by World Moms Blog | Nov 24, 2012 | Human Rights, Purnima, Saturday Sidebar, The Alchemist, Tina Santiago-Rodriguez, World Moms Blog, World Voice
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Purnima. She asked our writers,
“How do you intend to spend your year end holidays?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

World Mom, Jennifer Prestholdt and her family celebrating their holidays
Hamakkomommy of Japan writes:
“Christmas in Japan can be kind of sad if it falls on a weekday. This year, I am planning to spend the day with a fellow gaijin friend and her family. New Years is the main holiday here. The days leading up to it will be spent cleaning (apparently the lucky new year god doesn’t come to dirty houses.) On Jan 1st, we’ll head over to the in-laws house around 8 AM for a traditional meal, the traditional sake, followed by the traditional sake-induced speech my father-in-law gives every year. After that, we usually head to a local park for kite flying (which is done on New Years for some reason.) Kids get money from relatives, so we’ll probably end the day at the toy store with temper tantrums and hangovers.” (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 World Moms Blog | Nov 22, 2012 | Family, Guest Post, Home, International, Israel, Kids, Motherhood, Multicultural, Parenting, Relocating, Tragedy, Uncategorized, World Events, World Motherhood, Younger Children
“Start packing.” He tells me on the phone. “It’s gonna get crazy here!”
“Really? Just pack up and leave?”
“Yes,” he repeats. “I’ll be home in ten minutes.”
I’m feeding the baby, and my older son is playing outside. I hesitate for a second, then summon him. You can continue playing outside, I explain in a composed voice, but promise me, the minute you hear the siren you come in. OK?
He smiles at me, makes the promise, don’t worry mommy. Calms me down. For a second I wonder if our roles might be reversed.
I start folding the clothing. What should I take? This horrible weather. November and still hot. Need to plan for any type of weather. And my daughter is being toilet trained. Need lots of extra clothes.
“What’s taking you so long? You don’t understand how serious this is, do you?”
Not really. More serious than what it’s been until now? We’ve been living with the missiles for years, even though these last months have been crazy.
We don’t have a proper bomb shelter. We can’t take a four-month-old baby to a public shelter. We can’t stay in rocket range. Then I hear the explosions. Though distant, their impact is felt. So close my husband brings the children in the house. “Stay here,” he commands, “until we finish loading the car. The sirens are going to start soon.”
(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 World Moms Blog | Nov 17, 2012 | Polish Mom Photographer, Saturday Sidebar, Tina Santiago-Rodriguez, World Moms Blog
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Eva Fannon. She asked our writers,

World Mom, Meredith’s daughter in her kitchen
“I’ve got two very willing volunteers in the kitchen, (2 & 6 yo), and I need help finding ways to incorporate their help while still keeping them safe. Any ideas?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Lady E of Indonesia writes:
“My son has been in the kitchen since he was a newborn, and now loves to mix and pour, crack eggs, use the beater, and he cooks eggs when I am next to him. I am slowly teaching him knife skills, but with tight supervision. I think the main thing is always explaining the process, why we do things the way that we do, and what we need to do in order to stay safe. He also loves to look through cookbooks and plan a menu. My son is a very picky, difficult eater. Involving him in the process has helped to add a few items onto his “will eat list.”
Karyn Van Der Zwet of New Zealand writes:
I am a bit more relaxed with sharp knives than most parents, and expect our kids to cut themselves a few times before they learn to keep themselves safe. Our boys started using knives from around 15 months and even the three year-old is pretty competent at slicing stuff – importantly they also learned (without me saying anything) when they couldn’t manage and will all ask for help if they think the task is likely to end in injury – slicing carrots springs to mind here. With the stove-top I teach them to hold the handle to the oven (or some other near object) with one hand while they stir things on elements. If they are near to an element, and I know it’s hot, I’ll tell them that it is on.
I never predict the future. That is, I never tell our kids they ‘will’ cut themselves, or that they ‘will’ burn themselves, or that they ‘will’ grate their fingers etc. I focus on real, concreteation like: the stove is hot; the knife is sharp; the grater is like lots of little knives. I also differentiate between tools and toys – knives etc are useful, but not for playing with. This way all of our kids, even the three year-old, have learned to manage the equipment – with a few woopsies on the way – and learn they can manage risk and they can manage when things don’t go according to plan.
(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 World Moms Blog | Nov 10, 2012 | Polish Mom Photographer, Rox is Brilliant, Saturday Sidebar, Tina Santiago-Rodriguez, World Moms Blog

World Mom, MomPhotographer with her 2 daughters
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Susie Newday. She asked our writers,“How many kids did you want before you were married and how many do you want now, now that you have kids and know what it is like?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Carol @ If By Yes of British Columbia, Canada writes:
“I wanted two, now still want two, but sort of also want three! My husband is sticking at two, though.”
EcoZiva of Brazil writes:
“I did not want any, but now I am pregnant of baby number 3! 🙂 For me that number is perfect now, but my husband wants to convince me of more!!”
Elizabeth Atalay of Massachusetts, USA writes:
“I come from a small family so always idealized big families. When I was little I wanted 6 kids, but at some point I decided four would be a good number. Despite the chaos I am grateful every day for our four kids and our full house.”
Jenna Farelyn of North Carolina, USA writes:
“I wanted a big family. I have four kids. I would like to have a few more.” (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 World Moms Blog | Nov 3, 2012 | Polish Mom Photographer, Purnima, Rox is Brilliant, Saturday Sidebar, The Alchemist, Tina Santiago-Rodriguez, World Moms Blog

World Mom, Mom Photographer’s daughter watching TV
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Alison Lee. She asked our writers,
“Do you allow your children to watch television? If yes, how much and what kind of TV programs?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Ana@StumbleAbroad of Indonesia writes:
“We are very lucky to have very limited commercials on the kids’ channels so whenever Evan (my 2.5) year old watches Disney Junior or National Geographic he’s not at all drawn to the toys. We watch TV with him and change the channel if we think it’s inappropriate for his age (violence) or too scary (creepy animals). I try to put movies for him in Spanish so he practices the language, too. El Rayo McQueen is very funny in Mexican Spanish!”
Carol @ If By Yes of British Columbia, Canada writes:
“We had a no TV before age 2 rule, in accordance with the recommended guidelines by pediatric associations, although we made exceptions occasionally for watching sports with his father. Now that he’s two we are starting to think about letting him watch children’s programs, but he saw one episode of Sesame Street and didn’t seem to learn anything from it, so we’re not in a rush.”
(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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