Here are some sites of interest for your Friday, pre-weekend reading:

• BogHer is capturing ideas of the best things your mother told you. Contribute here.
• The 10 Talents of Parenting: Balance. It’s about finding emotional balance.
• Does parenting help in running a business? Read about it in “The Parent Preneur Edge” book.
• Read 43folders.com’s take on clutter.
  
• Bedtime stress busters for kids.
  

I’ve been concentrating on financial and estate planning lately — something that’s been long overdue. I think that women tend to put this kind of planning in the background or let our husbands take care of it. It’s hard to deal with, but must be done.

Lately, I’ve heard of some women who have had serious set backs, to say the least — relatively young spouses who’ve died and some single moms who have had medical issues that require them to be out of work. Who’se got you back in these situations? Do you have family you can rely on? Good friends who could be there for you in a pinch? Are you prepared legally for these type of situations?

Evey woman needs to have legal papers that state who her children would go to in the event she dies as well as who would care for her should she become incapacitated. Remember the now-famous case of Terry Schiavo? She was married, but had no living will and became a case for the courts — her husband and her parents battling out for what was “best for her.” Don’t leave these decisions up to your family members or your friends — make them now, while you are able.

Related:

• Balancing Motherhood’s financial posts.
• How to prepare a living will.

So says, Kate of “Jon and Kate Plus 8.” Last night I was watching an episode of this true and funny family that has one set of twins and one set of sextuplets (hence the 8 reference in the show title) when Kate is obviously ticked that the children were eating gum at their Aunt’s house. It’s something we can all relate to.

Kate is a Mom that we can learn from. When you watch the show you see so many techniques and Mom-isms:

• She’s organized: She has to be.
• She only makes one thing for dinner and can’t cater to the eating whims of toddlers. If they don’t like it they don’t eat.
• She’s just trying to be the best Mom she can be.
• She wants the best for her kids.
• She tells it like it is.
• She’s created “special days” for each of her eight children so they can have private Mommy and Daddy time. How hard is that when you have 8 special days and have to get a babysitter for 7 kids every time you have a special day with one of the kids? If she can do that, the rest of us can be sure to spend some special time with our children.

When I am able to catch an episode of Jon & Kate, I realize that for every day I struggle to do it all, I look at the Gosselins and remember and see that they manage to feed, clothe and entertain 8 kids every day. I can manage one right now.

Related: 

• The family’s Web site.
• Kate’s tips for a smooth household.
• Find showtimes.

It gets hard to give things away that come from family members, especially those who have passed away. Or items that have been passed down, sometimes through several generations. Many times, however, this can be a burden to the person you are giving the item to. There is a lot of guilt associated with being the person to now own and have to keep and protect the “family heirloom.”

Think about a recent college graduate who just got his first apartment. His parents unload some of his “possessions” they have been saving for him. Does he even want them anymore? Are they his style? But, will he take them and keep them because his parents have been “saving” them for him all these years?

Families need to think about this as they keep things for their kids. Unless your children express an interest in the item, I wouldn’t save it for them.

Related:

Clutter Control Your Home By Respecting Your Favorite Items

Why I seem to forget that Wednesday is toy day at my son’s pre-school is beyond me. I mean, it’s every Wednesday. Has been every Wednesday for months, yet I still forgot his toy today. I’ve got enough on my mind without having to remember this detail every week, but it’s such a simple concept that it escapes me why I forget it so often.

Each Wednesday all the kids bring a toy from home. It’s a great learning experience because it promotes sharing — something to reduce the use of the word “MINE” in our house. I think part of my problem is that I try very hard to bring a different toy each week (when I remember) and a toy that doesn’t have too many parts to it, and, of course, one that if something happened to it I wouldn’t care. Maybe I put too much criteria on it which makes it a task, instead of just part of our Wednesday morning routine.

Next Wednesday I’ll just grab one of the million pieces of toys, Sharpie his name on it and be done with it.