ML Interest Tag: worry-about

Today I’m Taking on the World like Wonder Woman

By Ali Flynn

wonder woman mug

Photo: Ali flynn

Today I’m going to tackle the world like Wonder Woman.

I may not have the gold bracelets and lasso like when I was younger and watched my idol fight on TV while wearing the same outfit, but friends, I have my Wonder Woman mug to fill me up with the strength to take on today.

I may not fight off any of the bad guys, jumping over burning cars and tying up a bank robber today, but I will be strong.

Because yesterday was a hard day.

I felt defeated. I felt a bit lost. I felt sad.

I miss my friends.

I miss long walks, meeting for coffee in town, and sharing the depths of my soul with my beloved friends. I miss hearing every little bit and piece of their life. Those pieces that forge trust and unbreakable bonds and right now texting is not cutting it.

I felt sad. I miss my girls being young.

And now I’m in the countdown mode for a departure for college and all of them growing up rapidly in front of me each day. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t expect all of the air to be sucked out of my lungs while thinking about it.

I felt sad. I miss the freedom my girls once had.

The freedom to go to school, knowing they are safe and not ever have to worry about quarantining. The freedom to walk into a store without a mask on and not worry about the potential danger. The freedom to not worry if their grandparents will be able to find a vaccine anytime soon.

I felt sad. I miss being a part of things.

I miss volleyball games, dance recitals, and reunions with old friends. Heck, I miss every single activity I used to complain about and how we were overscheduled and running around all over with barely enough time to think or let alone breathe. But today, I miss the busyness.

I felt sad.

I felt sad for those struggling each day, with their child at home who is beyond frustrated and giving it their all, but still not succeeding.

I felt sad for those who make a promise each night, that tomorrow will be a new day…a better attitude, more patience, and gratitude but by mid-day, they are worn out and feeling depleted.

I felt sad for our little ones who don’t recall what being in school feels like. The bustling hallways, walking into the art room and breathing in the subtle smell of paint, and the excitement of the new science experiment.

I felt sad for the middle schoolers who rely on their friends, as their life support, navigating the murky waters of adolescence and not being able to see them daily.

I felt sad for the high schoolers who have been patiently waiting for the rites of passage for each grade level and now sit at home behind a screen for class, behind a screen for FaceTime, and silently sit there alone, not really engaging and missing the vibrance of the building.

I felt sad for the college kids who haven’t even stepped foot on campus, attempting to bond with the best friends of their life, but can’t even enter another dorm room.

Friends, some days are just hard. Really hard…and yesterday was one of those days.

But today, I am prepared.

I have my Wonder Woman mug providing me with the armor I need to tackle today.

If I could only find my old Wonder Woman bracelets, I could maybe, just maybe, feel as if I could take on the entire world.

This post originally appeared on Hang in there mama by Ali Flynn.

 

 

Ali Flynn Is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Mom  and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents and Her View From Home.

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Friends, I Feel You

By Ali Flynn

friends

Friends,

If you are worried and lay awake, in the wee hours of the night…I feel you.

If you are feeling a bit isolated and miss seeing a friend…I feel you.

If your home is missing the sweet spot of laughter from family and friends…I feel you.

If you miss eating at your favorite restaurant for date night…I feel you.

If you are scared a loved one can’t find a location for a vaccine…I feel you.

If you are lonely…I feel you.

If you love this time alone and your introverted self is smiling…I feel you.

If you miss the hustle and bustle on the streets, whether you live in a big city or a small town…I feel you.

If you are holding in your family’s emotions day after day and keeping it all in check, but about to lose it at any minute…I feel you.

If you are out of ideas for dinner and have lost your desire to cook…I feel you.

If you are hoping each day your children’s activities can begin so they have an outlet…I feel you.

If you are surviving on insurmountable amounts of coffee to get you through the day…I feel you.

If algebraic expressions have caused you to break out again like a teenager…I feel you.

If you hear the word Zoom one more time and want to scream or wipe it out of your vocabulary…I feel you.

If you are yearning for your kiddos to use paper and a pencil again, for fear they have forgotten how to write…I feel you.

