ABC News Launches Million Moms Challenge, How You Can Join - ABC News

Every mother in the world wants the same thing: a healthy pregnancy, a safe birth, and a baby who will thrive.

But for millions of moms and babies in developing countries, these basic human rights are out of reach.

Every 90 seconds, around the world, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, while more than 50 million women this year alone will deliver their babies without the aid of a skilled birth attendant.

Even if mom and baby make it through delivery, 1.5 million newborns die within the first 24 hours of life, while as many as 3.3 million babies die before they turn one month old.

The good news is statistics like these are not as daunting or tragic as they seem. We have the knowledge to prevent 90 percent of all maternal deaths, and save the lives of the 1 million babies born stillborn each year.

Connecting moms here in America to help moms worldwide can make a difference.

ABC News, together with the United Nations Foundation, launched the Millions Mom Challenge today on "Good Morning America" to give you the power to help.

The Million Moms Challenge has a single goal: to build an at least one-million-member-strong movement of Americans committed to helping mothers and children around the world -- moms here engaged with and helping moms overseas.

If you want to help, all you have to do is sign up on the Challenge's website or on Facebook.

Together, Americans who join the Millions Mom Challenge will be part of a vibrant, online community connected around things mothers care about: the right nutrition to support their pregnancies, trained mid-wives to assist in safe deliveries of newborns, and vaccines that allow children to survive to celebrate their first birthdays and beyond.

The Million Moms Challenge is part of ABC News' year-long global health series, "Be the Change: Save a Life," launched last Dec. 17, that has already seen Americans rise to the challenge to fight famine in Somalia, provide education to children in Kenya and outfit the world's poor with eyeglasses to see.

Click here for more on the "Be the Change: Save a Life" series.

Now, it's about moms. And, now, it's your chance to help.

Stay tuned to ABC News' programs – from "GMA," and "World News with Diane Sawyer" to "Nightline" and "20/20" – for segments about what you can do to help women around the globe.

The Challenge will all lead up to Dec. 16, 2011, one-of-a-kind, one-hour primetime special on maternal health anchored by Diane Sawyer.

The Million Moms Challenge partners include some of the world's most respected NGOs, including African Medical and Research Foundation, CARE, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, GAVI Alliance, mothers2mothers, ONE, Partners in Health, Riders for Health, Save the Children, UN Foundation's Shot@LifeTM campaign, US Fund for UNICEF, White Ribbon Alliance, and WorldVision.

What can you do today?

Visit www.millionmomschallenge.com to find ways, large and small, to make a real impact through simple, inexpensive solutions that make a real difference for mothers and children around the world. You can also take part in the site's live, interactive forum where some of the nation's top mom bloggers will share their stories and ideas through blogs and video posts in real time, with moms and midwives in the developing world.

But don't wait. For the first 100,000 people who sign on to the Million Moms Challenge, Johnson & Johnson will donate $100,000 to some of the world's biggest NGO partners helping moms and babies overseas.

Join ABC News. Be one-in-a-million for moms and babies.

Click here to return to the "Good Morning America" website.

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MOMS Canada moving forward on charity status

Upon the recent news of receiving their official charity status, Making Our Moms Successful (MOMS) Canada is looking to make a full court press is acquiring members and volunteers.

Area residents will have the opportunity to sign on or to simply learn more about MOMS Canada at their Celebration Event this Sunday at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Spruce Grove. The event starts at 2 p.m.

The charity organization aims to assist single-parent families in our community to attain spiritual, educational and personal growth, as well as economic stability through Christian mentoring and co-ordination of services that promote the well-being of children.

For Meda Weir, executive director of MOMS Canada, having charity status is no minor achievement.

"It's so huge," beamed Weir.

"It's been two years of hard, hard work, proving ourselves, convincing the Canada Revenue Agency that we were going to set up a program and do it and be diligent in carrying out what we decided to do and serving the community of single women and hopefully single parents."

There's an important distinction there. Despite the name of the organization, MOMS Canada has been looking to broaden their scope, fully aware that single parents come in all forms.

"It takes a huge number of volunteers to help out single dads," said Weir.

"We would need a whole other team of people and a whole lot of men. I don't have any men, just my husband, who's been awesome. Men kind of shy away from stuff like this, they don't think it's their forté, but it could be - helping mom's move, using pickup trucks, home maintenance. That practical help goes a long way."

The range of support is broader than simply volunteer help. MOMS Canada is also looking for a program director, board members, mentors and, of course, some financial backing to make the organization viable in the long run.

"We're hoping to stir the interest in the community, first of all so they know we are here," said Weir about Sunday's event.

"People who feel unfulfilled or that there's nothing more for them to do and they would really like to be out there doing something to help people, there's work for them. No matter how old you are, you can do something. God keeps us on this Earth for a reason, not to just watch the days go by, feeling useless. They haven't connected. They'll have a chance with us."

ex.rep.editor@bowesnet.com

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MOMS to give free seminar on debt relief

STANHOPE ? Moms Offering Moms Support (MOMS) has partnered with trained financial coaches at Vertical Vision to provide an affordable, informational workshop for anyone who seeks guidance on how to break free of debt.

Breaking Free from Debt will take place on Saturday, September 24. from 10 a.m. to noon at the Stanhope Presbyterian Church, 100 Main Street in Stanhope. The MOMS will provide free onsite childcare for attendees.

Interested parties can register and find more information online at www.stanhopeareamomsclub.com. The seminar is $10 per person fir pre-registration by Sept. 22, and $12 per person at the door. All funds collected will be donated to a local charity. The class is limited so advanced registration is strongly suggested.

Breaking Free from Debt will use interactive methods to show how debt is accrued, how marketing and society perpetuate excessive debt and review how debt impacts family life. Once the cause of debt is clearly identified the workshop will focus on teaching tools to become debt free. It will also focus on how to avoid debt and overspending.

Attendees will not be asked to share any personal financial information with the MOMS group. All information shared with the Vertical Vision coaches will be kept strictly confidential.

Vertical Vision is financial coaching focused on helping individuals and families achieve financial freedom. To learn more visit their website at www.myverticalvision.com.

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Moms Talk: Are TV Shows Harming Our Kids? - Patch.com

In a recent study highlighted in USA Today, the popular children’s cartoon SpongeBob was blamed for causing attention and learning problems in a test group of four year olds. 

The study revealed that after watching just 9 minutes of the program, children had difficulty focusing as compared to a slower paced, more age-appropriate program.

