Search Results for: blog when you think you should give a child more of yourself

The Truth About Your Diet During Pregnancy

One of the assumptions I made about pregnancy prior to becoming pregnant is I’d have a diet-related Get out of Jail Free card.  I knew that there are certain foods it’s best to avoid, but I thought at least I’d have a free pass to eat, well, not quite as much as I wanted, but to feel a bit more guilt-free about evening ice cream binges. That turned out not to be the case at all.  First off, the whole “eating for two” thing isn’t true.  At most, you should eat for one and a quarter.  In addition to that, … Continue reading →

How to Prevent Identity Theft: Keeping Your Data to Yourself

Think identity theft can’t happen to you? It is probably only a matter of time, because identity theft is growing in leaps and bounds. New technologies and a more global way of doing business has made it easier than ever for thieves to pretend to be you. With thousands and thousands of databases that can be compromised, such as the gas station where you just swiped your car, and hundreds of people who see your card on an annual basis, such as the waiter who just served you dinner, the odds of not being a victim of identity theft is … Continue reading →

Thirty Days of Thankfulness

I’m a day late with this one, but I hope you will forgive me anyway, especially since I think the topic is not only important, but participating is actually fun. Maybe you have even heard of it before and have been practicing it yourself. If you haven’t, give it a try. For the last couple of years, my friends and I have made November a month in which we really concentrate on all of the blessings in our lives. Using Facebook, and sometimes email, we post something new each day, something that we are truly grateful for in our lives. … Continue reading →

Don’t Let Others Define You

I care too much about what others think of me. This is something I struggled with long before my divorce, but has gotten significantly worse since then. Before I got married I was strong and confident. I cared about what others thought of me, but I put up a pretty good front that I didn’t. As time went on, that wall came crashing down. As a single mom I often felt inadequate. I knew that I was doing the best that I could, but sometimes I wondered if other people were judging my parenting. People often make assumptions about single … Continue reading →

Which Peter Pan is the Best?

Charming is one word that we could apply to just about any Disney animated film, and even though 1953’s “Peter Pan” certainly is that, it’s devoid of charm when compared to the play/novel on which it was based. One of Walt Disney’s greatest strengths was his ability to take an older story and reinvent it for modern audiences. Doing so for “Peter Pan,” however, just replaces what is a wry and sweet sense of humor with silly slapstick, which seems cheap in comparison. A primary reason why Barrie’s book, and presumably his play, is so charming is its witty, very … Continue reading →

Finding Your Strength

I have a dear friend who has struggled through an abusive marriage. After finding the courage to separate from him she found herself pregnant with twins and went back in hopes of keeping her family together, despite her controlling husband. As I watched her struggling to keep things together I couldn’t help but think of my own separation experience. I remembered that desperation to keep my family together, I can only imagine if I had found myself pregnant in the midst of that. It brings on a whole new set of trials. In the beginning I would have taken him … Continue reading →

Should you have a pen name?

The question of adopting a pen name comes up for every aspiring author, freelance writer and blogger. Many who spend a lot of time online do not always feel comfortable using their real name. They do not want to bring added attention to their families. Some fear they are opening themselves up to more online undesirables that may intend some type of harm or slander. Many authors decide to write on sensitive material and find using a pen name gives them the ability to relate that material without bringing undo attention on themselves or family. Perhaps some find the idea … Continue reading →

Forcing Yourself to Be Strong

I have a feeling that 2012 will prove to be one of the toughest and most challenging years for me as a parent. Between some serious issues with my daughter (which I will share when the time is right) and my firstborn leaving for the military, it feels like this mommy heart can’t take much more. It has been an emotional past few days as we learned early in the week that our son has his leave date set. He will be departing Tuesday, August 7th for basic training with the Air Force in Lackland, Texas (nearly 1,000 miles away … Continue reading →

Things Our Kids Have Lost

In today’s world it seems that you are either a Tiger Mom, or you’re not. There is no in between and each camp thinks the other is doing it wrong. As a single mother I worry all the time that I’m not doing the right things to help my child be successful. Should I push more? Should I hold Hailey to a higher standard to ensure that she is successful or will that just make her resentful? Should I relax more? Let Hailey figure out who she is and go with the flow or will that make her lazy and … Continue reading →

Doing the Right Thing

Imagine how you would feel if your child scored a $54,000 scholarship to UCLA. For many parents, it would be akin to winning the lottery. After all, college ain’t cheap… well, unless you are a multimillionaire. What? You don’t think the wealthiest of the wealthy have to watch their Benjamin? It’s hard being rich and famous. Just ask Sean “Diddy” Combs. The rap mogul is considered one of the richest men on the planet with an estimated fortune of more than $550 million. With all that cash flying around, you’d think Combs could easily fork over the money needed to … Continue reading →