If you worry about your kid’s happiness…I feel you.

If joy isn’t entering your soul as often as it once did…I feel you.

If the silver linings allow joy to seep in at every moment possible…I feel you.

If you miss the days of meeting a friend at the local coffee shop and talking for hours at the tiny table in the corner…I feel you.

If you are happy but feel a piece of you is missing…I feel you.

If you see a new independence within your child, as they navigate online learning and see life lessons emerging…I feel you.

If you see your child depending on you each day, to hold their hand to get through the day of online learning…I feel you.

If each day is a struggle with online learning taking over, emotions running high, and arguments flying all over…I feel you.

If you are feeling a bit depleted and lost…I feel you.

Friends, it’s hard… I feel you. I see you. I am with you.

Let’s all lean in on each other. Through each other’s strength and support, we will be lifted and rise above.

There is a light.

I see the flicker and I am following the glimmer, with a heart full of hope.

This post originally appeared on Hang in there mama.

 

 

Ali Flynn Is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Mom  and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents and Her View From Home.

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Disney Poised to Close 60 Stores in 2021

by Erica Loop

Disney recently announced the closure of 60 North American stores this year. Before you start to stress or worry about where you’ll find the latest Disney gear and toys for your kiddo—the beloved brand has plans to focus on and expand its e-commerce business.

If you’ve browsed or bought from the shopDisney platform, you’re already ahead of the game. In the next year, Disney aims to create a more seamless and personalized shopping experience for guests online. Along with shopDisney, the company will focus on and integrate Disney Parks apps and social media platforms.

Of the changes, Stephanie Young, president, Consumer Products Games and Publishing, said in a press release, “While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer.”

Young continued, “Over the past few years, we’ve been focused on meeting consumers where they are already spending their time, such as the expansion of Disney store shop-in-shops around the world. We now plan to create a more flexible, interconnected ecommerce experience that gives consumers easy access to unique, high-quality products across all our franchises.”

The changes will include more than just an expansion of online shopping opportunities. Disney’s plans include an assortment of new merch, including adult apparel collections and artist collabs. Look for premium home products, collectibles, and streetwear coming to shopDisney.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo courtesy of Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland

 

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Got Your Hands Full? These PopSockets Were Clearly Made for Busy Moms

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Whether you’re gripping your coffee mug while you push your tot on the swing or enjoying a well-deserved adult beverage at a party, as a mom your hands are never truly free. That’s why PopSockets new line, PopThirst Can Holders and Cup Sleeves are the greatest thing ever.

The same company that created the brilliant PopSockets phone accessories has now added that simple, but oh-so clever-technology to your drink ware. The PopThirst Cup Holders and Cup Sleeves are essentially a Koozie with a built-in PopSocket so that you can relax your grip a little and not worry about spilling––even when the kids are playing a game of tag between your feet.

The sleeves and holders are designed to fit around most hot to-go cups, cans and pints and will help keep hot beverages warm and cold drinks cool. They come in a variety of designs and the PopGrip is removable, which means you can twist it off and swap it with a different design if you wish.

PopThirst Can Holders and Cup Sleeves are priced at $13 each and come in a variety of fun patterns that include Pusheen, animal print, swirls, florals and even Darth Vader. They’re available for purchase on PopSockets’ website now.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: PopSockets

 

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This 3-Lane Slip & Slide Is Super-Sized Outdoor Fun

by Erica Loop

Your kiddo’s next backyard summer-time bash is about to get better! BJ’s Wholesale Club has a triple land slip and slide—and it seriously ups the outdoor adventure ante.

The Banzai Triple Tag Racer Water Slide ($19.99) is everything your fam needs on a hot summer day. Whether your local pool isn’t open yet or you’re just on the hunt for a way to spend together-time with the kids outdoors, this slip and slide goes beyond what you might remember from your own childhood.

photo: BJ’s

The Triple Tag Racer is a 16-foot slip and slide with (as the name implies) three separate sliding lanes. Along with three long lanes, the slide also includes a triple-wide splash-landing pool with three water-filled blast pads. This means the winner of each race can stomp on the pad and blast the other riders with a drenching spray of water.

