If You Are a Runner or a Walker

Walking or running are great ways to exercise. Being able to walk to the grocery store, a cafe, or to see my friends is a great opportunity to burn calories and save resources (gas and money!).

We got an “all-terrain” type of stroller that works really well. It is a bit heavy to take on trips, but a great gear to have in the city. The wheels are big and wide, so riding it on smooth or rough pavements is a breeze. And the suspension keeps the little one comfortable anywhere. Its large canopy protects my son against rain or sun. I also keep a net and an umbrella in the pocket, in case of mosquitoes, or rain to cover myself. A diaper changer, when I remember, is also useful to keep in the pocket!

There are several brands available in stores, most marketed as running strollers. The one we got is from BOB, but overall look for “all-terrain” features (large wheels and suspension) and a long canopy for protection.

Family Bike Ride

Woohoo! Summer is here, and if you haven’t cleaned your bikes yet, you are missing a lot of fun.

Family rides are a very good exercise, and an awesome bonding experience. Bike trailers are great for kids, and some of them can even be used as a strollers. There are versions for different ages, and for two kids as well.

Bike extension versions work well, however you will need some practice before carrying your kid! If the child moves abruptly, or if the parent is not used to the additional weight, there is a potential to destabilize the bike.

Standard bike trailers seem a lot safer to me for younger kids, since they are lower on the ground, and the flexible hitches allow the trailer to stay upright in case the bike falls.

Whatever the version you choose for your family, get on the road while the sun is warm, and enjoy loads of family fun! Just remember to stay close, in case of diaper emergencies…

Daily Agenda

Some people have asked me how I manage to juggle mom’s duties with the mompreneur role. My answer is that it’s definitely difficult but way worth it.

It is a joy having Lukas and my dog Samba around when I’m working on my websites, or having lunch. They make great co-workers! And the flexibility of working from home is absolutely priceless. But don’t take me wrong, there are several annoying things happening during my day as well.

Everything in my day is precisely organized timewise. Sometimes I have to use a crystal ball to schedule conference calls. Any unexpected item in the agenda and the often grouchy juggler comes to play. Unfortunately there is only so much I can predict…

Dedicating some breaks to play with the little one is also a very important part in my daily agenda. Not having Lukas in a daycare has its downside, and I need to make sure his social and cognitive development is compensated accordingly. Luckily, he is always smiling and hardly ever cries.

At the end of the day, it feels like I’ve just finished a marathon. The sense of accomplishment is what usually drives my evening mood. Only a few things are worse to me than an unproductive day.

How Many Strollers can One Child Have?

It never seizes to amaze me how much money new parents spend unnecessarily on strollers (and on baby gear in general!). Have you ever thought about the number of strollers per child in this country? Even during recessions you still see parents buying one stroller for short and another for long walks, yet another for a run, and an additional, and portable one, to leave in the trunk.

When the second baby comes, the shopping spree restarts for double versions. In total, by the time the second child hits her fifth birthday, there are about eight to ten strollers parked in the garage. And the cars are parked outside, of course!

When we had our baby, my husband and I decided to adopt the buy- on-an-as-needed-basis rule. We were surprised by how much gear we actually didn’t need! Brands start overwhelming parents with massive marketing from the moment you go to your first obstetrician appointment. By the time I was five months pregnant, we had already received four containers of formula and several $5-$10 coupons through the mail. A massive marketing to doubt our decision to breastfeed! Any class or seminar your register becomes part of a quite desirable industry mailing list.

Anyway, back to strollers, we bought one for all situations, a real all-terrain type with large wheels and tires to handle both snowed and rainy pavements, and another one a few days before our first international trip. We knew we were going to spent long hours connecting, and the umbrella stroller came in very handy to navigate through airports.

Every time I go to stores like Babies R Us, I amuse myself analyzing what people are buying. Hard to believe that devices such as a baby wipes warmer can make it to the store, and be sold! Waste of resources….

Enough Packing for a Trip

Both my husband and I have traveled the world, for business and leisure. Having a baby required some adjustments into our schedules, but not enough to stop us from enjoying new international experiences! Our son Lukas went to Australia with us when he was 8 months old, and then to Brazil at 11 months. We have also taken him to several domestic trips. Soon we are heading to Europe, and Brazil again. Before his first birthday his passport had already been stamped in a few continents.

The trips definitely required some serious preparation, and a lot more equipment! Good times when we used to travel with carry on luggage only. No more….well, it is really not that difficult. Gotta be organized!

Having an umbrella stroller has been very helpful to navigate through airports and destinations. Also, bringing some comfort food items, such as cereal or Cheerios, can be a huge plus while the little one is getting acquainted with different food. Lukas eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, which generally can be found anywhere. The food preparation is really the main difference.

Another item that has been very valuable is a diaper changing mat. I bought a large piece of fabric that is water proof on one side, and cushioned on the other. It has allowed us to change his diapers pretty much anywhere (see picture at a park in Sydney). Many countries lack the convenience of public restrooms’ changing tables. Sometimes the stalls are so small that you can barely fit yourself in there.

Through our trips I have compiled a helpful check list of items to pack for carry on and checked luggage. Some of my world traveler friends help me add to this list with their personal experiences too. You can find the check list posted on the section “Useful Links” in this website.

I think that exposing your kids to other cultures is one of the best experiences you can provide. Even though they might not remember the actual trip in the future, some key learnings will stay with them forever.

Relax, be flexible, and enjoy the trip!

You've gotta get moving!

I hear so many people complaining about the lack of time to exercise. I just can't believe that anyone would ever wait for that moment in life when spare time is fully available to start being active. You have to make time, people!!

Exercising is incredibly important in life. Like brushing your teeth, it should be part of your routine, hopefully DAILY routine.

I remember when I was in college and also doing my internship at the same time, I would hit the gym at 5am. The following period of my life, when I was working full time and attending full time credits for my MBA. Boy, that was hell, but I exercised during my lunch break. Ok, I know I enjoy exercising, however my point is that if you are committed to a healthy lifestyle, you have no choice other than making time to exercise.

One important point is that exercising is like a relationship for life. You need to work on that, making sure it doesn't get boring, a burden! Do something that is pleasurable, fun, enjoyable! Have kids? Take that stroller out there and run or power walk with your kids. Can it get any more fun than that? That will teach your kids to enjoy being active too!
Get a pedometer and commit to 10,000 steps a day. It can't get any easier....

No excuses, please! ;)

Mompreneur's inpiration

I'm really trying to work hard this afternoon. Even though my cute son, and inspiration, is a few steps from me, sitting on the floor and playing with his favorite toys.
I'm lucky to have this big carpeted room, full of toys, a table and my laptop. This allows me to work from home, making me a real Mompreneur.

So, my first message will be a tribute to all Mompreneurs out there!

I've always been fascinated by how some home-based-business moms manage to build significant enterprises with such little time in their hands. During my long tenure working for Fortune 500 companies, I always thought that the freedom of working from home was a real deal.

Ok, it's hard to focus on a business plan with so many interruptions during the day; not only from kids but also from family members, sometimes inconsiderate of mompreneurs business hours ;)

What is the driver? How do they get there? While some are lucky, others are very determined to succeed. Not sure which one I fit in, but I know that it requires a lot of organization, discipline and persistence to juggle personal and professional tasks under the same roof. Immense self-motivation and intelligence definitely distinguish them from the crowd.

Many CEOs and VPs I've met during my career could definitely learn a lot from their Modus Operandi! Their ability to multitask is unprecedented, and their team-work skills, simply extraordinary!