Tag Archives: family

New Book ‘Why Have Kids?’ + #WhyHaveKids Twitter Party Thursday September 13th 7-8pm CT

Books, Twitter Parties, , ,

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WHY HAVE KIDS?
A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness by Jessica Valenti

Why have kids? Is this a question you’ve asked yourself time and time again? To many parents, this seems like a senseless, no-brainer question, but it’s a legitimate one at that. Parents as well as childless adults have been asking this question for thousands of years. Author and feminist Jessica Valenti discusses the truth about parenting and happiness in her provocitive new book.

WHY HAVE KIDS Twitter Party!

Join #WhyHaveKids 9/13 8-9pm/ET for a Twitter party on the new WHY HAVE KIDS? book! Win prizes, too! RSVP: http://bit.ly/RET1KF

TOPIC – Why Have Kids? with Jessica Valenti

TIME – Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 8-9 PM Eastern (7-8 PM Central, 6-7 PM Mountain, 5-6 PM Pacific)

HASHTAG – #WhyHaveKids

CUSTOM TWEETGRID – http://bit.ly/QbEwMB

PANELISTS – @MomSpark, @MomSparkMedia, @JessicaValenti, @mommyltloriley, @momwithadotcom, @thefrugalette and @OMGhada (follow everyone before party!)

Follow @JessicaValenti on Twitter!

One of the most high-profile young feminists in America, Jessica Valenti takes on the controversial—but necessary—question: Why Have Kids?

If the statistics confirm that parenting is making Americans unhappy, then Valenti’s question is poised to spark an essential and honest conversation about modern parenthood. Through on-the-ground reporting, new scientific studies, and her own burgeoning motherhood, Valenti offers an in-depth exposé of the world of having (and not having) children. She moves beyond the black and white “mommy wars” over natural parenting, discipline, and work-life balance to explore a more nuanced reality: one filled with ambivalence, joy, guilt, and exhaustion.

“This is a book about how the American ideal of parenting doesn’t match the reality of our lives, and how that incompatibility is hurting parents and children,” says Valenti. “The truth about parenting is that the reality of our lives needs to be enough. Seeking out an ideal that most of us can never reach is making us, and our kids, miserable.” The pursuit of perfection in pregnancy and parenting is giving American mothers a guilt complex and taking the joy out of parenthood. Valenti reveals the disconnect between parents’ hopes and the day-to-day reality of raising children and argues that while debating whether or not to breastfeed means we care about parenting, we really should really focus on raising our childrenas a community exercise. Forming communities of action rather than communities of judgment will help mothers and parents support each other.

Why Have Kids? tackles the tough questions that many parents and potential parents should be challenged to address. Brutally honest and refreshingly insightful, Valenti articulates the problem with modern parenting and offers solutions to social and political issues that can bring joy back to parenting.

A provocative and intimate exploration of modern parenthood by “a gutsy young third wave feminist” – The New York Times

“Timely… [Valenti] states early on that her book is meant to anger people and incite discussions… she wades deeply into the moral and logistical problems facing mothers, with interviews, research and her own anecdotal experiences.” – Kirkus Reviews

“In a culture that glamorizes motherhood, Jessica Valenti daringly articulates the hard work and the personal decisions that are an essential part of parenting. This book is a must read for new parents.”
– Gayle Lemmon, New York Times bestselling author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jessica Valenti is the author of three previous books, including The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women. She is also the founder of Feministing.com, which the Columbia Journalism Review called “head and shoulders above almost any writing on women’s issues in mainstream media.” Jessica – called one of the top 100 inspiring women in the world by the Guardian – speaks at universities and organizations in the U.S. and abroad about feminism, activism, and media. She lives with her family in Boston, but remains a New Yorker at heart.

Visit JessicaValenti.com to learn more about the author and her book WHY HAVE KIDS.

Disclosure: This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. I received a copy of Why Have Kids? and compensation nfor my time investment and work on this campaign.

Organize Your Family With A NeuYear Poster Size Calendar + A Giveaway!

