Showing posts with label tweens

We #ChooseKind- WONDER the movie in theaters Nov. 17

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 27, 2017
On a hot summer day, I received an unexpected package that contained a book and a tee-shirt that changed my way of looking at situations for the better. You see, the fates smiled upon me and I had received a complimentary hardbound copy of WONDER- a New York Times bestseller book by R.J. Palacio and the softest t-shirt on behalf of Lionsgate. My special thanks to them for that package and the surprise Halloween goodies as well. If you haven’t met and been moved by Auggie Pullman yet, read on to learn about the book and the movie WONDER! All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 





For most of us, as soon as we turn our calendars to November, we start thinking about the big family style holidays coming up. Thanksgiving can be a stressful endeavor with some families, whether it is a logistics concern, or more often than not, the thought of multiple personalities clashing over the cranberries. Some of our family squabbles would seem silly to the thousands of kids here in the United States that need a home. 


November is national adoption month #NAM15 on MWP


Since November is National adoption month, I’m honored to work with today’s sponsor- the U.S.  Department of Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids, and the Ad Council to help spread the word about this growing need and ask for your help as well. While this is a sponsored post, all opinions and love of children are my own.


As a Mom of two teen daughters, I was shocked and honestly heart-sore when I read the information sent to me to share with you today. For instance, did you know that there are 415,000 children in the U.S. foster care system and 108,000 are waiting to be adopted?

AdoptUSKids’ maintains a national photo listing service for children waiting to be adopted. Since the project launched in 2002, more than 25,000 children who were once photo listed on adoptuskids.org have been adopted and nearly 38,000 families have registered to adopt through the website.  

Nevertheless, older youth are disproportionately represented – approximately 41 percent of children and youth photo listed on adoptuskids.org are between 15 and 18 years old, but only 17 percent of those adopted have been in this age group. This just breaks my heart, because I don’t know what my world would be like if I didn’t have my two beautiful, vibrant, smart and funny teens in my life! 

Still, the fact is older youth and teens have lower adoption rates than younger children and often wait longer to be adopted. Can you imagine what they must feel at this time of year? 

All kids need a supportive, loving home and the teenage years are a critical period of growth. The theme for this year’s AdoptUSKids campaign is “We never outgrow the need for Family”. Doesn’t that hit you right in the heart? It did me! If you have ever considered adopting or fostering a child, now may be the perfect time to get started.  

Watch this cute video!




AdoptUSKids wants to remind you- “You don’t have to be perfect to be a #perfectparent”


Here are some facts worth considering.


Why Older Youth?

All of us – that includes older youth in foster care who are waiting to be adopted – need and want families throughout life to support us and to share important life events. Learning to drive a car, applying for higher education, and birthday and holiday celebrations are just a few examples of the times in life we need and want to share with family.
  • Older youth are overrepresented in the foster care population, as they generally wait longer to be adopted, and have lower overall adoption rates.    
  • On adoptuskids.org, roughly 41 percent of the children and youth actively photo listed are between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. About 58 percent are male. (Most recent stats as of May 31, 2015) 
  •  Families, who adopt older youth, are providing them with the support and stability of a family during a critical period of normal adolescent concerns and additional self-identity issues.
 
Some of the Misperceptions about Adoption from Foster Care:

Adoption is expensive. Unlike the private adoption of an infant or adopting internationally, there are virtually no costs associated with adoption from the US child welfare system. In addition, the vast majority of youth adopted from foster care are also eligible for monthly adoption assistance up to the level of the foster care rate. 

You have to be married. You do not have to be married to adopt in most states. Many children have been very successfully adopted by single parents. Single-parent families accounted for 29 percent of all adoptions from foster care in 2014 (AFCARS). 

You have to have a college degree. Having a high school diploma or college education is not required. What is important is that you are stable, flexible, and compassionate, and that you have a good sense of humor. Most importantly, you must have the support and commitment to raise a child and to be there for him throughout his life. 

You have to own a home and each child has to have their own room. You can rent your home or live in an apartment or a mobile home so long as your living situation is a stable one. 

You have to be of child-bearing age to adopt. Experienced parents and empty-nesters are encouraged to adopt. In most instances, you’re eligible to adopt regardless of age, income, marital status or sexual orientation.  

You can only adopt a child who is the same race and ethnicity as you. Federal law prohibits the delay or denial of an adoptive placement based on the race or ethnicity of a child in U.S. foster care and the prospective parent or parents who are seeking to adopt them. The only exception to this law is the adoption of Native American children where special considerations apply.  

