Meeting Families

Finding like-minded people and families with similarly-aged children can take a lot of time, but it's worth the effort. When our children spend time with good friends, our children blossom and this enhances their relationship with us as parents.

There are many ways to meet people after moving to a new city. Welcome Wagon still operates in many countries and can be helpful to newcomers. Some exercise programs are now geared towards meeting other people. Some people look for local chapters of groups where people share a common interest. Some common ones are La Leche League, Diaper Free Baby, Attachment Parenting groups and Toastmasters. I have met people with similar interests through online social networking groups such as Yahoo Groups and Facebook. Yahoo Groups attract people who think alike, who need similar information, or who need similar things.

Others get to know families in their community by visiting their local Farmers' Market, recreation centres, playgrounds, libraries, children's programs, garage sales or golfing clubs. Volunteering at local associations such as ICAN, political parties or Community Leagues can build lasting friendships.

Every city has its own special features and attractions. Tourist information centres and City websites often have information about upcoming events, city-sponsored events, community calendars, Parks and Recreation, pool schedules, festivals, carnivals and other attractions. A good way to find people who have similar concerns is to read local newspapers or community paperto learn about petitions and current citizen action.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com We're all in this together. Contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca

Family Games Night

In preparation for our family games night, I like to give our children lots of opportunities beforehand to play with the game pieces. When our youngest can play with them unrestricted, the novelty wears off and she can later sit through a game without insisting on holding or moving them. Game pieces are new toys to them. We tend to play games like Rummikub or Mexican Train Dominoes where the pieces aren't damaged when they're chewed on. http://www.amazon.com/Wood-Expressions-Mexican-Train-Dominoes/dp/B000JMIJNY/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1282779123&sr=1-22

I like to set the mood for fun in our home by playing a game like Magnetic Fishing as we're waiting for Daddy to join us. http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-10-Piece-Magnetic-Fishing/dp/B000KMHBFA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283348262&sr=1-2
Connect 4, Backgammon and Scrabble are fun games to play, even when we're not following the rules. http://www.amazon.com/Milton-Bradley-1081-Connect-4/dp/B001FPK1OY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283349609&sr=1-3

Some board games that we like are: Sorry! http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-00390095-Sorry/dp/B00000IWD0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283347809&sr=1-6 ,
Bible Trivia http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Trivia-Game-Knowledge/dp/B0028BIVNM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283347868&sr=1-7 , Battleship, Snakes and Ladders, checkers, http://www.amazon.com/Games-Set-Checkers-Parchisi-Ladders/dp/B002PMAMQI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283350027&sr=1-1
and Masterpiece. http://www.amazon.com/Masterpiece-The-Art-Auction-Game/dp/B000MZZMVA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283349910&sr=1-2 I like to keep an extra set of game pieces and dice on hand, just in case they go missing. http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-1510-Math-Dice/dp/B0007LYKX0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283348950&sr=1-7 We like using a three-minute timer for young children. http://www.amazon.com/Three-Minute-Sand-Game-Timer/dp/B001697H6Y/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1283349518&sr=1-2-fkmr2

When we play Skip-Bo, http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-42050-SKIP-Card-Game/dp/B0000205XI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283350107&sr=1-1
we give our toddler cards that she can hold. Sometimes I teach her numbers or colours and show her where to put the cards. If she sits with us long enough, we give her a turn and she's thrilled to be the center of attention. We also play Uno, which is a similar game. http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-42003-Uno-Card-Game/dp/B00004TZY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1283350591&sr=1-1

Children love to be involved, doing things together as a family. I recently learned that sharing a meal together releases oxytocin in each family member. Perhaps that's why families love playing games together. http://www.examiner.com/mental-health-in-los-angeles/the-mystery-of-oxytocin

I find that it's good to limit the timeframe of our games night so that we end on a positive note and look forward to the next one. When we play often, our children don't mind ending because they know that they'll have another chance to play soon. In between times, we can play the games and improve skills so that next time they'll come closer to winning against Daddy.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com We can learn from each other. Contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca

Outings with Children

I make our weekly outings fairly predictable. Our girls know what to expect when I say that we're going to the mall. We usually park in the same place and use the same mall entrance. The main focus is a children's program called Rhymes, Songs, and Story Time for ages birth to 3 years. Our toddler loves to visit with the babies and gets actively involved in the activities and play. They use a parachute and soft balls in the songs. http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-12ft-Parachute-Handles/dp/B002HXLG1K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1281104143&sr=1-2 Our girls love to talk to the facilitators and ask questions.

