Tuesday Tips: Food Journaling: FitDay.Com

Tuesday Tips: Food Journaling: FitDay.Com
by Alice Shaffer


As professional nannies we often keep journals on our charges' day for their parents. These journals include such things as food intake, their moods and activities for the day amongst other things. Have you ever kept a journal about you and your daily food intake, mood and activities?

For several months,  I have been on a journey of healthier eating and exercising. I have been working with a personal trainer and a nutritionist in this journey.  The main hurdle in healthier eating is to figure out what exactly you are eating and how much.  I was told I would need to keep a food journal. I was not super happy about this request. I have always had issues with keeping a journal in the past.   The nutritionist recommended a website called FitDay.  This is such an awesome site that I wanted to share it with everyone.


FitDay is a great FREE resource for your food journaling, exercising, measurement tracking and feelings/moods.  These are just the tip of the iceberg in which FitDay can do. 

The Pros I have found with FitDay:

• It is a free program
• You can enter any food label nutrients and it will calculate your intake-no matter how many servings you have
• It compares your nutritional intakes with suggested dietary guidelines 
• You can input your measurements and it gives you a visual graph/chart of your progress
• You can print off your charts to take with you to the doctor etc
• Journal about your moods and feelings in general
• Various charts that can be configured to show your fat intakes, calorie averages, weight loss and activity levels, calorie intake planned vs actual etc

The Cons I have found with FitDay:

• I had to do some initial adding of foods into the database.  This wasn't bad because it took less than 2 minutes per food. This was then in a category called "my customs foods"
• Some may find the ads distracting and if so you can pay for a premium account for $5.49 a month (this doesn't bother me at all though)

I have found that this is a great for when I have plateaued in my weight loss, had sleepless nights or experience mood changes.  I can go back and look at the past few days, weeks or month to see what was going on. 


I encourage you to try out FitDay and track your nutritional, physical and mental activities for the coming month.  Let us know how you are doing.

Travel Tips for Families and Children

Summer vacation is right around the corner. For many of us that means traveling with our families and traveling with our work ‘families’. Take some of the stress out of planning and traveling with these great tips for all types of travel. Most of all … be safe and have a wonderful summer!

Before heading to the airport, check out what the TSA recommends when traveling with children.


Tips for Flying with Kids and more tips!

Top 10 tips for children traveling alone


Travel tips for children age 5-11 years

Traveling by car?

Car travel games

Top 10 tips for taking children on road trips

Don't forget the audio books! Check out Tales2Go for fun children's books sure to keep kids entertained.

Traveling by Bus or Train?


Top 5 Family Travel Tips


Taking a cruise?

Top 5 tips - cruising with kids


Traveling with Pets?

Staying in a Hotel?

Traveling Abroad?

Additional travel tips and articles

Tuesday Tips ... Your A-Z Guide to Getting Organized

Originally posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Your A to Z Guide to Getting Organized
By Melody Warnick
Womans Day Magazine January 2010
Intro by Alice Shaffer

After the holidays and vacation, I found myself with a large pile of mail and magazines. I love all the various magazines I get for free through various offers. I found the January 2010 issue of Womans Day. As I was thumbing through it I saw a two page spread with the first letter of alphabet in bold colored print. I continued reading....it was an A to Z Guide to Getting Organized. I read three of them and was hooked! I personally want to be more organized in 2010.

Read the entire article here.

Summer Reading for ALL ages!

When you think of summer you think … picnics, pool days, sunscreen, bike rides, beach vacation, right? What about reading? Kids do so much reading during the school year, WHY would they want to spend their summer reading? Reading helps maintain and build skills so they are prepared when the school year starts up again. Many schools even require summer reading. Reading can be enjoyable for all, and you will even be able to make a dent in that stack of books you’ve wanted to read since holiday break.

Summer Reading Programs
Check out your local public library for summer reading program. Many community libraries offer programs for children of all ages with incentives for reading the most books.


Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

Fostering a love of reading and its rewards, the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program is popular with students in the first through sixth grades and educators throughout America.
Participation is fun and an easy way for kids to earn free books. They simply read any eight books – library books, books borrowed from friends or books bought at Barnes & Noble – write about their favorite part, and bring a completed tear page to a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Children then choose their free book from a list of paperback titles.

Our 2010 program features Scholastic's best-selling multi-media adventure series 'The 39 Clues'. Authors Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park, and Margaret Peterson Haddix will make appearances at select stores across the country, and will also participate in a Summer Reading blog at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com/summerreading), where they will post about summer reading memories and children's literacy. The free program kicks off in Barnes & Noble stores across the country May 25 and continues through September 6. Teachers, parents and children can download the Summer Reading materials for free at www.bn.com/summerreading.

Borders offers their Double Dog Dare Summer Reading Program for kids 12 and under.

Scholastic is challenging young readers to join them and help break the world record.


Summer Reading Resources

Is your school requiring summer reading? Check out these great tips on Tackling School Reading Lists

Summer Reading Lists by Grade

Top 10 Summer Reading Lists

Recommended Reading Lists by Age

For fun in the car, train, traffic! Check out Tales2Go! Tales2Go is an innovative new subscription service for anyone who want instant access to over a thousand great kids’ audio stories to stream to their smart phones (iPhone to start), to play over the car speakers, pass back to kids, or listen to anywhere, at anytime. We feature the best in kids’ audio stories from leading audio publishers and award-winning storytellers.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday Tips ... Making the Most of Your INA Conference Experience

The Regarding Nannies Development Team is looking forward to attending the upcoming INA Conference in San Francisco.

