As all sports moms and moms-alike do on a daily basis….keeping the family team organized while balancing a hectic schedule is no small feat.  The organizational skills required to chauffeur everyone around and to get to events on time, while being the loudest cheerleader on the sidelines doesn’t leave a ton of time for making dinner or other important chores around the household.

So, here are some tips to keep you on top of things, the family on track and everyone having fun.

Planning: Keep them Organized

It’s easy to keep yourself organized….but, keeping the little munchkins organized as well is a tough gig.  Therefore, the best way to keep everyone communicating and up-to-date on plans is to centralize a “calendar of events” in one easy to see, central location around your house, such as on the fridge door…..all kids love to eat, right?.  Along with the sports practice and game schedule, be sure to include play-dates and school projects.

Transportation:  Getting them there on time!

Beside the list on the fridge, put another list of all the items you need for the day (include sports equipment, school supplies and food).  This way if everyone knows what items they are responsible for bringing they might be less likely to forget something.

Snacks: Keep them Energized

Pre-game snacks that are high in protein provide long-lasting energy.  Keep a cooler in the car that can hold pre-game munchies like veggies, yogurt, cheese slices and fruit.  Remember to bring drinks for hydration….a hydrated child is a happy child J

Pep Talks:  Keep them Positive

Rushing from one event to another can leave a child drained and negative.  Make sure you keep up an up-beat attitude and it will rub off on your kids.

Dinner:  Keep Them Growing

A warm meal is a great opportunity to regroup and discuss the day with your whole family….and their friends.  You never know who will show up for dinner.  Use easy recipes (try a slowcooker) that make enough food for leftovers or for unexpected guests.  Use your imagination….and try to keep dinner fun.

Sports Moms should never forget that the most important “tool” they have is their family.  From helping  to set the table to slicing cheese for snacks or organizing equipment in the back of the minivan (or SUV), when everyone chips in, there is less stress, more fun and a more cheerful Sports Mom!!!!

Being a Vancouver native, of course I have the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games on my mind at all times….gosh, who doesn’t…..it’s so exciting. But, what I found most intriguing was how my 5 year old daughter was reacting to all of the Olympic hype.

I honestly thought that my daughter would pass through the Olympics with little interest. However, quite the contrary, she is very interested and very excited. It all started when her kindergarten class started to learn all about the Olympics during class and what the Olympics mean to athletes all over the world (to my daughter the “world” consists of Canada, Mexico and Disneyland).

Her elementary school has brought in guest speakers of past Olympians telling stories about their journey to become an Olympic athlete and how they had to work extremely hard to accomplish their goals.

If that was me telling my daughter about how to accomplish her goals I would have lost her at “let’s have a talk”. However, she was so enthused at what these Olympic athletes had to say and she was genuinely interested in their past experiences.

Then I recently took her to the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Whistler, BC. There were thousands of people there and the excitement that was streaming through the city was electric. My daughter was up way past her bedtime in order to see the torch enter the city and didn’t even complain once. She loved every minute of it. My favorite part was right after the Olympic torch was lit the crowd started to sing the Canadian National Anthem. I have never heard my daughter belt out the lyrics……in fact; I didn’t even know she knew the lyrics…..so loudly!

Right after the ceremony we preceded directly to the Olympic store to buy my daughter her favorite Olympic Mascot Stuffy…..Muk Muk. My favorite is Quatchi so we had to buy one of those as well…..well, ok, we bought the whole set of four for an astounding $65 but it’s a once in a lifetime experience…right?

When we returned home from Whistler my daughter told her Nana all about the experience in Whistler and showed off her new mascot. She has really loved every minute of the Olympic experience so far….and the games haven’t even officially opened yet.

The moral of this story for me is that our children are never too young to experience wonderful things and to never underestimate the power of the Olympic experience.

Go for Gold Canada!!!!!

 Do your kids constantly ask for treats?  Does it seem like cookies and can, juice boxes and fast food meals are all they’re willing to eat?  You’re not alone – many kids are attracted to things that aren’t the best nutritional choices.  Maybe you are thinking, “they’re kids, it’s can’t be THAT bad for them.”

Let me share some frightening statistics from the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (a problem so large that it has it’s own journal).

