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Janine
Sarna-Jones
The Organizer
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Eileen
Behan
The Nutritionist Bio
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Natalie
Gahrmann
The Life Coach Bio
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Curt Hinson
The Child Fitness Expert
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Tanya Remer
Altmann
The Pediatrician
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Andrea Messina
The Practical Mom
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Denene Millner The Real-Talk Mom
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THE QUESTION :

I am expecting my third child, and my oldest is 11 and youngest is 17 months old. We are short on space. What do I do when the new baby is born--how do I make it work with the baby and going-to-be-2-year-old in the same room? Did I mention that it’s a small room?
 
THE ANSWER:

Sleep trumps everything, so let’s talk about that  first. If your toddler wakes up every time the baby fusses, consider keeping your newborn's crib in your room until he sleeps through the night. We kept our twins in a crib in our bedroom until each was sleeping through the night (otherwise we'd have had their 3-year-old brother to placate at 2 am as well!). And don’t even think of moving your toddler to his big sib's room now; his world is shaken up enough.

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Andrea Messina
THE QUESTION :

I am hopelessly disorganized. I schedule my kids for playdates and after-school activities, yet I never have my calendar with me when it happens. What's an easy way to keep track of all my family's activities?
 
THE ANSWER:

The easy part of this answer is to start carrying a calendar! Bring a planner that’s appropriate for you--either paper or electronic--where you can include everyone’s schedule.

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Janine Sarna-Jones
THE QUESTION :

I’m drowning in paper. Every time I turn around there’s a new pile. Every night, before we can sit down at our dining-room table to eat dinner, we have to clear away piles of mail, magazines, catalogs and our child’s artwork.
 
THE ANSWER:

Stop it at the door. Instead of bringing it into your house so it can breed like mold, throw away and recycle junk mail first and foremost. Then make a home for the rest, such as unpaid bills and unread magazines. If you find yourself drowning in pieces of paper, remember that those piles represent delayed decisions that you are going to have to make sooner or later.

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Janine Sarna-Jones
THE QUESTION :

I don't have time to tackle organizing my house. I have three kids (ages 2, 5 and 9) and maybe two hours a weekend to affect positive change in my house — and I could spend that time just washing clothes and putting them away. Where to begin?
 
THE ANSWER:

Are your kids watching TV while you’re sweating? Instead, give them jobs that are appropriate for their age level. Realize it won’t be perfect. You have to let go to get to “good enough” rather than “perfect.”

Most people don’t know where to begin. Here’s what I say: Begin where you spend most time in the house. Don’t start with a project to clean up the basement or garage. Yes, they look awful, but they’re contained. Instead, start where your daily life is most affected.

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Janine Sarna-Jones

 
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