While this study is a helpful reminder that parents should be vigilant about the shows their children watch, and how long they are exposed, I cannot help but question why this is news-worthy. 

Is this really a surprise?

For me, the revelation was somewhat ironic, as it was perfectly timed with a devious move on my 7-year-old son’s part.

Personally, I have never been a fan of SpongeBob.  Like many cartoons on now, it always seemed a bit irreverent and downright pointless. I was more of a fan of those programs that were reminiscent of my own childhood such as the Berenstain Bears and Little Bear. Nonetheless, I am not guiltless in allowing the occasional viewing.

On this particular occasion, my son could be accused of a double infraction.  Just that week, in honor of the start of school, I had instituted a "no television during the week" rule.  This was in direct response to the very revelations cited in the study. 

My son, in particular, transforms into a zombie when plopped in front of the television, unable to extract himself and often unresponsive to my calls.  This is especially a problem in the morning, when the race to get to school in time is most poignant, and later, in the evening, when his sister has to do her homework and he is supposed to be helping with dinner. 

For a month this summer, we had no cable and very little opportunity to watch television. Within days, the change in both my kids was miraculous.  They both seemed less agitated, more industrious and less “bored”—a real pet peeve of mine. This further motivated my new school year edict.

However, the first weekend after school started, my son had a sleepover with his grandmother. While allowed weekend television viewing, he knew that I favored certain programs over others.  When I arrived to pick him up Saturday morning, I found him cuddled in his grandmother’s bed, a tray of breakfast in front of him, and a second segment of SpongeBob flickering on the television. At first glance, this was certainly the height of decadence for a 7-year-old boy.  However, it also represented the antithesis of my anti-television campaign. 

Once again, it took much cajoling to pry him away from this lair, proving the addictive power of television and the enticing, fast-paced action of SpongeBob.  If I were to re-do such a study, I would encourage the “experts” to instead focus their energies on promoting non-television alternatives because, really, SpongeBob is just one program in a litany of harmful shows. 

As the article suggests, it also matters what the kids watch, not just how much. Be it sass-promoting Disney shows like Hannah Montana, the boy-crazy segments of I-Carly or senseless cartoons like Phineas and Ferb —doesn’t it all reveal a need to discourage so much television and offer something else to entertain our children?

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Working Mom's Guide to Talking to Kids About Your Job - The Stir

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Do you ever catch yourself saying to your child (or under your breath within hearing distance of your child), "God, my job sucks." You can be forgiven for railing against the man with children present, especially given this not awesome job market and the general lack of respect for moms in the workplace.

But now that my oldest child is old enough to understand what a job, and work, actually is I've changed my tune. Mostly because the last thing I need is to raise a child who thinks work is evil, and basically the only thing keeping her parents away from her, when all we really want is to just be together. That kind of thinking is wrong, and that kind of influencing of a minor, is even worse.

I pulled myself together and really thought about what it was I wanted to convey to my daughter about not only work, but specifically my work. This may be way too ambitious, but I seized the opportunity and turned it into a big old teachable moment about family, work ethic, and life in general.

I love what I do. I'm a writer and I get paid to do it, so already I'm ahead of the game. This doesn't always translate when I'm on a deadline and my daughter is out of school early and all I really want to do is take her on a walk and grab some gelato. These are the moments when I complain to my daughter, "Mommy has to work." But setting up work against family is a really quick way to get your child to resent your job, and you. She sees you dropping her at the sitter's house so you can work instead of take her to the park as you making a choice, and she's not it.

Instead, I now explain that mommy has a job she likes to do, and it also helps buy things that my daughter really likes, like that aforementioned gelato. That everyone grows up and gets a job, and I'm very lucky to do something I love. Sometimes my job takes time away from her, but anytime she needs me I will be there. I reiterate this point by telling her when she's at school, at grandma's, at a friend's house -- she can call me, and I'll be right there. No matter what. Making your child feel secure goes a long way. Being able to turn off the cell phone when it is  designated mommy and me time is another way to show her she is number one, even if you spend more time at the office than you do at home. Which most of us do.

The other element of this discussion is getting your child excited about working one day. If you paint your job as something that is interesting, stimulating, and something useful, she'll grow up believing work isn't a four letter word. Even if you don't love your career, if you can explain to your child that what you do really matters, it will make an impression. Rather than saying, "Mommy has to go to work to pay the electric bill," try out, "Mommy needs to go to work so I can help someone who is sick/make sure the people who work at my company get paid/support a team of people who are trying to create," it will be a lot more meaningful to your child. And, quite frankly, to you.

Lastly, tell your child about all the jobs you've ever had. Take him down memory lane from your high school pizza delivery gig, to your college internship, and everything else. You'll be surprised how much fun it is to revisit those old jobs through your adult eyes, and hearing about the time you were babysitting and didn't know how to change a diaper lets your child see you in a very different light.

Most people have to work. But instead of creating a negative connotation surrounding your job (even if you're really, really over it), try showing your kid what's great about being an adult, and a productive member of society. You might just catch a break and your kid won't be embarrassed anymore by his working mom who never shows up with a pan of brownies on bake sale days. That'd be nice, right?

How do you talk to your kids about your job?

Image via michal_hadassah/Flickr

About the author April Peveteaux

writes about anything that gets stuck in her craw. A mom of two in Los Angeles, she can't believe she practically lives in the country now after attempting to raise kids in Brooklyn.

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China's Tiger Moms Debate Parenting Styles; Babytree.com Helps - Advertising Age

Amy Chua's controversial book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," put a spotlight on demanding Chinese mothers by highlighting their strict parenting style.

Her book ignited a global debate, but similar conversations were already taking place in China, since young mothers there realized they had a choice. They could raise their children the same way most of them were raised -- the "tiger mom" method -- or adopt a more Western parenting style.

Planning a new parenting course requires information and, unsurprisingly in China, the world's largest internet market in user numbers, many of these conversations are taking place on sites like Babytree.com, a social-media platform that is often described as China's Facebook for new parents.

Babytree was created for Chinese parents, who are known for their devotion to kids and, at the same time, are desperate to share knowledge and experience with other parents, according to CEO Allen Wang, who co-founded the site in early 2007. On this week's episode of "Thoughtful China," an online marketing affairs talk show produced in Shanghai, Mr. Wang claims Babytree's adult users consume an average of 85 page views per day, a site stickiness measure that tops Facebook's usage.

