It’s OK to Break from Your Children!
Answer This is a question every parent has asked themselves at some point! Parenting is hard. You give all you’ve got to love your kids and make sure they’re safe and thriving. You may not be sleeping well. You haven’t had time to yourself. You miss being with other adults. The daily pressures of juggling work, kids and everything else can feel like too much. You might feel even more tired and stressed out. Why it’s good to take time for yourself Taking time for yourself is not only good for you, but also good for your kids. It’s a lot easier to support them when you’re refreshed after a little mental and physical break. There is no shame, failure or lack of love in needing time for yourself. We care for others best when we have taken care of ourselves as much as possible. Here are some ways you can do this: If time is short, even a simple 15 minutes to take a shower or read a book when your kids are in a safe place or with another caregiver is helpful. Always be safe. Leaving kids alone, even if they’re asleep and you have a baby monitor, isn’t safe. Some states have a law about the age a child can safely be home alone. Even if your state doesn’t, most children younger than 12 are not safe to be by themselves without an adult. Here are some tips to help you decide if your older child can be safely home alone. Find a babysitter or ask a trusted friend or family member to care for your kids. Whether it’s for 15 minutes or a couple hours, someone responsible should always be present with your kids. If you’re on vacation, check with your hotel about a list of local babysitting services. But what if I can’t afford to hire a babysitter? If you have family, friends or neighbors who also have kids, you could work out caring for each other’s kids from time to time. Ask at your daycare, preschool or school for resources. There might be someone in your faith community who would volunteer to help. How do I know if the person caring for my kids will be OK? It’s important to know and trust the people who care for your kids. If something doesn’t feel right, trust yourself as a parent and don’t leave your child with that person. Make a list of one to three trusted people you can call on to help. That way when you really need help or are stressed, you already know who to call. Remember, you’re not alone, and you can lean on others to help! Make time for fun things Besides getting out and having time to yourself, doing things you enjoy together with your kids is good for them and you. Connect with other parents Joining a parent’s group through your faith community, neighborhood organization, gym or community center is another way to make time for fun. Many are free to join and provide a connection to other parents. Remember All parents need time for themselves. When you take care of your own mental and physical health, your kids benefit too. If you ever feel like being a parent is too much, it’s OK to ask for help. You can also talk with your pediatrician who can connect you with more resources. More information
5 Reasons To Hire a Wedding Babysitter
S&S photography The first part of wedding planning is the guest list. You can’t start your venue search without knowing how many guests you’ll be inviting. But what do you do when you realize that everyone on your guest list has children? Toodles Event Sitters share 5 reasons why you should hire a wedding babysitter for your big day. Wedding Babysitters Children can be so cute at weddings and oftentimes, they steal the show. For some couples, it can be a joy when that fun moment happens. Venue: Up the Creek Farms | Photographer: Live Happy Studio There is nothing cuter than special moments with flower girls. Venue: Menello Museum | Photographer: Live Happy Studio Or the ring bearer strutting down the aisle. Venue: Mission Inn Resort | Photographer: Madison Hope Photography For others, children at the wedding can be a disaster. Having kids at the wedding includes a lot of unplanned moments. Venue: Omni Hotel & Resorts | Photographer: Unashamed Imaging A wedding can be stressful, why add the stress of unexpected moments? You don’t have to exclude the moms and dads from your guest list. Consider hiring an Orlando Event Sitter! What is a wedding babysitter? This is a hired company that comes to your event and provides childcare for your guests’ children so that your guests can enjoy the event “child-free.” A wedding babysitter’s most important job is to keep the children entertained (and not asleep) at your wedding ceremony or reception. Venue: Mission Inn Resort | Photographer: S&S photography | Wedding Planner: Big Day Celebrations 5 reasons to hire a wedding babysitter for your big day 1. No stress over the RSVP. More of your guests will be able to share your day with you! Guests with little ones will RSVP with a “yes” knowing that childcare will be provided. Venue: The Howey Mansion | Photographer: Kristen Weaver Photography 2. Mom and dad can let loose. Parents are able to enjoy the celebration more when childcare is hired! Everyone is relaxed knowing their little ones are being taken care of; they are safe and close by should anyone get fussy or need attention. Venue: Historic Dubsdread Ballroom | Photographer: KMD Creations 3. The non-kid guests can enjoy too! Guests without kids don’t have to be annoyed by screaming children (those who haven’t had kids are often less tolerant than those who have). Venue: Bella Collina | Photographer: Passio Photography 4. Kids have more fun with things that interest them. Wedding babysitters spend the time creating fun-filled activities to keep all of the kids entertained and engaged with one another. Photographer: KMD Creations 5. It’s a long day and they get tired. Weddings can be a long day full of excitement, which for some children is a recipe for disaster. Give them a place where they can relax, whine and complain, and even take a nap. Venue: Waldorf Astoria | Photographer: KMD Creations Remember, it’s the couple’s day to relax and know that every guest at their wedding is well taken care of. Photographer: Amalie Orrange Photography Tootles Event Sitters make sure that every guest (even the littlest ones!) have a great time at your wedding. Tootles Events plans children’s parties and offers wedding and event sitting services while believing that every child should have OODLes of FUN! “Great service. Took care of all the kids 7 yrs and under for our wedding and they all had a BLAST!!! Parents had even more fun knowing their children were well taken care of and in a safe environment. I’d use Tootles a hundred more times if I could!!”