National Parents’ Day

National Parents’ Day has been celebrated on the fourth Sunday in July since 1994, when President Clinton signed into law a resolution that made this day a national holiday.  Similar to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, this holiday is a chance for parents to be honored for all the hard work and sacrifices they have made in the name of raising great children.

Parents’ Day is about all parents, whether they are your parents or your friends. By honoring other parents in your life, you will be warming hearts and spreading the word about Parents’ Day at the same time. It is also about honoring parents who have passed on. This Parents’ Day, try these activities with your children and start enjoying this wonderful holiday with your family.

Honor Your Parents

If Parents’ Day is a new concept, you may need to get a little creative with how you approach adopting this practice in your family. Together with your children, you can start by honoring your own parents to show how much you value everything your mother and father did for you over the years to help make you the person you are today. If your parents are no longer around, share stories. Showing your love for your parents will provide an example your child can use to help express the feelings of thanks and gratitude he or she has for you, now and in the future. 

Quality Time

Parents’ Day was created to celebrate the importance of parenthood, and there is no better way to do this than spending quality time together as a family. Finding an activity you can all enjoy together is intrinsic to setting the stage for years of family fun on Parents’ Day. Tell everyone in the family that you are choosing a special Parents’ Day outing.

To make this easy, pass out small pieces of scratch paper for each family member to write down his or her dream activity for Parents’ Day. When everyone is finished, throw all of the suggestions into a hat and draw one. This makes for a fair and fun selection process. Whether you go out to see a new movie, have a barbecue or spend a day at the beach, the important thing is that you are together as a family on Parents’ Day.

Celebrate Other Parents

Let other parents who are close to your heart know you are thinking of them this year by sending a card or simply calling them on July 24 to share your thoughts and appreciation.

Parents’ Day is about paying respect to and sharing love with all parents. Expressing your feelings and thoughts to all the exceptional parents in your life is what makes this day so special. 

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.  
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Book Review - The 10 Kidmandments

About the Book

Jeff’s inaugural book, THE 10 KIDMANDMENTS, offers parents and non-parents ten fundamental principles that are guaranteed to immeasurably enhance one’s life. For 14 years, Jeff took copious notes as he reflected on the best practices of being a parent. The lessons and observations of those fourteen years are compiled in his book. Nodding to many of his parents’ parenting skills, while developing his own deliberate ways of inspiring and positively affecting his children, Oddo takes the reader on a journey of discovery while providing practical ways to implement such advice.

Though written from a parenting angle, the principles and intentions of this book convey equally to those of us who are parents as well as to those of us who are not. A company CEO can apply the same principles and reflections within Oddo’s work to better empower his or her employees.

About the Author  
Jeffrey Oddo is an author and successful business owner in Kansas City, Kansas. Jeff’s dedication to empowering and inspiring others is the essence of both the way in which he runs his multi-million dollar business, as well as what he effectively conveys within his latest work as a published author.

My Take on the Book
This book is about parenting. It is a "How To" course in everything you need to know about raising children. This book is for parents and kids alike. The ten principles you need to focus on will enable you to achieve success. The goal of the book is to provide parents an awareness of what is required to raise children to be the best grownups they can be.

So here are some of the kidmandments:

#1  Life's Purpose~~~~~~What is our purpose in life? Our sense of purpose comes from our relationships we build with our family, friends and other groups and with God. Good parents teach the skills to the children. In order to help our children we must also know our life's purpose.

#3 Positive Mental Attitude~~~~~~~~~~`  As parents we are our children's first and most important coaches. We need to motivate our children now to live the lives of their dreams by having great attitudes. Take this comment to heart by Charles Swindoll: "I AM CONVINCED THAT LIFE IS 10% WHAT HAPPENS TO ME AND 90% HOW I REACT TO IT."

#10 Faith Religion and Spirituality~~~~~~~~~~  These three are absolutely critical to being successful in life. It is the foundation of a happy and worthwhile life. Good parents teach their children about religion. Great parents teach their children the differences among faith, religion, and spirituality.

There are so many books out there for parents about raising children. I feel this book finally addresses the whole child, the family and their relationship to the world around them.


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
 
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Gatorade Moms: Heroic Moms Supporting Their Children When They Need It Most

Gatorade has teamed up with mothers from all walks of life to create Gatorade Moms, a place where moms can go to exchange stories and share tips with other mothers who train just as hard as their athletes. Gatorade Moms (http://www.gatorade.com/moms/home.aspx) is a great resource for watching inspiring success stories, reading up on nutrition for athletes and ideas about how to be a supportive champion for an aspiring star.


