housewife, Telecommuting

How Working Moms Can Stay Involved In Their Kids Schools

Working moms often drop their kids off at a before school program or get them off on the bus and then head off to work, and then they don’t see or hear from school unless their is a problem. One of the hardest things to do when you are full time working mom is to be involved in your kids everyday school life. It is important to remember that a good relationship with your child’s teacher and other school staff can make a big difference in their experience at school.

Although it is easier for stay at home mom’s to be involved at school, it is not impossible for working moms to be involved. You may not be able to volunteer in the classroom once a week, or be a room mother, but there are other ways you can make your presence known.

Email and cell phones have made staying in touch with teachers much easier. You no longer need to wait until your child’s teacher is out of class to ask them a question or check in on how your child is doing. All schools and teachers have e-mail so you can easily send them a note to introduce yourself and then use it consistently to keep the communication open. The internet has also helped in that many teachers have classroom pages. You can easily log in to see what is going on in your child’s every life just by checking their website.

Even though you may not be able to show your face on a regular basis, you can be involved in your child’s classroom in other ways. You can plan your work schedule so you can volunteer for field trips or volunteer after work. There are always committees and other work that needs to be done in the evenings that will help the teachers. You might even be able to use your work expertise to help out. Design a website, or help organize other activities.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Child, Housewife, Mother

How to Stick to A Family Budget

Making a budget for your family may take some time and effort, but when you get down to it, making it is the easy part. The hard part comes in when you actually have to stick to it and stay within the plan. In order to stick to a budget you may want to follow some simple tips.

Plan your meals before shopping. This can be a huge money saver. If you know exactly what you need before you hit the grocery store you will come out with only what you need. It is also a good idea to shop on a full stomach, and if you can avoid shopping with kids you will also save money.
Stay away from name brands. Most off brands will taste exactly the same as name brands. It may take a little trial and error, but it is always worth a try to save.
Use coupons. Coupons can be a great money saver as long as you only use the ones you need. If you use coupons to buy items that are not necessary it will just add to your grocery bill.
Pack your lunch. You can save a large amount of money by staying away from restaurants and takeout at lunchtime. A lunch from home will cost only a few dollars while buying lunch may cost up upwards of $10. This amount adds up every week.
Choose water to drink. Soda and other flavored drinks can taste good, but they cost money. Water is free and when you add up the amount of money that can be spend on drinks for an entire family, the number will shock you. Water is a healthier, cheaper choice for everyone.
Eat in. It may be easier for a busy mom to stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home from work, but the money you spend on this could be money in your pocket. It is worth the time and effort if you plan ahead to make meals at home for the family. The annual savings can be over a thousand dollars a year.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Coupon, Grocery store, Money

The Effects of Working Moms on Kids

The debate about the negative effects on kids that come from homes where their mothers work has been going on for years. There is probably no changing the minds of those who are against it, or those who believe it doesn’t have any lasting effects. Whether you are for or against it, here are some of the facts.

A recent review of over 50 years worth of research has come up with some interesting findings.

Kids who had moms who went back to work full time before they were three years old were no worse of academically or behaviorally than those who had moms who stayed home. There were actually some areas where they performed better. It was found that these kids who were in daycare often had less problems with anxiety and depression.
It was also found that kids who were from single family homes where their parent worked often performed better than kids from single family homes where their parent did not work. This should relieve the minds of single parents who have no choice but to work outside of the home.
The biggest benefit of having a mother that works is having a good role model for kids. They are showing their kids the value of work, and the value of providing. It is not necessarily the extra money that it brings into a household. Having a good role model can also help to decrease other stresses and pressure in the home that have nothing to do with money.

The problem with having mothers taking over a bigger share of the work outside of the household is the lack of good daycare. It is no secret that day cares have not kept up with the demand. There is much more of a need for good child care in many areas than there is child care. This often causes anxiety and guilt for many mothers who have no choice but to have a full time job outside of the household.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Day care, Mother, Single-parent

Determining If Payday Loans Are Right for You

Over the past couple of years there has been an increased amount of attention drawn to payday loans. People who have never heard the term payday loans are now hearing it everywhere they go. The problem with this increased interest in payday loans is that it gives many people the opportunity to misuse payday loans.

The misuse of payday loans can lead to high interest rates or extremely high monthly payments. These situations can potentially suck a person further and further into debt. This is why it is recommended that people think carefully about using a payday loan so that they don’t find themselves in this type of financial position. If you or someone you know is considering the use of payday loan here are some questions you can ask yourself that will help you determine if a payday loan is right for you.

