The Motherhood

Where Many of Us Forget to Recycle

October 30, 2014 by The Motherhood

In the kitchen, you probably recycle empty cans, milk jugs and glass containers. At the office, used notepaper and empty envelopes go in the blue bin. But in the bathroom, all too often, everything from cardboard toilet paper rolls to shampoo bottles is put straight into the garbage.

One year ago this month, after learning that many of us forget to recycle in the bathroom – where most of their products are used – Johnson & Johnson launched a wonderful resource on Tumblr called Care To Recycle^®, where you can find helpful information about where, what and how to recycle.

Now through November 6, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the site launch, you can participate in a scavenger hunt on the Care to Recycle^®page to claim rewards such as gift cards, electronics, household products and eco-friendly gifts. Here’s how it works!

Visit the Tumblr page and look for “Hunt Hint” posts.
Posted throughout the page, you’ll find posts that answer the “Hunt Hints.” Each answer post includes a 1-Year Anniversary badge in the upper left-hand corner (shaped like a “1” candle).
When you’ve found an answer post, click the “Earn Points” button to claim 10 points from Care To Recycle® partner Recyclebank. Points will go toward earning prizes.

And while you’re at it, set yourself up for success when it comes to recycling in the bathroom with these tips, compiled from just a few of the many that can be found on the Care To Recycle® page!

Put an extra basket in the bathroom so you can easily separate trash and recycling on the spot.
Give empty bottles just a quick rinse before they go in the recycling bin. You don’t need to remove every drop of the contents or peel off the label – what could be easier?
Remember that paperboard is mostly recyclable. That includes toilet paper rolls and many cartons for over-the-counter soaps, Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages and more.

What are your tips for recycling?

#PoweringSafety with a Simple, Life-Saving Household Update

October 29, 2014 by The Motherhood

How many of you are looking forward to enjoying an extra hour of sleep this weekend, thanks to “falling back” when Daylight Saving Time ends on Nov. 2?

As you’re changing your clocks back this weekend, you can also make a critical update to your home: changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

We might take these detectors for granted as we go about our daily lives, but did you know that you are twice as likely to survive a fire in a home with working smoke detectors*? That’s why it is so important to make sure to test them and change the batteries regularly!

This month, The Motherhood has been working with Energizer® and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) on a wonderful initiative called Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® to remind us all to get into this life-saving habit.

Through our work together, we learned about some eye-opening fire safety statistics from the National Fire Protection Association:

Home fires take the lives of more than 2,500 people each year in the United States alone.
On average, seven people are killed in home fires every day.
Today, one of the foremost issues with fire safety isn’t installing smoke alarms, but rather, keeping smoke alarms working. Households with non‐working smoke alarms now outnumber those with no smoke alarms at all.
And finally, 71 percent of smoke alarms that failed to operate had missing, disconnected or dead batteries.

The good news is that there is so much we can do to prevent these disasters. Join us in changing and testing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors this weekend, and take the time to make a fire safety plan with your family! You can find more resources here.

*Source: National Fire Protection Association

Make it a Fashionable Fall: J.Jill’s Fabulous Savings

October 23, 2014 by The Motherhood

Scarves, check…boots, check…sweater dresses, check. We’re ready to brave the rapidly cooling temperatures now that our fall wardrobe is complete – and this year, it’s more versatile, comfortable and stylish than ever!

That’s because we recently wrapped up a campaign with J.Jill, spotlighting their inspired-by-nature pure jill fall collection. The line features flattering silhouettes, plush fabrics and the perfect pieces for layering and creating that classic fall look.

For inspiration, check out some of the styled outfits that our bloggers (or should we call them models?) put together in the catalog-worthy photos below. Feeling like your wardrobe needs some of these cozy, chic staples? Use code MOPJ30 and receive 30% off any item from the Pure Jill collection between now and Nov. 30, 2014!

Happy shopping!

Andrea, Momma in Flip Flops

pure jill Crinkle V-Neck Tunic Top and pure jill Crinkle Infinity Scarf, both shown in Grey Heather

Erin, A Parenting Production

pure jill Crinkle Infinity Scarf in English Moss Heather

Natasha, Schue Love

pure jill Minimalist Coat in Dark Charcoal Heather

Candace, Luxe…With Kids

pure jill Plush Infinity Scarf in Cocoa Heather

The ONE #AYASummit

October 21, 2014 by The Motherhood

Tomorrow I head to DC for the #AYASummit and I couldn’t be more excited.

Hosted by ONE and Google, the #AYA Summit will focus on issues facing women and girls in the developing world, with a particular emphasis on what it means to be born female in Africa and what we, along with girls and women in Africa, can do to help people meet their full potential.