Sometimes we arrive at the mall early to let our girls run off extra energy at the mall's indoor playpark. It has two slides, a pretend ice cream shop and areas for climbing. The library is a fun place because there's a toddler area with board books, an early literacy station with computer games, and a summer reading program. I save myself aggravation by putting library items on hold online ahead of time. When I arrive, I let our girls play and then we check out our items. Sometimes they choose some items, if we haven't reached our library card limits. All three of us have library cards. I keep careful track of the slips listing our borrowed items so that I write the new renewal dates and avoid fines.

While in the mall, we also visit the flower shop and smell the flowers on display. We like to visit the pet store and look at the puppies, kittens, rabbits, hamsters, budgies, hedgehogs, lizards, and fish. We're always at the mall longer than I expect so I bring along snacks and water. For snacks, we like chocolate peanuts or Fruit To Go. http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Go-Strips-Pack-72/dp/B003RQGDCI/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1281101201&sr=1-13

Towards the end of our outing, it can be hard to keep our girls together. Having two excited girls running in opposite directions is a very difficult situation, especially if they don't heed me. Sometimes our girls ride in the mall's double strollers called "Kiddies Kruizers". Since we no longer bring a stroller to the mall, I've also used a child harness for our toddler. Having her in the harness lowers my anxiety significantly and keeps her with me. Sometimes she negotiates time out of her harness by agreeing to stay with me. http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Bug-2-1-Harness/dp/B000V3H5VI/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281102274&sr=8-1-fkmr1
On the way home, I like to play gentle music such as Baby Einstein http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Naptime-Melodies/dp/B003WISUX6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1281102994&sr=1-4
or the Praise Baby Collection http://www.amazon.com/Sleepytime-Lullabies-Praise-Baby-Collection/dp/B001B0G5M0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281103091&sr=1-1

We love visiting outdoor playgrounds, sometimes two or more in an afternoon. Every playground has its strengths and special features. I like the playgrounds with saucer swings, varied height saucer disks, ramps, and sand. http://www.amazon.com/Saucer-Handcrafted-Stained-Quality-Natural/dp/B002PSTN4E/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1281105118&sr=8-11
Our city's website has all the playgrounds listedWe bring along our sand toys and dig deep for wet sand. http://www.amazon.com/International-Playthings-Castle-Bucket-Set/dp/B00005BHNO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1281103398&sr=1-3
In summer, we cool off at the city spray parks or the outdoor pools. We also like going to Petting Zoos, Classroom on Wheels, city attractions and festivals.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com We can learn from each other. Contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca

Children solving their problems

Postive moments with our children build wonderful memories and we share freely during these times. When our girls feel like they have my attention and that I care about them, they're so pleasant to be around. Recognizing our child's learning curve is so essential to keeping them happy. As our baby grows, we get very good at identifying her needs and meeting them. Our time with our children is full of teaching moments. These moments can be meaningful times that lead to bonding and trust. When we're having fun together, invariably some opportunity for learning will present itself. Then our child starts to grow up and needs to solve her own problems her own way. This new change can catch us parents off guard and bring on some teary outbursts.

Sometimes I take on the responsibility of fixing problems that my children create. I scrub marker out of the carpet or I wipe up the milk. I apologize to adults for my child's rudeness, explaining that she has teeth pain or she has just suffered a disappointment. Problem solving is something that children start doing early in life. We have sweet children and I'm fairly relaxed as a mother, but I remember a season in our family where our daughter had outbursts and was often upset with me. When I started reading "Parenting with Love and Logic" by Foster Cline and Jim Fay, I realized that I was being a helicopter parent. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Parenting+with+love+and+logic This book came at just the right time because it taught me that my daughter ultimately has the very best solutions to her own problems. I found that time and time again, her solution was better than mine. She was better able than I to protect her relationships with friends. We help her identify what the problem is (i.e. hungry, want sister's toy) and then offer options for solving the problem. Sometimes she then come up with her own idea for solving the problem. It's good to help children solve their problems early in life.
This idea was reinforced even more when I read "Connected Parenting" by Jennifer Kolari when I learned a technique called "mirroring". http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Connected+Parenting I learned to listen to my children and hear their struggles. Once my child felt that I understood her challenges, she was able to move from being frustrated to being able to find her own solutions to her problems.

