Wednesday, June 29, 2016

BrightBod Connects Women Who Have The Same Health Concerns

I recently found a nice resource for women who share similar health concerns. BrightBod helps women with Menopause, Depression and Cancer (as well as women who have eating disorders) connect immediately with each other for support though Video Conferences. AND IT'S FREE!

The following is a letter from a BrightBod client:

"I highly recommend signing up for free at BrightBod.com. I suggest signing up and looking around for a few minutes. Here is my experience:

I'm in my 30's, which, I always thought was far too young to begin Menopause. Yet, I had issues, which were commonly thought to be symptoms of Menopause. Could this actually be Menopause? At such a young age? How was I supposed to know?

I recognize that one of the symptoms of Menopause is hot flashes; however, I've always had hot flashes. I understand that another symptom is difficulty sleeping, but, again, I've always had difficulty sleeping. Further, any time, I've had vaginal dryness, I've always used a topical and been completely fine.

I had questions, but I didn't really think it was necessary to speak with a Doctor about this. I hoped it wasn't necessary, but didn't have any experience and didn't really know. If my body was changing, it was happening very gradually.

I really wanted to talk with other women. Not type anonymous posts, but actually talk. After speaking with a group of women, I knew I would have my answer.

The fact is, I went to BrightBod.com and got much more than just answers; yes, I got answers to my questions, but I also got support, and consequently, ended up with hope too! BrightBod.com is a FREE full health services website, which connects women who have Menopause (as well as other Women's Health concerns), so we can have video conferences with each other, for free.

I signed up, selected "My Avatar" and designated "Menopause" as my medical condition. I was able to have a free video chat with another woman, who also selected "Menopause," whom I had never met before, and was able to talk freely and listen to her insights.

In addition, BrightBod.com has a video conference Support Group for Menopause. In other words, instead of talking with another woman one-on-one, I can talk with the whole Menopause Support Group in a video conference, which, again, is without any cost. The Menopause Support Group has a video conference once a week and, at this writing, can accommodate up to 20 people in each video conference.

When I used BrightBod.com, the website asked me to use a BrightBod Name (i.e., a fictitious name). This is because BrightBod helps people share personal health information and doesn't want anyone's personal health information being associated with their actual identity. So, I used a fake name and found out no one cares what my real name is. I'm still just as anonymous as ever, but now, better informed and more comfortable with aging and change."

Friday, June 24, 2016

Sizzling Summer Guest Post By: Gina Valley

I'm thrilled to feature today's guest writer on the blog! Yes, she is another humorist I met two years ago at my first Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop convention in Dayton, and we met up again this past April for the 2016 conference. Gina Valley writes hilarious posts on her blog, ginavalley.com The Glamorous Life Of The Modern Day Soccer Mom. We sat together during many of the classes and meals at EBWW and I had to control myself from laughing too loudly at some of her remarks. I love her quick wit and her ability to take an ordinary situation and turn into an entertaining story. The post she is sharing here is a great example of this.

If you're looking for a good belly laugh, be sure and stop by her site. In the meantime, please welcome Gina to Meno Mama's site today with lots of comment love. Enjoy!

Did He Use MY Toothbrush?!?!

He couldn’t have. He didn’t. He did!

I’m sure this is a violation of the whole “sickness and health” clause, although I’m not exactly sure how yet.

He used my toothbrush!

How disgusting is that?

And, it didn't even seem to bother him. He actually seemed to think it was funny.

It was not funny.

There is nothing funny about someone else using your toothbrush.

Especially, when it's my toothbrush.

I know what some people think. We've made babies together. Clearly, this is not the first “mixing of our essences.” That's true. Not even the first time today.

And, I have to admit my tongue has touched his teeth before. Yet, somehow, the idea of using my toothbrush as a go between from my mouth to his is totally unacceptable.

He chuckled as he told me that, after he'd finished brushing his teeth, he realized he'd grabbed and used the wrong toothbrush. Mine, inadvertently, instead of his.

I say there are no accidents.

Besides, my toothbrush is pink and his is dark blue. How do you mix those up? I wonder what Dr. Phil would say about that? “It’s like nailing Jell-O to the wall!”

I didn't want to hurt his feelings by totally freaking out, much as my OCD was screaming at me to do just that. I couldn’t very well start scrubbing my toothbrush with bleach without insulting him. So, I decided I'd "accidentally" knock my toothbrush into the toilet, thereby making its replacement both mandatory and blameless.

While I smoothed moisturizer onto my skin with my left hand, I used my pinky and ring finger of my right hand to slowly inch the contaminated oral cleaning rod toward the toilet.

Just touching it gave me the heebie jeebies. How could I touch something dripping with someone else's saliva?

My tooth brush was an agent of filth.

My toothbrush was a speed rail for germs.