While we have been attending for many years, we realize there are many first-timers out there. So, we asked a few of our colleagues to share with us what they thought conference attendees should bring to conference.

Some are practical, and some require work, but overall, your INA Conference experience is one you will never forget, and that you will look forward to again and again.

On the practical side …
Cortney Gibson, Erin Krex - Business cards

Taylor Augustine – dollar bills for the raffle

Debra Mathwig and Cortney Gibson suggest bringing photos of your charges (if permitted by employers) to brag about.

Pat Cascio, Cortney Gibson, April Myers and Christy Ochs all recommend comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you.

Becky Kavanagh says bring extra money, you’ll want some items to take home and there is always a great "raffle" to get caught up in, with nice items you may want. Becky also recommends … often first time attendees are concerned about their dress and fitting in. Business casual will do it - you want to look nice but feel comfortable. Often in the hotel people will know we are with a group and we want to represent well.

Pat Cascio and Christy Ochs suggest a sweater or sweatshirt for the cool evenings.

Cortney Gibson says - You'll be bringing home more than you brought with you. Pack a small bag in your suitcase that can be used to bring home raffle prizes and other goodies.

Kim Peters suggests … if you are searching for a new job, bring your resume/portfolio. When playing tourist, bring local tourist/attraction info.

Many of our conference experts recommend bringing a small notebook to take notes during workshops, write names and numbers down of new people you meet.

Getting the most out of your conference experience …
Debra Mathwig shares with us – bring your open personality, don't be shy about going up to some one and saying hi and that you are new to INA. I know at my first conference I hung out with only a few people I knew until the last day when I met quite a few nannies. I now talk to those nannies quite often and get valuable ideas and support from them, but I wish I would have said hi and accepted their invitations to hang out a lot earlier in the conference.

Katie Vaughan
“Your first INA conference is an amazing experience! A world of new friends and colleagues, great ideas, and memories are at your fingertips. The most important thing you can bring with you is an open mind and a desire to learn and grow as an individual. Take every opportunity to network and meet fellow conference members, make sure to go on group activities and don’t miss a chance to interact with your peers and the conference speakers. There is so much experience and knowledge packed into the members that make up INA - make a commitment to soak up as much knowledge as possible during the conference so that you can hit the ground running with enthusiasm and a new ideas upon your return home.”

Tom Breedlove
With so many smart people, fresh perspectives and unique approaches to problem-solving, I think the most important thing to bring is a wide-open mind. In our rapidly-changing world, it’s important to regularly eliminate pre-conceptions and make room for new possibilities. What was the ideal way to do something a year ago may now be obsolete. Similarly, a new way to think about technology, tools or partnerships may create exciting new opportunities. It’s all there for those who are willing to participate with their mind wide open.

Kathy Webb recommends bringing a completely open mind. You are there to learn, not arrive knowing it all.

Stephanie Breedlove
I think the most important item is a fresh notepad and a commitment to think “out of the box” and take notes. This is always at the top of my list, and this will be my 16th conference. The conference is filled with new ideas, business tips, best practices, important statistics,… that get forgotten by the time you get home. A little note taking to capture some of this valuable information could make a significant difference in the success of your business.

Karen Yatsko
Bring an open mind. Don't think that you know all there is to know in your field. Whether an agency employee or a twenty year nanny, there are always topics at the INA Conference that will expand your knowledge. As a nanny, I tried to branch out and talk with others - a talk with a traveling nanny could inspire a change in the direction of my nanny career. A casual conversation with a nanny tax specialist might help my paycheck and retirement. Meeting an agency owner gave me a new perspective on how they interview parents. Bring a positive attitude. The INA Conference is a chance to meet others in your career field. If you are their complaining about your job, you going to carry around a negative vibe. Remember "Wendy Whiner" on Saturday Night Live? Stay positive and learn from others how they changed things with a positive outlook.

Becky Kavanagh
Bring an open mind - - - good no matter how many times you've come to a conference. Open yourself up to whatever comes your way. A positive attitude - - - this is experience is going to be great if you think it is. You'll meet new people, make some good friends, learn a lot and enjoy a beautiful city. Attend the Orientation on Thursday - - - before the opening reception there's a brief orientation to help new people get ready for a great conference and allows for time to ask questions about INA and the conference. You'll meet some INA members and Board members there. Make the Rounds - - - it's easy to meet a few people and then stick to them like glue, but then you'll be missing all the networking opportunities. Instead sit with new people at each luncheon or breakfast, visit the booths during network time and talk to other attendees, and yes - find some new friends to hang with as well.

Alice Shaffer wants to remind you that “Since I am playing the "raffle lady" again this year my best tip for you is bring address labels for all of the raffle tickets you will want to buy. Remember buy 5 get one free! A dollar a ticket. Lots of gifts cards, chocolate, music, and so forth. Half of all proceeds go to the Imagine Bus Project

I make a game of the conference attendee sheet and try to make sure I meet every single person who is attending the conference. I try to have a short chat with them. I have been doing this for years with all of my nanny conferences. It is a great way to meet people and network. I also send out cards in the mail or emails to people and the speakers as well after the conference.

Do you have a tip to share with first time conference attendees? We look forward to seeing many of you at conference, and for those not able to attend, we will be posting some of our favorite Regarding Nannies posts the week we are away, and look forward to sharing the information and experts we meet at conference with you in the weeks following conference.