I found that I could reduce squabbles amongst our children by spending alone time with each one. I read "Siblings without Rivalry" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish and I discovered that children sometimes wonder about their worth to us and if they're needs will be met. http://www.amazon.com/Siblings-Without-Rivalry-Children-Together/dp/0380799006/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279581749&sr=1-1
I like their quote: "By valuing and being partial to each child's individuality, we make sure that each of our children feels like a number one child." They suggest attending to the injured party if fighting occurs. I really appreciated their wisdom and practical ideas for helping our children.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com We're all in this together. Contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca

Dusk to Dawn with Children

Our bedtime routine with our children is a special time of togetherness and sharing. We generally start with an outdoor activity, snack, bath, story time, snuggling and talking about our day. I find it to be a precious time with our children because their high energy has faded and their intellect is piqued. They are then thinking about life at a profound level. It is the best time of day to truly get to know our children more deeply.

There are many reasons why I prefer to keep our baby close at night. I like to know that she's breathing and that she's safe. I'm also able to meet her needs quickly without either of us fully waking up. William Sears explains this well in his book entitled "Nighttime Parenting". http://www.amazon.com/Nighttime-Parenting-Your-Child-Sleep/dp/0452281482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278723757&sr=8-1 He writes that closeness helps mother and baby to synchronize their sleep patterns. When our baby wakes during the night, it's at a time when I'm entering light sleep. At that point, I can either nurse her back to sleep or assist her with her bladder functions. http://www.amazon.com/Diaper-Free-Gentle-Natural-Hygiene/dp/B000NJMMQS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278767056&sr=1-4
Breastfeeding is usually the easiest because then I can stay comfy in bed. We'll both go back to sleep fairly easily, provided that she's warm and the house is quiet.

I read "Nighttime Parenting" with our second baby and I found that I had already, out of necessity, adapted many of his suggestions. His suggestions make sense and his ideas work for most children. I was amazed at all of the advatages he listed for co-sleeping, most backed up by medical knowledge. He gave interesting ideas on how to make co-sleeping doable, such as taking one side rail off the crib in a sidecar set-up in parents' room. Nowadays, we keep a double-size bed pushed against the wall in baby's room. After bedtime reading, our girls fall asleep on either side of me and then I return to our bed. This works well for naps too.

Sometimes I would find that an hour of story time and snuggling still wasn't enough to help her drift off to sleep. I found more ideas from the booklet called "The Little Book of Sleep: 54 Natural Ways to Help Your Child Fall Sleep" by Gerald Markoe found in Mozart's Sleepytime Music Box CD. The suggestions here involve the senses and also have ideas for burning up mental energy. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=Mozart%27s+Sleepytime+Music+Box I found that she would make up for time spent away from me during the day by being up later at bedtime. Gordon Neufeld's book "Hold on to your Kids" explains how to help with separation. He writes that children can endure separation when you increase your attachment and your connection with your child. He gives ideas for focusing on the return connection, rather than on the night separation. http://www.amazon.com/Hold-Your-Kids-Parents-Matter/dp/0375760288/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1278763635&sr=1-1 As parents, we try different things until something works. Hopefully some of these ideas are new and they'll work for you.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com We're all in this together. Connect with Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca

Exercise with Little Ones

I find it easier to include our girls in my exercise plans than to try to find ways to exercise alone. I personally need exercise more to stay fit and sleep well, than to lose weight.

Some things I did for exercise at home included following exercise videos, playing hide and chase games, and doing stretching. I recommend the video "Buns & ABS of Steel with Madeleine Lewis" for cardio, abdomen stretching and post-pregnancy stretching. The video has 10-minute segments and each segment contains its own cooldown. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0004Z32L0/ref%3Dasc_df_B0004Z32L01149688/%3Ftag%3Daskcomel-20%26creative%3D380333%26creativeASIN%3DB0004Z32L0%26linkCode%3Dasn I like at least 10-15 minutes of cardio to get my heart rate up. My favourite cardio is step-programs so I set up my own ramps. The funnest games are hide-and-seek, chase me if you can, and peek-a-boo. With hide-and-seek, I would often have just 2-3 seconds to jump to a hiding place. Our girls love to chase me round and round as we enter and leave the kitchen through different entrances. Our girls love to imitate us as we do stretches. When children are young, they love to be with us on the floor and they seem to think that we're playing. One fun ab stretch with young children is to lay our child on our stomach and roll from side-to-side. Our girls like to lay in a sheet as I swing it back and forth, holding the four corners. This really works my stomach and tricep muscles. Sometimes creativity pays off and we create a great workout routine while able to entertain our children.

