From Biddy Mason to environmental activist Aurora Castillo, these LA women will inspire you

In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look back at the bold and accomplished female trailblazers who have helped shape Los Angeles. From the 1890s to today, these formidable women have broken barriers and been integral in making LA, and beyond, what it is today. Read on for a mini history less, plus major inspiration.

Biddy Mason

Born into slavery in 1818, Biddy Mason eventually ended up in California, a non-slave state, where Mason was able to fight and win her freedom in 1856. After settling in Los Angeles, she worked as a nurse and midwife, and eventually purchased an acre of land in what is not Downtown LA. She went on to buy more land and properties throughout Los Angeles, accumulating wealth, which she donated to numerous charities, and used to feed and shelter the poor. 

To learn more about Biddy Mason, visit the Biddy Mason Memorial Park, which features a memorial and timeline of her life at the site of her original homestead. 

333 Spring St.
DTLA
Online: laconservancy.org

Clara Shortridge Foltz

Public domain

If you've ever received a jury summon in LA, then the name Clara Shortridge Foltz may sound familiar. The criminal courthouse located downtown is known as The Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, named for the first female lawyer on the West Coast, a crusader for public defenders (in a time before they even existed), and California’s first female deputy district attorney. According to a piece in the California Bar Journal, Foltz also "sued for entrance into California’s only law school, tried cases in court when women were not allowed to serve on juries and played a key role in winning women’s suffrage in California 100 years ago."

Amelia Earhart

The U.S. National Archives

Although Amelia Earhart grew up mostly in the midwest, she took her first flight (as a passenger) out of Long Beach in 1920. She went on to take flying lessons near Long Beach and in 1923 receive her pilot's license, making her the 16th woman in the U.S. to do so. She famously went on to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, and subsequently wrote books and articles on flying and lectured on the subject. During the years leading up to her fateful flight, Earhart lived her husband in Toluca Lake, and often flew out of Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale and what is today's Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.

Anna May Wong

Public domain

Born in 1905 in Los Angeles, Anna May Wong went on to become the first Chinese American movie star in Hollywood. While she appeared in more than 60 films, she was mostly relegated to playing smaller, supporting parts that were based on racial stereotypes. Even when Hollywood was making The Good Earth, producers passed Wong over, instead casting a white actress to play a Chinese character. As Wong said in a 1928 interview, “There seems little for me in Hollywood, because, rather than real Chinese, producers prefer Hungarians, Mexicans, American Indians for Chinese roles.”

After spending time in Europe, she eventually returned home to Los Angeles, and in 1951, starred in her own TV show, making her television's first Chinese American leading lady. Unfortunately the groundbreaking show, The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, only lasted a year. But, today, Wong is still celebrated for paving the way for future Asian American actors. 

Charlotta Spears Bass

Public domain

Nearly 70 years before Kamala Harris would become our first female Vice President, Charlotta Spears Bass was the first Black woman to run for vice president of the United States in 1952, on the Progressive Party ticker. In addition to working in politics, Spears owned and ran LA-based African American newspaper The California Eagle, and a civil rights activist, according to the National Women's History Museum. Over the years, Bass's paper addressed racial injustices, including discrimination in schools, housing and employment.

Dorothy Chandler

By Hbchandler

We have Dorothy Chandler to thank for the Hollywood Bowl. In 1950, the iconic venue was in a financial crisis and near closing, when Chandler took action, organizing fundraising concerts that help saved the Bowl. After her experience with the Hollywood Bowl, she set out to raise money to build a performing arts center in Los Angeles. In 1964, thanks to Chandler's unrelenting fundraising and efforts, The Los Angeles Music Center opened. The full complex was completed in 1967, with three venues: the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre. In her 1997 obituary, the Los Angeles Times noted that "many believe [the Music Center] saved a physically and culturally decaying downtown core area."

Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta Foundation

In 1955 Huerta began her career as an activist when she co-founded the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization (CSO), which led voter registration drives and fought for economic improvements for Hispanics. She also founded the Agricultural Workers Association, a precursor to what would eventually become the United Farm Worker's Union in 1965. Over the next decade, Huerta organized and fought for farm workers rights. Her efforts contributed to groundbreaking California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which allowed farm workers to form unions and bargain for better wages and conditions. 

