Working Mothers: Spending Every Moment with Your Kids with Quality Time

Training-Consultant Mom says:

For more than 30 years, number of working mothers have grown tremendously.  It is no wonder we are called WONDER WOMEN!!!!  Not only do we have to manage our household, more importantly, we have to manage our children.  Mothers will agree that the latter is already a full time responsibility!  But we need additional income, right? When we have our own career and money it gives us a sense of fullfillment and independence. 

How do we manage to juggle all these without feeling guilty and be branded that we chose Career over Family?  Here are some of the things I used to do when I was still a working mother: 

The Children, make every moment with them "quality time"

Weekdays at Home.
We were "blessed" with only one car in our early years of marriage until the 2 girls reached middle school.  My husband and I would bring them to school before going to our respective offices in Makati.  Since we were staying in upper Antipolo at that time and the girls' school is in Katipunan, we had a good 20-30 minutes of "talk time" with them.

When we got our second car (& hired a driver), the ritual remained the same only this time at the breakfast table.  By the time my husband and I leave for the office, the girls are just about to get dressed for school.

By the time we got home from work, the girls have had dinner and and assignments are done.  The girls stay with us at the dinner table while my husband and I are taking our dinner.  That is another good bonding time with them before they go to bed.

While in the Workplace
Be familiar with their schedules (start of class, dismissal, school/bus service, etc.)

Thank God for telephones, cellphones and computers!

When you get to the office as early as I do (between 6 and 6:15 am), you can call up your children knowing that classes haven't started yet so they are still able to use their cellphones.

My husband and I made it a rule with the girls that they should text us the minute they are settled in the bus or car and to call either one of us in the office the minute they get home.  Not only are we concerned with their safety but it also tells us that we can call them.

Familiarizing ourselves with the schedule of the children gives us a chance to schedule work, too.  Our appointment books, desk calendars or "to do" list can include Children Time.  I put the names of my girls on my appointment book at a particular time.  This way, I am always reminded even if I am out of the office or out of town.  Cellphone reminders work well, too.

Tell your children to call you (or your husband) in the office if they need to talk to you.  Companies are understanding when it comes to families.

Weekends
If you are off on the weekends, then I believe that these should always be set aside as family days. But if you work on weekends, it will be good if you can make arrangements so your family can join you during your lunch break. Your husband can then take this opportunity to 'bond' with your kids by bringing them to the mall, park, library or theater near your workplace & go back to pick you up after.

The Art of Recycling Gifts

Entrepreneur Mom says:

Throughout the year, there will always be occasions when it would be appropriate to gift a friend, associate or family members. In my first post, I mentioned the option of re-gifting as a way to save money.

Excerpts from my post of December 30, 2008:
"Re-Gift
Though this idea does not appeal to some, this has been a common practice by quite a number of Filipinos. Many, especially in the economic situation we are in right now, consider re-gifting practical. I am sure that over the past couple of years, we have received at least one present, which may have been re-gifted. If you must re-gift, give special care & attention to the process keeping the receiver in mind. The sincerity of the gesture still counts the most."

Recycle, instead?

Personally, I find recycling gifts more acceptable than re-gifting because, in recycling, it involves the time, effort & creativity of the giver. This post will give a few ideas on ways to recycle gifts & how to make it fun and rewarding.

To keep the items well preserved, whether for re-gifting or recycling, carefully peel off or cut off the tapes before storing & keep them in their original boxes & wrappers. Insert the cards of the givers in the boxes or stick them on the wrappers. This will prevent you from committing the unforgivable-giving a gift back to its giver. When it is time to re-gift or recycle an item, check it thoroughly for condition, left over tapes, cards or scribbling. A giver might have noted on the brand tag your name, or personalized wrapping tissue might have been used as stuffing.

Gift Recycling Suggestions:

A. Re-package as a Gift Set

Toiletries can be removed from their original packaging, & when arranged nicely on a Japanese paper lined basket, a small stuffed toy bought from a gift shop added as an accent & wrapped with clear cellophane tied with a ribbon, would make a pretty gift for a young lady.

A few pieces of apples taken from a boxful given by a client, a pack of ham from a friend, and a can of special tea from a relative, together can make an enjoyable food basket.

