Back-to-School Sanity Saver Tips from Annie Pleshette Murphy

With summer winding down, it’s important for the entire family to transition from a summer playhouse to a more structured environment BEFORE school starts.

To do this without loosing your sanity, Annie Pleshette Murphy a psychologist, author, parenting expert for Good Morning America, and former editor-in-chief of Parents magazine recently teamed up with OfficeMax to host the “Back to School Sanity Savers Blogcast” where she provided tips and tricks for getting your family prepared and your kids ready to head back to class without a hitch.

You can view some of Annie’s great tips below, or check out the 30 minute Sanity Savers video provided by OfficeMax by clicking here!

1. Roll back your child’s bedtime in 10-15 minute increments leading up to the first day of school, so they’re in the habit of going to bed and waking up earlier!

2. Schedule a nightly “Family Quiet Hour” to avoid the evening “witching hour” when homework time can be particularly challenging. During quiet hour, the entire family should turn off the TV and literally do something quiet. For kids, they can do homework or read. For parents, this is a great time to pay bills, read, do a puzzle with the kids, etc. This hour builds good work habits and also helps you connect as a family in ways that TV just can’t.

3. Kick first day anxieties your child may experience by trying to meet the teacher or a few kids in your child’s class before school starts. There’s nothing like having a few familiar faces to ease first-day jitters. And if it’s the first day of first grade or a new school, definitely do a dry run by walking or driving them to see the building.

4. Engage your child in the back-to-school process! Sit down with your child, read the school materials and fill them out together. Talk about his/her teacher, the room number, school supply list, and any after school activities. Most importantly, remember if you model calm, collected behavior, your kids will be far more relaxed as school approaches.

5. Setup a family calendar in a central location that EVERYONE can view. Color-code activities for each child and mark important dates for school on the calendar. Find out ahead of time what your child will be participating in and keep an eye out for conflicts. For the first week of school, don’t make any plans, so you can adjust as a family. And don’t forget to schedule down time as a family and a regular date night for mom and dad!

6. Create a Parent/Kid station. A clever, easy solution to morning madness is to designate an area near the door or place you walk by every day where you can set up a central station for everyone’s necessities. The idea is to have space and easy access to all the things you don’t want to leave behind. The parent’s station could include a space for house keys, spare change, cell phone charger, and inbox/outbox for your child’s school forms. The kids’ station should include a place for their sports equipment, lunch box, snacks, backpack, etc.

7. Buy school supplies early and let your child select items that reflect his/her personality. New school supplies can make the back-to-school process fun and exciting. Let your child choose items that reflect their taste and personality. When it comes to the almightily backpack, look for wide padded straps and padded back. Teach your child to pack the heavy items at the back of their bag to prevent shoulder strain. And remember, you’re child’s backpack should not way more than 10-20% of their body weight.

8. Create savvy shoppers by engaging your child in the school supply shopping experience. If you’re child is old enough, arm them with a calculator, list and budget and do the shopping together, considering the available funds. Explain that they can spend a lot on one special item – like a new backpack – but that they will then need to buy plain pencils or use last year’s binders. You can also teach kids that private brands like OfficeMax’s Schoolio product line are a great way to save on supplies while still getting fun designs and patterns.

9. Involved parents equals good, happy students. Several studies show that children whose parents are involved in their education do better academically and socially. Open the lines of communication as soon as you receive your child’s classroom assignment. Most teachers are accessible by email, so a quick note expressing your hope for a great year, eagerness to meet the teacher and willingness to volunteer in the classroom is a nice gesture.

10. Stay engaged in your child’s class throughout the year. Create a weekly report card that addressed your child’s specific challenges. For example, list 3-4 questions on an index card: Is my child keeping up with the reading? Getting homework in on time? Participating in class? Yes/No questions are best. Needless to say, having to hand the teacher a card is a good incentive for your child to connect with his/her teacher and a nice way for you to stay updated on your child’s progress.

Learn more about Annie Pleshette Murphy at annpleshettemurphy.com. Find your local school supply deals at OfficeMax or view school supply lists by grade on OfficeMax’s Back-to-School site. You can also find OfficeMax on Facebook or @OfficeMax on Twitter.

Shared by: The Plus Size Mommy

Fighting Arthritis Pain Can Be Difficult & WIN!!!

The Arthritis Foundation and Ad Council teamed up to promote a new campaign entitled “Fight Arthritis Pain”.The new public service advertisements emphasize the benefits of exercise and how daily physical activity can help reduce the risk and pains associated with osteoarthritis in a fun and unique way. Watch the following video on how boosting your activity can help you.

