If the title of the book “Eat, Nap, Play” sounds similar to the book and motion picture “Eat, Pray, Love,” it was totally intentional.
“It is a rip-off in the best sense,” said Evelyn Sacks of east Cobb, who co-authored “Eat, Nap, Play” (HCI Books, 2010, $14.95) with Robyn Spizman of Sandy Springs. As the subtitle explains, Sacks and Spizman’s book focuses on “how to get more out of your child’s day for less.”
“Eat, Pray, Love” is about balance, said Sacks. “Our book is really about the same thing -- balance between you and your child, between you and your budget, between you and your lifestyle,” she said.
Both moms of grown children, the authors give a mix of crafty tips and budgeting advice to parents on topics such as food, birthday parties and technology. Sacks, who spent much of her child-rearing years as a single mom, said when it comes to school, “It’s not just the child who goes to school, it’s kind of like the whole family goes to school.”
Sacks offered a few of her favorite tips from the chapter called “Super School Savings” to help parents avoid “the stressies” (as she calls them) and make the school year more pleasant and less pricey:
- Stock a supply closet: Shop for supplies year-round, not just right before school starts. "If you spend a little bit, you can save a lot," said Sacks. "We're talking about closeouts and every sale you can find." Having your own inventory of new school supplies means when your child says, "Mom, I need two pieces of poster board for tomorrow!" you're not running to the store in 6 p.m. traffic. Sacks said when you can just go to the supply closet and grab it, knowing you got it on sale, "You have a sense of order and purpose."
- Get a handle on after-school activities: Kids may do better, the authors write, if they're not "caught up in rushing from activity to activity, filling up on fast food and changing from softball uniform to skating skirt in the car." Before parents sign up for every activity available, the authors recommend asking several questions, such as "Has your child shown interest in the activity beyond the fact that a friend is doing it?" and "How much total time is required and is this acceptable?" To keep costs down, set an activities budget for each child. Or try do-it-yourself activities like "Crafty Wednesdays" (surprise kids with a craft project each week) or Our Town (field trips in your area).
- Make a homework box: On the table or desk where your children do their homework, create a box for each student. Stock it with everything needed for a successful homework session -- pencils, paper, erasers, maybe even snacks. "There's something about school supplies that are fun for most people," said Sacks. "It's a little leg up on a homework assignment. I think it helps kids get focused and feel proprietary about that assignment." The authors suggest letting younger kids decorate and personalize the box.
- Give kids responsibilities: Sacks and Spizman believe that by age 8, kids should be able to set and wake up to an alarm clock. They also can help out around the house -- fill and empty the dishwasher, water the plants and bring in the mail. Help them learn time management by giving them a calendar to use. (For downloadable calendars, they suggest keepandshare.com, calendar.google.com and cozi.com.)
- Reassess throughout the year: A few times during the year, maybe when report cards come out, hold a family meeting. "How's the school year going, people?" Sacks suggests asking. She said parents can even start by saying how they're contributing. For instance, a dad could say, "I'm working on not being late picking you up from activities." Sacks said she believes it's fair to ask the children what they can do to make the whole school scene go better.
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