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Theta Mom®

Redefining Motherhood

Little Billies: A Reward System that Works

Little Billies was developed by busy mother of two, Sarah Dawson. When Sarah gave birth to her first child she believed in a positive parenting approach and was an avid reader of many different positive parenting books. However, she thought these books lacked the real tools needed for a parent to implement many of the suggested strategies, which caused her to think about how she could create a product that would fill this void. In 2006 when her son was only 18 months old, Little Billies was born.

Little Billies offers parents a tangible tool to assist them in teaching responsibility and time management skills to their children through a positive reward system that works. Some of my favorite products are the Morning and Bedtime Charts.

This is the PERFECT solution for you if you have a child that just doesn’t seem to get on the move in the morning or a child that needs some motivation at bedtime! These charts are designed to depict each task that is involved during the routines of morning and night. It will provide clear expectations for your child and each magnet not only displays the action but it included the words as well – so this is even helpful to young children who can understand the behavior by the picture on the magnet alone! 

The Morning and Evening Charts will really assist you in teaching your child responsibility, time management skills and even independence. And they are rewarded when they perform well! As each task is completed, your child simply slides the magnet from the “to-do list” area to the “task completed” area which helps them to understand what tasks still need to be completed to fulfill the chart. They also will feel a sense of accomplishment when each task is completed as they move that magnet over to the other side. There are tons of designs to choose from and I also love that Little Billies customizes each chart with your child’s name!

There are charts, materials and accessories to fit every need! There’s everything from charts specifically targeting Toilet Training to Daily Routine Charts. My son uses the Reward Chart including the 48 magnets. We initially integrated this into our routine when my son first started to play the Wii. He had to earn play time on the Wii and this chart worked beautifully. We now also use this Reward Chart for him to earn time to play on his beloved DS.

And of course, now is the perfect time to purchase because Sarah is giving a special discount to Theta Mom readers: 10% off your entire order! Enter the code THETAMOM at checkout. This fabulous offer is valid on any purchase now through February 28th.  To stay updated on the latest designs and future discounts, be sure to stay connected on Twitter.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. Little Billies is a proud sponsor of Theta Mom and I was compensated for this post. However, all opinions expressed are purely my own and the content of this post was not influenced in any way.

The Key to Social Media is Authenticity

My guest post today is the fantastic Missy from Wonder Friend. She recently attended Blissdom and has an amazing perspective to share here at TMC. This is the kind of post that will resonate with you and I know that every blogger who reads this will take away something valuable.

I recently attended Blissdom, where we talked social media and blogging for three days. And my husband attended Lotusphere 2011, where the theme was Get Social. Do Business.

My husband heard Kevin Spacey, Academy Award winner and producer of The Social Network talk about the role social media has played in his career. Years ago, he developed a web site where screenwriters and actors could collaborate and discuss. They didn’t call it social media then, but that’s what it was.

At Blissdom, I heard talented bloggers and business people talk about the power women wield in the realm of social media.

Clearly, we’re on to something here. Social media is not a passing fad. Any social media savvy blogger knows that now is the time to make your mark, to find your place.

But how?

Of all I learned at Blissdom, one of my biggest takeaways was this: the social media possibilities are like so many drops of rain. Sure, some of those possibilities are going to hit the ground and evaporate before you get to them. But it’s raining so hard that there are more than enough drops to fill your pail.

Let’s just pull three key words from that metaphor: fill your pail. Not her pail. Or hers. Or his. (There are some dudes in this game, too.)

As you walk along the beach, be sure that when looking left, right, behind you, and way, way out at sea, you can easily pick out your little pail. Be certain that you will know it by color, by the words surrounding it, by the content inside, by the pictures you use to decorate it.

Please, by all means, marvel and wonder and ooh and ahh over the other pails scattered on the beach. Examine the gorgeous shells in that one. And look at the giant castle created with this one. Run your fingers through the sand in another. But at the end of the day, the only pail you need to know inside and out is your own.

My pail looks nothing like yours and that is good news. Yours? Is amazing. You? Are amazing. But you are not me, and I am not you, and that’s exactly as it should be.

Your blog, and any other social media ventures, should be authentically you. Please do not write anything, sell anything, buy anything, comment on anything, post a photo or a video or a stick figure drawing that doesn’t fit you.

I think a lot of new bloggers, myself included, fall into the trap of grabbing every opportunity. When I saw bloggers I admired write a certain way, or join a network, or partner with a brand, I rushed to do the same without stopping to think: is this a fit for me, for my blog? Personally, I don’t regret my past choices, but I do know that I will approach things differently going forward.

