momAgenda_blog http://www.momagenda.com/blog/ en Copyright 2010 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:37:01 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.23-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Who Wins the Fun Contest in Your House? momAgenda My friend Heidi, aka Mamagirl Melly of the fabulously original blog, wrote an interesting post yesterday in which she mentioned her boys' preference for spending time with their dad, Jack. It seems that Jack is "more fun" -- because he plays sports with them for hours. Which is fantastic, and Jack is my friend and I love him and he is a great dad... and yet it illustrates this interesting dynamic that goes on in many families, in which the dad gets way more credit for being fun than the mom.
My kids say the same thing as Heidi's and it drives me insane. Although Larry rarely makes a weeknight appearance (other than the occasional bedtime peck), my kids think he is the FUNNEST DAD EVER. Because on the weekends, when he is home, he plays sports with them. And he lets them watch tv and video games as much as they want. And he lets them eat Nutella right out of the jar.
I don't even need to tell you the contortions I (and, I am sure, you) go through on a day-to-day basis, making the kids' lives better through school, play dates, sports, enrichment activities, books, healthy meals, etc., all while balancing a full-time career. Apparently there are no fun credits awarded for chauffeuring your kids around town or making them dinner or helping them with homework, or else I would be winning this contest hands down. And yes, it is a competition, and I really want to win. (Larry always says I am way too competitive, and perhaps he is right, but that is a separate blog post.)
How about you? Do your kids think your partner is more fun? Does it drive you as crazy as it drives me? Should I just let it go and let him win this one?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/who_wins_the_fun_contest_in_yo.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/who_wins_the_fun_contest_in_yo.html Front Page Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:37:01 -0500 Outsmarted by a 6 year old momAgenda This morning as I sat in my office working I got a call from the school nurse. The call we all dread.
Nurse: "Jamie is sick, can you come get him?"
Me (not wanting to leave work): "But is he REALLY sick?"
Nurse: "He says his stomach hurts. He is sick."
Me (REALLY not wanting to leave work): "But there's sick, and then there's, you know, SICK...."
Nurse: "He is really sick. Please come get him." Hangs up.
Duly humiliated by the school nurse, I show up at school to retrieve my poor sick little 6 year old Jamie. I am prepared for the worst: he must have caught the nasty stomach bug that has been going around our town. As soon as I walk in, his whole face lights up. "Hi Mommy!"
He doesn't look sick to me.
We get in the car, and I suggest that when we get home he take a nap. Since, you know, he's not feeling well. His reply: "I'm starving! When we get home I am eating my snack AND my lunch, both at the same time!"
It does not sound to me like he has the stomach bug. It does not even sound like he has a stomach ache.
How did he outsmart the school nurse? Perhaps she is just so afraid of that stomach bug that she sends anyone home who even mentions their stomach.
So here I am, missing a day at work, while Jamie sits contentedly watching "High School Musical" and eating all the food I packed him for school today.
If there were a game show called "Are You Smarter Than A First Grader," it is clear now that I would lose.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/outsmarted_by_a_6_year_old.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/outsmarted_by_a_6_year_old.html Front Page Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:34:42 -0500 Will You Stick With Paper? Go Digital? Or Go Both Ways? momAgenda Just as I was getting all excited about expanding into the digital world with momAgenda, and having a great conversation with you all about our new iPhone/Blackberry apps and all the cool features we would be putting in, I get an email from my old friend Sarah Welch, a cofounder of the amazing company Buttoned Up. Sarah, who had gone digital with her calendar, apparently lost everything in her calendar in one unfortunate and fluke-ish moment. And to make matters worse, the back-up system she had in place was mysteriously overridden by her blank calendar. To quote her, "God help me - why did I ever switch from paper?!" You can read her complete blog post about the entire unfortunate incident here.
In the future, Sarah has decided to maintain BOTH a paper calendar and a digital calendar. This is interesting, because in a recent survey we conducted, 90% of you said that if you were to use a digital momAgenda app, you would use it in addition to, rather than instead of, your paper planner. I personally can't imagine life without a paper calendar; I love the feel of it, love seeing my whole week at a time, love writing things down and checking things off, and love the sheer beauty of planners. What can I say, I am a bit of a paper geek. Digital calendars hold no allure for me and I doubt I will ever switch over.
What do you think? Are you planning to stick with paper for your calendar? Will you switch to just a digital calendar if/when the right product comes out? Or will you do both?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/will_you_stick_with_paper_go_d.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/will_you_stick_with_paper_go_d.html Front Page Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:35:31 -0500 School Years Sale momAgenda So I have 2 pieces of good news today. First, we are in the process of redesigning the School Years book, which is one of my absolute favorite momAgenda products and one that I am addicted to in my own home. I always say, if there is a fire in my house, I will grab my kids first, my School Years books next--I store EVERYTHING that's important to me regarding the kids' school careers in those books.
So anyway, we are doing a redesign of the cover, and we are also adding a new, larger size, for those of you who for whom the original size is too small for your school pictures (maybe it was the hundreds of emails you sent me that tipped me off on that little issue).
In preparation of the relaunch of School Years, we are discounting the current School Years by 25%, so they are now only $18.71. As soon as these babies are gone the new books will be available. You can find them here.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/school_years_sale.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/school_years_sale.html Front Page Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:24:53 -0500 So You Want a momAgenda iPhone App? momAgenda We were so overwhelmed yesterday by your comments suggesting (more like demanding!) that we develop an iPhone app for momAgenda. Fortunately we all agree with you and are already in the early design stages. But now that you all have shown so much interest, I thought it would be fun to ask you what YOU want in our iPhone app.
