Ohio Moms Blog

Silicon Valley Moms Group Acquired By Technorati Media

2010-11-16T01:12:20-08:00

Reports of our demise, as the saying goes, were premature. The Silicon Valley Moms Group of sister sites is taking up residence in a new location. Look for that great timely, opinionated, poignant, and sometimes just plain funny parenting content you're used to seeing on this site over at The Women's Channel at Technorati. After 6 great years of blogging here, we've moved to a new home.

Fondly,

Jill Asher, Beth Blecherman & Tekla Nee

Co-Founders, Silicon Valley Moms Group

What me, crunchy?

2010-06-25T02:00:00-07:00

The other day while my kids planted the vegetables we had grown from organic, heirloom seeds, and I nursed my home birthed, cloth diapered baby, I had the thought, “Am I a crunchy mama?”

My first thought was, “Nah, no way, not me! I shave my armpits (in the summer, anyway) for crying out loud. And I bathe regularly (albeit with local, handmade soap). And I don’t have white girl dreadlocks, just curly tangles tucked in my college alumni baseball cap.”

I took a sip of my home brewed sun tea, wondering if I had taken my daily encapsulated placenta pill or not. The cloth diapers were drying on the clothesline and I technically wasn’t wearing a bra (disclaimer: I had on a tank top with one of those built in bra deals and hey, it was a Saturday.).

Crimeny Jane…Could I be crunchy? What is the definition of crunchy? If I am crunchy, is that so bad?

Or could it be that I was just being myself?

I like gardening. My daygo grandfather has had a garden for decades.

I like hanging the clothes out on the line to dry. The smell of sunshine wins me over every time.

I love my home birth experiences as challenging and carnal as they were. I would do them all over again.

I love my handmade soaps, lovingly created by a work at home mama. I feel good supporting her and her products are divine.

Bras are bogus. Who needs them? Set those girls free (on the weekends anyway).

The placenta pill? That’s one for another day.

There are so many definitions of what kind of mother you are anymore. There are so many labels. So many ways to fit in or not. It’s like the high school cafeteria all over again. And what does it matter?

Can’t we just agree that we are all mothering in a way that we like? A way we deem fit? Because if that is the case and the aforementioned is the partial definition of crunchy or granola or what have you, then sign me up. I’m in. Ah, what can I say? I guess I am a tad bit crunchy. A wee bit granola. So what?

But that brings me to another question…if we are all mothering in our own manner and style, doesn’t that make us all kinda crunchy then?

This is an original Ohio Moms Blog post. Kiki La Roo is a self-proclaimed Birth Junkie and blogs endlessly about homebirth at www.kikilaroo.wordpress.com.

Do you need a hero?

2010-06-24T05:00:00-07:00

With all the celebrity scandal in the news, it’s tempting to not even turn the channel from Nick Jr. I come from a golfing family, so there has been much discussion of Tiger Woods even before he made the leap from the golf channel to the gossip shows. My mom loves him - she says he is the reason she got back into golf. My grandparents aren’t that fond of him, and the recent turn of events did nothing to warm their hearts. My grandma played in the first NCAA golf championship, representing Miami University. She still plays and recently had a tournament named after her. She has an amazing scrapbook full of newspaper articles, and my mom recently copied the scrapbook to show to the ladies in “The Marty” tournament. A friend asked if she could make an extra copy for her daughter and my mom was happy to comply. Her daughter is in high school and plays on the golf team. She had been a big Tiger fan, and as many teens do, she had covered her room with pictures, articles and posters of her golf idol. After receiving a copy of my grandma’s scrapbook, she replaced the pictures on her wall with a real role model - both on the course and off.