Now you can win an “Osteoarthritis Awareness Premium Pack” which includes the following:

A DVD of Tai Chi For Arthritis
ThermaCare,
Pilot Dr. Grip Pen
5 Hefty 1 zip storage bag coupons
5 Instant Maxwell coupons
Cardinal EasyOpen Binders
Scrubbing bubbles coupon book

Here is how to enter to WIN :

Follow me on Twitter, I am @plussizemommy, comment and let me know you do = 1 entry.

Follow me via Networked Blogs on Facebook (plus size mommy), comment and let me know you do = 1 entry

Subscribe to this blog, let me know you do = 1 entry

Share a tip that helps you cope with arthritis pain = 1 entry

This giveaway begins NOW and ends on July 27th, 2010 at 10PM EST. Winner will not be emailed,winner will be posted on this blog by July 28th. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize (no exceptions). I will not be held responsible for lost or damage to the book in shipping. This giveaway is open to all USA residents only.
Winner will be chosen via random.org.

Thank you to all who enter and Good Luck!

Shared by:
The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I am being sent the same prize as this giveaway at no charge to me. This is a message from the Ad Council and The Arthritis Foundation.

My Mommy Party Sponsored By OutLast #OutLastMoms

I recently hosted a party at my home with a group of moms for OutLast hand sanitizer. OutLast is a very effective hand sanitizer against germs, as it kills 99.99%  of them when in use. We learned at the party about how important it is to take care of your purse when fighting against germs. If you think about all of the places your purse travels with you, you begin to realize how gross some of the places could potentially be (almost makes me not want to carry one anymore). Below you will see a Whrrl of the party and the info. we learned and tips/advice on what you can do to protect yourself and your family against these icky germs.

The only complaint I heard at my OutLast party was the high alcohol content. Moms didn’t like that it has high alcohol content. But when weighed against the harmful germs we couldn’t decide which was worse. My only suggestion was to maybe only use on yourself and not your children.

How do you feel about products with high alcohol contents ? Which would you think was more harmful the germs or the alcohol ?

Please let us know your feelings on this subject

The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I am a member of Mom Select , I wrote this review while participating in the OutLast campaign, I was sent products to facilitate my review.

KinderCare Learning Centers

Finding the right school for your young child can feel overwhelming, with so many things to consider from class size, to location, programming and curriculum. This past spring we introduced you to KinderCare, a preschool and kindergarten program with 1600 centers nationwide, that offers age-appropriate curriculum, customized experiences and overall school preparedness, making the back to school or start of school process a whole lot easier.

KinderCare Learning Centers provide low teacher to student ratios, strong communicationbetween families and teachers, and a safe, nurturing atmosphere. Offering projects designed to excite children’s imaginations, KinderCare provides a stimulating environment for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school aged children alike. And with over 40 years experience in childcare and education, KinderCare provides peace of mind so parents can feel confident in their choice.

In a nationwide survey of parents, KinderCare Learning Centers learned that when selecting a school, 76% of parents are most concerned that their school of choice employs quality and passionate teachers and 80% want to know that their child is excited to take part in activities while at school.

From Me :

When I used to go to work everyday my 2 sons attended KinderCare Learning Center. They loved it there. When I got pregnant with my daughter and decided to be a stay at home mom they were sad to leave their school.

My sons were 2 and 4 when they attended there.

My favorite things about KinderCare are the teachers care for my children. They were all so supportive and helpful to my shy boys. They were always so helpful to me as well. They were very kind. The center was always VERY clean, and didn’t have any smells (like dirty diapers or something). I felt very comfortable with my sons going there.

My 4 year old was in the pre-school program and he learned so much. And it felt good as a parent to see him learning and thriving in the KinderCare environment.

They had an awesome play ground and the boys both loved going outside to play, which the teachers took them out as much as possible to play.

The KinderCare my boys went to also had a swimming pool and a GREAT swimming program in the summer. It was nice that my older son was able to take advantage of that and learn to swim while there. We loved the Summer Camps that they have. They had a themed one when my sons were there. This years Camp has weekly themes, you can read more here : KinderCare Summer Camp.

Here are some tips on what I looked for in a Child Care for my kids (not in any particular order):

• A licensed facility
• Qualified teachers and staff who are caring and professional and that you feel comfortable with
• curriculum, what do they offer, how do the children learn, what is a typical day like ?
• clean centers, smell free (except for good smells)
• well staffed and supplied
• cost
• hours of operation
• location, is it convenient for you, especially if your child gets sick, can you get there quickly
• outside time, and is the outside safe
• accreditation status
• Do the employee’s have background checks and are they safe to be around your children
• does your child feel comfortable with staff and when going to the center (after initial adjustment period)

My children and I loved our experience at KinderCare Learning Center and I would definitely recommend looking into them if your looking for Child Care.