So tell us: What would a momAgenda iPhone app look like? What features MUST it have? If you could create it to meet your personal needs, what would you want to include? What features are not so important?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/so_you_want_a_momagenda_iphone.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/so_you_want_a_momagenda_iphone.html Front Page Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:57:13 -0500 Do You Use A Mobile Device? momAgenda This weekend, someone asked me why I have a Blackberry. Actually, his exact words were, "Why do you have one of those, because it makes you feel important or something?" Um, whatever... the truth is, I could not live the life I am living without my Blackberry.
You might be surprised at me saying that, giving that I am President of a business that makes day planners, the very antithesis of mobile devices. Well, for one thing, I could not live my life without my momAgenda either (duh!). In addition, I use them for different things. My momAgenda is for scheduling, notes, and contact info. My Blackberry is for phone calls and emails and texts.
The most important reason for using a Blackberry, from my point of view, is that it allows me to do my job while being a mom. I can answer emails on the soccer field sidelines or the school pickup line, and no one know I am not in the office. I can fulfill the responsibilities of my dual roles without sacrificing either.
How about you? Do you use a mobile device in addition to your momAgenda?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/do_you_use_a_mobile_device.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/03/do_you_use_a_mobile_device.html Front Page Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:59:43 -0500 Do You Act, Or React? momAgenda Here in Fairfield County, Connecticut we are right in the thick of what the news media has deemed a "snowicane" which I guess means a snowstorm and hurricane all in one. As I look out my window I am suspicious of this wording, as all I am seeing is a steady, peaceful stream of light snowflakes falling from the sky.
The news media's manic reaction to what is essentially just another snowstorm got me thinking about the idea of overreacting, and how common it is for us as moms. We have all found ourselves in situations in which we freaked out over something which might not have been that big a deal. Our friends might even encourage this behavior. I recall a situation in which a friend's nanny made a mistake, and other friends were quick to call for her immediate firing... even though this nanny had been a responsible and integral part of the family for years. It's easy to overreact; it takes restraint and inner strength to take a step back and put a situation in perspective.
I like the phrase that I have seen on a popular poster, "Keep calm and carry on." It reminds me to relax, and act according to my gut, and try not to indulge in overreaction, just because people all around me are doing so.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_act_or_react.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_act_or_react.html Front Page Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:25:24 -0500 Do You Have A Vision? momAgenda Everyone who really knows me, knows that I want a summer house. Specifically, a summer house in Amagansett. If you are not from the New York area, you might not know Amagansett... it is a small village in that beautiful beachy area of eastern Long Island known as the Hamptons. I grew up going to the Hamptons during the summer, but it was not until I was an adult that I discovered the charming Amagansett. You know when you get stressed and people tell you to visualize your happy place in order to calm your nerves? Well, when I do that, I think of the beach in Amagansett. Whenever I am there, I feel calm, relaxed, and happy--like my real self, without all the stress.
Anyway, there is a bulletin board next to my desk in my office, and on it, there is a picture (ok, it's actually a real estate listing) of a cute little house with a pool, and guess where that house is? It is on one of my favorite streets in Amagansett, and since I have had that picture up since the day I started this business in 2004 it is clearly no longer for sale, but it doesn't matter. That picture reminds me why I am here. I have a dream of owning an Amagansett house one day, and that dream (and the accompanying picture) motivates me to keep working hard day after day. I may never own that home or one like it, but it doesn't really matter; what matters is that I have a picture in my head of what success looks like to me.
Whether you work outside the home, or are working at home raising children, or like me, doing both, you probably have a vision that makes you want to keep going. What's your vision, and how do you keep it in your mind?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_have_a_vision.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_have_a_vision.html Front Page Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:23:42 -0500 Making Peace With Imperfection momAgenda One of the hardest things about being a mom is wanting to be perfect for our children. There is something about this generation of moms, we hold ourselves to an extremely high standard and we berate ourselves incessantly if we deliver anything less than perfection on a daily basis. One of the many blessings for me about going back to work was finally coming to terms with the idea that it was really impossible for me to do all the things I thought I "should" do, and that I needed to come to terms with being good enough rather than perfect as a mom.
Here's an example. Once upon a time I was obsessed with making sure that the lunches I packed for the kids were filled with healthy, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks. I thought that allowing them to buy lunch in the cafeteria was basically tantamount to child neglect. Thank goodness my attitude has evolved since those days. Yes, when I pack lunch for my kids, I try to make it healthy and satisfying. But honestly, if one of the kids says he/she wants to buy lunch today, I say, "fine." I no longer fight that fight. Because really, does it matter that much? It gives me a break from packing lunch and it makes the kids feel independent. It's a small and insignificant example, because parenting is about so much more than just packing lunch, but it illustrates the larger point of relaxing our standards and being ok with that.
I know I am not the perfect mom in any way, and I am not even trying anymore. Not only because I know it is an impossible standard to reach, but also because I am a happier mom--and I have happier kids--now that I am going easier on myself.
What about you? Have you made peace with being imperfect?


