Are you going to SheCon? I’m not but wish I were, especially after seeing this promo video!
I’m Mom Enough.
So everyone’s all in a tizzy over the latest TIME magazine cover. You know the one with the mom breastfeeding her 3 year old son who is standing on a little chair.
The photo was purposely provocative. Photographer, Martin Schoeller, told TIME in a behind the cover piece “I liked the idea of having the kids standing up to underline the point that this was an uncommon situation.”
But maybe more provocative was the headline text asking “ARE YOU MOM ENOUGH?”
It’s so hard to not compare ourselves to other moms and constantly critique one another. This headline screams at us to do just that. And often we’re hardest on ourselves – at least I know I am. Mommy guilt. It lingers and percolates.
But you know what? I’m not feeling it today. I’m feeling inspired by my fellow moms and telling you WHY I AM MOM ENOUGH.
At first, having boobs on the brain, I’d thought I’d proclaim I’m mom enough because I breastfed for 19 months. Maybe I could put provocative boobies in my picture too. Or maybe I should smile and show how happy I am with this feat. Or maybe I should take the subject seriously?
But then I thought that was over a year ago and breastfeeding no longer defines my daily mom existence. I survived the ordeal and have moved onto better mommy things. Plus my lame cartoon boobies just weren’t cutting it for me.
Finally, after trying for awhile to think of some witty or thought-provoking all encompassing statement I decided I was definitely taking this too seriously.
(and we ate them for breakfast!)
So, now I ask, are you MOM ENOUGH? Please share! Link up your own photos below. They can be in a blog post, a tweet, pinterest pin, or what not.
The Digital Family Summit is Coming to Philly
The first and only blogging and digital media creation conference for teens and tweens ages 10-18 [and their families] is coming to Philadelphia this Summer.
If you have teens who blog, vlog, create other digital content, or have expressed an interest in doing so you are going to want to sign up for the DIGITAL FAMILY SUMMIT this year!
The Digital Family Summit will be held June 29 thru July 1, 2012 at the Sheraton Society Hill and will feature three tracks: Strategy, Tools and Safety. Each track will have options available for beginners and experts alike.
There will even be activities planned for non-digital creating parents and kids under 10 making this a true family event.
Teens and tweens will meet other young bloggers, videographers, or kidpreneurs and take part in exciting, interactive sessions on blogging, video creation, Twitter, Facebook, and other emerging social media platforms. Parents will hear from experts about keeping tweens and teens safe online, learn how to teach kids social media skills, and discuss digital activities that families can do together.
As the best part is, as a member of the Philadelphia Social Media Moms, I’m happy to be able to offer you a 10% 20% off coupon code.
Register Here and use code PSMM at checkout to save 20% off your ticket price between now and May 31st.
UPDATE: As of 5/14 the coupon code is for 20% off instead of 10% off. Enjoy!
Balancing a Budget vs. Educational Aspirations
Today, several friends from the Philly Social Media Moms networking group wrote interesting and compelling blog posts on the state of education in today’s economy.
It all started with news that a school district in Pennsylvania (Upper Darby) wants to cut ALL electives in a bid to balance a budgeting gap and save some 4 million dollars. If the plan is approved, the schools within the district would lose “special” classes like art, technology, library, physical education, and music as well as 57 teachers.
It seems to me that the arguments and justifications put forth by the Assistant Superintendent are somewhat flawed. Let’s take a quick looksie…
“I am proposing the elimination of related arts or ‘specials’ (art, music, physical education, library) classes. Classroom teachers will teach those areas in classrooms.”
Really? I don’t know about you but that immediately brought to mind comical scenes of children doing jumping jacks in the middle of class while simultaneously learning the states and capitals. Or breaking out into musicals while practicing division.
“As painful as the loss of these fine professionals will be, we will gain valuable instructional time to improve students’ numeracy and literacy foundations.”
Wait, are we gaining instructional time or are we incorporating the “special” topics into the core curriculum? It seems to me if you incorporate the topics into the core you won’t actually be gaining any instructional time. But maybe the first statement was a weak lie and maybe kids won’t be doing jumping jacks next to their desks in class.
We can’t have our cake and eat it too.
“I am proposing character education classes to replace foreign language time in the (middle school) student schedule where students will work on goal setting, community awareness and service, academic progress, attendance, and a balanced approach to improve the character of the students who will eventually enter our Upper Darby High School.”
So a Goal Setting class? I thought we were cutting “special classes” because we have no money? Are we sure the importance of things like attendance can’t be incorporated into the core curriculum (like it already should be!)?
“Regardless of… the lack of current funding, the academic realignment proposal will better improve the overall development of our students academically and as citizens,”
So this isn’t about money after all, you actually believe this is a better plan?
Okay, look, I don’t live in this school district, I don’t know it’s history or people. But I’m pretty sure parents around the country are being fed similar bullshit.
So what do we do when things seem so hopeless? I say, at the very least, we need to CALL BULLSHIT, when we see it.
Let your school districts know, let your elected officials know, and let your neighbors know when you see and smell bullshit like this.
In the meantime, I leave you with this little tidbit:
A friend of mine has half-Iraqi children and the Iraqi Government is paying for her children to go to college in the US. Her daughter is working on a master’s degree while receiving a $2000/month living allowance … from war-torn Iraq!
