#-To focus on simple tasks like washing dishes or reading or putting away groceries | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

letmehearyousayyeahh · 5 years

Text

Postage

Another Brittana attempt to keep writing. Also on FF.net.

The recesses of the half-open curtains did let the golden glimmer of mid-afternoon sunlight into the room. Bright roads where flecks of dust flew, fluttering in a circular dance, over the scene that was unfolding in that room, where a blonde, blue-eyed woman, sitting on the floor in the Indian style, reviewed belongings and junk surrounded by cardboard boxes and souvenirs.

Brittany, 29, struggled to focus on the mechanical task of pick-examine-save/throw-repeat, trying not to think about why she had to do it, or the consequences of recognizing the reality that lived in the form of memories between those papers. Her aunt Stephany, the woman who had raised her after her parents' death, had passed away after a long and painful illness; and it was Brittany's job, as the only family she had left, to take over her belongings; the one who had the job of determining what was going to the trash and what was left, in the form of a memory, to torment her.

Cleaning was, however, the least important thing. Once finished, the boxes would return to the storage room from which they should have never left and Brittany would try again to live in the new reality that the death of her aunt had created: an empty apartment, a lounge without an armchair under the spring sun (she had found her sitting there, already corpse, a few weeks ago very early in the morning; after her aunt, that chair was the next victim), and, ultimately, a new life marked by loneliness and a house too big for a single woman and so many memories of other times; if not happier, at least more in company.

Brittany was not what what we could define was extrovert, no: in her 29 years she had managed to gather a brilliant record of friendly failures, some failed attempts of romance; and a noble but sensitive heart that had to cover itself with a thick cloak to emerge more or less unscathed from the life that she was told to live. Brittany, however, was pragmatic: she did not disdain good company when she had the opportunity to take advantage of it; it was simply that the blonde had more appetite for a quiet afternoon with a good book or playing cards with her aunt than for nights full of bustle, strobe lights and sharp screams, meaningless exchanges and empty conversations. It was not isolation, it was ... well, maybe it was, she sighed inwardly, closing the box on which she was working, already full of unnecessary papers, but which she had decided to keep nontherless; and moving on to the next one.

This introversion had not been a problem for his professional career; On the contrary: Brittany was good at what she did, whatever it was, because she took each job with passion and dedication, and her desire to do it well, whether it was washing dishes, serving tables or correcting manuscripts; That ended up by attracting the attention of her bosses and guaranteeing her good job prospects. "Whatever you do, do it well", her aunt always told her. She allowed herself a small smile as she opened the last box, but quickly busied herself erasing it from her face and concentrating on the content of the last pitfall between her and the empty room next door. Seeing its content, however, she could not prevent the smile from returning to her face, and this time she did not fight against it.

In that cardboard box her aunt had kept her collection of comics: Batman, Spiderman, X-Patrol, you name it; all the comics her aunt bought for her every and other week, as a reward for her good behavior. Brittany loved to review those old pages, full of characters so familiar to her, but at the same time so old, much more than her; and it comforted her to think that she somehow connected with other worlds while she navigated between their pages, thinking of all the boys, now men; who they had also laughed and cried with the adventures of their favorite heroes.

Following this impulse, her hands went unconsciously to the first section that she always read as a child: correspondence. Tradition today disappeared, these old youth magazines were accompanied by a section where their young readers could send letters, poems, riddles or little jokes to be published in the section; and Brittany was sure that many of them still kept, with secret pride, that particular comic book where their small contribution was published.

Her favorite part of this section was always the exchange of letters: a piece of paper, an address and an universe of possibilities available to anyone's pen. At that moment, Brittany sighed. She had never been encouraged to write to any of the addresses that appeared in her comics, either because she never connected with any of the letters that were published there; or in some other case, out of shame, and fear to express her illusions of finding a related soul in a paper and that the letter would return unopened. Or worse, to never get a response.

Remembering those doubts, which made her debate in front of blank sheets of paper that eventually never took the form of a letter, Brittany noticed one of the columns of the magazine in front of her. There, one Marvin W. Hodges wrote to the world to offer his friendship to everyone who shared his passions for Batman (the best detective in the world), videogames and reading. Being fifteen years old at the time (Brittany verified that the publication date of the magazine was 1985, right now that Marvin was already a man about her own age), the letter and its contents were quite the use of a teenager in general; but it was the last phrases that caught the attention of the blonde beyond her memories: "Although I like to read everything and give any story a chance to conquer me, I never read or read better or bigger phrase than" In my world, Great Expectations only live between the pages of a book. ' A literature lesson in the heart of a few letters. "

Brittany was not ten years old anymore, shame was the least of her worries now. But the death of her aunt Stephany had left her in a state of emptiness, of emotions contained by the thickest of walls to keep her from falling into utter despair. That phrase, well known to Brittany as a young woman and even as an adult, got what her aunt's advice had not achieved during all the previous years: that those feelings of modesty before the rejection of a stranger seemed the biggest nonsense . Recognizing in other letters the words of one of the lines of her favorite book, Brittany thought that she had finally achieved the impossible until now: find someone like her, with whom she could connect through some letters, or some notes, or the simplest nonsenses that the brain invents. Someone like her aunt. Someone she knew it was out there, but who insisted on not letting herself be found. Until now?

Determined, she squeezed the magazine between her hands and lifted her chin, a resolution gleaming in her cerulean eyes that had not been there since the morning of Stephany's death. Why not? The worst that can happen is that nobody answers, she told herself as she got up effortlessly from the floor, still holding the magazine, and went to the desk under the window to start a new adventure. Which, she hoped, distracted her from the pain of Stephany's absence for a while, before she had to get used to living without her.

The sound of the closing door echoed through the walls of the empty apartment. With a sigh, the brunette woman left her keys on entrance's table and balanced herself to remove her coat without releasing what she was carrying in her hands. If she left the bag full of groceries on the floor, she knew that she would end up dragging them through the floor to the kitchen later. Practice makes perfect, and she managed to keep the bag and the correspondence that she had just picked up from the mailbox in one hand still stable, while with the other she hung the coat on the coat rack; and went to the kitchen to release ballast.

