stay at home moms-related stories
Why don't husbands do more housework?
It may come as no surprise to many that a recent study concluded with the fact that men perform less housework than women. When it came to married men, even less of them shared the housework load.this study did not just encompass the U.S. -- 27 countries were involved here along with 17,000 women and men. Out of a total weekly amount of 21 housecleaning hours, men performed just over nine hours of it.
There was a pretty large distinction between married couples and men and women living together (but not married). In all, it was suggested that the division of household labor changed when marriage entered the picture. So married ladies -- does your man measure up to you when it comes to housework?
Mommy-guilt is real
Healthy Relationships, Stress Reduction, Work/Home Balance, Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements
Among the women I know, there are women who stay home with their kids, women who work from their home, women who work out of the home because they want to, and women who work out of the home because they have to (but wish they could stay home). And every single one of us feels like we could be doing more for our kids. It's called mommy-guilt and it seems to be a right of passage for mothers today, but does it really have to be?
Clinical psychologist Mark Crawford says no, and he also says that mommy-guilt does more harm than good. When parents feel guilty, he says, kids pick up on those feelings and it can lead to more stress for the entire family. He also says that moms who stay home have just as much guilt as those who work outside the home, and that cultural influences and natural instincts cause us to put extra pressure on ourselves.
So basically, moms, give yourself a break. Sound advice, I think, but easier said than done. What do you think?
Clinical psychologist Mark Crawford says no, and he also says that mommy-guilt does more harm than good. When parents feel guilty, he says, kids pick up on those feelings and it can lead to more stress for the entire family. He also says that moms who stay home have just as much guilt as those who work outside the home, and that cultural influences and natural instincts cause us to put extra pressure on ourselves.
So basically, moms, give yourself a break. Sound advice, I think, but easier said than done. What do you think?
The family table: learning to make better choices for our kids and ourselves
Healthy Habits, Healthy Home, Healthy Kids, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Families have had a double whammy of troubling headlines in recent weeks. First, we learned that couples with kids, tend to eat more fat than their counterparts without children. Then, just this week, a study found that kids gain significantly more weight during the summer, when they're off school and home with their parents. It has me thinking...what is it about the combination of parents and kids that lead to unhealthy eating?
Eating right, for me, definitely became more of a struggle when I became a parent. Not only did I experience the major life change of parenthood, I also resigned from my job. Suddenly, I was home all day with no real structure or schedule, with 24 hour access to my kitchen. A few years have passed since then, and though I still struggle with a routine, the fact that my children are old enough to need a structured meal and snack schedule helps me remember that I don't need to open the snack cupboard every time I wander through the kitchen.
I spend a large portion of my day thinking about nutrition -- what are my kids eating and how can I go about offering them more nutritious foods that they'll actually eat? That second study, the one that says kids gain weight during the summertime, concerns me. My children spend 99% of their time with me and 75% of their time with me as their sole caregiver. Essentially, because neither child is school-age, it's "summer" here all the time, and I take my responsibility very seriously. That said, days like today -- where we found ourselves at a popular fast food restaurant between our music class and our trip to the grocery store, probably happen more often than they should.
Eating right, for me, definitely became more of a struggle when I became a parent. Not only did I experience the major life change of parenthood, I also resigned from my job. Suddenly, I was home all day with no real structure or schedule, with 24 hour access to my kitchen. A few years have passed since then, and though I still struggle with a routine, the fact that my children are old enough to need a structured meal and snack schedule helps me remember that I don't need to open the snack cupboard every time I wander through the kitchen.
I spend a large portion of my day thinking about nutrition -- what are my kids eating and how can I go about offering them more nutritious foods that they'll actually eat? That second study, the one that says kids gain weight during the summertime, concerns me. My children spend 99% of their time with me and 75% of their time with me as their sole caregiver. Essentially, because neither child is school-age, it's "summer" here all the time, and I take my responsibility very seriously. That said, days like today -- where we found ourselves at a popular fast food restaurant between our music class and our trip to the grocery store, probably happen more often than they should.
