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DD2sMom Go ahead, raise your hand to be the room-mom, the book fair committee chair, the one who organizes the recess and library helpers...here's a tricky tool that make your new job so easy! VolunteerSpot is a free and simple online calendar sign up tool that makes it easy to schedule and sign up parent helpers at school, at sports, at Scouts...anywhere you coordiante a group of people. VolunteerSpot is quick to setup, volunteers signup with a few clicks, and it send automated reminder emails....so people show up for the spots they signed up for. Their free eBooks have terrific information for planning school carnivals, talent shows, parent-teacher conferences and fundraisers. Check it out - a Homeroom mom's must-have tool, for sure! http://www.VolunteerSpot.com

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over 2 years ago - Comment

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ReneeJRoss http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/09/differences-in-my-sons-behavior-at.html

Here in
Atlanta the kids have been back in school for 3 weeks now but in many
parts of the country school is in session today! I can remember the
anticipation I had for the first day of school every single year. If
your child is embarking on school for the first time or returning,
congratulations! We made it through a fun filled summer! My son is two
and in daycare/preschool and he looks forward to everyday. His favorite
expression is "I can't wait for school!"He loves school and I
haven't had any complaints from his teachers about his behavior however
the story is different at home. I've found that he behaves much better
for his teachers then he does for me. As a correspondent for Mom's
Homeroom I was able to interview Jillian, she is a child and adolescent
psychiatrist and mother of two. She had a ton of great information to
share with me regarding discipline that can be utilized by parents of
children at any age.Her first suggestion was to be consistent.
Children thrive on consistency and actually like to know the rules and
expectations in a household. She encourages parents and grandparents to
ensure that they are providing the same messages to children in their
care. If jumping on the couch is not allowed (of course not) all of the
caregivers have to implement that rule.She also emphasized the
importance of parents controlling their emotions. All parents at some
point have raised their voices but it is key for us all to work hard
not to raise our voice. The emotional control that we exhibit will
influence the behavior of our children. She also encourages positive
reinforcement. Many times we tell our children what they are doing
wrong and fail to acknowledge the things they do right. Positive
reinforcement and rewarding good behavior can help with discipline.I
know there is a child in my son's class that thrives on attention and
will act out just to get it. The teachers work diligently to ensure
that they are taking care of the needs of the class as a whole but
definitely reward him when he exhibits good behavior. As a result I
have seen a drastic improvement in his interaction in the classroom.
Personally I try to utilize positive reinforcement as much as possible
with my son because I know it is effective.All the advice that
Jillian and the Mom's Homeroom experts have provided has been so
useful. I have truly enjoyed being a correspondent and encourage you to
check out the http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ , they are filled with wonderful information.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa As you know, I have been working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
to bring you an exciting new website made for mom’s, a place where you
can go to get answers to a wide array of topics. And today I bring you
the last show that I was lucky to be a part of. This show is a very
important one, it is on http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#7/Videos/13 .
If your child is having trouble with any of these topics check out
what the moms from Mom’s Homeroom have to say and find ways to help
your child out. When my son was in public school he was a victim of
bullying enough so that the on campus sheriff needed to step in and
help us out. This is a serious problem, and if you need help don’t be
afraid to seek it out. The wonderful women of Mom’s Homeroom give some
great tips for you as parents and for your children to handle the
situation.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_bullyepi.jpg
This is my closing post for http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
and I just want to thank everyone involved. Kellogg’s and MSN, thank
you for allowing me to come in a get a behind the scenes look at how a
show like this is put together. The film crew was awesome and very
accommodating. Cooper from circle.php?l=55995 ,
a big hug to you for putting this all together, no small feat I am
sure. Thanks for choosing me to represent The Motherhood as a
correspondent through the past few months, it is a title I wear with
pride! The Mom’s Homeroom moms were absolutely wonderful and I learned
so much from them all! Thank you for giving me a little piece of your
your time and wisdom! And to the readers of The Dirty Shirt, for coming
to my blog sometimes on a daily basis and reading and commenting on
these posts. I hope I brought you a great look at the making of http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ .

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa Today, I will be bringing you our
interview with Victoria from Mom’s Homeroom. We asked her a few
questions that we felt our readers would like to hear about.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_victoria.jpg
Victoria is a third grade teacher and single mom to four kids. She
was voted Teacher of the Year in 2007 and has been recognized as a
mentor-teacher for the past four years. She has taught courses in
diversity training, critical thinking, and human development theory in
her states alternative certification program. She uses her teaching
skills to help her children realize their potential and give them the
skills to be well-rounded people. Read on for advice and tips from
Victoria…
Being Named Teacher of the Year – In gaining this
title Victoria felt very honored and validated in what she was doing
and the goals that she had set not only for herself but her colleagues
and teachers on her team. Not only how she did in her own classroom was
taken into account but, what she did outside the classroom for the
teaching community. Victoria said it was a “wonderful acknowledgment”.
How Do You Find Balance? - Victoria says she
learned years ago that she needed to be easier on herself in her daily
life. She had to learn when things were good enough as they were and
when she needed to push to make it right. “As women we are given the
impression that we have to do everything in our lives with equal
priority and achievement and that can set us up to fail”, Victoria
says. (You know what? That makes sense to me and it was great to hear someone say that,
almost like it made it okay for me to feel and think that way too,
which I do). “It can really undermine our ability to be good mothers
when we have this sense of what we should be able to do and we can’t
forgive ourselves if we can’t reach that goal”. Prioritizing is
important and always be ready for the Frisbee to tip, which is how
Victoria sees balance in her life, not by a typical scale, but how
things are when a Frisbee is thrown into a pool, with all the dips and
sways.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_victoriaInterview.jpg
Do You See A Difference in Children Who Attend Preschool As Opposed To Those Who Don’t As Far As Academic Setting?
– Unfortunately, yes there is a difference. With a lot of school
districts putting curriculum into Kindergarten it seems that children
really need to be more prepared, know their letters and numbers and in
some cases write them all out. Now of course that is not saying that a
child who stays home with a parent during the preschool years can’t
catch up and learn what they need to know by the time they finish
kindergarten.
What Are Your Recommendations For Getting Your Child Ready For The School Aged Years? -
Victoria had great tips on things to do with your children to get them
prepared to learn and be ready for school weather is be preschool or
straight to kindergarten. They are:
Take the pressure off your child to produce results.Look for interactive games to play together so they can learn concept.Look for word games to play so they get use to the sounds in words
All of these tips are great tips to help your child start on the road to learning.
What Are Your Recommendations On Getting School Supplies For Your Child? – She had wonderful tips for ways to get your school supplies for your child’s school year, sometimes with great sales.
Dollar Stores – She once stocked her classroom
with clip boards for a dollar a piece, and her kids loved them and did
more work on them then if their papers were on their desks.Yard Sales – Great place to find puzzles, books and even board games that used to be such a big part of a children’s education.Major Drug Store Chains – They have weekly sales,
like one for erasers for a penny. Most have limits so just go in as
many times in that week as you can and buy the maximum. Great way to
stock up on things that you need on a regular basis.
That wraps up our interview questions for Victoria, and I know I
could have stayed there all day talking with her, especially about the
difference between preschool-ed kids and un-preschool-ed kids, as I
wish I had someone to tell me what she did before my middle daughter
started school. I have always been lucky to stay home with my kids and
I never knew that the school systems were upping what the children
needed to know before kindergarten and my daughter was behind. At that
point I had felt like such a failure, with my daughter, but I am happy
to say that she caught up and surpassed what she is supposed to know
now and I couldn’t be more proud of her. Thank you Victoria for being
such an awesome figure for us to look up to. In our short time chatting
you really impressed me and made a difference in the way I look at
myself now.
And that wraps up our interviews with the wonderful women of Mom’s
Homeroom. This is definitely one experience I will never forget! Thank
you all for sharing your advice, wisdom and tips with us so that we
could share them with our readers. I learned so much in those few hours
on the set and I appreciate all the time that you gave me.
I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to bring you all of this great information.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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ReneeJRoss
http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/08/work-life-balance-does-such-thing.html This
morning I received an email from my friend T. today thanking me for
giving her a referral to a blogging program. At the end of her note she
requested that I write a blog post about organization. I had to
chuckle. Organization? Me? I need to ask for tips and pointers in this
area myself. I am far from being organized. There are days when
everything seems to fall into place for me and I go to bed with a sigh
of relief. Then there are the days when I run around like a chicken
with its head cut off and wonder what happened to the time and did I
really get so little accomplished.

