Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Archives for 2015

How to Eat Well in the Summer

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The summer is such a busy time which makes it so easy to constantly eat junk all the time. Here's how you can eat well in the summer without sacrificing taste.I have a love hate relationship with the summer and eating for both me and my family.

Though I love the abundance of fresh fruit that is seasonally available, I also know there will be many more temptations. More BBQ’s to attend, more road trips (which for us means more snacks), more late nights and fire pits filled with s’mores.  For me and my family, it can be tough to control it all and balance the good and bad. Here are a few ways I attempt to control more of the good and less of the bad.

Bring a Healthy Option

If we’re headed to a BBq or potluck I can’t assume there will be a healthy option and for that reason I try to be one to provide it. Sometimes it’s a simple fruit or veggie tray, other times it might be a healthy salad of sorts. This way I know we will have a healthy option to fill up on before indulging in some of the less healthy options and desserts.

Just Don’t Buy It!

There is something I simply cannot have in my house. It’s something that I really only buy in the summer and something I know for a fact that both my daughter and I will totally pig out on given an opportunity. Those would be marshmallows. If they’re in the house- a key s’more ingredient- I will eat them all, as will my three year old. For this reason it’s something I don’t buy to have ‘’on hand’’ for the off chance we might make s’mores. In fact if we do have a fire and plan on it I will usually as someone else to pick them up. Not having them around means no temptations.

Capitalize on Seasonal Goodness

I love fruit, as does everyone in my family. Right now is strawberry season here so not only are we eating a ton of them we’re buying more than we can consume for the future. I’ll buy, wash and freeze berries year round when they’re on sale so we can use them for future smoothies or to cook with. It always ends up being much cheaper than buying pre-packaged smoothie mixes and tastier too!

Plan Better

The summer is definitely more chaotic for us. Soccer practice, irregular work schedules, vacations. All of these things throw my schedule off and when that happens we aren’t always the best planners. We eat out more- especially when road tripping. With an upcoming trip I have vowed to avoid the gas station junk, as well booked accommodations with a kitchen. Though the kitchen can sometimes be an added expense what we save on eating out every meal, will more than make up for it.

Summer is always a treat for us. We certainly indulge in things in the summer that we don’t any other time of year and that’s fine, as long as it’s balanced. Nothing worse than spending your summer indulging to find your fall jeans don’t fit…

How do you balance summertime treats with healthier options?

Cleaning Poop and Other Jobs Your Kid Can Do This Summer to Earn Money

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Is your little one wanting to earn some extra cash? Here's a list of jobs your kid can do this summer to earn some money. These aren't all fun but they are worth it!A few weeks ago as I was getting my daughter ready for bed there was a knock at the door. It was two kids, about 14 asking to mow our lawn. My husband was already planning to do it the next day so I thanked them and gave my apologies.

They looked totally defeated. They obviously hadn’t had any luck and had been lugging their lawnmower all over the neighbourhood looking for someone to help. My husband felt bad, went outside and asked their price. For $15 they would cut both the front and back yard, $20 and they would add in the whippersnipper. We did it.

Did we need to, absolutely not, we’re both able-bodied and can mow our own lawn but these kids were looking to earn some cash of their own and we wanted to help.

The summer can be a great opportunity for kids of all ages to earn some extra money. What they use the money for will vary but there are many opportunities for kids to have a little hustle of their own with their free time. Here are a few ideas to help your kids start-up a little side-gig:

Lawn mowing: This is an easy one but start in neighbourhood where there is a knowing aging population, a group who would benefit from the help the most. Make simple flyers and hand them out. The biggest downside is how weather dependant it is.

Yard Sale: My sister and I used to do this all the time. We would gather items and ask our mom to help pick stuff out for us to sell. We’d make a few signs the morning of and hope for the best. We’ve also rented tables for $10 at flea markets to sell. This isn’t usually consistent income but helps unload stuff and make a lump-sum of cash.

