Author: Trisha Leigh

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14 Pretty Weird Pregnancy Cravings

For me, I didn’t have as many cravings as I did aversions during my two pregnancies, but they are common among pregnant women everywhere.

Salty foods, sweet foods, pickles, weird combinations of the above or just really gross stuff like Taco Bell…we’ve heard about late-night runs by husbands everywhere.

These 14 cravings, though, I don’t know. I’m going to need explanations.

14. I just threw up in my mouth.

Had any weird pregnancy cravings? Nah.. unless you think jalapeno cheetos dipped in peach milkshake is weird.

Posted by Laken Hughes on Friday, October 14, 2016

13. That avocado doesn’t even want any part of it.

12. Spinach dip would have been better.

11. I actually don’t think pickles and eggs would be terrible.

10. Please, one at a time.

9. Sweet and salty, okay, but the chocolate is a step too far.

8. My brain doesn’t even want to imagine this.

7. Italian people everywhere are clutching their pearls.

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Spaghetti with banana peppers? #weirdpregnancycravings

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6. Bet she’s from the Midwest, where ranch is a food group.

5. Charred toast is not a flavor.

4. This is the weirdest one on the list.

3. Are you sure that’s cheese?

2. You gotta have the crunch, I guess.

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#campfire #marshmallows #potatochips #yum

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1. I know I’m supposed to be judging, but I would eat these.

I’m actually glad none of these happened to me because I think it would make me sick just looking back on it!

Did you have any strange cravings?

We want to hear all about them in the comments!

The post 14 Pretty Weird Pregnancy Cravings appeared first on UberFacts.

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There’s Little to No Gender Equality in Children’s Television

If you  are the proud owner of a toddler like I am, chances are you’ve had a bit too much time to think far too hard about the television shows on Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, etc.

And y’all…on the shows not specifically geared toward girls, where are all of the unique females? Where are the LGBTQ kids? Where are the kids who don’t fit in a bucket?

They’re not there. Far and away, these shows are still dominated by cis-gendered boys, even on the shows that claim to be gender-neutral. Sure, there are token girls (and minorities) in the supporting casts, but as the leads?

It’s just not happening.

There are shows “for girls,” like Doc McStuffins and Dora the Explorer, but on the shows like Paw Patrol, Blaze, P.J. Masks, Mickey, and others that claim to be “for everyone,” girls are always shuffled to the background.

It feels like we’re telling girls that in our world, the best they can hope for is to find a nice strong white guy to follow around.

There are token episodes offered, where Skye saves Adventure Bay for once or Starla takes the lead on Blaze, and shows like Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi do offer co-leads, one male and one female, but the message is pretty clear.

If this bothers you as it does me, make sure to play with your kids often, and to make sure that females get leading roles as often as males – and that any gendered child can play with any gendered character (my son loves his Minnie and Daisy undies!).

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UPDATE: EASTER EGG HUNT CANCELED We are sad to announce the need to cancel this year’s community Easter Egg Hunt at the Mercer County Courthouse. We appreciate those who are making our health and safety a priority, and are thankful for the community support we receive each year. We plan to continue this event next year! ? #washyourhands #practicesocialdistancing #weareinthistogether —— ORIGINAL POST >> Calling all Umis! << Geo & Milli are coming to town for the Easter Egg Hunt at the Mercer County Courthouse on April 4! They can’t wait to meet everyone. Bring your camera — it's sure to be Umirific! For more details, visit wabash.com. #easteregghunt #freeevent #teamumizoomi #mercercountyohio #celinaohio #wabashegghunt #nickelodeon

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Also, you can always model positive gender roles at home, with both partners sharing cooking, cleaning, lawn care, trash, and other duties that are sometimes assigned based on gender.

Something to think about, because it seems as if we’re going to need to be more intentional when we model and talk about gender with our kids – because Hollywood definitely isn’t interested in changing anytime soon.

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You Can Blame Your Kids for Every Last One of Those Gray Hairs

I am a (barely) 40-year-old woman, and ever since I had my first child 3+ years ago, I’ve been sprouting gray hairs like it’s my job.

Because of the aforementioned toddler (and his subsequent brother), I also don’t have the time to color them, so I guess this is me, now.