Once she had crossed the threshold, she carefully placed the bag on the table and went to the other side of the counter, where the only window in the room was, to quickly review the contents of the mailbox. The placement responded to a double motive: March in Lima was beginning to behave as usual, and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon the storm could be chewed in the air. The dark clouds obscured the little light that the twilight already left on the city, and the kitchen was almost in complete darkness; but the brunette refused to spend energy on the five minutes that would take to verify that the letters were either advertising or bills. After this, she would throw them into the trash can that she had right under her eyes, the #2 for her placement in the kitchen. Review-wrinkle/save -repeat, simple. Then, since it was still early, she would have a good shower and then dinner.

Thinking about whether the aubergines would not be too heavy for the last meal of the day, she left the last cable bill on the countertop to keep it in place with the others later and then noticed the next letter, one of the two they had to look. Suddenly, she forgot about the shower and the aubergines when she opened the envelope and took out the cardboard card, broken white color and full of printed pink ribbons, that was addressed to her in printing calligraphic typography and exaggerated italics. To Santana Lopez / +1.

Unconsciously, she rolled her eyes before finishing reading the invitation to the wedding. Right now she did not remember who she was exactly, but the name tickled her memory, they were classmates at some time in the past. Middle school? High school? It couldn't have been at college, I would remember ... or not? I can't put a face to the name either... it can not be that chubby girl...? She whispered, to herself, while reading that Mindy and Hugh were happy to invite her to celebrate with them the happiest day of their lives, and urged her to be at the Lima Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 o'clock in the morning. to be a witness to their liaison, and later attend the meal that will take place to commemorate such a great event for the couple, relatives and various friends. Many greetings from Mindy and Hugh. RSVP.

She had a few seconds of hesitation, she had to admit it. But finally the impulse got the better of her and she broke the card in four before throwing it away. Maybe it was the remorse, or simply that the day invited to melancholy, but she remained for a long time looking at the broken cardboard, which seemed to shine against the black plastic bag. She could not explain why, but that invitation had given her a good kick in the ass. She had even left her for a while without air in her lungs. Why? If she did not even remember that girl anymore, she did not care at all if she got married or pierced her nipples. Then why? Having answered no to the invitation would have been enough. May you be very happy and all that, and we will see each other in the next life. At that moment, Santana sighed. Without wanting to do it, she had found the why.

Wish you happiness. May it go well for you, I wish you a prosperous and happy marriage. Blah blah blah. And after the parade, back home, alone. To work; to decide if the aubergines are good at night. If she should turn on the light or not for ten minutes she'll be in the kitchen. To live with a lot of room in the closet and a bottle of pills in the first drawer of her nightstand to close her eyes and not feel trapped in a life that no longer recognizes as her own..

When is that you get used to be accustomed to life? It is a question that Santana asked herself many times. When does you stop believing in the stories of the books, full of decisions and consequences? Full of something, period? And when you get used to the fact that life really is a succession of days, with its nights, in which the emotion of decisions and mistakes come out of yourself, instead from coming from the outside? Where the hell was that succesion from which everyone leaves and enters at will around her? College, work, house, marriage, children, grandchildren? And the weekends out? And the retirement in Florida? I had the college degree, I had the job, I had the house, and I had a succession of minutes and hours as my life, nothing more. What it's left for me to do?

Sighing, she allowed herself one more moment of tribulation before moving on to the next letter, the last one; to throw it away, whatever it says, to start your shower plan, dinner and we will see next. Strong emotions, indeed. What Santana still did not know, while opening an envelope that she had not noticed too much, was that this letter was not for her. And that, even so, it was going to give her what she had been asking for so long in silence.

Dear Marvin:

I hope you do not get scared when you receive a letter today, after so many years, but it was precisely today when I found an old copy of the #35 Detective Comics where your address came from; and when reading your letter to the magazine I have needed to write you these words. I do not even know if you will receive them, maybe you are dead, or you no longer live there... but I had to try. Because in fifteen years it has been passed, your letter has managed to encourage me to write to other people, something that fills me with fear, but at the same time it moves me, thinking about all the possibilities that this can entail; and why did you end your letter quoting one of my favorite writers, David Martín; and, by its mouth, the great Zafón, in The Angel's Game. Marvin, my great expectations also live between the pages of that book, and I only hope that this letter, in some way, reaches you; and feel the same thing that I felt when reading your words: that, somehow, having found us, even if only through an old magazine, we could get to exchange some thoughts or ideas, to try to get those hopes from between the pages and bring them to the real world.

Again, I'm sorry if this catches you outright, and I understand if you do not want to answer; Even so, I wish you all the best, and I hope you have found some hope, however small, outside the books.

Take care,

Brittany

After reading the letter, Santana blinked slowly. Once. Twice. One more time. I still did not understand very well what I had just read. Disconcerted, she took the envelope from the counter and searched for the sender. That was it, she had opened the envelope without realizing it, and that letter was not for her. Marvin W. Hodges. 154 S Metcalf Street Lima OH 45804. She had been living in that apartment for at least five years, and she knew from the real estate agency that it was been in the market for so long, so that Marvin must have lived among those walls more than twenty years ago.

To think that she had a personal handwritten letter in her hands, after years of not receiving any (although this one had not been for her either, really? Would this be a crime?), that stirred something inside her chest. A rare ... emotion? Yes, to think that someone had been rummaging through some old magazines and had found something that had turned her insides up so much, to take her to write to a stranger ... It was something new, something she would never have expected. Something that removed her insides too.

But what caught her attention the most, that managed to put a sincere smile on her face, was the literary reference. God, how many years had passed since I read that book ... It featured one of her favorite characters, which she counted among her most intimate friends, and she continued to identify strongly with her, her strong will and the courage she displayed throughout the series to pursue her destiny. Although, Santana thought with some bitterness, imitating her with fifteen years seemed easier than now with 30. Distracted by her thoughts, she went to the living room without paying much attention to the shopping bag she was waiting for her at the kitchen table. She had more important things to do. How to get rid of the idea of answering that letter that was not addressed to her. Or convince herself to sit at the table, take the paper she had and the first pen available and vomit over the paper all her thoughts: that this stranger had achieved, with just one letter, stir all the sadness that had kept inside her chest for years. She did not really know which of the two she would choose at the end.

