Mother Inferior

A Scholarship for Mommy (and Daddy!) Bloggers

 

Star Costumes is awarding $500 to a qualified, degree-seeking mommy blogger. If you run a blog for moms while also attending college and could use some extra funds to help pay for tuition, books, and other education-related expenses, this might be the scholarship for you!

Why a Mommy Blogger Scholarship?

As a mommy blogger you wear a lot of hats, and running a sucessful blog takes a range of complex skills — businessperson, entrepreneur, public relations expert, web designer, photographer (and, of course, don't forget the time you spend being a mom!).

And if you're looking to expand your already prodigious skillset with a degree, then Star Costumes wants to help. As a costume store specializing in kids costumes, moms are an especially important part of their clientele, and this is their chance to give back. (And this scholarship isn't just available for moms -- daddy bloggers are welcome to enter too!)

Eligibility Requirements:

Mommy Blogger Scholarship candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Currently enrolled full-time or part-time at an accredited undergraduate or graduate post-secondary institution.
• Maintaining a 3.0 GPA.
• A US citizen.
• 18 years or older

Application is Easy

Just fill out their application form online, along with an essay. The essay provides chance to distinguish yourself from other applicants, and should be in the range of about 400-500 words. Suggested topics include:

• What inspired you to create a blog for moms.
• Your accomplishments and goals as they relate to your website.
• How you balance the challenges of running a website while raising a family.

Application Deadline

The deadline to submit your application is October 31st, 2011. The winner will be notified on November 10th, 2011. The winner will need to provide relevant transcripts to verify GPA and enrollment, after which the scholarship award can be claimed right away. There is no fee to apply for this scholarship. If you're interested, apply here.

Good luck!

Free Summer Gift for Moms and Kids: Galacto Kids Educational Site

So, the summer's halfway over (can you believe it?), the kids are getting bored, and it's too hot to go outside. What's a mom to do?

Well, because of the generosity of a fellow mom-blogger and mom-preneur, you can give your kids--and yourself--the gift of a free membership to a brand-new educational website called Galacto Kidz.

That's right--your kiddos can play for free, the rest of the summer, using the code Beta649.

Here’s a little background about the site:

• Galacto Kidz was founded by blogger and mother of twins, Elizabeth Loennborn.
• Galacto Kidz is an interactive virtual world for children 6-13, set on board a cool spaceship.
• The site  provides a safe, fun and ad-free environment for gaming and informal education. 
• The site includes a variety of games that teach math, logic, typing, spelling, and vocabulary, as well as arcade-style games and an integrated social networking platform.
• Players choose an alien avatar that lives in a Pico Pod--on a spaceship that is searching for new galaxies.
• Players can interact with other players, travel around the spaceship, and visit other pods.
• Space dollars, called Gazingos, can be earned by successfully completing tasks or by winning games, and can be used to purchase items in the Galacto Kidz virtual world.
• Kids can chat with their buddies, and they can submit user reviews and user-generated content in creative writing, art, and video formats.
• Arcade play includes battle and matching games, among others.
• Galacto Kidz is designed with high-level safety features that address the security concerns of parents.
• The virtual world goes beyond the requirements of COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act.
• A Parent’s Portal allows monitoring of everything a child does. Parents can see which games their children are playing, view friends and buddies, and can even block specific buddies if they feel it necessary.
• The site logs and archives all chats and correspondence.
• If a parent ever has questions about a child’s activity, all chats are available for review.  Everyone in a room for any chat at any time can be identified.

Want to see for yourself? Visit Galacto Kidz and use the code Beta649.

5 Things Parents Do That Drive Teens Crazy (guest post by Hannah Dunn, 16)

Teens love their parents. They, deep down, want to get along and have a relationship that they can always count on. However, sometimes parents forget that teens can be easily annoyed in different ways. I know that my parents don't always realize that some of the things they do just drive me crazy. :) Here are five of the things parents do that can drive us insane:

1.       Ask too many questions

I, along with many teens, hate coming home to numerous questions. It is okay to ask how the day was, but often, parents just continue to ask questions. Eventually, teens will just start to answer with the normal “Uh huh” or other indifferent response. Instead of just asking question after question, as a parent, make sure you know if your child wants to talk then, or if the questions should just wait.

2.       Unnecessarily nag us

I hate to hear my parents start listing things I have to do. Teens do have an idea of what needs to be done. If asked once, they will get to it. However, I feel that the more my parents ask me to do something, the harder it becomes to find the motivation to do the chore. Instead, my parents started to type up a list and leave it on my desk. By just leaving it for me to read myself and do all the jobs that day, I have the freedom to do each chore at a time that works for me – without the nagging.

3.       Try to change our opinions

Teens are opinionated. We form our own ideas based on our family, school, friends, and even websites we use. Sometimes, these ideas just do not please our parents. Some ideas arrive with the change in generations. Because our parents existed in a time before technology like the internet and cell phones, they do not always feel the same way about something that may seem normal to a teenager. The dispute could be about anything – from texting and communication to other common topics. However, nothing our parents say is going to change our opinion. In the end, parents just have to realize that they will think one way, and we may think differently.

4.       “Downgrade” our efforts

Often, parents forget that teens have a different view on life, for they have not experienced as much. For example, we think that school is a lot of work that we aren’t getting paid for. We don’t always realize that it WILL help us later in life! So, the worse our parents can do is call school fun or easy. For teens, we feel like we are devoting all our time and effort into something “fun and easy,” and that will likely make us mad.

 5.       Forget that one day we will lead our own lives too

Sometimes, parents spend so much time trying to keep us safe and happy, that they forget that we want the opportunity to live our own lives. In events that will not have a disastrous or dangerous outcome, it is okay for parents to step back and let their teens make the decisions. This does not mean full freedom – it merely means giving teens a chance to feel that they are trusted to be in control of their own lives.

Hannah Dunn is a teen writer for Radical Parenting.com, a parenting website written from the kid's perspective--with 82 teen interns. Hannah is 16 years old from New Jersey. She loves to compete with color guard and marching band, and play piano. She hopes to become a writer one day, and to inspire others to follow their dreams. For more articles by teens, please check out RadicalParenting.com.

Poetry Wins: The "Heart and Soul" Grant Program

How often does your organization step back and remember your mission? Sure, you know what your mission is, but how often do you refine the sense of mission that exists in the hearts of your staff, board members and supporters?

This year's Heart & Soul grant program, put on by the CTK Foundation, is designed to do just that. To win, you have to channel your creativity to write an original four- to eight-line poem or stanza that reflects the work or mission of your nonprofit. No poets on staff? Ask your supporters to write a poem for you.

The 1st place winner will receive $10,000 and will have their submission turned into a song to be used in public education or awareness. The song will be written and recorded by songwriter Bill Dillon -- who was recently exonerated after 27 years in prison thanks to Innocence Project of Florida -- and produced by Jim Tullio of Butcher Boy Studios.

The contest is open to all nonprofits in the United States, Canada and the UK. The winning nonprofits will receive one of the following awards:

•1st place award is the song, plus a cash grant of $10,000 (US) or it's value in foreign currency

•2nd place award is a cash grant of $5,000 (US) or it's value in foreign currency

•The 2011 Blogger's Choice Award, where a randomly selected blogger participating in spreading the word among nonprofits about the H&S Grant Award Program will choose a nonprofit applicant to receive a $1,000 cash grant or it's value in foreign currency

•2 steel-stringed guitars, signed by all members of Los Lonely Boys (which you can auction for fund-raising)

In addition , there will be up to 20 technology grants, valued at $10,000, to nonprofits that indicate an interest.

There is a quick turnaround on these grants. You must submit an application by midnight on March 28, 2011, and you'll be notified if you've won on April 10.

Visit Community Tech Knowledge's site to apply.

Follow the effort on Twitter at #ctkgrant.

Is Your Kid a Character?

My tween loves art, and he's quite a character, too. So he's going to LOVE this:

Award-winning syndicated cartoonist Bob Weber, Jr. and Emmy Award-winning creator Jay Stephens have teamed up and created the humorous nationally syndicated comic strip Oh Brother!

The two main characters, Bud and Lily, are brother and sister, and they are always up to something. Bud likes getting into mischief and Lily has to pick up the pieces. With their lovable dog, Buster, by their side, their everyday adventures are hilarious.

Sound familiar? Would your child make the perfect comic strip character? Is he or she an impulsive prankster like Bud or precocious like Lily?

Tell us why and your kid may get the chance to be a part of the Oh, Brother! gang and appear in the strip as a classmate of Bud's or as Bud and Lily's neighbor!

To be eligible to win a coveted spot in this nationally syndicated comic strip you have two options. If you're a blogger, you can write a blog post that features your child's cartoon and then send us the link at OhBrotherContest@gmail.com.

If you don't blog but have a budding artist in your midst, email a cartoon drawing created by your child along with a brief description of why they would make the best "Oh Brother" character at OhBrotherContest@gmail.com.

Feel free to also visit the Oh Brother! Facebook Fan Page and let us know you've entered the contest. Finalists will be featured on the Oh Brother website and the winning entry will be selected by a select panel of blogging moms on March 21.  The ultimate grand prize winner will be featured in the nationally syndicated comic strip. When you send your email, please include your child's name and your contact information along with the cartoon drawing. To check out some great artwork submitted by budding cartoonists, visit the Oh Brother! art gallery

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  *This post was sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer's Network.

A New Way to Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle

My friend and fellow High Calling Welcome Editor, Cheryl Smith, is hosting a writing carnival on simplifying. I'm glad she's allowing me to participate, because since my family moved from Fredericksburg to Amarillo last year, we've had to simplify...a LOT.

Not only did we go from a large ranch-style house to a cozy apartment, but I jumped into a full-time job.  As a result, I've had to simplify both my possessions and my priorities.

I could share about choosing only essential pieces of furniture and placing the rest in storage, or about learning to be content with very little cabinet and storage space. But I'm going to take a  different angle on the topic, because one thing I've really learned to simplify is the time I spend writing, networking, and marketing.

For instance, I don't have time be active in as many online sites as I used to. I'm not Twitter-ing much--except to share links to blog posts--and LinkedIn has locked me out (ironic, isn't it?).  I'm active on Facebook, and that's about it. And the only blog network I'm heavily invested in is The High Calling, where I've found spiritual nourishment, kindred hearts, and a treasure trove of fellow writers who help me become better at the craft.

Also, I continually have a ideas for blog posts, articles, and books, but I have to prioritize them and only concentrate on one or two at a time. I do capture all the ideas--at least, the ones that have real potential--in a notebook. That way, I don't get too frustrated by not being able to work on them immediately.

Anyway, when my buddy Jenna Lang asked me to write a tip or two for her Writers' Connection website, I decided to kill two birds with one stone. And, I'm re-using the post here, which is one of the points of the post.

Thanks, Cheryl, and thanks Jenna.

Now, if only I could simplify my mind...

Finding Home

If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, also we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

As long as I can remember, it's been there. A big, gnawing hole in the middle of me. As a youth, I stuffed it with books and filled up my own pages  with words. As a teenager, I kept it at bay with prayer and service, and dedicated myself to a lifetime of pursuing God wholeheartedly. And as an adult, I fill it with my beloved family, fulfilling work, and sometimes-faltering faith.

But it's still there. It's a kind of restlessness, a yawning ache that yearns for something I can't find. Once in awhile, when I'm communing with nature or listening to the Spirit's murmurings as I read scripture, it goes away...and then, inevitably, it returns. "It" is dark, smelly, vacuous. It's behind the 3 a.m. clutching in my chest, the hot lonely tears I cry at my desk, the shakes I get when I read about an evil act performed against children.

I used to think the cavern in my soul came from some lack in my childhood--maybe because we didn't have many friends and lived in the country--or from the fact that I'm sensitive and creative, and feel things more deeply than non-artist types. But the older I get, and the more people I meet, I've begun to realize that my Grand Canyon of  Discontent is a human condition. Everyone, at one time or another, will fall into the Canyon.

You know what? I think we do a HUGE disservice to non-believers and believers alike when we tell them: "Eveyone has a hole in their soul that only Christ can fill." That's only part of the truth. (And isn't partial truth the same as falsehood?)

The church makes it sound like God is a prescription that will wipe away all our earthly symptoms. In reality, He's the cure--but we won't be cured fully until we see Him in the flesh. Until then, we reach for heaven--our only true home--any way we can:

We create a place, born from depression and hardship, that will become a haven for starved artists and limping leaders.

We wipe tears and offer prayers with a kindred spirit we've barely met.

We try to marry the two parts of us--the goofy and the serious--with a mighty pen and a contagious grin.

We write words that move people...while homeschooling, and farming, and raising kids.

We take gorgeous photographs and pair them with lyrical thoughts.

We encourage moms to be counter-cultural and share Friday Feasts.

We connect with the "least of these," and tell the world about it with technology.

We laugh, hike, share work and engage with like-minded souls.

We seek to be salt and light as we soldier on, despite tragedy.

We ponder deeply on what it means to display faith in the working world.

We regularly point out the people who are doing good work...without seeking anything for ourselves.

We share our "real live" doubts with abandon and humor, and display our wounds and blessings so others might find hope.

We encourage others in their giftedness and seek God in the yard.

We write poetry, build Lego towers, slay Zombies, and usher truth from technology.

We turn the phrase "preacher's wife" into the best kind of compliment.

We break bread with one another, crossing denominational lines and reveling in the unity of our brokenness.

We find home anywhere we can, with the best people we can, until we run into His arms.

 

 

Note: This is dedicated to the High Calling Blogs staff. I had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know them in real life, and not just online, this past week. If you want to find insightful, gifted, faith-filled bloggers, click on the links I've included.

Keep Your Toddler Busy--and Healthy!

I'm in the middle of a big move, and haven't had time to blog lately. But here's a great guest article by child fitness expert--and now digital picture book publisher--Wendy Toone: What can often be a parents' worst nightmare? A long wait in a waiting room or lobby with an active toddler or two. Does the thought of sitting in a small, stifling lobby or waiting with youngsters in tow make you cringe? If you're like me, one giant question races through your mind: How am I going to occupy my children so they aren't consumed with boredom which results in their running around or squabbling with each other? You can kill two birds with one stone by helping them with their fine motor skills via a few fun activities: 1. Fingers. Finger songs are great waiting games. "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "10 Little Indians", "Where is Thumbkin?" are all fun songs for kids. If it's a quiet room you're waiting in, whisper singing brings a new twist to the songs. Don't worry - Paula and Simon won't be judging you. You're a parent; you can get away with it. Don't forget about "Twinkle Little Star", which is a natural progression to practicing one's "ABC's"......weird how they're the same tune, huh? If you're really on a roll and there are others waiting with you, earn a gold star by getting everyone to do a rousing chorus of "The Wheels On the Bus". Party on!! 2. Toes. Yep, wiggling fingers counts as fine motor, but so does the wiggling of toes. Harkening back to the ballet lessons of my childhood, I remember learning "flex" and "point". Of course, all ballerinas are supposed to point their toes. But it takes muscle control to make little feet point down and flex up to the sky. Have your child sit down and extend their legs in front of them. Using imagery such as lighting a candle (flex their feet), blowing out the candle (point their toes), can sometimes teach the concept to very young children. 3. Carry a scarf with you. Not only can you accessorize at a moment's notice (fabulous, dahling!), but you'll be amazed how you can occupy yourself and your child. Smooth it out and teach shapes.... it's a square.... take one corner and fold it into a triangle.... can you make a rectangle? You can be silly, too. Be a ghost by putting it over your child's head. Turn him/her into Little Red Riding Hood. Tell the story if they've never heard it. (Don't forget to use funny voices to really hold their attention.) Use your imagination, and your child's imagination. And encourage them to manipulate the scarf to really get those fine muscle groups working. So the next time you and your child are waiting, don't let boredom get the best of you. Don't worry about your child getting out of control. Use the time to develop your child's fine motor skills, and watch how the time quickly goes by. I am often asked a question that sounds like this, "Other than fine motor and gross motor exercises, is there anything else I can do to pass the time with my child while waiting anywhere?" Do you know the answer? Hint - I Spy, children's digital picture books.

Wendy Toone is a child expert having owned and operated a leading franchise children's fitness center and now producing MobiStories, Digital Books for KidsTM, as well as being a mom to her two children. To experience the world of digital children's picture books, visit www.mobistories.com.

To download a free copy of Mommy's High Heel Shoes for your PC or Mac, visit MobiStories.com and enter the promo code: MHHS0710. The offer expires 8/22.Mommy's High Heel Shoes is also available for download as an app via the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad in the iTunes store where you can check out more great story apps from MobiStories: To order a hard cover copy of Kristie Finnan's book, Mommy's High Heeled shoes, visit her at KristieFinnan.com. *This advertorial post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writers Network.

An Online Conference--Get Revived!

The Woman Inspired "Get Revived" conference will take place next week and I'd love to "see" you there!
 
This is going to be an life-changing online event and I'm so honored to be speaking with the wonderful group of teachers, worship leaders, authors and bloggers that the team at WI has assembled. I'll be leading a session on Thursday morning of next week. My topic is "The Joy of Freedom." Othr speakers are presenting great topics like developing a spirit of gratitude, dealing wtih life's challenges and keeping our spiritual gas tanks full.

The conference runs March 15th-19th, 2010 - so there's only one week left to register! It's really affordable and you won't believe what you get for the money. What you can expect for a $12.95 ticket:

    * Live sessions, entirely online, with some of the Christian community's
most popular speakers and authors.
    * Ability to download all of the MP3's from all the sessions, as well as
handouts, chat logs, and presentations.
    * Participation in real-time question and answer sessions with all of your
favorite speakers.
    * Lots of downloadable swag as well as entries to win some great prizes!
    * Fellowship: make some new life-long friends and experience some fun and
fellowship.

Let me know if you sign up. I'd love to hear your feedback after the event. :)

Are You Cut Out to Work from Home?

As you may remember, I recently partnered up with Making Work at Home Work as a blogger.

Introducing The Work at Home Girls Let's face it: a lot of people want (and in some cases need) to set their own hours and work from home. Are you one of those people? What's stopping you? If you're serious about making money from home, you'll do what it takes - including investing in your own learning-either to get your company off to a strong start or to help you move to the next level more quickly. Work at Home Girls is designed to help you.

The Work at Home Girls is the brainchild of Jill Hart and Mary Byers, two successful work at home moms and authors. They've teamed up to offer help, ideas, challenges and mentorship from for women that work at home. Jill and Mary have over 20 years combined experience running a business from home. One is a techie (Jill, founder of Christian Work at Home Moms and author of So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom) and the other is a wordsmith (Mary, freelance editor and author of five books, including Making Work at Home Work).They've teamed up to share what they wish mentors had shared with them when they started their businesses over a decade ago. The Work at Home Girls share their Simple Secrets to make your business a SUCCESS -

Traits of Successful Work-at-Home Business Owners By Mary Byers and Jill Hart

While many people like the idea of working in their pajamas and having a minute-commute down the hallway, not everyone is cut out to work from home. Those who do so successfully have the following traits: Passion. It’s essential to love what you do and do what you love when working from home. Passion will keep you going even when the going gets tough, as it does in even the best of jobs. Self-Motivation. It’s important that you’re a self-starter, especially when you are your own boss. There’s no one to motivate you other than yourself when you are self-employed. Resourcefulness. Work -at-home CEOs aren’t just the head of the company, they ARE the company. That means being the janitor, the technology guru, the marketing manager, and the brains behind the operation. Often, this requires skills you don’t possess. But when you’re resourceful, you’ll be able to find the knowledge you need to keep your business moving forward. Confidence. It takes guts to run your own enterprise and confidence to manage it effectively. Though there will be times you experience self-doubt, overall you need to have the confidence that you can, and will, figure things out when you run into obstacles. Like this? Want more? Join the most recent teleseminars! * Making Your Business Work for You: How to Choose, Launch and Run a Winner (available soon as a download) * Realistic Expectations: What You Need to Know About Working from Home Successfully (available soon as a download) * Marketing Your Business Online (October 26) * The Business of Business: Rev Up Your Profit! (November 2) Work at Home Girls give you specifics, examples and personal business experience that you won't find anywhere else! Check them out today!