Guest Blogs
Knowitall.ch often invites local experts in their field to contribute to their own blogs on our site. This means not only you will benefit from the useful recommendations that we make on our News pages, but you can also profit from some of the great advice and tips that these experts have to make on their favorite subjects. Whilst each of these bloggers has been recommended to us at some point during the evolution of Know-it-all passport and knowitall.ch, obviously we are not able to test out all the suggestions they make on their blogs, nor do we necessarily agree with all their opinions. So if you do find one of their tips useful (or not!), do let us know!
To make these blogs more accessible to you, we have now decided to group them altogether in one section, entitled Guest Blogs, accessible from our main menu bar. We will also post the most recent blogs on the home page of our site in the right hand column.
We are still building up this area of the site, and are looking for bloggers in a number of sections, including Your Home, Travel, and Leisure, so if you feel you have a useful contribution to make in either of these areas, and have the time to submit blog entries approximately every month, then please get in touch!
When deciding to hire a live-in nanny, parents have to be aware of both the pros and cons and to carefully consider whether this arrangement would be suited to you and your family.
Pros of a Live-In Nanny
- The nanny becomes part of the family, providing support to the family when parents have to work and need an extra pair of hands
- Children are secure in having the same caregiver on a consistent basis
- Live-in nannies have a more flexible schedule and can be there should you work late or need to leave early or watch the kids overnight
- No need to rush the kids off to daycare before work early in the morning
- You have someone you can use for babysitting (at an extra cost)
- Live-in nannies often help with light housekeeping and run light errands
- Live-in nanny salaries are more cost effective as you are providing the food and accommodation
- There is some anecdotal evidence that the retention rate of a live-in nanny is better than their live-out counterparts
Image courtesy of anekoho, www.freedigitalphotos.net
By Sunita Sehmi, Walk The Talk
Now the summer holidays are officially over, the traffic jams are slowly surfacing back into town and the long queues in the “papeterie” can only mean one thing….Yep, “la rentree” is in full swing!
The new school term has always evoked strong feelings of change in me, both as a mum and as a former teacher. I often used this time to notice the changes in my pupils and indeed my own growth and development. I truly found this period very illuminating and constructive. Not only because I was observing my situation through renewed thoughts and feelings but also because I recognized that the change within me each “rentree” would allow me to progress and go forward.
The Chamonix Valley offers a huge variety of hikes and walks. The Lac Blanc mountain hut (2,525m), situated on the south-eastern slopes beside a small lake, is a great destination for a September family hike. Take a cable car ride up, follow the contour-hugging trail along the Grand-Blacon Sud for stunning mountain scenery, and enjoy a delicious lunch at the hut. Here’s a tip on how to avoid the crowds of high season and take advantage of cable cars before they close on the 15th of September!
The steep, forested slopes of the Chamonix valley are challenging, but a good idea to help you on your way is gaining 1,500m with a cable car and chairlift. Once at the top, the hike to Lac Blanc is part of the famous Tour du Mont Blanc trail, along a beautiful ridge offering stunning views of the Mont Blanc, the Mer de Glace and the Argentiere and Le Tour glaciers.
Photo courtesy of Alicia Solario
By Crissy Mueller, Writing that Works
If you are considering starting your own business based out of your home – I want to dispel any illusions. Working from home is one of those things that it’s easy to be perhaps too optimistic and maybe a little naive about. (If you are a working mother, it’s even trickier). Yes, it’s great to be able to curl up in front of your laptop wearing comfy clothes and no makeup. That part is true. But, there are lots of expectations that need to be managed, including – or maybe especially – your own.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Your spouse will sometimes forget you have a job because you happen to work at home. (Spouse or partner needs to realize that no, you will not have time to re-organize the pantry on Monday).
- You yourself will feel like you should have the house clean and the laundry done at all times – even though it’s impossible. Ok, maybe you can sneak in one or two quick household tasks (say, in lieu of taking a coffee break) – but not much if you want to stay focused.
- Distractions are lurking everywhere. Boundaries are essential. This applies even to the most disciplined and focused of us. On the other hand, sometimes you only realize how long you have been sitting in front of the computer when your leg muscles completely go numb from lack of movement.
- If you have an urgent project and your kid is sick and can’t go to daycare – it doesn’t matter if you work from home or not. The inconvenience and frustration is the same.
- If you don’t allocate time for business development – there will be no business development. If you’re a mom, your kids need to be in daycare or otherwise cared for in order for this to happen. My point is that you have to build in the time. Period.
- It’s hard to work in a bubble. The lack of contact with other people – just for the mental break and change of pace – is hard. Of course it’s nice not to have typical office distractions to deal with – they can take away so much time. But having no opportunities for friendly, banal exchange during the day is perhaps just as detrimental. You still need people. Building a network for this is key.
Working from home is not necessarily easier or less stressful than an office job – it’s just different. If you weigh all the pros and cons and decide to go for it, here are some great resources about working from home:
http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/08/16/how-to-succeed-at-working-from-home/
http://www.womenunlimitedworldwide.com/work-from-home/
At home, you have more flexibility. But, beware that you could end up feeling frustrated if you harbor the expectation that you should be “doing it all” (as we moms tend to do). This is perhaps one of the key expectations that needs to be managed. The bottom line is: work-life balance is still hard, no matter where your “office” is.
Bio
Crissy Mueller is an expat entrepreneur based in the La Côte region of Lake Geneva. She provides writing, editing and translation services through her company, Writing that Works. Her mission is to help businesses and individuals get the results they want though quality writing in English.
Before starting her own business, Crissy worked for companies and organizations in Germany, Switzerland and the United States, where she managed and coordinated a variety of programs at the intersection of education, travel and cultural exchange. She has a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and German from Tufts University.
She is passionate about intercultural communication, entrepreneurship, and discovering how to live life to the fullest.
Website: www.writingthatworks.net
By Jennie Delbridge, Peak of Wellbeing
Many people suffer from an underlying sense of worry, fear and anxiety. They wonder where it all comes from when they have seemingly comfortable lives. Frequently, it stems from a deep seated fear that we are not good enough. That we are not worthy of all the good things we have in our life. Sometimes this comes from childhood hurts or unresolved past issues.
This manifests itself into physical issues such as fatigue, back and neck pain, hormone imbalances, worrying about the small stuff, high blood pressure, moodiness and irritability. If this sounds like a radical concept, think back to a time when you were in a very stressful or unhappy situation.
Did you notice any physical symptoms at the time? Maybe your hand shook a little? Maybe you felt continually exhausted? Perhaps you had low back pain? Most physical issues have an emotional component at root.