Dear Brittany:

I apologize for my audacity in answering this letter that is not addressed to me, but seeing the effort you have put into your words, I felt responsible in some way, so I have decided to answer you. Marvin Hodges no longer lives here. I do not know what happened to him, because I came to this apartment five years ago, and from what I know of from the real estate people, it took a long time between rentals, so I guess it would have been the house of his parents at some point, which Marvin left after putting your contact address in the magazine. I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but the truth is that I can not say the same. Brittany, reading your words has been like opening the window to a new world that I thought was buried in my memories. I have also read Zafón's books many times, and many others later, but Great Expectations quote is still the best for me, because it is still the one I identify with the most.

I apologize for this diatribe, in which a bored thirty-something years old complains about life is going and going around her, while she remains stuck in her memories of other happier times, but somehow I know that you will forgive me and, I hope that, somehow, you understand my desire to start living and stop surviving.

I know I'm not Marvin, and we really do not know each other and surely this will seem crazy, but I think that even with all this, we could try to catch some of those great expectations from those pages and try to mash them together, see if is there is something worthy in them for us.

Again, thank you for your letter ("your letter." Anyway, I hope you are ok with this, wherever you are, Marvin), and I sincerely hope to read you soon.

Sincerely,

Santana Lopez.

Three years later…

Brittany was busy closing the last boxes. She still had to collect half of the bookshelf, pack the rest of the books and take down the boxes, so that tomorrow they moving guys would pick them. Taking a breath, she passed her forearm across her sweat-beaded forehead and sighed, tired. The summer sun fell on her because it was coming in full force through the windows, sans curtains anymore. It had been the first thing she had packed, and now she was paying for it suffering the heat.

After hearing the front door close, the noise echoing through the walls of the almost empty apartment, she got up quickly and went to the bookshelf to finish emptying it. While placing ordered by size and weight the volumes on the floor, next to the box where they tended to fit; she took one in her hands which she had not read in a long time. Standing there, she smiled nostalgic. It had always been one of his favorite books, but for almost three years now it had another meaning, much deeper than her teenage readings and the memories of distant days that those pages brought her.

Keeping her smile, she turned with the book still in her hand when she felt a presence behind her. There, at the door, Santana was waiting, leaning against the frame, with one hand holding her six months bump. She could not help but smile when she saw her wife, it was automatic since that distant afternoon when she received the first letter and Brittany disarmed her for the first time. But now the smile widened when she saw what she had in her hands.

No words were needed. Many had already been said. Brittany simply put the book back on the shelf and approached her wife to kiss her gently on the lips, and caress her belly with one of her hands, which entwined it with her wife's at the bottom of her belly.

It had been years since their Great Expectations no longer lived among books' pages.

fin.

#brittana #fanfiction #fic #brittany #santana #au #postage #myfic

30 notes · View notes

naturalhealthgodsway · 4 years

Text

Taming the Clock - Managing Household Chores

So far this quarter, we've been covering Taming the Clock. April's theme was taming the clock by keeping our word. Living in a way that shows the agreements you make matter, the appointments you make matter, the promises you make matter is huge toward any kind of change in how you manage your time. May's focus has been taming the clock around town although during COVID many of those subjects have been handled closer to home. June's theme will be taming the clock in the home from chores and mealtimes to bedtime routines, boundaries and unstructured play. As the coming Thursday to Wednesday week wraps up May and begins June, June will be a 5 themed-week month. We begin this cross-over week between months on the subject of chores. How do you handle chores in your home? Does one person do most of the chores? Do you divvy them up among those who want to help? Is it mandatory that all members have certain chores they do? Do you change them up? What age do you or did you begin introducing chores to your children? In my home, I began introducing household tasks to my kids when they began making messes. As babies, this meant holding them as they grabbed a toy, then carrying them over to the toy bin so they could drop the toy into the bin and then congratulating them on help me clean up their toys. My daughter was such an avid bookworm as a baby that I taught her to put her books back on the shelf before she could read the words. She loved books so much as a baby that one night, my not-yet-ex and I heard a commotion in the bedroom. My kids shared a room at that time, and my son was busy pulling all the books of the shelf and putting them into my daughter’s crib. She was in heaven! We very quickly figured out how to give them separate rooms after that! When they played in the plastics cupboard, they had to put all the plastics away when they were done. Little age-appropriate measures to begin instilling the concept that we put back what we bring out. When I became a single mother, these lessons took on more importance because now there was only one parent in the home. Putting toys away at bedtime was already a given, but getting things ready for the next day was now added to that routine. That became so much habit after awhile that to this day, when my kids work the next day now as young adults, they prep for it the night before as a matter of course. It’s just what they do. If you introduce them to helping you put away plastic-ware in the kitchen and helping you set the table at mealtimes, helping you fold wash-clothes and lighter clothing after the laundry is dry, and helping you put the groceries away, when they are pre-school and kindergarten, you will notice something. There will come a stage when suddenly, vacuuming the couch cushions is fun! Dusting the window sills is somehow fun for them! They are declaring they’ll wash the dishes tonight, or some other chore. Grab these moments quickly and use them to teach good cleaning habits! If they are very cerebral, go ahead and explain as you go about the why’s and hows of the task and the benefits to doing it every week. This phase unfortunately tends to pass for many kids, but it will have been a shortened learning curve for various chores that you can build on as they grow. I am reminded of a time when I was still going to college my kids were ages 4 and 6. I had come down with one heck of the flu so bad I could hardly walk or talk and spent most of my time in bed. My kids, bless their little hearts at the time, tried to help out by a) plugging in the kettle on my bed which meant me spilling it when I shifted, all over that end of the bed! b) trying to do the laundry and figuring the soak cycle meant it was done, sloshing sounds got me out of bed to discover sopping wet clothes being put in the dryer! Quickly, although with difficulty, averted that electrical fire. . . c) being informed (not freaked out, just calmly) that there had been a fire on the stove. I tore out of bed as fast as my wooziness and dizziness would let me, got into the kitchen to find my daughter on a chair at the stove and my son pointing to the sink. I lifted out a T-towel now sporting a huge hole in the middle. I spun around to be reassured by the kids that they got the fire out and dinner was almost ready! Oh my word! I will NEVER forget that day! In their young little minds, they were trying to help mom out (had become a single mom when they were 3 and 5 hardly 6 months earlier) By all means as a #singlemother, when your #kids hit grades 1 and 2, start divvying up the #household #chores. Click To TweetAt that age, they can fold all the laundry minus the bed sheets. They can take turns washing the dishes. They can learn how to wash windows and mirrors and counter tops. They can learn how to work the vacuum cleaner and how to wash the floors. They can learn how to cook simple nutritious meals and can begin finessing how their toys are put away. Some will prefer by colour, others by size, others by type. Once organized, take pictures of their work and be super proud of them to begin with. As they mature and grow, change up who does what so they get experience learning how to do all the household chores. This takes some of the load of all the chores off your own shoulders. Some days you will spend more time helping them and less time being productive elsewhere, but if you are ensuring they are doing as you are teaching, you are not robbing them of this important learning period. Eventually you will be able to remind them and do something else while they do their assigned chores. This will give you time to relax a moment, or handle that phone call, get that bill paid, write that blog article, have your devotions, etc.