Many thanks to all of our conference experts for sharing their thoughts and tips with us.
Taylor Augustine – Nanny
Kathy Webb – HomeWork Solutions, 4NannyTaxes.com, NannyNetwork.com
Debra Mathwig – Nanny
Kim Peters – Nanny
Erin Krex – First Class Care
Cortney Gibson – Newborn Care Specialist, Gibson Newborn Services
Christy Ochs – Nanny
April Myers – Nanny
Katie Vaughn – Westside Nannies
Becky Kavanagh – Nanny
Tom Breedlove – Breedlove & Associates
Karen Yatsko – Nanny
Pat Cascio – Morningside Nannies
Stephanie Breedlove – Breedlove & Associates

Tuesday Tips: The Kids Want A Pet: Are They Ready?

Tuesday Tips: The Kids Want A Pet: Are They Ready? by Alice Shaffer



One of my nanny families had the best idea for when the kids asked for a pet. They had a process they had to go through before the parents would give them a final answer.

They were required to read a book or more on the animal of their choice that they were interested in. After they read the book, they had to write a paper on the animal and why they wanted it.

What is to be included in the paper:

1. What kind of animal are they interested in?
2. Why are they interested in this animal
3. What types of food does the animal need.
4. What type of attention does the animal require
5. Does the animal require vet care?
6. What will you do when you go on vacations with the animal?
7. Does the animal cause any known allergies to people?
   
8. Who will be paying for the supplies of the animal?
9. Who will be feeding the animal? When?
10. Who will be responsible for cleaning up after the animal
11. How long is the animal life span?
12. If trainable, who will be training the animal?
13. Where will the animal sleep?
14. Does the animal make a good family pet?
    
15. Any other facts you have found interesting.

This is a project that the kids can work on together, but they must read a book about the animal etc. So an older child can read a book out loud to a younger child who doesn't read.

This research on pets has been very helpful in the house because there are numerous allergies to animals. The kids ended up with goldfish from the fair, betta fish from the store and have two parakeets now. What is really nice about this is that the kids need to invest time in the animal besides "Mom, I really really want a puppy". The kids have stopped researching several animals such as the ferrets when they are known to cause allergies in people. Other times they realized that the pets they were interested in were not as cool as they thought.

Good Luck with the upcoming summer and kids wanting a new pet for the family. Try this tip out and let me know how it goes.

Weekend Round Up

This has been another great week on Regarding Nannies!

Make sure to stop by and leave your comments! Our contributors love hearing from you our readers on their contributions and ideas. Please spread the word on the articles via the ReTweet button and the Share This button at the bottom of the articles. This helps others find out about Regarding Nannies and the awesome blog posts we offer. Thank you for your continued support of us!

Monday Moxie: To Be Or Not Be A Celebrity Nanny by Katie Vaughan

Tuesday Tips: Earth Day Tips For A Longer Use Of The Earth by Alice Shaffer

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Pasta Butterfly by Nanny Gael Ann & her "creative assistant"

Table Talk Thursday: Reflecting back on 2009: Mary Ann X Meddish INA NOTY

Financial Friday: $79.99 for $100 worth of Check Certificates for the Hyatt Hotels. This is great for the upcoming INA Conference, or your summer vacations!

Tuesday Tips: Earth Day Tips For a Longer Use Of The Earth

Tuesday Tips: Earth Day Tips For A Longer Use Of The Earth by Alice Shaffer

This Thursday, April 22, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day is to celebrate Earth and to bring awareness to our resources.

Earth Day Network has an Earth Day TV which has channels that cover Global Warming, Get Active, Alternative Energy, Greener Living, Authors, In the Classroom and Earth Day. There are many videos that you can watch and learn more about Earth and how to protect it.

Over at Earth911 they have a great series of tips called 40 Tips 40th Earth Day.
What is neat is that it gives you the fact, do something and a link to something more on each of the 40 tips. So you can gain a lot of knowledge on each of the tips.
Here is a list of the current tips:

40. Newspaper
39. Aluminum Cans
38. Clothing
37. Plastic Bottles
36. Cardboard
35. Glass
34. Magazines
33. Paperboard
32. Inkjet Cartridges
31. Phone Books
30. Cell Phones
29. Aerosol Cans
28. Motor Oil
27. To Go Containers
26. Tires
25. Bottle Caps
24. Composting
23. Appliances
22. Packaging Peanuts
21. CDs & DVDs
20. Pizza Boxes
19. Keys
18. Wine Corks
17. Trophies
16. Hair
15. Crayons
14. Snack Wrappers
13. Yoga Mats
12. Surfboards
11. Cooking Oil
10. Plastic Bags
9. Batteries
8-1 include Lightbulbs, Cleaning Products, Paint, Electronics, TVs, Snack bags,

I was really surprised to learn that Hair is great for composting! What surprised you by these tips? Did you learn something new?

The Art of Writing a Thank You

by Kellie Geres
Regarding Nannies Development Team

This past holiday season, one of my tasks was to sit with my 13 and 15 year old and have them write thank you’s to the various relatives and friends that had gifted them for the holidays.
What a task! The 13 year old had them done in no time – sincere, thoughtful, mentioned the gift, wrote a personal note, signed, sealed and ready to address. Fast forward to the 15 year old – sat, and sat some more ... yep still sitting. Could not write a thank you note. Would start, make a small mistake, cross it out and start over on the same thank you note! Ugh! Finally, they were done, but I had to think there has got to be a better way and a lesson to write thank yous.

