Announcements & News You Can Use

Snow Day Leaving you Stranded?

2010-01-21T12:45:00.005-06:00

Evening news announces "Snow is coming down and School is Closed tomorrow" and immediately the kids are jumping and cheering for joy as this means a day to stay home and play! However, for many working parents their reaction to this news is anything but exciting, knowing that the next several hours will be spent struggling to find last minute childcare for their kiddos. Worries no more: SeekingSitters can help!

SeekingSitters is able to help with last minute sitting help for unexpected emergencies which will allow mom or dad the ability to get to the office knowing that their children are at home with a prescreened and experienced Professional Babysitter. And one simple call to SeekingSitters is all it takes to request a sitter as SeekingSitters does all the work for you!

SeekingSitters can also help businesses by offering corporate accounts to their employees where companies have the option of paying for babysitting services in the event of an unexpected emergency. Check out Corporate account information to find out more about how the program can help your business.. Corporate Accounts

Footprints from your Team

2009-11-23T22:56:00.007-06:00

I have thought a lot lately about how important the word TEAM is to me. And how much a Team effort really means to me. Whether it is the team of our family where we work together to make each day happen. Or the team we have in our business. Or the team effort of the latest project I have participated in. The strength of your team is what will help you succeed and specifically help you build your business. Building a good team has always been an every day part of our business.

It is rewarding looking around our office to see reflections of people in our team that have left their footprints throughout our business, those who have played a part in the growth of our business. Whether it is a new marketing material, system improvements or simply a new filing system, everyone that has worked for our company has impacted our business in one way our another. It is important to let those in your team express themselves and give ideas. Look for the strengths in those on your team and encourage them to bring their ideas to the table. You will be surprised if you allow creativity from the new blood in your business, their enthusiasm for implementing their ideas can help your business grow if you take a chance to listen.

When you are seeking out individuals for your team, make sure you find individuals that share the same desire for company growth that you have. It is never smart to feel as if you have learned it all or feel like you know everything you need to know about business so if you fill your team with creative minds, you will continually be challenged in your business. Keep the perspective that there is always something around the corner that is new to your thinking and can spark a concept, idea or path of your business. Keep your mind open to always learning new things.

So lean to your team and open up the opportunity for ideas and creativity and you will find it exciting the footprints that are left behind from those that have passed through your business.

How to get work done with the kids in tow!

2009-09-29T09:39:00.006-05:00

As a small business owner I greatly appreciate the flexibility that I have to spend more time with my kids but some days it is a challenge to get work in-between play time. Make it easy and fun with these simple tips!

Leave the house prepared
On days that you might have your kids in tow, pack the car with coloring books, snacks and activities. A day in the car can be like a day long road trip for the kids so make it fun and exciting. Pack a “fun-pack” for the day with an activity to grab at each new hour, they are always wanting to know what is next and keeps them entertained.

Stay productive
The day can be productive even if you are unable to get into the office or in front of the computer. Complete some of the tasks that you have been putting off for ages. Organize the office, send out letters to new clients or complete filing. These are definitely tasks that kiddos can help with and they usually enjoy helping in the office.

Easy Appointments
Plan your easy appointments for days that you have your kiddos in tow. Try to stick to appointments where you can drop off materials, fliers or pick up supplies or other appointments easy to have the kids with you. If you have to sit down with a client don’t plan your meetings in an office setting, let your clients know that you have your kiddos in tow and find out if a visit outside would be appropriate. Arrive a few minutes early and set up your kiddos with activities, reading materials or coloring books. Watch your time and don’t let your children get restless.

Break it up
Have designated time for your kiddos when they allow time for you. Let your kids know them know that during appointments they need to wait patiently and then they can have the same amount of time for fun. It is easy to pop into a park for even 10 minutes at a time. Stay just long enough so that they can release some energy and even timing them makes it a challenge!

Easy Expectations
Know that these days are not going to go as perfectly as planned and do your best to be productive and have a good attitude. These experiences provide opportunities to teach your children about business, respect, self control and patience.

It can be a lot of fun if you leave the day prepared for fun! I have discovered early on the more creative you are the more fun it is for everyone!

Quick Snapshot, A Business Tip

2009-08-18T13:07:00.005-05:00

If I would have known then what I know now....

