Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

It is no secret that mothers often feel overwhelmed by all the responsibilities thrust upon them. Between bottles, play groups, homework battles and trying to keep an organized home, you can easily lose yourself amongst it all. What’s worse is that moms often feel like they have to do it all on their own. If you’re tired of being Super Mom, let me share with you a few reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.

Reason #1: You deserve a break. Moms are busy people. We take on a lot of tasks and often don’t get much credit or recognition for them. Moms work 24 hours a day, rarely getting breaks. Allow yourself to take a break every now and again.

Reason #2: You can’t do it all by yourself. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s just the opposite, a sign of strength. Someone once said that no man (or mama) is an island. Oh how true this is! There is no way you could do everything by yourself, and if you did you would be exhausted so ask for help and feel good doing it.

P.S. For more suggestions on boosting your confidence (loaded with examples and action steps) take a look at Journey to Joy:  http://www.reallifecoaching.net/journeytojoy.shtml

Are You Struggling With Dealing With An Angry Child??

Parenting an angry child is like walking through a minefield.  You never know when an explosion will take place and sometimes no matter how calm we try to remain, we ourselves can explode as well. 

I’ve found a resource for parents that deals with child anger management.

You will learn  how to deal with your aggressive child and also you will learn hot to teach them about anger managment all with using powerful but simple techniques!

This resource come with a 100% money back guarantee and also 3 free bonuses:

 - Bonus #1: “Parenting Tips for Dads and Moms”
 - Bonus #2: “How to Identify Possible Stress Causes”
 - Bonus #3: “Tips For Your Child’s Safety at Home”

Read more about this incredible product and the added bonuses here:  http://www.reallifesolutions.net/help-for-moms.HTML

Here’s to happier parenting

School’s Out For The Summer: Do You Know Where Your Teen Will Be?

All of the stress associated with the school year has begun to dissipate and now is the time for all good teens to break out and use their free time to engage in summertime fun. Do you know what your teen plans to do?

Stop by Teen Summer Ideas! For some free tips

Free Work At Home Idea’s For Moms!!

I know many moms out there are looking for ways to earn a little income at home (either full time or part time).  Well, Real Life Solutions has a page dedicated to Work At Home Ideas.  Be sure to check it out, you may see something that you like.

Take care and let me know if you see anything that sparks an interest in you

Tune Into the New Show – (All About Argumentative Kids)

A new show is up and ready for you to tune into. You can listen by visiting http://www.parentingmyteen.com and clicking on the ‘Listen Now’ Button.

Our guest on this show is Christina Botto. She joins us to talk about how to communicate with and handle a stubborn and argumentative child.   We talk about why children seem to rebel against us, withdrawal or simply ignore us.  

You don’t want to miss this very informative segment and gain the tips you need to help connect with your child.  You can tune in at http://www.parentingmyteen.com

Ways To Reduce Stress & Help Your Children

Mothers are expected to possess huge hearts, big shoulders, a minimum of 3 hands, all the answers and the list goes on! What many mothers forget is they are not born with super hero powers to handle all of those things at once.

Mom=Stress. It’s a fact of life. Reducing stress is of the utmost importance to everyone, but especially mothers.

You know stress can lead to depression, heart disease, and an unhealthy mom. Did you also know your stress, if not handled correctly, can have a negative impact on your children too?

The most important things in a mother’s life, her children, are also the most influential. Children are sponges and everything Mom does they will, at some point in time in their lives, mimic. If children see their mother constantly stressed out, they will be more inclined to follow those patterns. What you do today can determine the kind of life your child will lead tomorrow, including how you make it a point to reduce stressful situations.

Mothers tend to overload themselves, which in turn overloads their children. Adults move at a much faster pace and their bodies are more adept to handle the speed of life. Children, on the other hand, are not able to function this way, which can lead to developmental and behavior problems in the long run if constantly pushed to keep up with an adult’s quicker pace.

Studies have shown a mother who is under excessive amounts of stress will hand out harsher punishments than one who is not. Prolonged stress can cause a mother to get to the point that she feels overwhelmed and will not stop to think before handing down discipline. This type of behavior teaches children it is ok to let your mood control your life as a parent

Children need to feel a sense of security and know that their mom is there to help them work through and understand the stressful times in their lives. If children are not taught what stress is and why it is a part of their lives, they will never learn how to reduce it, therefore leading them down a path of unhappiness and unhealthy choices. Give them the tools early about how to deal with stress and more importantly, how to reduce the amount of stress that occurs in their lives.

There is no one who lives an entirely stress free life. In fact, you shouldn’t want your children to have a life with absolutely no stress. The day will come that a stressful situation occurs and they will have no idea how to cope with it, which is cause for an extremely negative outcome.

As a mother you must show your children that stress does not have to control your life. Mother’s have a tendency to try and do it all; even when they know they are not capable. STOP! Make a point, each day, to reduce your stress levels. Eliminating just one stressful situation can make a world of difference in the way you feel and how your children handle stress as adults.

 Are you looking to reduce your stress? Join our Stress Less program. Free Consultation included.

What types of thoughts are you feeding yourself?

How you feel about yourself truly does affect your interaction with others.

Many women use negative talk when referring to themselves without even noticing it.  The sad thing is that this does affect how we feel about ourselves.

