Lifestyle blogger – cruises, organizing, managing money, and parenting.
There! I said it – I think college tuition is a huge rip-off. I know it’s supposed to be the American Dream, but I was skeptical of it when I was a kid. If anything, I’ve gotten more skeptical as I’ve gotten older. College tuition inflation has skyrocketed FAR more than it should have. The […] Read more…
One of the biggest conflicts between parents and children of any age is to keep their room clean. It’s exhausting and demoralizing for all parties involved. So, what if there were a way you could painlessly teach your kids keep their rooms clean? It’s going to require some big changes, but it can definitely be […] Read more…
My Tweeps were having a discussion on Twitter the other day that really got me thinking. They were talking about how their kids fight so much. The discussion was about what is normal sibling rivalry? Is it was normal for siblings to have such a hard time getting along? I don’t think so and I’ll […] Read more…
Raising teens and tweens can be quite a challenge. What’s that saying? It’s like being pecked to death by a duck. As the mother of three sons – two adult and one still in those “fabulous” teen years, I can certainly testify to the truth of that. What if there was one magic truth that […] Read more…
Writing workshops always say that you should write about topics you know. Well, one thing I know a little bit about is being a Scout parent. Since I have all boys, I’ve been involved with Boy Scouts. But I’m sure the Girl Scout program has similar benefits. I actually was a Girl Scout, but […] Read more…
These 90 days* same as cash deals can be really good or really bad. Here are some tricks to keep them on the good side of things and save you money. They can be very effective when used correctly. (*I say 90 days, but many of them are like 6 months or a year) This […] Read more…
My son Blake and I had a good talk the other day. He’s a High School Sophomore and he has been slipping a bit in school lately. He needed a kick in the butt and I was definitely in the mood to give it to him. But it reminded me of how difficult it can […] Read more…
Passive-aggressive behavior is massively frustrating! I see a lot of it with the people in my life at home and at work. My kids have learned something called Intentional Incompetence, which is basically doing a lousy job on their chores – on purpose. They figure if they do a lousy enough job at their chores, […] Read more…
Why should your teen get involved in doing regular volunteer service in your community? I’ll give you one reason. Your teen needs to feel like a hero. Not every kid can be the popular one, score the winning sports goal, or win the top prize at the science fair, but every kid can do volunteer service. […] Read more…
Most financial experts agree that the best way to teach kids to be a smart shopper is to actually let them TRY it. They need to learn from their own successes and failures. Since one of your biggest recurring expenses is your grocery budget, this is a great place to start. Do you realize our teen is […] Read more…
Fast food seems like such an easy and harmless thing – a burger here, a pizza there, maybe a latte in the morning, but before you know it, it can really sabotage your budget. Take a look at some of the statistics below: Quick Fast Food Statistics Most Americans eat fast food 1-3 times a […] Read more…
I’ve met some people who can do some pretty amazing things. Seriously, amazing things. Like making blind children see. Making children walk who had never walked before. You know, boring, everyday stuff like that. Take this man. Looks a little like Santa Claus, doesn’t he? But he gives kids a gift that is much better […] Read more…
I am having such a tough time making a decision. So, I thought I’d take it to the blogosphere to get some perspective. I have a chance to send my son to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 2013. A lot of the other boys from our Boy Scout Troop are going to be going […] Read more…
If you live in a house with other people, as most of my readers do, there are going to be times when you are going to have to deal with Other People’s Stuff (OPS). You know, all the STUFF your family leaves ALL OVER THE HOUSE! Unless you live with a herd of raging neatnicks, […] Read more…