POSITION: Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma or Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed.

Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Physical fitness. Possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf
• Endure being hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5
• Willing to bite tongue repeatedly
• Be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers
• Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects
• Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks
• Be a willing to be indispensable one minute and an embarrassment the next
• Assemble and safety test a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices that often don’t come with instructions
• Must always hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst
• Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product
• Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
NONE. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required (unfortunately). On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this!   You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.

A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left.

The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and only wish you could do more.

BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies
limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do…

or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

AND A FOOTNOTE:

THERE IS NO RETIREMENT — EVER!!!

- – - – - -

Absolutely no idea who wrote this, but just received it via email and thought it was too funny not to share.

In celebration of Trekaroo’s launch in North Carolina,  the Trekaroo KidsMobile is making a stop in

Charlotte, North Carolina

Trekaroo families love visiting Charlotte because there is an abundance of kid-friendly activities. Within a short drive, there are hiking trails galore.  If you’re staying in the city, you’ll also find some world class museums that your kids will love. Trekaroo Families who live in Charlotte or have visited with their kids pitched in with their recommendations.  Here’s a list of what our community recommended as the Best Activities for Kids in the Piedmont Triangle.

For our KidsMobile’s stop in Charlotte, we welcomed on board some local blogging moms and dads to give us the local scoop on what’s great for kids around Charlotte.

First up, Angela shares with us an excellent list  of her family’s favorite Places to Hike with Kids Around Charlotte, North Carolina.  Her family loves exploring outdoors.  She is the mom behind Roses and Brambles where she shares amusing stories about their family’s adventures and misadventures in the daily life of growing and exploring together.

Jody knows how to make a dollar stretch!  Here’s her list of Cheap Things to Do in Charlotte, NC with kids.  After living abroad for a few years, she returned to settle in Charlotte with her family.  Jody keeps the blog Charlotte on the Cheap where she complies a fantastic list of free or almost free events around Charlotte for children and adults.

Spencer Spellman is a travel journalist base out of Greenville South Carolina.  He brings us a list of Kid-friendly Hotels in Charlotte, NC. Spencer is the go-to guy for tips on traveling around North and South Carolina and you can get his in depth travel advice on Carolina Nomad as well as on Uptake and Nile Guide.

Richard is a dad to 3 teens.  Check out what he recommends as Fun for Dudes, Both Kids and Bigs Near Charlotte, NC. Richard is one of the dads behind A Dude’s Guide where he shares parenting tips from a Dad’s perspective.  As a stay-at-home dad, he provides tips on fatherhood with a dose of humor in hopes of sparing other dudes the bewilderment he experienced as a first time dad.

Other Resources for the Piedmont Triangle, North Carolina

• All 273 Activities for Kids in and around the Piedmont Triangle (Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh)
• Kid-friendly hotels in and around the Piedmont Triangle (Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh)

• Snow Tubing and Sledding Hills in North Carolina by thelees3

Next stop, Orlando, Florida – Disney Fans and Non-Disney Fans, jump on board the KidsMobile!

The Trekaroo KidsMobile is a blog carnival with a twist. It’s designed to provide a unique opportunity for mom and dad bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while
1) expressing their unique point of view
2) getting a web of link exchanges.

Join us for one of our next stopovers.

——–

LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA

# 1 Top Family-Friendly Hotel with Great Kid Perks: Hotel Palomar

Hotel Palomar welcomes your child with special treats – from fun packs to popsicles in the afternoon to milk and cookies in the evening.  Trekaroo families also loved the Wine and Wii hour and the simple but clean pool.  With a variety of rooms to choose from,  you could pick a suite to have some privacy from the kids.  The in-house restaurant is excellent.  The Palomar is also located within walking distance to all of Washington DC’s major attractions.  Their Discover the District Package offers families executive accommodation that will fit up to a family of 5 plus little perks like Kids Eat Dinner Free at the Urbana Restaurant plus a free in-room movie with popcorn.  Rooms start at $239/night.

Read the full reviews from families on the Hotel Palomar | Check for Deals and Availability

#2 Great Service and Excellent Location: Grand Hyatt Washington DC (Center)

The location of the Grand Hyatt cannot be beat with a metro stop right in the lobby and within a short 10 minute walk to the Mall and other major attractions.  It’s wonderful location makes it possible for families to take a break in the middle of the day and to get to attractions with minimal hassle.  Trekaroo families found the staff very attentive.  The wide range of choices for breakfast is also a big hit.  The nicely appointed rooms make for a comfortable stay.  Rates start at $166/night

Read the full reviews from families on Grand Hyatt Washington DC (Center) | Check for Availability

#3:  Best Hotel with Free Parking: Hawthorn Suites Alexandria

If you’re driving and don’t want to spend a ton on parking, consider staying away from downtown Washington DC in Alexandria at the Hawthorne Suites.  This hotel offers free parking along with their suite rooms complete with a full kitchenette.  A hotel shuttle takes guests to the nearest metro stop so you can avoid driving downtown if you wish.  This hotel even has a pool with life guard on duty.  Within a few miles, you can explore charming Old Town Alexandria.  Rates start at $109/night

Read the full reviews on Hawthorne Suites in Alexandria | Check Availability

Which Activities came up at the top?

