This winter isn’t a particularly stressful one when it comes to hustling in and out of the bitter cold, but the gray days still get to us, right? There are easy ways to regain some of the lost energy and renew our bodies and the benefits extend beyond just a simple 15 minutes.  When you hear the benefits of relaxation, you’ll be surprised how much our hectic lives really can affect our mind, body and emotional well-being.  Relaxation helps the body Relaxation can help the body release endorphins (a natural chemical that makes you feel happy,) helps relax muscles and calm the nervous system, …

This world needs more than just an angel on a tree in order to make a difference. Just this past weekend I went to my cousin’s annual fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital. We always try to make the effort for this event since we know the proceeds make a brighter and happier holiday for some little kids that are in the hospital. This fundraiser along with many other wonderful charitable events really are the true angels behind making a difference over the holidays. Being a good role model and letting your children know about, and take part in, some of the giving is the best way to teach them…

Don’t let the pressure get to you. Thanksgiving can certainly be a hefty holiday to host so take a breath, make a list and keeping on moving. For many of us, all the holiday hecticness is part of what makes Thanksgiving a favorite holiday because it ties back to what’s important in our lives, bringing together friends and family with one common meaning; to give thanks for our blessings and our harvest. Imagine, what would it be like if President Abraham Lincoln never made Thanksgiving a national holiday? Among all the chatter around the table this Thursday have a few "Why We Celebrate …

Is a simple thank you at the check out counter enough to teach our kids empathy and compassion for others? Well, good manors are important but demonstrating and teaching these things can take an extra effort on our part. The month of November is the perfect time to emphasize the importance of thinking of others.  There are so many ways to give thanks, it makes me warm and fuzzy just thinking of it! Here are some simple ways you and your family can make a difference to others and possibly start some new family traditions. Donating is certainly something that happens year-round, but donating to…

Displaying and offering thanks to our veterans this week is the best way to honor the sacrifices they have made to protect our country and freedom. Annually on Nov. 11 (this year is 11/11/11) we honor our courageous service men and women, so be sure to have your family recognize what our veterans have done for us and our country. For the little ones, explaining why it is important to be patriotic is a great start to why we celebrate Veterans Day. It may sound silly, but in case this lesson didn’t resonate completely in school, it is important that they get that patriotism means to have love …

Halloween parties are underway, sweets are everywhere and, consequently, mom’s anxiety levels are rising! How do we deal with all the candy and hyped-up kids? Actually having a plan, or a set of rules in place prior to Halloween night will make for a more enjoyable Holiday (and fewer tummy-aches!) If you have young children sharing the tail of the Candy Witch, also known as the Switch Witch, is a brilliant idea. As the story goes, the Candy Witch sneaks in Halloween night (like the tooth fairy) and replaces the child’s candy with a toy. The child needs to leave one piece of candy on the …

What a topic, right? I mean, what mom doesn’t angst over this. I find more than ever parents are becoming creative about their work-life balance partly because they yearn for more quality time with their kids.  For moms, developing a balance is one of the first things we deal with when we become parents but the one thing I think I’ve learned is that nothing is ever permanent. If it isn’t working then make a change. Working Mother Magazine recently reported in their survey that 82 percent of moms feel happier since becoming parents and only 4 percent are less happy. They indicate that upping …

Bullying is top of mind among educators and, sadly, it is under the spotlight for not-so-good reasons. We can be proud that our school systems are taking action against bullying but really, we all know, it still can and will happen.  Obviously as parents we have no control when it comes to our child's day. They live it, but we can prepare them for when the time comes that they are caught in the claws of a bullying situation. I think when we were growing up this was called having “street smarts?” Well opening the lines of communication with your school-age kids will help prepare them and, more…

Some things never change right? When it comes to learning, it is best to provide the ideal environment for your child to be focused, comfortable and know what’s expected. A healthy routine is actually the key to a healthy lifestyle and well-being.  The following are the basics to getting back into the swing of a homework routine. Start it off at the start of the school year and when they are young, so homework is a must-do. Developing a Homework routine Consistent Timing is essential to the schedule. Set a consistent time Sunday-Thursday for homework. Kids will likely need a break after …

Just do it. Go into your bins, closets, drawers and unveil all those unused supplies from last year. Yes, back-to-school shopping does include shopping so save your money for items you don’t already own! This is the first step in the process, recycle, reuse and reorganized already existing supplies. Understanding what you already own will help when you draw up that shopping list. Take the school supply list along with the list of must-have’s for starting off the school year. Caolan Madden’s article, “Go to the Head of the Store” narrows down the list of clothing must-haves. The article …