Contests, Giveaways, New posts, Organization, , , ,
NeuYear Academic Calendar - Horizontal
NeuYear Academic Calendar - Horizontal

Do you find yourself forgetting important dates like your child’s school Meet-and-Greet or Open House? What about your 6th grader’s first band concert?  No, I’m not speaking from experience, silly.

When you have multiple family members, it can difficult to remember important school dates, doctor appointments, what day each child’s extra-curricular activities are on, when the kids are supposed to bring their report cards home, when you need to renew your car tag, your best friend’s wedding, and tons of other important things.

Think about it.  Many of the dates that we need to remember, we think of months before hand, but because traditional calendars show only a month at a time, we aren’t able to plan ahead efficiently.

For example, my husband knew that a friend of his was getting married September 1st didn’t tell me.  I’m speaking hypothetically of course. 😉 Meanwhile, I planned on having my father in town to celebrate my son’s 13th birthday August 31st-September 3rd. I had the date marked on the calendar in July but because only July shows on our traditional wall calendar, my husband didn’t see that my family was going to be in town and therefor, accepted the wedding invitation for all four of us. If in July he would have been able to see August’s important dates/notes, he would have known that my family was going to be in town and would not have RSVP’d for the four of us to go to the wedding.

With the NeuYear wall calendar, we can see literally every day of the year right in front of us.  BAM! It’s all there!

My NeuYear calendar is on my office wall, right smack dab in front of my face.  My husband and son have one as well.  I’m on it this year!

There’s something not so sexy about constantly having to remind your husband about important school events, doctor’s appointments, and other important dates.  It’s not very wifely, I say.  I’d love for my husband to say to me one day “Alicia, Sebastian’s band concert is tomorrow night” or “the lawn service is coming this Wednesday”.  Whoa! That would be so awesome.  I just feel like always having to remind someone of what’s going on is a motherly function, not a wifely function.  Do you agree?

So, help yourself and/or your significant other get on the ball and have no more excuses for forgetting school events, dr appointments, etc..

NeuYear Wall Poster Academic Year Calendar
NeuYear Wall Poster Size Academic Year Calendar - Vertical

Go get a Neu Year calendar or two, put them on your kitchen wall, bathroom wall, and office wall and everyone in your house will know what’s up today, tomorrow, next week, and next month, without having to flip a page!

Mark these important dates on your child’s NeuYear calendar:

  • Important school events
  • Sports games and practices
  • School tests (CRCT’s, etc)
  • Doctor appointments
  • Spring Break
  • Winter Break
  • School vacation days

Mark these important dates or yours and your significant other’s NeuYear calendar:

  • School events
  • Sports games and practices
  • Doctor appointments
  • School vacation days
  • Tentative or potential family vacation dates
  • Family & friend birthdays
  • Spring Break
  • Winter Break
  • When his/her and your car tags are due
  • and more!

The Neu Year calendar is poster size.  There is a vertical calendar on one side and a horizontal calendar on the other side.  So, once you get your calendar(s) take your pick.    The Academic Neu Year calendar spans 12 months, August 2012 to July 2013.

The day boxes are larger than most calendars so there is plenty of room to write in them.  You’ll want to pick up a few colored fine-tip dry erase markers before your calendar arrives.
Oh, did I mention that you can get a laminated version of the calendar, so you can write on it with a dry-erase marker?  When your next annual checkup gets pushed back, just wipe it off and mark the new date.
Or, you can buy the uncoated version and use a pencil or a pen.  It’s up to you! Decisions, decisions!
A NeuYear calendar is a product that I consider a must-have for families.  With our increasingly busy schedules, it’s nice to know that everyone is on the same page when it comes to what’s going on and when.

NeuYear is offering our readers a coupon code for 30% off!

Get 30% off your order at NeuYear.net when you use coupon code MOMMYINSIDER.  This code expires December 31st, 2012.

We are giving 5 lucky readers a NeuYear calendar!

Entries accepted through September 15, 2012. Entrants must be 18+ and live in the U.S. No PO Boxes.  The company may send winners a laminated or uncoated calendar.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a NeuYear calendar for review purposes.  All opinions are 100% mine and were not influenced in any way.

