KERRIE MCLOUGHLIN

Drop That Weight for Free!

2012-01-16T11:28:00.001-06:00

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

2012-01-15T22:37:00.002-06:00

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)

2012-01-12T19:49:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-12T19:46:00.000-06:00

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)

2012-01-12T19:43:00.002-06:00

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

2012-01-12T19:41:00.000-06:00

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)

2012-01-12T19:35:00.000-06:00

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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Surviving Your First Year as a Stay-At-Home Mom

2012-01-12T19:25:00.000-06:00

Congratulations! You’ve taken the plunge into the zany SAHM (stay-at-home mom) pool. While expecting your baby, you may have envisioned days of doing exactly what you wanted to do while your baby snoozed away, but you have probably by now realized that your tiny, new — permanent — houseguest is running the show. Now what?

I’ll never forget the time a family member asked me, “Are you bored yet?” Melissa Stanton, mother of three and author of The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide, says, “When a spouse comes home at the end of the work day, sees the breakfast dishes still in the sink, and asks, ‘What did you do all day?’ it can be hard to answer. All you know is that although you never sat down or stopped ‘doing,’ you didn’t accomplish anything of substance. Every nose wiped, snack served, doctor appointment made and errand run prevents a SAHM from being able to, say, balance the checkbook, write the great American novel or just relax and be the lady of leisure many perceive SAHMs to be.”

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What in the World is Thanksmas?

2012-01-12T19:22:00.000-06:00

As the mother of 5 small kids, I know how crazy holidays can get. Cooking, cleaning, shopping, dressing up, traveling, rushing and going into debt are just a few of the joys to look forward to from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day. Why not take a day in between all that chaos to have a low-key Thanksmas celebration ? Invite who you want! Eat what you want! Wear what you want! My piece (below) includes details, as well as some dos and don’ts, for having a great annual Thanksmas celebration!

Thanksmas is a great excuse to keep in touch with the friends you can’t even seem to spend time on the phone with anymore. I mean, Facebook is a great social outlet, but it’s not the same as a face-to-face conversation and a hug. Also, we overextend ourselves during the main holidays, and we need a day when we can focus on fun, relationships and relaxation.

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Spring Is In The Air At My House

2012-01-12T19:20:00.000-06:00

This is a fun piece that uses the letters in the word SPRING to share how the coming of the new season looks at my full house. You get a glimpse of my bad housekeeping, my crazy kids and my 12-year marriage, and hopefully the result is at least mildly humorous. For example:

"Spic n span house. Who doesn’t love a spic n span house? Well, me. I mean, I don’t really care. I’m happy as long as I have a path to walk along to get to my morning coffee and clean clothes and dishes. My husband, however, actually LIKES to do spring cleaning while I practice avoidance of it. I don’t remember that part being on our premarital counseling test or it may have been a deal breaker (for him!). I try to put off all my errands and other plans until I know he’s itching to do spring cleaning, then I sneak out of the house with the kids and leave him to his passion."

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5 St. Patrick's Day Traditions to Start

2012-01-12T17:07:00.000-06:00

Kids love any excuse to make a day extra special, so why not March 17 of every year? You certainly don’t need to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day with your kids and to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. On this day, everyone has a little Irish in them! Here are some ideas for traditions to start this year!
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How to Support a Family With a Baby in the NICU

2012-01-11T02:31:00.001-06:00

Because my son Sam aspirated meconium into his lungs when he was born, he was transported to a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) across town within hours of his birth. My husband had to be strong for our whole family while also dealing with stressful work issues. My other children were upset and confused. As for me, my hormones were a mess, and I was overwhelmed with learning the lay of the NICU land while also taking care of things at home … and recovering from childbirth. I was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally.

Parents can generally expect to bring home a baby within a few days of birth and instead may find themselves making a daily trek to a hospital NICU for months on end. The unexpectedness of having a baby in the NICU can put strain on a marriage, on a job, on family and on friendships. Thankfully, there are so many ways you can jump in and help to be a godsend to a family facing this challenge, and this piece shares 12 of those ways.

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What I'm Working On ...

2012-01-10T12:43:00.001-06:00

Here are some pieces I'm working on. Email me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com if you need me to hurry up!

Cloth AND Disposable Diapering At the Same Time
Chiropractic Care for Bedwetting
Attachment Parenting: The Good, the Bad and the Snuggly
Get Out of the Kitchen!
Chore Solutions
Meal Planning 101

Christmas Nonprofit Appeal Letter Sample

2012-01-07T17:21:00.002-06:00

Christmas 2001

It’s Christmastime again! It’s a time to buy and make gifts, bake cookies, spend cherished time with our loved ones and, most importantly, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

There’s always something special in the air at Christmastime. People are kinder, warmer, friendlier. We smile at strangers, we say hello to our neighbors, and we treat our friends and families just a bit better. We exhibit Jesus’s example of giving to and helping those who are in need.

We’ve all heard that it is better to give than to receive. To know that you are helping to make someone’s life just a little bit easier or helping to make someone happy is an indescribable feeling. As I’m sure you realize, while you are busy buying and making gifts for your loved ones this Christmas season, there are so many people in need. While most of us take for granted having a merry Christmas, some among us can only pray and dream about it.

For those of you with children in your lives, you know their joy when they open gifts on Christmas Day. It’s very sad for me to think of all the children in our area who won’t have even one gift to open this year. In fact, they may not even have a meal to eat on this special day. But there is hope for them, and that hope is you.

Here at [nonprofit client], we pride ourselves on the help we have provided to those in need for so long. But we honestly couldn’t do it without your generosity. Please consider putting one more person on your Christmas gift list this year, and send a donation to [nonprofit client].

