Wake Up Sleepyhead

“Mommy, Mommy, wake up!” For any Mom, these words are far too familiar at 3 a.m.  According to the National Sleep Foundation’s new survey, Moms today are not getting enough sleep. Although this is not the breakthrough of the century for any Mom, the survey did show that a surprising 74 percent of Moms say that insomnia affects their sleep.

All too frequently, we feel that lack of sleep is a worthy sacrifice for our families. The truth is, however, we are really harming the quality of our own lives and subsequently, the families we are trying so desperately to serve. Lack of sleep can also lead to poor eating and exercise habits.

Moms need to remember to build time into their own lives for relaxation. We need to be well rested in order to be effective parents. So the next time you are debating running an errand or pressing the snooze button, allow yourself some extra time for yourself. Plus, our children will appreciate less stressed, well-rested happy Mommys! Sweet dreams!

No Comments

Keeping Our Kids Healthy

I took note of a few articles lately dealing with the latest string of pediatric winter and spring illnesses – stomach bugs, salmonella in peanut butter, and cases of the flu so severe that some children have died as a result.

While everyone expects a cold or two to pop up in every elementary school classroom sometime between December and May, the widespread cases of illness – especially among children, seems to have caught many off-guard. Apparently, the new strain of the flu that proved less responsive to the flu vaccine has caused serious complications in thousands of children across the country.  Not to mention the range of other illnesses – from the mere inconvenient to the life-threatening – that have made an appearance this year.

No Comments

"Helicopter" Parents: Taking it to the workplace

The kids of the so-called “helicopter” parents have started to grow up, but that isn’t stopping their parents from hovering over their every move. In fact a recent New York Times article reported that employers are complaining that parents are entirely too involved in their children’s jobs post college!

So much for kids being finally "grown up" in their first forays into the work world. Imagine this phone call to a boss:

“I’m calling to talk with you about my son Jonathan…Well, yes I realize that he’s 22 and you’re his boss, but I am concerned about his transfer out-of-state, and I am not happy with the amount of overtime he's been working. I also need you to make sure the all the food in the company cafeteria don’t have nuts because he has a severe allergy.”

No Comments

The Cost of Raising Kids

The costs of raising kids these days are high, and I’m not just talking about sleepless nights, countless numbers of outfits ruined by finger paint, and those hours spent searching for missing toys that you’ll never get back.

For those of us brave enough to hear a number placed on approximately 18 years of food, clothes, and entertainment, the government conducted a study.

And the answer is -  a lot. $279,450, to be exact. Which, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis, is a very conservative estimate for those in the top-third income bracket.

No Comments