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August 2009
August 31, 2009
The Scoop on Au Pairs
Posted at 12:08 PM in Child Care | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
August 25, 2009
Swine Flu – Real Danger or Just Media Hype?
- Know your care center’s rules. Some schools and day cares don’t allow sick children to attend. Don’t be caught off-guard not knowing your center’s rules!
- Keep a list of back-up caregivers handy. You can set up a list of favorites on Care.com, or just jot down a list of relatives or friends who are ready to fill in on short notice.
- Talk to your employer on how to handle flu season—maybe they’ll let you work from home?
- Use a service like Care-on-Call to find last-minute babysitters or in-home elder care. We’ll broadcast your care needs super-fast, so you won’t have to scramble when you’re caught in a pinch!
Posted at 03:02 PM in Care Planning | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
When Pets Just Won't Get Along
Posted at 03:01 PM in Pet Care | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Six-Figure Nannies
Posted at 03:01 PM in Care Planning | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
August 17, 2009
Back-to-School Shopping Saving
Posted at 06:07 PM in Care Planning | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
We've Got Your Back...Pack!
We’re not only packing your bags for back-to-school—we’re giving them away, too! Become a fan on Facebook or give us a re-tweet on Twitter (or both!) to win backpacks stuffed full of school supplies (courtesy of Staples).
Posted at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Steve B.'s Care Story
Posted at 04:44 PM in Care Stories | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
August 10, 2009
Learning with Video Games
Posted at 04:26 PM in Child Care | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
August 03, 2009
Name that Baby!
Last week, a woman changed her name to Princess-Rainbow.com. Can you believe it? She really gave herself a web address as her legal name! Then, a football player has named himself “Chad Ochocinco” to match his jersey number. And there’s the New Zealand couple who named their daughter Tatula Does the Hula from Hawaii—that’s just her first name, too!
Posted at 03:51 PM in Child Care | Permalink | Comments (26) | TrackBack (0)
"Housekeeper" Winners!
Honorable Mentions
“My husband tells me that the amount of housework he puts in is equal to the amount of sex I put in. So yes, I would trade my husband for a housekeeper. Hope he or she likes sarcastic men!
I would also trade my sanity. I am not sure how much I have left of it these days, so that may not get me much more than a toilet scrubbed.” – Kim D.
“I would give up CHOCOLATE for a housekeeper. And that's saying something because my son once told me I was AFFLICTED to it (he meant addicted of course!). To give up chocolate has serious and far reaching consequences because I would have to give up Starbucks Frappacinos, Dove candy bars, Hershey Bliss, Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, Girhadelli fudge brownies and even Weight Watchers chocolate eclairs, Nutella, and No Pudge Brownies! As you can see, I would be confronted with choices not just at home but in the grocery store, at office parties, and especially Halloween and Easter. Oh the horror!But the horror of missing chocolate is nothing compared to the horror of the condition of a house occupied by two teenage boys with ADHD and two working parents. My family's collective lack of housekeeping skills, not to mention their lack of concern about the condition of the house, is a daily irritant because they do not perceive it to be their problem. They intuitively know when your house is a mess, a visitor doesn't go away thinking "boy, those kids/that husband keep a messy house" Noooo. It’s always, ‘That WOMAN sure keeps a messy house.’
‘My house was clean on Tuesday. Sorry you missed it.’” - Cindy
“I would trade my mother-in-law for a housekeeper. My MIL is a lovely woman with great intentions. She loves to shop for kids clothes and is a great cookie and bread maker. She also enjoys making homey recipes from women's magazines. My husband loves her chicken and noodles and I love the caramel popcorn she makes every Christmas. She loves our son and is very dedicated to him, making him laugh at every opportunity. She does have an annoying dog and I think that would be part of the package, if you were willing to swap... but, did I mention she is a great cookie baker? She carries on conversations easily and enjoys long walks (with or without the annoying dog). She's yours, in exchange for one housekeeper.” – Emily N.“I don't have a husband to trade, but I'd trade my pot-bellied pig, BB. (Sorry, Beebs, I just need some help here!) Things are piling up on me as I've spent seven months traveling back and forth, mostly in Texas, helping out with Hurricane Ike disaster relief. I haven’t ave not caught up [with cleaning] since May, either…I can sure use some help to catch up on my chores!” – Doreen C.
Grand Prize Winner ($200!)
“By 4 p.m. I'd trade just about anything for a housekeeper. At that point the bliss of five hours of sleep has long worn off and I'm still in my PJs, and so are my twins. They've eaten breakfast, lunch, and two snacks—some of which I'm still wearing (Who knew 1 year olds like to spit raspberries with full mouths?). I've done four loads of laundry, made 10 bottles, cleaned the kitchen floor and pureed $45 worth of organic fruits and veggies which netted me about three cups of guilt-free food. I've washed and sanitized a mountain of cheerily colored, goofy-eyed baby toys that probably weren't really dirty but they touched the floor so YOU NEVER KNOW. I've played peek-a-boo and giggle bug until I'm silly, and I've spent untold energy trying to distract one of my little wobblers from pulling his brother's hair, or tasting the dog, or putting finger food up his nose, or whatever new exploration is on the agenda that day. By 4 p.m. what I really, really want is the housekeeping fairy to swoop in and spread sparkling cleanliness throughout my whole house so that by 7 p.m. I can sit on a piece of furniture with my feet up and enjoy a glass of wine. Even if it is in a sippy cup.
But despite my desperation at 4 pm, by 5 pm my husband walks through the door and scoops up our sons, full of energy and eager to see how his boys have grown in the last 12 hours. He always has the first kiss for me, and really, he doesn't care so much that there are dirty dishes in the sink and I have sweet potatoes in my hair. And I would never, ever trade that.” - Rachelle
Posted at 03:50 PM in Care Stories | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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