Today, Huerta continues to work advocating for the working poor, women, and children. As founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, she travels across the country engaging in campaigns and influencing legislation that supports equality and defends civil rights. 

Aurora Castillo

Courtesy of Goldman Environmental Prize

In 1984, Aurora Castillo, then in her seventies, learned that the state of California had plans to build an eighth prison in East Los Angeles. Together with other residents of her predominantly Latino community, she helped found The Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA). In addition to eventually prevailing against the state in the battle over the prison project, MELA went on to fight for environmental justice for their neighborhood, stopping the construction of a toxic pipeline. According to The Los Angeles Times, Castillo vowed to “fight like a lioness for the children of East Los Angeles.”

 

Wallis Annenberg

You might recognize her name from the community facilities she's helped create over the years, including the Annenberg Community Beach House, Annenberg PetSpace,  Annenberg Space for Photography and Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts. Wallis Annenberg's philanthropic work has certainly delivered some of our favorite destinations for art, culture and fun in LA. She's also responsible for the first universally accessible treehouse—the Wilson Park Annenberg Tree House in Torrance. Guided by principles of community, inclusion and compassion, Annenberg has said, "I’ve tried to focus not just on giving, but on innovating."

 

I’ve barely finished my dinner when my oldest child, apparently done with the untouched chicken in front of him, nonchalantly brings his plate to the sink (the universal sign of “I’m done” in our home), then WALKS STRAIGHT TO THE KITCHEN CABINETS to look for snacks.

Right. After. Dinner.

It’s not much better with my youngest, who, after putting on her PJs and brushing her teeth, almost always tells me, in a desperate and small voice that’s hard to ignore:

I’m hungry.

Because of course she is; she hardly ate her dinner.

So herein lies the question: To feed, or not to feed? Should you let your toddlers or older children skip their dinners, then fill up on snacks before bed?

Doctors say no.

“It is absolutely OK to go to bed without dinner,” said Elham Raker, a Los Angeles pediatrician and founder of AskDr.Mom.com, a site designed to give parents quick and personalized medical advice. “I think this is much harder for parents than kids. The kids will be OK.”

Of course, when we’re talking about toddlers, there’s some wiggle room. If a child is going through a growth spurt — or is asking for a snack long enough before lights-out that you know it’s not just a ruse to stay up — Elham says go ahead and feed. Similarly, if kids have eaten their dinner and are simply still hungry, it’s OK to offer healthy snacks before bed.

But the important thing is to make sure dinner isn’t denied. At least not every day.

photo: iStock

So how do you convert your serial snacker into a mealtime master? Here are some tips for changing the pattern:

When They’re Hungry After Skipping Dinner… Offer Their Dinner Again  

This one might seem a little on the “tough love” side—especially for very young kids—but it’s the message that counts. That being, if kids skip dinner then beg for snacks, they need to first eat their dinner. After all, dinner Is what matters, and as long as you’ve offered something nutritious to your child you know she will eat, she should eat it. So cover that plate with plastic wrap and be ready to whip it out of the fridge when your child comes begging for food.

Don’t Force Children to “Clean Their Plates”

Sometimes, refusing dinner can be a part of the mealtime power struggle. If parents push too hard, children may push back just because they can. Consequently, it’s important to help kids feel relaxed and in control of their mealtimes.

When your kids are done eating, Raker recommends asking them if they feel full. If the answer is yes, then say, ‘Great, stop eating.”

Enforce a “No Snacks” Rule 1-2 Hours Before Dinner

If your child has been snacking nonstop all afternoon, there’s a good chance she won’t be hungry when she plops down at the dinner table. So make a rule: The kitchen is closed starting one to two hours before dinner. For toddlers, a shorter time is recommended since their tummies are tiny and they’re growing so quickly; but for older kids, two hours is fine. Let them be hungry for dinner!

If you must give out pre-dinner snacks (pediatricians say toddlers should eat something small every two hours or so), make them suitable substitutes: carrot sticks, apple slices, garbanzo beans, frozen blueberries, peanut butter on celery sticks, etc. That way, if your child does refuse dinner, at least you know you’ve gotten good foods into her beforehand.

