We are SO excited to announce the winner of the Funky Monkey Snacks #healthylunchbox giveaway! With a little help from Random.org, one lucky winner has been selected to receive–1 case of Funky Monkey Snacks per month for a WHOLE YEAR! Each 1 oz bag of Funky Monkey Snacks contains 3 serving of fruit….perfect for your child’s healthy lunchbox.
MOMbo would like to send a special ‘thank you’ to Funky Monkey Snacks for sponsoring last week’s Back to School #healthylunchbox chat…and to all of the wonderful panelists who shared so much helpful information with those who participated. To @mattherzog @foodinsight @mothersactingup @elisazied @susanweissman @kidshealthtips….Thank you.
And finally…We have to say thank you to all of our followers who helped to spread the word about the #healthylunchbox event and giveaway. In the last week, you generated more than 3 million impressions* of the #healthylunchbox hashtag. That’s 3 million gentle reminders to send kids back to school this year with lunches that are healthy and nutritious. We could not be more grateful 
So, without further ado….the winner is………..(drumroll please
idahomom7 Kathy Scott
CONGRATULATIONS, Kathy!
*Source– Tweetreach
This morning after breakfast I could not resist a ‘teachable moment.’
I am blessed to have two little girls who love to spend time playing together. While they are two years apart (ages 4 and 2)..and certainly at different stages of development…they usually find creative ways to engage in activities together. As I write this post, they are working on Montessori sandpaper letters. Abi, my oldest is tracing the letters and saying the corresponding sounds. Anna is exploring the bumpy surface of each letter and placing it in a pile when she’s done. I suspect that they will be playing with blocks or running around outside together by the time I’m done with this post.
Last week, my husband took Abi to the store while Anna took a nap. When Abi came back, she was so excited about two new toys that had just been purchased…a hula hoop for herself and a shiny pink ball for Anna. When Anna got her ball…she was SO excited and bounced it everywhere. Abi wriggled about in her hula hoop. After a couple of days of this, however, my usually amiable children started to exhibit some ‘not so nice’ behavior.
After taking turns and sharing their gifts for a few days…they suddenly began to demand the right to use each other’s gifts. Abi wanted Anna’s ball while she was playing with it….and Anna wanted to use Abi’s hula hoop every time she picked it up.
I guess at this point it’s noteworthy to mention that we have a general sharing rule in our house. While gifts may be purchased with one child in mind (due to developmental stage, interests, favorite colors, etc)…they are supposed to be shared with one another.
This morning after breakfast, the girls took out the hula hoop and ball. It didn’t take long before they were, again, demanding the use of each other’s gift. It was clear that each had come to believe that the gift they held in their hand was not as valuable as the gift that the other had. After settling the disagreement, my older daughter Abi picked up her hula hoop and began hopping through it like a jumprope. Then she propped it up on the floor and started to spin it like a top.
At that moment, all of a sudden, I got an idea. ‘Come on girls…It’s time to take a look at something on YouTube!’ As I walked them upstairs to our homeschool room, my mind was flooded with images of rythmic gymnastics…images that I knew neither child had ever seen. It didn’t take long to find clips of limber gymnasts dancing around with hula hoops and shiny balls. The girls were FASCINATED. Abi said, ‘Hey! That’s a hula hoop!! How can she do all of that with a hula hoop like mine?’ Anna had the same reaction. With eyes as wide as saucers she yelled, ‘She has a ball like me!!’ Indeed she did.
After the ‘lesson,’ I asked them what they thought about the gymnasts. While they were utterly amazed at the physical abilities of the girls they saw on screen–what really seemed to impress them was the way in which each girl had used the gift that they had. I think that Abi and Anna learned a lesson today about appreciation…using what you’ve been given to the best of your ability….and why appreciating what you have that is far better than coveting the gifts of others.
….. It is a lesson that I pray will be carried with them into adulthood.
