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Three Tips for Opening a Flourishing Business While Caring for Your Baby by Emily Graham
Welcoming your baby into the world is one of the most exciting and memorable times of your life. However, this amazing yet exhausting time can prove extra stressful when trying to get a company off the ground. If you want to make your business ownership dreams a reality and still bond with your bundle of joy, these tips from Dr. Doug Green’s blog can help.

1. Prep the Night Before
Preparing as much as you can at night for the following day saves you time and helps your professional and personal tasks go much smoother the next day. Make a list of tasks that can be done ahead of time.

Lay out the baby’s outfitbaby’s outfit the night before with a couple of spares in case of accidents. Have clean burp rags handy, and stock diapers and wipes. Make sure bottles are clean and any frozen milk is put in the fridge to defrost. 

Be sure your clothes are also ready for the next day. If you have a coffee maker that runs on a timer, load the coffee and set the timer, so your cup of joe is hot and ready when you awake. Prep as much food as possible so that when it is time to eat, your entree is mostly or completely done. 

2. Redesign Your Office
Whether your office space is an entire room or the corner of your bedroom, update your workspace to accommodate your little one. There are times throughout the day you pull double duty as a parent and entrepreneur, so a few tweaks to your office can make the adjustment much easier.
 
Add a rocker or bouncer to the office, such as a baby swing or bassinet. According to What to Expect, babies sleep 12 to 17 hours every 24 hours, depending on their ages. So chances are, your kiddo is going to take some naps throughout the day. This gives the baby a place to snooze while you are hard at work.

Have a mat and box of toys ready to go should your little one want to play. You may need to add a fence once your tike becomes mobile. Finally, be sure to remove any breakable or dangerous objects from the baby’s play zone. 

If the office is simply not functioning for the two of you, it may be time to list your home and purchase one that meets your needs. If you are going to own a business, you must be able to work comfortably while keeping your child safe. Make a list of the new office requirements for your real estate agent so he or she knows exactly what you need. 

3. Utilize Helpful Services and Tools
Finding help takes a portion of work off your plate. A great example is a formation service that can help you complete and process a limited liability company application. Setting your business up as an LLC has numerous advantages, including less paperwork, limited liability, increased flexibility, and tax advantages.The regulations around forming an LLC vary by state, so know your state’s rules before proceeding. Once you are ready to move forward, hiring a formation service saves you lots of time; plus, you avoid the hefty fees that a law office charges. 

Look for ways to make your business more cost and time efficient. Instead of hiring a graphic designer, you can use a logo design tool to create free online logos. This tool offers thousands of professionally designed logos that you can customize. Or you can use images, icons, and other design elements to enhance your current logo. And a PDF joiner may help to organize the multiple documents you and your team are juggling for a client. Instead of searching through dozens of digital documents, you can merge PDFs into one living document during your team’s process. Then, you can formalize the document and it will be ready for your client.

While this momentous time in your life may have more stress than you would like, you can still have a flourishing career as a business owner and be a dedicated parent. Following these three tips can help you achieve success both in the workforce and at home. And you can visit Dr. Doug Green for additional tips for parents and EDUCATORS.

Emily Graham
Emily is the creator of MightyMoms.Net. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms — from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family. You can email her at emilygraham@mightymoms.net. She lives in Arizona.

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Today’s post is special. I have a good friend who is recovering from heart and cancer surgeries. When we get together, we take turns playing favorite YouTube music videos. This is for him and anyone who wants to stimulate their brain. Enjoy and share. Dr. Doug

Classical: ach: Toccata & Fugue in D minor – Original Canadian Brass with Peter Schickele = If you like brass and Bach this is a winner. @CanadianBrass

Religious: Home Free – How Great Thou Art – This is my favorite hymn. You don’t have to believe in God to enjoy this as the background is insanely beautiful. @HomeFreeGuys

Folk: Psalm 136 with Béla Fleck and Sierra Hull – As a banjo player Bela is my idol. I think you will find that Sierra can keep up with him. @belafleckbanjo @sierrahull

Ukulele: Taimane Gardner, the Ukulele Virtuoso | Taimane Gardner | TEDxMaui – She mixes Bach’s Fugue in D minor with some flamenco stuff. This is VERY COOL. @taimanegardner @TEDxMaui

