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The Motherhood Helps Kick Off #Action2015 Today

January 15, 2015 by The Motherhood

2015 is a big year for a few reasons. Not only do I have a 15 year old in ’15, but this year marks the end of the first UN Millennium Development Goals – the most successful global anti-poverty effort in history – and the creation of the next set of goals.

So, how great that the UN and the ONE Campaign brought in a group of 15 year olds to celebrate! All born in 2000 when the first MDGs were created, and all kids who will inherit the world in 2030, the target date for the next set of goals, they filmed a video with the UN Secretary General, kicking off #Action2015 today (my daughter Erin is sitting front right):

http://youtu.be/Qte-OBsm51Y

#Action2015 is mobilizing the support of young people around the world to empower them to create one vision for their generation to end poverty, inequality and climate change.

You might like this video as well –Your World, Your Choice – also published today for #Action2015:

Where Are Germs Hiding in Your House?

December 18, 2014 by The Motherhood

With all the festivities that come with the holidays, no one wants to be stuck in bed battling a cold or the flu! That’s why Clorox®, The Motherhood and a team of germ-fighting bloggers recently shared the icky truth about where bacteria and viruses hide, and tips on how to stay healthy through the season!

The Clorox Company and global public health organization NSF International conducted a study in homes of parents with young children, and discovered that germs hang out in unexpected places! More than half of parents surveyed said they felt the kitchen countertop was the surface they needed to clean most often. Yet the study results found that four times as many households had bathroom sinks that were germier than kitchen countertops. The majority of parents surveyed also ranked the kitchen drawer knob as the germiest surface, but in reality, other spots around the home – such as the kitchen countertop, bathroom sink and bathroom faucet handle – harbored more germs and viruses. Check out this #GermsStick video for other findings you might be surprised to see.

Our bloggers used #GermsStick stickers to show the germy hot spots that bacteria and viruses were found – and as a reminder for where to disinfect!

Laurie, Guessing All the Way

Lori, A Day in the Motherhood

So how can you keep germs at bay in your house this season? Read on for some tips, and visit Clorox.com/GermsStick for more information and fun activities to share with your family!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), viruses such as Influenza and Enterovirus spread through close contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
To prevent the spread of germs in your home, the CDC recommends disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, especially when someone is sick. Parents can use an EPA-registered disinfectant, like Clorox^® Disinfecting Wipes, to kill 99.9 percent of germs* that can live on hard non-porous surfaces for up to 48 hours.
Along with disinfecting germ hot spots, parents can help keep their families healthier by taking the same prevention steps recommended every year, including:
- Get Vaccinated: Getting a yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in flu prevention. The CDC recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu vaccine each year to protect against the flu.
- Stay Home When Sick: If possible, keep kids home from school when they are sick to help prevent teachers and classmates from catching their illness.
- Sing & Scrub: Make sure kids wash their hands the right way. They should wash hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
- Do the Elbow Cough: Teach kids to cough and sneeze into elbows instead of your hands to help prevent the spread of germs by touch.

*Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Influenza A virus.

#MakeWonder: Nurturing Creativity through Play

December 16, 2014 by The Motherhood

With the holiday break just days away, children will soon swap schoolwork for fun at home – but the opportunities to learn don’t have to stop!

It’s been said that play is the work of childhood, and Wonder Workshop is taking this idea to an amazing new level.

With technology playing such an integral role in our world, Wonder Workshop – the maker of Dash & Dot – is engineering smart, new ways to take children beyond the screen and empowering them to learn, play and create joy.

The Motherhood team took a walk down memory lane and recalled some of the ways we delighted in using our imaginations as children and turned everyday objects into something extraordinary:

Brittnee: My cousins and I created and performed a puppet show for our family based on whatever holiday or occasion we were celebrating. With many of us participating, it was one of my first memories of working together with a group of people on a common goal – a performance for the whole family!

Brittney: I loved rounding up my neighborhood friends to create plays and musicals! We would create a script and choreography (music provided via cassette tape), spend a few days rehearsing, design and print flyers to promote the play and then put on our performance for a neighborhood audience.

Erin: As kids, my brother and I could find magic in everyday objects and even trash: The laundry basket became a rocket ship, a refrigerator box filled with styrofoam peanuts became a certain rich cartoon duck’s money bin and our swing set in the backyard was a giant pirate ship. Our imaginations took us everywhere.

Kayla: I remember making homemade play dough with my mom when I was younger. I learned how to do it at school and was so excited I came home and begged my mom to help me make it again! It was one of our favorite things to do and I loved to make different colors, depending on my mood.

Nicole: When my brother and I were younger we used to make art out of ANYTHING. We would find smooth rocks and large leaves from outside and paint on them all sorts of colors and designs.

Sarah: I always loved building different types of buildings or houses with Lincoln Logs & Legos! I would try to “rebuild” places like my house and sometimes buildings like the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) in downtown Chicago!

Serena: My two cousins and I started a recurring newspaper called “The Triple ‘S’ Post” (our first names all start with ‘S’) and distributed it to our families. We were each in charge of different sections: comics, sports, weather, wanted ads, even a gossip column! We found a few copies recently and showed my nieces and nephews, who are around the age we were when we wrote them. They loved the idea so much that they’ve started a similar paper themselves!

For more on how you can discover new ways for your children to play and learn, visit www.makewonder.com.