My Road Trip Survival Guide – How I Survived 8 Hour Road Trips Alone with Two Kids

New posts, Travel, , , , ,

My kids are 12 and 5 years old.  They love each other but aren’t the best of friends. I’m sure you understand if you have kids who are far apart in age.  My 12 year old hardly acknowledges that my 5 year old exists and when he does it’s often to correct her, poke at her, or ask her to do something for him.

Therefor, I was pretty nervous about driving the kids to Florida (from our home in Atlanta) alone as I’ve never driven the kids to Florida by myself before and I never know when they are going to be at each other’s throats. Well not really but you know what I mean.   My husband and parents didn’t want me to drive the kids by myself in case something happened with the car or the kids during the drive.  And me being the paranoid girl that I am, I think about the kids getting car sick (it’s happened before!), getting a flat tire, accidents, traffic, the rushed need for a restroom when there’s none around, etc and those thoughts usually consume me.  However, I didn’t let those thoughts consume me this time.  Mostly because I was consumed with the fact that my 5 year old and I had just gone to urgent care the day before our trip and I found out that I had a sinus infection requiring anti-biotics and steroids and she had something that required anti-biotics.  I was just hoping to get there and to feel better the next day.  Little did I know that 7 days later, I’d be fighting a different infection and working from bed.

Welcome to Florida

Here are a few things that I did to ensure that I and the kids had a fun, safe, happy, and successful 8 hour road trip to Florida and back last week:

Keep them Fed!

  • Packed lots of cups of water
  • Brought pre-portioned Snacks
  • Included fruits & veggies in their snack bags
  • Plastic plates and utensils

Keep things Fun!

  • Activity Tray for each child
  • DVD’s that they agreed on before hand
  • iPad – full charged with a few new apps installed
  • Blank paper to color and write on
  • Pencil box with crayons and colored pencils
  • Sticker books (for my 5 year old)
  • Nook Color (for my 12 year old)
  • Wireless headphones for kids

Keep the kids and car Clean!

  • Trash bag for each child to use
  • Paper towels
  • Tissues
  • Baby wipes
  • Hand towel for each child
  • Full size towel for each child (cover with while eating)
  • Toilet seat covers (a MUST for rest area and restaurant restrooms!)

Keep the kids Comfortable!

  • Pillow Pets
  • Sun Shades
  • Blankets
  • Dramamine (my daughter gets car sick)

 

Preparing for the trip:

A week before departure:

  • Had oil changed and tires rotated
  • I signed up for AAA
  • Made sure I had all necessary safety equipment and manuals in the car
  • Talked to my son about being responsible for his sister while I was driving and what that meant.  My son is a Boy Scout and prides himself on being able to handle many emergency situations (which he’s had to do in the past) so my family and I felt comfortable that he could help in the case of a flat tire or other minor vehicular emergency but I needed to make sure that he understood that I wouldn’t be able to stop when my daughter needed a drink, snack, or a toy and that he needed to help out with her while I was driving.
  • Bought sun shades for the kids windows
  • Bought activity trays for the kids to use during the trip

Two days before departure:

  • Pack clothes
  • Pack each child a bag with activities to do in the car
  • Washed and set out two cups for each of us to use during the trip
  • I chose and packed DVD’s for the kids to watch in the car
  • I downloaded podcasts (love Leo Laporte’s tech podcasts!) for me to listen to while the kids watched a movie (via their wireless headphones)
  • Pack medications
  • I packed a ‘throw up kit’ containing a tupperware bowl, extra clothes, and wipes.  My daughter gets car sick.

The night before departure:

  • Pack toiletries
  • Pack kid’s bedtime books
  • Put everything in the car
  • Programed our destination in my iPhone GPS app
  • Pack important daily medications
Morning of departure:
  • Put kid’s blankets and pillow pets in the car
  • I put a DVD in the player so I wouldn’t have to pull over to put one in
  • Filled one cup with ice and water for each of us
  • Filled the cooler with fruits, veggies, cheese strings, ice, and drinks
  • Packed chargers for phones, camera, and iPad

Off we went!

