Life has a way of putting you in odd situations – like you becoming a parent (or soon-to-be one) just
when you’re committed to starting your own business. If this is happening to you, you’re going to have
to stay on your toes to balance ���Ϲ��� time with the needs of your business. Here, the
offers advice to new (or soon-to-be) parents on taking care of their child while running a business:

Understand what your newborn needs
Newborns sleep for up to 16 hours a day, going by a, which means you won’t need to
spend every waking hour with your child. Still, your – including diapering, bathing,
feeding, playtime, massaging, and more. You’ll have to anticipate said needs (it takes practice) and
manage your time to adequately care for your child and business.
Introduce your child to a routine

Routines can be your best friend – not only do newborns thrive on routines (it offers a sense of
consistency and security), but they also allow you to organize your day optimally for work, child care,
and, hopefully, personal time. a flexible routine, starting about a month old,
with activities like designated feeding times, monitored naps, and sleep cues.

Organize your space
Organizing your space makes it easier for you to look after your child and work simultaneously. For
instance, consider setting up a home office next to the nursery. That way, you can keep an eye on both your business as well as your child and quickly walk over when they need you. Also, will make it easier to tend to your child.

Follow a business plan
Having a business plan can give you clarity on what you need to do to be successful and give you
concrete goals to aim for, short-term and long-term. This document contains details about your
company, your monetization strategy, the structure of your company, your funding sources, financial
projections, market research, and other key details. By making this document, you’ll be able to use your
time constructively and avoid missteps.

Make your business processes more efficient to save time
There are only so many hours in the day. is essential to
getting the most out of your time (and becoming more profitable). Some ways to bring in more
efficiency are automating processes, redesigning processes, digitizing, using , and
using data analytics for decision-making.

A simple but powerful suggestion is re-organizing your files by using just one of many . If you have multiple projects involving multiple teams or clients, you will likely have to work with
countless individual files for each client and project. You can make life easier by using the PDF merger
tool to re-organize various individual files into one (or a low number), having a primary PDF file for every
project. You can move page orders around in the PDF as you like. It cuts down on the time it takes to
find important documents and information.

Don’t do it alone – ask for help
You shouldn’t do everything on your own. You should, ideally, work with your partner (if applicable) to
take turns looking after your newborn, and you can always ask for help from ���Ϲ��� or friends. When it
comes to your business, you should delegate. If your budget is an issue, you can hire part-time
employees or outsource work to freelancers.

Last, but not least, consider acquiring a We staff
newborn care specialists and nannies who help with infant care. Also, we provide household managers
and personal assistants to look after day-to-day tasks and chores, leaving you free to focus on key
business tasks.

Conclusion
Being efficient and organized is how you’ll have enough time to take care of your child as well as your
business. Don’t forget to take care of yourself while you’re at it – being a parent-cum-entrepreneur is
hard work. Leave enough time for rest, follow a self-care routine, and ask for help to avoid burning out.

Image via

1. Take a Deep Breath

When stressed, your body and mind send signals that cause you to breathe more rapidly. This triggers a fight-or-flight response that can be helpful in dangerous situations, but it’s not so useful when you feel as if you don’t have enough time or energy for everything on your to-do list.  are one way to step out of stress mode. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths, focusing on nothing but the breath entering and leaving your body. 

2. Eat Healthily

Encourage your children to , including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. These foods are high in fiber and protein, which helps keep you full longer and lowers cholesterol levels. 

Talk to your kids about eating healthfully. Choose a day each week — such as taco Tuesday or pasta night — to get them excited about eating healthy meals together as a ���Ϲ���.

3. Write in a Journal

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” Socrates once said. In your , get curious about why you engage in certain self-care behaviors and what they do for you. What draws you to meditate or take walks? Why are these rituals special for you? By getting in touch with your inner motivations, you can better understand how self-care makes sense for your ���Ϲ���.

