by Shaula Bellour (Indonesia) | Feb 15, 2012 | Child Care, Domesticity, Family, Indonesia, International, Motherhood, Shaula Bellour, Twins, USA, World Motherhood
One feature of living in this part of the world is the availability of affordable household help. In many ways it’s a wonderful thing, but it also takes some getting used to.
When we lived in the U.S., I was a typical multi-tasking mom – juggling work, two babies, one dog, a frequently traveling husband, and a 100-year-old house. I had a part-time childcare arrangement to cover my working hours, but given the steep hourly rate, in my mind even a quick errand had a “cost”. I would occasionally splurge on a house cleaner as a gift to myself – usually before family visited (and always a “deep clean” because it was so rare).
During those busy days, I would often daydream about how nice it would be if we didn’t have to spend our precious downtime scrubbing, sweeping, and mowing. How lovely it would be to have more time and energy for other things. How much easier life would be. (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 Kyla P'an (Portugal) | Feb 14, 2012 | Humanity, International, Shot@Life, Social Good, USA, World Events, World Moms Blog, World Voice
(l to r) WMB editors Jennifer Burden, Nicole Melancon and Kyla P’an interviewing Shot@Life Executive Director, Peg Willingham
On January 29th, three members of the World Moms Blog editorial team—Nicole Melancon, Kyla P’an and WMB Founder, Jennifer Burden—traveled to Washington, DC to attend a summit focusing on the Shot@Life campaign, hosted by the United Nations Foundation. The following is excerpts from an interview we conducted with the campaign’s Executive Director, Peg Willingham, about Shot@Life, the UN Foundation’s new global vaccination initiative:
World Moms Blog: Peg, can you share some background with us about the UN Foundation and how the Shot@Life campaign evolved?
Peg Willingham: Sure, The UN Foundation was established in 1998, when the founder of CNN (Cable News Network), Ted Turner, who has a deep interest in foreign affairs,wanted a way to support the work of the United Nations. He made a US$1 billion grant, establishing the Foundation to serve as a (more…)
Kyla was born in suburban Philadelphia but spent most of her time growing up in New England. She took her first big, solo-trip at age 14, when she traveled to visit a friend on a small Greek island. Since then, travels have included: three months on the European rails, three years studying and working in Japan, and nine months taking the slow route back from Japan to the US when she was done. In addition to her work as Managing Editor of World Moms Network, Kyla is a freelance writer, copy editor, recovering triathlete and occasional blogger. Until recently, she and her husband resided outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where they were raising two spunky kids, two frisky cats, a snail, a fish and a snake. They now live outside of Lisbon, Portugal with two spunky teens and three frisky cats. You can read more about Kyla’s outlook on the world and parenting on her personal blogs, Growing Muses And Muses Where We Go
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by World Moms Blog | Feb 11, 2012 | Eva Fannon, Motherhood, Saturday Sidebar, South Africa, USA, World Moms Blog, World Motherhood
For today’s Saturday Sidebar Question, Eva Fannon asks,
“On February 14th, Valentine’s Day is observed in the U.S. as well as other countries. What is Valentine’s Day called in your country? Do you celebrate it by doing anything special?”
Chime in and let us know!
Mamma Simona of South Africa writes:
“In South Africa Valentine’s Day is celebrated the same way as in the U.S. My wedding anniversary is the 9th of February so hubby and I usually only celebrate one or the other! 🙂 Unfortunately, this year, my aunt is having a mastectomy on the 14 of February due to breast cancer. We’ll probably be at the hospital this Valentine’s Day so I’m hoping to do something special for my 21st Wedding Anniversary on the 9th. My kids are 19 and 16 years old respectively and haven’t yet told me what their plans for the Valentine’s Day are.” (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 Kyla P'an (Portugal) | Feb 2, 2012 | Education, Life Balance, Motherhood, Parenting, USA, World Motherhood
A mother’s schedule is a carefully chiseled sculpture. The more children she has, the more detail and precision it requires.
I only have two kids but for the past six years, I have made it my life’s work to supplement my children’s formal education with extracurricular activities. I’m a stay-at-home-mom so for now, this type of planning really is my life’s work. Unfortunately, most classes I sign them up for run in seven to 12-week sessions, which means that three or four times a year, I have to re-sculpt our schedules.
Since you’re reading this post on World Moms Blog, I imagine you may be an empathetic sculptor. We live in an era overwhelmed by activities and many of us fall victim to over-programming.
Since become a mom, I’ve worked really hard to maintain a balance between too much and nothing at all. During the long summer stretch, we’ve vacillated between trying a little of everything: farm camp here, sports camp there, swim lessons at the pond, time with grandparents, family road trips; and summers living wherever the moment took us. If you’re at all like me and cherish routine, I don’t recommend the latter.
When it comes to my kids, who are 6 and 3, my aim is to pepper their lives with a variety of activities rather than dowsing them with the entire spice cabinet all at once.
What I find works best for us is (more…)
Kyla was born in suburban Philadelphia but spent most of her time growing up in New England. She took her first big, solo-trip at age 14, when she traveled to visit a friend on a small Greek island. Since then, travels have included: three months on the European rails, three years studying and working in Japan, and nine months taking the slow route back from Japan to the US when she was done. In addition to her work as Managing Editor of World Moms Network, Kyla is a freelance writer, copy editor, recovering triathlete and occasional blogger. Until recently, she and her husband resided outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where they were raising two spunky kids, two frisky cats, a snail, a fish and a snake. They now live outside of Lisbon, Portugal with two spunky teens and three frisky cats. You can read more about Kyla’s outlook on the world and parenting on her personal blogs, Growing Muses And Muses Where We Go
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by World Moms Blog | Jan 29, 2012 | Eva Fannon, India, Israel, South Korea, Susie Newday, USA, World Moms Blog Itinerary
On Monday, we start off the week in South Korea, where Ms. V. talks about who is really teaching who when it comes to parenting. What valuable life lessons have you learned from your children?
On Tuesday, we head off to Israel for a thought-provoking post from Susie Newday. Do you ever think about your own death and how it would impact your family? Can an act of love inadvertently become a burden to the ones left behind?
On Wednesday, we are in Seattle with Eva Fannon, who talks about the weather. She had a rare opportunity to stay home with her kids and play in the snow, and she tells us what those few days taught her. (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 | Jan 22, 2012 | Brazil, Canada, South Korea, USA, World Moms Blog Itinerary
We start off this very multinational week in New York with Allison Charleston, whose family line runs high on girls and low on boys. She tells us about how the behaviour of her son – the only boy in her family – fascinates and amuses her.
On Tuesday, we head north of the border to Canada, to hear from Multitasking Mumma. Do you and your partner have similar parenting styles, or do you have a good-cop-bad-cop kind of setup? This mom tells us what it was like for her growing up, and the challenges faced by many parents today.
Tuesday at 5pm, the latest post in our Human Rights column will post from international human rights lawyer, Jennifer Prestholdt, who is in Kathmandu, Nepal this week. Jennifer write an incredibly informative post about the education of girls around the globe. Come see the places she takes us to!
On Wednesday, we go to the exotic land of (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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One feature of living in this part of the world is the availability of affordable household help. In many ways it’s a wonderful thing, but it also takes some getting used to.