Best Meal Delivery Services

photo: iStock

If Your Kids Seem Starving Just Before Dinner—Have Dinner Earlier

In my experience, kids always raid the cabinets just before dinnertime. This gives us two options: Guard the cabinets like a prison warden—or move dinnertime to match the kids’ hunger patterns. When I manage to get dinner made earlier, my kids eat better. Simple.

Of course, this can be hard when one (or both) parents don’t get home from work until late, but Raker says it’s better to make an early dinner for the kids; then let them join their parents for a snack later in the evening. That way, they’ve filled their bellies with nutritious foods, and you still get to sit with them while you eat (this also makes your dinnertime a little less stressful).

When It Comes to Bedtime Snacks, Not All Foods Are Created Equal

While snacking before bed isn’t ideal, sometimes it’s OK—especially if kids have had an early dinner and are still awake a few hours after that. But be sensible about what you offer. Nighttime snacks should come from the fridge, not the pantry, Raker says. So choose snacks like cheese, yogurt or fruit—not chips, pretzels or cookies.

And, always make sure your children brush their teeth after eating, even if they’ve already done it pre-snack attack.

Resist Bedtime Pleas

 If your kids are all tucked in and suddenly declaring that they’re starving—resist! Those are the times that kids can wait until morning (They’ll be OK).

“Honestly, a lot of times I think it’s more of an ‘I don’t want to go to bed thing,'” Raker says. “Of course, as a mom, you’re worried, ‘What if they don’t eat?’ But I think you have to be lovingly strict, or you’re going be too taken advantage of.”

Set Up a Food Schedule

According to Jill Castle, a pediatric dietitian and author of The Smart Mom’s Guide to Healthy Snacking: How to Raise a Smart Snacker from Tot to Teen (available here) parents should set up a schedule for meals and snacks, starting when kids are toddlers. A good rule of thumb, she says, is to give three meals and two to three snacks per day.

This is for a couple of reasons, Castle says. For one, toddlers still have “high nutrient needs, but little tummies” — so every bite counts for growth and development! Secondly, eating every two to three hours helps little ones recognize the signs of hunger and fullness, which can promote self-regulation of eating.

“And yes, too many snacks throughout the day may interfere with an appetite for dinner,” Castle said.

 

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Being a stay-at-home parent can be a lot of fun, and sometimes I almost feel guilty when I’m out playing with the kids at a park or building a blanket fort instead of working at an office. But, as rewarding as it can be, it’s often challenging. Sometimes it’s tough to take care of yourself with little ones demanding your constant attention, and sometimes you might just miss the structure of your old life and interaction with other adults. Lucky for you, after a few years of staying home full-time, I’ve got a few simple tricks up my sleeve that might help you keep your sanity.

1. Get Dressed & Ready for the Day. It took me awhile to figure this one out. Even though it’s tempting to sit around in your pajamas for the first half of the day—especially if you spent half the night rocking and/or nursing a restless infant—it really does make you feel more human to put on some real pants and brush your teeth first thing in the morning. If you’re like me you might need a few moments alone with your coffee first, and that’s fine. But if you get ready bright and early, you might just feel more energized to take on the day. Better yet, if you have the time to put on a little makeup and even do your hair, you will feel like a rockstar (Pro Tip: a little sea salt spray + wet hair = beach waves). Of course, sometimes that’s easier said than done, but brushed teeth and pants are a must.

2. Don’t Stay Home…at Least Not All Day. Just because you are a stay-at-home parent, doesn’t mean you should literally be home all day. Day after day, your home might just start to feel like a prison. Instead, try to plan at least one outing a day. Whether it’s taking your kiddos out for a walk at the park, storytime at the library, or even a trip to the grocery store, the change of scenery will work wonders for your mental health. Your kids will appreciate it too! Sometimes a fussy toddler or grumpy big kid just needs some fresh air and a little adventure in their day, just like us grown-ups.

