02
Happy, Merry Chrismukkah!
As a Cashew, I grew up with Christmas and Hanukkah, otherwise known as Chrismukkah. Yes, I was one of those lucky brats that was extra spoiled come December. Needless to say, it was also confusing about what exactly I was supposed to be celebrating. But I always knew that presents and good food were involved which was, and still is, good enough reason for me.
These days, I only celebrate Hanukkah but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Christmas. I love the lights, the scent of fresh pine, and the music. The Charlie Brown/Vince Gauraldi Christmas album does it for me every time. I decorate our home with blue, white, and silver but I like to throw a dash of Christmas in there to honor my Christmas past. We don’t get a tree, but I love having a fresh pine garland nestled on the mantle under the menorah. And of, course, we have to have our Hanukkah stockings hanging above the fireplace. On Christmas Day, I fill them with little presents. Santa might not come to our house, but Hanukkah Harry pays a visit!
The Monkey will know Christmas since half of my family celebrates the holiday. He will go to his grandma’s house on the 25th and open presents and sing carols. We will drive around to see the holiday lights and make a gingerbread house and Christmas cookies. Maybe we’ll even leave a few out for Harry. It’s the little things that I loved as a child during Christmas that I plan to incorporate into our own holiday traditions. Hanukkah, sprinkled with a touch of Christmas, will be something that I hope he looks forward to every December. Just like I do.
How do you celebrate the holidays? What type of traditions do you plan to pass on to your kids? Would love to hear from you.
17
Disney Interactive Studios Introduces Wii Video Games: Review and Give-Away!
Last week, the Monkey and I were invited to the beautiful Victorian in Santa Monica, CA for the Disney Holiday Blogger Tour. It was such a treat to preview all the fun items that Disney Interactive Studios has developed just in time for the holidays. Disney recognizes that one way to spend time together during the holiday season is to make it fun and interactive.
I love playing games with my family and, in my house, that often includes Wii video games. However, I usually reserve our host of Wii games for older kids and adults. As much as my 3 year old is fascinated by DJ Hero, I don’t necessarily think it’s appropriate for him to find his inner DJ Gregg Gillis just yet! Needless to say, I was especially interested in Disney’s new kid-friendly Wii video games.
Disney has created a whole portfolio of video games designed for the whole family. The family-friendly interactive Wii video games include: (continues…)
15
November 15th: National Philanthropy Day
Today, November 15th, is National Philanthropy Day.
When people hear the the word “philanthropist”, I’m guessing that the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or Angelina Jolie come to mind. You know, very wealthy people who regularly do incredible philanthropic work on a global level. People who donate on a large-scale should absolutely be commended for their hugely generous hearts and wallets.
But then there are regular folks with middle-class means who donate their money or time to worthy causes as well. I believe that people who generously donate, despite a limited budget or average means, are the best kind of philanthropists. These are the people who are teaching the next generation an important lesson – it’s always good to give back, no matter your circumstances, because there are always people less fortunate than you.
I want to use National Philanthropy Day to highlight one outstanding non-profit organization that is all about regular people working together to make a difference. The One Percent Foundation (OPF) is an organization created by young philanthropists who believe that, despite income and resources, everyone can make a difference in the world. One of the best ways to make a difference on a limited budget is to pool money together with other philanthropists. Members of OPF nominate, evaluate, and vote for excellent organizations to donate their combined resources. The goal of OPF is for members to donate 1% of their income and many members have done so through the 1% Pledge. In the past year, OPF will have given 4 grants to 4 different organizations for at least $8,000 each. They truly are doing incredible work and making a huge impact for many well-deserving organizations. Please take a few minutes to click on the OPF website to learn more about this wonderful non-profit philanthropic group. (continues…)
11
Mommy Blogging: On Creating Personal Boundaries Before Creating a Personal Blog
In the past few weeks, there has been a lot of discussion amongst mom and dad bloggers about posting pictures and possibly embarrassing stories of their children. Two “mommy bloggers” that I really respect and appreciate had interesting perspectives to share – Jessica Gottlieb and Scary Mommy – so make sure to check out their thoughts on this subject as well.
If you read through the content of this blog, you can probably guess where I stand on this topic. I have a couple of policies and boundaries that I created for myself and my family before I published my very first post in August 2009:
- I do not use the real names of my toddler, my husband, or any other family member. I have 2 reasons for that. I value and respect their privacy and none of them have given me permission to use their names.
- I do not post face-forward pictures for the exact same reasons.
- I do not write about them very often and, when I do, I make sure that it’s not about something that will come back to haunt or embarrass them later. Or, at least, I don’t think it will.
- My family has the power to veto a post.
Ain’t Yo Mama’s Blog is a blog about parenting. I identity myself as a mommy who blogs. I blog about parenting, family, and relationships but I also blog about national and global issues that I believe affect us as parents and families. Having a platform to write about topics that speak to me has been an incredible and valuable outlet. However, it’s also been a great exercise in self-restraint and censorship. (continues…)
05
Foodie Friday: A Happy Ending to Happy Meals
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to ban the distribution of toys with fast food meals that have a calorie count of more than 600. Fast food chains and other restaurants are allowed to include toys with meals as long as they do not exceed 600 calories and include fruits or vegetables. The ban will go into effect in December 2011.
I, for one, applaud San Francisco.
Having once worked on a public health-driven task force with the SF Board of Supervisors, I wasn’t surprised about the ban. The health of San Francisco’s residents, especially among children, is a big issue among city officials. With childhood obesity on the rise and the growing number of Type II diabetes cases among children, I agree that it’s important to put an end to enticing children with a fun item for an unhealthy product. I liken the use of toys to promote and sell Happy Meals to the use of cartoon images to sell alcohol or cigarettes. The death of Joe Camel was a good move among advertisers and I believe that an end to the inclusion of toys with unhealthy meals for children will be a good thing as well.
Some people are up in arms about the ban because they don’t want government telling them what their families can and cannot eat (doesn’t the FDA do that already?). This ban does nothing of the sort. This ban is ultimately about marketing and advertising unhealthy products towards children. As a parent, it’s also about rewards. I want to see our society go back to a healthier era when it comes to the consumption of food. Children used to be rewarded with a treat if they ate their healthy dinner. However, in the past few decades, we’ve been rewarding children with toys when they eat an unhealthy fast food meal. If parents and fast food chains want to really reward a child, put a toy in a bag of carrots. Give a small portion of a dessert after a child eats green beans with dinner. To me, that sounds like the happiest meal of all.
What do you think about the ban? Would love to hear from you.