Another tip for managing household chores is to take your own list of chores, and break them up into a weekly list. I share this concept with graduated high schoolers in my book: Mom’s Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate available on Amazon. Pull out a calendar or planner, and write in which days of the week you will do which chores. Your kids’ chores can be written in this way too if setting aside one day for chores doesn’t work in your home. Having one day just for chores works best if possible, as you all know that on that day, the house gets cleaned and only smaller chores like cooking, dishes, and putting away toys are ongoing. But if your schedule is such that there is no single day when the housework can be attacked, spread it out over the course of the week. This has worked well for me for many years! Be flexible! If one person’s schedule suddenly take s drastic shift and they can’t do their chore very well anymore, shuffle the chores so that someone else gets those chores instead. If someone develops a long term mobility issue or health problem that prevents them from doing another chore, do the chore shuffle again. You will be glad you taught them how to do all the chores by the time they hit their tweens, because now it’s just a matter of adjusting who does what and the chores continue to be handled.

One thing that I see many parents doing that can honestly be a source of stress for the single mom, is that of assigning allowances to chores, as if they are paying their kids to help around the house. Don’t do this!!! Never give the impression that one should be paid to keep house and home clean and healthy! Your kids are not paying you, and no one else is paying you either. If you have a dirty home, you will get sick and so will your kids. If you have a clean home, you will be healthier and so will your kids. Many single moms are living pay cheque to pay cheque, and get stressed out thinking their 10yr olds should be getting allowances. Allowances are seen as the only way to teach them money management. Here is where I am counter-cultural and my two young adults will tell you they were none the worse for it and actually can use their money better than many of their peers. Instead of allowances, include them in discussions around how to spend the grocery shopping budget. Include them in discussions about which bills will be paid this month and which will be put off till next month if your income is genuinely that tight. Mine was for quite awhile so this was quite seriously, me back then. No judgment if this is you too. When they are given gift money, teach them to spend part of it on what they need, part of it as a thank offering to God for the gift, and part of it to something they want. When I was a child, these took the form of three envelopes under the bed: Saving, giving, spending. The saving envelope was not to be spent until it had enough in it for what I wanted to buy. The giving envelope was to be emptied every Sunday at church. The spending envelope was for things I needed. I did not grow up with an allowance either, so these envelopes did not always have anything in them. Whenever my kids wanted to spend their money, we would discuss needs versus wants and why. But I never ever ever paid them to do chores. EVER! This is a bad precedence to set and can cause trouble down the road, especially when they get friends convincing them to sit you down and discuss a raise because Johnny two houses over gets paid this much to fold his laundry and you’re only paying this much! Not a wise move. You want the household chores to be done because you are family, not employees. Anyone who lives there pitches in with the chores simply because it is their home too. Everyone has a stakes in keeping house and home clean and reasonably tidy and workable. Give some thought to how you handle chores around your home, and if you are not already divying up the chores to your children, ask yourself why and reach out if this is something you could use a little help in. Simply use the free SPA session (single parent assessment) form to give me a shout and we’ll take a few minutes to go over your situation and how you can handle it better. If you decide you could use ongoing assistance for awhile, we will discuss payment for my services and get you started on a regular coaching schedule as we work toward workable daily routines in and around your particular home’s dynamic. Read the full article

#age-appropriate #allowance #children #chores #cleaning #experience #householdchores #managing #puttingtoysaway #singlemom #TamingtheClock #timetorest

0 notes

crohnsdigest · 4 years

Text

Tips on Handling Home Isolation with Little Kids

Being stuck in quarantine isn’t easy, especially when you have little ones! Mange this period smartly with our Tips for Handling Home Isolation with Kids. We live in strange times. In fact, even our grandparents probably don’t remember a time when the entire planet was completely shut down, except perhaps those who lived in war zones. A time when no one goes to work, no one goes to school, and when we’re all hiding from an invisible enemy – unprecedented times indeed. With state governments and eventually the central government declaring a complete lockdown in the country, we’re all stuck at home with our families. Not being able to go outside and do our regular tasks is frustrating for us already, so imagine how it must be for little kids who’re bursting with energy! Quarantine isn’t easy, but this too, shall pass. In the meantime, we can make the most of this period we’re at home without driving each other crazy. Who knows, maybe this is actually a blessing in disguise for many families!

Tips for Handling Home Isolation with Kids

Explain the Situation

The very first thing to do as a parent in this situation, is to stay calm. No, it’s not easy, and the uncertainty of everything is enough to induce anxiety in anyone. We don’t know for sure when this is going to end, what the financial picture is going to be like and how badly we’re all going to be affected. What we do know, however, is that we have the power to control our reactions, and indirectly, the reaction of our children. Depending upon your child’s age, explain the situation to them. They know that school and exams have been cancelled, and it’s because of something called Coronavirus, which is bad (even though it got classes cancelled). Tell them that it’s something that can get them sick, and we’re all staying home for some time so the virus can’t get to everyone. Don’t give too many details – most kids are satisfied with just a basic explanation. Unnecessary information will only create panic and that’s the last thing you want to do. Be matter-of-fact when explaining things and assuage their fears calmly. Older kids may have got a bit of misinformation from friends – clear these by checking reliable websites like the WHO or CDC. You can even do this together, so your child learns from an early age where to get reliable information from.

Stick to a Routine

A routine is a great way to establish a feeling of security and stability, even if the world seems to be falling apart. That’s why routines are advised even for newborn babies – who’re among the most unpredictable people ever! The same is true when you’re all in home isolation, when we don’t have school or work timings to guide us through our day. Try to set up a routine that’s similar to your regular one, especially with regards to bedtime and waking up. Kids still need enough sleep, especially since it’s an important part of boosting immunity. Let younger kids take their naps as they usually do, so they don’t end up cranky. Make a daily schedule that’s not too regimented, but is rather based on time blocks. For instance, a time for reading, a time for playing with toys, story time with Dad etc. Be sure to include unstructured, free play time when the kids can do whatever they want. You can try a routine for a few days and tweak it as you go so you’re all comfortable with the new state of things.