A ball pen, a memo pad, and a table clock arranged in a special box made from hand-made paper bought from a specialty store, would be a stylish office gift set to a working mom.

B. Use as Gift Container

A brightly colored cookie jar given by a friend can be filled with brownies. A relative will appreciate the present more if a tag is placed on the jar saying that the brownies were freshly baked by a family member.

A sterling silver basket laden with fruits makes an elegant birthday gift to an elderly woman.

The remaining unbroken wine goblet from a set that was damaged in storage, when filled with chocolate truffles, wrapped with clear cellophane, and tied with a red ribbon at the stem will be perfect for Valentine's day.

C. Use Small Items as Accent

A decorative tassel can be placed on the neck of a wine bottle, or, a small ornament can be glued on a ribbon tied around your present.

On my birthday last year, I received a set of 3 ceramic picture frames of different sizes. I was able to use the 2 pieces but the 3rd & smallest piece remained in its box, unused for months. Last week, I got the frame, washed & left it on a paper towel to dry. I, then, inserted in it a picture of a very close friend taken during our younger days & placed the frame carefully on top of a moist chocolate cake I bought from a neighbor. The cake was a hit when I brought it to my friend's birthday lunch.

GIFT-GIVING WITH A CAUSE

Marketing Consultant-Mom says:

Gifts are practically part of our everyday life, whether we are giving or receiving.  Since these "objects of joy" seem to be inevitable, why not go for those that make a difference?

Triple the Joy

I was lucky to receive many wonderful gifts, from both friends and relatives.  I particularly love the organic anti-bacterial hand soap from   .  Aside from it being a wonderful product (I just adore the lemongrass scent!), the philosophy of the people behind this product centers on 3 values: Pro-poor, Pro-Philippines, Pro-Environment. That's 3 beneficiaries you support every time you buy their stuff!  Check out their website:  www.humanheartnature.com

Recycled Gifts

No, I don't mean giving away gifts you don't want.  During one of our Greenhills Tiangge expeditions, my  sister and I chanced upon the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan booth.  I found a wonderful product (which we ended up buying to give as gifts) a handcrafted pyramid clock paperweight made of recycled PET containers, foilpacks and newspapers.  (website: www.tahanangwalanghagdanan.org)

Other Stuff worth checking out:

Stepping Stone Foundation - All-Occasion Gift Cards. Illustrations done by children with special needs.  

Contact:  Email dchfi@stepping-stone.org  Tel: 632.896.0269

Kabisig ng Kalahi - Organic & Hand Milled Upland Rice from Kapangan, Benguet. 

Contact: Email iwfs_philbranch@yahoo.com

Post-Holiday Tips for Moms: De-Christmas-zising the House

Training-Consultant Mom says:

Recycling decors is not only cost-effective, they are also environment-friendly.  Here are some tips on how to store those decors for recycling next Christmas:

Before you start storing all those recycable decors, DISCARD immediately broken decors or lights.  Put in one container/box decors that you can DONATE next season. Now, let's pack...

Christmas Decors

Put decors in original boxes (I hope you kept the boxes, I know I do).  If you no longer have the original boxes, here's what you can do:

• Balls/Fragile Decors - Store them in any empty box you have at home.  If balls/decors are fragile (hence, expensive), wrap individually w/ old newspaper or bubble wrap (if you have) before storing in the box (as you would do with crystals).
• Other Decors/Trimmings - Make sure you wipe away dust before storing your decors
• Christmas Candles - wrap individually with paper towels.  Do not use bubble wrap (they will stick together in time); do not use colored Japanese paper/tissue (the color of the paper will mix with the candle)

Christmas Lights

Do not discard cardboard tubes of aluminum foils, wax papers or saran wraps.  Use the tubes to twine your lights.  This prevents wires from getting tangled and easy to unwind when you re-use them. Go the extra mile by checking the lights before keeping them.  DISCARD immediately those that are no longer working (hoping they will suddenly light up next Christmas). This will save storage space. Store in separate containers outdoor and indoor lights.  If you are as OC as I am, I label my boxes/containers as follows: Christmas Tree Lights, Balustrade Lights, Garden Lights, etc.