By hosting blogs, online albums, social networking tools, games and a knowledge-sharing platform -- supported by ads for categories like baby products, household goods and education tools -- the site is helping mothers gain the information they need to chart their own parenting course. (U.S.-based site BabyCenter launched in China around the same time, in 2007, as part of its international expansion).

When Babytree asked users what they want their children to grow up to be, the top three answers were "happy," "confident" and "do whatever they want to do."

"That's probably a good indicator of the kind of parenting style they use as well [and] those three answers struck us as being very different from the last generation," Mr. Wang said.

Children born in the 1980s were raised by women with few luxuries, a deep yearning for stability and financial security and little access to modern-day child psychology. They "want the next generation to be truly different, but how to achieve that is a big question mark," said Ellen Hou, TBWA's head of planning, Greater China.

Helping these women maintain their own emotional well-being is another question Babytree wants to help answer. In May, the website partnered with WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather to create a China Moms' Happiness Index (CMHI), the first online indicator designed to measure the happiness and well-being of mothers in China. Both companies hope the survey "will shed light on what can be done by corporations and communities to help families in China achieve happiness and harmony" in their homes, Mr. Wang said.

Today's new mothers often are single children themselves with ambitious career goals. They still have frustrations, dreams and struggles of their own. If marketers figure out how to offer them support, "then you've got them," said Sarah Shen, group account director at JWT China.

In their desire for happiness, some Chinese moms may resemble their American counterparts more than their own mothers, but marketers should not treat them like Americans. Nor should they ignore them as an important consumer demographic, because Chinese women are key decision-makers in many of the product categories for parents and their kids. Marketers who want to be the preferred brand among these women must cater to their decisive and demanding nature carefully -- and early.

"What's surprising is how early their decisions are made," Mr. Wang said. "If marketers are not the brand of choice by the time a baby is six months old, they have lost the battle already."

Viveca Chan, chairman and CEO of the Chinese ad agency WE Marketing Group -- and a "tiger mom" herself -- also believes marketers need to act early. Chinese mothers have a "very clear idea plan of what they want to do for their children, [whom they] want to be future leaders. Everything starts when they are first born. [They] start to train children when they are babies."

Despite the purchasing power and brand savviness of these women, most advertisers have done a poor job of reaching out to them. Except for educational brands, "I don't feel a lot of marketers specifically target this group," Ms. Chan said

For instance, marketers know tiger moms want to raise champion babies, "so they only talk about the result," Ms. Hou said. "They kind of neglect or miss out on all the opportunities to help tiger moms achieve that goal."

Normandy Madden is senior VP-content development, Asia/Pacific at Thoughtful China, and Ad Age's former Asia Editor. See earlier episodes of Thoughtful China at www.thoughtfulchina.com.

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Good Moms Seem to Help Poor Kids Become Healthy Adults

SATURDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Poor children are more likely to become unhealthy adults -- vulnerable to infection and disease -- than kids from higher-income families, according to a new study.

However, the study findings revealed, some disadvantaged children grow up into healthy adults. Their secret: a nurturing and attentive mother.

Upward mobility also has been cited as a reason that children from low-income families become healthy adults, the study pointed out. Yet the researchers found that income in adulthood didn't offset childhood poverty.

"But those greater risks later in life seem to be offset if the mom paid careful attention to the children's emotional well-being, had time for them and showed affection and caring," Gregory Miller, lead study author and psychologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, said in a news release from the Association for Psychological Science.

For the study, clinicians performed physical examinations on roughly 1,200 adults and researchers rated their socioeconomic status based on level of education. The investigators also surveyed the participants to determine how well their parents nurtured them as children.

The study, scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, found that the more wealth a child's family had, the better the individual's health was in adulthood.

Children whose parents did not graduate from high school were 1.4 times more likely to develop the metabolic syndrome (a set of risk factors linked to heart disease, diabetes and other health problems) than those raised by college graduates. But children with nurturing mothers were the exception.

The authors suggest that reducing and managing stress throughout childhood and later in life is what makes the difference.

"There is a lot of evidence that nurturant moms" -- or possibly other adults -- "can help buffer vulnerable kids from all sorts of negative outcomes," Miller stated in the news release.

Previous research has found that stress endured by disadvantaged children permanently affects their physiological development, making them more vulnerable to disease, the study authors noted in the news release. These children are more likely to have a cluster of symptoms -- including high blood pressure and abdominal fat -- that put them at risk for the metabolic syndrome.

Miller concluded that parents can help their children become healthy adults by teaching them how to cope with stress effectively and by being a good example of appropriate emotional responses.

"We can do lots to help kids get through tough times," Miller said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has more about child poverty.

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Why Working Moms Are Happier

By Laurie Tarkan

Published September 22, 2011

| FoxNews.com

Working women who have believed they can do it all—the successful career, the clean house, a home-cooked dinner on the table every night--may be more unhappy than working women who assume that they can’t be a super-mom, according to a new study.

The study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, looked at women’s attitudes about work and family when they were post-grads, and then measured their levels of depression when they hit their 40s.

It found that those who as young adults consistently agreed with the notion that women could successfully combine employment and family care—were at a higher risk for depression compared with working moms who felt it would be difficult for women to raise a family while working.

“Employed women who expected that work-life balance was going to be hard are probably more likely to accept that they can’t do it all,” said the study’s author, Katrina Leupp, a graduate student at the University of Washington,

In reality, some things have to slide when you work, especially since women still carry the lion’s share of household responsibilities. According to my own informal Facebook poll, the things that slide are having a clean house, not making dinner every night, missing kids’ soccer games, not being fully present with your kids and exercising (or other ways of taking care of yourself like getting a haircut or buying new clothes).

Those women who feel they somehow should be able to do it all end up being weighed down by guilt.

“If you can accept that you can’t do it all, you have less of a feeling of personal failure,” Leupp said.

One heartening piece of news is that no matter how guilty you feel or how insurmountable your tasks seem, working is good for your mental health. The study found that working moms had lower levels of depression than stay-at-home moms.

“Rather than feeling guilty that you’re spending time at work or that you can’t cook dinner one night, it helps to remember that if you’re happier, your kids will be happier,” Leupp said.

So here’s what working moms should keep in mind:
1. Be willing to let things go, without feeling guilty about it. Who said it was so darn important to have a spotless house anyway? Try to prioritize what is most and least important to you. Also, you can choose to let the house go one week and let dinners go the next.