Don’t worry about tricky set-ups that require hours of inflation or come with complex instructions. This slip and slide easily attaches to your garden hose and comes with four stakes to grip the sides to the ground.

Find the Banzai Triple Tag Racer Water Slide (for ages five through 12) in BJ’s stores nationwide. The slip and slide retails for $19.99.

—Erica Loop

 

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I’ve Almost Forgotten What the Real World Is like

By Jenni Brennan

kid basketball

I’ve almost forgotten what the real world feels like. I’ve almost forgotten what it was like before masks were added to the mental checklist of things I needed to make sure my kids had before they left the house each day.

I’ve almost forgotten what it was like to have my kids leave the house at all.

I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to sit in my car before work, sipping a freshly made drink from Starbucks while listening to the radio. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to leave my house for work at all. I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to board an airplane with my husband on our way to an annual vacation alone in the sun, knowing my babies were safe at home with their grandmother or aunt and without worrying that they could get each other sick.

I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to be alone with my husband at all. I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to plan an impromptu night at my house with some friends, without having to worry about exposing each other or breaking a new rule about crowd sizes. I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to see friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or strangers on a regular basis at all.

I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to dance the night away at a fundraiser or wedding. I’ve almost forgotten what it felt like to celebrate anything at all.   I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to step foot inside my children’s schools for parent-teacher conferences or fundraisers or Saturday morning junior basketball games. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to feel connected to my children’s schools or sports at all. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to sit in the stands for hours at youth sports games, sharing a box of extra toasted Cheez-Its with other parents.

I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to feel that alive and in the moment at all. I’ve almost forgotten what the real world feels like…but I’m holding onto hope that I’ll see it again soon. I will drive to work again and walk on tropical beaches with my husband again and dance at weddings again and sit in crowded stands with other parents sharing Cheez-Its again. And when I do all those things again, I’m going to appreciate them like never before.

This post originally appeared on Changing Perspectives.

Jenni Brennan is a psychotherapist, college professor, creator of Changing Perspectives, and co-host of The Changing Perspectives Podcast. Jenni is passionate about exploring the topics of parenting, relationships, grief, and mental health through her writing and podcast episodes. She lives with her husband, 2 sons, 3 dogs, and 2 cats in Massachusetts.

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Wilmer Valderrama & Amanda Pacheco Announce Arrival of Baby Girl

by Erica Loop

Actor Wilmer Valderrama and fiance model Amanda Pacheco recently welcomed their first child on Feb. 15!

Valderrama recently posted pics of the pair with their newborn daughter on Instagram. The photo followed a sweet Valentine’s Day post, in which the actor wrote to his love, “Don’t worry about giving me Chocolates, you’re giving me a little miracle Chimichanga!”

The new dad recently turned the big 4-1 and celebrated with a sweet IG toast post to his fiance, “Now THIS is 41.. thank you to absolutely everyone who posted and send me such beautiful messages and wishes.. by the look of these pics.. some of those wishes came true.. I love you all mucho! Thank you Amanda for my last bday gift before becoming a papa… you.”

Along with the newborn photos of his baby daughter, Valderrama announced the birth with a sweet sentiment saying, “Life is an ever evolving journey, and for all those times when our path needs a light.. often angels are sent to show us the way and that we can be more.. straight out of heaven we welcome our first daughter…” and added the hashtag #ItsJustUs3Now.

Celebs such as Eva Longoria, Gabrielle Union-Wade, and Mandy Moore flocked to IG to congratulate the couple on the birth of their new daughter!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Tinseltown via Shutterstock

 

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What I Worry Most About for My Children

By Tabitha Cabrera

On a hot summer day, Nixon was born a tiny baby fighting his emergency entrance into this world—a warrior brought into the world early. On that day, I worried that we both would lose a fighting battle against our bodies. He was whisked away to the NICU, hooked up to monitors, under lights, and the protective glass sheltering him from the scary outside world. Me, recovering as my body failed me, not strong enough to hold or see my tiny baby.

