Friday Favorites: October 31 (The Halloween edition)
So if you'll excuse me, I have big plans with a very short Darth Vader tonight.
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Robyn is new to HuffPost, and I found her through Kim Bongiorno of Let Me Start By Saying; Robyn's words are so reflective and beautiful:
"And the beauty of motherhood is how we deliver just that. It's how we show up, knock on a door, wade through the discomfort and embarrassment and shame and guilt of a moment and do the right thing. Because our children are watching. And because we might have felt like a failure five minutes ago, but we push through it and keep trying, prodded by a love we cannot adequately describe."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robyn-passante-/the-meaning-of-motherhood-in-two-knocks-on-the-door_b_5993780.html
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This one, from my friend Alexandra, broke my heart. But it's important, and she makes some great points about the questions we could ask our kids to find out what's really going on at school.
"These are critical questions to ask. And both sides need to be involved; the ones being bullied, and the ones doing the bullying. We need to recognize the signs of being bullied and parents need to ask their children, “Are YOU doing any bullying?”
Bullying has to be talked about. I never thought to ask my son, “Are you okay at school?” Bullying can happen to any child, to any family – even when you think you would not be a target. Everyone is equally able to be a target and everyone is just as able to do the bullying.
Your child could be bullied, or be a bully. We need to ask both sides the questions now."
http://www.mamapedia.com/voices/even-as-an-aware-parent-i-missed-this
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"And in that mom part of my brain, I see a little girl wearing a tiny backpack not large enough for any high school textbooks. A tiny little girl wearing adorable round glasses, a pair of pink leggings and cute bangs that framed her sweet, smiling face."
What does it feel like when your teenager hers her drivers' license? Read Sherri's post here:
http://oldtweener.com/2014/10/teen-gets-drivers-license.html
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I met Sabrina Parsons in Austin at a conference a couple of years ago, and I was impressed. This essay about a new benefit some companies are offering, and the implications for mothers in the corporate world is a great thinking piece. And I wish I had worked for her when I had my son, because she offers a wonderful environment for mothers at her company.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-facebook-egg-freezing-benefit-is-bad-for-women-2014-10
For more on Sabrina, read Lindsey's interview here: http://www.adesignsovast.com/2014/06/how-she-does-it-2/
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"Girls will be girls" is no more acceptable than "boys will be boys". This essay makes some great points on mean girls (and boys) and how our kids should treat each other.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/whitney-fleming/5-bs-excuses-parents-make-for-mean-girls_b_5967226.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037
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When Leslie Gibbons’ daughter was expecting her first baby, she despaired over the lack of mothers and mother-figures in fairytales. She asked Leslie to write a story with a living, loving mother that she could share with her family. That’s how A Fairytale for Mothers was born.
My friend Robyn, of Robyn Lane Books, is proud to present this book, the story of a mother bird’s love for her chicks, and the generous gift she shares with each one as it is his (or her) turn to leave the nest. More, it is the story of how those adult chicks return to share gifts of their own.
A Fairytale for Mothers is available November 18, 2014
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In case you missed it, I was a guest writer at Postpartum Progress this week:http://www.postpartumprogress.com/postpartum-anxiety-information
And HuffPost Women:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-shaw/luckier-the-second-time_b_6061934.html
And Tamara wrote a beautiful review of the first book in which I am featured, My Other Ex: Women's True Stories of Leaving and Losing Friends.
Love,
Kristin