Super Mommies

Peace

In honor of International Peace Day I've got a fabulous giveaway thanks to Tiny Revolutionary (see details below).

As they say, each contact we make with another being is a chance to either make more or less peace.

Here are 5 little things you can do to spread PEACE-- start TODAY!

PEACE ACTIVITIES:

- SMILE. The act of smiling releases endorphins and serotonin - the good mood chemicals coursing through us. Smiling triggers these guys to wake up and start dancing which makes us happy. Happy people are peaceful people. And to paraphrase Elle Woods, peaceful people just don't kill people :).

- NAME-TAGS MATTER. Everyone who works in customer service wears a name tag and yet, very few people ever bother to call them by their name. Try including the person's name in your exchange next time and see how it changes the interaction. Recognizing that someone is a person, not a job, is a great way to break down those awkward walls we feel between us and promote understanding.

- LISTEN MORE. We think a HUGE issue with all the nastiness spreading across the air waves has to do with wanting to be heard. Perhaps everyone is screaming so loudly because there is a famine of listeners. Spend a day being a listener . . . even if you totally disagree with what someone is saying, listen. Do not argue. Breathe. Know you do not bare the responsibility for changing them and their opinions. Everyone's life experience delivers them to a set of conclusions about the way the world works. No single conversation will change anyone but you know what will make them better? Feeling as though they are heard. Be the hearer of their truth, even if it makes you want to run for the hills. People always feel more peaceful when they are heard.

- PET SOMETHING FURRY. This one is just for you. The dog, cat, hamster, etc will get a lot out of it too but not as much as you will. Pets and animals remind us to just be still. In stillness there is peace.

- HUG IT OUT. Hugs are a highly underrated form of peace activism but a really effective strategy for connecting with someone quickly. If we could ditch hand shakes altogether and go for the full body contact we would. Imagine how much better those business meetings would be if you started with a hug? To bolster your hug reserves, check out this Video of the Free Hugs Campaign - we dare you not to cry.

Giveaway:

Win your very own PEACE tee. I will randomly choose 5 winners and those winners will choose what size they would like to receive. (6-12months - 6x)

To enter, you must be a subscriber (see the link in the sidebar) AND you must leave a comment in the comments section. 

Comment on one way in which you will personally spread peace this week, or tell us what you do to bring peace into your life. The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM, Central Standard Time on Saturday, September 26th. I will announce the winner on Sunday, September 27th. One entry per person please. You must live within the United States. If you comment anonymously, please leave your email address in the comment so that I can reach you. Please feel free to share this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook or via Twitter!

 

Project Peanut Butter

PB&J is a staple in many homes across the United States, including mine. That said, peanuts themselves have become a bit of a controversial food item for many as more and more children are diagnosed with peanut allergies. Interestingly, in stark contrast to all the hoopla here in the United States surrounding peanut allergies, in many poverty stricken countries a peanut butter concoction is saving lives. Mark Manary, M.D., an American pediatrician made it his mission to solve malnutrition, and founded Project Peanut Butter. The combination of ground, roasted peanuts, vegetable oil, powdered milk, vitamins, minerals and sugar is used to treat pediatric malnutrition. Amazingly, it has a 90 percent recovery rate.

The nutty paste is versatile. Project Peanut Butter's website explains why. It said:

It can be stored, unrefrigerated, for months without spoiling, requires no cooking and is transported by truck to rural villages for the home-based therapy. Teams of medical personnel measure malnourished children for height, weight and arm circumference, and provide a two week ration of RUTF for children who need treatment. Thereafter, medical teams return to the village every two weeks to reassess enrolled children and provide the next two week ration if necessary. Most often, children are fully recovered in six to eight weeks’ time, achieving normal height, weight and arm circumference for their age group.

The non-profit's factory currently produces food to feed two-thirds of the malnourished children in Malawi and is starting production in Sierra Leone. The cost of the treatment is about $15 per child. If you would like to get involved, check their site for ways you can help.

Honor Military Moms with Operation Shower

I can’t imagine what it would have been like without my husband in the delivery room when my children were born, but thousands of women face this situation every day. Giving birth alone is a reality for many women who have husbands overseas serving in the United States military. Operation Shower, a nonprofit group, recognizes the enormous sacrifices these women make and honors them by producing and coordinating baby showers for pregnant and expecting military personnel and their families.

Here’s how it works and how you can help: Operation Shower assembles baby goods donated by individuals or companies around the country and throws unit wide showers where groups of moms each receive a surprise shower in a box. Each decorated box is filled with things like baby gear, skincare products, baby clothing, children's shoes and items for the nursery. Logging on to the site you can help fill a shower in a box by making a donation. There are three ways to donate:

1.     Donate a select amount towards a particular type of gift.

2.     Donate a select amount towards a specific "Preferred Vendor's"* product (For these donations, Operation Shower will use your donation to purchase the items through the designated company). 

3.     Donate a select amount to be used for whichever items Operation Shower determines are most needed to complete the boxes.

Helping to fill a shower in a box will make a real difference in the lives of these military moms.

I can’t think of a better way to honor the incredible families that are sacrificing so much to keep our country safe. This Mother’s Day I hope they know how very special they are.

Give a Laptop, Change the World

By the time my children were a year old they knew just what to do with a cell phone, pretended to “email” on the computer and could even play games on my husband's blackberry. Children delight in playing with technology and my kids are fortunate to have access to various types at their fingertips.

 One Laptop Per Child is an organization that creates educational opportunities by providing technology for the world’s poorest children. From Uruguay to Alabama OLPC is committed to distributing durable, $199 solar-powered “XO laptops” with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. Check their site for ways to contribute because not every child is as fortunate as yours.

The Give Back Birthday

Are you drowning in a sea of toys? Well, don't feel bad if your house looks like Toys R Us or Santa's workshop, you're not alone.

What's a SuperMommy to do when her house is bursting at the seams and a birthday is on the horizon? Yes, you could stipulate "no gifts please" on the invitation, but we all know that doesn't work very well. People always feel obligated- it's been ingrained in us from childhood

The answer? Two Moms in Canada felt that children need to learn more about giving, and not so much about getting. So... they created a website to do just that. The site enables parents and kids to host birthday parties that give back. It's a great concept eh?

Here's how it works:

 1.  Kids invite their friends online (choosing from some super duper cute invite designs)
 2.  Guests RSVP and 'donate' between $10 to $30 each.  Done online as well.
 3. ECHOage pools the money and divides it in half. Half goes to buy ONE meaningful gift for the birthday child. The other half goes to a charity of the child's choice.
 4. ECHOage provides thank you notes.

What a fantastic idea on so many levels!

Of course this is something that might be a bit challenging for our older bambinos, we understand that, but it's worth a try. Sitting down to explain why it's so important to give back is the first step.

I think it's funny how our kids tend to surprise us-- often times parents worry how "upsetting" this might be for their child, when in fact, the children don't even notice or care and feel good knowing they've helped someone less fortunate.

From one SuperMommy to another-- let's try it! Our homes will be a lot less cluttered and the toys our kids have will be MUCH more appreciated.

Find out more at Give Back Birthday

What do you think of this idea? Would you try the Give Back Birthday? How do you think your children would react and how would you explain it to them?