2. Have realistic expectations of yourself and what is humanly possible to accomplish in a day. Attempting to have perfect dinners, a spotless house and get everyone’s homework done after a long day’s work just adds stress to the household.

3. Get your husband to chip in more than he already does. (I’m not saying men don’t do anything, but studies show women continue to perform the majority of housework and child care even when employed full-time).

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Peaceful Path: Local moms look to Peaceful Parenting for raising kids - Naples Daily News

Lisa Giangregorio stays close as one-year-old Marco plays at Miromar Outlets Playland during a recent gathering of the Peaceful Parenting moms' group. Laura Gates/ Banner Correspondent

Two-year-old Aria Bonadurer benefits from her mom's attachment parenting style. They recently joined a Peaceful Parenting group, which functions as a playdate for kids and support for moms. Laura Gates/ Banner Correspondent

Sarah Carlson-Pint plays with 2-year-old Asher at Miromar Outlets during a Peaceful Parenting Moms outing. Laura Gates/ Banner Correspondent

Baby Eyden is cozily attached to his mom, Karen Bonadurer, as Peaceful Parenting group founder Sarah Carlson-Pint looks on while their other children are playing. Laura Gates/ Banner Correspondent

As Karen Bonadurer watches her two-year-old, Aria, romp on the play structure, five-month-old Eyden stays snuggled up to his mom’s bosom in a cozy carrier. Meanwhile Marta Suarez consents to her nine-month-old’s pawing, nursing him for just a few seconds before little Max decides he’d rather go back to playing.

When Lisa Giangregorio’s one-year-old, Marco, starts to fuss, she doesn’t scold. She skillfully unhooks her nursing tank top and begins to comfort him while still standing and talking with the other moms. “This is the only thing that keeps him calm right now because he’s a little tired,” she says empathetically.

Welcome to the Peaceful Parenting Moms of Southwest Florida, a newly formed group which is equal parts playdate and support group. Its founder, Bonita Springs resident Sarah Carlson-Pint, put the call out on Meetup.com last month, hoping to connect local moms who follow “attachment parenting,” a philosophy coined by Dr. William Sears.

The approach encourages nurturing touches and empathizing with your child from birth. As the child grows, discipline is gentle and non-punitive.

“It’s not something new,” Carlson-Pint said. “It’s how mothers have bonded with their children for centuries, and it’s getting back to that. It’s about following your instinct.”

So when a baby cries, go to the child. A mother must override her natural instincts to let her baby cry it out, Carlson-Pint explained.

In attachment parenting, the cage-like crib is abandoned in favor of co-sleeping. Infant seat strollers take a back seat to wearable baby carriers. Bottles and pacifiers are replaced by the comfort and intimacy of the mother’s breast.

“The foundation is based on empathy and respect,” said Bonadurer, who recently moved to the area and was looking specifically for an attachment parenting group.

She first learned of the approach while living in Texas near a local chapter of Georgia-based Attachment Parenting International (API). The nonprofit organization conducts research and provides education, support and advocacy for parents around the globe to “promote parenting practices that create strong, healthy, emotional bonds between children and their parents for life.”

As children carry those bonds into adulthood, they will provide their children with the same closeness, creating “a life cycle of compassion and connection,” according to the API website.

As the children played at Miromar Outlets’ Playland on a recent Wednesday morning, the moms’ conversation ranged from the mundane -- weather and lack of sleep -- to meatier topics like confidently nursing in public and positively redirecting a preschooler during a tantrum.

Among these moms, “spanking” is considered a dirty word. Even time outs are frowned upon. When kids misbehave, parents are encouraged to search for the root cause instead of reacting negatively to the behavior, using reasoning and redirection rather than force.

An arsenal of alternative techniques includes distraction, substitution, holding and modeling positive behavior.

“It’s not fear based,” Carlson-Pint said. “We focus more on developing internal motivation for children to do things. Instead of punishing them, we strive to teach them.”

Many of these moms were raised with “spare the rod, spoil the child” discipline and are looking for a gentler alternative for their children.

“I was raised in a no-affection kind of way, and there is still no bond with my parents today,” lamented Giangregorio, adding she wished she had known the principles of attachment parenting earlier, when her other children, now ages 12 and 14, were young. “I want to have a lifelong bond with them.”

Dr. Lakshmi Gogate, an associate professor at Florida Gulf Coast University who studies child development psychology, said applying the principles of attachment theory is one of many ways to nurture a parent-child bond.

“The relationship between a child and his or her family is a dynamic one, and it’s not just based on one type of parenting theory,” Gogate said. “If a parent can use many different types of styles, I think it can be beneficial.”

To Bonadurer, the benefits of attachment parenting extend beyond the parent-child relationship.

“The biggest thing that has surprised me is it has helped my adult relationships,” she said. “It’s helped me with my husband, to have empathy and respect for him. It’s just blown us away how much it’s strengthened us.”

Shawna Jones joined the group because she was attracted to its name. Something in her flinched when her husband would spank one of their children.

“I’ve never read Dr. Sears, but I like the idea of being a peaceful parent, so I really wanted to learn more,” said Jones, who was grateful to Carlson-Pint for sharing a pamphlet on the longterm negative effects of spanking.

“You spend years nurturing that bond, so why damage it with spanking?” she now asks. “There’s a better way. I wanted to learn what that better way was and pass it on to my husband.”

The Peaceful Parenting Moms are constantly sharing research and practical tips for keeping cool when your child misbehaves. They believe the approach will manifest in an enduring bond with their children.

“Most people don’t do positive parenting,” Carlson-Pint observed. “Parenting this way is very time consuming because you have to want to be very involved with your child.”

Whatever theory parents choose to follow, Gogate encourages flexibility and common sense based on the specific circumstances. She is encouraged to know local moms are banding together to discuss the tough issues of parenthood.

“Often times parents feel very isolated when they are parenting, and loss of control can come from that isolation,” Gogate said. “If parents become empowered by forming groups and discussing these issues in the open, it can be very beneficial.”

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One Million Moms boycotting Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls ice cream

By Jeff Anderson

September 22, 2011 7:23 PM ET

Honestly, who didn't see this coming?

Activist group One Million Moms (which incidentally is also the title of our nightmares) is outraged over Ben & Jerry's new flavor of ice cream inspired by the old Alec Baldwin/Molly Shannon/Ana Gasteyer sketch from "Saturday Night Live."

