Empowered Mommies

Retrospective Silence in the home

The Belly Guru — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:11:00 GMT

I lost my voice exactly 48 hours ago. Somewhere around 45 hours ago, out of pain I stopped repeating myself, saying more than three or less words in a row to anyone includingthe dog or eating anything that requires chewing longer than 5 times. About 40 hours ago I stopped getting out of bed beyond going to the bathroom or downstairs to eat which was only if someone was not home to go fetch something for me. About 36 hours ago I started realizing the horrible effect a combination of Facebook, internet blogs and random searches can have on the life of a sedentary person as I surprized numerous clients and friends with post after post about things I thought they should know I care about. About 30 hours ago I realized by the lack of commentationback that it is true that none of my facebook friends really care. Sometime about 24 hours ago I 100% did not care about the piles of clean yet unfolded laundry laying on the chair and floor of my sitting room. About 20 hours ago, I mentally cancelled my day for today but in true pensive procrastination, I only made it official with client calls 12 hours later.Finally about one hour ago I thought of all the wisdom from this experience I have learned and how I realized how peaceful I am in my house of three kids, two dogs, one hamster( we lost snowball a few weeks ago- another blog) a pile of laundry and 2 parents, down one who own their own companies and somehow manage.

So I have renounced, by force of laryingitis, a sore throat and upper respirtory infection, the following for hopefully days of health to come : 1) yelling for someone to clean up their messes beyond an executed visual palm open threat to take their most beloved appendage their cell phone. It has been very affective to motivate a cleaner house over these ast few days. 2) I am not eating hard untasty dry food because if I am going to suffer it better be worth it so juicing and steaming or snack packs of pre cut veggies, nuts and fruit need to replace the buttered bagel. 3)I will cease ignoring the need to practice upper back asana because I am lazy and it is hard. One day I may not be able to. I see it in my clinical practice all the time. After years of bad bras, holding kids and avoiding shoulder exercise menapause hits and wham, hunched , stiff torsos. I am so sore from my lung infecton and coughing fits that I look like one of them and cant even turn in bed without a wince of strain. The 48 hour reminder verses the next 48 years made its point.

Yes, Retrospective silence has been a good thing. I do not know why I am surprized. Yogis do it all the time. It is the point of meditation. Still, the reality of being taken out of the mix in my family, out of the ego, has firmed the fire for a more dedicated practice of my disciplines within the practice of yoga. The practices of life are much harder for me than the asana for it is natural as an emowered mom, spouse and any other title I take on, to want to do our my best out of love. I must make sure, through periodic retrospectivre silence that I do not fall prey to the illusion that peace in the home lays solely upon my control of our situation and enviorment. With a few days away it may even thrive, not because I am not needed but because I stopped getting in the way.

Just next time Lord please let me discover this without the physical pain:0)

Circus Tickets Giveaway!

Ivanna — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:11:00 GMT

Alot of hard work and effort goes into organizing a wonderful circus performance like Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey especially when it comes to working with one of our favorites...the great big elephants!

We're very excited to have the circus coming to Charlotte's Time Warner Arena Feb 1-5 and be attending!

We're also giving away 4 tickets to a lucky family that visits our Facebook Page and tells us what they love about the circus the most!

Below are some fun facts about elephants that you may want to share with your kids as you get ready to come to the circus!

Did you know that .....

Elephants respond to some 60 verbal commands, as well as recognize human and animal friends after years of separation?
So far, 22 calves have been born at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation^® with more on the way.
The Asian elephant has been on the endangered species list for 32 years.
A female elephant is pregnant for 22 months.
A Ringling Bros. calf on average weighs 300 pounds at birth
150-200 pounds of hay per day in additional to fruits, vegetables and fresh bread is the staple diet for a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® Asian elephant.
Depending on the weather, Asian elephants can drink 30-50 gallons of water on a daily basis.
An average male Asian elephant will weigh 10,000 – 12,000 pounds.
The average height of an Asian elephant is 10 feet.
An elephant can have up to 150,000 muscles in its trunk.

We hope you enjoy it! :)

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Coming to Town! Feb. 1-5

Ivanna — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:55:00 GMT

I have many wonderful memories of attending the circus when I was a child and also enjoyed dressing up as a clown when I was a teen to entertain kids parties for spending money! (but that's another separate blog post..he he)

And now I can't wait to experience the circus again with my little ones when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey come to town! They will be in Charlotte's Time Warner Arena from February 1- 5. The "Fully Charged" show will include clowns, The Human Fuse and a wonderful assortment of animals. And an hour before the show, families will be able to meet/greet with the performers, ask for autographs, and get to know an incredible elephant that knows how to paint! (all included with the purchase of the ticket). They will have shows starting on February 1-3 (at 7pm and also a 10:30am on 3rd) and February 4-5 (at 11am, 3pm and 7 pm each day).

As a member of our Empowered Mommies Community you can receive a $6 discount to tickets by using the Discount Code below!! For more info on showings and purchasing tickets Click Here and to download a fun coloring page for your kids Click Here.

Disclaimer: "In exchange for my time in attending this perfomance, advising you of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets. However, all reviews at Empowered Mommies represent a fair and unbiased opinion".

The Holidays with four kids, 5 and under :)

Ivanna — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:50:00 GMT

This is the second holiday where our family is truly complete....as I look back at the four little faces in my minivan I realize how amazingly blessed I am. I have my days believe me, just like anyone else, but for the most part I have learned to develop a keen sense of humor, self-deprecation and zen-like attitude that enables me to coast through this time of the year with four little ones, 5 and under with relatively low levels of stress. My husband plays a huge role in this. His ability to make me laugh in the most chaotic of circumnstances is something that I cherish daily and am eternally grateful I found in my life partner. It's impossible to take yourself too seriously when you have this many kids who are so young and close together in age. A recent example of this was a photo op at a Breakfast with Santa event. As we get closer to Santa, my 5 year old daughter starts expressing her disatissfaction with the color and length of our Santa's beard, my 4 year old son starts to become suspicious of the big guy while my two year old has a flat out meltdown which includes kicking and screaming and refusing to pose with the rest of the family unless she is firmly held in my lap. Lastly, my youngest at 13 months is actually the calmest yet becomes startled suddently like a deer in headlights as soon as the flash goes off. All in all one would imagine would make the worst of pictures ever. But surprisingly, after receiving a copy of this shot, I was amazed at what I saw and people's reaction to it. Words like "down to earth", "genuine", "not fake" "happy family" were some of the feelings that viewers captured and I agreed. My husband and I were laughing and each of our kids were captured in their element. One of our best family photos ever. So this made me wonder...what if I had tried to control the situation or pushed for a fakeness of sort through a posed shot? Would the impact of the photo been the same? Probably not. Which made me think about some things I have learned along the way with each child. So here it is...my two cents on holiday happiness with kids under 5...

