The Organized Parent 8 Tips For Getting Your Growing Familys Act Together

Writen by Jennifer Hull

One child is a relationship. Raising two or more is a small business. To stay sane as the family grows, you need to organize and plan effectively.

What follows are 8 tips for keeping family life on track as school events, pediatrician appointments and errands multiply.

*Keep a "Waiting For" file. My file currently contains: birthday invitations responded to, information on my girls' upcoming dance recital, and receipts for uniforms on order. Without this file, these papers would be on my desk.

*Read the school newsletter. Skip the newsletter and the school gods will get you. Your kid will arrive in uniform on costume day. You'll find out about the big pilgrim event after the turkey's been roasted. Note newsletter events - then look for them to change in the next newsletter.

*Get an electronic organizer. As the family grows, so do the number of regularly scheduled events. Kids' activities, PTA meetings - why record these by hand each week when you can program them to repeat? The best gift I got preparing for my second child was a Palm organizer.

*Keep spring open. Once the kids start school, May and June are as busy as December. Schedule a business trip during the last month of school and you risk missing an important event. Keep your calendar as clear as possible during this time.

*Create an inbox for your mate. You swear you left it on the counter for him. He hasn't seen it. Avoid conflict by giving your spouse an inbox. Put the roofing estimate job in the box and place flowers on the counter.

*Meet with your spouse. Plans made in passing don't always register. Men are lousy at multitasking. Women get overwhelmed at home. Sit down and compare calendars. Start by scheduling date night.

*Consider birthday parties optional. The more kids you have, the more invitations you get. Pass on those that don't fit your schedule. But RSVP so the busy birthday parent can plan.

*Preserve free time. My favorite days with my girls are the unscheduled ones. Set aside time to just hang out together. It's as important as anything else you'll do.

(c) 2006 Jennifer Bingham Hull. Reprint rights granted as long as entire article is published, including resource box and its live links.

Jennifer Bingham Hull is an award-winning author and mother of two. Her book, Beyond One: Growing a Family and Getting a Life, looks at life after the second child. Jennifer's articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Parenting, Working Mother and many other publications. Visit http://www.growingafamily.com/ where you can contact her to receive this "Life Beyond One" column regularly and sign up for her free newsletter.

The Power Of Positive Selfesteem

Writen by Barb Desmarais

Nathanial Brandon, the well-known author of several books on self-esteem tells us that "self-esteem is the key to success or failure." He also says that parents can't give their children self-esteem if they don't possess it themselves.

Why do we want our kids to have a positive sense of self-worth? Children who like themselves make friends easily, tend to be leaders rather than followers, understand that mistakes are a tool for learning, are willing to take risks and generally see the bright side of life. They have a lot of confidence and just know they have what it takes to be able to realize their dreams.

We all know adults who lack self-esteem. It's sad because often they are people who have so much to offer but somehow lack the confidence to share their skills and knowledge with the world. They avoid situations that might present potential risk. They limit their network to only those people they feel completely safe and secure with. They don't dare risk publicly displaying what they know for fear of humiliation of rejection. Taking any kind of risk is just too scary.

It's often been said that in life we don't regret the things we did as much as the things we didn't do. We can all look back on missed opportunities. The fear of failure and rejection is enormous yet read the stories of any highly successful person and you'll find that they faced rejection over and over again. They also "failed" many many times. What made them succeed is that they weren't discouraged by rejection and continued to believe in themselves.

The view we have of ourselves was established in childhood. It came from the way the adults who cared for us responded to our accomplishments, our dreams, our aspirations and our so-called mistakes. It came from how they honored and acknowledged our uniqueness and our special abilities. The view we took on of ourselves stayed with us even as we left childhood and became adults.

Children want to know that we believe in them. There are a variety of ways we can deliver that message. They want to know that no matter what we will always be there for them. They need to feel safe in their own environment.

All of us are only using a fraction of our potential. Why don't we do whatever it takes to ensure our kids become the magnificent people they're meant to be and experience success in all aspects of their lives?

Barbara Desmarais is a parenting and life coach and host of "The Parenting Coach Show" on http://www.snippetradio.com. Visit her website at http://www.theparentingcoach.com. She can be reached at barb@theparentingcoach.com Sign up for Barb's new e-course: "Your Child's Self-Esteem"

Summer Boredom Busters 10 Great Ideas To Keep Kids From Getting The Summer Blues

Writen by Polly Schlafhauser

Keep kids from getting the summer blues with these ten great ideas.

Build an Ice Cream Stand – Find a local ball park busy with little league ball games and set up an ice cream stand. Let the kids build and decorate the stand out of wood or cardboard (old refrigerator boxes work well) and add their menu to the outside. Keep kids involved by letting them be in charge of buying the supplies (large bulk clubs like Sam's Club are great for this) and figuring out how much to charge. Encourage your kids to donate a portion of their profits to a charity or add some fun games for their customers to play while enjoying their ice cream. Keep the ice cream cold by burying it in plastic containers at the bottom of a big cooler filled with ice.

Organize a Summer Playgroup – Ask other parents to join you and your kids at a local park once a week. Play on the playground, organize lawn games, or provide crafts for the kids.

Hold a Treasure Hunt – Write up clues that will lead your kids on a hunt through the neighborhood and to local places of interest. Begin by mailing the first clue to the kids (what kid doesn't like to receive mail?) and letting them figure out where to go. You can spread the clues out over the summer or have them complete the hunt in a day. At the end, have a "treasure" of prizes available as reward for their accomplishments. You can make it interesting by writing the clues on scrolls or by making them educational

Start a Neighborhood Business – If your child is old enough, help them start a small neighborhood business like pet watching, dog walking, mother's helper, or house watching (getting mail, watering plants). Help them create fliers, determine pricing, and of course help them understand how to provide excellent customer service.

Host a Neighborhood Cookout – Encourage your neighbors and friends to take a break from their busy lives by inviting them to a neighborhood cookout. Include the kids by having them help make invitations, plan games, and prepare food. Make it easier on yourself and family by asking your friends and neighbors to bring a dish to share.

Join a Reading Contest or Challenge – Encourage your kids to get lost in a good book this summer by signing them up for your local library's reading contest. Common among most libraries, book challenges are a great way to keep kids reading through the summer and earn prizes and awards for their achievements.

Start a Summer Scrapbook or Memory Jar – Start by saving small mementos from your summer vacations, activities, and trips. Over the summer let the kids add them to a scrapbook or store in a decorated memory jar or box. Make it fun by giving the kids a challenge of finding the most unique memento from their excursions.

Hold a Carnival – Let your kids organize a backyard carnival for friends and neighbors. Kids can be kept busy building a ticket booth, organizing games, planning food, and buying prizes. Let them take charge here; you will be amazed at what their imaginations can do!

Write a Family or Neighborhood Newsletter – Put your kids in charge of writing and publishing a family or neighborhood newsletter. Let them write creative articles and share the scoop on what is going on with friends and family. This is a great way to help them improve their writing skills and keep them busy at the same time.

Start a Puzzle – Pick out a large challenging puzzle and put it in an out of the way place. Encourage the kids to slowly add and complete the puzzle throughout the summer. This is a great one to have on hand when they say "I'm bored".

Polly Schlafhauser is Founder and President of Families with Purpose, a website dedicated to helping busy families enhance their family life and find time for the little things in life. To subscribe to their FREE newsletter or to find more creative ideas to beat the Summer Boredom Blues, visit their website at http://www.familieswithpurpose.com