To keep the metaphor going, we end up running around the beach, panicky, shoving our pail under the rain here… but maybe it’s falling harder over here… or maybe over there? Meanwhile, there’s plenty of rain falling back at that original spot. We just need to focus in order to catch it.

So let’s talk goals. If you know yourself, if you identify your passions, then it’s much easier to keep the focus needed to fill your pail. Sit down, think, write, daydream and brainstorm. Then do it again. Take your time. There is no deadline here.

Of course, feel free to give yourself a deadline if that’s how you work best, but do not – please, do not – create a deadline for the wrong reasons. Don’t do it because you must win a contest, you must get syndicated, you must earn advertising dollars, you must receive sponsorship, you must get hired.

All of those things are indeed the spoils of a social media savvy blogger. They are worthy goals. A brand partnership that works, a job in social media: these are fantastic things. And the social media savvy blogger knows that the key to achieving these things, these spoils, is authenticity.

Savvy social media is figuring out what your pail looks like and what you’re going to fill it with. Once you know that, the beach is yours.

Enjoy it.

Please send me an email if you are interested in guest posting at Theta Mom® for TMC Network. Full details can be found on the Network page.

On Motherhood in a Post 9/11 World

September 13, 2001: Back-to-School Night

Sitting alone in my elementary school classroom I was reviewing some notes for the full evening ahead. But it was impossible to concentrate since my mind couldn’t think about anything other than the devastating events that took place in our country two days prior.

My stomach hurt.

I still couldn’t eat.

And I was desperately trying to find the right words to say to the parents of the children that I stand before every single day.

I knew that night was about to be so much more than providing information regarding the curriculum, test scores and classroom expectations. Instead, it was going to be about humanity, our children and our community.

Parents soon arrived and filed into my classroom. One by one they entered and quietly took their seats. Usually there is a buzz of excitement surrounding this evening, the idea of embarking on a new school year…but, that was not the case on September 13, 2001.

For the first time in my life I wasn’t sure how to begin that presentation. I’ve done it for a few years very successfully but I was standing before a very emotionally charged classroom full of parents who were all trying to fight back tears – and so was I.

We were a nation at war; a country devastated.

We were a heartbroken community and school-district in mourning, having lost many parents…

I looked around my classroom at every face staring back at me and I saw their own children in their eyes. Mothers were crying and fathers were somber, still in a state of shock.

Wearing my new black suit, I slowly moved toward the PowerPoint and turned it off. I folded the note cards that were in my hands on the desk in front of me and began to speak the only way I knew how – from my heart.

To this day, I couldn’t tell you exactly what I said – but what I do remember is that I connected with every parent in that classroom that night. I spoke the truth – honestly telling them that I was also having a difficult time grappling with how to answer the many questions that the children were asking me.

I couldn’t fully explain to third graders why other human beings would want to fly planes and crash them into buildings. I couldn’t find the right words to comfort a 9 year-old girl who didn’t understand why her best friend’s father didn’t come home that day.

I couldn’t answer many of the questions they were asking because I didn’t have the answers myself.

But what I did know was that part of my job was to ensure that they felt SAFE in my classroom; that they felt comfortable enough to know that we could talk about anything that was on their mind because this was our new reality and we would be exploring this new landscape, together.

————————————————————————————————————————

Fast forward to February 2011 as I stand not before a classroom full of parents  but in front of a sink full of dishes when my five year-old son approached me.

Holding SpongeBob in one hand and a juice box in the other he asked,

“Mommy…what’s a terrorist?”

That question brought me right back to the days of trying to find the right words to help a classroom full of young children understand this very complex issue.

I answered it the only way I know how – again, from my heart.

I want what we all want for our kids – for them to be productive citizens of this country; to have an appreciation for our freedoms and gratitude for the men and women who risk their own lives to keep us safe; and an understanding, awareness and respect for other cultures so that we can live together happily, peacefully.

As devastating and at times scary as this post 9/11 world has become, I am comforted in knowing that my son is part of a new generation – hopefully, one that will get this thing right.

Featured TMC Blogger: A Day in Mollywood

TMC welcomes Molly, author of the blog A Day in Mollywood. Molly is one of those bloggers you will love the moment you visit her site. Not only is her blog beaming with all kinds of eye candy, it’s full of meaningful content. Her story is one that you must read and she is blogger I really hope you take the time to visit and get to know. Here is how she describes her blog in her own words:

“My blog is a fictitious land that I refer to as Mollywood. Why Mollywood? Well, because I have always had a flair for the dramatic. And Hollywood seems like the birthplace of drama. And my name is Molly so I squeezed out the letter H, added the letter M and up popped the best little blog ever. Okay, maybe not ever.

