18 months on: The New Parent is the ultimate Transformer (Part 3)

Posted on September 27, 2012 by viviankirkfield

18 months on: The New Parent is the ultimate Transformer (Part 3).

Emily Lim is a children’s author and first-time mom. We connected earlier this year through the blogsphere…and have found we are on the same page about many things.

Her post today was so amazing, I felt compelled to ‘press’ it and offer it to my readers.

I agreed with all of the six ways she found her life had changed because of motherhood…but I especially loved the four points she considers before she takes on any new work. As a WAHM, she puts her job as ‘mum’ first…not an easy thing to do.

I also wanted to share that I received an email from Emily this morning, inviting me to be a speaker at the 2013 Asian Children’s Writers and Illustrators Conference (part of the Asian Festival of Children’s Content)…needless to say, I am deeply honored and hope we can work things out so that I will get to meet Emily in person next May in Singapore and share my passion for helping every young child become a lover of books and reading.

18 months on: The New Parent is the ultimate Transformer (Part 3) (mummumstheword.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Black & White…or Do We Parent in Shades of Gray? (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Family Is first priority : Kangana Ranaut (bollywoodpage3.wordpress.com)

3 Must-Have Health Screenings for Women

Posted on September 25, 2012 by viviankirkfield

I just received an email from a blogging friend over at Diva Cafe. She went for a routine colonoscopy…and they discovered precancerous polyps.

I went for my first routine colonoscopy when I turned 50…and a couple of years ago I had my second…they usually tell you to have one at age 50…and, if everything looks good, another ten years later. I will tell you that the prep stuff I had to drink the night before the first time was yucky! The prep stuff a couple of years ago was much better. The actual procedure was a piece of cake…they give you something so you think you are sleeping and then you don’t remember anything…perfect!

How about the rest of you? An annual routine check-up with a family doctor should be on every woman’s calendar. Also, a mammogram (first at age 35 or so for a baseline reading and then, if all is ok, check with your doc as to when and how often you should have the next ones. In addition, a Pap smear and, as I just mentioned, a colonoscopy at age 50.

Are these exams fun? NO! But not having them could impact your life very seriously!
Find doctors you are comfortable with…ask friends who they go to and, if your insurance allows, schedule appointments with them.
If you don’t have the money for them, check with community organizations…for many people these exams are free or at a very low cost.
Try to schedule the annual routine exam first (maybe around your B-day or the first of the year so you will remember to do it). Your family doc may have to write referrals or lab orders for the other tests, depending on your health insurance.

Moms often get so caught up with caring for their children and their home; they tend to put themselves last.

But your health is paramount…if you get sick, who is going to take care of your family?

So please, take care of yourselves!

What other important check-ups should moms have? Please share!

Top Ten Health Care Screenings to Maintain Physical Fitness (savings.com)
Essential Tests for After Menopause (everydayhealth.com)
Colon cancer harder to detect in women (utsandiego.com)

Sunday Post: People: Who Are the Most Important People in Your Life?

Posted on September 23, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is PEOPLE.

When I saw the theme, I immediately began thinking of the most important people in my life. First, I thought of my husband. We’ve been married over 45 years and still enjoy sitting on the couch, watching a good movie and walking down a country lane, hand in hand, talking about anything and everything under the sun. Yes, I know, we are so very fortunate.

A WORD TO THE WISE: Every relationship has its ups and downs and no one is perfect. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.

Then I thought about my children and grandchildren. I love spending time with them…and count myself fortunate that they enjoy spending time with me as well.

WORD TO THE WISE: Parenting young children is a difficult task…you need patience and energy and lots of love. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.

Then I thought about my friends…some I’ve known for many years. Jane and I met each other when we were only two years old…we played house and Superman and colored in coloring books and had picnics together in the park. When we each got married, we continued that friendship and now, after sixty-three years, although we live thousands of miles apart, we are close in heart and soul.

WORD TO THE WISE: Friendship is a skill we need to teach our kids…how to care for and respect one another. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.

Then I thought about the friends I have made this past year in the blogging community…especially those who blog about writing and illustrating for children. There are dozens of them…authors, illustrators, librarians, teachers, moms…and they inspire and encourage me to pursue my dream of seeing my own children’s picture books on the bookshelves of libraries and homes around the world.

Does this dream sound familiar? Would you like to pursue your writing in an unbelievable setting? Have you always wanted to go to Italy, but hesitated because you didn’t want to go alone or with a group of travelers with whom you have nothing in common? Here is your golden opportunity to spend a week in Italy, learning and writing with a fantastic group of like-minded women.

A writer friend of mine has organized an amazing retreat for women writers in Florence, Italy. It will take place from April 7-13, 2013. I cannot attend, but you might like to go. Julie has an overview of the retreat on her website, plus specific information about the Program, Faculty, Accommodation and Rates. If you do register, please let Julie know I sent you!

We have ten more days for nominations to give a dozen free copies of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cookingto schools or other childcare facilities. Nominate your child’s school, or your own school if you are a teacher, in the Show Me How School Initiative by leaving a comment and telling us why you’d like that school or classroom to have this book. If you don’t have young children, but know people who do, please tell them about the free book their child’s school can receive! Please tweet this or spread the word across any of your social media networks. At the beginning of October we will use Random.org to choose 12 lucky schools.

Author and educator Susan Case just did a fantastic review of Show Me How! on her Kindergarten Basics blog. Click on the link if you’d like to see what she thinks about this award-winning resource that makes planning activities and spending quality time with your kids a SNAP!

Want to scoop up a copy of Show Me How! while you can still get FREE SHIPPING and a BONUS GIFT? Please visit my book’s website.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?