What Type of Situation Are You in?

Try to assess what type of situation you’re in at the moment. If it is a situation where you cannot possibly wait to get the money or need cash right away, a payday loan from a company like paydayone.com might be the best solution. Payday loans can get you the money you need quickly which can help in an emergency type of situation.

What Are You Spending the Money on?

The reason payday loans were invented was to help people out in emergency situations. To assess whether or not you should use payday loans consider what you’re spending the money on. If it is for an unexpected bill or emergency car repair then payday loans might be ideal. However, if you’re using it to buy your child toys, or fund a vacation, you may want to reconsider applying for a payday loan as these are not situations that warrant needing emergency cash.

Asking yourself these questions will help you determine whether a payday loan is right for you or not.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Business, Loan, Payday loan

Tips for Easing Back in toWork After Maternity Leave

One of the hardest days of a working moms life is the day they have to go back to work after being out on maternity leave. Not only do you have to leave your baby for the first time, but you also have to get back into the routine of getting up and getting yourself ready for work.

There are some things you can do to help prepare for this transition, and although there will be some hiccups as you get into a new routine, these tips may help make the transition a little easier.

Do a practice run. The week before you go back to work set your alarm and get up and go through the routine you have planned for your back to work day. This way you will know if something will not work and you have to adjust the time you get up or the order of your routine.
Get some sleep. If you have been taking advantage of your time off you may be used to sleeping some during the day. Get in the habit of going to bed earlier so you can get enough sleep when you have to wake up early.
Stay in touch with other moms. Many moms start new friendships when they are out on maternity leave. It is important to keep these friendships going even after you return to work. If your friends are also going through the same thing you can offer encouragement and advice to each other when the going gets tough.
Keep focused at the office. It is important to keep your focus on work while you are there. It may be difficult, but it won’t do any good to worry about your baby while you are at work.

Filed Under: Family, Mom Tagged With: Family, Mother, Parental leave

Honey, We are Going to Vegas

There are some times when the stresses of everyday life get to be too much and you have to get away. There are few destinations in the United States that offer as big a distraction as Las Vegas. Whether you take the trip alone with your spouse, or decide to make it a whole family affair, it is sure to be an adventure that no one will soon forget.

Las Vegas is known best as a gambling town, but it has become so much more. It is one of the entertainment capitals of the United States for children as well as adults. The weather is one of the biggest selling points making this an ideal place to sit by the pool almost year round. The big resort hotels like the Flamingo and Mirage have developed huge pool areas with a multitude of features to cater to families that come to Vegas to visit. Mandalay Bay even has a wave pool and shark reef to entertain young and old visitors alike.

Vegas are so many fun things to do, that you will want to come back again and again. A great way to make repeat trips affordable is to purchase property in Vegas or buy a time share. There are a number of excellent locations to choose from and they can pay for themselves if you hire a Las Vegas property management company to rent it out for you when you are not using it.

There is much to see and do in the towns surrounding Vegas. Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are just a short drive away and both are a must see. One attraction not too far off the strip that doesn’t get enough attention is Red Rock Canyon. The drive through the mountains just west of town is breath taking; the beautiful scenery has been used as a backdrop for a number of movies.

Filed Under: Family, General Tagged With: Lake Mead, Las Vegas Nevada, United States

Making the Most of Your Evenings

Weeknights with kids can be challenging. There always seems to be to much to do and not enough time to do it in. If you have ever felt like you don’t have enough time to spend with your kids with everything there is to do. There are a few things you can do to help make the most of the time you have at home in between work and bedtime.

As with any schedule, planning is key. Plan easy meals for weeknights so you are not spending a lot of time prepping and cooking dinner. If you whole family can sit down at the dinner table at the same time, make sure it is quality time. Make it a point to find out how their day was and also tell them about yours.

If your kids are older and have homework, they can be sitting at the kitchen table getting their homework done while you make dinner. This way it is not only all done before dinner, you can also chat about your days while you are both accomplishing something. With homework done, you will have after dinner for time to relax together.

Use the time after the kids are in bed to prepare for the next night. If you need to defrost something for tomorrow’s dinner make sure you take it out of the freezer. You can also do anything that can be done ahead of time so it is ready to go the next night. The more you prepare the better your next night will be.

Filed Under: Family, General Tagged With: Dinner, Homework, Kitchen