Yard Cleaning: This is something I searched online for the year we moved into our house. After we demolished an old shed on our property I contemplated hiring someone, ideally a cheap young high school kid, for a few hours to help clean the area up and prep it for a garden, only problem was that I couldn’t find anyone! There is always yard work that is needed and that people need and want help with.

Clean poop: Sounds gross but someone has to do it. There are companies dedicated to cleaning the dog poop from your property especially in the spring when the snow melts but it really is a task that needs to be maintained. If your kid is eager enough they could probably make a decent income for the upfront cost of good gloves, a mask, some buckets/bags and a rake.

Dog Walk/Pet Sit: People travel in the summer and the pets sometimes need a place to stay or for someone to check up on them. If your teen is attentive enough, and good with animals, it might be a lucrative summer career that can stretch beyond the summer months.

Until kids are of the legal working age it can be hard to earn income of their own. With a little effort and determination they may have luck in one of these areas to help them earn some money to put towards their own wants and needs.

Throwing a Frozen Themed Party on a Budget

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Throwing a themed party doesn't have to be expensive. Here's how we were able to throw a Frozen Themed Party on a budget.My daughter is ‘’into’’ many things, the biggest I can thank Disney for, Frozen. It was the first movie she watched and was actually engaged with. She loved it, especially all the songs. When it came time to plan her birthday party asking the question, ‘’what kind of party do you want to have’’ was a stupid question. We already knew it would be Frozen everything.

Disney is smart. They know how to market to kids arguably more than any other company in the world. She wanted everything we saw that was even somewhat Frozen related. Needless to say, if we were responsible for hosting over 20 people at our house for a party, we would need to keep as many costs down as possible, while trying to plan around Disney’s current hot theme. I’m happy to report that for less than $40 we were able to decorate to the theme of Frozen.

DIY Frozen Themed Cake

If you want to save money with a party you’re going to have to DIY some (most) things. Don’t let this scare you though. It can be easier than you think.

One of the biggest expenses for us in the Frozen themed items, was the cake. She wanted a princess cake but I wasn’t willing to fork out $40+ for a themed birthday cake. I toyed with two ideas in my head instead. I was either going to buy an undecorated cake from Costco (with only basic piping around the edges) and decorate it myself with some plastic Frozen characters and sprinkles we had at home or, what I ended up doing, making a cupcake princess dress for about $10.

Between my sister-in-law and I, we were easily able to replicate a ‘’cake’’ that was similar to this one. Tip- buy icing gel dye (usually less than $2 per color) over food dye as it works much better to get the color(s) you want. This was one of the most fun, and easiest, DIY party things I’ve ever done.

Simple Decorations

Decorations were also pretty simple. I found a local discount party store not too far from our house that had some Frozen things. It wasn’t all cheap (balloons started at $5.00 and went up to $15) but I did find a set of matching Anna and Else six foot wall decals for $5.99. These two decorations alone made our daughters day. She was super excited to see our wall literally covered in Anna and Elsa. I combined this ‘’main’’ decoration with some dollar store Frozen wall stickers and streamers and was done. I was surprised at how well it all looked.

(Inexpensive) Frozen Inspired Food

Some of the food was Frozen themed as well. Again there were many branded food ideas out there but I opted to go cheap and practical. Along with the cupcakes for dessert we offered ‘’snowballs’’ which were powdered donuts and for a snack before the meal (a buffet style BBq) we had ‘’Olaf noses’’ to munch on (baby carrots and dip). Owing a punch bowl already, I threw some blue fruit punch, pineapple juice and 7-up into it and blew the kids’ minds with Frozen inspired punch.

I had every opportunity to go completely overboard with this Frozen themed party but we didn’t. While we did spend a bit of money feeding 23 people we had major savings with the stars of the party- Anna and Elsa.

Have you thrown a themed party and saved big?

Your Teen and Their First Car

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Thinking of getting your teen their first car? Here are something you need to think of first.Growing up, I didn’t really have to worry about the need for my own car once I turned 16. My mom had a vehicle which she used rarely and for the most part allowed me to have it when I wanted it. I however don’t know if I would do the same with my kids.

