A lot of moms I know who stay at home struggle to find time to do simple things like haircuts, doctors appointments and going to the gym. Sometimes it’s just easier to put it off than to coordinate with your partner and cut into valuable time you might be working, resting or having valuable down time. And although there are always babysitters, if you are on one income, that can seem like a hard expense to justify on top of the money you are already planning on spending.

So I was excited to learn that when my stylist, Cristiana, moved to the LifeSpa at LifeTime Fitness, I could bring my son and leave him (for free) in the LifeTime daycare while I got my hair cut! Her rates are reasonable, the salon is pretty convenient (near 620 & Parmer) and they offer other services, like waxing, pedicures and manicures and massage.

I also joined 24 Hour Fitness in the stifling temps of last summer, partly because of their Kids’ club. I have other mom friends who go more often to the Town Lake YMCA because their kids love the nursery so much.

Once kids are potty trained and meet certain height requirements, they can stay in Ikea’s Småland in Round Rock while you shop.

It seems like a such a win-win for businesses and busy families, that I’m surprised not more places have these types of programs. I guess once a child is a little older, he/she is in school so running these errands is easier, or kids are easier to bring along without needing to be entertained.

Do you have any secrets for getting these mundane — but necessary — errands run? Are there any places you know of locally which have put some thought into keeping kids happy while you get stuff done?

Written by: Nicole Basham

Needless to say, after a baby arrives you go into survival mode. Despite what you might read and what others might tell you, you really have no idea how much your life will change. That’s why having help is a lifesaver. We were very lucky as my family lives in town and my dad loves to cook, so we had amazing meals for a few weeks after the baby arrived. But most people don’t have that luxury.

If you know someone having a baby and would like to mobilize friends and family to help out, here are some tips on how to get started:

• Find out what the family needs. This might sound obvious, but you might ask the expectant mom if she needs any other help than food — it could be that her partner will be going back to work and you can drive her to a doctor’s appointment. Or she could need help with errands or laundry. It may be that you set up a food tree to start with, but let participants know that down the line you might contact them if other things come up. Also, don’t assume that if a woman is having her second (or third) child, a food tree is not needed — for these moms, it might even be more appreciated!
• Come up with a basic questionnaire to email. Assuming you end up setting up a food tree, email a list of questions. You should certainly inquire about food allergies/sensitivities (don’t assume you know!), food likes/dislikes and what restaurants they enjoy, to give folks the option to order carryout if they would prefer not to cook. Should meals be microwavable, or does the family plan to use freezer space to heat up meals? What time of day do they usually eat?
• Decide when friends and family should sign up. It’s great to start this conversation a month before the baby’s due, since it’s such a hectic time and you never know if the baby will arrive early. The new mom might want meals to arrive right when the family returns from the hospital, or doctors may advise that visits be restricted until the baby is a few weeks old to avoid germs. If partners go back to work two weeks after the baby is due, that might be a good time to start meal deliveries. Chances are, once the mom is home alone she would love some visitors. In addition to deciding when meals should start, you will need to decide how often the family would like meals. Friends might deliver meals that can last more than a day, and some expectant moms freeze meals to heat up when the baby arrives. Many food trees I have seen have meals twice a week, set to arrive in the middle of the week. This can also allow the new family to have meal deliveries last longer, instead of having 14 meals delivered in a 2-week span.
• Set expectations. Make sure participants understand that the new mom’s primary responsibility the first few months postpartum is to rest and take care of her child, so long visits might not be in the cards, and in fact, there is a possibility mama and baby will be sleeping during the drop-off. If you set this expectation at the outset, the new mom has “permission” to not worry about being a hostess.
• Relay contact information. It’s rare for new moms to be online, so make sure food tree participants know the best way to reach the family (it might be through the partner’s cell phone). Encourage friends and family who sign up to contact the recipient a day in advance so she knows when the meal will be dropped by. Some new moms put a cooler outside the front door in case they are out or if they are sleeping when deliveries are made.

A site I have used a few times is CareCalendar. Simple yet fully functional, you can communicate with a group about what needs the family has and provide a web-based calendar to sign up. Reminders go out to the recipient, the Coordinator and the volunteer, so once the calendar is set up, the organizer’s job is done.

Although this might sound like a lot of work, it isn’t and will make a HUGE difference in the first few weeks for a new mom and her family!

Is there anything I missed?

Written by: Nicole Basham

Which is one reason I found this article on The Nature Conservancy’s blog so compelling. The article speaks to another tough set of choices we face as parents: how to raise a child while attempting to reduce our impact on the planet. Specifically, how to stay green and stay on a schedule. The author discusses the trade-off between walking to school — the time for family togetherness, the ability to observe nature and the environmental benefit — versus the convenience of driving to school and getting up and ready a little later. As a night owl, I have a hard time thinking anything is worth getting up extra early for, although I admit that over time, mileage and gas emissions DO add up. It’s also hard with kids to embrace anything that adds MORE time to your morning routine.

I also like how the author points out ways to save time during other parts of the day to make up for the time spent walking, since that is certainly eating into some other priority. In particular, I like the idea of making sure you combine errands so you aren’t making one trip out for one thing (although I am occasionally guilty of that during the evenings, especially if I’m stuck at home all day).

Not having a school-aged child (yet), I also realize there is more to the equation. Is the route to school safe enough for a child to walk alone? Is the road well-lit throughout the year?

Has your family made any conscious choices to reduce your “footprint”? Do you have any ideas to share on making it easier to be green?

Written by: Nicole Basham