Weekend Pics from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on October 30, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Pics from Parenting in the Loop

It is almost Halloween!

This weekend will be busy with all the ghosts and goblins traveling around our neighborhood tomorrow.

Added to the festivities, I must not forget to adjust my clocks at the end of the night on Saturday so that the extra hour does not catch up with me not realizing it till I get to church at the wrong time on Sunday.

With daylight savings coming to and end there are sometimes problems with sleep patterns for our littlest family members. They only have their inner clocks to alert them. The canine members of our family can also be a little problematic since they also run on their internal clock and feeding schedule. I have learned the hard way that one hour to them is an eternity.

Here are my pics for reading this weekend if you have time!

Consistency is key in whichever approach you take. We always manage to get through this time of year unharmed! Remember my two favourite words. Persistence and consistency! You got this – candy overload and all.

Source: Daylight Saving Time + Halloween = Sleep Sh*tshow :: YummyMummyClub.ca

Getting settled down in the evening and going to bed has it problems at times. Consistency can be rewarded for parents who set a bedtime and a bedtime ritual early on with their little ones. These days that is much easier said than done.

Meditation is something I love introducing to children at a young age. It can help them quiet and self soothe at times when this seems impossible to do. For parents it also provides the same soothing feeling when the inevitable ~~stress~~ sh– hits the fan!

Meditation for children and parents is a great way to relax before bed, and is one of the most commonly suggested methods for helping children sleep better.

Source: Meditation for Children and Parents – Bring Back Bedtime

As pretty as Fall is we all know that winter winds are just around the corner.

For me the shorter days with sunset so early in the evening makes me wish to ‘hit the hay’ earlier with a good book. It also makes me wish for a nice cozy fire and warm pot of stew on the stove in the late afternoon.

What are some of your favorite Fall foods that give you comfort as we head into winter weather?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Celebrate the small stuff!

Weekend from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on October 23, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Welcome to the weekend. If you are like many, this is the time to catch up on some zzz’s, right? Well perhaps not, especially if you are a new parent. Sleep is something we all need to function but many of us simple do not get enough of it for so many different reasons and excuses.

So it really is no surprise that baby sleep habits are such a topic of discussion. If your baby does not sleep chances are you do not either. You then join the ranks of the sleep deprived and depraved.

Co-sleeping is something many families practice and enjoy. There are guidelines if you co-sleep with your baby in order to keep your infant safe and sound.

If you’re one of the 22 percent of BabyCenter moms who share a bed with their baby, you can reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS by following a few basic guidelines Find out more about sleeping in a family bed.

And even though your baby can’t yet safely sleep under that gorgeous quilt you received as a baby gift, you can still get plenty of use out of it. Hang it on the nursery wall, drape it over the back of your rocking chair, or let your baby spend tummy time on it during the day.

Five things you didn’t know about newborn sleep

I simple cannot say enough about safe sleep for your baby. It truly is about balance…the three S’s: Sleep, Safety and Sanity.

There is no doubt that having a new baby changes everything about sleep. Between fussing, feeding, diapering, and soothing, it is broken into fragments, and the sum of all of those pieces doesn’t usually feel like enough. There’s also your baby’s safety to consider. Nobody likes to think about SIDS, but it is the most common cause of death in babies beyond the newborn period (1), and we want to do everything we can to prevent it. If we could, we might sit awake and watch our babies breathe all night, but of course, we need to sleep, too.

Source: Should Your Baby Sleep in Your Room? For How Long? Balancing Sleep, Safety, and Sanity | Science of Mom

A weekend is a time when you can look at the world from your own perspective at least for a few moments of the day.

I found this a particularly interesting discussion about where your focus is at different time periods in your life.

Are you a planner? That is, you know step by step what is coming next in the scheme of your life.

Or are you vulnerable and daring, facing the horizon head on and open to the vagaries of the dailies?

Personally, I am more of a head up person myself although at times my head is physically down so as not to stumble and fall into my horizon…it is one of the passages of aging.