I know that what I need is
balance. A life that is filled with a balance of work and play. Finding
that balance as a mother and an entrepreneur
is difficult. Working from home has benefits but there are seriously
challenges to overcome too. I liken it to having adult ADD. Although I
do not in actuality have this diagnosis, working on my computer all day
(and sometimes night) it is very easy to get distracted. Ooooh
what is that over there - it is pretty and sparkly and wait, what was I
doing again? Confusion abounds and chaos and disorder are frequently
the order of my day. Somehow I manage to get "things" done but honestly
my to-do list continues to grow and rarely can I say that it is
completely finished. I admit that many times I am totally overwhelmed
and just don't see a way out from under all of my responsibilities. And
sometimes, I fail. I fail to be the neatest housekeeper, I fail to get
all of my work done, my son sometimes watches more television that I
like to admit.I recognize that my struggle is not mine alone. I
think most mothers are trying to find a work life balance - even if
their work is being a domestic engineer. I recently was given a
lifeline when I met Victoria. She is one of the moms that I interviewed
while working with The Motherhood as a correspondent for http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ .
I was awed by Victoria and all of her accomplishments. Victoria is an
elementary school teacher and was awarded "teacher of the year" in
2007. She is also a single mother to 4 children. As I struggle to
manage it all with one child and a husband I HAD to ask her how she
does it all. Her response was simple "I don't."Can we breath a
collective sigh here? This accomplished woman simply decides to give
herself a break and makes no apology for it. She told me that many
mothers look at balance as a see saw that teeters from one side to
another but in reality it is more like a Frisbee floating on the surface of a pool. The Frisbee
dips and bends as gentle waves pass in the water. In essence, some days
are better than others, accept it, do what you can and move on.I
have to say that her words echo in my psyche often. I am working on
trying to dispel the myth of the Super Woman/Mom that all (or at least many) of us hold ourselves up to. It is not realistic or sustainable and
in many instances it ends up being detrimental to our health. I think
that we can all learn from Victoria's insights. When you have an
opportunity, stop by and lhttp://momshomeroom.msn.com/ , this woman never ceases to amaze me.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa As you know, I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
to bring you an exciting new website made for you, mom’s, for advice on
a wide array of topics. I wanted to bring this news to my readers
because the Moms of Mom’s Homeroom are filled with great expertise and
information for you. With my experience with the show winding down I
want to make sure to bring you the news on the next two episodes as
well as the last interview with a Mom’s Homeroom mom.
My experience seeing the Mom’s Homeroom web show being filmed was
just amazing. For me it was a once in a lifetime thing, something that
will stick with me forever. Everyone I met was so nice and
accommodating and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet
everyone, especially the mom’s. I left the set with so much great
advice and I can honestly say that by taking bits and pieces and
instilling them into my family, that it has made things a lot easier
and better for me, my husband and our children.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_behindthescenes.jpg http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_behindthescenes2.jpg
The last of my behind the scenes pictures.
Below is a synopsis of the brand new show that is airing now on Mom’s Homeroom:
Children & Socialization
– In this episode we take a look at social situations that involve kids
of multiple ages such as riding the bus, lunch periods, extracurricular
activities, etc. The tips and advice that the Moms have for you will be
very helpful in getting your own children ready to head back to school.
Check in with http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
for all your back to school advice and tips and help your kids be ready
to go on the first day! And check back soon for my last interview with
Victoria from Mom’s Homeroom as well as information on the next episode
that will be airing next week.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa Today, I will be bringing you our
interview with Jillian from Mom’s Homeroom. We asked her a few
questions that we felt our readers would like to hear about.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_jillian.jpg
Jillian, a mother of two, is board-certified in Adolescent and Child
Psychiatry as well as Psychiatry and Neurology. For the past nine years
she has been helping parents and children overcome challenges like
academic difficulties, learning disabilities, and emotional and social
disorders. One of Jillian’s strong points is to make sure that parents
listen to their children as well as talking to them, which in turn
improves the parent-child relationship. Read on for Jillian’s advice
and tips.
Discipline – Jillian discussed three general concepts when it comes to discipline no matter what the age of the child.
Consistency – you must have the same rules, all
the time. If you don’t want your child jumping on the couch then you
must stop your child every time they attempt to do that. Mom & Dad
and even Grandparents, who are taking an even bigger role than ever in
helping to raise their grandchildren, all need to be on the same page
with dealing with the rules. Grandma can’t let the kids do something
that Mom & Dad don’t allow or the children will get confused.Control Your Emotions – There is not a parent
around that can say that they never raised their voice to yell at their
kids, but in losing control of your emotions you are showing your
children that you can’t handle a situation. And it’s not just with your
kids, if you lose an important document and calming search for it
without losing control you will teach your kids how to rectify a
situation while keeping a clear, calm level head.Positive Reinforcement – One thing that is so
important is to not only tell your children when they do something
wrong but to let them know when they do something good. This will boost
their self-esteem and generally make them feel great about themselves.
Using behavioral charts and star charts are also great ways to
monitor your children’s behavior, and if one doesn’t work, don’t give
up completely, try a new approach and eventually you will find one that
works.
School and Changes Within Your Child – Kids gearing
up to go back to school are filled with anxiety as it is, but add
changes going on within their bodies and tweens and teens can become a
whole different animal. You, as the parent will need to adjust to their
mood swings, where one minute they love you and the next they hate you.
You will have to understand that during this phase their peers are more
important to them then you are. It is a phase and once you understand
that it will pass and it is not a direct attack on you, things will
become better. One tip to ease some of this anxiety of starting school
is to get them involved with the school or their peers a few weeks
prior to the start, this should lessen their anxiety a bit.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_jillian_interview.jpg
Ways For Families To Get Back To Basics And Connect
– Sure it is easier to have your child sitting in front of the TV so
you can get something done, but when that happens you both lose out. If
you start a child out early on being active within the family it will
be easy and a lesson they will take with them throughout their lives,
but there will be obstacles if you start out with older kids. With
older children they will complain about having to partake in family
activities but if you continue and not give up they will eventually
come around and enjoy being with the family.
Activities like cooking and arts and
crafts are great ways to bond with your children. And physical
activities, like going to a park or a zoo or even riding a bike can
make great impressions on them. Getting back to basics can also include
playing board games or doing something that doesn’t involve technology.
Doing that allows for so much more communication between you and your
child and will make for one strong bond.
Economic Times and Stress
– In these tough times when families are losing their savings, college
funds and even their homes it has become extremely important to limit
the amount of stress your children are exposed to. Try to have your
conversations about these topics away from the kids. Even if they are
sleeping (or supposed to be) they can still hear if conversations
become heated. Because they don’t understand most of these situations
yet it is best to protect them from the stress of it all.
This is however a great time to reconnect
as a family in ways that don’t have you spending money. You can even
include them in making a family budget so they begin to understand the
importance of saving.
Jillian is a big supporter of relaxation
techniques and teaches children how to release anxiety by the 3-3-3
technique (relaxation breathing). Breathe in through the nose for 3
seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale through mouth for 3 seconds (by the
way this works for adults too, trust me I have tried it). She also uses
Visual Guided Imagery, which is where some soft, quiet new age type
music is played and a mans or woman’s voice comes on and give a
descriptive story, like talking about how the water is bouncing off the
rocks, the colors of a rainbow, etc. to help a child relax. And of
course physical activity can always help burn off anxiety.
That wraps up our interview with Jillian. She is a wonderful woman
and I learned so many tips and techniques from her that I will be
instilling into my family life and I am so happy to have had the chance
to meet her and talk to her. I hope my readers all find her advice and
tips as valuable to them as I have. Thank you Jillian for a great
interview! Check back soon as I introduce another Mom’s Homeroom Mom to
you as well as introduce the next episode of the show.
I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to bring you all of this great information.