In the popular sketch (as if you haven't seen it), Baldwin plays a baker named Pete Schweddy who pushes his delicious Christmas balls (hence, "Schweddy balls") on two eager NPR hosts. The sketch is apparently not as popular amongst One Million Moms. 

In a statement on their website, the group says that "the vulgar new flavor has turned something as innocent as ice cream into something repulsive." One Million Moms is asking members to e-mail Ben & Jerry's and demand the company cease any additional distribution of the ice cream. According to OK! magazine, Ben & Jerry's is defending their Schweddy Balls, stating that they are "not trying to offend people. Our fans get the humor."

Just an interesting side note. If you look at the URL for the One Million Moms link, Schweddy Balls is listed as issue #422. Yep, sounds like a mom to us.

Photo/Video credit: Getty Images/Broadway Video

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Anne Reeves: Horrible 'Dance Moms' takes reality TV to a new low

Forget hurricanes, earthquakes, nuclear accidents or global warming. I have witnessed the end of our civilization, and it has nothing to do with disasters either natural or man-made.
SCOTT GRIES, LifetimeAppearing on the Lifetime series "Dance Moms" are, from top left: Melissa, Holly, Kelly, Abby Lee Miller and Christi; front row: Maddie, Nia, Mackenzie, Brooke, Paige and Chloe. The show airs at 10 p.m. Wednesdays on Lifetime TelevisionSadly — and I hate to admit this — it’s mom-made.
Reality television throws a glaring spotlight on the worst of human behavior. From “Jersey Shore,” to “The Housewives of Beverly Hills,” the shows we love to hate capture men and women acting so horribly that we wonder, “Where do they get these people?”
Just when I thought reality television couldn’t creep any lower, along comes a show that proves me wrong: “Dance Moms,” a new series on Lifetime that has little to do with dance. Or mothering.
“Dance Moms” takes place at the Abby Lee Dance Company in Pittsburgh and features artistic director/chief choreographer Abby Lee Miller interacting with a small group of competitive dancers and their mothers.
But calling the contact between Miller and the moms “interaction” is really stretching it.
The show, which premiered this summer, would be horrible enough if it just focused on the relationship between Miller and her young dancers, most not even in their teens.
Miller rarely speaks; she screams. She belittles and bullies the girls and when they react, she makes them feel even worse. Her dictatorial, my-way-or-the-highway style makes you wonder if she studied under al-Qaida.
“Suck it up. I don’t want to see those tears,” she said to one young dancer.
Then throw in the most obnoxious, self-absorbed group of mothers I’ve ever seen and you have a show so awful, so horrendous that you have to wonder if this reality show is really real. These chicks have to be acting, don’t they?
The moms — decked out from head to toe in every episode — snipe at each other, snipe at Miller. They whine about how the dance director treats their girls, but continue to bring them to her torture chamber. They swear at Miller in front of their daughters, go out for cocktails and then come back and scream some more. Mommy dearest, indeed.
The girls say they enjoy dancing. They say they hate when Miller berates them, but can’t fight back. It’s pretty obvious their championship dreams are likely more mamas’ championship dreams.
And don’t get me started on the girls’ trashy costumes and tarted-up makeup. Many of the numbers choreographed by Miller are also way too mature for the girls; one even dealt with such dark issues as child abduction and abuse.
It’s one thing if the actions of the “real people” in a reality show impact only themselves and the others around them. The crazies in “The Jersey Shore” drink too much, they vomit. The real housewives pull on each other’s weaves and wigs, they lose hair.
But this show involves revolting adult behavior that impacts little kids. Sometimes, it’s abusive. “Dance Moms” makes “Toddlers and Tiaras” look like a PBS offering.
Thankfully, two local veteran studio owners said the show doesn’t accurately represent life at their dance companies.
“I think it’s pretty bizarre. Thank goodness our school and our mothers are nothing like that,” said Cheryl Ayre, owner of the Richie School of Dance in Highspire and Harrisburg for 40 years.
“Our mothers don’t hang out at the studio, and we teachers don’t bring them in to discuss a performance pyramid — who’s at the top and who’s at the bottom,” Ayre said.
“I think the program is giving dance studios a bum rap, but it is inspiring more interest in dance and inspiring more people to want to dance.”
Carol Wevodau, owner of the Wevodau Dance Center in Camp Hill for 30 years, said she’s seen only a little of the show, but has heard a lot about it from students and their families.
“To me, it’s way overdone for little children. The way she treats her students is cruel,” she said.
“My personal opinion is that you’re trying to teach them to dance, not make them look like hookers,” Wevodau said. “I am very careful about what my students wear in the show and with the type of music we use — nothing with bad words or overly suggestive. We think about the kids and try to keep it positive.”
Every sport and activity involving kids usually also involves crazy parents. Stage moms and dads aren’t just relegated to the stage. But this show makes you wonder just how low some parents will go to make their kids famous.
In the case of “Dance Moms,” it’s pretty low.

Anne McGraw Reeves can be e-mailed at amcreeves@yahoo.com and will accept ideas for column topics.

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Toddlers and Tiaras Mom Forces Daughter to Get Highlights - Us Magazine

Blondes do have more fun!

But getting highlights at five years old isn't the most enjoyable experience. On Wednesday night's Toddlers and Tiaras, Carley's mom Melissa forced her daughter to forego her natural brunette locks for peroxide-provided blonde ones.

VIDEO: Carley's mom tells her not to embarrass her on TV

"I don't want to," Carley, 5, whined. "I wanted my normal color,"

"My normal hair is brown," she said. "I didn't want highlights. I want my hair back to brown. "

When Melissa tried to distract Carley, asking her if she was looking forward to having fun with her pals, Carley answered: "I don't have any friends."

NEWS: Toddlers & Tiaras mom dresses daughter as prostitute

Carley went on to compete in the Storybook Pageant, where she reluctantly portrayed Cruella de Vil. But after her hesitant performance, she ripped her eyelashes off on stage, much to the dismay of her controlling mother.

"Don't think that that went unnoticed," Melissa scolded.

PHOTOS: Controversial star moms

Surprisingly, Carley won the Grand Supreme title. "We were hoping for Ultimate Grand Supreme," her mom grumbled. "[But] we are humble people. We don't expect more than what we deserve."

"After this one, I wanna take a long break from them," Carley said after crowning. "Because I've had enough of pageants."

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Why Moms Fear the Slumber Party - Patch.com

There are few words that strike fear into the hearts of little girls’ moms  like the dreaded words “tea party sleepover.”

