I may have to steal my friend Beth’s “away” message for its sheer cuteness (lucky her: she’s on vacation as I slave away…but that’s another blog):
“As ordered by my husband, I will not have access to emails or my computer for an entire week – so while I suffer from blackberry, computer and cell phone withdrawal, I hope you all have a wonderful week.”

On that note…enjoy what hopefully will be a long weekend.

Check out the photos from our recent LoHudMoms event at Zoya, the funky, fun mother/daughter shop in White Plains, where moms shopped till they dropped (at 20% off) and enjoyed wine from Vino 100 and food from Dinner in Hand. It was a great event and we, here in lohud-blogland will be holding even more in the coming months (so stay tuned!).

Even better: if you’d like to receive a complimentary LoHudMoms gift bag filled with a variety of items and discounts, please contact us at moms@lohudmoms.com.
Be sure to include your name, address, LoHudMoms registered username and any comments you wish to make about the site. The first 20 responses from registered users will receive a gift bag.

I’m in a mood today. One: because I have to have a root canal.

Two: Because everyone else (meaning Other Moms who either don’t work or have full-time Help) seems to have it easy in the summer.

Let me just vent (this is my blog, after all, and did I mention the impending root canal?)….While other moms have kids at sleepaway camp FOR SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS, I have two in day camp (one’s a counselor, one’s a camper) for six (meaning I’m still the carpool chief!). And because we live in this upscale community where everyone else is on a teen tour or sleepaway camp, my kids have no one around to “hang” with—which means tensions are high and we’re already sick of each other.

School just ended last Friday; camp began this Monday. There’s been no time to “veg” in between. And with all my friends at the beach or the pool or living large at work because they no longer have to rush home to worry about dinner for picky eaters or pick up their kid’s clothes on the floor, everyone else is RELAXED and TAN and wondering why I remain so uptight!!!

Please tell me I’m not the only one struggling to get into summer mode. (I promise after my root canal, I’ll be more fun in tomorrow’s blog!)

Are you like me? So crazed juggling kids, job, errand-running, that there’s hardly any time for my  husband. When we talk, it’s mostly about who’s going to drive what kid where. I know I’m shortchanging him but I’m just so damm tired. (He has no idea how much multi-tasking; carpooling, food-shopping, playdate arranging can wear a person down.)

I can’t stand when all those magazines talk about “date night.” On most nights, I’m often in bed before him—and wake up earlier (to beat my girls to the straight iron!). Not to mention, there are many nights I’m more in a “girlfriend” mood, than a “husband mood.” (If you know what I mean…) Tell me what you think. And be honest, girls!

Today my daughter graduated from 8th grade. And yes, let me be VERY cliche here and say it was quite bittersweet. Especially knowing that today my niece, Lily, also graduates from preschool, and my colleague Mary Lynn’s son, Owen is about to turn one. Such milestones! (And here’s the cliche)… Where does the time go? As I raced back to my office today after the graduation, I was focused on my deadlines, the meetings I still had to attend and emails I had to return.  And of course WISHED more than anything that I could just slow down and watch Corey with her friends.

When I see my 5-year-old niece and Mary Lynn’s adorable son, I look at them and can hardly remember what my own girls were like at those ages. And yet: I remember being so tired and wondering when Corey (and Syd) would eventually walk; eat; go potty; do homework alone; say “Mommy” (and not “MO-OM!” with the eyes rolled!); sleep out; not cry when I left them; and so on….

Please remind me—and yourselves – to savor this time. Corey is entering high school in September; Sydney 7th grade. And somehow I know it will all go too fast.

Our first LoHudMoms sponsored MOM’s Night Out is tonight 5 to 7 p.m. in White Plains — very casual — can bop by anytime and meet ME: your blog mom extraordinaire (fun when I can make up my own title!).

Where: Zoya Boutique, 257 Mamaroneck Ave; White Plains
With celebrity makeup artist Lisa Mirante doing 5-minute mom-makeovers
Nibbles by Dinner in Hand
20% off shopping at Zoya
Free hair and color consults at Frederico Salon (next door)
Introduction to LoHudMoms.com
Wine by Vino 100….Plus fun goody bags

Stop by if you can…..

‘Tis the season for camp. Here, some tips from Julie Ross, executive director and author of Practical Parenting for the 21st Century: The Manual You Wish Had Come With Your Child:

If camp hasn’t started:

DON’T be overly enthusiastic. Saying, “Wow! Camp is coming. It’s going to be GREAT, you’re going to LOVE IT!” will make your child uncomfortable about talking to you if he’s feeling nervous.

DO keep your statements and questions neutral.  Say “Only a couple more days until camp begins” or “So have you thought about which activities you’ll be interested in at camp this time?”

Whether or not camp has started:

DO watch to see if your child looks nervous when the subject of camp is brought up.

