Here"s An Invention That Truly Excites Me: A Hand-Held Washing Machine!

 I'm starting to think about what I want for Mother's Day.  On my wish list is a portable washing machine.  You know, to get the boogers, drink stains, and almost anything that I encounter that winds up on my clothes, clean. 

Now there actually is one!  Drumroll, please...

Meet: COTON, the world's smallest portable washer machine, designed to remove stains anytime, anywhere.

Hairspray? No!  WASHING MACHINE!

A Chinese manufacturer has invented a machine roughly the size of a can of hair spray, that will wash clothes on the spot.  It removes stains in as little as 30 seconds. And since it only weighs 4 ounces and is 7 inches long, it will fit into your purse or briefcase. With its specially-designed nozzle, it provides a similar effect as drum-style washing machines. Using 1 tablespoon of water and a little soap or detergent, the nozzle beats 700 times a minute to squeeze out dirt and eliminate stains.   The caveat is that for best results, you should wash the clothes in a traditional-sized washer after using Coton. 

 

The Coton Handy Washer was just released in Japan at a price point of $92. And although the company says it has no intention of bringing it to the US any time soon, just wait: you know that eventually it WILL make it here somehow.  And when it does, I'LL BE WAITING FOR IT!

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As always, thank you for reading!

Please note that a variation of this post appears on www.thegeekparent.com.

Happy Housewife's Day - So What DOES A Housewife Do?

With today being Housewife's Day, granted an archaic term because no one is the wife to a house, I thought I'd touch on what exactly a stay-at-home spouse and/or parent does. 

A housewife does NOT watch soaps & eat bon-bons all day!

As the mother of two, with both children in school, I can attest to the fact that the image that we do nothing but watch soaps and eat bon-bons is a load of crap! 

I'm busier most days that many people with office jobs. Some of what I do is:

• Clean the house
  
  
• Organize the house (closets, basement, store room, etc.) and KEEP them organized in spite of my family
  
  
• Cook (or in my case, burn food)
  
  
• Shop for food, run errands for the family (go to the pharmacy, pick up birthday gifts, go the dry cleaner, take the car in for maintenance etc.), and call/wait for contractors
  
  
• Research purchases and family-related matters (diet, medical conditions, contractors, etc.)
  
  
• Phone and argue with insurance companies over legitimate claims that are disallowed

• Volunteer at the school
  
  
• Prepare my lesson plan for the lessons I teach at Sunday school
  
  
• Visit elderly relatives
  
  
• Catch up on the kids' scrapbooks (I'm only 1 year behind now)
  
  
• Do home repair (painting, masonry, etc.)
  
  
• Am on-call for sick kids
  
  
• Patch clothes/turn stain garments into wearable ones
  
  

Once the kids arrive home, there's making sure homework is done, scheduling/supervising playdates, chauffeuring them around (to playdates, activities, doctors'/dentist appointments, etc.), making snacks/lunches for the next day, filling out school forms, and supervising chores. Oh, and obviously there are no sick days or personal days in this job.

Sure, I take care of myself and exercise and, yes, I occasionally sit down to read a book, but most of what I do is for the family. Add to that “looking for a part-time job” (we can always use the extra money) and the fact that I write two of my own blogs while contributing to two others, and I'm darn busy. When my daughter was home, as any stay-at-home parent knows, the task of caring for another human being was all-encompassing and exhausting.

I am not the wife to a house - I am a stay-at-home spouse

Could I do all that stuff if I worked outside the home? Yes, but like those of you who do work, I'd be rushed and wind up doing many of those tasks on the weekend. As it is, because I do stuff during the week, my family is able to spend quality time together without scattering to do errands on Saturdays and Sundays. (Honestly – my undying admiration is with all working parents!)

All of us get one shot at raising these kids and I'll be damned if I'm going to screw it up! The Teen is growing up waay to fast and will soon be in college. When my kids come home, I relish the time I have with them, even as I get one ready for gymnastics and chauffeur the other to his own activities. I want to be home for my son as he struggles through puberty. I want to SEE who he's hanging with, where he's going, and what he's doing.  I want to be on call for when he finds himself in a situation he cannot handle.  Similarly, I love volunteering at the school and catching a glimpse of my daughter. She lights up when she sees me because she knows I'm there purely for HER.

The Teen needs more supervision NOW when the temptations to get into trouble are at their peak!

Being a stay-at-home spouse is certainly undervalued by society. Those of us who don't earn money are often paid lip service (“Oh, I could never do what you do” people say condescendingly) by those who do. “Money” equals “value” and those who don't make money are seen as being of less value. I even had one guy call me a “freeloader” for not working! 

Those of us who stay-at-home DO work and what we do is important.

We are busy, productive members of society. It's time to be proud of being a “housewife.” Happy Housewife's Day to all of my fellow stay-at-home spouses! 

Read more about “What A Mom's Work Is Worth” here (http://www.salary.com/mom-paycheck/) at Salary.com.

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Thank you for reading!  

Need Something “Different” This Weekend? Visit Hersheypark In The Dark

Hersheypark In The Dark offers unique Fall fun!