Which one are you?

When your head is down, focusing on a step-by-step or gig-by-gig plan, two things happen:The world can’t connect to you fully. Your eyes are down. You are unable to see the big picture, random opportunities, or how you are connected to your world right now, in this moment.Your identity feels like it is at the whim of each step or gig because that is where you are putting all your focus. The current job defines you.

When your head is up, focusing on that magnet of a horizon, the opposite occurs:The world sees you fully. It is a vulnerable and daring posture to stand fully present in this moment. You are available. You are open.You have the consistency of that horizon. You will probably take and release multiple identities along the way (student, teacher, director, actor, parent…) but the horizon is your constant.

When other opportunities pan out or spark beyond your imagination, your spot on the horizon keeps you from loosing all perspective. Take a ballet class, learn how to spot, and you’ll be well on your way.

When you claim your horizon, you are crafting a calling, a beacon, a rallying cry to explore.Be inspired by your horizon.

Be a little scared. Be daring.What’s your horizon? How are you stepping towards it today?

Source: You Don’t Need a Five- or Ten-Year Plan. You Need A Horizon. | HowlRound

At sunset on Sunday, will you wonder where the weekend went?

Parenting inthe Loop’s Weekend

Posted on October 16, 2015 by llpitlwp

Parenting in the Loop’s Weekend Reading

At this point we are in the thick of the Fall Season and the trees are peaking in their color. What better time to head to New England

This weekend we will spend sometime with our new little grandson. I cannot wait to see him smiling, something that he has learned to do since we last saw each other. My heart is bursting to see his toothless grin!

Here are my picks for the many good reads to enjoy this weekend if you have time.

Should we be giving our little girls the message that they should excuse bully boys when they tease them or call them names among other things? Should we tell our girls that this is what boys do when they “like you”? What a mixed message!

As they get older they should never accept hurtful behavior from anyone. Does this not set them up for being abused physically and emotionally?

“I bet he likes you.”That’s often the message when a boy teases a girl, snatches her lunch or calls her names. “He likes you. He just doesn’t know how to show it.” (It’s said of girls who do the same to boys, too, although less often.) It’s such an easy thing to say, meant to make the victim feel a little better, and sometimes it’s even true.

Source: When ‘I Bet He Likes You’ Is the Wrong Thing to Say – The New York Times

Last week, I attended a social work seminar about violence. It was alarming to see all the statistics about violence in homes among people of all different backgrounds. Violence does not pick and choose its victims it knows no barriers.

We must commit to breaking the cycle of violence. It is a truly complicated and serious social problem. Abusive relationships is one place to begin.

The following post discusses abuse which can be physical or emotional. These are typical questions to ask yourself or others about abusive relationships. Sometimes a person does not even realize they are a victim of abuse.

Are you in an abusive relationship?

Ask yourself:

Does my partner always put me down and make me feel bad about myself?
Has my partner caused harm or pain to my body?
Does my partner threaten me, the baby, my other children or himself?
Does my partner blame me for his actions? Does he tell me it’s my own fault he hit me?
Is my partner becoming more violent as time goes on?
Has my partner promised never to hurt me again, but still does?
What can you do?

Help is available.

Call the national domestic violence hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or (800) 787-3224 TTY or 9-1-1.

Source: News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Are you in an abusive relationship? Help is available

If you have kids of a certain age and they play Minecraft, you might want to read this post on Motherlode at the New York Times. I personally was kind of shocked at how the “villagers” in this App are killed off without thought because they are seemingly expendable. What does this teach a child or anyone else playing this game?

It is an interesting perspective that is taken in this post and certainly created more questions than answers for me.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I can’t figure out what you are. You appear to be human in that you have the basic human architecture (head, torso, legs, arms) and are capable of trading goods. At the same time, you all have identical blank-faced stares and extremely limited skill sets. The literacy rate in the villages, while impossible to confirm, seems exceptionally low, and I seriously doubt any of you will be able to read this letter. But I need your help.

