Realize Your Startup Dreams

in Guest Posts, Life, Parenting, Single Parent, Work & Career

Single parents have the best reasons to become entrepreneurs—their children. Without a supporting spouse, single parents must juggle household responsibilities and earn a respectable income. They need a flexible schedule that allows them to meet their children’s physical and emotional needs. While being your own boss can seem intimidating, many careers offer outstanding benefits and rewards for single parents.

Find Your Niche

Everyone has talents and skills. Before opening your new business, list your strengths. Do your neighbors rave about your homemade cupcakes? Are you a trained cosmetician? Could you work online as a freelance writer? Ask your trusted friends to suggest career options. If necessary, attend a local community college or job-training program to enhance or update your skills.

When choosing a work-at-home career, use your imagination. Find a career that meets a need in your community. Any of the following careers transition well from an office setting to a work from home business.

Beauty product salesperson
Business consultant
Craft creation and sales
Caterer
Computer repair
Contractor
Day care provider
Gardener or landscaper
Health and fitness expert
Nutrition counselor
Tutor
Website designer

If you’ve never run a business it’s natural to have questions on how things should work. Consider hiring an accountant with experience in small business ownership.

Your municipality may require special permits, and you’ll need additional liability insurance. Contact your local chamber of commerce or the Small Business Administration for assistance in determining the licenses or tax paperwork you need.

Investigating financial resources available to single parents is a good idea too. The Small Business Association or your local unemployment office may have additional funding resources for your endeavor.

You’ll need to purchase the items required to perform the services or make the products you plan to sell. Look for online deals or in the newspaper’s classified ads for inexpensive supplies. You can find great deals on desks and office supplies.

If you’re moving into something food-related, considering a commercial refrigerator to keep your supplies fresh and away from your family’s food. While it may be a great idea to make icing in advance for your cupcake business, it’s not so great once your toddler decides to finger paint with the strawberry flavor.

Market your new business

Print business cards and other advertising tools. If possible, barter services with a friend. Your friend can print your business cards in exchange for your services.

Organize your home office

Ideally, your office will include a door, but not every single parent has the luxury of extra space. For your first few months, you may need to designate a corner of your bedroom for business-related paperwork, your contact list and financial records.

Balance your Home and Work

Your parenthood responsibilities often threaten to overwhelm you. Without a partner to provide babysitting or cook meals, you may question the sanity of starting your own business. You will need to exercise creativity in order to create balance.

Work while your children attend school or sleep. Exchange babysitting with a friend or neighbor. Being an entrepreneur gives you the opportunity to be home with your children while meeting your family’s financial needs. This motivational tool lights a fire under your feet and pushes you to find creative ways to balance your home and work responsibilities.

Single parents can become successful entrepreneurs. Home-based business options remain limitless for a creative and motivated single parent. Make the most of your resources when you enter the world of small business ownership as a single parent entrepreneur.

Top 5 Reasons to Date a Single Mom

in Dating, Dating Tips, Featured, Single Parent

You know here at Memoirs of a Single Dad we’re obviously single-parent friendly. Actually, we’re all-parent friendly because we know just how challenging it can be to be a parent! We want you to know that we’ve got your back as a single parent, so it only seemed natural for us to brag about how awesome single moms are in our latest reasons to date a single mom post. When you’re juggling all of life’s compleities and you add dating to the mix – woah, watch out. It can be a huge challenge for even the most capable of us.

But it’s not impossible and we can be successful as single parents and as singles.

Of course, as a single parent and writer, I feel that it’s my job to inform the general populous about the awesome side to dating single parents. There are some distinct advantages to dating us, you know, so I’ve come up with a Top Five list – the Top 5 Reasons to Date a Single Mom for the fellas. Live ‘em. Learn ‘em. Don’t be afraid to date a single mom. I fell in love with one, after all!

1. Single moms are strong, independent and organized. They have to be: when they’re not making sure the kids have their lunches, homework and sports equipment ready for school the next day, they’re holding down jobs, sorting out the car, dealing with house maintenance, or planning a weekend sleepover. You go, single mom.

2. Single moms are sexy. They know what they want, and what they don’t, and they won’t be afraid to tell you. They’ve gone way past the “party girl” stage and are ready to commit to the long-term. You’ll always know where you are with them.