Christmas Stuff Toys/Stockings/Ribbons/Christmas tree skirt (anything made of cloth or soft material)
Wash or launder washable items before storing them to avoid gathering dust

STORING: 
Categorize your boxes, i.e., Christmas Tree Decors/Trimmings/Lights (all these I put in one big box).  This helps me organize my decorating when the season comes.  I don't have to open each and every box just to look for the things I need to put on the tree. If your storage room is as small as mine, put all decors in the innermost portion of the room.  Not only because it is the coolest place in the room but also because they are kept undisturbed until it's time for you to bring them out.

Entrepreneur-Mom says:

I am the lazy one when it comes to de-Christmas-sizing. 

When I first put up my decor years ago, I took pictures of them & had the pictures printed on bond papers & had them laminated. Every year when putting down my decor, I maintain all the trimmings & lights on the garlands & swags, put them inside extra large garbage bags & tape the corresponding pictures on the bags. 

When storing my christmas tree, I also return the ornaments in their original packaging. But for the loose ornaments, I put all of them in boxes filled with shredded paper. I never dismantle my tree, in fact, I store it with the lights. When it is time to bring out my tree, I bring it to the garden, wrap the plugs & socket ends of the lights (I use outdoor lights since these are waterproof. Outdoor LED lights are best) in small plastic bags or cling wrap making sure these are sealed tightly, then, hose the whole tree. After shaking some of the water off the tree, I immediately unwrap the plugs & socket ends, & leave the tree in a covered area (lanai, porch, or on any tiled place inside the house) for 1-2 days to dry completely. 

Before I re-decorate, I check the lights & trimmings. Dusty decor are wiped clean, burned out lights & broken/faded trimmings are replaced.

Post-Holiday Tips for Moms: Organizing Gifts

Entrepreneur-Mom says:

     

        Filipinos look forward to Christmas, which is the longest & most celebrated holiday in the country. We can't help but give Christmas presents to friends, loved ones & associates. We also look forward to those we will be receiving. 

       Now, the gifts have been opened.  Before you start focusing on your work or business for the coming year, try these post-holiday gifts organizing tips:

Sort & List.

      When January 2 was declared a non-working holiday, I decided to block this off to sort & list. A gift may be classified depending on its use to your household. My suggestions:

a.  Keepsakes. These are those that you want to keep in your 'Memory Chest' like gifts from your kids or cards from friends abroad.

b.  Stockpile. These are those that you use a lot of & can be kept as part of your stock. I usually include under this list items such as, candles, lotions, home scents, kitchen towels, memo pads, etc.

c.  May Be Of Use Later. These are gifts that you would want to keep in case you might be able to use them later on. Common ones are picture frames, decorative items, & other house wares.

d. Others. If a gift does not fall under any of the category above, I suggest you put it under this one. It may be a decor that will not blend with your existing ones, a blouse or shawl that is not your color, a book that is not within your interest, or simply an item that you have an overflowing inventory of.

Sell Unwanted Gifts

     According to a new survey by Ebay, 85% of people in the US admit that they received a gift they don't like & half are willing to sell. A service is also being offered to help people enlist their unwanted gifts to sell on Ebay. Selling online particularly in Ebay is becoming a trend nowadays to rid closets & storages of unwanted items. Another way is to hold a post-Christmas 'as-is' garage sale. Check well, though, that none of your neighbors' gifts are included in the items you are selling. 

Re-Gift?

     Though this idea does not appeal to some, this has been a common practice by quite a number of Filipinos. Many, especially in the economic situation we are in right now, consider re-gifting practical. I am sure that over the past couple of years, we have received at least one present which may have been re-gifted. If you must re-gift, give special care & attention to the process keeping the receiver in mind. The sincerity of the gesture still counts the most.  (Tips on the 'art' of re-gifting will be touched in a future post)

Donate Past Year's Gifts

    My personal thinking is if a gift has been in storage for more than a year, it is time to give it away. I have given some that were raffled off to my househelps & their guests during their noche buena party. This year, I will be donating to white elephant tables in bazaars, to flea markets, or as raffle prizes, all organized for charity. This, for me, is the merriest way to clear my home in time for the gifts my family will be receiving next Christmas.

In our next post: Storing Christmas Decors :-)