Coffee House Mom

Home Again, Gone Again: What Children Can Learn From Having a Traveling Parent

May 16, 2013 By Rhonda Leave a Comment

According to Business Insider, 445 million business people took trips in 2011. That’s a lot of frequent flier miles.

That’s also a lot of families left at home without the regular help of two parents.

The schedule of a business-traveling parent who has to leave home for a few days can create some chaos for the children, and the spouse, left at home. What do you do when Dad hops on an airplane, and will miss the baseball game this weekend? What about the overwhelm for the spouse who has to deal with (sometimes last-minute) schedule changes, and a household and family to manage on her own?

There are some solutions, and it turns out kids can learn a thing or two in the process.

7 Simple Geography Lessons For Children of Traveling Parents reminds parents of those simple map skills we take for granted our children are learning in school. A traveling mom or dad can bring home (literally!) a rich geographical and historical education for children. Don’t pass it up.

Small lessons for younger children can help them understand a little about time while a parent is traveling for business. It’s an abstract concept for young kids, but these tips from When a Parent’s Away: Learning Through Distance, may offer comfort and connection as they wonder when Mommy is coming back. Materials needed: a map, a handful of stickers or push pins, and a few minutes of your time.

And for the parent left with a passel of children? You’ll need your own tool kit as you manage a normally two-parent household without the Out the Door: 4 Tips for Home Base Survival With a Parent on Call. (Yeah, I know, the help is mostly for you to help the kids, but it’s a place to start, yes?)

Do you manage a home and family with a parent who travels? How do you make it work when unexpected trips come up?

stock.xchng photo by kmcool

Filed Under: Strong brew for raising a brood

When Escaping to Technology Is a Great Parenting Technique

January 29, 2013 By Rhonda Leave a Comment

We all know that texting (or web surfing, or doing anything on social media) while parenting isn’t the brightest idea. It’s really best to keep your mind on your kids. And I know I’m not alone when I confess: I’m guilty, at times, of wanting to escape to the safe writing haven my computer, or the social circle of my smartphone to get away from my kids. That’s not so good.

But those tech gadgets can totally come in handy, and help you be a better parent. For real.

My Boy Two is a strong, strong-willed child. He’s made great strides in the last year (and frankly, so have I) but he is still intense, built like a linebacker, and with tantrums to match his physique. The kind of tantrums that are visceral. The kind you can feel in your bones, make his face red, and my ears ring. His typical method is to thrust his face within a few inches of mine – and let me have it.

And it’s sometimes all I can do to not let him have it back.

In the past, I’ve hauled him up to his room, but I can’t do that so much anymore. It’s kind of hurting my body. (Did I mention he’s big?) Daddy and I have worked with him on his temper and his self-control, but there are some moments NOTHING makes it better. Some moments that any kind of interaction – a word, even a hug, makes it worse.

1. When your child angry, and ignoring him is the only option you have.

At those times, ignoring him is the best thing I can do. For him, and for me.

2. When you’re angry, and the best way to deflect your anger, is to concentrate on something else.

And the best way to do that, is to have something else for me to do. Right there – while he’s screaming at me.

So one day, I planted myself at my computer, and started getting work done. Another time, I put my feet up on the couch with my phone, and read emails. I scrolled through my Twitter feed, and found things to retweet on behalf of a client. I got a few meal ideas from Pinterest and clipped them onto my Evernote. I caught up on my friends’ Facebook statuses.

I felt guilty for about a minute. And then I didn’t.

3. When you still need to be in your child’s presence, to make sure he’s safe.

I got focused on something else, and I knew he was safe and okay (because he was still screaming beside me), it worked. Not for him, at first. He went on for awhile. But it worked for me. I directed my attention to a world outside of my house. I stayed calme. And he eventually got calm.

And so then we could talk. And digress. And hug.

When your child has lost his temper, what keeps you from losing yours?

