It’s that time of year, Strong Single Moms!  School registrations.  Shopping for Back To School items.  Getting back into a routine.  All the back to school things we need to do to prepare.

Two of the things that are often overlooked: Preparing our children for their safety and  for medical emergencies.

The American College of Emergency Physicians is reminding us not to overlook these two very important factors.  To help all of us out, ACEP has created a list of medical priorities that should go right along with those lists that include buying pencils, notebooks and backpacks.  This will help both parents and children start the school year right.

• Organize your child’s medical history records and emergency medical contact information. Provide a copy of this information to your child’s school or daycare provider with instructions to take it with them to the emergency department if your child is sick or injured. The form should include information related to prescription medications, medical problems, or previous surgeries as well as pertinent family history and emergency contacts.
• Fill out consent-to-treat forms and give one to the school or your daycare provider for them to keep in your child’s record and to take with them if your child goes to the emergency department.  The form will allow caregivers to authorize treatment in an emergency situation.
• Schedule medical and dental check-ups before school starts. Some children may need immunizations.
• Review and do a dry run of your child’s route to school, explaining potential hazards along the way. This is a good time to discuss safety rules and what to be on the lookout for with your child.
• If your child takes the school bus, establish a safe, visible pick up/drop off spot, preferably with a group of additional children and in an area where they can be clearly watched by adults.
• If your child drives to school, make sure they obey all laws and wear seatbelts.  Also remind them that more children are waiting outside for school buses at that time and that more cars are on the roadways and all drivers need to stay alert.
• Make sure the children understand potential traffic dangers, especially if they walk to school.
• Make sure your children know how to telephone for help. Post emergency-contact numbers by every telephone in your home. Have them practice how to call 911 or the local emergency number, and giving their name, address and a brief description of the problem.
• Develop a family emergency plan in case something happens on the way to or while at school.
• Be aware of any emergency and evacuation plans your children’s schools may have established.

Any of these necessary medical forms can be found on ACEP’s Emergency Care for You website:

http://www.emergencycareforyou.com/forms For more Emergency Medical information, Click Here.   For online school supply shopping, click here.

Strong Single Moms: Make the Back To School season a safe one this year!

Fun Ideas for Strong Single Moms looking for Kid Friendly Fun

We love playing with our children!  But sometimes, the constant quest for something fun to do with our kids can find our bank accounts dwindling faster than we would like.  No matter what your personal finances look like, it’s always nice to find kid-friendly fun without having to break the bank.

Some Strong Single Mom favorites for Family Friendly Fun on a budget:

• Local Library. This is a great place to take your children, especially toddler age through the Tween years.  Check your local library’s website, sometimes they have story time or other organized activities for young children.  On your own, you can check out books the kids can have fun reading, and often even videos and audio books.  Also look for books for fun crafts to create or activities to do with your children.  **Additional Resource:  For a list of public libraries in your area, click here.
• Historic Museums. No matter where you live, there are registered historic museum sites that can provide a fun adventure for you and the kids.  Usually the preserved home of an early founder of your community, these homes usually provide site tours, either guided or on your own.  A fun way to get the most out of your experience is to do a little internet research on the family and/or era that the historic site represents.  Create a character for yourself and your children that correlates with the times.  For example: visiting the site of Ulysses S Grant’s home in Galena, IL?  Pretend you are a Civil War era family, and talk about what your challenges might have been during that time.  Use it as an opportunity to teach your kids about why the war was fought, the importance of freedom and equality, the list goes on!  **Additional Resource:  To find a list of Historic Sites in your area, begin your search by clicking here.
• Outdoor Activities. You’ve probably been to your local playground many times.  But there are endless opportunities for outdoor exploration.  Try driving to a park in the next town over.  Sometimes just the change of scenery and a ten minute drive make an old activity seem brand new.  Hiking trails to explore, city pools, and outdoor malls all provide free or low cost entertainment.  Or fill up a play pool in the backyard, break out the water guns and water balloons, and have a water park day right in your own backyard!  **Additional Resource: Find and explore hiking trails near you.  Start your search by clicking here.
• Crafts and games. If you’re looking for some budget friendly fun without leaving home, try having a game night.  Pull out some of the old board games, and have at it!  My kids and I are having a Summer Game-A-Thon this year.  Throughout the summer, we’ve made it a goal to play every board game we have.  This makes it a fun way to play games we normally wouldn’t choose, and there’s never the “what are we doing tonight?” question.  After dinner, they’re excited to choose a new game and have fun!  We take some nights off, but overall it’s been incredibly fun!  Crafts are also a fantastic way to encourage creativity.  **Additional Resource: For fun craft ideas, start your search by clicking here.
• The Dollar Store. I love the dollar store for an outing with the kids!  We pile in the car, head over check out what’s new, and have fun shopping.  I offer the kids one item each, which brings my total bill to $2.00 and change.  Not a bad deal!  Sure, the toys are cheap and often fall apart within the week, but so what?  We had a good time, and it didn’t break the bank.  **Additional Resource:  Find the Dollar Tree store in your area.  Begin your search by clicking here.

