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Taking a Break

July 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Parenting is a stressful job; it’s highly rewarding, but since the job is basically 24/7, it can really wear on you. The important thing to remember when you’re a parent is you need some time to decompress and get your energy back. You need times where you have a chance to miss your kids so you can come back rejuvenated and ready to go again. Here are some tips on how to do that:

  • Take time after kids are in bed. Some parents don’t set strict bedtimes and this leads to dealing with kids all the way up to their bedtimes. This isn’t good; parents need time at the end of the day to relax. If you don’t have that, you won’t be able to sleep either. So enforce a strict 8 p.m. rule. This means that whether your children need to go to bed at 8 p.m. or not, they are in their rooms. If they aren’t sleepy, then they can read or play quietly.
  • Take breaks during the week. It’s important to have some time during the week as well. If your spouse works, then have him or her watch the kids at night so you can go out and have some alone time. This could be shopping or just getting a treat and relaxing.
  • Take breaks when you can get them. If you have friends who have kids the same age as yours, take opportunities for the kids to play together. If your parents live nearby, see if they’d like to have some time with them to become closer to their grandkids.
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Preparing Your Child for the Move

May 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Karen Lee dreads moving because her daughter, who is in second grade, reacts very badly to change. How can she tell her they are moving to be closer to Mommy’s new job? Penny stopped speaking for 3 weeks when she got a new babysitter, and actually hid in the coat closet when she had a substitute teacher at school.

Karen is computer savvy. After finding her dream home while browsing Atlanta apartments for rent, she must now find a way to make the transition as easy as possible for Penny and thus turns to the internet for ideas.

She finds that parents can try too hard to put a cheerful face on a move. They forget that it can also be a time of loss for their child – loss of friends, their room, maybe even their town. Parents need to give children time to mourn. Gather telephone numbers, email, and street addresses of friends. Give a farewell party if possible.

Kidstimes.org suggests telling your child about the move as soon as possible. Don’t let them overhear talk of the move and start to speculate. Take your child to the new neighborhood and explore – take photos of playgrounds, new stores, and schools. Let your child help pack his or her room and choose which boxes he or she will unpack first.

Very young children are least affected by a move as long as you remain calm and upbeat. Preschoolers often do not understand that your belongings are going with you, but their friends will not. Check online parenting resources for children’s books about moving, and read them with your child.

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Luxury Travel When You Have Children

February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you were a young married couple, you enjoyed staying in luxury hotels when you traveled around. Now that you’re getting just a little older and children are coming along, you might be feeling as though your luxury hotel days are at an end. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Luxury travel is possible, no matter what your age or who’s in your family. It may be slightly more complicated to travel with children when you’re interested in a luxurious lifestyle, but it’s certainly not something that’s impossible. Don’t give up on the idea of luxury travel with children, because it’s definitely something that you can do and still enjoy.

One option is to travel with a nanny. That way, when you check into a luxury hotel Chicago can be your playground! You can spend time doing things with your children, but you also know that your kids will be well cared for while you head out to do things as a couple, too. That can really take the pressure off of travel. There’s more that you can do, though, because some luxury hotels provide childcare services, and some of them have things for children to do. Not all luxury hotels encourage children, though, so be sure to call ahead and discuss the possibilities when you’re making your reservation.

Luxury doesn’t have to mean child-free, and it’s great to be able to take your entire family along and show them the value of quality and luxury. You may want to wait until your children are a bit older, but if you’d prefer to travel when they’re young there are plenty of high-end hotels and other businesses that will be happy to accommodate you and your family – so don’t delay. Head out and enjoy your luxury family vacation.

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