The frenetic pace of today’s world can make it very difficult to remember everything life throws at you. Between appointments, entertainment recommendations and deadlines, it seems like there’s always something to add to your mental to-do list. Keeping those things from falling through the cracks of a fallible human memory is a challenge in itself, but thankfully there are offerings in Apple’s well-stocked App Store that rise to that challenge beautifully. These 10 apps can help you remember everything that’s important to you, cutting down on embarrassing moments or inconveniences borne of forgetfulness.

1. Evernote – Sometimes you need an app-specific reminder, but other times a general note jotted down on the go will suffice. Rather than scrambling for a pen and a piece of easily lost scrap paper, why not turn to your iPhone and the free Evernote app instead? Winner of the New York Times “Top 10 Must-Have Apps” award, a Mashable award and a Webby, Evernote is one of the most popular and powerful productivity apps available for the iPhone.
2. mTrainer Pro – A collection of games and puzzles designed to boost your memory and increase your brainpower, the $1.99 mTrainer Pro app is a great way to pass the time in waiting rooms or in long lines productively. You can play mindless games for pure entertainment, but why not challenge yourself and expand your mind while you wait?
3. Flickd Movies with Netflix – How many times have you seen a trailer that looked promising, read a great review or received a recommendation from a friend for a new film, only to forget the title? This $1.99 app is designed specifically to eliminate those issues by reminding you when a new movie is released and maintaining a personal database of films you’d like to see.
4. iCue Memory – The $2.99 iCue Memory app is the only memory training tool with an official USA Memory Championship endorsement, making it one of the more effective tools in the App Store for helping you remember all of life’s little details. When you feel that you’ve mastered the exercises, you can even compete with other players from around the world to earn a spot in the Global Memory Rankings!
5. Alarmed ~ Reminders + Timers – If you need to set alarms for repeat events, one-time appointments or other urgent tasks, this free app might be just what you’re looking for. In addition to the pop-up reminders and timers with custom messages, Alarmed also offers the nifty Nag-Me feature for auto-repeating reminders about tasks you’ve been putting off.
6. Lumosity Brain Trainer – One of the best-selling brain-training programs out there today, Lumosity has been lauded by such respected publications as the New York Times and Scientific American. The app itself is free, but access packages are offered on a one-year, six-month or three-month timetable.
7. TellMeLater – Some reminders need to be precisely scheduled, while others have a bit of flexibility. For tasks that don’t have definitive deadlines, the $0.99 TellMeLater app is a simple and effective means of organizing and generating reminders. Alerts are sent to your iPhone, but email notifications and Twitter direct messages are also sent out to ensure that you never miss a reminder.
8. Timeless Reminders – In addition to the tasks, to-do lists and appointments that must be remembered, life also comes with pressing issues that can be scheduled down to the second. Things like eating right, nurturing personal relationships, showing others how much you care, taking the time to laugh and making a concerted effort to reach your goals can’t be gracefully plotted on a planner, but they’re no less important than time-sensitive tasks. With this free app, you can remind yourself to take the necessary steps towards a happy, fulfilling future.
9. Remember Me – If you want to memorize Bible verses, your favorite literary quotations or even a speech you’ve written yourself, this $2.99 app is the way to go. With flash cards, word puzzles and line-by-line practice features that will help you nail down those long monologues, Remember Me is a must-have for any public speaker.
10. Recall – Reminders for Recommendations – Recall does for books, music, television shows and other media what Flickd does for movies: reminds you to keep up with the recommendations you’ve received and things that you’re curious about. Set release-date reminders for upcoming events and maintain a list of things you’d like to check out for future reference.

Using your iPhone and these powerful apps to keep track of everything you have to remember is easy, but only if you actually utilize the apps! To make sure that you’re getting the most out of your reminder and brain-boosting apps, make a habit of instantly entering a new appointment the moment it’s made and working with brain-training exercises whenever you have a free moment. Once that habit is established, you’ll be well on your way to eliminating forgetfulness

Be Reasonable About Babies

When you first learn that you’re expecting a brand new bundle of joy, especially as a first-time parent, every tiny shoe or ruffled onesie seems like a non-negotiable expense. Realistically, however, you won’t need to stock up on piles of high-end infant couture. In a matter of months or even weeks, infants and toddlers will outgrow their clothing. Furthermore, they’re still too young at that age to be consumed with the idea of fitting in with their fashionable peers. While there’s nothing wrong with a few indulgent special occasion purchases, you should keep in mind when you’re shopping for babies and toddlers that plain, durable and inexpensive items are much smarter purchases.

