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Amy Lang, MA Birds + Bees + Kids http://www.birdsandbeesandkids.com
Books are one of my favorite ways to get information about sexuality, love and relationships to our kids. They are good for us too, so here’s a list of some of my favorites. You can get them at the library or from my website, if you’d like me to make a little money! Some of them are not on my site (yet!). www.birdsandbeesandkids.com/books.html
Books for you!
The Talk: What Your Kids Need to Hear from You About Sex, Sharon Maxwell, PhD. Dr. Maxwell’s book is great! It’s short, easy to read and has a perspective that I love. She talks about the relationship between sexual desire and sex – something that is often left out of our biology based conversations with our kids. She recommends talking to our kids about the natural feelings of desire that occur, how to manage them, and how they influence our behavior. She explains the problem with our “sexy little girl” syndrome and our kids’ lack of information about what sexy means and how it works.
Bonk , Mary Roach. – A truly funny book all about the physiology of sex and sexuality. A bit graphic in places, Mary Roach does a great job of making the science of sex entertaining and interesting. How can you resist an author that takes part in sex experiments as part of her research?
So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids, Diane Levin and Jill Killbourne tackle the impact of sexualization on our kids. They explain how it is not a parenting problem, but a societal problem that has lead to the marketing of sex to children. Media has an alarming impact on our kids and they offer tips to help parents deal with this phenomenon.
Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask): The Secrets to Surviving Your Child’s Sexual Development from Birth to the Teens, Justin Richardson and Mark Schuster. These guys have written a funny, easy to read, but long book about talking to kids about sex. If you want a reference manual, this is a good one, with lots of stories about real parents’ experiences, it’s a helpful read.
The Joy of Sex, Alex Comfort. Remember your parents’ copy with the ‘70’s couple getting it on? Well, they’ve been updated. Still a classic, why not learn some new tricks to spice up your love life? And it’ll have all new meaning since the first time you looked at it!
Books for your kids!
It’s My Body (Children’s Safety & Abuse Prevention), Lory Freeman– This is my favorite book for preschoolers about uncomfortable touch. This is such a hard thing to talk about without being creepy, and this book isn’t creepy at all. The authors provide a script for kids, so they know just what to say.
I Can Play it Safe, Alison Feigh – This book for elementary age kids is recommended by my pals at PEACE of Mind, www.pomwa.org This book teaches personal safety skills for kids to they can be out and about and smart about tricky adults or uncomfortable situations.
I Can Play it Safe, Alison Feigh - This book for elementary age kids is recommended by my pals at PEACE of Mind, www.pomwa.org This book teaches personal safety skills for kids to they can be out and about and smart about tricky adults or uncomfortable situations.
It’s So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families, Robie Harris and Michael Emberley. This is my absolute favorite book for kids about sexuality, love and relationships. Robie Harris has an amazing voice and really understands what kids want and need to know. You can read sections with your young kids or confidently hand it off to your older kids – they’re in good hands. Great for the 5 to 11 year old set.
It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health. Robie Harris’ and Michael Emberley’s book for kids 10 and older discusses sex, puberty, relationships, same sex relationships, STI’s and HIV. Again, she rocks. Your kids will go back to this book over and over again.
The Girl’s Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU, Kelli Dunham. A wonderful book for girls 10 and older, this book is all about their changing bodies, hearts and minds. Your daughter will go back to this book time and again.
The Boy’s Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU, Kelli Dunham. Boys need support too and this is the place they can get their questions answered about puberty and all the accompanying changes, including emotions, relationships and friendships.
Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers. Nancy Redd hits the mark for girls 14 and older with this no secrets book about sexuality, bodies and being female. Real photographs of real women’s bodies, including a series of 20 or more close-ups of labia to show what’s normal, this book is not for the faint of heart. Your daughter will love Nancy’s frank and thoughtful information.
