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.

Breast Is Best

Breastfeeding is the most natural option to feed a child, and it is stirring up controversy yet again.

The mother pictured above is Ashley Nicole, and she is the girlfriend of Miami Dolphin's linebacker Phillip Wheeler.  Her photo went viral on Instagram because her exposed breast was deemed inappropriate by some.  

The world is so upside down and backwards.  How is is that a woman breastfeeding is disgusting but drinking cow's milk is normalized?  I'm confused.

I won't draw out the subject since a lot of my sentiments are expressed in Demetria L. Lucas' blog on The Root website.  

Tell me what you think.

This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off. 

HERBAL Birth Control???

Have y'all ever heard of herbal birth control???
I first found out about this option while incorporating turmeric into my diet as a detox assist.  I research all supplements, because even thought they are from the earth, so is poison ivy.  That is when I discovered it is to be avoided during pregnancy and nursing, and it is said to be a natural birth control.  According to the healthy home economist, there are several herbs that aid in safely delaying pregnancy without the risks commonly associated with mainstream birth control such as breast cancer, osteoporosis and sterility.  Here are some examples.  I am not a doctor folks, and I am not aware of the dosing, so do your own research.


This site and others suggest using Queen Anne's Lace as an herbal supplement to prevent pregnancy.  It is said to have been highly effective in the olden days, and the herb is one of the two plants that yielded the hybrid we know today as the carrot (the other plant is the sweet potato).

Neem oil is another natural birth control remedy.  This oil boasts hair growth properties as well as a potent spermicidal lubricant.  On the other hand, it is said to have a potent and offensive aroma, so try at your own risk.  I don't want to smell like a garbage pail kid, especially not during sex.

There are many more interesting herbs listed for such use, so look into it and seek the advice of a seasoned holistic practitioner if you are sincerely interested in making herbal birth control part of your lifestyle.  Comment below if you or someone you know is already doing so.  This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.

Amazon Prime Streaming Selection for Kids

                         

Little Bill, Gullah Gullah Island, and other defunct educational programs may no longer be in rotation on television, but Amazon Prime offers several seasons of these classic, diverse programs for children to those who are members.  For $79 a year, many shows that were favorites of mine as well as my niece are now available to my daughter.  The emphasis on education in current programming is wonderful, but the cultural emphasis leaves much to be desired.  In addition to free two-day shipping on all orders, there is a library of family program that you are not privy to from Hulu Plus or Netflix.
Look into some of the programs you may have loved as a child offered in their extensive library.
This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.  Please comment below on topics you are interested in.

That Ain't Love, Love!

Valentine's Day has passed, and mine was lovely!  I hope you all had a good one, but for those who may be having hard times, I felt compelled to post a video from one of my favorite vloggers, Jerry Lavigne Jr.  While he is more notably recognized as a YouTube comedian, this past summer he opened up about having to take anger management due to an argument he had with his girlfriend, which led to police being called.
His story is an important one, because while he did not physically harm anyone, there are many forms of abuse, and he has come to understand that intimidation through yelling or property damage is just as unacceptable.
Learn the signs of abuse, and if the person you are with is not willing to get help, GET OUT!
Seek counsel from services established in your area.
This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.  Take care of yourselves.

Beyonce and the Peek-a-Boo Baby

You ever notice how Beyonce only kinda sorta shows Blue's face?  I mean she put her in a video and whatnot, but she doesn't really hyper expose her to the social media networks.

I think that is commendable. 

Well I do now, that is.

When my daughter was first born, I was so ecstatic about her arrival, I was ready to flood timelines the world over, and I kinda did.  I even gave a classmate from college permission to use her as a model for her site (she is a photographer).  It wasn't until my parents were uncomfortable that I even considered slowing down in the photographs.  I don't agree with all of the things my parents used to do, but I was really struck by a statement my father made when I had her ears pierced.  

He said, "You don't know if she wanted earrings.  You should have let her make her own choice when she got older."

I honestly didn't see it that way.  I was just making a cute baby even cuter in my eyes, but I decided he had made a broader point.  Children are subjected to the highs and lows of whatever life their parents have, and have no control.  What I took away from his statement was to be mindful of choices I am making on her behalf, even as it pertains to image.  I get that there are pedophiles and kidnappers, but what about the voiceless child who has no control and no idea of the consequences?

I still post a picture ever so often, but I'm definitely not as enthusiastic as I once was.

*tips hat to Beyonce*

This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.  Stay tuned. 

Healthy Body Image

Remember Lilo and Stitch?
More specifically, the big sister, Nani Pelekai ?

I remember I was excited to see her in this film, and I was so ecstatic to see her beautiful round nose and full hips, thick thighs and strong calfs.  She was princess worthy to me, though I realized she wouldn't be a princess because she wasn't a lead character.

I am always in search of healthy images to surround my daughter with so the world won't be able to shake her view of herself as an undeniably beautiful girl, and the image above is one that will be in her room soon.

What are your thoughts on more ethnic cartoon images? 

This is Realest Mother Dearest signing off.