1. Don't strive for Perfection: First of all it doesn't exist! You will drive your kids and everyone else around you crazy trying to get that "perfect" photo, event, outing, outfit, etc. Kids are kids and assuming they are not being a menace to themselves or others, are meant to be messy, playful, loud and inperfect. Trying to push or force something that is straight out of a catalog is dishonest, fake and will leave you feeling miserable always.

2. Control freaks need not apply: Early on even before we have children it's important for us to understand that we cannot control everything. There are things that are beyond our grasp and that is ok. Kids (at least mine do) have an uncanny ability to remind us of this every single day. If you must have things your way and everything crossed and ticked precisely as you see fit, you will go mad. I also recommend limiting your exposure to control freaks whenever possible as this creates unecessary tension and stress in your life that you don't need right now.

3. Pay it forward: I'm not much of an organized religion kind of person and neither is my husband, but we both do believe in spirituality, being a good person and karma by showing gratitude where it is due. At this time of year I enjoy recognizing those people that really make a difference in my kids daily life like teachers, neighbors, child watch center ladies (thank you ladies at the Y! I am eternally thankful for your existence and patience in caring for my kids on a daily basis as I workout and maintain some mental sanity time) to name a few. I derive joy from surprising people that least expect it, that don't have an overblown sense of entitlement and showing them how much I care about them.

4. Don't sweat the small stuff: I know, I know...it's the title of a toilet book and it's easier said than done, but believe me....if you really focus on this and try to live by it especially around this time of year, you will be happier and a better parent! Who cares if so and so said this or did this or if your kids spilled some stuff on the carpet. Is it really that big a deal? You can fill your days with the minutiae of life and spend some ridiculous amounts of energy on trivial stuff that will leave you taxed. I say, shake things off. In my case, a nice run or other heart beat raising activity does the trick to keep me calm and in perspective and focused on what is really important without getting bogged down.

5. Focus on moments and experiences, not things: Things without a doubt can make us happy...I mean, just look at our kids Christmas morning opening gifts, but hopefully as we get older we realize the feeling things give us is fleeting and temporary. Memories and the feelings we associate with them (in my case at least) are tied to experiences and moments I shared with my family. If you strive to create happy and meaningful moments, everything else will be gravy.

This is a starting list...like many parents I make mistakes everyday and continue learning...but I try to keep these five principles in mind as I navigate the waters of parenthood.

Wishing you and your families Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!

After Thanksgiving ....

The Belly Guru — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:34:00 GMT

Gratitude . That is all I can bring myself to say about the state of my mind, my body and my spirit after the past 11 months of 2011. During this year I added another member to the family; Well , actually 4 if, in addition to my new teenager, you count the humongous puppy we fell in love with and the two hamsters that came soon after. I started my doctor of Physical therapy classes, placed a parent in assistive living, expanded and then contracted my private practice and then somehow managed to remain happily in love, travel to NY to train with my Guru, attend several more manual therapy and women's health courses, get to cheer practices, lacrosse trips and counseling sessions. Oh and did I mention I am laying down the foundation for another business??? I don't know how I do it all but I do know it is not because I am perfect, rich,well connected or famous. I am human. I accept that I do not do as well as some of my peers on the school volunteer front and as perimenpause hits, puberty I realize was a breeze for me and I finally understand what all those PMS commercials were talking about. Yes, It is by the shear grace of God and my blessings or karma that I am actually smiling as I write this. In full gratitude, I am fully optomistic for the year to come and yet fully conscious that it may include just a few more hurdles in my path.

Let me know how you faired in your maternal health and wellness during 2011 and for what you have found gratitude in this year. Aim to surprize yourself as you write down the information . Note all you have done and support yourself in all that you intend to do. Being a Mama Guru is not an easy path but it is in your Dharma this life so smile, breath and welcome every ache, pain, pound, scream, tear and laugh as a piece of karmic balance.

- Lisa

Where have the past 5 years gone?

Ivanna — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:39:00 GMT

As the mom of four little ones (ages 5, 3 1/2, 2 and 10 months) my days can sometimes blend together into what seem like quick weeks so it's no surprise that my eldest starting Kindergarten a week ago snuck up on me too soon. Where have the past five years gone? Well, for starters I've been pregnant several times during that time period so it's no wonder that my recollection of the passing of time includes middle of the night wake up calls, feeding and an overall sense of foggy-brain over multiple birthdays and special family and holiday events :)

But I knew the day would come. She had attended Preschool last year so I knew that Kindergarten wasn't too far behind, but in a way I was in an irrational state of denial thinking my first baby would stay at home with me indefinitely. I took comfort in having attended an Orientation with her, the rest of my kids and hubby who so wonderfully always takes time to be involved every step of the way. We had seen her classroom and met her teacher so everything seemed fine.

However, the morning of her first day I had butterflies in my stomach. She seemed excited and genuinely happy while I was the one nervously packing her lunch and school bag wondering how she would feel and how she would like her teacher, what friends she would make and what things she would be exposed to at school. With a bell schedule from 7:45am to 2:45pm I wondered how she would adjust to being away from home for so long...7 hours straight! Which seemed too long for my "baby". Together we picked a cute outfit and I did her hair. She smiled all through it and kept hugging and holding me. What a smart girl! She knew I needed the confort more than her!

I still remember the day I went into labor and all that I felt. The early morning hours when she was born and the joy I felt in welcoming my first baby into this world. Exhausted and sore, I held my baby girl in my arms and now that same baby was going off to start her academic career and was making me feel better about it. Truly amazing..........

Swim Class: When Should a Child Start?

