Captive Mommies

by Kara Kelso

In the summer months, rarely do we think about the children going back to school or what we plan to do when September gets here. But if you are in business, summer is the most important time to start planning since many of you may be experiencing the “summer slowdown”.

So let’s take a look at what you could be doing right now to prepare for the fall months when business picks up.

1. Organize
Take a few days to organize yourself. Clean off your desk, file your paper work, etc. Don’t forget to organized your online files as well!

2. Study trends
Now that you are organized, take some time to go over those files you have sorted. What sells best? What doesn’t ? What customers haven’t ordered in awhile?

3. Follow Ups
Since you have your papers out and are studying them, now would be a good time to follow up with some of your past customers. They might be too busy to hold a show right now, so ask if by fall they would like to host a show and would like you to call them back. Be sure to keep good notes!

4. Update and Improve Your Website
If you still don’t have a personal website, now would be a good time to build one. If you do have one, make some changes. Those files you studied a bit ago - use them to make your changes and highlight certain items on your website.

5. Start Your Christmas Marketing Plan
Are their products you know your company will have during Christmas? Do you have a design in mind for your website or personal catalogs? How about your mailing list, is it in order? Mark down dates in a calander for the best time to mail and contact your customers.

6. Plan Events
If you weren’t involved in any summer shows, start calling around for information on indoor fall and Christmas events. These places can fill up fast, so be sure you have the details first and can get the best spot!

There are other tasks you can do to help you get better prepared for the fall and winter, use this only as a guide. As long as you keep busy, your profits should rise come September!

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About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. For more Direct Sales Success Tips, visit: http://www.directsaleshelpers.com/newsletter.html
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Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
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by Arlene Pellicane

Is it unreasonable for your husband to want a sexy wife? What if you just had a baby and it seems like an impossible task to lose that baby belly? The stress of being a new mom can be overwhelming without thinking about losing weight and counting calories. You may be thinking, “He should love me just as I am!”

On one of my Losing Weight After Baby podcasts, I talked about the husband’s need for an attractive wife. Men are visually stimulated and it’s very important to them to feel physically attracted to their spouses. Dr. Willard Harley says it best in his excellent book, His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-proof Marriage:

“By calling for a wife to be attractive I mean she should take pains to look something like the woman her husband married. After all, that was the woman he fell in love with, not a movie star or some other fantasy. Does this mean a woman must stay eternally young? Of course not, but getting older provides no excuse for letting weight creep up and up, not fixing your hair, and dressing like a bag lady.”

Did you hear that ladies? Getting older and having a baby is no excuse for:

1. Letting weight creep up and up
2. Not fixing your hair
3. Dressing like a bag lady

How’s that for hitting home? The good news is that you are not a helpless victim. A box of twinkies will not attack you when you wake up. You can take charge of your health and look your best for your husband (and yourself too!).

You don’t have to spend one hour primping in front of the mirror. Hello, moms don’t have that kind of time! Just take 5-10 minutes to put on makeup, comb your hair and wear something that flatters your figure (I know that’s a post-pregnancy challenge!).
So how are you doing mom? Do you look like the bride your husband married? Of course, if you just had a baby, you’ve gained some extra pounds and rightfully so! But are you working hard towards getting that pre-baby body back? To look like the woman in your wedding pictures?

Today’s Action Step: Take out your wedding album. Look at the photos of you and your husband. Do you look like that woman he married? Are there changes you need to make to look attractive for your spouse?

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Want to lose your baby weight once and for all? Get FREE tips that work at Arlene’s website http://www.losingweightafterbaby.com or blog at http://losingweightafterbaby.wordpress.com
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Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
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by Debbie Allen

I know this could be said of virtually any time in history but I am going to say it about today, right now; the economy is in terrible shape. We are constantly worried about gas prices which seem to be affecting the cost of everything in life, and the impact of financial problems just adds to the stress of daily living. There really is no way to get around the fact that we live in a stressful world. Now I want to tell you about something that you may not have thought of–stress can have a negative impact on your weight!

Before I go any further, I want to say that I am not referring to the weight gain that may be attributed to side effects of some medications prescribed for stress and anxiety, although that is a very real and legitimate concern for some people.

What I am talking about is the fact that many of us find relief from stress in food. I myself am guilty of this. I even refer to certain food dishes as comfort foods. This is not uncommon. Also not uncommon is the fact that my comfort foods are very fattening foods.