Hopefully this gives you a few good ideas for fun with the kids that won’t break the bank.  Have any additional ideas?  We’d love to hear them!  Please share your ideas with our Strong Single Moms by leaving a comment below!

Click here for a Powerful Message to Single Mothers on Father’s Day

All Strong Single Moms play the role of both mother AND father, and as such deserve to be celebrated as well. As a gift, I’d like to share this amazing video with you. These are two powerful and successful men (Les Brown and Paul Martinelli) who are agents of change in our world today. They were both raised by single moms, and the message they share with us on this video is powerful.

As a single mom, you are in a position of honor. It is tough work, but we have the ability to change the world around us by raising sons and daughters that have hearts full of love. Everyday, our children see us as examples of how a person can thrive outside of what is considered the “norm” by society. They will take these lessons with them their whole life. We are raising enlightened children…and this video is an example of two people who have taken the lessons they learned from their single mothers and are thriving because of it!

So stay strong, and remember that even though we are single moms who may be the lone parent within our households, we are never truly alone as long as we have each other.

Much love and Big hugs to you today!

Every summer, the kids and I look forward to spending time playing together.  Some years, we head off to destination spots (Disneyland and Sea World are the favorites!)

Other summers, we’ve had a blast playing in our own “backyard” so to speak.  Whether it was a day at a big Water Park, or a low-key weekend in the mountain town of Flagstaff, we’re content just being together and doing something out of the norm.

The common thread is simply taking time to play together.  Leave worries and work behind, and just enjoy each other.  The importance of building strong bonding memories between you and your kids is immeasurable.  As single mothers, we sometimes forget the importance of play.  Make it a priority, and make sure to capture the moments!  Have a way to look back and bring the playful moments back to the front of your minds.

If you’re looking for a new way to record those memories, check out Shwaag.com! They are running a giveaway for a Kodak PlaySport HD…a fantastic (and waterproof!) way to capture your playful times with the kids.

You need a private invitation code to be able to participate, and the Strong Single Mom Network just so happens to have some!  Sign up for our free Basic Membership at www.strongsinglemoms.com, then check out the Special Offers Tab.  The Shwaag Special offer for our members is the invite code that will give you the chance to win this awesome HD camera  I would LOVE to see one of our Strong Single Moms walk away with that prize!

No matter what, make sure you’re taking time to play with your beloved children this summer.  It’s not about how money you spend on the memories, it’s about how you spend that time focused on your relationship and bond with the most important people in your life.

Single Moms.  We’re a group of women that truly defines “Doing it all, having it all.”  All the responsibilites, all the financial decisions, all the duties that go along with running a successful household.  We’re Mom AND Dad, all rolled into one.  Our challenges are unique, and all fall under one of three categories:

We need Resources.  Help seems non-existent at times, but it IS out there.

We need Community.  We often feel like we’re all alone, but there are MANY who share our circumstances.

We need Empowerment.  We’re often overwhelmed and wonder where we’ll find the energy to make it through the day, but we DO have unlimited power within us.

What if a Single Mom had a place to go where she could find ways to have ALL three of these needs met?

Now she does: the Strong Single Mom Network.

Find valuable resources for the needs of a Single Mom: Links to government agencies, private businesses, and non-profit organizations built around the needs we face as Single Moms.  And NO, these are NOT random advertising links.  These are resources that have been researched by the Strong Single Mom Network and our members.

Connect with other Single Moms from around the country, and in your local community. Join us for live chats and online connections to discuss the issues and triumphs unique to Single Moms.  Also find organized events in your local community where you can connect with other Single Moms.  As our organization grows, the number of events will begin to grow as well.  Don’t have an event in your area?  If you’re interested in hosting one, the Strong Single Mom Network will be happy to help you get one started!

Focus on finding your Inner Strength. Through webinars and teleseminars, we provide expert presenters on a full range of topics that will help you become the strongest and best version of yourself.  When you are connected to your inner strength, your circumstances will no longer define you!  (Live empowerment events currently available in Arizona, and coming soon to other Major Metro Areas.)

In short, the Strong Single Mom Network is a place where you can begin your journey to THRIVE as a Single Mom, not merely survive.  Live life as the Best Version of self, and the possibilities of what you can achieve become endless!

Listen in as Jacki Semerau, Founder of the Strong Single Mom Network, explains more about the Strong Single Mom Network.