Mamaamazon — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:30:00 GMT

I believe swimming is a very important life skill every child should learn. So when is the best age to learn to swim? Some say, as young as possible. In areas with warmer climates, children may start swimming when they are babies. I’ve seen articles online that suggest three is a good age to start or as soon as a child is able to walk. Albeit I was born in the Caribbean, I did not learn to swim until I was about six years old. My husband, who is a native Floridian—one of the few—started swimming around the age of four and both of my kids began official lessons at the age of four.

I believe there is truth in having a child learn to swim at an early age, but just because your child isn’t swimming as a baby, doesn’t mean he/she is at a disadvantage. Neither of my children learned to swim as babies and now, one can swim, and the other is still learning. Every child is different. Some have a natural love of water, others take a bit and sometimes lots of coaxing to get near it.

My son loves the water. When he was born, we lived close to the beach and did lots of water activities. Once he started swim class, he quickly learned as he already had an idea of how to swim. My daughter went to the beach for the first time at age two and cried like there was no tomorrow. Where we currently reside, the outdoor pool is only open from Memorial to Labor Day and the beach is far. My daughter does not like strangers so I thought she would completely freak out in a swim class even with me there. So I decided to wait until she started preschool and got the understanding of following instructions from a teacher. In a four year old swim class, I can’t go into the water with her. I think that strategy worked well for her. She did not cry the first class, however we ran into some issues as the class progressed--I’ll share in my next post.

The best advice I can give is to let your child start having swim lessons as soon as you can. That may be as an infant or at four years old.

Environmental Challenges and Your Health

green i am — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:14:00 GMT

We all know the importance of protecting the earth and our local environments. But should we also be thinking about the potential threats that certain environmental compounds may pose to our personal health and that of our families? Just think about the many recent food and consumer product safety issues in the news that have environmental origins. They range from pesticide residues and microbiological contamination in fresh produce, to antibiotics and hormones in meat and poultry, to widespread heavy metal contamination of global seafood. Given these rampant safety concerns regarding the world’s food supply, we all need to be more diligent than ever in protecting our families from the myriad of food safety issues related to environmental toxins.

The health threats of environmental chemicals go well beyond risks in the food chain. Scientists are finding new links between environmental chemicals and disease every day. These chemicals show up everywhere...in our food, as contaminants in our water and air, in common household goods like cleaning and fragrance products, furniture, and bedding. According to Healthy Child, Healthy World, an average home contains 1500 hazardous compounds that may be eroding our vitality, decreasing our productivity, and increasing health costs. Over 81,000 chemicals have been registered with the EPA in the last 50 years and its been estimated that only 20% have been tested for toxicity...and the average home generates over 20 pounds of hazardous waste each year and can accumulate up to 100 lbs stored in basements, garages, and closets.

There are unlimited ways that environmental chemicals can adversely impact our health, far too many to discuss in this post. That said, the most common impact areas for which you should be aware are obesity, diabetes, and early-onset puberty. Scientists have studied these areas of impact and have documented their findings thoroughly. If you would like additional information, let me know. In the meantime, focus on minimizing exposure to possible health risks from environmental threats.

Reducing Exposure to Environmental Threats

So just what can you do to protect your family's health against environmental challenges? You can start by making these simple everyday chioces to help minimize exposure to environmental toxins:

Buy local and organic foods whenever possible. If you garden, avoid use of pesticides or choose organic pesticides so you're not contributing to the problem.
Look for meat and dairy products that are hormone, antibiotic, and steroid free.
Use glass instead of plastic. Instead of buying water in plastic bottles, consider using a filter to purify water from the tap. Choose smart plastics and avoid putting them in the microwave or the dishwasher where they can degrade under excessive heat.
Avoid unsafe chemicals indoors and out. Clean out your cupboards and replace home care and cleaning products with non-toxic, pesticide-free, biodegradable, natural products.
Finally, read labels. Know what's in the foods you eat and make informed choices about even the most common household and personal care products that are safe for the environment and your family.

The above includes excerpts from Dr Jamie McManus MD health bulletin as published April 2008.

Let’s Plant an Edible Garden, Part II

Mamaamazon — Tue, 31 May 2011 00:39:00 GMT

I planned on writing another post this month. However, I wanted to share what has occurred in my garden. As a brief recap, I planted herbs, veggies, and fruits in several pots last month. I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of prepping the soil, weeding, or worrying that the plants might get trampled by the dog or kids.

In the short time between posts, my garden has produced fruit and veggies. We had our first strawberry last week, which was split into three tiny pieces so everyone could have a taste—delicious.

There are six green tomatoes (not shown) on the vines—all at different stages of development.

I cook with fresh herbs picked straight from the garden on a daily basis. Mint and parsley shown below.

With minimal effort and space, you too can create an edible garden.

Here are a few tips:

Try to use large containers. I have to move one of the strawberry plants as the pot is too small.
It is extremely important to follow the sunlight guideline for each type of plant. For example, tomatoes love full sunlight. Conversely, parsley and mint need partial sun.
Keep plants hydrated according to recommendations.
I fertilized once with an all-purpose fertilizer. Garden aficionados might disagree with me but I wanted to keep this activity simple. My flower garden needed its spring fertilization and I didn’t want to deal with buying different types of fertilizers.

Let’s Plant an Edible Garden

Mamaamazon — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:44:00 GMT

Another way we can teach our children about healthy eating and nutrition is to plant an edible garden. This activity is great because it’s hands on. Involving kids in this process opens up the door for discussion in a fun, laid-back manner.

It was so funny about three weeks ago when we decided to start planting—it turned into a huge family affair. We spent about two hours at the local garden center. Each child had a say in what we bought—which eventually turned into chaos but hey, at least they had fun!

Planting doesn’t have to be complicated—especially if you live in an apartment or condo with limited space. Many varieties of vegetables do well in pots—which is how I planted all my veggies, herbs, and fruits. We bought hybrid tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, and strawberries. If space is limited, you can use different combinations of herbs and veggies. In the same pot with the tomatoes, I planted basil (photo below). Chives would also work well with the tomatoes. Every single plant we bought came in a biodegradable pot that goes directly into the soil—reducing the waste of plastics pots. We also reused old pots that were sitting in the garage from other flowers purchases—our garden isn’t the prettiest but it’s practical.

The plants below started very small and have grown considerably in the past few weeks.