Though owning a car is a huge responsibility (something I learned at 22 when I finally bought my first car), I don’t know if I want my newly licensed teen driving around in my vehicle either. I’ve always been a responsible driver but managed to get myself in two accidents writing off my mom’s car once (not my fault!). I also don’t like the idea of a car simply being given to a teen because they’ve reached a certain age, but I do like lessons that are learned in the responsibility of co-owning a vehicle of their own.

The car doesn’t, and shouldn’t, be anything fancy or new. It should be something safe, reliable and affordable for the teen and parents. Something that won’t require a bunch of money to maintain but something that you won’t be too heartbroken over if it ends up being written off in a car accident (hopefully not!).

As adults we know you can’t own a car if you don’t have income coming in. Same would go for the teen. They will be responsible for their own gas (in their car or yours) as well as contributing to the maintenance of said vehicle. If they don’t have a way of financially supporting themselves I personally don’t see how it’s fair they have access to a vehicle of their ‘’own’’.

Some teens require a car to actually earn money depending on their job while others may just want a vehicle for leisure, to get to and from school and soccer practice. Whatever the reason behind the wanting of the vehicle, they should help pay for it, if not finance the whole thing.

If they can’t come up with the money to pay for the vehicle in cash themselves, and they need it (maybe they got a job doing pizza delivery starting in two weeks) consider implementing a family issued loan. Someone I know issued a loan to her daughter when she turned 18 so she would be able to drive to and from university which was an hour each way. Mom bought the car for $2,500 and gave her daughter 12 months to pay her back, knowing she had a great summer job lined up. The car was repaid before the end of the summer.

If and when a teen gets a car of their own, is definitely unique to each family but I think there are many advantages to giving them access to a vehicle early into their driving days. There would obviously be many rules in place but I think if obey have the ability to teach many important life lessons.

Did you have a car when you were a teen? Did your parents help you buy it?

Getting Stuff Done When The Kids Are Around

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Getting stuff done when the kids are around is hard but not impossible. Here are the steps I take to make it happen!When you have kids it can be impossible to get things knocked off your to-do list. Especially if they’re in the toddler and young school age, when they crave interaction and playtime with someone else. If you don’t have multiple children you’re likely the playmate of choice and we as parents can struggle sometimes with the need to get things done while giving our children the attention the need and deserve.

While there are many cute saying about ‘’messy houses but happy children’’ floating around, the fact remains that sometimes we need to get stuff done! Houses need to get cleaned, errands need to be run and honestly this stuff has to happen before kids go to be sometimes. It doesn’t make us bad parents to trying to accomplish these tasks either.

Capitalize on nap-time!

If you’re fortunate enough to have kids who are still napping, use the time to your advantage, prioritizing the tasks you’d rather not have them around for. Stuff like general tidying isn’t the best use of time rather do something like meal prep or make phone calls. While it is tempting to sit back and relax (absolutely nothing wrong with this either), you’ll thank yourself when your most nagging tasks are completed.

Use the TV…wisely…

I 100% admit to using TV (or Netflix, or a game on the computer/tablet) to temporarily occupy my daughter while I need to get something done. She’s getting to be old enough now that she understands that if I say I need her to do (or not do) something she’ll listen, but sometimes I need 20 minutes to get a task done and I need her well contained, so on goes a short show or few minutes of a movie. If you don’t have a TV or Netflix and game or even YouTube can entertain for a few minutes.

Involve them

How involved you make them will depend on age but I find things like grocery shopping much easier if I ask her to help than expect her to stay contently contained in a metal cart. I usually give her a few specific things I need her to find and make a game out of it. Same goes for cleaning up, I’ll ask her to put her toys away or help mommy pick up anything ‘’red’’ or something to that effect.

