Nanny Life Articles by Hope at Nanny Shecando

DIY Fun Kids Craft Activity Ideas

Kid Friendly and fun Craft Activity Ideas

Seeing as we’re well into the school holidays here in Australia, and those in America and Europe are enjoying their long drawn-out luxurious hot summer holidays, I thought I’d share a collection of kid friendly diy craft activity ideas here on the blog.

With four kids at home at the moment, I’ve been plucking at random ideas (and consulting Pinterest pretty heavily) for appropriate and fun things for the kids to do. Taking into account we’ve been staying indoors as it’s super cold outside and we’re trying to keep costs low as school holidays are expensive! Luckily, being all girls, we’re all pretty happy to spend a good chunk of the day with squiggly scissors and glitter!

Then again, these holey moley gooey chocolate brownies are pretty much the mother of all chocolate goodies and highly requested by all kids. Including 14month old bub who’s just discovered a hunkering for chocolate and treats! Plus, we re-worked a classic yummy berry muffin to incorporate some mushed bananas we found at the bottom of the fridge crisper and some Brookfarm muesli to make über rich caramel banana muesli muffins.. because hey, why not?!

For more fun craft activity ideas, you can check out my fun kids craft activity boards on Pinterest. There’s Working With Kids, Cooking For Kids, and DIY Craft For Kids. And if you’re not tuckered out by little hands and feet and want to get some super fun DIY crafting happening, there’s also a DIY Craft For Big Kids. Some great home, house & kitchen DIY tricks and neat ideas in there!

What have you been doing these school holidays? Do you have any tips, recipes, craft activity ideas or stories to share? Oh, tell me, muffin or cupcake kind of lover?

How To Get It All Done

“There will ALWAYS be more to do at the end of the day. By setting priorities for what truly matters to you and your family, you can go to bed knowing that you achieved what was necessary and important to you.”

Today I’m introducing you to Shannon from The Guilt Free Parent. Shannon is an American based nanny/mother extraordinaire and the founder of a website catered to helping out busy and stressed out parents; to which there are many! Today she’s sharing some helpful tips to help you tackle the never-ending to-do list and get your time management vs family balance under control.

How to Leave the Dishes & Still “Get It All Done”

I’m not alone when I say that managing our to-do lists is a never-ending battle. There are only so many hours in the day, but it feels like there’s never enough. Whether you’re comparing yourself to the other moms at your child’s school or the celebrity moms you see on the cover of People, it can be easy to feel like you’re behind before you even get started. With little ones running about, or having only a few hours to get a ton of things done before school lets out, just managing the household can seem impossible. Throw in work & afterschool activities and you’re faced with quite the challenge.

So how do you figure out what to do first and what can be left until later? And are there some things you can completely forget about to make things easier?

My usual to-do list is a mess! It’s got any number of tasks and not many that are realistically easy and achievable.

These are all things that I WANT to or feel like I SHOULD get done (in the 4.5 hours I have before work).

Having a list like this is a great start. It helps to visualise everything that’s running through your mind and get things into a working order. But it’s also a bit ambitious. I know that I’m being completely unrealistic with my expectations to complete it all.

A better plan of action would be to prioritize so that the things that NEED to be done, actually get done. To do this, I suggest dividing your list into two separate categories. So after writing up everything into your usual mile long list, divide it up into ‘What Absolutely HAS to be done BY ME today” and “Everything Else”. Small realistic goals each day are going to be much easier to achieve and leave you feeling accomplished by the time your head hits the pillow!

Category 1: “What absolutely HAS to be done BY ME today”

These are the things that if not done today will cause financial consequences or have a dire effect on your family’s well-being and happiness. They’re things that can’t be reassigned to someone else and can ONLY be done by you. For example, rent payments, health appointments, banking etc.

This is because although we often feel that everything has to be done by us right away, often if we really examine our list we can see that very few things have a do or die deadline. Not everything has to be done by ourselves! I admit, I really struggle with this concept; I mean, it’s just easier to do it myself).

Category 2: Everything Else

Yes, that pile of laundry is driving you crazy and has practically started it’s own twitter account (@neverfolded), but if it doesn’t get tackled today it won’t be the end of the world. This is where we can stretch our delegation muscles. So assign older children age-appropriate tasks; you’ll be surprised what they can do. Or get the whole household in on the spirit of being a team.

Together you are all responsible for the care and upkeep of the home you share. You may not feel that your kids need chores, but think about the last time you were still awake at midnight loading the dishwasher. Wouldn’t it be nice to head to bed without feeling utterly exhausted?