• Childhood obesity is the greatest health risk our kids face today
• By the year 2010 it is expected that 50% of all children will be overweight
• This is the first generation where kids have a lower life expectancy than their parents.

One thing that’s going on is that the average American child’s diet consists of one third junk food.  Snacks, candy and other prepackaged foods, desserts filled with fat and sugar make up a large portion of their daily intake.  And I’m not just talking about special occasions like Halloween and Christmas.  This is every day, all day.

The “food” that kids are eating is nutrient void but dense in calories and it’s often the lowest quality calories that you can find.  These are the choices that are placed at a child’s eye level in the grocery store, and it’s not by accident.  commercials promoting these high-sugar, high-fat, low-nutrition foods also air during your children’s favorite TV shows.  the commercials for these foods are filled with bright colours, music, action and the promise of something special.

An additional issue is that, as a nation, we are suffering from “portion distortion”, and this includes our children.  They are learning to super-size, and purchase “economy size” and “value size” meals themselves.  they are constantly being bombarded with unhealthy food choices and learning that “bigger is better”.

And then the problems of low-quality, high-volume eating are compounded by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.  Think back to when you were a kid.  Chances are you played outside with the neighbourhood kids from after school until it became dark.  Kids today come home from school and many of them spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in front of the TV or computer screen.

So here’s a troubling equation for you:

Sedentary Lifestyle + High Fat/High Sugar Foods + Huge Portions = Overweight Kids

Now some kids have the opposite problem, instead of being sedentary, these kids have no down-time at all.  They are being shuffled from one activity to another day in and day out.  What are tehy eating during all of this “shuffle time”?  For many moms, the easiest way solution is either grabbing fast food to eat on the run, or grabbing some snacks for the kids to eat in the car.  See where I’m going here?

In our well-meaning attempts to give the best to our children, we push the limits until the only possible way to get everything done is to cut corners.  These corners frequently impact the food choices we make (for ourselves and our kids) when our lives become hectic and out of control.

So here’s another equation for you:

Overbooked Kids + Overstressed Moms + Convenience Foods = Overweight/Overstressed Kids

Take a look at how your lifestyle impacts your kids and see if it’s contributing to the development of unhealthy habits.  Consider making changes that make healthy choices and a sane lifestyle part of the plan for everyone in the family.  From stocking the snack cabinet with healthy choices, to making a plan to sit down as a family for a real dinner on a regular basis, to planning activities that get you all away from the TV for a few hours, you can make sure your kids start off on the right foot building a healthy lifestyle.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC The Mojo Coach™ is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She’s a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert – just for moms, speaker and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best and From Mom To Wow: Your Ultimate Body, Mind and Life Makeover Guide. Debi’s been branded The Mojo Coach™ because for nearly 20 years she’s motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual, lifestyle change. Visit Debi at TheMojoCoach.com

Using a cell phone whilst driving has always been a pet hate of mine and I’m relieved to say that as of Jan 1^st 2010 it became illegal in BC. It has been illegal in Britain since 2003, although enforcing the law is proving to be difficult and a report just out suggests more people are using mobile phones while driving than before the penalties where introduced. When we left Vancouver last summer there was no such law. I lost count of the number of times we’d be driving behind someone and they’d suddenly slow to a crawl, start weaving around and making poor judgments at junctions. Sure enough, when we passed them they’d be chatting animatedly on their cell phone. Texting while driving has to be an even more ridiculous idea. I’m not good at concentrating at more than one thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a multitasking woman after all … but when I’m driving it needs all my attention. I have trouble changing a CD and don’t get me started on the GPS. There is no way on earth I’d be able to text someone. The USA’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says “driver inattention is a contributing factor in over 50 percent of all crashes.”

This leads me to bring up an equally dangerously distracted group of drivers: new moms! I’m not talking about that first drive home from the hospital where you sit in the back seat next to the baby cradling the car seat (which he is way too small for) while hubby drives home without exceeding 7mph. I’m talking about when you go solo. 50% of your time is spent looking in the rear view mirror after every application of the brakes to try and see if his wobbly little head has slumped forward, but of course you can’t see anything because he’s rear facing. God forbid he starts crying – then all concentration goes out the window. Your one objective now is to get to your destination as fast as you can so you can feed/change/comfort the baby. This initial nervous phase soon passes as you become more accustomed to your back seat passenger, but mommy’s driving attention is then drawn to driving with one hand on the wheel while the other reaches behind and ferrets blindly around in an attempt to retrieve the dropped toy, shoe, soother, snack that Junior is now screaming for. A “Baby on Board” sticker isn’t to tell others to treat your car and VIP passengers with extra respect; it’s to warn others to expect erratic driving.