Get childcare

There have been a few days I had off but opted to have her in daycare for half a day or full day. I try and use these days for all appointments or errands that may be too challenging with kiddos running around (try bathing suit shopping with a cranky three year old…) for example!

While you kids need attention so do other aspects of your life. Some people are perfectly content to let everything pile up until the kids are firmly in bed but that isn’t always realistic. Also, when kids are in bed for the night it’s often the only time parents can truly relax, something that is well deserved. There is no perfect balance in life but you’re not a bad parent if you try and accomplish necessary tasks while your kids are around, it can make for a learning opportunity too.

How do you manage to get things done when kids are around?

How Much, If Any, Should You Pay Your Kids For Chores?

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Should you pay your kids for chores? The answer isn't always so simple. Here's an idea of when you should and shouldn't.When kids are young there aren’t many ways for them to earn money of their own. Household chores are an easy and accessible way for kids to do so. Unlike an allowance, which I think is something that, when given, should be given out of funds that would already be allocated to the child, earning money from chores is a way of kids to work for their money.

I think there should be a level of expectation being a child who lives at home in terms of contribution to the household. Being a kid isn’t an excuse to not contribute to daily chores. Even at three years of age, my daughter is expected to help clean every mess she makes, as well she helps me with easy tasks like unload the dishwasher or simply putting something in the garbage can when asked. We have friends however, who do everything for their kids.

Children need to understand that running a house isn’t ‘’free’’. There is a lot of work and effort that goes into it and the responsibility isn’t just the parent(s). Everyone who lives under the roof should use their abilities to contribute.

In my opinion there are certain chores should never be paid for. Every child should have basic chores regardless of age. These chores should be determined by the parents, taking many things into consideration, but basics like maintain a clean room, help with laundry (a life skill they need to know) and help with meal prep and cleanup are examples of ‘’chores’’ that are expected, not rewarded for.

If a child is looking to earn money consider making a chore chart. A list of ‘’extra’’ chores, with an associated dollar amount which they can choose from if and when they need additional money.

Examples may include something like:

  • Clean garage- $10
  • Wash mom/dad’s car- $10
  • Weed yard- $20
  • Clean litter box (dump old litter and wash)- $5

These are household tasks that need to be taken care of and give the child the opportunity to do so. Notice there is no simple tasks like ‘’make bed’’ or ‘’put away laundry’’, again these are simple tasks that are expected to be done regardless.

My experience is that too often kids leave home with a diluted perception of how a house is run. So many kids leave home never cooking a meal, turning on a washer, using a clothesline or washing dishes and it terrifies me. Chores aren’t established as a way for parents to have control over their children (though there is some of that too ;)) it’s a way of teaching responsibly and life lessons.

How a family decides to establish a chore system is unique to each family but not having a child do any household chores only does damage to the kid and their future.

Do you enforce household chores? What, if anything do you pay your kids for?

Gardening As a Family

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Gardening as a family is such a fun and frugal activity. We spend only $50 a year on it and have a ton of fun.Growing up I remember my mom spending hours at our local gardening center picking out her annuals for our bazillion planter boxes. Being a kid I would get dragged along and initially hated every second of it. ‘’Why does she have to look at every single flower? They’re all the same, just pick one!’’. As the years went on I slowly became more interested in it. I began to learn her favorites by name and why she was choosing certain flowers over others. On top of my mom’s love for annual planter boxes we also had many perennial flowers on our property which required some maintenance but were, for the most part, pretty self-sufficient.

It took a few years but by the time I was about 12 I had a genuine interest in gardening. This late spring tradition is something I’ve already started with my daughter, just three years old. When I asked if she wanted to help Mommy pick out some flowers she immediately lit up and demanded I get ‘’all the pink ones’’. While she hasn’t quite grasped color variation she will learn I’m sure.

Gardening is something that families can do together and it is something that fits every budget. If my budget was unlimited I could spend thousands every year on gardening stuff from lawn care to my own annual planters but I don’t. I usually set a budget of about $50 per year to buy annual requirements and it seems to satisfy what me and my family require.