Involve them in Household Tasks

With everyone being on lockdown, it’s likely you’re having to do all the household chores too, unless you have a live-in maid who’s sharing the lockdown with you. This can be an added stress for parents, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to inculcate some life skills in your kids. Just think: if your parents hadn’t taught you how to do chores, what would you have done in the current situation? The kitchen is one of the easiest place to involve kids, even little ones. Sorting groceries, putting things into the fridge or taking things out of them, measuring ingredients, washing and peeling fruit or vegetables are all things every child can do. Older kids can try their hand at cutting and making simple dishes on their own. Clean the house as a family. Put some music one, assign each person a task and you’ll be surprised at how a mundane chore turns into a fun activity. Kids can dust, wipe down shelves and tables, straighten cushions, make beds as well as sweep and wash dishes. Little ones can learn to put away their toys and books and do a general tidy up.

Take Turns with your Spouse

The Coronavirus situation is stressful for everyone, whether they’re a stay at home parent, work at home parent or someone who works outside the home. Managing a full time job along with little kids while also taking care of household chores simultaneously is impossible, and you’ll only end up doing a bad job at each. Instead, let both spouses take turns, so that one can attend a conference call while the other one helps their child make pancakes. Or one spouse can bathe the kids while the other one catches up on some work. Both parents can follow the same concept for some me-time or self care too. Staying in isolation is particularly hard on new parents who’re away from their families. It’s very important here to make things as easy as possible since everyone’s sanity is at stake! Get an electric breast pump so Dad can also feed the baby. Choose whatever arrangement suits your family, whether it’s co-sleeping, baby wearing or anything else related to baby care.

Connect with Relatives (while Social Distancing)

The current lockdown is for 3 weeks, but the fact is that many of us have already been under lockdown for a week or so before this one started. That’s a long time to stay away from your extended families and friends. Everyone is talking about how this is a war-like situation, but we have one thing people didn’t have during WWII – technology! Make the most of video calling apps to stay in touch with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. Set a time everyday to talk to them – it could be a different person everyday so everyone involved has something to look forward to. Surviving isolation is a lot easier when you know others are in the same boat! You can also connect with your kids’ friends over phone so they can chat for a while about what they’re doing. They could probably exchange ideas about things to make, watch or read. This will be a huge relief for kids who aren’t able to go out and play with their buddies.

Don’t Start Homeschooling

Schools have been cut and we don’t know when they’ll start, so it can be tempting to worry that your child will be left behind his or her peers. But that worry is completely unnecessary, since everyone else is going through the same stage. If you’re thinking that this is a good time to get a head start, that’s not a bad idea, but don’t start homeschooling all of a sudden. It’s only going to add more stress for both parent and child, and we all know how stress can lower your immunity – a valuable resource in these times! Instead, focus on other kinds of learning. Plant seeds and watch them grow. Learn how to measure in grams and milligrams. Look at how yeast makes dough rise. Learn how to sew a button. There are endless opportunities like these!

Use Screens Wisely

It’s not realistic to ban screen time completely during this lockdown and it’s not recommended you do so. Instead, you can use screens wisely so it’s not just mindless gaming or mind-numbing videos. This is a great time to watch some classic movies with kids – maybe you can introduce them to your childhood favorites! Along with these, there are several documentaries, online courses and even virtual museum tours – all of which have been made free now that classes are being missed due to the pandemic. Here are some of the resources to check out: Free books from AudibleVirtual Tours from famous museumsFun games and puzzles from PBS KidsOnline courses from Khan AcademyInspirational speeches at TED TalksVisit famous places like the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the San Diego Zoo, the Yellowstone National Park and the Great Wall of China.

Include some Physical Activity

Kids aren’t allowed to play outside and if you’re in an apartment that means their movements are restricted. But sitting put for so many days on end is not good for their physical or emotional health. Make sure to include some kind of activity every day. It could be something simple like doing jumping jacks or bear crawls. They can do these every time an ad comes on TV. If you have a stepper, then TV time is perfect to get in some movement. Another option is yoga, which is great to calm the mind during such trying times as well as build concentration and focus. There are many videos on YouTube that are specially catered to kids, and make physical movement a fun task. Here are some of the options to try: Cosmic Kids YogaThe KiboomersThe Kidz BopDebbie DooThe Learning StationPancake ManorMove to Learn

Encourage Creativity

Haven’t we all heard that necessity is the mother of invention? Well, a child stuck in quarantine will have no option but to rely on his imagination, and thankfully, kids have a lot of it compared to us adults! While regular art and craft supplies are great to keep them busy for a while, let them experiment and think outside the box. Maybe they can think of ways to revamp an old piece of furniture. Or maybe they can get together with a parent to build something new. If they have their own rooms, they can try redecorating it from scratch with things they make themselves. Older kids can learn to use the sewing machine. There are so many videos and websites dedicated to kids’ crafts that it can actually be overwhelming, so start small. You can even sign up for PBS Kids’ daily newsletter that has tips and tricks for creativity and to pass the time. No matter what kind of supplies you have, there’s sure to be something you can make with them. You’ll be surprised at how creative our kids can be!

Rotate Toys

You must be wondering why we didn’t mention this at the beginning! The fact is that most kids are bored of their toys, especially if they’re not open ended. The best thing to do now is to put away at least two thirds of their toys so they have just one third to play with. The second week, give them another batch while putting the current one away, and repeat for the third week. This way, you can make sure that they’re not fed up, plus they’ll be delighted when they get a new set every week. Another thing to try is to make them look at toys in different ways. Maybe the Barbie is a paleontologist and she’s discovered dinosaur fossils, or maybe the toy soldiers need to be attended to by a Lego doctor! This is a difficult time, not only in our lives, but in the lives of everyone around you, across the globe. Don’t worry about making everything perfect or packing every minute of every day with an educational activity. Sometimes just going with the flow is the best thing we can do at this time. Let’s stick to the government guidelines of staying indoors and social distancing, while also maintaining the WHO guidelines of hygiene. With a little planning on our part, we can make this lockdown period a memorable and happy time for the whole family. click here to read more on crohnsdigest Read the full article

0 notes

amacoupo-blog · 7 years

Text

Once-A-Month-Cooking: How to Make Your Plan Work

http://amacoupo.com/once-a-month-cooking-how-to-make-your-plan-work/

As one of the oldest children in a family of nine, I know that cooking for a crowd can almost be a full-time job. Once-a-month-cooking has been a lifesaver for our family. In the beginning though, when we first heard of cooking 30 meals in one day, it sounded rather impossible. It was not until we had tried it, though, that we found it is not only possible, but it can even be quite simple and fun!

