tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18097804195376093272024-03-20T12:55:45.484-07:00DON'T LABEL MEHow to Be Yourself, Not a Soup Can and Live a More Fulfilling Life! Plus other lessons for moms from the TOMGIRLZDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-41804802680136414452009-11-13T05:34:00.000-08:002009-11-13T13:48:39.770-08:00Diena Thompson on Dr. Phil Show- "I've received hate mail"Last night I caught a segment on Dr. Phil with Deina Thompson. The incredibly distraught mother who's young daughter was abducted and murdered on her way home from school was invited on the show for an episode about how to protect our children from predators.<br /><br />I was shocked at the end of her segment when Deina said that she's received hate mail. There are people out there who have actually taken time out of their own lives and time to put ink to paper to tell this mother that she was at fault for her daughter's murder and should be put in jail! <br /><br />I would foremost want to tell Deina Thompson that under no circumstance, no how, no way, is she responsible for her daughter's death. The person whose hand murdered Somer is solely responsible. Deina, like many, many, many parents, allowed her children to walk to and from school because the school does not provide bus service to their neighborhoods. Should the school be labeled murderous for not providing the bus service? Of course not. And so, of course, neither should Deina.<br /><br />With that said, I had to examine why people would put the blame on Deina in the first place...and then go so far as to send her hate mail to tell her so?!<br /><br />Then I recognized the link between this occurrence and my work with the Tomgirlz. Through the book ABBEY'S TURN, I look at the issues of bullying. It is a children's book and most often thought of as a child's problem, but bullying occurs at all stages in life. In fact, it is often said that parents need to be part of the solution. I believe that it is adults like those who wrote those letters that teach their children the bullying behavior in the first place and unwittingly perpetuate the problem.<br /><br />Bullies almost always seek a victim to tear down in order to build themselves up in some way. They do not have enough confidence or belief in their own dreams and goals, so they spend their time instead lashing out against someone else. Does this really make them feel better? I doubt it...but it does work in most cases to make the victim feel really, really bad. <br /><br />And so, Deina Thompson, cry for your daughter, but do not shed one tear of guilt that these people would put on you to cover up something they themselves feel guilty about in their own lives. Know that their words express the pain of their own problems and have nothing to do with you. Do not allow yourself to be victimized all over again.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-9491704912224237252009-10-14T12:40:00.000-07:002009-10-14T13:08:36.484-07:005 Ways to Prevent Your Child From Being a BullyWith all the talk about bullying and anti-bully policies taking over school curriculum, one thing is clear...everyone agrees that prevention starts at home! But many parents aren't aware of the problem, what to look for, or what to do.<br /><br />Here are 5 ways to ensure your child grows up with great self esteem and confidence...and there is no such thing as a bully with great self esteem or confidence!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. BE AN EXAMPLE -</span> Let your child see you as kind, patient, and respectful of others. That doesn't mean be a push over. It is just as important to show your child how to resolve conflicts in a strong and controlled manner without resorting to shouting or violence.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. START EARLY -</span> From the time your baby can show emotion, start correcting poor behavior. Don't accept things such as hitting, pushing, or teasing, as child's play. Let them know that it is wrong. At the same time, let them know how good they make others feel when they are kind, share, or even just smile.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. SET RULES AT HOME ABOUT BULLYING -</span> Your child hears all the rules and policies at school, but these rules should be set at home long before your child even goes to school. The younger a child is when "rules" such as no hitting, put downs, teasing, etc are taught, the more embedded it will be in their subconscious mind and the less likely they will are to become a bully.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. BE AWARE AND DON'T IGNORE THE SIGNS -</span> Know what bullying is. Think about times that you yourself have been bullied or bullied someone else and make sure you yourself fully understand that that's not normal (if you don't know what bullying is, then you can't help your child). If you see signs in your child such as disrespectful behavior and attitudes, putting others down, anger, frustration, etc...don't let it slide until it escalates. Catch these things at the onset and you stand a much better chance of prevention.