How To Work While Your Kids Are Home From School

If you are a parent with school-age children and also have a home business, it can be difficult to work while your children are on summer vacation from school. As a homeschooling mom, I'm accustomed to having to get creative finding ways to keep the kids busy so I can get some work done! The following are tips on finding ways to work around your children's summer schedule.

If there are other families in your neighborhood with children of similar age to your children's age, try organizing a babysitting swap. Get together with the other parents and create a schedule where each family takes turns being the designated sitter. Any of the other parents who need to run errands, work, etc., can drop their children off at the sitter's house that day.

You may also want to find out if there are local day camps. Unlike overnight camps, these camps allow you to drop your children off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. They are usually filled with various learning activities, art, music, and drama. These activities will keep your children's minds stimulated during the summer, and you will get a few hours to work each day.

Your place of worship may also have some summer activities planned. There may be a "Mom's Day-Out Program" that allows parents to drop off their children for a few hours three days a week. Volunteers in the congregation may teach the children a craft, read stories, or simply play with them.

You may also want to look into hiring a young teenager to come over and play with your children while you work on the computer in your office. Since you are still in the house, you can feel safe knowing you are there in case of an emergency. A young teen who may not have much babysitting experience will also charge less than an older teen.

Another option is to call the local high school or college before school gets out and let them know you are looking for an intern. This can take the form of someone majoring in early childhood education to watch your children or you may want to hire a student interested in business, marketing, etc. They can help you with your business tasks which will free up some of your time. Normally, you do not pay interns. They work in exchange for the experience.

You can also get your children involved with your business. Depending on your children's age, assign them tasks that they can easily complete. For example, my 10 year old son is one of my assistants. I pay him hourly (and this is tax deductible for us - check with your accountant) to do certain things for me. He has learned a lot about managing a website and works for less than other Virtual Assistants! Hiring your kids will help give them an understanding of business and increase their self esteem. It will also enable you to spend time together as a family and still get work done. Working around your kids' summer vacation can definitely be a challenge, but you can find ways to do it.

Carrie Lauth is a full time internet marketing Mom of 4 who blogs about her experiences getting it all done at Carrie's Blog
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Connecting With Your Teen

As the parent of a teen, you may long for the days when you could hold your child on your lap and they were eager to talk, laugh, and play with you. Those days may be long gone, but you can still find ways to connect with your teen. Here are a few tips to make process easier.

Talk About Your Past Experiences

If your teen is having a problem, they may think they are the only one in the world who has ever had that particular problem. Talk to your teen about the situations you experienced as a teen. The clothes and music may have changed, but you still dealt with peer pressure, sex, drugs, and homework. Let them know you understand and will be there for them, if they want to talk about their problem.

Express An Interest

Make time for your teen, and express an interest in what they are doing. You don’t need to use this time to lecture them, or even talk. You can simply sit and watch their favorite show or listen to their favorite band. Try not to pass judgment or criticize anything. Just make time to “hang out”. Your teen will appreciate your interest and this will help develop open lines of communication.

Let Them Know When You Are Wrong

It is hard to admit when you are wrong, especially to your children. However, admitting your mistakes, and apologizing if necessary, will strengthen your bond with your child. It will also let them know that it is okay to admit the things they have been wrong about.

Let Them Know You Love Them

They may roll their eyes and shrug whenever you say “I love you”, but they do care, and they like to hear it.

Go For A Drive

Ask your teen to take a drive with you. You don’t have to have any particular place in mind, just start driving. The simple fact that you are in the car can help open up a conversation, and since you are not looking each other in the eye, it may be easier for your teen to talk to you.
Take Turns Listening And Speaking
Make a deal with your teen that when you are having a conversation, only one person can speak at a time. If you are speaking, your teen needs to sit and listen. When it is your teen’s turn to speak, show them the same respect and listen to what they are saying.

Keep Clear Boundaries

While your goal is to have a better relationship with your teen, you still need to set boundaries and let them know that you are the parent. Teens may complain about rules, curfews, and chores, but secretly, they like the fact that you care enough to set them in the first place.

Article by:Aurelia Williams is a certified Personal Life Coach and author of Real Life Guidance Report Title here.

