Now, I've already talked about being in college, and how that's benefited my son and I in the long run. Today, I'll talk about why I'm continuing that education further.
I've been with the same company for 4 1/2 years now. Although I thought college would lead me away from this, it actually made me love it even more. As I've mentioned before, I'm also going through a management training program at work, so it goes hand-in-hand with school. After realizing the potential this company has, I decided to stay and move up. My company is known for promoting from within because there's not really any way to move up unless you've done the lower-level jobs.
Anyways, after talking with people above me, I found the job that I'd like to work up to. However, this job is a Bachelor's preferred.
My company used to give away scholarships, but they were hard to come by. Now, they give you money for education based on your level in the company. This being said, I decided, why not? I always said I'd go on if I needed it for a job I want, or if I worked for a company that paid for it, and now I found both!
This will be part-time, and it will be completely online. This will make it easier for me to keep working full-time.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Friday, May 27, 2016
Private vs. Public Schools
I mentioned before about trying to get my son into a new school for next year. I'm going to expand on that today and tell you why I decided not to do it.
What originally happened was that I wanted my son in another school district. That's why we had to
look into alternative schools. We looked at a charter school and a private school.
Now, I went to a charter middle school, which was the best school out of all 4 I'd been to (until college), so I really thought it would be a great environment for my son. Yes, the school was a good size, and that have great projects for the kids to do. Then I started realizing that I didn't want to be just project based, I wanted it to also be based on the fundamentals that you would get from a public school. So we had to move on.
Then we looked into a private. It's a Christian school, which would have also been great because my son loves going to church and hearing Bible stories. Anyway, the school looked great, my only downside was that the classes were very small. I'm talking like 5-6 kids in kindergarten. The money ended up driving me away because I thought "There's no way I could afford this."
So after a year of public school, I decided to look into private again. I talked with people who work there about getting help to pay for the school, and they made it seem like no problem. What I had to pay would be based off my income, and I could make payments on it. They also said that if what I was requested to pay was too much, they would be able to help me. I still felt uneasy about not knowing yet, but I handed in my paperwork and paid an enrollment fee. Then when I was given the paperwork for "getting help", I see at the top that it was another $10 for that, which was never mentioned to me! That needed more paperwork that I didn't have with me so I left. Ever since then, I've been regretting paying that enrollment fee and rethinking my decision.
Last week, I got an e-mail from, who would have been, his new 1st grade teacher about meeting up. I thought, "'Ok, maybe this will make me feel better and we can still make this work." Until I saw it.... $25. $25 to meet with his teacher to see what level he was at. That ultimately pushed me into completely giving up on this school because #1, I've already paid a good amount of money that could have gone to other things (its non-refundable), and #2, WHO in their right mind would pay that??
If I knew what was going on, I could have handled the financials, but if you're tacking on extra fees for ridiculous things, I'm not interested.
What originally happened was that I wanted my son in another school district. That's why we had to
Now, I went to a charter middle school, which was the best school out of all 4 I'd been to (until college), so I really thought it would be a great environment for my son. Yes, the school was a good size, and that have great projects for the kids to do. Then I started realizing that I didn't want to be just project based, I wanted it to also be based on the fundamentals that you would get from a public school. So we had to move on.
Then we looked into a private. It's a Christian school, which would have also been great because my son loves going to church and hearing Bible stories. Anyway, the school looked great, my only downside was that the classes were very small. I'm talking like 5-6 kids in kindergarten. The money ended up driving me away because I thought "There's no way I could afford this."
So after a year of public school, I decided to look into private again. I talked with people who work there about getting help to pay for the school, and they made it seem like no problem. What I had to pay would be based off my income, and I could make payments on it. They also said that if what I was requested to pay was too much, they would be able to help me. I still felt uneasy about not knowing yet, but I handed in my paperwork and paid an enrollment fee. Then when I was given the paperwork for "getting help", I see at the top that it was another $10 for that, which was never mentioned to me! That needed more paperwork that I didn't have with me so I left. Ever since then, I've been regretting paying that enrollment fee and rethinking my decision.