Hit the Sales Rack

When the new season’s shipments come in, most of a store’s stock goes to the sale rack. If you’re lucky, you can snap up a few items that are still serviceable for a while until the weather actually changes. Stocking up on essential items at deep discounts keeps your kids in clothing from the stores they love, without forcing you to pay the full ticket price.

Discount Shops

When higher-end stores purchase too much, they generally dump the stock on outlet and discount stores like T.J. Maxx and Ross. Hitting those stores and others of their ilk can help you dress your kids to the proverbial nines without breaking the bank. Snapping up stylish clothes at bargain prices helps you save more money while satisfying tweens’ and teens’ need to stock up on items of recognizable branding.

Consider Consignment

While kids aren’t known for taking particularly good care of their clothing, you can score gently worn items at nicer consignment shops for a fraction of their original price. In some cases, you’ll even find items with the retailers’ tags still dangling, an indication of another mom whose enthusiasm for purchasing the best clothes outstripped her child’s ability to wear them all before going up a size or two. When you’re shopping consignment, be sure that you give any item you’re thinking of purchasing a thorough once-over before taking it to the register. If you miss a stain, tear or hole, you probably won’t be able to obtain a refund, as most consignment store purchases are final. By keeping an eye out for defects or signs of wear, you can walk out of a consignment store with a huge haul for pennies on the original-retail dollar.

Consider Purpose When You’re Checking for Quality

An item isn’t a bargain if it falls apart after one wear, even if it costs next to nothing. That being said, you should consider the purpose an article of clothing will serve when you’re checking the garment’s quality. Play clothes that you’ll send your little ones out to make mud pies in don’t have to stand up to the same scrutiny as a dress reserved for special occasions. If an item is cheaply priced and isn’t overly flimsy, it may still be a worthwhile purchase, especially if it’s only purpose is to keep your child from exposing himself as he climbs a tree or goes bananas with finger-paint. Play clothes don’t have to have a designer label, but they should be durable enough to withstand more than one trip to the playground.

Swap and Share

If you have friends and family members with children the same age or roughly the same size as your own, you can establish a system of swapping and sharing outgrown clothing that eliminates the need for some purchases. Saving money through these types of arrangements allows you to make the pricier purchases for special occasions without doing serious damage to your household budget.

In-Store Credit Cards

Most major retailers offer in-store credit cards that you can use for discounts on your purchases, ostensibly saving money on the clothing that you buy for your kids. Be aware, however, that all of those special-offer savings and customer loyalty discounts go out the window if you don’t pay the balance off before interest charges kick in. While it is a method of saving money on clothes, taking out store credit is something you should do sparingly and with caution.

Unique Ways to Give Flowers

Anyone can walk in and hand someone flowers from the grocery store, but what about those times when you wanted to go above and beyond or do something different? From sprinkling rose petals from the door to the bedroom to having a beautiful bouquet of Gerber daises waiting on the kitchen table, there are plenty of unique ways to give flowers. The more ingenious you are with the delivery, the more memorable it will be for the recipient.  These five blog entries will give you some ideas to get started.

1. Romantic Ways to Give Flowers to that Special Someone – This blogs details several different ways to memorably give flowers to someone you care about.
2. 3 Unique Ways to Give Someone Flowers – This post is chock full of fantastic ideas on how to be a little different when giving flowers.  One idea that is given is to give one flower at a time tied to an old photo so that you and your significant other can take a walk down memory lane as the bouquet builds.
3. Have Flowers Delivered in Unique Ways – Figure out ways to tie in your loved ones interests at the same time you give her flowers.
4. How to Give Flowers Like a Victorian Gentleman – This blogger tells you how to bring back the romance in your relationship by giving flowers to your loved one in an old fashioned way.
5. Alternative Ways to Give, Carry and Display Flowers – Ever thought about putting flowers into a waffle cone?  How about in a coffee carryout box?  These and other ideas are offered up on this blog.

