This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my nephew's eighth grade graduation. I can't even begin to describe to you guys how proud I was of his accomplishment. You see, his academic road has not been an easy one and, as a result, reaching this milestone is even more significant. As I sat proudly in the audience, I couldn't help thinking how this rite of passage was indicative of all of his hard work and determination. Let me tell you a little about my nephew… He is the oldest of three siblings who are being raised by a single mother, my sister. Although she works very hard to provide her three boys with everything that they need, the reality is that she struggles to make ends meet financially. With very little help from his father, she has had to step into both the mother and the father role for her boys. During this academic year, my nephew has struggled with bringing up some failing grades and the competition that exists in middle school to have … [Read more...]
Make Sure Your Kids Are Healthy And Safe This Summer! #HealthyCampers @MinuteClinic #Ad
*I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for Minute Clinic and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own. Now that the month of June has begun, my sons are looking forward to finishing school and starting their summer vacation. This will be an important time for them to enjoy the warm weather and to spend quality family time together. I also realize, however, that it is crucial that I make sure they are healthy and safe during these months as they prepare to engage in physical and outdoor activities. Some kids will be attending day camp or sleep away camp and it's important that they be deemed physically fit to participate in all camp activities. Our boys love to play sports so they will be playing basketball and enjoying the outdoors. Even if your child's camp or sports team doesn't require it, it is important to make sure that your kids are healthy enough to take … [Read more...]
From The Mouths Of Babes… #YoureDoingOkMom #Ad
*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with JOHNSON’S® Baby and Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions are 100% mine. Ever since I found out that I was going to become a mother, I worried over whether I would be able to do a good job. After all, being a mom could possibly be the most important role of a woman's life. Unfortunately, however, parenting does not come with a handbook and children certainly don't come with instructions. I love being a mom but, like most moms, I often wonder if I'm even doing this whole parenting thing right. Luckily, my boys seem to think that I am the cat's pajamas and they remind me on a daily basis that I'm doing a great job after all. I asked my eight year old son what I'm really great at and his response included, "Giving me hugs, taking care of me, scratching my back, and making sure my clothes are clean." The old saying is so true, "From the mouths of babes…" Who knew that scratching his back every … [Read more...]
Make Driving Safely A Family Affair! #VamosConCuidado @Allstate #Ad
*I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for Latina Mom Bloggers on behalf of the Allstate Foundation and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own. This June, my oldest is turning eleven years old and I am bracing myself to address some of the changes that will arise due to his being a tween and eventually a teenager. Believe it or not, he is already asking me about when he will be able to drive and it is definitely a topic that I am apprehensive about because I understand the safety concerns that are involved with teen drivers. Many years ago, my teenage cousin was driving his parents and sister home from a family gathering when he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed. He and his father died in the accident and his mother and sister spent weeks recovering in the hospital. Due to this traumatic incident, I have always been afraid of the day that my own sons would finally get … [Read more...]
Unspoken Truths About Parenthood…
Last night, I took my family to the movies to see the new Captain America movie. My husband and I had planned it all week and I waited with my boys for Hubby to get home from work so we could head out to the multiplex. We were all looking forward to this outing and we chatted excitedly in the car on the way over there. To add to our excitement, I had picked up my nephew that afternoon and he was accompanying us to see the film. As usual, we were running a few minutes late and arrived at the theater just in time to quickly purchase our tickets and head to find some good seats while the coming attractions were playing on the screen. About ten minutes into the movie a couple walked in with a stroller containing an infant and two toddlers in tow. They proceeded to sit right near us and, I have to admit, I predicted that bringing such young children to the movies would not turn out well for them or for the rest of us who were trying to watch the movie. Sure enough, one of … [Read more...]
I’m Done Trying-The Mother In Law Chronicles
Since becoming a mother, my perspective on a lot of things has changed considerably. I suppose bringing new life into the world has its ways of shuffling your priorities. It's no secret that I have never had a close relationship with my Mother In Law. I'm not going to get into the reasons why this is so, all you have to do is type "Mother In Law" into this blog's search and you will learn all about our rocky history. The sad part is that my last post a few years ago was actually hopeful after a surprise visit where everyone got along... Unfortunately, she has been an absentee grandmother in my sons' lives and the good feelings were short lived. To be fair to her, she lives 12 hours away in another state and does not come to New York City very often. On the other hand, as a mother, I cannot even fathom how maintaining contact with her grandsons is not more of a priority for her. There really is no excuse with all of the technology that is available to keep in touch even … [Read more...]
Get The Facts About RSV! #ABCsofRSV #Ad
*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with MedImmune and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions expressed are my own. This past week, both of my boys were sick at the same time. My younger son suffers from asthma and allergies and often gets bronchitis during the winter months. On the other hand, my older son's asthma is moderate but he managed to pick up a bug at school and got sick with a throat infection. As a mother, it is extremely frustrating to know that my sons are not feeling well and to not be able to make them feel better right away. It was all I could do to stifle tears as the doctor described to me how sick they were. One of the best ways to protect our children is to educate ourselves on the dangers that exist that could potentially pose a threat to their health. By arming ourselves with knowledge, we can make sure that we take every possible precaution to keep them from getting sick. Unfortunately, Hispanic babies have an increased … [Read more...]
Teach Your Kids To Go For The Gold! #NetflixKids #StreamTeam @Netflix #Ad
*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Netflix. As a member of the Netflix Stream Team, I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. This winter, my family and I have been enjoying watching the Olympic Games at Sochi. It has been very exciting to see my two boys observing the competition and supporting their favorite athletes. These moments have opened the door to initiate important conversations with them about such topics as inspiration, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Since both of our sons play basketball and other sports competitively, we are aware of the positive lessons that children learn through participating in organized sports. Additionally, we appreciate the positive impact that playing sports has on their self-esteem and confidence. Here are some of the conversation starters that my husband and I used to elicit family discussions with our boys while watching the olympic action: What are some of the character traits that … [Read more...]
Tips For Planning A Dinner Out With The Family! @RedLobster #BestLobsterFest #Ad
*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Being Latino and Red Lobster. However, all opinions expressed are my own. One of my favorite things to do with my family is to go out to dinner. Due to our busy schedules, we plan regular dinner dates to reconnect with one another and to enjoy each other's company. My boys really like going out to eat and I also use the opportunity to reinforce good table manners as well as the proper way to behave when out in public. We enjoy frequenting some of our favorite restaurants during these dinners and one of the restaurants at the top of our list is Red Lobster. Having grown up in a fishing town in Spain, I know what good seafood tastes like and I like to enjoy it with my husband and my boys. Now that Red Lobster's Lobsterfest event is back, we can enjoy some our favorite lobster selections from their new and classic dishes. In addition to guest favorites like Lobster Lover’s Dream® and the Ultimate Feast®, there are three new … [Read more...]