Admittedly some people do not eat when they are stressed or frustrated. Some people go the other extreme and actually lose weight because of the lack of interest in food.

Now I cannot say that my focus during a stressful event is food because it certainly is not, but I can tell you that during phases of stressful periods I tend to eat more junk food and do less physical activity. That of course will result in weight gain.

Food diaries are an excellent way to track your eating tendencies. Along with jotting down what you eat, when you eat and how much be sure to include your mood at the time that you ate. It is also interesting to note how you feel after eating.

You may find that eating particular foods always results in you feeling joyful. If that is the case then you definitely need to include that food in your menu. On the other hand, you might find that eating some foods always makes you feel too full or even results in feelings of guilt. Obviously those are the foods that you should cut out of your menus.

With the economy going the way it is, it will be interesting to watch the census data for the next few years. It is undeniable that most people are feeling more stress than usual, so it is possible that the impact will show in the average weight.

I suggest that you use a food diary to find foods that are agreeable in all ways, low calorie and satisfying. Then eat those foods when you are feeling stressed. Yes I know, this is easier said than done.

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LOSING WEIGHT does not have to be difficult. Check out the following websites and see for yourself!
http://www.FitInsidenOut.com/WeightLoss.html and http://www.EatRightLOSEWEIGHTFeelGreat.com
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory
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by Pascale Vandenbroucke

If you’re a mom, you know there is nothing more rewarding than that look of adoration in your little one’s face. As a mom, you’ve made it your business to love, protect, and care for your children, better than anyone else. Because life can get so hectic, personal fitness, for busy moms like yourself, is often sacrificed to spending quality time with your kids. However, what many women don’t realize is that they can get an effective workout and enjoy one-on-one activities with their children at the same time.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Babies

When your child is an infant, workouts for two can be as simple as finding a gentle workout video that uses a baby carrier as part of the program. The carrier should, of course, be placed on your front. If your baby is young and can’t support his or her head, the carrier must allow you to have your child facing you. It should also provide the proper support to safely hold your little one’s neck and head.

Strength-training fitness for busy moms is possible as well. A great place to start is “peak-a-boo crunches”. Placing your baby facing you on your lap while you do standard crunches allows you to play peak-a-boo with every upward, tummy-tightening motion. If you want to strengthen you arms, chest, and back, try some “playful push-ups with baby,” by placing your baby between your arms, so his or her face is directly under yours. As you do your push-ups, each time your face moves towards your little one’s, share kisses, blow raspberries on his or her cheeks, or make a funny face. Start with three sets of 8 – 10 repetitions for each activity, at least 3 times a week. Work up to 15 repetitions.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Toddlers

If you have a toddler, carriers and simple strength training exercises likely won’t engage your little one. Luckily, there are other fun activities you can do together, and fitness for busy moms with one- to three- year- olds can take a number of forms. If your toddler is younger, pushing him or her in a stroller while you go for a brisk walk or jog is a simple way for both of you to get fresh air and enjoy the out-of-doors. To further involve their children in the activity, some moms have them kick their legs along the way.
While stroller activities are an effective method of fitness for busy moms, they are not quite as helpful for the kids. A more interactive choice of exercise is to engage daily in activity songs together. Songs that involve actions, like clapping, galloping, waving arms, and spinning around are endlessly fun. Some favourites are “ring-around-the-rosie”, “I’m a little tea-pot”, and “The Hokie Pokie”.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Preschoolers

Once your child is four and is gaining stronger motor skills, it’s quite possible that your preschooler will enjoy dancing along with your own fitness routine. Online workout programs provide you with a number of fun activities, brought right to your home. Some online workout programs allow you to choose shorter programs, especially well-suited to parents whose children’s attention spans are still developing. Choose a program that appeals to you, but one with high energy. While the majority of online workout programs aren’t designed for children, your child may enjoy mimicking your motions or simply moving along to the music.

Aside from online workout programs, you and your preschooler can also go for walks together, chase each other, and, of course, play active games and sing action songs. A trip to the local zoo, a stroll through the park, and a kite-flying excursion are all every-day things that you can do to add fun and fitness to your time with your child. Whether you choose indoor games, outdoor activities, or online workout programs, physical fitness for busy moms with preschoolers can be both fun and effective.

Whatever you choose to do, getting active with your children will ultimately benefit both of you in the long run. By keeping your body healthy, you are ensuring you will be in the best state to care for your kids, and, at the same time, you are providing them with a positive role model for life-long, physical fitness. You are also giving your children opportunity to be active while spending time with their mom! Fitness for busy moms like you may be difficult, but, when done deliberately with your children in mind, it can be a valuable addition to any weekly routine.