I wondered if he would miss me being there, his mother, the person who should be the first person to shelter him from the outside world. Was he as scared as I was?

Nora was born on a brisk day in December, I held her shortly after birth. She healed my wounded heart from her brother’s birth experience. I worried that my emotions from our NICU experience would cast a dark shadow on this tiny baby. That I would miss all the special moments as I sat in that worry.

I wondered if she would feel my heart reaching out to her as I held her in my arms. Would she know that the love I felt for her was deep to my core?

Our son has always had a sweet open spirit. He is the type of boy to share his last cracker, to wrap you in a long hug after he has faced his day. His jokes, sometimes unintentional, make me laugh till tears roll down my cheek. I worry that the people outside our front door won’t see what a truly magically spirit he is.

I wonder if he will find a special connection to another how I share one with his father.

With her fierce embrace of the room, our daughter takes in the world with a breathtaking magnification. She draws you into her space with simple hand gestures and her full spirit. I worry that she will dive into that space a little too deep as time goes on.

I wonder if she will move mountains and make waves in a world that needs her embrace. If she will make her mark like fierce women who I admire and have come before her.

I worry that I will make a mistake parenting both of these beautiful souls.

I worry that I will, in some way, push what I want on them too powerfully.

I wonder what qualities they will grasp onto from both their father and me.

I wonder if they will speak of us in a way that I cannot see from this side.

I know that the worry will often shift to wondering. That the mountain of fears will change to mountains of success, the sadness will be reshaped to alternate expectations.

I hope that we all can shine our light with who we are, what type of people we want to be, and are embraced with a clear understanding by others.

That they will surround themselves with people who want to know them as much as we do.

I will continue to worry, and I will continue to wonder as we walk this path together.

Tabitha Cabrera, lives in Arizona with her husband, and two beautiful children. She works as an Attorney and enjoys spending her time in a public service role. The family loves nature and ventures outdoors as much possible. Come check out her little nature babies

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The Hot Tea Bomb Trend That You Need in Your Life

by Karly Wood

Move over hot chocolate bombs, there’s a new drinkable delicacy in town: the tea bomb. For tea enthusiasts, this new trend is a fun way to enjoy your daily cup in a whole new, gorgeous way.

So what exactly is a team bomb? First you should know it also goes by the name of “tea globe” and its made in similar fashion as the hot cocoa bomb––just with tea! Check out the video below on how a white chocolate matcha bomb is made.

Traditional tea more you thing? You can even use a tea bag to whip up your own. It’s easier than you think!

If you don’t want to make your own, you don’t have to worry about missing out on this tea trend. You can find tons of pre-made tea globe options on Etsy! Keep scrolling to see some of our favorite options.

KristelKCreations: 2 Pack

KristelKCreations

$14+

TeaTreatsAndGifts: Mystery Flavors

TeaTreatsAndGifts

$11

SugarBombsByCara : 16 Pack

SugarBombsByCara

$75

––Karly Wood

 

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Here’s How to Keep Your Kids Safe on TikTok

by Erica Loop

In honor of Safer Internet Day, TikTok wants to help your kids use the social media platform—minus the need to stress about it. With the Family Pairing tool, you can help your teens to navigate the uber popular video service safely and even manage their use.

The Family Pairing feature provides three major benefits for parents. To start with, it allows you to limit your child’s TikTok screen time. This means you won’t need to worry about your TikTok-loving teen spending their entire at-home cyber screen day watching videos of the trendiest dance clips.

photo: Courtesy of TikTok

Along with screen time management, the Family Pairing tool also allows you to set comment filters. The feature puts the power in your hands, giving you the ability to filter who can and can’t comment on your teen’s videos.

If you want to take TikTok management a step further, the Family Pairing feature also lets you restrict direct messages. Like the comment filter, you can choose who can and can’t DM your child. Keep in mind, direct messaging is only available through TikTok for users 16 and older and only approved followers are allowed to message one another.

Other ways TikTok wants to keep your kiddo’s experience family-friendly include allowing you to limit content that isn’t appropriate for your child’s age and letting you choose if your teen can have a public or private account.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

 

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