Source: Dear Minecraft Villagers: I’m Worried About You. – The New York Times

I hope you all have a wonderful Fall Weekend …please take some time for yourself and enjoy the moment!

ParentingintheLoop’s Weekend

Posted on October 2, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

A Fall weekend can be so busy for many of us. If you get a chance read one, two or all of the articles below.

Postpartum Depression

When you have a baby the last thing anyone wants to talk about is depression. But in the room alongside your beautiful, perfect baby can be the elephant, postpartum depression. There are so many reasons this can occur and moms have little control over if and when postpartum depression rears its ugly head.

Thank goodness for women, who now talk openly about their experiences with PPD. Even celebrities, such as Brooke Shields and now Hayden Panettiere have suffered and spoken about PPD in order to help other women realize they are not alone in this journey.

Let’s keep the discussion going and for anyone who needs support or information please visit Postpartum Progress. Please also be aware of anyone who may be suffering right in front of your eyes.

Women are so hard on themselves: we set incredibly high standards for ourselves and then beat ourselves up if life doesn’t turn out that way. While the official figures show 10 to 15% of all women will suffer from postpartum depression, that percentage only represents those who have reported suffering. Imagine what the real figure might be.According to Postpartum Progress, more women will suffer from postpartum depression and related illnesses this year than the combined number of new cases for men and women of tuberculosis, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy.

Source: Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Her Struggle with Postpartum Depression

No Judgment Just Understanding

Recently, I joined the Sisterhood of Motherhood campaign from Similac. I am proud to have been part of an effort to end the mommy wars and encourage moms to STOP judging each other.

Today, I read this story about a mom who did just that. She did not judge, she simply pitched in to help a mom who was traveling on a flight with a screaming baby. Thank-you to Nyfesha Miller for being a “sister” to another mom.

Maybe this weekend you can do something simple when you see a mom struggling. Even just holding a door open can help.

When Nyfesha Miller noticed a stressed-out mama and her crying baby on her flight, she could have done what many usually do: roll her eyes, let out a sigh, and continue flipping through SkyMall. But instead, Miller decided to help — and she’s now being praised by thousands for her actions.

Source: Stranger Comes to Mom’s Rescue on Flight, Restores Our Faith in Humanity | Babble

Pregnancy can be an emotional time in a mom-to-be life, it is expected with all the hormonal changes that go hand in hand as a baby develops in utero. These emotions don’t always disappear after the baby is born. Postpartum is also time of huge emotional changes as well. These emotions can flip a mom into postpartum depression but for many women they find themselves crying over things that in the past were no big deal.

This post comes from a mom who labels herself as a postpartum crier.

I didn’t always buy into the clichés about women being emotional roller coasters due to pregnancy or postpartum hormones. After all, I was still myself during my pregnancies, albeit with a shorter temper and a fuzzier memory. Really, I thought the stereotype was one more way for people to joke about a woman’s mental state without exploring the real reason for her hurt feelings or emotional outburst. A pregnant woman’s PMS, if you will.But after my second child was born, I couldn’t deny that I had become what I previously thought was merely a sitcom-created mothering myth: a postpartum crier.

Source: 26 Reasons I’ve Cried Since Having a Baby Scary Mommy

A Weekend is a great time to catch up on so many things. At times we flood ourselves with so many “to dos” that we lose touch with ourselves and those closest to us.

I hope you catch up with your family on this Fall Weekend. Spend a little time together, being grateful for the small things in your life.

See you next week!

Parenting in the Loop’s Weekend

Posted on August 21, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading from the Parenting in the Loop

This week I have been at the “beach” house in Rhode Island. We are heading into a somewhat rainy few days so hopefully I can catch up on some reading and writing while sitting and spending time with my pregnant daughter and her husband as they prepare for their first baby.