Can I actually blame my kids, though, or is the timing just a coincidence? If I was 15 years younger, would this be happening?

According to science, probably. Because it really is your kids’ fault.

Statistically, if you have the genes that cause graying hair, at least 50% of the hair on your head will be gray by the time you turn 50. But things like sleep-deprivation, stress, and the 18 years of madness we call parenting can also speed up the process.

A new study out of Harvard University has all but proven the link between stress and gray hair. The researchers involved found the nerves responsible for the “fight or flight” response in animals also depletes the stem cells responsible for hair pigment. In mice, depleting those cells caused them to develop patches of gray or white hair.

What happens is that the emergency flight or fight response is activated in sympathetic nerves that reach into each hair follicle, releasing a neurotransmitter called noradrenaline. The transmitter causes the stem cells that give hair their pigment, melanocyte stem cells, to proliferate in large numbers before abandoning their posts. With fewer of these cells present in each follicle, the hair fades until its completely white.

In mice, the instances of graying and white hair began within five days of causing them acute stress.

More research will follow that attempts to understand the connection between the sympathetic nervous system and hair color change, the study’s lead author, Ya-Chieh Hsu, told Fatherly they hope this is an important first step.

“The reason we’re hopeful the mechanisms are related is that both of these systems (pigment-producing stem cells and sympathetic nerve) are very similar in mice and humans.”

Usually, the body returns to a normal state after confronting a flight or fight threat, but if it’s overactivated or the exposure plays on repeat (hello, babies and toddlers), the chronic stress will be an ongoing strain on the nervous system.”

“This research is critical to helping scientists understand how stress affects tissue repair in the body,” said Dr. Hsu.

Which all to say that no, there won’t be a new and improved way to hide the evidence of your stress from the world, and besides, your genetics will get you eventually.

For now, though, rest assured that you’re not lying to your child when you inform them that they’ve given you yet another gray hair.

The post You Can Blame Your Kids for Every Last One of Those Gray Hairs appeared first on UberFacts.

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Watch a TikTok Video of a Mom Telling off a Man for Harassing Her Daughter

When you become a parent, you become a protective bear on the lookout for anyone and everyone who would even think about hurting your kids. That goes double when it’s a stranger in public who would dare say something to your daughter, or look at her wrong, or be everything that’s wrong with the world.

Thankfully, one of the great things about of the internet is that you can shame jerks for treating your babies wrong and everyone gives you a round of applause.

The incident started when an older man was blatantly staring at her 21-year-old daughter, Julia Frank, while they were shopping at a local supermarket.

“A glance is one thing, but an obvious stare is another,” Julia said, and when the man deliberately stared at her behind, her mother started with “excuse me, sir, that’s my daughter you’re looking at.”

The man tried to dismiss the mother with a “mind your own business, lady,” like he’d never actually met a mother before in his life. In fact, he doubled down, following the women like a creeper through the store.

That was when Julia’s mother, Stephanie Ibarrondo, had enough – and Julia’s cousin started filming.

“You dirty old man, stop staring at my f***ing daughter’s a**,” says Ibarrondo as the video starts. “Get away from me! Now you’re bothering me and harassing me.”

@juliamfrankDon’t mess w mama & her babies.. ##fyp ##foryoupage ##crazy ##crazystory ##storytime ##catcalled ##rude ##ignorant ##livefootage ##thathappened ##mom ##fight ##omg♬ WOAH – Krypto9095

The man, who doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together, spits out “dress like a w****, you should look at a w****.”

Which…not only doesn’t make sense grammatically but also Julia was wearing sweatpants and a baggy sweatshirt. Not that it should matter, at all, what someone is wearing, but I’m just saying.

The man was escorted out of the store after employees realized what was happening, and assured the women that they watched him leave. As a mother, you feel like you have to stand up for your child, but also, these days you fear what might happen if they lie in wait for you later.

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no rain, no flowers ?

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As for Julia, she’s come out of the whole thing unscathed, and proud of her mother.

“She has raised me to be a stronger woman, so I’m able to teach my kids one day how to be strong as well. She has taught me that no matter what happens, it’s always important to stand up for yourself.”

