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Working as a Family to Save Money

by Richel on March 14, 2013
category: Practical Tips

When you work as a family to save money, you not only teach your children the value of saving, you also teach them that a family should work together and have good communication.  Teaching the value of money will benefit them long into adulthood.

Most children are not in a position to earn income from an outside source to help with the family’s financial plans; their involvement will largely be in the saving money through making good choices and helping to find deals when shopping. This is still a great way to add value to their skills buy teaching them there are many ways to save money everyday.  The last time my family got together to brainstorm ideas on how to save money, we came up with several relatively painless ways to reduce our expenditures.

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Buy and sell consignment items

Some towns and cities have consignment stores where people can take their used (but still in good condition) items to a storefront where they are priced by the store manager and offered for sale at the store. Sometimes consignment stores have special niches. Prices on the items in the consignment store typically are lower than the retail price but if it is a lightly used item, you can still get a good amount of cash back.

Play It Again Sports consignment stores are often the first stop for parents to go when they need to buy sports equipment for their school age children. It is a great way to save money on what kids need and also sell items that they have outgrown.  You can find just about any type of sports equipment lightly used.  This will save you tons of money.

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Supporting Your Teen in Finding Their Passion

by Richel on February 25, 2013
category: Teens

Youth is a time of exploring passions and figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life. This leads young people down a variety of roads before they truly find their calling and passion in life.  As parents, we want to support them  not squander their curiosity. This often means learning how to support your child’s passion even when you know nothing about it.

I’m not a golfer, but my oldest son adores it.  It’s been a challenge but slowly I am learning the game and why he loves it so much.  It does require a lot of patience on my part, and so on his part as we both try and figure out what he needs to be successful.

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Figuring Out What they Need vs. What they Want

If they need supplies, that’s one thing, most of the time you will need buy them. If they need equipment, make sure they have the right equipment for their age. As a parent, you’re the breadwinner for your kids. However with so many cool gadgets, you’ll want to insure that you spend money where it is going to be best spent.  This also does not mean you have to break the bank to get gear.

For example, if they’re learning how to play hockey you’ll want to invest in good protective equipment.  You can find cheap deals on hockey equipment locally and online and still get great gear. The most important is that they are the right equipment or tools for the area that you teen is trying to pursue.  Whether it’s hockey or painting, passions need certain materials. Do what you can to get it for your child.

Be There for Them 

It’s not enough to just make sure they have everything they need, you need to find ways to be there for them as well. If they love painting, then you are going to need to be open to visiting art shows and museums. If your kid loves soccer then grab your lawn chair and head to the field.  You may not know what’s going on, but you can still be there to cheer and although they may not say it, they will love having someone there for them. It means the world to a child when he knows he has his parents there supporting him on the sidelines.

Encourage the Passion

Sometimes kids explore passions simply out of rebellion. If you’re worried about this aspect of their lives, simply continue to support them. If it truly is a rebellious streak, then your support will make it completely uninteresting to continue. In other instances, children truly are just exploring their options. You need to know how to encourage them to move forward in it even when you don’t understand it.

When you effectively learn how to support their passion, they will find their way. Children do not need you to force their path. They need to figure out much of it on their own. You can guide them and even respectfully express your opinion, but at the end of the day you must support them through it all. If you want your children to respect you during this time, you must respect them as well. Showing your support is the best way to do that.

Homeschooling Options-Today’s Homeschool Families

by Richel on February 2, 2013
category: 5 – 12 years (kid),Education

Homeschooling is not a one-size-fits all method and homeschooling families are as varied as the children they raise. What works best for one family does not necessarily work for another. However, all homeschooling families agree in one area: public education is failing and not the ideal place for raising children.

I realize also that homeschooling my children is a true gift.  I am able to do so because my husband has a great job and because I have been able to successfully work from home.  Our lives are not easy, but for us, this is the right fit.  The truth is, homeschooling is different for everyone.

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Although homeschooling may seem a novel concept to some, the growth of a 20th century public school education depicted in media as lack luster is more so every day. Our current educational system was created during a whole different time.  We are such a technology based society and world, and sadly our educational system just has not caught up yet.  Today’s homeschooler has a vision for their child’s future.

Early history shows that homeschooling was the norm and many of the world’s greatest leaders, philosophers, scientists, musicians, poets, and thinkers enjoyed a homeschooling education. Some homeschooling families choose to have the mother as teacher while others used a private tutor. The truth is homeschooling is different for everyone.

Homeschooling saw resurgence in the late 70s to early 80s and in the 21st century, is no longer viewed as a strange or foreign educational choice.  We as a society needed alternatives to teach our children and homeschooling became a strong option.  Today’s homeschoolers are not all deeply religious people.  They are regular families, they are famous families, they are families that simple have a different idea of what their kids need.

If you are considering homeschooling here are something to consider:

  • Can you organize your life to make room for educating at home?
  • Are you aware of the state laws for homeschoolers in your area?
  • Can you make time to educate at home?
  • Are you willing to learn something new too?  You might have to teach something you don’t know much about.
  • Is your child-parent relationship open?  Is their good communication?
  • Can you afford to be at home and educate your child.
  • What kind of homeschooler will you be?  Will you use a online public school program like k-12 or will you choose your own curriculum?
  • Can you afford the investment.  If you choose to educate at home you will have some costs associated with buying curriculum, materials and other supplies.

With so many options, programs and unique qualities, if you choose to homeschool then there is an option out there that will fit your needs.  You just need to make the jump and go for it.  Remember every homeschool family takes their program one year at a time, so if you try it for a year and it does not work out for you, you can always go back to a traditional brick and mortar schooling program.  The important thing to remember is that you or your child don’t have to be unhappy with the current state of their educational program.  You can take charge, course a new direction and get back on the path of what education was created for:  to prepare and educate the young people of society and teach them that they can work hard and achieve all the goals they choose too.

Welcome to the New Mom Crowd

by Richel on January 26, 2013
category: Uncategorized

Hi Everyone and Welcome to The Mom Crowd!

I’m Richel and I am the new Manager for the site!  I have pulled a great team of mom’s together to continue with the amazing content and theme of this site and hope that you will all enjoy learning and sharing with all of us! We want you to feel at home and part of The Mom Crowd so if you ever have a question, idea or topic you would love to see featured, please contact us at contactthemomcrowd@gmail.com.

It’s important for mom’s to have a place where they know they can get support for each other  that is non judgemental.  As mom’s you know you are judged by everyone from the second you announce your pregnant, so let’s all remember that we are in the same boat around here.  Some of our boats are pretty and pristine..others well not so much.. but we are all in the same crowd…..The Mom Crowd.

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Motherhood is one of the greatest teachers in life and being a woman….well that’s a whole AP class on it’s own.  I don’t think you have to have all the answers to be a great parent, I definitely don’t think you have to be perfect either.  To be great parent you just need to have a lot of patience, a good sense of humor,  a remarkable talent for multi-tasking and the understanding that it’s not always going to be about you…..at least until they hit adulthood.

You’ll find that each of the amazing women writing for us has their own unique take on motherhood, parenting and being a woman and together we really want place for moms (and non-moms, too!) to get honest feedback, amazing support, tried and true advice, and make the very best of friends. Join today and discover thousands of women just like you…Welcome to The Mom Crowd!

Richel

 

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