The Meaning behind Flowers

Back in Victorian times every flower had a specific meaning, and when a gentleman would give a lady a flower she would know exactly how he felt about her based on the type of flower he chose.  If you want your flowers to accurately convey your emotions, check out these five blog posts that go into depth about what different flowers signify.

1. Valentine Flowers and the Meaning of Color in Roses – You can stick with red flowers for the person you love, but you can also send mixed messages by including white with the red to mean unity.  This blog explains much more about what messages you can send with flowers.
2. The Meaning of Flowers – You can get a detailed look at floriography and a comprehensive list on what each type of flower means by reading this blog post.  This is an exhaustive list, so this may be a source you’d like to bookmark for future reference.
3. The Hidden Meaning of Flowers – Learn a bit of history about flowers by reading this blog, which gives an interesting explanation for how coded messages were sent using flowers and other objects.
4. Is There Anything as Enchanting as the Meaning of Flowers? – Many flowers and their meaning are explained on this post, allowing you to pick the appropriate flowers to share your feelings.
5. Flower Dictionary with Flower Meanings and Flower Pictures – This guide is geared toward weddings and can give couples an idea of what they want the flowers at their wedding to say.  You wouldn’t want to use a flower that says grief at a wedding for instance.  This is a good resource for future brides.

Etiquette to Sending Flowers

When should you send flowers and to whom?  Should you send white roses to an Asian woman?  You can find out different rules regarding sending flowers in these five blogs, such as if you should send flowers to a business or not.  There are more rules to sending flowers than you might have previously thought, so make sure you’re following the etiquette of flower sending before purchasing your next bouquet.

1. The Etiquette of Sending Flowers – As the population becomes more diverse you must keep in mind what the culture or the religion is of the person to who you are sending flowers.  For example, Jewish people do not have flowers at a funeral, so you would need to send the flowers to their home instead.  This blog is filled with important facts about flower giving.
2. Proper Flower Etiquette – This blogger has defined some common flowers, the occasions you might send them and to whom you might send them.  For example, you probably don’t want to send red roses to your secretary for secretary’s day, for fear of sending the wrong message!
3. Flower Etiquette: What Bouquet Advance at Work? – An interesting breakdown of what flowers to give to someone at work and what the flowers can do for or against the way you look.
4. Funeral Flowers Etiquette – Find a list of what types of flowers and arrangements should be sent if you are part of the immediate family, extended family or are a business associate of the deceased.  These guidelines will help you send the appropriate arrangement.
5. Modern Etiquette in Flower Giving – These tips can really help you if you are trying to figure out what kind of flowers you should send someone to say, “Get Well” or “Congratulations.”  Dating has changed and so has flower giving according to this blogger.

Private Care vs. Public Care

Before you begin your search for affordable care, you’ll need to decide which route you’d ideally like to take. There are benefits to both public and private care, as well as areas in which they both have failings. Comparing those benefits and failings to determine what’s best for your child and your family is the first step to building your childcare budget.

• Childcare Options: Pros, Cons and Costs
• 11 Reasons that Daycare is Awesome
• Daycare vs. Nanny: Finding the Right Child Care
• Child Care Choices: Au Pair, Daycare, or Nanny?
• Comparing Child Care: Live-in Nanny versus Daycare

Family-Based Childcare

If you’re fortunate enough to have relatives and extended family living in close proximity, family-based care may be a viable option for you. Many parents prefer to have their children cared for by a member of the family, and it may be a more economical option in many cases. However, there are some things you should consider before making the leap to family-based care, as outlined by these five blog entries.

• Family Members as Caregivers: Pros and Cons, Rights and Reimbursements
• 10 Reasons to Hire a Relative as Your Nanny
• 10 Reasons Not to Hire a Relative as Your Nanny
• Childcare – Relatives and Friends
• The Pros and Cons of Choosing Family Members as Daycare Providers

Saving Money on Childcare

These five bloggers offer valuable and practical advice for saving money on childcare in a variety of ways, some of which may or may not be applicable to you or be a feasible option for your family. Taking the time to peruse and consider these bits of advice may lead to significant savings for your family, which will in turn free up a bit more breathing room in the household budget.