The first mom to share her story in the Gatorade Moms series is Stephanie Hamm (See above or below link), mother of Gold Medalist and soccer legend Mia Hamm. Watch Stephanie’s story here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev8QjqD8Vek


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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There's More to a Child Than Outside Behavior

There's More to A Child Than Just Outside Behavior By Gary M. Unruh MSW LCSW

Asking children repeatedly to complete chores or homework seems like just one more roadblock to effective parenting. It is...and here's why. Parents focus on behavior -- their child's outside part -- and miss the child's inside parts: feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and, most importantly, trust in one's self-worth. When a car will not start, do we keep turning the key, hoping the battery will miraculously function each time? No, we go right to the inside part. We pop the hood and charge the battery. Then we turn the key, and voila! We're good to go. Inside part fixed; outside part works fine. Knowing a child's inside and outside parts will eliminate a lot of roadblocks, making your parenting journey a lot more pleasant.

Here's a quick "parts" review. Outside parts -- performance and character.   Good performance and good character are two important cornerstones for building self-worth. There's nothing like an A as a reward for great effort. Most parents focus on the end goal -- a clean room or completed homework assignment -- and they don't pay enough attention to the effort part. Teach your child to exert his or her best effort at all times and your child will be successful. Effort is a lot easier to control than results. Positive character ensures enduring relationships -- the most rewarding and healthy life success. Responsibility, perseverance, empathy, self-discipline, and honesty are the basic character traits that need to be taught daily. These character traits have two big-time positive consequences:   acceptance by adults and peers, and self-confidence. We're not born with these traits; they need to be learned. And you, the parent, are the best teacher.

Inside parts -- thoughts, feelings, beliefs.  These are the inside mechanical parts of a human being, the power source for doing what we do. We all have about forty thoughts per minute going through our minds, each thought filled with feelings (happiness, sadness, anger), causing what we say and do. And beliefs give us our internal rules for right and wrong and are the cause of everything we do. Feelings are the most powerful inside part, the energy source for determining your child's outside behavior. When Amie's mad, she'll yell, argue, or hit. When James is happy, he'll laugh and joke. Feelings are the x-ray picture of what's going on within the heart of your child at any given moment. Respond to your child's feelings first and your child will feel you meeting his or her life -- essential need to be understood, especially during conflict. Trust is an essential human need for our entire lives. Developing trust in a child is in a parent's job description: Instill trust and your child will become a trustworthy, successful adult.

During infancy trust is about being adequately nurtured with food and feeling emotionally comfortable when upset. Then throughout the adolescent years, it's about physical and emotional safety and feeling understood and accepted, no matter what problems pop up. And the result of instilled trust?  Children feel comfortable in their own skin, they learn to rely on themselves, and they'll know when to trust others. Translated into a kid's lingo: Since Mom and Dad trust and believe in me, I feel good enough about myself and know I can handle just about anything -- including finding great people to love.

Sound complicated? It can be, but the following three tips will make it a lot easier and you'll get plenty of rewards along the way. 1. Support your child's individuality. Trusting yourself comes from knowing and being comfortable with the way you're built. Display eight-year-old Nate's prized Lego piece on the dining room table. Ask tween Terry to read her creative essay at the next Friday family meeting. What about the not so great stuff? Help Emma trim off the jagged edges of her daily drama while letting her know, "Your excitement about life is really fun to be around." And deal with Ethan's temper tantrums by saying, "I know it's really hard to not blow up, but we'll help you put words to your upset so you can be calmer."

2. Set firm limits to instill good character. People trust kids who show good character-qualities like empathy and admitting mistakes.  A child's not born trustworthy, so that tendency to look out for number one needs to be harnessed. A great starting point is to teach consideration for others through social graces: thank you, please, sorry. 3. Start discipline with support to avoid shame. Shame doesn't instill trust. Parents who balance support and correction avoid shame. Instead, you reach an important goal: your child feeling basically okay while wanting to correct a mistake. Becky didn't study for a test and she got a one-legged A. After Mom gently asked why this happened, Becky and Mom worked out a mutually agreeable way to handle studying for tests. Correcting mistakes openly and easily is a sure sign of "I trust myself, I'm okay." Conclusion: Pay attention to the inside parts of your child and teach them to trust themselves and all kinds of good things will happen.

Gary M. Unruh, MSW LCSW, is a child and family mental health counselor with nearly forty years of experience. He is the author of the award-winning book Unleashing the Power of Parental Love: 4 Steps to Raising Joyful and Self-Confident Kids(www.unleashingparentallove.com).