For example: laundry (unless there’s an event that REQUIRES an item be cleaned immediately), taking out the trash, organizing your freezer or making a detailed meal plan with shopping list full of organic, Paleo-approved items. Because let’s face it, ain’t gonna happen!

This new to-do list is such a more manageable list. I was able to get all of this done, and even managed to squeeze in some time to work on this here blog. The things on the right do need to be addressed, but none of it is going to be the end of the world if I don’t get to it immediately. This way I’m able to go to bed knowing that I did what was absolutely necessary for our family.

The 3 year old helping fold some laundry (he loved doing it too!).

As you get things done quickly and efficiently (since you’re not bogged down by a super long list) you may find that you have the time and energy to complete some items from Category 2’s side.

You may be surprised at how much more you’ll actually get done with this method. As an added bonus, the guilt of procrastinating on certain tasks will disappear because you’ll be tackling them first.

I wish you a week of feeling accomplished and unburdened. Send me an email and let me know how it turns out. And if not, I guess @neverfolded will be waiting!

How do you tackle the to-do lists in your house? Is it a winning or losing battle at the moment?

Shannon is a full-time nanny, newlywed, and founder of The Guilt Free Parent; a resource for busy and stressed out parents. After spending the past 7 years in the homes of several different families I’ve learned many great ways to help moms & dads stay organised. Tips to help reduce the stress that comes with trying to “do it all”. Whether you need a quick chat on Skype to fix the holes in your schedule, or you need someone to teach you how to get all of those toys organised, The Guilt Free Parent is the place for you. You can find her on social media @missnannyshanny, or on Tumblr here.

This post is linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Savoury Sweet Corn + Cheese Muffins

Put four kids and a nanny in the kitchen and what do you get? Chaos and mess!

Leave the nanny to finish cooking in the kitchen and let the kids ‘spread out’ into a compact 2 bedroom apartment and then what do you get? An even bigger mess!

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Recipe: Savoury Sweet Corn + Savoury Muffins

This was the scene I faced one day this past week. Boss Mum had been working from home and within an hour of attempting to wrestle the kids into a semblance of organised activity (and failing miserably), I decided the best option was to get them out of the house. A quiet environment would help Boss Mum meet her deadline, it would ensure the house stayed clean and tidy and it would do the kids good to have a change of scenery.

The only problem with this solution was that it was beyond cold outside. It was raining and due to gale force winds and sever weather warnings, people were advised to stay indoors. So it seemed the only remaining option was to pack the kids into the car and head off down the road to my house!

Seeing as they’d all been dying to have a play-date at “the nanny’s house” for a while now, and given I’d left a load of washing in the machine in my rush to get to work that morning, it seemed like a great idea. However, after an unfortunate accident with a glass of milk and a sofa and an explosion in the craft box that saw my carpets “glitter bombed”, I wasn’t sure why I’d thought it was a good idea to let four kids loose into a once neat and tidy 2 bedroom apartment.

We did have some fun though. In between fierce games of chess and scrabble, renditions of nursery rhymes on the piano, some serious crafting and a Disney movie, we did manage to get some cooking done. Thanks to my life-saver Thermomix and this Tomato Sausage Pasta recipe from Five Degrees Of Chaos (one of only a handful of things the kids will eat), we got dinner sorted and out-of-the-way. We then used the peaches and strawberries I’d snatched from the crisper on our haste to leave the house to re-work this Kid Friendly Yummy Berry Muffin recipe for a tasty afternoon snack.

By this point their attentions spans were waning and I’d been left alone in the kitchen to deal with the mess. As it turns out, and much to my good fortune, this meant I had some free time up my sleeve. So I played with a new recipe I’d had floating around in my ‘food brain’ for a while now.

These Savoury Sweet Corn + Cheese Muffins are the result, and despite the younger two kids not being true fans, they were big winners with the rest of us!

[gmc_recipe 2353]

>>> How do you like your muffins – chocolatey and rich or fruity and light? Savoury muffins – yay or nay?

P.S. This post is linking up with Bake Play Smile and Create Bake Make for Fabulous Foodie Fridays!

Part II: School Holiday Activities

Last week we had a special guest on the blog, Marika, who goes by the moniker Nanny McTreehugger. Marika is a fellow nanny based in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and has her hands full each day with three rambunctious children whilst endeavouring to keep a busy family organised. She’s popped up on the blog before when she gave us the run down on life as a Modern Day Nanny.

