All posts by bellfamilycompany

Keeping your sanity with back to school routines and transitions

September 15, 2014 bellfamilycompany

In our house, summer was one big playdate without enforced bedtimes and scrambling each morning for camp (we are NOT a morning household). Come the first day of school none of us were prepared, couple that with an earlier start time for the bus and we were in a tizzy. Great advice below from BFC resident social worker, nanny coordinator and all around great gal, Ali Shepard….

It’s that time of year again as the kids are slowing getting back into their school routines or starting school for the first time! A time of vast transitions for many families and keeping parents, kids and caregivers happy and sane can seem impossible. Here are some simple easy reminders to help your family get back in the swing of things and set everyone up to win with less bedtime battles and flustered mornings rushing to get everyone where they need to go!

Be realistic and patient
Keep it simple
Make a plan and stick to it
Get the kids involved when transitions happen children often feel that they do not have control. Find ways where your kids can be part of creating the schedule
Use picture charts for children 2-6 years old as a way to empower them to get their “jobs’ done (Betimes and morning routine) then then can earn a reward. Rewards can be playing a game, reading stories together, playing on the computer, watching a short TV show, or playdate etc. Use these things as motivators not just givens.
All children need down time. Build it into the schedule.
Children can feel overwhelmed when there are a lot of adults telling them what to do. They to keep the talking and number of adults to a minimum.
Avoid frustration and upset by being matter of fact and flat with your emotion and reactions
Set limits, when you say no, mean it
First things first. Children need reminders/little nudges. Use less words.
Make it fun and keep your sense of humor
Get support/be a team

It is easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out, especially when dealing with so many moving parts and changes. Remember that children are not little adults, their brains are not able to understand the world like we are. We have to role model the behavior we want to see from them. Enjoy the time you have and find creative fun ways to tackle the day to day routines.

Family

Movin on up…to the burbs

September 12, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Once you have spoken with a counselor at Suburban Jungle and have decided that you are in fact moving to the burbs, call our friends over at Platinum Drive Realty – one of the premier Realty groups in Westchester, covering the county as well as Fairfield, CT. below are the top 10 reasons to consider confirming that moving truck and kissing the concrete jungle goodbye according to agent Seth Keslow who made the move himself a few years ago.

Top 10 Reasons to Consider Moving to Westchester from Manhattan:

10) Price per square foot. Imagine having more than a 10 x 10 area for 4 people and much more for much less money!

9) Overall quality of life for you and your family – much less hustle ad bustle, so me time and fresh air.

8) Open Spaces and trees – Most people are happy to have a slightly longer commute for the payoff of having trees , a yard and much more.

7) A sense of community and involvement – Every town in Westchester offers excellent community and recreational opportunities such as beautiful parks, sports teams for adults and children, tennis courts, community pools and more.

6) Private laundry within your home – No more schlepping your laundry through public hallways, elevators or even streets. Most city residents never have the opportunity to have their own washer and dryers within their home.

5) Super Markets! – HUGE super markets (and a variety of them including Stew Leonard and Fairway!) with plenty of room for wagons and strollers in each isle and everything you need for your home under one roof.

4) Property taxes in Westchester are higher then in NYC – BUT the schools are worth every penny and are FREE.

3) Privacy – Having a large backyard to host friends and family for a barbeque without having all the nosey neighbors across the street being voyeurs.

2) Safety – Having a sense of safety for you and your family with less threats of terror. Having your sense of physical, spiritual, financial, and more protected against failure and harm.

1) Education – Some of the best public schools in our country. In addition, many of the public schools in Westchester are better and higher rated than the private schools in NYC and without the cost.

Events, Family, Uncategorized

Mother Nature Weather Woes

September 10, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Any outdoor event has its challenges certainly, but the biggest fear for all event planners, moms, dads and guests alike is the unpredictability of the weather. Having a gorgeous 75 degree sunny day right before your event, only to have torrential rainstorms the day of your event that have you shooting dagger eyes to the weatherman for being wrong is so not our idea of fun.

Contingency plans are always good to have, but at the end of the day it is still a force of nature (literally) that you have no control over. Our friends at Precision Event Planning NY have come up with a great handy checklist that every bride to be and family/ event/ coordinator/planner should take a gander at to help alleviate some common issues that can be controlled…

Although the sun may have been shining bright the day you signed your contract for your wedding venue, that doesn’t mean unexpected weather will not make an appearance on your big day. When living in the North Eastern part of the US, each season offers a delightful variety of wonderful ways to celebrate your wedding, but it can also cause much commotion if not prepared for it to take an unexpected turn. Here are some tips to avoid disaster on your wedding day and shine bright like the sun even if the sun is hiding in the clouds.

