Oh man, you know what's awesome in real life? THIS WEATHER! I am so, so ready for spring and it was awesome to hit the park with Vivy this morning in a relaxed, non-freezing manner. I hope you enjoy some time out and about today! Meanwhile, if you're looking to curl up with some reads and visuals, enjoy this week's edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome.

- The best time to book an airplane ticket.

- OMG dolphins and whales.

- DIY gold glitter slime!

- Next week is National Crochet Week; get your crochet on with these easy crochet patterns.

- United colors of Lupita.

- 9 quick and easy things to make a single mom’s day.

- Great yoga poses for runners.

- 10 Boston stereotypes that are completely accurate.

- Gorgeous accent pillows I am coveting.

- Organization tips for busy families: March 24th at 3pm!

- Great foods for hydrating your skin.

Image credit: Gold glitter slime via Pinterest

Did you know that National Day of Unplugging runs sundown to sundown March 7-8? Even if you can't pull the plug for this particular 24 hour window, I still believe that being more mindful about technology consumption and also designating unplugged time can result in a meaningful and positive shift for your family. Today, Jane shares 8 tips to help you get there:

Do you have a small panic attack when you misplace your phone? Do you spend more waking hours in front of a computer, tablet, or TV than outside or with friends and family? Yeah, me too. While there is good and necessity in connectivity (hello, I have teenagers), obsessive technology insanity is what led our family to an official unplugging schedule, also known as "blackout hours" at our home. Here’s how you can do the same, and reclaim together time:

1. Take a stand. At ages 6, 10, 13, and 15, my kids would have sooner volunteered to go without food, water, or shelter than lose their technology. But my husband and I took a stand; remember, you’re the grownup! You can set the rules!

2. Create a schedule and specific rules. Specific blackout hours will help prevent ambiguity and repeated requests around technology. We still haven't nailed down the perfect schedule, but what we try to do is a blackout period from 3-7pm on weekdays unless needed for homework (you may need to monitor to help them stay on task!), tech-free meals, and specific blackout hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

3. Model the rules. Plain and simple, you can’t set blackout rules for the family and not follow them. Lead by example!

4. Rediscover what you’ve got at home. There really and truly is plenty else to do at home instead of going face down in technology. Read, play board games, have craft time, build forts, do yoga, cook together…find a fun thing to work on together and go!

5. Make plans. Instead of web surfing, shopping online, playing games, or writing emails, make plans to visit with friends and family. Getting away from your everyday routine and being with people in real life will help break you of reaching for technology as a crutch.

6. Set a stop time in the evening. Staying on your computer or phone right up until bedtime interrupts your sleep. The light emitted from your screens actually trick your brain into thinking it needs to stay awake and alert, reducing your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Set a stop time well before bedtime or try unplugging for a whole day and treat your brain to a little less mindless distraction. Your sleep will be peaceful, and you’ll awake refreshed and ready for another day.

7. Remember that there’s always tomorrow. One of the classic tech pitfalls is becoming a prisoner to the e-mails, calls, and text messages that pile up during the day. But really, for the most part, the world will not end if you unplug for a while. Remember, you can always respond tomorrow. 

8. Experiment with quiet. Do you always exercise with your iPod? Keep the TV on in the background even when no one’s watching? Try experimenting with quiet. Clutter can extend to the auditory realm too. I’ve found that it’s incredible how many creative thoughts I can have or how much quicker challenging tasks can be taken care of by me or my family when there’s no electronic distraction.

Have you tried unplugging? What’s worked best for you? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

Image credits: thumbnail via FreeDigitalPhotos.net; compilation photos by Christine Koh

Friends, I'm completely bleary eyed after a whirlwind couple of days in Washington, D.C., followed by what very well may be the worst night of sleep in the history of my universe (Vi is sick and woke up every hour...aagggh). However, my (somewhat cloudy) mind is still spinning over the events of the last couple of days and I wanted to take a moment to share something with you.