Books are one of the best ways to make sure your kids get the information they need to make good decisions.
birdsandbeesandkids.com ©2008 Birds + Bees + Kids® LLC 206-661-2245
About the Author: Through her business, Birds + Bees + Kids, Amy Lang teaches parents how to talk to their children of any age about sex, love and relationships. She has a 16-year history as a Sexual Health Educator, a Masters in Applied Behavioral Science and loves to help people learn about this vital part of parenting.
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By Kim Estes |
| This question has been coming up a lot lately. Kids are well enough into the school year to have bonded with new friends and the inevitable “Mom! Can we have a sleepover? Puhleeeze!” comes up. | |
| At that moment moms feel either a wave of happiness.. (yea! A free evening!) or dread and anxiety set in. Don’t get caught off guard! Be prepared on how you want to answer. |
So, what is a good age (or a safe age) for a sleepover? What can you do to make sure your child is “safe” while at someone’s house?
So much of those answers depend on your (risk) comfort level and the maturity of your child. Every family is different. Many parents remember sleepovers as fun and an integral part of growing up. Others may have some not so pleasant memories and wish to skip the whole thing with their kids. Others just think they are a pain! Where ever you find yourself on the sleepover spectrum, here are some good tips to help you decide what is best for your family and some good strategies for safety.
- Ask questions. Don’t be shy!
- Find out who is going to be in charge for the whole sleepover (parents, siblings, a sitter?) ask for them to be specific.
- Ask where the phone is located so that your child can call you if they need you.
- Ask what the planned events are for the evening (PG, PG 13 movies? Xbox?)
- Ask where the kids will be sleeping.
- Confirm with the parents that there is actually a sleepover happening at their house that evening. This seems to be important when dealing with older middle school aged kids and sleepovers (and some of you know EXACTLY what I am talking about here….)
- Get a phone number and a cell number for the parents in charge
- Ask who will be in the home that evening. An older sibling might be fine but how do you feel about his or her friend/boyfriend/girlfriend also being there?
Make sure to walk you child into the house, meet the parents. I know this sounds obvious but we have heard over and over from parents that this is routinely not the case.
Opt for a ½ sleepover. This is a great option for younger kids or a child who has trouble sleeping away from home. They can go and have fun, bring the sleeping bag and PJ’s, watch the movie and then come home at 10 PM. We started with ½ sleepovers in our house and we have stuck with it all these years.
Last but not least… if at any time you or your child feels uncomfortable or weird about the place or the people, don’t go! Make sure your child knows that they can come home. Certainly don’t force them to go if they don’t want to. Also, be sure to review your family safety rules before you head out to the slumber party!
About the Author: Kim Estes is the co-founder of the non-profit organization: Parent Education And Child Empowerment (P.E.A.C.E of Mind) www.pomwa.org . Kim has worked with parents for over 12 years, educating them on various parenting topics. Kim and her cohort in crime prevention, Sabrina, help liberate parents from fearful parenting! Through non fearful techniques and easy to apply parenting strategies they help empower families to be safe.
By Melissa Ackerman
But then, that’s nothing new.
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Before Americans as a whole were re-awakened to the rigors of penny pinching, cupcakes were the new cookie. Cupcakes were the new IT foodie item able to knock over an entire wedding party with one luscious lick while catching everyone’s design attention with its portable, yet inventive, nature. Today cupcakes could be said to be a part of the emotional heart of the nation able to procure the art of fun making while salvaging the special moment celebration all rolled up in a simple cupcake paper. |
I’m not sure what’s so alluring about a cupcake bakery or cupcakery. Perhaps it’s the cute factor or simply the desire to devour cake they inspire. But I know for certain that they’ve caught the attention of a significant part of the population in the communities where they exist. There are three within driving distance of my house here in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Those are just the cupcakeries I personally know thrive on the Cape.
Multiple media outlets discussed the virtues, or not, of the cupcake. Even Salon.com just posted an article on the top of Open Salon about cupcakes, (http://open.salon.com/ February 27, 2009) Cupcakes: The dark side By Michael Procopio. Michael’s article takes on a unique perspective on why the cupcake is not his favorite “confection” while enticing the reader with a yummy cupcake picture rendition of Psycho. In addition, all the major television stations featured cupcakes at one point or another on their shows in the last year or two.
