Blog Post #7- Inspirational Article from Oprah.com

 While browsing through the Oprah.com website, I came across the most inspiring article! It is titled The One Action You Must Take to Get on the Path to Lasting Happiness, written by Life Coach, Martha Beck. In her article she explains why staring down your shortcomings (and learning to except them) can put you on the path to lasting happiness. What I got out of this  article is that you must know the truth and accept the truth in order to really be happy and content in your life. I know from experience, that when you neglect or live in denial about certain situations that occur in your life and only let yourself see or believe what you want, it can cause a worse outcome in your life then if you just take it ALL in and accept it for what it is and live your life with no regrets! Being a single mother to my son I cannot and will not  allow myself to be anything but Happy! My life has become so full of happiness for my son and I once I finally came to the realization and acceptance that the "picture perfect family" I had always hoped for was never going to work out, and I was in fact going to raise my son as a single parent. I truly feel as though coming to the acceptance of my situation was the best and most positive thing I could have done, in fact I wish I would have done it sooner! I'm living  my life with no denial, no regrets, and accepting everything that comes my way! You only live once...so live it Happily! :)

MiX & MiX & MiX

Blog Post #6- Groups I've joined on Diigo

Diigo Group #1: All Mothers


I'm really glad I joined the group All Mothers, it was created by a woman named Kate Smith who created a blog AllMothers.net. The first bookmark that intrigued me in this group was Positive Parenting: Guide to Positive Parenting for Toddlers. It made me realize some of the techniques I use with my son may not be working for a reason. For example, it stated a positive way to speak to your child and get results is to say: "tidy up your toys please" rather then "don't make a mess." I never thought of it that way, but i'm hoping  it works so I don't have to clean up my sons room every other day! Another great technique I was really glad to get some advice on was about setting up clear rules and sticking to a similar routine. I have A LOT of trouble in this parenting department, and I always give in to those big eyes and huge dimples looking up at me! But from what this particular advice states is: "Kids this age need clear rules, regulated boundaries, and a similar routine." Hopefully I can discipline myself and not give in to his cuteness! :)


 Diigo Group #2: All Things Food

As I was trying to find different groups that relate to my every day life as a single mother I thought about the fact that food is a huge part of my every day life! My four year old son has a HUGE appetite for such a little person! So of course his favorite activity to do with mommy is help me in the kitchen! So when I came across the group    All Things Food, I had to join! I came across a bookmark created by Sarah Smith, titled"Baking with Kids." This website gives you hundreds of recipes and activities that your child can have fun helping  you with. One activity I really want to try with my son is the chocolate dipped apples that you can stick your favorite candy on! My son loves apples, chocolate, and candy!! This is a perfect activity for us to try. I can't wait! 


 Diigo Group #3: Child Development & Health

My reasoning for choosing this group is because the creator Nate Holmes had a bookmark created named Child and Family WebGuide. The website that it took me to was amazing. It had such a wide variety of topics relating to parenting. The website even gave me the option to pick the topic by which age group I was interested in learning about. I really like looking at the different articles under the topic School Readiness. Thinking about my son starting school makes me want to make sure he is well prepared to begin school with all the knowledge they are expecting out of a child his age. I want my son to have a positive outlook on going to school and to act like the "Big Boy" he so badly wants to be. I hope by reading some of the advice in these articles I can make my son fall in love with the idea of going to school and learning! 

Blog Post #5- The Life of a Supermom :)

Blog Post #1- My Adventures in Mommyland 

What really caught my interest about this blog was a particular post titled Co-Parenting or Lack  Thereof. I unfortunately have to deal with the whole "co-parenting" situation, so I immediately felt intrigued to read her post about this. Of course everyone's situation differs, but I truly can relate to not only what she said but how it made her feel. I know exactly how hard it is to raise a child alone and not be able to depend on the other parent to be a stable role model in their life. I agree that a child deserves an endless amount of love and a stable home. I hope that one day my son's father will realize how much his son needs/wants him in his life. But until then, all I can continue to do is be mommy and daddy to my amazing little boy...and be Happy doing it!

Blog Post #2- I Love you to the Moon Mommy

This blog had my interest from the start! The way she began each of her posts was as if she was holding a conversation with you. I guess you could say she typed as if she were speaking. For instance, one post I could personally relate to was about the difficulty of breastfeeding your newborn. The particular way she describes her feelings and thoughts on this subject, made me feel like she knew exactly what I had experienced. I could understand why she doubted her mothering capabilities if she couldn't succeed in breastfeeding her baby. Although, I did finally decided to give up on breastfeeding and  give my son formula instead. I felt as though it was draining me to the point of exhaustion and hindering my ability to take care of my son on my own. Everyone's situation is unique and you just have to decide what works best for you at that time. 