I started my blog a little over four years ago. I started writing short stories and poetry when I was six-years-old and although I tried, I never lost my passion for the written word. I filled countless journals throughout my teenage and young adult years. Although I have a journalism degree and a master’s in literature my full-time career does not involve writing. I think that’s why I started blogging. To fill the creative void. But it did so much more than that. Blogging has connected me to a community filled with so many strong women with amazing stories to share.

I write honestly about my busy life as a working mom to two beautiful boys. Landon is 2.5-years-old and Brigham is 9-months-old. And no, we didn’t plan to have kids that close in age. But what was the biggest surprise of our lives also turned out to be the biggest blessing.

Most days I’m smitten with motherhood. It’s everything I never knew I wanted. Then there are the days where mac & cheese and an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse will have to do. Hey, nobody’s perfect. Mollywood certainly reflects those imperfections. I want it to be that comfy, cozy blog that can make you smile and cry in one post. If you have ever found yourself crying in the card aisle of the pharmacy than you will probably want to subscribe.

One of the most difficult blog decisions I have made was to go public about my struggles with bipolar II disorder. It hasn’t been easy to turn myself inside out and pour my truth onto the pages of a public forum. But I see no reason to sugar coat this part of my life. Remaining silent won’t help anyone. I choose to be loud about living with mental illness because if I can help just one person. If I could hold their hand and whisper, “Just hold on one more day. The pain will subside. I know because I’ve been there.” Then sharing the pain will have been worth it. I want people to know that they CAN live a happy and successful life with bipolar disorder.

So, take the tour of Mollywood and if you like what you see I hope you’ll follow me on my journey. Enjoy the detour!”

Be sure to check out the blog and follow her on Twitter!

New to TMC? Join us! We LOVE new members!

*To be considered as a Featured TMC Blogger, be sure to comment on this week’s feature! Have a great weekend ladies!

In a Heartbeat

1999.

I was just a kid out of college working my very first “real” job and my boss called me into her office. I nervously opened the door and saw her talking on the phone. She motioned for me to come toward her desk.

Strangely, she looked somber. Awkward. She stopped talking and handed me the phone.

“It’s your mother.”

I grabbed the phone and wondered why on earth she would be calling me at the office. After listening to some of the scariest news of my life, I handed the receiver back to my boss.

“My dad,” I began…

“Had a massive heart attack. He needs open heart surgery, tonight.”

My boss hung up the phone, grabbed my hand and looked me straight in the eye as I held back the tears. She said, “Heather, he will be just fine. They do this every.single.day.”

With that exchange I left her office, packed up some of my belongings from my desk and drove two hours to the hospital to see my father.

All I wanted to do was see his face.

All I wanted to do was tell him I love him.

All I wanted to do was reassure him that he was going to get through this. That we were going to get through this.

Once at the hospital and seeing my father being prepped for surgery I didn’t have time to fully process what was really happening. My entire family surrounded him at the foot of his bed.

We talked.

We tried to crack jokes. We smiled nervously and we prayed as we waited for him to be wheeled into the Operating Room.

In the midst of this drama I was desperately trying to reach my boyfriend. Earlier that morning he said he was going to try and make it to the hospital to be there with me, at least in time to see my dad before he was wheeled in.

I sat in front of those elevator doors for hours, watching them slowly open and close with no sign of him. I envisioned him running toward me with a bundle of flowers, whisking me right into his arms and reassuring me that this was going to be ok.

But I never received my bundle of flowers that day.

Nor did he ever show…

As my father remained in the Operating Room for hours, my family and I paced the floor, drank tons of coffee, quietly held hands and prayed. At one point, I stepped away to call my boyfriend once more to see if maybe, just maybe he was on his way at that late hour.

His roommate answered. He told me my boyfriend was at a bar drinking with some of his buddies and not sure when he would return.

I hung up the phone.

It was over.

Soon later we received word that my father’s surgery was successful but nothing could have prepared me for the way he looked as we saw him for the first time in the ICU. I saw tons of tubes strapped around his body hooked to different machines making all sorts of noises. His neck, throat and mouth were also covered in tubes and his eyes were closed. Nobody should ever have to see a loved one in that kind of state and nobody should have to endure that kind of pain.

As I stood beside his bed, I told him that I loved him…and I managed to tell him that it was over with my boyfriend.

I swear, I think I saw my father smile as I spoke those words…

To this day, my father will tell you that everything in life happens for a reason; he truly believes he was meant to have open-heart surgery to show me that I was with the wrong man. He told me that his heart was not the only heart that was saved that day – mine was, too.

And you know what?

He’ll tell you even to this day that if he had to do it all over again for his little girl, he would.

In a heartbeat.