A lesson for all of us, even the loser guy who couldn’t seem to slink away with his tail between his legs.

The post Watch a TikTok Video of a Mom Telling off a Man for Harassing Her Daughter appeared first on UberFacts.

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If Your Friend’s House Is a Mess, it Doesn’t Mean She’s Not Trying

As a mom of two kids under 3 who also has three jobs and a husband and a house to take care of, in addition to all of those other duties like bills and parents and extended family, I feel this post down to the bottom of my soul.

I never sit down during the day. I’m playing with my kids, I’m cleaning up after my kids, I’m trying to get some laundry in or sweep the floor or maybe clear off one of the three counters in our house that are always piled with crap.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

I’m pulling the baby off the table, chasing the 3yo down when he steals the silverware holder as I’m attempting to empty the dishwasher, I’m working while they nap, and yes, I’m also unapologetically putting my kids first during all of this. They get the attention, we go on outings, and if they need a snuggle, they get one.

So, no matter how I’m always doing something at home, the house is not usually tidy. Or clean. Or both.

I’ve heard about it from my mother for years, and this is what I tell her: I’m doing my best.

It’s not good enough, I guess, but it’s what I can do and still sleep at night, feeling like I’ve been the best mother I can be today.

Which is all to say that I can totally relate to Casey Huff, the mom who wrote this piece.

I cleaned all day today. Literally. We're hosting a family birthday party tomorrow and I wanted the place to look…

Posted by Bouncing Forward with Casey Huff on Friday, February 7, 2020

I cleaned all day today.
Literally.

We’re hosting a family birthday party tomorrow and I wanted the place to look presentable.

I folded laundry and washed dishes and picked up mismatched socks and stray LEGOs. I swept up scrambled eggs from breakfast and chicken nuggets from lunch.

I helped my oldest son organize the crayons in his art set and my youngest son put away the rubber food that goes to his play kitchen.

I barely sat down, and I’m pretty sure the afternoon cup of coffee I was looking forward to is still sitting on the Keurig tray.

But despite my efforts and the efforts of my kids (yes, I do require them to help), my house still looks like this.

No, this is not a “before” photo. It is a right now photo after the hours I spent cleaning—and I just want to say this about it:

If you walk into a home that looks like this, don’t assume someone hasn’t been working her (or his) tail off to keep the place inhabitable.

Don’t assume a cleaning schedule needs to be put in place, or that better habits need to be maintained.

Don’t assume no one cares.

Instead, you can safely assume someone probably feels defeated and a bit like she’s failing.

You can assume she’s overwhelmed. Frustrated. Hopeless to the point where she’s considered burning the place down and starting over somewhere new.

You can assume she’s tired. Soooo dang tired.

You can assume she has a ton on her plate. That between her marriage, children, friendships, career, and house, something will inevitably be neglected–and she’s not going to let that something be her family.

You can assume she’s trying really, really hard, but the force of life is more powerful than she is right now.When you walk into a house that looks like this, comment on the sweetly scribbled artwork hanging on the refrigerator. Tell her you love how her house feels full of life. Tell her you’re grateful she welcomed you into her home. Then offer to watch her kids for a day so she can clean without tiny tornadoes following closely behind (Kidding… Sort of.).

Mostly, just tell her she’s doing a good job.

Because truthfully? The fact is she’s probably been cleaning all day.

I believe her when she says she’s always cleaning, because so am I. It’s a full-time job just to clean the kitchen and sweep the floors and wipe the counters and table and high chairs three times a day (plus snacks).

So, give your friends with little kids and a bunch of other responsibilities a break. We’re doing our best, on all fronts, and as for me, I make no apologies about putting my husband and kids first.

My friends (if they’re really friends) won’t mind the clutter of a mom who’s trying.

I know I don’t.

The post If Your Friend’s House Is a Mess, it Doesn’t Mean She’s Not Trying appeared first on UberFacts.

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Every Happy Parent Has Given up These Things

There are some days that I think parenting is a lot harder than it used to be. I feel like, in some ways, today’s parents are trying too hard, and putting more pressure on themselves than generations before us, and it’s all making us crazier than we need to be to turn out healthy, happy kids.