And we can’t afford art class.
Read what other bloggers are saying about the declining state of our educational system:
#HeyTomCorbett: My Response to the Upper Darby School District Cuts
Education and Budget Cuts
Why Education Cuts Don’t Fly With Me
Balancing the Budget….At What Cost?
The State of Public Education in the State of PA
Public Schools and Our Kids in Pennsylvania
#HeyTomCorbett $$ for Districts!
War on Education…Students and Teachers Suffer
If you have thoughts about this school district or one near you please share or link up in the comments!
Uprinting Business Card Giveaway!
Despite the digital age that we live in, if you are in business (or even blogging semi-casually) you should have plenty of business cards on hand at all times! You never know when one will come in handy. Just the other day I was asked for my card by a friend who knows me but wanted to pass it on AND I DIDN’T HAVE ANY ON ME! DUH!
This is where an affordable business cards printing company comes in handy. I like Uprinting because they offer several types and sizes of business cards. Right now I just have plain-jane standard cards but I’m really partial to the die-cut leaf shaped cards.
What do you think? What kind of cards do you like best? Think about it and then enter below for your chance to win a set of 250 premium die-cut business cards from Uprinting.
Prize Information:
250 Die-cut Business Cards for one (1) winner.
2×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half-Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, or 2.5″ Circle
14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
6 Business days print turnaround time
Free US shipping only
Restrictions:
1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.
5. See Terms on entry form for full restrictions.
You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.
Umm… Can you tell he loves yogurt?
Turn my back for a minute and this is what happens…
Yes, that’s FOUR yogurts opened and ready to be gorged upon. And let me not forget to mention that this/these are seconds too. He had just finished a cup a few minutes ago. Guess it was good yogurt!
Gosh, I love him so much and with a cute little smile like that I couldn’t even be mad.
(BTW, stay tuned for a Stonyfield’s YoKids yogurt giveaway soon…)
Your Shitty Underwear
“What are you doing Mommy?”
“Cleaning your shitty underwear again.”
Yep, I said it.
I don’t know why, but poopy underwear skeeves me out way worse than dirty diapers ever did.
Yes, we are potty training. We’ve BEEN potty training for I don’t know how long now. Okay, I do know, but don’t want to admit it.
Please tell me I’ll be escaping this potty training hell soon!??
On a positive note, he requested and slept in underwear for the first time last night AND woke up dry! I guess we are making progress, afterall.
Now I just need my little poopyhead to actually poop in the potty.
Chick-fil-A Old School Games and Kid’s Meal Prize Pack GIVEAWAY!
Chick-fil-A is one of our favorite fast food places to eat at as family. Though, I should say Quick Service Restaurant as manager used to emphasize when I worked at Chick-fil-A as a teen. Yes, I was even a Crew Leader for 2 years before moving on!
A lot has changed since my time at Chick-fil-A and that includes a recent healthy improvement to their Kid’s Meals. You can now opt for Grilled Nuggets as the entree and Buddy Fruits® Pure Blended Fruit To Go applesauce as a side. (We always opt for the fresh fruit salad!)
One thing hasn’t changed at Chick-fil-A though, that’s their old school values. Now Chick-fil-A gives us this fun app loaded with a ton of printable old school games you can play as a family. And there’s a fun quiz that pretty much nailed me. I’m The Bomb Dot Com and why, yes, I just might have a scrunchie or slap bracelet in a drawer somewhere…
Check out the app for yourself right here and when you’re done enter the giveaway below for a prize pack of 3 free kid’s meals coupons.
Children’s Book Giveaway – Bear’s Birthday!
My baby is turning 3 in a few weeks. I’m celebrating by giving away a copy of one of our favorite books, Bear’s Birthday!
Bear’s Birthday was released in the last year and is the latest book in a series of 8 best-selling books featuring Bear. Although not overtly a counting book the story starts with Bear blowing up 10 balloons in preparation for his party. As the written story progresses, a separate story unfolds within the illustrations as a balloon escapes, is popped, or lost. By the end of the book, Bear has had a great party and all the balloons are gone.
This book is a great BIRTHDAY GIFT for any 1-4 year old but is perfect year round. I’ve often paired it as a gift with the Leapfrog Birthday Cake
We read quite frequently and my son loves the page wear Bear blows out his candles. He blows the candles with Bear. So stinkin’ cute. There’s one problem though … we often get stuck on the page early in the book with a choo choo train. As in, he gets mad if I try to turn the page because he wants to keep looking at the picture!
Yes, he’s now a Thomas and Chuggington carrying train obsessed little boy! We’re going to take him on a train ride with the Easter bunny for his birthday and I’ll be gifting him a copy of Magic Train Ride.
Publisher Description:
Bear’s Birthday
Join Bear as he celebrates his birthday in this latest addition to the bestselling Bear series. Help Bear count backwards from 10 to 0 and find out who is making his balloons disappear.Ages 2 to 6 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Debbie Harter
To win a copy of this fun book enter using the Rafflecopter form below. I’ll be so happy if you do and consider every entry a Happy Birthday to my baby. :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
