The MomTini Lounge^SM

There’s something about the New Year that brings on a cleaning frenzy in my life. I’m a big fan of fresh starts, and what better time than now to start with a clean desk, clean house, clean closets – ok….now I’m getting carried away! Most kid-inhabited houses are anything but sparkling clean; in fact, an impeccable house makes me a little suspicious, or jealous to say the least. But order, like everything, comes in all shapes and sizes, and there are some simple ways you can ring in the New Year with a clean sparkle!

The best way to clean is through teamwork, and as parents, we usually expect too little help from our kids in this department. We either think they’re too young, or it’s simply easier to do it ourselves. However, an investment in some domestic engineering training with our kids will pay many dividends in getting the cleaning job done…together.

Marlo Thomas’ “Free to Be You and Me” album is such a timeless classic, and even though it’s been years, I remember the “Housework” song that assured kids that nobody likes to do housework, and that doing it together, is the best way. How true, but as busy parents with busy kids, how do we accomplish this?

I spoke with Amy Olson, spokesperson for THE MAIDS Home Services, to find some industry tips on getting kids on board. THE MAIDS Home Services, founded in 1979, has been rated as the fastest-growing residential cleaning franchise in Entrepreneur magazine for the past four years (www.maids.com). Olson suggested, “Make cleaning a game so the mundane tasks are more fun.” For example, she offered some gaming strategies in the cleaning department:

• Have a contest Read the rest of this entry »

As a mom of 3 boys and avid mommy blogger, reading about how to apply football plays to family life definitely caught my eye. This is adorable, on target, and will help your family score a touchdown…together…this holiday season! Enjoy — Amy

The holidays bring a heavy dose of family togetherness, and this list of tips uses sports strategies to navigate the potential pitfalls. Pastor, football referee, and author Dr. Travis Collins, parallels officiating games and calling leadership shots as a useful paradigm to families struggling to navigate the holiday frenzy.

He explains, “The marathon-like pace brought about by the holiday season often takes a toll on individuals and their loved ones. In an American Psychological Association , about two-thirds of participants reported feeling stressed and fatigued during the holiday season. Financial woes exert extra pressure this year as Santa’s elves may keep production low, and households across the country may find their worries taking a toll on family harmony this season,” he said. Click here for the full story on this APA report.

Tips Provided by Dr. Travis Collins
Author, Tough Calls: Game-Winning Principles for Leaders under Pressure

1. Call unsportsmanlike conduct. Working as a team is crucial to a family’s success. Create a family budget for the holidays including food, gift and entertainment expenses. If one member’s Christmas list knowingly blows the budget call a personal foul and just say no! Make a compromise and buy a less expensive model of the gadget.

2. Know who wears the white hat. Make sure that the members of your family know who is calling the shots. Talk to your spouse about which events you will attend and what your kids can expect when accepting invitations. If they want to attend an unchaperoned party, and you feel uncomfortable with the situation, then offer to host your own holiday gathering for your children and their friends.

3. Have a pre-game huddle. With in-laws, uncles and aunts coming in for the holidays, tensions can run high. When your family lets out a collective groan at the thought of their crazy 3-year-old spawn of a cousin’s arrival, it is important to have a time-out and discuss a plan of approach. Give a pep-talk to ensure that they realize the importance of family and treating them with respect and care. Let them know what you expect and what the consequences are if anyone in the family chooses to ignore the rules.

4. Recover your team’s fumble. We all do it. The holiday sales and savings inevitably hold us captive at some point during the season, leading consumers to buy much more than they need. Children especially are bombarded by advertisements for toys, movies and books until they become obsessed with getting the latest Elmo doll or Wii game. This is the ideal time to get your family involved with a charity organization such as Toys for Tots or Meals on Wheels to switch their focus to giving rather than receiving this year.

5. Call a time-out. Remember that the holidays are a time to be thankful, relax and enjoy the company of your loved ones. Parties, school performances and other such events don’t give your family the opportunity to truly enjoy one another. This year try and schedule some family time with a movie or game night. Also, check community calendars for family activities – which are often free – in your area.

Editor’s Note: I love Dr. Collins’ tips - and reading advice through analogy really drives it home all the more effectively. Check out his book at our Mom-Tastic Bookshelf - Click here! Can you think of any other sports analogies that help at home? Feel free to add a comment!