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5. CONSTANT COMMUNICATION -<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> Don't figure you can have a talk once with your child. Tell them why they can't hit Tommy or Patty when it happens. Tell them how Jane might feel if they tease her. Ask questions to get your child talking about their behavior and then actively LISTEN. And then keep asking and listening. It may be the same discussion for weeks at a time, but stay patient and persistent and your child will eventually get it. <br /><br />If you are interested in a new book for elementary aged children that can help open the dialog about bullying, or having an anti-bully seminar/author visit for your school, organization, or youth group, visit www.TOMGIRLZ.comDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-30067136244962134872009-10-09T10:59:00.000-07:002009-10-09T11:19:57.743-07:00SHY IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIMITING LABELI am one of those people who unfortunately spent most of my life defining myself by what others called me or even self imposed labels that are very limiting. Perhaps the most debilitating label I slapped on myself was the term SHY. <br /><br />Anytime we allow ourselves to be labeled, we make ourselves "smaller" to fit the label (because in reality we are too complex to ever truly fit any label). To fit this label, I made it very difficult on myself to do many of the things I hoped to. I would never raise my hand in class (never mind speak out!), struggled to build friendships, and hid behind my poor mother's legs if she even dared try to introduce me to someone. <br /><br />One specific example I can think of was the time I wanted to try out for a town play. My parents took me to the audition at the high school, we went through the registration process, and my name was called out several times. Each time I said I wasn’t ready to audition yet. Finally (at least 6 hours later!), the last person completed their audition and I still could not bring myself to climb the steps to the stage. Those three little steps might as well have been Mt. Kilimanjaro! My parents stayed at my side the entire time and then drove me home as I berated myself for not even trying. <br /><br />I battled this self imposed label for years, but have made a decision to stop using this word as a description for myself. I made a breakthrough and will never use the word shy as a label for myself. I may still have feelings of insecurity now and then (that's normal), but "shy" is no longer a label that defines me. Now I LOVE standing up before a group of children or parents and speaking about topics I am passionate about and I'm glad to say I am happier and more fulfilled because of it.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-11291476337503788562009-03-08T11:32:00.000-07:002009-03-08T11:52:04.348-07:00March Is Women's History Month- Celebrating Helps to Empower Young GirlsThe TOMGIRLZ chapter books are all about creating characters that are role models for girls. They display strength of character, respect for themselves and others, and an attitude that they can achieve anything in life they choose to reach for.<br /><br />All mothers hope their young daughters will grow up to be achieving women one day. They will be our leaders and healers and saviors. The more role models and positive messages our young girls receive the more they will realize that making dreams come true lies in their own hands.<br /><br />It's really important to celebrate the women in history that paved the way. As early as the 1970's there was very little serious study of women's history, but thankfully today nearly every college offers courses in women's history. Partially the shift is due to the women's movement of the 60's. Women became tired of being virtually invisible behind the hands of men and started speaking out and acting out. In the 70's the emphasis of history changed from being primarily political to including an array of American Life topics such as public health, ethnic culture, and urban poverty which also increased awareness of women in history.<br /><br />The date March 8, 1957 was the initial day of demonstration in the U.S. celebrating the strengths and accomplishments of girls and women. In 1981 the celebration became known as "National Women's History Week" and in 1987 it was expanded to include the entire month of May.<br /><br />Celebrating the accomplishments of women is important for our girls. The more they learn from other women who are courageous, smart, entrepreneurial, and leaders in the world, the more they will feel empowered themselves. The true sign of a role model for girls, however, is that all these great things are done with the absence of jealousy, cliques, and "cattiness."<br /><br />I want my daughter to excel and be a leader, but I want her to always do so with a kind heart. Then we'll always have something to celebrate.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-83201957339232947152009-03-06T11:11:00.000-08:002009-03-06T12:14:10.610-08:00Positive Messages Must Be RepeatedIf you are the mother of an awesome, good humored, high spirited young girl like I am, you want her to stay that way. But as our tweens become teens, it is evident that many girls change. Why? Well, there are many reasons, but if we as mothers stay aware and repeat the positive messages our girls need to hear over and over and over, I believe we have a chance of winning the battle.<br /><br />Here are some things I worry about:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. One bad teacher </span><br />I've seen this happen more than once. A child can have straight A's in 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade....all of a sudden she gets into 4th grade (or whatever grade in which the child is placed with the "bad" teacher) and the grades mysteriously drop! Unfortunately, the child may not go back to the straight A's even after moving on to a new teacher. This can be due to falling behind and not being able to catch up, or perhaps because self confidence turns into self doubt. I don't think teachers intend to be "bad" for any child. Sometimes the teaching style just doesn't match the child's learning style. It is unfortunate that in the day of large classes teachers do not take the time to figure out how each student learns (visual, auditory, tactile...) Students are left to figure things out no matter how it is fed to them instead of the teacher adapting to the needs of each child.