It is officially a “baby” watch weekend for us…my daughter’s due date is September 1st and we have already made one trip to the hospital this week in the wee hours of the morning for false labor.

“Baby Watch”…

My thoughts have been racing this week and when that happens one of the ways I calm and comfort myself is to cook. Preparing a good dinner is my way of comforting and loving my family. Enjoying a good meal at the end of the day allows the family to relax and enjoy each other while sharing some really delicious food around the table of plenty.

So today, I am posting some favorites of mine related to creating recipes and involving children in the preparation. Kids are natural creators. Food and the kitchen go together to fuel their creativity.

Taco Tuesday

I have chosen this post from Motherlode because if you link to it you will see a very short video of a smiling child making “Chermoula” a Middle Eastern pesto which I have never tasted. You can also follow Kids in the Kitchen and get your own ideas for involving the children in cooking adventures during the weekend.

The master plan? Raising children who can be independent in the kitchen, able to prepare a few healthy meals and snacks and with the confidence to tackle a new recipe or task. In our Kids in the Kitchen series, Motherlode’s KJ Dell’Antonia and Cooking’s Margaux Laskey move their very differently aged families toward that goal. Margaux finds ways for her 3-year-old and toddler to help cook, while KJ stands back and coaches her two 9-year-olds and her 11- and 14-year-olds in cooking on their own.

Source: Kids in the Kitchen: Broiled Fish With Chermoula – The New York Times

What better food to share but a loaf of bread. Make this easy one with your children and enjoy the fruits of your effort together with some butter and jam.

Who wouldn’t want children who can be independent in the kitchen, able to prepare a few healthy meals and snacks and with the confidence to tackle a new recipe or task? In our Kids in the Kitchen series, Motherlode’s KJ Dell’Antonia and Cooking’s Margaux Laskey work toward that long term goal with their very differently aged families. Margaux finds ways for her 3-year-old and toddler to help cook, while KJ stands back and coaches her two 9-year-olds and her 11 and 14-year-olds in cooking on their own. This week, both families tried simple bread-making. KJ: Us

Source: Kids in the Kitchen: No-Knead Bread for All Ages – The New York Times

I was so happy for this weekend find on the cookbook shelves at Eataly here in Chicago. It is an authentically good source for Italian food geared for kids and adults alike.It is not finger foods made easy but a real Italian recipe book anyone can enjoy.

Silver Spoon for Children

Review: The Silver Spoon for Children – Favorite Italian Recipes January 31, 2010 in Uncategorized We got this cookbook for our eight year old for Christmas. Till today, we had only used the pizza recipe and we mainly took the lazy route and bought pre-made pizza dough. That did not test the quality of the book too much. Today, we embarked on a two-hour extravaganza and made gnocchi with tomato sauce and an orange cake. We used canned tomatoes but, apart from that shortcut, we made everything else from scratch. It was a huge success. The gnocchi tasted totally authentic. It was really fun to make them, much easier than fresh egg pasta. The potato and flour combination has the same consistency as play dough. You roll it into a thin sausage and chop it into gnocchi. It’s perfect for all age groups. I think we had a first all family cooking epiphany with the four-year old to the four+ year olds working together like a fairly well-oiled machine. Gnocchi cook really quickly and you have to scoop them out as soon as they float to the top. We made enough to freeze half of them for a future dinner.

Source: Review: The Silver Spoon for Children – Favorite Italian Recipes | Cheap Talk

The Silver Spoon for Children

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Wherever you are stop for a moment of gratitude…

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on August 14, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading from ParentingintheLoop!

Welcome to the Friday.

Here in Chicago it is the weekend of the Air and Water Show, which is spectacular. It seems the weather is going to cooperate and the Blue Angels will be in the air.

I am a partner in Similac’s #SisterhoodofMotherhood. It is an initiative that is near and dear to me even as a grandmother. I have included my post and my friend Annie Stowe’s post.

Please help to end the Mommy Wars!

