02.28.11

Get on the Potty Train: An Open Discussion

I found myself engaged in a fabulous potty training conversation on Twitter last week that was sparked due to a segment which aired on Good Morning America. I am currently in the trenches about to hop aboard the potty train so this convo couldn’t have come at a better time for me. The piece raised some good questions about potty training which got many of us moms talking…

Typically when we blog, quality posts are generated from original content that we develop and the comments end up as the icing on the cake because they add real value to an already well developed piece. However today, I would love to try a new experiment because I am far from an expert in the potty training department. The reality is that I don’t have anything of real substance to offer on this subject or life altering insight to share. Instead, I am seeking out advice from YOU.

Therefore, I want the comments on this post to drive the discussion.

So, please share to your heart’s content and give this Theta Mom some help – because my 2½ year old begins a pre-school program in the fall and she MUST be trained to attend.

Questions for an open discussion: Feel free to answer any (or all) of those listed below or simply add in your experience/advice in relation to potty training:

What has been your experience with potty training and was there any tip or strategy that you can share that worked for you and your child? Have any of you tried that “train your child in three days” program – if so, did it work? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

What would you say is the least effective strategy when trying to potty train your child?

Do you think we put too much pressure on ourselves as mothers (in addition to our children) to train at a certain time (such as to reach deadlines like the one I have to meet)?

What are some things that worked for you in terms of keeping this whole experience stress free for both the parent and the child?

{ 45 Comments }
02.25.11

Featured TMC Blogger: Mom Got Blog

TMC welcomes Kelly, author of Mom Got Blog. Kelly is one of the most supportive bloggers I know. You’ll find her on Twitter retweeting some favorite posts, commenting on blogs and just being all around fabulous! She recently made the move to WordPress with an amazing new design, so be sure to check out her new digs and follow her…you can thank me later. Here is how she describes herself and her blog in her own words:

“Hi! I’m Kelly and I am so glad to meet you! Do you like coffee? Me too! Wine? Me too! Grab a cup/glass and a seat and let’s get to know each other…

When Heather contacted me to be the Featured Blogger, I was beyond excited! I love the Theta Mom Community or what I would call “The House That Heather Built” and am so honored that she thought of me. She has been so supportive of my blogging endeavors and I continue to learn from her business prowess. I wanted this intro to be just right and just to let you know, I am on the fifth draft!! I am really hoping that this is THE one!

Here are a few things about me:

I am madly in love with my husband; even after 18 years of marriage. There are some pet peeves that have started to surface, but not to the extent that they would be a deal breaker. He’s just too cute to have such a thing.

I love my two kids to pieces. They have brought more joy to my world than I could ever express. This still holds true, even though we are going through the “Terrible Teens.” You thought two’s were bad? Psshh. I could pull every strand of hair out of my head on some days.

I am a sucker for cheesy greeting cards and have embarrassed myself laughing so hard in the aisles of Hallmark.

Much to my family’s dismay, I love museums and I love to read everything. Every.  Thing.  I can spend hours in one section if it is interesting enough.  They still have not caught on that this is my secret for smoking them when we play Jeopardy.

I love food! Love to eat it, cook it, bake it, and share with my family and friends. Epicurean delicacies delight all the senses and it brings me joy.

I am a sports nut, too. I love to watch and play just about any sport. My husband and I are avid cyclists and have just challenged ourselves to run our first marathon! My personal passion is speedskating; I am a nationally competitive skater that has medaled (Nationals) in both short track and long track. Returning to work full time and supporting my kids’ activities really cut into my training, so my skates have been hung up until I can find the time again. In the meantime, I am learning how to become an official on the ice, so that has kept me in touch with my skating “family” even though I am not on the start line with them.

I started my blog in June 2009 to have an outlet for my writing and to share my stories. I have not looked back. My blog features a little bit of everything. I write about family, food, and sports, not necessarily in that order! Some of my posts may share humor, some may be reflective, but they are always authentic and genuine. I wear my heart on my sleeve and it shows up in my writing too.  I have also written a children’s book and a few other pieces that I hope to have published someday. I mean, if Snooki can do it, I can too!

I am really proud to be a part of this amazing, talented community of supportive folks and I have learned so much. The journey has been pretty sweet so far and I am eager to see what is around the corner. Want to take a peek with me? Great! Now, enough about me…I want to hear all about you!”

Be sure to check out the blog and follow her on Twitter! New to TMC? Join us! We LOVE new members!

*To be considered as a Featured TMC Blogger, be sure to comment on this week’s feature! Have a great weekend ladies!

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02.24.11

Lauren Nicole Gifts: Specializing in Personalized Jewelry

Lauren Nicole Gifts began in 2004 and is designed and lead by Denise Freidhoff. As a woman-owned brand specializing in personalized jewelry and monogrammed gifts, Denise’s husband is also an integral part of the business. As an active-duty member of the military he is also known to cut and form the silver pieces that are used in each hand-stamped design. Because Denise and her husband move around quite a bit due to the nature of his job in the Army, Lauren Nicole Gifts maintains its business solely online so that they could still operate in the midst of moving across the country at various times.