I grew up in a household in which the Mother’s Day holiday was not celebrated. Each and every year, my mother would express her sentiments–revealing just how unimportant Mother’s Day was. Cards and flowers were quickly set aside and her laboured ‘thank you’ was always followed by ‘but I don’t believe in celebrating Mother’s Day. Not everyone has a mother..Some people don’t have good ones….and not everyone is able to have children.’ Each year when Mother’s Day rolled around, I would experience the same familiar mix of feelings. Everywhere around me, I saw people celebrating with smiles and salutations…and yet for some reason, in our house, Mother’s Day was a ‘no go.’
Reflecting back on those days….I am so thankful that now, as an adult…I am able to celebrate Mother’s Day with a joy-filled heart! As a mom of 3 (two walking around–and one still swimming in the tummy I know how privileged I am to be able to raise and care for children.
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I was living in Oxford and working with a network of grass-roots Christian organizations charged with the job of caring for women in prostitution. It was an assignment that I had fallen into by virtue of my consulting background. I had had no prior experience (or real interest) in caring for a vulnerable population. Some of the women that I came in contact with had been trafficked to the UK from another country…and others had found themselves working the streets after having made bad choices….or after having endured horrendous childhood experiences.
As a first time mom…I was happy, excited and busy planning for my daughter’s arrival. My husband and I had been married for a few years and we were happy about the thought of becoming parents. Each day, I would return from work and search the internet for products and information aimed at making our daughter’s arrival as joyous an experience as possible. I looked for hand-made baby carriers…researched information on breastfeeding…and learned as much as I could about various parenting philosophies and approaches to child rearing.
And yet… day after day..as I travelled throughout England, Scotland and Wales..I met women with children. Most could barely take care of themselves and many had lost the privilege of parenting. I distincly remember sitting in the office of one program’s Executive Director and listening to an emotional phone conversation. A woman in her program (who had worked hard to ‘get clean’ after years of drug use) had just had her appeal rejected. After years of neglecting her children, this mother had literally lost the privilege of being a parent. The courts believed that it was not in the best interest of the kids to have their biological mother raise them.
I believe to this day that this conversation tremendously impacted my outlook on motherhood. As I sat there, with a child in my tummy..I came quickly to two very important conclusions.. Motherhood was indeed a privilege, a privilege that could actually be revoked. Secondly, and more importantly, I realized that there were children all over the world who were being born into unfortunate circumstances.. Circumstances beyond their control.
I knew right then and there that living out my faith meant making sure (as best as I could) that these children had the same opportunities that I wanted for my own child.
On this Mother’s Day, I am so grateful for the paradigm shift that occured in my mind and heart during those first days of motherhood. Over the last four years, I have had an opportunity to partner with an amazing network of parents, educators, entrepreneurs and policy makers..all with a heart for helping to ensure that children in this world are cared for.
Today, I celebrate Mother’s Day…Not because the words of my own mother were untrue…but because they were so true. There ARE children in this world who do not have mothers and there ARE children who have mothers that do not care for them…BUT…I celebrate the privilege of being part of a global community of women who are stepping up to the plate and advocating on their behalf. Yes, it is true that not everyone can have children…BUT…day after day…I’ve seen women who do not have biological children of their own (either by choice or circumstance) dedicate their time and resources to care for the children of others. There is so much good work being done by mothers around the world, that it would be a shame not to celebrate it!
These are the thoughts that fill my heart with joy on this holiday and I wish you (and all who care for children) a Happy Mother’s Day!!
Kemi
Last week, I had an opportunity to attend EXPO West, the premier trade show for the natural products industry. With more than 53,000 attendees decending upon the Anaheim Convention Center, EXPO is usually buzzing with the latest and greatest in healthy, natural, organic and fairly traded products. This year, did not disappoint. There were smartly packaged ‘boxes’ of water, probiotics a’ plenty…. and enough snack food to feed ‘a billion’ kids.