• How to Save Money on Childcare
• 14 Ways to Save Money on Childcare
• How to Save Money on Childcare
• Tips for Saving Money on Childcare
• Childcare Costs and Tips

Most Economical Childcare Options

While every parent wants what’s best for their children, there are times when you simply have to make some budget cuts. These five bloggers discuss the most affordable, no-frills childcare options, which may help you find a solution during tough economic times.

• Free-to-Cheap Childcare Options
• Affordable Child Care in Tough Times
• Affordable Child Care Options for the Stay at Home Business Parent
• 8 Ways to Find Affordable Child Care
• How to Find Affordable Child Care

Building a Family Budget

While you’re comparing methods of childcare, evaluating home-based versus center-based care, and taking a look at the best ways to save money on childcare costs, it’s important to know exactly how much your family can afford to pay each month. This requires you to already have a thoroughly-planned and accurate budget in place, a task that these five bloggers offer their advice and hints to help you accomplish.

• Your Family Budget: Step by Step
• How do I Create a Monthly Household Budget?
• How do You Cut Costs in Your Household Budget?
• 10 Money-Saving Tips for Family Budgets
• Building A More Realistic Household Budget

Tax Credits

While navigating the world of state and federal tax codes can feel overwhelmingly complicated, there are a few money-saving options and tax credits available to working parents that are forced to pay for childcare. These five bloggers explain the finer points of tax credits and deductions for childcare in language that even laymen can understand.

• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
• Child-Related Tax Breaks After Divorce
• Child Dependency Exemptions and Child Daycare Tax Credit Not Mutually Exclusive
• Credits for Children
• Shared Custody and a Child Care Tax Deduction

1. Leverage – The vast majority of nannies are certainly not interested in blackmailing their employers, but there are those that could seek to level the playing field by holding information you’ve shared with them in confidence over your head in the heat of the moment. Keeping your personal details and secrets to yourself is the single most effective way of preventing this.
2. Resentment –Hearing you vent about your finances or struggle to maintain your lifestyle may make your nanny wonder about her job security or avoid asking for reimbursements, which could lead to resentment.
3. Gossip – Many parents dream of engaging a nanny that stays with them from the moment they’re hired until the youngest child goes off to college, but the truth of the matter is that those arrangements are rare. Chances are, your nanny will go on to work for another family at some point, perhaps even one in your neighborhood or social circle. If there’s any bitterness at all in your parting, the temptation to dish may be too strong for her to resist.
4. Tension – Knowing that you suspect your spouse of having an affair or having intimate knowledge of foibles and quirks that are off-putting may create a tense environment whenever your nanny has to interact with them, leaving everyone uncomfortable and your spouse baffled.
5. Awkwardness – In an employer/employee relationship, you will inevitably have to address behavior or habits that you find unacceptable. Approaching your nanny with a reprimand after you’ve bared the contents of your soul to her, however, is almost certain to be both uncomfortable and less than effective.
6. Pressure – If your nanny knows that you’re facing a particularly difficult situation and the two of you have a good relationship, she may feel as if she needs to offer her assistance in ways that are utterly unrelated to childcare. Even if she doesn’t feel that compulsion, the pressure of juggling her job responsibilities and your personal problems can become almost unbearable. Burn out is a very real concern for nannies that aren’t doing dual duty as a lay therapist or marriage counselor; shouldering your burdens and her own is a recipe for disaster.
7. Discomfort – There’s such a thing as too much information, and almost any personal information falls under that heading for your nanny. More often than not, your nanny simply does not want to know about the things that go on between you and your spouse, you and your own employer or any disputes with your extended family; experienced professionals also know the inherent risk of blurring that line, leaving them even less receptive.
8. Marital Discord – Airing your complaints about the behavior of your spouse to your nanny can cause very serious problems in your marriage, should your griping be discovered. The shame and humiliation of knowing that your nanny is privy to details that should be held sacred can spur your spouse to become angry at you, and resentful of the nanny.
9. Distraction – By letting your nanny in on difficulties in your marriage or worries about the security of your job, you’re effectively creating a situation in which she’s concerned about her own employment by extension. Furthermore, thinking about the troubles you’ve unloaded on her presents a distraction, which is the last thing you want to happen to the person charged with caring for and ensuring the safety of your children.
10. Confusion – If your nanny has recently relocated from another country, there’s a strong chance that at least a bit of cultural confusion exists. Regions of the world in which the employer/employee relationship is very clearly defined generally are not home to employers that treat their nannies as confessors, so putting a foreign-born nanny in that position could result in some very serious befuddlement. Keeping your relationship on a friendly but professional level eliminates the possibility of her feeling even more disoriented.