These words ring true for so many moments in owning a business, and I have a Quick Snapshot to share.

Last week during lunch with a business friend we were discussing tips on how to start a business with another colleague. We discussed suggestions about business formulation, legal ramifications, financial negotiations, and so on. But one very simple tip stuck out the most to me during our conversation that I wish someone would have told me during the initial start-up stages of our business - the simple suggestion of photo documenting your business and life during your business start-up stages.

During the start up of your business or entrepreneurial venture you are often caught with your head down in the papers and business formulation that you forget to take pictures and document those first moments of your business growth.

I realized this when I was asked last week to provide pictures from when we started for a CNN segment on which we were recently featured. I dug through boxes and boxes of old pictures (before the days that I stored EVERYTHING online) as well as dug through my online Shutterfly account trying to find a great picture that resembled us when we were getting started. I had hundreds of pictures of my children, family, dogs, vacations and so on, but no great pictures of the first days of our business growth. Days when David and I shared one home office and worked in our pajamas. Or pictures of our little ones napping in a nearby playpen while we quietly shuffled papers so as not to wake them. After weeks of digging I finally found three good shots for use, but none from those very first days.

So my one little piece of advice, if you are starting your business or developing your big idea - get out your digital camera and snap a picture....and be sure and print a copy too!

Nanny Cam: Are you using it for the right reasons?

2009-08-04T11:40:00.000-05:00

Many years ago I saw a show on the Dr. Phil Show that featured a nanny caught on camera spanking a baby and then tossing the baby like it was a rag doll against the couch. Dr. Phil and the guests condemned the nanny for her wrongdoing and criticized the family for allowing the nanny to abuse their child and to subsequently become victims of child abuse inside their own home. The show highlighted the pain the family had gone through and how they have recovered since the terrible incident. But what the show failed to address was the significance of pre-screening (background screening) that could have been conducted on the nanny which probably could have helped to avoid this situation all together. This negligence in the failure to background-check the nanny was alarming to me.

At the time of the Dr. Phil Show I owned and operated an investigation company, Hide and Seek, so of course the first thing that I jumped to do was investigate this nanny. I knew that if the woman had been properly screened the family would have never hired the nanny in the first place.

Within 10 minutes of a very basic public records search online I was able to identify key factors about the woman (name provided on the Dr. Phil Show) which identified her as a risk for employment and totally unqualified to care for young children. If the family knew what I had found in a simple search, let alone what we could have found by digging deeper, they would have never hired her as their in-home child care provider.

So my question is, why would you put your children in that situation of “hire, then wait and see” if the nanny or sitter does harm? Why would you want to rely on the “nanny-cam” to catch the sitter or nanny in the act rather than pre-screen the candidate to eliminate the unqualified and untrustworthy? Why not identify the problems before you hire the individual to come into your home and watch your children? By identifying her personal character issues before the nanny comes to the home, through an in-depth background screen and interview process, you know that you are hiring a reliable, trustworthy and experienced Childcare Professional, who in some instances, may hold credentials supporting her expertise that are verifiable.

You can easily identify personal character evaluations by hiring a professional investigator to identify the background history, experience, character and trustworthiness of the individual. In conjunction with performing the background investigation, an in-person interview should be conducted with the Childcare Professional and references should be called and interrogated. It is important to call several references and ask key questions that will help you identify the experience and character of the sitter.

You also have to be careful that the screening you are performing has been conducted by an Investigation company that performs a hands-on investigation. If you are simply relying on online database providers you may miss important data that can only be obtained by having a trained data researcher evaluate the material found. So much of the information on the internet identified for employees is out of date, misreported and lacking in substance. A trained data research professional can identify the accurate documents, verify records in most recently lived states as well as check the data found against the data provided on the candidate’s application. This hands on screening is the most thorough way of performing a background investigation on a childcare provider.

I do feel that the “nanny-cam” can be a great tool for parents if used properly. Working parents can check in on a sitter or nanny during the day to find out what activities are going on at the house. Parents can even just utilize the “nanny-cam” to pop in virtually and say hi to the kids. There are some great two-way cameras available today and technology is available that allows you to check in from your Blackberry or Iphone. Some parents have utilized the “nanny-cam” as a great way to review the day when you return home so that you can get a feel of everyone’s mood and find out if the kids are listening to and obeying the sitter’s or nanny’s instructions.

