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Prepare Yourself Financially for Travel

In our modern society, travel is no longer a luxury, but it is considered a necessary part of having a healthy and meaningful life. Anyone with a dream of seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France or Machu Picchu in Peru can find a way to reach that destination if he or she plans well enough and long enough.

Before a ticket is purchased or a reservation is made, the first thing a person must do is to begin to save money. Travel, whether by plane, train, or automobile, is not cheap. Even if there are no immediate plans for travel, a Travel Fund can and should be started right away. Depending on the number of people in your family and the type of destination you think you are likely to choose, begin to put a set amount of money aside each paycheck. If you are paid twice a month, a good amount to start might be $50 to $100 each paycheck. Begin to deduct the determined amount from your checking account register. “Deposit” your travel savings each paycheck onto a separate page for your Travel Fund so you not only know how much you have saved, but so it will not get mixed up with the money that normally goes for regular bills and living expenses. After one year of saving for a vacation, you could possibly have $1200 to $2400 saved. This is a good start to your goal of a carefree vacation with your loved ones

The next thing you need to do after you have started a Travel Fund is to begin to formulate a travel plan so a budget can be created. Pre-travel expenses to include in your travel budget might be passports, maps, and pet care. If your family plans to drive to their vacation destination, then budgetary considerations should be made for tolls, gasoline, hotels and food along the way. If flying is the preferred or necessary mode of travel, then airline tickets, cabs, or rental cars should be included on the travel budget. Arrival at the final destination will bring more expenses to include in the budget such as hotels, food, entrance to attractions and museums, transportation costs, and souvenirs.

By following these two important steps when preparing for a vacation, you will be able to truly relax knowing you have prepared yourself financially for the costly good times of taking a vacation with family and friends.

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find over 400 lists and planning pages including your own Travel Fund and travel budgets, plus packing lists and itineraries, to put your world in order.

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Preparing your Child for Back to School

As the first day of school approaches, parents and children alike begin to run the gamut of emotions: excitement, fear, anticipation, anxiety. For those who will be experiencing a child’s very first day of school, you may feel torn between the joy of leading your child through a momentous milestone and the sadness of knowing that your child is taking yet another step out from under your influence and protection. However, preparing your child for school can have the beneficial effects of soothing nerves and strengthening bonds. Here are a few ways to help you and your child transition easily into the next important step

Make a big deal out of gathering school supplies. Set aside time during the evening or weekend to focus on the needs of your student-to-be. If possible, arrange time alone to dig together through items you already have or to make a trip to a local store for a little back-to-school shopping.

• Celebrate the last hurrah of summer. Choose your favorite summer activity and make a point to say goodbye until next summer. Take some pictures of your child in front of a recognizable object, such as a tree in the front yard or the swing set in the back yard for an opportunity to see the dramatic progress and growth from summer to summer.
• Get into the academic mindset with an inspirational movie about life in school. There are flicks from every stage of learning. Talk about what you see in the movie that relates to students, teachers, homework, and school spirit.
• Begin a few weeks early to adopt the routine of a school day. Help children get back into the habit of early wakeup and early bedtime. Add some more structure to the day by assigning an activity/reading time. Everyone grabs some type of reading material or workbook and works quietly on their own.
• Give your child a proper sendoff. Whether it is a favorite activity, a party with family and friends, or a special dinner, let your child know how special each new stage of education is and how proud you are of his accomplishments

The start of the school year is a time to start fresh. Children wipe the slate clean of the previous year and begin anew. Communicate your expectations and offer your complete support as your child prepares to embark on her next great learning adventure.

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find over 400 lists and planning pages including a Back to School Planner, Homework Schedules, Calendars (all found in Student Planning) and many more.

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The Clipboard: Many Uses for This Overlooked Tool

A couple of years ago, I “rediscovered” the clipboard. I found it in my old box of college junk. I don’t think I ever really used it in college, but I thought I would give it a second chance. I put it in my computer desk, and it just sat there unnoticed for another year. All of a sudden I found myself working a part-time job (in addition to my day-job of raising three young children), starting a MOMS Club, and creating a business from scratch. One day, I just picked it up when I needed to carry something around to make notes. That was the day my clipboard became my most indispensable tool.

Currently my clipboard contains the stuff of my life: my Menu Planner for October, my Menu Planner for September (for reference), my Weekly Planner for this week, my Weekly Planner for next week, my Halloween Party Planner for the get-together we are having at the end of the month, my notes on what I want to include on the agenda for my MOMS Club board meeting, a list of recommended books for the book club, an itinerary for last week’s houseguests, my Monthly Cleaning Schedule, a list of articles I’m planning to write, articles I’m editing for submission, and this article which I prefer to write freehand and then type into the computer later.