10 Special Christmas Traditions

2012-01-04T20:31:00.004-06:00

Every year on December 1^st, my internal Christmas clock kicks in and I start craving my Great Aunt Eva’s amazing fudge and sugar Christmas cookies. I start looking forward to all the good times to be had leading up to Christmas day. Christmas need not be a stressful time when there are so many fun family traditions to try out! Grab your calendar and block out some time for these special Christmas traditions you and your kids will love and cherish.

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14 Valentine's Day Traditions

2012-01-04T20:30:00.005-06:00

Growing up, I always looked forward to Valentine’s Day. I loved making valentines for my friends at school and decorating a shoebox to collect them in. When I got home from school I could always count on chocolates from my mom and a small gift from my dad. Cards had come in the mail from grandparents and aunts. I was definitely made to feel special on Valentine’s Day. I think everyone should get the chance to feel special on this sweet day full of love, so check out my 14 traditions and give a few a try! Your readers will definitely make someone’s day!

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10 Slumber Party Dos and Don'ts

2012-01-04T20:30:00.004-06:00

Does the thought of 10 kids sleeping over at your house all on the same night freak you out? Do you picture getting zero sleep because you have to deal with said kids all night long? Do you picture food and drink and toys and junk exploding all over your house? Yeah, I did, too. Then I figured out some ways to make it a great experience for the kids AND for me. Learn from the Slumber Party Sensei’s dos and don’ts, folks.

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Those Poor Lefties!

2012-01-02T18:30:00.005-06:00

Those poor Lefties (cue sad violin music)! They pick up a mug, and the picture is facing away from them. They struggle while using regular scissors. And who hasn’t giggled watching a Lefty write while their hand smears ink across the page as they sit at their school desk made for Righties? As only 10% of the population (and boys are more likely to be Lefties), Lefties are definitely a minority. It does seem like Lefties are at a disadvantage, doesn’t it? Good things Lefties are now seen as special rather than strange!

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12 Wonderful Winter Traditions

2011-11-02T08:38:00.004-05:00

By the end of summer my son Michael is always asking, “When is winter coming?” When I ask why he wants to know, he says, “Because I REALLY want to play in the snow!” As much as I gripe about all the gear that goes on my kids before we head outside in the winter, the thrilled look on my kids’ faces makes it all worth it. With all the fun things to do in winter, ’snow wonder kids and adults alike love it so much! This piece packs 12 favorite family traditions for your readers to try, plus two yummy soup recipes. The first 6 are for if you have snow; the next 6 are if it’s cold or you just want to PRETEND it is J

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8 Holiday Traditions for EVERYONE!

2011-10-17T17:24:00.001-05:00

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Almost as soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers were put away when I was a kid, you could find me riding in the back of my parent’s car while we sought out holiday lights. These days you’ll see me in my mommyvan with husband and kids in tow making SEVERAL treks to look at lights, only we add the extra touch of snacks and hot chocolate. I also love to make fudge and sugar cookies with my kids to give as gifts like my mom did with me. Check out my 8 traditions, designed to make the holidays fun for EVERYONE! Four are to do with your family (look at lights, have a movie night, have a special meal, relax) and four are to do with your family ... for others (adopt a family, take treats to firefighters and others, bake cookies for everyone, help the needy)! This piece includes a sidebar of holiday books (see below).

Sidebar: Holiday resources for everyone

The Jewish Family Fun Book: Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes by Danielle Dardashti and Roni Sarig

Holidays Around The World: Celebrate Christmas: With Carols, Presents, and Peace by Deborah Heiligman

The Children's Book of Kwanzaa: A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday by Dolores Johnson

Jewish Holiday Style by Rita Milos Brownstein, Donna Wolf Koplowitz

Christmas Cookbook; Simple Recipes for Kids (First Facts: First Cookbooks) by Sarah L. Schuette

Kids in the Holiday Kitchen: Making, Baking, Giving by Jessica Strand and Tammy Massman-Johnson

Kerrie McLoughlin shares her adventures raising 5 kids at TheKerrieShow.com.

Venturing Into Unschooling

2011-09-29T16:19:00.002-05:00

Since many states don’t require formal numbers for their homeschooling stats, there’s no telling how many homeschoolers are also readers of your publication. Within that population, though, you have many who are either unschooling already or who need more (and accurate) information about what it is and is not. My piece explores my foray into the world of unschooling in the form of an essay.

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10 Traditions to FALL For!

2011-09-29T16:18:00.006-05:00

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Ah, fall! Hopefully it means a break from oppressive summer heat, and it definitely means fun times are ahead. Fall might find us grabbing my mom and heading to a local pumpkin patch. Another weekend we might be sampling banana-flavored milk at our nearby dairy farm. This piece includes 10 ideas for fall traditions to start with your own family. Pick and choose a few each year … or try to sneak them all in! This piece is full of helpful Internet links.

Ideas include: going to a nature center, apple orchard or outdoor market, having a scavenger hunt or learning to geocache and more! Flashlight tag, anyone?

Happy HalloGREEN or Green Your Halloween

2011-08-21T09:02:00.003-05:00

Between costumes, candy holders, treat wrappers and plastic decorations, Halloween can quickly become a landfill’s worst nightmare. Multiply that by the number of kids you have and you have quite a bit of wasted junk on your conscience. Fortunately, just about anything you do can be done in a more ecologically responsible way, and it’s easy! Check out my tips to green your Halloween — and save some serious cash (paper green!) in the process.