Classical: Mason Williams – Classical Gas w/ Deborah Henson-Conant – This is a very cool classic song with a harp accompaniment. @HipHarpist

Rock: Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen (Official Music Video) – I never get tired of this song. I hope you like it too. @StevieNicks

PercussionRoyal Marines Corps of Drums and Top Secret Drum Corps | The Bands of HM Royal Marines – If you know any percussionists, please share this with them. @RMBandService

Rock: Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine on iPhone (GarageBand) – Every GarageBand instrument & instrument setup used for #GunsNRoses #SweetChildOfMine can be found in this video

Folk: Punch Brothers cover Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” 3/3/22 Boston, MA – Chris Thile and Punch Brothers with Noam Pikelny, Chris Eldridge, Gabe Witcher, and Paul Kowert perform Gordon Lightfoot and Tony Rice’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” @LessThanFace1 @punchbrothers @christhile

Bagpipes: Shipping Up To Boston/Enter Sandman – Bagpipe Cover (The Snake Charmer x Goddesses of Bagpipe) This is a mix of Irish tunes and metal for you on the Bagpipes with 3 Female Bagpipers all the way from the US, Scotland and India. This video is very well done. @yourbestvids @DropkickMurphys

Rock: Rush – Tom Sawyer (Bass Cover) by a very young girl. She is incredible. Getty Lee is considered a top bass player, and she is playing his entire part. @EllenPlaysBass

Broadway: Six from Six: The Musical on Broadway – This is an Animatic of the final number, which to my tastes should be a big hit. If you like it a little searching will find videos from the actual show that I saw and really enjoyed on 2/18/2022. @TheTobyMarlow @MucyLoss

Movie Hit Song: This Little Girl Singing ‘Let It Go’ Inside A Ukrainian Bomb Shelter Will Melt Your Heart. Just in case you haven’t seen this yet I had to post it. @jamescrugnale @Independent

Song for early readers: Peace Love and Hope – David Perry Origina – This would be a good song for elementary teachers to play. It is especially good for beginning readers. @DavidPerryTunes

Folk: Northwest Passage (Stan Rogers) – The Water Boys (A Cappella Cover) – If you aren’t a Stan Rogers fan here is your chance to get started. @WaterBoysUW @Stanfest

Soul: Blues Brothers: Soul Man – SNL – Today’s song “Soul Man” by The Blues Brothers was recorded LIVE at the Universal Amphitheater in September 1978, a few months after they debuted on SNL as the musical guest on April 22, 1978. @dan_aykroyd @nbcsnl

1050s Ballad: “In the Still of the Night along with a lot of 1950s icons – The Five Satins perform this memorable song. If you’re my age you will love this. If you don’t remember the 1950s you can still get a kick out of this. @safeshare_tv

Rock: Joan Jett & Dave Grohl ~ Cherry Bomb 2015 – This is a favorite of mine. It’s a rock number for a woman, but Dave does it justice. @joanjett @foofighters

ABBA: ABBA’S DANCING QUEEN Like You’ve NEVER Heard It Before! Simon Cowell Won’t Forget This AGT Audition – Debbii Dawson WOWS Simon & the Judges with her GORGEOUS Original Version of a Pop Classic with Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel on America’s Got Talent 2022. @debbiidawson @AGT @SimonCowell @heidiklum @SofiaVergara @howiemandel

Metal: Miley Cyrus and Metallica “Nothing Else Matters” Live on the Stern Show You don’t have to be a fan of Miley or Metallica to enjoy this. It starts with a talk with Howard Stern. The singing starts at about the 2:40 mark. @Metallica @MileyNewsAccess @MileyCyrus @HowardStern

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Photo by Julia M Cameron

The Developmental Benefits of a Summer Job by Amanda Winstead Explains the many benefits of working with others during the summers while you are in high school. While you may learn some useful skills on the job, the people skills you developed are invaluable. Thanks, Amanda.
Introduction
School and parenting are essential elements in a child’s growth, but they are not the only things that can benefit your child’s development. It is also helpful for them to gain further knowledge and skills through other life experiences, such as a job.