Summer:

Heat: Summer, although considered a popular time to have events especially weddings, is not necessarily the most comfortable. Unless the entire wedding is indoors with central air, chances are those guest are going to be reaching for a fan!

Solution:Hand held battery operated fans as wedding favors. You can personalize them four your wedding and this way the guest can actually read the program instead of using them to cool off.

Bugs: Summer time is breeding ground for bugs and at an outdoor wedding this can become a problem.

Solution: When choosing an outside venue, make sure to think about the surroundings and choose a venue that has maintained greenery.

Fall:

Wind: In the Fall, the leaves are changing colors and the air is crisp, but the air can also be a little too powerful. A windy fall day can end up blowing decorations around and messing up your hair.

Solution: Make sure all decorations are secured to something stable or heavy enough to not blow away.

Also, try a classic updo for your hair to eliminate the risk of your hair getting tangled or getting in the way from an unexpected gust of wind.

Winter:

Snow: Winter usually means snow and this past winter was especially cold and snowy. If you have always dreamed of having a winter wonderland but don’t want the cold temperature or snow to interfere then here are some solutions.

Solution: Some ways that you can make sure guests and your wedding party stay warm and happy at your winter wedding is to offer warm beverages like hot cocoa. When it comes to picking a venue make sure that the venue is strict with driveways remaining salted and shoveled. The wedding party can wear gloves to add a classic element and help them to stay warm in those beautiful outdoor snow photos.

Spring:

Rain: Spring flowers are one of the top reasons to get married during this time of year but flowers grow because of rain. If an outdoor ceremony was planned this can become quite an obstacle.

Solution: Arrange for an outdoor ceremony under a tent so that even if it rains the wedding can proceed. A fun option is to have umbrellas in the colors of your wedding theme to distribute to guests who may have forgotten their own. These umbrellas will also make for great props in wedding photos.

Uncategorized

Bell Family Loves… the suburbs?

September 8, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Thinking about ….. the suburbs? Take a sneak peak with our guest blogger from Suburban Jungle Realty Group!

NYC is an amazing place to have a baby. There are endless places to sit outside on a nice night, grab a bite to eat, park the stroller and let your infant sleep with the white noise of the city. If your child is anything like my first, she only slept in her stroller and generally outside. This made for some rough nights but great dining al fresco. The list of activities, parks and cultural benefits is endless, but the reality is often inevitable.

After 2 kids, for many families it gets a lot more difficult to stay and space can become an issue. Don’t get me wrong, the city is fantastic for kids, stay as long as you can or you can afford. But when the time is right, and you will know it, many of us will move. We long for some green grass of our own, and a bit more space for toys,strollers, scooters and eventually bikes.

This is where Suburban Jungle steps in, and can serve as an amazing (and totally free) resource to help you find the suburb that will be the perfect fit for your family. The approach is based on “town first”, and your consultant will help you determine which towns best fit what you need for your family. Whether its based on commute time, schools, that small town vibe, or a bit of the city in the suburbs, Suburban Jungle will guide your search. Leaving NYC can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Reach out to alana@suburbanjunglerealty to learn how you can get started!

Uncategorized

Family Friday: Shannon

September 5, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Bell Family works hard to connect the best sitters and nannies with your families; truly making them feel like part of your family. We’d like to take this Family Friday to introduce one of our own Bell Family Company “family members” here in the office: Shannon.

Shannon is our resident Project Coordinator. Despite taking a few months off to travel the world, she is back in action and will be helping connect families and sitters from the NYC office.

Shannon is originally from Long Island and is a graduate of the University of Delaware. She loves to travel and has spent time abroad as a full-time, live-in Au Pair in Germany for 4 children ages 1-5 years. She is fluent in Spanish and conversational in German!

Shannon gets welcomed back by her favorite German family while visiting

She has babysat her entire life for families in her neighborhood newborns to teens. Shannon also volunteered at a school with had classrooms that combine mainstream students and students with special needs. Shannon adores children and is a great part of the BFC team!