We aren’t born with self confidence but it is something that we gain throughout our lives. There are many things that we encounter over the years to help build or break that confidence but ultimately it is up to us to maintain our own self-confidence. Those who lack self-confidence are truly losing out on opportunities for happiness, fun, growth and often love.

Here are just a few tips that anyone can use to help build self-confidence

- Start off each morning and end each day with a positive statement or thought. Create your own mantra. (i.e: “I am intelligent”, “I will have a positive day”, “I will succeed”.)

- Make a list of all your positive characteristics and achievements. Keep adding to this list as time goes on and be sure to keep your list in a place where you can access it and read it at will.

- Choose your words/thoughts carefully: Take time to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If you are faced with a challenging task — instead of saying something like: “I will never get this done on time” try to rephrase that and say something like: “When I finish this task I will treat myself to something nice” or “This may be challenging but I can do this”.

- Take what you are good at and enhance it. Let others know about it! Hold you head up high and proud and know you have a special gift inside of you.
Building up self-confidence takes time and commitment but it is well worth it. You will soon find yourself embracing yourself and giving off a very positive energy that will surely come back to you.

Take Care,

Aurelia

P.S. Isn’t it time you nurtured your self esteem?  Why not sign up for a free self esteem coaching consultation–> http://www.reallifecoaching.net/selfesteem.shtml

Complete Barbecue Meals for Your Family

The barbecue grill is a wonderful invention.  When the weather is warm, you can leave the stove altogether and head outdoors.  Here are a few ideas on how to prepare a complete meal for your family using only your barbeque grill.

The gas grill has many families grilling out several times a week.  Gas grills are convenient and affordable.  There are those that come with storage spaces and additional heating elements.

One way to cook a meal on your gas barbecue grill is to use grilling packets.  Grilling packets are constructed using aluminum foil.  With the creation of non-stick aluminum foil, using a grilling packet is healthier and easier than ever.

Grilling packets can be used for vegetables and other side dishes.  Slice and season the vegetables and lay them in the center of a piece of aluminum foil.  Fold the foil loosely over the center of the vegetables, creating a tent.  Make a double fold with the two ends to seal the top of the packet.  Fold each end inward to create a sealed double fold.  Be sure to use heavy foil to avoid tears when shifting the packets on the grill.

Meats can also be placed in packets.  Packets allow what’s inside to cook in its juices.  The circulating steam cooks the contents without drying them out.  Make sure to keep track of cooking times to avoid burning your food. 

Packets are a good idea when everyone wants the same thing but with slightly different touches.  In this instance, each packet becomes an individual serving.  Be sure to keep vegetables and raw meats separate to avoid cross-contamination.

Bread rolls wrapped in heavy foil can be warmed on the grill.  Set them on the warming rack.  It won’t take a long time so keep watch.

Gas barbecue grills with side burners add another element to the grilling experience.  Rice or beans can be cooked outdoors as well.  The saucepan should stay covered to avoid bugs or insects flying into the pot.  You can even boil white potatoes for a homemade mashed potato side dish.  I would suggest purchasing a grill with side burners.  The grill becomes more versatile.

Most grills offer an extra prep area on one side.  This space can be used to arrange the food as it comes off of the grill.  Each person can sit their plate there and have dinner served up with a smile.

Grilling is not the experience it once was.  Now, barbecue equipment is much more user friendly.  An entire meal (excluding dessert) can be prepared on the grill in less time than it would take in the house using a stove.  And, there is a good breeze blowing outside. 

Find family friendly product reviews, information and support from a variety of different moms from all walks of life at Moms Talk News.  Join us, it’s Free!

End of school year check-list

There is no doubt that the end of the school year can be a busy time for you and your children.

Here are some tips to help your child transition easily into the summer months with a great attitude and less anxiety.

1. Keep it simple! As tempting as it may be, don’t overbook your schedules. With end of year concerts, ceremonies, final exams and special school events on top of the daily workload, your child has plenty to do.  Be sure to think twice before adding any other extracurricular activities.

2. Keep them in touch!  If you child is worried that they won’t be able to see or hear from their friends during the summer months, encourage your child to collect their friends phone numbers, address and email address to ensure that they can stay in contact. 

3. Talk with your child about what they want to do in the summer. Do they want to attend a camp, look for a job or perhaps participate in a recreation program. The key is to keep a good balance of relaxing activities and stimulating ones.

4. Most Important – relax and enjoy the change of season! Work to build in family time and do things outdoors.  Why not take advantage of those homework-free evenings and designate a family fun night!  This is a great way to touch base with our children!
 
P.S.  Need more ideas on keeping your child out of trouble, motivated and learning during the summer? Visit —> http://www.parentingmyteen.com/schools_out.html

Houston! We have a Blue Belt

Isaac tested for his blue belt on Saturday and got it . I am loving the transformation Isaac has made in this sport. It is great for your self-esteem, strength, motivation and self discipline!!

The Blue Belt represents the sky. Reminding the student to reach for the heavens and continue their Tae Kwon Do journey. (4 more belts and a few years to go for the Black Belt but he says he is in it for Good!!)

Here are a few shots — courtesy of Isreal the photographer

Isaac in Ready Stance for the beginning of his Pattern. He has his “I am SERIOUS” face on

 Isaac breaking the board after the preformance of his pattern:

Isaac posing with Master O’Kelly after he received his Blue Belt!! YAY