Mommy Blog: Summertime Fun

Its summertime…sweet summertime!  (Some Kenney Chesney lyrics are playing in my head)  After such a long winter/not really winter…given we saw snow I think one time…summer is welcome with open arms at my house!  My kids are definitely dirt diggin’, sprinkler runnin’, sunscreen wearin’, bug catchin’, creek jumpin’, outside playin’ kind of kids!  My son wants to play outside from sun up till sun down.  As for my almost one year old little girl…she sure knows how to get her cute little outfits dirty!

This time of year is especially hard for me.  I would much rather be at home spending the days outside with my kids.  I’m not alone with 50% of parents answering somewhat/strongly agree with the statement:  I wish I worked less so I would have more time to spend with my children.  74.6% somewhat/strongly agree with the statement:  I wish I had the financial means to give my children more.  My children are young so I feel having more “time” to spend with them is a top priority in my life.  I’m sure one day when my son realizes “monies” do more than fill his piggy bank (that would be his new coca-cola bottle since his baby piggy bank was full) I will have to readdress my thoughts on “time” vs. “money”.

Below is the full list of statements asked in the recent American Pulse™ Survey:

As for the time I do have, I plan to spend it making this summer filled with budget friendly activities for my kids.  I thought I would share some ideas (in addition to our normal family activities above):  water balloon toss, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, kite flying, body painting (then run through the sprinkler!), neighborhood scavenger hunt, obstacle course, oobleck, wet sponge toss, squirt bottle fight and popsicle breaks.  These fun activities should get this Mommy a few brownie points this summer!

For more information on this data, please contact BIGinsight™.

Source:  American Pulse™ Survey – May 2012 #2 (N=3751, 5/21 – 5/29/12)

© 2012, Prosper®

BIGinsight™ is a trademark of Prosper Business Development Corp.

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Is Pinterest Your New Obsession?

About two months ago my friend asked me why I wasn’t on Pinterest.  Honestly…I had heard of it but didn’t really know what it was, and I didn’t have the time or desire to figure it out.  I’ve always been the last of my friends to IM, text, join Facebook, get a Smartphone, etc.  Why would Pinterest be any different?!  It just so happened to be a dreary Sunday that I received an invite to join Pinterest.  Other than the typical day of cleaning, laundry, trip to the grocery store and family time, I had nothing else to do…why not check it out!  Needless to say, my household chores got put on hold!  That trip to the grocery store had to wait until Monday because I had to start the shopping list OVER with all the new recipes I found!

According to the November 2011 BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey, 19.9% of Females 25-34 said Pinterest was a “HOT” trend.  [Yes, I happen to fall into this age break.]  Females 18-24 follow close behind at 17% and 13.6% of Moms find Pinterest to be “HOT”.

Did I mention that Pinterest turned that dreary Sunday into a Glorious Sunny Day?!  [In my head that is!]  Once I figured out how to create “Boards” and “Pin” what I liked…I was off and pinning (LOL!)  I have found new ways to organize, creative/easy dinner recipes, Peanut Butter Brownies that are to die for, wedding gift ideas, cleaning home remedies, holiday DIY decorations, fashion tips, parenting ideas…I can go on and on and on!  As you can see below in a few of my favorite boards…

Typically, I log on to my account 2-3 times a week, and have to limit how much time I spend on there.  Time gets away from me too easily and I tend to get consumed by the endless amount of pinning!  According to a recent American Pulse™ Survey, 8.3% of Females 24-35 say they log in to Pinterest 2-3 times a week.  10.2% of Females 18-24 frequent the site more than once a day–they must be more “pinterested” than I am!

 

For more information on this data, please contact BIGinsight™.

Source: BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey – NOV-11 (N = 8502, 11/1 – 11/8/11)

Source:  American Pulse™ Survey – February 2012 (N=3349, 2/13 – 2/20/12)

© 2012, Prosper®

BIGinsight™ is a trademark of Prosper Business Development.

Raising Children in a Weak Economy – Part 2

Would I rather have more “money” to spend on my children or more “time” to spend with my children?  “Time” wins time and again! 

Most Parents (68.4%) agree with me and would choose time over money. When you factor in work, fewer parents (43.8%) would give up work to have that time with their children, likely a sign of our dismal economy–parents know they NEED to work to feed and clothe their children!

See the full report here: http://tinyurl.com/ParentsAug11

Money buys a lot of things in this world but…it doesn’t buy your children’s love.  My kids are young and money really means nothing to them at this point in their lives like it does to us parents.  Sure I could buy my son a cool new bike that he would like and yes, he would play with.  Although, we could take the box that bike came in and have more fun spending time together playing in the box!  I could buy him a brand new ball to play with by himself but, we would have more fun playing with the old deflated one when Mommy has time. 

If I had more “money” I could buy my baby girl a swing with all the bells and whistles…but, having “time” to rock her in my arms would mean more to both of us.  Money, money, money…seems like that is what life is all about sometimes! 

Maybe if we take a little less “time” focusing on “money” we will have more “time” with our children. 

What do you think? Time or money? Or do you have a creative solution for both??

Raising Children in a Weak Economy – Part 1

My whole life I knew I wanted to have children, and my whole life I said I wanted to be a stay at home Mom.  I wanted to be the one to raise my kids…not someone else.  I met my husband in September of 2007 and our relationship progressed rather quickly as we were engaged 7 months later and married 7 months after that.  My husband knew my thoughts on having a family and wanting to stay home and was supportive of my wishes.  By the time we welcomed our son in April 2009 things, or I should say the economy, had taken a drastic turn, and not in the right direction.  Due to our wonderful economy there was no chance for me to stay at home.  My return to work was an unspoken fact in our household, although I would rather have stayed home. Unfortunately, we needed the money to provide for our son, just like 78.5% of American Parents who also wish they had the financial means to give their children more. (See the full report at http://tinyurl.com/ParentsAug11) 

The thought of having to find someone to care for my 10 week premature little ( 3 lb. 11.5 oz.) boy made me sick to my stomach and I was procrastinating to say the least.  I vividly remember the day my husband sat our town newspaper on the counter and said, “honey, by the time I get home today you need to have called these numbers.”  I never thought in a million years I would find the best sitter I could ever ask for from an ad in the newspaper!  I can say this now but, the days leading up to my first day back to work were awful to say the least.  As a new parent how do you know you are making the right decisions?  You don’t.  You just go with your gut and hope and pray for the best. 

I remember thinking maybe we could sell our house for something smaller in size and mortgage.  Oh wait…the housing market went south.  I could trade my SUV in for a less expensive used car.  Oh wait…interest rates went up.  I tried to come up with so many ways to be able to stay at home but kept coming back to how bad the economy was and our family needed two incomes. I, like 70.9% of Moms would rather have more time to spend with my children, rather than money. However,  I needed to be thankful I had a job to go back to given so many people were unemployed. 

Eight weeks ago our daughter was born.  Needless to say…I am back at work.  Now with two mouths to feed and bodies to clothe two incomes are a must!  I’ve had to put my lifelong wish to stay at home and raise my children behind me and make the best out of the time I have to spend with them.  The reality is it’s 21^st century and both parents work to make ends meet in this crazy economy we live in.  We do what is best for our family anyway and every way we can. I think I am doing my best, and so do 89.4% of Parents.

Do you think you’ve done your best at raising your children?  Two incomes is how we are making it through this rough economy.  How is your family making it through? 

See what other American Parents had to say in the full report – http://tinyurl.com/ParentsAug11