As fellow nannies, we got talking recently (when we met for coffee) about the looming school holidays. We were both like, “ermahgerd what are we going to do with the kids for three long weeks”. Throw in children at different ages and you’re definitely in for a wild ride! From there, conversation pretty much went along the lines of, “oh hey, so you know, you should totally write another piece for Nanny Shecando about surviving the winter school holidays”…

So here it is, Part II: Out + About In Sydney With School Holiday Activities of The School Holiday Survival Guide. If you missed Part I: The Cost Of School Holidays, you can find it here. So Marika, once again, over to you.

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Nanny McTreehugger, guest blogger
Hiya, I’m not sure about you, but we’re already into the 1st week of school holidays here. Friday last week saw it all begin and I’m still getting geared up for it. Luckily one went off to a playdate and the rest of us explored the dollar shops in an effort to keep the costs down. School holiday savings tip #1 tried and tested!

When it comes to school holidays, the tricky thing for us is that we’ve all got different interests. Plus, the parents have certain expectations in terms of activities and achievements. So today I thought I’d share some activities that we like doing during the holidays. Activities that will hopefully keep you (and the kids) entertained, busy, and sane!

Activities From The School Holidays Survival Guide

Note: these activities have been selected with the parents wishes and expectations in mind.

* A Visit To Sydney University

No, we did not go to the school of medicine’s cadaver lab (despite Mr 6’s wishes). We did the next best thing and went to the Nicholson Museum. The Nicholson Museum has free entry and boasts the most breathtaking LEGO model of the Acropolis in Greece. A must see by any super keen Lego architects!

Oh, and Sydney University looks like Hogwarts! Need I say more? Also, there was nothing cuter (or more fitting against the backdrop of the medieval-style architecture) than watching Mr6 brandishing his plastic sword against an imaginary opponent on the perfectly manicured, velvety quadrangle lawn. Naturally the girls and I enjoyed a picnic and the one-man show!

* A Day With The Animals: Taronga Zoo

An outing to Taronga Zoo is one of the best activities to do with the kids. Taronga Zoo is for the wild! They get to learn key information about the survival of particular species, they learn of the responsibilities and what goes into caring for animals and get a taste of the difference between living in the wild and captivity. What’s more, after a day spent trekking up and down the seemingly mammoth hills at zoo between the seals and the elephants, you can be assured they’ll sleep well that night! Just remember to pack your own picnic lunch if you’re looking to keep the expense of the day to a minimum.

* Sydney Sea Life Aquarium

The kids love going to the Sydney Sea Life Aquarium. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve been there already, each time we visit, it’s always a full day of eventful activities. The aquarium offers numerous interactive and educational activities for the kids to partake in as they make their way through the centre. In fact last visit, we particularly enjoyed learning about the habitats of sharks and of the need to protect our whales. The Sydney Sea Life Aquarium now offers children ‘a day in the life of a marine biologist’.

* Debating

This is suitable for kids of all ages with basic literacy and reasoning skills. However a more structured debate is better suited to kids aged 8 and over. You can get them to choose their own topic, but as my charges argue for up to two hours over stuff as trivial as the week’s ice cream rationing, I throw democracy out the window and choose a suitable topic for them.

I figure why not! Because if they insist on arguing with each other as a holiday pastime, I might as well put it to good use. Plus, debating is similar to most kids’ other favourite pastime of putting on a well rehearsed “show” for the adults.

* Play Dates

One thing that kids really miss over the break is their friends. So having someone from “outside the family” is an excellent distraction and helps to reduce the risk of your kids killing each other with boredom. The advantage of the guest usually being on their best behaviour also means that the dynamic works well. Provided there are no huge age gaps between the siblings of course. Plus, the presence of a friend is generally sufficient enough to make the kids less picky and argumentative about the day’s planned activities. Which of course means you can get away with taking them to easy-breezy places like the beach, the park or the movies.

* Putting The ‘Fun’ Back Into Chores

Now hear me out, this was a very happy accident that occurred one summer. The kids had been required to clean out the car after leaving it in a state of disgrace due to what I like to call “Teflon Hands Syndrome”, a chronic condition whereby food wrappers slip uncontrollably out of kids’ hands the second the food is extracted. Because it was a hot day, they got into their swimmers and had a ball with the hose. Not only that, but the kids from across the road joined in the fun and helped out! Miraculously the car itself got cleaned, a great time was had by all and even more miraculously, I got to sit back and simply supervise.