The cupcake is everywhere.
It isn’t a new concept. Cupcakeries have been thriving for a few years now but the financial curtain the country is under makes something so simple a hit with almost everyone. Cupcakes offer a cost effective method of celebrating a myriad of events from the complex to the basic hug. Simple construction to sophisticated designs gives the connoisseur a wealth of choices without breaking the bank. Although the cost of eggs and milk has skyrocketed, in retrospect, a fancy cupcake can fulfill a heartfelt need with panache and flare just when we need some glitter most in our lives.
My grandmother actually lived through The Great Depression. This isn’t a Depression we’re experiencing; it’s just a dent in the space/time continuum in comparison. She often told me a story about a day when she was allowed to go alone with her father to market. Unlike visiting the mall, going to market was a big event. Besides getting to ride in the Model T, it was to pick up a month’s necessities for their bakery. Money was scarce and carefully spent. What made this particular trip special was spending the day alone with her father and sharing lunch at a restaurant; a very rare treat. The fact that the meal was merely a hotdog (5 cents) served only to sweeten the story. That special afternoon was an often recanted moment despite the many years that had passed in between.
In my daughter’s situation, our lives have been turned upside down by the economy as well, but we will soon be moving back to Monterey, California. With my husband already living and working in California, weekends can be especially long for me and Maddy. Adventures abound but it just isn’t the same when daddy can’t share in the fun.
While my daughter and I were shopping in Old Town yesterday, we decided to refuel with a cupcake (Cupcakes of Falmouth). Maddy was ecstatic because we were going to eat it in and not rush out the door to our car. I was secretly looking forward to a glass of their velvety iced coffee. Icing rimming her lips, Maddy looked up and said,
“If Daddy were here with us, I’d like this day to go on forever.”
“Me too!”
It was a quiet moment shared between us. Maddy won’t remember what we were doing or how old she was on that particular day but she will recall sitting and eating a cupcake, looking out the shop window, and feeling truly loved and happy.
Cupcakeries and Fun:
Vegan and healthy recipes for cupcakes abound as well. I collected a variety of cupcake dedicated blogs, businesses, and websites to share and although the research made me hungry, I’m lucky the cupcake comes in a compact size to begin with not to mention the cupcake minis! If any of the sites offer some good ideas, please let me know so I can publish the results for everyone to try.
The picture accompanying this webpage convinced me to give it a try from Egglesscooking.com
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2008/12/30/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes/
My mother’s favorite sweet treat comes from Sprinkles
http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com/
Seattle had this one -
http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/
Great spot to blog on the subject of Cupcakes take the Cake -
http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/
Melissa is the mother of a six year old little girl, Madeline, and the wife of a former ship captain. She and her family just moved to Maine a year ago from Monterey, CA to experience a change in lifestyle and become middle aged entrepreneurs. After 22 years of teaching, Mel (Melissa) needed more time with her family and so she and a friend started Dancestones.org; the business of giving comfort through Maine’s rolled stones. Reading and Writing are her deepest passions- when she’s not collecting stones in remote areas of Maine!
You’ve spent weeks pouring your heart and soul into developing a new product or program. You’re thrilled to finally be talking about it with a potential client. (And in your heart of hearts, you’re already spending the money you’re going to make from the sale.)
So it comes as a terrible shock when you hear coming out of the client’s mouth, not a resounding “Yes!” but instead “Uh, I’m not sure I can afford it right now. Let me think about it.”
Objections are a fact of life.
In fact, many business owners are so wary of hearing no that they avoid asking for the sale in the first place. Not a profitable strategy. By the same token, if you wait until an objection rears its unwanted head before you think about how to handle it, you won’t get good results either.
Knowing how to deal with objections means you can approach any potential client conversation with ease and confidence. You may not always get a “yes” at the end but you won’t have missed the opportunity.
To support your success with making more sales, I suggest 5 ways to turn an objection into a sale.