]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/making_peace_with_imperfection.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/making_peace_with_imperfection.html Front Page Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:48:37 -0500 Cue the Guilt momAgenda I am (obviously) a working mom, and that has been working out pretty well, because my 4 kids are in school all day so I might as well be at work because there is nothing much for me to do at home. Except for the fact that sometimes my kids don't have school. Like this week, when they are on winter break. And I still have to go to work.
This morning before my babysitter came, I tried to squeeze in some quality time with the kids. Played Spin Art with Jamie which was awesome because I got to have neon paint splattered in my hair before work. (But you should see the paintings I made.)
Now I am at the office and my babysitter is with my kids.
And all I can think about is that I want to take my kids to the museum.
And I don't even like the museum.
I once read an interview with one my idols, Madonna, in which she said something along the lines of, "When I am with my kids, I want to go to work, and when I am at work, I just want to be with my kids." That basically sums up my life this week. The fact that Madonna feels that way too is oddly reassuring to me.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/cue_the_guilt.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/cue_the_guilt.html Front Page Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:46:15 -0500 Do You Have A Backup Plan for Snow Days? momAgenda Today's challenge is particularly apropos for those of us New England moms who are snowed in (AGAIN) today!
When the kids were babies, it was relatively easy. Those of us who worked either hired full-time help, or we sent our kids to preschool/day care. Our kids were in good hands all day, regardless of the weather.
Now, however, my kids are in school, and I no longer have daytime help. So when there is a school snow day, or a delayed opening, or an early dismissal for any reason, I have no back up plan. As I write this, I am working from home while my kids play outside in the snow--there is no school today! Luckily for me, I did not have any important meetings scheduled, so I was able to work it out that I would work from home for the day. Fortunate as I am to have a flexible boss (myself), many moms out there struggle with this issue throughout the snowy winter months.
Some moms have a spouse/partner with a flexible schedule (not me), some have a mother or mother-in-law who lives nearby is able to show up in a pinch (also not me), and some have back up babysitters for this very purpose (not me again).
How about you, working moms? Do you have a back up plan for those snowy winter days when school is closed, delayed, or released early, and if so, please share it with us!