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So there you are fellow nannies, moms, sitters and even you grandparents out there harbouring kids these holidays. I hope I’ve inspired you a little and given you a little shot of optimism.

The School Holiday Survival Guide
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1. School Holidays: 10 Things The Kids Are Looking Forward To
2. Part I: The Cost Of School Holidays
3. Part II: Out + About In Sydney

P.S. if you’d like to support me in raising awareness to the “Teflon Hands Syndrome”, you can email me on NannyMctreehugger@gmail.com

images: Sydney University | Taronga Zoo | Sydney Sea Life Aquarium | MPMK

This post is linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Cost Of School Holidays

Nanny McTreehugger, guest blogger

Wow, the winter school holidays are almost upon us. What happened to these last two school terms? These days it feels as if the holidays are almost as long as the terms! So how do you survive them, the cost of school holidays? How do you survive the burden of economical commitments whilst also surviving three long weeks with kids? How do you survive the challenge of pleasing kids whilst also meeting the expectations of parents?

The Cost Of Occupying Kids

My point is that while in no way do I begrudge my charges their long holidays, I have noticed that we often find ourselves half way through and the kids are already bored. It’s most likely because they are so used to rigorous school schedules and before, during and after school extra curricular activities. Their time is pre-organised and planned for them. Which means when they have time to themselves, they swing between moments of whining about being bored or hungry or feeling disenfranchised over the delegation of equitable leisure time spent on the computer, iPad and TV. Sometimes it seems they’re so upset that their actions look set to stage a riot.

The Financial Cost

What’s more, school holidays are expensive! Traditional kid-friendly activities such as movies, bowling, laser tag and shopping centre entertainment have one sole purpose, to leech your wallets faster than a Dyson vacuum. Think kids want to be taken to the bowling alley to bowl? No way, it’s more a matter of them halfheartedly tolerating one game of bowling in order to make their pilgrimage to the biggest money sucker of all; the games room. That mecca of addictive token-operated virtual speedways and other old school stuff like table hockey, foosball, mini basketball hoops, and the dreaded claw machine. This contraption, along with its buddies the gumball and small toy dispensers (which at least guarantee you something for your coins) are the scourge of the retail world, the Venus flytrap of shopping centres, movie theatres and play gyms.

The Cost Of Meeting Expectations

To be honest, in some ways it was easier when I had more say in what we do during the school holidays. Because in the past few months the kids’ parents, who are very goal driven, have been quite insistent that they [the kids] make use of their time constructively. They’re given weekly goals they must achieve. No TV is allowed during the week, there are expectations placed upon mandatory exercise and a strong push for them to pursue intellectual pursuits. This translates to me being obliged to pack up the kids and trek them through university campuses, museums and other ‘intellectual’ places of interest. Mind you, museums are fun. Ask the kids and so too is the gift shop.

The Cost Of Balancing The Books

Personally, I believe we should enjoy some balance between activities and “chill time”. I’m all for letting kids be kids. Do I want them lolling around doing nothing but whine and tattle for almost three weeks? No. More specifically, the answer to that is a clear “I’d rather be dragged off by my fingernails by a flock of hungry magpies”.

So how have I learned to balance the parents’ wishes whilst also appeasing tired children? How have I learned to survive the cost of school holidays?

The answer? Well it’s still a work in progress. But in the interim, I’ve attempted to find that perfect compromise between free entertainment and allowing the kids a bit of a concession. We’re on a mission to find material gain that does not cost the earth. Think two dollar shops for example. Although just make sure the one you visit has a quick exit to the car park so you can be on your way to the non-coin operated outside world.

So as we gear up for the upcoming winter school holidays, the majority of us frantically trying to fill three weeks of kid appropriate activities, I’m on a mission to help you out. Join me next week when I share my list of things to do in and around Sydney with kids. It’s set to be a list of kid-friendly activities to appease both kids and parents, whilst also keeping the supervising adults in good spirits!

What’s your usual school holiday routine? Do you dread them or wait with fevered anticipation for the long days no longer subject to school routines and extra curricular scheduling?

Nanny McTreehugger

*Please feel free to email me at NannyMctreehugger@gmail.com with any suggestions, queries or just general expressions of empathy!

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For more on Nanny McTreehugger, you can read her previous guest post adventures with kids in A Modern Day Nanny. For more on school holiday fun, here’s 10 Things The Kids Are Looking Forward To These School Holidays.