I was in Washington for a ONE Moms board meeting and to participate in the ONE Power Summit, an incredible event that gathered 200+ impassioned volunteers from across the country for briefings and training to lobby for meetings on the Hill. There were so many people that I couldn't fit everyone in the frame from the very back of the room:

I will admit; my initial, reflexive reaction to the word "lobbyist" isn't usually the most positive, thanks to corruption reported in the news and portrayed in movies and books. But my perspective on that word shifted this week. As many of you may know, I believe in the power of making your voice heard and the power of small actions to help move the needle. Yesterday, I lobbied for bringing energy to Africa via the Electrify Africa Act + prioritizing funding for global development programs such as GAVI (which provides lifesaving vaccinations and immunizations for children) -- the feeling of assembling with a crowd of  volunteers passionate about a mission was truly electrifying. While at the offices of Senator Markey and Senator Warren I was not only moved by how engaged their staffers were in hearing from ONE advocates (of which there are 40,000 in Massachusetts -- FIST BUMP!), but also by how many constituent calls the front desk was fielding (yes, there are real people waiting for your call and answering the phones!).

Why am I telling you this? Because I want to remind you of the power of your voice. And how much your state representatives actually do want to hear from you. And how important it is to teach your kids that their voices matter too. Whether it's attending a rally (the Mother's Out Front rally I attended a few weeks back was incredible), writing a letter to local administration (Laurel and I have done this several times, both to issue thanks and constructive comments), taking 2 seconds to sign a digital petition (like this one in support of smallholder farmers in Africa), sharing with your loved ones about something you care about (like the FashionABLE Genet scarves shown above), or placing a call to your Representative or Senator (I now plan on doing this more), SPEAK UP. As I departed the Hill for Union Station I was overwhelmed by emotion. I couldn't stop looking back at the Capitol Building, thinking, we are so lucky to have the freedom to speak up. And that more than ever, even when -- especially when -- problems seem large and intractable, we've got to exercise that freedom and make our voices heard.

Image credits: thumbnail sticker by ONE.org; Genet scarf photo by Liz Gumbinner; remaining images by Christine Koh

Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend! Things are pretty lovely and mellow here; the girls are crafting, the snow is falling, and we're hoping to get out and finally see Frozen later today. If you're looking for some good reads/visuals, I've got you covered in this week's edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

- 25 happiest cities in Canada (according to Instagram).

- #9 on this list of 10 cities where you're most likely to achieve the American dream! 

- Middle School: not so bad.

- The important thing about yelling.

- Animals sitting on capybaras.

- Redefining girly.

- This is what happens when a kid leaves traditional education.

- On click bait headlines. And baby rhinos.

- Reforming a picky eater: step one.

- What the most iconic women’s figure skaters are up to now.

- Give motherhood a microphone...in Boston.

- I’m Queen Amidala, who are you?

- 10 houseplants that clean indoor air.

Image credit: Pinterest

Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I just wanted to check in to let you know that I'm going to be largely absent this week (though I do hope to reveal some exciting news soon!). I want to spend time with Jon and the girls on the front end of this week, particularly because I will be heading to BlissDom to speak and on behalf of a client on Thursday. Meanwhile, if you're looking for stuff to do this week, here are a slew of February vacation ideas, plus I wanted to share some posts that caught my eye this week. Have a fantastic week and happy reading!
This post about Asian American icons moved me very, very much.

On carrying sadness and letting it go.

Ten excellent ways to reduce stress.

How to get your kids to stop nailbiting.

Twenty ideas for giving yourself 10 minutes a day.

Gluten- and dairy-free breakfast ideas.

On Rick Santorum and women voters.

I love these images of hearts in nature.

Ideas for getting kids to clean up.

Have you tried alternative therapies for depression and anxiety?

Image credit: Kirtsy

Last week I hopped onto a chat at The Motherhood about work/life balance. During the chat, I commented about self care being a major part of the balance equation, but that it's important not to stall out due to your own, or other people's, ambitious standards. That very morning, actually, I started a practice of giving myself the gift of at least 10 minutes of self care every day. (And yes, I put "10 minutes" as a recurring to-do in my Outlook since I love crossing off to-do items.) Tomorrow (Friday the 17th) at 1pm EST, I'll be hosting a live chat about the 10 minute challenge. Come share and garner inspiration for how to make self care doable! The chat is text based (similar to posting and commenting on status updates in Facebook); just be sure to create a login at The Motherhood in advance so you can hop right on at 1pm to chat in real time!

