Drop That Weight for Free!

All those fattening holidays are behind us (including a chocolate-covered Valentine’s Day), and bathing suit season is looming on the horizon. I have finally decided that I didn’t want to take weight-loss drugs for a temporary fix, and I’m getting sick of paying a sitter to watch my Velcro kids while I work out or go to program meetings. I’ve joined weight loss programs in the past that ended up being quite costly, so this piece shares with your readers 10 ideas for how we can have just as much success on our own … for free! 
 
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Lego Afterschool Enrichment Program

Who doesn’t love Legos®? I love sitting around with my kids at the dining room table while we build all kinds of crazy creations. I think if my boys had to choose only one “toy” to play with for the rest of their childhood, they would pick Legos®! That’s why we were excited when a neighbor told us about Junior FIRST® Lego® League (Jr.FLL®), a terrific afterschool enrichment program for boys and girls ages six to nine. After age nine, your child can move on to the more advanced FIRST® Lego® League program.

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Keep the Home Fires Burning (8 Ways)

When I was a new mom, finding time for my husband wasn’t too difficult. We could sneak off now and then while our son was in his bouncy seat. A few kids later, though, new issues came up that made connecting as a couple quite a challenge. For one thing, nighttime intimacy was almost impossible because my husband and I were exhausted, and the kids’ bedtime routine was taking FOREVER. Also, my younger kids have some freaky kind of Mommy Radar that goes off when I am out of their predetermined comfort range. And let’s just say the kids are getting a little older and wiser about the going-on behind closed doors.
According to a Parenting.com survey, 74 percent of respondents said that having intimate time with their spouse or partner was less important than sleep. Having five children myself, I tend to agree with that sentiment, but I also realize that you have to find a way to keep your relationship strong. Anything that helps you creatively sneak in some foolin’ around time is alright in my book, and this piece takes a humorous look at the things we might be willing to do to get some time alone with our spouse!

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National Library Week

Families are looking for ways to save money now more than ever. But our kids (and us parents!) definitely enjoy having new books to read and new DVDs to watch. It’s also nice to be able to take our kids somewhere fun without breaking the bank. This article, a tribute to National Library Week in April every year, contains 7 reasons why it’s the perfect time to check out your local library.
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Rev Up the Romance (for new parents)

When you become a new parent, exhaustion becomes an unwelcome houseguest that just won’t leave. Add something extra like two working parents or a breastfeeding mom to the mix and you have a recipe for a real Couple Time challenge. No matter how many kids, jobs or college classes you have, this piece includes 7 ideas to sneak in that all-important connection time.

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Making the Most of Your Maternity Leave

Many moms will tell you they think working a full-time job is easier than being a full-time stay-at-home mom. As a guest blogger at ScaryMommy.com so eloquently put it, “I want to go back to work. Not because I don’t love my one-year-old but because I want to escape him. … Rather than obsess over the nutritional content on his high chair tray. Rather than watch the Wiggles for one more minute.”
Allison Hahn, Psy.D. shares, “When you come back from the hospital beginning maternity leave initially it is an overwhelming experience in terms of how little you actually know, regardless of how informed you thought you were, about caring for a newborn.” She continues, “What can be particularly shocking for professional moms is how little they get done during a day. The typical thought is ‘I have the whole day at home for several weeks? I’ll get that re-fi completed, get the shed painted, write that novel and keep the house spotless.’ It is shocking to realize that you get NOTHING accomplished …”

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Mother's Day Dilemmas Solved (6)

Remember Mother’s Day before you were married? The day probably revolved around your own mom, stepmom or other mother figure. Then your mother-in-law came into the picture, and you had to really split your time every second Sunday in May. Once YOU became a mother you probably realized that juggling Mother’s Day visits (as well as your own “selfish” needs and wants) should be an Olympic event. While it’s true you can’t make everyone happy all of the time, I believe you CAN honor all the moms in your life — including yourself — every year. Here's just one of the six ideas in my piece:

Dilemma: So many moms, so little time.

Solution: Change it up. Who says Mother’s Day should only be celebrated on that specific Sunday in May? I like to have my stepmom over for dinner one night during the week leading up to Mother’s Day. Then maybe we take my mother-in-law out to dinner the night before. When Sunday rolls around, I have my mom over to hang out with us at our house for part of the day, and we make sure to serve her a special meal and shower her with cards and flowers. I get the best of both worlds on Mother’s Day: being with my own mom and being with the little ones who made ME a mom.

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