<br /><br />What to do? First, follow grades and mood changes very closely so any problems can be caught immediately. If changing teachers is not possible, you will need to assist in every way with homework and checking papers, and any other support you can give. You could also get a tutor if possible and sit in on some of those sessions. Either way, talk positively to your child and never yell or punish. Children never <span style="font-style:italic;">want</span> their grades to drop; there is always a reason. Be encouraging and repeat the "you can do it" messages constantly. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />2. Peers</span><br />Your child's friends don't have to be "bad" to have what you may consider to be a negative influence. They may simply have different beliefs or priorities that you don't share. Don't get me wrong...this doesn't mean you should ban your child from being friends with anyone who is different from you. Quite the contrary, I think it is very important to not only be around people who are different, but to learn from them. The problem is when your child changes who she is to impress them or feels like she has to change herself to fit in. <br /><br />What to do if you see your child changing to fit in?<br />This is going to take lots of talk, talk, talk. Don't ever put others down to show that your way is right; instead ask your child to discuss the differences she sees. What she likes, what makes her uncomfortable, anything at all to get her talking. Explain that there are many differences in people; that's what makes our world so rich. It's okay to learn about the beliefs and ways of others and those people can be great friends as long as they are willing to learn about and respect you too. It's a two way street. <br /><br />Example:<br />My daughter was always very strong and competitive. In gymnastics she was surrounded by others just like her and she was an achiever. Later, she left gymnastics for dance and acrobatics. She became very good friends with the girls in the dance company. This was also a competitive team, but the girls' priorities were different. They were more into socializing and winning wasn't as important. I watched as my daughter's own priorities changed. She got a dance solo, but didn't practice as hard as she normally would. She started to complain more and didn't put more than 75% into her training when it used to be 110%. When I discussed it with her, she told me that she was afraid that if she worked so hard the other girls would think she was a show off. It took lots of talk for her to understand that the other girls weren't wrong for how they were, but they certainly wouldn't be upset with her for being a winner! <br /><br />Staying on top of these situations and constantly talking and repeating positive messages can be exhausting, but it is absolutely necessary and isn't it rewarding to see your child not only maintain her bright spirit, but be a leader by passing it onto others?Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-34523014094500837732008-12-26T10:56:00.000-08:002008-12-28T06:31:28.259-08:00New Year's Weight Loss: Top 4 Tips for Moms to Lose MoreThe new "Don't Label Me" book that will be published by Tomgirlz Enterprises in a couple months is all about empowerment for women. Although the book won't be out in time for New Year's, here are some tips provided in the book that may be helpful for your weight loss resolution.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. Don't Label Yourself as Fat</span><br />If you call yourself fat all the time, you will see yourself as fat. This alone can <br />seriously affect you reaching your goal. The label you give yourself is what you <br />say you are. Understand that you may need to lose some weight, but fat is not who<br />you are.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2.Don't Allow Others to Label You</span><br />When others refer to you as fat, you subconsciously allow them to tell you that's who you are. You need to ask them to stop. Let them know that you are working on losing weight, but by labeling you as fat, they are making it more difficult.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Give Yourself Skinny Self Talk</span><br />Let's face it, of all the motivational speaches and pep talks you can get, the ones you give yourself are most important. You need to talk to yourself like the success you are. Give yourself messages like, "I'm a skinny person, I just need to shed a couple of pounds to see her again" or "I am a caring, loving,wonderful person, fat is not who I am, it does not define me, and now I will take care of myself as well as I take care of everyone else!" <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Diet Plan for the Mind</span><br />When it comes to losing weight, I really believe that we all know how we are supposed to eat and exercise. Fewer calories in, more burned off through the day...certainly no cookies, cakes, and ice cream. The problem is, we simply don't (or many say can't). Cravings, pain from exercise, too busy with family and work, these are all "excuses" we use at one time or another. Unfortunately, our weight loss goals will wait. If you want to reach those goals, it all starts in your MIND. How you <span style="font-style:italic;">think</span> must start before what you <span style="font-style:italic;">eat</span>.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-49809769070575806032008-12-04T10:44:00.000-08:002008-12-04T10:49:23.803-08:00No Labels For Moms Too!The "no labels" message for children through the TOMGIRLZ chapter book series applies to moms as well. There are plans underway for a book just for moms that will be very inspirational and motivational. This book is in its infancy stage, as I am still writing the next TOMGIRLZ chapter book where children will learn about childhood obesity, teasing, and bullying through a fabulous new Tomgirlz character named Abigail who is dealing with these issues.<br /><br />The title has already been selected and chapters designated, but I won't give it away yet...check back for more info on this very exciting addition from Tomgirlz Enterprises.