First picture – tomatoes and basil. Second picture – cucumbers and strawberry

The kids had a blast. Every day my four year old goes out to see the plants. Food doesn’t get any healthier than by growing it yourself—where there are no preservatives or harmful pesticides.

Happy Planting!

Grass, Part 2

jmdinap — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:33:00 GMT

In previous posts, you may remember that my hubby is a physician. He is pro-medicine. So am I. So when he started going to a radical chiropractor for some joint problems, he was skeptical, but open minded. The chiropractor insisted that changing his eating would help him.

And water. He was dehydrated.

Here was my response. "Great. I can't help you, I have 2 kids to feed. Let me know how it goes."

And it went beautifully. He looks better, feels better, acts better and is now off of all prescription medication he was taking, and having significantly less problems with his joints than he was.

What did we do to change this? Here are the 5 easiest steps.

1) We started buying all grass fed beef. Local. Straight from the farm. On Tuesday or Saturday we head up to the farmer's house and buy beef from the farmer that raises cows in her pastures and lets them eat grass. Not corn. We eat less of it because it is so filling and it tastes better. 2) We stopped eating cereal for breakfast. We switched to eggs, greek yogurt, and fruit smoothies. We aim for high protein low carb meals. 3) We added at least 1 if not 2 vegetarian meals a week. Vegetarian chili, and stir fry are now staple. They help to offset the cost of the expensive meat. 4) We stopped buying anything with more than 5 ingredients listed. Things that resemble food more than non-foods. Including going away from low-fat items because they are filled with substitutes. We still buy ice cream, crackers and potato chips. But they take up a much smaller portion of our food intake than they used to, and we switched to local ice cream with ingredients like sugar, milk, strawberries instead of a laundry list of artificial ingredients. Chips too, can have as little as 3 ingredients: potatoes, oil, salt. 5) Water. We are desperately trying to drink more.

Let me say that it has not been an easy switch in the kitchen, neither practically nor financially. But I will say that if it works, which I am starting to see, then I would MUCH MUCH rather spend my money on food now, than on medical bills later. Stay tuned.

Nutrition and Little Bodies...

Ivanna — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:05:00 GMT

I am not a nutritionist by any stretch of the imagination. I am merely a mom of four little ones ages 4 1/2, 3, 2 and soon to be 6 months. And if there is something that I have quickly learned from my experience is that food plays a critical role in how our children develop physicially and emotionally. It can affect their behavior, mood and ability to focus and learn. Not to mention how prepared they are to tackle common childhood ailments through their developing immune system when they ingest immune suppressing substances like sugar.

Breastfeeding receives much awareness and thankfully moms are advised through several channels about the importance of that first level of nutrition and its wide benefits for both baby and mom but it doesn't end there. Once our kids start eating solids, that is where the real challenge begins. I've seen it with my own kids especially my toddlers who all of a sudden require extra time and attention and reinforcement as to the importance of trying new foods every day.

As one source mentioned, you don't want to get in the habit of forcing your kids to eat foods they don't like or make them "clean" their plates, there are lots of healthy foods kids like. Parents often overlook these healthy foods and go straight to what they think are more "kid-friendly foods," such as hot dogs, pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets, juice and soda which can be harmful to them.

They will mimic us and do as they see. I've noticed that when I pick up an apple or banana or yogurt, my toddlers are eager to copy mommy. And that is what I strive to do. Model positive eating behavior. I wish that before they discharged you from the hospital with your newborn, in addition to going over all the things you need to do and remember, that they also gave you an overview on "Childhood Nutrition Basics". If there is a class out there, I'd be willing to take it. There are many passionate parents out there that given ailments, allergies and other concerns, have become determined to have nutrition be at the forefront of our conciousness and understand the direct link between common childhood diseases and conditions and diet. Prevention is always better than treatment.

My learning on this topic has just begun...there is so much I don't know...but for the sake of my little ones and their bodies I will do my best to learn as much as I can :)

Make Every Day an Earth Day!

green i am — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:12:00 GMT

Busy schedules, overwhelming information, marketing gimmicks and more preventing you from taking steps to “green” your routine. Or just paralyzed by all the choices? Because let's face it, even products that call themselves green and/or natural, usually aren't. And where do you start? Good news- here you’ll discover 5 easy steps to help you “green” your routine. And let’s face it - times are tougher than ever. Money is tighter than it has been. These are all the more reasons to go green. True, it’s good for the planet, but did you know it can also save you a huge amount of money down the road? So, here are a few back–to-basics tips to help get you going: · It’s a simple equation, Use Less = Spend Less! You pay less per use with concentrated cleaners. For example, a 16oz bottle of Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate alone can make:-214 bottles of ready-to-use all-purpose cleaner (less than 3 cents/16 oz)-the equivalent of more than 5,000 bottles of ready-to-use window cleaner (less than 1cent/16 oz)-36 bottles of ready-to-use degreaser (less than 33 cents/16 oz)Talk about using less and spending less!· Run your dishwasher. It can actually help the environment while saving you time and preserving your manicure! Many studies show that dishwashers actually use less water than dishes by hand and you can save a ton of water, energy and money by only running the dishwasher when it’s full – especially if it’s Energy Star-approved. Throw in a concentrated, phosphate free detergent such as Get Clean Automatic Dish Wash Concentrate - that is so powerful a pre-rinse isn’t required, and you earn extra eco-warrior points.· Bulk shopping is good for the environment because it reduces packaging and waste plus it means less trips to the market and less gas used so you save money. For example, I like shopping for nuts at Earthfare or quinoa at Costco.· Rather than going through rolls of paper towels, cut up old t-shirts and towels for cleaning rags. If DIY isn’t your cup of tea, try microfiber cleaning cloths. They are ridiculously absorbent and can be washed and reused hundreds of times.· Use rechargeable batteries. Investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time. In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you’ll burn through. In honor of Mother Earth and our kiddos, may you successfully implement these simple and easy back-to–basics tips.

Grassy Grass Grass

jmdinap — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:58:00 GMT

I feel like we have been in food crisis at our house for months.

Celiac, aside, our grocery bills are soaring and our options are diminishing, and I blame it on Michael Pollan. Do you know him? The author of The Omnivore's Dilemma.

It changed my life.