Uncategorized

Working Women Wednesday: Balance

September 3, 2014 bellfamilycompany

One of the great questions of women considering becoming working moms is: “How will I balance everything and still be a good mom?” Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks to balance work and home life; plus, having a career and a family is perfectly normal! Your kids will turn out great despite a few hours away from them, and will still have a great role model.

Accept that there will be tradeoffs: taking on another job in addition to being a mother pretty much mandates that there will be tradeoffs. Some nights may be pizza or takeout, and you may even have to buy store-bought playdough instead of making your own. Remembering why you agreed to work in the first place and why you are making those sacrifices can make this better and avoid feeling guilty.
Schedule Yourself: Similar to how you carve out the time you need for work to be successful at your job, set aside family time, me time, or couple time. Putting things on your calendar will help to make sure you have that time reserved and don’t feel like you are missing out on family time.
Be Present: When you come home, turn your devices off or at least put them aside. Make time for family time either during dinner or during a TV show that you all enjoy watching together. You will have plenty of time to catch up on work and answer emails when the kids go to bed, in the mornings, or during the day.
Accept help: As much as we all want to be, nobody is supermom. Don’t feel bad about accepting your parents offer to take the kids one day a week, or your husbands offer to pick up groceries.

Most of all, remember that if working is best for your family and self, then don’t feel guilty!

Uncategorized

We Love… CDP!

August 25, 2014 bellfamilycompany

As parents and caregivers, we all know how fun it is to play with the children we love and care for. Depending on the child, their age and developmental level the way we play will vary. One of my favorite ways to interact, engage and be an active participant when working with children is facilitating Child Direct Play (CDP). CDP can be used with children ages 2-10 years old (will vary with age). Once the grown-up has the basics down you expand on this and use this as a foundation piece when interacting and wanting to play with your kids. This approach truly eliminates power struggles, empowers the child to choose and direct, builds self-esteem and confidence, creates positive time with the caregiver and child, promotes self-regulation, foster independence, & increases creativity.

Here is the Who, What, When, Where, Why & How:

Who: Parents, Caregivers and Teachers- (Grown-ups)

What: Child Directed Play- CDP

When: Anytime that you (Grown-up) can focus your undivided attention on the child/charge/student for a 10-15 minute duration.

Where: Distraction free environment with a variety of safe, age appropriate toys, crafts, instruments etc. Typically done where your children play in your home.

Why:

Build language and fine motor skills
Practice parenting skills
Share time and space with your child/charge
Child gets your undivided attention with positive interaction
Builds self-esteem and confidence
Increases self-regulation and social awareness

How:

Grown-ups- follow the leader- the child is the leader.
Move closer to them and get curious about what they are doing.
Acknowledge verbally what they are actually doing. Use as few words as possible, esp. with kids 5 and under.
Imitate the child’s play. If the child is building Legos, acknowledge and say, “Wow, good idea, I want to build a house too.”
Expand descriptions for more learning and language building (older kids deeper rapport)
Notice and praise child’s wanted (good) behavior, “You are so gentle with the baby. What a good mommy you are.” “You are so careful with the paint, good work.” Be specific.
Allow the child to switch gears if need be. They are the leaders. Clean up can happen later. There is no right or wrong way for a child to play with toys. Support imagination.

For more helpful hints and do’s and don’t, click on this link: https://depts.washington.edu/hcsats/PDF/TF-%20CBT/pages/7%20Positive%20Parenting/Client%20Handouts/Parenting%20Skills/Child-Directed%20Interaction%20Skills.pdf

-Ali Sheppard, MSW, our in house nanny placement coordinator

Uncategorized

Working Woman- Setting Boundaries In Service of Your Well-Being

August 20, 2014 bellfamilycompany

I’ve been a caregiver the majority of my adult life. Then went on to get my degree in Social Work, a field that lends itself to caring for others. The most challenging part of being a caregiver is remembering to care for yourself. One of the reasons I am drawn to this type of work is because I genuinely like to help others and make their lives easier/ find solutions and resources. I feel good when I am in service of others; I mean I feel worthy and accomplished and loved. It feels good, but the hard part is knowing when to have boundaries and limits.

I have learned that when I am not taking care of my own well-being, I am more likely to be irritable, frustrated, burnt out and get sick. It’s essential for caregivers to take care of their well-being and enjoy the down time they have. Especially in NYC where the majority of full-time nannies work 50-60/hrs per week, plus an hour commute both ways.