Maintaining a professional relationship with your nanny doesn’t mean that the two of you can’t get along, or even become good friends down the road. However, building the foundation for a relationship that has room for deep, personal conversations takes years. Welcoming a nanny into your home and treating her like your long lost best friend before the ink is dry on her contract is a surefire way to make her feel uncomfortable and introduce an element of strain from the outset. You don’t have to be chilly or aloof to establish the necessary boundaries, however. It’s entirely possible to do so while maintaining a warm, friendly demeanor.

1. Find a Family Whose Philosophy Compliments Your Own – It’s important that the other parents in your nanny share agreement have a similar parenting and child-rearing philosophy to your own to avoid disputes or confusion regarding disciplinary methods. It’s also wise that any dietary restrictions be shared to prevent mealtime mishaps.
2. Choose a Space – While it may seem like a relatively unimportant aspect of your arrangement in the beginning, it will quickly become apparent how essential careful consideration of which family should host a nanny share is. Be sure that non-hosting parents are aware of their responsibility regarding the provision of diapers, wipes, snacks and other supplies to prevent the hosting family from shouldering that burden alone and growing resentful.
3. Draw Up a Contract Between Nanny-Sharing Parties – Just as a traditional nanny/employer relationship should be governed by a written work agreement, families sharing the services of a private childcare provider should have their own separate contract in place, detailing the specifics of the arrangements, along with the rights and responsibilities of each party.
4. Work Out an Overtime Plan – There may be times over the course of your nanny share arrangement when the nanny is forced to work overtime as a result of one parent’s late night at their own place of employment. If that parent is not hosting, plans for the nanny and the child remaining under her care should be put into place so that a hosting parent isn’t left with an extra child and a superfluous nanny.
5. Put a “Sick Child” Policy in Place – One of the most attractive reasons for seeking out private childcare is to reduce kids’ exposure to illness in center-based daycare. To prevent one child from transmitting a bacterial or viral illness to the others in the nanny share group, parents should have a “sick child” policy in place in order to be prepared for then inevitability of one child coming down with an unexpected, minor childhood illness.
6. Determine Pay Rate for Individual Hours – Some parents may work longer hours than others, causing them to require more of a nanny’s time. To avoid disputes regarding overtime pay for the nanny between sharing parties, an individual hourly pay rate and a method for tracking those hours should be discussed.
7. Start Your Nanny Search – Both families involved in a nanny share arrangement should participate equally in the selection process, either by placing ads and answering inquiries as a group or splitting the effort in a pre-determined manner.
8. Interview Nannies Together – When a nanny’s resume is agreeable to both families and an interview is scheduled, it’s important that all parents be present for the interview. Each family will have their own set of questions and concerns, all of which should be addressed at that time.
9. Create a Nanny Contract – A written work agreement may be even more important in situations where one nanny works for several employers than it is in a traditional nanny/employer relationship, due simply to the fact that more can go wrong. You, your partners and your new nanny should all draft and sign the agreement governing your working arrangement together.
10. Keep Lines of Communication Open – After a nanny share relationship has been established, it’s important that everyone involved maintain open lines of communication to prevent and misunderstandings or misconceptions that lead to disputes. A periodic meeting with parents and their nanny is an effective way of ensuring that communication breakdowns are rare.

Remember that compliance with tax laws is still your legal responsibility, regardless of how much your portion of the nanny’s salary contribution may be. Each family is legally viewed as a separate employee and must follow compliance guidelines as such.

Privately Acknowledge His Behavior

If you’re unable to send your child the message that his behavior is unacceptable without garnering the attention of his friends, it’s best to pull him aside briefly to acknowledge it in the most private manner possible. Separating your child from the situation allows you to discuss the matter without the added pressure of observing eyes, and is far more effective than harshly scolding him in front of other children his age. Sometimes simply pointing out that the behavior he’s exhibiting isn’t appropriate is enough to remind a child that he’s allowing himself to get carried away, which is something that’s easy for youngsters to do when they’re part of a crowd.