View her product to the left of the site " Schools Out Plan for the Perfect Teen Summer"

Natural Products For Pregnancy

Preganancy Pampering Kit
Lucky mama, you’re expecting an angel baby! Which means you need some pampering, gal, before it all becomes about that wee one. Your body may be putting you to the test, but that’s all the more reason to treat it to the Pregnancy Pampering Kit, a perfect natural pregnancy gift no maA perfectly comforting gift for a brand new mama! She may have made it look easy, but now she can use some gentle, loving care as her body heals and she is adjusting to being on milk and cuddle call 24/7. The Postpartum Recovery Kit addresses all the unpleasantries she might be experiencing, and sends a big message from you: Take care of yourself, mama. (You supply the kiss and a casserole or two!)
Includes:
Morning Wellness Tea, 42 g.(1.5 oz.).
Third Trimester Tea, 28 g.(1 oz.)
Earth Mama Bottom Balm, 30 ml.(1 oz.)
Stretch Oil,30 ml.(1 oz.)
Happy Feet , 140 g.(5 oz.)

Labor Ease Kit
A girl, a boy, easy, rough? The expectations and the unknowns can be crazy-making, but having your labor plan and comfort items ready lets you check something off your list! This wonderful, care-filled kit has four of Mama's finest labor products for your essential labor needs.Includes:
Natural Stretch Oil, 30 ml.(1 oz.)
Natural Labor Companion CD
Mint Herbal Lip Balm 7g.(.25 oz.)
Hot Spot Labor Sock


C-Section Healing Kit
Your angel baby arrived via special delivery indeed! A mama who has had a cesarean section can have all the hallmarks of a vaginal birth, with an added incision for all her hard work.Earth Mama Angel Baby’s C-Section Healing Kit comes complete with everything a special new mama needs to feel whole and healed. It includes 100% USDA certified organic Postpartum Recovery Tea, Happy Mama Spray, a C-Section Recovery CD and Mama's ultimate scar and skin balm, C-Mama Healing Salve™.Add your own blend of Extra Special Loving Care and she’ll be doing the mommy-mambo in no time.


Postpartum Recovery Kit
A perfectly comforting gift for a brand new mama! She may have made it look easy, but now she can use some gentle, loving care as her body heals and she is adjusting to being on milk and cuddle call 24/7. The Postpartum Recovery Kit addresses all the unpleasantries she might be experiencing, and sends a big message from you: Take care of yourself, mama. (You supply the kiss and a casserole or two!)
Includes:
Postpartum Recovery Tea,42 g.(1.5 oz.)
Postpartum Recovery Bath Herbs,112 g.(4 oz.)
New Mama Bottom Spray30 ml.(1 oz.)
Happy Mama Spray30 ml.(1 oz.)
Earth Mama Bottom Balm30 ml.(1 oz.)


