Watching Gabby Douglas win the Gold in the Women’s Gymnastics completion in London was such a heartwarming and proud moment for me. This young lady is beyond phenomenal, yet she is humble and gives all praise to God for her talent and winning. Her mother taught her valuable life lessons that has taken her far and helped her reach the pinnacle of success at such a young age.
The Anguish of Letting Go
As a mother with a 16 year old daughter, I can relate to the anguish Gabby’s mom, Natalie Hawkins, probably felt. She made the tough decision to send her daughter thousands of miles from home to get the best training from Coach Chow. She spent time and money helping her child pursue her dreams of becoming a world class gymnast.
Then Gabby wanted to give up,
Gabby felt homesick and wanted to move back to Virginia. But this time, Mom wouldn’t let her. “She told me, life is not easy, you have to fight and just refuse to quit,” Gabby remembers.
The hard work paid off and now Gabby is a triple winner. She won Olympic gold in the team and individual competitions and is the first African-American girl to win these honors.
Sacrificing for Excellence
My daughter is pursuing a modeling and acting career. I’ve invested time and money to make this dream come true for her. It is something I know will pay off in more ways than one. The financial reward will be wonderful, but more importantly the skills and self-discipline my daughter is learning is priceless.
The Secret Ingredient to Success
I see this in Gabby and all the other gymnast that competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games. How can you get that far without self-control and self-discipline? I cannot see them getting as far as they did had they been spoiled and lazy.
Epic Fails in Parenting the Next Generation
Parenting kids these days is challenging with all the negative influences and focus on material gain and entertainment seeking mentality. We live in the most advanced age, yet most kids seem aimless and out of control. Parents give their kids everything on a silver platter whether they can afford it or not. The result is an entitlement mentality in an entire generation!
Great Parenting Still Exists
Of course it’s not all doom and gloom for the world’s future. There are still parents out there like Natalie Hawkins and other dedicated moms (and dads) who instill a solid foundation of self-control and discipline in their children. Like these parents, I am one who is determined to teach (and model) these crucial traits as well the most important thing in the world… LOVE!!!
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
From bunk beds to bicycles, one of the greatest things that we can ever experience is the magic of being a child. This is a marvelous and yet challenging part of our lives and one that parents can have a unique and profound impact on. It is incredibly important that we do want ever is necessary to help foster memories that are inspirational, fun, and last a life time.
Whether it is with us, or simply having a place to experience the world on their own these moments are paramount to the way we develop and the individuals that we will later become. Now although it is important that children are able to have these experiences with us, it is just as important that they are able to have these experiences on their own as well.
One of the ways that this can be accomplished is by having a special place that they can go to that will be crafted in such a way as to inspire and serve as a doorway to adventure. One of the ways many parents have been doing this is by changing their children’s bedroom into something that is a lot of fun.
Redecorating a child’s bedroom is something that can be done relatively inexpensively and although the space if for them to build these important memories, you can have fun together creating it. Some of this can be done by utilizing craft projects which can change the appearance of everyday items, like an alarm clock or a lamp.
One of the greatest ways to accomplish this, and a great way to add in better organization and space, is to add bunk beds to the room. This can be great particularly if you have more then one child living in the room. There is a variety of ways that parents are using bunk beds to give their children a special space. This is being done through additions like accessories and fabric sections.
There are designs that can be used to help transform basic bunk beds into such fun things as a fairytale castle, or a pirate ship. There are ways to add in simple fake floral pieces and transform your child’s bedroom into a jungle safari. The sky is the limit and ultimately it is about what you create for your child.
Whether you are adding bunk beds or simply making sure that there is time at the local park, helping children have time to build their own imaginations is something that will not only have a positive impact on their own lives, but also the world that they will come to effect as they get older.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
My daughter just got her driving learner permit. She nagged, harassed, and begged me to take her to get it. She studied the book and even enrolled in the mandatory Georgia driver course online. So we went and she passed the test with flying colors. She can now learn to drive, but I’m still hesitant about teaching her.
The times are different now and it’s not like it was 20+ years ago when getting on the road as a teen wasn’t so expensive. Yep, I said expensive. I’ve been thinking about and researching how much it costs for teens to drive. The insurance alone is enough to make me want to stall until she is 18. Uggghhhh!!!
My friend Evan sent me some information about insurance rates for teen drivers and how to save. Here is what he says:
Saving Money When Insuring Teen Drivers
While most parents encourage their teens to learn to drive in order to ensure that they have the tools they need to function once they’re out in the world on their own, the truth is that parents face many drawbacks in the arena of teen driving. There are, of course, the myriad fears that accompany any new test of a child’s responsibility and judgment.
How Responsible is Your Teen?
Will your teens follow the rules of the road (and your restrictions) or give in to the peer pressure to perform by speeding and staying out past curfew? Or will friends in the car distract them to the point that they have an accident? Once your teens are behind the wheel and rolling out of the driveway, you simply have to trust that the lessons you instilled in them will be enough to keep them safe. But you also have to face the financial concerns that go along with this high-risk group, and the biggest expense could be insurance.
Ways to Cut Insurance Cost for Teen Drivers
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to cut your costs when it comes to insuring teen drivers. The easiest method of reducing your own out of pocket costs is to have your teens foot the bill for at least a portion of their driving experience, and this strategy benefits you in more than just the financial arena.
Give Teens Part of the Financial Responsibility for Driving
By making your teens fiscally responsible for some of the many costs that come with owning and operating a motor vehicle (aside from insurance there are loan payments, annual registration, maintenance, and gas, just to name a few), you are only enhancing the life lessons that come with driving a car. Sure, they get the freedom to go where they want when they want, but like everything in life, freedom isn’t free. Forcing them to take on some of the financial responsibilities of driving will make them aware of the associated costs so that they aren’t shocked when you eventually cut them off and force them to be adults. And the truth is, you’re actually doing them a favor; they’ll value the experience more if they have to earn it.
Negotiate with Your Insurance Provider to Keep Rates Lower
Of course, that doesn’t actually lower the cost of insurance outright. But there are plenty of options that will help you to do so. The first is to be a responsible consumer. Even if you’re keen to stay with your tried-and-true insurance provider, you should at least look into other companies and the policies they offer. At the very least it could give you some leverage to negotiate with your current carrier. And you should also find out about discounts that could potentially apply to you and your teen drivers, such as multi-car or multi-policy discounts.
Let Your Teen Drive Safer Vehicles
You can even save money by having your teens drive safer vehicles or adding safety features such as anti-theft devices (like LoJack) or even technology that forces your kids to drive safely (like Ford’s MyKey system that allows you to program specific keys so that the car can’t exceed a set speed limit). Your teens won’t be able to contribute much, but if they keep their grades up they can at least become eligible for the good student discount that many companies offer these days. It could make for a significant savings, so you should make it a condition of handing over the keys to the car.
Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for usedjaguarengines.com, where used Jaguar engines are shipped nationwide daily.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
As a single mom it makes sense that we would want a mentor for our sons. But with the recent news about the assistant football coach at Penn State’s alleged sexual misconduct (or worse) with young boys, it’s a reason to give pause to the potential dangers of letting unrelated family members handle our children.
Get the Facts Before You Trust Someone with Your Child
I’m not an alarmist and I like hear all the facts, but this hits close to home for me. When my son was younger I trusted a man to mentor him and help him through life. I was distraught at the possibility that my son would turn out to be another statistic, growing up without a father and no direction.
This is What Happens When You Don’t Get the Facts
The thing is, many guys know this about single moms and prey on us when we are in this emotionally charged state of mind. I let my guard down and let a man into my life that would do years of damage to me and my family, especially my then 2-year old son.
I married that man and lived to regret it. He was an abuser of the worse kind. His abuse, though primarily pointed at me, was aimed directly at my son. I cannot go into the details of the abuse but I have a strong belief that he molested him.
The Damage A Child Sexual Predator Can Do Last For Years
My son could not verbalize what happened to him in that way, but I know by evidence of child porn on my computer and the reactions my son had each time I tried to change his diaper (potty training was delayed) and bath him that something was terribly wrong.
I was smart enough to end the marriage quickly and begin the healing process for myself and my children. It has taken years for my son to get through this experience. He suffered post traumatic stress disorder for years. He acted out, his development was delayed, and he has trouble learning in the “traditional” way. He had/has multiple phobias including fear of water, insects, heights and dogs.
It is Possible to Recover From Abuse
The up side is he is now a very happy, friendly young man. He is loyal, polite, and willing to go the extra mile. He is now teaching himself to swim, insects don’t bother him as much; neither do heights. He is still leery of dogs and will panic if one comes too near him.
We have close ties with family so he gets along well and trusts my dad, brother, and brother-in-law.
With much prayer he is a “normal” testosterone-driven boy with natural athletic ability.
I’m proud of him but I often wonder what our lives would have been like if I had not let my fears and emotions cloud my judgement. What would life have been like if I had never let that man into my life, my home, and around my children?
I will never know, but what I do know is I always question any man who takes an extreme/odd interest in my son. He does not do sleepovers with any family other than my own. I make sure that every person involved in his life know that we are stable and happy so no need to interject your opinion or try to be a father-figure.
Living with Regret and Shame is Just as Damaging
I used to beat myself up about what happened in our family but now I know it is all a part of life. Rehashing it and living in shame over it is not the key to living a healthy life. It is also not good for my children to see me in a constant state of depression and guilt over past mistakes. We learn from them and we always move forward.
What happened with the Penn State assistant couch is horrible. I hope it will be a wake-up call for every single mom and every parent who entrusts their children to others. No matter how upstanding or polished a person seems, we have to trust our instincts and check them out.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream was a rockin’ Princess Party!
I have been watching the Disney classic princesses since I was a little girl and watching the modern princesses since my daughter was a toddler over 12 years ago. To see them all at this ice show was amazing on Wednesday night at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA! The show runs October 12-16, 2011.
It’s not hard to say who my favorite princess was, but I’ll wait to tell you that until almost the end of this post.
Disney on Ice Pre-Party
I took my kids (thanks to Sue Rodman at Fieldtrips with Sue) to the pre-party activities; otherwise known as the press conference and meet and greet. We got to talk to a couple of the stars and learn about their life behind the scenes and on the ice. They were very friendly and happy to talk to us about life on the road for 10 months out of the year.
Disney on Ice Cast are Community-Minded
I learned that the Disney on Ice cast are not so crazy about eating out because the food ends up tasting all the same. I’m sure they would love a home cooked meal from Karen over at In the Kitchen with KP!
Despite the small inconveniences, they are very community-minded as they explained when I asked them how they handle holidays away from home. They explained they may use the time to feed the homeless at a soup kitchen, give away their well-read books to the Salvation Army, or participate in a food drive much like me and my friends Amy over at Atlanta with Kid and Mandi at Cumming Local are planning next month.
Pictures and Activities with the Disney on Ice Cast
My daughter and I had the chance to take a picture with Rapunzel and Flynn from the movie Tangled. I really love that movie! Disney always surprises me with how well they make movies.
The kids got to color and make their own crowns while we waited for the show to begin. Even my son got in on the crown-making action. He is very proud of it as you can see below.
The Show Began with The Princess and the Frog
We got to our seats and waited to enjoy the show. It was cold so I’m glad we all wore our jackets. At one point my son pulled his hood over his head. Of course with it being Disney on Ice and all, it was bound to be cold.
The show started and the magic began with the story of Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. I really wish we could have taken a picture with her and Naveen but we didn’t. Inspite of that, we still had a really great time seeing all the familiar stories and watching the acrobatics on the ice.
Cinderella and Rapunzel take Center Ice
There were three princess stories including the Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. The show lasted for about two hours and all the kids had a blast! There seemed to be a princess takeover with all the little girls dressed as their favorite princess.
Classic Disney Characters and the Disney Princesses
Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto hosted the show and was a part of the finale where all the Disney Princesses came out to party. We saw Ariel, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and all the ones that were in the main show.
Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream was a memorable event. The next day my son thanked me for taking him and his sister to see the show. I think he’s got his eye on being a Disney Prince. He certainly has all the makings of becoming one!
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
You’ve heard it all before: the whining, the excuses, the yelling, and the crying about doing homework. (And that’s just from the parents.) There are many opinions about the best ways to get your child to do their homework; here are a few from a long-time mom.
1. Empower Your Child. It’s not your homework, it’s theirs. Do not do the work for them. If they refuse to do their work, let them find out the consequences at school the next day. This doesn’t mean that you ignore the situation, but don’t be an enabler. Make homework your child’s responsibility.
2. Teach Time Management. See when each assignment is due. If one is due tomorrow, they should do that one first. If there are multiple assignments due tomorrow, start with the most difficult subject first, and get it out of the way. Long-term projects can be completed over a longer period of time. For example, if a report is due in 8 days and it will take 2 hours to complete, work on it every day for 15 minutes.
3. Lighten Up. Just because you studied a certain way, doesn’t mean your child has to do it the same way. If they are doing well and they feel more comfortable doing math in their bean bag chair, so be it. If you allow them to choose the way or the place they study, they may be more cooperative. Adversely, if their study environment is detrimental, change things up a bit.
4. Listen to Music. Music raises a person’s mood and energy level. It may be difficult for your child to work in silence. Suggest that they turn on the radio or listen to music on their MP3 player. Using headphones could help block out any distractions. And let them listen to their music, regardless of how you feel about it.
5. Take a Break. Use short breaks as incentives to getting work done. If your child has multiple assignments to complete, suggest that she take a 5-minute break after each one is done. Don’t let the break stretch out so long that they get involved in some other activity. Just let her stretch, get a drink, or play with the dog for a few minutes, then get back to work.
Try to look at homework as a routine task, not a mountain that must be conquered every day. Spend some time teaching your child new habits and build on their successes. Stop arguing and start enjoying.
This article was brought to you by award winning teacher, Chaunna Brooke. She regularly blogs about child behavior and discipline. Chaunna helps parents make a dramatic change in child behavior even if nothing else has worked before. Be sure to check out some of her parenting tips on Facebook.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Hi! Welcome to RichSingleMomma.com. I started this website almost a decade ago because I couldn't find any blogs back then that helped single moms with money. I was having some success in that area so I decided to share what I knew about side hustles, making extra money, and managing money. Read more...