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10 Fundraising Life Lessons Learned

2011-08-12T07:51:00.001-05:00

At first glance, helping a child rock fundraiser after fundraiser can seem like a giant pain in the … calendar, wallet and more. But repeat after me: Fundraising teaches cool life lessons (like altruism, basic manners and common courtesy, dealing with rejection and so much more) – and can also be fun! Readers can keep this 540-word list handy for the next time they pull the fundraiser packet out of their kid’s backpack.

This piece would make a great addition to any month when you need a filler because fundraisers are held all year by many schools and organizations. Please contact me if you would be interested in using or purchasing this piece.

As always, I’m happy to edit or make additions for no extra fee … just ask!

Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) is mama to 5 and gets excited when fundraising time comes around, especially if chocolate is involved.

Rock the Next Fundraiser!

2011-08-03T09:47:00.002-05:00

I have to admit I roll my eyes when I find out it’s fundraising time … again. Schools and organizations sometimes hold several fundraisers per year, which ends up being a lot of work for parents and kids. I’ve survived a few of these puppies, and I’m here to tell your readers it’s possible for their kid to rock the next fundraiser while saving you the burnout symptoms! Check out the 11 ideas in my 779-word piece, including a Safe Fundraising sidebar.

Please contact me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com if you are interested in using or purchasing this piece.

10 Halloween Traditions

2011-07-22T21:59:00.001-05:00

Don’t you just love Halloween?! It’s exciting (dressing up and sugar!) and scary (trick-or-treating in the dark!) … and a little bit gross (pumpkin goo!). My parents started Halloween traditions with me, and my mom still calls every year to make sure we know when the Charlie Brown Halloween show is on. Like me, I’m sure your readers enjoy discovering new traditions with their own kids, like “booing” and going to a Trunk or Treat. My piece includes 10 Halloween tradition ideas your readers will enjoy.

Please contact me if you are interested in using this original piece in your upcoming Halloween issue.

My mom carves a special pumpkin when I have a baby.

A trunk at Trunk or Treat.

Mother's Helpers

2011-07-22T21:54:00.002-05:00

I have a confession: I am in love with my Mommy Interns, aka Mother’s Helpers. I have a few on call for when I am feeling frazzled as a mom. You know, those times when you can’t seem to get a dish done because of the laundry that piles up. Or when you can’t shave your legs because of all the hygienic upkeep your kids require (all those nails, hair and teeth!). A Mother’s Helper can take your kids to the park to swing and play ball, they color with your girls, play Legos with your boys and — perhaps best of all — change diapers! This 537-word piece will teach all a mom needs to know about the wonderful world of Mother’s Helpers, including how to find one, how much to pay one and what to have them do when they get to your home.

The great thing about Mother’s Helpers is that they are getting to know you and your children in a low-pressure situation. Before you know it your Helpers will be full-fledged babysitters while you do something crazy like go out on that long-lost thing called a date.

Please contact me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com if you are interested in using or purchasing this piece.

14 Traditions to Start With Your Grandchildren

2011-07-22T21:53:00.003-05:00

Grandparents, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important you are to your grandchild(ren). You are so much more than an occasional babysitter. You teach without it even seeming like you are, and your wisdom is soaked up better than any lecture from a parent. You may not realize just how profoundly you affect your grandchildren. To keep your connection with them alive, read on for 14 traditions you can start with your grandchildren. Most of them are pretty adaptable so you can continue them as your grandchildren grow. (902 words)

Lemonade Stand Learning

2011-06-27T13:49:00.001-05:00

"When your kids ask you if they can have a lemonade stand today, do you sign in anticipation of all the work required? Me, too, especially because I never did a lemonade stand when I was a kid. Instead, my best friend and I went door-to-door in her neighborhood attempting to sell “must-have” summer items like rocks and pamphlets. So when my kids suggested doing a lemonade stand in our yard, I first blamed television for putting the idea in their heads. I soon reluctantly agreed, and we were on our way to several whole days of fun and (don’t tell my kids this part) learning ..."

This 793-word piece would be perfect for a summer or back-to-school issue! Please contact me if you'd like to see the entire article.

10 Tips to Conquer Kid Clutter

2011-05-14T02:26:00.000-05:00

January is Get Organized Month, and there’s no doubt about it: kids are born with clutter. Just think of the clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, bottles, toys, paperwork, etc. that babies alone come with. And it only gets worse as they grow up. With too much junk around, it’s no wonder many kids don’t appreciate their things, and my kids seem to not even play with most of their “stuff.” This piece offers 10 tips to help any household with kid clutter start to recover. Tips include: overhaul what the kids already have first, notify friends and relatives that you are paring down, put a basket for shoes by the door, and more. Please contact me if you would like to purchase this piece, and I can quickly construct a sidebar of 10 things to do with unwanted clutter (garage sales, craigslist.com, clothing swap with friends, etc.). (839 words and am happy to include a sidebar of 10 things to do with unwanted clutter)

8 Egg-citing Easter Traditions

2011-05-13T07:43:00.003-05:00

Easter was always an exciting holiday when I was growing up. I remember spending the night with my grandparents the night before Easter, and I could SWEAR I heard the Easter bunny scooting across the floor in the night. Upon waking I’d bolt out of bed to see what candy and other treats I’d been brought, then we’d head to church for Easter services and a massive egg hunt. My day would end in a sugar coma on the couch, watching “The Wizard of Oz” with my parents. My non-religious piece includes 8 ideas for Easter traditions your readers could try with their own kids. Pick and choose a few of them each year … and stick with the ones your family loves! The photos below are available for no extra fee. (816 words including sidebar of movies)

8 Tips for Saving on Birthday Gifts

2011-05-12T08:37:00.001-05:00

I don’t know about you, but it seems like I’m always toting my kids to a birthday party. Buying all those gifts can be a real budget buster, and nobody wants to go into credit card debt trying to impress little kids (and their parents!) with lavish gifts. My piece presents money-savings tips to save hundreds of dollars every year on birthday party presents.

