Married Working Mothers: October 2015

Do It!

Whether you have been out dancing, hung out with friends at the beach, are reading a good book or relaxing all of those activities celebrate you!

If you haven't had a 'Me Time' moment this month it's not too late!
Do it! Do it now!

After you do, send us a photo. We want to celebrate you too!

Take a pic depicting how you enjoy 'Me Time'. (This is a cheap ploy to encourage you to stop and take a moment for yourself!) Email the pic to us at marriedworkingmothers@gmail.com or Direct Message us on Instagram (@marriedworkingmothers) Easy!

Here are the rules for the MWM 'Me Time Giveaway' once again just in case you forgot!

Here are the rules...

1. Submit only one photo per month

2. Deadline for submissions are the first Monday of each month

3. Monthly winners are not eligible for further submissions

4. Keep it Rated PG Ladies!!!!!

This month's giveaway is a bottle of Villa Wolf Riesling! It is our favourite wine from our home away from home Lucianos.

Happy picture taking! Or send us your favourite pic!

Remember,

Until we blog again,
Tiffany and Candi

A Note From Your Child's Teacher

courtesy of www.takepart.com

Yesterday was Parent-Teacher Conference Day! It was an enjoyable day meeting a variety of pleasant and supportive parents.

By now, all of you should have met your child's teacher. (If you haven't you should be ashamed!)

With that said, by now, all of you have determined whether you like or dislike your child's teacher. If you approve of the teacher great, because you have an entire school year with this individual. If you disapprove yikes, because you have an entire school year with this individual.

NEWS FLASH!
If you like your child's teacher she/he probably likes you too! If you don't like your child's teacher he/she probably doesn't like you either!

WHAT? How dare a teacher not like a parent! Oh believe me, based on some of the parental behavior I have seen in my lifetime, not liking a parent can be quite easy!

Yes I said it! Are you shocked? But why? Teachers have feelings too! More importantly, parents can hurt a teacher's feelings. The nasty notes or email, the choice to report to the principal without talking to teachers first, the gossiping with other parents, the cussin' and carryin' on outside of classroom doors in front of children...I can go on and on with endless stories of how parents treat teachers yet amazingly, they expect teachers to brush it all off!

The professional teachers contain their true feelings for parents far far away from their students but I will tell you a trade secret... psst, you yea you, when you hurt your child's teacher's feelings, your child's teacher will hesitate to love your child the way she/he planned. Teachers love children. How can we not? They spend hours with us and do and say the darndest things.

courtesy of www.hltmag.co.uk

But as easily as we can fall in love with your child, it is also easy to withdraw and love cautiously!

SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!!! Sorry. And here's why. When you present yourself to be an asshole of a parent your child's teacher will do whatever she/he can to avoid having to deal with your crazy a&^!

The moral of the story is your relationship with your child's teacher affects your child's entire school year!

Have you ruined your relationship with your child's teacher? Is your teacher standoffish with you? Do you feel like your child is being treated differently than the other children?

Don't fret! I can help. Before I do, here are a few common truths.

courtesy of talesfrompubliced.blogspot.com

One:

Teachers do not wake up in the morning and plot against you nor your child.

Two:

Your child's words are not the gospel truth. Another version from an adult can be plausible.

Three:

Teachers have more than one child in their classroom, at a minimum twenty more like twenty-five unless your child goes to a designer school where you are teaching them to be catered too. (0ops sorry, I let that thought escape! Happy catering!)

Four:

Teachers do not live at school. They have lives! Real lives they enjoy just like you enjoy your life.

Five:

School is the practice place for the real world. Teachers are preparing your child for life as well as the next grade. Our rules, words and actions are based on a scientific teacher theory mastered in teacher school Class 101, 201 and 301!

Agreed! AGREED!

Now, please allow me to speak on behalf of your child's teacher to share with you all the things she/he cannot say!

courtesy of www.staples.com

Dear Parent,

This can be a great school year. I value our relationship. As adults let's ensure we treat one another as we would want others to treat us!