The “nanny-cam” can be used to your advantage by letting your sitter or nanny know that you have a camera in the house; by doing so your sitter or nanny will likely be more conscientious on the job. You have an employee (the nanny or sitter) in your home so why is your child’s safety and security any less than the office, where “when the boss is away the employees will play” is an accepted scenario when use of security cameras prevail?

So my ultimate question is, why would a family spend hundreds on a “nanny-cam” but not a dime on a proper background investigation? My thought is that if you are going to invest money in the protection of your children while under the care of your in-home sitter or nanny, you should certainly pay for an in-depth background screening on the childcare worker but to be always there for your child, leave the “nanny-cam” to scan your child’s day and to allow you to be a part of his or her day.

To find out more information about background investigations, contact Hide and Seek USA Corp. at 918-524-3333, or about pre-screened Certified Sitters call SeekingSitters-Tulsa at 918-749-3588. Both companies operate nationally.

Background Investigation vs. Background Check

2009-07-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

SeekingSitters performs a Background Investigation on every Contract Professional Sitter that is referred to the members of the service. A background investigation is much more thorough and accurate than a "Background Check." Read below to further understand the differences of SeekingSitters sitter screening process in contrast to other companies that simply provide an online "Background Check."

What standards can you expect in a “Background Check?” Is what is termed “Background Check” truly an “investigation” of a subject’s personal history? You will be surprised to know some facts about this misunderstood service that has become essential in providing personal character profiling on today’s job applicants.

When you read or hear that a company performs a “Background Check” on their contractors, employees or volunteer personnel , the consumer immediately feels a bit safer, a bit more at ease. But what you don’t know is that the information sold as a thorough background check can be grossly inadequate and inaccurate to the point of being outdated, missing, or just plain wrong! We come to trust the words “background checked” and assume that all background screening is performed professionally and thoroughly, perhaps in the manner of law enforcement agents – NOT SO!

Online information has helped investigators in a tremendous way over the past 20 years through the development of the internet, but this readily available information is only the preface of a true professional background investigation – the “hot off the press” data retrieval only scratches the surface of the individual’s lifelong behavior and does nothing to dig for the dirt! The availability of electronic information to the general public for the purpose of performing background checks has greatly raised the risks to employers for failure to perform due diligence in employment screening. Therefore, “Buyer Beware” when it comes to choosing a qualified, professional background investigator!

It is important for a consumer to understand that a company claiming to run a “background check” on someone could merely be retrieving online data and passing it on to you without any further verification of the information – this is not a background investigation! Such “background check” data retrieval providers merely scratch the surface of a person’s character profile history.

There have been cases of job applicants that have omitted criminal information on an application knowing that a standard "background check" will not identify this information due to incorrect filings or name misspellings. If the company you are utilizing is performing a true background investigation, this information will be found as a hand-on investigator will verify name accuracy as well as other detailed information.

In order to ensure that background information on a person is accurate and up to date, a professional background investigator must not only search all sources of public records readily available from information vendors, but also from the investigator’s own personal research and contact with the actual sources. Professional background investigators must know how to traverse through the maze of records repositories nationally and worldwide, and know exactly who-what-where their sources are in order to get the desired information on a subject.

There are tragic cases every day that example the lack of thorough background screening practices and it is not unusual in this era of online public records databases that background checks can be obtained anywhere for any price; therefore, the professionalism of a background screening company must be scrutinized. There is no such thing as “instant” results on a true background investigation, but it is true that “instant turnaround” or “same day results” are sold as background checks; a thorough personal character screening may take several days, or even several weeks, by a professional background investigation company, but it is well worth the wait when you can be assured that true due diligence has been performed on the subject.

What you can do to make sure you are getting the best background information possible from your background check supplier is to ask questions: How long have they been doing background screening? What specifically is their method of background investigation? Is a credit history analysis part of the background investigation? Is each assignment a personally operated hands-on project? Do their investigators have specific training in the areas of law or paralegal work, or are they trained research professionals? Do their investigators hold any credentials that are relevant to performing background investigations? Is your applicant’s investigation reviewed for accuracy and due diligence before it is sent to you? Are their investigators qualified to give personal character profile opinions if asked to do so? How often are the company’s sources of information updated?

