Most women dream of being able to somehow juggle work and family, and with technology's help, the dream is becoming a reality for many. The internet has made it possible to work from home within a variety of fields, such as medical billing, retail (think eBay and other online storefronts), journalism, photography, and the list goes on. While working from home certainly makes it possible for women and men alike to avoid daycare, commuting, and other work-related costs, there are also drawbacks that, if not overwhelming, at least warrant consideration when contemplating a move from office to home base.
In my own experience as a mother of two young girls, working from home as Editor of Vancouver Family Magazine, I've found one of my challenges to be limiting work time. I tend to drift toward the computer throughout the day, as opposed to sitting down for a block of time to complete "office hours." If not checked, this has the tendency to make my kids feel a little abandoned. Others may
Posted by: nikkik in Untagged on
May 04, 2010
Posted by: nikkik in Untagged on
Feb 22, 2010
Vancouver Family Magazine is proud to be a media sponsor for March of Dimes. The March For Babies event is coming up, here's the kickoff
Posted by: nikkik in Delivery on
Feb 18, 2010
What women hear about labor and childbirth before they experience it shapes their view of the experience, for better or for worse. As a woman, do you think it is more beneficial for expectant mothers to be verbally "prepared" by experienced mothers for the intensity of labor by hearing the raw reality (ex: "It is the most PAINFUL thing you'll EVER experience. EVER!), or by hearing it in softer ways (ex: it's difficult but . . . ). I'm fascinated by how the culture of childbirth affects and conditions girls from a young age (especially now that I'm the mother of two daughters), and I vascillate between wanting them to know what's coming (it's ain't no tea party!), and not frightening them so much that they panic when the time comes to become pregnant and eventually deliver their own child. What do you think? How did/do your friends and family help or hinder your journey toward
Posted by: nikkik in Breastfeeding on
Dec 03, 2009
Yet another reason to breastfeed:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-26-breastfeeding-neglect_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
The great thing about this article is that the author goes out of her way to make sure non-breastfeeding parents are not viewed as less than.
Read More...
Posted by: nikkik in Foster Parents on
Sep 24, 2009
I have few yet vivid memories of some of the foster teens my parents took in when I was a preschooler. One of them was a fun-loving African American girl who made us laugh by impersonating the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. Another stole our car. Nevertheless, overall, even my parents agree that it was a good experience for our family. Later, I would marry a man raised in part by foster parents, so, needless to say, I have great respect and admiration for foster parents.
I have a friend who recently, along with her husband, completed the application process to become a licensed foster parent, and got her first "assignment": a baby boy. It was a big adjustment, as my friend's only biological child is now in high school. But she relished the experience, sleep deprivation and all, only to have it end one short week later. You see, foster parents, by definition, provide a temporary home for those in their care (unless they move forward with adoption). Depending on the individual
Posted by: nikkik in Untagged on
Sep 20, 2009
. . . wet wipes? Before our babies were born, I never bought wet wipes. I rarely even used paper towels. Rags and towels, it seemed, were all we really needed to clean up the occassional mess. Then our first daughter was born, and along with the obvious necessity of changing diapers, wet wipes came in very handy for all the new messes that turned up. I'll save readers the gory descriptions of bodily fluids, but you mommies and daddies know exactly what types of messes I'm referring to. Now that my kids are no longer babies, I wonder how I ever lived without wet wipes, even before they came along. I've got a pack in each car and in almost every room in the house now. You never know when you'll need to wipe off obnoxious face paint from your 3-year-old's face before heading to the store, etc. Don't leave home without
Posted by: nikkik in Parenting on
Sep 05, 2009
I'm the oldest of seven children - all from the same set of parents who are still married! Over the years, it's been interesting to observe how each of my siblings' personalities have developed, and I've always wondered how much of their tendencies (and my won) are shaped by birth order. I certainly believe that my own position as first born has affected my outlook and habits. For example, without older siblings to look up to, I mostly look to my parents for "approval" and validation. I also take my role as older sibling pretty seriously - wanting to be a good example to the younger ones (now adults and peers, but it continues!). I also tend to be "Type A" - organized and borderline controlling. Growing up, I always felt that I got the raw deal - more responsibilities, less pampering.
As parents, it's important to understand the perspective of each child, relative to their birth order. Here's a great websitedescribing common characteristics of children in birth order:
Posted by: nikkik in Untagged on
Aug 06, 2009
Just finished the book Free Range Kids, by Lenore Skenazy. You may remember Ms. Skenazy as the mom dubbed "America's Worst Mom" after allowing her 9-year-old son to ride the New York subway alone. Well, she's defended her choice by asserting that when we deprive children of all independence and exploration opportunities, we're stunting their development and growth as people. Remember, we're raising adults here, not children. Of course, there's a fine line between neglect and free-range parenting (as Ms. Skenazy calls it) that each parent must navigate based on their comfort level and their child's readiness for the next steps.
While I don't expect to put my daughter alone on a bus or train when she's nine (although we've got three years until then - who knows?), I'm taking baby steps toward granting my kids the independence they'll need to succeed. The other day I let my three-year-old walk a letter to the mailbox without my or her sister's company. The next, I put lunch on the table
Posted by: nikkik in Untagged on
Jul 06, 2009
