Tag Archives: preparation

Five Basic Exercises for Successful Labor

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Delivering a baby requires a little flexibility. I’m not talking about compromising your birth plan, either. When you’re trying to squeeze a seven or eight pound baby through a space that is pretty small to begin with, you’re kidding yourself if you think you won’t have to contort into a number of rather awkward positions to make it happen. If you don’t stretch and limber up your muscles beforehand, you can expect quite a bit of extra soreness after you deliver. Who wants extra pain? Getting your body ready for delivery is not difficult, it just takes a little planning … Continue reading →

Preparing for General Conference

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Can you believe it’s that time of year already? The bulbs are blooming on Temple Square, the rain is inevitable, and LDS families all over the globe are getting excited to hear inspired messages from the general authorities and prophets. Twice a year, we get the opportunity to be taught by our beloved leaders, and not a spring goes by that I don’t eagerly wait for the first weekend in April. This year is no exception. In the days that lead up to General Conference, here are a few things you can do to prepare yourself and your family to … Continue reading →

Time Savings Tips to Prep Your House for Baby

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Getting ready for a baby in your home involves more than just baby-proofing. Sure, locking away dangerous cleaners, protecting electrical outlets and blocking stairs are all good ideas, but you will discover that adding convenience for your sake will help you keep your sanity. Taking care of a baby takes up a lot of time, so anything you can do now that can save you time later will make mommy-hood that much easier. 1. Cut down on the time it takes to clean your hardwood, tile or linoleum floors by investing in a quality steam mop, if you don’t already … Continue reading →

Let Kids Know What is Going to Happen

It may seem incredibly obvious, but don’t YOU like to know what is going to happen in your day? Don’t you like to have a plan when you head out the door and get in the car to go somewhere? Strangely enough, we parents often forget that our children would appreciate being in on the plan too. How often do we put our kids in the car or head out to run errands without preparing them for what is going to happen? Then we wonder why they get irritable and cranky. Letting them know what is going to happen and … Continue reading →

Preparing a Child for the Dentist—Part Two

Yesterday, I introduced the topic of preparing a child for a trip to the dentist. I talked about how to explain the facts and take away the mystery of what is going to happen by being as honest and open as possible. Another element in preparing a child for a trip to the dentist—even a child who has been before—is to give them the opportunity to ask questions and express their own fears and anxieties. For a child to truly be prepared for something unsettling but inevitable, I think that he needs to have a chance to talk through concerns … Continue reading →

Preparing a Child for the Dentist—Part One

After nearly twenty years of parenting (times three) I have arranged and sat through my share of dentist appointments! If I was feeling saucy I might claim to have sat through someone else’s share too! Throw in the braces for one child and nearly two years at the orthodontist and I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to kids and the dentist. Even if your child has been to the dentist before, preparing him or her for the next visit is important. Most kids need a little preparation for a trip to the dentist. Even if you have the … Continue reading →

Gospel Questions: About Food Storage

My non-member friend asked me: Why do Mormons stockpile food? Do they think the world is coming to an end? In a nutshell, yes, we do. That answer is a little bit flippant. Let me elaborate. In the Book of Revelations, we read of calamities that will befall in the last days. These are passages that are familiar to those who have read the Bible, and the End Times prophecies are familiar to all Christian religions. The leaders of the LDS Church have encouraged us to put up a reserve of nonperishable food in our homes so that we might … Continue reading →

What Can You Prepare them For?

Preparation is huge—whether we are preparing for a busy weekend, studying for a test, or preparing ourselves for a job interview, as adults we know that preparation can mean the difference between success and failure. As parents, we can incorporate preparation into how we teach and guide our children. Instead of trying to deal with things after the fact, it might be worth our while to ask ourselves what we can do to help prepare our children in advance. I found with my children that the more factual and helpful information I could give them before something happened, the better … Continue reading →

Preparing for Nights Away

I have written a little about single parents and travel, focusing on how we can make decisions around trips for work and play. Recently, another parent asked about how to make preparations in advance that will make those nights away more pleasant and smooth for the child and I realized this would be an important blog topic. For many of our children, the days go by relatively easily, but it is the nights that are the toughest when mom or dad has to be away. My children are all teenagers and I did not start traveling for business until recently, … Continue reading →

Planning for Pets When Emergencies Call You Away: A Checklist

Yesterday I wrote about what we’d do with our pets if an emergency called us away. Do you know what you’d do? Do you have a plan in place? If not, I created a list of things to think about and prepare for ahead of time. 1) If you take your pets with you, will you have a place to stay that welcomes them too? If you won’t be staying with relatives (or can’t), make a list of pet-friendly hotels in the area. (Before you need them, but confirm the pet-friendly status still exists when you book your room.) Use … Continue reading →