Last week, I got an e-mail from, who would have been, his new 1st grade teacher about meeting up. I thought, "'Ok, maybe this will make me feel better and we can still make this work." Until I saw it.... $25. $25 to meet with his teacher to see what level he was at. That ultimately pushed me into completely giving up on this school because #1, I've already paid a good amount of money that could have gone to other things (its non-refundable), and #2, WHO in their right mind would pay that??
If I knew what was going on, I could have handled the financials, but if you're tacking on extra fees for ridiculous things, I'm not interested.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Staying Connected
So here's what I do. I listen to podcasts and follow other mom blogs, such as Scary Mommy. I love reading Scary Mommy because they post anything you could think of, and they are honest! I also like listening to working mom podcasts because you can get advice on handling a job and kids. The three I've been listening to lately are: Your Business if Your Life, Working Mother Radio, and Working Motherhood. If there's anything specific you're looking for, they all have a ton of podcasts, so you can just scroll through to find a topic you need help with.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
#AerieREAL
Aerie has recently started a new campaign where they don't Photoshop their models. If you check out their Instagram, it's full of pictures girls have posted with #AerieREAL.
As a mom, it's hard to be confident in your body after having a child, especially if you have trouble losing the weight. I've always felt more comfortable shopping at Aerie over Victoria's Secret.
#3- Their sales people make you feel more comfortable
#4- Their bags say "The girl carrying this bag has not been retouched"
How awesome is that? Being able to walk out of the store feeling confident because of a bag you're carrying.
Well. our area DID have an Aerie, but they got closed down (it's not their fault, our 'mall' just charges way too much for rent). Now I'm left with shopping online, which isn't a bad thing.
As a mom, it's hard to be confident in your body after having a child, especially if you have trouble losing the weight. I've always felt more comfortable shopping at Aerie over Victoria's Secret.
WHY?
#1- They aren't as expensive
#2- Their ads were never as over-the-top as VS#3- Their sales people make you feel more comfortable
#4- Their bags say "The girl carrying this bag has not been retouched"
How awesome is that? Being able to walk out of the store feeling confident because of a bag you're carrying.
Well. our area DID have an Aerie, but they got closed down (it's not their fault, our 'mall' just charges way too much for rent). Now I'm left with shopping online, which isn't a bad thing.
If I Had A Billion Dollars.....
At the beginning of the semester, one class had us do an activity where we chose a paper with a random question we had to answer. It was so we could "get to know each other", even though we've been together almost two years.
My question was : If you had a billion dollars, would you continue to work/go to school? I answered yes. Of course everyone thought I was insane. Why do all that when you have so much money to take care of everything??
I try to stay optimistic, but I also know how the real world works. Did you know that to retire
comfortably you need to save almost $1 million?? Well, now you do.
So if I had a billion dollars, yes you might see me driving around in that lifted F-150 I dream about every night, I'd have all my bills paid, we've live in a nice house with a big yard, and my son would have college already paid for.
Howeverrrrrrr, why would I drop out of college now when I'm soooo close to graduating! Plus, I know myself enough to say that I'd be bored. I'd miss my co-workers (even though they sometimes drive me up the wall), and seeing my favorite customers every day. Getting a boat-load of money won't stop me from wanting to accomplish all my goals.
I guess part of that is the fact that I'm almost done with school and my management training. Why let all that hard work go to waste?
My question was : If you had a billion dollars, would you continue to work/go to school? I answered yes. Of course everyone thought I was insane. Why do all that when you have so much money to take care of everything??
I try to stay optimistic, but I also know how the real world works. Did you know that to retire
So if I had a billion dollars, yes you might see me driving around in that lifted F-150 I dream about every night, I'd have all my bills paid, we've live in a nice house with a big yard, and my son would have college already paid for.
Howeverrrrrrr, why would I drop out of college now when I'm soooo close to graduating! Plus, I know myself enough to say that I'd be bored. I'd miss my co-workers (even though they sometimes drive me up the wall), and seeing my favorite customers every day. Getting a boat-load of money won't stop me from wanting to accomplish all my goals.
I guess part of that is the fact that I'm almost done with school and my management training. Why let all that hard work go to waste?