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ReneeJRoss

http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/08/one-thing-that-has-always-been.html

One
thing that has always been important to me is service to community. For
the majority of my professional career I have worked for non-profit
organizations and in my most recent full-time position I worked in the
government. The commitment to serve was instilled in me early by my
mother. Despite working full time from the time I was 9 years old and
being a single parent, she served on the Board of Directors for the
community center in my neighborhood. Not only was my mother interested
in providing the best for me( private violin and voice lessons,
sleep-away camp, I traveled and attended a camp for performing arts).
but she also was compelled to make a difference in the lives of others.
Her impact on me has been incredible, at an early age I participated in
all types of fundraisers for causes including jump rope for
heart,cerebral palsy campaigns, muscular dystrophy, if there was a
cause and a fundraiser you were sure to find me there. It is my hope
that when my son is old enough he will appreciate the importance of
service to others and I am always impressed when I interact with women
that have an interest in service.When I was on the set of http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ I had the opportunity to interview Alba, a stay at home mom of two. Alba homeschools her son Tyler and daughter Amber.http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wkw0dlYXI1M/SoMaeV7iuUI/AAAAAAAABds/Ukt3m4yGVbo/s1600-h/DSC_0417_2.JPG
During our interview she discussed the importance of "Leading By
Example." She stressed her commitment to community involvement and
wants her children to follow in her footsteps. Alba is involved in
numerous activities including: being the homeschool
leader in her community for the past 7 years, organizing a Men's Soccer
league and most recently starting a children's soccer league. She is
also active in her church and highly values her Latin culture. She
incorporates learning about their culture into her children's studies
and organizes annual cultural event. She hopes to take a family visit
to Latin America next year to entrench her children in the culture.Equally
impressive is her commitment to nurturing her children's self-esteem.
Referencing the book "The Five Love Languages" she described how
everyone feels valued in different ways and the importance of
determining how your child(ren)
feel valued. Physical affection is common in her home and she believes
that affirming a child will help them to succeed. I have to say that I
totally agree with Alba and will be picking up that book too, not just
for raising my child but for having a loving relationship with all of
my family members. Alba was a joy to interview and implementing her
recommendations can only have a positive effect.

I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to bring you this great information.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa Today, I will be bringing you our
interview with Claire from Mom’s Homeroom. Renee and I asked her a few
questions that we felt our readers would like to hear about.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#7/Moms/20828306
Claire is a mother of two, and is very familiar with the struggle of
career and family. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology
and operates a practice that concentrates on preventative and wellness
medicine. Claire is a member of the American Society for Nutrition and
keeps herself in shape by running. She aims to give back to her
community and is teaching her children to do the same. Read on to find
out what tips we learned by talking with Claire.
Picky Eaters – One of the things we learned was
that we really do need to expose our children to multiple types of
foods. When we go to the grocery store we tend to only get what we like
or foods we know about. We need to expand our boundaries and try new
foods. And one tip that I was happy to learn is that kids sometimes get
in the cycle where they only want one thing and as long as it is a
healthy, nourishing item then it is okay to let them eat the same thing
as they will eventually break out of that cycle. I loved to hear that
as sometimes my toddler gets into that phase.
Kids Exercise – With Physical Education being cut
down or taken out of schools all together it is important that our
children get the exercise they need. Claire recommends encouraging your
children to find an activity that keeps them active that they enjoy. It
could be as simple as finding a bike trail and riding their bike,
something that you can do with them, or find a sports activity that
they are interested in. With baseball, soccer, football, dance,
lacrosse, gymnastics and even martial arts they are bound to find
something they like.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=mh_clairesinterview.jpg
Back To School – Claire says she plans several
weeks in advance for getting her kids ready to go back to school. In
order to mentally prepare them for this she changes their sleeping
schedule about two weeks prior. They go to bed earlier and wake up
earlier a little each day to get them ready for that early morning
alarm clock once school starts. Kids really do need a full nights sleep
to be productive at school.
Extra Curricular Activities, At What Point Does It Become Too Much?
– Kids these days are bogged down with tight schedules that have them
doing homework in cars traveling from activity to activity. With this,
their school work and chores, the concern that they aren’t being a
child is a big one. Kids need the time to take a break and to
experience childhood. Schedules really need to be relaxed a bit. Claire
says that her children know that if things start sliding with their
schoolwork that the extra curricular activities will be taken away.
Teachers also have begun to place a big emphasis on the fact that
schoolwork needs to come first.
Nutrition – Every child should start their day with
a full, balanced breakfast in order to succeed in school. Nutrition
does affect their attention span, information retention and test
taking. If they have a good start to their morning with a great
breakfast they will be able to keep up in school. If your child has
sugary foods, then they are sluggish and tired and really can’t keep
up. Claire says that building basic nutrition skills at an early age is
something we as parents should do as it really helps them out in the
long run.
That wraps up our interview with Claire. She is a great, laid back
mom and is full of useful information and I am so happy to have had the
chance to meet her and talk to her. I learned a lot from her in the
short time I was able to spend chatting with her and I hope my readers
all find her advice and tips as valuable to them as I have. Thank you
Claire for a great interview! Check back soon as I introduce another
Mom’s Homeroom Mom to you as well as introduce the next episode of the
show.
I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to bring you all of this great information.

