By Paula, on May 4th, 2012
It is hard to believe that the school year is soon winding to an end. Last year at this time I was right in the midst of planning and coordinating events related to my daughter’s senior year in high school.
Every day there was a new activity on the calendar and a new cost associated with each function. It was not until the whole whirlwind was over that I truly absorbed how much money went flying out of our bank account.
I think history shows that there are several big life events that women “forget” to tell each other including, marriage, childbirth, menopause and the cost of the high school senior year! If you are a Sandwich Mama, you may have kiddos who are nearing the end of their high school run, so I would like to prepare you a bit for the senior year cash withdrawals:
Senior Pictures – Most schools offer senior picture packages but I have a word of warning ahead! You are in a highly emotional state with all of the upcoming festivities. In addition, since you most probably have the cutest kid in the whole world, you will want to purchase every.single.photo. ‘Nuf said.
Prom – If you are the mom of a son, please insert your gratitude dance here! If you have a girl-child who will attend a dance, here is a small list of items you may be paying for:
- Dress
- Special undergarments for above frock
- Shoes
- Tickets to the dance
- Hair
- Mani/Pedi
- Waxing
- Boutonniere for the dude
- Transportation (A.K.A. the dreaded limo)
Graduation – Again, having a graduating son may be a little more cost effective. Otherwise:
- Dress – completely new, that no one has ever seen, even though it will be under the graduation gown
- Special undergarments for above frock
- Shoes – different that the prom footwear
- Announcements plus all of the bells and whistles
- Graduation gown rental
- Special commemorative tassel that is exactly the same as the regular one but double the price
College applications and tests
- Beware of the number of colleges your child is applying to because there may be a hefty price tag ahead.
- If your child is taking any Advanced Placement classes, there is a cost to take the annual test.
I am sure I missed plenty of hidden activities that add up the cha-ching factor during this year. Now that you have been forewarned, please consider checking out my college preparation post with a list of future necessities!
xoxo Paula
Do you have a child nearing graduation? If so, congratulations! Please share your comments here!
By Paula, on May 2nd, 2012
Today is the second KYSS Award day. Last month I started lurking around in the blogosphere and I was thrilled to see so many different posts that qualify for the Keep Your Sandwich Simple Award. You can check out the award criteria here. It was hard to choose but I finally selected this month’s award recipients:
The Eye Roll Diaries
This blog is the creation of three, count ‘em three talented and experienced mothers of teens. Diane, Heidi and Debbie have seven teens between them and use their blog to share stories and encourage dialog about raising teenagers.
Certainly, any Sandwich Mama would love to take a break from the hectic caregiving life and read stories in which they can relate. Here is just a sample of the posts that gave me a giggle and ignited my thinking process about my own teenagers:
Warning Signs of FPDS, ADE, UL, LAS and OPO by Diane. Do not let the title scare you in thinking your teen may have some awful ailment because this post highlights the ever-cherished activity of getting a family holiday photo!
The Pick Up Artist by Heidi. This hilarious post gives readers a peek into the girl discovery process by thirteen-year-old boys.
I’m Not Shooting My Laptop by Debbie. This is an honest post about realistic teenage punishments.
I hope you will take a moment to visit the Eye Roll Diaries because I know you will love them as much as I do!
xoxo Paula
By Paula, on April 30th, 2012
Today is the last of a three part series about Sandwich Mamas who may not currently be providing hands-on care for their aging parents. There are many challenges in overseeing parent care from afar. If you are responsible for this type of caregiving, frequent visits to your parents are likely so I want to provide you with a few preparation tips when planning that visit.
Prepare in advance. Your stress-level will stay in check if you discuss with your parents what they would like to do when you visit. Maybe they need to do some shopping or have doctor appointments they would like you to attend. Perhaps they need help with home improvements or other work they cannot complete so knowing these desires ahead of time will help you budget your time appropriately.
Make appointments. If you need to discuss your parent’s situation with medical personnel or professionals, make appointments in advance.
Assess their needs. Before my unexpected blogging hiatus, I discussed the importance of keeping watch of your aging parent’s needs during a visit. Parents do not always share the little details of their daily life so becoming a detective during your stay will provide you with vital information.
Visit! You have so many things you are responsible for as a long distance caregiver but you are still their child. Take the time to chat with them, participate in activities they enjoy and just plain, old soak them up.
It is my sincere hope that this series provided you with information to help in long distance oversight or preparation for future care. If you have other needs that you would like me to address, please let me know!
It is hard to believe that the school year is soon winding to an end. Last year at this time I was right in the midst of planning and coordinating events related to my daughter’s senior year in high school.
Take Your Sandwich To Go!