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Mother's Day
Sorry this post is late, things are getting hectic! Business plans for school are due in less than 2 weeks, meaning the term is over soon! After that, we have a big presentation, which honestly I'm not even worried about compared to just getting this thing done! The week after that, it's off to Pittsburgh for 3 days on a work trip! So things are pretty crazy.
Mother's Day was no exception. After work, my son took me out to Cracker Barrel. We don't go there often, but he loves that triangle game they have at every table. Mother's Day gets better as he gets older because now he can actually write cards. He wrote and colored a whole book at school about us. He even pointed out that he colored my clothes purple because that's my favorite color (yes it is!).
Last night, he went on this rant about going to a baseball game because Ike the Spike and some of the Spike's baseball players came to his school. He went on and on about how after church, we can go home and get lunch, then nap, then go watch a baseball game.
These kids never stop amazing you. Aiden's the type of kid who will tell me he loves me right after he wakes up, just because.
Mother's Day was no exception. After work, my son took me out to Cracker Barrel. We don't go there often, but he loves that triangle game they have at every table. Mother's Day gets better as he gets older because now he can actually write cards. He wrote and colored a whole book at school about us. He even pointed out that he colored my clothes purple because that's my favorite color (yes it is!).Last night, he went on this rant about going to a baseball game because Ike the Spike and some of the Spike's baseball players came to his school. He went on and on about how after church, we can go home and get lunch, then nap, then go watch a baseball game.
These kids never stop amazing you. Aiden's the type of kid who will tell me he loves me right after he wakes up, just because.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Second child?
Are you kidding me?!? I'm not ready for another kid, but my son used to ask me all the time about having a baby. I don't know why, but it started to get on my nerves. I have a lot of friends from work and school who are out there getting married and having more kids. I, on the other hand, am focused on finishing school (then onto the next), and getting into work full-time. My son's only 5, so I am not prepared to explain to him why mommy isn't having a baby.
So here's my solution:
This is Bandit. He's 8 years old. We're in the process of adopting him from Nittany Beagle Rescue. My mom had been looking into getting another beagle for awhile, she was just waiting around for the right one.
So here's my solution:This is Bandit. He's 8 years old. We're in the process of adopting him from Nittany Beagle Rescue. My mom had been looking into getting another beagle for awhile, she was just waiting around for the right one.
And honestly, Bandit is like a baby when you think about it. He get's into things he shouldn't, he has accidents everywhere, and he has to be taken out every 4 hours. Oh, and he reminds you when it's time to eat by barking non-stop.
Since we've gotten Bandit, my son has stopped asking about me having a baby (whew!). My son even calls Bandit his little brother!
Friday, April 29, 2016
Kids and Banking
A few days ago I posted this article on Facebook and Twitter to see what other moms thought. Well, they weren't too thrilled. Basically, this article talks about letting kids earn an allowance, then putting it into a bank account, giving them a debit card, then letting them use it to purchase things they want.
First, let's talk about the positive! Children are still learning the value of a dollar early on. My son for example loves helping out to earn money to put in his piggy bank. Once he has a good amount saved, we take it to the credit union (this is an important step). My son has a savings account that is for kids; every time he makes a deposit, he gets a stamp on his card, and when he gets 10 stamps, the bank puts $5 into his account. Pretty cool, right?
Now, a lot of moms had worries about their kids losing a debit card, it could get stolen, and the biggest one-- Having a card makes you feel limitless. My view is that the same things can happen with cash. Whether it's cash or card, I would feel safer holding onto it myself. Your child can still get the same satisfaction from saving money then spending it on what they've saved for, that's not going to change.
So... where's the negative? I already mentioned that with lost/stolen cards. Again, if you as the parent hold onto the money, these won't be issues.
Other parent's commented that their children don't get allowances or earn money from chores. This all depends on you, your child, and your finances. If you can't afford to give them money, there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, I'd suggest a savings account for college or the future. However, as kids get older, it's important to teach them about earning, saving, and spending.
When I got my first job at 16, I spent my paycheck pretty fast. I had to contribute to my part of the cell phone bill, but beyond that, I could spend it however I wanted. I couldn't even tell you what I spent it on other than the normal clothes, jewelry, and food. I never saved anything and I never knew how to pay bills myself. Imagine the finance shock I had when I became pregnant! I practically had to teach myself these things.