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ReneeJRoss
http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/07/big-day.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wkw0dlYXI1M/SnGxqodr9BI/AAAAAAAABYQ/_lOurOaUEP0/s1600-h/DSC_0417.JPG Today is the big day! The launch of the newest episode of http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ .
As I mentioned a few weeks back, I have been hired as a correspondent
to give you updates as each episode is released. Last week I jumped the
gun and gave you an overview of the interview with Claire, who is a
OB/GYN and one of the Mom Experts. If you missed that post you can read
all about her, our conversation and her tips for back to school
preparation http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/07/expert-advice-for-moms.html .
Although my son is still too young for school, I was certainly well
informed about his nutrition when I spoke with Claire (in addition to
being an ob/gyn she is also a nutrition expert). http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
is a great resource for moms and I hope that you get a chance to check
out this week's episode. Especially if you have a school aged
child(ren). This week the focus is on "Back To School." Here in the
South the kids are back in the saddle again next week and I am sure
that parents around the country are all preparing for school which will
be starting sometime over the next six weeks for everyone. I have been
hearing all sorts of dialogue in the blogosphere, especially among moms
sending kiddies to kindergerten! What a bittersweet occasion. No matter
what age your child is you can find great back to school tips on http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ !Next week http://themotherhood.com/
will be hosting a live chat on August 6 at 1:00PM EST. I along with
Jennifer of The Dirty Shirt will be discussing back to school tips and
our experience at the shooting of Mom's Homeroom. If you are available,
I hope you can join us.