When Josie mentioned that what she really wanted for her sixth birthday was a sleepover/tea party with all of her friends, I tried to look on the bright side. There would be no visit to Chuck E. Cheese, no pool party with biting mosquitoes, no lugging food over to Grandma’s house (the family’s designated “party central.")

The bad side? Ten overly dramatic, nail-polishing, loud-squealing, ballet-dancing, giggling goofballs at my house for 18 hours. 

As the greatly anticipated night approached, we (and by we, I mean I) prepared a tea party fit for a (birthday) queen. Of course, everything had to be tiny so it could be consumed from the end of tiny red, yellow and green sword-shaped toothpicks.

Everyone who is anyone knows that tea party food must be small enough to be consumed from toothpicks.

At last, all ten girls arrived and deposited their pink-wrapped parcels on the gift table. After some minimal twirling and knock-knock joke-telling, they began to adorn themselves with various tea party fineries. Crowns, gloves, clip-on earrings, a long blond wig, fairy wings, plastic high heels and various hats and hair bows sparkled from every giggly wiggly body.

Once they finally settled in at the lace-covered table, they reached for their toothpicks and skewered little hotdogs, baby carrots, sugar-snap peas, petite pickles, popcorn, marshmallows, strawberries and oranges.

They TRIED to use toothpicks to eat the following: croissants with jam, cupcakes with pastel frosting, and cucumber sandwiches topped with edible flowers. There was also an attempt at spearing a peanut, but for future reference, peanuts do not cooperate with toothpicks.

If you’ve ever been around a group of little girls playing tea party, you know that for some reason, they magically act more ladylike when they are passing the sugar and pouring the tea. It’s hard to maintain that demeanor for any great length of time, though, as these quotes from the party (listed in descending order along with their manners) attest:

Do you like my fancy shoes?

Could you pass that tiny spoon?

I would like the vegetables, please.

Sugahhh, please.

I think we need more creamer.

I know how to do fondue.

A piece of popcorn fell in the marshmallows – rescue it!

Can you go cross-eyed?

I’m gonna dance for you.

You need to act ladylike!

What about the birthday crown? Where is the birthday crown?

Happy birthday to myself!

*Burp!* (laughter all around)

Hey, who did that?

That was not very ladylike.

Ugh, get that burp away from me!

Wait, hold on! We are the burp musketeers!

Synchronized burping, everyone! Ready? And… go!

After eavesdropping while playing maid to the “ladies at tea,” I must admit that I was having a pretty good time myself. This was not an exchange of words that you hear every day.

Yes, getting everyone to sleep was impossible (I gave up around 1:30 a.m.) Yes, there was some drama (a fight over a pair of slippers shaped like chicken feet, of all things.) Yes, by the time morning rolled around I was ready for the Mom Cavalry to roll in and commence the pick-ups.

Josie’s birthday idea didn’t end up being quite as scary as I thought it would, though.

Anything that includes tiaras and synchronized burping can’t be all bad!

Devone Lansing is a diaper-changing, story-reading, boo-boo-kissing, breastfeeding, mess-cleaning, homeschooling, laundry-doing, road-running, stay-at-home (well, in theory, anyway) Mentor mother of four. Join us to share life from her perspective - but only if you can read baby talk. This weekly column will appear on Sundays and cover topics like being able to look at your 5-year-old's baby pictures without bursting into tears and how to simultaneously feed your kids dinner and give them a bath.

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Child brings mom's crack pipe to school for show-and-tell - CBS News

By Edecio Martinez Topics Daily Blotter Michelle Marie Cheatham

(Credit: KCTV/CBS)

(CBS/KMOX) SWEET SPRINGS, Mo. - A recent show-and-tell at a northwest Missouri elementary school resembled something out of an episode of the television show "Breaking Bad," and it  led to the arrest of a kindergartner's mother.

Michelle Marie Cheatham, 32, was arrested on Sept. 6 after her son pulled out methamphetamines and his mother's crack pipe during a show-and-tell for his kindergarten class, according to a felony complaint filed in the Saline County Circuit Court.

Later that day, a search warrant was obtained by the Sweet Springs police to conduct a search at Cheatham's home, which led to the police reportedly recovering a crack pipe and a butane lighter, according to the Marshall Democrat-News.

 Cheatham was charged six days later with two class C felonies - the first for possession of a controlled substance and the other for endangering the welfare of a child. Each charge includes punishments of up to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections system and up to a $5,000 fine, according to the felony complaint, obtained by CBS station KMOX,

The "several baggies of crack rocks" discovered in the boy's backpack were worth around $3,700, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"When I called the prosecutor about it, they said, 'You're kidding me, aren't you?'" Sweet Springs Police Chief Richard Downing told KCTV5 earlier this month.

Cheatham will appear in court next week.

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Soccer moms’ devotion knows no bounds - Johnson City Press

Soccer mom Angie Lemman and her daughter Lece spend their afternoons watching her daughters Lita and Lali play. (Lee Talbert/Johnson City Press)

The soccer mom is an ever-evolving title with responsibilities that list at least a page long. She hauls her players to practice and games, wipes tears after losses and patches up scrapes following a fall on the field. The definition of a die-hard fan, the soccer mom is a force to be reckoned with who will cheer louder than anyone else on the sidelines.

?A soccer mom is a mom who devotes the time and effort that it takes for the children to play if that?s what they want to do,? said Melissa Kell of Johnson City. ?We get them to practice, work with them throughout the week on what the coach said to practice and make sure they?re on time for their games.?

Kell and moms like her make it sound easy. Even with three young boys participating in the Johnson City Parks and Recreation Youth Soccer League, she plays it cool and keeps a smile on her face as she talks about Saturdays spent running between fields and a trunk full of soccer balls, shin guards and cleats.

?I love every minute of it,? she said.

Carrie Miller is another experienced soccer mom. With sons on two different teams, the Johnson City resident had six games on her schedule last week on four separate nights. Fellow mom Kell plans around the moments her youngsters are on the field and when games double-up, Miller and her husband split their time between the boys.

As a former player for Science Hill, Miller says she has a hard time staying in her seat when sons Tripp or Stiles have control of the ball.

?I travel with my knitting so I don?t yell as much at my children because I realize they?re 6 and 8,? she said. ?I have to calm down a little and I don?t want to be ?that mom.? ?