It’s National Influenza Vaccination Week

December 10, 2014 by The Motherhood

‘Tis the season for family get-togethers, holiday magic and also, the flu. Influenza is a serious disease that can result in hospitalization and can even be fatal. An annual seasonal flu vaccine (either the flu shot or the nasal spray flu vaccine) is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and spread it to others.

Did you know influenza vaccination activity drops quickly after the end of November – but flu activity peaks between December and February? That’s why we at The Motherhood partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a team of fantastic bloggers to raise awareness of the importance of flu vaccines during the ninth annual National Influenza Vaccination Week, December 7-13, 2014.

Our bloggers shared some eye-opening information on the importance of vaccinations in their posts. Read on for a few of the highlights and follow along with the conversation using #NIVW2014. For more information on influenza and how you can keep your family healthy this season, please visit the CDC’s website.

“It is recommended that anyone 6 months or older get an annual flu vaccine to help protect against the disease. And even those who have already gotten the flu could benefit from the vaccination because it protects you against three or four different flu viruses!” – Mariah, Formula: Mom

“I know we’re even more cautious because Aliceana has been diagnosed with asthma. Vaccination is especially important for children with asthma, diabetes (type 1 and 2), or certain other long-term medical conditions because they are at increased risk for serious complications from flu if they get sick. (Such as a worsening in asthma attacks.)” – Brittany, The Domestic Geek

“As a medic in the US Army we take our vaccinations very seriously. The average US Army soldier has had more vaccinations than the average person. One of those that we do yearly and without fail is the flu vaccination. With the ‘mission’ always our main focus, how can we do our job if our troops are sick with the flu? Early in October we get our flu vaccines and we vaccinate our entire company. We even vaccinate our pregnant soldiers. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy is safe and can protect the mother and the baby for up to 6 months after birth. We go through the training that is needed because every year something new is discovered. Every year the strain becomes a little different. Since I’m being protected, then why not my family? My kids get their vaccinations every year as well. It not only protects them but I feel a lot better knowing that they are protected.” – Ann-Marie, Growing Up Madison

“…Last week my daughter was throwing up so much she ended up having to go to the hospital to get an IV. I did not want anyone else to get that sick or get the flu, so I decided it was time for us all to get our flu shots…It’s especially important for my family to get it, since we have young children who are at higher risk. Other high-risk people include pregnant women, people with asthma, diabetes, or heart and lung disease, and people ages 65 and older. If you are high-risk and get the flu, you can get complications like pneumonia or worsening of existing health conditions which can lead to hospitalization or death.” – Heidi, Honeybear Lane

Do you get a flu shot each year? Here at The Motherhood, all of us do!

Celebrating #GivingTuesday with The Motherhood’s clients

December 2, 2014 by The Motherhood

Today is #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back! Today, businesses, communities and individuals all over the world will celebrate generosity and support a non-profit close to their hearts.

The Motherhood has worked with The United Nations Foundation since the first Giving Tuesday in 2012, and we’re honored to be an ongoing part of this amazing movement. Take a look at how we’re celebrating this special day with some of our wonderful client partners this year – and how you can participate, too!

Champions for Kids: This year, our amazing team of bloggers helped 3.3 million children and 27,000 organizations through programming that provided Champions for Kids (CFK) with much-needed donations and resources to help children thrive. But we didn’t stop there.

The Motherhood recently volunteered to help coordinate an additional program with bloggers passionate about helping children in need across the nation, and asked bloggers to donate their voices to raise awareness of kids’ needs and spur additional donations to help fun CFK programming in communities across the U.S. Nearly 40 bloggers signed on – documenting their own childhood memories of kids in need who they wished they could have helped at the time. Inspired to help kids across the U.S.? Learn more about how you can support Champions for Kids here.

The Fred Rogers Company: Mister Rogers began each program by asking viewers to be his neighbors. This fall, The Fred Rogers Company and The Motherhood asked a group of bloggers to do the same by sharing personal stories on a brand-new site celebrating neighborliness: WontYouBeMyNeighbor.org. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, we hope you’ll take a moment to share what it means to be a good neighbor by posting to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #BeMyNeighbor – your story will appear on WontYouBeMyNeighbor.org!

JOHNSON’S® More Hands, More Hearts™: This #GivingTuesday, JOHNSON’S has committed to the happy, healthy development of babies with the More Hands, More Hearts program, and The Motherhood is thrilled to work with a wonderful team of bloggers to share the news.

JOHNSON’S is donating baby care kits and a special grant to help moms ensure their babies thrive, and you can help, too! Simply share a photo through the Donate a Photo app and you’ll be providing a child with the critical resources he or she needs for healthy development. During the month of December, JOHNSON’S will double the donation when you select Save the Children, too – up to $100,000. You can also participate in our Twitter party on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. ET, and use #MoreHandsMoreHearts to share how you’re giving back this season.

Walmart Food Pantry Holiday Makeover: Did you know that 49 million Americans – 16 million of whom are children – struggle with hunger at some point during the year? Many families rely on the support of their local food pantries, and providing meals requires these pantries to be well-equipped to safely store, prepare, serve and transport food.

This Giving Tuesday, Walmart launched the Food Pantry Holiday Makeover campaign. Between today and December 12, you can visit www.walmart.com/holidaymakeover and cast one vote per day (a 24-hour time period) to help a participating food pantry. 75 winning food pantries will each receive a $20,000 grant to purchase items they need to continue providing fresh meals and exceptional service to local communities. This is an issue close to our bloggers’ hearts, and over the next week, they’ll spread the word to support their local food pantries. The grants will be announced on December 15!

Tell us how you’re celebrating #GivingTuesday this year!