Day of the Girl

Today, October 11, 2012, is the first ever United Nations Day of the Girl!  From now on it’ll be every year on October 11^th.

According to the United Nations, this annual Day will “help galvanize worldwide enthusiasm for goals to better girls’ lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership and reach their full potential.”

The campaign for this Day was started by Canadian girls who inspired School Girls Unite, an organization in the Washington, D.C. area, to mobilize support in the United States.  Since 2004, School Girls Unite has focused on the right of every girl in the world to get an education.  Girls everywhere are confronted with stereotypes, discrimination, abuse, violence, and other reasons that limit opportunities now and in the future.

Why does the world need a Day of the Girl? Here are just a few reasons the organizers at Day of the Girl give:

• Illiteracy – By 2015 more than 64% of the people in the world who cannot read will be women
• School Dropout – Only 30% of girls in the world get to go to some kind of secondary school.
• Forced Marriage – One in seven girls in developing countries is married off before age 15
• Violence – In the United States more than half (54%) of all rapes of females happen before age 18

How can you help raise awareness about Day of the Girl and help solve some of these issues?  Talk to your daughter and her friends, your friends and neighbors, church community or other groups you belong too.  Educate yourself about girl issues in your town or city.  Perhaps the local schools need reading tutors or a high school student needs a mentor.

There are also excellent websites that discuss girl issues and list organizations that work to improve the lives of girls worldwide.  Half The Sky is one example.

By improving the lives of girls, we will improve their families and communities, and the lives of the future children.  Visit the Day of the Girl website to learn more and find out how you can help.

 

MamaCon – A Conference Just for Moms!

If Mama Ain’t Happy….You Know the Rest!

What mom isn’t looking for help to get her kids to toe-the-line, find time for herself and make her life go more smoothly? Wouldn’t it be great if moms had a place they could go to get a year’s worth of great advice and support for their endless and often thankless work in just one day?

That place exists and it’s called MamaCon – Inspiration and Tools for Modern Moms.  MamaCon, May 18 and 19, 2012, at the Bellevue Hilton, is the brainchild of Seattle area moms and parent educators Amy Lang and Kim Estes.

Amy and Kim decided the time has come for a conference solely devoted to the “business” of motherhood. Here’s a taste of some excellent tips and advice from several of MamaCon’s amazing speakers and experts.

Dr. Shirin Shirkat, Create Happy Kids, tells moms to “say it only once and be heard” by using this magical sentence, “First, _________ then, ____________.”  For example,  “First eat your dinner, then you can have ice cream.” Keep this short, clear and concrete if you want it to be powerful and effective.

Sara Eizen, Nest Seattle, helps moms go from “clutter to calm.” One of her best tips is to take the hanging rod out of the coat closet and install hooks instead. No more hangers and plenty of room to get all those coats and jackets put away.

Margit Crane, Gifted With ADD, says moms need to understand sometimes your child is going to be like a “hot house flower.” Your child may need extra reminding, love, attention, support, reminding again and excessive cajoling. Do what they need to thrive. She says this is usually a passing phase and kids end up able to function well without mom’s intensive help.

Too tired for sex? Amy Johnson, Diligent Joy, suggests having a regular date with your spouse or partner and having sex before you go out for dinner or to the movies.

Kathy Slattengren, Priceless Parenting, suggests using “silent self-talk” as the first step to moving from anger to empathy. All those snarky, sarcastic and downright mean things you sometimes say to try to motivate your kids? Feel free to think them all you want. Saying them won’t do anyone any good and certainly won’t get your kid moving. Silent self-talk allows you to vent and then connect with your child.

Some of the topics that will be presented at MamaCon:

Life Strategies:

Envy the Energizer Bunny? Sleep for the Exhausted Mama – Catherine Darley, ND

Vodka: It’s Not Just for Drinking  Jim Allen

Getting Your Groove Back: Sex for the Exhausted Mama – Amy Johnson

From Clutter to Calm – Sara Eizen

Motherhood, Money and Mayhem – Debbie Whitlock

The Momarchy: Take Your Life Back From Your Kids – Angela Toussaint

Parenting Strategies:

Raising Resilient Kids- Avoiding Praise Junkies! – Sarina Behar Natkin

Turn It Off!  Tips and Tools for Parenting in the Age of Technology – Ann Hungar Steel

Chores Without Challenge – Patricia Nan Anderson

Turning Anger to Empathy: Responding to Misbehavior with Empathy – Kathy Slattengren

Creating Grateful Kids – Shirin Shirkat

That Would Never Happen to MY Daughter! – Kelly Marquet

Picky Eating: It’s Not Your Fault! – Matthew Amster-Burton

With over 50 parenting and life speakers and experts, including Rosalind Wiseman, New York Times best selling author of Queen Bees and Wannabes, free mini-spa treatments, wine tasting, a comedy show and Seattle Mom Prom local moms will get just what they need to be happier, savvier mamas.

If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy and MamaCon is all about creating happy moms!

Bellevue Hilton
300 112th Avenue SE
Bellevue, Washington   98004

Marketplace Preview and Kick-Off Cocktail Party!
Friday, May 18, 2012 – 3PM to 9PM
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!