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Pascale Vandenbroucke is the Creative Director for Workouts On Demand. The website offers over 90 full-length online workout videos with everything from Toning and Kickboxing, to Yoga and Pilates, to Step Aerobics and Cardio Hip Hop and much more. Watch the workouts on your computer or download workout videos to your hard drive. And with new exercise videos added every week, there is always a new workout available so you can get the results you have wanted.
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Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

by Denise Willms

I always knew I wanted to homeschool our children. When I was in high school, I babysat for a homeschooling family, and they had such exciting projects going on. Later, when I was student teaching in university, I discovered a more important reason to homeschool. It simply wasn’t possible to meet every child’s needs in a classroom setting.

My husband, however, took some convincing. He hadn’t had any exposure to homeschooling families, and thought homeschooling our two kids would put too much responsibility on me.

We ended up putting our eldest child in a public school, but three years later, he was so unhappy, we were ready to try anything. We took him and his younger sister out of public school and tried homeschooling. It’s made such a positive difference in our lives, we plan to homeschool both our children all the way through high school.

After homeschooling for five years, my husband has become one of the strongest homeschooling advocates I know. In fact, when I feel frustrated and suggest that we consider public school again, he completely shuts me down. He sees what a difference homeschooling has made in the lives of our children and our family.

Now, none of this is to say that I believe public education is not as good as homeschooling. Homeschooling is not the answer for everyone. However, homeschooling is the right choice for my family.

If you believe homeschooling is the right choice for your family, but your husband doesn’t agree, there is no magic pill that can make him change his mind. I do, though, have some suggestions that may help.

1. Pray. One of my favorite Christian authors, Stormie Omartian, says in her book, Power of a Praying Wife, that before talking to your husband about anything, you should talk to God about your husband.

If you believe that God wants you to homeschool, spend time with God and ask Him to reveal that to your husband as well.

2. Get involved in your child’s school right now. I had always been involved in our children’s education, but when our son’s problems became more serious, I volunteered in his classroom every week. I got along well with his teacher, and she was concerned about him too, so this arrangement worked very well.

I was able to see the classroom environment first-hand, and see how my son’s behavior compared to the other students. Because I was in the classroom so frequently, I was able to explain to my husband what was happening, and where the problems lay. This helped him understand my desire to homeschool our children, and why I believed our son would do better in a homeschool environment.

Volunteering in a classroom isn’t always possible, but if you can, I recommend it. If you’re thinking of homeschooling, seeing how your child functions in a classroom can help prepare you for what’s ahead. And, if you’re ultimately not able to homeschool, you’re building important relationships with your children’s teachers and showing your children how much you value their education.

3. Explain to your husband why you want to homeschool. Does your husband know why you want to homeschool? Or does he think your desire to homeschool is a passing whim? Present your reasons and see if you can explain what’s on your mind.

This is where I found volunteering in my son’s classroom so helpful. I could explain to my husband what I observed in the classroom, and how homeschooling could make a difference in our son’s learning.

4. Explore other educational options. No matter how much you want to omeschool, it’s important to remember that homeschooling is not for everyone. I’ve met several moms who insisted on homeschooling their children, and a year later, realized it was the wrong choice for their family.

Homeschooling is hard. Being unhappy with your current schooling arrangement is not a good enough reason to homeschool. Explore your other options as well before deciding homeschooling is the only alternative that will work for you.

Consider private schools, online schools, or maybe even an afterschool tutoring program. If your husband doesn’t agree to homeschool, perhaps he’ll be more open to one of these options.

5. Find current research about homeschooling. Gather facts about homeschooling to show your husband. Not to shove in his face and prove your point, but so you can be prepared when he does ask questions about homeschooling.

Find out how local homeschoolers perform on standardized tests; learn if homeschoolers are admitted to your city’s university (usually they are); look for homeschool groups you can join to meet other homeschooling families, and for your children to meet homeschooling friends. Then, when your husband does ask questions about homeschooling, you’ll have all the answers you need at hand.

None of these suggestions will guarantee your husband will change his mind about homeschooling. But they will help you communicate with your husband about both your desires for your children’s education, and help you make educational choices that will work for your entire family.

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Would you like to learn more about homeschooling? Visit http://www.WAHM-Articles.com to read articles written by real homeschooling parents about their own homeschool experiences.
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Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com