avatar by on May 31, 2010   •   24 Comments Personal Growth You

The importance of women as mentors in our lives

The following is by Angelica Perez-Litwin of Modern Familia.

There are mothers and sisters and good friends and teachers. And then, there are mentors…

Along the curves and bumps in my life journey, I have been fortunate to have mentors to steer me in the right direction, to get me back on track and to cheer me on at the finish line. Most of them have been women — inspirational, wise and strong women.

They have appeared in my life like a blessing, just at the right time and with purpose. I have met them in college, in graduate school, at work, online, in my community and within my family. They have served as powerful role models, anchors, life coaches, motivators and firm reminders of who I am and what I can become.

Mentor as wise advisers

Traditionally, a mentor is known as a wise and trusted adviser, teacher or friend, who is usually a more experienced person than the mentee in a particular community or role. Mentoring relationships normally exist in corporate environments and in higher education settings, where mentors help individuals advance in their careers, enhance their education, and build networks.

Mentors in the business of life

I propose we broaden the concept of mentorship to include the invaluable role that women serve to each other, as powerful sources of inspiration, guidance, support and encouragement.
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avatar by on May 30, 2010   •   Links

Weekend Links

Most of the little free time I have lately has been spent sewing, sewing, and sewing.  It’s my nesting outlet for the birth of number three, who is welcome to come whenever he wants.  With that in mind, most of today’s weekend links have the crafty bent.  Enjoy…

Lastly…  Have you met my friend Jenny?  If so, that means you subscribe to Simple Living Weekly, our network’s weekend email newsletter.  If not, why not sign up?  If you enjoy all five SLM blogs, yet your week is a bit too busy to read the best content from all of them, this newsletter is what you need.  It’s not new content; it simply highlights the best content from the week. Jenny picks her favorite posts from each blog, shares a bit of her own insight, and invites you to do the same.

Best of all, there’s often an exclusive giveaway you can only find on the newsletter!  In the few months since we launched the newsletter, we’ve given away jewelry, scrapbook stuff, photography courses and more.  You don’t want to miss out! Sign up today.

Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch.  - E.B. White

avatar by on May 28, 2010   •   Links

A Birth Abroad

Today I’m over at (in)courage, where I’m sharing the birth story of my second-born.  He was delivered in the country where we recently lived, and needless to say, there were some definite cultural differences.  From the post:

“Things rather quickly escalated in the operating room. The gaggle of nurses and doctors shot me questions left and right. I answered in my broken tongue, to which they mumbled knowingly to each other, “She’s a foreigner.”

This explained my deer-in-the-headlight look, I suppose, so after awhile they stopped speaking to me and just started doing things to me. They’re pleasant enough, in this culture, but in general, the people are a bit… brasher and rougher than what Americans are accustomed to.   Because of this, I now felt like a slab of meat, poked and prodded by latex gloves and cold steel instruments.   And since I couldn’t see anything, I didn’t have advanced warning when anything would happen.“

It’s not my usual style of posting, but everyone loves a good birth story, right? Head on over for some Friday afternoon reading entertainment.

avatar by on May 26, 2010   •   4 Comments Kids: Developing Character Your Family

How To Handle Pre-Launch Jitters With Children

Written by relationship columnist Corey Allan of Simple Marriage.

Early on in my career as a family therapist, I worked with a family in full-blown “senioritis” mode. Their son was a good student, busy in extracurricular activities and sports, had a part-time job, and a good group of friends. As soon as spring hit, tensions in the house rose between he and his parents, especially his father.

They were fighting frequently and the fights were escalating with each exchange. They sought help to come up with some ways to co-exist until their son left for college. To a degree, what was going on between them was a natural occurrence.

Call it pre-launch jitters. The son was ready to be off on his own, the parents were ready for him to move on to the next phase of life, but the countdown was too slow.

There are natural progressions in a family’s development with the launch of their children. It’s completely normal. And whether this launch involves a high-schooler leaving the nest for college, a student entering middle school, or a child entering kindergarten, tension spikes in the household are bound to happen.

Here are a few things to watch for, and ways to address these launches.
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avatar by on May 24, 2010   •   59 Comments Productivity You

8 Ways to Find Motivation at Home

This post was first published on June 15, 2009.  I thought it a good one to republish for newer Simple Mom readers, though it’s ironically for the opposite reason I mention in the post — I’m incredibly busy getting ready for the baby to arrive and making other life decisions this week.  Nonetheless, I hope it’s a good reminder for us all…

I‘ve got several emails with a “to be answered in a post” tag that all ask this question–“How do I find the motivation to work at home when I just don’t feel like it?”

I’m responding to this question today because it’s a good one to address in my own life. It’s getting hot, life isn’t quite as hectic as last month, and there’s not much on the calendar for the next few weeks. It’s easy to get lazy at home.

Here are a few ideas to fight off the apathy, the lack of interest, or the plain ol’ annoyance at the cyclical nature of your job as home manager.

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