Blog Post #4- Facebook Impostor

My Diigo Account

Facebook Impostor

After watching the documentary Catfish, I was shocked to find out it was all just one lie after another. I couldn't not believe how Angela Wesselman-Pierce felt she could steal the face of Aimee Gonzales, and trick Nev Schulman into thinking he had found his soul mate. Aimee Gonzales spoke with The Daily Beast and stated, "In a way, it's almost worse than stealing someone's name. She actually stole my face. There's nothing more than your face that makes you who you are." I could not imagine finding out something like this has happened with my identity. Obviously, Angela Wesselman-Pierce has definite issues with her own life, as well as some sort of mental instability. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Some locals in Angela Wesselman-Pierce's small Michigan town say they've never heard of her, much less seen her." It's so scary to think that anyone at any time can make up a new persona using my face. It’s sad that she had to use someone else’s face to make friends, because when she is herself no one showed her any attention. I read this article written by Esquire stating, "Real friendships are made, not requested. This we know. Still, Catfish reminds us that Facebook works and that Facebook can be worked." I feel like Angela Wesselman-Pierce might have thought that what she was doing was harmless, but that is not the case. I really don't think she realized how harmful her actions were until she got caught. She had no choice but to expose the real her once Nev Schulman showed up on her door step looking for answers. It was over; her fantasy Facebook life had to come to an end. You can tell throughout the remainder of the documentary how uncomfortable and embarrassed Angela Wesselman-Pierce feels for what she has been doing, and how much being caught has brought her back to the reality of her real life. In a way I understand why she did what she did, but she just let it go way too far. You can clearly see that she broke Nev Schulman's heart. He had fallen for her, even though they had never met. In an article by the The New York Times it states, "You can have so many friends, fans, and followers that you might not grasp just how radically alone you really are." This made me realize, I literally don't even know half of the "Friends" that I have on my Facebook. Truthfully, know I just want to get rid of my Facebook all together!

Blog Post#3- Summer Jammin' :)

*Summer Jammin*

I feel like a summer road trip is EXACTLY what i need! Hitting the road with my three crazy sister's, in a convertible, with the sun shining bright, not a cloud in the sky, and not a worry in the world! It would be perfect to turn on my Pandora, and listen to some old school and new school summer jams! I would want to listen to, "Beautiful"- by Snoop Dogg! I love that song! I love the beat and the song's chorus,make it a perfect summer jam!! Another great one is, "Could you be Loved"- by Bob Marley, it reminds me of summer time on the beach, with my feet in the sand, and not a worry in the world! A more recent song that i would have to hear is, "Wild Ones"- by Flo Rida! It's upbeat, fun, and is a true summer jam this year!! I love Pandora, it gives you the chance to hear all the different types music by so many different artists! Pandora has me jammin' this summer! :)

Blog Post#2- My Pinterest

There is no book written on how to be the perfect parent; although at times I wish there was such a book. But for now I look to Pinterest for insight and for motivational sayings, pictures, and stories from other single parents like me. I find it refreshing to know that i'm not the only person dealing with the struggle of raising a child alone. I have come to realize that I don't  have to be stressed all the time. Because god would not have given me the blessing of being able to have a child if he thought I wasn't capable enough to handle it. My son is a blessing, and I wouldn't change my life even if I could. He is my ray of sunshine, his light has guided me to become the independent woman I am today. I give all of the credit to my son, for making me the woman I am today. Through all of our trials and tribulations we've gone through it together, side by side, forever and ever. 

Blog Post#1-Who am I?!

I am a mother to the most AMAZING little boy named Triston. He is what makes me who I am today. He is the first thing I tell people about when I meet them. We are a package deal, he is what completes me as a person. People say when you have a child you are supposed to teach them about life, but really my son is the one who has taught me about life. My son is my inspiration to get up everyday and have a positive attitude towards life. Everyone that knows me knows that first and foremost I am a mother. I will not put anything before my son. I want people that don't know me to see me as a positive and hardworking person.

How I Improved my son’s behavior in school

Different strategies to try:

Ø  Locate informational literature in reference to the un-wanted behavior

Ø  Follow through with punishment for aggressive behavior at school

Ø  Decipher which discipline method works best with my child

Ø  Redirect aggressive behavior toward others

Ø  Praise/reward my child when displaying non-aggressive behavior

Ø  Communicate with teachers daily concerning my child’s behavior at school

Simple solutions that worked for me:

Ø  Redirect my child when he begins to display aggressive behavior and act inappropriately

Ø  Limit my child’s access to violent cartoons on television by putting parental blocks on specific channels

Ø  Set up a behavior plan that will be used at home and while my child is at his daycare facility

Ø  Reward my child at the end of the week (if he had a good week) by doing something fun or even purchasing a small prize. Also explain why he is  being rewarded and remind him how proud I am of his good behavior