3. Take Advantage of Nap & Quiet Times. Now, when I say this, I don’t mean take advantage of nap time by cleaning the whole house or scrubbing grout with a toothbrush. If it makes you feel better, spend a little time picking up or loading the dishwasher, but then spend a little time on yourself too. You probably took breaks when you worked in an office, and you need and deserve a break now that you are home too. After all, you are human. Have a cup of tea, do some yoga, or watch YouTube videos for 20 minutes—whatever helps you turn off your parent brain for a bit. Maybe you can even get back to that hobby you never seem to have time for anymore. And if your kids are too big for naps (or think they are, at least), make sure to have them do a little quiet time on their own so you both can recharge.

4. Stick to a Schedule. I’m not a very organized person, nor would anyone describe me as Type-A or anything along those lines. However, after doing this mom thing for a few years now, I have learned that we need to have some form of a daily schedule, especially during breaks from school when everyone is home all day. For us, we tend to do our outing in the morning since the 2-year-old naps in the afternoon. This makes our very basic schedule look something like this: breakfast, playtime, snack, outing, lunch, nap time, playtime, and finally TV time while mom makes dinner. It may sound simple, but I think we all like knowing what to expect at different times of the day. It makes it a lot easier to move on to the next activity if your little ones tend to drag their feet for certain things, like nap time.

5. Embrace the Fact That a Little Screen Time Is Okay. This is something you can use your own judgment on, but I personally don’t know how I would get any housework done or make dinner every night if my kids didn’t watch any TV. As I’m sure your doctor has told you by now, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time under age 2 and two hours or less a day for older children. So, you should do what you think is best for your family. But I would be lying if I said my kids didn’t get any screen time before age 2. When I start feeling a little mom-guilt over this, I try to remind myself that my parents didn’t limit my screen time at all, and I turned out pretty okay. For your older kids who are allowed to get a little screen time, try not to think of it as a negative thing. There are some awesome kids shows that are actually educational and teach kids about things like sharing and kindness. This is all my way of saying that if you need 20 minutes to clean the kitchen, don’t feel too guilty about allowing a little screen time to get it done.

6. Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself. Like any job, some days are great while others leave you on the couch with a pint of ice cream by the end of the night. Just remember that you are doing your best, and try not to compare yourself too much to other parents. When you feel good about what you are doing, your kids will too.

I'm a stay-at-home mom and writer who is always on the look-out for fun ways to keep my two little ones entertained and learning about the world around us.

The odds are your kids have heard names like Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross in history class. This year, make sure your children know and appreciate some heroes from history and present day that deserve a standing ovation. From activists to actresses to incredible feats of heroism and patriotism, read on and click through the links to learn about more than sixty heroes who have changed the world, forever and for better.

Sean Sherman is one of the important indigenous people your kid should know
Dana Thompson via Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps you've heard of Sean Sherman aka The Sioux Chef who marries his passion for cooking with his rich heritage by raising awareness of indigenous food systems. As a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, the work Sean does is deep-rooted in a sense of pride and connection to his people.

New Yorkers may recognize the name of the sculptor Edmonia Lewis, who was born in 1844 to indigenous parents—her father was African-American and her mother was a Chippewa Indian.Though many of her sculptures depicted prominent American figures, Edmonia never forgot her heritage, paying homage to both her African American and Native American origins in sculptures such as “The Arrow Maker” (1866) and “Forever Free” (1867).

Not many kids history books talk about the Haida peoples of the Haida Gwaii archipelago, located off the west coast of British Columbia. Their preservation of land and water are admirable environmental achievements. Having a deep respect for his mother’s heritage, Bill Reid dedicated much of his work in the arts to the Haida peoples. Bill created, alongside other native artists, a sculpture depicting the story of human creation as passed down by Haida legend, among others. His work in bringing awareness to and preserving the stories of the Haida peoples is remarkable.

Read more about these and six other indigenous heroes here

—Candace Nagy 

Wikimedia Commons

Mae C. Jemison is an American physician and astronaut. In 1987, Jemison was the first African American woman to be accepted into NASA’s astronaut training program. In 1992, Jemison was also the first African American woman in space, flying there aboard the spaceship Endeavor with six other astronauts.

Arturo Schomburg was a writer, historian and activist. As a leader of the Harlem renaissance, Schomberg collected art literature and other artifacts belonging to people of African descent. In 1926 his collection was purchased by the New York public library, and today the Schomburg Center is a research division of the NY public library. With more than 11 million items in the collection, the Schomburg center is devoted to the preservation and exhibition of Black history, and the arts and culture of the African diaspora.

Alice Allison Dunnigan was the first Black female White House Correspondent. She was also chief of the Associated Negro Press, and in 1948 she became the first Black woman to follow a Presidential campaign (Harry Truman’s) on the road. Years later, Alice Allison Dunnigan served as an education consultant on JFK’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity.

In 1862 during the Civil War, Robert Smalls commandeered a confederate transport boat freeing himself, his crew and their families. Later, Smalls was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. Robert Smalls was also instrumental in convincing President Lincoln to let free Blacks serve in the Union Army. 

Learn more about these and 18 other Black heroes here

—Sharon Brandwein 

Wikimedia Commons

Kalpana Chawla was the first woman of Indian descent to go to space, having served as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator on the space shuttle Columbia. Sadly, Chawla was one of the seven crew members who died when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003 following the space shuttle Columbia’s 28th mission. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and several streets, universities and institutions have been named in her honor. She is regarded as a national hero in India, where she was born in East Punjab, in 1962.

Widely regarded as the first Chinese American actress of Taishanese descent to achieve superstardom in Hollywood, Anna May Wong was born in Los Angeles in 1905 and started acting at an early age. Her varied career spanned silent films, the first color films, television and radio. Although many of her early roles played into ethnic stereotypes, Wong was a vocal advocate for greater representation of Asian Americans in film and television, and she gained both critical and popular acclaim for her international acting roles. Wong famously lost the leading role of the Chinese character O-Lan in the film adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth to German actress Luise Rainer, who played the role in yellowface and went on to win the Academy Award for her portrayal.

Although Haing Somnang Ngor trained as a surgeon and obstetrician in his native country of Cambodia, he is best known for winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for his debut performance in the film, “The Killing Fields,” in which he portrayed Cambodian journalist and refugee Dith Pran. Ngor is the only actor of Asian descent to ever win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and only one of two non-professional actors to win an acting Oscar. Born in Takeo Province, Cambodia, in 1940, Ngor survived the horrors of prison camps under the Khmer Rouge. Ngor harrowing accounts of torture and losing his wife during childbirth in Pol Pot’s prison camps, as well as his subsequent journey to the U.S. as a refugee, are told in his autobiography, Haing Ngor: A Cambodian Odyssey.

Read up on these and 13 other amazing Asian-Americans here

—Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

Wikimedia Commons

Raffi Freedman-Gurspan is a transgender rights activist. In 2015 she became the first openly transgender person to work as a White House staffer for President Barack Obama. Freedman-Gurspan has worked on criminal justice and incarceration reform, homeless shelter policies and issues facing transgender people of color.

Sandra Cisneros is a writer best known for her book The House on Mango Street. She is generally acknowledged as the first Mexican-American writer to be published by a mainstream publisher. She is a key Chicana literary figure both in Texas and among the Mexican diaspora.

Cesar Chavez is best known as the civil rights activist and labor leader who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with fellow activist Dolores Huerta. His work led to the passing of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which granted farmworkers the right to collective bargaining. In 1994 he post-humously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Read up on these and 14 other Latinx activists, artists and astronauts you should know about here

—Candace Nagy, Sharon Brandwein, Teresa Douglas, Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

featured image: iStock

 

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Photo: Dr. Cook

Allowing and offering your children age-appropriate chores is a great way to free up some time for yourself. It also builds self-confidence in your children as they successfully complete tasks that improve the flow and functioning of the family home/system.  

Having the ability and inner strength to follow through with the boring but necessary task in any job is a gift that will forever be with your kids and set them up for success in whatever career path they choose. Plus, you may even get a few minutes to put your feet up and finish that drink before you hear “Mom, can you help me?”.                              

1. Bedazzle the Boring: This is your first task in teaching your children basic life skills. Find a way to make it fun. (Again if they are young you don’t have to try very hard…just give them your undivided attention for 5-15 minutes and teach them a task). If they are teenagers you might have to get a little creative to get them excited about mundane tasks that are necessary to keep a home running smoothly. 

You can buy different and or funny dishwashing sponges, let them choose the scent of the soap, and maybe purchase gloves they can wear when doing dishes. Curtail the argument by providing the appropriate tools to be successful.  

If you have wood floors strap some rags to their feet and have a “dance cleaning” party as you scrub and polish. Share with them a story about your own childhood when you were learning the same task. Were your parents kind or harsh? We all enjoy doing things when we are having fun…so show them how it’s done.

2. KISS: (Keep It Simple Smartie): A task should be broken down into parts and presented in its most basic form.  

When my children were around 2 years old one of their daily jobs was to help me feed the dogs. They had 3 steps:

  1. Open the food bin (AKA: lift the lid).

  2. Measure out the food with the measuring cup (make it successful by using a measuring cup that they can “fill” which is the appropriate amount). 

  3. Dump the food into the dog bowl (it helps if the dogs are trained to sit and wait until released or they could hurt small children in their excitement to get to their food).  

 A non-dog example: matching socks. 

  1.  Gather the single socks and spread them out (a bed, dining room table) and have your child “find the match.”

  2. Make it a game and whoever finds the most matches wins. Or for those non-competitive homes, you say something like “We are all gonna work together to find matches and once we find as many as we can we all get something special (whatever your reward system is…try to avoid always using the same reward and keep food or extra screen time at a minimum. Instead of food rewards, you can create a “success chart” and add stickers for each task completed. Once your child has reached a certain number they get: 1:1 time with you at a park/movies, to invite a friend over for a playdate, request their favorite family meal, earn money, get an extra ½ added to their curfew, etc.) 

  3. Put matched socks away in their proper drawer.

3. Mean What You Say and Say What You Mean: Just like Mary Poppins, I’ve learned that being kind but firm and consistent with expectations/offering privileges makes it easier for all parties involved. Much of my professional work with parents is helping them understand they are not doing their child any favors by letting them “get away” with bad behavior “just this once” (which is a slippery slope to start down). 

Often, the parent reluctantly admitted when they let things “slide” it was because it was inconvenient for them to stop what they were doing and help their child complete the required task. Some have even admitted they didn’t realize the long-term impact of not enforcing rules when their children were young and they are now “paying for it” as they struggle to manage their teenager who doesn’t have a strong foundation of basic expectations and respect for self and others.  

Every day, we as primary caregivers pick what battles we want to fight with our kids, and by the end of the day, we are exhausted. I get it. Nevertheless, that feeling shouldn’t override the need to get up “one more time” to show your child how to complete a required task.  

They won’t need constant hand-holding forever if they are empowered to confidently complete tasks that benefit themselves and the family at the moment.  We all want to feel needed and helpful.  So let them. 

Guess what? That’s it. Make the task fun, keep the steps as simple as possible, enforce them as kindly and positively as you can, and be consistent in your expectations.   

When my kids start to argue with me about completing a task we both know they can do I simply say “This is on you. You chose to not do it and privileges will be lost.”  

Don’t start yelling and arguing. Calmly let them know this behavior won’t be tolerated and revisit it once they have chilled out or completed said task.  

I’ve found that if my children don’t know what “privilege” will be taken away, they are usually more willing to be compliant. However, they definitely know if I threaten to remove something…I’m not joking because I’ve consistently followed through with consequences.  

This isn’t to say they can’t change their behavior and earn the lost privilege back. I’m not running a prison. We all have momentary lapses in judgment and these shouldn’t be a “life sentence” for the rest of the day.  

My goal as a parent is to raise individuals who can accept their shortcomings, fix the problem, and then move on toward being the best they can be. 

I am a 42-year-old biological mother of two young children in a same-sex relationship, a clinical psychologist with a specialty in neuropsychological assessment, a music therapist, a trainer of therapy dogs and ex-communicated Mormon from Indiana with a wicked sense of humor. 

I had my first day of this pregnancy where I completely and totally lost it this week. Pretty much everything that happened made me mad or made me want to cry. When I realized how ridiculous I was being, I decided I needed to write about it. That’s logical, right? Ha!

Really it was because I know all you other pregnant women have felt the same way. And sometimes it’s nice to share the irrational crazy that happens while forming a child in your womb. And by irrational crazy, I mean, I know I am acting like a complete and total lunatic but I could care less.

Disclaimer: Before my first pregnancy, I had no idea the mood swings that came with pregnancy. I really thought women were embellishing their stories. Then it happened. I apologize to any woman that I ever said was overreacting. And I now understand if you wanted to punch me.

So here is a list of some of the easiest ways to make a pregnant woman angry, sad, pissed off, extremely emotional and/or full of rage.

1. Get her fast food order wrong. How dare you short me a chicken nugget AND forget my honey mustard! If I wasn’t in a hurry, I would march straight up in that Wendy’s and raise hell. Or cry and really scare the s**t out of the poor teenager at the cash register.

2. Tell her how to parent her toddler. Yes, I know my toddler should be wearing a coat. No s**t. But after trying to wrestle it onto him this morning I just gave up. I fight my battles and outerwear wasn’t on the list this morning. Lucky for you, I won the pants battle.

3. Tell her that she looks much further along in her pregnancy than she is. Yes, I promise I am only 18 weeks. And yes, I am POSITIVE it’s not twins. I am growing a human in my uterus. Give it a shot and try to look trim and fit while doing it.

4. Ask her why she isn’t wearing her wedding or engagement ring. Maybe because my fingers resemble those Vienna Sausages that come out of a can and they were cutting off the circulation. I can promise, I didn’t want to take them off but I would rather go without jewelry than lose an appendage.

5. Ask her how many times she has been to the taco bar in the last hour. I LOVE TACOS AND SO DOES MY BABY! Stop harassing me. I need sustenance.

6. Not do something that she asks you to do immediately after she asks. I know this is extremely irrational but my bossy reaches a new level of crazy while pregnant. When I ask someone to look at an email when they get a chance, I really mean to look at it now and I was trying to be polite and ask nicely.

7. Drink her favorite alcoholic beverage in front of her and talk about how good it tastes.  That is just mean. Yes, I miss drinking beer and wine. It is much harder to handle a two-year-old’s temper tantrum without the crutch of alcohol. Stop judging.

8. Tell her that she is overreacting. She knows she is overreacting. But she doesn’t care. And nothing will change her mind. Just agree with her and move on with your life.

9. Tell her the name she picked for her child reminds you of your ex-stepmom’s vet’s receptionist that went to prison for money laundering. And no, I don’t need to see her mugshot.

10. Touch her belly without asking. Where are your manners people? Hands off! Just because there is a baby in there doesn’t mean you can touch! I’m going to start rubbing people’s stomachs after they eat a large burrito and see how it makes them feel.

So there you go. The top ten ways to make a pregnant woman want to punch you in the face. So please, avoid doing these things at all costs. You can thank me later.

Until next time,

Jamie

This post originally appeared on Hashtag MomFail.

I am a full time working mom with two little boys, Henry and Simon. I write about real life and real life gets messy. Contributor for Motherly, HuffPost Parents, Scary Mommy, Today Parents, Love What Matters and Her View From Home. 

In the famous words of Dorothy Gale, “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” In the case of the new Stranger Things 4 teaser, we’re not in Hawkins.

It’s only been a few months since the last season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix, but the streaming platform is already teasing season 4, with a trailer that confirms some fan theories about the future of the series.

The end of Stranger Things 3 found the Byers family, with their newly adopted member, Eleven, packing up and leaving town indicating that the show might head out of Hawkins in the future. Not to mention that mysterious post-credit sequence that took place in a Russian prison. Now that popular theory is confirmed with this first peek at Stranger Things 4.

While there is no word yet on when the next season will air, fans of the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, will be excited to hear the news that the team has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix, which means there’s sure to be plenty more of the Upside Down in our future.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Netflix via YouTube

 

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If your school does the infamous car line pick-up, then you know what I am talking about here. You probably have a real love/hate relationship with car line police. For me mostly it’s hate.

 

Sure the car line has a few perks that should be represented here, before we put it on blast.

For starters, when it is raining or freezing you don’t have to get out of the car to get your child into school or pick them up. Also you don’t have to leave your pajamas to get your kid to and from school. If you are an introvert or antisocial, the car line ensures that you may avoid all human contact should you choose so. I am racking my brain here, but I think that is about it for car line bonuses.

Now on to the cons of the car line.

People start lining up in the car line a good hour before school ends. Do you all not have somewhere to be? So if you want to get your child quickly and get somewhere, you have to put in some serious time sitting in the car line. This isn’t so bad if you have a few apps to mess around with or a good book to read. But if you’re like me with two screaming toddlers, 20 minutes feels like 48 hours of torture.

No one follows the car line rules. You can not back your Suburban up and go out the way you came! You have to sit in this mess along with the rest of us. We are all in this crappy thing together.

Someone always sees you doing something idiotic in the car line.  Talking to yourself, inconspicuously picking your nose, chewing your fingernails or singing at the top of your lungs.  You are so bored in the car line it is darn near impossible not to find yourself engaging in one of these behaviors.

There is about a 10% chance that the car next to you saw whatever it is you did. There is also about a 100% chance that you know them. This makes for some mildly awkward PTA meetings.

 

I recently did the car line math as I was sitting in the parking lot prison waiting for school to let out. I have put five years in already and by the time the twins leave elementary school I will have sat in the car line for 12 YEARS!

Kristin is a blogging SAHM of 4 unruly princesses.  When she is not busy raising humans and vacuuming up toys she can be found at the local Target or hiding in her laundry room where she writes for Red Tricycle, Suburban Misfit Mom and Sammiches and Psych Meds.

From the soccer carpool to the never-ending assortment of mismatched socks, sometimes there are days when you’ve only got a few seconds (or 140 characters) to get in a good giggle. Well, sit back and get ready to scroll because we’ve scoured the Twitterverse for moms and dads that rap about the highs and lows of parenting, and the results are hilarious.

1. One of many super-parent powers.

http://twitter.com/lovemyboots111/status/666276227334971392

2. Strange, isn’t it?

3. At least there’s that.

4. You can find this parent at the intersection of concerned and impressed.

5. Why commit to just one?

6. Like mother, like son.

http://twitter.com/ValeeGrrl/status/667443470362087424

7. Could be worse.

8. Hey, thats one meal down!

http://twitter.com/XplodingUnicorn/status/667441787473174528

9. Princess meets prison guard.

10. And then secretly disposed of.

11. And the other 20% involves potty-training basics.

12. Mom: . . . 

http://twitter.com/kcmoore51/status/667231521288228864

Do you have any funny-parent moments that are Twitter worthy? Let us know!

—Francesca Katafias

What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound? It’s the Slinky of course! And while racing your Slinky down the stairs is always a popular choice, a Slinky can do so much more. Read on to discover seven fun things you can do with America’s favorite spring.

photo: fishhawk via flickr

1. Make a birdfeeder. All it takes is a wire hanger, a metal Slinky and a bag of peanuts. Check out this tutorial on how to do it.

2. Similarly, make a door wreath. Stretch the Slinky out, fill with colored paper or lightweight objects that won’t slip through the wires, like autumn leaves, fresh greens, red and green felt balls or even small toys. Attach the ends with wire or sturdy twist tie (you can make a loop to hang it on with the same wire). It’s easy to add a bow or weave ribbon through the wire. Check out a DIY Slinky wreath we love for a fun variation on the wreath.

3. Create a custom desk set in less than 5 minutes. Use metal Slinkys of varying sizes as a pen or pencil holder and a photo holder. You can even use one to display business cards.

4. Spray paint one orange to make a pumpkin centerpiece.

5. A plastic Slinky makes a great tunnel for pet mice or a little love nest for the birds.

6. Teach the kids some physics with a favorite teacher hack that uses a Slinky to demonstrate Transverse and Longitudinal Waves. Click here for an easy-to-follow instructions.

7. Make a prison for enemy toys (and Peeps!).

What’s your favorite Slinky hack? Share it with us in the comments below.

—Amber Guetebier