Mommy Has to Work

10 Tips for Throwing a Kid’s Birthday Party Adults Will Enjoy

June 25, 2019 By Anne

While kid’s parties are meant for kids, the parents or guardians who accompany them should also be considered in the planning process. Here are ten tips to ensure that the grownups will enjoy the next kid’s party you throw:

Designate a Space Exclusive for Adults

You don’t want the adults to compete with the kids for seating in your home. That’s a sure way to put them out of the mood. Designate a section for the grownups that is separate from the kids but still within sight. They still get to keep an eye on their children without the hassle of having to deal with them.

Choose an Inclusive Theme

Kid’s parties are notorious for having themes. It’s usually superheroes for the boys and princesses for the girls. A great way to engage the adults to the party is to choose a theme that has nostalgia, movies, or games that they once enjoyed when they were young and are still enjoyed by kids today. For example, a Mining party for a Minecraft fan might have mining faces balloons or inflatable axes as party favors the kids can play with.

Another fun theme that a lot of adults can relate to is Harry Potter. Many of the parents now grew up with the Harry Potter movies. You can share your love for this beloved childhood book and film series with the little ones by choosing it as your party theme. The adults can dress up as distinguished wizards and witches in fancy robes and gowns. Meanwhile, the littles can wear their Hogwarts House uniforms. You can set up the venue to look like the Great Hall to stay true to the theme!

Serve Adult Food Too

Hosts often forget that the adults in the party get hungry too, and the chicken fingers or mac ’n’ cheese on the table might not be to their liking. Offer something that’s a bit more appropriate for grownups; it doesn’t have to be extravagant. Roasted meats, sandwiches, or flatbread pizzas are some of your best bets. Here’s a pro tip: only serve them in the adults-only area.

Don’t Forget about the Adult Drinks

No matter what day or time your party is, having coffee on deck is an absolute must. All adults need a daily caffeine fix. Also alcohol—whether that’s beer, wine, or cocktail—is going to be met with appreciation by tired and stressed-out parents. Just keep the volume in check; it’s still a kid’s party after all.

5. Curate an All-Ages Playlist

Music is an integral part of any party as it helps set the mood. If you plan to blast Kidz Bop or Disney movie soundtracks throughout the day, you’re going to hear groans from the grownups in the room. Some of the parents might already have their fill of “Let It Go” in their own homes. When choosing songs, make sure that it’s something everyone can relate to.

Avoid Activities That Require a Lot of Adult Help

DIYs and craft activities are a good way to keep the kids busy, but they are attention-intensive. They require a lot of adult supervision. You might lose parents who aren’t savvy with crafts or even stress them out. You can have a hired babysitter to man the station so that the parents can just lounge and enjoy themselves.

Plan Games Where Adults Can Join In

The grownups are as much guests as the kids. Plan games or activities that they can join in, like soccer or capture the flag. Having the kids worked up after several rounds of games will help temper their sugar rush and the adults to mingle more with the other grownups.

Put Out Toys Where Multiple Kids Can Share

Kids suck at sharing. Just imagine how stressful it’s going to be having to deal with two kids fighting over a single toy. The quick fix to this dilemma is to put out toys where a bunch of kids can play together. For example, a ball pit or a bucket of different sports balls will force kids to play with each other.

9. Keep the Party Short

Make sure that your party falls within an age-appropriate time window. For kids five years and younger, limit it to two hours. For slightly older kids who can handle a longer party, three hours at most is advised. Any longer than these and the adults will start to lose their patience.

Don’t Invite the Adults

The simplest option would probably be to not invite the parents or guardians to the party. That automatically eliminates the problem of catering to both kids and adults. They can just drop off their kids at your home and pick them up later in the day. This will surely be a hit among parents who’re dying to carve out some alone adult time.

Photo credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-barbecuing-skewered-meats-1260310/

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

6 No Fail Tips For a Low Stress Move

June 24, 2019 By Anne

Moving is well-known as one of life’s biggest stressors. In line with things like death and a divorce process, moving can be a real pain in the neck (literally). However, compared with the moving process our parents and grandparents went through we’ve got it pretty good. Let’s look at some things that can make moving day less stressful.

Take Your Time

Depending on your reason for moving you may not have the luxury of time, but if you do, use it wisely. Mobile storage units have been game changers for moving households and businesses. For people who have some notice, they can rent a storage container homestead and have it delivered right to their driveway. They can load boxes in at their leisure and in whatever order they think is best. This makes it easier to stay organized and to handle fragile items yourself.