My toothbrush was bone dry.

How was it possible for my toothbrush to be quite without humidity when he had used it just minutes before?

My eyes darted around the bathroom, searching for an answer, and fell on his dark blue toothbrush, lying on the counter, next to his toothbrush holder (he never stands it up in its holder. Drives me crazy).

Had he used his own toothbrush, but thought it was mine? Could someone really mix up pink-in-a-holder with blue-on-the-counter? Was it time to start looking for "The Home"?

At the risk of barfing a little, I decided to check his toothbrush for signs of recent usage. His, too, was bone dry.

Was this a miracle? Had toothbrush angels descended from heaven and dispelled the disgusting act?!?!

I stared at our bathroom counter, realizing that even the toothbrush angels couldn’t reverse this travesty of personal hygiene. I might have thrown up a little in my mouth, just thinking about what had happened.

Yes, he had used my toothbrush.

But, not my pink one from my toothbrush holder. He'd used the dark green one I keep on the counter next to the sink.

The one I use to clean the gunk out from underneath my fingernails!!!

Maybe there is something funny about someone else using your toothbrush, after all.

BIO:

Gina lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband (The Professor), her pack of kids, and so many pets that she is guaranteed a successful insanity plea if she is ever in criminal court.

Gina Valley

Laugh Out Loud with Gina daily at:

ginavalley.com

Gina Valley - The Glamorous Life Of The Modern Day Soccer Mom

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

How To Know If Your Kids Are Stressed Out: Guest Post by Sam Jones

I'm happy to share a sponsored guest post with you today from Sam Jones on symptoms of childhood stress. For those of you with children exhibiting these signs, this informative article will help you understand and alleviate some of those symptoms.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR KIDS ARE STRESSED OUT

Many of us are used to that feeling of being stressed out. Let’s face it, being a Mom isn’t easy. Whether it’s cleaning up after your tear-away toddler for the fourth time in an hour, or trying to balance work with play dates and outings, sometimes we can really feel pushed to our limits.

So go ahead and have that glass of wine in the evening, go to your yoga class, or read up on your meditation exercises; whatever it takes for you to feel calmer. And once you’re nice and relaxed, let me ask this question (just to stress you out again) - did it ever cross your mind that your kids could be feeling the tension as well?

Causes of Stress

While their problems might seem small to you, for your child---who might be the victim of name calling at school, or fighting with a sibling, dealing with family problems at home, or something like not being picked for the football team---these things may cause significant physical and mental stress on them.

Family Education talks about the numerous causes of stress in toddlers and in children that may lead to them acting out unexpectedly, such as throwing tantrums in public places. Other stress factors, such as starting a new school, moving to a new area, or dealing with parental problems can all weigh heavily on children’s shoulders at any age.

Signs of Stress

Other ways in which stress can manifest physically include disturbed sleeping habits, a change in bowel movements, ear aches and teeth grinding. For older kids, you might notice that they seem more withdrawn, or more aggressive and irritable than usual (although that can be pretty hard to tell with teenagers).

But if they seem overly anxious about a certain situation, invent reasons not to go to school, or if you hear them calling out in their sleep or clenching their jaw, you should keep an eye out on their behavior.

What You Can Do

If any of these symptoms carry on for more than a couple of weeks, you should consider visiting your caregiver or consulting with a Dental Lab to see if a dental night guard might be an effective way of protecting your child’s teeth (as well as counseling sessions, which may be useful).

Teeth grinding (also called bruxism) is pretty common in children but can go unnoticed, as it is often transitory. However, bruxism is a classic sign of stress, and can be harmful to your child physically as well as mentally, affecting their hearing, jaw muscles, neck and, of course, teeth, if left untreated. In some cases, your dentist might suggest corrective treatment, but often a custom night guard will be recommended to prevent lasting damage in tooth enamel. You can find out more Here.

Before YOU get too stressed about the idea of your kids being stressed, know that many of these symptoms are simply characteristic of a growth spurt, lack of sleep, or maybe even just having a bad day. Keep in mind that stress isn’t only reserved for the adults, but you can probably help to stop the symptoms of your child’s stress before it becomes a habit.

BIO:

Sam Jones is a digital marketing expert, social media and branding consultant and guest blogger for various publications, including Business2Community, Inbound.org and TestPrepPlace.com. In her free time, Sam is an avid traveler, foodie and lover of all things technology. She's also a fitness fanatic (in the making).

Friday, June 17, 2016

Fly On The Wall In A Funny Meme

Welcome to the June edition of Fly on the Wall group posts, hosted by Karen of Baking In A tornado. Today, nine bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in their homes.