Isn’t it funny how we look to people with no more qualification than athletic ability, an aptitude for acting or a pretty face to inspire us? I’m as guilty as the next person (or nearly so) insofar as I like to read the gossip magazines while I’m working out or waiting for an appointment, and I watch the Kendra show on DVR when I’m up late nursing. But I know that these people aren’t the role models I choose for myself, or the ones I want my daughters to choose. Luckily we have a fantastic role model who lives just down the street, and it means so much to me that my daughters are getting to know their great grandma. And they have so much to learn from her example - kindness, perseverance, patience, and the importance of a good plan. I am still learning myself. One of the most important characteristics of a role model is character, and it’s hard to evaluate the character of a complete stranger. So the next time you are disappointed in your choice of role model (or your child’s) look around and see if there is a good candidate that you know in real life. Or give me a call, I’ll let you talk to my grandma.

This is an original Ohio Moms Blog post.

You can also find Steph sharing her problem solvin approach to live and parenting at Problem Solvin Mom and on twitter as @psmom

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok: A SV Moms Group Book Club

2010-06-23T01:00:00-07:00

Transplanted from Hong Kong to New York City as a (very poor) young girl with her mother, Ah-Kim or Kimberley, struggled to make things better for her family, to learn English, to walk the line between traditional Chinese duties and the Americanized teenager she grew into. Join us today as we discuss the book Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok.

Here are what the SV Moms Group contributors ave to say today, all inspired by the book Girl in Translation:

Marinka from Motherhood in NYC tells her immigration story in America, Baby
Pamela from 2 Much Testosterone felt empowered
Emily from Mama Sick has hope for her son
Sharon from Channeling Ricky recognizes her own childhood embarrassment
Vanessa from Chefdruck Musings goes for a taste of America
April from It's All About Balance is a girl in gratitude
Emily Paster from West of the Loop examines secrets below the surface
Melanie from tales from the crib just wanted to fit in
Elena from Cara Mamma reflects on dreaming big
Lisa H. from Hannemaniacs has aunts just like Aunt Paula
Alma from Marketing Mommy had culture shock
Kristine from Mommy Needs Therapy or a Bottle of Wine was moved by the reality of immigrants who come to the U.S. for a "better" life
Rox from Rox and Roll has thoughts about honor
Julie from Just Precious opens her eyes in her own neighborhood
Jen B from Anybody Want A Peanut? tries to translate autism

Silicon Valley Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please leave a comment here to join in the discussion.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
The Body Scoop for Girls by Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin van Ogtrop, Editor of REAL SIMPLE magazine
National Geographic's Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella
Top 100 Finger Foods and Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman
The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex by Kristen Chase
Coco Chanel & Igr Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh
See Mom Run by Beth Feldman
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
What Happened to the Girl I Married? by Michael Miller
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
Much to Your Chagrin by Suzanne Guilette
It Started with Pop-Tarts by Lori Hanson
Who By Fire by Diana Spechler
The White Trash Moms Handbook by Michelle Lamar
Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears
The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.

Forget a Hybrid: I Need a Bubble Car

2010-06-11T02:00:00-07:00

It's been a rough two weeks for central and south-eastern Ohioans on the roads. More over, it's been a rough time for those who are our children on our roads.

On June 2, a Kindergartener was killed in a bus crash in Dresden. On June 8, an 18 year old was killed on his motorcycle as he was involved in a head on collision with a van in Cambridge. He was wearing a helmet. On June 9, a family of five, including a three and seven year old, were all killed in an accident on I-70 just west of Zanesville. On June 10, a 12-year-old boy was hit while on his bike by a car driven by a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old was injured in a hit-and-run accident. Both of the accidents on the 10th were non-fatal and occurred in Zanesville.

These are just the stories that I know of specifically.

It dawns on me that the summer months are upon us. High schoolers are graduating. The weather is lovely. There's a carefree feel to the air. Until the thunderstorms move in and make it impossible to drive. I was caught in one such storm on the way to Columbus on Saturday, June 5. I eventually pulled off at the Newark exist, fully aware that my driving limits had been passed. I couldn't see. I didn't trust myself to continue any further. It was raining heavily when the crash on the 9th happened.