I limit my annuals to four planter boxes. Two in front and two in the back. I mix them up with a few larger established plants, inexpensive fillers like tall grasses and smaller less mature plants and allow them to establish themselves through the summer. For new soil and flowers I spend about $30. The rest of the money is usually spent on new herbs and a few veggies. I buy them in the summer, keep them outside then move them inside for as long as they live through the fall and winter.

Growing herbs and vegetables is a great way for families to all be involved. Kids have fun planting and helping to ‘’take care’’ of the plants which they can then eat. If you’re fortunate enough to have an in-ground garden to grow these types of things it’s great. If you don’t, you can build one for cheap (check our Pinterest for ideas). The only reason I don’t have an established garden is because the only ‘’perfect spot’’ for such a garden is smack in the middle of our back yard which would drive us crazy mowing and this isn’t our forever home, I don’t want to rip apart the yard for a garden someone else may hate.

We grow in containers and it usually does well, our deck gets great sun exposer. Our daughter has a little watering can she can use to help water the plants. She will also be able to help pick the herbs and veggies as they mature and she can learn about the whole plant to food process.

Gardening is something I love doing. It’s something that can really help a family too- learning to grow your own food- as well something that can be truly enjoyable and an activity entire families can do together.

Do you garden with your family?

Preserving Family Memories

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What's your favorite method for preserving family memories? While mine can be a little on the expensive side it's what I prefer to do.My friends make fun of me for printing pictures in 2015. Not just one cute picture of my daughter but hundreds a year, or at least 100 per year I should say. I feel like I am of a dying breed in this digital world but I know I’m not alone!

Growing up I would spend hours on the weekends going through my mom’s collection of family photos. I never got tired of them. I never got sick of the stories either. I feel like this is a dying art though. People now have Facebook and Instagram to share their pictures. Gone are the days when people didn’t know what was going on in your life until you showed them the photos but it’s something I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon, especially since I can tell my daughter, at only three, is already as into photographs as I was as a child.

What kills me though is how expensive this hobby can be! Though you can still have photos printed for cheap- if you wait for sales- everything else is very expensive. I recently capitalized on Costco’s $0.10 print sale and needed a new album to hold everything. Though I haven’t yet given up, the cheapest album I could find for the size I wanted, was over $25.

Preserving family memories is a delicate art for me. I want to keep everything but I hate clutter. I like printing pictures and holding them more than relying on digital only, though a 100% digital life, including memory preservation, is always an option (I also love my digital photo frame).

In terms of kid’s crafts, I have to choose. For any special occasion she will bring home two to five crafts and we just don’t have the space to keep it all. Instead I sometimes will take a picture of the ones we’re not keeping- or ones that are super large and won’t fit in storage and place the photos with the box of items we have opted to keep. I have also heard of parents not keep anything and instead taking a picture of it instead.

For our wedding photos, I had photobooks made which were really nice but had their limitations. For one, they were much more expensive than printing and as well we had to be choosier in what photos we wanted in there due to their sizing limitations. I like printing pictures and not fussing about the page layout and every other detail that goes into making the photobooks though I do still really like them, especially if you score a great promo price!

Some people would argue that these sorts of ‘memory preservation’ are a waste of money, to each their own I guess. For me having a cupboard full off overflowing photo albums is happiness and more memories as I look forward to the day she crawls into my lap and asks all about that day we did ‘’x’’ before she was born.

How do you preserve your memories?

I’m So Glad I Spent Money On…

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Being good with money does't mean being cheap. Here are three things I'm so glad I spent money on. What about you?There have been many instances in my life where I kick myself for wasting money. Sometimes it’s not really a big deal but there have been times I’ve wasted hundreds on crap that I either didn’t need or wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I’m happy to report though there have been times that my husband and I have spent a few extra dollars on something and it’s been well worth it. With a family to look out for we’re especially cautious with our money.