The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of KinderCare Learning Centers and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Are Your Kids Suffering From Allergies?

My whole family suffers from allergies. This Spring has been really hard on all of us. With grass and pollen all around us, it makes it a super uncomfortable place to live. Especially hard on our dear children.

Up to 40% of American children have allergies, and they miss about 2 million school days a year due to bothersome symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, and runny noses.

I know my kids in particular have been suffering. I feel so badly when they sneeze and itch.

It is so important as parents that we help our kids out by treating their symptoms so they can have an easier time of it.

This is where Children’s Claritin products can help. These powerful, non-drowsy products are the #1 pediatrician recommended to help kids cope with their allergy symptoms. Kids only need one dose per day. This will help them focus more on their daily activities rather than their allergies. It is no fun playing outside in the sun when your sneezing and itchy.

Children’s Claritin comes in great grape chewable tablets or syrup. There are also RediTabs Tablets for kids.

I have been treating my children’s allergy symptoms with Claritin and I can tell a difference between then taking them or not. They are not as itchy (and sometimes not itching at all), no runny noses, and they play happier.

Tips For Managing Your Child’s Allergies:

·         Identify the specific allergens that trigger your child’s symptoms so he or she will be able to help limit contact with them.

·         Tell your child’s teachers, school nurse, coaches and caretakers about his or her allergies, triggers and medications.

·         Remind your child to wash his or her hands frequently to avoid spreading allergy – causing substances such as dust, pollen and pet dander.

·         Help manage your child’s home environment by taking steps such as keeping windows closed, cleaning air filters regularly, washing bedding often and using a dehumidifier.

·         Have your child shower and change clothes after playing outdoors since allergens can collect on hair, skin and clothes.

·         Treat allergy symptoms with a non-drowsy antihistamine, such as Children’s Claritin®, that will last throughout the day.

For more information about Claritin – visit the new Claritin Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Claritin or their website at www.Claritin.com .

Help your children have a happier allergy season!

The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure- I was sent product samples of this product. My opinion of this product is 100% my own honest opinion and has not been swayed in any ways.

Philanthropy Realtor’s Consumer Tips

10 Tips for Donating to Charity without Spending a Dime

Most people think that the only way to contribute to your community is by giving money to a charity but most people are not aware that your contribution can go beyond a direct donation. Philanthropy Realtors is one of many organizations that will donate money in your name. Listed below are some friendly tips that help consumers give to charity.

• Give an old cell phone back
  Americans replace their cell phone once every 2 years. By giving your phone back to Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T you are giving to a charity (all vendors listed donate proceeds of used phones). Sprint states that since 2001 the company has donated $4 million to charity through the sale of used phones.

• Lend your knowledge to a charity.

Sometimes your expertise can make a huge difference. If you are a plumber who can fix a pipe or you are a student who can make phone calls on the weekends.

• Donate junk from the garage for a fundraising drive.

Don’t feel bad about throwing away that old bicycle or television; raffle it off at a fundraiser.

• Join your neighborhood council.
  Most major cities are too large to know the needs of the local community. By volunteering your time or opinions you can help issues like traffic, land usage, building regulations, and more.

• Take a pet home for a week

Many no kill shelters have so many animals that they need volunteers to take a cat or dog home for as little as a couple of days to free up room and resources.

• Donate your organs and plasma

Most people don’t realize the importance of telling DMV that you would like to be an organ donor in case of an emergency. Or if you don’t feel squeamish you can always give blood and make money!

• Donate books and other media to your local library Your local library is a government agency and is most likely in need. Take that old collection of paperback books and bring it to the library. The library has been known to take equipment, real estate, stocks, artifacts, works of art and collections.

• Allowing a charity to use your name or company name
  Most would be surprised how far you can go by lending your name. If you own a small business or just want to be put on a list of people that support a 501C3

• Go for a walk.

Many charities will donate money on your behave by participating
in walkathons, marathons, or other events

• Have your realtor donate his fees to charity

Philanthropy Realtors recruits from all agencies both commercial and residential letting the seller donate to his or her favorite charity by using part of the realtor’s commission as a donation. Some of the charities working with Philanthropy include, Homes for Our Troops, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Getavision, LAPD,American Cinematheque, Learning Rights, and many more. The licensed realtors who are joining Philanthropy have been literally nation wide. Philanthropy Realtors works with all agencies; ask your realtor.