3. Single moms are appreciative. They’ll be charmed by small gestures and be thrilled by an evening in adult company, with grown-up conversation. They know what the important things in life are, and they’re less likely to be impressed with flashiness and more likely to be impressed by the things that matter, like kindness and sincerity.

4. Single moms have the world’s best sense of humor. You can’t be around kids for very long without laughing at some of their antics or the comments they come out with. Single moms will probably even laugh at your jokes.

5. Single moms are sincere. No loving mom would compromise the happiness of her children, so she’s paying you a huge compliment by simply accepting your invitation to date. That means she likes you for who you genuinely are – a great foundation for a long-lasting, loving relationship.

And just in case you need a 6th reason – single moms are also great at dishing up comfort food!

Do you have any reasons you’d include as well? If so, be sure to leave them in the comments below!

Cover photo by Isobel T via Flickr.

$40.00 [Per Paycheck] Means an Inhaler for My Little Girl

in Parenting, Single Parent

Publisher’s Note: I have a soft spot in my heart for single moms – I’m engaged to one, afterall! When I came across this article I just had to pass it along. My intentions are not to have a political debate or talk about candidates, but to talk about the people. Many of the people that responded to the call were single moms, so I’d like to make the same call. What does $40 per paycheck mean to you if you were to lose it? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, just remember – keep your comments clean and on point.

$40.00 Means an Inhaler for My Little Girl (via The White House)

Budget Travel for the Single Parent

in Family, Guest Posts, Life, Single Parent, Travel

It’s no secret that being a single mom is hard work – basically a full-time job in addition to my job as a nutritionist and personal trainer. That’s why it’s important for me to set aside time for relaxation so that I can avoid getting caught up in the grind of life.

I try to take a few trips a year and one of my favorites is when I head to the Midwest to take in some Chicago attractions. My 3-year-old son Reid enjoys visiting Millennium Park or going to Wrigley Field for a Cubs game. Reid usually accompanies me to Chicago, although I may squeeze one trip in without him (he enjoys staying with cousins or his grandma for a few days anyway).

Here are some travel tips for other single parents that will help you get the most out of family vacations, as well as some ways to enjoy time out on your own.

Family vacation

When we hear the words “family vacation” most people just think about the family going away together. But how about really making it a family vacation? Get your kids involved with the planning process. You can make a family night out of it. Maybe order some pizza and surf the web or travel books for activities to do and see wherever you plan to go. Younger kids will usually be happy with inexpensive things like going to arcades, zoos or even playing out in a nice park.

All-inclusive

If you are a single parent with teenagers one of the best trips you can take is to an all-inclusive resort or a cruise. Teenagers like to do their own thing a lot of times and that’s okay. All-inclusive means there are plenty of options available without having to travel so you can rest up and enjoy yourself and let them do things on their own. You can meet up with them for meals or do some activities together but everyone can have their own space and do what they want without needing a ride or money to cover it. You can find deals that include food, drinks, rooms and even flights.

Save a little

Depending on the age of your children you can usually save a nice chunk of money at different restaurants and certain travel options. I have gone to a number of restaurants that served Reid a nice meal free of charge. Since he’s only 3, he doesn’t really know much about it or ask for much outside of chicken nuggets and French fries but I have gone days on vacations without having to purchase a meal for him.

Me time

One thing about being a single parent is it’s all on you (unless you have some family around to help out). Truth be told it can be tiring and we all need time to recharge. Leaving your child with close friends or family for a couple of days can feel like a fun getaway for them and you can use that time to relax at home or get away.

But whether you travel alone or with your kids it’s important to see some new things and be in a new environment. If you have any single parent trip tips to add please share them with us!

The Importance of Carpooling to the Single Parent

in Guest Posts, Life, Parenting, Single Parent, Work & Career

I wasn’t sure what to expect in picking up a bunch of three- and four-year-old kids early in the morning.

Let me start off by saying I endorse carpooling 100 percent. I’m a single parent in San Diego and I work as a personal trainer. Mornings are a great time to get clients who are professionals and like to get a workout in before work; after a long day at the office they don’t really want to see the gym. When I have to drop my son off at school I miss out on some training opportunities.

That all changed a few weeks ago at an event at my son Reid’s preschool. A few of the other mothers started talking about our commutes and what our mornings were like and we decided it would be beneficial for all of us to start a carpool. We decided to take turns weekly picking the kids up in the morning and dropping them off at home at the end of the day.