The trip started with a few games of I Spy and then we listened to some Kidz Bop.  The kids didn’t ask to watch a movie or play on the iPad for the first hour and half.. almost two hours.  Impressive for a road trip if you ask me.  To be hontest, I was just waiting for them to We stopped three times.  Twice at rest stops and once at a McDonalds.  I was bummed that I couldn’t find a Chick-Fil-A around lunchtime so next time I will plan our lunch stop before leaving the house.  My son slept on and off during the trip but my daughter who is not a fan of sleeping during road trips finally fell asleep about an hour from Orlando.  She played with her sticker books and watched quite a bit of Curious George but she was happy and I was able to drive safely and distraction free, getting us to our destination safely.

I hope my road trip survival guide helps you on your next road trip adventure whether you’re travelling alone or with a spouse with your kids.

Do you have any road trip tips to share with our readers?  Tell us in the comments below.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Atlanta Moms: Your Family’s Safety — One Less Thing To Worry About

Atlanta Moms Edition, , , ,
Saturn Security - Atlanta
As a mom, you have enough to worry about. With soccer practices, science fair projects and getting dinner on the table, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is your home’s security.

But after helping the kids do their homework, you might want to do some of your own. After all, a security system can help protect the life you’ve worked so hard to build — and all for less than you might expect.

Here are just a few things you should know, courtesy of the Saturn Security team:

Wired systems provide a greater challenge for thieves.
Many home security companies will try to sell you on a wireless security system. That’s because it’s easier for their salesmen to install. A wired system, however, is harder for intruders to thwart. So make sure you’re getting a wired system installed by trained experts, not salespeople.

Multiple monitoring centers deliver increased reliability.
It’s best to select a company with more than one monitoring center. That way, in the event of an outage at one location, your home’s system can be monitored by another center with no interruption in service.

A security system can save you up to 20% on your homeowner’s insurance.
Regardless of the company you choose, having a security system installed in your home can lead to a reduction in your monthly insurance premiums.

A Special Offer For AtlantaMoms.com Visitors:

$14.95/mo. for 12 months

Saturn Security is a locally-owned and operated company that offers the same protection and equipment as the big guys — with better customer service. That’s because we’re always there when you need us, either on the phone or in your home. Whether you’re thinking about a new security system, or considering a switch in providers, give us a call at 678-432-5280 or visit SaturnSecuritySystems.com.
This guest blog post was provided by AtlantaMoms.com advertiser Saturn Security Systems.
By Josh Nickell
Owner, Saturn Security Systems

 

Shutterfly Holiday Cards – it’s not too early to get started on your holiday cards!

Holiday, New posts, , , , ,

Shutterfly photo giftsI can’t believe it but we have NEVER had a professional family portrait taken.  One of my all time favorite family photographs was one that my mother took of Tim, Sebastian and I (pre-Madelyn years) in front of the Christmas tree.  So, I printed a million of them and put them in Christmas cards.  I haven’t done that since.  Call it lazy, over-whelmed.. I don’t know.  It’s just not happening.   That’s why I’ll be designing and getting our holiday cards from Shutterfly.com this year.  Now to find someone to lucky enough to try and get a great photo of the four of us!  I’ll be sure to update you all when that happens! 🙂

Besides a huge selection of holiday cards, Shutterfly offers shoppers a great selection of photo gifts including wall calendars and stationary.

Shutterfly holiday cards - photo gifts

Shutterfly shoppers can choose from a variety of holiday card styles.  Are you a simplistic kind of gal?  No problem.. choose a classic, simple holiday card design. If you love bright colors and fun type faces, you’ll love Shutterfly’s more charismatic holiday card designs.

Shutterfly holiday photo cards

A few of my favorite Shutterfly.com photo products:

Shutterfly website
Shutterfly TwitterFollow Shutterfly on Twitter
Shutterfly on FacebookLike the Shutterfly Facebook page

Now I just need to find a photographer to shoot a few (hundred.. it’ll take that many to get one good shot of the 4 of us I think!) photographs of us for our holiday cards. 🙂

Are you a blogger?  You can get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly.com.  Learn how here!