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When Daddy Travels ... You Can Make It Work!

2011-05-10T08:21:00.001-05:00

It’s definitely hard on family life when a father travels for his job. Not only does he miss birthdays, holidays and special events like Scout ceremonies or dance recitals, but his being away disrupts any household routine that may have been in place. And don’t think it’s any picnic for him, either … chances are he hates being gone and coming home to feel like he’s missed out on the life he’s building with his wife and kids. This piece tells husbands and travel widows, “Don’t fret.” I’ve been in this game for a long time, and I’ve got some ideas to make the days and nights easier on your family, to stay bonded and to have a little fun in the process. My piece offers advice gleaned from my own personal experience. This piece is unique because it offers advice for both Mom and Dad. (854 words including sidebar of book recommendations; 824 alone)

When Your Child's Pet Dies

2011-05-09T08:03:00.004-05:00

There’s no doubt having a pet is a special part of childhood. Pets bring joy and fun to a household. So how should a parent handle it when that pet dies? My piece (below as text) also includes a sidebar of books for kids about handing the death of a pet. (573 words including sidebar; 524 words without sidebar)

9 Ways to Go Green and Save Money

2011-05-08T08:41:00.000-05:00

Nobody ever said going green would be easy. In fact, some of my ideas might have you saying “ick!” But if you pick even just one of my ideas in my article (below as text), your readers will save money while also saving the planet. You don’t have to go all-out when you’re just starting. For instance, I used cloth diapers exclusively for five years before I switched to using disposables at night, and I’ve always used disposables when on vacation. Do I feel guilty about using disposables? Heck no! Every little bit helps when you’re going green! I realize you may want to edit the piece to take out the parts about menstrual cycle products, and that’s fine by me. You obviously know your readers better than I do, so of course I trust your edits! (882 words)

Summer Fun on a Budget

2011-04-28T07:32:00.002-05:00

Too often summer goes so fast that before you know it the kids are back in school and schedules fill up with sports, lessons and other activities. My article, “12 Weeks of Cheap Summer Fun” offers 12 cheap, fun activities to do with kids during the summer (an idea for every week). Photo options below.

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"Too often summer goes so fast that before you know it the kids are back in school and schedules fill up with sports, lessons and other activities. If you’re looking for some cheap, fun activities to do with your kids during the summer, I have an idea for every week. Some can be done in the evening, all can be done on weekends, so whether you work full-time or have the summer off with your kids, pick and choose a few of your favorites from the list below and turn them into summer traditions!

1. Plant a garden as soon as school is out and your family will see the fruits (or vegetables!) of your labors by the end of summer. If you don’t have a backyard or much space, many vegetables can be grown in pots on a deck railing or even inside. Head to http://www.kidsgardening.org/ to get started.

2. Read all about it when you join a summer reading program, like one your local library system might offer (check www.publiclibraries.com). Other organizations that offer rewards for reading over the summer are Chuck E. Cheese’s (http://www.chuckecheese.com/), Scholastic (http://www.scholastic.com/) and Barnes and Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/).

3. Do the drive-in. Head to http://www.driveins.com/ to find your nearest drive-in movie theatre, then pack up some chairs and a cooler of drinks, wrap some hot dogs in foil and pop some popcorn before you go."

full article available by contacting Kerrie at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com

picking out seeds for the garden

safety first at the lake!

Mommy and Baby Sam

family mini golf

red ball and red club!

look out behind you!

a summer ice cream stop

8 Birthday Traditions You'll Want to Try

2011-02-18T10:06:00.003-06:00

Every year when I was a kid my parents would let me choose where I wanted to eat dinner out for my birthday. Another birthday tradition they kept going was to have a small party for me with family and friends, including a cookout since I have a June birthday. Kids love to feel special, and it can be a challenge to find the time to come up with ways to make a birthday a knockout. Never fear! My piece has 8 ideas for birthday traditions to start with your own kids. Pick and choose a few of them each year … and stick with the ones you and your birthday kid love! This piece is just made for you to pop in advertiser information … you have my permission to do so.

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Bounce Back After Baby

2011-01-18T18:51:00.000-06:00

There’s so much more to bouncing back after having a baby than simply losing baby weight. You also have to do things like figure out how to relate to your friends without kids, how to deal with the advice of family members, how to get your brain back and more. I’ve been there five times and want your readers to know they CAN not only get back to themselves, but they can become a better version of that! My piece includes seven areas I found it important to focus on.

Obviously each of these seven areas could easily be an article all by itself, so please let me know if you’d like for me to expand of any of these and send it as a different piece (either with a humorous touch of my personal experiences or serious and informational), since the attached article got a little huge! I could write several 250- or 500-piece fillers quickly.

Kerrie McLoughlin Is ...

2011-01-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

... a freelance writer based in Kansas City. She is also a homeschooling mother of five young children. Her writing credits include over 95 regional parenting magazines, and she has also published an e-book kit about getting published in regional parenting magazines (complete with writer’s guidelines and tips).

You can also find her at TheKerrieShow.com, her variety blog which includes topics such as writing, homeschooling, attachment parenting, book and product reviews, weight loss and daily life being a Catholic hippie hot mess with kids.

When Kerrie isn’t parenting or writing, she enjoys reading, walking, volunteering, scrapbooking and learning new things to write about. She especially loves taking on writing assignments from parenting magazines ... hint hint.

Kerrie is also extremely accommodating and is happy to tailor any article to meet your editorial needs, including shortening/lengthening articles, researching local sidebars, etc. She's no Writer Diva!