Photos by Flickr.

As sweet as the holidays can be, between last-minute shopping, food overload and winter break from school, it can be an overwhelming time of year for parents. Even though the kids are off school and routines are in complete disarray, don’t let your parenting skills take a vacation!

In the spirit of a famous holiday song, I put a MomTini twist to the “12 Days of Christmas.” This year, with the economy being so weak, everyone is looking for value, so here are 13 ways - - a Baker’s Dozen - - to ease stress, stay healthy, and save money this holiday season.

First, on gifts:

1. Turn Whining Into Wishlists – Get your kids to write wish lists. This serves many useful purposes. First, it teaches the important lesson of delayed Read the rest of this entry »

Saw a very provocative post online on “Sexting” - the controversy in the news about young girls sending nude pictures of themselves over their cell phones. Click here to see the Blogher post which includes some interesting feedback. CNN’s piece on the cheerleaders who were kicked off the squad for “sexting” is interesting, in that some experts shed light on the “why” this may be happening, including that it may be a strategy to hold onto boyfriends. Huh? Call me old fashioned, but our battle was always convincing mom that designer jeans were worth the price tag! Check out CNN’s piece:

The Blogher article, written by Nordette, suggests you buy phones without cameras. I have to agree to disagree on this one. I think that you can strip away (please pardon the pun in this post!) features, but kids will find a way. What’s more important is to teach and reinforce values and expectations on usage of technology.

Click here to see a MomTini Lounge post on embracing technology and using positive ways to connect with your tech-savvy kids.

What do you think? What safety tips have you used in your own home to get the teens (and tweens) on board with appropriate usage of the constantly evolving technology?

Hopefully you’ve already gotten the flu vaccine for your kids, your babysitter, and of course, yourself. I meant to post this a while back, but thought it was a timely reminder to get your flu shot if you haven’t already! And if you have been vaccinated, I’ll include some great tips for staying flu- and germ-free, along with some family-friendly activities for a healthy winter.

This adorable campaign, “Say Boo to the Flu,” is a joint effort* to raise awareness for flu prevention. Read the rest of this entry »

As a Mom to 3 boys, I’m no stranger to sports injuries, orthopedist’s offices, stitches, and sprains. I keep a First Aid kit in each of our cars, and think that bringing a chest of ice or those nifty “break and activate” ice packs to kids’ sports isn’t going overboard by a long shot!

As the temperatures dip, it’s easy to overdo it while exercising, not realizing that our muscles may not be warm enough. Kids, who can play sports outside year-round regardless of the weather, may be more prone to accidents and sprains.

“Every fall, foot and ankle surgeons see an increase in ankle injuries among young athletes. Football, soccer and basketball are the sports most likely to lead to sprains, broken bones and other problems,” says Kansas City foot and ankle surgeon James Good, DPM. Good, who is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), offers these additional tips Read the rest of this entry »

My national wire column recently featured some timely tips for parenting and Thanksgiving - Enjoy! (At the end of this post is a hysterical photo of raw poultry, to recall my own Thanksgiving mishap from a few years ago. I’ll also share some entertaining YouTube videos in the spirit of the holiday!)

Gobble, Gobble. Turkey Day seems early this year, and it always triggers a heavy dose of eating, entertaining, family, and then quickly into the rest of the holiday season. And with this year’s economic woes, family time and thanks are not only free, but profitable in the bank account of life where we get to realize and appreciate our blessings.

While we stuff ourselves with turkey & sweet potatoes, it’s a great opportunity to not only realize but to verbalize the many reasons we are thankful for our families. It’s a great opportunity to give thanks out loud. Here are some ideas:

• Thanks aren’t just for dinner - Read the rest of this entry »

I blogg’ed a while back - Click here for that post - about my contribution to Knowing Pains, a new book on “love, sex, and work in our ’40s” (I wrote about work for the record!). Along with 2 fabulous friends and fellow columnists (Lauren Bogart and Cari Shane Parven), I spoke to local WUSA-CBS Anchor Peggy Fox and DC Moms Like Me celebrity Mom about the book. Always fun to be live in studio, we met D.C. Mayor Fenty just before going on air.

Click here to get to WUSA’s website to comment on the story.

