For the past three years, I’ve been the president of the Home and School Association at my daughter’s grade school. It has been great fun for me. Not only did I feel, as a team, that we contributed to the students and teachers by helping to fund field trips, activities, technology, etc. and organizing various events, but I also was able to make new friends, work with fantastic people, AND show my daughter the importance of volunteering.
The office term is normally two years. I did one additional year on top of that, and yesterday I passed that torch to a new president who will take over when the new school year begins.
My daughter is only in second grade right now. Her school goes to fifth grade. I have no intention of ending my volunteering, but rather I’m beginning anew and will be helping the school with its public relations efforts. I’m looking forward to the new challenge.
Look at what you do every day. Have you been doing something month after month, year after year that you’d love to freshen up a bit in your life? There’s no time
like the present to start a new chapter!
April 27, 2012
My daughter, Amanda, had her ears pierced earlier this year. After we got to the point that we were able to remove her starter earrings and put in everyday ones, she had a few small issues. First, I discovered that her ears don’t react well to inexpensive earrings…even the ones marked ‘for sensitive ears.’ I did a little bit of research online and found some great tips. One helpful tip convinced me to switch Amanda to sterling silver earrings only for the time being and that definitely has helped. No more irritation.
Amanda has also experienced some days when I could not get the earring out of her ear easily. It was sort of stuck, and I didn’t want to hurt her. After wetting that part of her earlobe well with ear cleaning solution, and lots of earring turning, I always managed to get it out. But it was taking quite a bit of time, and some tears in the process.
One day, I went to workout class and my friend Cami mentioned that her girls had the same type of issue. She demonstrated how she worked her kids earrings out, twisting not in one direction, but in a back and forth motion…sort of like moving a straw between your thumb and forefinger. This tip was nowhere online, and it made so much sense. I started doing that when it came time to change my daughter’s earrings, and guess what. Not a problem since! I’m truly grateful for the information and I can’t wait to see her to tell her so.
Now, you may be saying, ‘that’s so simple! How could she not have known that?’ But there are lots of things we all do on a daily basis that can be improved upon that we never thought of. There’s almost always someone out there who has just a bit more experience–even if it’s with something really simple.
Part of getting organized is 1) keeping your ears and eyes open for new perspectives and 2) being open to new ideas and giving them a try. Some may not work out, but some will. Those that do can make life a whole lot easier and less stressful.
May 17, 2011