DO listen more than talk.  Stephen Covey says: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Listening means putting aside our agenda, our desires, and our wishes and hearing the truth in our children’s words.

DO acknowledge feelings of nervousness.  Say, “It seems like you feel nervous.�  If a child can’t express his feelings, they get worse rather than better.

If your child has feelings about camp, follow these simple steps:

*        Acknowledge feelings.  Say “You seem worried” or “I see you’re upset.” This allows your child to release those feelings and free herself from them.

*        Avoid the temptation to deny your child’s feelings: DON’T say things like “There’s nothing to be nervous about” or “You don’t have to be upset, camp is fun.” Denying feelings cuts off communication with your child, and doesn’t allow for solutions to develop.

*        Brainstorm solutions with your child. This does NOT mean giving your child advice, like “Why don’t we see if you can sit next to Suzy on the bus, that’ll make you feel better.” The solutions that may seem helpful to us are not necessarily helpful to our children. Instead, ask your child “What do you think you might be able to do about this?” Framed in this manner, your child then has the opportunity to “own” a solution.

*        Only offer your advice in question form, for example:  “What do you think would happen if you….” Some successful solutions other parents have offered in this manner include letting their child take a picture of the family with them to camp, giving the child something belonging to Mom or Dad that they can keep in their camp bag, or writing a note that their child can read at camp.

*        Talk to the camp. Remember than most camp directors are trained to handle this issue.  They may have some wonderful solutions other than the ones mentioned above. In addition, speaking to the director or even the camp counselor may provide you with further insight as to why your child is experiencing difficulty. Often, the solution is simpler than we might imagine, and will lead to your child having a successful and happy camp experience.

My husband and I took my son Owen away last week. The plan was to take 10 whole days to 1.) visit friends in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and 2.) take in the sites around Savannah, Georgia, which we’d drive to from Myrtle Beach. Despite lost luggage and runway delays, visiting our friends in South Carolina was heavenly. We had meals in a real kitchen. The kids—my year-old son and my friend’s 19-month-old daughter—had floor space in which to roam and toys to explore. And we even had a few carefree days at the pool and the beach. But once we got to Savannah, things started to change. We thought we’d walk around, swim in the hotel pool, and go out for some fancy (though early) dinners. Owen, however, had other plans: staying up all night, forgoing naps, and indulging in mealtime meltdowns. We left four days early for home, which felt far more relaxing than our posh luxury resort.

In any case, here are some lessons I learned for next time:

1.) Book only LARGE hotel rooms that offer plenty of space. Kitchenettes are a bonus.
2.) Pack casual clothes only—you never get that dressed up with toddlers.
3.) Book the first flight out—they are delayed the least.
4.) Charge your portable DVD player before leaving home. (It can help get yo through a meal at a good restaurant.)
5.) Divide and conquer: Make sure you and your husband split up so each of you gets some time with the kids and some time to yourself. It may be the only relaxation you get the whole trip!
6.) When a destination isn’t working, never be afraid to call it quits. We cut our trip short and found our true vacation where we least expected it: home.

I read something in Forbes Magazine recently about the “work spouse”—the colleague who you confide in (he understands all the “b.s” of the office, after all), gripe about co-workers with, and even share fries with at the cafeteria. With the amount of time we all spend at work (much more than 9 to 5 these days), a “couple” gets support and friendship from each other without the hassle of a romantic entanglement. In fact, sometimes the fact that you’re both married makes it “safer” to be close. Though—of course if one person is married and the other isn’t—it could get sticky. I, personally don’t have an office spouse, but honestly? I wouldn’t mind one…especially if he did dishes! Or at least changed the ink cartridge in the printer!

Are you ready to make change in your life and not sure how to go about it? Have you been working at home and are ready to “get back to workâ€?? Or have you stayed in an unsatisfying job because it is “family friendly?”

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, let me tell you about my friend who used to work selling ad space for Redbook, who is now a life coach. Like so many of us, she grew tired of commuting to a job in Manhattan and started dreaming about what was “next”….She turned to life coaching so her career fits into her life rather than dominating it.

For those who haven’t tuned into Oprah lately, a life coach provides an ongoing partnership designed to help you produce fulfilling results in your personal and professional life. Coaches are trained to listen and observe, and basically help you figure out how to tap into that inner voice that says I can do that!

Her advice?
1. Go to the International Coaching Federation’s website for a list of certified coaches or Coach Training Institute- considered the Harvard of coaching schools, and hire a co-active coach trained by CTI.
2. Have a sample session with at least two coaches before making a decision. Choosing a coach is a personal decision so your best friend’s coach may not be right for you.
3. Select a coach that is willing to listen to what you have to say. Hint: Someone that spends more time talking than listening is not an ideal choice.

My suggestion? Check out this mom/coach-in-the-know: email address is: coachroseanne@gmail.com.