Our Mattress

We were sort of fortunate that when our apartment flooded we were given a substantial replacement cheque for certain items, including our bed. The bed that was ruined in the flood was purchased for $100 off a friend. When we were handed a $3,000 cheque to buy all new bed and bedding we were excited. When we went bed shopping we didn’t look at price initially but went by feel. Thankfully the bed we fell in love with was on sale and rang in at $1,200. It’s worked out very well for us.

After owning it for about three years we noticed some deformation on one side of the mattress but because it was covered under warranty they replaced it zero questions asked. Many years later and we’re still happy with the purchase.

Engagement Ring Warranty

I’m so glad I wasn’t with my husband when he bought my engagement ring, though I would have talked him out of it, I’m so glad he got the extended warranty on my ring. I think he paid an extra $140 for the lifetime warranty and I have used it at least 10x over this price. The warranty includes all sizings, repairs, scratch removals, lost diamonds, you name it and it’s covered. In the last eight years, I have had my ring sized (no joke) probably six times, rhodium plated (redripping in gold to remove scratches) probably 10 times, repaired twice and cleaned a bazillion times. All the work I had done would have cost me at least $1,000 and thankfully I paid zero dollars. It’s been a huge help!

Treadmill

About five years ago my husband and I were trying to decide if we wanted to re-join a gym. Instead of joining we decided to save our money and buy a good quality treadmill instead. We looked for sales and in the end found a $3,000 treadmill on sale for less than $1,000. It has worked out very well for us and it gets used regularly, especially in the winter! I was worried it may become a place for clothes to hang but I’m happy to report we use it. Especially with a young child it’s nice to have the ability to get some exercise in without being required to leave the house.

I love looking at a purchase and knowing we made a good decision. We work hard for our money so it’s nice to see it being used and enjoyed.

What are some of the best purchases your family has made?

Mother’s Day Gifts by Age and Budget

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Unsure of what to get Mom this year? Check out these Mother's Day gift ideas by age and budget.I have always loved Mother’s day. As a child growing up I found Mother’s day crafts in school we’re always the most fun (in hindsight probably not a coincidence since most of my teachers we’re female, and moms themselves- always prepping cool gifts they’d want to receive themselves!). As an adult, and now a mother myself, it’s a special day.

I admit that it takes a lot to be a mom. It is the hardest thing I will likely ever encounter in my life. From pregnancy to raising a successful child, it is hard. I think Mother’s day and Father’s day are two of the most important days of the year. Though gifts aren’t necessary, much like a birthday it’s nice to feel appreciated and most people enjoy tangible objects.

What a child is able to accomplish in terms of gifts will vary depending mostly on age and as well, budget. The best gift I ever received (and likely will never be topped) was a homemade video my husband made for me on my birthday- it’s not always about how much money one spends. Time, effort and thought far outweigh any monetary denomination.

Gift from…Babies

Budget Idea: Have the babies’ footprint or handprint placed on something. Moms love baby feet and hands more than can ever be explained. Make an impression in dough or casting kit or use ink to take imprint and place on an object (picture, ornament, flower pot….anything!)

More Expensive Idea: Have a piece of custom jewelry made with mom and baby birthstones. You can do this with rings, necklaces or even keychains. There is no shortage of birthstone ideas. They can be purchased at local jewelers as well as online at craft sites like Etsy.

Gift from…Young Children

Budget Idea: Plants. This is a general idea that can be broaden however you want. A simple vase with flowers is nice, custom paint a flower pot and have a child plant some seeds or bulbs. For less than $10 you could come up with a fun craft with that young kids would enjoy helping with

More Expensive Idea: A family dinner out. Now that my daughter is a little bit older, and able to sit down without wanting to run around everywhere, I enjoy taking her places (without worry of toddler containment!). A nice dinner out would be much appreciated by mom for sure!

Gift from…Older Child-Adult Children

Budget Idea: Time with mom. Probably the cheapest idea of them all but honestly the most important. Especially as kids get older, busy, and more involved in their own independence, mom would LOVE a day with you- distraction free.

