Career Shifts

         Since my daughter came into my life, a lot of issues in this society have come to the forefront of my mind.  One such issue is how kid unfriendly American society seems to be.  From the time that little pee stick turned blue, I sought employment with the awareness that employers do not like pregnant women.

        You can read up on this and other issues in The Shriver Report which features articles by everyday mothers from all over the country as well as superstar mom Beyonce.

                                                             
       This experience got me to thinking: how can I get my career going so I can have the money and time to be a good mom?  As a childless adult, it was easy to just pull a double shift or get a second job when I wanted to pay down a debt or take a trip.  With a child things are a little more complicated.  You can't trust all of your family members to do things properly, and those who will are not always free to look after your little ones.  
        I decided to make myself a more worthy candidate in the job market by becoming fluent in Spanish with the Rosetta Stone program.
                                                               
         It is at a discount right now, but I'm not sure for how long.  The program is downloadable on up to 5 devices, which is perfect for a busy mom like myself.  Also, bilingual jobs are in high demand, since the Spanish-speaking populace has grown more than ever before in the U.S., making it a good choice for me.  Many jobs pay $1 more an hour for entry-level bilingual employees.  The program claims I can be fluent in 6 months if I complete a 30 minute course every day.  To be fair, I am breezing through the first of 5 lessons because I took (and passed!) Spanish in college.  I will keep you guys posted on my experience, but so far so good.

      This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.  Comment below on how your approach to career goals changed after you had a child.

Mimi Faust and A Mother's Love

I love trash tv, so you know I had to watch the Love and Hip Hop Reunion (part 1, ugh!) and see if it was going to be the hype.  There was cussing and screaming and a few shed tears as usual, but the one story that stuck out to me was Mimi Faust's.  She mentioned briefly that her mother chose religion over parenthood when Mimi was 13 years old.

I can't imagine having a mother for 13 years of life and then, at such a pivotal turning point, being abandoned and forced to become a woman on my own.  I did not have the best relationship with my mother as a child, and my mother is a very devout Christian.  She's not a fanatic, but she's borderline.  I can somewhat sympathize, but Scientology is a whole other animal from what I can perceive from articles and interviews.  

When I read that Mimi never saw her mother again after that day AND her mother died of cancer in 2003, my heart broke for her.  There's no chance of reconciliation in this life for them.  All Mimi has is her own relationship with her daughter and the hope that she will be better than what she had, which is also my goal.  

The main thing I thought about was how I felt the day my daughter was born.  I can't see myself turning my back on her.

I wouldn't serve a God whose mandate would lead me to do so.  I don't know Mimi personally, but I have no doubt her experience greatly impacted her personality.  There were people in her life who stepped in and helped her along the way, since no man is an island, but we are hard-wired to want that maternal bond with our own mothers, no matter how kind or understanding a friend or family member may be.  I hope she will find a measure of peace with the situation.

That's all for now.  This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Darn It All To Heck!

I had a bit of a potty mouth before I had my daughter and I still do at times. She babbles and I have not slipped up in front of her very often (terrible, I know) but I have stubbed a toe and said sh-t once or twice.  This new life has new rules and I have some choice words I use in place of the words I would go to when little ears weren't around. So I submit to you all for your consideration a substitute of less colorful words, such as:

Balderdash

Poppycock

Folly (wtf= what the folly?)

Tomfoolery 

Crock

Baloney

Devil (what the devil are you doing? You know, devil, instead of the devil's, um, house)

There are so many ways to express oneself, ways that won't result in child care options being reduced.  I'm no saint but at least I can vent my frustrations and get a laugh instead of a disapproving glare with these and other words.

Until next time, this is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Don't Let Booty Do Happen to You

My daughter is now 1 year old and fully weaned, so my appetite and mood are now within my control for at least 20 days a month. Operation Stripper Body has resumed as a necessary measure against my personal Taliban attack AKA Booty Do. 

What is Booty Do, you ask?

Booty Do (n.): an urban expression which describes the condition that occurs when  a woman's abdomen is so engorged with fat that it extends in imbalanced ratio to her derrière, I.E. her stomach pokes out more than her booty do(es).

I was able to live like I was not in danger of being a victim to this disorder, but after weaning my baby, my Dolly Parton knockers are gone, and my hour glass looks more like an egg. 

I'm not doing as bad as some, but I need to be restored to my former glory! 

On that note, this is Realest Mother Dearest signing off. 

Penny Pinching

Let's face it: even though I love my little one, the love  in my heart does not distract me from the strain on my budget.  As the great Eugene Krabs would say, I have a strange feeling in the pit of me wallet. 
(I have been watching Spongebob a lot these days)
That being said, I have been finding ways to expand the rainy day fund.  
One way is a good old-fashioned piggy bank.  Putting whatever lose change I have in the porcelain pigbelly isn't the most unique idea, but it is definitely a simple way to start, and every little bit helps.
Of course there are stocks, bonds, CDs, etc., but for those of us who aren't able to invest a sizeable lump sum just yet, there are incentive programs such as UPromise to look into.  In most cases, all you have to do is enroll your debit card and shop as usual. Some restrictions apply, but for the most part you are building your nest egg through ordinary purchases like fuel and groceries. I will go in depth in another blog.
Until next time, this is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.
OAN: I planned on giving away silicone scar sheets, but after 8 weeks of faithfully following the instructions to the letter, I am not impressed with the results.  I will be testing another product  for a future contest.