By Toni Husbands 1 in 8 couples or 7.3 million women experience primary or secondary infertility in this country. My husband and I tried for 9 years before successfully expanding our family. As a 29-year old member of a very large extended family and a small, yet “fruitful”, church – infertility was unexpected and hit like a ton of bricks. I struggled constantly to remain … [Read more...]
The Letter to My 10-Year-Old Daughter that Changed Our Relationship
A few months ago, I was at my wits’ end with my daughter who just happens to be a smidgen more stubborn than I am. We butt heads often because we’re so much alike. But I also understand that it has a great deal to do with the environment that our children are growing up in, which is so much different then the one many of us were raised in by our own parents. Disrespect? What … [Read more...]
[Video] A Super Cute Natural Hair Style for Girls that You Can Do at Home in Just 25 Minutes
As busy mom's we sometimes struggle with getting our own hair complete with a cute style, and adding a daughter to the mix - add more style challenges. We want our daughters hair to be healthy, cute and appropriate. Here's the step-by-step tutorial from our a friends at NATURALICIOUS1, with a super cute and quick hair style you can create at home for your daughter in just 25 … [Read more...]
[Video] Nigerian Doll Created by Man is Now Outselling Barbie
Nigerian native, Taofick Okoya, 43, was having a horrible time trying to find a doll for his niece. There was nothing that represented their color or culture, so in 2007, he created Queens of Africa. It's a doll line Nigerian girls could identify with. Queens of Africa has become so popular, it is now outselling Barbie in his country. [youtube id="-vwch0LLPks"] The doll … [Read more...]
11 Things I Wish I Knew About Motherhood Before Having Kids
Since becoming a mother, almost five years ago, I have learned more than I ever anticipated. Going into this, I knew I would learn a ton about parenting. After all, there is no manual and you figure things out as you go along. What I didn’t expect is how much I would learn about myself. Motherhood has brought all my flaws to light—in a very beneficial way—and it has forced me … [Read more...]
The 4 Most Valuable Lessons on Happiness I Learned from My 10-Year-Old
When I think about the things that made me happy as a child, it was usually simple stuff like the ice cream truck, playing jump rope with my friends or drinking Kool-Aid. Have you noticed how it seems to take so much more to make you happy the older you get? I’ve had to really ask myself why that was as I went through some changes in my life that caused me to re-think my … [Read more...]
4 Super Cute Holiday Natural Hair Styles for Children
The holidays are fast approaching! We've all got plans and to do lists to complete. We must remember our recipes, acquire the appropriate supplies and clean the house to name a few items. Soon the kids will be out of school and family will be in town. Some of us with school age children may even have a pageant or play to attend. If you are the parents of children who have … [Read more...]
The Long Lasting Effects of Witnessing Domestic Violence as a Child
“Mom, what was your dad like?” I really didn't know how to answer that question when my daughter asked me. Do I tell her that my father was a monster that used to punch my mother in the face in front of me? Do I tell her about the time he beat our puppy to death (literally) because he peed in the house. Or what about the time he came up to my school and assaulted my 3rd … [Read more...]
Black Poetry Day: Life
Migration move. New country. New environment. New friends. New school. Family reunited. One dies. Family disintegration. Many heartbroken. High-school graduation. College-bound. Work-study. Study, Work. Loans, Grants. College Graduation. Look for work. Find work. Basic work. Pay … [Read more...]
How to Heal from the Pain of Divorce and Learn to Love Again
2005 was the most painful year of my life. My daughter had just turned one when I found out that my husband—who I had been separated from for four months, with a faint hope of reconciliation—was about to have a baby by another woman. Words can't express how devastated I was at his admission of an affair during our marriage. I felt like I had fallen into a black hole and wasn't … [Read more...]
Kid Natural Hair Transitions: What’s the Best Transition Plan for my Child?
What plan is the best for parents when they are choosing a natural hair lifestyle for their child? There are 3 different ways a natural can transition. Short term (0-1 months) Mid-term (2-11 months) Long term (1 yr. or more) Not all mothers are willing or ready to chop off their child's hair if they opt for a short or mid-term transition, so what is a mom to do? … [Read more...]
Four Lies We Should Stop Telling Black Children About Domestic Violence
NFL footballer Ray Rice was cut from the Baltimore Ravens today after footage was released of him punching his then fiancée, now wife, in an elevator earlier this year in Atlantic City. Opinions have swirled about whether or not the punishment from the NFL fits the crime. One thing that is not an opinion, but is instead a sobering fact: black women are twice as likely to die as … [Read more...]
Why Autism Parents Need to Vote
I am calling on all parents of children with autism to recognize the importance of our votes. We have to hold our legislators accountable because the decisions that they make can have a huge impact on our families. Several states will be holding primaries for the midterm elections today and I encourage all of you to head to the polls and cast your vote. This is the first … [Read more...]
Why Connecting with Your Child is More Important than Discipline
For those of us who were raised “old school”, we grew up knowing: Rule #1. Mom and Dad are always right. And even when they’re wrong—they're right. Rule #2. A butt whippin’ was standard operating procedure when you misbehaved. And don’t forget to pick your own stick off the tree in the front yard for that whippin’. And, Rule #3. When in doubt, reference Rule … [Read more...]
Natural Hair: Why I’ll Never Give My Daughter a Relaxer
Hair is a touchy subject in our community. “Touchy” is probably an understatement. But it’s a subject that never seems to run out of steam. I, for one, am ecstatic to see the explosion of the natural hair movement. And trust, it’s a movement—not a trend. I just recently found out that the sale of relaxers has actually dropped by 26% in the past five years. I started my locs … [Read more...]