My point is, I'm sure some of us have had those experiences and thought "I'll make sure my child knows how to do this." First it's coins in a piggy bank, then they'll be buying a car, next college! Showing our kids the importance of these things now will instill these practices into them to use in the future when they are out on their own.
There's good and bad to this idea.
First, let's talk about the positive! Children are still learning the value of a dollar early on. My son for example loves helping out to earn money to put in his piggy bank. Once he has a good amount saved, we take it to the credit union (this is an important step). My son has a savings account that is for kids; every time he makes a deposit, he gets a stamp on his card, and when he gets 10 stamps, the bank puts $5 into his account. Pretty cool, right?
Now, a lot of moms had worries about their kids losing a debit card, it could get stolen, and the biggest one-- Having a card makes you feel limitless. My view is that the same things can happen with cash. Whether it's cash or card, I would feel safer holding onto it myself. Your child can still get the same satisfaction from saving money then spending it on what they've saved for, that's not going to change.
So... where's the negative? I already mentioned that with lost/stolen cards. Again, if you as the parent hold onto the money, these won't be issues.
Other parent's commented that their children don't get allowances or earn money from chores. This all depends on you, your child, and your finances. If you can't afford to give them money, there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, I'd suggest a savings account for college or the future. However, as kids get older, it's important to teach them about earning, saving, and spending.
When I got my first job at 16, I spent my paycheck pretty fast. I had to contribute to my part of the cell phone bill, but beyond that, I could spend it however I wanted. I couldn't even tell you what I spent it on other than the normal clothes, jewelry, and food. I never saved anything and I never knew how to pay bills myself. Imagine the finance shock I had when I became pregnant! I practically had to teach myself these things.
My point is, I'm sure some of us have had those experiences and thought "I'll make sure my child knows how to do this." First it's coins in a piggy bank, then they'll be buying a car, next college! Showing our kids the importance of these things now will instill these practices into them to use in the future when they are out on their own.
Until next time!
Friday, April 22, 2016
What To Do When You Make A Mistake
Mornings are always rough for us. Yesterday especially. As always, my son got dressed last minute because he'd rather lay on the couch with our dog Bandit then get dressed. Lately, he's been wanting to pack his own lunch, which is fine with me as long as it's not a bunch of junk food. Before we left the house I checked it... all junk food. From a bowl of chips to maybe 8 packs of fruit snacks. I told him to pick two for snack or he wouldn't take anything.
So once we finally get to school, the bell is about to ring. As we were getting out of the car, I saw that Aiden still had his lunchbox, which I thought was still packed full of junk. We had an argument in front of the school, with parents and teachers around watching, as he wouldn't let me take away his lunchbox. Once I finally got it, he had to walk into school crying, and I left crying.
I had to run back to my house for my purse, and I saw a bunch of fruit snacks laying on the table. So I checked my son's lunchbox, and there it was: a kool-aid and small bowl of chips. I immediately felt so bad that this big argument was over nothing. Maybe for a second I thought about how I was going to be late to school, but then I thought about my child spending the whole day at school upset.
I took his lunchbox back to school and asked them if I could see Aiden. When he came out I apologized to him and gave him his snacks back. He was so happy and he also apologized.
The point is-- when you make a mistake like this, even with your kids, you need to fix it right away. If you had an argument with a co-worker or friend and realized you were wrong, you'd apologize, right? Kids are the same way! I couldn't stand the thought of Aiden being sad the rest of the day because of a mistake I made, so I fixed it.
Thankfully, I have an amazing son who just wanted an apology (and his snacks).
So once we finally get to school, the bell is about to ring. As we were getting out of the car, I saw that Aiden still had his lunchbox, which I thought was still packed full of junk. We had an argument in front of the school, with parents and teachers around watching, as he wouldn't let me take away his lunchbox. Once I finally got it, he had to walk into school crying, and I left crying.
I took his lunchbox back to school and asked them if I could see Aiden. When he came out I apologized to him and gave him his snacks back. He was so happy and he also apologized.