‘Tweeting’ EXPO was an enlightening experience. Having first covered the show as a podcaster (The Radio Mom) I found myself more connected to the people behind the brands this year. At booth after booth, event after event, I met people with whom I had been interacting for the last year and a half on Twitter. In most instances this was a pleasant experience. Many companies expressed enthusiasm and excitement about the role of socially conscious moms in the social media space. They talked about how much they appreciated our ‘re-tweets’ and product endorsements…They loved the fact that my kids loved their products.
There are brands that I am now more inclined to buy after having met the people who work there. I love, for example, how nice the folks from Earth Friendly Products and Stonyfield Farms were to my girls. I love Nubian Heritage–their products–their mission. The folks from Froose were sweet.
At the same time, I met people representing brands that I am now less inclined to buy–simply because I’ve personally interacted their brand representatives. Let’s just say….I’m not a fan of the ‘Who cares about customers/consumers…We’re in Whole Foods!’ kind of attitude. Securing a contract with a major retailer is no excuse to discount the value and importance of the people who actually purchase a company’s products.
As an expectant mother of two, I want to feel good about the products that I purchase for my family. I want to support companies that treat their employees well….that give back to the community…that attempt to make it a little easier for moms to ‘go green.’ I saw lot’s of companies like this at EXPO this year. I came away from the show appreciative of how far the natural products industry has grown over the years and yet aware of the opportunities for even further growth.
Our slogan at MOMbo Media is ‘connecting moms to brands and causes they can believe in.’ As a ‘mom tweeter’ at EXPO West this year, I was happy to share our favorite natural product finds with more than 10,500 followers on Twitter. These were good, ethical companies that I felt good about endorsing…brands that I personally believe in. At MOMbo, we don’t do it any other way.
Ten years after a relentless assault of unprecedented natural and manmade disasters, a new report released by Save the Children’s U.S. Programs reveals that only seven states are meeting crucial minimum standards to ensure that schools and child-care facilities are prepared to respond to the needs of children during a disaster.
The report, “The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned for the United States,” was released at a D.C.-area child-care center by Mark Shriver, Save the Children U.S. Programs Managing Director, along with actor and advocate Julianne Moore, Artist Ambassador.
“The past decade is defined by unrelenting and unprecedented disasters that left children unprotected in schools and child care,” said Shriver. “The most vulnerable Americans in the most vulnerable settings are made more vulnerable because of government inaction.”
Commissioned by Save the Children and conducted by Brown, Berkley and Tucker, the report reviewed four standards in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and found that only seven states — Arkansas, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Alabama and Vermont — are meeting four key standards.
The four key standards identified by Save the Children include evacuation and relocation, reunification and plans for special needs children at child-care facilities, as well as multi-hazard plans at schools.
Save the Children is calling for immediate action at the federal level to better protect children through a five-point plan:
“Enacting this plan will help ensure that when disaster strikes the effects on our children don’t become a disaster in their own right,” said Moore, who lobbied Capitol Hill on Wednesday for enactment of the five-point plan.
Save the Children is also calling on the public to get involved by signing a petition supporting the five-point plan to protect children during disasters.
Go to http://savethechildren.org/disaster-decade for more information and to sign the petition. The full report can be found at http://savethechildren.org/disaster-decade-report.
As families across the United States celebrated Mother’s Day, the Women’s Prison Association (WPA) released the first-ever national report on prison nursery programs. These programs allow incarcerated women to keep their newborn babies with them in prison for a finite period of time. The report also looks at community-based residential parenting programs, which allow women to serve criminal justice sentences with their infants in a non-prison setting.
The findings of the report reveal that while the number of prison-based nursery programs is growing, such programs are still relatively rare. Every state has seen dramatic increases in its women’s prison population over the past three decades, but only nine states have prison nursery programs in operation or under development. Of the nine prison nursery programs in existence or in development, four were created within the last five years.