Let's smile and say good morning to one another even if we both woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
Let's agree to communicate the good the bad and the ugly. I will share good news about your child, I will share when he/she makes bad choices and I will share disappointing news but the bad news will only help us work towards improvement. Please feel free to do the same. I like to receive good news too. It makes me feel appreciated and valued.
Let's follow the school rules. I did not make them. I think some of our school rules are stupid too but in life there are laws, laws which were made to be followed. If you have never argued with the judge about the validity of a law, please don't argue with me about the laws of our school.
Let's respect one another's professional integrity. I will never come to your job and call you an idiot when you send your daughter to school with her shoulders out on dress up day or your second grade son to school with a cell phone to remember to call his uncle because he may forget to do school pick up. Please do not come to my classroom to call me an idiot when I make mistakes!
Let's believe in one another. Please believe I am a good teacher when you first meet me if only for the reason that the school has employed me. I vow to believe you are a good parent if only for the reason you brushed your teeth and put on clothes and ensured your child did the same before walking into my classroom.
Let's be honest. You and I both know your child's strengths and weaknesses. Forget excuses. No judgments. Let's problem solve to turn those weaknesses into strengths. I want to help. Seriously!
Let's respect one another's time.
Let's think before we speak. Trust me I know how to cuss you out just like you know how to cuss me out! If you do cuss me out, apologize!
Let's agree your child is our number one priority. Not me nor you!
Let's be good examples for your child. He/she is watching us!

This can be a great school year. Let's make it one.

Sincerely,
Your Child's teacher

On a personal note, I have always had great relationships with parents. The golden rule is golden for a reason and not aqua!

As a parent, I consider my children's teachers to be a notch below family. Channing and Chase are with their teachers for hours and hours each day. Their teachers are that extra uncle or aunt.

Think of your child's teacher as their protector while away from you. In September you agreed to entrust your greatest asset to a stranger. If I were you I would get to know this stranger, befriend this stranger and who knows, one day you may call them friend!

Until I blog again,
Tiffany

Time of the Month

courtesy of www.telegraph.co.

She did what?

Did this story appear on your Facebook news feed a few months ago? If you have a moment click on the link below for the full story.

https://www.google.bs/search?q=london+runner+period&hl=en&biw=1278&bih=629&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAGoVChMIt6mN5cD8xwIVRZUeCh0nFAG2&dpr=2

For those of you with no moments to spare, allow me to paint the picture.

Imagine you've been training for a marathon for an entire year. The night before your big run your period arrives. You're standing in the bathroom staring at your tampons and sanitary pads which have been waiting with bated breath for a month for your return. "Of all the times for Miss Mary to show up you show up now?" you grumble. How the hell am I supposed to run a marathon with and I quote from the above article written by Kiran Ghandi, the 26 year old London Marathon runner, with 'a wad of cotton material wedged between my legs'?

Let's continue to imagine...

You walk into your kitchen to get a glass of water and slam the refrigerator door shut. Your irritation mounts. Men don't have to put up with this monthly inconvenience! Men can run marathons cotton wad free! You plop down onto your couch when without warning you give birth to a novice idea.

'Take some midol, bleed freely and run!'

This past weekend Candi and I participated in the 5K Run to Pompey in Exuma Bahamas. Candi blazed through her 3.1 miles achieving her personal best while I on the other hand simply finished…I have a medal to prove it!

We did it! But what if the night before Candi walked into my room and said, "Girl, how bout my period just showed up. I ain't in the mood for running with a tampon. I think I'm gonna run without one!'

courtesy of www.memegen.com

So here's the thing. When Miss Ghandi ran this idea by her fellow running mates what were their responses? I assume at some point she had to explain her desire to take a stand for all the women around the world..... but what did they say? And if they didn't say anything what were they thinking?

#illtellyouonething if Candi showed up to Run For Pompey with her period on without the cotton wad of her choosing, sweetness I would not run next to her.(Not like I could anyway because she is so much faster) nor would I have posed in any photos! Or would I?

Think about it... how would you respond to your friend? Look at the picture. Could you pose in a similar photo?

When I look at this photo I think about friendship. WWAFD? What would a friend do?

What does it mean to be friend? Are friends required to support every decision? Are friends allowed to respectfully decline to support a decision they oppose?

One of my favourite phrases is 'if you like it, I love it'! I try not to be judgemental. I try to be a supportive friend. I am not in the business of changing anyone to be like me...well my husband a little maybe.... as for my girlfriends I accept all of them for who they are. My reason for this is selfish. I want all of them to accept me.