So here are a few tips to keep in mind in The Art of Writing a Thank You:
• Discuss why it’s important to write a thank you note.
• All gifts should be acknowledged with a thank you, unless you personally thanked the gift giver when you were opening the gift. Providing a thank you is a sign of respect.
• For an age appropriate listing of thank you’s for kids, check out what Emily Post has to say.
• Write notes as soon as possible and make them creative, getting everyone involved who received a gift.
• Schedule a time that you plan to write the thank you notes. Making it a task to complete will help them get done.
• Email is not an option when acknowledging a gift with a thank you.
Another great resource on writing thank yous and getting children involved.

What do you do to get your children or charges to write thank yous?

Tuesday Tips: Cleaning Out Your Inbox

Cleaning Out Your Inbox
by Alice Shaffer

For the past few weeks, we have been sharing Spring Cleaning tips. Have you ever considered spring cleaning your email boxes? Recently I dealt with 12,000 emails in one of my gmail accounts. I decided to check out the filters that I had not been utilizing. I set up a Google Reader for all the blogs that I follow, so I did not get daily updates from them which clogged my inbox. To learn how to set up your own Google Reader read this.

I found the following article Email Zen: Cleaning Out Your Inbox on Zen Habits , regarding your email inbox and cleaning it out!

I use Gmail exclusively for email, and it constitutes a major part of my two day jobs. I get a fair amount of email each hour, and I am pretty quick at responding.

However, one thing you’ll notice about my Gmail inbox is that it is just about always empty.

It gives me a Zen feeling to have a clean inbox, a feeling of peace and calm and satisfaction. I highly recommend it to everyone. I wasn’t always like this — I had many emails in my inbox in the past. They would sit in there, sometimes unread, sometimes just waiting on an action, sometimes waiting to be filed, and others just waiting because I was procrastinating. I also had many folders for filing my email, so I could find them when I needed them. It would take me awhile to file sometimes, so I would put it off. Many people I know are the same way.

To read the rest of the article please visit:

Email Zen:Clean Out Your Inbox

Tuesday Tips: Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning Checklist
by Kristen Kanoski


Spring is officially here! Your house and surroundings need some spring cleaning as well! Here is a great list of items that Kristen has put together.

Maintenance schedule to call for service

Carpet cleaning
Air-conditioner
Gutter Cleaning
Window Washing
Lawn maintenance service
Air-Duct service

Automobiles

Thorough car wash inside and out
Vacuum inside of car
Replace wiper blades
Replace windshield wiper fluid with bug wash

Outside of house

Power wash deck
Wash patio furniture
Inspect flower pots, replace broken ones
Inspect shingles on roof, schedule repairs or replace if needed
Wash out garbage cans, replace if needed

Inside the home

Every Room

Wipe down baseboards
Wipe down walls
Clean ceiling fans
Clean light fixtures
Clean blinds/curtains/drapes and window treatments
Wax wood furniture
Wash out trash cans
Move furniture and vacuum beneath it
Install storm windows
Oil window and door hinges

Bedrooms

Flip Mattresses
Dry clean/wash dust ruffles, comforters and pillow shams

Bathrooms

Go through medicine cabinet toss old medicine and makeup and other toiletries
Clear out cabinets and clean
Stock up on toothbrushes
Soak shower head
Reseal grout

Kitchen

Clean out pantry
Appliances – thoroughly clean inside of all of them
Refrigerator
Vacuum coils and drain drip pan
Defrost and clean freezer

Office

Go through last year’s paper and shred what u don’t need

Laundry room

Clean Dryer Vents
Wipe down washer and dryer


Closets

Go through clothes
Keep, toss or give away
Empty closet
Vacuum/clean floors
Dust walls and doors
Clean baseboards
Clean light fixture
Toss broken hangers

Winter Clothes

Pull out all winter clothes
Sort, keep, toss or giveaway
Wash, dry and winterize clothes
Repair any winter clothes/shoes needed
Pack away winter clothes






Tips for staying on track:

Keep boxes for toss and donate
Make sure you schedule a pick up for donations or make a drop-off date to make sure you don’t’ keep all the boxes.

Set a timer for each room or project
Take a break
Take before and after pictures

Tuesday Tips: Organizing Your Bills & Paperwork

Tuesday Tips: Organizing Bills & Paperwork
by Kristen Kanoski


Filing bills and papers can be an overwhelming task. If you have the right tools and a system that works, that is easy, filing bills and papers can be a snap. My favorite system of filing came from a book I read called, Organizing from the Inside Out, by Julie Morgenstern. Chapter 10 is the chapter you want to read, it is called Household Information Centers. It breaks down everything, from zones like mail & paper flow, bill paying, filing & record keeping, and so forth. She writes how to sort, papers, recipes, photos, organize your financial & vital records, and lifestyle paper work. The best is the “How long should I keep certain papers”, this was a huge help. I always kept everything, because well, I didn’t know how long I should keep it. From financial papers, receipts, tax records and vital records, she has a keep date.

I have three filing cabinets in my office, one in my desk which houses all our mortgage documents, heath and life insurance and taxes. I do that because I know my husband will be able to find them. I have a two drawer filing cabinet that in the top drawer is, yikes, all my warranties and instructions for everything that we have in the house and all my rebates and printed orders from the internet. In the bottom drawer is our resume, past newsletter from two professional organizations and all my conference related materials that I want to keep. The last filing cabinet is four drawers, the top drawer is my bill paying drawer, next is my family drawer, and the last two are my husbands.

