CONSCIOUS PARENTING
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2 Science Experiments for Toddlers
My daughter is obsessed with science, she has been since she came out the womb. As the child of immigrants, we were probably going to steer her in that direction eventually but it’s really nice that she got there on her own accord. Every chance she gets she is begging to experiment. Recently on an unseasonably warm day that seemed to be made for toddlers and science outdoors, we made a day of it. The hippie in me has always wanted to homeschool my daughter so I make a habit of turning everything I can into a lesson plan. If we were going to do some toddler science we were…
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Sustainable Luxury | Build your own sustainability starter kit
In an alternate universe in another life, I’ll own a specialty, specialty store that only sells earth tone zero-waste essentials. I’ll read your palm or your tea leaves and glean exactly what you need for your own personalized sustainability starter kit. Till I step through the appropriate Stargate in order to make that happen I’ll just continue to build my own, and share what I’ve learned. I’ve scoured the internet and stared longingly at premade bundles of sustainable essentials, but they either cost more than I care to spend, don’t support my color story or they don’t have everything I want. As with all things, the key to building your…
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Coney Island Beach is packed visit these NYC Beaches instead
My idea of paradise is living within walking distance to the beach. NYC made up of a series of islands is full of beaches. My childhood home is a mere fifteen-minute train ride to the closest beach. This year I realized that as much as I needed recharging from the hustle and bustle of NYC, I didn’t make it to the beach nearly as much as I wanted. Realizing I’ve kept myself from my happy place, for thirty years just because the mode of transport that would get me to one of these NYC beaches in 15 minutes was not my feet alone. So this year I an effort to…
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How to become an Instagram influencer? What I learned from traveling with influencers
If there’s one thing I can say about Instagram its that Instagram is a great uniter. It’s the one social network, that has lead me to find MY people. Women who inspire me to be both a better woman and mother. This virtual community of super moms has given me the push I need to listen to my own voice. A few of these epic mamas are certified Family Travel Instagram Influencers with followings in the tens of thousands and a digital reach into the millions. I’ve been lucky enough to have the pleasure of meeting and subsequently traveling with a few of these women this year, and my mind…
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Fun things to do in NYC with your friends and your Friends kids
Let’s face it, becoming a parent is hard, becoming a parent before all your friends do is even harder. Since giving birth my friends have (quite shamelessly) replaced their love for me with the love of my daughter. In an effort to still get invited with them on outings I’ve pretty much scoured the NYC for fun things to do that I can entice both them and my daughter with. The following activities have kept a room full of toddlers thoroughly entertained as well as left parents raving. It’s so nice to know that there are fun things to do in NYC for both your adult best friends and the…
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I want to travel the world with my family
People ask me all the time why I want to travel the world with my family and if they have a moment, I tell them about my in-laws. They have the cutest relationship, my mother in law was raised in Benin, West Africa where the official language is French. My father in law, on the other hand, was raised in Nigeria, a neighboring country in West Africa where the official language is English. Neither of them speaks the other language, they converse solely in their tribal tongue of Yoruba. Their children speak a mixture of three languages to varying degrees in addition to all the other languages they know. My…
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Being a Mother | How to Discipline a Toddler
My mother ruled with an iron fist, because her mother ruled with an iron fist and so on and so on since the beginning of time. In the Caribbean culture tiny people are to be seen and not heard. Crushed into model citizens. This never worked for me and decades of therapy make it easier to live my life outside of that hurt. Yet there are some days in the mire and trenches of motherhood where I’m tempted to act off of instinct, and not learned behavior. A few days ago after one of THOSE mornings sprinkled throughout motherhood. Noon said “mommy I don’t like you.” Devoid of the sass…
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Travelling Essentials | Best Travel Clothes for Women Travelling with Kids
When travelling as a mom it’s easy to put yourself last especially after precision packing the bags of tiny humans but choosing the right clothes to travel in, is one of the easiest ways to ensure a smooth travel experience. Think flip flops to the airport is a good idea, well not so much when you have to stand on line at security barefoot bouncing a screaming tiny human while getting a full body pat-down will change your mind real quick. The best travel clothes for women travelling with kids is is the clothing that lets your body breath and prevents you from having to pull or adjust it while…
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Being a Mother | Toxic Family Members
In the Caribbean toxic family members are a rite of passage. Family functions are filled with innuendo and compliments hidden deep within disdain.Children are raised to believe this way of being was the norm, that their elders know best and that toxic family members have thier best interest at heart. This My entire childhood was split between two houses three blocks apart. Every year around holiday time my mom would dress us up and we’d make the trek to the first house, nothing was in order nothing was planned but it was full of love. My mother filled her lungs with laughter and smiled till her cheeks hurt. She sang…
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SUSTAINABLE CITY | NYC Subway with Toddler Stroller
There are plenty of things to do in NYC with a toddler, in any season, after all this is the city that never sleeps. Master the NYC subway with a toddler stroller and unlock the hidden gems of the city. Many people come to New York during the holidays but New Yorkers aren’t at our best till its shorts season. Being locked up inside during the summer with a toddler is an evil I wish upon no mother, so I’ve comprised this list of ways to tackle the NYC Subway with a stroller. I like to walk most places but the lure of a free music festival or beach trip…