You can’t adopt if you’re in the military. Military families stationed overseas and within the U.S. are eligible to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system. 


As we enter this season of thanks, kindness and giving, I invite you to learn about adoption, or about becoming an adoptive parent to a child from foster care, please visit www.adoptuskids.org or visit the campaign’s communities on Facebook and Twitter. You can also call 1-888-200-4005 (English) or 1-877-236-7831 (Spanish) to receive the latest information about the foster care system and the adoption process.



I thank you sincerely for reading this post to here. I would love if you would consider sharing this post, so that others can become aware of the overwhelming need to adopt older kids in the U.S.


Please share in comments: Do you have a positive/uplifting adoption story? I’d love to hear it! I’ll share your story on my Facebook page as well!

On a recent mild Saturday afternoon, a group of happy tweens arrived at our home to help my daughter celebrate her 12th birthday.  They were full of energy and giggles right from the start!

The hostess ready to greet her guests #Disneyside #celebration


The birthday “Princess” was ready to greet her guests and make them feel welcome. For twenty minutes, we met girls and parents and exchanged pleasantries as one should. All went according to plan. That would be the last time I could say that with any real confidence! The great thing about tweens is their spontaneity!  So my first tip to hosting an epic tween birthday party is: Plan to not follow your plan exactly.


Show your #Disneyside #celebration MyWAHMPlan.com
My next tip is to pick a theme that has a lot of wiggle room. While my daughter liked the “idea” of a Disney Villain style party, she didn’t want it to be over the top with decorations.  We went with simple purple, green, gray and black pieces and accessories. The clear favorite was the villain banner! Hello Ursula, Maleficent and Darth Vader!


#Disneyside Villain themed #party banner


After the girls had played outside for a while they came in ready for a snack. We had lots of on hand, but before I could get a photo to share- these girls descended upon the table with an appetite only a tween boy could rival! Which leads me to my next tween party tip: don’t take too many photos and never snap a picture of a girl with her mouth full of food! So, not cool Mom!

#Disneyside #party snack time MyWAHMPlan.com


After the girls hung out listening to music and taking selfies (yes, the irony isn’t lost on me) they went totally off plan and asked to do hair, nails and makeup instead of the crafts and games we had planned. Tip number 3: Roll with it, when at all possible. 


Here's my girls take on Maleficent nails.  We used black, green and purple nail polish- but you could use whatever darker colors you have on hand. I think they turned out nice!

#Maleficent style nails #Disneyside #Villains


Want to create your own Maleficent Villain style nails? Here’s a quick tutorial for you to follow.

Maleficent inspired nail art #Disneyside


After dinner, which included lots of pizza and veggies, the girls were ready to be frightened by playing flashlight tag! Living out in the country like we do, Mother Nature provided us with a very dark and mysterious landscape, perfect to frighten and amaze city dwellers! Maleficent would approve!


girls playing flashlight tag #Disneyside #tween party fun!


While down at our pond, these girls got themselves so scared, they ran back to the house and got us parents involved! It was a perfect, crisp, clear night on our land for flashlight tag. Even with all the flood lights on there was much screaming and laughter.


The hubby and myself have fun playing flashlight tag #Disneyside

I must confess- this older Princess had a lot of fun outside with her Prince.


Tip number 4: Let your tweens explore and push the boundaries just a bit. Their party is the perfect time to allow ghost stories and playing outside after dark (weather permitting) as long as you establish safety guidelines first. Parents, even if you don’t want to be seen- stay close where you can hear and see the kids. 


Later that evening, the girls decided to get to the games and crafts part of our party plan. The clear favorite was the jar painting craft!

Girls just want to have fun! #Disneyside craft time

They laughed and talked and joked and ate and laughed some more until it was movie time.

I cleaned up the happy mess as best I could and left the living room to them. Which leads me to tip number 5: let your child host, but set ground rules before guests arrive. Chat with your son or daughter about snacks and drinks allowed, which movies are approved for watching and what time the party must wind down so kids can go to sleep if you are hosting a sleepover party like we did.


As I was preparing breakfast the next morning, the girls naturally gravitated back to the craft area to finish up their jars before pick up time arrived. That's when I knew this craft project was a winner

morning craft time #Disneyside MyWAHMPlan.com


Even though this was a bit of a messy endeavor, I think all the jars turned out as pretty and as individual as the girls who painted them.


painted keepsake jar #Disneyside party craft


My last tip on throwing an epic tween birthday party, one in which your child and their friends tell you how much fun they had and how Epic! the party was. It's simple- sprinkle your party liberally with laughter and a healthy dose of pixie dust style patience and you too can pull off a great tween party!


Pixie Dust for goodie bags #Disneyside



Disney wants you to show your #Disneyside by being happy and sharing what you love about Disney! Showing your Disneyside will look different for every family and that’s what makes life fun.


#Disneyside #birthday party fun


If you’d like to throw your own #Disneyside at home celebration, head on over to DisneySide Celebrations and check out all the amazing themes, tips, activities and recipes they have. I'm betting you'll be able to pull of an epic party too!



Please share in comments: What is your favorite Disney Villain character and why?


Disclosure: My thanks to Disneyside for providing us with a box of Villain worthy goodies to use how we chose to show our Disneyside. No compensation was given or wanted. We are happy to show our Disneyside as often as possible.


Season’s greetings dear readers! I’ve been bitten by the holiday bug for sure and I want to help you make your season a little brighter and your shopping lists a little lighter by sharing the newest products from Burt’s Bees with you today. I was sent the products below free of charge so I can share my thoughts with you, but all opinions are my own. 


Burt's Bees holiday collections
Burt's Bees Holiday no wrap collections


We received the Burt’s Bees Mani- Pedi set and the Hive Favorites much to the delight of my teen and tween daughters. Thankfully, both sets came with a lip balm or I would have been in trouble. While we loved the cool no-wrap feature of these holiday collections, we simply couldn’t wait until Christmas to try them.


We opened the cute Hive Favorites first, which has a replenishing lip balm with Pomegranate oil and a small tube of nourishing milk and honey body lotion. This lip balm smells and tastes as divine as it sounds, and offers just a wee bit of color, so it’s perfect for any tween or teen on your gift list. 


Burt's Bees Hive Favorites collection


Next we all tried a squirt of the lightly scented milk and honey body lotion. While rubbing it in we all agreed it made our arms and hands feel ultra soft and refreshed. The Hive Favorite collection is a perfect stocking stuffer, birthday gift or secret Santa surprise. 



Burt's Bees Mani Pedi holiday collection


Then we opened the Mani Pedi collection. This set has everything you need to take care of your hands and feet. We couldn’t get enough of the rich scent and cool feel of the Peppermint foot lotion. 

Next we tried the Shea Butter hand repair cream and while we liked how it went straight to work fixing our dry hands, we didn’t care for the overly herbal scent, so do be aware of it if you purchase this for somebody with scent sensitivities. We do want to say that this repair cream does work splendidly! 


Burt's Bees Mani Pedi holiday collection

Lastly, we all washed our hands and gave the Lemon Butter cuticle cream a try. This is heaven in a tin folks! We LOVE the scent and how quickly it blends into our cuticles. Plus, it works really well on rough cuticles making it a winner in our eyes. Combine all of these items and put them in the stylish cosmetic bag included and you’ll have a gift sure to please.



Burt's Bees all #natural products logo



We really like the Burt’s Bees holiday “no wrap needed” gift collections finding them a convenient, affordable and perfectly gift-able choice.

 If you have moms, teens, tweens, Aunts, Uncles and personal care gift lovers on your holiday shopping list, you should check out all the Burt’s Bees holiday collections here to find just the right one for your needs.



Please share in comments: Which product from the Burt’s Bees holiday gift collections I mentioned you would most like to try?


Easy Chalkboard #Craft

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, July 30, 2014

With back to school looming large for us, we are making the most of every minute of our precious summer vacation. So, we chose a craft that is not only quick and easy, but is also useful when those school bells finally ring. This craft was done in less than thirty minutes, and is a perfect addition to my daughters’ room décor. I’ll be able to leave them reminders all year on their personalized chalkboard.

We found everything we needed for our craft project on sale at our local Joann’s craft store, but you can easily find the needed supplies at any craft store. Feel free to shop the sale items, and pick whatever embellishments that suit your décor and mood. My daughters both wanted something classic and feminine, so naturally we went with pearls, satin and flowers in a subtle creamy white theme.


Supplies:

  • 2 – 12x9 Darice wood framed chalkboards
  • 1 sheet Prima decorative paper flowers
  • 1 sheet- K & Company pearl adhesive gems
  • 1 roll – Offray off-white satin ribbon
  • 1- box white Crayola Chalk
  • Glue
  • Q-Tips (to apply glue)


chalkboard #craft supplies #DIY



While both my daughters had agreed on an overall theme when they picked out their supplies, each of them had a different vision for the project, making it uniquely theirs, and making directions subjective.  I’m sure you’ll find a host of products you could use on this project, from paint pens to scrap-booking letters, so let your imagination take the lead.


The Basics:

My daughters chose different uses for their ribbon, one adding a border around her chalkboard, and one making a simple bow as shown in the picture below.

chalkboard #craft ribbon flowers #DIY


  • Glue on ribbons, using Q-Tips to dab on small amounts of glue.
  • Allow to dry.
  • Gently remove Prima paper flowers from package, or leaves will stick to paper.
  • Arrange and glue.
  • Allow to dry.
  • Add K & Company pearl gems. These have self-stick backs, so be sure you place them right where you want them the first time.
  • Tie chalk to ribbon, or allow to rest on top of chalkboard if you’re hanging it up.


This really is a super cute and easy craft your teens and tweens will love to do.


cute chalkboard #craft for #teens #tweens

Please share in comments: What theme would you choose to decorate your chalkboard?


Disclosure: I received free products to help facilitate my #Disneyside@Home Celebration party. All opinions are 100% my own.




MyWAHMPlan.com


When I first got the email from Mom Central calling for hosts of a Disney Celebration in our home, I was excited because Disney characters hold a special place in my heart and most especially my daughters.  We LOVE Disney Princesses, every one of them. 

From Jasmine, Belle, Aurora, Ariel to Cinderella and Merida they each possess wonderful strength and spirit, hope, courage and a healthy dose of humor. All the wonderful traits we try to instill in my daughters.  

So quite naturally, our party theme was Princesses. Since our “princesses” fall into the tween and teen age groups, I got creative and decided the best way to let then show their fun side would be to let them be grown up versions of their favorite princess.

MyWAHMPlan.com



We played with Makeup and hairstyles.  We did a different kind of face painting by having the girls color in face print outs that makeup artists use. This was a huge hit!


MyWAHMPlan.com

We listened to “Let it Go” from Frozen so many times, even I know most all the words now.
We had fun with all the cool goody bag treats Disney sent us that came in a very unique package- a cool American Tourist Luggage piece that will surely come in handy on our next family trip.


MyWAHMPlan.com


The clear favorite goodie was this classic love poster.


MyWAHMPlan.com



We had special princess Hot Chocolate, complete with Cinnamon sprinkles.

MyWAHMPlan.com


And lots of tasty sweets.

MyWAHMPlan.com


Throughout the afternoon, lots of laughter and smiles and sharing happened, which was quite magical indeed.

I invite you to host your own Disneyside @ Home Celebration! The fun isn't just for princesses.  Just go to Disneyside Celebrations  to learn more, see great party themes, recipes and more.


Share with me in comments: What is your favorite Disney character or movie? My girls pick is Frozen right now!



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 Girl Nation CD Giveaway

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, November 22, 2013

Got a tween or pre-tween in your life? Do you want to encourage them to listen to uplifting music that is Christian based with clean lyrics?


Yes?

Then you are going to want to enter my Giveaway for the 1GN CD, which is being sponsored by FlyBy Promotions. FlyBy sent me a free CD to listen to with my daughters and all opinions expressed below are ours and may differ from yours. Before we get to our review or giveaway, I'd like to share a little bit about them. 


About 1 Girl Nation:  


MyWAHMPlan.com

“Landing in the space where One Direction meets Toby Mac, 1 girl nation is an exciting blend of upbeat pop music, with lyrics that are focused on living for God, even while you’re young.” 

Their current single While We’re Young is getting a lot of radio play, so you may have already heard them. You can learn all about 1 Girl Nation by visiting their website, following them on Facebook and Twitter or watching them on YouTube.



Our Review:

Talk about a trendy looking all girl group! The 5 young ladies in 1GN have trendy covered.  They may dress to impress (what tween doesn’t like sparkles?) but what these 5 girls really want to share is their passion for Christ through their music. And they do that on each track on this CD. 
Their lyrics are heartfelt, if not a little predictable and I found myself humming along to a track or two. On the flip side- some songs are sung in such a way that I want to leave the room. These ladies have gusto and talent. 
My daughters liked this CD much more than me- which is the point after all. Teens and Tweens are their target audience.  Having said that, both my daughters agreed, a little 1GN is all you need so they play one or two songs at a time, not the whole CD. This CD would make a perfect stocking stuffer!



The Giveaway:

One reader will win the 1 Girl Nation CD which has a mini-size poster on the back side of the lyrics. 
Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. Just do the first task on the form and then other options will open up for you to do. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents 18+.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize shipment. See full terms available on Rafflecopter form.


Good luck! 




Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Rage Against Mini- Skanks

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, August 26, 2013


Can I wear makeup? Lots of other girls do? My answer: No!

Can I dye my hair? So and so has highlights? My answer: No!

Then can I Kool-Aid the bottom? Everybody does. My answer: maybe.

Can I get contacts? My answer: Not yet.

Can I wear high heels? My answer: Really? Seriously?

I’m not raising you to be some mini-skank I say. Using the terminology she will understand. Afterall, she heard it first at school. 


 Skank - Derogatory term for a (usually younger) female, implying trashiness or tackiness, lower-class status, poor hygiene, flakiness, and a scrawny, pockmarked sort of ugliness. May also imply promiscuity, but not necessarily. Can apply to any race, but most commonly used to describe white trash. Source Urban dictionary.


morals
Courtesy:dreamstime

*Sigh*. Some of you may think I’m referencing snippets of conversation with my 14 year old daughter, but no. Sadly, these are all exchanges between my 10 year old daughter and me.

Yes, 10! Okay, 10 and half if you really want to get technical, but please see my point: She is not a teen yet and I won’t let you have her immoral society!  I will rage against you with all my might! You aren’t getting her when she’s a teen either!

 Even her 14 year old sister does not have this kind of peer pressure! She’s a freshman in high school and she and her friends show way less skin than the majority of elementary school girls my daughter has to swim with. These are some seriously shark infested waters and while my dear daughter knows I’m going say no to stuff, she still feels compelled to ask. She doesn't want to be a mini- skank anymore than I want her to, so why the questions?



One word: Recess. 

Do you know what the topic of conversation is at a 5th grade recess? You would be shocked!  The populars and even the want to be populars are taking things up a notch. Hang on Moms of little daughters, you are about to get schooled.


Did you know it’s “weird” if you don’t already shave or wax your legs? Did you know that wearing a padded bra makes you "sexy" and "regular" girls who are maturing at a normal rate, like my daughter aren't "sexy"? 
 Did you know that watching R rated movies and T.V. with or without parental supervision is normal? And woe is the child who has no idea what the  other girls are talking about because they'll hear, "um, like, you're weird." Don't even get me started on books. 

Did you know that it is abnormal to come from a full on functioning family? One that has a Mom and a Dad at home every blooming night?
 Did you know that your daughters and sons for that matter are supposed to have already been dating, or at the very least have a crush on somebody?

 Now you do. All this according to the girls doing their best to be mini-skanks and drag all the good girls down with them at the ripe old age of ten. Lord help me.  


What is wrong with this world? They are kids! Just kids! Parents, please wake up.  Don’t help them aspire to be mini- skanks. Don’t teach them that gossip and name calling and being “sexy” is all that life is about. Don't condone mean girl behavior just so they can be popular, or run with the populars, or the want to be populars!

I know it is unpopular for me to even bring this up but isn't it about time somebody does?

I compromise when and where I can so that I don’t make my daughters a social outcast. I try not to see the shorty shorts and multiple bra and cami straps hanging out everywhere when I go to school to volunteer or have lunch with my 10 year old. 
 I make sure I compliment my daughters choices AND her friends choice of attire when I can. A “cute” outfit compliment can go a long way.

I try not to pre-judge the parents of those girls who are clearly breaking dress code. I try not to be upset that I am one of the few reading the flippin’ dress code!

 I try not to be a prude… but some of the parents around here or maybe everywhere, are too tired or non- caring to put their foot down and say no. Or, maybe they see the over sexualization of our kids as okay, or at the very least, no big deal.  Geez, maybe I am a prude. 

 I remember to be thankful for the parents and girls at our schools swimming upstream with my daughter and me.

At the end of the day, it simply isn’t my job to teach or preach or raise the world. Only my daughters.  My beautiful, sweet, fun daughters who have morals and values and thankfully have found birds of a feather to flock with.


I thumb my nose at you mini- skanks of the world, you can’t have them and here’s a newsflash they really don’t want to be like you, they just want you to shut up on the playground or in the halls and leave everybody alone.  




End Rage.


So, how’s your Monday?

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