If you are not familiar, let me bring you up to speed. Regular man tries to find out where his beef comes from. Uncovers all kinds of horrors about the food industry. Enlightens readers on how NOT to support mega-industrial food production. It made me not question why one would pay $9.99/lb for chicken breast. Or $4.50 for a dozen eggs. However, I am going to have to get a job to support our new eating habits.

What also happened is it made me question each and every thing that is going into my body, and my family's bodies. What are these mysterious ingredients? Did you know that our favorite sausage contained MSG? And that you can buy deli meat without nitrates? did you know your deli meat probably had nitrates in it?

The other thing it did is make me mad that we actually have to pay MORE to have less added to our food. Strawberries without pesticides are about 2x the price of regular strawberries. All beef hot dogs? Way more than those with nitrates, additives and MSG. While I offer no solution, I can only offer that it is a new way of thinking about food, and what you are willing to pay for. Local? Organic? Pesticide Free? Free Range? Cage Free? Horomone Free? Antibiotic Free? Pastured?

It adds a new layer of keeping healthy to parenting.

What goes in must come out!! CONSTIPATION WOES

The Belly Guru — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:31:00 GMT

So I did not keep up with my promise to be a more consistant blogger but I did get a real third child ( read my January Post) This real one came via taking guardianship over a 14 year old family member so now I have three physical kids and my inner child to attend to. Yogis manifest their destiny so be careful as you manifest!!! So here it is April and the topic of nutrition has me thinking of the real way to see how healthy your kids are on the intake. Take a look at their poop!

Nutrition includes making sure your gut can get nutrients out and eliminate the toxins and waste. The less toxins you eat, the more ruffage you supply, the more hydration you support , the healthier the gut and the better the elimination of what you do not want building up in the body. Did you know that half of the weight of your poop is bacteria. Do you want to keep that lying around for days? Kids do. They often don't want to sit on the potty. Between the instilled fears of "catching something" and with the invention of the automatic flush toilet, they are clear out scared to do it out of the home. Busy lives means hydration suffers and bathroom habits suffer . Bedwetting alone has given Pull ups a market into the tweens.

So how well do you know your little one's bowel and bladder health after they are out of diapers? Do you ask? Do you know the signs of constipation? Did you know that everyone should have a long healthy poop a day. Did you know you should never need to strain or that constipation is the number one reason children wet the bed at night? Did you know that 40% of adults with a bowel or bladder issue had an issue as a child?

I love helping these kids because , like my kid guru yoga programs, this is about helping a kid's self esteem. Sure they will grow out of it but while you await your year, the embarrasment and stress of going to the bathroom at school, at home or on trips can feed into anxiety, behavioral problems and fear. As a result,as a physical therapist I have begun to treat pediatric pelvic floor issues such as constipation, bedwetting, daytime leaks,urgency, recurrent infection and regional pain. Care invloves an evaluation, lots of kid friendly exercise, behavioral training, biofeedback training and possibly some collaboration with a pediatric urologist. Intergrating the yoga ties in beautifully for my clients because these kids are STRESSED about it. The parents are at their wits end and the entire family needs to come together to make plans work. Practicing family yoga which incorporates some of the healthy breathing and core work gets everyone on board. I am amazed there is very little education and translation of natural ways to treat these conditions within mainstream medicine. Despite the fact that the urological peer reviewed journals state 5 years old as the expected age for full bowel and bladder control, Most pediatricians tell you not to worry, recommend a laxative if you bring the problem up but give very little guidance as to a plan of use, what to look for and how to change functional influences such as pelvic floor tension, hydration and elimination habits. Bladder issues at night are even more overlooked for a while. In time things do correct themselves but why not learn more?

Collaboration with a pediatric urologist can make physical therapy a successful alternative to "waiting it out". So if any of the above relates to you, speak with your physician and find a PT that treats the pelvic floor to get a functional assessment and a plan of attack. In my opinion, it is a plan of acceptance and resolution!

Healthy Eating Tips & Childhood Obesity Stats

Mamaamazon — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:26:00 GMT

I am a huge believer in teaching children about healthy eating. Proper nutrition not only affects concentration in school but growth and development. Improper nutrition is one of the contributing factors to childhood obesity. The Center of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has the following statistics on obesity in children:

· The number has tripled in the last 30 years

· The rate of obesity has increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008 for kids between the ages of 6-11

· For adolescents between 12-19, obesity has gone from 5.0% to 18.1%

· Obese kids are at risk for cardiovascular disease, joint and bone problems, cancer, type 2 diabetes etc (Childhood Obesity, 2010).

I’ve listed the daunting stats, so now, what can you do?

My first suggestion is: look in your pantry and refrigerator <cue scary music>

What are you buying at the grocery? Think about it, if you don’t buy candy and the junk snacks—your kids won’t have access to it at home. Now, if you’re like me—where both of your kids are in school—you’ll know you can’t police them every second of the day. This is where you’ll need to talk to your children about their food choices and monitor their school lunch accounts.

Relating to what I just mentioned, teach your kids about healthy food choices.
If you don’t know, there are so many free resources online available to guide you.

Try new things. I was very surprised to find out my 4 yr old likes balsamic vinegar—she calls it the ‘black sauce.’ She likes have it with tomatoes and cucumbers. You just never know what your kids might like.

Don’t get stressed if you can’t always prepare something healthy. I sometimes leave the house and forget to take something out for dinner or I’m running late and there’s no time to cook before I have to take one of the kids somewhere… stuff happens—life happens. However, you can still make healthy choices while dining out. Many of the fast food restaurants offer fruit in lieu of french fries and milk instead of soda. I like to buy organic frozen pizzas from the organic market—for a quick dinner solution. The thing is that even though all the ingredients are natural; it still has a high sodium content. What I do is serve the pizza with something raw: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, or fruit to try to give the kids something healthy with that meal.

In closing, take baby steps—don’t try to change your family’s eating habits in one go—you’ll go nuts!

Till next time.