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

 
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New Savvy Parent Video: How to Relish the Little Moments in Life

Changing endless amounts of diapers, dealing with feedings and fitting in playtime can make for some very tired parents with very little down time, not to mention alone time with their spouse or partner. And according to a new Savvy Parents Survey from Evenflo®, 66% of moms say that the thing that surprised them most about becoming a new parent was how exhausting it is.

Every parent deserves a little bit of down time to relax and savor a few moments with their spouse, and in its newest Savvy Parents webisode titled, “How to Relish the ‘Little Moments’ in Life” (http://youtu.be/4Mj32uviG_o), Evenflo takes a whimsical look at the challenges parents face finding relaxing moments each day. When we asked a panel of moms about their favorite thing to do once the kids are in bed: 42% of moms said watching TV, 22% said sleep and 15% said clean the house!  We’re partial to the 10% who said “relax on the sofa with a glass of wine!”

Parents are also encouraged to interact and share tales about their own ”little moments” on Evenflo’s social media sites:

• http://www.facebook.com/EvenfloBaby
• http://twitter.com/evenflobaby

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
   
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Book Review - The Essential Guide to Baby's First Year

About the Book 

A baby’s first year, from the moment of birth to the first birthday, is exciting, wonderful and sometimes confusing for both a baby and parents. With so many firsts in those twelve months, there are many questions. The Essential Guide to Baby’s First Year addresses the issues and concerns that are most important to first-time parents.

The authors, Dr. Erika Landau and Dr. Abigail Brenner, of The Essential Guide to Baby’s First Year are both parents and medical professionals. They acknowledge that babies are people and they do things in their own time and ways. Their medical knowledge supports their advice and suggestions included in the book, such as:

• The moment of birth and beyond – what a newborn looks like, what the tests will be like, feeding, bonding, and taking the baby home
• Clear explanations of milestones for the first year of life, broken up by quarters – and how they may vary from baby to baby
•  Advice and suggestions on feeding, caring for, and interacting with the baby
• Teething, sleeping, crawling, pooping – how things happen and change as months pass
• Common illnesses, appropriate foods, necessary equipment, and more
• Great baby food recipes for 9-12 months

“Every area of expertise in this world requires a license or certificate. But there is no license to become a parent. Neither does each bundle of joy come with instructions or a guarantee,” said Dr. Landau. “The Essential Guide to Baby’s First Year will help parents become well informed, yet able to develop and utilize their own instincts and good judgment.”

About the Authors

Erika Landau, M.D., (New York, N.Y.) is a pediatrician in New York. She has been in private practice since 1999. Dr. Landau is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Student Health Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She has lectured nationally and internationally on issues concerning child advocacy, nutrition, chronic illness and women physician’s health. Some of her articles have been published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and The International Pediatric Congress in The Netherlands and Israel. Born and educated in Romania, Dr. Landau completed her training at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The Rockefeller University in New York. Dr. Landau is a proud mother of a daughter and lives in New York with her family.

Abigail Brenner, M.D., (New York, N.Y. and San Francisco, Calif.) attended New York Medical College and completed her internship and residency in psychiatry at New York University-Bellevue Medical Center. She spent many years as an attending physician at the NYU-Bellevue Adult Mental Hygine Clinic and as an assistant clinical professor at New York University Medical School. A board-certified psychiatrist in practice for more than 30 years, Dr. Brenner is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She is the author of Transitions: How Women Embrace Change and Celebrate Life and SHIFT: How to Deal When Life Changes and an ordained Interfaith Minister. Dr. Brenner lives in San Francisco and New York, is married, the mother of two, and a grandmother of four.  

About The Essential Guide Series

Essential Guides condense the most important and current information and thinking on mainstream issues that matter, making them understandable for those approaching a topic for the first time. They provide a broad overview and necessary detail, but are not encyclopedic.Essential Guides anticipate readers' needs and questions, and provide solutions and answers with empathy, clarity, and respect for the reader. Authors write from a position of expertise, understanding, and personal experience which allows them to connect with readers.

My Take on the Book
As a parent of two I was amazed at all of the resources and information that this book has within it. I remember how lost my wife and I felt when we first became parents. We felt so unprepared and unknowing of the information that we would need to know. We continuously found ourselves looking at books for answers and we went from book to book trying to figure out what we should be doing. This book takes a number of the books that we read and places it all in one location. From medical issues to typical growing patterns, this book has it all!

I would highly recommend this book to any new parent as it will definitely be a life-saver!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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