Granted, weather wasn't to blame for the school bus crash, though the family is hoping that a seat belt law will be passed in memory of their son. It does bring to question why we're so adamant that our children sit in booster seats until they're eight years old but freely, without question, load them into buses and wave as they depart, no safer than if they were standing backward in the station wagons of yesteryear. Comments on online newspaper articles about the proposed seat belt law cite a resistance to raising taxes to fund such an idea. In my book, safety always ranks above money.

Then again, I refuse to put my kids on the school bus. I'm that mom who will drive them to school and pick them up even when it is wholly uncool by my kids' standards. Of course, I don't know if that matters much. The van that was involved in the head on collision carried two children. The kids were treated and later released while the mothers' condition has been upgraded to good. Perhaps those kids were saved by their safety seats but they didn't stop the accident from happening. Those safety seats also didn't save their mother from being placed in the hospital. And they surely didn't save the children from enduring the trauma of what they witnessed.

I'm guilty of occasionally speeding, especially when the weather is lovely and summery. Roll down the windows. Turn up the radio. Forget the cares and worries of the day. It's a release. But I sat a little straighter in my driver's seat today. I paid a bit more attention. School is out. Children are out, as they should be, enjoying all that nature has to offer when they're not in a school room. What if a ball ran out in front of my vehicle? Could I stop in time? Would I be able to live with myself if I didn't? What if my own children were injured in the process? I know the answer.

The recent fatal crashes in and around my immediate area have made me think more about my driving, the importance of safety and our children. Not mine but all those that have lost their lives on the roads of our state. If you're out driving this summer, keep safety in mind. If you have a teen driver, remind them that their safety is far more important than any joy ride. And while you're at it, give thanks for every time you've gotten behind the wheel and arrived at your destination safely.

Please be safe driving this summer. If not for your sake, for my family's sake. There are no bubble cars to keep us all safe.

Photo Credit: chefranden.

This is an original Ohio Moms Blog post.

Jenna Hatfield, aka @FireMom, is a freelance writer and newspaper photographer. She blogs at Stop, Drop & Blog and The Chronicles of Munchkin Land. She is a Contributing Editor at Mom Central Technology.

Empty Lunch Boxes

2010-06-10T05:00:00-07:00

Tomorrow is the last day of school for my older two; technically, it's their last three hours or so of school since they'll only be there for a half-day.

Tonight, after getting everyone to bed, I came downstairs and started my usual get-ready-get-set-go! routine for the next morning.

Coffee maker?

Check.

Cereal and bowls?

Check.

Lunches packed?

Nope.

After months of packing two lunches every night, I looked at their lunch boxes and sighed with a mixture of relief (yay! one less thing to do!) and sadness.

Another school year is over - where did the time go?

It amazes me how slippery time becomes when you are a parent. When my oldest two were tiny together (they're less than 2 years apart), there were many, many days that dragged on, days where the hands of the clock seemed to be stuck at 2:25 pm, days when dinner (and the prospect of adult conversation with the arrival of my hubs after his work day was done) felt like it was weeks - not just a few short hours - away.

Even when those long days finally came to a close, when the crying and the tantrums and the timeouts ceased as they both finally fell asleep, night brought me little relief from the stretching of time. Alternating between nightly feedings for the baby (peaceful) and the night terrors of the toddler (terrifying), I stumbled up and down from my bed again...and again...and again. The nights were just as long and exhausting as the days.

But now?

Time flies.

My oldest two are now almost nine and seven; their younger brother is four. Our days are packed; school, sports, scouts, doctor and dentist appointments, play dates, and homework. Occasionally, I have a few spare moments at home, moments when I multi-task like a woman possessed: laundry, cooking, bills, canine-wrangling, writing.

There are never enough hours in the day for everything on my list; before I know it, it's late at night and I am yawning, trying to finish just one last thing before turning in for a few hours of shuteye (like just about every mom out there, right?).

So while I am a bit sad at how quickly this school year has passed, there is a big part of me that is happy to pack those lunch boxes away for the next few months.