Miss Ghandi had friends to support her choices. On second hand if she were Candi maybe I would take a photo with her. If she likes a bleeding crotch, I love it too?

Sigh...maybe not! I have to think about this one!
WWYD?

Until I blog again,
Tiffany
P.S. Thank goodness this past weekend wasn't that time of the month for Candi!

Service With A Smile!

courtesy of www.pinterest .com

Imagine if in fact one of the benefits of service is an opportunity to reconnect with your authentic self!

Volunteering makes us feel good because we unveil our good, pure and loving natures which on any given day are buried under stress and turmoil.

This is why when we see others volunteering our hearts are tugged to volunteer as well. This is evident especially in the case of disasters such as Hurricane Joaquin.

Kudos to all of the Hurricane Relief organizers and all of you who found your 'good' selves and volunteered your time, talent or treasures! If you haven't already we at MWM's implore you to get involved in one of the countless efforts to Save Our South!

As women we are busy, consumed, overwhelmed and determined. On any given day we are lost in our 'To Do Lists', we are lost listening to the non-stop conversations in our heads reminding us to remember a gazillion things while not forgetting to look beautiful! We are lost under the heavy weight of expectation placed upon us by society, loved ones and ourselves.

It is easy for us to get lost! I feel lost on many days. Do you?

Ghandi suggests a way to find ourselves, a way to get back to our center, to our authentic selves. At MWM's we are on a journey on an adventurous road called 'Authentic Way'! We've taken some side roads which have taken us off course but our goal is to always get back onto the main road. Volunteerism can help!

As announced on our first vlog, we here at MWM's have decided to partner with a charity by giving our best resource...ourselves.

Recently we attended a local Hands For Hunger event called Paradise Plates. Their vision is simple, a transformed Bahamas where everyone has access to three nutritious and fortifying meals each day. No one goes hungry.

The night was enjoyable. We ate so that others may eat! Simple! This was our first charitable event but okay fine we had a blast too! Here are some photos to prove it.

We're total goofballs we know but hey somebody has to be goofy!

All fun aside and back to a serious note. Candi and I would like to continue to find ourselves by getting involved in our community by partnering with a local charity. Psst, feel free to volunteer with us if you are not involved in a charity. Here is where we need your help. We would like for you to vote on one of the charities listed below. Click on the comment button at the end of this post, message us on our FaceBook page or send an email at marriedworkingmothers@gmail.com.

And the nominees are....(Insert drum roll here)!

1. The Bahamas Crisis Centre (http://www.bahamascrisiscentre.org/)
2. Pace Bahamas (http://pacebahamas.com/)

(We've included the links to these two organizations to browse for those of you who may not be familiar including our overseas readers. Think we forgot about all of you huh? Well we didn't. Click, browse, discover their visions and vote!)

courtesy of imgflip.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

But wait....there's more!

It is with great excitement to announce MWM's Monthly Me-Time Giveaway! Unfortunately this giveaway is only extended to our local readers unless our overseas readers would like to visit to claim their prize! Come on down!!!!!!

How does it work?

Candi in Eleuthera 2015
Mother's Day 'Me Time' Vacation

Here are the rules...

1. Submit only one photo per month

2. Deadline for submissions are the first Monday of each month

3. Monthly winners are not eligible for further submissions

4. Keep it Rated PG Ladies!!!!!

This month's giveaway is a bottle of Villa Wolf Riesling! It is our favourite wine from our home away from home Lucianos.

A bottle of Villa Wolf can be yours....Cheers!

There will be a variety of giveaways. The prize will be announced the First Monday of each month. It is our sincere hope we inspire each of you to participate at least once.

As we give of ourselves we give to all of you!

And so ladies, before you get back to your regularly scheduled lives we beg you to vote on one of the charities.

Vote Now!!! (Sorry that was a bit too bossy!)

Vote now pleeeaaasseeee!

Don't forget! Today is the first Monday in October. You have a month to take time for you and snap a pic! Some one will enjoy a great glass of Riesling very soon!

Until we blog again!

Tiffany and Candi

Pages

Do It!

A Note From Your Child's Teacher

Time of the Month

Service With A Smile!