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_have_a_backup_plan_for.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/do_you_have_a_backup_plan_for.html Front Page Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:10:05 -0500 A Few Of My Favorites... momAgenda I spend a lot of time online, because it is part of my job as a marketer and blogger to know what is going on in the moms' online world. Along the way I have picked up more than a few favorites which I know I have been promising you for a while... well here are just a few for today.

For articles, Mom Logic is one site I visit every day without fail. There are always interesting articles about parenting, but in addition there are pieces that have nothing to do with the kids--one of my favorites, and an article I could very much relate to, was a piece on the so-called "mom-life crisis."

For product picks, my go-to resources are Mommies With Style and Cool Mom Picks because these ladies have fabulous recommendations for hip, stylish moms.

For a mental-health boost, I love to read The Happiness Project which has great tips for consciously working on your everyday happiness.

Then, of course, there is the much-needed comic relief. I cannot possibly complete this list without mentioning The Bloggess but please don't get mad at me if you do not like raunchy, inappropriate humor. Just consider yourself warned.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/a_few_of_my_favorites.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/a_few_of_my_favorites.html Front Page Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:32:36 -0500 V-Day Giveaway! momAgenda It's time for our Valentine's Day Giveaway! And, in honor of our recent challenge in which I asked you all how you organize all the papers in your kitchen, we have decided to give away one of our perennial bestsellers (not to mention a solution to the papers-in-the-kitchen problem): the AllInOne Folio.

To enter this giveaway, do one of the following:
- comment on this blog post
- comment on our Facebook fan page
- comment on twitter
In your comment, answer the following question: what do you want for Valentine's Day?

That's it!

Good luck everyone... winner will be announced on Sunday.

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/v-day_giveaway.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/v-day_giveaway.html Front Page Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:32:55 -0500 How Do You Deal With the Dreaded Piles of Papers in the Kitchen? momAgenda Today's challenge deals with one of the most profound banes of my existence. The piles of paper that exist in my house--most notably, my kitchen--would give you nightmares. Seriously, sometimes when I walk into my kitchen I can just feel my blood pressure rising, due to the clutter of all the paper that has piled up. You would think that I would have this one solved, as my company creates products that actually address this one head on. Ironic, isn't it.

So first, let's outline the problem. The sources of all the papers are varied; the kids' school folders are always filled with papers of course, such as artwork, corrected homework, or a note from the teacher. Then there is the mail, plus papers related to the house, and work, and the PTA, and the gym, and don't even get me started on all the kids'-sports-related papers that come into our house.

And yes, I do file many things in my AllInOne Folio--specifically, I use it for class lists, school and sports schedules, and takeout menus. But there are some papers that need to be saved temporarily, but are not long-term enough to be "AllInOne-worthy." Those go in, you guessed it, a pile in the kitchen. Then there is the mail. I sort through it and throw away all the garbage and put the rest in Hubby's pile in the kitchen (fortunately for everyone, he deals with the bills in our family). Hubby only sorts through his pile once a week, on Sunday nights, so it gets pretty high. So there are 2 piles already, and that's just off the top of my head.

This is a problem because it is not just messy and cluttered, it is inefficient. How can I be efficient at my job (my at-home job, that is) if I am constantly sorting through piles of stuff? There has to be a better way. Some people, I have heard, use bins for each family member, which is an idea I like, but unfortunately my kitchen does not have room for any bins. Some people use a bulletin board, and I can appreciate that but I think that a bulletin board can look just as messy as a pile of papers!

So my challenge to you is: How do you deals with the reams of paperwork that come into your house? Do you have a system in place to keep everything organized?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/how_do_you_deal_with_the_dread.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/how_do_you_deal_with_the_dread.html Front Page Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:40:26 -0500 Does Your Family Have A "Golden Child?" momAgenda There is a saying, "Some guys have all the luck," and I think whoever wrote that saying was referring to a grownup version of my son Matt. Ever since he was born, he has had this crazy combination of good karma and good luck... and enough of it to drive his siblings absolutely crazy.

If you read my last blog post, you know that Matt is on a trip to Miami this weekend with hubby to celebrate his 10th birthday at the Superbowl. As soon as the plane landed, everything started to fall into place. Without warning, hubby heard from an old friend down in Miami who just happened to have 2 extra tickets to today's Superbowl VIP Beach Bash. Matt not only got Mark Sanchez's autograph, he also got to enjoy great views of Taylor Lautner tossing a football around on the beach and J. Lo strutting her stuff.

Then, they drove over to pick up the Superbowl tickets that had been reserved for them by our very generous and well-connected friend Lisa, and what guess what they discovered: they are front row seats. But of course.

My older kids, Andrew and Jenna, remind me of Ferris Bueller's sister, do you remember her, always pissed off because of her brother's incredible good luck? They refer to Matt bitterly as "The Golden Child." Their point is not just that Matt got lucky on this trip, but that he always seems to be the one who gets lucky. I am not going to brag about my child here, but I will say that things have come easily to him, at least so far. His life has been blissfully free of struggles.

After almost 14 years of parenting, and with 4 kids, hubby and I have had our share of kid-related challenges, whether socially, emotionally, academically, or athletically. So as Matt's mom, I can only view his good fortune as a blessing--both for him and for me.

It has gotten me thinking though... do some people have it easier in life than others? What is that about? Is it karma, or good luck, or just a coincidence that Matt seems to enjoy an easier time than some other kids?

]]> ...Visit the site to post comments! http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/does_your_family_have_a_golden.html http://www.momagenda.com/blog/2010/02/does_your_family_have_a_golden.html Front Page Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:29:20 -0500