The point is-- when you make a mistake like this, even with your kids, you need to fix it right away. If you had an argument with a co-worker or friend and realized you were wrong, you'd apologize, right? Kids are the same way! I couldn't stand the thought of Aiden being sad the rest of the day because of a mistake I made, so I fixed it.
Thankfully, I have an amazing son who just wanted an apology (and his snacks).
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Life goes on!
I saw this quote on twitter the other day, and I had to use it! This quote basically embodies my life right now. 
About 7 months ago I ended a pretty bad relationship. It's a difficult thing to do, but I had reached the point where I'd rather face my fear of ending it then continue to be so unhappy. In the months following, he tried to contact me though friends, called me from a blocked number, and tried to add my friends from school on Facebook (which they didn't do!). So what do I do?? I change my number and make sure my close friends know what is going on. As hard as these things are to talk about, having people close to you know what's going on will help you in the long run because they can keep an eye out for you.
One big thing I realized recently is that he was holding me back. As much as he tried to make me feel like I needed him so badly, it was the other way around. After I broke free from this relationship, everything in my life became better. I got a great raise at work, plus a promotion (so I'll be working full-time soon), and I'm more focused and engaged at school.
So, no matter what hardships you're going through, life goes on. If you can pick yourself back up, you might end up in a better place than you were before.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
The College Mom
A lot of people wonder how in the world I manage going to school with a child (on top of work, but I'll get into that at another time). Well, as I've said before, it's not easy! But it's definitely worth it!
Even though my family never drilled it into me, I've always felt like having a college education was the only way to really move up. My original plan was to go to culinary school to become a Pastry Chef, but of course having my son at a younger age changes things around. Honestly, even without my son, I would have waited a few years to save up money for school.
After being in the workplace a few years, I got more interested in business. Long story short, I eventually walked into South Hills.
Even though my family never drilled it into me, I've always felt like having a college education was the only way to really move up. My original plan was to go to culinary school to become a Pastry Chef, but of course having my son at a younger age changes things around. Honestly, even without my son, I would have waited a few years to save up money for school.
After being in the workplace a few years, I got more interested in business. Long story short, I eventually walked into South Hills.
I only told one person, because I had no idea what was going to happen, or how my family would react. I walked out knowing that I would be able to go to school part-time, I could still work and have time to take care of my son, and I could afford it!
Now, for anyone in Centre County or surrounding regions, you may know about South Hills. They have locations in Lewistown, Altoona, and the main campus in State College (where I am). South Hills has smaller class sizes, and the classes are more geared towards what you need to know in the real world. They also change the curriculum based on what companies in our area say that they are looking for; for example, this year I took Supply Chain Management, because it's a hot thing in our area.
Going part-time means I usually only take an average of 5 classes per term. Now, this last year I've been taking more because I requested to. Right now I have 5, but the most important one is Business Plan. That's literally what it is. We spend 12 weeks (in groups) coming up with and writing a business plan, and then we'll have a 45 min presentation on it. It's the "capstone" class before internships start.
Now, I'll be graduating in September! Turns out, I'm staying with the same company! I realized that I should stop running away from the place that got me so interested in business in the first place just because people have different perceptions about it. The fact is, I'm able to move up, I receive great pay and benefits, I get along with the majority of the people I work with, and most importantly, I LOVE WHAT I DO.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Time Management 1
"Hi Brittany, what can I help you with?"
Who's that? That's one of my best friends, Siri. I only started using Siri a few months ago, but oh what a change it makes!
If you want a basic start on time management, start with your phone. You carry it with you all day, and whether you're the person who's constantly checking it or you barely use it, it's there to help you.
Here's one quick tip to know as you try these out: You can either state exactly what you want to do, or have Siri walk you through it. Ex: "Remind me when I get to work to check my mailbox." OR "Remind me", "To check my mailbox." The only difference is that Siri will NOT ask you a location or time, you have to tell Siri when and where.
So here's a few basic things Siri can do get you started:
Siri can remind you to do something:
Start with "Remind me", and Siri will respond "Okay, what would you like to be reminded about?"