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-54451443429207719592008-11-11T05:54:00.000-08:002008-11-11T06:05:30.710-08:00Miami Book Fair Extra Fun PlansThis weekend will be the 4th year of exhibiting at the Miami Book Fair for Tomgirlz Enterprises. There are no new books out for this year's show, however, the plans for this weekend include more fun than ever! <br /><br />Mackey and Jeremy (two main characters from the chapter books) will be in attendance all day Saturday and Sunday. They will be passing out information to attendees about the fact that they are now for hire for Children's Parties! In addition, every hour they will be drawing a winner from our free raffle and entertaining at our booth. <br /><br />For instance, one hour Jeremy will dance and give a Pop & Lock lesson. Mackey will read the "Sleeyphead" book to preschoolers and give some dance demonstrations of her own. You might even catch a little dance party where Mackey and Jeremy lead everyone in some fun interactive dances like the Cuban Walk or ChaCha Slide!<br /><br />The biggest news is the announcement of our new division called TOMGIRLZ ENTERTAINMENT. Through this division, we will promote Children's Parties, Author Speaking Engagements, and Salsa/Ballroom Dance Performers available for all kinds of events from corporate to weddings!!<br /><br />We are all very excited for the upcoming year and look forward to seeing you at the Miami Book Fair!!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-27538912409590031122008-09-11T08:59:00.000-07:002008-09-11T09:23:56.754-07:00TOMGIRL IS MOTHER'S HERO & INSPIRATIONFrom the first moment my eyes met Jordynn I felt as close to her as any mother could to a baby. With thick, dark hair already reaching the top of her nose, I knew she was super special. What I didn’t know was that it could be possible for a bond that strong to grow even deeper and stronger through the years…It did!<br /> <br />To be honest, I think Jordynn pulled a bit of a role reversal on me. I was prepared to teach her all the things I knew at the times in her life she would need to know them. I wasn’t expecting that I would learn more about how to live life from her than she could ever learn from me.<br /> <br />I watched in awe as Jordynn drank in life day after day with a spirit and energy I never experienced myself. She can independently take on tasks and be happy on her own, but has such a kind heart that she always has room for others and is happy to share. For instance, every time my 90 year old grandmother came to visit us, Jordynn would be the one to say she could stay in her room. And hearts would melt every night when Jordynn would snuggle up in bed with her. She never showed anything but love and respect.<br /> <br />Mostly it is Jordynn’s ability to go after what she wants while always being herself that impresses me. She never sits on any fences. When she trained in gymnastics, it was with full effort. When she got invited into a dance company, she put her whole heart into it. Now Jordynn has decided that making the Olympics is her main goal (becoming a doctor is her goal after that!). So when she found out diving is an Olympic sport she asked to try it. After one week of dive camp she was invited onto the team!<br /> <br />Watching Jordynn grow and develop taught me that you can’t just sit around and watch life, you have to live it. Talk about inspirational, she inspired me to start writing children’s books…something I really wanted to do for most of my life. Jordynn finally gave me something to write about. The first character I created was of course based on Jordynn. Mackey Mack exemplifies energy, spirit, leadership skills, friendship, caring for community, sense of humor, and many more life skills that I see in Jordynn. Now 5 chapter books have been published in the TOMGIRLZ series and more are on the way. <br /> <br />Jordynn was born as my daughter whose dreams I wished would all come true, but she has grown into my best friend and hero who has taught me that dreams really CAN come true!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-44093795686962118432008-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:002008-09-01T14:08:14.574-07:00ANTI-BULLYING STARTS AT HOMEAs my next TOMGIRLZ book will deal with the issues of childhood obesity and bullying, I have been talking to my elementary school aged daughter more about what kind of bullying she notices. She says she sees it everywhere and that girls can be particularly mean to other girls. However, the most detailed account she gave me was very surprising.<br /><br />In very vivid detail she told me the story of what happened one morning at the bus stop. A 9 year old boy was waiting for the bus with his mother and elderly grandfather. The bus was arriving and apparently the grandfather was in the process of crossing the street. The boy ran across the street quickly to board the bus and when he saw his grandfather still moving slowly he yelled out, "Get out of the way you big idiot!"<br /><br />Then the mother, who jumped in her car to leave after talking to some other moms at the bus stop, yelled at him too. She said, "Come on, I don't have all day!"<br /><br />My daughter said she got a stomach ache and felt horrible for the grandfather all day. Of course she did. She lost her own great grandmother just a few short months ago and misses her very much. My children always had tremendous respect and love for her...every time she came to visit us my daughter would share her room with her and even cuddle up with her in bed.<br /><br />The point of this story is that bullying stems from a disrespect for others and learning respect starts at home. The mother's own attitude towards the grandfather was of impatience and annoyance and she said nothing to correct her son for calling his grandfather a "big idiot." If they are treating the grandfather like this at home constantly, then they are actually bullying him and the son is learning this bullying behavior from his parents in his very own home.