Blessings

If you are skeptical about taking on what might seem like an overwhelming task to you, let me first share some of the blessings which have resulted for our family from once-a-month-cooking.

o It has saved us many hours of trying to figure out what to have for dinner and answered the infamous question, “What’s for dinner?”

o We have been more readily able to show hospitality to other families when the main dish is already made and in the freezer. (We usually plan ahead for this by doubling or tripling seven to ten of the recipes on cooking day to use as “company meals.”) In like manner, it is much easier to being meals to needy families when you have casseroles in the freezer ready to be pulled out and heated at the drop of a hat. (We also plan for this by preparing many of the dishes in disposable pans.)

o It saves time (You only have to do mountains of dishes one day a month, not every day! You also don’t have to start dinner at 4:30 p.m. or earlier everyday… just pull dinner out to thaw in the morning.) and money (You can usually save quite a bit by buying in bulk).

o We are brought closer together as we spend a special day as a family cooking these meals.

o This is an excellent lesson in Home Economics for your children. Mom always has the oldest girls plan the menu, grocery list, and strategy for the cooking day. She often has us do the grocery shopping, as well.

Planning

Proper planning is essential for a successful cooking day. I usually start planning at least a week in advance. First, pick which day will be your cooking day. Clear your schedule that day. You will want to focus your energies entirely on cooking.

Menu Planning: After you have chosen your cooking day, begin menu planning. Go through your cookbooks and find recipes suitable for freezing. Strive for variety. My list usually includes: one-dish dinners, meatloaf, meatballs, layered casseroles, soups, chili, hamburgers, meatless dishes, and so on. Make sure that you include a number of family favorites, in addition to any new recipes you may be trying out. You do not want to fill your freezer with meals your family won’t find appetizing! When you write down your menu, make sure and write down the cookbook and page number the recipe came from. In addition, mark whether you are planning to double or triple the recipe.

Make Your Grocery List: Using your menu list, write down the quantities of ingredients needed for each recipe. I like to categorize like ingredients on five to seven different lists (meats, vegetables, cheese, pasta, spices, etc.). Take these lists and combine all like ingredients onto a final list. For example, if there are fifteen recipes calling for one pound of ground beef, you will write “15 pounds ground beef” on your final grocery list.

After you have made your final grocery list, make sure and check your cupboards to see what you might already have on hand. You probably have most of the seasonings. But be sure that if you need four teaspoons of garlic powder, you actually have that much in the jar. I have not checked thoroughly before, and it has been real headache.

I have found it most helpful to keep a separate “food preparation list” along with my grocery list which states what is to be done with the items which I need large quantities (Such as, if one the items on your list is “20 pounds of chicken breasts,” note beside that item how many cups need to be cooked and diced, how many chicken breasts need to be cooked and left whole, how many need to be left frozen, etc.).

You will also want to make sure you have plenty of freezer bags and foil on hand. These will be essential on your cooking day.

Cooking Day Strategy: It is wise to develop a basic cooking day strategy of what you will do when. This does not need to be an exhaustive list, but it will save you time and effort if you have planned the basic order of what you will be cooking when. If you are going to be working together as a family on cooking, plan who is responsible for what tasks. Although everyone will need to be flexible, it will definitely save hassle to have most of the schedule worked out ahead of time.

Shopping: The day before you begin cooking, do your grocery shopping. Make sure you do not rush through this. Read your list thoroughly and check to get the best deal.

Cooking

The sooner you can start in the morning, the better. Begin by cooking the meats, grating the cheese, chopping the onions, or whatever bulk preparations your “food preparation list” says you need to do. If you have planned to make soups, you should start these early on, as they usually need to cook for longer.

Cooking the meat is one of the most time-consuming projects and you will probably find you end up browning ground beef and boiling chicken most of the day! As much as is possible, use all of the burners on your stove at the same time.

Keep soapy water in the sink at all times and take turns being on “dish duty.” As soon as a dish is used, wash it. This will save you from having an enormous mess at the end of the day. You might also find it helpful to take a five-minute kitchen cleaning break every hour or so to wipe down the counters and put things away which you are no longer using.

Freezing

What do you do with the completed dishes? Here are some guidelines for freezing:

o We always designate the kitchen table as our “finished recipe” zone. We often have someone who is specifically just working on labeling things and taking them to the freezer from the kitchen table.

o Proper labeling is a key factor in making sure you know what you have in freezer. Make sure you label the containers with the recipe, the cookbook it came from, the page number, how many it serves, and any additional instructions for the dish. Also write out a list with all of the recipes you make and freeze and how many they serve on the outside of your freezer.

o Transfer soup to a big bowl and cool for about an hour. You can either place the soup in plastic freezer bags or plastic containers with lids (32 oz. cottage cheese and yogurt containers work well for this).

o Most other recipes can be transferred to plastic freezer bags. Do not fill the bags very full, as foods expand when frozen. Do not put anything which is still hot into bags. You will likely split the bag at the seams and have a gigantic mess to deal with!

o Use smaller labeled bags for cheese or anything else to be sprinkled on top once the dish is cooked. Make sure you keep these in a very accessible place in the freezer.

o If the recipe is something like lasagna which cannot be frozen in a plastic bag, freeze it in the size of pan the recipe calls for, cover with foil, and label.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to give once-a-month-cooking a try. If you are like us, you will soon wonder how you ever lived without cooking this way! You could also simplify this plan and just cook for two weeks at a time to start.

For further information, ideas, and recipes, I highly recommend you read Once-A-Month-Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg and Dinner’s in the Freezer by Jill Bond.

Happy Cooking!

Source by Crystal Paine

#AffiliateWebsite

0 notes

cesarhcastrojr · 7 years

Link

I’m not sure where or how it started, but a few years ago someone came up with the rule that a resume should only have one page.