I nominated myself to start off the first week because I had no clients set up for the morning yet because I have been so used to dropping off Reid. I wasn’t sure what to expect in picking up a bunch of three- and four-year-old kids early in the morning. I thought they would be crying and spilling crumbs all over my backseat but they all were actually pretty well-behaved.

One of the kids has a wheelchair and it can be a challenge to get him seated comfortably in my van. His mom was telling us about how wheelchair accessible vans make it easier to transport kids who use wheelchairs. The other kids are helpful when it comes to making sure their handicapped friend is comfortable and that kindness is nice to see at such a young age.

While there are logistics to figure out, carpooling has more than enough benefits to make it worthwhile. I mentioned my work situation earlier and how the new carpooling system will help me. After my week of driving the kids I don’t have to do it again for nearly a month. I have a few clients lined up for mornings now and it helps me to make more money. I drop Reid off at his classmate’s house with breakfast a bit earlier but he doesn’t mind it much. He either goes back to sleep for a bit or watches some cartoons before school.

Other moms get to get some work done around the house before going to work or even enjoy a nice breakfast because they don’t have to rush out to avoid the traffic trying to get their kids to school. We all will save money on gas because we don’t have to make that drive to school every day. We also get to know the kids as they grow up and all of the kids live fairly close to one another too so it’s not a hassle to pick up each one.

As a single parent, carpooling has been a blessing for me because I have been able to pick up personal training clients, and on the days I don’t have clients in the morning I can relax or get some things done around the house. Carpooling has definitely made my life easier.

Three New Year’s Resolutions for the Co-Parent

in Current Events, Holidays & Special Occasions, Parenting, Separation, Single Parent

Tis the season! The season of New Year’s resolutions, of course. Now, I’m not typically a resolution kinda guy. I’m more of the mindset that anything worth doing shouldn’t require a start date, however, I do see the value of using January 1st as a fresh start date. Some people choose dieting or their finances or work and career goals but this post is all about my New Year’s Resolutions for the Co-Parent. Let’s get started (please be sure to share your resolutions – even if they’re not co-parenting related) in the comments below!).

#1 Maximize Our Quality Time

One of the single most difficult aspects of being in a co-parenting situation (for everyone involved) is that contact is limited. If you’re a full-time parent, you may sometimes struggle with the notion of needing a break from your children. When you’re in a co-parent relationship, it’s quite the opposite. I miss my son on almost a daily basis – sometimes even when he’s here with me I’m already thinking ahead to when he has to leave. I know that’s not very healthy, but I sometimes think ahead when it’s time for him to go. My resolution is to live more in the ‘now’ and to maximize the moments I have with him and build memories that will last me though those times when he’s gone.

#2 Maximize My Cooperation

This resolution is actually one that’s dependent on another party, obviously. I’ve always said that I wished we cooperated more, but sometimes emotions can get in the way of logic – even when it comes to what’s best for our children. Our relationship didn’t work out but we’re ‘stuck’ with each other until my son turns 18 (and beyond, really). I think I’m usually a fairly agreeable person, but I resolve to try even harder to cooperate with my ex in 2012. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to stand up for myself and my son when necessary, but our cooperation is essential to raise a happy, well-adjusted son.

#3 Maximize My Presence

Parental presence isn’t just a problem with single or co-parent situations. I’ve known full-time parents that aren’t REALLY present in their children’s lives. There was a great DadChat discussion on Twitter (#DadChat is Thursday nights at 9pm Eastern) last night that talked about online safety and one of the key points of the discussion is having a presence in your child’s life. Know what they’re up to. Listen to what they have to say. Observe their behaviors and pick up on some of the ‘clues’ that might get missed by not being truly present.

Those are my three New Year’s Resolutions as a co-parent. What are yours?

Photo credit: Elephant Gun Studios via photopin cc

Winterize Your Home – Single Parent Style

in Family, Guest Posts, Home Improvement, Parenting, Single Parent

The holiday season is upon us and while that brings families together for good food and holiday parties, it also means that winter is coming and cold weather too. There are measures you should take to protect your home during the holidays and winter season, like adding an ADT home security system and winterizing your home to protect yourself and family from getting sick.

Check For Drafts

Cold air can get into the house through windows, doors and pipes that are connected to the outside. That air can cause your furnace to burn more to keep the house warm. You can easily end up spending more money and putting your family at risk of getting sick. Take a trip around the house and inspect the windows and doors to see if you need to draft-proof certain spots. You can apply weather stripping around the windows to keep the cold air out. The screens used to let in a breeze over the summer should be removed.