How can we stop the “mommy wars”? Realize that we are all in this together. Support initiatives like the Sisterhood of Motherhood Visit the Sisterhood of Motherhood Facebook page and share what you will do to help end the “mommy wars”. Unite, Nourish and Support all moms. Make #SisterhoodUnite your motto.

Source: Mothers all in this Together #SisterhoodUnite

Sometimes it’s just a look. Sometimes it’s words. Sometimes it’s gossip. No matter what it is or who is taking the brunt of the joke or the comment, it hurts. We seem to be victims of it, yet we still seem to do it ourselves over and over again. We judge. We criticize. We give the looks.

Source: Motherhood: Let’s Stop Judging | Stowed Stuff

Another initiative in August is #Blogust. It helps to provide Vaccines to children in underprivileged parts of the world. Heather Spohr shares her heart on her blog and helps this wonderful cause

I try to use my heartbreak to help others. Sometimes that means channeling my hurt into fundraising, sometimes it means I’m helping to raise awareness, and other times it’s to help make people feel less alone. Sometimes, the person who feels less alone is me. It’s my hope that as I navigate this tricky life, I can help those who follow along behind me feel a little bit more normal.

The Spohrs are Multiplying

Summer should afford us some time to relax and rest from the hectic pace that we keep during other times of the year especially during holiday season. As the warm weather weekend season comes quietly to a close, I welcome some schedule to my days but not the chaos that sometimes follows on its heels. The cool crisp air will be here all too quickly.

So….

as August wanes so does the summer. So lets enjoy this lazy summer weekend!

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on July 31, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop:

Dog Days of August

The first of August is here with all its heat and humidity.

In Chicago, we are in the midst of Lollapalooza this weekend at Grant Park. Soon summer will be winding down and there are signs of it with getting back to school ads popping up everywhere.

It is no secret that I am a baby boomer. But that being said, in many ways it is no fun getting older. In other ways there are many blessings like grandchildren and being comfortable in my own skin. The younger me was busy, very busy taking care of my family and my elderly mother. The older me is still busy but gratefully healthy and still able to do what I do best, helping to take care of my family. When I read the following post, I related to some of this baby boomer’s words especially when it comes to marketing products.
P.S. I am not attending Lollapalooza this weekend even though Paul McCartney is there.

Baby Boomer

Many of us baby boomers have paid off our home loans, our kids have finished college and we have money to spend. Why aren’t we being targeted by upmarket car manufacturers, fashion and holiday companies? I wouldn’t necessarily spend a fortune on a fancy car, a Gucci tote or two weeks in Vanuatu but it would be nice if advertisers thought I might.

Source: The Seventh Decade Blues | Sue Margolis

I love meditation. Meditation and yoga are part of my life and have been for a very long time. Many years ago when I was young and single a physician colleague suggested yoga to me. I did not take up yoga at the time but I did begin to meditate. Meditation changed my life and is something everyone should be taught to do from childhood.

Meditation moment

Life with Roozle is one of my favorite reads…because it just it. If you read it once I think you will see why.

“Mommy, it’s easy.
Posted on July 31, 2015
“Mommy, it’s easy. Just do what they tell us to.”
We’ve been meditating together as long as she can remember. Sometimes I lead her in a guided meditation to calm down her body, to help in an anxious moment, or to settle in for bed. Lately, we’ve been meditating before settling in for bed and for no particular reason other than just to build a meditation practice. It’s way better.

life with roozle

Preparing yourself and your child for kindergarten. Here are some tips from Cool Mom Picks another of my favorite websites.

Preparing for school

We are having so much fun with our kids home for summer break, the occasional sibling squabble aside, but we’re already thinking about back-to-school. Especially on behalf of those of you in the south who start in what, like four minutes? There’s so much to do to get ready any given school year, but those of us with kids going off to kindergarten for the first time (sniff, sniff), we are always looking for tips for getting kids kindergarten ready, to be sure that they — and we — have a successful first year at school.