A clipboard doesn’t require holes to be punched in the paper it holds. Pages and notes can quickly and easily be added or removed. It is portable, sturdy, comes in a variety of colors, and has a handy spot for my pen when it is time to get to sleep. A clipboard allows my inner preschooler to manipulate pen and paper. I may go where electricity may not be found and give my eyes a rest from the bright lights of a computer screen. Surely a woman who needed to prepare her daughter’s birthday party between doing several loads of laundry and bathing her children was the original creator of the clipboard. Maybe she had a letter to her Kindergartener’s teacher to write while her 3-year-old played on the playground. It is highly likely that she had grocery lists, to-do lists, and Christmas card lists to compile while waiting in the Dentist’s office. That woman knew she needed a firm, dry (non-sticky) place to write that she could carry with her as she went from one task to the next. Mrs. Clipboard, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find more than 500 printable lists, checklists, and planning pages to tote around on your clipboard and put your world in order.

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Thinking Other Moms’ Homes are Neater Than Yours?

Do you ever visit other moms’ homes and wonder how they keep it so neat? Do you ever sit around in your own home with toys strewn over the floor, laundry piles (both clean and dirty) beckoning for attention, and three meals worth of dishes stacked next to the sink and wonder why you are the only mom on the planet who cannot keep up with her home? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you may be suffering from “TOMHANTY” Syndrome (Thinking Other Moms’ Homes Are Neater Than Yours). The symptoms of this terrible disease are guilt, envy, stress, and even withdrawal (did I mention guilt?). You look around as you walk from room to room wondering how it could have gotten so messy since yesterday. You believe that the new friend you just made from your weekly visit to the library could never let her house look like a tornado just went through it. You are sure that your friend whose house you visit occasionally for a scheduled playgroup would never have dust bunnies the size of . . .well, a bunny.

Welcome to the Real Moms Club, where it is not just about being a mom, but being real and knowing that you don’t have to be a perfect housekeeper. Maybe in the days of our grandmothers when society said that kids could roam unsupervised and free around town, but a mom’s house was a reflection of who she was as a woman. Today, there is a different set of priorities for many moms, and a perfect house is not usually the highest on the list, although we still imagine we are being judged on everything from how we raise our children to how much education we pursue to how great a job we land and finally to how tidy we keep house. Moms of today are stretched and pulled in many directions. Life is rarely as simple as a clean house. Stop telling yourself that you are not a good mom because your house is not always as neat as you think other moms’ homes are. Most moms are struggling to keep up as well. What is the cure to TOMHANTY Syndrome, you ask? Well, you could drop by a friend’s house unannounced with the pretext of delivering some home-baked cookies; you could watch her face turn beet red with shame as she turns to survey the wreck of toys, laundry, and dishes behind her; you could listen to her offer up every reason why her house is in such disarray; or maybe you could just take me at my word when I say that you are not alone. Release your guilt by making a list of what you DID accomplish today: got kids dressed, dropped kids off at school and picked kids up after, washed and folded a load of laundry, paid bills, took dog to vet, fed family for the day. It all counts toward making your house a home in which your family can grow and feel loved.

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find 400 lists and planning pages including cleaning schedules, daily to do lists, grocery lists, and holiday/party planning to put your world in order.

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Finding an Afterschool Routine

Leaving homework, dinner schedules, and bedtimes to chance has a tendency to create chaos and frustration during possibly the only family time of the day. Establishing a routine does not have to mean never allowing for flexibility, but it gives parents and children alike the feeling of comfort that comes from knowing what is expected.

Children may begin to receive homework assignments as early as Kindergarten. Oftentimes in these early educational years, it falls to the parents to motivate children to finish their homework. Even in the later part of a child’s education, he or she may need structure and guidance. Some families choose the time directly after school to get homework done for the day. Others feel it may be better to allow children to decompress after a long day of concentration and constant social interaction. Should a child complete homework before or after dinner? The answer to that question depends upon the dinner, extracurricular activities, and bed times for each family. Determine which times are best for your child to sit down to homework. Once a routine is established, there should be less fighting about getting it done, fewer homework assignments turned in late, and happier parents and children.

A dinner schedule that works for the whole family is beneficial to everyone. Predictable meal times will encourage children to refrain from ruining their appetite with snacking. Children and parents should work together to put dinner on the table for a family meal. For some families that might mean one person either cooks or picks up food on the way home. Someone else then sets the table, and another family member fills drink cups.

Bedtime is another aspect of the afterschool routine that should be consistent. Younger students require more supervision and earlier bedtimes. Whether you incorporate a time for reading together or alone, children will benefit from an opportunity to lie quietly and cultivate the habit and skill of reading for pleasure.

Afterschool routines may change from year to year and from family to family as there are many factors involved such as age, siblings, and parents’ work schedules. Maintaining a consistent and reliable routine will give your child a feeling of stability during the formative years of his or her youth.

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Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt.com where you can find over 400 lists and planning pages including a Back to School Planner, Homework Schedules, Calendars and many more and also of List Mama Blog: Lists for List-Lovin’ Mamas.