Though it’s understandable that you might want your kids to have the freedom to enjoy their youth, a job doesn’t have to be a limiting experience for kids. In fact, a summer job can be fun, social, and help teach them new life skills and behaviors that are essential to growing into a responsible, healthy adult. And it doesn’t have to take up all of their time either.

Instead of having a job year-round, your kids can simply look into something part-time over the summer, which still gives them plenty of free time and opportunities to pursue other interests. But even just a part-time summer gig can do wonders for developmental growth and help prepare your kids for higher education and the “real world” once they graduate and move into adulthood.

A Summer Job is More Than Just a Paycheck
Though a summer job can help your kid financially prepare for college and put money in their pockets, it’s not just about the paycheck. A summer job can open your kid’s world up to so many new experiences.

Let’s take a look at the many benefits of a summer job that go above and beyond simply providing your kids with a paycheck.

When kids are younger, time is somewhat of an abstract construct. They rely on adults to help them understand what time it is and when things need to happen. But as your kids get older, time management becomes an important skill that can help them manage school, work, and their free time and social life. So by getting a summer job, your kid will learn to become more responsible with their time and how best to manage multiple things at once or in a day.

Self-Confidence
If your kid is lacking in confidence or simply doesn’t feel that they have much control over their life, a summer job can help. Having a job teaches your kid new skills that can help them feel more confident about their abilities, which can overall improve their sense of self-worth and self-confidence. It can also give them a sense of independence, which can help them feel like they are more in control of their life and what happens to them.

Educational Development
Summer jobs have also been shown to help kids with learning in the classroom. Overall, having a job can teach kids and teens new skills that boost their cognitive development and help them succeed more in school. Most importantly, it helps boost their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential when it comes to academic performance.

Social Skills
Whether your kids are shy or not, a job can help them expand their social circle and develop new relationships that can become an important part of their lives. For kids who perhaps are on the shy side, having a job can help them come out of their shells and learn to interact more with others. If they aren’t shy, it can help them socialize and network, expanding their circle of friends to people who can further help them grow and become a healthy adult.

Financial Responsibility
Understandably, kids don’t tend to have the best financial habits. With each new generation, such as Gen Z, spending habits change. So when your kids start earning money, it can help you better understand what their money habits are like or will be like, which paves the way for you to sit down and chat with them about healthy financial habits. This can help them learn how to better spend and save their money to prepare for their future.

Photo by cottonbro
Tips to Help Your Kid Land a Summer Job
It’s one thing to talk about your kid having a summer job and another thing altogether to help them actually get one. No two kids are the same. While some might easily land their ideal summer job, others might not. It’s also important not to force a job on your kid that isn’t a right fit.

land their ideal summer job:

1. Look for the right job.
Every job comes with different duties and requirements, so make sure the one your kid chooses is a good fit for them. This can include standard summer jobs at amusement parks, summer camps, swimming pools, restaurants, retail stores, etc. Or, it can be something a little more professional for older teens just out of high school, such as computer programing, pharmacy tech, customer service, or even maintenance work.

2. Interview practice.
For some kids, the interview can be the hardest and most nerve-wracking part of landing a summer job. So it can be helpful to sit down with them and practice what it’s like to be in an interview. Tell them what it might be like, what questions they might get asked, and how best to act and respond.

3. Interview outfit.
Though a lot of summer jobs don’t necessarily require your kids to dress nice or professional, it doesn’t hurt to go into the interview looking a little more put together. So in addition to helping them practice for an interview, it’s also helpful to take them out shopping for nice interview outfits. If they are just out of high school and going for a more professional job, the right outfit can help them make a good impression.

Final Thoughts
When helping your kid land a summer job, just remember that the goal is to improve their skills and provide them with a new experience that is beneficial to them. If you force them into something that isn’t the right fit or that they have zero interest in, it could end up doing more harm than good.

So try to make it a positive experience. The more interested your kid is in the job they land, the more they will get out of it and the more effort they will put into it.

Amanda Winstead

• Amanda is a freelance writer out of Portland focusing on many topics, including educational technology. Along with writing, she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi, you can find her on Twitter.

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