Knowing Pains has been a great adventure - thanks for sharing it with me!

Photo (L to R): Cari, Lauren, Peggy, Amy

A parenting expert, Dr. Edward Hallowell, has a new book about “super parenting” on the horizon, and he truly has a “novel” approach to ADHD. He talks about it as a lifestyle approach rather than a learning disability. He has authored 14 books, including The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy and several great titles on ADHD.

He recently shared some wisdom Read the rest of this entry »

Amy at National Airport with both Candidates

I’d be remiss not blogging about the election this week. Even though I’m far from a political expert, politics have touched my life in many personal ways. I live near our nation’s Capitol, have parents who ran a business for 30 years down the street from the White House, and met my husband on a blind date to an inaugural ball. As a journalist, however, I like to stay neutral, so for this post, I’ll celebrate the fact that we’ve marked a historical moment this week, that the candidate who lost gave a most gracious concession speech, and that we can all relish in being…post-election!

So I’ll share some relevance to parenting, and then, some more of my favorite entertainment - Saturday Night Live’s masterful performances. First, here’s a great montage of some of the funniest SNL moments:

Now, parenting and politics….

— Modeling is one of Read the rest of this entry »

The latest Census information estimates that more than 36 million kids go trick-or-treating each year and that more than 790 million pounds of pumpkins are produced annually; and that there are more than 2,500 costume rental stores nationwide. So Halloween is big business, and with this year’s orange and black festivities happening on a weekend (Friday), count on a late night with lots of foot traffic!

And here’s a bagful of treats for fellow Moms, including tips that I’ve compiled and edited concerning safety, dental health, and free yogurt!

o Discuss safety in advance with your kids. There’s a cute and very informative YouTube video in the voice of Jack O’Lantern that your kids might enjoy. It shares tips for kids (some similar to those listed in this article), but does so in a kid-friendly voice:

o Virtual Carving – As a safer alternative Read the rest of this entry »

I know, the title sounds like a mistake, but actually, the recent newsletter, “Mindful Morsels” from local Psychology of Eating Expert and Mom Since 2001, Karen Schachter, seems especially timely as we’re 7 days away from a big sugar rush! This year, Halloween falls on a Friday, which will probably mean more Trick-or-Treaters and more overflowing bags of junk coming home to tempt Moms!

How to Avoid Overindulgence on Halloween
Excerpted with permission from Mindful Morsels

I hear from people every day who struggle every Halloween with overindulging. Here’s the thing: Halloween candy tends to find its way into the mouths of us adults way past Halloween (you know what I mean: reaching into the candy bowls at work or the kids’ bags late at night), contributing to cravings and overindulging on Thanksgiving and into the holidays, our resultant weight gain or poor health, and our subsequent vows to “lose weight” or “get healthy” on January 1st! Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: Certain parenting books really get my interest…from the title alone! And a recent find, “How to Hug a Porcupine: Negotiating the Prickly Points of the Tween Years,” is a perfect example. Love the analogy - we all know how tricky…and prickly parenting can be! The author, Julie Ross, Executive Director of Parenting Horizons, and a Mom Since 1988, shared some great tips with The MomTini Lounge on talking to your kids about sex, drugs, and alcohol. We can’t learn enough about this touchy but critical “to do” in our job as Moms. Here’s Julie’s Guest Article written for The Lounge…

Talking About Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol By Julie Ross

Across the board, research indicates that the more information children have about sex, drugs and alcohol, the less likely they are to engage in risky behaviors. However, what if you’ve put off these conversations until the tween years: that uncomfortable period of time when your child’s body is changing, her emotions are in flux, and her resistance to taking advice may be at an all time high? Here are some tips to help you Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: I’m writing a national wire column, and I’ll share one here at “The Lounge.” Some are longer versions of previously blogged about biz (this one included). This one, “Turning Whining into Wishlists,” was published and archived at a host of publications including The Miami Herald, The Charlotte Observer, The World News Network, and many more. A live link is still available at The Chronicle-Telegram.

