by Tara Bergman (USA) | Apr 18, 2011 | Humor, Motherhood, Parenting, Tara B., USA
My first son, who is now 5 years old, inherited my gift of gab. He used sign language as soon as physically possible, said his 1st real word (“duck”) around 12 months old, had a ton of partial words by 15 months old, and by 18 months old, could pretty much say anything he wished.
Those who’ve met him will confirm that he is a talker. A BIG talker. One of his nightly wind-down rituals is “chat time,” which he created. Instead of watching TV or playing a game, he prefers to spend some time each night having a discussion of the topic of his choice with one of his parents over a snack. These topics tend to revolve around science, engineering or vehicles, with an emphasis on learning every itty bitty little detail possible on the selected subject. (more…)
Tara is a native Pennsylvanian who moved to the Seattle area in 1998 (sight unseen) with her husband to start their grand life adventure together. Despite the difficult fact that their family is a plane ride away, the couple fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and have put down roots. They have 2 super charged little boys and recently moved out of the Seattle suburbs further east into the country, trading in a Starbucks on every corner for coyotes in the backyard. Tara loves the outdoors (hiking, biking, camping). And, when her family isn't out in nature, they are hunkered down at home with friends, sharing a meal, playing games, and generally having fun. She loves being a stay-at-home mom and sharing her experiences on World Moms Network!
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by World Moms Blog | Apr 17, 2011 | Eva Fannon, India, International, Kids, Parenting, Tara B., USA, World Moms Blog Itinerary
Join us in the Pacific Northwest of the USA on Monday with writer, Tara B. from Seattle on Monday!
Tara’s son has “the gift of gab”, and she often hears herself through her son’s words. Be sure to check out her top 5 “kid comebacks” in her post this week, “The Comeback Kid.”
Tuesday, we fly east to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to hear from Courtney Cappallo! She asks, have you packed a “Go-bag” for your family to have handy in a disaster situation?
In light of recent world natural disasters, Courtney takes us through what she has packed for her family in her “Go-bag” in her post, “The Bare Necessities.”
Wednesday, we head south to Arkansas, USA, where Margie Bryant takes time from her busy parenting and student schedule to tell us about life in the deep south!
Get your passports out on Thursday and fly with us to Chennai, India, where we meet up with writer, Fire Crystals! **This is truly a “Wow!” post.** She writes about fertility treatment in India in the 1920s and her great-grandmother’s undying persistence to conceive a child, Fire Crystal’s own grandfather. An inspiring read for all mothers, and also one to forward to that good friend going through fertility treatment.
And, be sure to chime in with our writers on Friday for this week’s Friday Question presented by Eva Fannon at the end of the week.
In news, we have added Malaysia to the blog — welcome Alison! We’re soon to be writing from 11 countries! Thank you to our readers and writers who have been helping us spread the word about World Moms Blog!
We also hit a 200+ fan milestone on Facebook. We love our fans! Do you want to help us inspire and unite more mothers around the globe? If so…
Share your favorite WMB posts on your Facebook Page and tell your friends all about us!
Our writers would be thrilled if you did! Thank you!
— World Moms Blog
Our World Moms Blog logo was designed by the creative Erica Joyner Designs in Virginia, USA.
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
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by World Moms Blog | Apr 15, 2011 | Eva Fannon, Family, Friday Question, Humor, Husband, Kids, Motherhood, Tara B., Toys
This week’s question comes from Eva Fannon, who asks…
“What are your kids afraid of and how do you comfort them?”
Here are some things that are World Moms Blog writers do…
Karyn Van Der Zwet of New Zealand writes:
“The Hare, who is nine, is afraid of the dark. The Owl was afraid of e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g and now is just sometimes cautious. The Butterfly hates the vacuum cleaner with a vengeance. We bed-share (five in two queen sized beds) and use something called Boring Cuddles (Diane Levy, Kiwi family therapist)…where you hold your child (at their request) but never ever say anything or even make any noise. You can rock, rub or pat. They are fantastic. Can’t recommend them enough.” (more…)
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
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by Shaula Bellour (Indonesia) | Apr 14, 2011 | East Timor, Family Travel, International, Kids, Motherhood, Parenting, Shaula Bellour, Transportation, Twins
Sometimes driving here drives me a little bit crazy.
To be fair, driving in Dili can’t really be compared with most other urban areas in this part of the world. Though it is a capital city, it’s more of a sleepy town than a sprawling metropolis. Traffic rarely moves faster than 35 mph, so it doesn’t feel particularly dangerous or difficult to navigate.
The curious one-way system can make things tricky at times (and the fact that most streets don’t have names), but even the busiest main roads are just two lanes.
However, driving can still be frustrating. According to the US State Department: “Driving in Dili is especially hazardous, with large trucks and military vehicles sharing the streets with vendors, pedestrians, and livestock.” Yep. (more…)
Shaula Bellour grew up in Redmond, Washington. She now lives in Jakarta, Indonesia with her British husband and 9-year old boy/girl twins. She has degrees in International Relations and Gender and Development and works as a consultant for the UN and non-governmental organizations.
Shaula has lived and worked in the US, France, England, Kenya, Eritrea, Kosovo, Lebanon and Timor-Leste. She began writing for World Moms Network in 2010. She plans to eventually find her way back to the Pacific Northwest one day, but until then she’s enjoying living in the big wide world with her family.
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by Maggie Ellison | Apr 13, 2011 | Family, Humanity, Life Lesson, Motherhood, USA
A few days ago, we had to say good-bye to our family dog. Her health was going downhill the last two years and I knew it was coming, but when it happened, it left me in shock and in tears.
After 12 years together, we had to have her euthanized. Prior to having her, I just accepted that this was often a part of having a dog, and it was more humane. But. when you are in the place where you have to decide the fate of your beloved pet, it is very difficult.
Is this ethical? Am I selfish for not doing it? Am I selfish for doing it? Will I be there? Am I betraying her?
The pain of losing a family dog is horrible and one that I did not understand completely until I went through it. (more…)
Maggie is so grateful to be raising her 2 children with her husband in the low country of South Carolina. Life at the beach is what she’s always known, although living in SC is new to this NJ native! The beauty of the live oaks and the palmettos takes her breath away on a daily basis and being able to go to the beach all year is a dream for her. Art and music have also always been a part of Maggie’s life, and she is happy that her family has the same love and appreciation for it that she does.
Maggie and her family are also very active. Her husband coaches both kids in soccer, and they like to spend their time outdoors kayaking, biking, swimming, camping, etc. They try to seize every moment they can together, and they feel that it’s not just the family time that is important. They want their kids to know a life of activity and respect for the outdoors, expose them to new things and teach them about the world! Maggie and her family are no strangers to overcoming life's challenges. They've had to uproot their family several times when jobs have been lost in the economic crisis.
They also lovingly face the challenges of having a child diagnosed with special needs. Through all this, Maggie has learned to celebrate the good times and never take them for granted. Her family is everything to her, and she is incredibly grateful for every day she has with them and for every moment she has shared with them. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t tell them she loves them and how lucky she is to be her kids’ mommy. How sweet!
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My first son, who is now 5 years old, inherited my gift of gab. He used sign language as soon as physically possible, said his 1st real word (“duck”) around 12 months old, had a ton of partial words by 15 months old, and by 18 months old, could pretty much say anything he wished.