After you have evaluated these questions accurately you can be assured that you are gathering the most accurate and up to date information on your job candidate and come to trust your background screening provider.

Joanne Whitney has been a licensed private investigator for over 30 years and founded Hide and Seek USA Corp, performing over 1,000 investigations nationwide for attorneys and corporations. Adrienne Kallweit is a licensed private investigator for over 10 years and founder of SeekingSitters, a national babysitting referral service that began in 2004. Through the extensive background investigation screening process developed by Hide and Seek, Adrienne and her husband David founded the on-demand babysitting referral service where every member and sitter are screened prior to acceptance into SeekingSitters, providing the safest babysitting service available. To find out more about background investigations, visit www.seekingsitters.com or www.hideandseekusa.com.

10 Parenting Tips

2009-07-21T11:37:00.003-05:00

1. Get ready to work hard…without any instruction. Parenting is tough work. Whether you are a stay at home parent or juggling your family with a full time job, it is tough stuff. My job history only extends from meconium to elementary t-ball so I definitely do not yet have tenure in this parenting career. Every day I remind myself that it is hard work. Work that comes with little hugs and kisses as a paycheck. And what is better than that.

2. There are good days and bad days. My sister told me early on to hang on if you and the kids have a bad day because tomorrow will be better. And if tomorrow still stinks, hang on until the next day… because it will get better.

3. You can do anything with sleep. As a parent, you may think this is impossible but it is so important that you have enough sleep. You can do anything with rest and a clear head. Lean toward family, friends and babysitters to help allow you to get rest so you can recharge!

4. Be careful what you agree to. During the 400 questions asked by a typical toddler throughout a day you may find yourself unconsciously answering “yes” to things that you really have no idea what the question even was because you were actually daydreaming of a quiet moment alone. And then coming home to find your son dressed in last halloween’s batman costume and climbing on top of the car and finding out that you had agreed to strap your son to the roof of the car so he could be a flying superhero. (Of course the idea was quickly retracted but he definitely reminded me I had sad “YES!” to his grand idea.)

5. Seek out support. Have someone you can lean on to answer the tough questions, someone that has been there before. If only we had a child expert hotline to dial in the middle of a situation, like the movie Click where you can hit “pause” and call the emergency hotline. “Yeah, my 4 year old just sat in the 3 year old’s chair and then the 3 year old just pushed him out of the chair and now they are both lying on the floor screaming uncontrollably. I have tried to reason with them. Where do I go from here.” The perfect solution on the other end of the line as if they glanced into the room and determined the perfect outcome and within two words everyone is smiling and laughing again.

6. You are going to make mistakes. Parenting is definitely trial and error and you must have patience with yourself as you learn. I feel that the reason that memories really start to kick in around age 4, so that the parents have a trial and error period that the children don’t remember.

7. Keep good notes. Keep a journal next to your bed, one for each child and jot down notes about your kids, what they said for the day, what you were doing on a particular day. Don’t stress about how often you write in it, just grab it whenever you remember. You will forget the little things and it is so fun to look back and laugh. Tell them what they were like at 2, at 6 and at 16. They will love to hear the little stories when they are older.

8. Never miss your kid’s plays or performances – no matter how small. I almost missed my daughter’s play performance at the end of last year. No, I am not a horrible mother but it was 8th performance of the year and I just didn’t know how they were going to mix up twinkle twinkle little star a new way that would require me jump away from work. Of course at the last minute I grabbed my keys and ran out the door. It was the sweetest twinkle twinkle she ever sang.

9. Don’t judge. I have learned not to judge other parents for what they are or aren’t doing because they are likely trying their hardest and you don’t know their circumstances. You may find yourself judging a parent for something that you end up doing yourself. Have compassion for other parents and know that we are all in this journey together.

10. Tell your kids you love them, often. Kids can never hear this enough.

The Sky is not Falling!

2009-04-19T18:45:00.004-05:00

Get excited about business and the economy!