Today, PPLM Parent Education Program Manager Amy Cody shares tips for talking with your kids about the HPV vaccine:

One of the most important and challenging tasks parents face is communicating our values to our children (without them rolling their eyes) -- especially when talking about sex. But while these conversations can be difficult and awkward, research shows that positive and honest communication helps young people delay sexual activity and make healthier, safer decisions about sex.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and for parents it's a perfect opportunity to start a conversation with your children about sexual health and the steps they can take to stay healthy. This month's conversation can be about the HPV vaccine, which, like regular cervical cancer screenings, is a key way to prevent cervical cancer.

HPV is the human papillomavirus, some strains of which can be transmitted through sexual activity in men and women. In fact, HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and some strains can lead to cervical cancer and genital warts. The FDA has approved two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, to safely and effectively prevent infection of the two strains of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases -- Gardasil also prevents infection of two strains that cause 90% of genital warts.

Every year, approximately 13,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 4,000 American women die of the disease. The HPV vaccine is a major breakthrough in the fight to prevent cervical cancer and should be considered a routine, normal part of health care.

In order to be effective, the vaccine needs to be given well before someone becomes sexually active and potentially exposed to HPV. The CDC recommends that girls and boys ages 11-12 get the HPV vaccine, but it can be administered to anyone between the ages of 9-26, regardless of sexual activity.

Given the fact that the vaccine is most effective when administered at an early age, parents need to be educated about the vaccine and talk about it with their children. Making a decision with your child to get the HPV vaccine is not a permission slip to begin having sex. Rather, it is a way to prevent disease, just like other childhood vaccinations.

A decision about the HPV vaccine can also serve as an opportunity for parents and their children to have broader conversations about values and sexual health issues. While 11- to 12-years-old may seem young for this conversation, informed adolescents with involved parents are more likely to delay sexual activity. Some suggestions for beginning the conversation:

"I love you and want to keep you safe and protected and that's why I think it's important for you to get the vaccine."

"Although you are too young now and not emotionally or physically mature enough for sexual activity, some day you will be ready and I want you to know all the ways you can protect yourself."

"People usually wait until they are grown up and more mature before they begin having sexual relationships."

Conversations like these aren't always easy, but talking about the HPV vaccine will be easier if you've already broached the topic of sex with your children. Parent education programs like Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts' (PPLM's) Let's Be Honest: Communication in Families that Keeps Kids Healthy and books like It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie Harris and Michael Emberley can provide you the skills and information you need to have these ongoing conversations about sexuality.

PPLM also offers the HPV vaccine at its seven health centers across the state, as do many pediatricians' offices, and most insurance plans cover it. Contact a PPLM health center or your child's pediatrician in order to learn more about the vaccine and setting up an appointment.

Regular cervical cancer screenings and preventive care such as the HPV vaccine are the keys to combating cervical cancer. As a parent, it's in your power to help keep your children safe from cervical cancer by talking with them and their doctor about the HPV vaccine.

My life list includes writing a couple of books that have been percolating in my brain the last couple of years (I'm actually drafting outlines for a potential publisher!). Meanwhile, I have a few friends who published books this year and I'm utterly thrilled for them! These titles technically are no longer new releases (though a couple of them, er, were in fact so when the review copies were sent to me during my Violet babymoon), but I wanted to share them before more time elapsed. The first title would be an entertaining gift for a new mom; the second and third handy for aspiring mamapreneurs.
Let's Panic About Babies!

I was thrilled to see my delightful friend Alice Bradley and finally meet the lovely Eden Kennedy -- co-authors of Let's Panic About Babies! -- at Camp Mighty last month. With the exception that it reminded me that I received their book about 10 minutes after returning home from the hospital with Violet and it eventually disappeared into the vortex that currently is my office. Though I have, in fact, gazed into Violet's eyes with the laser sharp adoration portrayed on the book's cover, as a not so panicky second time mom I had many laughs while reading this book -- particularly while deciphering the tables, graphs, and diagrams. If you need a comical break from all the "should's" typically associated with parenting manuals, Let's Panic is a welcome respite. Also, start following Alice and Eden's blogs. They are such smart and funny writers.