Let Him Know – Quietly – That You’ll Be Discussing the Matter Later

There may be times when your child is misbehaving in a crowd, but pulling him aside to reprimand him isn’t feasible. Rather than resorting to public shaming, let him know that the two of you will be having a conversation later about how he’s acting and that there are consequences from his choice to comport himself in such a manner. In addition to preventing a public confrontation that has the potential to be deeply embarrassing for both of you, this method will also give your child a chance to consider his misbehavior and give you the opportunity to regain your composure. Angry discussions are rarely productive ones when it comes to correcting kids’ behavior, and the forced cooling-down period can benefit you both tremendously.

Be Calm and Respectful of His Feelings

Maintaining a firm grip on your temper isn’t always easy when your child is acting out in front of other people, but it’s important to remember that allowing yourself to lose control will only make the situation worse for both of you. Shouting at your child in a group setting will not only leave his friends and their parents with a less than favorable opinion of your parenting tactics, but it will attract more attention to the behavior in question than is warranted. Being publicly berated by a parent or caregiver is also a very belittling experience for a child, which can cause him to lash out in an attempt to regain some of his pride. Expressing disapproval regarding your child’s behavior can be done respectfully and is the best way to approach the situation when you’re in public or at home.

Don’t Threaten or Criticize

Threats of serious consequences for misbehaving in the presence of his friends, even empty ones made in a fit of anger, will cause your child to feel shame and embarrassment, and can also cause any onlooking parents to become concerned about the disciplinary tactics you resort to privately. Openly criticizing your child’s behavior or personality will almost certainly damage his self-esteem and make him feel badly about himself any time, but making these cruel observations in front of his friends will only amplify that pain. Carefully consider your phrasing and tone before taking any corrective action, especially when you’re in public and your child’s sense of pride hangs in the balance.

Keep Accusations and Comments About His Friends to Yourself

There will be times when you’re certain that your child’s misbehavior is the result of a friend’s negative influence, but it’s never a good idea to broach the subject in front of the group. Even if you’re sure that a particular event is the result of a friend encouraging your child to behave badly or break the rules, it’s not your job to parent someone else’s child or make any comments about their behavior publicly. If you feel that acknowledging a bad influence needs to be part of your private conversation with your child later, avoid the temptation to emphasize his friend’s responsibility. In the end, teaching your child the importance of making the right choices, even when everyone around him is doing the opposite, is essential as he gets older. Learning to resist peer pressure at an early age will benefit your little one greatly when he becomes a teenager and is faced with more difficult and dangerous choices.

Wait Until You’re at Home to Discuss the Matter, and Keep it Brief

When your child misbehaves publicly it can be an understandably embarrassing experience for you. However, it’s important that you maintain your composure until you’re safely at home, resisting the urge to immediately begin an anger-fueled lecture the moment the two of you get into the car. In addition to posing a significant distraction risk while you’re on the road, tackling the subject while it still stings can easily cause you to say things in the heat of the moment that you’ll regret later. Take the chance to collect yourself and get your temper under control while you’re on the road so that you can have a more productive conversation when you’re calmer. Keep in mind that even the most remorseful child is likely to become bored and frustrated with a long-winded lecture, and keep your conversation short, direct and to the point.