I realize that not everyone can have that many filing cabinets, you might need less or more, or even just a simple portable file box, and it just depends on your needs. You will need to have a few things to help you file so that it will be super easy to maintain your system. You will need Hanging folders, file folders that have a left, center and right tabs (which I love to buy both of these in different colors), and folder labels. First break down your paperwork into categories such as bill paying, insurance and personal, for like vacation/travel info.

The first set of folders will be Bills. I have one file for Bills to be paid for the month and bills to be paid the next month. Use a left tab for this folder. Then I have a file for each of my credit card accounts; use a center tab for these folders. Then I have folders for each of my bank accounts; use a right tab for these folders.

I know a lot of people pay bills on-line. Here is my suggestion to help you keep track on how much you paid and on what day. Take your center tab file and on the inside of the cover put a sheet of paper, use tape, staple or paper clip. When you pay your bill write across the paper, the date, how much you paid and your reference or authorization number. Then if there is any question with that account you have all your information in one folder.

The second set of folders is Insurance. I know everyone has such difference insurance I hope this covers everyone. We have a Health Care spending account and this how I keep our files. Left tab, bills to be submitted. Center tab, bills submitted. Right tab, explanation of benefits for the year, I toss them after all bills have been paid and health care account is spent. This is usually done by Feb.1, that way if there are any questions I have this useless information. Another left tab may be for those of you who still need Blank claim forms. You can use this system as well for your Homeowner's Insurance, Renters Insurance, and Car Insurance. Make sure you have your current policy information in the file as well.

The third set of folders is vacation/travel. Left tab put your Frequent flyer reward program, first airlines then hotels. Center tab, you can have several, like for day trips, weekend trips, Spa day, Conferences. Right tab, I keep my past vacations, with just a few things, if I went somewhere at that destination that was helpful like a map or restaurant listing.

I would suggest checking out from the library or buying Julie Morgenstern’s book, Organizing from the Inside Out. It is an easy, plus you can skip right to Chapter 10. Good luck.

Kristen Kanoski was a professional nanny/household manager for twenty years. Organizing is something that comes easy and is fun for her. She has been married for six years to an extremely unorganized hubby, whom she still loves, and is currently a SAHM to a active and silly two year old boy.

You can read Kristen's Blog, Beyond Bottles, on life with babies beyond the bottle. She provides reviews of products, and how to organize your nursery.

Tuesday Tips: How To Use Google Reader

How To Use Google Reader
by Sherri Eddleblute

Google Reader is a FREE Google service that allows you to keep and track your blog subscriptions without cluttering your inbox. It is available on any computer that has internet capabilities. Because it’s a Google application, you can sort and search too! You can find Reader in the Google menu. Selecting Reader will prompt you to sign in.

(Click on all photos to enlarge them)

Let’s take a look at Reader:
One the bottom left, are folders assigned to categories (initiated by the user). Bold folders contain unread items. In the middle HOME panel are some of the newest entries. You can choose to start reading from oldest to newest or newest to oldest in the main panel or skip to a particular blog by using the menu on the bottom left.



There is one unread blog in the Nanny Folder. Click on Nanny Blogs and the individual blog subscriptions in the folder show up. The unread entry is from All Things Nanny. Google automatically makes this bold to indicate it’s unread. Select the blog, All Things Nanny. The article then appears on the main panel of the reader.



By clicking on the entry headline, a new window will appear that takes you directly to the webpage blog entry (if needed). Some authors may choose to truncate their article and you may have to jump to their page for the full blog post.



Under each entry is a series of options.

ADD/REMOVE STAR.
After reading the entry, you may want to STAR an item that you find useful or important. This will also be a search selection (more on that later)

LIKE
You can mark the item that you LIKE it. It will appear on google reader for other google reader users to see in the entry. You can find more out about the person, by clicking the name. This may be anonymous or may give you a user profile or website/blog.


SHARE
Sharing the entry can be covered in a separate post.

EMAIL
Here’s where you can (in one step) email the article to a friend, employer, coworker, husband. Add recipients, an optional message and click SEND.

KEEP UNREAD
This will re-bold the article. This may be a reminder to come back to the article at a later date.

One of the greatest features is SEARCHING blog posts.
For example, here we’ll search for Nannypalooza.

Let’s try to find the Working Mom 411 article. I use keyword MOM, but as you can see, there are THOUSANDS of results.




Narrow down the search by selecting Nanny Blogs folder. Still 22 entries….


I think I starred the particular entry we’re searching for. Let’s narrow the search by Starred items. The search is completed again, this time filtering out non-starred entries.





Adding a subscription is easy. Click on Add a subscription. Type or paste the blog address and click ADD in the drop down menu.



The new subscription shows up. To file the new subscription, select Feed settings, and illuminate the desired folder. The latest 10 entries will show up unread. You can MARK ALL AS READ. Note that all entries will appear in the reader (including past entries). You can initiate a new folder in the feed settings window too.



At anytime, select HELP for a popup window.




Google Reader is user friendly, easy to set-up, accessible anywhere from any computer with internet and searchable.


Sherri Eddleblute is a civil engineer for a construction company in Washington, D.C.. She is a self-taught blogger, a creative coach with Stampin' Up! and she loves to cook and bake. Check out her blogs at www.SweetestDesigns.Blogspot.com and www.SweetestKitchenDesigns.Blogspot.com.

Tips on Surviving a Snow Day

By Kellie Geres, Regarding Nannies Development Team

So I’m coming off the Blizzard of 2010 in the Washington, DC metro area. Anyone who watched the news saw the coverage of the storm. Record snow falls, one week with no school – yes, ONE WEEK!

