Stay-at-Home-Parent's Survival Guide

Book excerpt: Each year thousands of parents, yearning for more time with their children, put away their briefcases and laptops in favor of baby gear and Legos. Yet being home with the kids all day isn't easy! Some of us need a little extra help with the transition. The Stay-at-Home Parent Survival Guide not only helps Moms and Dads survive the occasional stressful day--something every parent experiences now and then--but also inspires them with new ideas for indoor and outdoor activities, great places to take the kids, starting a playgroup, building a support system, and keeping connected in the adult community. Even if you're a parenting pro, The Stay-at-Home Parent Survival Guide is a useful resource that offers unique ways to handle the day-to-day tasks of stay-at-home parenting, such as helpful tips for finishing the housework with the kids underfoot, meal and naptime strategies that work, skills for building a stronger marriage, managing your time effectively, beating the stay-at-home blues, and balancing household finances on a single income. In addition to the expertise of author Christina Baglivi Tinglof and other stay-at-home parents, The Survival Guide includes valuable insights from a variety of experts, including: Kathy Kristof, syndicated columnist, on how to set and reach financial goals Arlene Rossen Cardozo, author of Sequencing, on the evolution of the stay-at-home mom Dr. Sylvia Rimm, "Today" show parenting expert, on positive discipline Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute, on homeschooling Elaine St. James, author of Simplify Your Life with Kids, on just that Ellen Parlapiano and Patricia Cobe, authors of Mompreneurs, on starting your own business from home Christina Baglivi Tinglof is a stay-at-home mom of three young sons and the author of Double Duty: The Parents' Guide to Raising Twins. She and her family live in Los Angeles.