With sessions of summer camp ending soon and still time, though not much, left of summer, moms have their work cut out for them! Surprise your kids with some out-of-the-box family fun!   10 Out-of-the-Box Family Fun Activities Outdoor family camp-out! Roast some marshmallows on the charcoal grill, pitch a tent and bring out the sleeping bags. If you’ve never gone camping this is a fun way to sample the fun. Have a yard sale. This could take days to prepare for. Have everyone gather what you are planning to sell, tag the items, make the signs, and execute the sale. This is a great way to …

It's the planner in me that feels the need to do this feature. There's certainly plenty of summer left to continue having fun so lets make the most of it! At the same time, there are simple things we can do so the transition back to school won’t be such a shocker.  Staying up late, ice cream, goodies, friends, fun, games, movies, unlimited paradise! This is what summer's about! Come August, a slow transition from all of these habits to a more structured predictable schedule will help when school starts. Family TalkA family talk may be necessary to gear up for the upcoming school year. A new …

What is the ultimate part of the summer? For me, it happens to  include relaxing on the beach with my toes in the sand and feeling like I just can’t make myself get up from the beach chair to respond to, “mommy come in the water!” The best I can give is a swift response, “find some sea shells or have a race on the beach.” I continue to stay seated and open a People magazine. I enjoy a glass of wine and some chips. I am in heaven and I don’t want it to end. At the end of the day should I feel a tad bit guilty? I could have done more here. Well, I’ve decided, absolutely not. I love hearing from…

As we approach the holiday weekend, I’ve decided to stick with the theme of summer safety tips. I hope this month isn't turning out to be tip sheet overkill and you are gaining benefit from my research. Just knowing that safety is tops on every mother’s list, I think this is all very relevant. Over the last two weeks I focused on sun safety andbicycle safety. This week’s water safety tips come at a time when many of us are planning to attend July 4th parties, go to the beach or pools with friends and maybe even go boating or to a lake. This is not to take the fun out of our social plans, but …

As a child, some of my favorite memories were riding bikes down the Cape Cod Rail Trail with my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We’d ride to the halfway point in the trail, where we could indulge in an ice cream before turning around and heading all the way back. We spent hours riding and I have such vivid memories of my baby cousin riding his mini bike tagging along in the back. He was only four! Bike rides built wonderful memories with my family and contributed to the foundation for me to draw upon for my own family.  Biking together is a wonderful way to get exercise, fresh air and …

Building a garden and watching it grow can be one of natures most exciting and wondrous activities for a child of any age. Just think about it from a child’s perspective. One little seedling can grow to produce an eye-popping flower or veggies to eat right from the vine. For a child what could be better than taking care of the little miracle they grew on their own? Building a kid-friendly garden is going all-in and committing to summer of dedication and nurturing, and it is all worth it.  To prepare your child for this new adventure read him some books about gardening. The options here are …

Whether you have a mobile device or not this is an interesting topic for everyone. At some point many of us will likely adopt one of these devices and it’s interesting to know that it’s another world out for tech moms. A study printed back in 2009 by TechCrunch.com revealed then that iPhone mom’s made up 29 percent of all iPhone users with that number expected to grow. Now years later, I look around the playground and I have to believe that those predictions are true. As I sit chatting with other moms during dance class almost every week in the corner sit a crowd of kids huddle around an …

Providing nutritious, well-balanced meals to our families is one topic that hasn’t changed from day one. It is also something we all have in common. This week Michelle Mix, a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coordinator for Hannaford's Supermarket in Taunton, will give us some tips and tricks on keeping a nutritious diet this summer. In Michelle's role at Hannaford, she helps customers of the supermarket decipher labels and find the most nutritious options for their families by providing store tours, nutrition classes and educational demonstrations on the store floor. Today, Michelle helps …

Camp Stay-at-Home-Mom (SAHM) is something we all engage in at some point within our range of responsibilities as mom, right? Funny that no-one warned us about this when we started a family. If you are planning on taking some extra time with your kids this summer, this article will hopefully fuel you with some inspiration on how to richen and plan out your kids days over summer break. The idea to cover this topic came to me because I recently overheard moms at my kids preschool saying that they are keeping the kids home this summer and saving the cash they would have spent on a day camp.  …

For those of you who may find the title of this somewhat familiar, Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown is the 1977 episode when the Peanuts gang heads off to Camp Remote in the Rocky Mountains. This classic Charlie Brown episode is all I can think of when I hear the words "summer camp." Whether you're a working mom or stay at home mom, we all have the same thing in mind, to find the best experience for our kids this summer vacation. We all have dreams of giving them the best memories to looks back on. This week YMCA Camp Director, Ashli Phillips, gives us some great tips on deciphering how to …