My “must-dos” for Fall include: apple picking (done  - not to many apples left), pumpkin picking (done - field was a swamp), visiting a corn maze (scheduled – doing with the gymnastics' team), and raking leaves (no fun). But if you live or are visiting the Northeast, here's a novel place to go one weekend: Hersheypark!

This theme park is one of my favorites in the Summer because it's clean, well-run, and the workers are friendly and helpful. For three weekends starting October 18^th, this incredible destination opens itself up for Hersheypark In The Dark and it promises and delivers kids of all ages tons of Halloween fun, including:

• Kids 12 and younger can go on a Trick-or-Treat Adventure where the youngsters can visit the “neighborhood” of Treatville and receive a snack-sized treat at 8 different stops (obviously, while supplies last).
  
  

• 

  You'll be smiling, too, at Hersheypark!

  Unlimited thrills on 50 rides including 12 roller coasters. One of the cooler things Hershey does is make three of their most popular roller coasters “dark rides” after 9PM; they turn the
  track lights on Lightening Racer, the Wildcat, and Comet off to create a unique ride-in-the dark experience. Teens are going to LOVE this!
  
  
• Terrific family-friendly shows including Bunsen & The Burners (who perform Halloween hits) and Screaming Mummies (a “rockin' band of misfit mummies” who also sing holiday tunes. 
  
  
• Some great Fall-inspired food including warm soups served in bread bowls, funnel-cakes, and pumpkin sweets. Mmmmm....

Yes, Hershey in October is going to be chilly.  Yes, your feet will get sore because the park is large and hilly.  But what a unique way to spend some precious Fall time with your kids and get extra use out of those expensive Halloween costumes. For more information on Hersheypark In The Dark, visit http://www.hersheypark.com/seasonal/halloween/index.php. 

Is Hersheypark the "Sweetest Place On Earth"? Maybe...

Oh, and if you do visit Hershey, here are some other area attractions I highly recommend:

The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum - features collections of some really cool antique cars (and I am NOT a car-lover). If you're out there on October 25^th, take the kids to their “Trunk Or Treat” for some trick-or-treating. For more on this very enjoyable museum, visit www.aacamuseum.org. 

Adventure Sports In Hershey – Your kids will LOVE you for taking them here! Just 4 miles south of Hershey, this place offers fun in the way of bumper cars, an arcade, laser tag, miniature golf, and a driving range. This place is clean and less of a rip-off than most venues of this type. Learn more at http://www.adventurehershey.com.

Enjoy some fun time in Hershey!

Just one "mummy's" opinion on Hersheypark

Note:  I was NOT compensated in any way for writing this post (I wish!).  I just really like Hershey...


Thanks for reading!

Chores For Teens: They NEED Them

Since a very young age, Junior has been EXPECTED to help around the house.  We always figured that maintaining the house was a group effort and there was no reason even a little kid couldn't help.   As he's grown, his list of chores has varied, primarily due to his time constraints and my low level of patience in getting them done. My son used to be in charge of emptying the dishwasher until I got tired of having a sink piled with dishes awaiting my trusty “emptier.” Some of the tasks he's done or is still doing include:

1. Matching socks
2. Vacuuming the first floor of the house
3. Shoveling snow
    
4. Raking leaves (which even his little sister helps out with)
5. Babysitting (since age 13)
6. Cooking microwaveable meals                                                                      
   
   
7. Dusting
8. Helping his father assemble things (furniture, our gas grill, toys, etc.)
9. Taking out the garbage
   
   
10. Taking the recycling to the curb
11. Wheeling garbage and recycling containers back to the side of the house
12. Clearing the table after meals
    
    
13. Helping his little sister with her homework
    

This year, we're giving him even more responsibility. He spent weeks complaining about how our Wifi is “lagging,” so last night, when it crashed, we had him call the cable company. He spent 30 minutes on hold before speaking to the firm's representative; then he had to give the rep our account number, etc., and go through the directed diagnostics to fix the problem. When the call was over, Junior said to me, “Mom, NOW I know how much time you've spent on the phone and why you've been so frustrated calling companies over the years! Now I get it.” Next week he'll start making his own appointments: barber, dentist, doctor, etc.

Other benefits of giving your teens more and more to do include:

1. It helps them prepare for being on their own.
2. Kids develop confidence in themselves.
3. They empathize with you for doing it for them all these years.
4. It helps them acquire a sense of responsibility and pride in their accomplishments.
5. Chores help them see themselves as important members of the family.
6. It helps them give back to the family.
7. It frees you to other things.
8. It provides a positive model for younger siblings.
9. It gives them a chance to fail and learn from their actions.
10. It emphasizes the need for order and keeping things clean. 
    
    
    
    
    GIVING THEM THINGS TO DO HELPS THEM BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT AND RESPONSIBLE. 

Sure, he complains about some of his chores and I sometimes have to repeat myself a bit more than I'd like, but overall, the kid is rising to the various challenges. I make sure that I'm flexible and sensitive to his schedule and that I praise him when he's done. Junior is earning his money, but more importantly, he's becoming more assertive and independent. And that's a process I'm privileged to watch. 

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Thanks for reading!  Come back again, won't you?