Playdate Success

2010-09-09T08:24:00.000-05:00

497 words (can be trimmed to make a nice little sidebar for Forming Friendships)

A playdate can teach important skills like sharing, taking turns and navigating arguments … or it can quickly turn into an episode of “The Bad Girls Club.” So how do you go about finding decent playdate pals for your little one? This piece offers many tips from finding pals to play with to cleaning up after the playdate.

Please contact me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com if you would be interested in purchasing this piece.

Forming Friendships from Toddler to Teen

2010-09-08T08:27:00.002-05:00

1,191 words

As parents, we want our kids to make good friends … friends who they have fun with and can confide in. Of course, not all kids are social butterflies, so how do you encourage friendships at every stage of the game from toddler to teen? This piece is broken up into three parts: Toddlers and Preschoolers; Elementary Age Kids; Tweens and Teens and offers many helpful tips for helping kids make and keep friends.

Playdate Success would make a great sidebar for this piece.

Please contact me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com if you would be interested in purchasing this piece.

How to Handle Halloween Hecklers

2010-09-07T08:32:00.003-05:00

I know it’s not a holiday on par with the religious significance of Christmas or the historical importance of Memorial Day, but Halloween sure is a reason to celebrate in my house. This has a lot to do with the fact that I have a love affair with sugar, chocolate and any type of candy and have passed that on to my skinny kids. The sugar coupled with the opportunities for socialization for the kids and for me make this is the ultimate holiday. So why do Halloween hecklers want to spoil our fun? Over the years I’ve figured out how to handle all sorts of Halloween heckler tricks, and I’ll share these little knowledge treats with you …

703 words

Stocking Up On Meals Before (and After) Baby Comes

2010-04-23T12:55:00.004-05:00

814 words, including Resources sidebar

I've found that one of the biggest time sucks after having a baby is preparing and cooking meals, so I set out to find some ways to get meals cooked and lined up BEFORE my next baby was born. This piece solves many problems a new mom faces with trying to cook meals, including suggestions such as (1) make a bunch of meals while you're still pregnant and freeze them, (2) set up a meal calendar so friends and family can bring meals after the baby is born, and (3) ways to NOT have to see the pizza delivery guy every night (which also packs on the pounds!).

Here's the first part of the article:

"Let’s get real here. Once your baby arrives, you won’t have time for basic hygiene, let alone cooking. Babies are on their own time schedule, which means when you’re ready to prepare a fabulous 5-course meal, your crying bundle of joy is ready to be held nonstop. And who wants to spend Baby’s future college fund on take-out? Besides, the goal is to lose the baby weight, not to pack on more pounds eating pizza day and night just because it’s a quick fix.

One solution is to stock up on meals before your new baby’s arrival; another is to keep meals coming after your baby comes home. Whether you’re a first-timer or already have a few kids under your belt, here’s how to secure all the food you’ll need to be the best new parent you can be:

Make meals in advance at home.
Have you ever been in the middle of cooking dinner, only to realize you were missing one crucial item? It’s a cinch pre-baby to stop cooking and run to the store for what you need, but with a new baby in the house that seemingly simple task is suddenly downright frightening. So once you hit the second trimester (or whenever you feel a burst of energy), grab a once-a-month cooking cookbook (see Resources) and make and freeze some meals. And forget about those bulky foil pans because you can freeze some meals in plastic storage bags or containers to save freezer space."

Please contact me if you would be interested in reprinting this article.

Sappy Mom (Personal Essay)

2010-03-20T15:00:00.003-05:00

550 words

I've come to terms with the fact that I'm a Sappy Mom. I'm labeling myself as such and I own that label. You may also call me Cry Baby Mom or Wimpy Mom.

When my 8-year-old son Joel goes to the park with a friend, I superstitiously cross myself and then stare after him until I see that he's arrived safely. Most times I have a tear in my eye as I realize how big he is getting. Soon he will be 9, which is halfway from him potentially leaving my home and my care for good. I'm halfway done parenting this little guy.

When Joel and his little brother Michael spend the night with their grandpa, I get all emotional thinking of how close I hope they'll be when they are in their thirties. I pray that their wives will get along. I pray their wives will be good to them. I want them to drive safely.

I cry when my big boys leave for a fishing weekend with their dad. And then I turn my attention to my girls. I hope my girls won't fight too much as they grow up. I pray they won't let a man treat them badly. Is it too much to ask that they love their own bodies?

And of course I cried when they took my youngest son to the NICU for seven days right after he was born. I cried on the drive home from the hospital without him. As he got better, I wondered how much his older siblings would pick on him and how much I would jump in to stick up for him.

When I get a chance to scrapbook the zillions of photos I've taken of my kids, I can't bear to not print and place them all into albums. Who are these mothers who can fill just one scrapbook with a full year of their kid's life? I need at least three. Yep, it's out of hand. And I know I'll sit with a pint of ice cream when I'm 60, look at these scrapbooks and get nostalgically weepy.

I'm so sappy that I couldn't imagine sending them to school and decided instead to home school them. I couldn't stand to hear them cry themselves to sleep, so they have all slept with us for at least a few years each. The thought of dropping them off at daycare had me in tears so I always wanted to stay home, no matter what the cost to our budget or my appearance.

I enjoy the moments we have together, but I always have one foot in the future. I worry I won't know how to talk to them when they are teenagers, and I worry they won't want to talk to me. I worry unnecessarily. I've worried myself a nice big set of parentheses between my eyebrows that only Botox would be able to fix.

I'm not judging non-sappy moms. In fact, some of my best friends are of the Strong Mom variety. They work outside the home, they share a bed only with their husband, they send their kids to school, and they take long vacations without kids. We just shake our heads at each other but never criticize because we're all moms. We're all in this together.