More Expensive Idea: Take mom on a date out. A mom/child date is a super nice idea. Totally up to you what you plan but whatever it is, she will love it. Huge bonus points if you’re earning your own money and budget a date for her!

Mother’s appreciate the thought put into Mother’s day. They know how hard they work and honestly deserve at least one day of recognition! Show mom you care and make her feel special.

What plans do you have for Mother’s Day?

10 Inexpensive – but Priceless – Gifts for Mom for Mothers Day

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Inexpensive Mothers Day GiftsMother’s Day is just a couple of weeks away!

Some Moms love flowers. Some Moms love jewels. Some Moms love candy. Some Moms would just love some piece and quiet — at least for one day. I’ve got great news for all of you, who are trying to come up with a Mother’s Day gift. You honestly don’t have to spend a lot of money, to let the special woman in your life know that she is loved and appreciated.

Nope! You really don’t. That’s the great thing about Moms they love anything their kids (and hopefully their husbands) give them, even weeds from outside.

My boys gave me weeds they thought were flowers. These sat in a cup, in my kitchen for over a week. When I finally threw them away the boys asked me where they went. After I explained that they were all wilted and I had to throw them out — they promptly set off to get me some more. Aww!

Since I am a Mom, I have a Mom, I’m friends with lots of Moms and I worked in the retail industry for many years — I guess I would be considered and expert on the subject, of what makes a great Mother’s Day gift. This is why I have decided to share what I know, with anyone who might be having a hard time coming up with the perfect gift.

Below you will find a list of some really fantastic – if I do say so myself – ideas. I am very confident that there is something for everyone here and that there will be at least one item on this list to fit your budget.

1. Kids’ Hand Prints

Moms love anything that are handmade by their children and it’s especially sweet when it contains the child’s hand prints. This can be as easy as using some paint and construction paper to make a beautiful card. The hand prints can be used to make a wreath or flowers.

2. Give Mom a Day Off

We love being with our kids but sometimes it’s just nice to take a day – or even a few hours – and spend it anyway we would like. So a nice thing to do might be get her a gift card to one of her favorite places. It doesn’t have to be expensive just something you know she would enjoy. Or you can assemble a homemade gift certificate that she can redeem -to spend some time – doing whatever she wants.

It may sound silly. You may think “She can take time and do whatever she wants anytime. She doesn’t have to have a gift certificate for that.” For some Moms, they may feel guilty taking time for themselves, or they just don’t do it. If this sounds like someone you know, then this is perfect. If you get a little bouquet of flowers to go with it — that’s even better!

3. Have Her Car Detailed

The car is mom’s mobile command center – she’s driving the kids around all day long, and chances are they aren’t the cleanest bunch. Things spill. The car gets dirty. And mom just doesn’t have time to clean it up all the time. Even when she does have the time, it’s not likely at the top of her list.

There are a lot of ways to get the car detailed – you can do it yourself, take it to a car wash, or even take it to the car dealer. We recommend the car dealership because they detail cars everyday, they usually do it very well, and the prices are very reasonable.

4. Make Mom Feel Special All Day

Let her sleep in, make her breakfast, leave the house or get the kiddos outside for a bit so she can get ready for the day, in peace. Try your best to make the whole day revolve around her. Do whatever it takes to keep things as stress free as possible. The rule for the day is that Mom isn’t to do any household chores. She’ll probably try, but keep it to a minimum. My husband did this for me last year and I really appreciated it!

Remember Catherine’s rant last year about What Mom’s Really Want For Mother’s Day? Yes, remember that.

5. Pamper Mom

There are so many thing you can get for Mom that are pampering. A great smelling bath set, lotions, candles, super comfy slippers, a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure, etc. — just think about what she enjoys, and you are sure to come up with the perfect gift.

You can even combo this with #4 and give her a full day of pampering.