Find the Earth Mama Angel Baby ad on the left side of the site

Options For Introducing Healthy Meals Into Our Littles Ones' Diet

Almost everyone may remember when classroom bulletin boards displayed the food pyramid. The pyramid – there was only one. One size fit all. Everyone needed to subscribe to the same nutritional guidelines. Everyone was told to merely glance at the pyramid to figure out how many servings were needed each day.Almost all would agree that it is a good thing that obsolete food pyramid has gone by the wayside! It may have taken a while, but the idea that not all people require the same food intake finally caught on. Nor are children expected to follow the same nutritional guidelines as the adults.If you're hoping we'll show you the "kid's guidelines" there unfortunately isn't a predetermined guideline. The amount of food from each food group that each person needs to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle is dependent on their age, sex and physical activity level. One size doesn’t fit all. You can go to http://mypyramid.gov to type in some search criteria to get an idea of how much from each food category to eat every day.Remember balance is the name of the game. Make sure your little ones are eating fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats and beans and grains every day. Then round it off with water, fresh air and exercise. To help you get started, below you will find a couple of nutritious meals for children. This turkey avocado sandwich wrap uses kid-friendly ingredients for a nutritious lunch or treat.INGREDIENTS:• Whole wheat tortillas• 1 avocado mashed• Sliced deli turkey• Shredded carrots• Shredded lettuce• Shredded Monterey jack cheesePREPARATION:Assemble wraps in the following order: Spread mashed avocado on tortilla; Sprinkle shredded carrots and lettuce on avocado; Lay on slices of deli turkey; Sprinkle with shredded cheese.In addition, you won't get any looks of disappointment if you inform the children you're making chicken nuggets for supper. This kid favorite is just as good in the low-fat, oven-baked version. For quick clean-up and extra crispiness, lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet; and, then place a wire rack on top of the foil.INGREDIENTS:• skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut in 1-2 inch squares• non-fat or low-fat buttermilk• flour for dredging• finely crushed corn flakes for dredging• salt and pepper to tastePREPARATION:Preheat oven to 375. Prepare three large bowls for dredging chicken - 1 with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, 1 with buttermilk, and 1 with crushed corn flakes. Prepare baking pan by laying a sheet of foil over a cookie sheet; and then place a wire rack on top of the foil. Season chicken with salt and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Drag chicken pieces in flour. Shake off excess flour and coat with buttermilk. Next, generously coat chicken with corn flakes, and place on rack of your baking pan. Bake nuggets for 15 minutes. These keep well for the next day's lunch box so make plenty!The next time you reach into the pantry or freezer to grab something simple to prepare for dinner, take a good analytical look at the ingredients. The idea is not to serve food that is adequate but rather food that is nutritious. Remember that not all of your little ones may require the same servings of food.----------

Would you like more Kid-Friendly Recipes? Christine Steendahl – “The Menu Mom” invites you to visit Kid Approved Meals to download your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu made just for kids! Check Out the Kid Approved Meals Ad On the Right Side of the Site.

Networking Girls Night Out

Some of the Networking Girls got together for a “Girl’s Night Out” to see a movie premier of “Sex and the City”. It appeared that we weren’t the only ones with this idea. There were so many groups of ladies out that night. We then headed over to Twist in Phipps for dinner. Anyone who knows the SITC story line, knows that it is about strong female friendships between professional and very stylish ladies. These kinds of bonds are definitely the goals of our network.

This event definitely proved just how we have to think out of the box when it comes to our business. Building a successful business means building relationships and what better way to do so than in a fun, social environment. If that environment is face to face, it is even better. Actually more ladies rsvped for the May 30th, “Girl’s Night Out” than for the May 27th, networking event. Two ladies from that night will be contributing bloggers for the July blogzine issue. This shows that making it fun and interesting is key. Someone said to me that they can’t see how going to the movies can help their business. Well I am here to say that opportunities are not always obvious. You have to open your eyes a little wider and look a little deeper. There is great value in building Social Equity. I spent many years building equity in real estate, stocks, 401ks, etc. After the market folded and those things lost value, I found out just how valuable “Who I Knew Was”. We have all heard the term “It is not always what you know but who you know”. This is so true. I have seen so many people who made fortunes building networks and meeting the right people. Some of these individuals didn’t have money to invest in real estate or stocks but found the right people to invest into. Come join Networking Girls both on and offline if you are looking to surround yourself with positive and like minded people.

Velvet
The Girl In Charge

About A Girl

These Networking Girls were a few that attended the May 27th event. You to can be featured in the July blogzine by being one of the first 3 to prepay for an upcoming event.



Bridgett currently resides in Atlanta, GA, where she recently has began to develop her own companies; Threefold Living, a financial and wellness company with emphasis on personal and financial direction and secondly, McBride Consolidated Group, Inc. a real estate investment company.

As the CEO and founder Threefold Living, LLC, in Atlanta, GA, Bridgett is also a financial and wellness coach whose focus and mission is to specialize in assisting persons in every facet of life, with an emphasis on personal and financial direction, focus and goal achievement.

While working in corporate America, Bridgett found her niche to be troubleshooting and developing value added solutions for those issues and processes. Understanding her need to help herself and others financially, spiritually, and physically, she began finding solutions to personal finance issues.