So what did I do to survive? What did I learn? Growing up in northern Minnesota (70 miles from Canadian border, mind you), you would think I had this covered and was prepared … NOT.
No power? No problem. They’ll get it back on in a couple hours. Five days later … still no power. The plows will be through soon … one week later – still no plows.

So here are a few things I learned from the Blizzard of 2010 …
• Give them an inch … and they’ll give you 55+ inches. Yes, record setting snowfalls for the DC metro area.
• Expect the unexpected. After having no power for three days, I called the Calvary (my boss) to come save me (they have 4WD) and I stayed with them for a week. Loved my pull out sofa and losing my room during the day to Xbox Live.
• Always have a plentiful supply of reading material. Thank you Barnes and Noble for fully stocked shelves and Bargain Books.
• No school does not mean No Homework. Much to the dismay of my teens, their school is internet friendly and posted assignments online for kids to do in between sleeping, eating, Xbox Live, shoveling and sledding.
• Always keep a plentiful supply of baking needs on hand. Numerous loaves of banana bread and chocolate chip cookies were made thanks thanks to our industrious 13 year old Jr. Chef.
• Don’t loan your shovel to anyone! It may not come back in the same condition.
• Think Spring!

On a more serious and practical note, here are some sites you can visit for ideas on what to do with the kids and family and a few of our Regarding Nannies practical tips …

Always keep a phone charger in your car.

If stuck, text or Facebook status your location to friends and family so they can find you, or if they know of anyone out in the storm with a four-wheel drive, help can get to you.

Keep a winter survival kit in your car. Click here for what you should include in your Winter Survival Kit.


Keeping the Kids Busy during a Snow Day

Snow Day Activities

Indoor Snow Day Activities

15 entertaining ideas


How do you survive a snow day?

Dr. Toy's Tips on Selecting Toys and Other Children's Products©

Stevanne Auerbach, Dr. Toy!

You want to find the best toys and other products for your child. The process of going to a toy store or finding toys online is challenging and can be overwhelming. There is a lot to know before you shop about how to find the right item that your child can enjoy for a long time.

Before you purchase any children's product, examine it and ask yourself the following questions:

1.Safety
Is the toy safe? Are there potential hazards? Is the product too small? Are there sharp edges or loose ties? Is it nontoxic? Will it take rough treatment? Does it meet Consumer Product Safety Standards? Is there a warranty?

2.Fun
Does it entertain the child? Does it amuse, delight, excite?

3.Age Grading
Is the product age-appropriate? Does it fit the child's age, skills, and abilities? Will it hold the child’s interest? Will it make the child happy?

4.Design
Is it easy to use? Does it look good? Does it feel good?

5.Versatility
Is it versatile? Is there more than one use for the product?

6.Durability
Will it last a long time? Children play hard and subject their toys to a lot of abuse and wear.

7.Interesting
Is it enticing? Is it fun to play with? Does it offer an opportunity to learn, and to think? Does it teach about the child’s living environment?

8.Creativity
Will it expand the child’s creativity?

The right products can expand the child’s imagination in art, crafts, hobbies, language, reading, music, movement, and drama.

9.Usability
Will it frustrate or challenge the child? Does it offer something new to learn, to practice, or try? Will the child know how to use the product? Or, will it be too difficult to use without adult assistance?

10.Packaging
Does the product match the package and the package match the product?

If the toy does not match ads or packaging it can be disappointing.

Is age-grading clear? Is the item in the store like the product shown in the print or TV advertisement?

11.Personal Values
Will it nurture childhood? Does it help the child express emotions, experience concern for others, practice positive social interaction? Does it promote wholesome childhood values? Or are there any violent, sexist, or other negative aspects to the product?

12.Educational
What will it teach? Does it expand positive self-esteem, values, understanding, and cultural awareness? Does it offer practice in skill-building? Eye-hand coordination? Fine and large motor skills? Communication? Does it educate the child about the environment? The community? The world? History? Computers? Other skills?

13.Maintenance
Can it be cleaned and reused? If it is not washable, can it be cleaned in some practical way?

14.Cost
Is it affordable? Does the price match the value received?

You want to find toys and products that offer an opportunity to think, to learn to practice, or try something new and beneficial. Some products are perfect for playing games; others are just right for activities such as construction projects, arts and crafts, puzzles, or a family hobby.

Having fun together as a family is an important part of a child's play experience. Play is, after all, a time for having fun. Learning is a lot easier and is more enduring when it's fun!

Here are few final thoughts:

1.Encourage your child to tell you about the toys and products on its wish list.
2.Consider getting one of those fantasy products the child wants, even if you think it's silly.
3.Childhood is fleeting. Even if we don't agree about the child’s choice, the child needs to learn to be responsible for decisions made as a consumer. The child is influenced a lot by what their friends are playing with and by what is seen on television.
4.Make a point of examining the toys and products included on Dr. Toy's extensive list of award-winning products (http://www.drtoy.com/) each one has valuable activity, creativity, or education built in, and your child will benefit.

Let's play!

Dr. Toy will be a featured speaker at the upcoming INA Conference in San Francisco.

She is the author of several books including,

Dr. Toy's Smart Play: How To Raise A Child With a High PQ (Play Quotient)

Choosing Childcare: Finding and Keeping the Best Childcare Arrangements">Choosing Childcare: Finding and Keeping the Best Childcare Arrangements


The Toy Chest: A Complete Sourcebook of Toys for Children">The Toy Chest: A Complete Sourcebook of Toys for Children


Some of Dr. Toy's Favorite Websites

Tuesday Tips: Valentine Books and Movies for the Kids

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. This is a great time to get some fun reading in with some favorite Valentine books as well as watch some movies. Be sure to check your library for the books and movies. If you want to purchase them you can purchase them through the Amazon link provided and you can get many of them for free shipping with certain restrictions. Several of the books even have a Buy 3 get 1 free deal. Look at the links for more details.