I can't stop time; I can't stop my children from growing up (and I wouldn't want to even if I could).

But I can do this:

I can slow down, deliberately, and enjoy the blessing of the coming summer days with them.

When she's not chasing fireflies and doling out popsicles, Marianne shares money saving tips and her love of Krogering at The New Frugal Mom and her thoughts about life and writing and Writer-Mommy

Why is "poopy" so popular?

2010-06-09T05:00:00-07:00

I’ll be the first to admit that poopy is a funny word. It is a fun word to say, and I am certain I have said it more than I can count on my fingers and toes. There are websites dedicated to poopy humor and just about everyone I know giggles if the word poopy is used as an adjective, a verb, a noun, or as an expletive. Poopy has also become my 4 year old’s favorite word. Noone is safe from poopy in my house.

My daughter has a terrific vocabulary for a 4 year old. She uses words such as octagon, obnoxious, fantastic, and now - poopy. Seems as if my son has a poopy foot, I have poopy hair, and my daughter’s dresses are now poopy dresses. What does that even mean? Whatever it means it is certainly funny, because every time my girl uses the word she giggles as if I am tickling her with a thousand feathers. She makes up songs with poopy too. The latest is sung to the melody of Mary Had Little Lamb and goes a little like this: “Loki (our dog) has a poopy butt, poopy butt, poopy butt. Loki has a poopy butt and it needs a diaper.” Proceeded by rolling on the floor with laughter. Her little brother was enlightened to the fact that there are not only cars on the road, but poopy cars. Again, what does that even mean?

I giggled when she first used poopy because I definitely can be a base-level humor kind of girl, but now I am annoyed. Poopy is starting to stink and my girl only started using it last week. I asked her where she learned the word and she said that she found it on a tree. I asked her if her friends use it and she said “yes.” She said two of them actually “gave” her the word “poopyhead” and she likes it. I have come to the realization that I probably have years of poopy in my future…and not just in the toilet.

It was hard not to laugh when she said that the yard was full of “poopy grass.” I mean, it was true -we have two dogs. When she said it again, and not referring to having to go to the bathroom, but referring to how the tomato plants were growing “poopy to eat” I couldn't ignore it any longer. I explained that poopy was okay to say if she had to go poopy in the bathroom or if her brother smelled as if he had poopy in his pants, but not if she was calling a person or the dogs “poopy,” “poopyhead,” or “poopybrain.”

Oh, and we also had to come up with a new rule: no using poopy at the dinner table.

This is an original Ohio Moms Blog post.

Kristin’s alter ego is cBus Mom. Follow her on twitter or read her blogs: cBus Mom or Glass of Whine.

Bicycle Traffic Guidelines - Did They Cost a Young Teacher Her Life?

2010-06-08T05:00:00-07:00

On June 1st, a Cleveland area elementary school teacher was life-flighted in critical condition after a head-on collision caused by an oncoming driver swerving to avoid a bicyclist in the right lane.

After a week long battle, she passed away yesterday.

Not only is her family in mourning, but so is the family of the oncoming driver while, according to the Ohio Bicycle Federation, the bicyclist should have a clear conscious.

A local news report stated that the bicyclist did nothing wrong. The Ohio Bicycle Federation even encourages bicyclists to ride in the street. In this case, the recommendation cost a motorist her life.

After watching the video of the accident scene it is apparent that there were sidewalks available on either side of the road. Numerous comments following articles about the crash, state that the road is far too busy for bicycles and the sidewalk would have been the better choice.

There has been many a time where I have been driving and have had to swerve into the other lane to bypass a cyclist. When oncoming traffic is heavy, I have to slow to a crawl behind the biker and white-knuckle my steering wheel fretting that the cyclist might turn to look back veering awkwardly and cause me to hit them. My heart pounds. I get sick to my stomach and I even start to sweat a little. When I can finally swerve into the oncoming lane and quickly make my way around the biker, I can breathe again.