Name: Bridgett McBride (Financial and Wellness) Business: Threefold Living, LLC Website:http://bmcbride.healthyhometour.com Email: bridgett_mcbride@hotmail.com



I am from Chicago, but I have been in Atlanta for several years. I have a degree in Psychology. I enjoy looking for the blessings in life and I am totally excited about my Mary Kay business. There are so many opportunities in the career side to the Mary Kay business, plus I get to help other women change their lives. I also believe that entrepreneurship is the wave of the future. The Mary Kay product line consists of premium products such as facial skin care, color cosmetics, body care, fragrance and sun protection. More than 200 Independent National Sales Directors have earned more than $1 million in commissions. Women's Wear Daily listed Mary Kay as one of the Top 10 Most Visited Beauty Web Sites. As a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant my mission is to help enrich women's lives by sharing this phenomenal business opportunity with other women and/or just helping women to take care of and maintain a beautiful appearance.

Name:Pamela Walker Independent Beauty Consultant
Business: Mary Kay
Email: pamwalker7@marykay.com
Website: www.marykay.com/pamwalker7




I am a Certified Mortgage Specialist and Branch Owner with Gateway Mortgage Group and I have 14 years experience in the mortgage industry. I have the privilege of assisting people to reach their financial goals – from owning their first home to building their dream home. My unique approach to helping others has always centered around building long-lasting business relationships with my clients and adding value through education. With that in mind, I have developed an educational series of homeownership seminars that my team and I deliver all over the Metro Atlanta area. Also as a part of my vision to help people with their financial mortgage needs, I partner with small business owners and corporations to provide free financial education seminars for their employees. All in all, I simply love helping people purchase or refinance one of their biggest assets – their home.

Name: Dawana Manning (Branch Manager) Business: Gateway Mortgage Email: dmanning@gatewayloan.com Website: www.loansbygateway.com



My name is Vickie Brown, a mother of two and business professional. With my busy schedule, I found it hard to take time for myself. I then discovered Warm Spirit, a Self-Care and Wellness Company. By becoming a Warm Spirit Business Owner I’ve learned to take care of me, so I can do more, be more and have more. Warm Spirit is about freedom, freedom to live your life out loud. It is a great passport to prosperity, time flexibility and creativity.

In our balms and in our lotions, in our treatments and in our teas, we will tell a story about how nature, the human body and the Spirit can work together to create a holistic and prosperous life.

Name: Vickie Brown
Business: Pampered Destiny, Warm Spirit, #23512
Email: vbrown9593@aol.com
Website: www.warmspirit.org/vbrown9593

Advertise With Networking Girls

Looking for additional ways to promote your business? You can start here at ANG. We have several affordable ways that business owners can place her ads within the blogzine, newsletter and the online community. Advertise for as little as $20.00. There are several hundred ladies registered and this would be a great opportunity to get some extra exposure. If any business owner wants more info, please contact the Girl In Charge, Velvet, green4life@comcast.net

May 2008 Issue

Welcome to the Networking Girls blogzine where every article is written by a woman and every business is female owned. Networking Girls is dedicated to bringing you content that you can use in both home and business. Also check out the 4 featured Networking Girls and find out how they do what they do.

Hope You Enjoy This Issue

What's Happening In the Network

The April 29th meet and greet event was great and May will be even better. Three ladies who attended are featured in this issue. The next networking event is scheduled for May 27th ,7-9pm. You can go to Events to get details and prepay. Anyone planning to attend must rsvp/prepay by May 23rd. The first 3 ladies to rsvp for May meet and greet will be guaranteed a feature in June issue.

Put on your stilletos and come out with the other girls to see the premier of "Sex and the City" the Movie. The date is May 30th and location is Phipps Plaza (AMC Theater). The time is tbd but will definitely be in the evening. Contact Velvet if you want to join the other Atlanta Networking Girls.

The online community,is growing faster than I expected. 41 networking ladies joined this virtual community in less than a week period. Everyday there is a new face with ladies from all over and not just Atlanta. It just makes since to be able to network for free and without leaving your home. Sign up and also join clubs within the network such as the Fit Club, Ladies of Prayer, Internet Marketers, Chicago Networking Girls, Miami Networking Girls or New York Networking Girls. You can even start your own group. Check out Online Community here.

Also advertise your business on our network. The network is offering advertisement for as low as $20. Contact us if interested in a media kit and to get ad rates.

I look forward to meeting you all both online and offline.




Velvet
The Girl In Charge
www.atlantanetworkinggirls.com
velvet at atlantanetworkinggirls dot com