All joking aside we have to admit: we moms are often distracted drivers and given that we have the most precious cargo on board it’s far from ideal. It’s tough, because that precious cargo – whether it be a crying infant, a cantankerous toddler or squabbling teens – can be very distracting. A few weeks ago I started following Mom Sends the Message on Twitter. Their campaign is urging drivers to keep their minds on the wheel.  

Their Pledge

• Driving while distracted can be more dangerous than driving drunk.
• As moms, we want safer roads.
• We know the time has come for us all to recognize the risks of distracted driving, to be more responsible and to mind the wheel.

I think it’s a good cause and one we should support. And perhaps we should start by looking at our own driving.

Lorraine is the co-Author of “The Survival Guide for Rookie Moms” Published by John Wiley and Sons and due out in bookstores come April 2010.  Also visit Lorraine on her website at www.survival4moms.com where she provides humorous, yet relevant articles regarding the first year of motherhood.

With two small children ages 5 and 2, any thought of a few days away for business or mini vacation comes with tremendous guilt. One of my top priorities as a Mom of two is to spend as much time as possible with my children and give them the utmost sense of security and stability that I can. Going away seems to counteract these two objectives as a parent. That being said, I strongly believe a few days to yourself once in a while, away from your children is not all bad and can actually promote independence and self-confidence (or so that’s what I tell myself). As devoted parents we also need to have some time to ourselves or with our significant other to decompress, recharge and stay focused on the long-term support of our little ones.

There are a few key strategies I think make a short getaway a good experience for both parents and children.

• First and foremost, the children need to have all the information. They need to know where and why you are going away and they need to have promises kept. The best thing is to tell them where you are going, how long you will be away (usually outlined in “number of sleeps” works well) and when you will be returning.
• If possible, call them daily before bed or in the morning to let them know them everything is alright and that you will be returning soon.
• Ensure that your children are cared for by someone they already have a relationship with and trust. Whether it be relatives, grandparents or a known babysitter or nanny, the kids must know that they are safe while mom is away.

Another nice touch I add when away for a few days, is to leave some surprises for them to open every day to remind them I am thinking of them. Some small tokens that I know they will enjoy are wrapped up and left for them to open each day that I am gone. The dollar store is great place for such items. Low cost but huge emotional value.

Finally, Making sure I deliver on my promises is the most important factor. If I say I am going to call at a certain time, I make sure I do. If I am going to be late or delayed in my return, I reset expectations and communicate the reasons why.

Consistent behavior and follow thru will make sure that every time you do need or want to get away for a few days, your children will know and trust that things will be ok and you will be returning when you say. That being said, every weekend is not a good idea for an adults only road trip, but even once or a few times a year will be beneficial for everyone…..especially mom and dad.

I was feeling a bit burnt out on the weekend so was in need of some fluffy TV—the kind that requires very few brain cells.

I flipped over to Slice and watched a slew of “Real Housewives”.

The problem was, I had to keep flipping away to more benign fare like This Old House Hour. It was train wreck TV at its worst.

I didn’t mind so much the drama, tantrums, or how one realtor from Orange County was trying to survive on $250,000/year (as opposed to the $1 million she was making the year before).

It was the scenes with the kids. Kids who were witness to swearing, table flipping (New Jersey), and general bad behavior.

I wanted to shake these women, and ask them to take a hard look at themselves. What kinds of lessons are they teaching (or not teaching) their kids? Don’t they realize how foolish they look?

In one scene, a mom’s 17-year-old son—the one who was having issues living on $250,000/year—chastised her for her spending sprees despite their tight budget. The mom sat there looking helpless, bemoaning the fact that she could no longer just go out for $400 lunches. When did the child become the parent?