Applications with more than one page were either a waste of time time or doomed for failure.

Nowadays applicants break this rule often and get away with it.

So, How Long Should a Resume Be (Really)?

How long a resume is supposed to be is a hard question to answer. Recruiters and employers also have different preferences. No surprise there.

Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish, Author of Getting Back in the Game: How to Build Your Resume After Taking a Break, says

“If you’re a recent college graduate, then a one-page resume should be enough to describe your educational and professional history. By contrast, if you’ve worked for 15+ years, you will likely need a two-page document. My general rule of thumb is one page for each 10 years of job history."

Roy Cohen, Career Coach and Author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide says,

“Shorter is always better when it comes to resume length, but not at the expense of losing important content. How much information you include depends on your seniority level, the breadth of your experience, technical qualifications, and range of organizations you’ve worked for.”

He also agrees that recent college graduates should stick to a one-page document, as well as Wall-Street traders because they’re dealing with people with limited time and attention span.

Maureen CrawfordHentz, Talent Acquisition Manager at Osram Sylvania, hates short teaser resumes with little to no information, and a request to “call for more information.”

Recruiters, in most cases, aren’t the end-reader of a resume. They forward the resumes to hiring clients, so they also take their preferences into consideration.

Perfect resume length: how long is a resume supposed to be? (graphic source)

It looks like a better resume length guideline to follow is: your resume should be short enough that it’s not a chore to read, but long enough to include information that will entice recruiters to give you a call.

In this tutorial, we look at what components to drop from your resume and how to edit it down, so you can keep your resume length concise—just to what's needed for the job your'e applying to. We answer some common questions on resume length and give you some killer tips to work with as well.

Use the 6 Second Rule

A study revealed that recruiters only spend about six seconds on each resume. This might be the reason one-page resumes became popular.

Sure, a one page resume is quicker to read than a two-pager. But that just means it’s quicker for the recruiter to decide whether an applicant is worth calling.

A one-page resume will still get thrown in the trash if recruiters can’t find the qualifications they’re looking for. Resume length doesn’t matter if bullet points and fluff buried your skills and experience.

It’s not so much the length that matters—it’s how fast you can get the recruiter’s attention. Since you only have about six seconds, your first page—the first 1/3 of that page—has to be a show stopper—if you want the rest of your application read.

What Are the Ideal Number of Resume Pages?

Use a One-Page Resume If:

You’re a fresh graduate with limited experience related to your target job.

You’re changing careers and your previous experience isn’t relevant to your new industry.

You have less than 10 years of professional experience or less than four employers.

Use a Two-Page Resume If:

You’re a fresh graduate with several internships, summer jobs, or extra-curricular activities that may be tied to the job you’re pursuing.

Your job requires varying technical or industry-specific skills and qualifications that not all applicants have.

You have more than 10 years of professional experience in your field.

You’re in a senior management role with tons of responsibilities.

You’re in a field that requires demonstrating specialized training and achievments, like publications and licenses.

Resumes

What is the Difference Between a CV vs Resume?

Charley Mendoza

Addenda: What Is It and Who Uses It

Executive recruiters used to read three and four-page resumes. While still acceptable today, a growing trend is to send a two page resume followed by addenda.

Addendum (plural: Addenda) is a one-page document that you can send with your resume, or give during an interview. The resume contains a candidate’s main selling points, while the addendum gives a closer look at the applicant’s qualifications.

An addendum elaborates on different aspects of your professional experience, such as but not limited to:

Work projects or case studies

Technical skills

Software knowledge

Equipment operation skills

Classes or seminars taught

Training

Leadership experience

Separating this information into an addendum frees up space for important corporate contributions. It also gives the applicant freedom to choose which addenda to send with his application.

How to Shorten Your Resume by Tailoring It to Your Target Job

How long should your resume be? While the perfect resume length depends on your experience and the type of job you're applying to, it's helpful to keep your resume as concise and to the point as possible. Let's look at how to focus your resume by removing what's not absolutely necessary.

1. Remove Unrelated Positions From Your Resume

It’s impossible to find someone who hasn’t worked in a job they’re not proud of. Washing dishes, packing groceries, waitressing, flipping hamburgers—none of these jobs connect to whatever you’re pursuing right now. Delete them from your resume.

These jobs might have helped you pay the bills. But no hiring manager wants to hear about this part of your professional experience.

You should also delete positions no longer relevant to your professional goals. You might have started as an accountant, because that’s your college major. But if you have already switched to engineering or some other field, you shouldn’t waste space to mention your stint crunching numbers.

2. Remove Irrelevant Tasks or Accomplishments

Every job comes with a list of tasks and responsibilities, not all are worth listing in your resume. Delete everyday tasks you can’t tie to a quantifiable accomplishment or noticeable growth in your field.

Work done with your company’s CEO, high-ranking officers, or a well-known expert in your industry is an accomplishment. Don’t delete those. You can write about this experience in two ways:

How working with them helped you grow in your field faster.

How they value your ideas and trained you to become a better leader.

3. Remove General Skills From Your Resume

General skills like researching, email management, and MS Word are only worth listing if you’re applying as an assistant, or any role where these skills are sought after.

Remove these skills and any training you did on subjects not mentioned in the specific job ad you’re applying for.

4. Remove Unrelated Community Activities

Community activities can beef up your work history if you’re changing jobs or industry. But it’s a waste of space if you’re not. Don’t include community and volunteer work unless it’s related to the job you’re applying for. Put this on your LinkedIn profile instead.

5. Delete or Shorten Long Job Duties

Sometimes explaining your role is important, especially if you have a vague job title (e.g. Executive Assistant or Graphic Designer).

Write a short description of your role instead of using several bullet points and wasting extra margin space. For example, you can elaborate on your role as a graphic designer by including this description below your job title:

“Collaborated with the product and marketing team to design packaging materials for food and house cleaning products for Brand XYZ”

That sentence describes what you design and who you work with, so you can devote your bullet points to the more impressive aspects of your design portfolio.

Want more tips to get your resume noticed?

Resumes

30+ Best Resume Tips: That Will Get You Noticed and Hired

Charley Mendoza

Shorten Your Resume With Good Writing

Here's how to tighten up your resume, so you can keep it as short as possible, and the best length for your work experience and job you're applying to.