Check the Furnace

A lot of people don’t pay much attention to their furnace and just allow it to run with no maintenance done to it, and then when something goes wrong it becomes a major problem. I remember from experience having to wear big winter coats around the house because our furnace broke and we had to wait for a repairman to come in and fix it. Needless to say those aren’t among my favorite memories. Be sure to buy furnace filters and change them every month. It would be a good idea to bring in a professional to inspect the furnace–even if it is running well at the moment—to be sure that there are no problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Heat Rises

If you have an attic, don’t forget to check up there—even if you only use it for storage. Heat rises and if there are cracks and crevices for the warm air to escape through, it will. And any cracks that let warm air out can let melted snow in. Water coming in can definitely cause damage to your roof.

In Case of Emergency

Severe storms have been known to knock out electricity from time to time so it’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit available. Be sure to show your kids where it is and explain how to use the flashlight—as well as how to carefully light candles. Be sure to have bottled water and food in the house in case you get snowed in for a few days or stores are unable to open because of the weather.

Game Time

Being snowed in is not all bad—especially if the power stays on. It gives the family an opportunity to spend time together. It’s always good to have some board games available or spend time playing video games everybody can get into. The Nintendo Wii has a great selection of simple and fun games that you don’t need any experience to understand. If you take the steps to winterize your home when the storms do hit, you can relax comfortably and enjoy the warmth of your home with your family.

All I Want for Christmas – Single Parent Edition

in Announcements, Holidays & Special Occasions, Parenting, Single Parent

Is it just me or does time seem to accelerate our already busy schedules during the holidays? No, I know it’s not just me – you’re feeling the holiday pinch to some extent as well, I’m sure. We’ve all got holiday shopping & wrapping, parties and gatherings, dinners and more on top of our already stuffed schedule. It’s easy to lose the meaning of the holidays in the moment sometimes. I try to take some time each day to step back and decompress just a bit. The holidays are meant to be a happy time where we give thanks for all we have, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem like all that much. Today while I was taking a breather from work, I made up a little list. An “All I want for Christmas – Single Parent Edition” list. This list doesn’t come from my son – he’s got his very own list which I dare not print or the ozone would surely disappear overnight. This list is for me. I’d love to hear your wish list as well, be it for Santa or not. Check mine out below and be sure to leave your own list in the comments. I’ll make sure the proper eyes read it!

Christmas Wish #1 – Healthy Friends & Family

1x1.trans single parent parenting holidays special occasions announcements All I Want for Christmas Single Parent Edition

Grandpa at the Gate to Chinatown, San Francisco, CA

Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s the challenges that I faced last year, or maybe it’s a combination, but this year the top of my list is for all that I love to be (or remain) healthy. Last Thanksgiving I nearly lost my grandfather to the flu bug, of all things. He got sick on Thanksgiving day last year and found himself in the hospital. He wasn’t back to his old self until spring time. I even flew up to visit he and my grandmother in February “just in case”. Everything turned out ok and I am so thankful and proud of my grandfather’s strength of will. I know the winter is the time for colds and the flu and I hope that everyone (including you!) stays healthy well beyond the holidays.

Christmas Wish #2 – Wealth of Opportunity

We all define opportunity differently. I’ve been working really hard on building up not only this site but my consulting site BloggableStuff.com and Man-Made Reviews as well. Some of the puzzle pieces are coming together nicely but there’s still a lot of work to do. I hope the right pair of eyes find my site which leads to some great new relationships and opportunities for myself and my family.

Christmas Wish #3 – A Bowl Game Win

Little Buckeye Fan

Yeah, just when you thought these were going to be all sappy and meaningful I have to pull the man card on ya and bust out with something – manish. Football. My team is the Iowa Hawkeyes and I inherrited the Ohio State Buckeyes from JenB. Both of our teams are bowl-bound this year – the Hawks are going to the Insight Bowl in Arizona to face the Oklahoma Sooners.

Ugh.

The Hawks typically don’t travel well – especially west and the Sooners were a pretty good team this year. I really hope we can squeak one out and surprise the nation with a win.