Which is why I love this list of things that “happy parents” have just waved goodbye to in the interest of streamlining their life.

13. Boredom is good.

If you feel like parenthood is a treadmill you can’t keep up with, you may be taking too much responsibility for your children’s time. Make plans that support your children’s development, but don’t map out every minute for them. Downtime is supportive for many children.

Moments of boredom allow children to take responsibility for their own time. Make resources available, and then let your children create the experience they want. You’ll all be happier.

12. Don’t worry about what you’re supposed to do.

We were conditioned by our own early family experiences to believe that parenthood or childhood are supposed to look a certain way. But if you hold onto the way things are “supposed” to be, you may miss enjoying how they actually are. Be willing to question what you prioritize as a parent and why.

11. Take care of yourself.

As a parent, you generously give love, time, and attention. But you shouldn’t give up your core self just because you’re a parent. When you ignore your basic needs, you teach your children that when they grow up, they shouldn’t take care of themselves.

10. It’s not a competition between you and other parents.

What does your mental scorecard keep track of: Which parent does more? Who’s most consistent? Which mom or dad contributes most to your child’s class? Who’s most involved in your homeschool group? Keeping score wastes energy. Just do what you feel inspired and able to do. Don’t feel obligated by others’ contributions. Don’t obligate them to live up to yours.

9. Easier said than done but we can work on it.

Parents sometimes fall into the self-sacrifice trap because they feel unnecessary guilt. Guilt can be useful if you use it to recognize where you need to make changes. But overwhelming, paralyzing guilt that makes you feel worthless as a person or parent doesn’t accomplish anything. You are enough, just as you are.

8. Butting heads doesn’t benefit anyone.

As a parent, you have a responsibility to set boundaries. But if a child consistently resists a certain boundary, don’t just force them to comply. Ask yourself and your child, “Why?” Think of yourself as your child’s trusted and effective guide, not their dictator. When they experience you as their guide, they’re more likely to listen, which means less struggle and frustration for both of you.

7. What a novel idea!

As the parent, you often have the final say. But you and your child will both be happier if it’s not the only say. When it’s appropriate to do so, involve your child in decisions that will affect them. By enrolling children in the decision-making process, you’ll empower them to make their own good decisions in the future.

6. Seriously, it doesn’t help you OR them.

If you’re not a yeller, this one isn’t for you. But if you tend to yell when you’re feeling upset, consider this question: Has yelling ever strengthened your relationship with your child. Yelling usually happens in anger, and it often frightens and intimidates children. It destroys trust and a child’s feeling of safety. Pay attention to times and circumstances when you yell and then commit to changing those scenarios in the future.

5. Talk to them how you wish people would have spoken to you.

So many messages are repeated to children: You’re too loud, you’re too quiet, you ask too many questions, you’re exhausting, you’re demanding, you’re too talkative, you should make more friends, quit moving, speak up, settle down, smile more. Try this instead: Comment on the exact same behavior in a positive way. For example, you can see the trait of, “You’re too talkative,” as “You really make friends easily.”

4. Laugh. At. Your. Self.

Hear me now: There is no such thing as a perfect parent. Embrace your imperfections. Laugh at yourself. The best parents are willing to always learn, change, and improve.

3. You can’t fix the past.

What did you experience that you most want your children to avoid? Being teased at school? Lack of money? Feeling “not enough?” Your fears may actually set up that same pattern to be re-created. Don’t trap your children now in your fears of the past. Let them go. Create what you want, not what you don’t want.

2. Seriously this one changed my life.

If you demand a certain number of bites from your children, you set yourself up for a struggle at the table — and you set your children up for struggles with food later in life. Guide, direct, encourage, and prepare healthy food. Let your child voice their preferences. Focus on healthy overall patterns, rather than forcing a certain regimen at a specific meal.

1. Tomorrow really is a new day.

I’ve heard from parents who worry that they’ve damaged their child, or that they’ve made a mistake that will last a lifetime. I’ve said this many times: It’s never too late to be a better, happier parent. Whether your children are 4 or 40, they respond to genuine love from their parents.