<br /><br />I hope they will understand that their behavior will have to change...Florida's new anti-bully policy in schools makes parents accountable! <br /><br />Read more about the passing of the anti-bullying policy at http://www.proudparenting.com/node/1919Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-53500412097971937822008-08-30T05:25:00.000-07:002008-08-30T05:43:37.722-07:00MACKEY LOVES "TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW"My character Mackey has been accompanying me on author visits lately as part of a community service project she started called "Bringing Books to Life for Literacy". She loves to perform as well as meet kids from lower income areas to get them excited about reading, but she hasn't been able to do a solo because she didn't feel she had the perfect music to perform to. She just told me she found it!<br /><br />Mackey loves the song "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" by Selena Gomez. I listened to the song and I have to agree. This song shows the TOMGIRLZ spirit I see in my characters and in amazing children everywhere. The song has attitude...that's for sure...but the attitude is POSITIVE which I really love! The song also tells children that it's okay to follow their dreams, even when others tell them there is no way they can make it. Selena Gomez exemplifies that dreams really can come true and now she shares with everyone how she made her own come true...<br /><br />1. Understand that things don't come easy<br />2. Believe in yourself<br />3. Don't let others determine who you are and want to be (the control is yours if you <span style="font-style:italic;">take</span> it...the control belongs to others if you <span style="font-style:italic;">allow</span> it.<br /><br />Hey...this message is one that adults should keep in mind in their own lives too. Creating and publishing my books is a dream and is DIFFICULT. Everyone says that getting the word out and having the TOMGIRLZ embraced by the world will be a daunting task...so now in the words of Selena Gomez I will answer:<br />"TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW" I believe that dreams really can come true, so you might as well DREAM BIG!!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-40545145639754733862008-08-29T08:41:00.000-07:002008-08-29T08:51:51.026-07:00BOOKS ABOUT CHILDHOOD OBESITY, BULLYING & TEASING UNDER WAYBetween scheduling activities for my two children, driving like a maniac all over South Florida, and working on marketing ideas for my books, workout, and dance classes, I have not had much time for writing. But I have had a lot of time for <span style="font-style:italic;">thinking</span>! Finally, the first couple of chapters of the first book are complete...and I actually like them!<br /><br />My next three books will read as a kind of mini series within the TOMGIRLZ series. Two new brother/sister characters, Abbey and Bob, will be introduced. Both of these children are overweight and they deal with their weight issues in very different ways. Looking at the issues that overweight children face...not just physical, but mental stress caused by bullying and teasing is the challenge of these new TOMGIRLZ books. After calling Barnes and Nobles about books on the subject, I have learned that mine will be a first of its kind! There are plenty of books written for adults, but none directed as children's books. These books are taking me a bit longer to write than the other 5 Tomgirlz books because I want to deal with the topic sensitively and accurately, and still maintain the spirit and humor of the TOMGIRLZ. I'll keep you posted!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-2420043112064314822007-12-31T13:06:00.000-08:002007-12-31T13:28:12.816-08:00NEW YEAR DO YEARI don't believe in New Year's resolutions. I really think that if you want to do something, you should just do it and make a commitment to that goal no matter what time of the year it is. However, in the spirit of New Year's and in honor of the TOMGIRLZ, I decided to make a DO LIST so you can see what you can expect from TOMGIRLZ MOMZ in 2008. Who knows, maybe just the act of listing it all here for you to read will help to make all these goals come to fruition.<br /><br />1. Start (and complete) a book for Tomgirlz Momz. This book is in the planning stage. It will serve as a guide to Momz to parent their grade school children so that they won't have to "re-program" as adults as we all apparently need today. Are we so messed up that we need all those self-help, motivational, relationship guiding books out there? Apparently so. Books from authors like Napoleon Hill, Jack Canfield, Robert Kiyosaki, etc. are big money earners for a reason. I have to admit that I too am part of the reason...I love their books!! However, I decided that it is easier to "program" properly as a child then to have to "re-program" as an adult. Hopefully my book will help save our kids from a lot of that trouble in the future.<br /><br />2. Write 2 new books for the TOMGIRLZ series. I have begun work on the 6th chapter book. In it I introduce a new character named Abigail. Unfortunately, many of her peers call her "flabby Abby". Mackey and her friends take Abby under their wings and through this book of humor and kindness, they learn about exercise and nutrition and save one child from being a childhood obesity statistic.<br /><br />3. I will also continue offering my Tomgirlz Momz families a means of additional income to support extra activities for our children and the benefits of safe, pure products for everyone in the house. ARBONNE is the company I have chosen for this purpose and they have proven to be a good choice. Throughout the year I will continue to educate about ARBONNE products and ingredients, and offer special values to all of you.<br /><br />Well, that should keep me busy this year! What about you? If you have any goals for this "Do Year", please share! I'd love to hear what you have planned for your families...Together, let's make this a great 2008!!!