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Jentifa http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ Today, I will be bringing you our
interview with Alba from Mom’s Homeroom. Renee and I asked her a few
questions that we felt our readers would like to hear about.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/18065680
Alba is a very down-to-earth mother who has a very secure grip on
her love for her children as well as volunteering and teaching her
children to feel valued. She is dedicated to her community and teaches
her children to be the same way. Read on to see what she feels strongly
about and how her homeschooling style is.
Community Involvement – Alba leads by example with
her children. Between teaching her children and volunteering she works
hard, saying it really is a full time job where she only gets about 6
hours of sleep a day. She is the homeschool leader of her town and has
been for the last 7 years. She has started and helped run soccer
leagues as well as coordinated a national cultural event at her church.
Her children see her volunteering everyday and they see that there is a
lot of different opportunities to help within their own community as
well as others.
Homeschool Style – Alba became a stay at home
mother the day she gave birth to her first child and when her children
became school aged she knew in her heart that she wanted to keep them
home and teach them. With advice from her sister she set out to helping
her children learn with an eclectic, textbook style of homeschooling.
She follows her gut in what she feels she needs to teach them, and
understands when one child gets a little ahead of their peers or falls
a little behind. Her greatest feat was teaching her children English
and feels that the library is a wealth of information and resources.
When asked how she knows that her children have progressed to the
next grade she explains that her state has three methods of testing
your child, she discusses two of the ways. One way, and the way she
chooses to test her children, is to have a certified teacher evaluate
them. A favorite word is commensurate, to see if the children are
learning at their level, not according to peers, but of themselves.
Another way of testing is letting the children take a standardized
test, to which Alba’s teaching is not geared to, meaning she does not
teach her children to what would be on the test.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=interview_alba.jpg
Me, Alba and Renee from Cutie Booty Cakes
Socialization – While a homeschooling mom never
stops teaching, unlike the big summer break kids have from public
school, socialization is not a problem for Alba’s children. Teaching
lasts around 3 hours and that allows for great socialization and
interaction with their friends. They have dance classes and soccer
practices as well as church activities to keep them very active, even
throughout the summer months. Alba’s goal in life is to make sure her
children can fit into any environment, so she know they will always be
able to handle themselves.
Nurturing Self Esteem – Alba says a very important
book to her is, “The Five Languages of Love”, and it helps you realize
that every member of a family is valued in a different way. Alba
nurtures her children with physical affection, lots of hugs. She feels
it is important to “read” your child and get a feel for how they feel
valued and nurture that.
That about wraps up our interview with Alba. She is a very smart,
savvy woman who is a fountain of information and I am so happy to have
had the chance to meet her and talk to her. I learned a lot from her in
the short time I was able to spend chatting with her and I hope my
readers all find her advice and tips as valuable to them as I have.
Thank you Alba for a great interview! Check back soon as I introduce
another Mom’s Homeroom Mom to you as well as introduce the next episode
of the show.
I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to bring you all of this great information.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa As you know, I am working with circle.php?l=55995 as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
to bring you an exciting new website made for you, mom’s, for advice on
a wide array of topics. I wanted to bring this news to my readers
because the Moms of Mom’s Homeroom are filled with great expertise and
information for you. So, over the next few weeks I will be filling you
in on all their new webisodes and let you in on a sneak peek of how it
was for me to be on the set of filming these wonderful shows, as well
as sharing interview questions and answers.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
is a website where you can go for videos, articles and tips on
everything to doing with being a mom and helping your children succeed
in and out of the classroom. I would like to introduce the Moms of
Mom’s Homeroom now and tell you a little about them.
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=moms_MH.jpg
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/18065680
– homeschools her two children in an effort to keep her family close
and experience all that life has to offer together. She takes each
day’s events and turns them into learning experiences. A mom who is
dedicated to her community and gets fulfillment from sharing her
experiences as a mom and shares a bond with people from different
backgrounds.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/18065673
– a mother of two and a member of the American Society for Nutrition.
She is also a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist who runs a
practice that is concentrated on preventative and wellness medicine.
Claire is familiar with the struggles of balancing work and home.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/18065679
– a mother of two Jillian is also board-certified in child and
adolescent psychiatry as well as in psychiatry and neurology. For the
past 9 years, she has counseled parents and children on ways to
overcome academic difficulties, learning disabilities and emotional and
social disorders.
http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/17993263
– a 3rd grade teacher, this single mom of 4 knows the importance of
teaching kids to realize their potential and help them gain the skills
