This Break Isn't Broken

At the risk of jinxing myself, I have to admit that Christmas break is going pretty well around here. The kids – who often turn sibling rivalry into a higher art form – have been kind to each other, playing together, helping each other and snuggling in to watch holiday specials. Our tween – who just turned 11, but often shows glimpses of her future teenage self – has been a true delight with sweetness and a general cooperative spirit. Meantime, our 8-year-old son has been peacefully playing and entertaining himself, reorganizing his room, and creating decorations / banners / surprises for his sister's birthday.


We've enjoyed seeing old friends who have returned home for the holidays, spent time with family members, celebrated a birthday, had play dates, and appreciated lots of down time to just enjoy being a family.


To top it all off, the house is clean, laundry is done and put away, nice meals have been consumed (albeit with a few complaints from my picky eater), even more meals have been prepared and frozen for the future, and the dogs haven't eaten any shoes or human toys yet. We've all enjoyed sleeping in or taking an occasional nap. I'm not even behind on anything at work.

Oh yeah, work. That place I haven't been to for over a week. Maybe that's why things are kicking along so well at home. 


I've always worked and truly enjoy it, but as the kids get older, it seems like they need me more than they did when they were little. Sure, they don't need to be diapered or closely supervised. Yes, they help with chores and are pretty self-sufficient. But navigating the waters of middle school is something my husband and I need to be there to help them with. Of course, they may not say it in so many words, but we can see how important our ubiquitous support is to them.


Our children attend an academically-challenging Christian school and the homework is becoming a bigger part of their life, as are their extracurricular activities. Friendships are becoming more complex than, "Hey, do you want to play with my truck?" We know that many of the friends they make today will be their friends long into the future and we want to help them build strong relationships.


So, how can I make this work once Christmas break is over? Well, I guess I'll go back to my normal juggling act performed with far less sleep than I need. I'll continue to pray for wisdom, patience and the ability to meet my family's – and clients' – needs as well as I can. And I'll just keep reminding myself that the next nirvana is just around the corner when Spring break arrives.

Mommy's Letter to Santa

It's that time of year when kids pour out their hearts to Santa about how good they've been and what gifts they want. This year my daughter has put a request on her list that will definitely not be fulfilled. No, we will not be flying Bethany Hamilton to the middle of Illinois in the middle of winter to meet our daughter.


For those of you who don't know who Bethany Hamilton is, she's a teenage professional surfer and shark attack victim who, through the strength of her faith and family, continues to surf and inspire. This year's movie Soul Surfer was based on her life. I'm glad that my daughter has chosen a hard-working Christian girl to serve as a role model, but I just don't have the connections or financial means to bring Bethany to central Illinois – I also don't have the heart to bring a Hawaii native to our cold winter climate.


However, it did make me start thinking. If my daughter can ask for something that is unlikely to happen, then maybe I ought to write my own letter to Santa. Here's how it would go:


Dear Santa,
I have been very good this year. I've taken good care of my children, husband and pets. I've worked hard at my job and have volunteered for numerous activities. So here is what I hope you can bring me:


• A self-cleaning house
• One whole shower by myself without either child or either dog needing "something very important"
• A self-filling gas tank
• Time to read an entire book – just for fun
• The ability to lose 10 pounds without trying
• A short weekend getaway with my husband – while Mary Poppins spends time with our kids and dogs
• Time to cook the types of meals I'd really like to prepare
• The opportunity to watch a non-animated movie – and stay awake for the whole thing
• Beautiful holiday snow – but not on the roads
• Children who never argue with each other (or me, for that matter!)
• The ability to sing and dance like a pro
• And finally, a really good night's sleep!


Thank you very much, Santa! My best to you and the wife,
Michelle

Innovative App Streamlines Activities for Early Educators ... and Strengthens Provider-Parent Relationship

Our marketing team introduced HeartStrings Mobile last month at the naeyc Expo where it was received with great enthusiasm by childcare providers, preschool teachers, facility directors and industry professionals. 


The introductory version of HeartStrings Mobile connects providers to parents with integrated messaging, photo sharing and Daily Activity Reports within a comprehensive iPhone app. HSM also provided enhanced safety with photo IDs for authorized (and unauthorized) pick-ups, access to emergency information and important details about each child.

Primary parent enters details about other family members, nannies,
neighbors, etc., in the Parent Version of HSM.

Teachers and other care providers see details about the child and his relatives in the
Facility Version. An Attendance feature is planned for Version 2.0.

Facility Version also shows a photo of the individuals who are allowed
(and not allowed) to pick up the children.

Additional features and enhancements are already in development, including in-app attendance records, message blasts to all parents (even those who don’t have the app), and the ability to save and print Daily Activity Reports.

The Facility version of the iPhone app is free to preschool and childcare professionals. Parents, grandparents and other related individuals make a one-time purchase through the iTunes Store which entitles them to current features and future upgrades. HeartStrings Mobile is offering an introductory price of $3.99 for the Parent Version. A demo of HSM features is available on the home page of HeartStrings Mobile.