Source: 12 tips for preparing kids for kindergarten | Cool Mom Picks

As we welcome August, I hope you all have a nice weekend full of lollapalooza and some meditation with your kids and grandkids.

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on July 24, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading

Summer weekend weather has finally dried and warmed up. For us it will be some fun and some travel back to Chicago. We had a relaxing week at the seashore in Rhode Island. Some much needed sun catching was done and castle in the sand building was accomplished along with our granddaughter and some of her little friends that she has made in the years that she has been visiting the shore with us.

Screen time for our kids and grandkids is always a topic that you can find argued on parenting sites. Minecraft is really popular with kids and has been for awhile. I don’t really understand it but it is an app on my phone and my granddaughter enjoys it. We even have a book that talks about strategies and how the app works which she has devoured.

I often wonder if these “games” provide a child anything besides an addiction to the screen of a tablet or phone. Here is an article which answers some of my questions. I think you might enjoy it. It will take five minutes of your weekend to read it.

In fact, the Journal of Adolescent Research published a study comparing children that played video games to those that didn’t. “Video game players, regardless of gender, reported higher levels of family closeness, activity involvement, attachment to school and positive mental health,” Paul Adachi and Teena Willoughby, the authors of the study, concluded. “Video game players also had less risky friendship networks and a more favorable self-concept.”

Source: How Minecraft Teaches Kids Real-World Skills | 2machines

This week Parenting in the Loop posted something sponsored by Similac and the Sisterhood of Motherhood. As a mom and grandma myself, I try to support other moms and grandmothers. It is not easy parenting and grandparenting children and grandchildren.

Lets all unite to nourish, and support other moms!

I am so proud to be selected to participate as a Brand Ambassador in Similac’s “The Sisterhood of Motherhood”.

As a young mom I had expectations of what a mom should be which set my path each day as I struggled to take care of my two children 23 months apart in age. Super imposed upon my high mom standards for myself were also my desire to be the “good wife” as well. My plate was more than full. At times difficult to digest all I had bitten off.

Can Screens help kids? Apparently they can as talked about by this family of a child with autism.

Selective screen time can be good.

Let’s hear about what you and your kids watch.

We’ve spent thousands of dollars on therapies, countless hours at trial-and-error play dates. In spite of all that, I know just where the credit lies for my high-functioning autistic son’s new-found ability to connect with others: Daniel Tiger. “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” from PBS, channels the wise, kind and nourishing lessons of Mister Rogers through Daniel Tiger, an ultra-relatable preschooler who dons a red cardigan and has memorable ditties for handling things like disappointment, frustration, anger or fear of the unknown. He is also big on skills like turn-taking, cooperation, problem-solving and empathy.

Source: Daniel Tiger Becomes a Boy With Autism’s Guide to Social Life – The New York Times

Have a wonderful weekend!

Weekend Reading from ParentingintheLoop

Posted on July 17, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading…

Sandy feet and summer fun!

We are heading into a scorcher of a weekend here in Chicago. I don’t know about you but I will be indoors when the sun is at high noon probably looking for something to read. If you are like me then here are a few articles to read.

Screen time, for kids how much is too much and what is just the right amount for the age of your child? Do you think that parents’ addiction to screens is the reason why their children may be addicted too? How much time do you spend on a screen on the weekend?

Parents are often at fault, directly or indirectly, when children and teenagers become hooked on electronic media, playing video games or sending texts many hours a day instead of interacting with the real world and the people in it. And as discussed in last week’s column, digital overload can impair a child’s social, emotional and intellectual growth. This sad conclusion of many experts in child development has prompted them to suggest ways parents can prevent or rectify the problem before undue damage occurs.