J. Source: Childhood Obesity. (2010). National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health - http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/

March is National Nutrition Month

Nicole — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:45:00 GMT

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This year's theme from the American Dietetic Association (ADA) is "Eat Right With Color." So, I figured what a great way to introduce this blog with some colorful super foods for the month of March. You all know the colors in the rainbow, right? Well, here is a color that you may not think of for a super food: BLACK. That's right, black. Black rice and black raspberries are the first two foods on my list for this quick look at colorful super foods. Here's the skinny on black rice... You have heard of and eaten white rice and you might even eat brown rice, but black rice packs a nutrient punch like no other. It's full of fiber just like brown rice, but it also has antioxidants. In fact, it contains the same antioxidants that are found in blueberries which have been shown to help maintain brain function. How's that for eating smart! Try to incorporate black rice into future dishes to really amp up your dietary intake of fiber and antioxidants. Food number two on my list: black raspberries. These darker hued raspberries contain even more of the anthocyanins, powerful phytochemicals, which have been shown to reduce the risk of oral cancer, as well as esophageal and colon cancer in recent studies. The only place to find phytochemicals is in plant foods making it even more important than ever before to make sure that you are eating LOTS and LOTS of fruits and veggies every single day. So, this month and every month "EAT RIGHT WITH COLOR." Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and purples, but don't forget BLACK, as well. You will be getting power-packed nutrition from these two super foods.

I Heart Cardiologists

jmdinap — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:23:00 GMT

This month's topic is heart health, which is a subject we are all too familiar with.

I may have mentioned in a previous post that my 5 year old has a congenital heart defect. He has a sub-aortic stenosis. There is a piece of tissue blocking the blood flow to his aorta. Blood is supposed to flow smoothly from the left ventricle through the aortic valve. In Asher's case, as the heart pumps the blood passes a very small piece of tissue and hits the aortic valve with some turbulence. Over time, as blood hits the valve in this fashion, the valve weakens and does not close properly. If the valve does not close properly, there is leakage, or regurgitation, of blood back into the ventricle. This leads the heart to work harder then necessary to pump blood out of the aorta. The left side of the heart would grow disproportionately to the rest of the heart, thickening the actual heart muscle inappropriately. The valve would continue to worsen and leak, and therefore need to be replaced. Valves have an expiration date, especially in young children as they do not grow with the child. Valve replacement means lifelong blood thinners to prevent clotting, etc...

Suffice it to say that you don't want this to happen to you or your children.

Let me back up. The pediatrician discovered this situation in Asher at 1 year. She noticed a murmur at several appointments, and while murmurs are quite normal, they sound very different to the trained ear. She was uncomfortable with how this one sounded, so we were referred to a pediatric cardiologist to have it checked out further.

On what I can only describe as the second worst day of my life, it was at the cardiologist's office that we found out Asher would need to have lifelong monitoring of his condition, and in all likelihood, would need surgery to fix it.

The surgery would be open heart.

The day of his surgery? The hour he was on cardiopulmonary bypass, and they stopped his heart? That day was the worst of my life.

Asher had open heart surgery by a cardiothoracic surgeon whose own daughter had a heart transplant. That is a man I would trust to make extremely cautious judgments when operating on another person's child. He has been on the other side, and in my opinion was a better surgeon for it. Asher was 20 months old. He did beautifully. He will need to have the surgery repeated because as a young, growing child, his membrane is growing back.

Hopefully that will be the second worst day of my life, bumping the other down to third, and then we will be all done with heart surgeries. For now, we don't know when it will be, we just keep hoping he grows a little more to be a little bigger when it happens.

However, when I think back to my experiences, all I can say is that we have been lucky to have doctors that are special human beings. Truly talented, truly miraculous, and truly dedicated to the health and well being of our child and our family. And as a parent, it is your job to advocate for someone like that to care for your child. If you don't feel like you are getting the complete attention of your doctor, and they are not treating you the way they would wish their children to be treated, move on. Seek out those who will, because they are out there, and they will make all the difference in your lives.

A beautiful team of them saved Asher's life, and I am counting on them to do it again.

Good Sportsmanship vs Out-of-Control Parents, Part II

Mamaamazon — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:01:00 GMT

Last month, I shared several examples of poor sportsmanship and out-of-control parents. This month, I want to address ways we can encourage our kids to show good sportsmanship. Like anything else, this can be tough to teach kids especially when they see bad behavior from those in authority: other parents, coaches, and athletes. Nevertheless, we should still try to guide our kids to do what is right.

Losing gracefully – this is one of those lessons that goes beyond sports. There is a big difference between losing to a better team and being wronged—I’m referring to the former. It’s absolutely disgusting to see a child throw a tantrum at a game because his/her team lost. If we allow that time of behavior, it tells the child that it’s okay to have a fit anytime something goes wrong or they don’t get what they want. And yes, I know there are adults who behave this way and isn’t it horrible being around someone like that? Winning and losing are a part of sports. The exception being a tie but in my experience, soccer is one of the few sport I’ve seen that can end in a tie. We, as parents, also need to make sure that a loss doesn’t demoralize our children to the point they want to quit. You want to teach them how to not be a quitter however, you don’t want to force them to play a sport that may not be the right fit for their physique or talents. There has to be balance.

Calm down - This is as much for the parents as the kids. Is it really necessary to cause a stink and embarrass yourself and your child at the games? As an adult, if you can't control yourself in competitive situations that your children are in, may I suggest: deep breathing exercises, physical activity, yoga, meditation, or sex (in your house before the game). I don't have enough words to tell you how irritating it is to be around an out-of-control parent at a sporting event.

Being Polite – Baseball season is just starting here. My son’s coach told the team that he won’t tolerate any ‘trash talk.' I was really happy to hear the coach made it one of the team rules. It is important to be polite and not trash talk especially if the other team is losing.

Don’t cheat - I think this is a no-brainer but the reality is...it isn't.

If you're having trouble controlling your temper at your kids game, perhaps you ought to consider the reasons you want your kids to play sports. Is it so they can learn disciple and hard work? On the other hand, are you trying to live vicariously through them? Are your kids playing sports of their own accord or because you want to relive whatever athletic-glory days you thought you had? Just something to think about.