The Buckeyes are playing the Florida Gators in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL on January 2nd, 2012. JenB and I are actually planning on going to the game! We’ll be the two people in red in the stadium so if you could check on us every once in a while and make sure we’re ok we’d appreciate it.

Christmas Wish #4 – A Fantastic Wedding

I know it’s still almost a year away but Jen and I (mostly Jen) have already started the wedding planning process. We’re not going to do anything super big – we have to pay for it ourselves, afterall. But I still want Jen to have the perfect wedding for her. She’s waited a long time for her big day and I want it to go off perfectly and be exactly how she pictured. I have a feeling it will because we’ll be surrounded by family and friends and our two boys.

If you haven’t read our (super awesome) engagement story, you can read it here.

That’s my Christmas Wish List – Single Parent Edition. What about you? What do you want for the holidays this year?

Time Saving Tips for the Single Parent Business Owner

in Guest Posts, Single Parent

As single parents, we know that time is money, and we have to make the most of both when we have it.

Just when you thought single parenting couldn’t get any busier, you decided to start your own business. From one entrepreneur to another — congratulations and get ready to work!

A lot of people will tell me how much time they’d save being self-employed and my reply is always a swift, “Yeah, right!”

Between caring for a three-year-old, running my own business, managing clients and still having time for me, I feel I’m booked solid for the next 16 years. But, I’m always searching for ways to make the most out of my time, and possibly take my sentence down to — oh — 14 years?

Here are a few tips I use daily to make sure I’m using my time to the absolute fullest!

Have A Clear Agenda

Knowing what you have on your plate is half the battle. How often have we gotten halfway through the day only to remember what we forgot earlier? If you don’t already keep an agenda, either on paper or with the help of a smartphone or tablet, now is the time to start! Keep it updated and follow it like a map! Life is much easier when you know what you’re doing.

Prioritize Tasks

Sometimes, you have so much to do that you don’t even know where to start. Before starting on anything, make a list of which tasks are the lowest and highest priority. If you say that all your tasks are high priority, you’re not doing yourself any favors! Start yourself off on the right foot by doing your best to rank tasks and then work to complete them right down the list.

Utilize Technology

As mentioned earlier, I live and die by my smartphone and tablet. Without them, I’d be a confused, bumbling mess on a daily basis. I also rely on Office Reminders to help me get to appointments on time, cloud computing and Google Docs to sync information between all my gadgets, email marketing software to keep clients updated and mint.com to help me manage all my budgets!

Focus On One Task At A Time

Once an avid multi-tasker, I’ve come to learn the importance of taking tasks one a time. I’ve found that I can focus much more easily and get more done in a smaller amount of time when I pour all my attention into one task. If you’re the type to bounce back and forth between tasks, you’d be surprised just how much time that bouncing is costing you. Do your best to have tunnel vision on a task until it’s complete!

Think Big Picture

Lastly, try to stay focused on the larger picture. It’s easy to get bogged down in small details and spend hours, or even an entire day, worrying about stressors that aren’t truly worth your time. If you ever find yourself stuck on minute decisions and tasks, take a step back, breathe deeply and think larger. Work with a renewed sense of focus and vision; you’ll be able to work with a fresh mind and get more done.

Hopefully these few simple steps for saving time will help you shave seconds and hours in every way possible! As single parents, we know that time is money, and we have to make the most of both when we have it.

Cover image by BurgTender via Flickr.

Moving Tips for Single Parents

in Guest Posts, Parenting, Single Parent, Travel

Planning a move is an exciting time. With future possibilities awaiting, a new home, a new life and a new job opportunity, you have plenty to look forward to. But, in the midst of all the excitement comes the stress. Not only do you have to sell your home, buy a new one, arrange logistics at a new job, hire moving companies and pack up your whole house, but you have to do it all while juggling the duties of being a single parent. Though this task sounds daunting, it is in fact doable.

You’ll need to plan ahead and stay focused, but a successful end is always within reach.

Moving Tip #1: Get Things Done Quickly

Anything you can do to save time will make the entire process much easier. One of the best time savers is to organize and purge before you pack. Though it may seem like a set back, since you’ll have a lot to do before you can even pack a box, you’ll save yourself hours of precious time down the road. If you can, send the kids to the babysitter’s for a while, or have someone watch them in house so you can spend a few hours getting a handle on that mess in the basement and downsizing you junk pile. The more you donate, recycle, or throw away, the less you have to pack and, consequently, unpack later!