6. Have Kids Write a Story

Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, but I think a wonderful gift would be to help your kids make up a story all about Mom or Grandma. You can have them cut pictures out of magazines to illustrate the story, or they can draw their own. Depending on the ages of the children — this could get very interesting and fun. It will be a treasured keepsake and something she can bring out a read year after year.

7. Think Spring!

There is a very good reason Mother’s Day is in May and I think it is because – in most places – spring has sprung. All the flowers are in bloom and it is just a beautiful time of year. You can always run down to the local farmers market and pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers — but they also have gorgeous hanging baskets and other flowers, plants, trees, bushes, etc. that can be planted and enjoy for many months — or for many years to come.

8. Photo Gifts

All Moms and Grandmas love photo gifts! There are so many things you can put together and it can really fit into any price range — photo mugs, photo books, mouse pads, office supplies, clothing, etc. I am featuring Snapfish for two reasons — 1. They run awesome deals! 2. They offer a 110% quality guarantee. They aren’t giving me anything to say this, I am just a really satisfied customer! Check them out. I’ve also used Walgreens and Costco with great success!

9. Jewelry

This may sound expensive but it doesn’t have to be. Sterling Silver charms are quite reasonable and can be placed on a bracelet or a simple silver chain. Craft stores also have beads – and other jewelry making supplies – so the kids can make something special that Mom or Grandma will love — and wear with pride.

10. Shower her with Love!

This should be the easiest, least expensive and most meaningful gift of all!!

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”– Agatha Christie

Do you have suggestions? What was your favorite Mother’s Day gift, you ever received? What was your favorite Mother’s Day gift that you have given?

PhoneSheriff Review

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PhoneSheriff ReviewAre you looking for a way to monitor your children’s cellphone and tablet activity without constantly hovering over their shoulders?

While technology has made things like learning and entertainment cheaper and easier it’s also posed a problem for parents. With a phone or tablet kids now have access to almost anything they can dream up.

For a worried parent of an older child or teen this is where PhoneSheriff can be a huge sigh of relief.

What is PhoneSheriff?

PhoneSheriff is a parental control app that allows you to monitor and restrict access to certain programs on your child’s mobile device in real time.

When someone has PhoneSheriff downloaded to their phone and accesses the internet PhoneSheriff will automatically start downloading all logs from the device. This includes call logs, text messages, pictures, internet activity, and GPS location. You can also control usage on your child’s phone and block phone numbers by applying filters.

As the parent you can log into your PhoneSheriff account online and view these logs in real time.

How do I Get It?

PhoneSheriff is a paid app that currently costs $89 per year. It works on Blackberry, Android, and IPhone devices. (Including tablets!)

Once your make the purchase you’ll be able to setup your PhoneSheriff account and will be instructed on how to install the app on your specific device. For me (Android) this was just changing a couple settings on my phone and then downloading the app from my phone’s browser.

It’s also important to note that you MUST tell your child they’re being monitored. From my perspective as a parent I think this is something you should do whether required or not to keep the trust of your child.

The Benefits of PhoneSheriff for a Parent

If you’re wondering what benefits you as a parent would get with the PhoneSheriff app here are just a few:

Avoid Overusing – You can use filters to keep your child from going over his or her monthly usage and to only allow calls at a certain time per day.

PhoneSheriff Review

Tracking Via GPS: These days teenagers are tied to their phones. You don’t have to wonder where your child is anymore with the GPS tracking feature.

Blocking Phone Numbers – With PhoneSheriff you can block certain phone numbers from being able to call or text your child’s device.

Blocking Inappropriate Information – With access to the internet kids can now view anything they can dream up. You can block inappropriate websites and apps with parental controls.

I think this app could be a gold mine for parents of teenagers. Especially if you have a child who has been abusing her phone privileges or going over her data limit each month. The ability to limit phone usage could save you hundreds of dollars each year. And the GPS location feature? Priceless.

While my kids are too young for this to have much benefit right now I can definitely see the need for an app like PhoneSheriff when they get a little older.

What do you think? Would you install an app like PhoneSheriff on your child’s phone?

 

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