Even soccer moms new to the title find themselves shouting louder than they ever thought they would. Angie Lemmon says some of her previous cheerleading skills come out whenever daughters Lita or Lali are headed down the field with the ball in front of them. During those proud moments, it?s easy for mamas to get pumped up, despite any errors their young player may commit.

?We try to stay very positive about everything,? said Theresa Hutchins, whose 7-year-old daughter plays for the Fairmont Yellow Jackets. ?If she kicks something and it goes crazy we say ?Good job.? It doesn?t matter. If she kicks a goal we?re excited about that, too, but we try to make it a positive experience for her so she?ll want to play again next year.?

One of a soccer mom?s hardest tasks is teaching their offspring how to deal with the losses.

?It?s hard,? Miller said. ?We?ve won one game, but you?ve got to realize that there?s lessons to be learned in winning and losing.?

?We lost our first game last week and that was a hard one,? Kell said. ?You have to teach them that when you lose you have a positive attitude with that.?

While trying to pay attention to the herd of girls or boys following the ball around, many of the mothers have younger children to keep occupied during the contests. As Lemmon spoke about the Providence teams her girls play for, 3-year-old Lece giggled and climbed between the rows of bleachers. She says the playground at Civitan Park gets a lot of usage from mothers like herself who have impatient little ones with lots of energy to burn. Kell says she is thankful for the network of soccer moms who also have multiple children in need of a playmate or two.

Not every mother with a child running toward the goal thinks of herself as a soccer mom. Hutchins said her first-year status in trying to figure out the world of recreation soccer didn?t exactly make her worthy of the title, but as the interview went on, she realized she met most of the qualifications.

?After talking about all of that I guess I feel like a soccer mom, so maybe I?m changing my mind,? she said with a laugh before calling herself a ?green mom? who drives a Toyota Prius rather than the stereotypical minivan.

Lemmon identified herself as the ?mom in the Mini Cooper,? while Miller was anxious to upgrade from her Volkswagen station wagon.

?My next one will be a minivan,? she said. ?When you?re helping moms out and hauling around other kids you need the extra space, it?s such a clich?.?

Once the games are over and the players have been put to bed and the jerseys are in the washing machine, a soccer mom?s journey nears its daily completion. The aching feet and the sore throat are worth it, just for a view of the grin it puts on that little soccer star?s face.

?I love seeing the smile on their faces when they hit the field,? Kell said. ?Now that he?s (Landon) older and understands the game and knows the position he has to hold, it?s fun to hear him talk about it and hear the excitement in his voice.?

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Technology Enables More Moms to be Household CEOs According to Just Released Study by Disney Interactive Media Group - Yahoo Finance

{"s" : "dis","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Press Release Source: Disney Interactive Media Group On Thursday September 22, 2011, 9:00 am EDT

BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) announced today results from the second installment of its "M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission" research study, started in 2010, that illustrate how women are utilizing technology and the Internet to make being a mom easier.  The study revealed that more moms are taking on the role of Household CEO and using technology products to help get the job done.  

Mom's use of computers, mobile phones and tablet computers continues to grow as she finds them even more essential to stay connected with family and friends and manage household activities.   96% of the moms surveyed said they owned or used a computer, up 9% from 2010; and 91% use a mobile device, up 11% from 2010, with 44% using a smartphone.  7% of moms surveyed owned a tablet, up 133% from 2010.

"Today's moms are adopting emerging technologies at an impressive rate to help manage their families' busy lives and use as entertainment platforms with their kids," said Dave Dickman, SVP of digital media sales for DIMG. "For digital marketers who are trying to reach moms, we believe this second wave will help them better understand the shifting behavior."

Mobile Phone is Mom's Lifeline to Family and Friends

Mom's mobile phone use has increased significantly, particularly to communicate with her family.  She is texting, visiting social networks and searching for coupons far more than last year.  The moms who were surveyed said they conducted the following activities on their mobile phones at least once a week:

Text with spouse/partner: 63%, up 17% (from 2010)Talk to child: 53%Visit social networks: 45%, up 32%Take pictures of family: 44%, up 13%Browse websites: 43%, up 39%Use mobile search engine: 40%, up 38%Manage calendar: 40%, up 18%Play games with her child on mobile phone: 30%, up 25%Look for discounts/coupons: 25%, up 213%

Smartphone Mom Uses Her Device Almost 4 Hours a Day!

44% of the moms surveyed with mobile phones own smartphones.  On average, moms with smartphones spend 3.9 hours per day using the device for a host of activities ranging from email and texting to visiting social networks and talking.  The study also showed that mom uses her smartphone to have fun with her child.  Playing games, taking pictures and videos and watching videos with her child are some of her favorite activities.  

Mom's Tablet Makes Her Feel Like Super Mom!

For those surveyed who own tablet PCs, in addition to emailing and visiting social networks, mom is managing her schedule, reading news, doing her banking, couponing and meal planning on her tablet.  More than half the moms with tablets said the device is helping them be more efficient in getting things done and managing their life and family.  

Another surprising finding was that mom is using her tablet to play with her child, especially to play games.  48% of moms who own a tablet and 39% of moms who own a smartphone, said the number one activity they engage in with their children on their respective devices is playing a game.

Mom's Use of the Internet Continues to Increase

Mom leverages her multiple technology devices to access the Internet and get more done.  According to the survey, she performs the following household-related activities online:

Online Banking/Investing: 62%, up 9% (from 2010)Look up directions: 61%Find recipes/plan meals: 59%, up 9% Find/print coupons: 58%, up 21% Shop for her family: 54%, up 15% Research products: 42%Look for family travel ideas: 37%Look for family activities and crafts: 36%

M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission Study

Disney Online's M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission study was conducted in June 2011 by Ipsos OTX MediaCT, with the objective of gaining insights to understand today's mom, her roles, and how technology and the Internet affect her life.  The study was conducted in two phases: consumer immersion blogs and online quantitative study.  In Phase One, eight moms interacted in an online, secure blogging environment by uploading images, video and text for one week. In Phase Two, an online quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 3,300 females, ages 21-54, who were either currently pregnant or had one child in their household between the ages of 0-14 years.