Self-care is personal and for me it includes, yoga, reading, pampering myself, spending time with friends and being outdoors. In general, we all know how important it is to get enough sleep, exercise and eat healthy. I know that when I am organized and follow a schedule, I am better at keeping the commitment to my well-being. I was recently asked by a SAHM if nannies really need two days off a week. I reminded the SAHM that the Mon-Fri schedule was already 72 hours a week and working 24/7 could easily lead to burnout! She paused, said, “Well I don’t know, I’m a new mom.” I thought, You’re a first time mom, not a first time human being. But instead, I said, “Mrs. So & So, do you need 2 days off a week?”

Setting limits

Calendar- schedule self-care time
Ask for help
Socialize
Be professional in the work place. Act like a professional & be treated like a professional.
Be honest
Have open communication
Empathy goes BOTH ways
Respect the agreement, be flexible and fair.
Spread harmony
Teach, accept and listen

Happy Families=Happy Nannies

Ali Sheppard, MSW
Nanny Placement Coordinator

Uncategorized

How Will We See Our Photographs in 100 Years

August 18, 2014 bellfamilycompany

With digital it easy to forget that having photographs in frames and on our walls and tabletops has a powerful effect. We see and remember the beauty and joy of our lives.

Dad & Baby

We also forget that the most secure way to have heirlooms is through prints. Whether a print is from a digital image or from film, printing on archival paper will give us memories that we can pass down to our children and even grandchildren.

There are two ways that are readily available to make prints from digital photographs. One type of process, the digital C-print, is the same as that used for color negatives. Your digital file is printed on a continuous tone printer that uses silver-based paper and processes that paper with traditional chemistry. These type of prints can last up to 60 years.

Magnolia Baby

A new form of printing is done with pigment-based inks. This is different than inkjet prints. Pigment based inks are often called archival and are rated to last 100 years depending on the paper used. You must use a paper that is also rated archival for the print to last. I recommend that you work with a trusted professional lab for both the digital C-print and the pigment-based ink print.

It is advised to keep prints away from direct sunlight. If you wish to frame them, using an archival mat to separate the print from the glass or acrylic is a must. Without a mat, the print may stick to the glass and be ruined. The glass and acrylic can also come in UV protective forms.

Albums have been a traditional way to store prints and have the advantage of being able to group prints by event, trip, or keeping track of the growth of your child or children. Look for albums that are archival. For mounting the photos there are a multitude of products from archival corners, tapes and archival glues. Prints can also be stored in archival boxes. There are also archival plastic sleeves. These products are very popular and easy to find. The images I am using as illustrations are prints mounted to an archival paper in an album, one with archival corners and the other with archival glue tape.

6 Year Old draws card

Although printed books are fun, they are not archival. Do not consider them for heirloom pass alongs.

Canvas prints, on the other hand, can be top coated for longevity to prevent fading from sunlight and scratching or scuffing. There are several top coating options that have UV inhibitors and waterproofing. Have your canvas prints done professionally and ask about the top coating options. These options may also offer you a choice in finishes from matte, satin, semi-gloss, or gloss.

-Alice Garik creates photographs and art for her clients: maternity and families. She works with her clients to uniquely tell their stories. Visit www.alicegarik.com and contact her for a consultation.

Events

Mama of the Bride

August 15, 2014 bellfamilycompany

I had the extreme honor of being the Mother of the Bride for the third time last weekend. It was a beautiful NYC wedding that took place on a made to order August day. Prior to the fabulous event, my husband and I drove in from Ohio with our car packed from top to bottom (as usual) delivering pieces and parts to various wedding locations. We did some early morning decorating, had a marvelous bridal lunch thanks to the mother of the groom, and a rehearsal dinner at the Jane that guests raved about as the best they had ever been to.

Preparations, which included nails and hair, went without a hitch and the bride appeared on the church steps as beautiful as can be.

1939543_10152532602791998_8972204902518751343_n

1625681_10152537081931998_3807142339590817006_n

The wedding guests were then delivered by bus to the W Loft in Brooklyn after a brief tour of this fantastic city, to a venue that dazzled due to Jacques Catering talents. Food and background views were equally delicious.

10524372_834794553205533_8417770463711271699_n

Even though I included many positive synonymous adjectives throughout this blog, nothing makes a wedding great like its guests. The Texan and Ohioan families united well, friends came from near and far to dance the night away. A big thank you to all of you for your time and efforts to make this such a memorable event for Brad and Lindsay.

Love to all,

Mama of the Bride