The Digital Mom Handbook

Audrey McClelland and Colleen Padilla were among the first mom bloggers I connected with online when the mom blogging scene exploded five years ago. They both are truly bright and generous spirits in this space and this year they published The Digital Mom Handbook, a guide to helping moms figure out the nuts and bolts of creating a digital career. Imparting their advice, as well as that of many mom bloggers (I'm honored to be included in the book), Audrey and Colleen help readers through top down elements such as finding one's passion, to bottom up building blocks such as handling pitches and navigating social media platforms. This book is great for newbies, but I also found it fun to read what fellow bloggers had to say about their journeys into digital careers.

MOM, Incorporated

I only had a few minutes to thumb through MOM, Incorporated at Aliza Sherman and my lovely friend Danielle Smith's Boston book launch party this past fall, but at said party, the authors talked about something in their book that really resonated with me: the persistence with which women apologize for their actions (often when not justified), and how it's time to stop that behavior. Ever since that day, I've been trying to start less e-mails and conversations with "I'm sorry I didn't do ______" (try it -- it's both challenging and liberating!). Meanwhile, MOM, Incorporated drills down into the how to's of building a business (e.g, business plans, incorporating, finances, tech) while having a family.

I hope you enjoy these books. I'm so grateful to know these talented authors!

I'm part of the Mom's the Word on Dinner conversation series via Momversation so I've been thinking a lot about mealtime (even more than usual!). Recent conversation on the program's Facebook page has focused on dinnertime mojo and quick meals, and these conversation threads have reminded me that meals are decidedly un-Zen for so many families. Indeed, with two busy parents, a chatty 7-year-old, and a sippy cup banging 8-month-old at our table, meals are not always the most relaxed. This all got me thinking about some of the typical stumbling blocks we face and how we try to address them. I hope the below thoughts are helpful, and I'd love to hear if you have other challenges at the dinner table and what you do to mitigate them!
1. Slowing down the horses.

Stumbling Block: By the time we get to the table, one or more of us typically is famished. Subsequently, there's a tendency to strap on the feedbag, as it were, and go.

Solution: We have taken to pausing to start our meals with an expression of gratitude -- for each other, for the food in front of us, and anything else that is top of mind. It only takes a moment, but has been a really effective way to slow down our pace.

2. Speedy, yet monochromatic meals.

Stumbling Block: If we're rushing with food prep, sometimes meals can end up, well, rather monochromatic (e.g., pasta, corn, etc.).

Solution: Our typical quick meals include quesadillas, breakfast for dinner, pasta, etc., and we try to resolve monochrome syndrome with quick additions such as baby spinach in the quesadillas, or cucumbers, carrot sticks, or grape tomato halves on the side. And fruit, always fruit.

3. Interrupting.

Stumbling Block: We are, er, a rather verbal family and Laurel has a tendency to start a conversation thread while another is in progress.

Solution: While it's sometimes just easier to let interruptions happen, we're trying to help Laurel get in a more mindful habit by stopping and reminding her that someone else needs to finish their thought before she jumps in. She's actually started raising her hand lately, to get in the queue, which is pretty cute.

4. Up and down, up and down.

Stumbling Block: This is something we struggle with, whether it's Laurel getting up and down when she realizes she has something in her backpack she wants to show us, or Jon or I fetching something we forgot for the meal. And it contributes to a general sense of mealtime chaos.

Solution: We now tell Laurel that whatever she wants to show us can wait, and unless it's something major, we do without whatever we've forgotten at the table. Alternatively, we limit our get ups (meaning, we wait until we've thought of a few things we forgot to get and take care of it all at once). It's amazing how much these small tweaks change the pace for the better.

5. General disaster zone.

Stumbling Block: This might be my own personal peeve, but I really, really dislike sitting down to a meal with the kitchen in a completely disastrous state.

Solution: I've tried to work on this one by chipping away at the build up that tends to start well before dinner -- for example, asking Laurel to wash out her lunch containers, chipping away at random dishes while items are cooking, and so forth.

Those are the major stumbling blocks for us. It's pretty much a work in progress! I'd love to hear what you're wrestling with, either here in the comments or at the Mom's the Word on Dinner Facebook page.

Image credit: Stoonn via FreeDigitalPhotos.net