Productivity and Organization Tips & Tools for Parents

Hey mamas and papas! Want to explore ways to create more order and harmony in your work and home life? I love helping individuals and families create practical systems that will make the days feel less rushed and more purposeful, including developing realistic household and family schedules that work; exploring block scheduling and other productivity approaches; creating easy family meal plans and meal prep strategies; and creating a variety of family systems such as household chore delegation, establishing daily routines, and creating positive behavior charts and daily routine task lists for children. I’ve compiled a quick list of productivity and organization tips and tools for parents below. The goal of these organization, time management, and productivity systems is to help you thrive in your personal and professional lives. Each tip and tool has been personally tested and has proven to be particularly effective in our family or clients’ families...

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Free Online Resource: The Bright & Quirky Child Summit, January 28-February 3, 2019

I want to share a free resource that may be helpful to your family, a friend's family, or to the families you work with: The Bright & Quirky Child Summit presented by Bright & Quirky, whose mission is to “ease the struggle for bright and quirky kids and parents, help them self-actualize with the help of experts in the fields of mental health and education, and inspire the hope that new ideas and possibilities bring.”

The 7-day summit will occur online January 28-February 3, 2019. Registration for the free summit gives parents links to watch the summit talks over the 7 day summit. Each talk is free and accessible for 24 hours from when it airs. Presenters include…

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Making Resolutions Stick Through SMART Goals

Tis’ the season. Whether you like New Year’s resolutions or not, everyone is talking about them. Some of us are doing great, while some of us have already given up. This week’s post focuses on making your resolutions stick. While I think it is great to set resolutions or intentions for the year, if you really want results, it is time to shift from resolutions or intentions to S.M.A.R.T. goals. Developed in the 1980s by management consultants as a business tool, SMART goals are now used by businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to set and achieve objectives.

The SMART acronym and system for developing goals is fairly straightforward. If you want to achieve something in any realm, set goals, and these goals should be S.M.A.R.T…

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Enriched Family New Year Organization Packages

Want to start off the new year more organized and clear about your goals and how to accomplish them? Book a discounted goal planning, decluttering, and systems creation session with Enriched Family in January or February!

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January 2019 Activities List for Families in Austin

Happy new year! As you transition back into normal life and are filling in your January calendar, be sure to check out Enriched Family’s January 2019 Austin Family Activities List. There are lots of fun activities and events to explore in Austin this month with your families.

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Enriched Family Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays are a wonderful time to find thoughtful gifts for our loved ones, but this can also be overwhelming. With this thought in mind, I have created the first Enriched Family Holiday Gift Guide (for kids - up to tweens/teens). I know y’all know the list of toys that your kids are clamoring for, so I have focused instead on educational and experience gifts. I have tried to include gifts at a variety of price points. Please note, I have included links to Amazon (when available) simply for ease of finding and pricing the various gift ideas. Many of these gifts can be found locally as well…

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Enriched Family's Winter Camp Roundup

Wait, what??!! Only ~12 days until winter break?! It’s that time of year again when many parents are starting to sweat a little thinking of trying to get coverage for some of the 2+ weeks the kids are off for the holiday break. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to sign the kids up for winter camps! In an effort to make your life easier, I have compiled a list of some camps offering winter sessions below. In my experience, winter camps tend to be more expensive than summer camps, are harder to find for little ones, and often do not cover the full school break. I have tried to include camps in different areas in or near Austin, with a variety of price points, and a few options for littles.

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Enriched Family is Celebrating its First Anniversary with a Special Offer for New and Repeat Clients!

It is with great pride and gratitude that I announce that Enriched Family is celebrating its first anniversary! Thanks so much for coming on this ride with me and sharing your support, curiosity, and challenges. I am so grateful to be able to help families by providing them with the information, tools, and systems they need to organize and thrive.

In honor of Enriched Family’s first anniversary, I am extending a special offer to new and repeat customers…

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Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup: Delicious, Vegetarian Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I love coming together with family and friends to share a meal and focus on our many reasons to be grateful. While I am a vegetarian, my husband and children are not. Without the centerpiece of turkey on my plate (I substitute with "nurkey") my focus has always been on the side dishes. Below is the tried-and-true menu of recipes compiled over the years that we will be having at our house, as well as some new recipes that we might try out this year.

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Twenty-One Days Until Thanksgiving Break?! Check Out Enriched Family's Roundup of Fall Break Camps

Many school districts around Austin will be taking a full week break for Thanksgiving for the first time this year, rather than the traditional two to three days. This includes, for example, Austin ISD, Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Leander ISD, and Round Rock ISD. For many parents, in order to balance work and family responsibilities, this means filling in the week with some camp options. In an effort to make your life easier, I have compiled a list of camps offering sessions during thanksgiving week…

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Roundtable Discussion on a Systems Approach to Organization: Facilitated by Enriched Family at The Hive on 11/10/18 @ 10am - Free!

Feeling a little stretched thin? Want to explore ways to create more order and harmony in your work and home life? Grab a cup of coffee at The Hive Austin and join Esha Clearfield from Enriched Family on 11/10/18 at 10am for an informal and engaging facilitated discussion on implementing organizational systems to help you thrive in your personal and professional lives…

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October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month - Local and National Resources

Trigger warning: This post deals with sensitive issues related to pregnancy and infant loss.

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Although approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, there is a great deal of silence, shame, and misinformation surrounding the subject. A 2016 TIME Health article, “Most Americans Don’t Know the First Thing About Miscarriages,” reporting on an Obstetrics & Gynecology survey of 1,000+ people, revealed a profound lack of knowledge amongst Americans about basic facts of miscarriage…

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Upcoming Enriched Family Workshops: Choosing the Best Preschool for Your Child - 10/30/18 & 11/11/18 @ Toybrary Austin

Enriched Family is excited to be offering a workshop for parents of preschool-aged children! “Choosing the Best Preschool for Your Child: A Practical Workshop for Parents” is an Enriched Family and Toybrary Austin collaboration. The workshop will be presented at Toybrary Austin (2001 Justin Lane, Austin, 78757) on Tuesday, October 30th, from 10:30-11:30am and Sunday, November 11th, from 1-2pm. Details…

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Enriched Family's Guide to College Application Planning and Resources - Part 2

In my work as an education consultant, I help families explore the best educational options for their unique children. This includes researching and comparing a wide-variety of educational selections at all life stages — from preschools, daycares, private and public schools, and enrichment activities, to college comparisons. I love helping families clarify their preferences and providing them with the specific information they need to inform and simplify their decision-making process.

As we move into fall, many families are pondering college planning and college applications. In part two of the Enriched Family Guide to College Application Planning and Resources, I focus on resources for letters of recommendation, college essays, financial aid planning, and scholarship planning…

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Guide to College Application Planning and Resources - Part 1

Many families are entering the season of college planning and college applications. This guide will help you with planning and resources no matter what grade your child is in currently. It is never too early to start thinking through the college process. This first installment focuses on establishing your family team and setting expectations; college application planning tools; deciding where to apply (college search and comparison tools); resources for the application process and requirements for selected colleges; and planning to take the SAT or ACT. Part 2 in this series will focus on resources for letters of recommendation, college essays, financial aid planning, and scholarship planning.

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Resources to Help you Find After-School Activities for your Children

With the school year starting up again, many parents are looking for after-school activities for their kids. To aid in this process, this week’s blog post focuses on some resources for exploring after-school activities for children of all ages…

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