Fertility Miracles

http://blackdoctor.org/playlist/black-celebrities-with-fertility-issues/item/449286/

Justice Over Everything

http://blackamericaweb.com/2014/09/28/michael-browns-parents-want-arrest-not-apology/

The Ferguson, MO shooting death of unarmed, college-bound teen Michael Brown has exposed the dominant society for what it really represents.  I am a mother of one, and I hope to have more, so I am following this story because it affects me and my future kids. I am Black before anything else. I could say I am human first, but I am a descendant of diaspora. My race has been dehumanized from the beginning of our journey to this country.
I am proud to see protesters sticking it out for real change instead of accepting the Pyrrhic victory. We don't need another memorial. We need the slave drivers called cops to know there is no refuge for killing our kids. We need the anonymous racists on Go Fund Me and other sites to have their donations withheld from these societal villains.  We need what we want, not some phony media stunt in between murders.

This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Have A Baby: The Surprising Benefits

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/want-kids-sooner?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_244803&cid=partner_zergnet

#recall4mike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfg52m0-4o&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Your Baby Can't Read

The recent  exposing of the Your Baby Can Read product raises awareness to some fundamental flaws in teaching/training children. 

The program, which boasted a success rate based on research that frankly never happened, is a result of sequencing. 

Children are sponges.  Some are brilliant enough to comprehend the training at an earlier age than most, but many are merely mimicking a pattern.  Horses can be trained to "count", which usually means they can remember pictures and follow verbal and nonverbal cues to respond to a command as opposed to answering questions.

A way to ensure you are not simply teaching a parlor trick to your child is to make a relationship between the information and its application.

I use flashcards to teach my daughter numbers.  I also make her count objects.  She doesnt count large numbers of objects since we work with 1-20, but she understands she has 2 shoes, or 3 rocks.  She understands a $20 bill is more than a $1 bill (and she will ask for a $20 bill). 

Letters are a different battle.  I would like to teach her phonics, since that was the method I learned to read with, but I dont know if she has the focus to learn phonics as of yet.  Without phonics, letters are just pictures, and picture reading is reading without comprehension.

This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Baby Weight a*k*a Operation Kill Chocolate Thunder

I am posting this picture of me 2 months postpartum.  I was 20 lbs down and feeling myself.  My weight has gone up and down since then, mostly due to the pressure I have put on myself to finish my Rosetta Stone Spanish courses before 2014 ends.  I have a free gym membership at my local university, and I will be starting my days early with cardio.  Not only will I improve my health, but I will also have some "me time" (what the hell is that? Lol) and some TV time that doesn't include Sesame Street.
Until next time, this is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Potty Strike

My beautiful toddler is about 78% potty trained, but she regresses sometimes.  I notice she only breaks away from her training when we are at home.  She does well at the library and the grocery store, but she will have an "accident" right BEFORE bed and AFTER peeing on the potty.

I am being vigilant. I was informed I fuss too much, so I have decided on using an authoritative tone accompanied by positive or negative reinforcement by providing or withdrawing toys or the Kindle to yield a desired outcome. 
But sometimes I get frustrated and fuss.
At least I know she has bladder and bowel control. I just dont like the idea that she may be using her powers for evil.
That is all for now.  This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.