Blog Entries for nikkik

Working from home has its perks . . . and pitfalls

nikkik — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Most women dream of being able to somehow juggle work and family, and with technology's help, the dream is becoming a reality for many. The internet has made it possible to work from home within a variety of fields, such as medical billing, retail (think eBay and other online storefronts), journalism, photography, and the list goes on. While working from home certainly makes it possible for women and men alike to avoid daycare, commuting, and other work-related costs, there are also [...]

BABIES Film

nikkik — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The March For Babies event on April 24th in downtown Vancouver was a great experience for all! Now, with the fundraising walk over, a new March of Dimes event is coming our way:

The BABIES Are Coming!

In celebration of March for Babies, the March of Dimes is excited to announce a national partnership with the new Focus Features' movie BABIES!

BABIES open [...]

March For Babies Kickoff!

nikkik — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Vancouver Family Magazine is proud to be a media sponsor for March of Dimes. The March For Babies event is coming up, here's the kickoff video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3pNdoW-xV0

Question for Expectant and Experienced Moms

nikkik — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

What women hear about labor and childbirth before they experience it shapes their view of the experience, for better or for worse. As a woman, do you think it is more beneficial for expectant mothers to be verbally "prepared" by experienced mothers for the intensity of labor by hearing the raw reality (ex: "It is the most PAINFUL thing you'll EVER experience. EVER!), or by hearing it in softer ways (ex: it's difficult but . . . ). I'm fascinated by how the culture of c [...]

Breastfeeding article

nikkik — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Yet another reason to breastfeed:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-26-breastfeeding-neglect_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

The great thing about this article is that the author goes out of her way to make sure non-breastfeeding parents are not viewed as less than.

Foster Parents: Thank you

nikkik — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0100

I have few yet vivid memories of some of the foster teens my parents took in when I was a preschooler. One of them was a fun-loving African American girl who made us laugh by impersonating the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. Another stole our car. Nevertheless, overall, even my parents agree that it was a good experience for our family. Later, I would marry a man raised in part by foster parents, so, needless to say, I have great respect and admiration for foster parents.

I have a [...]

How did I ever live without . . .

nikkik — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0100

. . . wet wipes? Before our babies were born, I never bought wet wipes. I rarely even used paper towels. Rags and towels, it seemed, were all we really needed to clean up the occassional mess. Then our first daughter was born, and along with the obvious necessity of changing diapers, wet wipes came in very handy for all the new messes that turned up. I'll save readers the gory descriptions of bodily fluids, but you mommies and daddies know exactly what types of messes I'm referring to. N [...]

Birth Order

nikkik — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0100

I'm the oldest of seven children - all from the same set of parents who are still married! Over the years, it's been interesting to observe how each of my siblings' personalities have developed, and I've always wondered how much of their tendencies (and my won) are shaped by birth order. I certainly believe that my own position as first born has affected my outlook and habits. For example, without older siblings to look up to, I mostly look to my parents for "approval&quo [...]

Free Range Kids

nikkik — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Just finished the book Free Range Kids, by Lenore Skenazy. You may remember Ms. Skenazy as the mom dubbed "America's Worst Mom" after allowing her 9-year-old son to ride the New York subway alone. Well, she's defended her choice by asserting that when we deprive children of all independence and exploration opportunities, we're stunting their development and growth as people. Remember, we're raising adults here, not children. Of course, there's a fine line b [...]

Prize winning birth videos

nikkik — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0100

I recently received the following press release:

Back in February, a nonprofit in Richmond, Virginia announced an international contest: make the best video about childbirth on YouTube, and win $1000, $500, or $100. The goals were modest: maybe we'd get a handful of amateur videos about birth.

The contest drew inquiries and entries from all over the world.. Ricki [...]

Marriage is NOT obsolete!

nikkik — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Believe it or not, a cynical article I read the other day claims to the contrary:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31452178/ns/today_relationships//

What do you think?

