The Mom Test

My mother-in-law sent this and it’s a short and sweet joke. Enjoy!

“I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something
off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from
her and I asked her not to do that. ‘Why?’ my daughter asked. ‘Because
it’s been on the ground, you don’t know where it’s been, it’s dirty, and
probably has germs’ I replied. At this point, my daughter looked at me
with total admiration and asked, ‘Momma, how do you know all this stuff,
you are so smart.’ I was thinking quickly. ‘All moms know this stuff.
It’s on the Mom Test. You have to know it, or they don’t let you be a Mom.’
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently
pondering this new information.
‘OH…I get it!’ she beamed, ‘So if you don’t pass the test you have to be the dad. ‘
‘Exactly’ I replied back with a big smile on my face.”

Not Too Late to Send Easter Cards

If you want to surprise someone with a nice Easter card it’s not too late. Just click on over to Cross Cards and choose from among hundreds of religious cards and send them via email. We received one yesterday from family and it touched us.

Cross Cards

Explain Easter to Children

It’s not easy to do, but you should take time today to try and explain Easter to your children. We know it’s not about the candy filled eggs or the bunnies and most children know that. But, do they really know what Easter is about?

The best source of help I came across for you was at More4Kids here: Explain Easter to Kids.

Poems for Kids

I came across a Poems for Kids site by Milou just as my 5 year old Colin was trying to get my attention with a couple of Matchbox cars. Seeing an opportunity to do something different with him I asked him if he knew what a poem was. He quickly answered “something you read”. I threw in that it was also something that usually had words that rhymed and then asked him if he wanted me to read one to him.

Within a couple of minutes we were deep into the list of poems on the homepage with him comfortably seated on my lap. He really enjoyed the break for romping around the house. Give it a try yourself.

Poems for Children

The Writing Mamas Salon

Dawn Yun and a small group of moms in the San Francisco Bay area formed a writing “club” for moms back in 2004 and it continues to inspire moms who want to write, as well as, moms who read what they write . Writing Mamas Salon has grown popular and new local chapters have begun springing up in other parts of the country. What a wonderful idea! Not only a way to share motherhood stories with other moms, but a way to put the more meaningful experiences and events into writing to be shared with moms all over.

For more information visit their site here: Writing Mamas Salon

For information on starting a local chapter: Writing Mamas Salon Chapters

Write on Dawn!!

Make the Perfect Easter Basket for Your Toddler

Browsing online, I saw a toddler Easter basket selling for $65. Since when does a parent have to spend so much money on a basket filled with a stuffed animal, candy and plastic grass for a two-year old? You can spend a lot less and create a basket that’s even better because it’s tailor made just for your child.

Here’s how you make a perfect Easter basket that will not break the bank and make a great impression on your terrific toddler:

1. Start with a basket you already have at home. Don’t buy that Easter basket at the grocery store that you will use once and then pitch into your garage to be lost forever. Can’t find a basket? Look for a small plastic storage bin, decorate a shoebox, or extra plastic wastebasket. Nix the cellophane wrap.

2. Skip the candy and load up on healthier treats instead. Your toddler’s favorite fruits or crackers will do just fine. Or try a new brand of cracker. If your toddler is asking for candy, just include one small chocolate egg or a few peeps. Remember the less your toddler is exposed to candy, the better!

3. Instead of filling plastic eggs with candy, fill them with beans instead. Tape them up with colorful electrical tape and you’ve got a new shaker instrument. You can also fill the eggs with small toys or stickers.

4. Include items you need to buy anyway: a toothbrush with one of your child’s favorite characters, nice socks, new character underwear or pajamas.

5. Great toys to include are inexpensive items like crayons, sidewalk chalk, coloring books, toy cars, stickers, play doh, rubber duckies and other toys for the bath.

6. Celebrate the coming of spring with some outdoor activity toys like a Frisbee, bubbles, or ball.

7. Write them a simple note that says “I love you” or “Happy Easter.” Encourage them to say each letter in your note.

Create your basket with your toddler in mind. Include some of his or her favorite things and you’ll be sure to have a hit! And it will cost you a lot less than $65.

Happy Easter,

Arlene

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Be sure to check out Arlene’s Websites at:

http://www.losingweightafterbaby.com or blog at http://losingweightafterbaby.wordpress.com

How NOT to Discipline Your Child

Granted there may be times you feel like, and perhaps should, hose down an unruly and dangerous teen, there is never a reason to stoop to the level Ms. Ramirez did in Florida when she sprayed her temper tantrum-throwing 2 year old with a high pressure water hose at a car wash.

Here’s an excerpt from the news report on Breitbart:

Authorities have arrested a mother who was videotaped spraying her young daughter with a high-pressure water hose at a Florida car wash. Deputies arrested Niurka Ramirez in Orlando on Friday on a child abuse charge.

Ramirez says she was trying to discipline her 2-year-old daughter for throwing a temper tantrum.

She told authorities she did not use the high-pressure feature on the hose when spraying the child.

Ms. Ramirez was released from jail and the child had no injuries after being “whipped” by the high pressure water spray.

The video below is the local news story and a short clip of the scene showing the mom spraying her daughter.

Why Buy Heartmade

Want to buy that perfect gift that’ll make you feel good all the way around? Then consider buying “heartmade” (i.e. handmade) goods from a work at home mom.

Why buy handmade you ask? You’ll enjoy supporting a fellow citizen with a name and perhaps a family of their own more then supporting WalMart or some other corporation. You’ll be giving a unique gift to a unique individual made be an equally unique person. How unique is that? And finally you’ll be taxing our environment far less then if you had purchased something made in China and distributed through a myriad of middlemen before it ever reaches you.

Why buy handmade video

In 2 months around the Christmas season the site collected over 10,000 pledges to buy handmade. Seems like the ideal timing to give a shout out for small craftspeople and artisans. Buy handmade.

Mamabliss

Ran across Mamabliss’ blogs and was impressed with her apparent ability to get a lot done online everyday on top of her homeschooling and typical motherhood tasks.

Her handmade crafts blog is an excellent source for very affordable crafts you and the kids can do together at home instead of the TV (unless, of course, it’s Moms TV!)  or other mind numbing waste of time. Check it out at: Lil Handmades at Mamabliss.

She also has two other blogs including one especially for homeschoolers called ‘homeschooling fun’, and another about her life as the mother of her children, Mamabliss.