Only Isn't Lonely

2010-01-19T02:00:00.008-06:00

941 words, including sidebar of Famous Only Children

Only children often get a bad rap for being spoiled, selfish and lonely, among other things. This piece busts some only-child myths with lots of quotes from parents of onlies.

According to www.abcnews.com, “A generation ago, only 10 percent of families had only children. Today that percentage has more than doubled.” These days, parents of more than three children are often asked, “Are you crazy?!” But parents of only one child are also judged and are often asked, “When are you going to have another?”

Nataly Kogan, creator of www.workitmom.com, says, “Like other parenting decisions — to breastfeed or not, to let kids cry it out or not, to go back to work or to stay home — figuring out how many kids to have is an extremely personal process, but it’s also one that causes others to share advice and opinions without much invitation.”

Some couples may long for more children but are unable to have them due to health problems or other factors. Some get a late start having a family. Some, like Tina Mowrey of Olathe, are simply sure they are done with one. She says, “I think it is to each their own. We love our life just the way it is!”

Read on to see seven Only Child Myths get busted.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Attachment Parenting 101

2010-01-17T14:09:00.000-06:00

In progress ...

Homeschooling 101

2009-12-11T22:07:00.002-06:00

805 words, including sidebar of homeschooler myths. I also have a longer version, which is about 1,000 words.

The decision to homeschool can lead to some overwhelming questions like: How do you get started? What does a typical day look like? How do you keep toddlers from emptying the cabinets on a daily basis while you teach your older kids? What about socialization?

After researching the homeschool laws in your state, the first thing you need to know is that there is no “perfect” or “right” way to homeschool. Teaching supplies and methods are as different as the families actually doing the homeschooling. Homeschooling can range from super-structured to complete freedom.

To get started, some homeschoolers buy a packaged curriculum with lesson plans, which works well for parents who are unsure about what needs to be taught or where their child is on the academic spectrum. The choices can be overwhelming, so do Internet research, join online groups and find local homeschoolers to discuss what programs they are using and what they think of their packaged curriculum.

This piece contains quotes from real homeschoolers in the Kansas City area. Obviously, you can take out the city and leave the name and quote if you like.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Pregnancy Sleep Disruption Solutions

2009-12-10T15:11:00.002-06:00

764 words, including sidebar of relaxation exercises to try before bed

What pregnant woman doesn’t enjoy her sleep being interrupted 12 times a night while she goes to the bathroom, sniffles through a stuffy nose and rubs out a few leg cramps? (yeah, right) While you may theoretically get 8 hours of sleep at night, the sleep disturbances of pregnancy (a good way to prepare you for caring for a newborn in the middle of the night) can leave you feeling quite groggy the next morning. Below is a problem-solving guide to hopefully gain you some longer stretches of sleep.

Problem: Insomnia
Solutions: Take a warm bath and do some relaxation exercises before bed. Try to stop worrying about things like what color to paint the nursery or who to invite to the baby shower. White noise from something like a fan may help. If your baby is squirming and kicking, try rocking back and forth in bed or rubbing your belly to get him to sleep. If you can’t sleep because you’re worried about labor, arm yourself during the day with information from books and the Internet (take a pass on any negative stories you may come across). Try listening to Dr. Frank Lawlis’s “Positive Birthing” CD. If insomnia becomes a chronic problem, speak to your doctor about taking Ambien or Tylenol P.M.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

8 Tips to Combat Birthday Party Excess

2009-12-09T15:10:00.002-06:00

It seems like kids’ birthday parties are getting out of hand these days, with parents trying to top each other for some non-existent “Most Elaborate Party” award! It can be difficult – if not impossible – to keep up with the intricate, expensive and often highly structured parties that are thrown by our child’s friends and classmates. Whether your child is in school, is homeschooled or is not yet even in preschool, the politics of birthday parties affect everyone. Save your sanity and stay out of the Poor House instead by considering some of the [eight] options and tips in my article.

643 words

Brace Yourself! What You Need to Know Before Visiting the Orthodontist

2009-12-08T17:00:00.001-06:00

489 words, including sidebar of foods to avoid when you have braces

Just when you think you have everything down as a parent, you find out it’s time to take your child to his first orthodontist visit. Most orthodontists say it’s best to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and the best time for that patient to be treated. Basically, the earlier any orthodontic treatment is started, the easier it will be to correct problems in the long run.

There are many different reasons for kids to need orthodontic care, including overbite, underbite, crowded teeth or overlapping teeth. Some of these problems could be caused by things like thumb sucking, accidents or tooth decay or can even be inherited. Benefits of having straight teeth include: easier maintenance, which can prevent cavities; preventing wear on the surfaces of teeth; too much stress on supportive teeth bones and gum tissue; and problems with jaw joints which can lead to headaches.

Your child’s first trip to the orthodontist (who has 2-3 years more education than your family dentist) is nothing to be feared. At your child’s first orthodontic visit (about 45 minutes in length), the pain-free examination will probably include digital photos, an X-ray and evaluation. Any questions you have will be explained thoroughly. A mold of his teeth may need to be taken. Your child may end up needing no orthodontic care for a few years, if at all.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Dreaming of a Peaceful Christmas (a.k.a. 8 Ways to Holiday Peace)

2009-12-07T23:51:00.003-06:00

744 words
I'm happy to research a sidebar of local volunteer opportunities for no extra fee

As children, the dilemma of where to spend the holidays seemed to be easily worked out by our parents. However, as more family members were added through marriages and births, though, the more diverse the personalities and distances our parents had to manage. Commonly when a couple gets married, they attempt to make everyone happy and see as many people as they can over the holidays. Invariably, by the time the new year rolls around, newlyweds end up totally frazzled from celebrating Christmas several times with many sets of relatives. Once couples add a few of their own kids to the mix, Christmas Day can get even more crazy, leaving them feeling like the rope in a game of Human Tug-of-War. Following are some quick fixes that will help you and your family fully enjoy Christmas this year.