Now I know this is TV fodder. It’s supposed to be over the top. It’s supposed to make you say “I’m glad I’m not you.”

However, it seems every other day I see examples of parenting that makes me wonder who’s the child and who’s the parent. And there are no better examples of childish adult behavior than during the morning drop-off at a school.

I help with traffic in the morning at our school, and once in a while I have to wonder who’s more mature: the parent or the child they’re dropping off. Parents yelling out the window that they should be able to drive where they want—even it means backing up through a crosswalk. Parents getting angry when they aren’t allowed to park in the no-parking zone. Parents honking in the parking lot.

All the while, their kids are in the backseat observing their behavior.

We’re all human, and I’m the first one to admit this. The other day, I had my own mini-meltdown when I burned the grilled cheese for the second time in a week. I was yelling at myself, trying not to curse, throwing pans and towels around. My kids were taken aback and steered clear. Later, I apologized to all of them. Who says parents don’t throw tantrums?

In our home, we sometimes run into debates when there seems to bet two sets of rules: one for parents, one for the kids. For example, my husband is prone to leaving his jacket son chairs. So when I ask my kids to take their jackets off the chairs and hang them up, I get “But Dad does it!”

Actions speak louder than words, and they speak volumes. Your children might not always listen to you—but they are watching. And they’re learning  a lot more than you might think.

Kim Dudra is a freelance copywriter based in Vancouver, B.C., and is the owner of re:fresh communications. She’s been known to juggle four kids’ schedules, three computers, two cats, and one cup of coffee, all at once. Kim is a featured writer for girlgetstrong.

How many times have you found yourself yelling this old refrain, usually while you’re cooking, or maybe even when you’re picking up the toys yourself?

Do you wish you could motivate your kids to help out more around the house–without the nagging and yelling?

Kids are much more capable and smarter than we often give them credit for. Beyond picking up their toys, it’s not unreasonable to expect children to help clear the dishwasher, set and clear the table, fill the dishwasher, fold their laundry and put it away, make and change their bed, vacuum or sweep floors, and help wash the car.

With the right incentives, structure, and coaching (note I didn’t say coaxing), your kids can–and will–do more around the house.

1. Be present. You’ll be a lot more effective if you’re in your child’s space, even down at their level. Don’t yell at them from another room or another floor. Can you imagine how you’d feel if your boss yelled at you from her office? Would you want to do anything for her?

2. Make it fun. I’ve always thought the word “chore” is exactly like it sounds: tedious and boring. If you can find a way to inject some fun into your kids’ jobs, then you might find they’re more willing to get the job done. Shoot “baskets” with stuffies, have races to see who can do something the fastest, or have contests and “titles” for the best (fill in the blank).

3. Be consistent. When you’re tired and weary, sometimes it seems so much easier just to do the job yourself. But by being consistent with your kids, you set up the right expectations and the jobs become habit-forming. Our kids take turns clearing out the dishwasher in the morning. They’ve been doing it for so long, most of the time they’ll just start without a word from me (unless, of course, they’re arguing over whose turn it is).

4. Lead by example. Kids have eagle eyes and the moment you’re inconsistent, they’ll catch you. If you do the exact opposite of what you’re trying to teach them (for example, cleaning up your clutter), then you risk losing credibility. Also, be mindful of how you talk about your job and your responsibilities. If you talk about them in a negative way, why will your kids think their responsibilities are going to be any better?

5. Make chores a family affair. Designate a time of day or week when everyone is pitching in and doing their part. That way, it won’t appear anyone is slacking off or not carrying their weight

6. Don’t bribe or threaten or guilt, but do provide incentives. Bribing is a slippery slope. The stakes often have nowhere to go but up, and can even lose their lustre over time. In our house, the kids have to get their jobs and homework done before they’re allowed to watch TV or play video games. Think of the privileges that your children enjoy, and treat them as such.

7. Make sure dad/your husband/partner/significant other stays involved. I admit that sometimes I play the Dad card. My husband plays a much better “enforcer” role than I, and when I’m tired and just too weary to fight any battles, my husband steps in. And then the kids really listen.

Kim Dudra is a freelance copywriter based in Vancouver, B.C., and is the owner of re:fresh communications. She’s been known to juggle four kids’ schedules, three computers, two cats, and one cup of coffee, all at once. Kim is a featured writer for girlgetstrong.