1) Ask questions
Ask questions to clarify the objection. It’s important to hone your ability to really listen to what the client is saying so you can make sure you truly understand what the real objection is. (The first objection is often a smoke screen for something else the client is unable or unwilling to articulate.)
2) Agree and counterbalance
Instead of feeling like you have to convince the client of the error in their thinking, look at it from their perspective. “Yes, I can see how this might sound like it requires a lot of time to learn. Have you considered how much time it will save you when you no longer have to [whatever problem your product solves]?”
3) See it as a potential “yes” rather than a solid “no”
Interpret the objection as a request for more information. Bringing up an objection is a sign that your potential client is most likely weighing out the decision in her mind. Someone voicing an objection is actually closer to making the purchase than someone who says she’ll think about it without asking any questions.
4) Negotiate a Win-Win Solution
Rather than attempting to “overcome” the objection (which puts you and the client on opposite sides), come from a place of cooperation. You’re working with the client to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution. This way you can serve as a partner, rather than a vendor.
5) Anticipate
The best way to handle an objection is to avoid it altogether. And the best way to do that is to anticipate what questions or concerns the potential client will have so you can address them before they’re even voiced. Very powerful.
The wise (and by that I mean money-making) entrepreneur knows that an objection doesn’t signal the end of the sale. It just means the client needs a bit more information before they’ll feel comfortable saying ‘yes.”
(c)2009 Helen Graves
Helen Graves, Grand Poohbah of Crackerjack Online Marketing Strategy, shows service-based small business owners how to create stronger connection so you sell more with your product and program promotional campaigns.
Visit www.Product-Campaign.com to get a hold of her free online marketing resource, “Make More Sales: How to Create Connection and Desire So Clients Can?t Wait to Buy from You.”
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The style of a child is the direct reflection of the style of the parents who love and dress them. Parents with great fashion sense are always on the lookout for the freshest designs and trends – and what’s more fun for a mom or dad than toting a trendy, funky, and fashionable kid around town? |
| Well, look no further mom and dad! The online boutique Cutie and Patootie (www.cutieandpatootie.com) is a unique source for one-stop fashion trends for babies, toddlers and tweens. For parents who love dressing their kids in the best, Cutie and Patootie is a must! | |
| Cutie and Patootie was created by fashionista Laura Minguzzi while she was expecting the arrival of her daughter. In preparation for her new baby girl, Laura purchased a flower hat online and realized that the excitement of becoming a new mother became even greater while she was shopping for fashionable clothes. Instantly inspired, Laura decided to develop her own site where parents could feel that same sense of excitement and eagerness – a place where a love for children and a love for fashion would come together at once. |
Laura channeled her past experience working in high end luxury retail and as a stylist, and focused that energy on her new vision. Thus, Cutie and Patootie was born (and so was as Laura’s daughter, Sofia)!
The web site boasts a broad array of fashions and accessories for children. From onesies and T-shirts to carriers and slings, from shoes and hair accessories to blankets, bibs and car seat covers, Cutie and Patootie is a boutique with a wide selection of necessities that are available in a variety of designs, fabrics, and styles. Children who are outfitted from cutieandpatootie.com are sure to be the trendsetters on the block! Boys can choose to sport edgy fashions such as dragon embellished hoodies, silver skull beanie skull caps, or a Koi design t-shirt. Girls have their pick of alluring apparel such as sassy cheetah print shoes with pink piping, toile stroller blankets, and ballerina slippers onesies, to name a few.
The great fashions extend to parents, too! Cutie and Patootie recognizes that its clientele hold themselves to high fashion standards, and also offers every one of its styles in adult sizes by request. Cutie and Patootie’s online boutique includes an assortment of beautifully made gift collections for the many special occasions and celebrations that come with new parenthood. It’s extremely reasonable shipping prices and great customer service makes shopping online at cutieandpatootie.com hassle free. Cutie and Patootie is a creative company that has unmistakable vision for fashion, and true talent when it comes to outfitting the young trendsetter in only the most fabulous designs and edgy looks available. There’s no doubt about it – Cutie and Patootie is your one-stop source for trendy apparel for the one you love!