1. Simple Resume Editing Tricks

Below are several editing and writing tricks to improve the syntax and diction in your resume.

Avoid vague keywords like ‘creative,’ ‘customer-oriented’, or ‘performance-driven.’ These words sound good but don’t add value to your application.

Rewrite sentences with ‘of the’ phrase. For example, “In charge of the Food and Beverage (F&B) team” is same as “Head of Food and Beverage (F&B)”

Delete unnecessary ‘that’ in sentences. If you see this word on your resume, read it without the word and see if removing it doesn’t change its meaning. If it doesn’t and the sentence is grammatically correct, remove it. You’ll be surprised how often you don’t need this extra word.

Remove ‘very’, ‘really’ and the adverbs. Phrases with the words ‘very’ and ‘really’ can either do without those extras, or be written in a simplified form. “Executed a very successful product launch” is the same as “Executed a successful product launch.”

2. Avoid Repeating Information on Your Resume

Did you do the same tasks for multiple employers? You don’t need to mention all those tasks for every employer. Pick one task where you shined for each employer, until you've distributed all the similar tasks across your employment history. This will still demonstrate your skills, but help keep your resume length down.

For example, sales, customer service, and problem solving are common tasks for different jobs. Let's say you got a sales award or exceeded a monthly quota for one company, received praised for your customer service skills in another company, and solved a problem for one of your previous teams. Separate those three accomplishments in three work history entries on your resume. You’ll accomplish three things with this strategy:

Satisfy keyword requirements of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

You don’t have to come up with a way to describe each task for each item in your employment history.

You’ll save at least two bullet points worth of space.

3. Prioritize the First and Last Three Words of a Bullet Point

Readers remember the first three and last three words of a headline. You can also use this tip for subheadings and bullet points in your resume.

To do this, allot the first three words of the bullet to the verb, number, or keyword. Use the last three words for the accomplishment you’re trying to describe, or just minimize bullet points to six words.

Examples:

Optimized pay-per-click campaign in collaboration with the marketing team to increase product sales by 30%

20% reduction of expenses after creating a new administrative budget

4. Remove First and Third Person Nouns

Since it’s your resume, recruiters assume you’re the doer of the actions in it, so there’s no need to write “I” or “me.” Instead of writing “I designed website themes for hotels” it’s just “Designed website themes for hotels.”

5. Replace Vague Words With Specifics

Replace vague phrases like “assisted in,” “helped with,” and “responsible for” with descriptive verbs or adjectives. Sometimes the resulting phrase will be longer, sometimes it will be shorter, but at least it’s not dead weight in your application.

Examples:

“Helped animators create a TV commercial” is vague compared to “Sourced high-quality images for a TV commercial”

“Assisted resident patients in performing simple every day tasks” is better changed to “Aided elderly patients in cleaning their apartment”

“Responsible for securing funding for a charity event” is shorter if you change it to “Raised $80,000 for a charity event”

6. Save Your Lines

If your resume was originally two pages, there’s a huge chance you can save space and shorten your resume page length by paying attention to items that warrant their own line or page break.

For example, does your course or major deserve a separate line?

UCLA 2010

Bachelor of Arts in English

Can’t you just write it like this?

BA English, UCLA 2010

You can also apply this to your address, phone, and email, so instead of taking up two to three lines, it could all be in one line:

Main St, Chicago | [email protected] | 312-845-1298

Even if it’s all bundled up together, there’s still enough space to make it readable and add your LinkedIn profile URL.

Resume Sections to Cut or Edit to Save Space

You can shorten your resume length by removing unnecessary sections and fluff, such as:

1. Hobbies

Employers don’t care about what you do outside of work, unless those activities are useful to your job. Remove unrelated hobbies and interests to make room for information that will increase your value as a candidate.

2. References

Recruiters already know that you’ll give them a list of references if they ask.

3. Work History

Delete employment history older than 10 years. If it’s related to your target job, list the company and job title only.

If you’ve been with the same company more than 10 years, list the company once then cite the different job titles you’ve held over the years. Don’t list the jobs as separate work entries because it’s a waste of space, and it robs you of the opportunity to show your career progression.

4. Photos

Delete your picture on your resume to avoid discrimination and ageism. Even if you look good on a photo, there’s still a risk someone might find it unprofessional. If nothing else, you’re looking for a job—not a date.

5. Last Page With Only a Few Lines

Is the second page of your resume barely reaching half of the page? That’s a sign you’ve over-fluffed the previous page. Condense your writing and remove unnecessary information on the first page, so it doesn’t look like you’re trying hard to beef up your qualifications.

6. Education Details and Memberships

“Remove details of your GPA, coursework, school location, club information and other school organizations.This extra information is no longer used to gauge your qualifications after you have several years of employment under your belt,” suggests Michelle Riklan, Executive Resume Writer and Managing Director at Riklan Resources.

This also applies to professional organizations and affiliations, especially if you’re no longer an active member and if the membership isn’t relevant to your job.

7. Outdated Technical Skills

Rothbauer-Wanish, says, “I once advised a client to delete an entire technical skills section focused on old technology, such as Windows 95, Microsoft Works, and Internet Explorer on his resume. This information took up space and gave the impression that he’s out of touch with current technology.”

More Helpful Resume Resources

Jump into our multiple part series: How to Create a Great Resume (Ultimate Guide). Or, begin with these tutorials on how to properly structure and make a great resume:

Resumes

How to Structure Your Resume

Laura Spencer

Resumes

How to Make a Resume

Laura Spencer

You can also grab a professional resume template from GraphicRiver, which will help you make a resume with a great design quickly. Here are resources to help with that:

Resumes

20+ Professional MS Word Resume Templates - With Simple Designs

Marc Schenker

Resumes

Personalize a Modern Resume Template in MS Word

Laura Spencer

Experiment to See What Works

You don’t have a crystal ball to tell you what the ideal resume length is for a particular recruiter or employer. There's no way to know for sure how long your resume be. So the next best thing you can do is experiment to see what works.

Create a one page resume summarizing all your relevant experience and accomplishment, a synopsis of your professional history if you will.

Send the regular, two-page resume first. Then if you don’t get a response after a few weeks, try sending a one-page resume to see if they prefer a condensed application.

0 notes

crohnsdigest · 4 years

Text

Tips on Handling Home Isolation with Little Kids