Are You A FOODIE?

Finding Balance
Child’s Play
by Erika Chan Moore

Every year like clockwork, I start the new year by getting rid of old toys and clothes, and usually rearrange the furniture throughout the house. It feels great to start anew and make those resolutions that will hopefully stick throughout the next 12 months.

As a working mom, it’s important that I find balance in each day, but this is not always the case. Many times throughout 2010, I felt disorganized, stressed out, and not in optimal shape physically. This year I will try to conquer those areas to ensure that I am effective at work, loving at home, and in great health mentally and physically.

At the top of any mom’s list of New Year’s Resolutions should be taking care of herself. For me, my #1 resolution this year is to drink more water and to use that gym membership at least 3 times a week. In Shape Health Club offers a wonderful child care facility and wireless internet, so if I don’t get on that treadmill, I’ll be sure to bring a laptop and check my email! It’s just as important to get a couple of hours to yourself without the noise and interruption of your sweet offspring. A brisk walk around the block with your dogs is sure to give you some time alone from the kids and also get that heart rate up.
Quality family time with a board game or playing music is also at the top of my list. When my husband and I started having kids, we planned to start the “Family Band,” but we’re lucky if we have our intended “Family Music Time” once a month. My resolution is to play a little bit every night, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Less television and more music will make us a tighter family unit. Outings to an art show at Arts Visalia, a visit to ImagineU, or watching a performance at the Fox Theater together are great ways to support your community and spend time as a family. I will also strive for more quality time with friends, and make sure we schedule a monthly “Girls Night Out.”

To organize, organize, and keep organized will also be a top priority as I try to make 2011 a year of minimal stress and streamlined “feng shui.” My good friend recently forwarded me an article from The New York Times about professional organizer, Barbara Reich, who rummages through clients’ homes and helps them to de-clutter, organize, and label everything. She believes that “stress is clutter and clutter is stress.” Reich convinces clients to throw away many un-needed items like puzzles with a missing piece, child schoolwork, and even sports jerseys from years past. She instructs her clients to buy the “Brother P-touch” label maker to classify all manners of storage containers. (I’ve already started pricing this item online!)

Mom’s New Year’s Resolution # 4: I will not procrastinate. Easier said than done, but I know that doing things ahead of time will keep me sane. For example, another good friend of mine keeps a year round “gift closet” for birthdays, anniversaries, or any other occasion that requires giving a present to someone. So many times, a half hour before a birthday party, I find myself at Target buying a full priced gift, when my friend has already done the gift shopping throughout the year on clearance racks. I will use my Crock-pot more and have that dinner ready when we get home. I will also not write this article the day before it’s due!

Lastly, I will stop trying to “Keep up with the Joneses” and just try to “Keep up with the Moores.” It’s easy to compare your kids with your friends’ kids and feel guilty that yours are not excelling in school, playing soccer, doing ballet, or in a million other extracurricular activities. Every child has his or her own interests, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Set your family at a comfortable pace and buy the things, or do the activities that suit you. I will plan our lives to ensure the “path of least resistance” and less stress for mom! May our “Trends” readers and Valley moms and dads find much health and happiness in 2011!