My kids love to watch Chicken Little – and it is hilarious, if you haven’t seen the new version of it, you have to rent it. Chicken little has this humongous head, running around shouting the sky is falling, the sky is falling. Our family watched this a few months ago and what made me laugh even more was the relationship of chicken little to all the news talking heads running around shouting the sky is falling the sky is falling in reference to the economy every time I turn on the TV. It is enough to make anyone go into a panic! Everyone thinking that the sky is falling, but I am here to say the sky is not falling and you can make things happen for your business by getting enthused and creative! Keep focused on three things to keep moving forward.

· Seizing the Opportunity
· Stay Organized
· And the most important key: Customer Service

Opportunity Knocks
It is important to act on the opportunities in front of you during any stage in your business. If that means taking your business in a different direction or even starting a new business, you have to follow the opportunities. Out of downturn economic times businesses and growth does arise -it is important to act on your ideas and take every opportunity to grow your business.

Getting organized
It is important to get a handle on organization because mis-management can destroy even the best opportunities. Something I would start with is to build a 5 year business plan. This will help you set goals but also this helps you not get stuck in the NOW and worrying about the day to day and project forward. I would encourage you to jot the goals down and then set a reminder in your calendar every 6 months to review the goals and see where you are. This accountability is amazing to see where you have been in just short time. It will also help you to evaluate if something is not moving forward if you should switch gears.

Service Service Service
The final key that I suggest to keep moving your business forward and definitely the most important key in my opinion is Customer Service. I know you have heard the saying “survival of the fittest” I call business in this economy “survival of the sweetest.” The sweetest customer service will rise to the top during hard economic times people are even looking harder at where they spend their dollar. You cannot cut corners to save costs, that won’t help you survive, give attention to customer service.

Also, don't forget to evaluate customer service - ask for feedback and make it available for your customers to reach you.

At Last

In times like these you can let things happen to you or you can make things happen for you.

You can make your business prosper in these times, it may not go as fast as you want or exactly down the path you want, but if you give the right attention to your business you will be stronger than ever! So don’t listen to chicken little and even turn off the talking heads on the TV a while because the sky is not falling – keep positive!

Babysitter vs. Nanny? What is the difference

2009-01-27T09:18:00.003-06:00

Babysitters and Nannies share a key purpose in their jobs in that their primary responsibility is to care for children. However there are some differences in how their roles are structured. A babysitter is defined as a person engaged to care for one or more children in the temporary absence of parents or guardians. A nanny is more technically defined as a “children’s nurse.”

Typically a nanny is employed directly by the family receiving a set hourly or weekly rate along with overtime and paid holidays and vacation and a Professional Sitter is typically paid on a job to job basis. You can obtain the care of a Professional Babysitter* on a regular basis; however, Professional Sitters do not offer the guaranteed long term commitment that a nanny relationship might be able to offer.

What both a Nanny and a Professional sitter should be capable of offering to your family is caring for your children with experience to handle any situation. They should be able to keep their workspace clean (anything involving the children’s activities) and they should be able to prepare meals for all ages of children and should always be able to handle their job in a professional manner. A nanny’s role may extend beyond this into household duties; however, a Professional sitter’s duties are typically limited to any tasks related to the children they are caring for.

When selecting your caregiver for your children, a nanny or Professional Babysitter can both serve your needs. You should decide which role is right for your family and research all your options.

*All babysitters referred through SeekingSitters are considered Professional Babysitters as they have passed several levels of screening and have extensive experience with children of all ages. Each Professional Sitter referrred through SeekingSitters also has obtained her CPR and First Aid Certifications.

Having Bedtime Struggles?

2009-01-08T08:16:00.013-06:00

Bedtime Routines Should Fit Your Family
I have three very active kids all under the age of 7 and up until about 6 months ago bedtime has always been our biggest struggle of the day. We went through the Babywise course when we first had children so when they were babies bedtime was very easy, but once they climbed out of their cribs, we became powerless.

We tried the routines, we tried consistency, we tried rewards, we tried punishments but nothing worked for our family. Over the years, my husband and I dreaded bedtime so much that we each would make excuses as to who should be in charge of the bedtime each evening. And we looked everywhere for advice. My favorite was my fathers advice, "just let them roam around the house and they will eventually fall asleep." Obviously he didn't know my children that well, I imagined my kids finally dozing off from exhaustion at 4:00am after eating all the food in the kitchen and toilet papering the house.