What do you do when you have a hard time getting your children to eat their  veggies?  Here’s a fun idea that worked like a charm on my children, who range in age from four to ten years old. We threw a “food tasting party”.

A food tasting party works like this:

1. Announce with great fanfare that you are throwing a super-cool party and you need the kids’ help planning it;

2. Tell them that it’s going to be a special “taste test party”, with some great new foods (insert veggie names here); make sure you are honest about the foods you will be serving, but make it sound like the fun adventure it is going to be;

3. If (or when!) the kids express suspicion or dismay, encourage them by telling them that you will be cleansing their palate in between tastings with… (pick your not-too-sweet treat and insert it here) and explain that a “tasting” means only one bite.

4. The keys are: the festive atmosphere, getting the kids involved with the planning, and the presentation of foods in a party style.

Gather four new foods you’d like your children to try. Think about how to present them in a fun way; can you use cookie cutters to make fun shapes? Or can you arrange them in a funny face on the plate?  Do your children love sauces? Ketchup?  Even if a vegetable (or fruit!) would not normally be served with a condiment, does it really matter? The point is to get the kids to try it… if that means lettuce dipped in a bit of ketchup do we really care?  All we really want from the tasting party is for the kids to have fun and to learn to be open to trying new food.

Getting the children to buy into the process early is important. Ask the kids to help prepare the foods and set out the palate-cleansing treats (tip: don’t pick a treat that is too sweet – it just makes vegetables seem more sour. Instead, try something neutral, like a favorite cracker, animal cookies or another plain food).

Make sure you participate in the tasting, too.  Tell them that after they each have a taste, they can put a blindfold on you and feed you a surprise bite.  If your children decide to dip your lettuce in ketchup, make a big deal of what a unique flavor it is – and how wonderful it is to try new things, even if we decide after that we don’t like them.

We’ve thrown tasting parties several times. Do our kids now love all vegetables? Not at all, but they are remarkably willing to try new foods – both at home and out.  And that’s a great step!

Melanie Berezan, aka Crazy Legs, is co-founder of GirlGetStrong.com. A restless writer, entrepreneur, traveler, and a bit of a weird wife (sorry honey!). Slightly insane mum of four cool little people who are either angels or monsters depending on the day’s medication. Proud owner of 10 terribly twisted and calloused running toes, and most of all an avid fan of fun!

The first big pre-holidays Toys “R” Us flier came out this week, and my kids wasted no time in cutting out pictures and pasting them on their Christmas wish lists.

When I remark on the cost of a couple of their wishes (“wow, that Lego is $170”), their response is “I want that one to come from Santa.”

Never underestimate how clever your kids can be.

We’re on a budget this Christmas, and the kids know this: my husband is studying full-time for his MBA so money is going to be tight.

But Santa is another story. He makes everything and he apparently has very deep pockets.

I have a simple answer when my kids play the Santa card (and it’s not the first year). I tell them if Santa had an unlimited budget, then I’d ask for a new minivan for Christmas, but I don’t, because I know Santa can’t afford those kinds of gifts. My answer usually does a pretty good job of making them stop and think.

I find it impossible not to smile watching all of my kids excitedly showing each other what’s on their lists. But I also see the annual Christmas wish lists as an excellent time to talk about generosity and giving, budgeting, and delayed gratification.

When we’re on the subject of wishes, I’ll often ask them about the annual Christmas hamper at school. I also ask them if they’ve been thinking about putting some of their allowance or paper route money aside for the hamper. I also ask them if they’ve thought about their gifts to each other.

We even talk about advertising and marketing, and how toy sellers try to make their toys attractive by using special camera angles, bright colors, and clever ad copy.

We’re very fortunate that as a family that our kids can look forward to receiving gifts on Christmas day. And for that very reason, I feel it’s incumbent upon me to make sure we have these conversations—and the kids don’t miss an opportunity to learn.

Kim Dudra is a freelance copywriter based in Vancouver, B.C., and is the owner of re:fresh communications. She’s been known to juggle four kids’ schedules, three computers, two cats, and one cup of coffee, all at once. Kim is a featured writer for girlgetstrong.