Licensed realtor Miguel Gonzalez started Philanthropy Realtors, in association with Keller Williams Los Feliz, after seeing his father die from cancer and battling the deadly disease himself. He uses a simple formula taught by his father of giving back to the community by giving a piece of the real estate profits to select charities. Miguel hopes other real estate companies will follow his example. Philanthropy Realtors is located in Los Angeles California. http://philanthropyrealtors.com/

Shared by: The Plus Size Mommy

Spring Cleaning Tips From a Male Perspective*

I have put together a video of my husband giving HIS Spring cleaning tips to share. This video will be compiled with other video’s and Spring cleaning tips being put together by Aller-Ease and The Motherhood as part of their “Spring Into Action” campaign.

Enjoy the video and tips from my husband. It is most amusing at times, lol

Thank you for watching. I hope you enjoyed the tips! Not too too bad, as it is his first time ever.

The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I have stated my true personal opinion on the Aller-Ease products. I would like to thank The Motherhood for asking me to participate in the “Spring Into Action” Aller-Ease campaign. For my participation, I have received an Aller-Ease package with several of their products and a stipend. Depending on the participation of my blog, I may be able to earn a gift card. #allerease

Win a Subscription to Do-It-Yourself magazine “Fresh Home”

Tips for popular Do-It-Yourself magazine   Fresh Home.  The current Winter issue includes a four-step process for “Minimizing the Clutter.”

Minimize the Clutter

Here’s our four-part plan for organizing your stuff:

1. Prune Your Possessions

o   It’s simple physics:  If you add stuff to your closet without removing anything, it becomes an overcrowded mess.  So once or twice a year, do a little weeding and pruning, says organizing expert Harriet Schechter, author of Let Go of Clutter.  If you can’t remember the last time you wore or used an item, remove it from your closet and either store or give it away.  Once you’ve pruned your possessions down, keep doing it: never add something to your closet – whether it’s a coat, new blouse or pair of shoes – without first getting rid of something of equal or greater size.

2. And That Includes the “Someday” Stuff

o   The biggest closet space-hogs are all well intentioned “someday” items we hold onto: the clothes that don’t fit right now, the accessories that aren’t quite in style anymore, the shoes and other items that need fixing or altering. “If you kept only what works, what fits, what makes you look and feel good right now, closet clutter would be a thing of the past,” says Creel.  If you’re serious about the “someday” part, pack the items up and put into storage somewhere out of the way.

3.  Empty It Completely

o   You can’t improve your closet when it’s filled.  So empty it – completely.  Hauling everything out serves three purposes: it give you a good look at the actual space and storage – rods, shelves and so forth – you have to work with.  Second, it gives you a chance to clean a space that rarely gets cleaned.  Third, once your stuff is spread out on the floor or bed, it’s easier to do the first two tips and indentify items you no longer want or need.

4. Organize Precisely

o   As you gaze at your empty closet, think about how to organize it around the specifics of your possessions.  “Closets are like puzzles: If you want to solve the puzzle, find a place for every piece,” says Scott Roewer of Solutions by Scott and creator of the organizing blog declutteryou.com.  Divide your closet however you like – office clothes on the top left rack, party clothes on the back, shoes here, umbrellas there.  Just have specific spaces for specific items.

Now you have the chance to win a Subscription to “Fresh Home”  magazine right HERE (USA winner only) :

1. Follow my blog on Facebook via Networked Blogs Here : http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Plus-Size-Mommy/208847305617?ref=ts = 1 entry
2. Follow me on Twitter – I am @plussizemommy
3. Tweet the following of Twitter – ” Win a Subscription to “Fresh Home” magazine, a Do-It Yourself Magazine    http://twurl.nl/jld1du    ”   = up to 3 entries a day (separate comments please).
4. Use stumbleupon, technorati, digg for this site/post. – comment letting me know which you have done = 1 entry per way
5. Comment and tell me your Favorite Do-It -Yourself tip = 1 entry per tip (Unlimited)

This giveaway begins NOW and will end on 4/17/2010 at 7PM EST. Winner will be posted to this blog. Winner will be chosen via random.org. Winner will NOT be emailed. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Thank you to all who enter, and Good Luck!

Article Shared By – The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure – Subscription fulfillment is at no charge to me from the company.

HELP! Clothing Dilemma

I have run into a Dilemma in my bedroom and I need your help/suggestions. I am hoping to get some great advice from my bloggy organizer friends (Organizer Sandy?). I wonder if they ever ran into this problem before.