Be sure to check out the next few Tuesday Tips and Creative Nanny Wednesdays for other Valentine Day Activites and Entertainment options.

Movies:

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (DVD) (1975)

Winnie the Pooh - A Valentine for You: Special Edition

WordWorld: My Fuzzy Valentine

Mickey & Minnie's Sweetheart Stories (DVD) (2004)

Be My Valentine - Love, Barney (DVD) (2005)

BLUE'S ROOM: IT'S HUG DAY

Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends - Happy Heartwood Day (DVD) (2005)

Clifford The Big Red Dog - King Clifford / Be My Big Red Valentine (2002)

Alvin and the Chipmunks - A Chipmunk Valentine (DVD)

Lady & The Tramp

THE ARISTOCATS (1970)

The Love Bug

Books:
Barney's Happy Valentines' Day
by Gus davis, June Valentine-Ruppe, Illustrated by June Valentine, Juan Ruppe

Guess How Much I Love You
by Sam McBratney, Illustrated by Anita Jeram

The Story of Valentine's Day
by Nancy Skarmeas, Stacy Pickett-Venturi, and Stacy Venturi-Pickett

Where Is Baby's Valentine?: A Lift-the-Flap Book
by Karen Katz

Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! (If You Give...)

by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie's Valentine
by Sheila Sweeny Higginson and Disney

Valentine Mice!
by Bethany Roberts

Valentine's Day Fun! (Max and Ruby)
by Penguin Group

The Great Valentine's Day Mix-up
by Saxton Moore

Thomas in Town: Valentine's Day in Vicarstown
by Richard Courtney

Franklin's Valentines
by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clar

The Biggest Valentine Ever
by Steven Kroll and Jeni Bassett

Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine
by Herman Parish and Lynne Avril

Valentine's Day Is…
by Gail Gibbons

The Night Before Valentine's Day
by Natasha Wing

Natasha Wing (Author)

› Visit Amazon's Natasha Wing Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

See search results for this author

Are you an author? Learn about Author Central

Arthur's Valentine
by Marc Brown

Arthur's Valentine Countdown (Board Book with Stickers, Flaps to Lift, and a Punch-Out Valentine) by Marc Brown

Arthur's Great Big Valentine (I Can Read Book 2)
by Lillian Hoban

Bee My Valentine (We Love First Grade!)

by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Clifford's First Valentine's Day
by Norman Bridwell

Clifford's Valentine's Day
by Norman Bridwell

Clifford's Valentines
by Norman Bridwell

Dinosaur Valentines (Read With Me)
by Liza Donnelly

Disney's Winnie the Pooh's Valentine
by Bruce Talkington, Illustrated bt John Kurtz

Richard Scarry's Best Holiday Books Ever Be My Valentine!
by Richard Scarry

Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine
by Weinman Marjorie Sharmat

Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
by Diane de Groat

The Valentine Cat
by Ann Whitehead Nagda and Stephanie Roth

Valentine Cats
by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm

Day It Rained Hearts
by Felicia Bond



Ages 9-12

Valentine's Day Disaster (Geronimo Stilton, No. 23)
by Geronimo Stilton

Geronimo's Valentine (Geronimo Stilton, No. 36)
by Geronimo Stilton

Walt Disney's Valentine's Classics (Mickey Mouse Classics)
by Carl Barks, Walt Kelly, Daan Jippes, and Floyd Gottfredso

Cupid Doesn't Flip Hamburgers
by Debbie Dadey, Marcia Thorton Jones

We hope you enjoy these suggestions! Let us know which books and movies you all enjoyed!

Tuesday Tips: Winter Safety for Kids

Help kids play it safe during the winter months

Recently on one of the nanny groups, there was discussion on what temperature is too cold to take children outside to play. A fellow nanny found this helpful article on Today:MSNBC and shared it with the other nannies. Since 2010 has started off as a frigid snowy one for the majority of the United States we thought everyone could use some helpful reminders and tips on playing it safe in the winter months.

Keeping kids warm

• Dress your baby or young child in one extra layer than you typically wear outside. Several thin layers will keep her warm and dry.
• Good layers for a baby: Cotton one-piece undershirt; thick socks; thermal shirt or turtleneck; fleece top or sweater; bunting or snowsuit (preferably one that covers hands and feet); mittens; hat that covers ears.
• Good layers for kids: Thermal underwear; turtleneck; fleece or sweater; sweatpants or waterproof pants; two pairs of socks (perhaps sock liners and wool socks) water-resistant jacket; waterproof mittens (glove liners can be good too); hat that covers ears (or earmuffs over hat); waterproof boots with gripping surface
• DO use a neck gaiter.
• DON’T use a scarf, which can get caught on objects and be a strangulation hazard.
• Infants should be taken out in cold weather only when necessary.
• If your kids are playing outside, have them come in at least every half-hour to warm up.
• Don’t let kids play outside when it’s too cold or windy — always check windchill, and stay inside when it is 10 degrees F or lower.