Now, there's a few things you can do here. You can simply state what your reminder is and have Siri add it to your reminders list. OR, if you're like me, I forget to check my reminders, so I ask Siri to remind me at a specific time. For example: I need to stop at the bank before I go home. I know I leave school at 4:15, so I'll tell Siri to remind me at 4.
You can also get very detailed and add a location. When you go to your contacts list, the first name is actually yours, with your information. If you add your home address, and even a work address, you can then say, "Remind me when I get home to wash the dishes." Then, when you get home, Siri will remind you. One tricky thing to remember is that this works because you have the locations turned on. If you have the location services turned off for certain apps like Reminders, this will not work.
Adding to your calendar:
Even when I'm using my iPad with a keyboard, I can't stand typing things into my calendar. Basically, the same rules apply here as well.
Back to what I mentioned earlier, you need to be more specific here. The more details you give, the better.
Ex: "Add to calendar on Thursday from 9am to 4 pm work downtown"
If you can't remember to say it all at once, that's okay! You can also do it like this:
"Add to calendar", "On Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm"- Here is where Siri will stop and ask if you're ready to confirm. Siri automatically will call this "Appointment" because you didn't give it a name. So now, you can simply say "Change appointment name", and then "Work downtown".
Even though these are only two things, they make a world of difference.
.
Want to know what else your phone can help with?? Let me know in the comments!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
What is Moming?
Hey everyone, my name is Brittany, and welcome to my new blog! I'm sure you're wondering why I named this blog what I did, so let me explain:
Have you ever had someone ask you what you've done, or what your plans are for today? Then you have a million things going through your head of everything you've done/need to get done.
"Well, (big breath) Jimmy needed help getting dressed, so I got behind on my morning routine. We didn't have time for breakfast, so I gave him money to get some at school. I was right on time to work, but before I could even get to my desk, I was handed more work. Right after work , I have to pick up the kids and take them to soccer practice, then I have to drag them with me to get some groceries. They'll probably want to eat out again, which is fine because I'll have no energy to make dinner tonight."
And so on. My point is, a mommy always has things on her mind. When you add up everything you have to do between work, home, school, and kids, it's a lot to handle.
So, why can I help with this? Well, I have all of these things going on right now, and people ask me all the time about how I do it. It's not a simple answer. I think by now I've gotten some kind of grip on handling everything, so I want to share what I've learned with everyone to let you know it CAN be done.
Here's a little about myself:
I'm 23 years old, and I have a five year old son named Aiden. He's currently in kindergarten, and I'm in the process of registering him for a new school for next year. He also takes tae kwon do classes three times a week. I'm in my third year of college. I'm studying Management and Marketing at South Hills School of Business and Technology. I work part-time in the food industry; I'm currently doing management training there as well, which includes online work, book work, and classes to attend.
Crazy right? Well, I've been handling it so far, so I must be doing something right. Don't get me wrong, managing all of these things is a constant struggle. However, I promise you, it's worth it. Within the next year, I plan to be a certified manager, have a newer car, and be in our own place. That's pretty accomplished for a young single mother.
That being said, I want this blog to help everyone. I'll be posting things about time management, organizing, keeping things manageably clean, some fun crafts, and anything else that pops up along the way.
Here's a little about myself:
I'm 23 years old, and I have a five year old son named Aiden. He's currently in kindergarten, and I'm in the process of registering him for a new school for next year. He also takes tae kwon do classes three times a week. I'm in my third year of college. I'm studying Management and Marketing at South Hills School of Business and Technology. I work part-time in the food industry; I'm currently doing management training there as well, which includes online work, book work, and classes to attend.
Crazy right? Well, I've been handling it so far, so I must be doing something right. Don't get me wrong, managing all of these things is a constant struggle. However, I promise you, it's worth it. Within the next year, I plan to be a certified manager, have a newer car, and be in our own place. That's pretty accomplished for a young single mother.
That being said, I want this blog to help everyone. I'll be posting things about time management, organizing, keeping things manageably clean, some fun crafts, and anything else that pops up along the way.
I'd love any feedback, comments, concerns, or ideas, so PLEASE comment with anything on your mind. (This blog will be moderated.)
Until next time,
Brittany
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