The Digest of Ohio Bicycle Traffic Laws is interpreted by the Ohio Bicycle Federation. The group comments on the laws to provide clarity and even offer their own recommendations.

A portion of the Digest covers "Driving Upon the Sidewalk Area." In the comment following, The Ohio Bicycle Federation states: "Although this section allows riding on sidewalks don't do it."

Recently the Federation recently testified before the Ohio Senate Highways and Transportation Committee to support a bill which would require Ohio motorists to pass bicyclists with at least three feet to spare. Sensible, yes. But if that three feet causes me, as a driver, to swerve into oncoming traffic - I'm not happy. Why is your life as a cyclist now more valuable than mine as a motorist?

It seems to me the Ohio Bicycle Federation has it's values slightly skewed. Instead of finding ways to keep everyone safe, they want bicyclists to be treated as a higher form of transportation. They encourage bikers to not use sidewalks, to support a bill that may cause more head-on collisions, and they are protesting rumble stripes which are implemented to save driver's lives.

If you don't agree with me and instead fashion yourself someone with a "good reason" to cycle in the road, take a minute to think about this: What if you and your bike were the cause for the head-on collision which claimed of this 4th grade teacher? What if you were following the guidelines provided by the Ohio Bike Federation by not riding in the road? Would you have a clear conscious or would you instead be racked with grief?

Somehow, someway better bicycle safety laws need to be established. If riding on the sidewalk is against the law in your hometown, I'm not recommending breaking any laws or ignoring any guidelines, but if you are biking, please be wise and choose the safest route for all involved.

Maybe the loss of this woman's life will not be for naught. Maybe instead it will encourage Ohio to think about it's bike safety more seriously and encourage the state to make the appropriate changes to it's laws and guidelines.

I just hope something positive can grow out of this heart-wrenching loss. My thoughts are with all involved and their families.

Original Ohio Moms Blog post.

Tésa also blogs at 2 Wired 2 Tired and Westside Cleveland Mom. She tweets @2Wired2Tired as well.

A True Hero for Ohio's Greatest Athletes

2010-06-07T02:00:00-07:00

Every once in awhile my job lets me meet really great Ohioans. I had such an encounter recently and felt the need to share his story with you. His name is James "Spudd" Sasak and he's a character with bright blue eyes and a great personality.

He's currently biking around Ohio, stopping at local courthouses and generally being awesome all for a great cause: Ohio's Special Olympics. I met him in front of our local courthouse on the evening of Friday, June 4th as the sky blackened and lightning flashed. I sent my kids up under the cover of the courthouse roof where they pretended to be super heroes while I conversed with someone who seems to be quite the super hero himself.

"North-eastern Ohioans have no idea what south-east Ohio is really like." He wasn't referring to our people; he was referring to the hills. Lots of them. We talked about his biking, his adventures and his passion for what he calls "Ohio's greatest athletes." There's no hype or pretense with these athletes. No 9 million dollar contracts. No sex scandals. Just a passion for what they do. Shouldn't we all strive for that?

We waited around to see if anyone else would show up despite the tornado warning and spotted funnel cloud in Tuscarawas County. We laughed as his assistant parallel parked for the first time, doing a much better job than I have ever done. We parted after taking an extra photo of my sons with him and his bike. My oldest son rang the bell; they were impressed with the "Bike Man."

Spudd is biking around to 31 county seats before arriving in Columbus on June 25th in time to lead the Special Olympians into (THE!) Ohio State University for the start of their Olympic games. This is the third year that he has done such a great thing. His passion for our state's greatest athletes comes from a neighbor who was, in his words, a "REAL ball player" but was made fun of because he was different. I swear, I want to hug this man.

He will be resting today, Monday, June 7, but the rest of his schedule is as follows.