I knew I had to come up with a solution that worked for our family so I started thinking about what they were really fighting: not wanting to end their time together with mom and dad. So I thought of issuing them a ticket that they could redeem for 10 minutes of private time with Mom or Dad if they stayed in their bed after nighttime routines, The Private Time Ticket. The tickets allowed 10 private minutes with mom or dad doing what ever they chose.

The tickets were printed on bright green cardstock and each child was handed them with their own crayon to fill in their name and activity. The very first night it worked miraculously! The kids were asleep in under 5 minutes. A few weeks later a ticket was lost one night to my oldest son when he got out of bed after the Private Time Ticket was issued. His ticket was ripped up for getting out of bed and he was devastated. But after this time, it never happened again and bedtime has been a joy.

The best time about the tickets is getting a chance to redeem the tickets with my kids. It is a good reminder that even as a working mom, I can find 10 minutes anytime during the day to take a break to spend with my kids and even though we do spend a lot of time together as a family it is rare to have one on one time with each child.

The day after the first tickets were issued, my 5 year old son came in to ask me a question while I was at my desk working and I said, "Ethan, I really can't right now I really need to work." He said "OK" and politely left my office. I thought, boy that was great listening, he must be growing up! I was back to work and then about 2 minutes later he came walking in my office with his Private Time Ticket, "Can I redeem this now." I laughed and gave him a big hug, "Yes, we can redeem this."

Creating Time for your Kids

2009-01-08T08:08:00.006-06:00

Working moms are amazing at juggling time with kids and family and time for the office. Fixing breakfast, getting kids dressed and off for the day, heading to the office and tending to wokr then back to the family and the day starts over again. Family does come first but having to answer to the unexpected daily demands of work at times interrupts those perfectly planned park days.

I have learned after many years of working with my kids that it is best to just blend the two to find that balance for your family. I do best when I work to incorporate kid time into my day rather than trying to find the perfect opportunity and perfectly planned event.

After I pick the kids up from school I am usually heading back to the office or running work errands. A quick stop at the park is first on the list. Even if we only have 10 minutes it is a perfect way to get out doors and spend a few minutes with the kids. Then off to the office for an afternoon snack. It is important to plan ahead if the kids have to come into the office. I have an activity sheet printed out for them to start on when we arrive and they are always excited to find what I have for them each day.

However you balance it, find time to laugh and enjoy each day.

Have a clear plan

Schedule family time not only for the kids but also for yourself! As a working mom, you do need a break and taking time off will allow you to be a better mom!

Don't Stress!

My kids hardly remember if it was myself or the babysitter that took them to the library two years ago, they just know that they have been in loving care throughout their days. Just make sure that your children know you are there for them when you are with them and don't try to stress over the little things.

Find a Balance

I know first hand that it can be hard but what is important to keep that balance there, work hard to find time every day but remember it can be the simple time that is the best. So get creative and incorporate small blocks of time throughout the day.

It doesn't have to be perfect!

KIDS + MONEY MANAGEMENT = POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

2008-12-10T10:52:00.002-06:00

Teaching your children early about the importance of managing money and savings can help build confidence, teach fiduciary responsibility, and impart conscientious and empathetic stewardship. Our current economy dictates tightening our belts on family spending, so it’s is a good time to discuss “junior creative finance” with your children. Discuss how you can save by just pinching a few dollars here and there and set budgets for mom, dad and the children. If you eat out a lot, consider setting a budget for each child which would include food and necessities and allow them to pay for themselves at the store so that they can learn about making wise choices on their purchases. If children have no concept of how much something costs, they are not able to rationalize the difference between a more expensive item and the lower cost items. (See below for great ways your kids can learn about cost comparison and how to save and manage their own money!)

Teaching your children about money can also help give you some creative tools in helping discipline your children’s spending. Utilizing a points system is an easy way to help your children earn money as rewards and lose money for bad behavior. Below are some different ideas but depending on the age of your children and the style of your family you can develop a system that works best for your children.

