Expat Transitions to Motherhood in NJ

Time for learning review

2010-10-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

It is a fabulous low cost schooling system. You can sign up all your kids at different levels and the grade above and below your choice will also be available at no cost. Parents have tools to monitor their progress so it is easy to manage. If I needed it then I would definitely choose this system.

I was a little late with trying Time for learning. I heard great things about it and decided to try it despite some technical issues. Also my son is 7 and just started first grade full time so timing was probably not good either. It didn't work for us as much as for our friends.

Our friends aren't used to computer games so they saw it as a computer game and learnt in the same process. Our son is used to computer games so he was a little fussier about choosing activities.

I've been having technical issues and often borrowed my old pc that my son used so he didn't have much opportunity to use the system.

If I was homeschooling or supplementing during summer then I would definitely choose this system.

We gave a friend an opportunity to use our pc and she again loved it!!! I was a little jealous.

We will definitely try this system again when my younger son is older. It is definitely worth trying and excellent value for money.

Time 4 learning review coming soon

2010-09-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

I’ve been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Cloth diapers, covers & liners

2009-06-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

Oh such complication.... Disposables are easy but for a variety of reasons I want to try cloth. I got some today from a friend to try and hope it works out for us for cost saving, ease & potty training. So there are all in ones, prefolds, covers, liners, etc. Still trying to digest it all but saw this on the web and thought I would try it. Wish me luck...

So the Q is How many styles of cloth diapers do you have in your stash? Are you a “one style” of cloth diaper kind of family or do you prefer variety?

I have fuzzi buns (I had 2 but had more that I loaned out). I have prefolds, unfolded, pins, fleece/wool cover, a couple of other small covers and that is it. I prefer all in ones or a nice thick cover & liner.

I have never seriously CD'd before so I am excited and eager.

To do or not to do?

2009-06-01T20:10:00.001-07:00

That is the question in my house. How to arrange everyone's schedule so that they are occupied some of the time. If the older one is home in the am and if I am checking schedules/tasks/todos for the day while having coffee then how do I occupy him and not loose track of stuff to do? All the while, trying to keep the toddler from hurting himself, us, or our things. Also I think I am supposed to do something with the toddler like play with him or teach him stuff, but I digress...

And so school will finish in 10 days and counting. What to do? What to do? At age 3 I remember hurting for stuff to do cause he was too young and me dragging him everywhere to keep him busy. At 4 it was less of an issue but I had a baby to tend to and sleep to do so I did sign him up for stuff. At 5 it is less of an issue but he will entertain himself only so long before the TV or PC goes on and now with 2 to care for he will get less resistance to the tv/pc.

Some parents love having the kids home and keep them there for summer. I know that I love having my own schedule and less pressure, but I feel more pressure to entertain and keep busy - assuming I limit tv & pc. Maybe those parents don't care about limiting such things? Maybe I need a sitter so that I can get stuff done and still have time to spend with kids? If so then why not camp? I will still have the baby but maybe that is more manageable? So sad - of course I miss my kid already and he hasn't even gone to camp but maybe he will enjoy it. Maybe the little one will have his first couple of playdates so that I can get stuff done?

So shall I sign him up for multi sport camp? He loves sports and loves playing in our driveway and begs the neighbors, who like to ignore. Shall I sign him up for Tae Kwando? He loved the trial but it is such a time commitment and expense. However his baby brother whacks him on the head and he cries in pain, maybe he need to learn assertiveness at TK?

How about music, we have been looking for a decent program but nothing is available for summer. However the books warn me that his brain won't develop to the fullest with out music and "I better rush over to the center"... Such pressure as a parent....

And what of golf? His dads dream is to play golf with his son and my son has been recently asking to play. And how about tennis? He is dying to play tennis as a friend plays and he is so jealous.

We just don't get the time during the year to do all the things we are interested in. So maybe summer is the time to do them? And to keep him away from the tv/pc. Of course we have also joined our local lake so we will have plenty of time scheduled for that and for me to go to the Y for a workout too. Just never enough time to do everything we dreamed of...

If you have a solution then please let me know how to entertain everyone, do things we want to do and still get stuff done...

First post!

2009-05-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first post & blog! Anyone out there that is transitioning to motherhood from a successful career? Any expats without a huge support network? How about anyone that realizes that motherhood is a transition or a process, not a birth? Anyone struggling with trying to be perfect or trying to do better? Then welcome. This is not the Martha Stewart guide to motherhood, no perfect pictures here. Just trying to enjoy the process of mothering and realising that we are in transition and not static.

Hope to hear from you and that we can share motherhood stories...

Vicki