Chandra Villanueva, Policy Associate at WPA and author of the report commented, “Prison nursery programs keep mothers and infants together during the critical first months of infant development, and the research shows that these programs produce lower rates of recidivism among participating mothers. As we recognize the benefits of prison nursery programs, we must also increase our investment in community-based alternatives, which allow for maternal/child bonding and enable women to address the issues that brought them into the criminal justice system in the first place”
Research highlighted in the report indicates that these programs benefit mothers and children. Dr. Mary Byrne, Professor at Columbia University says, “Prison nurseries offer needed services to a population of women and infants who might otherwise be overlooked. However, additional community prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, and seamless follow-up programs are needed.” Dr. Byrne is the author of the first longitudinal study of maternal and child outcomes for prison nursery participants; her study is featured in the WPA report.
The WPA report profiles existing and soon-to-open prison nursery programs in nine states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia, and also looks at community-based residential parenting programs in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Residential parenting programs operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Connecticut , Florida , Illinois , Texas , and West Virginia are also discussed.
The report suggest that many women who are parenting infants in prison nurseries could be doing so in the community instead. The profile of women in prison nurseries is nearly identical to that of participants in community-based programs. Women in both types of programs are serving relatively short sentences for non-violent offenses, and will continue primary caretaking responsibility for their child(ren) upon release. Further, most women in prison nursery programs present little risk to public safety.
Tina Reynolds, a former participant in a prison nursery program in New York, and the founder of Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH), underscored this finding: “While I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend the first months of my son’s life with him while serving my sentence in prison, it was not without sadness felt for my other son who was in foster care. I often questioned if the time I spent in prison wouldn’t have been better spent learning about myself and my children in community-based family treatment.”
Between 1977 and 2007, the number of women in prison in the United States increased by 832 percent. According to data released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in 2004 four percent of women in state prisons and three percent of women in federal prisons were pregnant at the time of admittance. In 1999, BJS reported that six percent of women in local jails were pregnant at the time of admittance. As the number of women in prison has skyrocketed over the past 30 years, states have had to consider what it means to incerate women, many of whom are pregnant or parenting.
Dr. Angela M. Tomlin, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, reflected on the nursery program at the Indiana Women’s Prison, saying, “The experiences that mothers and babies have in the nursery are vital because one of the most important things we can do for a baby is to support her to have a strong and healthy relationship with her parents. Once a baby feels safe in a relationship, everything else—from cognitive skills, to school readiness, to positive mental health later in life—grows from that foundation. For mothers, a strong attachment to her baby may reduce the likelihood of recidivism. The prison nursery is an investment in the future, one mother and baby at a time.”
The report, Mothers, Infants and Imprisonment: A National Look at Prison Nurseries and Community–Based Alternatives, is available online at www.wpaonline.org.
I’m one of those mothers who love Mother’s Day. I can’t wait for the homemade gifts, the breakfast in bed drenched in syrup and sticky kisses, and it is always the day I plant my garden with my family.
But a few years ago, Mother’s Day became so much more than those wonderful sticky kisses – it became a day that I stand in solidarity with mothers around the world to demand a safe, bountiful and meaningful life for all the world’s children.
I stand side by side with Julia Ward Howe, one of our great founding mothers, who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic and also penned the very first Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. She called on women to “arise,” and wrote, “as men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.” She goes on to say, “Let them meet first as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace…”
Wow. That’s where Mother’s Day originated. In the courageous arms of the mothers and grandmothers of the Civil War. It wasn’t Hallmark after all.
Written at a time when our country was still healing from the ravages of war, partisanship and economic strife. She wrote this when women had no political voice or rights, and 50 years before women got the right to vote. She was truly a mother to be proud of - courageous, just, and committed to a peaceful and prosperous world for all women and their children.
So, as I am enveloped by the sweetness of Mother’s Day, I will allow myself to be pampered and cared for. But, I will also raise my voice to bring dignity to all mothers and remember the original intent of this auspicious day, when mothers were initially called to greatness by the Mother of Mother’s Day.