• Don’t Get Personal – If a candidate said something that you found particularly offensive over the course of her interview, it’s best not to address it at all. This especially holds true if she was espousing religious or political beliefs that differ from yours, both to avoid allegations of discrimination and to prevent a messy scene. A comment that she construes as a personal attack, especially if she’s upset over being rejected for the position, could cause a major blow up.
• Refuse to Be Drawn into Debate – Most of the time, when an applicant says that she wants to discuss where she went wrong in an interview or what she could have done better, she’s not looking for advice to reference in the future. Often, she’s actually looking for a way to defend her actions and convince you that she is the right choice for the job, despite your initial misgivings. Since this entire encounter is counterproductive and fraught with the opportunity for unpleasantness, do not allow yourself to be drawn into it.
• Be Direct and Firm – It’s difficult to explain to a teary applicant that she’s not getting the job, but it’s important that you maintain a polite firmness. Being too gentle might not get the point across, but being too adamant can easily cross the line into what she perceives as rudeness. Also, avoid beating around the bush when you deliver the news. It’s not easy to tell someone that you’ve chosen not to hire them, but you’re only wasting time that she could be spending pursuing another post by skirting the issue while you gather your courage. In these situations, a direct approach is usually best.
• Acknowledge Her Best Attributes – Rather than discussing the reasons why you chose not to hire a particular applicant, make a point of mentioning her best attributes in a complimentary manner. This will help you avoid adding insult to the already-present injury of being passed over for a job opportunity.
• Keep it Vague and Courteous – Using phrases like, “as I’m sure you know, we’ve had several applicants for this position and we’re glad that you expressed your interest, but we’ve decided to continue our search” are polite and to the point without addressing any particular complaints or misgivings that you have about her abilities. Don’t tell her that you’ve chosen another applicant if the position is still open, especially if you’ll be leaving the job posting or wanted ad in place. She’ll only feel more hurt when she recognizes it in her future job search and realizes that you were dishonest with her.
• Avoid Engaging with Aggressive Applicants at All – Looking for a job can be a stressful experience, especially when times are hard. This pressure can leave even applicants that are normally gentle more aggressive than they would be under other circumstances, but that aggression can become a nasty scene if you continue the conversation. At the first sign of such behavior, politely end the discussion.
• Consider Any Criticism Carefully Before Offering It – In some cases you may feel that you have constructive criticism to offer an applicant who asks why you chose not to hire her, but you should think twice before doing so. If there’s any chance at all that she could take your advice personally, it’s best not to offer it at all.

Be very careful during your conversation with an applicant regarding the reasons why you chose another candidate or simply opted not to hire her, as accusations of discriminatory hiring practices can lead to big legal trouble. Make sure that your reasons for choosing not to hire a particular candidate are within the bounds of the law, and are not based on any criteria such as race, religion or sexual orientation, as these are protected by state and federal employment laws.

• Take a Few Days Off – Trying to cram a day’s worth of material into a few rushed minutes before you speed away is more likely to leave your brand new nanny feeling ill-equipped and anxious than anything else, so planning to take a few days off to show her around and go over the house l and her responsibilities is best.
• Discuss Emergency Plans – Arguably the most important aspect of training a new nanny is making sure that she knows what to do in the event of an emergency, and that she’s aware of all evacuation plans and contact information.
• Talk About Discipline – Discussing what is and is not acceptable when it comes to disciplining your children should be included with Nanny’s training. This is also a good time to let her know about any particular areas in which your children tend to act out or need extra help.
• Go Over Allergy or Chronic Illness Info – Parents of children with food or environmental allergies know that discussing these matters with new childcare providers is essential. You should also cover any chronic illnesses and the guidelines she’ll need to follow for administering medication.
• Tour the House – Showing your new nanny around the house, including things like the location of fire extinguishers, first aid kits and household essentials will ensure that she knows where to find crucial items when their needed, rather than being forced to waste time searching for them.
• Tour the Neighborhood – If your nanny is new to the area or unfamiliar with your neighborhood, taking the time to tour the area is imperative. The last thing that any parent wants is a lost nanny wandering through an unfamiliar part of town with their children in tow, so be sure that she’s acquainted with the area and comfortable navigating it before she’s sent on any childcare-related traveling errands or outings.  
• Discuss Your Schedules – Professional nannies know that their schedules are likely to be subject to change with little notice, but it’s still wise to give her a basic idea of what to expect from her own work week, any events or classes that your children attend regularly and what the daily routine of your household is.
• Go Over Meal and Snack Time Protocol – Dietary restrictions, acceptable portions and the basic meal and snack schedule that your kids are accustomed to should be shared with your nanny during her orientation, to ensure that she knows exactly how and when to prepare meals for them. Remember that older kids may try to fool her into extra snacks or giving them items that are generally reserved for special occasions, and equip her to handle those requests in accordance with the house rules.
• Address Her Questions – No matter how thorough your training and orientation process is, your nanny is likely to still have questions. Make sure that you leave enough time in your schedule to address these questions, so that she’s able to tackle her first day in your home without your supervision with confidence.