The product line includes well known hand-stamped jewelry, wax seal jewelry and many other unique designs. In addition, many of the pieces can be customized with names, dates or initials. All of the jewelry at Lauren Nicole Gifts is hand made to order. Many of the designs are crafted right in their studio using hand-casting fine silver (which is actually better than sterling) and of course, personalized to order.

I simply adore the Hand Stamped Silver Jewelry and Gold Mommy Necklaces: What better gift for a Theta Mom or someone special?  

If you want to sport the whole family around your neck, then you need to check out the Family Jewelry which is a very popular item throughout this line. You can add as many charms and pendants as you would like and the best part is that you can customize this piece to your heart’s content! You literally end up with a complete design all of your own.

And the personalization does not stop there. You can certainly design something for yourself (perhaps with your children’s initials) so you can carry around a little piece of them with you! This line includes necklaces, bracelets as well as charms. The Pure Silver Handmade Wax Seal Jewelry is beautiful and of course, made to order. These specific pieces are crafted by hand using pure silver with wax seal stamps. In addition, the silver has a satin matte finish giving it a completely polished look.

Another favorite aspect of this site is where you can actually Design Your Own Necklace with different charms and chains. You can customize any pure silver and sterling silver charms and chains so that you can build a unique necklace or add charms to an existing one for a new look! This truly gives the consumer a unique experience, making it a perfect gift for someone special.

Denise prides herself on customer service and commits herself to ensuring that each piece is designed just as requested. Having each order crafted on demand keeps this business growing!

Lauren Nicole Gifts offers a little something for everyone from Monogrammed Badge Reels to Wedding and Home Gifts and now is the perfect time to purchase because Denise is offering a special discount to Theta Mom readers: 15% off your entire order with the use of the following coupon code entered at checkout: FACEBOOK To stay updated on the latest designs and future discounts, be sure to follow on Twitter and “like” Lauren Nicole Gifts on Facebook.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. Lauren Nicole Gifts is a proud sponsor of Theta Mom and I was compensated for this post. However, all opinions expressed are purely my own and the content of this post was not influenced in any way.

{ 12 Comments }
02.22.11

Balancing Work, Blogging and This Gig Called Motherhood

My guest post today is the lovely Jean from Mommy to Two Boys. She works from home and is a special needs mom to two active young boys. If there is anyone who can share some valuable insight into striking a balance between work, blogging and motherhood, it is certainly her!

“Hello, Dr. George? This is Jean. I am so sorry to do this with only a month until school starts this fall, but I won’t be coming back. You should find someone to take my Kindergarten position. The Johnson and Johnson commercials were right; having a baby does change everything.”

I quit my teaching job with just three courses left for my Masters in Educational Leadership and Administration, and about two years from becoming a principal. My life turned in a direction I hadn’t expected. I was officially a stay at home mom.

Now what?

Nine months in I got restless, missed adult interaction and my own income.  I found myself nitpicking my husband, stressed over little things and feeling a little less intelligent. I absolutely loved being a stay at home mom and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but had other personal goals I wanted to fulfill. We had recently bought a house as a two income family and were now down to one income; I needed to contribute financially. I searched until I found something to do from home that was right for me and our family that I would enjoy. I began marketing on a freelance basis for an amazing health and wellness company…

In the three years that followed, my first child was diagnosed with Autism. We began intensive therapy and a complete overhaul of our future. We reformulated plans, dreams, and ideals, especially when my next son was born with enough health issues to end up in the NICU for a month, where his life was finally saved by a blood transfusion. In the midst of all this, I continued to work my home business as well as keep up a personal blog and a work at home resource blog.

The number one challenge as a work at home mom is balance. I strive to make my business hours and actually stick to them. Both of my boys require a lot of attention, especially my special needs son. He needs guidance, validation, and praise from me constantly. It is near impossible to work while he is home and awake. Recently, in the most pitiful sad voice he said to me, “Mom, I told you to watch and then when I turned around you weren’t looking.” And on an anniversary date in December my husband said, “It’s nice to talk to you face to face, instead of the back of your head as you work at your computer.” Ouch. Hence, the need for some balance and prioritizing.

So how do I stay focused when I stare at all the duties I have as a work at home mom, a special needs mom, and a housewife?

Passion, success and discipline. 

Because I am passionate about my business, Autism work and blogging, I rarely procrastinate and don’t mind sacrificing other things to fit them into my day. That being said, my family is always top priority, I can’t stress that enough. A friend of mine recently said he would be content to be financially comfortable. Not me. I am comfortable now, but what I want is a future with complete financial freedom. Discipline is what makes or breaks each day for me. If I organize and prioritize my day the night before, or in the morning, I am focused and on track.

