Search Results for: blog creating a family disaster plan

Managing Family Paperwork

You know, I just had a realization. This realization involved the family paperwork. I do far too much of the stuff. Our paperwork takes at least 45 minutes every day, and that’s with one child. Granted, we have some complexities, but so do all families. I have a medical condition that involves paperwork. We’re members of a number of farm shares that need paperwork-related attention. We go to church. My daughter has extracurricular activities. She goes to school. I attend classes. We have a lot of pets. I run a couple of small businesses. Oh yes, and there are the … Continue reading →

Creating a Family Disaster Plan

Whether they’re earthquakes on the West Coast or hurricanes on the East Coast, disasters are getting a lot of air time these days, and for good reason. They’re scary, they cause damage and death, and they cause a lot of stress on families. A few days ago I wrote about items you can have on hand to get ready for a disaster. However, disaster preparedness is a lot more than stuff. A good disaster plan also involves thinking about how you’ll keep your family safe and connected during and after a disaster. Think about your typical day. If you’re in … Continue reading →

Natural Disaster Emergency Pet Plan

The National Guard helps evacuate households, pets included My county was one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Irene in my state. Trees fell on power lines and even houses. Some people in areas right by the water had to evacuate and thousands of people lost power, with many not getting it back for days. I knew in my area I didn’t have to worry about evacuating – the only people who did so lived right on the beach and we’re 100 feet above sea level. But I knew we might face days without power, and because we’re on a … Continue reading →

Estate Planning and the Step Family

For too many of us, estate planning is the thing we’re always going to get to but often don’t. It’s like flossing, but with exponentially greater potential for harm. I understand why we procrastinate, believe me I do, but a failure to act in this department can have a devastating effect on your family. Our financial planner had been after us to create an estate plan for a year; as we began preparations for an extended trip through Mexico, it seemed irresponsible not to have something in place. We contacted an attorney who came highly recommended, and blithely scheduled an … Continue reading →

How To Load The Dishwasher

Did you know that there’s a right way to load a dishwasher? I know that everyone who owns a dishwasher has a particular way he or she prefers to load the washer. Have you ever read the manual for your dishwasher? I did and discovered that there is a way to load our washer for best results. I appreciate my husband’s help with the dishes and I would never complain, but he doesn’t load it right. I learned from my mom growing up to load the silverware with the handles down so there’s no rust. The manual for my dishwasher, … Continue reading →

Learning through Example

Parents are the biggest influence on a child’s life. A parent’s job is to mold and shape a child to function productively in society. While, family values vary from family to family, most want at the core the same things for their children. I have yet to meet a well intentioned parent who did not want a happy, compassionate, well-rounded, and wise child. We may want a doctor or a lawyer in the family but above all we want healthy and happy children. We also want children who show proper discernment and made good decisions in reference to time management. … Continue reading →

Super Summer Fun: Wet and Wild Waterparks (Midwest)

In a previous blog I briefly described the devastating toll the recent Midwest floods took on tourist hot spots such as the Wisconsin Dells. At the time I wrote that entry managers at the resort’s largest waterparks were desperately trying to get the word out that they were still open for business and looking to entertain the legions of families that flock to the Dells on an annual basis. I’ll have more details on the impact the floods are having on the region in a future blog, but in this post I want to continue with my series on the … Continue reading →

Spring Break Travel Tips

My college co-ed cousins go on spring break next week. (They will be sunning it up in a tropical location while I sit here shedding tears on my fading tan.) Typically, college students make up round one of the revolving door of spring breakers who collectively crowd the nation’s highways, beaches, and skies this time of year. If you plan to spend the spring recess journeying to sunny (or snowy) destinations on a much-needed family vacation, consider keeping some of my favorite tips in mind: Do Your Homework. Does anyone dare enter the Magic Kingdom without a plan? Don’t answer … Continue reading →