6/8/2010 6:00 pm McArthur
6/9/2010 2:00 pm Jackson
6/10/2010 2:00 pm Waverly
6/11/2010 2:00 pm Hillsboro
6/12/2010 6:00 pm Lebanon
6/13/2010 2:00 pm Dayton
6/14/2010 Rest Day
6/15/2010 6:00 pm Sidney
6/16/2010 6:00 pm Lima 6/17/2010 6:00 pm Napoleon
6/18/2010 2:00 pm Bowling Green
6/19/2010 2:00 pm Fremont
6/20/2010 Rest Day
6/21/2010 2:00 pm Norwalk
6/22/2010 2:00 pm Bucyrus
6/23/2010 2:00 pm Marion
6/24/2010 2:00 pm Marysville
6/25/2010 2:00 pm Columbus

He meets at the courthouse in each place because even in the largest of counties, everyone knows where the courthouse is located. I encourage you to take your kids. Let them meet this man who has a passion for people that some others want to ignore. Let them meet some of Ohio's greatest athletes so that they understand that sports aren't just about the glory and the big bucks. Let them take part in a little bit of cool Ohio history.

If you can't make it out to meet Spudd, you can follow his blog, though remember that he's biking for days at a time so it will be updated on rest days and when they get a chance. You can also follow the Ohio Special Olympics on twitter and Facebook and there are other ways you can get involved with this year's games, whether via volunteering or the torch run or other activities.

This is an original Ohio Moms Blog post.

I'm Never Going to Stop Becoming

2010-06-06T02:00:00-07:00

I was delighted this year that, even at 11 years old, my youngest son still wanted to buy a caterpillar from the conservatory in our city to house as it transformed into a butterfly.

I was even more delighted that the caterpillar survived being in the little plastic vial it came in, entered its chrysalis stage and then emerged as a gorgeous painted lady butterfly.

There's something moving and inspiring to me about watching this metamorphosis and becoming-- it never gets old.

It makes me think about human metamorphosis and becoming.

I remember when I was a little girl and, with my friends, dreamed with my about what I would become when I grew up. For me, there were many aspirations-- singer, actor, politician, political activist, academic...

And then I grew up and I also became a mom.

At a certain point, my focus was less on wondering and dreaming about what I will become and more on just keeping up with my kids, my relationship with my husband, home chores, homeschooling, writing and so on.

Intrigue about what my sons will be when they grow up fills my mind from time to time. Will my oldest son stick with computer programming and game development and my youngest son continue with his comics and art?

These are fun (and, at times, worrisome) questions to consider.

There's certainly nothing wrong with being curious about and supporting your kids are they go through the metamorphosing that they do.

Problems arise, however, when a parent-- or any adult-- falls into the trap of thinking that he or she is done becoming.

It's too easy to start to see yourself as “done,” “all grown up,” “settled.” From that place, many of us are lulled into thinking that we've learned all that we can learn; we are where we are.

Where we are may even feel like a stuck, cramped and, at times, hellish place.

Stability is all well and good, but the dark underbelly of stability is stagnation. When a person assumes that he or she is “done,” there's pretty much no where else to go but down. It's no wonder many people expect their bodies, minds, relationships and lives to fall apart and decline over the years.

Their experience almost always matches that expectation.

Instead, what if we re-think the whole notion of becoming as something that never stops? What if we each made a pact with ourselves to always stay open to change and metamorphosis?

What if we each could encounter-- in new and different ways-- that thrill of spreading our wings for the first time and taking flight?

I am re-focusing my attention back to my own becoming a little bit more than before. I actually think that this is a wonderful example for my sons too!

What could be better than my sons seeing up close and in real life that I am more than “just a mom” as I try new things, learn and grow? And, what could be better than my sons seeing that being a mom is far more than what they might think?

I plan to leave the door to becoming wide open and follow it wherever it leads.

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Amy Phillips-Gary is a personal growth coach who specializes in helping women learn to accept and love their bodies and themselves more fully. She writes for various internet websites, including Personal Growth Planet. You can read her weekly blog at Personal Growth Planet Blog.