July 2009 - Posts

• Five ways yoga can help everyday moms

  It is no secret that moms are stressed. The mental health of mothers is a popular topic researched by psychology programs across the country and reported on by the major networks. The Today Show on NBC recently ran a feature exploring the reasons why 46% of moms report themselves to be stressed and unhappy. Experts agree that to combat stress, it is important for mothers to set aside time for themselves, including time to exercise. Yoga is a form of exercise that claims to help its practitioners cope with stress. But to practice yoga, do you have to be an expert at meditation? Do you have to be fit and flexible? Or can it connect with the everyday mom with little or no yoga experience? Lisa Brownstead, yoga instructor and owner of Pretty Postures Yoga Parties, sees a strong connection. Lisa is like a lot of moms: she drives a minivan, chauffeurs her kids to school and activities, and struggles to strike a balance between work and family. What sets her apart is her passion for yoga and her belief that it can transform the lives of moms and families. According to Lisa, the benefits of yoga for mothers are many: Increase your energy. Lack of energy is something that almost every mother struggles with. Yoga dramatically boosts energy levels, even for those new to the practice. Forget your craving for afternoon coffee; a few back bends can provide instant energy when you most need it. Find satisfaction with your body. Many moms struggle with accepting their post-baby bodies. Women who practice yoga report more satisfaction with their bodies compared to women who don’t do yoga. Boost your immune system. Moms don’t have time to get sick. Twisting exercises actually massage inner organs and help break down toxins in the body. Additionally, a thorough yoga workout may cause you to sweat, which also rids the body of toxins. Improve your coping skills. There are days when Mom may be irritable, whether it is from a lack of sleep, worries over a child’s behavior, or feeling overwhelmed with the workload involved with raising a family. Yoga teaches deep breathing and calming techniques to help moms cope with irritability and anxiety. Improve your kids’ coping skills. Children struggle with stress too, and coping skills and anger management may be hard to learn. Yoga can teach kids calming techniques and improve self-esteem. Yoga has also been reported to improve the lives of children with ADD/ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other disorders. Lisa emphasizes that taking the time to practice yoga is not being selfish. A calmer, happier mother benefits the entire family. Lisa’s business is based in Charlotte, NC. Her teaching schedule is found on her web site, www.prettypostures.com. Posted Jul 27 2009, 12:45 PM by ilovemygirls with 1 comment(s) Filed under: advice, mother, exercise, yoga

• Dear New Mom: Seven Mothers Offer Advice

  Advice is a word full of connotations: solicited or unsolicited; professional or free; shoddy or wise. As a new mother you are going to get lots advice. From the minute your baby comes into the world, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and even strangers will offer their words of wisdom, most of it with good intentions. Jessica Seinfeld, in her celebrity cookbook entitled Deceptively Delicious, says, “We all have shortcuts and wisdom we learn from our own mothers, from friends and from the best teacher of all – failure. But there’s no reason why everyone has to repeat the same mistakes.” In that spirit, I asked seven veteran moms a simple question: what advice would you give a new mom? Their experiences with babies have all been unique, and their answers vary from practical to inspirational. A few moms even offered advice about advice. Borrow as much baby gear as you can (i.e. Exersaucers, swings and bouncy seats) because babies grow so fast and can’t use them for long. Instead of taking up space in your house once your baby has outgrown them, you can give them back to the person who lent them to you! – Cheryl (Charlotte, NC) Don’t spend your money on decorating the nursery with expensive items, and don’t spend it on classes that your baby or toddler is too young to appreciate. Save your money for babysitting! – Kelsey (New Orleans, LA)  Get rid of your goal of perfection. Give yourself some grace. Know you are not the perfect mom (nobody is), but you are the best mom you can be for your child. – Rachel (Knoxville, TN) Don’t try to be Supermom. When help is offered, take it! Sleepless nights are tough and we can all benefit from a friend making a meal or a grandparent offering to babysit. Beyond that, enjoy it. The time with a baby goes faster than you can ever imagine! – Trish (Charlotte, NC) Just do what feels right. And definitely sleep when the baby sleeps. – Jennifer (Washington, DC) Cherish each day and take a power nap when you can! Also, read books and articles on parenting!  It would be wise to ask friends, family and experienced others their ideas on parenting and babies. You can choose which pieces of advice you will take. - Jennifer (Albuquerque, NM) Be skeptical of any advice you receive, even by well-intentioned friends who are trying to help. Listen to the advice, but weigh it against your own beliefs. Pick out those tidbits that work for you and your family. Ignore the rest, and don’t feel guilty about it! ­– Bonnie (Milwaukee, WI) And finally, what is my own advice to a new mom? Splurge on a video monitor and the Ultimate Crib Sheet. And learn from your experiences. One day you’ll be giving advice to new moms who will come after you. Posted Jul 14 2009, 12:29 PM by ilovemygirls with 1 comment(s) Filed under: new mother mom advice

• How To Really Love a Child

  For my first post, I want to share a sweet and inspirational poem that I came across recently. My apologies to the author, as I do not know her/his name. Perhaps she is a preschool teacher who is also a mother of several children. The tone of the words are patient and wise to the spirit of children. HOW TO REALLY LOVE A CHILD Be there. Say yes as often as possible. Let them bang on pots and pans. If they are crabby, put them in water. If they’re unlovable, love yourself. Realize how important it is to be a child. Go to a movie theater in your pajamas. Read books out loud with joy. Invent pleasure together. Remember how really small they are. Giggle a lot. Surprise them. Say no when necessary. Teach feelings. Heal your own inner child. Learn about parenting. Hug trees together. Make loving safe. Bake a cake and eat it with no hands. Go find elephants and kiss them. Plan to build a rocket ship. Imagine yourself magic. Make lots of forts with blankets. Let your angel fly. Reveal your own dreams. Search out the positive. Keep the gleam in your eye. Mail a letter to God. Encourage silly. Plant licorice in your garden. Open up. Stop yelling. Express your love, a lot. Speak kindly. Paint their tennis shoes. Handle with caring. Children are miraculous! Posted Jul 02 2009, 09:55 AM by ilovemygirls with 1 comment(s) Filed under: love child advice