Q. I’m struggling with getting the kids to take some responsibility for all the work that needs to get done at home.� I don’t want to spend all my time fighting with them over chores, but I would love some help around here!

By the time children are about seven years old, most parents have begun to think, “It’s about time she did a little work around here!” and the battles begin. “When are you going to feed the dog?” “That garbage needs to be taken out right now!” “Honey, how many times do I need to ask you to make your bed!”

It’s good to expect children to take part in the work of the household. Children are quite capable, and feel a lot of pride in a job well done. But, like us, they acquire feelings about the jobs they’re expected to do. And when those feelings are negative, children can drain a lot of their parents’ emotional capital on the way to completing their household jobs. Read the rest »

It is time to stop mindless spending. Before shopping this year, really do YOUR homework first. It is important to plan, purge, and sort before shopping for new clothes for the 2007-2008 school year.

Plan: What do your children really need?
This past week we went through my daughter and son’s closets. Even though I was under the impression that my son was in desperate need for new pants, I came to find out that he actually only needed 2 pair! His shirts from last season still fit him just fine, so we have no need for those, today anyway! Here is a simple checklist to make sure there are enough clothes in your child’s closet. Keep in mind that this is a very basic wardrobe. From my experience though, people don’t usually err on too little clothes for their children. Read the rest »

Stephanie, a vice president for a venture capital firm in Denver, makes it a priority to get home in time to have a family meal with her husband and 1-year old son.

“I put a lot of energy into my job and then I get into my car at 5pm and realize that I have no idea what I’m going to feed three people for dinner in an hour,” she says. “That’s when a one-pot meal is just perfect.”

One-pot meals can be the solution to quick and easy cooking when no one really has the time to cook. While one-pot meals come in various forms, they all have the common concept of putting a variety of ingredients into a single vessel and cooking them all together. There’s no fretting about getting the timing right so that your broccoli is perfectly steamed at the same time as the pot roast comes out of the oven medium-rare and the rice is ready to fluff, which is a boon for all those who aren’t wizards at culinary planning. And, perhaps best of all, rather than a sink full of dirty pots and pans to scrub after dinner, there is only one pot to clean. Read the rest »

This is one of my favorite times of year. Although I am not partial to the warmer weather, I love the products of warm weather – fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables. Here are some of the reasons that I love the freshness so much:

1. Local produce is cheaper.

2. Local produce is fresher: sometimes food can travel 1500-3000 miles to get to your grocer’s shelf.

3. Buying local produce keeps the air cleaner: trucks that are transporting veggies cross-country can produce up to 3100 pounds of CO2. Read the rest »

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” Abigail Adams

I’ve shared that quote with dozens of young Chronically Disorganized (CD) clients. I often ask them to substitute the word organizing for the word learning and read the quote out loud. Children can then see that while organization – like education – may be attainable it doesn’t come effortlessly. Students who are naturally disorganized are at a disadvantage unless we, as professional organizers, can help them by implementing systems, support, and structure. Training students how to get organized and teaching them why being organized is critical to their success is essential. Uncovering the appropriate training techniques is often an overlooked step to becoming properly organized. Most often what I see when working with junior clients (between 3^rd and 6^th grades) is that their parents or teachers have implemented a seemingly flawless organizing system for the student. Unfortunately, it isn’t the right system for that particular child. Sometimes it’s too detailed. Or, maybe it doesn’t take into account the student’s learning style. Read the rest »

This handy “calendar” gives you an idea of what foods are cheapest when throughout the year.

Download here: Calendar of Best Buys for Food

Planning a nutritious meal is important. Planning a satisfying meal is just as, if not more, important. No matter how nutrient dense your meal may be, if it’s not appealing and tempting, who is going to eat it? One of the most important keys to successful meal management is creative menu planning.

It is important to remember that we eat food, not nutrients. When people are forced into food that is “good for you” they will often resist. But “good for you” and “just plain good” can be used to describe the same foods. It is up to the meal manager to make this happen.

Planning Meals in General –

Plan several days ahead – even a week or more (see my sample Calendar of Best Buys for Food Planning avoids Wswet Syndrome (what should we eat tonight?). Planning also allows your grocery shopping to me more organized, so you can avoid shopping every night on the way home from work. Read the rest »