Planned Acts of Niceness

As As a mom, it’s easy to get caught up in a world that consists only of your children and everything that concerns them. But as a person, it’s important to remember that random acts of niceness can go a long way, both for you and the receiver of these acts. A coffee in the morning for a colleague, a gift certificate to dinner for your child’s teacher, or even paying for the next person’s laundry when you pick up yours are small acts that may have big results. With just one small act, you can set off a series of good acts as people pay it forward. You’ll find that when you do, these acts pay big dividends and you’ll begin to do them over and over.  

Recently, I have set a personal goal in order to achieve ‘my random acts of niceness’ quota by establishing a once-a-week good deed. Not only has it provided me a great sense of personal satisfaction when “presenting” the niceness act, it has also kept this niceness “ideal” very top-of-mind for me. And as I’ve filled my quota weekly, I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone is connected, related somehow. It’s that connection that we thrive on, that connection to each other is the very reason why giving back feels so right. It’s our way of claiming a place in the world and with that claimed place comes a desire to serve others in the world community. And as both mothers and people, it’s our job to make sure we don’t forget that.   

Share a Good Book…Share Your Love

Often, moms crave some alone time. We crave just a little time alone to cuddle up with the latest Danielle Steele novel or the most current Oprah magazine. But instead of “reading solo”, consider taking that time to cuddle up with a book and your child. We all know that we serve as our children’s first and most “powerful” role model. And when we compound this knowledge with experts advising that when reading aloud to infants stimulates their brains to create new learning pathways and that reading to preschoolers is the most important thing families can do to prepare them for reading….we should really take heed. According to the the Zero To Three organization, children really do love to read, not just because they find books interesting, but because it is a joyful and bonding experience with a parent (zerotothree.org, 2002). The National Research Council confirms this same finding by concluding that reading with a parent provides a time for emotional closeness and provides a foundation for understanding the value of literacy (1999).

On a personal level, I have always been a reader. One of my greatest joys as a child–was adding to an ever-expanding book collection. This love of reading eventually led to my pursuit of an English degree in college and my continued fascination with the written word. It is not surprising that my children also love to read (my daughters took to reading like fish to water—my son required a bit more prodding). Our family typically does not watch TV every evening….and instead, we read. Consider dedicating a few nights (or maybe just start with one) a week to read together. Think of it as a 2 in 1 benefit for your kids—knowledge wrapped up in emotionally warmth.

Best After School Snacks

Almost all kids want a snack after school. The trick to teaching them how to choose the healthy snacks is to give them a wide variety of healthy choices. Directorym.com had this suggestion of what to put on the counter:

Snack Tray on the Counter: Whole grain cereal, whole grain crackers, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, cheese buns, whole wheat rolls, apples, bananas, mandarin oranges.

101 Tips for Saving Money

Sometimes it’s 101 little things that can equal up to one giant savings. Take these tips from “Save You Fool!” and find out how you can shave off a little spare cash throughout the year. I’ve posted the top five to get you started on your way to savings!

Switched to bi-weekly mortgage payments
Switched to store brands
Drove less
Packed lunch
Said “no” to the daily Starbucks
Switched lights off in unoccupied rooms

Recycle Old Crayons

Somewhere at the bottom of the craft drawer, you probably have some old crayons. You know, the ones that are too small to hold, devoid of paper, and are usually avoided by your children like they’re last years socks. Well now, thanks to BlissfullyDomestic.com, theres a project you can do to put new life into those forgotten nubs:

First, peel all the paper off the broken crayons and discard. If your child is toddler age, you will probably have to do this part yourself.
Have your child dump the broken crayons into a foil lined baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until crayons are completely melted into a solid, rainbow block.
Let the melted crayons cool for about 20 minutes.
Using the foil, lift the block out of the pan and place it on the counter. It will still be warm and soft. This is the consistency you want, because the fun part is next!
Pick out a few chunky cookie cutters and let your child help to carefully press them all the way down into the wax, making a new crayon each time. You’ll want to start cutting around the edges where it’s cooler, saving the middle for last.
Place the cut out crayons on a plastic dish to fully cool. Soon you will be coloring together with your chunky, rainbow crayons!

Stress Free Meal Planning

We busy moms want to make all parts of meal time stress free - preparation, sit down time and cleanup. But how many times have we looked at reducing the stress that goes into planning those meals? OrganizedFamilies.com put together a list of tips on how you can reduce the stress of meal planning. My favorite - get the kids involved so that they can participate in the cooking and have something to look forward to.

* Double recipes that freeze well.

* Plan quick meals or use leftovers for busy nights. Save roasts for Sunday dinners.

* Be flexible. If something comes up, you can switch meals.

* Scan the grocery flyers for specials.

* Prepare a dinner menu for 5 or 7 days and post the menu to refer to during the week.

*After you have made menus for several weeks, recycle menu plans.

Save Money on Groceries

There are many tips around for saving money on at the grocery store, so it’s nice when you come across a fresh idea. Or if not exactly a fresh idea, one that typically goes unspoken. BusyMomsOnline had several such tips (my favorite is number 2, so true!):

* Before heading out, check advertising circulars carefully. Just because it’s advertised doesn’t mean it’s a good buy.
* Shop without kids so you can think.

Read more at Busy Moms Online!!!

Just Say No

WorkingMomsAgainstGuilt put together a list of small things a person can do during the course of the day to increase efficiency. Ways to multitask represent the majority of the tips both at home and the office. A couple rang true for me, while some seemed more difficult to undertake. The tip below is my favorite tip from their article and one I hope to implement - at home and work:

Say no to things that do not contribute to your objectives. If that’s hard for you to do, ask for some time to think about it, compare it with your priorities, and then say no.

Ring Around the Collar

When doing the laundry most of my attention is spent on food stains, grass stains and dirt on the knees. I often overlook that pesky little thing called “Ring Around the Collar.” Thankfully the folks over at lifetips.com have a tip for me:

Dirty neck rings around collars can be removed by putting shampoo on them. Rub the shampoo in like you were washing your hair. This works because shampoo is specifically made to remove body oils.

Look Fabulous in Pictures

Now that you’ve taken all those fab pics of your kids, its probably time for you to come from behind the camera and take the “family” picture for upcoming cards and memories. The photographers over at Photojojo share 10 ways you can look fabulous in those pics and possibly steal the spotlight from your cute little bugs!

Easy on the Ice

Leave it to the geeks at Wired Magazine to finally settle the debate about whether or not one should add ice to their drinks. They actually did the hard research by going to a Cineplex armed with thermometers and empty bladders. Find out the results of their efforts and see if you’ve been thrifty or if you and the kids spent way too many years drinking unpleasant warm soda.

Tips for Instantly Whiter Teeth

If you’ve noticed that your teeth have been less than brilliant lately you can make them appear dramatically whiter by your choice of lipstick.

If you have grayish teeth:

Avoid: Red Lipsticks with blue tones

Try: Cool tone with a brown base. Nude pinks with an almost brownish hue are best.

If you have yellowish teeth:

Avoid: Deep, dark shades. Bright Shades. Super shiny glosses

Try: Pink shades that have blue undertones. Nudes

You can find more tips on quick ways to whiten your teeth at Blissfully Domestic.

Lost the back of your earring?

When you 2 year takes the back of your earing and buries he’s secret “treasure” try taking off the top of an erase of a #2 pencil.  It will hold your earing in place until you have enough time to run by the mall and pick up another one for free (and they should give you another one for free).