The summer is full of, fun, rest, and relaxation — if you’re freaking 20. For parents — especially working parents — it’s a hellish mixture of drop-off, pick-up, in-laws, and juggling schedules. And, as the Great Re-entering takes place, you are in all likelihood trying to make up for lost time with more fun, which means less energy. But there are some shortcuts to help you recharge and be there for those who need it.
|
|
Exhausted? These shortcuts will have you kicking things into gear again.
How to Make Perfect Cold Brew Coffee
It’s cold brew season. Here's how to make a cafe-quality batch at home.
Grind it coarse.
Cold brew requires coffee grounds the consistency of coarse sea salt — a bit more coarse than what you put in the French Press. (Pro Tip: A burr grinder, which crushes rather than chops the beans, is a pricier, fussier, and, yes, better grinder.)
The Not-So-Golden Ratio.
Cold brew should be around 8-to-1 ratio of water to ground coffee by weight. But if your brew is too acidic, too bitter, too weak, or too strong, play with the ratio. It’s all about taste.
Jar it and strain it
The simplest way to make cold brew is to add ground coffee in the bottom of the jar, add your measured cold water, stir to make sure your coffee is well saturated and cover the jar, leaving it to sit at room temperature overnight. Straining the loose coffee is, we’ll admit, a mess. We suggest buying paper bag filters (like these) and then simply removing it the next day, as though it were an oversize tea bag.
Maybe your sleep got hijacked by a tiny being in diapers. Or maybe you just stayed up later than normal because, hey, you felt like it. Whatever the case, if you’re struggling to stay awake, here are some tips to make it through the day when you’re running on empty.
|
|
 |
|
An alarm clock should do one thing: wake you up — and not bathe the room in light and sound while doing it. This LEFF beauty is it. It has a simple analog design, but at night the fluorescent hands will become visible and the whole dial lights up by pushing the snooze button on top.
|
|
|
This is how to end the cycle.
5 Small, Nice Things to Do After a Fight
Because what you do after a fight is as important as what you might have done during the argument...
1. Let them break the ice. If they don’t want to laugh about it, take their lead.
2. Play with the kids. Turn all your attention to the kids. This should help you cool off (if you need it) and makes you emotionally useful while you two are shoring things up.
3. Exercise, clean up, and take care of yourself. You two need to repair a rift. This starts with a bit of self-care for the both of you.
4. Make up in front of the kids. Children learn by watching adults. When parents make up with each other after a fight, they should do so in front of their children to help them understand that even though people might fight and argue, it does not mean those relationships are irreparable.
5. Write a sincere love note. Tell them that even after an argument you are still their partner and that you will never stop loving them. They need to hear it and you need to be reminded that’s the case. It will help.
So, you had a big argument that remains unresolved. How do you return to the topic without tempers flaring?
|
|
|
|
My son is beginning to learn about his relationship to time. Now, the questions come.
|
To him, time floats around like a small boat in a harbor. It creaks and rocks and sometimes bumps into something called LunchTime or TimeForMamaToComeHome.
|
|
|
|
|
Have a question? Comment? Want to tell us a no-good terrible story? Or a helpful parenting tip? We want to hear from you (and yes, we may publish your response in an article or forthcoming newsletter).
Send your thoughts to [email protected].
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
