by World Moms Blog | May 17, 2012 | Homeschooling, South Africa, USA, World Interviews, World Moms Blog Writer Interview, Writing
Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?
I am currently living in the grand metropolis of Boca Raton, FL. Originally born in England, my parents traveled extensively until moving out to South Africa on a 2 year contract. They quickly acclimated to the life there and I remained there until one week after the ‘big election’ which I was fortunate to be a part of – a day one could never forget.
We arrived in the States in 1994, and fell in love with Washington DC and the Chesapeake Bay. We have since lived in Pennsylvania, Oregon and now the sunny state of Florida.
I drive a very big truck, with a lot of height, because in case you did not know this … people retire to FL. Yes, many retirees = scared to drive. (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 Kristen | May 16, 2012 | Inspirational, Kids, Life Lesson, Living Abroad, Switzerland
When we moved into our home in Switzerland, we were told there was a river close by. I had no concept of how close it was and my focus was entirely on getting us settled. It took me a few days before I ventured out on a walk with our small boys. We walked down a hill, following signs to a camping site. As we came down the hill and there was a break in the trees, I was able to get my first glance at the crystal blue of our rushing river. It turns out we live 5 minutes from the Aare river that rushes with fresh water from the Alps. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, and it’s in our backyard. (more…)
Kristen is a stay-at-home to two little boys, Jackson (4 yrs) and Owen (nearly 2 yrs). She was born in New York, but eventually made her way down to Texas. She and her husband, Seth, met in Dallas and were married in December 2005. Nine months into their marriage Seth received a call that he had landed his dream job, one catch, it involved world wide assignment. The adventure took them from Texas to Washington, D.C., on to Bogotá, Colombia and then back to Washington, D.C before bringing them to Bern, Switzerland! Kristen and her family have currently lived in Bern for more than 1 year, where her husband works for the US Department of State. Four moves and 2 children in nearly 6 years of marriage have made for quite the adventure in motherhood! Kristen finds motherhood to be one of the most humbling and character building things she has ever experienced. The responsibility of raising boys with integrity and respect at times feels daunting, but she couldn’t imagine doing anything else!
Kristen is a Speech Language Pathologist but has taken time away from working to focus on her family. Although she enjoys the travel and adventure involved in her husband’s career, she often finds herself feeling far from home and working to make the most of time abroad!
On her blog, Seasons Worth Savoring, Kristen writes about daily life with two little boys, including her experiences as she navigates a foreign culture and walks by faith. In her free time, or rather in her busy time with two boys attached to her legs, Kristen enjoys cooking, photography, antique and thrift store shopping, working on crafts, and blogging.
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by Jennifer Burden | May 15, 2012 | Motherhood, Shot@Life, Social Good, World Motherhood, World Voice
Actress, Amanda Peet, with World Moms Blog Founder, Jennifer Burden, in Times Square in NYC advocating for Shot@Life, life-saving vaccines for children in developing countries.
In January, World Mom’s Blog’s advocacy for global health and children began offline at the pilot grass-roots party thrown at my house for the UN Foundation’s new Shot@Life campaign.
For the first time, at that party, I talked candidly in front of my friends and my mom about why the movement for life-saving vaccines for children in the developing world resonated with me.
It was a difficult, personal story for me about my many pregnancy losses, how desperate I felt and how I want to prevent mothers around the globe from ever having to feel that desperate, tragic feeling. There are mothers in the world losing their children to diseases that we have the know-how to prevent. And I want to help.
I have since shared my story at a UN Foundation Volunteer Summit in Washington, D.C. and at my friend Jodi’s grass-roots Shot@Life Party in New Jersey. But, this past Friday was, well, a little different…
I accepted an invitation from the UN Foundation to open my heart and speak for a larger audience in NYC at the launch of the Shot@Life Public Service Announcement (PSA) on the big Toshiba Screen in Times Square. (more…)
Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India.
She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls.
Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.
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by Salma (Canada) | May 14, 2012 | 2012, Canada, Childhood, Culture, Death and Dying, Kids, Loss of Child, Maternal Health, Miscarriage, Motherhood, Salma, World Moms Blog, World Motherhood
There is a secret world out there; one, that unless you have lost a child, you would not be aware of. This world consists of blogs, forums, and meetings. Some of us call it the DBC. We are often too afraid to call it by its real name, the (dead babies club). Every day, a new member joins. Sometimes, a mother re-enters through another door with multiple losses. In the end, once you’re in, you never leave.
