National Working Parents Day is September 16th!

How do parents juggle work and all their kids needs and activities?

It's not easy but with a little planning, you can do it!

Grocery shopping. Pick a weekend day, Saturday or Sunday to get the week's shopping done.

This can be done while the kids are at a birthday party or play date or game. You can exchange babysitting with a neighbor. It's much easier to do the shopping for lunches and dinner menus WITHOUT the kids!

Laundry. Two theories.

Number one, do a load or two everyday. It's non-stop but it's easy to multi-task while cooking dinner or watching TV at night.

Number two, save it all up and spend one day, Saturday or Sunday doing it all. I've done it both ways and I can say I prefer to do it all in one day. It forces everyone to wear a variety of clothes and not the same shirt over and over, because it's been washed daily.

Meal planning. Plan out the whole week, cooking a roasted chicken one night, then using the left overs for tacos or enchiladas the next night. Keep a supply of frozen veggies for a quick side dish, or buy fresh at the local Farmer's Market for the week.

Driving. Car pooling with others in the neighborhood. Form a bike riding group to school and back. Plan your kids after school activities for certain days of the week to simplify your driving. It will be a while before the young ones get their licenses, so be creative.

Celebrate National Working Parents Day on September 16th!

Hang in there! You Can Do it!

Anne Z