Flickr photo by cogdogblog (Boy, how I wish I had a beach to see from my laptop. That would help me stay calm. I think.)

Filed Under: Strong brew for raising a brood

Bad Diet Quotes and Advice From Celebrities in 2012

January 18, 2013 By Rhonda Leave a Comment

It doesn’t matter which star sold the lines, or that they were said last year. We’ve heard them all before. Seasoned moms aren’t buying it, but teenagers might be. We love to see you at your best and healthiest, celebrity – sisters, but if you’re going to talk about your fitness, at least be honest about personal trainers, personal home gyms, and a drastic slash in carbohydrate intake.

1. “I don’t deprive myself of things I want.” You don’t? I do. Handcut fries, white queso dip, Mexican Coke, sausage balls when it’s not Christmas. Don’t lie to us. Of course you deprive. Otherwise, your waist wouldn’t be, you know, so very, very small. Tell us what you eat: a grapefruit for breakfast, maybe an egg for lunch. So we know. And you at least make sense.

2. “I just keep up with my kids.” So do I. So do millions of other moms. Without a nanny or a housekeeper or a personal assistant. Running, yelling, dirt-hill-climbing, stick-fighting, princess-playing, Lego-building kids. My lower tummy feels like a wad of dough, and my thighs still need just the right denim wash to camouflage their buoyancy. If just keeping up with kids was all it took to look that svelte – or starved – moms everywhere would be shopping for odd-numbered clothing. As it turns out, we’re not.

3. “I really have no idea how I keep losing weight.” So said Rihanna, according to US Weekly. Yeah, okay. Take it from me, girl. You should know your body better than that. Unexplained weight-loss? Go see your doctor, or stop lying to your fans. Young girls are listening. And watching.

4. “It’s just daily small steps.” Um-hum. Daily small steps amounts to good, healthy weight loss over time. Drastic weight loss in a few months, resulting size 0 clothes hanging off a skeletal body is the result of something drastic. And unhealthy.

stock.xchng photo by african fi

Filed Under: Uncategorized

11 Things I Learned After Finally Getting My First Smartphone

November 8, 2012 By Rhonda 3 Comments

The iPhone 5 was my first, I mean my VERY first phone with photos and texting and the internet. Though my girlfriends chided me for my lack of technological advancement, I held out to the bitter end.

Now, I’m no techy expert. For technology trends, go see Evolved Mommy. For real blogging & website assistance? Follow Blogging With Amy.

But I still have a VCR and a landline phone, so my perspective isn’t one you’ll hear every day. What I’ve discovered about this ridiculous little contraption:

1. Up until now, I have saved quite a bit of money.

2. Best feature so far: I can make a grocery list, and never, ever leave it at home. Bonus: I can send it to my husband, who can go shopping on his way home.

3. Taking photos, and sharing them, is waaay too easy. I’m in danger of becoming one of those parents who over-shares their children’s cute moments/accomplishments/faces full of pasta sauce on Facebook. Sorry.

4. Being able to answer emails in the car line at my son’s school is the greatest thing in the world. Yay for productivity and time management.

5. Texting is cool and all, but fiddling with all those little buttons makes me feel like an old person.

6. I’m really glad for the little spell-check text feature that changes, “mert” to “meet.”

7. On the other hand, it can change the word “friend” to “grieve,” so I still have to proofread.

8. iTunes is better than a mixtape. I’m old enough to remember those. Are you?

9. On that note, iTunes is probably where I’m going to lose my life savings.

10. Siri isn’t all that impressive. She won’t obey commands to cook supper, fold laundry, or sort mail. Seriously, that chick needs to take on some chores.

11. The best tech support for a smartphone? Tweens. Those 14, 13, 11-year-olds are better than an online tutorial, and handier than an app.

What’s the best thing for you about your phone?

stock xchng photo by Loraw2000 (because I don’t yet know how to take a photo of my iPhone, with my iPhone)