I really enjoy getting out of the house for fresh air, Vitamin D, companionship and some exercise. Outside of the house, I often go for walks along forested bike trails or to the playground, transporting baby either by baby carrier or by stroller. Many mothers like the Ergo Baby Carrier and many styles can be seen at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_4?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=ergo+baby+carrier&sprefix=ergo Our carseat attaches to the seat of our stroller, making it easier to move her indoors later without waking her up. Here are some stroller travel systems: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=stroller+travel+system&sprefix=stroller At playgrounds and indoor play areas, I stay quite active as I shadow my children fairly closely. I find that if our children have sufficient time climbing at the playground, then they don't climb as much at home. If we go to the playground often enough, then they don't whine when we leave there. One time I saw a father at the playground doing chin-ups from the swingset and later doing arm stretches. I find that I work my arms constantly on outings as I transport or carry our toddler, push her on the swings, support her as she climbs ladders, or catch her as she slides down. My stomach muscles also seem to get a great workout doing all of the above too.

When I go to the three-story indoor play areas, I get quite a workout following our youngest around. Our mall has a children's indoor play area with slides, stairs and ladders. The mall also has colourful single and double strollers called Kiddies Kruizers that we can borrow in exchange for leaving our driver's license as a deposit. These strollers are heavier than ours which gives me a better workout. Once our girls are ready, I start putting them into the child carrier on my bike. I practice beforehand by buckling in a heavy object into the car seat. For our trips to the playground nowadays, our youngest daughter rides on the back of my bike and our older daughter rides her two-wheeler. It's challenging for me to ride up inclines with 25 extra pounds on the back of my bike.

I just learned of center-mounted carriers so babies can ride up front between Mama's arms. Here's the website: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FIH0EG/ref%3Dasc_df_B000FIH0EG1140675/%3Ftag%3Daskcomel-20%26creative%3D380333%26creativeASIN%3DB000FIH0EG%26linkCode%3Dasn One Dad told me that he liked the security for Baby and he found it easier to point things out to his son this way. I saw a woman push a stroller and walk a dog while she was wearing roller blades, but this is way more than I can do. Every mother has to determine her exercise need and how to meet that need. We have to find out what works best for us.

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Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com Feel free to contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca She's available to answer questions or give suggestions.

Mother-Baby Bonding at Birth

On page 39 of his book, "The Caesarean", Michel Odent asks the question:

"Why do all societies ritually disturb the first contact between mother and baby?"

http://www.amazon.com/Caesarean-Michel-Odent/dp/1853437182 This is an important question for mothers. As mothers, we need to arrange our labour and birth in such a way that our first meeting with our baby is sacred and safe. We carry our babies for months and we long for the moment of birth. We want to hold our babies in our arms and introduce them to our world. We want the moment to be precious and guarded.

When a woman becomes a mother, tremendous changes happen within her and she's forever changed. On page 39 of "The Caesarean", Michel Odent also writes that the love hormones (oxytocin and prolactin)

"can be extremely high if the place is warm enough, if the eye-to-eye and skin-to-skin contacts between mother and baby are not disturbed, and if the sense of smell of both of them are not distracted by aggressive odours."

For the sake of our society, we must do whatever we can to help first-time moms and all moms have good birth experiences. It is so important that the mother-baby bonding time happen naturally. http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T101100.asp

Frederick Leboyer gives some excellent ideas in his book "Birth Without Violence". http://www.amazon.com/dp/0892819839/ref%3Dasc_df_08928198391139734/%3Ftag%3Daskcomel-20%26creative%3D380333%26creativeASIN%3D0892819839%26linkCode%3Dasn He is the founder of the Leboyer Baths for new babies. As our baby was being born, I made sure that the lights were dimmed, the staff were hushed, the door was closed, soft music was playing and the odours were subdued. I held our precious baby in the birthing tank with umbilical cord still attached. It was a tremendous experience compared to my previous cesarean. http://www.waterbirth.org There is so much that mothers can do to bring about a satisfying birth experience. I truly believe that birthing babies is as important to women as an occupation is to men. We need to protect our labour and delivery so that we remember it well and we can avoid post-partum difficulties and childbirth trauma. http://www.solaceformothers.org Our children are so worth it.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455 or visiting http://www.timewithmama.com Feel free to contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca She looks forward to hearing from you.