1. Combine family events. Instead of running to your parents’ house and THEN to see each of your siblings separately, consider having just one shin-dig at one location when most everyone can attend. A sit-down dinner isn’t necessary. In fact, make it a potluck! Some choose to throw a party like this at their house every year the Friday evening before Christmas, for example, and have crafts for the kids (like building a gingerbread house or painting ornaments).

2. Consider an Open House. Choose a location (like your uncle’s house), a date and a convenient time frame when family members can come and go as they please without the pressure of being on time for a meal. Serve finger foods and other easy fare to make it easy on the hostess.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Birthday Parties on a Budget

2009-12-06T13:14:00.003-06:00

It seems like kids’ birthday parties are getting out of hand these days, with parents trying to top each other for the Most Elaborate Party award! Why break the bank for an off-site birthday party for your child when you can do it yourself on the cheap? This year, consider giving your child the Ultimate Birthday Party, one where he can play, have fun and just be a kid. The added bonus is that you get to keep your sanity and money. Follow these steps (some of which go against everything you’ve ever read about birthday parties!), and you’ll have a stress-free celebration everyone can enjoy.

This article includes ideas such as using Evite.com to save the cost of stamps, baking your own birthday cake, forgetting about goodie bags (do a used book exchange instead!), making simple decorations, having the party at a park to forego the mess at your house and considering having guests bring canned goods for charity instead of gifts. This article also includes a sidebar of a Party Shopping List so busy parents can tear it out.

755 words

Stock-Up Mentality

2009-12-05T14:16:00.002-06:00

Subtitle: Filling your freezer and pantry while retaining your sanity

640 words (plus 82-word sidebar with both book and web site resources)

Like many people, I was raised to stock up. The contents of my dad’s basement pantry could feed almost any small neighborhood for a week, and my mom makes sure she always has about 50 rolls of toilet paper and 10 box dinners in her house. A friend of mine always has her freezer packed with meals. I think I’ve figured out why so many people subscribe to this crazy stock-up mentality.

In this article I share 6 reasons why people stock up on meals and pantry items, and give helpful web sites and tips to help frazzled parents make meal prep time less stressful, more healthy and less expensive.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Moms Making Money

2009-12-04T14:18:00.001-06:00

Subtitle: 5 flexible jobs you can do without hiring a sitter

1,198 words including sidebar
1,124 words without sidebar

Do you have a kid stuck on your hip, but you are desperate to get out of the house? Or do you just need some cash and don’t want to have to hire a babysitter to get it? Are you interested in a different kind of challenge? This piece includes five varied and flexible options complete with the positive aspects and ideas on how to get started then, depending on your interests, you can check out the sidebar for even more ideas.

Flexible options include: freelance writer, babysitting at your own home, babysitting outside the home (churches, health clubs and daycares), medical transcription and mystery shopping.

The sidebar includes 11 more jobs you may be able to do from home (complete with web site addresses), including e-juror, online tutor and virtual assistant.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Fundraiser Fallout

2009-12-03T01:01:00.001-06:00

Ever feel like your kid is a mini salesperson when school starts? This filler addresses how kids are used as little fundraisers more and more frequently.

402 words

Raising a Good Listener

2009-12-02T12:17:00.001-06:00

683 words, including sidebar of listening games

Ask moms how to raise a good listener, and you’ll be met with a variety of responses. Some, like Eva Gavin, will laugh out loud and say, “If you write about kids who ignore their parents all the time, I’m your woman.” Others may tell you they have it all together and that their children always listen to them and do everything they say (don’t trust these women!).

So many of us are at a loss when it comes to teaching listening skills. Parents are busier than ever, and that can sometimes make it difficult to just stop and listen to our children. Yet making sure you raise your child to be a good listener is crucial for many reasons. For example, he needs to be able to follow directions at school, in college and at a job. He also needs the practiced skill of listening to make and keep friends, snag a spouse and deal with a variety of people in everyday life.

So how do you become one of those moms whose children don’t tune her out?

1. Humor works wonders. Tresa Cope says, “When I want to get my 4-year-old’s attention, I randomly insert the word ‘chocolate’ into whatever I’m saying. As in, ‘put your chocolate shoes on, NOW, please’. Sometimes he giggles at my misuse of the word; sometimes he makes me pay up with chocolate-covered raisins.”

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article (6 tips total plus sidebar of listening games) for your review and/or purchase.

Raising a Lefty in a Right-Handed World

2009-12-01T12:16:00.001-06:00

492 words, including sidebar of famous lefties

Those poor lefties! They pick up a mug, and the picture is facing away from them. They struggle while using regular scissors. And we’ve all seen a lefty write while their hand smears ink across the page while they sit at their school desk made for righties.

Ellen Jones says two of her five children are lefties. One interesting challenge her older son (a fraternal twin) faces is that his clothes are always on the hangers “backwards.” He also has to make sure to sit on any of his siblings’ left side at dinnertime or else they bump elbows throughout the meal. Ambre Rush, a teacher, always looked forward to being able to drive with her left hand … until she realized she’d have to start the car and shift gears with her right hand.

Contact me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com for the rest of the article for your review and/or purchase.