Any wine conoisseur can tell you the age, quality and history of a bottle of wine. The elegance of how the aroma fills the glass; the smell of the cork, freshly popped out of the bottle; the type of glassware best suited for different varieties; the degree of dryness, sweetness, everything. While a child’s “whine” is far from this civilized or tasteful, there are ways to manage it so it doesn’t permanently stain the tablecloth of life! So, consider this the “art of fine-tuning the whine.” Read the rest of this entry »

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and what a perfect time to announce this latest venture. I had the honor of contributing and publishing an essay in a new book about women in their ’40s, and write here about the Mom-experience, highlighting some Mom-tastic excerpts from the book. Within 48 hours on Amazon, the book shot to the #1 spot in the Breast Cancer Category. Note - We’ll try to post a link to XM Radio’s “The Broads” national radio show from Thursday October 2 to hear the live interview with Amy & Cari, two essayists in the book.

Moms Dish in a New Book
Brutally Honest, Touching & Funny Essays about Women in Their 40s “Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s”

Moms are the most fascinating group of multi-tasking mavens around. So, when I met fellow mom/editor, Molly Rosen (a friend of a friend of a friend, and fellow mom), who was compiling a book about women in their 40s, my only question was, “How soon do you need my essay?”

From tattoos to affairs, from motherhood to mayhem, from battling alcoholism and eating disorders to everything in between, “Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s” includes Read the rest of this entry »

Photo - Cari Shane Parven, WUSA-9’s Peggy Fox, and Amy

I’ve blogged about my involvement at WUSA-9 TV (local CBS affiliate)’s DVM Moms before. The website just got an incredible facelift, and it’s a great 24/7 place to dish with other moms about virtually anything of interest. Now called “DC Moms Like Me,” the site is part of a Gannett endeavor that provides online communities for moms nationwide.

Fellow Mom Blogger, Cari Shane Parven, and I, both Featured Discussion Leaders on the site, participated in a launch piece with WUSA Anchor Peggy Fox, this week to announce the news to local moms — here’s the segment that explains the site:

DC Moms Like Me is a great place to get into the dialogue - whether it’s about food, school, discipline, you can start a conversation and get and share feedback with other moms - 24/7. And, if you subscribe to my philosophy that motherhood is a business, join my BusinessMomGroup on the site - Click here to join. Note - you need to become a member (free) to join groups on the site.

Hope you love it - I sure do!

I recently published a guest article on Psychology of Eating Expert Karen Schachter’s Newsletter, and thought I’d share it with moms at “the lounge” - enjoy!

The Business of School Lunches

Back-to-school, and back to the school cafeteria adds yet another item to a Mom’s “to do list.” Whether you buy or bring, you’re undoubtedly thinking about providing a nutritious, high-energy lunch for your child. Add to the equation refrigeration issues (or lack thereof!), school allergy guidelines, and picky eaters, and you’re bound to find yourself in a frustrating situation. Plus, many kids eat lunch early, so providing a good energy boost is important to help them get through the day.

Here are some links and tips to add method to the meal! Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: This “Internet Essay/Author Unknown” came to me from Pam M., Mom Since 1970 (MS’70). I met Pam at The Today Show - she was another part of the in-studio audience, and so fun that she sent a “Momtini” my way. The humor in birth order is clear - but I think based on reality setting in as you find yourself juggling with less time, and also on the perspective that experience brings. Nonetheless, good for a laugh! Enjoy - Amy

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes. Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: Recently, Karen Schachter, local nutritionist and Mom Since 2001, highlighted 5 ways to begin to address picky eating: “crowding out” less healthy choices with healthier ones; having good food available (and eventually getting rid of the ones you don’t want); encouraging the “one bite” rule; eating together as a family when possible; and not labeling a child as “picky.” This is such a great topic, and one that many parents find frustrating — here are more tips from Karen. -Amy

From Karen:
Experiment and see what works best for your family:
1) Identify “hunger saboteurs.” Is your child drinking milk or juice right before dinner;? Is he snacking on “snack foods” which then fill him up prior to a meal?; Could she have an allergy or food sensitivity that is causing stomach problems? Ruling out a child’s hunger saboteurs can get rid of many of the struggles around mealtime. Read the rest of this entry »

Sounds promising & empowering to me…when this author’s tips crossed my desk, I wanted to read more! Shawn Phillips, a strength and fitness expert (and Dad), wrote a book, Strength for Life, and he offers our readers a free personal training session online here at “The (MomTini) Lounge” — Enjoy! - Amy

1. Realize that health is not enough!

Most of us define health as Read the rest of this entry »