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-6799046275800771032007-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:002007-12-27T12:01:28.986-08:00BAKING IS A GREAT MOTHER-DAUGHTER ACTIVITY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpA-55RkCGXMFa6QBkKlyRJDj4RsNfdL-TjLAksoD4Z8FhFrPcqqOG1__jLdVi3gycUgx2i4Gq4iKELHRhSUGWNyR28ag5RfxHtQL8TR1CyeIaG2hovwZXSYTHymbAiXYySyG0Jm-6w4/s1600-h/FSCN0604.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpA-55RkCGXMFa6QBkKlyRJDj4RsNfdL-TjLAksoD4Z8FhFrPcqqOG1__jLdVi3gycUgx2i4Gq4iKELHRhSUGWNyR28ag5RfxHtQL8TR1CyeIaG2hovwZXSYTHymbAiXYySyG0Jm-6w4/s320/FSCN0604.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148745264750971730" /></a><br />With the kids out of school, we are all looking for some fun activities to do with our kids. My daughter and I have been keeping busy, but one of the best times we have had was baking our own mush cup cookies. The TOMGRILZ characters created mush cup cookies in the book "A,B,SEA!" and we decided to bake them ourselves.<br /><br />My daughter had fun measuring all the ingredients. She did spill some sugar on the floor like Andee did in the book, but when she tried to imitate Andee throwing eggs at Mackey (apparently she decided I was Mackey and she was Andee)...I drew the line!<br /><br />It was great fun recreating a scene from a book we read together and we had even more fun eating our mush cup cookies! They tasted great!!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-16455819097234341182007-12-24T10:09:00.001-08:002007-12-24T10:35:54.173-08:00IS MINERAL OIL SAFE FOR OUR CHILDREN?There is a lot of buzz about mineral oil, whether it is natural or not, and its safety. Here are some interesting things I have found concerning the definition of mineral oil. I have also included a link to a safety data material sheet for mineral oil. I have chosen to eliminate mineral oil containing products for my family...you can do some research and decide for yourself.<br /><br />You can cut and paste this link into your browser for a Wikipedia definition:<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil<br /><br /> Another online definition:<br />Petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Used in many products (baby oil is 100% mineral oil) Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.<br />* Mineral oil<br />* Liquidum paraffinum (also known as posh mineral oil!)<br />* Paraffin oil<br />* Paraffin wax<br />* Petrolatum<br /><br />Material Safety Data Sheet<br />http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/M7700.htm<br /></span>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-75304317225745515052007-12-23T15:12:00.000-08:002007-12-23T15:42:06.076-08:00ARBONNE for TOMGIRLZ MOMZThe Tomgirlz chapter book series help up teach our children those values that we value, but what about the finances we need to keep our kids in valuable activities? I know my daughter is into gymnastics and dance. These are great activities that help her with fitness, teach her about competition, and build her self esteem. Activities outside of school are valuable and important.....however, they can be EXPENSIVE!<br /><br /> To address this issue, I've decided to feature ARBONNE as a part of Tomgirlz Momz. Arbonne is a company that offers value to our families on several levels. <br /> 1. Products are chemical free...no dyes, no animal by-products. There are many products from<br /> Arbonne for our children (and us momz!) that are pure, safe, and beneficial.<br /><br /> 2. More time... some of us work long and hard hours to benefit our families, but we would much rather be spending more of that time with our children. Arbonne has a solution.<br /><br /> 3. Income to help with those activities...you will love the products from Arbonne and want to recommend them to your family and friends just like you do with any great products you love. However, when you recommend Arbonne products, Arbonne sends you a check for their gratitude! Some people earn enough to pay for some extra activities, some people earn enough to give up their full time jobs and spend more time at home!<br /><br />Before choosing Arbonne as a company to feature on Tomgirlz Momz, I decided I should try it out myself first. For the past 4 months I have been using the products for myself, my husband and my children. The products truly are wonderful (I will write about some of those successes later), and the checks they send are real. <br /><br />If you have had your own experiences with Arbonne, please share with us! If you would like to begin experiencing Arbonne, you can contact me for more information through www.TOMGIRLZ.comDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-27545752353945908642007-11-16T11:28:00.000-08:002007-11-16T11:48:48.649-08:00Miami Book FairWhat an incredible weekend! It was worth all the effort over the summer getting two new books ready. The weather in Miami was perfect and the response from the kids visiting my booth was overwhelming. Children who already purchased the last three books were eager to start reading the two new additions to the TOMGIRLZ series and many kids being introduced to the series for the first time jumped in and bought all five books!<br /><br />In the spirit of the Tomgirlz, these books are great fun to read for the kids, but still full of positive life messages that parents will appreciate. TALENT TROUBLES is all about competition. It teaches that children can be competitive and determined and still not put others down. In fact, these girls are open to learning from each other! I use this book also as an opportunity to teach salsa dancing to children as Salsa and Ballroom dancing are a great personal passion of mine.