Here are some guidelines for creating a “rewarding” money management system that puts the child, his money, his family, and the community in perspective, as related to learning personal fiduciary responsibility:

CREATE A VISUAL COST COMPARISON
Use “points” for good behavior and deduct points for bad behavior. When the child has accrued enough points on his good behavior, set the points cards on a table and then lay the dollar amount beside the points cards. Explain to the child that his good behavior resulted in that many points and those points equal that much money that he can take to the toy store and buy a toy. Once in the store, the child can see the price tags on toys and learn what he can buy with his money. Cost comparison challenges can be taught “on site” and the child can learn to make wise decisions on spending money.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING MONEY
Teach your kids at an early age the importance of savings. Show the child the documents on your savings account or even their college savings account. You could also consider assigning a percentage of their earnings to go towards savings.

THE MORAL IMPACT OF TITHING AND GIFTING
Teach your kids at an early age the moral impact of tithing and gifting. Explain to your child that it is important, no matter how much or how little money they have, that some of their money should be gifted to their church or synagogue or to charitable venues – or even to a friend or neighbor in need.

Toilet Training at Two

2008-09-10T09:12:00.002-05:00

Potty training your child is one of those parenting milestones that is definitely more rewarding for the parent than the child. For the child it really stinks (pardon the pun!) because once she is potty trained she realizes there’s less attention at bathroom time, she has to start doing it all on her own and instead of lying on a cushiony padded bed while mommy sings songs to her, she has to sit alone on a big cold white hole and if she makes one wrong move she may end up falling into the toilet’s abyss! But for mom and dad it is absolutely one of the most liberating parts of being a parent. No More Diapers! No More Wipes! No more Poop! Like it always is in life, there’s a trade-off: You have to start using public restrooms , stop multiple times on family vacations for “potty” breaks and spend hours teaching about washing hands when visiting the bathroom. But to my husband and I it is definitely worth the trade-off! Our family has always started potty training as soon as possible and typically at about 22 months, just before their second birthday. Our “method” is a combination of not only one source but many, ranging from self-help books, family, friends, teachers and even my kids. The main thing is PATIENCE and a SENSE OF HUMOR!

I don’t believe in the conventional reasoning of “waiting until the child is ready” other than observing that he has the basic toddler physicality of running around the house, climbing onto everything, reaching for whatever he can grab, pulling himself up, and pretty good communication – if he can do all that, he’s ready to be introduced to the Porcelain God! And I feel that there is a window of opportunity that you don’t want to miss because if you wait too long your child may have actually trained themselves to go in their diaper or pull ups.

The very first thing we do is get rid of ALL diapers in the house and NO pull ups. We purchase training underwear (found at Wal-Mart) and incorporate the Toilet Training in Less Than a Day by Nathan Azrin to get kick started. We find a weekend that we can stay at home, and even more specifically, close to the bathroom and then strip down to the birthday suits and just hang out. (Just the child in birthday day the birthday suit of course.)

We make it a game, an adventure, an important event for your child, with a lot of hullabaloo! Keeping your child in view at all times, eventually a bathroom break will come and hopefully they feel the urge to notify you. But if not, as soon as we spot an accident we run them to the toilet. Once they have gone on the toilet we give them a reward, M-n-M or a jelly bean is best, and have a big celebration. We do this for the entire weekend and then depending on how much they have picked up the concept really determines how the next few weeks go.

We have three children and they all took to potty training differently. Our oldest son got the concept the first weekend but it took him about a month until he was completely potty trained; my middle son was potty literally trained after the first weekend and my daughter took about 4 months after the first weekend. Realizing that not every child is the same will be easier on the potty training experience.

But one thing that has been consistent with my kids is that after about a month of being fully potty trained they suddenly started having accidents again. So keep in mind your kids may fall off the wagon, so to speak. This may be caused by events in their life, a new brother or sister, new school or other factors that may cause them to have accidents or revert back, but just be patient and consistent and you will get through it. But don’t go back to diapers or pull ups because this will allow the child to not have to make the effort to try and “hold it”! Of course if it is something that persists, you should contact your doctor.

Potty training is not a science. No matter how perfect your plan is and at whatever age you start it is going to have some hiccups. But what counts is that you stick to it, because even though your toddler seems miles away from being ready I assure you they are smarter than you think!

