How I Set Work-at-Home Boundaries for Myself and Family

I've been a WAHM (work-at-home-mom) since 2005. Initially, it was part-time. Then in 2010, I became a full-time WAHM. There are advantages to working at home. I see more of my family, I'm readily available. I don't have to go out to work every day. Oddly, those advantages are closely related to the disadvantages. Work-at-home perks caused many problems before I learned to set boundaries. Here's how. How I Set Work-at-Home Boundaries for Myself and Family

Free Printable Halloween Trick-or-Treat Countdown Calendar

Oh the agony waiting can be, especially for little ones looking forward to Halloween. And for the busy mom, a restless child can be a real productivity killer. About a million times a day, they ask "When is (fill in special event)????" Till you want to shriek "If you ask me one more time, NEVER!" Why not turn kids' anticipation into a fun learning experience? Here is a free printable Halloween trick-or-treat countdown calendar. Using this countdown to Halloween, children can mark the days themselves. It's a counting lesson, telling time activity, comprehension builder and personal organizer all in one! And making the countdown calendar will keep fidgety kids out of your hair, erhm, I mean happily busy. And you won't have to worry about what mischief the bored child is finding to occupy herself with! At 3, my youngest once "made a cake" (which included paring an apple, cracking NINE EGGS and scooping out half a jar of peanut butter) all in the space it took me to go to the bathroom! We did salvage it, but I wish I'd had these free printables....! Free Printable Halloween Trick-or-Treat Countdown Calendar 

Montessori mom: At-home preschool practical life learning center

I'm a certified special needs teacher and a former home school parent. I also taught in a Montessori school. Both Montessori and special education follow a learning center-based classroom model. Learning centers (also called areas or stations), engage children in hands-on, multisensory tasks. Each center focuses on different activities: reading, math, science, building, gross motor, art, dramatic play and practical life. When I taught our kids at home, I brought the learning center concept into our home. If you've got preschool kids or are a home school parent, why not try the learning center approach? Here's how this Montessori mom set up a practical life learning area.  At-home preschool practical life learning center