After our last blog post… the only words I have is WOW. The stories, personal messages, comments, shares, wowza. SO happy I picked to showcase these magical moms kicking butt. And they do. They are keeping their kids alive, fighting everyday for their businesses, and smiling at their husbands every once in a while… Everyone wants to celebrate your success, and TOGETHER we are stronger. We keep supporting each other, laughing or crying with every step ahead. GO US.
Ok. Enough of the mush… Now onto a bigger topic: our girls. MANY of you (the readers) have those magical little human girls in your lives, and as magical as they are, they are handful (boys are too in their own way, but that’s a topic for another day). As a parents, I am SHOCKED and hence fail everyday as she has the ability to keep me on my toes. Everyday she stumps me with another topic… one day it’s death, the next my CS incision, and next REAL unicorns. 6-years-olds are full of information, emotions, hormones, and misleading beliefs.
Hot topics currently : am i gonna to be fat? Am i gonna be famous? why can’t I marry Dada if everyone can marry anyone they want? why does Mathieu sit so close to me? why do I have to use my money? why are so mean mama?
So where am I taking you as I keep typing? I’m taking you to my solution… I am not particularly smart, or advanced, but I know when i’m out of my league. So I reach for it.
And before i unleash ALL my secrets about parenting, I must disclose that even with my known resources, I failed recently. And I’m so happy I’m not fascinating or famous, and NO ONE recorded my latest attempt of punishing my oldest for shoplifting… And wait for it: hand sanitizer. Yep took a huge tumble as I burst into laughter after she confessed. Apparently after mom’s night out, I found out it’s a HUGE commodity. Who knew… hand sanitizer. In my old days of nursing, we would see very SICK patients who had ingested hand sanitizer to get drunk. I don’t think that was her mission… but she just wanted to fit in. My dear girl. I was speechless and in between tears of laughter, i composed myself and said let’s chat about this in little bit. Homework that night was as fabulous as you can imagine (insert emoji of the biggest eye-roll ever).
HOWEVER, I got resources! With help from Google (and Amazon duh), I arm myself with BOOKS. Love books, and I need guidance. These aren’t topics I eagerly disclose on the Buckhead Exchange, or worst LA Mommies (horrendous Facebook groups, but best for entertainment purposes). So i post just on here, yeah super discrete, because who is actually reading or retaining all this... And anyhow Hanukkah/Christmas/Gifting season are around the corner, which means several things. Soon enough school will break for 3 weeks, and my dear big girl will have more time to ask me questions, (like ALL day instead of after school and before stalling bedtime). And I need some educational gifts (Barbie and Ken aren’t exactly educational). Books are my jam. They get me. I get them.
Without more distractions or side-notes, here are the BEST:
11.. Alphabet Book - it’s not a paperback horribly pictured book. It’s full of insightful women. My oldest’s favorite is Helen Keller. She enjoys pretending she can’t see and needs help. Not getting the point. Yet.
https://alphabetlegends.com/collections/books/products/little-legends-alphabet-book
10.. Good night stories for Rebel Girls - this is amazing. It’s fresh, powerful, and imagery is perfection. When my sis first sent this to my daughter, her fave was a rockstar… Now it’s the scientist (youpie!!!!). She routinely pulls it out to “educate” her brother. I wish this was around when I was a kid.
https://www.rebelgirls.co/products/good-night-stories-for-rebel-girls
9. Have you filled a bucket today? HANDS DOWN THE BEST BOOK. Ever. It encompasses magical buckets and imagination, but brings the very concrete effect of our WORDS and ACTIONS. It is about others, and how our interactions can empty or fill our buckets. A MUST. Our friends recently were punished as every meal for days was spent on “let’s talk about our buckets”… Amazon link
8. Be Kind - It involves spilling juice on a dress… and my daughter was hooked. It’s incredibly inspiring, and we read it EVERY time someone is mean, or I get reports about fighting. Amazon Link
7. Why is art full of naked people? As I recently splurged on select art from one of my FAVE artists Alison Duncan (@alisonduncart) , my kids get to giggle every time they walk pass my desk. SO what better time to learn all about naked people in art. Book is very cute, and the art itself is comical. It’s a must for any household. Amazon Link
6. Dear Girl - this book encompasses it all: emotions, love, encouragement, and love. This book resonates in our home as its motto is “you are wonderful just the way you are”. It also gives permission to be who you are. Big life lesson in our house. Amazon link
Side-note (couldn’t help myself): a dear friend of mine kindly conveyed an observation… Said “dude work on her self-confidence”. Ok I’m on it. Got a book for that? AND THEY DO.
5. Everyone gets upset: a book about frustration - SUCH a needed book in our lives. My dear daughter… I love you, and you need to CALM down. Let’s breathe. So this board-book is certainly target for younger kiddos, but nails it on the head perfectly for us. Amazon Link
4. I am Peace - we do live in CALI and mindfulness is actual exercise in her school. Yep. And at first, I gave a HUGE eye-roll. Now I say “i’m sorry - you are totally onto something dear daughter”. She tried and tried to explain how wonderful it was, and asking me billion times “where’s your center mama”. Then I bought a kid-book to allow my daughter to explain it to me… that’s right. No shame. It’s very cute, and fast-read. Amazon Link
3. Fairy farts: everything you need to know about flatulence in the fairy kingdom - we laughed a lot. Farts are also a HOT topic in most houses. The illustrations are adorable and fun. It goes beyond the typical damsel in distress and makes fairies relatable. Fun book. Amazon Link
2. No difference between us: teach children about gender equality, respectful relationships - I didn’t believe it until i saw it, but little girls are fiercely competitive. The comparison game is brutal. As are rumors, stereotypes, and the power of words. The questions are also insightful, and difficult all at once. Don’t read this one for the first time before your period, or when you are trying to put kids to bed fast. Amazon Link
1. I am girl, hear me roar - title sums it up. BAM. Girls are awesome, and should be reminded they are. Strong message. Insightful. Beams confidence. Amazon Link
EXTRA: I am a warrior goddess - currently in my Amazon cart waiting for additional items (don’t want to be wasteful, and order only ONE book, and there’s promotion), but if my intuitions serves me right, this is a GOOD one. It’s about being a strong little girl BEFORE adulthood hits. I’m sold. And hopefully you are too. Amazon Link
Voila. Happy Tuesday to you! Keep reading adult books too… Or join a book club to force reading books in timely fashion. Til next time.