The agenda for the three days looks terrific. Included are Nick Kristof, Patricia Amira, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fast Company, the Centers for Disease Control, and many others. As a side note, Patricia Amira is sometimes called “the Oprah of Africa” and she’s wonderful – she hosted a dinner for the ONE Moms when we traveled to Kenya in 2011 and I’m beyond thrilled to get to see her again.

I’m leading a panel called “Change Through Health” with Paul Zeitz, a senior advisor in the office of the Global AIDS Coordinator at the U.S. State Department, and Rye Barcott, co-founder of Carolina for Kibera. We’ll look at micro and macro programs for developing better health systems for poor communities. If you have any questions you’d like me to ask either Paul or Rye, please be in touch or leave a comment!

A big highlight of the conference will be getting to see a lot of old friends and the ONE Girls and Women Advisory Board members.

A big shout-out to ONE and Google for organizing the Summit. Can’t wait!

Top 7 Halloween Safety Tips from Energizer

October 16, 2014 by The Motherhood

For many of us, October is our favorite month because of the beautiful change of seasons and arrival of all things pumpkin! And of course, it’s always fun to prepare the perfect costume for our little ones (like these adorable ideas from Mom Spotted, Mess for Less, The Butterfly Mom and The Mommyhood Chronicles). Halloween can be such a fun experience for children as they head out in their costumes with friends and family in search of sweet treats.

1391687_10151935028959356_170551108_n — Melissa, of The Mommyhood Chronicles shared this great photo of her and her kiddos in their costumes!

Of course, safety is always top of mind, so to keep things fun and safe, we’ve partnered with Energizer to share seven great safety tips for trick-or-treating:

Energizer Halloween Safety Tips

Plan a trick-or-treat route ahead of time. Create a route that avoids major intersections, but that does have safe crosswalks and sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks, be sure to walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Always look both ways before crossing any street.

Find new ways to celebrate the holiday. Seek out neighborhood “trunk-or-treats” as alternatives to traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating. These events are great for younger children or in neighborhoods that might be difficult to navigate on Halloween night.

Keep a portable light on hand (or head). As the sun sets, you don’t want to be caught in the dark. Energizer portable lights ensure you’re ready to hit the streets on Halloween night:
- Energizer_® LED 2 in 1 light Fusion Flashlights – Compact and versatile, Energizer Light Fusion Technology products are convenient, water resistant and provide impressively bright long lasting light—easily seen by drivers and other pedestrians.

Headlights – Powerful Energizer LED headlights are lightweight and convenient – perfect for keeping hands free. That way, you may hold your child’s hand, while their other clutches the ever-important candy container. The headlight can even add to or be a part of a costume!
Pick the right costume. Choose lightly colored costumes, while avoiding head-to-toe dark selections. Make sure the costume fits properly and shoes are comfortable. If possible, avoid masks and opt for face paint so that vision is not impaired.

Walk, don’t run. Take your time and walk; don’t run from house to house on Halloween night. Use Energizer portable lights to be aware of decorations or other obstructions in yard and on sidewalks to avoid trips and falls.

Be selective. Only visit well-lit houses and avoid stopping at dark houses. Remind your children to stay in groups and never accept rides from strangers or enter homes without a parent or guardian.

Charge your devices. Make sure to charge cell phones and ensure that your flashlight has fresh batteries. Energizer_® MAX® with Power Seal Technology is long-lasting and no leaks guaranteed*. Use your cell phone for necessary communications (and adorable photos), otherwise keep it in a purse or pocket to avoid distractions. *Or they will replace your device. See www.energizer.com/guarantee.

Have a fun, safe Halloween trick-or-treating with your little ones!

Give back this Fall: Champions for Kids Fall Kids’ Essentials #SIMPLEGiving Program!

October 13, 2014 by The Motherhood

This Fall, Champions for Kids, General Mills and Unilever are joining forces to make it simple for communities to provide basic resources to local students through donation opportunities.

That’s why we are so excited to be partnering with Champions for Kids for a #SIMPLEGiving Twitter party on Thursday, October 16, at 1 p.m. ET as they launch the SIMPLE Giving Fall Essentials Program!

The program will take place at more than 1,800 Walmart stores across America between now and October 27. To get involved, visit a participating Walmart to purchase food and personal care items for children in need and place them inside the donation bins inside the store. Your donations will stay in the local community and be distributed through school districts nearest to each store.

During the party, you can also learn about the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service project initiatives that create easy ways for people to give back to children in their communities. When you complete and share a SIMPLE Service project on the Champions for Kids website, you have a chance to win one of several prizes totaling $10,000 on behalf of your school! Finalists will also be highlighted on the Champions for Kids Facebook page.

We hope you join us for this amazing Twitter party and get inspired to give back in these SIMPLE ways in your communities!

Prizes! During the Twitter party, five prizes will be awarded to randomly selected participants who answer trivia questions correctly. Each prize is a $50 Walmart gift card. Prizes are limited to U.S. participants ages 18 and older only.