This spring 100+ Mother Leaders across the country will celebrate Mother’s Day by signing pledge cards, collecting post cards, and meeting with their members of Congress to joyfully demand a more just and equitable world for all. To add your voice to this beautiful collaboration of mothers and others, find us at Stand for the World’s Children.
Stacy Carkonen is an advocate and Mother Leader in Sumner, Washington. For more information: www.standfortheworldschildren.org
Before I became a mother, viruses and other ailments came and went but rarely hit my radar.
Since the birth of my daughter things have changed. I’m more conscious of my own health and safety and have developed an unnerving knack for anticipating and preventing the most bizarre risks to her wellbeing.
The ongoing sensationalized news about human influenza A (H1N1 or swine flu) could tap into any mother’s deepest fears for her children. Although I share my life and my daughter with a logic-driven scientist who assures me the chances of our catching the virus are currently minute, in my weaker moments I worry a little.
I discovered this morning that it’s not just me. The highly educated, well-traveled and worldly friend I met for brunch with her baby today asked if we should offer the customary Swiss three-kiss greeting, or skip it because of swine flu.
I scoffed and kissed as usual.
But after using the toilet I washed my hands, then pulled my new antibacterial gel out of the diaper bag and wiped mine and my little one’s hands for extra protection. And again when we got into the car before heading home. And let’s be honest: I’ll do it when we’re at Baby Gym and anywhere else public this week, and have given the sitter strict instructions about using the gel with the little one any time she takes her out.
My friends and neighbours with small children are all equally conscious and concerned.
So far, logic and calm are winning in our house. We remain vigilant in the usual ways (washing hands, covering noses and mouths when coughing and sneezing, etc) but won’t change our lives and become hermits until the virus goes away as some news reports seemed to suggest we should.
If you’re feeling nervous and wondering what you can do to keep yourself and your children safe, start by avoiding most of the news reporting about the swine flu. Instead, go straight to the source. Swine flu information ‘command central’ is at www.who.int. This is where the media go for information, and where any changes will be reported first. If you read what’s there, you’ll get the facts ma’am, nothing but the facts.
And between routine checks of the WHO’s influenza A site, follow the advice now being given in the UK: “Catch it, bin it, kill it!” Meaning: use tissues to cover nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, throw all tissues away as soon as possible after first use, and wash your hands as soon as possible. If everyone follows these basic hygiene rules, the virus will have a much tougher time spreading to a friend or loved one near you.
Anne Ferguson has been writing about health and related topics for nearly 15 years. Most recently, she joined the ranks of accredited freelance writers for the World Health Organisation, where she is working on advocacy documents to help reduce national and global rates of maternal and newborn mortality. Originally from Canada, Anne currently resides with her family in Geneva, Switzerland.
Last week, Scholastic media announced the “Be Big In Your Community Contest” as part of its ongoing Clifford The Big Red Dog® BE BIG!™ campaign to support civic engagement. The national contest invites kids of all ages, teachers, parents and community leaders to submit a BIG idea that demonstrates Clifford’s Big Ideas (Share, Help Others, Be Kind, Be Responsible, Play Fair, Be a Good Friend, Believe in Yourself, Have Respect, Work Together and Be Truthful) to enter for a chance to win a community grant to be used towards implementing the winning proposals. One (1) grand prize entry will be honored with a $25,000 community grant and ten (10) runner up entries will each be honored with a $2,500 community grant (via HandsOn Network affiliate organizations or designees) from the Be Big Fund. The mission of the Be Big Fund is to recognize and reward others for their BE BIG actions, catalyze change in local communities and provide resources to share BIG ideas.
“Be Big In Your Community Contest” submissions will be accepted on the Clifford BE BIG website or via standard mail today through June 26, 2009 and is open to all legal residents of the U.S. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges from Scholastic Inc. and HandsOn Network based on the following criteria: feasibility, creativity, sustainability and impact.
Dear MOMbo,
I have been secretly visiting your site now for a few months, even though I am not a mom though. The truth is that I am terrified of becoming a mom. It isn’t so much the diapers or sleep deprivation…The real fear is that I’ll repeat a cycle of emotional abuse. I don’t want to parent like my parents. What are the best ways to get over this fear?