About Disney Interactive Media Group

Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG), one of the world's largest creators of high-quality interactive entertainment across all platforms, is the segment of The Walt Disney Company responsible for the global creation and delivery of interactive entertainment, multi-platform video games, and lifestyle content across all current and emerging digital media platforms.  DIMG produces and distributes a broad portfolio of content from its five primary lines of business: Disney Interactive Studios, Disney Online, Disney Online Studios, Disney Mobile, and Playdom. Products and content released and operated by DIMG include blockbuster online virtual worlds, #1-ranked community-family and parenting web destination* that includes Disney.com and the Disney Family network of websites, mobile applications, and video games.

The Disney Family network of sites provide inspiration and ideas for parents on a variety of topics important to today's families, including easy recipes, crafts, traveling with children, pregnancy, and parenting. Sites in the portfolio include Disney Family.com, Kaboose.com, FamilyFun.com and BabyZone.com.

Disney Interactive Media Group is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - News).

About Ipsos OTX MediaCT

Ipsos OTX MediaCT is the market research specialization group within Ipsos built to reach, engage and more effectively understand today's digitally-driven consumer in the fast moving media, content and technology space.  By integrating new technologies and immersive techniques with extensive traditional research experience, Ipsos OTX MediaCT's market leading research solutions help clients better understand media and technology consumption, evaluate content, monitor the value of brands and provide guidance for successful innovation.  The Ipsos OTX MediaCT approach results in deeper and more profound consumer insights that allow companies to maximize their return on investment. To learn more, please visit www.ipsos-na.com/media.  

*comScore Media Metrix

CONTACT:
Dana Henry Benson
Dana.Henry@disney.com
O: 818-623-3420

Kirsten Erickson
Kirsten.Erickson@disney.com
O: 818-623-3886

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Moms Meet To Pray For Justice - WITN

Mothers of some murdered victims are praying for justice as the trial of a suspected killer approaches.

Antwan Pittman will go trial this Monday. Pittman is charged in the murder of one of the mother’s daughters, Taraha Nicholson. According to officials Pittman is also a suspect in the deaths of several of the other women.

At least nine women’s remains have been found in the same rural Edgecombe County area since 2003.

At the event each mom held a balloon in their hands representing the daughter that they lost.

The purple balloons represented a daughter that was murdered and the white balloon represented a daughter that is still missing.

The moms wanted to show their support for Nicholson.

Jackie Wiggins, whose daughter was murdered, said, “If they just get that on conviction from that murder, knowing the facts, well the facts being that they were all friends, they were close like that, I would feel real content if Justice is served.

Patsy Hargrove, whose daughter was also murdered, said, “My justice is their justice. We are all looking for the same justice.”

Antwan Pittman was arrested back in 2009. He will be tried in Windsor in Bertie County because of publicity surrounding the case.

Posted by: e.loftin Location: Carteret County on Sep 25, 2011 at 12:23 PM
My heart goes out to these poor mothers.....nothing in their life will ever be same !!!!!!!!!!!! The monster who took the light of life from these precious daughters .....should be exacuted immediatly....upon his guilty conviction ! Not one dime of these mothers tax dollars should be spent to house this monster ! Kill him immediatly !!!! Upon conviction !!!!!!!

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Moms Meet To Pray For Justice - WITN

Mothers of some murdered victims are praying for justice as the trial of a suspected killer approaches.

Antwan Pittman will go trial this Monday. Pittman is charged in the murder of one of the mother’s daughters, Taraha Nicholson. According to officials Pittman is also a suspect in the deaths of several of the other women.

At least nine women’s remains have been found in the same rural Edgecombe County area since 2003.

At the event each mom held a balloon in their hands representing the daughter that they lost.

The purple balloons represented a daughter that was murdered and the white balloon represented a daughter that is still missing.

The moms wanted to show their support for Nicholson.

Jackie Wiggins, whose daughter was murdered, said, “If they just get that on conviction from that murder, knowing the facts, well the facts being that they were all friends, they were close like that, I would feel real content if Justice is served.

Patsy Hargrove, whose daughter was also murdered, said, “My justice is their justice. We are all looking for the same justice.”

Antwan Pittman was arrested back in 2009. He will be tried in Windsor in Bertie County because of publicity surrounding the case.

Posted by: e.loftin Location: Carteret County on Sep 25, 2011 at 12:23 PM
My heart goes out to these poor mothers.....nothing in their life will ever be same !!!!!!!!!!!! The monster who took the light of life from these precious daughters .....should be exacuted immediatly....upon his guilty conviction ! Not one dime of these mothers tax dollars should be spent to house this monster ! Kill him immediatly !!!! Upon conviction !!!!!!!

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Moms Talk: How Do You Get Your Family Back To A Routine? - Patch.com

Recently our Moms Council has discussed topics like developing an emergency plan, how to keep summer vacation educational, and monitoring what kids watch and listen to.

Question: How do you get your family back into a routine from summer?

Abbey Rowe: Because the kids are so young, I think we are able to have a more regular routine.  But Fall is still a busy time with classes and activities starting up again after the summer break.  Adelaide is in school several mornings a week and on the other days we do Stroller Strides in the morning.  We also manage to squeeze in a Music Together class and a Signing Smart sign language class for Evie.  Afternoons are a little more mellow as Adelaide still takes a regular nap.  Now if I could just get the baby to nap at the same time, we’d be in great shape!

Nikki Vazquez: We are still trying to figure out our morning/afternoon routines as it seems like we change it up every day with work schedules, school and extra curricular activity schedules still being worked out.  Throw in a few birthday parties and different range of activities for a 16 month old vs. a 6 year old and some days it feels like you need to be split in two to grab every opportunity.  Vic and I work hard at keeping the same bedtime and morning wake up time so that Waylon does not get jammed up on his sleep schedule.  Other than that, it is one day at a time for us and it has been fun (ok and a little exhausting) investigating all new activities for a first grader this year!

Lynn Ceglie: The routine is really just a rat race, trying to avoid scheduling conflicts!  We are up at 6am, out the door by 7am, come home, do homework,  back and forth to Rogers for rehearsal or practice, dinner, and by then we are ready to pack it in for the night.   It's nuts, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Naomi Neville: With so many activities available for kids these days, it's hard imagine settling into a routine.  Every day of the week seems different from the last.  We do try to be consistent with going to bed at the same time every night to encourage a regular sleep pattern.  And in the mornings we have a fairly tight schedule to get up, dressed and eat breakfast before running out the door.  But other than that, it's a free for all in terms of getting through the day.

Have a question you want our moms to discuss? Email it to cara.kenefick@patch.com.

Moms Talk is a place where moms can gather and discuss important issues regarding their children, families, and Newport.

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