Fitness Secrets for Busy Moms
Fabulous Fitness Secrets for Busy Moms - 3 Ways to Exercise and Save Time
The great thing about Moms is that we are magnificent at multi-tasking. Here are some great ways to stay fit while spending time with the kids. In this article we will provide plans that will ensure great exercise for Mom, great activity for the kids, and a wonderful opportunity for bonding.
One of the biggest challenges for Busy Moms is figuring out how to fit exercise into their daily regime. Children, Chores, and Commitments are the 3 C’s that are often hurdles on the way to health & fitness. Creativity, Compromise, and Control are the 3 C’s you need to get you back on track to feeling vibrant and fit.
There are going to be days when you just can’t seem to find time to get out of the house and go to the gym. These are the days in which your Creativity needs to kick in full force. What do kids like? Kids enjoy activities where they usually burn their energy and yours. What more can you ask for? You have your own personal trainers at home! So, the next time your children feel restless, open the back door and participate in an exhilarating game of freeze tag to get your cardio in for the day. This will be fun, fast, and you are sure to work up a sweat and burn a few calories.
You may enjoy jogging daily, but bringing it up to kids is sure to be met with moans and groans. Here’s a great way to Compromise. Tell your young children to load their bicycles and scooters into the back of the truck and take the whole crew up to the nearest track or trail. Your kids will have the chance to do something they enjoy, and you will get to exercise and still spend time with the family. Another trick that’s sure to win in your favor is to tell your adolescents that instead of doing their chores, they are welcome to join you for a game of tennis. Toddlers and babies usually love outdoor activities, so compromise with them by taking them for a ride in their stroller. Just make sure in any outdoor situation to pack on the sunscreen.
Remember, although it may often appear otherwise, you are in Control of your daily schedule. Swimming is an invigorating activity that will give you that extra burst of energy to start your day off right. Your local YMCA or health club has swimming classes available for adults and children. Dive right in!
Copyright 2006 Pat Brill
Pat Brill is co-founder of http://www.SilkBow.com which supports Busy Moms with free gift ideas and helpful tips to meet the challenges of motherhood. SilkBow is the perfect place for the perfect gift.
Xeriscape – The Efficient Use of Water in Gardening
Living in an arid or semi-arid region that habitually receives scarce rainfall does not mean that you are automatically destined to a dry dusty garden. The term “xeriscape” refers to the designing of a garden that employs seven water-conserving methods. This type of garden works well for areas that are prone to mild drought conditions. Of course, those who just wish to conserve water will certainly appreciate that it is an ecologically friendly method of gardening. It may also prove beneficial for people who do not choose to be bothered with the time and expense of traditional water-consuming gardens during the summer season.
1. Planning and Designing the Landscape
As with any garden, the first thing that needs to be done is to measure the garden plot. Then with a piece of graph paper or a computer gardening software, make a detailed layout of this space noting all elements like the house, pathways, existing trees and shrubbery that will be kept, etc. Also, take note of the topography and exposure. Next, you will want to take into account your budget. Remember that not everything has to be done immediately. Your plan can be carried out in stages. In addition, you may include a wish list of features you would like to add, for example, a hot tub or gazebo. Do not forget to consider how much maintenance you will want to do and how much water will be required.
2. Soil Analysis and Amendment
Good soil is a must for plants to develop deep-root systems that are essential to endure drought conditions. Look at a sample of your dirt first to determine what materials the soil includes. Should your soil be mainly clay, the density of its texture does not allow water to be readily absorbed causing wasteful runoff and it makes it difficult for roots to grow. However if it is mostly sand, water percolates too fast for the plants to soak it up. To correct these problems you need to improve the soil. You can accomplish this goal through incorporating about three to four inches of organic materials such as manure and compost to your dirt by tilling it down into the top six inches of the ground. Still it is important to realize, that some plants actually do thrive in poorer soil.
3. Lawn Location
You should consider how much grass you really need or desire. Typically most lawns require a lot of water and upkeep. Therefore, you should try to reduce the use of turf in your design to areas where its use is prudent. Do not put grass in heavy traffic areas or hard to maintain spots, like slopes or shade. You may wish to try planting more drought tolerant grasses. However, they usually come with drawbacks, such as a longer dormant phase and they are not as resilient to traffic.
4. Selecting Your Plants
Through the judicial selection of specific species of plants both native and exotic, then planting them considering their sunlight, soil and moisture requirements, you are able to create an efficient water-conserving garden. Naturally for aesthetic and sensory pleasure, you want to take into account the plants’ colors, heights and fragrances also. Once the plants are established and mature, they will need less water.
5. Use of Mulches
Utilizing mulches has many benefits. Besides keeping moisture in the ground, they aid in controlling the growth of weeds and regulating the soil’s temperature. There are two kinds of mulches. The first type is inorganic like rocks and permeable plastic. The second is organic, such as, wood chips, compost and bark. It has the added benefit of decomposing over time thus improving the soil.
6. Efficient Irrigation
The main thing you want to do is to avoid water evaporation. There are several different ways to water your garden from various sprinkler systems to drip irrigation to soaker hoses. Depending on your budget, the variety of plants and the landscape’s layout determines which system or combination you should employ. Sprinklers are good for covering larger areas like lawns. However, do not use the type that shoots water into the air and wind. Instead, choose the kind that disburses the water as close to the ground as possible. Drip irrigation works well for specific garden beds where the plants have similar water requirements.
7. Proper Maintenance
Believe it or not, proper maintenance does not just improve the look of your garden. It can conserve water. One way is by keeping your irrigation system appropriately maintained by adjusting water flow throughout the seasons as your plants’ needs change. Weeding saves water because weeds consume a lot of it. Also, aerating your soil allows water to seep deeper into the ground. Furthermore, mowing your grass to the correct height is important because if it is mowed too short, it dries out quickly thus requiring more water.
Although it may take some time and planning, xeriscape gardening is well worth the effort. Xeriscape has proven to allow diversity and beauty into gardens as well as being an efficient water-conserving gardening method.
Webcams - do your kids have them?
I watched Oprah yesterday and was shocked! The show was about Justin Berry, a teen who started using his webcam at 13 to “meet friends”, but it quickly got out of hand, luring him into a life of self-destruction and child pornography.
Among other things, he revealed who were some of his clients, and many of them come in contact with children every day (your children and mine!):
- pediatricians
- teachers
- counselors
- a lawyer representing children
Are you talking to your kids about the internet? Are you monitoring their online activities? Did you talk to them about pedophiles? Do they know they need to talk to you about any inappropriate behavior from other people?
Sometimes we get comfortable in our daily lives, and let’s be honest: we are happy sometimes to send the kids off to the computer for some games, so we can have a little “quiet time”. But is it worth it? A few minutes of carelessness could allow for a huge mistake.
I don’t know about you, but at my house, the kids’ doors are open at all times, and I go periodically and check everything in their room: from top to bottom. And if I find something I don’t know about, they need to talk to me abut it in great detail.
Take a break now from your busy schedule, and talk to your kids about the dangers of the internet. And if your children have a webcam, I would take it away: they don’t really need it.
You can read a summary of Oprah’s Interview with Justin Berry here.