Source: How to Cut Children’s Screen Time? Say No to Yourself First. – The New York Times

Are women made to feel that they are not encouraged to have a natural birth with limited use of pain relief be it an epidural or medication because they are afraid of being out of control when it comes to expressing how much labor and delivery hurts? Birthing a baby is a natural phenomenon and for most women it is painful. Different cultures have different ways of expressing pain. Do you feel comfortable screaming when you are in pain? This post is a very interesting view of how women choose to be pain free so they will not have to be afraid to scream or react to pain.

Attention birthing women: This will be the hardest work of your life. It will test you on every level. Childbirth education is very helpful, yet there’s no way to know how you will feel physically and emotionally until you’re in it. There are many schools of thought on how to cope, what to call the forces of labor (contractions or surges?), and how to label the feeling (pain or sensation?). I like to keep it simple: it’s really hard, and yeah, it hurts. And, you are stronger than you know, and you can do it. Whether or not you plan to use pain medication or epidural anesthesia, know that you have what it takes within you to get through however many contractions you choose to feel fully. Do your preparation, trust in the birth process, and believe in yourself.

Source: Wake Up, Mama!

Today parents are aware that it is not necessarily a good thing to always be praising their kids and telling them they are special. If you would like some suggestions as to what to say to your kids and grandkids in the year 2015 then read this post.

The things we say — not only with our mouths, but with our tone, actions, and mannerisms — affect our kids. They’ll hold our words in that deep-down place where all kids do: Down where we keep our sense of worth, our feeling of being “enough,” our fears and doubts and self-love. There’s a real resistance to the “self-esteem campaigns” I was raised with in the 90s — the “You are a special snowflake” sentiments that, while well-intentioned, are nothing more than a punchline now: “Attention all whiny, entitled, self-centered Millennials — you’re not a special snowflake, yah hear me?”

Source: 42 Things We Need to Tell Our Kids

I sure hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on July 11, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading

Another summer Saturday! Are you ready to read? Here are a few articles that you might enjoy. Gift from the Sea is one of my favorite summer reads.

Social Media Pictures and Kids

Summer weekend time is full of fun and photo taking opportunities. Please be careful what you post on social media and always be aware of who can actually view and copy your pictures. Remember you are leaving a digital footprint wherever you go and it is not only your footprint but also the footprints of your kids if you are posting about them.

If we want our children to learn appropriate boundaries, we need to model them. Just like we teach them to say please and thank you and to speak up for themselves by modeling those behaviors, we need to model appropriate behavior on social media. We need to protect our children and remember that one day our kids might troll our timelines. It’s already happened to me. What will they see?

Source: Why You Should Think Before You Post Anymore Pics of Your Kids Online – Mamapedia™ Voices

Car Seat Safety

Kids spend a lot of time in the car during the week and the weekend is not any different. When you buckle them in their carseat make sure you have secured the carseat properly and never skip a step or take a short cut. Your child’s life depends upon it.

The Car Seat Lady talks about the Volvo front seat child carseat that was on social media this week. Before you read anything or choose a carseat or install a carseat for your child please consider reading what the Car Seat Lady has to say. She is amazing!

Car Seat Lady

Here is a post from a single mom. My own mom was a single mom over 50 years ago. It was not easy then and it continues to be difficult today for many of the same reasons. Even though dads are increasingly more involved in their kids’ lives, moms still many times bear the brunt of the “responsibility” of the day to day lives of their children. Both parents can have their tough times don’t get me wrong but when the “buck” stops with mom, you will find many truths in what this single mom has written.

I was young, dumb and in love when I got married at 17 – a week and a half after I graduated from high school. Two years later, I had a daughter. After the divorce (you saw that coming, right?), I was a 20-something with no car, no money, no work experience other than waitressing and a daughter who needed stuff.

Somehow she and I survived and she grew up into a decent human being I can be proud of. That first year or so sucked (read: I sucked), but here are a few things I learned in the Single Mom School of Hard Knocks that might be of benefit to you.

Source: 13 Lessons Learned in the Single Parent School of Hard Knocks – Mamapedia™ Voices

Enjoy your weekend and do something fun for yourself!