Skipping training is ultimately setting your nanny up for failure. On the first few days of her employment, she’ll be spending time getting to know your children and their quirks, navigating your home and trying to prepare meals in a kitchen where she can’t find the spoons. Insisting on training and orientation is not insulting your nanny’s intelligence or an implication that she isn’t qualified for the post without intensive instruction; rather, it’s a chance for her to familiarize herself with the family and household before being left to run it by herself for the majority of the day. Because retaining so much information at once can be a challenge, it’s also a good idea to put together a binder containing the most important lists, documents and house rules.

1. Grocery iQ – Finding the time, and a babysitter, for a leisurely stroll through the grocery store is a luxury that few stay-at-home moms can afford. Because the key to a successful, meltdown-free shopping trip almost always hinges upon your ability to get in and out of the store in record time with your kids in tow, this free app is a lifesaver. Build your shopping list from the comfort of your own home, find coupons for your favorite brands, and streamline the process of grocery shopping.
2. Errands To-Do List – Juggling the demands of running a household while looking after energetic and often rambunctious children, all without ever forgetting a date, shopping item, or appointment, is a feat beyond even the most unflappable moms. Managing your to-do lists with an app like the free Errands To-Do helps to ensure that you’ll never forget an important item again, as you work through your list and check them off one by one.
3. Evernote – More often than not, important items occur to harried moms at the least convenient moment and are forgotten by the time she manages to find a second to make a note. With Evernote, you’re able to choose one of several options for recording and documenting your thoughts, ensuring that precious ideas don’t fall through the cracks.
4. Holdr – Chasing a child around the house with a phone precariously wedged between your ear and shoulder while waiting for a customer service representative to take your call can be one of the most frustrating daily errands that a mom regularly faces. Thanks to Holdr, the days of being forced to stay on hold indefinitely are over. With this free app you can attend to other pressing business during your hold period, and Holdr will call you back as soon as your representative comes on the line.
5. Mom Maps – When you’re faced with a long summer day or a teacher’s in-service day that keeps students out of school, finding nearby attractions to keep the kids occupied and away from the television can present a challenge. For $2.99 Mom Maps users can pinpoint kid-friendly diversions in the surrounding area, ensuring that they never have to hear cries of “I’m bored!” again.
6. WebMD – Determining whether your child’s rash is a mild reaction or a sign of something more serious isn’t easy for the average person. Without medical training even the slightest cough can be cause for alarm. Thankfully, applications like WebMD exist to provide on the spot consultations so that you can decide whether a trip to the pediatrician is in order or if they just need a good night’s rest.
7. Feeding Your Kids – Teaching kids good dietary habits is certainly not easy in today’s over-processed, preservative-packed world. With Habit Changer’s “Feeding Your Kids” app, you can learn how to make small adjustments each day, teaching your children to choose healthier foods for themselves along the way.
8. Bank of Mom – Tracking kids’ expenses and helping them to manage money is one of the most important lessons that a mother can pass on to her children. The spending habits that your child learns today can very easily determine how financially responsible he will be as an adult. With apps like Bank of Mom, monitoring those habits for later discussion is a snap.
9. Find My iPhone – Kids aren’t particularly known for their patience, but the number of apps in the App Store designed to keep them occupied are numerous. If you make a habit of handing your iPhone to an antsy child, however, chances are that a forgetful little one will eventually misplace your iPhone. With Find My iPhone you can sign in on another Apple device with your Apple ID to spot your phone on a map, remotely erase all data, or lock the phone until it can be found.
10. Key Ring Rewards Cards – The days of keeping up with dozens of tiny plastic loyalty and customer rewards cards are over, thanks to apps like the free Key Ring Rewards Cards. Scan and save all of your old cards into your iPhone, look for new loyalty programs to join, and save digital coupons to your cards from inside the app. With this app you’ll be able to cut clutter and organize your memberships, ensuring that you never have to fumble for another card through dozens that look similar again.

Regardless of how busy you may be as a stay-at-home mom, it’s essential that you remember how important it is to adhere to traffic laws and avoid distractions while driving at all costs. Your safety, as well as that of your children, depends upon your ability to drive and perceive risks on the road. Never use your iPhone while you’re driving for texting or app use, and invest in a headset for on-the-go calls.