You should also do your best to set aside a few hour chunks at a time. If possible, arrange for someone to watch the kids to cut down on distractions. If that’s not a possibility, give them an activity that can keep them busy and try to focus solely on packing. It’s hard to get work done in 10 minute increments, but you’ll be much more productive if you can have even an hour straight to work.

Moving Tip #2: Get the Kids Involved

Depending on the age of your kids, you can let them get involved in the move in one way or another. While younger kids can’t do too much, you can still let them draw pictures of the old house, pick out toys to donate or be your special helper for tasks like getting trash bags, tearing tape or uncapping markers.

Older, elementary aged kids can help out by packing their own rooms, organizing or giving away clothes or toys they can’t use anymore. To give them guidance, make a simple checklist of things they need to do on a Saturday or throughout the week. Give them a small reward for each task and something larger when the list is all done. Also give them basic guidelines on how to pack and label boxes. Check on them every now and then during the process to make sure they’re doing okay.

Middle school aged kids and teens may not be as motivated to help you pack, and they likely won’t be interested in a checklist. If they are willing to help you pack, they’ll be a valuable resource and can definitely save time with their help. You can also involve your oldest kids in tasks like planning their going away party, tagging along on the house hunt, or creating a list of things they’d like to do and see at your new location.

Moving Tip #3: A Little Help On the Big Day

Book a babysitter early so you’ll be guaranteed to have someone to watch the kids on moving day. Dealing with the moving process and dealing with kids simultaneously can be tough work. Your move will be much easier if you have a sitter to attend to the kids for the majority of the day.

With these few tips, an easier move can be within your reach. Don’t underestimate the importance of planning ahead and giving yourself plenty of time to coordinate the move. And, in the midst of everything, don’t forget to communicate to your kids why this move is a good decision for your family.

Photo credit: HeatherWeaver via photopin cc

Single Parents: Reward Yourself

in Guest Posts, Life, Parenting, Single Parent

Being a single parent is tough work. Raising kids with the help of two parents is hard enough, but doing it alone is nothing short of an outstanding feat of endurance and grace.

That being said, single moms and dads deserve a day or a gift that’s all their own every now and then. Between making sacrifices for our kids, wiping snotty noses and shuffling back and forth between school, practice and lessons, we deserve more breaks than we’re usually given.

Even if you think you don’t have time and money to treat yourself to a special gift or day off, if you don’t make yourself a priority, no one else will! Here are some ideas for ways to pamper yourself.

It’s Ok to Indulge – Sometimes!

Luxury Gifts: Treating yourself to a spectacular gift out of the blue, or for your birthday or holiday, is a great way to enjoy a little something special. While some people may frown on giving yourself a gift, who knows what you want or need better than you? You probably don’t have time to casually browse the shopping mall on weekends and look for a good gift. You can use online retailers like Blue Nile to browse gifts you’d like to save up for after the kids go to bed or while you wait for soccer practice to end. You can spend as much time as you need to save and buy whenever you’re ready! It will be your own personal Christmas morning.

Personal Pampering: We often hear about celebrity moms taking flak for spending their days at spas or luxurious salons. And, while sometimes the moms could do a little more, we’re often only angry because we’re just a bit jealous. It’s hard to admit, but the thought of enjoying a leisurely brunch followed by an afternoon at a day spa and a few happy hour drinks while someone else watches the kids sounds so perfect you can’t help but feel guilty. My suggestion: don’t! Having a day off every once a while followed by a good night’s sleep is just what your body needs. Do what you can to make sure you have a day here and there that you can spend doing everything you want to and nothing you don’t!

Weekend Getaways: And what’s another thing that moms, single or married, take a lot of flak for? Vacationing without their families. The truth is that vacations are hardly vacations for parents, especially single parents. A vacation should be a total break from your everyday life, but most trips are spent dealing with more stress than usual. Schedule a trip as your time and money allow. If you can afford to take off for a whole week, do it and don’t look back. If you can only do a weekend, do that, too. In the end, you’ll be glad you did.

A Night Out (Or In): If you can’t quite swing a longer trip, or even if you can, taking a night off can be fun and relaxing. Going out for dinner and drinks with friends, for some reason, always gets put on the back burner after cleaning the bathroom, mopping the floor or doing the laundry. For once, put your responsible parent duties on the back burner and go have a little fun.

Image by Unique Hotels Group via Flickr

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