they need to become a well-rounded person. Victoria was named Teacher
of the Year in 2007 by her elementary school and has been recognized as
a mentor-teacher for the past 4 years.
With each new episode I will bring you more information on each of
the amazing women, who I am so lucky to have had the chance to meet. So
head on over to http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ to get in on the exciting new site for moms just like you! You can catch all the fun and excitement here at http://thedirtytshirt.com/ , http://www.cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/ , and circle.php?l=55995 .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had a great time at the taping of these
shows and it was so interesting to see what happens behind the scenes.
Here are a few pictures from the shoot…
http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=behindsceens2.jpg http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj459/thedirtyshirtblog/?action=view&current=behindsceens1.jpg
This was a first for me, and I loved
seeing what it takes to make a show a success, the crew worked hard and
were all so very nice, some even going out of their way to help me out
if I had a question. This was a great opportunity to see the Moms of
Mom’s Homeroom on the set getting ready to tape. I am so thankful for
the opportunity to be a part of this awesome experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below is a synopsis of the brand new show that will be airing soon on Mom’s Homeroom:
Preparing My Kids For Back To School (Part 1 of 2) airing July 30th
– Learning never ends and you are invited to join the Moms as they look
at ways they make sure their own kids are ready to go back to school.
The tips and advice that the Moms have for
you will be very helpful in getting your own children ready to head
back to school. Tips like having them start getting to bed and waking
up a little earlier each week will help them be prepared for when that
first school bell rings this year.
Check in with http://momshomeroom.msn.com/
for all your back to school tips and help your kids will be ready to go
on the first day! And check back soon for my first interview with Alba
from Mom’s Homeroom.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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ReneeJRoss Remember a few weeks ago when I had the fabulous opportunity to visit the http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/2009/07/moms-homeroom.html ?
The highlight of my trip was chatting with each of the fabulous Mom
experts on an individual basis. Each week I will be sharing with you
information about each Mom and a little insight into the latest
episode. Today I will focus on the conversation I had with Claire. She
is a mother of two, a member of the American Society for Nutrition, and
a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, who runs a practice
concentrated on preventative and wellness medicine. Claire is familiar
with the constant struggle to balance career and family, and she hopes
to share her experiences so others can find balance in their life.Claire
is vivacious and friendly. Her smile is infectious and she is so easy
going I felt like I was speaking with one of my long time girlfriends.
During our conversation we talked about a myriad of things including
her thoughts about the Diva Cup (yes, I went there but
I thought it was appropriate given she is an OB/GYN). She was
fascinated that such a thing existed and provided me with information
about our menstrual cycles that was very enlightening (did you know
that some of the menstrual blood goes back up into your uterus?). Clearly, we were comfortable together, the picture below tells the story.http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wkw0dlYXI1M/SmRn3VUATlI/AAAAAAAABWM/mW8kJKIyhBs/s1600-h/DSC_0392_2.JPG Our
"interview" began with a discussion about nutrition and children.
Claire highlighted the importance of breakfast because it truly is the
most important meal of the day. Children that do not have breakfast on
a daily basis frequently lack focus and energy, which often has a
negative impact on their performance. Good nutrition partnered with
exercise helps keep kids healthy. Unfortunately many schools have
eliminated physical education from the curriculum. Partner the
sedentary lifestyle of video games and long hours of television
watching, children are on the road to obesity. Claire suggested that
parents not only encourage children to get outside and moving but to
participate in physical activity with their children. Bike riding,
rollerskating, swimming and even games of tag are exercises that can be
easily incorporated into our daily schedules to promote an active
lifestyle.Personally, I have been concerned about my son's
proclivity to be a picky eater. Claire advised me that young children
may need to be introduced to foods several times before they eat it
and/or determine if it is something they enjoy. Although I keep this in
mind when Mekhi was a baby, hearing it repeated alleviated my fears
about his eating habits. Claire also noted that children are like
mini-adults, provide them with balanced meals and on some days they may
eat everything and on others not so much. As long as they are getting
all of their nutritional needs met over the course of the week there is
little cause to be concerned. This was truly music to my ears.Finally,
we discussed the topic of this week's episode of Mom's Homeroom - Back
To School. After a long summer, returning to the routine of early
mornings and a school schedule can be challenging for both children and
parents. Claire starts preparing her children two weeks in advance for
early rising and suggests all parents do the same. She sends her kids
to bed earlier and wakes them earlier on a gradual basis during the two
week period prior to school starting. On the first day of school the
children are ready to go because the transition has been seamless.Claire
provided tips that can be useful for all parents. Talking with her was
truly enlightening and there are three other expert Mom's with
information to share. For more recommendations check out the "Back To
School" http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ airing on July 30th.

