Up for a Challenge?
Posted by Zen Mama Wannabe | Filed under Gems, Life, Parenting, Tips
Are you up for a challenge? Ready to try something that could not only help others around you but possibly change your life as well? Are you finding yourself in need of a little something – like a life with a little more purpose, or a better feeling about the life you are living? Do you sometimes feel like there is something missing – you are just not sure what it is or what to do about it? Well, I may have found just the thing you (and I) need.
Give away 29 things in 29 days.
I ran across this idea on a recent post by Morningside Mom. I was intrigued and followed the link to 29gifts.org…
Planting the Seeds
Posted by Zen Mama Wannabe | Filed under Gems, Parenting
Our routine is a simple one. Every night after stories, I tuck each child into bed. When they are settled in their cozy nests surrounded by those 2 or 3 stuffed animals they insist on snuggling with, I reach over to hug and kiss them good nite. "Sweet dreams, I love you" – all those important words get said. Those are the words that water the garden, the words that cause everything to grow. But I am beginning to realize that right before sleep is the perfect time for planting too. Why not pull out a seed or two of inspiration and plant it softly in their ear, where hopefully it floats to their brain and begins to germinate and sprout.
This is what I whispered to my son last night:
You are so smart, and so brave, and you work so hard at things! I know you can do anything in the world you want to – as
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How to Save a Life
Posted by Zen Mama Wannabe | Filed under Buzz, Gems, Health
The posters were plastered all around town. Between drops-offs at school and quick (ha!) visits to the post office and the grocery store, you could not pretend to ignore the request. Her beautiful 6-year old eyes radiated off the signs – even off the front page of the local newspaper. The story was a simple one: this sweet little girl has leukemia and is in need of a bone marrow donor. By coming to this neighborhood bone marrow drive and doing a quick cheek-swab, you would become part of the national marrow donor directory. You might just be able to save this little girl’s life – or someone else who is similarly in need. If someone asked YOU, would you do it? Would you choose to save a life?
In talking to other parents in the days leading up to this local event, here are some “concerns” we came up with. Do any of them match your own?
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When Pink Isn’t Cool
Posted by Zen Mama Wannabe | Filed under Gems, Parenting
The picture is still in my mind – my blond-haired son proudly holding his pink balloon at the local county fair. Of all the bright, vivacious colors in the Balloon Man’s massive bundle, he wanted the pink one. Because after all, pink was his favorite color. At the grown-up age of 6, he was neither aware nor concerned of the unspoken 4-word rule all most kids know to follow: pink is for girls.
It didn’t matter to him that in the kid world, pink basically equaled Princess. That generally speaking, girls wore pink and boys wore blue. That his baby sister’s bedroom walls were painted a soft, pale, powder pink while his were a soothing, deeper shade of Costa Rica blue. Or, that his Kindergarten buddies were choosing green and red and blue as their favorite colors. My son liked pink.
When he was in preschool, no one thought anything of it. Around age 5, my husband began to…