What Heart Health Means to Me

Ivanna — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:25:00 GMT

Heart health issues have unfortunately been a part of my family for many years. It started in 1980 when my maternal grandmother abruptly passed away at age of 50 of a suddent heart attack. I still recall my mom picking up the phone in the middle of the night and then bursting into tears at the news. I was only 4, but still remember the look on her face to this very day. Years after, my own mother developed cardiac arrhythmia which included a sudden onset of severe heart palpitations, blackouts and dizzy spells and culminated with her having to take a daily prescription pill as part of a bigger preventative plan.Most recently, my father at the age of 60 was diagnosed with atherosclerosis (also known as arteriosclerotic vascular disease or ASVD) which is when the artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol. What is shocking to me is that neither my grandmother, mother or father had been unhealthy or sedentary adults. My mother and father specially have always watched what they eaten, worked out regularly and taken care of themselves not to be overweight. In addition, none of them smoked. But something that we all learned was that in addition to diet and exercise, there are other factors, especially stress that can wreck havoc on our cardiovascular system. As I became a parent for the fourth time this past November, I vowed to proactively work on staying healthy both physically and mentally for me, my husband and my little ones (ages 4 ½, 3, 22 months and 3 month old). With each pregnancy I gained several pounds and have recently begun a workout regime that consists of getting up at 5:45am right after nursing my 3 month old and heading to the gym for some cardio while the rest of my family sleeps. I workout for an hour and feel so relaxed and a sense of wellbeing after each workout that is undescribeable. I come back home energized and ready to tackle the day! For me working out, getting back in shape and losing weight is more than just about aesthetics and fitting back into my jeans, it’s truly something that is deeper. I want to be healthy on the inside for my kids. I want to learn from my other family members that stress management in particular is key in addition to eating well and staying active. I owe it to my four precious babies and to myself J

Goodbye Car and Hello Health....all part of Green Year's Resolutions

green i am — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:07:00 GMT

It’s a new year. For some, it’s “the annual do-over”. But for me, it’s a time to raise the bar. I always start a bit nostalgic - reflecting on my accomplishments and challenges from the year before - and then focusing on the opportunities for growth and opportunity. This year, I’m raising the bar when it comes to green year’s resolutions. Most notably, my husband and I have decided to sell one of our cars in an effort to cut cost and more importantly cut down on our carbon footprint. We have vowed to walk, bike, carpool and take public transportation as often as possible. At this point, we’re a month into our commitment and boy has it been a challenge!

As you can probably imagine, the biggest challenge of transitioning from two cars to one is coordination and moving from "convenience to necessity"! And let's face it - while I primarily work from home, I frequently meet with clients, volunteer at the school as well as with the Children's theatre, and shop for the family. So, having a car is something that does make my life easier. That said, I'm learning to be more strategic in scheduling as well as "staying local". For example, on Friday, I had to go to the grocery store, make a bank deposit, volunteer at my son's school, take back a school open house sign and meet someone. So, I suggested to the person I was meeting that we meet at my local coffee shop, which happens to be convenient for him too. I walked to meet him, then walked to the grocery store (thankfully no big or perishable purchases on this particular trip), then walked to the bank to make a deposit, and then walked over to my son's school to volunteer and return the sign. Admittedly my hands were rather full walking those 2-3 miles but nothing unreasonable. In fact, on the way home, I picked up a couple of pieces of roadside litter.

You should know that "making time" for exercise has been an ongoing challenge for me since my children were born - that's almost 8 years. Now with walking and biking as part of my primary transportation mode, I'm feeling better about "making time" for exercise because it's now naturally part of my routine.

What green resolutions have you made?

Good Sportsmanship vs Out-of-Control Parents, Part I

Mamaamazon — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:51:00 GMT

We're only twenty-something days into the new year and I already have issues to vent, uh, blog about :)

My son has been playing in youth leagues since he was four years old but lately, I've been seeing very unsportsmanlike behaviors at the league games--and it's coming from the parents! Maybe I'm overreacting but when parents behave inappropriately at youth sports games, it ruins the atmosphere of the game and sends the wrong message to kids about the right way to behave.

So, I've got stories and sadly, these actually happened!

Last fall, my son played in an 8U (eight and under) co-ed soccer league. During a particular game, a little boy (player A) made a tactical move that unfortunately sent another little boy (player B) to the ground--in pain. Accidents do happen as it was in this case however, the disgusting part came after the incident from player A's father. This man stood on the sideline cheering and shouting, '"that's how you do it," for his son; while player B clutched his knee and rolled from side to side on the ground--crying. I'm not saying you should not cheer on your children just have some respect and compassion. A player is in agony, the cheering can come after. What is this man's action showing his son? You made a good play and to heck with anyone who gets in the way! Are we raising children or little callous savages? You be the judge.

Next story: same league, different game. This time, the opposing team consisted of all girls--not a big deal. Yet, as the game commenced, I noticed these girls were hitting and deliberately trying to trip our players. Basically, the girls team played very dirty and their coach egged them on. This was a very frustrating game for me as a parent and for the kids on our team. Our kids were not used to playing a team so underhanded. I saw the frustration on my son's face because I constantly tell him under no circumstance is he to lay a finger on a female. And where was the referee while all this was happening you may be wondering, his head was up ... okay, it's not important where his head was. The fact was, he did nothing to stop the girls. Their coach tells them it's okay to act this way, the referee does nothing to curtail the behavior, so what do the girls do? Continue with their unsportsmanlike behaviors, this is the perfect breathing ground for little bullies. And in instances like this, it's hard to tell the kids on our team to rise above the other team and play fairly. When someone is messing with you, you want to retaliate--it's human instinct. Despite what the girls did, our team still won. The sad part is: if these girls concentrated on playing the game instead of trying to cheat, they might of had a chance to be successful.

There are other stories but the one thing I want to mention is that unsportsmanlike behavior does not stay on the field. It will surface in school and further on in life.

Next blog, I'll be discussing ways to encourage good sportsmanship in children and parents.

Ciao.

Interview w/ Dr Kathryn Landherr (MD/FACOG) and Dr Shawn Tassone, Co- Authors of "Hands Off My Belly"

Ivanna — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:07:00 GMT

Check out our interview with husband and wife team, Dr Kathryn Landherr and Dr Shawn Tassone both MD/FACOGs, supporters of integrative medicine and co-authors of "Hands off My Belly- The Pregnant Woman's Survival Guide to Myths. Mothers and Moods" as they share advise on enjoying pregnancy and overcoming fears.

January is the New September

jmdinap — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:31:00 GMT

While January is not when one typically thinks of back-to-school, I am amazed at the decisions parents of preschoolers are faced with in the wake of the post-holiday insanity.