The effects of mistakes may take a little longer to overcome if your child is older, but it’s never impossible to show up as the happy, supportive parent that you are meant to be. Don’t give up! You have everything you need to be a good parent.

Maybe getting back to the simple things, and choosing our battles, things like that, really are the answer to being more relaxed in our roles!

What things have you been happier after letting go of as a parent? We need to add more things to this awesome list!

The post Every Happy Parent Has Given up These Things appeared first on UberFacts.

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Memes for All of the Parents out There Who Are Barely Getting by

I’ve only been a parent for a few years, but here’s what I’ve learned: I am not like other parents, and that is okay. Other moms appear to at least glance into mirrors before they take their children places. They seem to check their clothes for random splatters, and their kids’ faces are never randomly smeared with something they found to eat in their car seats.

I am not the coolest or most organized or best smelling or skinniest mom on the block, but since I love my kids and they seem to be doing okay, I give myself a break on the rest.

If you’re sort of a hot mess parent, well, these 12 memes are totally for us.

12. And suddenly, you just want to go back into the house and chuck your plans.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

11. Or my go-to, it has caffeine in it.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

10. Yes I just answered this question.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

9. I mean. You only have yourself to blame.

Photo Credit: Twitter

8. And somehow, your first response isn’t GROSS!

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

7. I feel personally attacked by this post.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

6. I would say her job here is done.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

5. I am really looking forward to this moment.

Photo Credit: Twitter

4. I swear they just know.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

3. You change it, I’ll listen to the recap.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

2. This is hilarious and also so so true.

Photo Credit: Twitter

1. It’s like we’re all Schrodinger.

Photo Credit: Cheezburger

I’m fine with being a mess, though I have recently promised my husband I would TRY to keep the family car clean. Fingers crossed!

What kind of parent are you? The funny thing is, our kids can embarrass us no matter what…tell me your most mortifying mom/dad story in the comments!

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Men Share the Little Things Their Spouses Never Do That Drives Them Nuts

As far as I can tell, marriage is mostly about no one wanting to pick what’s for dinner, always needing something from the grocery store, and yes, those little adorable habits that have turned into reasons for justifiable homicide in the span of a few short years.

Then, there are the small things we don’t even realize we do every single day because our partner does them – they’re no big deal, not a reason to get divorced, but depending on the day they can definitely grate on you.

Below, 15 men are sharing theirs.

15. My husband could sympathize about the hair.

Hair in the bath.

Irony is she feels bad about it , but I don`t care that much.

And lights on.

14. Jokes on you, then.

My wife left a “facial cleanser” in the shower for so long it started to start getting mildew under it. So one day I found it missing and I texted my wife all excited like “Hey you’re finally cleaning up that science experiment in the shower!”.

Turns out she was just replacing the bottle but had no plans of cleaning up the mess. After I started sending her pictures of how gross it was, she finally cleaned it up.

13. I don’t lock my doors but also I don’t leave anything worth stealing in the car?

Oh, and I will give one about my neighbor’s wife. Lock your damn car. She is a moron and constantly leaves doors open and never locks anything and they’ve had things stolen from their car 5 times in the last 6 months so thieves know to come through the neighborhood and it affects all of us. We’ve talked to her about it and she claims we are “judging her” and just a neighborhood full of assholes. Husband gave up years ago and doesn’t engage at all.

12. In time you will learn…not to get pissed.

Not spouse but girlfriend.

She never puts the light out before going to bed even though she’s always lighting a lot of lights that i never touch. She also spreads coffee cups all over the house and puts the coffee filter in the sink and leaves it there until the next time she wants to make coffee.

I definitely go screw it i’ll just do it myself, but i also get pissed.

11. Because she expects you’ll do it now. That’s your doing!

I’m in the same boat as far as staying up later than my GF. I always turn off the lights and blow out the candles we have going despite who lit them.

The other night I was pretty tired and went to bed before her. I wondered while dosing off if my gf would blow out the candles that she lit. I woke up to use the bathroom that night and they were still burning.

10. And they’re always back in the fridge.

She doesn’t screw lids on properly so I’ve developed an aversion to lifting bottles and jars from the top in case I make a mess.

9. She obviously doesn’t watch the murder shows I do.

Lock the doors before bed. Which is very concerning because i work 24 hr shifts and i am not there to lock up every time.

It could be that she forgets when im gone, which i dont think is the case. Which means when im home she thinks “fuck it he can lock the doors, im going to bed”

8. My husband does this too!

Whenever she visits her parents house, she’ll help prep and cook. She’ll later complain to me that their knives are garbage, and wants to buy them a new set.

Little does she know that her parents never sharpen their knives, and I sharpen ours every week.

7. I should start doing this for my husband.

Plugging in her devices before we go to bed. She is terrible at charging her phone, tablet, and laptop overnight. I always walk through and make sure they are plugged in and ready for her in the morning when we wake up.

6. You definitely learn to pick your battles.

Fortunately, there are only a few small things, but they include: not closing certain drawers that are at ball height, not lowering her makeup mirror so it doesn’t blind me in the morning, not putting away a few clean dishes we left to dry on the counter. Can’t really complain and it’s not worth fighting over.

5. Finding complimentary skills is not overrated.

Paperwork. My partner absolutely hates paperwork so I do all of it – taxes, forms, even his resume…

I used to get so angry about this, and once I was fed up and made him do the taxes. He got so over-the-top stressed trying to do them that I suddenly understood that he is not being lazy, he just legitimately hates paperwork. So now I do it all and he does all the car maintenance (because I despise car maintenance.) Teamwork makes the dream work.

4. That’s quite a list.

Close cabinet doors, throw away tea bags,
gas up the car, lock the door, clean any
part of any bathroom and pay the bills.

3. It’s so close just put them in!

Put dishes in the empty dishwasher. She has this habit of stacking crap next to the sink instead of taking that simple little next step.

The weird thing is that she is so damn organized and hates clutter, but this never bothers her.

2. I can’t wait for the day my husband just tidies without expecting a damn medal.

Picking up after herself. It usually involves leaving her makeup all over the place, or not cleaning the stove after making a particular messy meal, or leaving her clothing piled on top of her dresser for weeks on end. And they say guys are the messy ones

1. Samesies.

My wife knows my Reddit user name.

She does everything perfectly. She is beautiful and no one works harder than her. Truly the perfect woman in every way.

I am the luckiest man in the world. I am nothing without her.

Ok I think that’s enough to get her to skip this.

She will not take the garbage out. Ever. Not to the pail. Not to the curb. Will not take the can back in. Outright refuses to deal with garbage or recycling ever.

I love these because they’re so real. I could make a short list of my own, for sure, but never turning off lights would definitely be on mine.

What would be on your list? What do you always do for your spouse and never complain because it’s really no biggie?

We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

The post Men Share the Little Things Their Spouses Never Do That Drives Them Nuts appeared first on UberFacts.

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Step Up the Parenting Game With This Cheeseball Machine Gun

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that you need to take every single offered opportunity to pelt your children with harmless objects.

Harmless delicious objects? There is no answer other than yes.

Sure, our kids are adorable and sweet, but they are also, at the same time, demons who are ashamed of us and want to make our decision to procreate hurt.

Which is to say, the only way to stay sane through those middle years is to give it back to them, 100%.

This pretty amazing cheeseball projectile machine is the brainchild of DIY science geniuses Night Hawk Projects. It utilizes, mostly, a standard-issue leaf blower and a Costco-sized barrel of cheese balls.

Because the family size at the grocery store just isn’t going to cut it.

You can build this yourself with just a few pieces of PVC tubing, some epoxy, and a dremel or sander to carve one essential component – a wedge that incorporates some fluid dynamics to create a vacuum in the gun barrel. The plans come with a clear, concise video so you don’t have to be an engineer or understand concepts like “fluid dynamics” to make it work (whew!).

You just have to love cheeseballs, and assaulting your kids with orange-dusted corn chips.

And I mean really…who doesn’t?

Please, please give this a shot and report back with your successes (and images of the carnage).

I’m literally on the edge of my seat.

The post Step Up the Parenting Game With This Cheeseball Machine Gun appeared first on UberFacts.

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Does Having Social Media on Your Phone Make You a Distracted Parent?

If you’re going to tell me that you never find yourself staring at your phone, mindlessly scrolling through social media until something snaps you out of it, leaving you wondering what your kids are destroying and what exactly you’re doing with your life…I honestly think that you’re lying.

I mean…I’ve heard of people out there who don’t engage in social media, but I kind of feel like they’re basically Bigfoot.

So, if you’re like the rest of us real-life parents, and you ever wonder whether your phone and social media are negatively impacting your parenting, well…the answer is maybe.

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It's #letstalkTuesday! Today, we're talking about something that can hinder effective parenting, which each of us probably does every single day…use our smart phones! In her @theatlantic article, "The Dangers of Distracted Parenting," Erika Christakis warns that modern parents are easily distracted by their smart phones, leaving their children to make do with “continual partial attention.” Fixated on our screens, we tend to engage in less back-and-forth conversation with our children, and we become irritable when they interrupt us. This type of "technoference" can be harmful to our children because it causes us to be physically present with our kids, but less emotionally attuned. ________________ Mamas, what actions do you take to limit your screen time around your children so that you can give them your full attention? What tips do you have for being intentionally present? Let's talk…. Comment below or meet us in our stories to remain anonymous. _________________ #parentingtips #realtalk #screentime #smartphones #distractedparenting #healthykids #healthymoms #bepresent #presentmotherhood #mindfulmotherhood #mamalife #motherhood #momlife #transparency #authenticity #nojudgementzone #mamaencouragement #blackmomsblog #eritrea #eritreans #dmvmoms #habesha #habeshamoms

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Most of us grew up in a vastly different time, but one thing definitely hasn’t changed – kids can always tell when you’re not really paying attention to them.

Our parents weren’t distracted by social media or electronic devices, but we’ve all had a dad who told us to “hold on just a minute” while he watched the end of the big game, or a mom who was going back to school for her master’s degree and needed us to go away and be quiet for a few minutes.

If you stop and think about it, though, how exactly are we going to explain to our own kids that we were too busy to look, to play, to come see, because we were scrolling our Instagram feeds?

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?TUESDAY TIP? The other day my kids were running around the house playing tag while I was making dinner. At one point I started scrolling on my phone when my son ran up to me to ask for something. I didn’t reply quick enough so he very loudly said to me “mama, put away phone”. My stomach basically flipped and I had a huge ah-ha! moment. We have a HUGE parenting epidemic on our hands called “distracted parenting” and we are all guilty to some degree. Distracted parenting has come as a result of parents paying less attention to their children because they're distracted by that shiny piece of tech. Distracted parenting can cause serious emotional, social, and behavioural issues for our children Our children need our undivided attention! It’s time to stop multitasking, checking emails, and glancing at social media. It’s time to be less distracted and more attentive for their sake and ours #childhooddevelopment #instamom #torontomom #parenting #parenting101 #toddlers #tuesdaytips #distractedparenting

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Call me crazy, but I don’t think they’ll understand.

Or maybe they will, if we’re still living in this dystopia where strangers on our phones get more attention than our kids on a daily basis.

I’m not ragging on the internet. There are obviously amazing things that have come from our ability to easily and immediately connect around the globe, and as far as parenting, being able to be in touch with our kids all day and night can be a lifesaver.

That said, there’s also plenty of research that shows too many screens too soon is bad for brain development, so even if we use a television show to get the dishwasher emptied, take a shower, exercise, pay a check, or any of the above, everyone being present in the moment is the ideal scenario.

Our kids should be playing outside. Drinking pretend tea and donning towels to make believe they are superheroes. Fighting with their siblings about nothing and everything only to sneak the other one extra marshmallows when they’re in time out.

Social media has been linked to unrealistic expectations, depression, and anxiety, and maybe the best way to convince our kids they don’t need that crap until they’re older is for all of us to be able to take a step back and convince ourselves that we’re not addicted after all.

You know. At least until after they go to bed at night.

Then you can indulge in whatever (legal) unhealthy habits you might have. In my house, no pint of Ben & Jerry’s is safe after kiddos are tucked in and kissed goodnight.

A rebel, I am. Don’t @ me.

The post Does Having Social Media on Your Phone Make You a Distracted Parent? appeared first on UberFacts.