Make a Donation

Moving time is the best time to donate things you no longer use. From clothes to furniture to appliances, donate the things that have been collecting dust. Not only will it mean less to transport for you but it will be a big benefit for the charity you donate to. Local charities like The Salvation Army and Goodwill will even come to your home to pick up your donation. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Color Code Your Boxes

Whether you use colored duct tape or sticky notes, find a way to color code your boxes. If you mark all the kitchen boxes yellow and the bedroom blue, it makes moving things into your new home a breeze. Regardless of who is helping you, the color system can make the process run smoothly.

Pillows and Blankets

Pillows and blankets can be bulky, but you can use that to your benefit. Wrap fragile items like mirrors or picture frames in plush items like comforters for protection. You can stuff pillows inside boxes to secure precious goods from bouncing around.

Avoid Weekends

It may be easier said than done, but if you can, avoid weekends. Moving companies charge premium prices on the weekends due to demand. If you are trying to move on a budget, pick a weekday instead.

Watch the Valuables

Movers do their best to pack and move your things in an efficient and safe way. However, even professionals make mistakes. If you have big ticket items like a piano, artwork or a floor to ceiling mirror take pictures or a video of the items before the movers arrive. That way, you have proof of the item’s condition before the move.

Anne

Being Attentive To Your Kids As A Busy Parent

June 24, 2019 By Anne

Life can get a little hectic sometimes, but it’s important that we spend and make time for our children because if you too much time is spent away from them, they’ll notice it. This can end up having a resentment later on in life if you’re missing out on important life events, so here’s how to be attentive to your kids as a busy parent.

Image Source

Learn To Say No

It can be pretty easy to say yes to everything because many of us are people pleasers. We don’t want to let people down and whether that’s in work or your to do with your social life, it’s sometimes just simpler to say yes rather than saying no. However, if you commit yourself to too much then you risk spreading yourself too thin and it’s your personal life that will suffer. It’s a good idea to take a look at your diary whenever someone asks if they can go for coffee or dinner or if your boss tells you to take on another project. If you have too much going on already, then learn to say no. It may be easier said than done, but you don’t want to risk sacrificing valuable time with your loved ones, especially if your children are young.

Discuss Flexible Working

Even a workaholic needs a break, and as life progresses, your priorities and responsibilities will change with it, whether you want it to or not. With children, you now have more unexpected things that happen. Perhaps they fall ill at school, or they have school holidays coming up. Suddenly, you need to be there and at home, and this can be difficult for those who have full-time jobs. This is why it’s worth discussing with your company about doing flexible working. It can be a great way of having a bit of extra flexibility to take time away from the office when needed and to work from home or remotely.

Take Advantage Of Technology

Technology is a wonderful thing, and it has improved our quality of lives in so many ways. And you can use it to help keep the relationship between you and your children consistent, even if you can’t be there physically. Social media platforms are great for keeping up to date with what they’re up to if you are away for a longer period of time than normal. You also have messaging services like Facetime and Skype, which help with talking face to face. If you want to keep track of what your children are up to, there are always apps like Family Orbit that are worth trying out. You can learn more about it on their website, and it’s a great way of monitoring their location and having a say in what they can see and what they can’t see.

Be Fully Invested When You’re With Them

Children can be very understanding and can also be very forgiving. However, it’s important to not take advantage of that trust, so when you are spending time with them, ensure you have fully invested it in. Don’t do things in half-measure and don’t be preoccupied with other things like your phone as an example. Remove any distractions and commit yourself fully to the time you are spending with your children. It’s these moments that your children will remember and will make up for the times that you are away. Be present in that moment at all times!

Try To Have At Least One Meal Together

Not every family has the ability to eat together, but it’s important that you try to have at least one meal together each day. Whether it’s easier to do that in the morning or in the evening is up to you, but it’s usually around the dining table, where conversations and relationships are made. It can help you start off or end the day by discussing it with your nearest and dearest. The line of communication becomes more open because of it, and you’ll notice that your children will speak more openly to you about things that have happened or seem to be affecting them.

Being attentive to your kids as busy parents is tough, but it’s something you just have to adapt and be able to do. Learn to say no at times when you are getting too busy that you sacrifice time away from your children. Discuss the idea of flexible working with your workplace, and you may be surprised by how they can adapt to suit your needs.

Anne

Summer Fun for Kids with Pokémon, Secret Life of Pets 2 and Topps Baseball Cards!