<br /><br />In A, B, SEA! the girls demonstrate the principles of friendship while establishing their entrepreneurial skills. They even create a brand new kind of cookie that they call Mush Cup cookies. Since these cookies were created by fictitious characters, I decided I had to bake them for myself and see how they were. They were so delicious that my daughter and her friends all begged for more! I went ahead and trademarked the term Mush Cup. One day we will see (in real life) a TOMGIRLZ COOKIE COMPANY! <br /><br />Wishing all of you all the best and great thanks to everyone who helped make the Miami Book Fair such a huge success for me.<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-91664565335692145252007-07-26T04:53:00.000-07:002007-07-26T05:12:18.428-07:00THIS MOM DOESN'T LOVE GYMNASTICS, BUT LOVES A DAUGHTER'S DREAMAfter a two week break to visit my parents in upstate New York, my daughter couldn't wait to get back to her gymnastics. Her dance classes won't start up again until August so right now there is nothing on her mind buy gymnastics, gymnastics, gymnastics!<br /><br />I keep her in the gymnastics becuase she is so in love with it, but I have to admit, I don't really encourage it. No, I'm not one of those moms pushing her into training, fighting with coaches, and telling her she'll be in the Olympics one day. However, I also refuse to tell her that she WON'T be in the Olympics one day. She's the one who talks about Olympic dreams and I believe in dreams. I believe they should be followed, allowed to grow or be changed with time as necessary, but never, ever broken.<br /><br />So what is my problem if this is her dream and she is enthusiastically following it? Well, I know that with a sport like gymnastics, the longer you are in it, the more likely the chances for injury. Sometimes big injuries. I am sure to see broken arms, broken legs, trips to the hospital... as a mother I want to keep my daughter safe. Just the thought of seeing her fall in a competition or practice and getting hurt drives me crazy.<br /><br />Here's what keeps me sane. Broken bones will surely heal, but a broken spirit never will. As long as my daughter has her spirit she can accomplish anything. I want to see her fly!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-79044754142932191312007-07-09T08:14:00.000-07:002007-07-09T08:35:09.486-07:00MOTHER-DAUGHTER TIME TOGETHER...Six Flags Great Escape at Lake George, NY. We got to the amusement park around 1 PM. The skies looked like a threat of rain, but it never happened. Therefore, the park wasn't too busy and lines for rides were reasonable.<br /><br />Of course, my daughter with her TOMGIRLZ spirit <em>loves</em> rides! I don't. Anything that goes up and down, round and round, or fast leaves me with my heart in my throat. So how did we spend the day together? We actually had a wonderful time. The joy for me is watching her have fun. She went on the Comet Roller Coaster at least 10 times. The first time she was a little nervous going by herself. There was a really nice teenage girl about to go on and she offered to ride with my daughter. My daughter was thrilled. She made a new friend and from then on didn't care if she rode alone or not.<br /><br />I went on the Raging River ride with her. That is a pretty easy going ride where you are seated in a tube and get squirted with water as you go around. I thought I would be smart and pulled a jacket over my head so I wouldn't get to wet. Unfortunately, the jacket was denim. It got soaked and stayed with for the rest of the day!<br /><br />The bumper cars were fun...that's a ride that stays on the ground and was more my speed. Then the kicker. She got me to go on a ride called the Pirate Ship. It is like a giant swing that pushes you up in the air to the point that you feel like you are going to flip over. I was miserable and couldn't wait for the ride to be over. In fact, after riding the SHIP I couldn't even watch my daughter ride it without me. The bar doesn't strap you in and she's such a skinny little thing that I was freaking out that she could slip through. She didn't agree. I had to watch her ride that ship about 4 more times!<br /><br />Aside from the rides, we enjoyed the dive show very much. Since my daughter is a gymnast, she really appreciated the diving skills and there was an acrobat that did some amazing stunts. Of course, when everyone in the audience went "Ooohhh" and "Ahhhh..." my daughter said, "That's easy!"<br /><br />The food was a bit on the expensive side. $3.20 for a sip of soda?! That's worse than the movie theater! But all in all we had a wonderful time. We didn't leave the park until 9:30 that night and she slept the whole way home. It was a great mother-daughter day.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-20631732498276918292007-07-05T10:23:00.000-07:002007-07-05T10:48:51.623-07:00Gymnastics for Young GirlsMy 9 year old daughter has been in gymnastics since she was one year old. We started her because she literally climbed the walls even at that young age. My husband and I felt it would be a good outlet for her to use up some energy and save the walls. Anyway, she did take to gymnastics, but it still didn't save the walls!<br /><br />Now she is on the team (level 4 USAG). She is practicing with the team about 10 hours per week, dancing another 6 hours, and then coming home and tumbling into the night! She just never stops. She absolutely loves the sport.<br /><br />I see great benefits from gymnastics. No other sport offers so much... Strength and power, grace and flexibility, balance and coordination, plus a great deal of confidence. I was very happy that she got so involved, but now I'm just worried about all the stress on those young bones. I recently heard of another girl on the team suffering from an injury to her growth plates. Plus she fractured her arm...she is only 7 years old!<br /><br />Anyone else know more about the pros and cons of gymnastics for young girls?Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-61528444901916852472007-07-02T06:43:00.000-07:002007-07-02T06:50:23.993-07:00Ballroom Salsa Performance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oZ0hfeBoD99ZVbI0I7S8FjWtMEnuQZk1Lw3YHwPmkxhTOD1H7ZS8I_iX2BDNjkU30l7QOc9fTecVU0ZOn_88e210w_llEHa0tHFuR2MckUc-qAcjoqnozUao-QjVnsFLe47brrqFY0M/s1600-h/DSCN0564.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5082595522231674018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oZ0hfeBoD99ZVbI0I7S8FjWtMEnuQZk1Lw3YHwPmkxhTOD1H7ZS8I_iX2BDNjkU30l7QOc9fTecVU0ZOn_88e210w_llEHa0tHFuR2MckUc-qAcjoqnozUao-QjVnsFLe47brrqFY0M/s320/DSCN0564.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRbwvsMGnNv68A7GgmnITLBYrCiMKsfkAOhuoPEGtMPzqGswXzGx2-ZO1hufMc3M23B-c2nDw2lTAfEXOrPk86LuE0K_eoZSbjdzq7y7L8WdRJgHHQLK5AQNXGqwDdTlLuFWWzbkHJoU/s1600-h/DSCN0564.JPG"></a>One of the best experiences (and at times worst) was choreographing my own kids for a salsa routine that they performed at a local ballroom. Here I am with my daughter after the performace. She did an awesome job with my son! Salsa is a great dance to start kids with and get them into ballroom. I have several children taking lessons from me and they are all fabulous! Dancing is good for the soul and great for the body... Let's all keep on dancing!<br /><br /><div></div></div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-57491365672690416782007-06-23T14:26:00.000-07:002007-07-09T08:12:36.617-07:00Tomgirlz Are Everywhere!Today my daughter and I went shopping. The difference between shopping today, though, and every other day is that usually every other day we are shopping for my daughter (and even if we aren't, it seems to turn out that way!). Today we went shopping for TOMGIRLZ. (To find them, that is). Every time we saw a young girl we would watch her actions and try to find the Tomgirl in her. Then we would match her up with one of the characters from the Tomgirlz books... there are an amazing amount of Sammys out there! Second most popular was Mackey followed pretty closely by Keekee and then the twins G.O. and Jacyn. We gave each girl a bookmark with a picture of the character she reminded us of. Hopefully the girls will enjoy the bookmarks and get into some cool summer reading. lDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-78721122815684099082007-06-12T07:09:00.000-07:002007-06-12T07:10:26.060-07:00Precious Beauty Turns Beast...every morning!It has practically become a daily morning routine. Every morning my darling daughter runs into my room with her arms outstretched and a huge smile. "Good morning! I love you!" she bubbles with enthusiasm. Still sleeping or not, I can't resist. I have to wake up and take all the hugs and smiles she wants to give. Afterall, I deserve them, don't I? So it's a beautiful morning and we're all in a great mood. We plan a fun day and I'm looking forward to spending lots of mother daughter time together... And then it's snap. Beauty is gone and in her place is this nasty beast. "I don't want to do that", "I can't make my own breakfast" (although she's done it about a million and one times before!), "No, no, no! Now, now, now!" I'll tell you what's now, now I can't wait to send her to camp!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-2842706772450390822007-06-07T05:28:00.000-07:002007-06-07T05:29:14.540-07:00Little Labels Can Have A Large Impact On Our Young GirlsWe all know that name calling really hurts. The days of "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me" is gone. We all know better.<br /><br />But what about those innocent seeming little labels? I hear girls constantly referring to themselves or their peers as "tomboy" or "girlie girl". Those are the big ones. The thing is, everytime I hear a girl use one of these words, it seems to have such a negative connotation.<br />What are your thoughts? Please share your comments!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809780419537609327.post-43039209682252248462007-06-06T17:26:00.000-07:002007-06-06T17:27:41.854-07:00The TOMGIRLZ MOMZ MissionI've been writing for elementary aged girls for a couple of years now, but it was brought to my attention that the mothers of these girls could sure use a resource for themselves too. There are tons of parenting magazines out there (I know, I used to have my nose buried in them!). Those magazines are loaded with stuff, stuff, stuff for babies! Thank goodness, I really needed that help when my daughter was a baby. But now she is 9 years old and those parenting issues offer very little help for this age range. I decided I would start a magazine for the mothers of girls ages 5-12. After the baby and toddler stage, but before the teen period (I'm so not ready for that yet!). The magazine would be full of advice for moms on all the issues that our girls are faced with (and there sure are a lot of them!) and would also focus on the mother-daughter relationship.<br />That sounded great and I've read numerous books on starting a magazine. I really think I can do it too, but one major problem...MONEY! I don't have any. Well, certainly not the amount that it takes to start a magazine...not yet. Luckily, somewhere along the line I learned about blogging. I'm so glad I did, too. For me the most important thing about starting the magazine is the editorial content it offers. Sharing ideas with other mothers of elementary aged and 'tween' girls; discussing the tough times as well as all the fun (and funny) stuff.<br />That's my purpose for starting this blog. Let's talk about our girls. The trouble they find and the trouble that finds them and all the things we do to build our mother-daughter relationships. That mother daughter relationship is an important one and this is the time when we can influence our daughters the most. We can shape them into strong, competitive, successful women who support their peers and communities (and families!) at the same time.<br />To all the Tomgirlz Momz out there, I look forward to sharing and caring and building a relationship with you too!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237759737697134309noreply@blogger.com0