Search Results for: blog how much can you squeeze in a lunch hour

Spreading Yourself Too Thin

Show me a dedicated single parent who does not have a tendency to burn the candle at both ends and I confess I will be a little surprised. Perhaps I am making a generalization here; surely there are plenty of single parent who are not maxed out in terms of obligation and responsibility but for those of us who have a tendency to try to be everywhere and do everything—we run the risk of spreading ourselves too thinly. The thing about getting yourself spread out too thinly is that it can either happen gradually (in which case you may not … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Aubrey Mace

Last week, I had the pleasure of reviewing “Spare Change.” Today I am joined by the author of that delightful chick lit romance, Aubrey Mace. Aubrey, thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to chat with me. Is “Spare Change” your first book? This is actually my second book, although it is the first to be published. The more I talk to other authors, I hear that’s pretty common. There was about a year between when I finished the first book and when I started working on this one, and there was a time that I … Continue reading →

Look for Tasks That Go Together

Multi-tasking may be a constant way of doing things for the average single parent, but it does not have to be stressful. I’ve learned over the years that by pairing tasks in a practical and creative way, I can multi-task without getting overwhelmed. It all comes down to finding tasks that fit well together. I have a few friends who have no children at all and I notice that they way they do chores is completely different from how I have evolved my chores and errand-running—they tend to do one thing at a time: they will save up all their … Continue reading →

Pace Yourself

We are coming up on the end of the year, and for me, an incredibly busy time of year. As a single parent of three, I know that I only have two hands and two legs and one brain to get myself through this season or any other and one of the things I have had to learn over the years is how to pace myself. Since there is only one of me, I cannot afford to get run down or ragged, or let myself get put out of commission. As single parents, without the consistent back-up, it is important … Continue reading →

Who Is the “Bad Guy” Here?

When I talk with other single parents, one of the things that come up again and again is how we often feel like we can’t win—there are so many situations in the life of a single parent’s life where we end up feeling like the “bad guy.” Why is it that the ones who are most involved and dedicated to family should end up feeling like the “bad guy”? After all, aren’t we really the good guys?! Even in the years when I was married to my children’s father, I was the primary parent. That wasn’t the way I wanted … Continue reading →

Who Pays for a Business Lunch?

For many of us, owning and operating our own home business is really our first foray into all sorts of aspects of “doing business.” Even if we have had a traditional job, working for someone else, we may not have had to learn protocol and what is considered “best practices” in the business world. One of those slippery slopes can be trying to figure out who pays for a business lunch? What is the protocol and how can it best be handled? The last thing you want is some sort of awkward squabbling or strange silence at the end of … Continue reading →

Balancing Finances and Family Time

While I think all parents strive to achieve a sense of balance between work and financial obligations and family life—I think the challenge can be even more acute for single parents. Our kids need us, but we also need to pay attention to our work and “fundraising” efforts too. We already feel the pressure to be providers and we also feel the pressure to be a great parent—how can we achieve balance and make sure we pay plenty of attention to both? Whoever said “Money isn’t everything” was probably not a single parent. The financial pressures of being a one … Continue reading →

If The Kids Come First, Where Am I On the List?

I was talking with another single parent the other day and she said “Well, you know how it is, the kids always come first!” Of course, as parents, most of us do put our kids first and try to keep our children’s welfare and interests at the heart of our family focus—but as a single parent, we can lose ourselves in that and start to wonder where we fit in to the whole family picture if it all about the kids! It took me YEARS to get some semblance of balance into my life as a parent and, especially as … Continue reading →

Single Parent Tip—Holds, Reserves, and Call Aheads

Who has time to run all over town taking care of errands and making daily purchases? Not many single parents I know do. Over the years, I’ve learned how to take advantage of being able to put things on hold, make reservations, and call ahead whenever possible. It saves time and headaches and makes it less likely that I’ll get stuck running behind schedule. Here are some big single parent lifesavers: If your library has a web site where you can search for books, videos, DVDs, etc. and the place them on reserve—use it. I live in a moderate-sized city … Continue reading →

How Much Can You Squeeze in a Lunch Hour?

Over the years, I have read all sorts of parenting and time management articles about how parents can run errands, get in their daily exercise, take a nap, pump breast milk, etc.—all during that brief 60-minute break during the work day. From a single parent’s perspective, I’m wondering just how much we can squeeze in during a lunch hour? I confess, I have tried it all—I’ve done my grocery shopping on the lunch hour, driven home to bake cookies for a kid party, headed across town to volunteer at the school, tried to get in a spirited walk or some … Continue reading →