Walking into a room full of women who have experienced pregnancy and prenatal loss, it’s hard to see past their faces. Often, their faces tell of heartbreak, and sadness. You would likely be struck by how different each family’s story is. However, one thing remains the same, the impact that the loss has had on each family member.
Usually, I share my own painful story– my infant son died fifteen minutes after birth.
When I entered this secret world in 2009, I was unprepared. Sure, I had gone through a high-risk pregnancy; however, there was never any talk of my baby’s life being in imminent danger. Knee deep in denial, and heartache, I showed a brave exterior to my family, only to break down every time I was alone. I was so self- absorbed that I failed to include my children in my grief. (more…)
An Imperfect Stepford Wife is what Salma describes herself as because she simply cannot get it right. She loves decorating, travelling, parenting,learning, writing, reading and cooking, She also delights in all things mischievous, simply because it drives her hubby crazy.
Salma has 2 daughters and a baby boy. The death of her first son in 2009 was very difficult, however, after the birth of her Rainbow baby in 2010 (one day after her birthday) she has made a commitment to laugh more and channel the innocence of youth through her children. She has blogged about her loss, her pregnancy with Rainbow, and Islamic life.
After relocating to Alberta with her husband in 2011 she has found new challenges and rewards- like buying their first house, and finding a rewarding career.
Her roots are tied to Jamaica, while her hubby is from Yemen. Their routes, however, have led them to Egypt and Canada, which is most interesting because their lives are filled with cultural and language barriers. Even though she earned a degree in Criminology, Salma's true passion is Social Work. She truly appreciates the beauty of the human race. She writes critical essays on topics such as feminism and the law, cultural relativity and the role of women in Islam and "the veil".
Salma works full-time, however, she believes that unless the imagination of a child is nourished, it will go to waste. She follows the philosophy of un-schooling and always finds time to teach and explore with her children. From this stance, she pushes her children to be passionate about every aspect of life, and to strive to be life-long learners and teachers. You can read about her at Chasing Rainbow.
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by Salma (Canada) | May 14, 2012 | 2012, Canada, Childhood, Culture, Death and Dying, Kids, Loss of Child, Maternal Health, Miscarriage, Motherhood, Salma, World Moms Blog, World Motherhood
There is a secret world out there; one, that unless you have lost a child, you would not be aware of. This world consists of blogs, forums, and meetings. Some of us call it the DBC. We are often too afraid to call it by its real name, the (dead babies club). Every day, a new member joins. Sometimes, a mother re-enters through another door with multiple losses. In the end, once you’re in, you never leave.
Walking into a room full of women who have experienced pregnancy and prenatal loss, it’s hard to see past their faces. Often, their faces tell of heartbreak, and sadness. You would likely be struck by how different each family’s story is. However, one thing remains the same, the impact that the loss has had on each family member.
Usually, I share my own painful story– my infant son died fifteen minutes after birth.
When I entered this secret world in 2009, I was unprepared. Sure, I had gone through a high-risk pregnancy; however, there was never any talk of my baby’s life being in imminent danger. Knee deep in denial, and heartache, I showed a brave exterior to my family, only to break down every time I was alone. I was so self- absorbed that I failed to include my children in my grief. (more…)
An Imperfect Stepford Wife is what Salma describes herself as because she simply cannot get it right. She loves decorating, travelling, parenting,learning, writing, reading and cooking, She also delights in all things mischievous, simply because it drives her hubby crazy.
Salma has 2 daughters and a baby boy. The death of her first son in 2009 was very difficult, however, after the birth of her Rainbow baby in 2010 (one day after her birthday) she has made a commitment to laugh more and channel the innocence of youth through her children. She has blogged about her loss, her pregnancy with Rainbow, and Islamic life.
After relocating to Alberta with her husband in 2011 she has found new challenges and rewards- like buying their first house, and finding a rewarding career.
Her roots are tied to Jamaica, while her hubby is from Yemen. Their routes, however, have led them to Egypt and Canada, which is most interesting because their lives are filled with cultural and language barriers. Even though she earned a degree in Criminology, Salma's true passion is Social Work. She truly appreciates the beauty of the human race. She writes critical essays on topics such as feminism and the law, cultural relativity and the role of women in Islam and "the veil".
Salma works full-time, however, she believes that unless the imagination of a child is nourished, it will go to waste. She follows the philosophy of un-schooling and always finds time to teach and explore with her children. From this stance, she pushes her children to be passionate about every aspect of life, and to strive to be life-long learners and teachers. You can read about her at Chasing Rainbow.
More Posts - Website
Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?