This week, I have gotten 3 emails about summer camp, began researching dual-language kindergartens, and had to give a deposit and a letter of intent to our current preschool for Jacob's enrollment in the Fall. It is a lot to process. Let's go one at a time...

Kindergarten

Can you say, OMG!!!! I can't believe I am going to register my baby for kindergarten in just a few short weeks. I already had his physical forms filled out at his check-up, so I shouldn't be so shocked, but.... KINDERGARTEN. That is for reals. Here is the thing about that. You can literally show up 2 days before school starts and still be registered in time. So why February 1st as the registration date? Staffing. Space allocations. Funding. If everyone shows up in August, the principals won't have time to get supplies, get the good teachers, and be prepared for the number of kids that are coming. So it is very courteous to register early. Also, the school we are zoned for has a dual language Spanish/English class. There is a lotto for it, so the registration deadline is in the spring.

Preschool

For next year!?!?! Same thing. Staffing, teachers, supplies, space, etc... Most of the time the directors give first preference to the returning families. They need your plans so they can open up any other spaces to new families. Some preschools always have space, some have insane registration processes. Like, 1960's Beatles ticket-mania waiting in line processes. Now is also the time of year for tours and open houses, so check into it early.

Summer Camp

While registration is not necessarily until April for most of them, there are a few popular ones that fill up quickly. The nature ones, museum ones, and the less pricey ones. Also, YMCA swim lessons fill up quickly too. That is, the good weeks. The weeks you do NOT want to be on vacation. So basically, you have to plan out all your stuff RIGHT NOW. Want a week of camp, a week of swimming, a week at the beach, and a week to visit Grandma and Grandpa this summer? And you have to put in for the vacation days. Better get it organized or it will be gone.

It seems like a lot to get a grip on, and there is certainly not ALWAYS a rush for these things. But I think it is best to be prepared, that way you can avoid disappointment if things don't quite shake out. I mean, with the way the Christmas lights come up in October, isn't it practically swimsuit season anyway?

New Year's promises to my own inner child

The Belly Guru — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:32:00 GMT

So I promised myself that I would be a more disciplined blogger this year! I REALLY hope I succeed. I haven't posted in a bit and I am not sure anyone even cares but I truly have missed it and I so very much enjoy and value your insights. This is why, I am up earlier than my crew on a Sunday morning to begin.I am not listening to the fact that I can not "find the time" and am assigning value to what I love enough to do and will "make the time" just as I do for children's activities. I am determined in 2011 to establish why moms do not do this more. My hypothesis is that despite the logic and despite the desire, the heart will always overrule. When the choice is between ourselves, our husbands , friends and kids, the kids of course win. The reality is, for the sake of our marriage, it should sometimes be our husbands because the kids really do appreciate a two parent household if they ever had one. Other times it should be ourselves because if we are sick or unhappy the entire system collapses anyway. Still other times it should be outside work because we need to pay the bills or as i do, really love that autonomous piece of ourselves. I got to thinking, "Why do we not logically approach things as logically as we approach things for others? ". My conclusion is that I do it by my own choice. I just don't choose me enough. The root of which is the same one I preach on the yoga mat. "We suffer from the mind's belief that we are actually in control". We want and how we want is the only way we can accept peace. I do not behave nor educate my children this way and i know it is because i love them and do not want them to suffer by choice. I am testing this theory this year by adding a new member to my family , my inner child and I will try my hardest to parent her. This year I make a few promises to the new child of my household and you will be witness to the journey.

Promise #1) I will try to present accountability and logic in a way that you the adolescent child within will listen. So have you done it yet? You know, heard your mother's words come out of your mouth and cringe! I know it is such a blow of enlightenment when it happens. Suddenly you understand the consequences of certain actions and you do not want your child to suffer so I promise to work as hard as I do to parent myself as I do to parent the other fruits of my loin. Number one is to live more by taking accountability for my actions and try not to blame others. My suggestion stems from my constant quandry as to why moms hardly practice the healthy behaviors they preach and to what they qualify as a necessary reason why they could not do something as important as this for themselves. They kept me up all night, my work schedule is crazy, I try but I just don't find it interesting. I know it is healthy but I don't like the way it tastes. I am too fat for that, I am too weak for that, You just don't understand how hard my life is. I am trying my best. Problem is, I hear this almost everyday from my 11 year old and i call her on it often. Conclusion: I need to care for myself as an adolescent.

Back in the day, I acted in physiological, mental and emotional chaos. I justified because i knew more than anyone else , no one understood my needs and I was magically invincible. I wanted alot and never needed. I stayed up late because I wanted to. I did not eat right, wasted time gossiping for power and honored other's opinions of me more than my own under the excuse of my age and puberty. I was an overachiever and it was praised because I was popular, a leader and got good grades. How did I never self destruct? Apparently science has proven that my brain was wired for self destruction at that age so I was prepared to survive the lack of enperience and impulse control I suffered phisiologically from. Well Ladies, those of you finding all of the above behavioral tendencies as still a fact of life may still want to blame hormones, the kids, financial hardship and society but you are older and your brain and body is not as equipped to act this way. Thankfully you are smarter than that anyway and really should have developed impulse control by now. So have you? That is what my mat work on the mat is for this year. It is not for the firm muscles or the flexibility. There I vow to spend time with my inner child and listen. I want to learn why she acted like that and did not choose better. If I sit there and blame or condem I will either be tuned out or become the enemy. This is what I may hear my mother on the mat say." You should have the control to rest when you need to." "Someone else may need to learn how to respect your time and efforts to do so." " You should NEVER NEED to give your time to check your Facebook if you have not fed, bathed or exercised that day". "You should not find any pleasure in another's pain because you have established the confidence and enlightenment to not need to rely on feeling empowered in this way." I know that To love myself I will need to help that child see the facts as I see them. Then I need to listen to hear her point of view then I need to pray that despite the fact that teen in me knows EVERYTHING already, I hope she hears enough to want to suffer a bit towards an intention of a greater good in the future.

HMMM! this does sound a lot like me speaking to my 11 year old girl after a particularly rough day amongst the queen bees of middle school. In my business, "the kids" comes up a lot! All I need to do is approach a situation as a mom to myself. Lets do this together this year. Next month, Promise #2.