To read the beginning and end of the article please visit:

Help kids play it safe during the winter months

Dealing Effectively with Emergencies

Nanny Advice: Dealing Effectively with Emergencies

compliments of NannyNetwork.com

Emergencies happen. Your charge could fall from a bike...develop a sudden high fever...knock a pot from the stove. What if your charge started choking during a meal? What if she was stung by a bee and suddenly couldn't breathe? Would you know what to do?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an emergency exists if you think a child could die or suffer permanent harm unless care is received right away. Many parents and nannies feel they are prepared for emergencies because they know when and how to call 9-1-1. Sadly, this isn't always enough. Your charge may need care before emergency medical service personnel arrive. And being prepared can assure the child isn't further harmed by doing the wrong thing. AAP offers the following 10 tips to help you be better prepared... because no matter how hard you try to protect your children-emergencies happen.

1. CHECK IF 9-1-1 IS THE RIGHT NUMBER TO CALL. Some areas of the country do not have 9-1-1. Others have E-9-1- 1 where your address is automatically stored in a database. Make sure you know what's available where you live and work.

2. KEEP A WELL-STOCKED FIRST-AID KIT ON HAND. From minor cuts and bruises to sunburn and sprains, a good first-aid kit is a great first line of defense. To learn what makes a good first-aid kit, contact your health care provider, local pharmacy or the American Red Cross.

Consider putting together an emergency food kit also, with enough food and water for all for three days. It's not just terrorism; disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and earthquakes happen too!

3. MAKE A LIST OF EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS. Write down the numbers you need in a family emergency plan that is easy to access at all times. Make sure you include back-up family members in case something happens to Mom and Dad.

Sample Nanny Emergency Contacts Form.

Consider if something happened to YOU, the nanny! Does your boss know who to contact in this kind of emergency too? Read this article on All Things Nanny for tips you can take for personal preparedness.

4. TEACH YOUR CHARGES WHO TO CALL AND WHAT TO SAY. Can your charge now phone Mommy or Daddy at work? Once the child learns to use and speak into the telephone, teach them about 9-1-1. Make sure your older charges know where the phone numbers are for emergency help and poison control. Roll play with the child. If they call 9-1-1, the operator will ask, "Fire, Police or Ambulance/Rescue?" Tell your child to stay on the line while the call is transferred. When the appropriate agency picks up, the emergency operator will ask for name, address, telephone number and details. He or she will want to know what has happened, when it happened, where it happened and who is involved. Teach your child not to hang up unless told to do so. The emergency operator may be able to offer help over the phone.

TIP: Unblock your caller ID. Make sure the child knows their street address, and apartment or unit number if appropriate.

5. MAKE SURE YOUR HOUSE NUMBER IS VISIBLE FROM THE STREET. Make it easy for police, fire officials or emergency medical personnel to find your house. Inspect your family's home from the street. Are there large house numbers in a highly visible area? Are the numbers are well-lit, able to be seen at night? Can they be seen from the street in either direction? If you cannot answer yes to each of these questions, talk to the parents. Share this article with them and encourage them to correct the problem.

6. KEEP A CLEAR AND UP-TO-DATE RECORD OF IMMUNIZATIONS. This can help doctors do a better job of diagnosing a problem in an emergency. For example, if your child has a bad infection, and the doctor knows your child has been vaccinated against Hepatitis, the doctor can rule that out. This can save time. Ask the family for the current immunization records of any child in your care and keep it with other emergency medical forms.

7. WRITE DOWN MEDICAL CONDITIONS, MEDICATIONS AND DOSAGES. Develop an emergency plan to hold all important information, including numbers and medical history. Being prepared in advance can help assure proper treatment and prevent serious drug interactions.

Sample Nanny Emergency Information Form.

8. MAKE A LIST OF ALLERGIES AND REACTIONS. The emergency plan should also include a place to write this information down. It will help ensure that health care professionals don't use medicines that can hurt your child. And, it might help emergency medical personnel find a reason for problems such as seizures or shortness of breath. If any of your children have severe drug allergies or chronic conditions, we recommend they wear Medical I.D. bracelets.

9. IF YOU HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, CHECK YOUR EMERGENCY COVERAGE. Check your charge's policy in advance. Some insurance companies require that you call first for approval. Make sure you understand the policy, and carry all necessary cards and phone numbers with you. The parents can request additional cards for you, or you may photocopy their cards and retain with other emergency medical information.

10. TAKE FIRST-AID CLASSES. A basic class will teach CPR and proper ways to treat burns, wrap sprains, apply splints and perform the Heimlich maneuver. Remember, if you take time now, you won't lose precious time when your charge's life could depend on it. Research when your local hospital or Red Cross will be holding CPR and First Aide training. Your pediatrician, local hospital, fire department and local chapter of the Red Cross can tell you about classes. Consider asking the parent's to pay for the class - they should be delighted to!

Recent events have taught us the importance of emergency planning. NannyNetwork.com would suggest that you add another item to your list - have an evacuation backup plan! Imagine a major emergency that forces you to leave the family home with your charges. Where should you meet the parents? At your own home? The Grandparents? Remember, in emergencies cell phone systems quickly become overwhelmed - this is something you want discussed and decided upon in advance!

Are you a nanny who does not drive? What resources exist for you and your charges to evacuate in the event of an emergency? Research this NOW so you are prepared in an emergency.

Pets are another consideration in an evacuation - make sure your plan considers the family pets.
When cell systems are overloaded, text messages often will still go through!

If you work for a family with divorced parents or custody issues, please make sure you know to whom you may release the child. Get it in writing from your boss in case law enforcement gets involved.

Emergency Preparedness Resources
U.S. Department of Homeland Security's READY KIDS
FEMA for Kids
American Academy of Pediatrics