The Best Practices for a Successful Babysitting Event

2008-05-14T00:28:00.005-05:00

Ease the Anxiety
Before your sitter arrives at your home, let your children meet the sitter by viewing her photo online and read the sitters' profile online. You can even have the sitter talk with your children before she arrives. This will help ease your children's anxiety about having a sitter, whether she is new or has been with your family previously. You can also plan some fun activities to save for the sitting event. This will get your children excited about the sitter and get their mind off of mom and dad leaving.

Keep Information on Hand
Prepare by having instructions, contact information and emergency details handy. If you are a SeekingSitters member, this would simply mean having your Family Information Packet filled out and handy for your sitter. Even though you go through all the details with your sitter before you leave the home, there are sometimes small details that the sitter may not remember and having this information is handy will help make a successful event.

Set Clear Expectations
This is absolutely the most important factor to having a successful babysitting event. Once your sitter arrives, you need to make sure you let your sitter know what you expect out of the sitting event, what you need from her and what is the best way provide this.

Don't forget the Trash
When you are reviewing information about your home and your expectations for the event, don't forget to review where simple things are in your house. The trash can is even a simple item on the "tour" that is overlooked. Also be clear about eating instructions whether or not your sitter can eat your family's food or if the sitter will need to supply her own food.

Don't linger around
If this is the first time using a particular sitter, it is OK to stay around and make sure you are comfortable with the sitter. But keep in mind that your children will bond with the sitter more quickly if you are not around.

Cell Phones are for Emergencies...and Mom and Dad
It is completely fine to call to check in! Sometimes this is an opportunity to find out how they are doing and even help with any needs, but mostly it will help let you relax about how the children are doing at home with the sitter. Let the sitter know that you might be calling and either keep the cell phone handy or listen for the home telephone.

Wrapping up
Your sitter will leave behind a Fun Times Sheet that describes the details of the event. This will be a very beneficial tool to know what happened during the event and a great help in allowing the sitter to be able to leave more quickly so that she does not have to re-cap the entire day.

It is important to plan for a successful sitting event. If you do so, every sitting event will be fun for the children and great for you!

Finding Child Care for the Summer

2008-05-05T14:06:00.003-05:00

One of the biggest questions we face is the best childcare option for our kids during the summer? There are so many options: camps, daycares, in-home care to name a few but first you should ask yourself some key questions:

Determine your child’s interests
Camps: There are many to choose from– pick one or two activities your child really wants to experience.
Parks & Recreation Activities: From daily activities to weekly activities there are many activities for kids of all ages and my of these options can be very affordable.
Community Pools and Neighborhood Activities: These are great summer activities where kids can just “be a kid.”
Parents – don’t over schedule your child - factor in downtime to just hang out.

Convenience – Questions to ask
How far away is camp/activity? Do they provide transportation, with gas prices it is something to consider.
Does the camp provide activities for a variety of ages?
When is the camp?
Will it interfere with family vacation plans?

When attending the pool or other community evnets, if you can’t be there will your child need a caregiver? Do you have an on-demand sitter solution and is the sitter background screened.

Determine your budget
Camp costs: Length and type will determine costs
1 week day camp – price for 6 hours a day begins at about $95 a week -
Overnight camp costs – 1 week overnight can run $800 – $1000

Child Care Costs:
Drop-In Day Care
Cost - $5.00 - $8.00 an hour depending on age of child
Pros – Affordable, Some flexibility
Cons – Not as structured – limited availability

Mothers’ Day Out
Cost – On average – about $40-$60 per child for six hours
Pros – Affordable, convenient – some structured activities
Cons – Typically only available once or twice a week

Full Time Caregiver
Cost – $350-$430/week – 1 child – can be a little more for extra kids
Pros- Convenience, safety, structure, you set the schedule
Cons – May not work for every budget

Ideas
*Consider sharing a sitter with a neighbor or friend.

*Create an “Informational Book” for sitters
SeekingSitters uses Family Information Packets and gives on to each member family to fill out – with everything that a sitter needs to know about the family, kids, schedules, emergency numbers etc.

*Background Checks: Remember to make sure whatever service you use performs a thorough background screening by a live person. (This service is provided for free to members of SeekingSitters.)

WELCOME!

2008-05-05T12:18:00.001-05:00