Funny Stay-at-Home Dad video

nikkik — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

In doing research on Stay-at-Home Dads (SAHDs) for an upcoming article in Vancouver Family Magazine, I came across a hilarious tribute to those guys who put career on hold to raise their kiddos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmWp-rI6vSw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmemoirsofastayathomedad%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2009
%2F03%2Finteresting%2Dstay%2Dat%2Dhome%2Ddad%2Dstatistics%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

Consignment Heaven

nikkik — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100

I've never seen so many pregnant women and babies in one place at one time. This last weekend I attended the Just Between Friends giant consignment sale at the Portland Expo Center. I was there as an exhibitor for Vancouver Family Magazine, so I got to witness the event almost from start to finish. As a resale and consignment junkie myself (buying, not selling - my kids are so hard on clothes that it's a miracle if they grow out of them without destroying them), the huge hall full of [...]

Learning Labor Young

nikkik — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0100

"Let's play doctor!" my daughters, Madison (6) and Chloe (3) exclaimed in tandem. Ever since we bought them a cheap doctor kit for Christmas, you'd think they were pre-meds. I acquiesced and they took their place on my "operating table" (i.e. my bed).

Both were equipped with their baby dolls, which led to the girls pretending they were having babies. Recognizing this as a teaching moment, and the beginning of shaping their perception of childbirth, I p [...]

Moms in the Media

nikkik — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0100

As I write this, I'm watching the new show on ABC called "In the Motherhood." I'm not a big TV connoisseur, so I'm watching it online several days after its premier. I must say, I'm pretty blown away by how "real" moms are portrayed. I mean, Cheryl Hines taking one look inside her house after work and turning her back on her unruly kids to go have drinks with friends instead of coming home to the fam? Please. I gotta admit that Megan Mullaly's ch [...]

Baby Wearing

nikkik — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:00:00 +0100

When my first daughter was born in 2003, baby wearing hadn't come into fashion quite yet. My mom gave me an older wrap-sling to carry her in, but I was too embarrassed to wear it, and so I was left without the great benefits of baby wearing. Thankfully, I was able to make use of more than one great sling while my younger daughter was small. In fact, every once in a while, Chloe (age 3) still wants to snuggle in it.

The benefits of baby wearing are intuitive; Moms-on-the-go ge [...]

Stay-At-Home Survival Guide

nikkik — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Mothers who choose to leave their career to raise their children are often faced with unique and difficult challenges, including isolation, a loss of identity, and boredom. However, they're also blessed with wonderful rewards reaped by their efforts, such as valuable teaching moments with their children, and freedom from workplace stressors. A recent book I read addresses the good and the bad of the life of a SAHM. The author, a woman who left a successful magazine career to stay home wit [...]

Another baby? We disagree.

nikkik — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:00:00 +0100

My husband and I disagree on whether or not to have another baby. We've got two beautiful girls, ages 5 and 2, and I'd like to add one more to our brood. But my husband has no interest. I really do believe that if we found out we were pregnant right now that he would be very happy and excited, but he's not going to do it "on purpose." He even half-jokes about getting a vascectomy! I'm definitely not ready for that yet. Thankfully, we're not to a point wher [...]

Nap Wars

nikkik — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I think my youngest daughter has outgrown naps. The last couple of nights, she has been wide awake come bedtime. I remember this struggle with my oldest daughter. She would fight naps so I stopped making her take one, but then she would fall asleep late in the afternoon, wake up at her regular bedtime, and be wide awake until 10 or 11 pm, robbing my husband and me of our "wind-down" time before we hit the hay ourselves, and making her very tired the next day from getting to bed so l [...]

"Being Dad" Documentary - Must See!

nikkik — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:00:00 +0100

The other night I watched a wonderful new documentary called Being Dad. The tagline, "40 Dads - 6 Experts - 9 months - 80 minutes" pretty much sums it up well. A father to be, in an attempt to learn more about the new journey upon which he will soon embark, sits down with dads all over the country and learns all about what it's like during pregnancy, delivery, and parenting. The guys talk candidly about everything from sex during pregnancy, to miscarriage, to premature labor, to [...]