June 24, 2019 By Marijean

Keep your kiddos occupied this summer with these fun gifts available now!

The Secret Life of Pets 2 Value Box

Everyone’s favorite domesticated-talking pets are hitting the big screen again in The Secret Life Of Pets 2! Show off your excitement for Max, Gidget, and the gang with the all-new The Secret Life of Pets 2 Value Box! This fun-filled package contains 8 random items, including Dog Tags, puzzle erasers, keychains, and Plush. Over $25 in value fun!

My kids just saw The Secret Life of Pets 2 in the theatre, so they were super excited to check out this fun value box! This box came with the coolest things! My daughter just loved puzzle erasers, so she can’t wait to take them to school. The cat plush key chain is my favorite since she is my favorite character in the movie. The dog tags are awesome to wear to show off to friends! This box is an excellent value for sure!

MSRP: $9.99

Pokemon Sun and Moon – Unbroken Bonds

When you have a partner you can count on, nothing can stop you! The TAG TEAM Pokémon in the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon—Unbroken Bonds expansion shows the colossal power of teamwork! With over 210 cards to collect, 7 brand-new TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX, more than 25 Trainer cards, a new Special Energy card — your opponent won’t stand a chance against your experience! Plus, with the Elite Trainer Box, you’ll find collectible dice, condition makers, energy cards, and much more! With trust and practice, these Pokémon can tackle just about anything!

My son loves EVERYTHING Pokémon! He was very excited to get these awesome cards to collect and play! The trainer box is so cool, and has everything you need to play. This set would make the perfect gift for any Pokémon fan!

MSRP: $3.99 – $39.99

Topps 2019 Series 2 Fat Pack

It’s Game Day! The 2019 Topps Series 2 Fat Pack is perfect for any MLB fan. Keep an eye out for relic and autograph relic cards that can be found in almost each pack and many more fan favorites amongst the 34 cards to collect! Also keep a lookout for contest cards that can be found inside! Topps hits a home run with this one!

Gosh, these take me back to the days of when I was a child and watched my brother collect Topps cards! Now my 8-year-old son is enjoying them. These are great for any baseball fan!

MSRP $4.99

You can find all of these products in the Fairfield lanes near the checkout at a Target store near you!

*I received these products in exchange for this post. All thoughts are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Christian Denominations of the World

June 23, 2019 By Anne

The Christian church can be found all over the world from Europe to the United States. Although there are hundreds of different sects, each shares the core ideal that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They are separated by differences in belief when it comes to Jesus’s nature, doctrine, titles and organizational styles. Here are three of the major Christian denominations in the world and their similarities and difference from each other.

Protestant

The Protestant Church includes such groups as The Way International, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist and many more. It began in the 1500’s when multiple members of the Catholic church, such as Martin Luther and John Wycliffe, questioned its teachings. It began when Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg. The Theses were a list of items where he found that the Catholic church’s doctrine and the Bible were different. These groups of people eventually split from the Catholics and formed their own churches with the belief that their doctrine is based on the scripture in the Bible alone. Although they are all considered part of the Protestant church, the teachings of their particular denomination are frequently different from the other groups. Due to this, they are considered as not being in fellowship with each other meaning they participate in separate sacraments.

Catholic

The Roman Catholic church traces its roots back to Saint Peter and the apostles that were with Jesus. Due to that distinction, the church body believes itself to be the true Church of Christ even though the Eastern Orthodox church makes a similar claim. It is not only influential in the world of religion but has also been known to affect the political landscape as well. The Catholic church is led by the Pope, who is located in Rome at the Vatican, a city by itself alone. There are over a billion members of the church throughout the world. Their teachings are based on the Nicene Creed, a document of belief written by the First Council of Nicea in 325. You can see the effect of the church on the culture and art in Western Europe and the United States.

Eastern Orthodox

The second largest church body in the world, the Eastern Orthodox Church also believes its origins start shortly after the death of Jesus. Made up of smaller church bodies that are in fellowship with each other, most of its members live in Russia. They have multiple bishops leading the churches yet the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is believed to be the unofficial leader of them all. The influences of the Eastern Orthodox Church can be seen all over Eastern and Southern Europe. Like the Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox teaching is based on the Niceness Creed. They broke fellowship with the Catholic church in 1054 when they disagreed on many things, especially the duties and power of the Pope. They split from the Catholics when the Crusaders tore Constantinople apart and plundered it causing hard feelings between the two church bodies until modern times.