Best Activities for Kids in Washington DC – voted by parents

Other Resources for Washington DC:

• All 100 Activities for kids in the Washington DC Metro Area
• Kid-friendly hotels in and around Washington DC

• The Best Kid-friendly Hiking Trails in DC – HikingAlong
• Indoor Places for Toddlers Around Washington DC – SuburbanDaddy
• 8 Things (Under $5) to Do in Washington DC with Toddlers – Two Kids and A Map
• Fun Washington, D.C. Activities that get Kids Fired Up -  Sujatha
• Day Trips with Kids From Washington DC – teachmama
• Must See Attractions in DC with Preteens and Teens – musingsfromme
  
• What to do with Tweens in Washington D.C. – MsTwixt

LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA

Do you love Trekaroo and want to see us take off?  We need your support.
Help put a few dollars in our piggybank by starting all your Amazon shopping from this link:

Shop Amazon

Even if you’re just buying grandma a Chia Pet for Christmas, you’ll get the same great prices that Amazon offers.


Holiday Gift Ideas
Hottest Toys and Gadgets for Kids
Hottest Gadgets and Gifts for Mom and Dad


Trekaroo also has a new Travel Store powered by Amazon, so you get our selection of the best travel products on the market for families plus Amazon’s awesome deals.

Trekaroo’s KidsMobile is starting to chalk up those miles.  We’ve traveled from New York, to Los Angeles, to Chicago and now we’re pulling into

Seattle, Washington

Don’t be fooled by Seattle’s rainy and gloomy reputation, because it is Seattle’s abundant rainfall that make spring, summer and fall lush and green.  Set in Puget sound, this city offers fantastic outdoor recreation.  In the rainy months, Seattle has some world class attractions that families absolutely love. Congrats to the families who helped launch Trekaroo in Seattle today.

******

Trekaroo’s growing community of families have pitched in with their votes for 2009. Here’s the verdict!

Best Kid-friendly Hotels in Seattle – voted by parents

Best Activities for Kids in Seattle – voted by parents

Seattle is also the hometown for some exceptional moms who are smart, savvy and in the know about what real moms love about Seattle.

Michelle Duffy, better known as Wandermom starts us off with a list of her favorite Seattle Parks and Playgrounds.  Wandermom is truly a travel guru!  Her active family of 4 manages to travel on a budget, spending much time hiking, diving and skiing around the world. She is also the co-author of “Wanderlust and Lipstick: Traveling with Kids“.  Her wealth of helpful tips can be found on her blog: Wandermom!

Carrie, a super energetic mom who lives in the heart of downtown Seattle knows the best Places to Visit with Young Kids in Seattle.  She is the voice behind – Growing a baby in Seattle.  Carrie reviews products and services that urban moms are interested in.  Her reviews are insightful and personable at the same time.  Get her take on some really cool stuff, afterall, Christmas is just around the corner.

Jill Dickinson brings us a list of Stores Moms and Kids love in Seattle who are owned by Momprenuers.  Jill  knows a good idea when she sees it because she’s the author of a book in the writing called “How to Become a Mompreneur”. She has interviewed a multitude of successful mompreneurs, so if you’re toying with a great business idea yourself, head on over to her blog – mombite -  for some inspiration.

Hungry tummies = melt downs.  Mona knows Where to eat in Seattle with Kids In Tow.  Mona is the witty mom of a 3 year old and writes humorously about life as a full-time working mom on her blog – kirida.  Need a good laugh about your predicament as a mom, you could spend hours on her blog (I just did myself – you sucked me in, Mona!)

So where are the locals hanging out? Amy tips us off with  5 Lesser Known Pit Stops in and around the Seattle Area.  Her blog – Pit Stop for Kids – is filled with lots of helpful reviews about places to stop along various road trip routes around the country.  Her mantra:  Getting there should be half the fun!  We couldn’t agree more.

Other Resources for Seattle:

• All 140 Activities for kids in the Seattle-Puget Sound Area
• Kid-friendly hotels in and around Seattle-Puget Sound

• Destination Playgrounds in Greater Seattle and Puget Sound – Travelmom
• Pumpkin Patches in the Seattle Area -  Lydie Thomas

Next stop, the town where the Trekaroo founders first met -  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Go Phillies!

The Trekaroo KidsMobile is a blog carnival with a twist.  It’s designed to provide a unique opportunity for mom and dad bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while

1) expressing their unique point of view

2) getting a web of link exchanges.

Join us for one of our next stopovers.

*****

LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA