OC Family - Moms. Kids. Life. - (O-MAMA)

MAKE A PLEDGE

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:15:00 GMT

"I pinky swear promise!"

Happy Friday MAMAs,

The Grand Old Party rolled out it's "Pledge to America," outlining the core Republican agenda for 2011. Reminiscent of the Republican's 1994 "Contract With America," making the party goals clear and letting Americans know their vision for the future.

Since MAMAs are literally shaping the future of our country, one child at a time, we decided to make our own Pledge to America's Kids! Moms don't usually write these things down because we're too busy actually making them happen, but we thought it might be fun to make a promise to each other and our kids. Take the Pledge to America's Kids and pass it on to all the MAMAs you know! Let's commit to raising happy, healthy, well-adjusted citizens by ushering in a new era of parental responsibility - with a little humor and a lot of common sense, of course.

"This document verifies that I pinky swear promise to do my very best to “usher in a new era of parental responsibility.” I admit that I am good, but I am not perfect, so I reserve the right to..." click to read the "pledge" and sign

Spread the word...let's see how many MAMAs we can get to take the "Pledge To America's Kids." Thanks MAMAs!

Opinionated MAMA's Perspective On The Primaries

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:54:00 GMT

In The News:

Tea Party GOP candidate Christina O'Donnell shocked the GOP establishment by winning the Delaware Senate Primary. Her views on pre-marital sex and being a wiccan have made big national news. Here's what we have to say about primaries...

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:government

Primaries are BORING, right? Voter turnout is typically dismal in the United States, particularly in mid-term and primary elections. No one cares…we go about our day, doing our thing and then we wonder how so-n-so got in office. Hmmm? Maybe that's why the candidates feel like they need to jump up and down and, basically, stand on their heads to get our attention?! Like kids fighting over who gets to play on the monkey bars, American politics has degenerated into childish antics. “He did this….she did that….that’s not fair…that’s not true...it's my turn...I want, I want, I want...waaaa!” MAMAs - sound familiar? Of course it does. Our kids interact with this same immature level of banter. The only difference is they have an Opinionated MAMA to make sure they play fair, take turns and use their big boy/girl voices. Our kids are not responsible for solving the huge problems of the day, but our politicians are!

Take Delaware’s new sweetheart, Christina O’Donnell, for example. She's adorable. She won the Senate primary as the GOP Tea Party candidate, against the best efforts of the mainstream GOP. She’s now in the news clips claiming she was a wiccan (yep, she says she used to hang out with witches!?). Her hocus pocus, viewpoints on pre-marital sex of any sort and the lien on her house are more talked about than any political agenda she may have. But, what exactly is her agenda? Freedom of witchcraft? No sexting? Fiscal free for all? What will her policies be? What is her political platform, without all the witchcraft? Why is she talking about SEX when the economy needs some Viagra? Why is she shouting about balancing our federal budget when she can't balance her own checkbook? What is really going on? These are the things we need to know. But, it’s just more fun to talk about the silly stuff…certainly more juicy...definitely more helpful to TV ratings than boring brass tacks, right? Christina O'Donnell is camera ready and gives great sound bites. That's all that's important on the political playground these days.

Millions of people throughout the world envy our political system, one in which candidates get to speak to their constituents directly and citizens have the right to freely elect their own representatives. So, why don't we take elections seriously and listen to important policy points? Why don't we get into the nitty gritty details of the officials we elect? Why do we only want the snarky sound bites? People say that they do not vote for several reasons: no time, not enough research on the issues, or that their single vote does not really matter in the larger scheme of things...blah, blah, blah...even more common is the sentiment that people are frustrated with the options on the ballot when they are asked to choose between two equally boring candidates. The fact is when there is an interesting, polarizing candidate who says some wacky stuff, it gets us excited. Then, we wonder why smart, hard-working candidates are so few and far between...because they are B-O-R-I-N-G and we don't vote for them! The political discourse has withered into a game of tug-of-war and name-calling because it makes it more "fun" for us to stay engaged. We actually like the drama...we want to hear from the gossip girls and we do everything we can to avoid being on the receiving end of the bullies, otherwise, we're left with the usual cliques. The really cool people just walk away from the playground of politics.

Education, wars, healthcare, immigration, economic recession are just some of what is at stake here. It is more significant that we fix these fundamental problems and re-build our country, than who gets to rule the sandbox during recess. Instead of hearing intelligent debate on these very important issues, we find candidates slinging sex scandal gossip, extreme rhetoric, racial slurs and references to bartering chickens for healthcare. Good grief?!@#$! The world is watching and we are behaving like a bunch of rowdy 2nd graders.

So, yes, it's easy to see why grown ups may be turned off by politics. But, we can’t give up now. Not today. Not in the face of all the enormous challenges that we have - not for ourselves, but for our children. It’s time to show our kids that we care about the issues that face our generation and theirs. We need to send the message that these are serious times and we need serious problem-solvers. We will not accept the childish behavior of our politicians - we are already wiping noses and packing lunches for our own kids, so enough with the snotty behavior and free lunches from our elected leaders. It’s time to remind ourselves that "we [indeed] get the government we deserve." We might be temporarily entertained by all the playground antics, but our kids deserve better!

O-MAMA's Are Heroes

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:57:00 GMT

"It's a bird, it's a plane..."

Happy Friday MAMAs,

A powerful documentary called "Waiting For Superman" is coming to a theater new you so check your local listings...sneak previews in Los Angeles this weekend, and then it will open nationwide on September 24th. Educators across the country are already talking about it and having screenings for parents and teachers.

The synopsis directly from their official website is as follows:

"Oscar-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education statistics have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundations of 'Waiting For Superman.' As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying drop-out factories and academic sinkholes, methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems. However, embracing the belief that good teachers make good schools, Guggenheim offers hope by exploring innovative approaches taken by education reformers and charter schools that have - in reshaping the culture - refused to leave their students behind."

Every parent should see this film. It is an important step in sparking conversation about the future of our kids' education . Great teachers and engaged parents are the heroes are children are waiting for. Take the pledge to see it in your city!

FRIDAY FUNNIES: SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 11:23:00 GMT

"What we say, goes!"

Happy Friday MAMAS!

We know who has this job in our homes....we do! We don't get to have mid-term elections, or any elections at all for that matter, we are the incumbents and we are here to stay! There's never going to be a term limit for us, because this is a lifetime job. Remember MAMAs to stay strong and teach your kids well. What we say, goes!

SUGAR 'N SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE: TAYLOR SWIFT

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:51:00 GMT

In the news:

Taylor Swift performed at MTV's award show and took the opportunity to exact a tiny bit of revenge on Kanye West. She sang "Stealing Innocence", while a video of West interrupting her acceptance speech last year played in the background. Her lyrics refer to the incident and give Kanye somewhat of a reprive by saying, "Every one of us has messed up too....your string of lights is still bright to me. You're still an innocent." Nice of her. Below is the story of one MAMA's personal experience at a Swift concert, as she rocked n rolled...

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:rock-and-roll

Yes, I did it. I took my 10 year old to the Taylor Swift concert. My daughter “love, love, loves” Taylor. I figured, I knew the words to most of the songs, so why not embrace Taylor Swift as my first official teenie bopper concert experience as a MOM?! My girlfriend got the tickets and off we went, two excited 10 year old girls, homemade “Taylor Swift Rocks” t-shirts and sparkly posters in hand.

What we experienced was a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll and a lot of hysteria all wrapped up in the shrills and chills of girls, aged 6-16. Screaming, crying and just generally beside themselves. Taylor Swift is a pretty girl. But, there are a lot of pretty girls. Taylor Swift is a talented singer. But, there are a lot of talented singers. There has to be something more…something authentic…something that genuinely connects her to these impressionable young girls. What is it?

I saw first hand that she’s sweet and girly. She talks about sparkly things, costume changes (I counted 8) and fairy tales. She puts her hand over her heart and appreciates the sold out insanity, she blows kisses and makes hearts with her hands and sends them out to the audience. Every single girl was convinced they were meant for her. She wears sweet dresses with cowboy boots and writes the number 13 on her right hand. (To be clear: It is not a tattoo, she does what we used to do and doodles on her hand.) She goes into the crowd and gives hugs, holds hands and makes eye contact with her fans. Every single girl was convinced they had a special BFF relationship with her. She writes songs about boys, heartbreak and true love. She lets all the girls in the audience know they are not alone…that she feels all the things they feel, too! She is a dreamer and a romantic and every single girl is convincedshe just like them.

Taylor is also fun and flirty. She’s a little sassy and wiggles and giggles across the stage. She has a look she throws out that says “I’ve got IT, but I’m sharing it with YOU tonight ‘cuz that’s the kind of girl that I am“ and she flips her hair so much, it made my head spin! She sings songs about the things we ALL experienced in high school and the fun, giddy, heart-wrenching deliciousness of those teen years. Her words are memorized by our girls (so we need to know them, too) – and she makes them believe in dreaming dreams and following their hearts.

So, what’s the secret to her success? How did she get that perfect blend of sugar ‘n spice and everything nice? I’m convinced that she has an Opinionated MAMA that has raised a sweet girl! Good job mom. This MAMA is a fan!!!

“On Your Mark, Get Set – GO!”: A Look at EDUCATION

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:27:00 GMT

IN THE NEWS:

Newsflash....it's back to school time, and education is one of our MAMA priorities. Here's what we have to say about:

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:education

Think about when you take your child to the first day of kindergarten…leaving our little ones in the capable hands of the teacher who is going to teach them not only “everything [they] need to know” about kindergarten during that foray into their school years, but be there to put a bandage on their scraped knee, and give a hug when they need one, too. Now, flash forward to graduation day, when we are swelling with pride, wondering how time passed so quickly and why analytic geometry seems so complicated (and irrelevant in our day-to-day lives)…teachers have a profound impact on our kids. They spend seven hours a day, five days a week for 13+ years teaching our kids reading, writing, arithmetic, and more. Teaching them how to learn, how to listen, how to think outside the box. It’s a big job! You know it, and she does, too. Teachers have to get little minds ready for some pretty big stuff as they progress through school. Our kids have to hit marks, pass tests, and be ready for the big world when they graduate. When they finish, if they finish, how they finish is critical to their success as people…and our success as a country. Make no mistake; American students are in a race. They are racing against students, not only in their own classrooms, but around the world for the best education. The winners get the best jobs.

The public schools are in trouble. We have crowded classrooms, underpaid good teachers, overpaid bad teachers, budget shortfalls, arts/drama/music/sports programs being cut, etc. Are our students prepared? Can we trust the school system with getting them ready for the workforce of the new millennium? The new workforce rewards innovative thinking, problem solving, and technological prowess. U.S. teenagers rank halfway down the list in Science scores of industrialized nations, just below France, and 23rd from the top in math. In studies of students in grade four and grade eight, the U.S. ranks just below Lithuania and the Russian Federation in Math. The top performers in all of these tests come from Asia. Quite literally, our students will be competing for jobs in all fields that require strong Math and Science backgrounds (can anyone say technology?), and they need to be competitive. Reforming the American public school system has been a “theoretical” top priority for past and present administrations, but as always, the devil has been in the details. How do we measure student’s progress? How do we evaluate teacher performances? How do we ensure that good educational practices are continued and rewarded, and the deadwood is cut out? How do we invest in education and the future of our country?

The current administration is committed to helping the states in a new initiative, America’s “Race to the Top.” States are in a competition for federal dollars to support their schools based on the number of schools that apply, and assessments made of the applicants. The Secretary of Education has allocated up to $350 million in Race to the Top funds to help the states develop these assessments and to design a competition for these funds.

The program promises to improve struggling schools by improving teacher training and compensation. The teachers’ unions, however, are not behind the program because it proposes basing teacher’s compensations on student’s standardized test scores. They say that the test scores should be a factor, but not the whole measure of teacher performance. Other critics say that the program does not deal with current states’ budget shortfalls for this year, or expected shortfalls for the next school year. We need to get on the starting line…or we are going to lose the race.

Fixing education is a race because there are winners and losers. But, we have to remember that we are all on the same team: The racers, the trainers, the coaches, the cheerleaders. We all have a place on the team. Motivating the whole team to go for the gold is a much different prospect than winning one race. It might not be enough to base teacher salaries on test scores alone. Maybe administrators have to go into the classrooms to assess the teacher’s performances. Who evaluates the evaluators? How do you compare teacher performances at schools with tons of resources with those at schools with limited ones? There is also the factor of the children themselves. Maybe the kids need a voice? They are growing, changing, and have developmental clocks and issues, which are all unique and decidedly not systemic in nature. The important thing for the government, parents, teachers, unions, and schools to remember is not to let their own interests and egos get in the way of what is best for the children. When our kids race to the top, we all win.

America’s moms need to be sure our kids “learn something new every day”:

1) Help them to make Math fun by playing games using edible/inexpensive manipulatives like M&Ms or Cheerios.

2) Read for 20 minutes a night with each of your kids.

3) Volunteer your time and work in your child’s classroom.

Regardless of any government initiatives that come down the track in regard to education, America’s moms are responsible for making sure our kids cross the finish line!

“Change begins at home.”

FRIDAY FUNNIES: "Find the Balance"

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:36:00 GMT

"A mother's work is never done."

Happy Friday MAMAS!

Moms know how hard it is to find the balance in our lives and keep it. We've got love and marriage, kids and family, business and pleasure, budgets and binkies...MAMAs balance it all. Sometimes we need some advice on how to keep all of our balls in the air. O-MAMA is proud to announce that we are bringing our opinons on news and events from a moms' perspective to Lifetime's blog, T he Balancing Act . Now we moms have another outlet in which our voices can be heard.

Please visit O-MAMA.com to share your opinions on the teachable MOMents from the news of the day... just click here ! (-:

Have a great weekend MAMAS.

Change begins at home...and it begins with YOU!

-Michelle & Deb

P.S. If you know other Opinionated MAMAs who are

interested in news & events from a mom's perspective, then please

pass this on and have them join O-MAMA. Thanks MAMA.

Opinionated MAMA’s Thoughts on the Afghanistan WAR

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:07:00 GMT

In the News:

Last week, the final American combat brigade left Iraq, ahead of President Obama’s August 31^st deadline.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:war

Sometimes as parents we find ourselves in the craggy spot between a rock and a hard place, trying to navigate our way out of a difficult situation. Which is the right path?The just and prudent path? The easy or the hard way? The President’s task as Commander in Chief is parallel to our own in some regards when it comes to setting a course in times of conflict. MAMAs consider all the circumstances and make the best decision we can and move our troops forward. If we need to make adjustments along the way, we do. But, we have a mission… and we always have an exit strategy.

Now that the last combat brigade has left Iraq, and our mission there has changed from a war effort to civil support, the only “official” war we are engaged in is in Afghanistan. On June 7, 2010, the US-Afghanistan War became our country’s longest war, spanning almost 9 years (106 months). The reasons for the length of the war are complex…the solutions, like the terrain, even more complex.

Afghanistan is a country of rocky territory with plenty of pitfalls and complicated historical issues to negotiate. Clearly, the path forward is not easy to find. Ultimately, the President committed more troops, in rapid deployment, and communicated that our mission is not to occupy the nation, but to finish the job begun years ago. He stated that our goals are: defeating al Qadea, stabilizing Pakistan and breaking the Taliban's momentum in Afghanistan. Those are the new measures of "winning" the war. (Reading between the lines…Pakistan has nuclear weapons and the bad guys cannot get their hands on!)

Congress just passed the budget to continue the war effort. NATO allies seem to be on board with the new U.S. plan, pledging another 10,000 troops of their own. Now, General Petraeus is leading the charge with his counterinsurgency strategy. So, it seems the U.S. has the resources and a kinda sorta deadline…July 2011 is when we will begin to draw down troops from Afghanistan. The date has been bantered around, like when we say “your room better be cleaned up in 5 minutes” but, it really depends on the situation on the ground – so, if “your bed is made, but your clothes still need to be picked up off the floor” what we really mean is that we’ll see where we are in 5 minutes and what else absolutely needs to be done before we can leave.

The President made clear that the U.S. is not interested in staying in Afghanistan indefinitely, but will offer training to Afghani security forces. He said, "We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan.” Yikes. We are teaching the Afghans to protect themselves and build up their own nation. The problem seems to be a corrupt government and semi-apathetic Afghan forces?! Yikes.

There is no easy solution in Afghanistan. It is expensive in dollars and blood shed. There are porous borders, a history of violent insurgents vying for control, tribal dynamics, political chaos and apparent distain for the West. How to negotiate the crags is an issue, but the U.S. and its NATO allies find themselves literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. We need some leverage. What can we do to get unstuck? We cannot promise an uncorrupt government. We cannot promise energized, focused Afghan forces. We cannot promise to protect the citizens that help us. We cannot promise to capture Osama Bin Laden. We cannot promise that the Taliban will stop their ruthless practices. We cannot promise that we will do no harm. What can we promise that will make a difference? Hope. We can empower the people of Afghanistan to hope for their own future…to inspire them to demand an uncorrupt government, to want to protect themselves, their villages and their schools…they need to want it more than we want it for them. Otherwise, whatever temporary issues we fix, will not stick.

Those that we ask to do our bidding do not go to the conflict zones as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, unified in their objectives. Pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, not a political party. They are the ones who know that it's their calling to stop the ones who would do our country harm. Our soldiers go where they are told to go and do what they are told to do, until they are called home. These are our children…we need to figure out how to get some real leverage in this difficult situation, and inspire the people of Afghanistan, or we need to hit the road and make our way back home.

“Change begins at home.”

-Michelle & Debbie

FRIDAY FUNNIES: "Operation Welcome Home"

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:04:00 GMT

"You're such troopers!"

Happy Friday MAMAS!

Moms know how hard it is to move our own troops here and there, labeling all their equipment and schlepping it around...imagine moving 90,000 soldiers, hundreds of tanks, and everything from helicopters to printer cartridges?! This week, the last U.S. combat brigade left Iraq - changing our mission from active combat (Operation Iraqi Freedom) to a "civil stability" mission (Operation New Dawn). Our mission in the USA now becomes Operation WELCOME HOME!!!

The responsibility for our nation's efforts in Iraq will now transfer from the Department of Defense to the Department of State, from a war operation to a diplomacy operation. The United States will still have 50,000 troops in Iraq for another year to support and advise Iraqi forces during their transition.

Our responsibility, as our nations MAMAS, is to make sure our soldiers (our kids, spouses, neighbors, strangers) are welcomed back with open arms...let our soldiers know that they are HOME. Regardless of how you feel about the Iraq war, let our veterans and their families know that you value their service to our country...hire veterans, donate your time to veterans organizations, have your kids send letters to a base, find a way to make their transition "home sweet home" as smooth as possible.

Please visit O-MAMA.com to share your opinions on the teachable MOMents from the news of the day...no marching required, just click here ! (-:

Have a great weekend MAMAS.

Change begins at home...and it begins with YOU!

-Michelle & Deb

P.S. If you know other Opinionated MAMAs who are interested in news & events from a mom's perspective, then please pass this on and have them join O-MAMA.

Thanks MAMA.

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"Leave It Better Than You Found It"

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:25:00 GMT

In the News:

On CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, experts discussed global climate pattern shifts, and their effects on the environment.

It's been a scorcher of a summer in the U.S., one-third of Pakistan is under water, fires burn across Russia and Europe is flooding. What is going on? Climate experts are discussing whether global warming is upon us, and what we do.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/view/leave-it-better-than-you-found-it-opinionated-moms-on-the-environment/page:4/category:opinion

Camp Nissokone. The smell of pine and Breck shampoo. Bunking with Jen and Wendy. Late night giggles, panty raids and waking up to morning bugle calls to do the Pledge of Allegiance. Chippewa and Ottawa cabins. The beaver chant (seriously!). Polar bear swims, archery and hiking through the woods looking at animal poop. Good times…

We learned a lot during those summers at good old Camp Nissokone. We learned a little independence. We learned to make new friends. We learned to try new things. We learned to appreciate our parents. We learned to respect nature. We were thrown together with kids from the cities and the suburbs into the middle of virtually nowhere, on a beautiful lake surrounded by trees of every shade of green. Living in old cabins, singing songs, making lanyards, skipping stones, hiking the trails. The best of times.

There are places that impact who we are. Camp Nissokone is one of those places. It’s pure. I don’t want a thing to change. Year after year, I want to know that it smells the same and looks the same. Please don’t litter anywhere near it. Don’t dump anything into the rivers that flow into my lake. Don’t chop down one tree. Don’t step on one flower. God forbid, anything is ever compromised. Don’t touch it! My kids need it.

Whether or not you believe in global warming, or the impact that man is making on the temperature shifts, it’s still interesting to step back and take the Earth at face value and consider just how wondrous it really is. The resources it provides. The life it sustains. The beauty of its shores. The depths of its oceans. The majesty of its mountains. It is an astonishing place and we are only here for a blip in time. We have built roads and bridges, sky scrapers and ski lifts. We have drilled through its mountains and oceans. We have crossed deserts and sky. We have cut down trees and laid tracks. We have sent rockets soaring through space and built manufacturing plants all over the place. Still the Earth takes care of us.

So, as temporary inhabitants who want to pass on the purity of so many special places to our kids, we need to take care of the Earth, too. It is a simple lesson learned by the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. We don’t litter. We put things back the way they were. We clean up after ourselves. We respect the natural wonders of our world and we try to do better for the next generation. We leave it better than we found it.

We all have our favorite spots that make this world a better place for us, but when we hear that there are holes in the ozone layer…the polar ice caps are melting…the oceans are warming…the climate is changing, unless we see it or feel it, it seems too big to wrap our heads around. As long as Camp Nissokone is o.k., then we're o.k. But, the fact is global warming is happening. You might not see it, but it is happening. It starts small...chopping down trees to make space for the new strip mall or allowing motor boats on the lake...but, it has bigger implications...a change in the eco-balance of the lake has a ripple effect on the quantity of fish, on the color of the water, on the activities that go on at Camp Nissokone. Eventually, things happen that you can see and measure. There is no question that global warming is happening and the question is not if man makes an impact on our planet...the question is to what extent? Whether global warming is simply a natural phenomenon, man-made or a little of both? That is what skeptics dispute. But, there is no question that it is real.

According to National Geographic, temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880 and that rate is increasing, making 11 of the last 12-years the warmest since 1850. The polar ice caps are melting and coral reefs are dying off due to the increase in water temperature. So, what do we have to do with it? Many scientists (2,500 in more than 130 countries) have concluded that humans have contributed to planetary warming. Industrialization, deforestation and pollution have created water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that trap heat within our ozone layer and increase the Earth’s temperature. Natural cycles in the Earth’s orbit also alter the planet’s exposure to sunlight. The Earth has experienced heating and cooling cycles because of orbital shifts, but these recent changes have taken place over a much shorter period of time, which the vast majority of scientists attribute to man’s involvement. We’re here, we are impacting the planet and it’s calculable.

You don’t need to be terrified that the world is going to end if you drink from a plastic bottle, but you do need to do your part. Now that we know what’s going on, we have to be more aware of reusing, recycling and reducing our carbon footprint. We realize that temperatures are changing and it’s impacting us all. We can’t see it every day and we certainly don’t need another thing to worry about these days, right? Maybe we can control it, maybe we can’t. But, does it really even matter? Shouldn’t we just try to do better anyway for our kids? We don’t have to go totally “green” and put solar panels on our houses (but if we do, we can get a tax credit!), but we can certainly do some easy things like recycle and carpool. Use reusable grocery bags and water bottles. Go vegetarian (cows make a lot of methane and there’s more methane than CO2 in the atmosphere!)?! Just pick one thing and make a conscious effort to do better. It is not that "inconvenient."

No matter what the politics or economics behind the talks and treaties, propaganda and pontification, it just goes back to Camp Nissokone and the lesson learned in Girl Scouts: “leave it better than you found it.”

Just for fun, here’s the Girl Scout law:

I will do my best to be honest and fair,

Friendly and helpful,

Considerate and caring,

Courageous and strong and

Responsible for what I say and do,

And to respect myself and others,

Respect authority,

Use resources wisely,

Make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

If only we all lived by the Girl Scout law, Mother Earth would be proud!

FRIDAY FUNNIES "Spies Like Us"

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:43:00 GMT

"The Spy Who Loved Me"

Happy Friday MAMAS!

Yeah, sometimes we gotta do it! Snooping around a little ensures our KID-Os aren't into anything risky that could pose a threat to our HOMEland security. Right?

This week we learned about the first female spy, heading up the National Geo-spatial Intelligence Agency ("Geeks rule!"), the first IVF baby having her first baby ( "We've come a long way, baby.") and the first doggie diagnosed with PSTD after serving in Afghanistan ( "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.").

Please visit O-MAMA.com to share your opinions on the teachable MOMents from the news of the day...no stealth moves required, just click here ! (-:

Have a great weekend MAMAS.

Change begins at home...and it begins with YOU!

-Michelle & Deb

P.S. If you know other Opinionated MAMAs who are interested in

news & events from a mom's perspective, then please pass this on and

have them join O-MAMA.

Thanks MAMA.

Perspective on GAY RIGHTS

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:41:00 GMT

How many of us have been asked the questions, “Mommy, which of us is your favorite? Who do you love more?” As parents, we know there is only one answer to questions like these…"We love you all, equally."

The truth is we may love each child equally, but they are not all the same. And, at times, we may like one child’s behavior more than the other’s…the good student, the good athlete, the good manners…sometimes we can’t help ourselves, they are a reflection of the best in us, or so we hope. Other times, they are insecure, selfish, withdrawn…and they seemingly reflect the worst in us, or so we fear. Our constant challenge is to recognize the good and the bad in our kids and parent accordingly. If we expect our kids to be exactly the same, we’re just setting ourselves up for disappointment. If we expect our kids to be “perfect” in our eyes, we’re setting them up for a lifetime of therapy. We must accept that they are going to be different and love them unconditionally...and equally.

Although we’ll certainly have different opinions about the paths our kids travel in pursuit of their own life, liberty and definition of happiness, our responsibility as parents is to help shine a light for them…to help them find their own path and send them post cards of encouragement on their way. The American ideal of “liberty and justice for all” applies to all our kids, not just our favorites.

In California, we had a ballot initiative that allowed the public to vote on the civil liberties of a minority group. The majority voted for Prop 8, which banned gay marriage and restricted gay rights, thereby requiring the state to amend its constitution to prevent that minority group the same liberties as the majority under law. In essence, Californians said “why can’t you be more like your brother?” Oops, we picked favorites.

This weekend, gay rights activists were in Washington, D.C. to make sure lawmakers are still paying attention. The reality is we should all be paying attention. This is a civil liberties issue. Whether or not you personally agree with the gay rights movement is really not the point...rather, do you believe you are entitled to certain rights that others should be denied? Do you support freedom of speech even if you disagree with what someone else is saying? Do you support freedom of religion even if you don't agree with the way someone else worships? Do you support someone's right to bear arms even if you don't like guns? Do you believe your child's gender, race or sexual orientation should preclude them from the same privileges under the law as someone else's child?

Our nation has been here before…with civil rights, the women’s movement and now gay rights. So who better than America’s moms to let our kids know that black or white, girl or boy, gay or straight we are there, supporting them and loving them...no matter what anyone else says or does. We might not like our kids' behavior all the time, but it is our responsibility to love them all, equally.

If you want to talk to your kids about equality here’s a good place to start. Remind them that they should "live and let live.” We all come in different shapes, colors, and sizes. And, we all come with our unique perspectives based on our experiences, customs and religions. All of these differences in perspective are valuable and matter. Being open to others does not mean compromising ones own beliefs or way of life, it just means that, by being tolerant of other people, we are enriching our own experience.

Friday Funnies "The Supremes"

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:20:00 GMT

"You'll have your day in court"

Happy Friday MAMAS!

With the confirmation of Elena Kagan as the newest

"supreme," now there are three women sitting on the

highest court in the land. Will they be singing

"Stop! In the name of love" or "Someday we'll be

together" when the issue of same-sex marriage comes

to the Supreme Court?

This month, we celebrate the anniversary of the 19th

Amendment allowing women to vote and, at the same time,

a third woman is now sitting on the bench of the

Supreme Court. We've come a long way, baby!

Women have become an important voice in our nation's

most important political and social debates.

Have a great weekend MAMAS.

Change begins at home...and it begins with YOU!

-Michelle & Deb

P.S. If you know other Opinionated MAMAs who are

interested in news & events from a mom's perspective,

then please pass this on and have them join O-MAMA.

Thanks MAMA.

www.O-MAMA.com

facebook.com/OMAMA2009

twitter.com/OMAMA2009

"Our Vote Is Our Voice": The 19th Amendment

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:53:00 GMT

In The News:

Our vote is our voice. So, if you ever think to yourself on voting day that finishing the laundry or staying late at work is more significant to your life than taking time out to visit the polls, well, think again.

MAMAs have something to celebrate this summer. August 18^th marks the 90^th anniversary of the ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Amendment states:

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:government

The long awaited amendment was born out of the Women ’s Suffrage Movement. Prior to its ratification in 1920, women did not have a voice in politics because we were not allowed to vote…by law. Before women were granted the right to vote themselves, we had to defer social and political power to men. Our views, opinions and perspectives were invisible, only to be represented by people who had no understanding of what it was like to be a woman in America...or a wife, a mother, daughter or sister.

Gaining the right to vote for women was no easy task. Between 1878, when the amendment was first introduced to Congress and 1920, before it was ratified, women activists worked tirelessly to champion voting rights for women. They organized, petitioned, and picketed to earn the right to have their voice heard in the political arena.

Some used tactics such ashunger strikes, silent vigils, and parades. And to no surprise, fierce resistance met their activism. Women were heckled, jailed, physically attacked, and abused. Many had their own lives, and those of their children, threatened for their involvement in women’s rights organizations.

Our grandmas and great grandmas have a greater legacy than those recipes for apple pie and pot roast. They empowered us to be part of the democratic discourse and participate in our democratic process.

The matriarchs of our families spoke up, and in doing so, gave us a voice, too. And by golly, we have a lot to say, so the laundry and emails can wait! But what can’t wait, is our political involvement. After all, we do not run the risk of getting jailed, beaten, or ostracized for exercising our voting rights….like women in other countries still do...so, in honor of all women, for just one day, put voting on the top of your “to do list.”

We are so lucky to live in the U.S.A. where we are granted a government for the people and by the people, where we have the right to elect our officials and express our opinions. One person, one vote, one voice. We do not have to defer decisions to anyone else.

Our grandmothers have paved our way and empowered us, and our daughters are watching. Together, we can honor our noni's, nana's, grammy's and g.g.'s and inspire our daughters. Our vote is our voice MAMAs. See you at the polls in November!

FRIDAY FUNNIES: A DIFFERENT VIEW

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 07:38:00 GMT

In the News:

President Obama appeared on "The View" this week with Barbara Walters and the gang. "Enjoy the view"

America's moms watched him field questions about everything from jobs to racism to Snookie. Some thought he was charming and informative, while some called him snarky?! No matter really. The fact is, as the first sitting president to appear on the female-targeted program, Obama made it a priority to engage the women of America in the debate. He realizes that MAMAs have an important voice, and that our views on the issues matter!

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/view/presidential-view-obama-on-the-view-update/category:media

"Between A Rock And A Hard Place"

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:06:00 GMT

In The News:

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange released over 92,000 classified military logs relating to the war in Afghanistan. He called for an “age of the whistleblower,” as he spoke to a London Audience, after the logs were made public. Assange described the release of these documents as shaping a new understanding of the war in Afghanistan claiming, “courage is contagious.”

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:war

Sometimes as parents we find ourselves in the craggy spot between a rock and a hard place, trying to navigate our way out of a difficult situation. Which is the right path? The just and prudent path? The easy or the hard way? The President’s task as Commander in Chief is parallel to our own in some regards when it comes to setting a course in times of conflict. We consider all the circumstances and make the best decision we can and move our troops forward. If we need to make adjustments along the way, we do. But, we have a mission and we always have an exit strategy.

President Obama gave his speech to WestPoint cadets outlining the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. It is a country of rocky territory with plenty of pitfalls and complex historical issues to negotiate. Clearly, the path forward was not easy to find. Ultimately, the President committed more troops, in rapid deployment, and a laid out a clear message that our mission is not to occupy the nation, but to finish the job begun years ago. Our goals are: defeating al Qadea, stabilizing Pakistan and breaking the Taliban's momentum in Afghanistan. Those are the new measures of "winning" the war.

Then, he sent Secretary of State Clinton, General McChrystal and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mullen to Congress to ensure passage of the plan, which is meant to keep the Taliban from taking control of that country once again. NATO allies seem to be on board with the new U.S. plan, pledging another 10,000 troops of their own. So, all in all, General McChrystal will get the troops he asked for sooner than he anticipated.

The President also spoke of starting to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2013, contingent upon conditions on the ground at the time, and made clear that the U.S. is not interested in staying in Afghanistan indefinitely, but will offer training to Afghani security forces. He said, "We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan,” so the strategy promises to combat these issues as well. We are teaching the Afghans to protect themselves and build up their own nation.

The overriding message of the speech is that there is no easy solution in Afghanistan. It is expensive in dollars and blood shed. There are porous borders, a history of violent insurgents vying for control, tribal dynamics, political chaos and apparent distain for the West. How to negotiate the crags is the question, and the U.S. and its NATO allies find themselves literally between a rock and a hard place.

But, those that we ask to do our bidding do not go to the conflict as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, unified in their objective. Pledging allegiance to the flag, not a political party. They are the ones who know that it's their calling to stop the ones who would do our country harm. For them, the soldiers addressed directly by their Commander in Chief, the mission is clear. Go where they are told to go and do what they are told to do, until they are called home. These are our children.

What do you O-MAMAs think of Obama’s strategy? Did we pick the path of least resistance? Or, have we been down this road before? How should the U.S. handle its role in Afghanistan? Are we stuck between a rock and a hard place or do we finally have a map that will lead us out of there? What's your opinion?

FRIDAY FUNNIES: "It's The Law"

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:02:00 GMT

In the News:

President Obama signed the Financial Reform bill into law.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/comics

President Obama signed the Financial Reform bill into law this week, but MAMAs know that it's up to us to do our part to make sure the fundamentals of our economy are strong. One law will not keep those in the financial world from taking advantage when they can. The financial future of our country is in our hands. After all, we our raising the future entrepreneurs, bankers, hedge fund managers, regulators and stockholders...oh my! We need to teach our kids not only fiscal responsibility, but ethical behavior as well. That way, they will learn that the almighty dollar is not the only thing that matters.

"My Name Is The USA, And I Am An Addict"

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:20:00 GMT

IN THE NEWS:

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has brought the issue of the United States' dependence on oil to a head. After three months of trying, the "experts" have not been able to fully contain this environmental disaster and we are left scratching our heads. We have become a nation that cannot do without this resource, but at what cost to our economy and our environment?

o-mama.com/articles/view/opinion-my-name-is-the-united-states-of-america-and-i-m-an-addict

Hi. My name is The United States of America, and I am an addict. I am addicted to oil.

Although I'd like to say it is a recent lapse in judgment, the truth is that I am a long-time addict. I've been hooked on foreign oil since 1970, when my demand began to exceed domestic production. That’s when I first realized I was a junkie…another time, another crisis...I'll be honest though, I've been on a forty year high and I haven't really wanted to quit. However, recent events have made it impossible for me to continue to ignore my addiction. I am killing myself and hurting the people I love. I've hit rock bottom.

At first, I thought that my reliance on oil was fairly manageable by most standards, kind of like a functioning alcoholic. But I can no longer deny that the power of my addiction is ugly and out of control. It's putting my economic independence, national security and environmental future on the line. I am fearful that the best 12-step program in the world may not be enough to break my overwhelming addiction to oil. I am an addict and I need help.

I can't quit cold turkey. I consume approximately 23 percent of the world’s petroleum annually, 57 percent of which is imported. I spend upwards of one billion dollars a day on overseas oil, instead of investing that money back in my own struggling economy that needs the cash. But I don’t care - I am an addict. I’ve let large oil lobbies methodically suppress research and development opportunities for clean energy alternatives because I cannot wait for my next fix. I don’t worry about the ramifications for the future. I want it quick and easy. I want energy now, not 10, 20 or 30 years from now. I have literally been breaking open my kids' piggy banks and stealing money out of my mom's purse to pay for my addiction. I have been using them to get my next hit. It's never enough. I always want more. I just don't have the money to keep it up anymore. I have been stealing money, borrowing money, begging for money, selling myself...doing whatever I need to do to fund my habit. I have become selfish and self-destructive. All I think about is how to get more oil and who I can hit up to pay for it. I can finally admit it. But, I can't stop. I am an addict and I need help.

My dealers are named Chevron, BP, ExxonMobil and Shell. Ironically, they are all publically traded companies and available for purchase to the American public. Sadly, they are my enablers. They help fund the dealers. The dealers keep me hooked. The suppliers keep the oil flowing. Everyone makes money. It's good business, I suppose, if you are a share holder. But, I am a junkie. I am not making money, I am wasting it. When I need a fix, I’m not picky about who my suppliers are. I import approximately 4 million barrels a day from nations the State Department has officially deemed “dangerous or unstable.” It's the equivalent of driving into a sketchy neighborhood and going to a crack house and buying drugs. I am no different. It is ugly. And, I wonder how in the hell I have sunk so low? I have deceived the American people into believing that oil consumption has no direct corollary to our national security. But in reality, I have snuck around and made deals that have risked the safety of our citizens by doing business with countries that don't like us...and want me to stay addicted. I have sent my armies around the world to protect my oil habit. I have compromised myself and sacrificed so much to make my enemies rich at the expense of my own country, my own family.

Venezuela, one of our top five oil exporters, has maintained a distinctly anti- American foreign and energy policy, even after profiting from an oil export rate to the U.S. of approximately 435 million barrels a year. Experts show that even though we prohibit oil trade with countries such as Iran, our bottom-line daily consumption of crude oil still lines the pockets of those oil-producing countries. My addiction’s demand drives up world oil prices, which translates into profit for those countries, regardless of the buyer.

And now, I am ashamed that my need for so much oil has caused me to risk my life again, and the livelihoods of the people in the Gulf of Mexico. I took chances that I had no business taking. I can't get enough the way I used to, so I drill deeper, where no one can see and judge me. I could have gotten support and put the proper safeguards in place, but I didn't. I wanted it now. I wanted it fast and I didn't care about the risks involved. It's like doing heroine with a dirty needle or having sex without protection. That's what happens when you are an addict. It's all about the quick fix and immediate high, damn the risks.

Experts, including the Pentagon, report that the environmental consequences of my bad habit is not only crippling me with oil gushing from my pores and lapping up on my shores, but contaminating so much more. It could be devastating for the entire world. Predictions about the continued burning of fossil fuels include climate change that can destabilize governments, displace hundreds of millions of people due to frequent and severe natural disasters, result in higher instances of disease, rising sea levels, and food and water shortages. It is out of control. But, even if I don't care about what "might" happen, I can't deny what is already happening and the cost - financial, emotional, national and environmental. How can I continue to put those I love at risk, too? I know better, yet I continue to jeopardize our health, safety and security, because I can't stop. I am an addict and I need help.

So what do I do? Where do I turn? I have gotten myself into this mess and pulled everyone down with me. Whether it is drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, the power of addiction is undeniable. I will always be an addict. I know that. But, there is still hope...I know my future, can be very bright. In the long-term, life could be so much better. We would all be healthier, safer and more prosperous if I could just kick the habit. But, it depends on a delicate balance of maintaining national and economic security, while building an infrastructure for a greener, more energy independent tomorrow. But, it can't happen over night. I know that. It is going to be a long, hard road.

Treatment for my addiction is possible with sufficient support and a plan for recovery. It’s no easy task, but what other choice do I have? I have to clean up my act or I will end up killing myself...and hurting the people that depend on me. It will be hard on all of us. I know that most Americans, approximately73%, say that a ban on deep water drilling is unnecessary, calling the worst spill in U.S. history a “freak accident.” I will need their support to wean myself off of oil. We have all been in denial for a long time about the depth of the problem. We have pretended it wasn't that bad; that we could quit anytime. But, the costs have just slapped us in the face. We can't keep up the rouse any longer. We are out of control right now and we'll all have to make sacrifices to free me of my addiction. I know that it has become so ingrained in the comfort and ease of all our lives, we mask our co-dependence every time we leave a light on, use a plastic bag or drive somewhere. We ignore the addiction and "pretend" that it will be o.k. even if we don't change a thing. We can't pretend anymore. In fact, the first step to the 12- steps to recovery has to start at home...with the people that love me the most. Deep down, my citizens and my companies know that if they are not part of the solution, than they are part of the problem. I am an addict and I need help.

"I am woman, hear me roar!"

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:50:00 GMT

In the news:

Sarah Palin, in conjunction with her political action committee SarahPAC, released her committee’s first YouTube video. Sure to go viral in social media, the message warns Washington of a stampede of pink elephants crossing the line on Nov. 2nd 2010.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/view/mama-grizzly-palin-promotes-political-pac/category:politics

Palin describes a “mom awakening in the past year and a half” because moms “just know when something’s wrong." She says that American women are concerned about their children’s futures and are unhappy with the country’s “fundamental transformation,” metaphorically akin to the “mama grizzlies that rise up on their hind legs when somebody’s coming to attack their cubs.”

MOMism: "I am woman hear me roar!" Our KID-Os know that their O-MAMAs will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, it’s in our genes. The instinct that moms have to protect the vulnerable does not compare to any other group out there.

Sarah Palin has taken this fundamental truth of nature, and plugged it as a campaign slogan to rally female candidates, as well as voters. She aims to use mothering imagery to attract support of many who may not otherwise be involved in the political process. Sarah Palin said “If you thought pit bulls were tough, don’t mess with the mama grizzlies.”

Regardless if O-MAMAs agree or disagree with Mrs. Palin's politics, she proves our point: moms are shaping the future of our country. We all want to keep our children safe and promote the type of future that we want for them. What mama bears say is critical. What mamas do about it though is what separates a "mama grizzly" from the rest of the animal kingdom...don't stand in her way or she'll rip your throat out. Love her or hate her, either way, she makes MAMAs roar!

"I'll Be There"

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:59:00 GMT

In The News:

It's been a year since we lost the King of Pop. Strange life, strange death. This tragedy raised questions about how Michael was parented. He was put into the stress of super stardom at a young age. How many of our kids are under stress?

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:stress

Our hopes and dreams are often wrapped up in our children…all they will do and all they will achieve. We’ll be so proud. The problem is that we’ve gotten so wrapped up in the infinite “checklist” of what they are doing, or should be doing, that we don’t really know HOW they are doing. “My kids are great. Jack is getting all A’s, he is the captain of the football team, he is very popular, he’s working on a cure for cancer and…oh, did I tell you about Sophie, she’s really something…?” Check. Check. Check. The reality is that our kids are stressed out and we need to be there to help them figure out how to balance the pressures of childhood with realistic expectations. Because when we tell them we’ll build our world of dreams around you, it freaks them out a little.

The King of Pop grew up in a fishbowl, for all of us to judge from the time he hit his first high “C.” MJ and his siblings were children competing in an adult world…the expectations were unfair. Subjected to total parental control and exploitation, Michael never really had a childhood. I’ll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you did not happen for him. He recognized that his childhood was taken from him and he endured a kind of stress that no child should have to bear. His parents let it happen. Seemingly, Michael spent his entire adult life on a quest to recapture the innocence of his youth. Our kids will not likely deal with that kind of pressure, but heavy expectations nonetheless.

In fact, it seems to be mounting with each generation. The bar keeps changing. A 4.0 GPA is not the gold standard anymore, there are AP classes and only a 4.3+ will do. Today, some parents have traded dinner table conversation about the day’s events to food on the go dashing between tutors, sports and everything else on the check list. Our kids are over-scheduled and it is our fault. Somehow we have convinced ourselves that more is better. More stuff. More programs. More trophies. Why does every kid need a participation trophy, by the way? For them? No. They understand the difference between the courtesy trophy and the ones they win. The trophies are for us. To validate all the things on the check list. There isn’t time for playing outside after school with the neighborhood kids. Hardly anything is unscheduled. Nothing is left up to the child…to chance, to fate, to whim, to experimentation, to choice. All is a means to and end. Check. Togetherness, well that’s all I’m after.

We need to think about letting our kids be kids if we are to raise confident, well-rounded, whole human beings. Let them get dirty. Let them make a fort out of the living room pillows. Let them climb the tree. Let them have time to just be. You and I must make a pact, to bring salvation back. Otherwise, we might raise the next King of Pop on the outside, but on the inside, he’ll likely be a lonely, one-dimensional person, who has not been allowed to stop and smell the roses once in a while. Someone who doesn’t know how cope without being the center of attention…without an award, constant praise and someone else’s definition of “success.” Someone who is unable to adapt to life in the real world…constantly trying to achieve the elusive trophy. Great IQ, no EQ. All the checks in place, but still something will be missing. Our kids need to try, err, get roughed up, take a look around, know themselves. More from experimenting, than watching. Our job is to tell them, it’s o.k. give it a try…and I’ll have faith in all you do, but our kids cannot do everything to perfection and we shouldn't expect them to. Sometimes, they will learn more from their failures than they will from their successes. We need to accept that they are going to fall down sometimes. And, we need to take a deep breath and let it happen, so they learn how to “pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and start all over again.” Otherwise, it’s like getting the courtesy trophy.

Our job is to teach them resilience and perseverance, but they need to do the hard work. If they know that it is o.k. to fail sometimes, that it is part of the learning process, that they just have to put themselves out there sometimes…then maybe they will work harder for themselves, not for us. The pressure might be less intense. Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter is our role…cheering them on…easing the pressure a bit by letting them know that no matter what happens I’ll be there. Maybe then, we’ll raise flexible, multi-dimensional, well-adjusted people who will be good friends, neighbors and citizens that can look at the Man In The Mirror and like who they see. Sadly though, Michael Jackson’s mom and dad bought into the successful, one-dimensional caricature parenting philosophy and his life turned out a little spooky…more like the Thriller video than the lyrics of I’ll Be There.

SOS: Sunderland's Ocean Sail

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:40:00 GMT

In The News:

Abby Sunderland, 16, dreamed about sailing a solo voyage around the world. She set sail in January, but made headlines last week when she triggered a frantic international rescue effort after getting stranded in the Indian Ocean after storms smashed the mast of her sailboat, Wild Eyes.

In the wake of the near-disaster, the family has faced a barrage of critiques for their decision to let 16-year-old Abby set sail alone. Criticism only increased after it was released that Abby’s father had signed on for a reality television show based on his family. Producers of the reality show were drawn to "their philosophy on building strong, well-rounded adults by mentoring their seven home schooled children into setting goals, creating a plan to reach those goals, and implementing them ... allowing each of them to pursue their dreams of becoming world class adventurers."

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:responsibility

What we are now asking ourselves is if those parents made the right decision in letting her go in the first place. Did they do it just for the cash and the opportunity to get on reality TV, or were they earnestly supporting their daughter's dream? Big questions, MAMAs.

We must recognize that some kids are incredibly mature, like Abby. It is no small undertaking to sail around the world. It's lonely, isolating and takes an incredible amount of mental strength and maturity on anyone's part to undertake such a voyage. We'd like to think that no parent would put their child in such a situation without knowing if they are "packing the gear" to deal with that level of stress. In fact, Abby herself said in an Associated Press interview that, "a lot of people are judging me by the standards they have for their teens and other teens that they know...and are thinking 'she's exactly like them'...I've sailed my whole life and I do know what I'm doing out there."

So, instead of criticizing her parents, perhaps we should look at our society as a whole. Maybe we are remiss at not trusting our kids enough. Maybe we coddle them too much. Maybe we do not hold them accountable early enough. Maybe we are doing them a disservice by making too many decisions for them. Maybe we are too judgemental of parents who DO trust and know their kids' abilities. If she had made a successful journey, would we all still be questioning their decision?

On the other hand, there is the question of her parents' own dreams. Were they motivated by the glory of having a record-setting daughter? How many of us would allow our children to go out that far "out to sea" literally, alone? Doesn't it seem reckless to let a girl who cannot even vote yet, make life or death decisions without our input. We moms know that it’s just a matter of time before our kids tell us to back off because they will “be fine”. But, they may not have the experience and wisdom that comes with age.

In the end, these questions are what makes being a MAMA the most difficult job there is. We constantly tread a thin line between cutting the cord and still protecting our kids from danger through the parenting decisions we make. What do you think O-MAMAs?

Tribute To Mommy Bloggers

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:37:00 GMT

O-MAMA hosted a SPAtacular day for our Mommy Blogger pals. We got to know each other over manicures, pedicures, massages and "mocktails".

To give us all a break, we kept the kids entertained with a bounce house, face painter and fun O-MAMA tattoos.

We MAMAs dished about everything from politics to parenting to fashion. Lots of laughs were had by all.

Thanks to all of our new friends for coming and for making us feel like welcome additions to the Mommy Blog world!

"We Love You All, Equally"

Tue, 25 May 2010 13:39:00 GMT

IN THE NEWS:

The hot button issue of gays in the military is in the news, and O-MAMAs are talking about it! The military's policy known as "Don't ask, don't tell" is in the process of being repealed. Here's our take on the issue of gay rights.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:gay-rights

Whether or not you personally agree with the gay rights movement is really not the point...rather, do you believe you are entitled to certain rights that others should be denied? Do you support freedom of speech even if you disagree with what someone else is saying? Do you support freedom of religion even if you don't agree with the way someone else worships? Do you support someone's right to bear arms even if you don't like guns? Do you believe your child's gender, race or sexual orientation should preclude them from the same privileges under the law as someone else's child?

"Ignorance Is Bliss”

Mon, 17 May 2010 14:30:00 GMT

In The News:

We're hearing about teens having sex earlier and earlier. We hear about condoms being designed for 11-year olds. We hear about the governor of Alaska's unwed teen daughter having a baby. Here's what O-MAMA has to say about teen sex.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:sex

Of course we don’t want our teenagers to “do it,” but when puberty hits, it’s on. The train is on the track. Hormones start raging and there is no stopping them. Crush number one begins with a shy smile on the way to their locker. Crush two hits with a whiff of the quarterback’s sweat after a football game. The giggles. The flutters. Our girls can’t stop thinking about the boys…and our boys can’t wait to feel up those girls. We can pretend it isn’t happening and ignore it, or we can confront it head on. Because once the innocent crushes turn into actual dates, and the inevitable first love, how far to go and when to stop is not written on the ticket to Friday and Saturday nights. The train has left the station.

Remember when you were a teenager? Kissing sessions lasted hours and took place anywhere and everywhere. Park bench mashing was interrupted by the occasional passers by just as the bra strap tug-o-war began. Slow dances with hearts beating so loudly you couldn’t hear the music. Rolling around under the lifeguard tower as the sand crunched underneath your half-naked body. A little fondle here, a little poke there, a little more skin, a little more heat. The quest continued in backseats of cars on lookout point where the desperate, whispered words of “not yet” and “oh God” mixed with “I love you” and “come on” got a little jumbled up as every part of your body ached to give in, but a little voice in your head said “no, I’m not ready”…”my parents…something about my parents…what did they say again…oh, I can’t think, he’s such a good kisser?!” The hours on the phone, the handholding, the cuddling, the whispering, the kissing and caressing that never grew tiresome. Hormones going full steam ahead.

Today, we are parenting kids on this same ride. God help us. Every generation, every teenager. It is a biological fact of life. We can supress it. We can deny it. We can try to ignore it. But, the reality of the situation is that we need to deal with it head on. This time of firsts, in some ways, in fact, in most ways, is so sweet when it comes to romance and falling in love. The innocent, good feeling, good smelling, good tasting wonder of discovering the physical part of loving and being loved. It’s healthy and it’s normal. But, it used to be that we stretched out this fun and exciting time of courtship for as long as we possibly could. What has changed?

Today’s kids are more promiscuous. They have more sex. They start too early. They have multiple partners and experiment with all sorts of things. The truth is that kids are no different today than they were 50 years ago, biologically speaking, of course. Parents are parenting differently. Teenagers have always be horny, but parents didn’t allow teenagers to be alone that much. They had to be chaperoned. It was socially unacceptable to be alone with a member of the opposite sex. Today, it is widely acceptable. We pretend that our kids are different somehow. Well, the reality is that we need to make sure our teens have limited time alone with members of the opposite sex. If put in a room alone and left to their own devices, two 15 year olds with a crush are going to end up touching until the activity is thwarted by someone or something. Either the girl has to put on the brakes or some third party has to interject themselves into the scene. (Sorry, but usually the young man is not the one to exhibit great amounts of self control under such circumstances, but it could happen?!) That means, get them to hang out at home as much as possible. No going upstairs. No doors closed. Interrupt their TV time, homework time, hanging out time often…bring snacks, it offsets their irritation. Don’t give them access to the house when an adult is not home. Be around. Be omnipresent. When they go out, encourage group activities. Set a strict curfew. Be up when they get home. Remember that nothing good happens after midnight! So, have them home by ten.

We also need to have the “other” talks. Go beyond the abstinence is the best policy conversation. Tell them all of our hopes for their purity and virginity, but warn them about the constant pursuit of the opposite sex, burst their bubble and tell them that their first love will likely not be their last love, give them every rational reason why they should not have premarital sex. Appeal to your daughter’s emotional fantasy…tell her that she will fall in love a few times, and when she finally does find that perfect guy, he’ll appreciate that she hasn’t slept with the football team. Let her know that his idea of forever really means 6 months. Use fear. Use guilt. Use calm rational discussion. Use whatever means necessary to get them to keep their pants on.

Finally, brace yourself for the fact that, at some point, the choo choo train may arrive at the station. We can pretend it won’t ever happen, but that only increases the chances that it will happen on our watch. Ignorance can be bliss, but in this case, ignorance is pretending that a kiss won't lead to bliss. So, we need to make sure our kids think twice before they ring that bell. We need to tell them, if they cannot keep their pants zipped, then they have to use a condom. No matter what. We need to tell them, so they are so mortified that every time they look at a condom, they remember who told them to use it. Who knows, maybe that final image will derail the engine? Sounds extreme, but the point is that we want them to hesitate. To get their wits about them and make smart decisions.

So, when we find ourselves parenting teenagers in young love, and the blood drains out of our heads, it’s for a reason. We KNOW what being a teenager is like. It is a heart thumping, hormone raging journey. We may have had a hard time exercising self-control during those years ourselves. We remember the temptation. We remember the conflict. But, let’s also remember the adults who kept us in line, knew where we were going, how long we were going to be there and who we were going with…because of them, we went where we said we were going, stayed for as long as we said we would and came home with whom we were supposed to.

We have to help teens stay on the right track when it comes to sex. It is not up to them to simply abstain. They can’t. They’ve got too much steam working against them. It is up to us to derail the train. We’ve got to engineer the intervention by flipping the the right switches, putting up barriers and blowing the whistle. Come on…you remember…Toot! Toot!

Pilgrims & Indians

Mon, 10 May 2010 13:27:00 GMT

In The News:

Given the fact that immigration reform and recently passed immigration legislation in Arizona are hot topics in the news, we thought we'd post an article that we wrote at Thanksgiving. It is our opinion about America as a nation of immigrants.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:immigration

Unless you are a Native American Indian, you have the blood of immigrants. Our individual immigration stories give credence to the fact that we are the scrappiest, hardest-working collection of people on the planet. Our relatives fled famine, persecution, incarceration or were brought here in chains. Some how they made it. Some way they built a life. It wasn’t easy to do, but they did it. And, they inspired a nation then and now. So, for that, we give thanks.

The Pilgrims were the first immigrants to the New World in 1621. Welcomed by Squanto, a Wampanoag Indian, whose generous spirit taught the first settlers how to build shelters, hunt, fish and farm the land. The Pilgrims that survived the first year, held a feast to celebrate their successful harvest and to give thanks to Squanto, and other Native Americans, that helped them pull it off. If you are a “hostess with the mostess,” you will also appreciate the fact that the Indians brought most of the goodies. So, what happened after the big feast and gushy banquet of thankfulness? Did the immigrants and the “real” Americans live happily ever after? Nope. Squanto was kidnapped, sold into slavery, escaped, helped by monks to get back to his native land 10 years later. When he finally got home, his tribe had been decimated by plague and settlers had taken his land. Soon there after, he caught a white man’s disease and died. Awesome. Not really the story we tell our kids.

With an adventurous spirit and strong determination, the white man thrived. Over time, stories of the land of opportunity made their way around the globe and scrappy dreamers from every country made their way to America’s shores. The rules were to find your way here, check in, work hard and the dream was yours. We became Irish Americans, Mexican Americans, Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, African Americans, Native American’s, etc., but all Americans, nevertheless. Proud and free. We share a belief that despite how we got here, we are lucky to be here. Our patchwork history is woven together with a bunch of scraps that make up a complex and beautiful quilt. More like the story we tell our kids.

We are a warm and inviting country, but post 9-11, with our current economic climate, and masses of illegal immigrants living in the United States our blankey is being torn apart. We have families trying to achieve the American dream and terrorists trying to destroy it, both hiding under the same quilt. We are afraid. We don’t want the fabric of our nation to be compromised in any way. We have some people who have real ambitions to add to the texture of the American way of life, but some with little desire to assimilate and learn the language, customs or respect for American values. Some have come here to provide the cheap labor that legal residents refuse to do. They have children who are figuratively, and oftentimes literally, for all intents and purposes, American. They don’t speak their parent’s native language particularly well. They are fully Americanized, but because of their parent’s illegal status, they are children without a country.

Some illegals are here to harm America by plotting acts of terrorism, trafficking drugs and committing other serious crimes. We should be very concerned about them. The threat to our safety is real and we shouldn’t pretend it isn’t. However, we cannot allow the ideals of our nation to be tattered and torn by terrorists. Our nation of immigrants was always about people coming to America to become American. To live here, to learn the language, appreciate our patchwork culture and all of the wonderful things that come from it. Not just take its warmth, but work hard and become part of its fabric--celebrate it, contribute to it and give it the respect it deserves. So, we are left to wonder, who is here to help us sew new, creative patches on our quilt? Who is here simply to seek its warmth and hide? And, who is here to try and tear it all apart? If only we could figure out how to protect our resources, our culture and our people. Hmmm, I wonder what Squanto would say?

Don’t let strangers in or they’ll disrespect your way of life and take everything you have? Be generous and allow others an opportunity to adapt and learn from you, even at your own expense? Or, figure out how to protect your borders, be careful who you allow in and make sure that when you feed, clothe and provide shelter for people, they say thanks! We teach our children to be grateful for their many blessings and, at the same time, honor the generosity of the first Americans and the determination of the first immigrants who broke bread together. Because of them, our ancestors managed to stitch together a New World abundant with texture, color and quality. This vibrant quilt we call America is our most treasured family heirloom. We will proudly pass it on to future generations for comfort and security, but only to those who contribute to it’s patchwork, keep it fresh and clean, mend it when necessary and appreciate its unique beauty...only to those thankful to be part of the fabric of our society.

http://www.o-mama.com/videos/index/video:3/topic:immigration

"Leave It Better Than You Found It"

Mon, 03 May 2010 12:21:00 GMT

IN THE NEWS:

Oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico has given us all pause...and panic! How do we talk about environmental issues with our kids? It's big stuff, so here goes...we can start with Michelle's sensory memories of...

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:environment

Just for fun, here’s the Girl Scout law:

I will do my best to be honest and fair,

Friendly and helpful,

Considerate and caring,

Courageous and strong and

Responsible for what I say and do,

And to respect myself and others,

Respect authority,

Use resources wisely,

Make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

If only we all lived by the Girl Scout law, Mother Earth would be proud!

"The Voice of Reason"

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:57:00 GMT

In The News:

Politicians talk about bi-partisanship all of the time, but it never manifests. So, we were inspired to bring our country together by bringing America's moms together to get the heart of the social/political issues of our time. Our politicians, pundints, celebrities, sports heroes and rock stars cannot do it. It's up to America's moms. Change Begins at Home.

http://www.o-mama.com/articles/index/category:politics

“Listen to your mother!” We've all heard it a million times....it's an effective reminder that makes kids sit up a little straighter and pay attention. Yep, it's true, kids need constant reminders on how to behave, but unfortunately, it's the grown ups in this country that need to be reminded these days. You know, ”mind your manners,” “clean up your own mess,” “don’t be a poor sport” and on and on. So, who better to do it than America’s moms?

We are the example our children see and hear every day, so America’s moms know that our “actions speak louder than words.” But, it is time that we hold other grown-ups accountable for their behavior, too. Our kids are watching and listening, so “do as I say, not as I do" doesn't cut it anymore. If congressmen can't "mind their manners" while the President is speaking, how do we expect a ten year old to be respectful when his teacher is talking? If professional athletes can’t “be a good sport” when they lose, how do we encourage a disappointed t-ball player to be one? If rock stars don't grasp that there are times when "the world doesn't actually revolve around them," how do we convince our teenagers of it? If we expect better kids, we all must be better examples.

America’s kids are our future. We are reminded that they are the next generation of “risk-takers, doers and makers of things.” They are the next bankers and baseball players, teachers and technicians, police officers and policy makers, artists and astronauts, scientists and social workers…and they will be the role models for the generation after them…the next Presidents, Wall Street whiz kids, Nobel Peace Prize winners, curers of cancer, soldiers, parents…our kids are going to define the future of our nation…and we have the incredible job of shaping what kind of people, and citizens, they grow up to be.

We have been challenged us to usher in “a new era of [parental] responsibility.” At first, we thought it was about turning off the TV and making sure the kids were doing their homework. And, frankly, we thought we were doing a pretty good job, but then we realized we were missing the big picture. We aren’t just raising kids, we are raising the citizens who determine the future of our country. The country we all love. We can all rally around our kids and our country, right? We can find common ground on the issues that matter most to raising happy, healthy, well-adjusted citizens, can't we? Sure, we need to know how and why we see things differently, but that’s not where the conversation should begin and end. It needs to start at the kitchen table with some common sense and come full circle in parenting our kids through the social and political issues of the day…while using “indoor voices” and “nice manners,” of course!

President Obama has the economy, health care, two wars, the environment, education and a few other things on his “to do” list right now… he is the leader of our country, but moms are the leaders of our families. We are the family banker, nurse, diplomat, general, gardener, teacher, etc. So, we get it. We do it all…we are responsible for making sure our kids are doing their chores, brushing their teeth, not fighting with their siblings, picking up after themselves and doing their homework, all while teaching them patience, manners, accountability, self-reliance, discipline, persistence, resilience, empathy, kindness...and the commitment and hard-work required to follow through on their dreams for tomorrow. We have the most important job in America. We are the "opinionated moms" who influence our kids, families, communities and, ultimately, the direction of our country. We can use the skills learned in motherhood and apply them to the broader issues of our time. Our kids and our country need us, so we need to work together to find common ground and really make a difference on the issues that matter most!

If we keep in mind the simple lessons we’ve all been taught by our own mothers, then maybe the complex problems our country is facing will become a little less complicated. Maybe, if we stop second guessing every intention and start really believing the things we already know to be true--like “money doesn’t grow on tree,” “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” "don't judge a book by it's cover," "practice what you preach," "live and let live," "leave it better than you found it," etc.--then, we can finally start tackling some of the issues we can no longer avoid and teach our kids the life lessons we can no longer ignore. Maybe, just maybe, these issues are not as difficult as we think they are?

With a little humor and a lot of common sense, America’s moms can be a constructive voice in our country’s most important conversations. Can we do it? You betcha!