All areas of my life are put into Must Do, Should Do, and Can Do Lists. 

Must Do List: Reminds me to pay bills, set up doctor appointments, make calls for work, write blog posts, do laundry since no one has clean underwear…you get the picture.  In the Must Do List, every parent has something that changes the priorities in the list. My son’s Autism adds items like: call insurance to dispute coverage, write social stories (a therapy we use), or attend IEP meetings, among many others… 

Should Do List: Includes dishes, straightening, visiting blog friends, showering (that should always be on the Must list huh?), and exercising. 

Can Do List: Things I really want to do, like read a Kindle book, magazine, or play Angry Birds.

It’s easy to overload my day and add too much to each list so I’m careful to make sure it’s realistic. I want to feel successful for what I have done, rather than let down by what I have not done. By the end of the day, things that can be put off by a day get moved into the Should Do or Can Do lists.

The bottom line is I am only one mom who tries to do too many things and just wants to crash on the couch with a glass of red wine and some trashy TV after a long day of Autism tantrums, work, and housekeeping. But I don’t give myself those two hours unless I accomplish everything I set out to do that day.  If I do, I can have my “me time” as well as the reward that comes from meeting my goals.

This post was my last Must Do today, so excuse me; I’ve got a glass of wine and some TiVo’d shows waiting.

Please send me an email if you are interested in guest posting at Theta Mom® for TMC Network. Full details can be found on the Network page.

{ 56 Comments }
02.21.11

Investing Your Blogging Time Wisely

I am looking forward to soon announcing another new opportunity that I recently accepted (and that gets a total #woohoo) which means the more this blog continues to grow, the more I must strike a healthy balance within blogging and social media. I’ve written a ton of popular posts relating to these topics but today, I am sharing some fabulous sites that are worth investing your time in addition to visiting your favorite blogs. Whether you are a newbie or a veteran blogger I highly recommend the following to help grow your blog:

Join Supportive Blogging Communities: These communities offer resources and support in helping you reach your blogging goals and are wonderful places to meet other bloggers.

SITS is one of the first communities I ever joined and I found so many new and supportive bloggers in this forum. This community also offers Bloggy Boot Camp, a fantastic blogging conference run by none other than the SITS Girls themselves which they host in various cities across the country. Another very supportive community (of course I have to plug my own) is TMC because it’s another outstanding, supportive platform developed for bloggers to get noticed while networking with those who have similar interests.

Participate in Great Memes: This is a wonderful way to meet new bloggers and have your writing highlighted through a link up.

Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop is literally famous and a wonderful way to connect with bloggers while writing some great content in the process. It’s the perfect assignment especially if you’re struggling on not having a topic to write about because Mama Kat will give you tons of reasons to blog! Shell’s Pour Your Heart Out is also a very popular meme. She gives bloggers the opportunity to write passionately about something personal as well as the chance to link up to meet other bloggers as well.

Get More Exposure by Guest Posting on Other Blogs: Guest posting on other blogs gives you the chance to be seen by a completely different readership.

We all know Jill is one of the major pioneers of blogging and she has set up a section on her blog dedicated to highlighting guest posts. Of course, I also love the community here at Theta Mom so guest posting for the Network is another fabulous way to get noticed. Many other bloggers have set up a guest posting section so reach out and get your writing seen on other blogs.

Improve Your Writing Skills: Compelling content is paramount and is the driving force behind what fuels our blogs so it’s imperative that we continually improve our writing skills.

A supportive community like The Red Dress Club lead by the lovely Cheryl, Nichole and Katie is another fantastic way to meet bloggers and improve your own writing in the process! Just like a weekly meme, this site is also dedicated to providing bloggers with topics to write about with specific instructions including the chance to link up.

Stay Updated on Current Blogging Trends: Staying ahead of current trends in the blogosphere is vital in maintaining your blog.

One of my favorite sites that always provides buzz worthy information relating to the blogosphere (and in many instances as it’s happening) is She Posts. This is a perfectly organized site supported by many talented writers that never disappoint. Whenever something is happening in the blogosphere, She Posts will be one of the first to deliver the news. So you can totally imagine my excitement when I was recently featured on this amazing site. 

Be an Active, Supportive, and Engaging Member of Social Media: Continue to engage in conversation and network with others.  You already know that Twitter and Facebook are imperative tools for bloggers to utilize daily so while you are active in this space, retweet posts that you enjoy, link back to other bloggers, respond to comments when you can and continue to engage your audience. *But the key is to not let all of this consume you so much that it begins to take over your life.

My final piece of advice? As your blog begins to grow, don’t get too big for your britches and don’t forget where you came from. We were *ALL* newbies at some point. Just as in the real world, treat others the way you want to be treated in the blogosphere.

Enough said.

What are some of your favorite sites or helpful resources in the blogosphere? Where do you invest much of your time and how do you strike a balance within blogging and social media?

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