Marketing Manual Sample

2009-05-30T17:44:00.001-05:00

IDEAS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS: MARKETING AND ADVERTISING

BLOGGER
These days every business professional needs a web site. Many savvy businessmen and women use Blogger to start a blog-type site because it looks great and never crashes. You can keep customers updated on new products and happenings quickly, easily, and professionally just by putting up a new blog post. You can even post-date messages, which means you can enter all your holiday promotional messages in advance and they will post on the day you choose.

Utilize the sidebar of the blog, also. Down one side of the blog site (using the Layout option), you could put a link to the Product Site so potential customers could check out the different designs available. Add text down the side about product promotions and pricing. List all possible holidays and occasions somewhere so customers get thinking about future orders.

Later, if you want a more professional feel, just pay Blogger $10 per year and you can take out the “.blogspot” part of the domain name (e.g., instead of www.chocomama.blogspot.com, your domain would simply be www.chocomama.com).

Blogger makes it very simple to start a web site:

1. Go to www.blogger.com.

2. Enter your information (e-mail address, name, etc.), then choose a blog name (e.g., Laura’s Personalized Candy Bar Business).

3. Choose a site address (e.g., www.chocomama.blogspot.com).

4. Choose a Layout.

5. Once your blog is set up, start playing around with it, and have some fun!

6. From your main blog site, go the top right-hand side of the page and choose the word Customize. Make sure you go to the Comments tab and turn off the option to allow comments. Instead, offer your e-mail address on the side of the blog (Layout tab, then grab the Text gadget) if people want to contact you.

To be safe and to be able to gage the online traffic you’re driving to your web site, sign up at www.sitemeter.com. It’s a free service that tracks who is coming to your site, what city they live in, how long they were on your site, and how they got to your site (via Twitter, a Google search, Facebook, your e-mail signature, etc.).

Once Sitemeter sends you your password (which you can change later) and information, go back to www.sitemeter.com, login, and click on “Manager”. From here, you can grab your HTML code, which can easily be put onto your web site using the Layout option, then the “Add HTML” gadget.

Also see the section on Feedburner to set up an e-mail subscription service for your current and potential customers.

BUMPER STICKERS AND LICENSE PLATE COVERS
Bumper stickers are something fun to look at while stuck in traffic. Instead of them just being funny, how about having a bumper sticker made up informing about your business?

Here are some great web sites for ordering personalized bumper stickers for your vehicles:
1. http://www.timsbumperstickers.com/

2. http://www.makestickers.com/

3. http://www.customizedstickers.com/

Some suggested bumper sticker messages include:
 Ask me about my candy bars! [then put your web site address]

 Let me tell you about chocolate! [then put your web site address]

 Got special occasions? Need personalized candy bars! [then put your web site address]

Another fun promotional tool to consider is to buy a personalized license plate cover for your vehicle. Most people can’t help but read something that is right in front of their face, so why not put your business idea or cute slogan and business web site on a personalized license plate cover? You could be getting business just driving around town!

BUSINESS CARDS
Business cards are a must for a savvy professional looking to make money and connect with others. Most online ordering sites make it fast and easy to create a professional-looking business card in no time … just input your name, your title, phone number and web site information, and many orders are shipped the same day. Make sure you order plenty since you’ll be handing them out to everyone you see, putting them in with customer orders and maybe even getting creative with them (e.g., putting them in with your bill payments!).

Some web sites for ordering business cards include:
1. http://www.vistaprint.com/

2. http://www.123print.com/

3. http://www.overnightprints.com/

If you’re just starting out and are looking for a quick and cheap alternative, you may want to create your own cards at home using your computer, printer and a sheet of perforated business cards bought at an office supply store.

Once you have your business cards, hand them out like crazy. There are so many people you encounter on a daily basis who would love to know about your personalized candy bar business and who could order from you. Hand them out to:

 your doctor and dentist

 nurses

 receptionists

 your child’s teachers

 your neighbors

 your friends

 your family

 your mechanic

 your hairstylist

 your massage therapist

 cashiers

You can also leave them lying around places like at church, restaurants and hotels. The sky is the limit because you never know where your next customer could come from!

CAFÉ MOM
Café Mom, a social networking site for moms, started in 2006 and grew to become the #8 fastest-growing site in 2007 by compete.com. It receives more than 8 million visitors per month. Below, find out how to promote your business web site using Café Mom after you have worked through the section of this manual about YOUR WEB SITE.

1. If you are a mom (or want to become a mom!), sign up at www.CafeMom.com. Make sure you enter things like “chocolate”, “working from home” and “business” as your interests.

2. Put your business web site address as your outgoing message signature. When you reply to a post or start a new topic, always click on “Yes” so your signature line shows up to all readers.

3. Go to the Groups pull-down menu and click on Find Groups. Join groups that pertain to your business, like work-at-home moms or sales. Join general parenting groups, as well, so you can promote your business to the ones who are in charge of making birthday party favor decisions, etc. You can join all kinds of groups or start your own. Currently there are more than 60,000 groups.

4. Respond to as many messages as you can. If you have specific helpful advice on your web site about preparing for a child’s birthday party, for example, paste the link on your reply message to someone’s dilemma post.

5. Use Journal Posts on your Profile page to enter business information and promotions (make sure you put in a link back to your web site). Make sure the title is catchy so you grab a reader’s attention.

6. Look for friends, make new friends and add friends. Invite friends who you send messages back and forth with often in Café Mom. More friends equals more business web site traffic AND will lead to more orders.

7. Join discussions you genuinely care about or can contribute to so your contacts see you as a real person and not just someone pushing a product.

8. Periodically fill in the “What’s on your mind?” thought bubble. It’s similar to a Status Update on MySpace or Facebook, and it’s a great place to briefly tell about any business promotions you have going on or to remind users of upcoming events and holidays.