My Journey to 50! - Changing Looks

If you’re like me, you’re features make you an enigma. People are always questioning my age, which is a compliment. However, I know the truth because I’ve seen me from the beginning to now.

Another key thing to consider on My Journey to 50 is the expectation of changing looks. Women, especially have a challenge in this area because we hear it more so than men. Who cares what other people think about your maturing looks?

Embrace who you are today and find ways to appeal to YOURSELF. I’m finding my way now just like I did as a teen. Peer pressure, trends and outside influences are always coming! I’m preparing by feeling good in my own skin, such as it is. Lol.

Let’s embrace this Speed of Life thing together!

True beauty is only possible when the inside is healthy, intact and positive…

Supplemental Learning – Follow Up at Home with Great Tools

It’s never been a secret that parents participate in home education activities, where their children are concerned. Although homeschool techniques are becoming more and more popular in mainstream society, this has always been the case in families.

Parents provide students with supplemental education for public school study. This is true whether the subject is math or history. If you’ve ever helped with homework or purchased study materials, you’re a home educator.

As your child grows and develops, they will likely require additional resources in this category. Online resources, such as programs from ABCMouse.com are terrific for those between the ages of 2 and 8.

These are tools that enhance the learning process and sparks interest in different subjects. It is possible to achieve these academic goals from home:

• Games Building Eye-Hand Coordination
• Stories to Develop Reading Comprehension
• Puzzles that Increase Mathematical Abilities
• Topical Studies for Context Referrals

Finding online resources that are effective and budget-friendly is possible with a bit of research. Parents with multiple children can actually purchase products that are unique. Any of these that build internet skills will be helpful for the future.


The more you are able to supplement the learning process, the easier it will be to prepare for increasing grade level work.

Setting Good Examples for Kids – Inspire the Future

There’s no rule stating that you have to be a perfect example as a parent. In fact, it’s virtually impossible to do so. Your goal, however, should be setting an example that inspires your kids’ future choices.

This could involve sharing your mistakes and successes. Children of different ages have the capacity to understand a great deal. It’s up to us to find easy applications and lessons that relate to daily life.

Young kids can learn from your suggestion to not run without looking. This is a simple lesson that makes sense right where they are. Older kids are sponges for good examples, too.

Sharing why it’s important to stand up for your beliefs may be a broad stance. Inserting lessons specific to you can be truly helpful.

Adopting a Healthy Diet

Kids watch what you do! If you tell them to eat healthy, you’d better be a good example for this, as well. it doesn’t matter whether you are choosing veggies sticks over chips or a salad over a burger.

Parents who adopt healthy diets are setting an example to their kids. Discussions about reasonable choices are good methods for starting the conversation.

Budgeting for Purchases

Relaying the importance of living on a budget to your children could be challenging. A 5-year old understands the correlation between good behavior and getting a sought after toy.

This same child can also learn how to reserve something now for a later date. Tweens and teens are ready for budgeting on a large or small scale. Start with tracking where their allowance goes each month.

Being a Good Friend

Many of our grandparents encouraged us to be a good friend, if we were looking for a good friend. This isn’t a dated message. Showing this through real life examples, parents can explain the efforts they take as a friend.

Sharing these experiences and motivations, at your child’s learning level can help. This like all important things will take time, but can impact the future. Sites, such as Cleverly Changing offer parents an opportunity to not only learn from previous mistakes.

It is possible to visit this site and gain budgeting, parenting, product selections and healthy living tips. These areas are terrific considerations for adopting good examples.

Remember that these are not simply individual lifestyle choices, but ways to model and inspire how our kids may live in the future.

Let's Talk About Race!

Racial tensions are very high in many portions of the country today. The undertones involving race are hidden in conversation. Popular culture, whether it be movies or television try to tackle the issue. In some instances, there are very attempts and the sparking of conversation. The movie The Help or The Butler are terrific examples of these attempts.

One of the primary issues of race is that REAL conversations are not going on regularly. People of different races, friends, co-workers and acquaintances often tip-toe around the issue. It's uncomfortable to display sensitivity, especially if you're a minority. Those in the majority tend to feel that there are explosive topics to run away from, which leads to ignoring race.

Years ago we participated in a monthly discussions that focused on race and the difficult topics. The goal of this happy dinner time was to search for ways to reconcile where racial issues are concerned. Each person no matter their race was able to speak and share. This type of conversation is few and far between. I wish we were more brave when it comes to getting to know each other better.

Great Ideas to Steer the Race Conversation:

* Regular Discussion Groups
* Focused Blog Posts
* Mixed Race Dinner Dates
* Online Focus Groups

Black Girls & Education

In previous articles, I’ve discussed some of the misconceptions related to race and education. Black girls in America have a lot to overcome when it comes to succeed in certain areas. Many people would be surprised to discover exactly what these girls are thinking about their own futures. I would imagine that the answers they’d find, would not fit their image of these girls.
education by Black girls in America.

Through a series of interviews, I’ve been able to scratch the surface on some of these topics. We all know that children are our future, as well as, the future of our country. Relying on them to propel the country, means investing in them now. Let’s take a look at some things that are being focused on about
 academically. Those that manage to find the key to making better grades, usually continue to do so.

Connecting with teachers

Teachers can either help or hinder students today. Having a good relationship with your educators is a tool for success. Black girls in many segments of the country are looking for ways to make this connection. It is important that teachers meet them in this process, so that both can achieve their goal in education.

Maintaining good gradesThese girls understand that the bulk of the responsibility for good grades falls to them. Not all Black girls have the encouragement that they need at home. This presents a struggle for them, in their pursuit of excelling