One Secret to a Working Mom Success: Make Family Events More Enjoyable With Friends

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Better Together: Why Inviting Another Family Makes Activities More Fun #FamilyFun Sometimes family activities can feel like another item on the to-do list. However, doing those activities with another family makes them more fun! Whether it’s a trip to an amusement park , a visit to the local pool , or trip to a pumpkin patch , including another family can multiply the fun in amazing ways. One of my favorite moms to collaborate with is my friend, Ayana Ledford who's pictured above with her daughter Sahar. We have done all of the things listed as seemingly random examples above and here is how including her and her daughter (and sometimes her son too) has made the events more fun. On the date above, Ayana almost left the venue because parking was a nightmare. That said, she hung in there and we would up having a great time!
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It's Not Too Late to Take a Family Vacation

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On vacation in Outerbanks on the boardwalk.
In Duck, NC with my baby

 

Awhile ago, Time magazine ran a story, entitled, "Who Killed Summer Vacation", that's really disturbing for working moms. It's proven that workers are working harder. They have longer hours and more responsibilities. And what children needs hasn't changed. They require food, shelter, and time. The competing demands of work and children fuels feelings of guilt on the part of many working moms. And many of us are stressed out about it.


Family vacations make for the best vacation photos!

 

Paid Time Off Is Not Just For Laundry


I've written about how to better manage working and motherhood on a daily basis to minimize the stress and maximize the joy. I'll be writing more about that. So, stay tuned. That said, since summer is upon us, I'd like to encourage all of you to take a vacation. Vacations are a time to refresh your soul and reconnect with your family. I recognize that when you have kids, going on vacation can seem like too much work. By the time you pack, travel, unpack, and take care of them someplace else, vacation is a lot of work!
My kids with Funcle ("Fun Uncle")

If you're looking to tips to streamline laundry after you return from vacation, click here.  


Vacation is Special and Must Be Prioritized


That said, vacation is special. I know that I was truly blessed this year to have taken three vacations this past summer. Since COVID19 stole my summer last year I was making up for lost time. That time away from vacation showed me how much I missed it and needed it.


Baby at the beach

On vacation you don't have to go to work, which decreases your obligations and allows you to only focus on your family--your other full-time job. Being away from home gives you a break from your normal chores, which is a gift. Maybe you're not doing shots, sleeping in, and partying like you did when you were single. Still, you can do puzzles, cuddle with your kids, and play on the beach. You can make special memories on vacation and those memories become the fabric of your family life. 

 

I wrote about the value of taking a vacation six years ago, and the principle remains true. To read that post, click here.

 

At the beach with my aunt, Sheila, and sister Jeryn Turner

 

This year, we were fortunate enough to vacation with both sets of grandparents and other extended family. It was blissful for the kids who were able to bask in the extra doses of love. Before the trip, there were a series of stressors that made me question why I was making the effort--the time, the money, the packing--those are true with any vacation. Then planning a multi-generational vacation during a pandemic with family from all of the country was a WHOLE LOT!!! That said, as these photos demonstrate, it was all worth it.  
A charcuterie board is a great thing to bring everyone together! 


 

 


 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

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