Is busy the new normal?

by Kristi Corley

Remember when you would say hello to a friend or neighbor, and ask, “How are you?”, and their reply was, “Fine,” or “I’m doing good!”. But now, nine times out of 10 it seems like the common reply is, “I’m good, but oh my goodness, I’m so busy!”.

I could be wrong, but it seems like the new norm is to keep busy, with our smartphone in hand, staying up to speed on all the details in life. No matter if we are sitting in a doctor’s office, waiting in the school car line or sitting at a red light, we find ourselves updating our Facebook status, looking at our Twitter feed, sending a text message, or mastering another level of Angry Birds. It seems we can’t even go to the restroom without toting our cell phone along with us (or is that just me?).

We have dedicated this issue to the busy, multitasking mom! If you are a nursing mom, check out our tips on page 14 to help while you are on-the-go! Do you know the latest car seat safety requirements? We asked a firefighter, (and a new mom!) to share with our readers what you need to know to make sure your little one is safe (p. 24). We have the results from our “Smartphones and Toddlers” survey (p. 12), and excellent fashion advice from our (pregnant!) Stylissima on page 18. Spread throughout this issue, you will see our “Top 10 On-the-Go Products!”, all very helpful in making our busy lives that much easier. Plus, many of these on-the-go products will be offered as giveaways! All of our giveaways are announced on our Facebook page. It’s pretty simple. Like, find, like! All winners will be chosen through random.org.

1. like – Like us on Facebook!
2. find – Search for giveaways in our timeline and/or in photos.
3. like – “Like” the specific post or photo!

Considering this issue is all about how busy we are, it seems a little silly to suggest that we all take a moment to slow down and smell the roses! HOWEVER, wouldn’t it be wonderful to use the minutes that you save at dinner (by using your slow cooker!) to spend a few more minutes snuggling with your children or reading them a book? Busy may be the new normal, but let’s make sure our family knows we are not too busy for them! Let’s make the most of every moment we have.

Kristi Corley
editor in chief
kristi@babyourself.com