Time is our most precious commodity

I've learned that we can never get time back. We can always make more money or buy more stuff, but we can't get moments back. At the end of the day, all opportunities for adventure, fun or reaching out to others have to wait until the next day.

We always have time for the things we want to do. My days took a dramatic shift after reading Stephen Covey's book, "First Things First" http://www.shared-visions.com/explore/literature/firstthings.htm We want to take care of ourselves and be satisfied as mothers so that we can identify and meet the needs of our children.

I need to take hold of the timeless moments where I can hold our children close and tell them how much joy they bring to us and how much they mean to us. I get the best response from our girls when I plop myseIf down on the floor and just sit there for a bit. They run towards me and know that I'm making myself available to them. I told my girls today that problems will always come in life, but that I promise to help them through it. How well are our children getting to know us each day? Do they know that we have their best interests at heart? What will our children remember and say about us after we're gone?

Sometimes it's a struggle to get those precious moments into our day because I get driven to accomplish certain tasks. How do I decide which tasks can wait, and for how long? In actuality, a mother has a manager position in the household. When I can't do it all myself, I either have to bring others in to help me or I have to downscale my expectations. Outside help can either be paid or unpaid. For homemade meals, some mothers use meal prep services where they put together 8 or 12 meals for their families. http://www.dashingdishes.com/Some families have nannies or childcare. I opt for the downscaling option because family bonding time is important to me. Children bond with the people in their household, whoever they happen to be.

I like to simplify my life so that I can fit important things into my day. I find a tremendous relief in being able to write down tasks on To-Do Lists, daytimers or calendars. My time management systems act as my second brain. When I'm reminded of tasks that need doing, I make sure to jot them down. As a first-time Mom, I remember waking up from naps and spending precious time wondering, "Baby's asleep, what should I do first?" I later decided that it was a good time to take a shower, make phone calls, check e-mails, start supper or do laundry. I was able to focus myself more by adding columns to my To-do list such as "When Baby's awake/asleep", "Morning/Afternoon/ Evening", "When Daddy's home", etc. I got quick direction from my list and it helped me to feel ahead of the game.

As a working Mom, I had to shift my thinking in several areas. I have learned that it's better to do a task a little at a time than to not start them at all. I start on a task, knowing that I may not be able to finish it in one sitting. I can empty the dishwasher one level at a time if need be. I find that my husband doesn't mind checking on a meal that's already set cooking. I've learned to notice the capabilities of others and tasks that others take on independently. It's important for me to effectively communicate what I need from those around me. I've also learned that I need to take care of myself and allow myself some fun every week. When my work load is heavy and I need inspiration, I turn to videos such as "The Invisible Woman" found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0&feature=player_embedded I don't want to forget the reasons behind my choices.

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out more by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455. Feel free to contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca She looks forward to hearing from you.

Income-earning choices impact mother-child involvement

I was always told that having a baby would change me forever. I was thrilled during my one-year maternity leave when I could cherish every moment watching my child grow and thrive. I took so many pictures and videos and created home DVDs, thinking that this was the best time of my life. Were tearful good-byes going to be part of our future relationship? I wanted to keep her by my side forever and this was more important that certain luxuries I was used to having.

My resolve to stay home with my baby came after our difficult birth and lengthy hospital stay. I wanted to make it up to her by allowing her by weaning her naturally, giving her extra health advantages. I was able to take our sweet baby along with me as I did some contract work for companies. I even took he with me to meetings for an up-and-coming MLM company, but unfortunately the company folded after a year. I signed up for an online business, but later learned that it only sold one product to only USA citizens. When our daughter turned two, Daddy started watching her during my 3-hour shifts from home doing customer satisfaction surveys.

I started to discover that important decisions such as breastfeeding, co-sleeping, potty training, education and even family size are all impacted by my earning decisions. I found that my daughter was sensitive to other kids' behaviours so I decided that I would homeschool her when the time came. After reading "Reading Magic" by Mem Fox, I was motivated to borrow extensively from the library and I read to her before her nap and before bedtime. I wanted her to be able to start reading early.