4. Reduce Stress With Schedules

Working from home can mean long hours at a desk and, sometimes, distractions caused by your ���Ϲ���. and creating a schedule that everyone understands can reduce stress in your ���Ϲ���’s life and allow you to focus quietly on your work. Once you set boundaries for yourself, it’s easier for your kids to understand how . Additionally, make it a point to have regular ���Ϲ��� outings and schedule daily fun for everyone.

5. Go Outside in Nature

One great way for your child to start practicing self-care is to encourage them to go outside. Start by taking a ���Ϲ��� walk together and exploring new places around Beverly Hills, California, and soon your child is likely to want to explore new places. Encourage them in their exploration by giving them time and space. Spending time outdoors .

6. Practice Yoga and Meditation Together

Practicing yoga and  is an effective way for you and your kids to find time for yourselves — together. Plus, it’s an opportunity for you to role model healthy self-care practices by doing something together as a ���Ϲ���. Meditation can also help alleviate feelings of stress or anxiety that may be impacting your mood or behavior.

Self Care = Happier, Healthier Adults

Practicing self-care is essential for kids. It helps them be mindful of their needs and feelings — which leads to happier, healthier adults.

Kris Smooke
Owner/Instructor
Charlotte, NC

Where to Start?
Whether your baby is one day old or one year old using sign language with them will jump-start their communication and language skills (and make life a little easier on you). The simplest way to start is one sign at a time. Choose one word to incorporate into your everyday routine and then commit to signing that word every time you hear it/ say it. If you read it in a book or hear it in a song get excited about that word and demonstrate the sign to your little one(s). During this process be sure to lock eyes with your baby and also say the word slowly and clearly. Once you feel comfortable using that sign you can gradually add more to your vocabulary. 

Which Signs?

MORE is by far the most popular baby sign. It is all about instant gratification. Giving babies a way to communicate that they want “more” of something (usually food) is such a helpful tool. While other babies are crying and yelling for what they want, signing babies are learning to communicate using single words or even simple phrases. 

ALL-DONE is also a great sign to teach your baby. Using the sign for “all-done” is a wonderful alternative to babies throwing their food on the floor when they’re finished. Even if you chose to only use the signs MORE and ALL-DONE you will enjoy the benefits that using these baby signs bring. 

MILK is another common sign to start off with. Milk is life for babies so it truly empowers them to be able to communicate that they’re hungry at such a young age. When babies are able to get their needs met without so much frustration they learn to trust in you and feel more connected to you. Remember that babies live in the here and now so context is extremely important. When you sign “milk” to baby you should be ready to feed them right away. 

HELP is a wonderful sign to offer your baby. Babies begin to understand that they are an individual (and separate from their parents) around 6 months of age. The months to follow are filled with experimenting with their independence and demonstrating their determination to figure things out on their own. Teaching your baby the sign for “help” will allow you to stand back and watch them navigate this stage with the comfort of knowing they can call on you for help before they become frustrated in their task. Also, older babies find it easier to ask for help using sign language when they are too proud to verbally admit it. 

PLEASE is my personal favorite sign to use. Teaching your baby the sign for “please” instills manners at a wildly young age. Kids actually love being polite. This is a sign that will stick with your kiddo for many years to come. It’s also a great way to remind your little one(s) to use their manners (even if you’re standing on the opposite side of the room). 

When to Start?

There is no such thing as too much language exposure so it’s truly a matter of whenever YOU are ready. 

���Ϲ��� Kris

Kris Smooke owns and operates Tiny Hands Learning, a fast-growing baby sign language business based outside of Charlotte, NC. 

Her courses and programs are committed to enhancing early communication with babies and toddlers. She graduated in the field of Interpreting (ASL) and worked as a freelance interpreter in the Charlotte area prior to becoming a mom. 

She is now the mother of two and became passionate about baby signs as soon as she began reaping the benefits of baby signs with her own children. She recently created an online course and Tiny Hands Learning is now trusted nationwide by parents, caregivers, doctors, educators and (of course) the babies, too!

Find it here:

Tiny Hands Learning Course:
https://tinyhandslearning.teachable.com/

Website:
https://www.tinyhandslearning.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tinyhandslearning

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/
tinyhands.learning

Check out our COFFEE TALK with Kris