"Nanny and Me" log sheets - How Cute!

Many new moms and seasoned moms alike have asked about ways to know whats going on while they are away from their children all day, so I've decided to repost a great way to keep informed of all the days events...

Going back to work for the first time after you have a baby can be especially difficult. You would love to be home but if that is not an option have your nanny keep track of what goes on during the day so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
Create a “Nanny and Me” log sheet. Add lines like what your child ate, what activities did they play, special things that happened that day and maybe add favorite books they read or when your child went down for a nap. When you come home from work you’ll be able to read about what filled your child’s day. To make it especially rewarding for you, leave your nanny a charged camera so they can take pictures of the days events! Customize your log sheet, be creative, you can even add it to a scrapbook - Have fun with it!

It's Mini Golf time!

Every summer since I can remember I have traveled. Whether it was going to Florida to visit family or driving up to Maine to spend summers on the lake, we never really spent much time at home. This summer has been quite the opposite. We are filling our days with finding things to do right in our local area. And it is so rich with great activities! The latest is mini golf! Right at our local beach, the fluorescent lights shine down on a nautical themed mini golf course. With beautiful views of Long Island Sound, you can enjoy an evening out with family and friends playing 18 holes at any skill level. It’s fun, affordable and summer just would not be the same without it. Check out www.norwalkcove.com/golf to get more info.

Camp "No Camp"

This summer we decided not to sign the kids up for camp. “Why in the world would I do that?” many had asked. Well, besides the fact that we had to tighten the purse strings, I was also looking forward to a slow summer. Waking up every morning not having stress greet me was extremely appealing. Over the past 10 months, I was feeling burnt out from being the family taxi and my biggest complaint was and still is, that time was just moving way to fast. Having to wake up every morning and rush the kids off to another activity had no place on my slow summer schedule. I had set out to actually go with the flow and not have so many things lined up. And to my surprise it has worked out very well. The kids have had to be creative and find things to do without the supervision of an adult that has it all planned out for them. With that, my husband and I are often the audience members of made up dance routines practiced all day long or the very loyal patrons of the kids “restaurant” in the basement. They love to just be kids running through the sprinkler, selling lemonade, making bird baths and a favorite of mine; catching fire flies. The rewards have been priceless, they have learned to play much more productively with each other, make each other laugh and build good old fashioned memories. To me, I’ve gotten so many laughs watching them that even if it’s made one minute seem endless then no summer camp was well worth it.

Movies under the Stars!

Another reason I love the beach, outdoor movies! If you live on the coast then you are probably fortunate to have a parks and recreation department that utilizes what the coast has to offer. Even though I am a little late in the game in realizing this but Norwalk has a schedule of great kid friendly movies shown on Saturdays at Calf Pasture Beach. I heard they also have a few kids activities lined up beforehand too.
While it’s not your typical drive in, it’s still a movie outdoors under the stars! Head down before dusk to be sure to get a great spot. Bring a blanket, treats and bug spray and be prepared for a fun family night out! Oh and the best part, it’s free!

However, if you don’t have a beach sticker there is a charge to get into the beach. Check out Norwalk’s Park and Recreation summer event schedule for more info.

Finding a Connection

Many times nannies are not only new to your family but new to the area all together. It can be difficult meeting people because their daily work routine may not always be conducive in doing so. Helping your nanny get acclimated to their environment will make for a much smoother transition. Below are a few tips to help encourage your nanny to meet new friends and aid them in finding a connection!

1. If possible sign your nanny up for a class with your child. Often there are other nannies taking children to the class too.
2. If you have neighbors or friends who have nannies, arrange a time for them to come over for a playdate
3. Encourage your nanny to join a class at the gym. It’s a great way to meet people and a healthy activity too.
4. Have your nanny join a book club or form one. Put up a posting at a local coffee shop, a library or bookstore.

Being sensitive to this issue is very important. Be encouraging and positive!

Fun Day Inside

I recently went to my nephew’s birthday party at BounceU. A huge facility filled with bounce slides, bounces houses and climbing apparatus’. This is the perfect place for any day! They have open bounce sessions, it’s enclosed and they have faculty walking around to assist kids in getting in and out of the bouncies! If it’s raining or even if it’s too hot to want to be outside – they are fully air-conditioned! They looked so fun I even got on one myself. Well at first it was to retrieve my 4 year old when he became fearful at being so high up but the only way down was to slide down so I did and then spent the rest of the party thrilled and running around like the rest of them!

Note: you do need to make a reservation, so be sure to call ahead!

Happy Bouncing!

Breaking Away

Most of us now a days spend an enormous amount of time on the computer. Whether its for work or not, to me having the world literally at my finger tips is hard to resist. However, when I repeatedly hear myself saying to the kids “just a minute” or “hold on, let me finish this” when more often than not I’m on facebook or wws “web window shopping”, I realize it's probably not the greatest distraction. Before I know it an hour has passed and time has been wasted doing just a bit of nothing.
While it is very entertaining to read status updates and look thru pictures or add things to my wish list on my favorite store that I know I'll never buy, I know I can be much more productive doing something else off the computer. Mind you some of us do need to spend time on the computer for work purposes but our 15 minute break working from home is now a click to a 15 minute or more time slot browsing albums from summer vacations or reunions.
So I have found a few simple ways to help me “break away” and help curb my so called addiction.

1.Get yourself a timer – Set a small amount of time like 15 minutes for yourself if you really feel the need to go on these sites, when the timer goes off go back work or to whatever it was you were doing.
2. Only allow yourself go on during a certain time of the day – Try to allot some time at the end of the day to go on.
3. Block yourself from those hard to resist sites – There are now programs available to block you from going on during “work” hours.
4. Keep the computer turned off all together if you don’t need it!

Good Luck!

Gone to the beach!

With the summer in full effect along comes periods of unbearable heat. The last thing we want to do is think about spending time cooking. Give yourself a break and take the family out. No, not out to a restaurant, out to the beach! A fun and inexpensive idea that is sure to be a blast. Head down late afternoon when the sun starts to go down so you don’t have to fight the heat but be sure to bring some bug spray!
This was one of my favorite childhood memories. I have since continued the tradition with my family, we pack up a blanket, beach chairs, and dinner from our local market and off we go. Invite a bunch of friends, the kids have the beach as their own playground and it’s a huge hit for everyone!
Make it simple, make it fun, and make it a memory.

Safety First

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, grandparent or occasional babysitter taking a safety class can make the world of difference. We leave our children in the hands of family members, and caregivers all the time and they should know the basic steps to take if an emergency were to occur. And it certainly wouldn't hurt to freshen up on our knowledge as well. Your local Red Cross chapter offers a variety of classes that would cater to anyone that needs to learn CPR and First Aid.
Make it a family affair; invite all the people who may watch your children and you may be able to get a group discount. For more information in mid Fairfield County go to www.ctredcross.org

For everyday summer safety tips the American Academy of Pediatrics has guidelines we can all follow for keeping our kids safe this summer. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm

Happy Summer!