I didn't have a choice about having to earn money, but I could choose options that allowed me to work from home. I found that earning income alleviated my husband's stress and provided extra luxuries for our family. When we both earn money in ways that are comfortable, our appreciation for one other grows. The best thing we can do for our children is to be happy and to have a healthy marriage. Our children need both of us. I'm so thankful to my husband that he has allowed me to branch out in my online business and avoid re-entering the workforce. I can help you to have more time with your children too!

Michelle is an author and entrepreneur for a continuing education and business development company showing people how to build business success. Find out if you qualify to be trained in having your own business by calling 1-800-719-8268 ext. 45455. Feel free to contact Michelle at timewithmama@shaw.ca She looks forward to hearing from you.

I Now Have Time For My Daughter Stella, Do You Have Time For Your Family?

I have time to spend with my daughter Stella after I started my own Home Based Business. I would like to help you accomplish the same! I know how frustrating it can be when you first start your home based business.

I tried a few different programs with little success. I was tired of all the "Hype" and promises of these worthless business platforms.

I made my mistake by not educating myself when I first got involved in this industry.

- Jumping from one program to the next builds NO momentum.

- Where do I focus my time?

- What are top producers doing to earn 5&6 figures per month?

I had a successful career in the night club industry and was trying to replace my income from that so I could have a profitable home based business. I did not want to drive to and from work, I wanted to work online from home or anywhere so I could travel with Stella and enjoy all the world has to offer. And best of all I wanted to be my own boss :)

I want to offer you some advice...

- Know what you want from this industry, have a plan of what you are going to do to make this possible. Example: (To pay off my debt and have financial freedom.)
- Stick to that plan and do whatever it takes to overcome your fears.
- With the plan you make know exactly why you are working so hard to learn these skills and remind yourself everyday. (Example: I want to walk in BMW and purchase the new 7 series, that's why I work hard everyday.) Be specific, and also give yourself a time frame.

Focus your time on learning 1 new skill, master it and move on to master other skills as well. Get training from industry leaders. It does matter if you are new to the industry or a pro. Training gives you an advantage in the Home Based Business industry.

What you want can be extremely powerful when you apply yourself.

Good Luck

Kerry Ann Johnson Is A Successful Internet Marketer, Who mentors Others One On One To Create Their Own Success. If You Have Any Questions Feel Free To Contact Me At:
kerryccpro@gmail.com

My Website http://is.gd/c6pBF

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kerry_Ann_Johnson

How to Multiply the Chances of Success in Your Home Business

When you start a Home Business or when you decide to finally make a success of your Home Business you probably have to do a number of things differently from the way you have been accustomed to doing them. Here are a few:

- the way you focus on your goals
- the way you prioritize business and pleasure
- the way you manage your time
- the way you allocate your money
- the way you market your business

I speak from experience when I say, learning through trial and error, listening to someone close to you, or an 'upline' is a long, slow, expensive and often futile way to proceed. In short, do not do that. There is now another way, and having discovered it, I am keen to share the good news. If you look around the Internet you will find a huge amount of teaching that deals with the points above, and just about any other point that needs your attention. The important thing is: the teaching does not come from just anybody; it comes directly from people who

- have faced those same issues
- have thought them through,
- have put solutions in place
- have refined their solutions
- have built enormous success

They are sharing their knowledge with anyone who wishes to learn and they are doing it for free. This deserves a great deal of attention: You can learn how to avoid mistakes and how to maximise your success without the waste of time, energy and money that comes with doing it your way or learning on the job. The internet is often criticized for the amount of irresponsible junk that is posted on it, but there is also the other side, information from people who are both honest and generous, and who are willing to help you - for free.

Go and look for them, today, and you will be amazed what you can find. Study the offerings of several established leaders, check out their businesses and when you decide which one is right for you, swallow his or his system whole. Become a student, learn, get your questions answered and, most importantly, act on the advice you get. You will not look back!

Karin Wiese is a former teacher who has been involved in the Home Business industry for a number of years and knows the challenges and rewards on offer. She runs a successful Online Marketing Business from home. Find more on how to achieve success in your home-based enterprise at http://karinwiese.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karin_Wiese