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Jentifa
From left to right: Alba, Claire, Jennifer (The Dirty Shirt), Victoria, Renee (Cutie Booty Cakes) and Jillian
I am working with TheMotherhood as a correspondent for Kellogg’s and
Mom’s Homeroom to bring you an exciting new website made for you,
mom’s, for advice on a wide array of topics. Keep watching http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ , http://thedirtytshirt.com/ , http://www.cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/ , and circle.php?l=55995
for updates throughout the next couple of weeks. It's going to be full of
great advice, interesting information and more. I learned so much in
just one day on the set and I can’t wait to bring you more!

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Cooper
Doesn't this look so exciting!?

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Cooper
What a great photo of Renee, Jennifer and http://momshomeroom.msn.com/#6/Moms/18065673 . You can see Renee's http://whrrl.com/experience/show/18132094?sharer= .

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Cooper Our amazing correspondents, http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/ and http://thedirtytshirt.com/ are reporting live from a taping of the http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ today. Look for dispatches as Renee and Jennifer interview the hosts of http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ and watch as several episodes of the show are filmed. I can't wait to hear all about the day!!!!!!!! Renee and Jennifer will be posting to Twitter and Whrrl as well. You can follow their day that way, too:Click here for http://twitter.com/ReneeJRoss Click here for http://whrrl.com/person/17328604/Renee_Ross Click here for http://twitter.com/Jentifa Click here for http://whrrl.com/person/17458217/Jennifer_Leet Have a great day!

over 2 years ago - Comment

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charliegurlie GREAT info and resources!!!! Awesome Cooper!!

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Cooper
The http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ show is a really tremendous resource. We'll be sharing lots more fun information about it soon. In the meantime, look for some real time posts from the set of the http://momshomeroom.msn.com/ TOMORROW when http://cutiebootycakes.blogspot.com/ and http://thedirtytshirt.com/ will be reporting live from the show's taping! How cool is that!

over 2 years ago - Comment

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Cooper Check out the Mom's Homeroom site - I was so impressed by the shows and the content. It is LOADED full of great information. Click the link above to go to Mom's Homeroom.

http://www.momshomeroom.msn.com/

over 2 years ago - Comment

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