I'm still in a "writer's block" funk, so in the meantime, that nosey fly on the wall has seen me skimming through social media in search of something that will tickle my funny bone again. I've also been spending an inordinate amount of time creating Someecard memes from sayings I've found on the internet, and then sharing them on my Menopausal Mother Facebook fan page. If you aren't already following me there, I hope you will, because the page is a sure bet for a few giggles. I also share the work of many of my fellow humor writers there, so be sure to stop by and say hello if you have a Facebook account!

Here is a sampling of some of my latest memes that have done well on my fan page:

One of the best things that happened this past month was having my article, "Menopause Wrecked Havoc On My Marriage And Sex Life", picked up for publication by Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day. I think the article is very helpful to many menopausal women experiencing the same issues, and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it here: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/relationships/a38903/menopause-affected-my-marriage/

Buzz around, see what you think, then click on these links for a peek into some other homes:

Baking In A Tornado http://www.bakinginatornado.com/2016/05/fly-on-wall-flirting-101.html

Juicebox Confession http://www.juiceboxconfession.com

Menopausal Mother http://www.menopausalmom.com/

Spatulas on Parade http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/

Searching for Sanity http://singlemumplusone.blogspot.com

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy http://dinoheromommy.com/

Southern Belle Charm http://www.southernbellecharm.com

My Brain on Kids http://mybrainonkids.net

Eileen’s Perpetually Busy http://eileensperpetuallybusy.blogspot.com/

Friday, June 10, 2016

Sizzling Summer Writers Series: Guest Post By Kristi Stephens Walker

Today's guest writer is another funny lady I met at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop convention in Ohio a few months ago. Kristi Stephens Walker pens the humor blog, Life's Not A Sissy Rodeo, and I love everything about her site! She's just as funny in real life as she is on her blog, and I cannot tell you how many times she had me cracking up at the convention. She was part of the tribe of women I hung out with in Dayton, the place where we created some of my fondest memories (what happens at ERMA stays at ERMA). Kristi's quick wit and fun spirit makes everyone smile, so I'm thrilled to introduce you to this special lady. Please welcome her to Meno Mama's site today with lots of comment love!

HAVE VAN, WILL TRAVEL

Last year, we were packing the car for a family vacation, when the kids expressed concern that they were cramped in the back seat.

By “expressed concern,” I actually mean complained loudly to me while their father was busy packing the trunk as though it were a 5000-piece Ravensburger puzzle.

“I don’t have any room!”

“Get your feet off my side!”

“Mommy! She’s touching me!”

“Do we have to hold the beach chairs in our laps?!”

“I just don’t get the fuss,” I lectured, as we packed the Ford Taurus to the max, shoving duffle bags in-between the three of them. They could barely buckle their seatbelts without giving one another crippling wedgies.

“We’ll be fine,” I said cheerily. “We’ll play the License Plate game. Just like when I was a kid.”

Then we drove a sedan twelve hours to the beach. And back.

I hadn’t even so much as shaken the sand out of the beach towels before I was test driving vans off the nearest car lot.

That is all a distant memory now because of The Van. The Van changed everything.

From the minute we traded in our former ride, we’ve been traveling in style. Nothing squeaks, squeals or leaks. When I drop the kids off at school, I feel like I’m rolling up in a limo—where everyone has space, and no one has to prop their legs up on a cooler from here to North Myrtle Beach. Sometimes, I try to flash the other mommies in nice vans a secret hand symbol, but they seem to think I'm flipping the bird. Again.

The Van is clean. Due to my strongly-worded speech to everyone who enters it, the outside of The Van remains white and shiny, and the inside—oh, the inside—is totally void of the errant French fries and Capri Sun stains that sullied the old car. I found a half-empty Sonic drink in a cup holder the other day and almost had to take a Xanax.

But the piece de resistance of The Van is something I thought I would never, ever succumb to: the DVD player.

That’s right, another screen for the kids to stare at. Yes, we went there. It has been featuring Disney's Frozen on a constant loop for weeks. But what do I care? I also bought 3 wireless headsets.

Don't judge.

Say what you want about it, but I’m telling you, on a recent holiday road trip, that DVD player was the only thing keeping me from impaling myself on a mile marker.

But somewhere between Lexington and Nashville, I popped Annie into that DVD player and things got quiet. I glanced in the rearview mirror to find all three kids crammed into the third-row seat, snuggled under the same blanket and watching together.

I guess being packed in tight with your siblings isn’t always such a hard knock life after all.

BIO:

Kristi Stephens Walker is a writer and editor who enjoys writing funny essays about her real life family, like how she gets shamed by the office lady when the kids are tardy, or how she only lasted two months as a preschool teacher. She lives with her husband and three kids in Nashville, TN where she loves lattes and anything Kate Spade. She just finished writing her first novel.

Find me at:

Blog: http://nosissyrodeo.blogspot.com/

instagram: krististephenswalker

twitter: @kristiswalker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristi.s.walker.5

Menopausal Mother

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