CANADA: An Atheist Christening

When you are the granddaughter of an Anglican minister and you marry an ardent atheist, religion is one of those things you discuss carefully before you have kids.

The brand of Christianity that I was raised on was very… metaphorical. I wasn’t asked to believe that God was actually a bearded man in a nightgown, or that Adam and Eve were real. My mother taught me that hymns and prayers were simply a way to reach God (whatever God may be) in a way which was familiar and comfortable. It was a matter of tradition and culture as much as belief.

My husband, on the other hand, comes from American parents who rebelled against their own parents’ Bible Belt values. His grandparents believed in the Bible in an extremely literal way which violates his scientific and logical mind. He associates religion with closed-mindedness, homophobia, creationism, racism, and sexism, all of which he detests. (more…)

Carol (Canada)

Carol from If By Yes has lived in four different Canadian provinces as well as the Caribbean. Now she lives in Vancouver, working a full time job at a vet clinic, training dogs on the side, and raising her son and daughter to be good citizens of the world. Carol is known for wearing inside-out underwear, microwaving yoghurt, killing house plants, over-thinking the mundane, and pointing out grammatical errors in "Twilight". When not trying to wrestle her son down for a nap, Carol loves to read and write. Carol can also be found on her blog, If By Yes, and on Twitter @IfByYesTweets

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

Monday Delayed Layover for August 8, 2011…


“BlogHer High”

What are the chances of wireless internet going down in a hotel that is hosting a huge blogging event?  Ugh!!  So, the Saturday Layover has been delayed…to the Monday Layover this week!

But, who am I kidding?  It was a much needed break, as my brain was aching and beginning to shutdown from all the information – many intense conference sessions and non-stop networking (I like to call it friend making) with interesting people.

The overwhelming majority of people I met were genuinely interested in making new blogging friends, save for a few outliers.  But, guess what?  I got to meet World Moms Blog writers, Mama Robin J from Canada and Galit Breen from Minnesota, USA.  I stalked them like the papparazzi.  (I hoped they didn’t mind.)  It was GREAT to meet some of our writers in person!! Whooohoo!!! (more…)

Jennifer Burden

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.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

CALIFORNIA, USA: The Placebo Effect

I am not certain what made me do it, but I decided to go for acupuncture. Well, I can pinpoint a number of things that pushed me in that direction…

First of all, I just haven’t felt “myself” since the birth of little girl. And, she is about to turn two. When I mentioned baby blues to my OB/GYN soon after her arrival, he pushed it aside and said it will pass.

But, maybe it didn’t.

The straw that broke the camels back, as the say in the United States, was the day I got SO ANGRY that I yelled at big girl in public and stormed off from my family and went to the movies alone (I saw Harry Potter 7 Part 2 – which I must say was the perfect escape). My behavior was like a clip from Nanny 911 or Supernanny. I hated feeling so out of control, but couldn’t seem to rein it in either. (more…)

Angela Y (USA)

Angela Y. is in her mid-thirties and attempting to raise her two daughters (big girl, R, 3 years; little girl, M, 1 year) with her husband in San Francisco, CA. After spending ten years climbing the corporate ladder, she traded it all in to be a stay-at-home mom! Her perspective of raising a child in the city is definitely different from those who have been city dwellers all their lives, as she grew up in rural Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) surrounded by her extended family. Angela Y. and her husband are on their own on the west coast of the United States — the only family help they receive is when someone comes for a visit. But, the lifestyle in San Francisco is like no other for them, so there, they stay! This exercise conscious mom is easily recognized, especially when she is riding around her husband-built bike with two seats on the back. And, when she’s not hanging out with the girls, you can find Angela Y. in the kitchen. She loves to cook for her family, especially dessert, and then eats some herself when no one is looking! Sneaky, mom!

More Posts

Friday Question: What’s one indulgence you’re loath to give up?

This week’s Friday Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Kyla P’an.  She asked our writers,

“What’s one indulgence you’re loath to give up?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Susie Newday of Israel writes:
“Very sadly, I don’t seem to have one at the moment.  Although I am loath to give up my time on the computer writing.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

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.

More Posts

ILLINOIS, USA: Interview with Jill Barth

ILLINOIS, USA: Interview with Jill Barth

Where do you live and are you from there?

Welcome to Illinois. Welcome to the weather, it’s fickle and untrustworthy.

A rush of change (Hey, it was 90 degrees with sky-so-blue! Where did this rain come from?) can be purifying and meaningful and I guess that’s the start of the story I share today.  My family and I are on the settled side of a move from suburban Chicago (you’ve heard of the White Sox, the big lake and the big tower) to a small town in Central Illinois.  My path is a circle, I suppose, because I am from this area originally, but my husband is from Chicago.  (more…)

Jill Barth

Jill Barth lives in Illinois with her husband and three kids. She reminds you to breathe. She is a freelance writer and consultant. Also, she is the green content Team Leader and columnist at elephantjournal.com and reads fiction for Delmarva Review. Jill's writing can be found on her blog, Small Things Honored.

More Posts

CANADA: Tragedy Through A Child’s Eyes

It is a Saturday morning in January, 2010. The weather is surprisingly mild for the middle of winter, but despite the bright sunshine, I am aware of the horrors that prevail elsewhere in the world. It is about a week since Haiti was ravaged by a devastating earthquake, and I cannot sleep because my mind is filled with the terrible images that I am seeing on the news.

I am sipping coffee and sitting at my laptop checking emails. Nearby, my younger son James, who has just turned four, is playing with a giant pile of Lego and some little plastic people and animals. He appears to be making some kind of village.

I tune out of James’ play, open my Internet browser, and within moments I am in a Facebook-induced trance. It doesn’t last for long: something about the way James is playing makes me snap back to reality and pay closer attention to what he’s doing. What I see makes my heart stand still. (more…)

Kirsten Doyle (Canada)

Kirsten Doyle was born in South Africa. After completing university, she drifted for a while and finally washed up in Canada in 2000. She is Mom to two boys who have reached the stage of eating everything in sight (but still remaining skinny). Kirsten was a computer programmer for a while before migrating into I.T. project management. Eventually she tossed in the corporate life entirely in order to be a self-employed writer and editor. She is now living her best life writing about mental health and addictions, and posting videos to two YouTube channels. When Kirsten is not wrestling with her kids or writing up a storm, she can be seen on Toronto's streets putting many miles onto her running shoes. Every year, she runs a half-marathon to benefit children with autism, inspired by her older son who lives life on the autism spectrum. Final piece of information: Kirsten is lucky enough to be married to the funniest guy in the world. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to check out her YouTube channels at My Gen X Life and Word Salad With Coffee!

More Posts

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookYouTube