Different Perspectives and Opinions are Okay
I recently saw a post made by an author I enjoy on her social media page. The picture was of her grand-daughter, holding a copy of Becoming by Michelle Obama, smiling, after a visit to a bookstore.
The comments on that post made me so very sad. I am not a political person, and I obviously don't know Obama personally, but I devoured her book last summer. I even went into hesitantly because I will admit I was not the greatest fan of the Obama administration. This book is all about empowering young women. Yes, she speaks of race relations, because it is from her perspective. It would be like me trying to tell my story without referring to the mountains I love so much.
I'm not defending the book, though. What really bothered me was that the author was attacked because her readers had different views. It saddens me to think that we live in a world where we feel like it's ok to attack somebody we've never met, just for a different opinion. If I've learned anything this last year (and I've learned a lot), it is that we often learn the most when we are uncomfortable, and usually it is from someone who has had a different experience than us. I'm not speaking solely on race here. It could be someone from a different socioeconomic background, a different generation, a different religion. As an individual who lives in an area where a lot of the people look and sound like me, I want to explore the perspectives of people who may not think like me and who may not experience life like I do. I'd like to challenge you, if you are reading this, to do the same.
Stress in Our Kids
Mental health awareness is increasingly important. Mental health disorders occur across the lifespan, in all ethnicities, regardless of gender and socioeconomic status. Historically, a stigma made mental health taboo to talk about, and I think it is something that we must confront. It is often a difficult conversation, but one that is needed. We must learn to be vulnerable with one another.
With that being said, I snapped this pic on vacation recently at Myrtle Beach. Mel and Caleb had stopped to look at the pop-it toys.. but the words "stress relief toys" caught my eye. I just think it's sad that we need to market stress relief toys. I hope that if you have a little one you will teach them about their emotions and model positive coping strategies, especially if you see anxiety, which is increasingly more common in our kids. And also, give grace! To them! To yourself! To the person who just cut you off in traffic!
Also... I never thought of a slinky as a stress related toy... but I must admit it is pretty relaxing to sit and watch one slink down a set of stairs...
Life Hack- Sunscreen on makeup brushes
My sister Holly shared a video of this life hack and it honestly was genius. I can remember Caleb HATING sunscreen, and I know that he isn't alone. I don't know if it is because they have to stand still, or they are just dying to get in the water, but I've never seen a kid who doesn't squirm and whine and cry as you try to rub in the sunscreen. Use the spray on and it may or may not cover as it should, or gets in their eyes.
So this genius hack showed a Mom putting the sunscreen on a makeup brush and then using the brush to rub it in. The kid seemed a little more agreeable, but maybe just because she was on video? Anyway, may be worth a try if you have littles.
I'll also make a statement here about sunscreen. I never used sunscreen until a couple of years ago, but when I turned 40 I knew I needed to start being smart because I'd be aging. I use Neutrogena on my face and I discovered (thanks to several recommendations on Facebook by my friends) Sunbum. I love the smell of it, and it doesn't feel gritty. I'm sharing a link from Amazon, which surprisingly has both the body sunscreen and the Neutrogena I use on my face, just as if they knew what I just typed =)
Click here to protect your skin!
What I Read this Week
No pic of a book stack this week because one book was on my Kindle and one had to be returned to the library. Come back at the beginning of next month to get reviews on: 1. The Dutch House 2. Characters of Christmas (yes, a Christmas in July read!) 3. Giver of the Stars (I can't wait to review this one!)
Have a blessed week, friends! Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what's going on in your neck of the woods in the comments. What are you pondering about? What are you loving right now? And as always, what are you reading?
No comments:
Post a Comment