A Reluctant Mom
Dear Reluctant Mom,
First, I want to affirm you for thinking deeply before making the commitment to be a mother. Motherhood is not an easy role, and it is made harder by any lingering wounds from our own childhood. The good news is you have already completed the first steps to getting over your fear. You have recognized the fear and have named it. In addition, you understand the source of the fear. While it is true that most abusers have themselves been abused, it is not true that all who have been abused become abusers.
Some important questions for you: Have you ever sought counseling in recovery from your past abuse? Have you experienced healing from the grief most abused children experience from not having the parents they needed? Have you seen a tendency in yourself to repeat the patterns from your childhood? These are difficult questions to consider, but they are important in your breaking the cycle of abuse.
The cycle of emotional abuse can be broken. Healing often begins with the understanding that you were just as abused as children who are bruised and battered physically. Adult children who have survived physical and emotional abuse often report that it was harder for them to recover from the emotional wounds than from the physical scars. Acknowledging that you were abused and that it was not your fault are key to healing.
Two more questions: What has given you cause to fear you will repeat the cycle of abuse? Do you have any anger management issues as a result of your abuse? If you are concerned about how you will manage your anger in the face of the difficult and sometimes stressful task of raising a child, a good counselor can help you work through the old anger that is most likely the root cause of any current outbursts.
You are wise to be concerned about repeating your parents’ patterns, since we often tend to parent as our parents did. Please know that there also are many of us who have made a conscious decision not to repeat our parents’ harmful behaviors. Raising a child does take a village, so my advice to you would be to surround yourself with lots of people who love you and who will hold you accountable for being a loving mother.
Cycles of abuse can be broken by acknowledging the past abuse and by learning new ways of coping with stress and tension. You were taught harmful ways to cope with life. In order to conquer your fear, you will need much courage. In Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse, Gregory Jantz writes, “There comes a critical time in each person’s life when the truth is accessible. Faced with it, you can either run and hide, denying it, or you can face your truth, accept it, and grow stronger.”
I pray that you face this “critical time” in your life surrounded by people who love you and who stand beside you as you “face your truth.”
Sharina Smith, MOMbo TV
Sharina Smith currently serves as the senior director of marketing and communications for Southwest Baptist University. She and her husband Chuck have a combined family of four children (11, 12, 14, and 17). She is passionate about reading and good grammar and is a media junkie– reading several newspapers, blogs, and magazines each day. As an emotional, physical, and sexual abuse survivor, Sharina seeks to encourage women on their healing journey. Learn more about Sharina at sharinasmith.com
Well….It’s been a while since we’ve posted a video from The Little Village Home Preschool Last week, we officially kicked off our homeschool year with both Abi and Anna. So far, it’s been really fun…and the girls are excited about learning new things and exploring the world. One of the questions that I often [...]
This week’s video comes to us from Save the Children. It takes a look at how drawing, painting, scribbling and sculpting can help little children’s hearts to heal. We hope that you enjoy the video
Join us this Tuesday night, August 3rd from 9:30-10:30pm ET for a ‘back to school’ twitter chat! We’ll be talking about the steps that parents can take this year…to send their kids to school with a healthy lunchbox. We will be joined by the following panel of experts in the fields of child health, nutrition, [...]
This week, we’re shining a spotlight on the World Vision Micro program. Learn how you can help to empower poor families… and encourage them along the road to self-sufficiency.
This week’s video comes to us from Save the Children. Each and every day, community health workers travel to the most remote parts of the world in an effort to provide live-saving health services to women and children in need. “Of the children under the age of 5 who die each year, almost 2/3 could be saved with the [...]
This week, we bring you a special Father’s Day video from Singapore. The video, which was originally created by dads… for dads, captures the personal testimonies (and parenting practices) of a few fathers in Singapore. We hope that you enjoy the piece. Happy Father’s Day!