Well, as most of my readers know, I am on a weight loss quest. A journey to lose weight and keep it off completely. It has been really hard. When I had started this journey, I decided that I was NOT going to buy any new clothing until I had to. Like when clothes were so baggy they would be falling off my body. I have, however gotten some great clothing to review on my blog, but I wasn’t counting those, and they are out of season now anyways, mostly.

Well, here is my dilemma. I have clothing that I bought last year, summer, that no longer fits (is too small), plus a ton of winter clothing that is now too small. I also have the clothing that fits me. I am planning on losing much more weight this Spring & Summer and do not really want to get rid of a ton of clothing because when I DO lose the weight, I will need those. However, my bedroom and house is small as it is for a family of 6, and there is hardly any storage space. I am beginning to feel clostrophobic in my own bedroom because of all of these clothes taking over. There is no more room in my closet, so now they are stacked up in piles on my side of the room. I have been spring cleaning this week, and dreading what to do???

Part of me, says, throw out everything I cannot wear (well, not really throw out, but I donate it), and buy new after I lose the weight. The other 1/2 of me says, these clothes are pretty new and I will need them as I lose weight. Also, do I want to re-spend money for clothing later ?

Part of me is saying there are woman who need these clothes somewhere and they aren’t doing nothing but sitting in my room cluttering up the place and making for a great fire hazard. And that I can buy back the clothes a little at a time and use the new clothes as rewards as I lose weight.

The other part comes in and says, I just spent a lot of money on clothes last time I lost weight and I could use that future money on something else.

UGHHHHH !!!! HELP !!! lol

I talked to my husband about it, because he is quite sick of it too. After all he is also in our bedroom and has to look at it everyday and he is also not a clutter bug, and is always seeking safety. But on the other hand, he also doesn’t want me to spend anymore money on clothes unless I must!

He did suggest I could stick some in totes and stick them in the basement storage. Which I too thought of. But then I think of the bugs and sometimes critters that sometimes get into totes, and don’t want that in my clothes either. And God forbid a mouse get into it, and chew them up, then donating them IS a better option.  I also worry that they will get lost in the abyss down there. That is where we store all of our decorations and stuff like that too. So then I would probably forget about them and go buy new anyways. and again, there is NOT a lot of room left down there.

This feels like the same dilemma to me that I go through when my hair color is growing out, or when I am trying to grow back from a short haircut. It is at the point where I don’t know if I should cut it or let it be!!!!

What would you do?  Have you ever been through this?

Please leave me your advice and comments and tips. Any idea’s I will love to hear them.

And I may pick a random draw of anyone who leaves me a comment that is worthy, and you just may get a prize of some sort. Also, if I use your idea, I may reward you with a prize. So comment away.

THANK YOU in advance !!!

The Plus Size Mommy

*Photo used is courtesy of ehow.com

Five Tips For Spring Cleaning With The Kids

Once the gutters are cleaned and the windows scrubbed, why not freshen up the look of your space with a quick makeover and get the kids involved? With just a few modifications, your home can look as fresh and seasonal as the daffodils popping up in your front yard and burn some of your kids never ending energy.

Simple home makeover tips below from Sure Fit Home Solutions  -

Refinish Refresh:

Instead of throwing out an old piece of furniture, let your kids paint it and keep it in their room. This doubles to let the kids express their creativity and as a piece of furniture.  Set up shop in the back yard to enjoy the warmer weather!

Quick Cover Up:

Freshen up your furniture and protect it from muddy feet and melted popsicles with a semi-custom slipcover. Leading slipcover provider Sure Fit has an extensive selection of fitted and tailored styles in an endless array of colors and materials for couches, chairs, recliners, futons, ottomans and more. They also provide “Tuck-Once” tools and grips that help to lock your slipcover in place for a natural, fuss free solution.

Make it a race and time the kids to see how fast they can get the slipcover on the furniture.

Rearrange Change:

Moving furniture may be the easiest way to change the look of your space. Try rearranging a room, or trading out furniture from one room to the next. That unused rocker could look great by the front window, it just needs to get brought up from the basement!

Tell the kids that every item that they help move, earns them a point.  Five points equals an ice cream sundae at the end of the day.

Do it Yourself Details:

Tell the kids that as a reward for cleaning up their room, they get to decorate it with their own personal style. Let them choose the colors to cover up throw pillows with sunnier colors and textures, and coordinate the colors with craft projects that will bring the room together. Think brightly painted picture frames, finger paint artwork, and colorful crafts.

Turn It Up!

Play your favorite music and turn it up to clean while you dance.  When the music stops everyone has to freeze.  Anyone caught moving has to put away one extra item.  This makes the time fly by and the kids won’t even realize they are helping you clean.

Shared By: The Plus Size Mommy on behalf of www.surefit.com.

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