Unofficial Experiment on Skin Color

So, a few weeks ago I was watching the news and they had a, disturbing to me, segment on race and skin color and how children can perceive others by just their skin color.

I was so upset by this I wanted to see if my children reacted the same way. My children are bi-racial (I am white, my husband is black). We never speak down upon ANY race in my immediate family (cannot speak for Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and so on). I have ALWAYS taught my children to like everyone and be nice to everyone. And not just for race, for people who are physically challenged, mentally challenged, and so on. for NONE of us are perfect and everyone deserves equal treatment in my book.

I try VERY hard not to judge people, in my house, we serve the Lord, and being a Christian means that God is the ultimate judge and ONLY judge that matters.

I try to instill all of these morals into my children in every way I can. I know how it is to be judged, I know how it feels to be judged, even before people know anything about me. And lemme tell you, it isn’t a nice feeling AT ALL.

To me, if you have  green hair, polka dotted skin, and your 2 ft. tall, with 1 leg and no arms, I will love you just the same as anyone else.

What I look for in friends is character. Honesty, Caring, Integrity, and Loving people. I try really hard to surround myself with people like this.

I also know that people DO and WILL make mistakes. I am a forgiving and patient person. I may be upset, but I will come around.

I never hold grudges, and again Life is just TOO short to worry myself with this mess, and to be upset over things I cannot control, and things that I don’t agree with.  But we are ALL Human and we all say and do things that others may not agree with, but we may not walk in those shoes. We may never walk in those shoes.

Example- I would never steal. But If I was in Haiti right now fending for my family and my life, and I had no water, no food, your damn right I would steal so I could live. So, we can really never say never. A lot of people in Haiti I am sure never thought they would go to these extremes either. But things and situations change in the blink of an eye, and those who once said the same, I would never steal, are now theives.  And some may say it isn’t really stealing, to justify the actions, but taking anything that isn’t yours, is stealing. Even if it is a $1 off of the ground in the supermarket parking lot with no one around. You didn’t earn that dollar, and finding it doesn’t magically make it yours.

So, anyways, lol, I am sorry, I got onto a tangent here.

SO, this segment on the news really got me so upset, I decided to try it unofficially at home with my daughter who is 4 as my test subject.

What they did on the news was ask children about her age which baby doll was the good one and then what baby doll was the bad one.

Here is how our unofficial test turned out :

I was so proud as a mother of how she reacted and at her responses. Although she said the black baby was the “good” baby is not why I am happy with the results, it was because her REASON why the black baby was the “good” baby, she said it is because it is her sisters favorite doll. Disturbingly on the news some of the black children said the black baby doll was “the bad one” and the white baby doll was “the good one”. I do not understand other than the people who we surround ourselves with how this can be a child’s answer to this? Based all on skin color alone?
It terrifies me that these are their answers. It terrifies me to think people are STILL judged to be good or bad based on color or race.
It saddens me to no end.

I think I will pray on it. Pray for people to get to know others and see how much alike we are. How our hopes and dreams are so much alike. How much more love could be in the world if we weren’t wasting our time judging others who we don’t even know, instead of taking the time to get to know them.

So while I pray, I ask 1 question of you…. what would YOUR child’s answers be?

I love you,

The Plus Size Mommy

Be Safe on Superbowl Sunday

The teams are set, the hype is well underway and Super Bowl party planning is in full swing.

While you may not be thinking about the dangers of buzzed driving this time of year, you or someone you know will likely be attending a party where alcohol is served.  So whether you’re rooting for the Colts or the Saints, there are some things you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe before, during and after Super Bowl XLIV.

When you’re heading out to a party or hosting guests, remember to always plan ahead:

• Designate a sober driver or be prepared to find a safe ride home for your guests

• Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi.  Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

I’m working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA campaign.  Buzzed drivers are those who drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because “only a few” drinks are consumed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even one drink too many can impair driving and that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”  So even if you are planning on staying home Super Bowl weekend, please remind your loved ones that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI: http://buzzeddriving.adcouncil.org/sign.php#video

Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving.  Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.

For more information, visit Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter(@Buzzeddriving).

*This post is on behalf of my relationship with Global Influence*

The Plus Size Mommy

Spin and Win with Frigidare and Help the Children Too

Host Jennifer Garner and Frigidaire are teaming up for a new cause. It is called the Children CHANGE Program. They are dedicated and working hard to helping children who are living in poverty in the United States.

One in six children lives in poverty in America. They don’t need to. Save the Children works in impoverished rural communities in Appalachia, the Southeast, the Mississippi River Delta, the Gulf Coast, the Southwest and California’s Central Valley – where conditions resemble parts of the developing world. We provide early childhood development, literacy, physical activity, and nutrition programming as well as emergency relief.

HERE IS WHERE YOUR HELP COMES IN :

Frigidaire has a new spin and win game, where you have the chance to win a prize every day, or the grand prize of a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer!  The best part?  Every single time you play, Frigidaire will donate $1.00 to Save the Children, as part of their $250,000 commitment to support Save the Children’s CHANGE program.  This is such an easy way to help, and it will help to provide nutritious snacks and food, and promote a healthy lifestyle for children living in poverty in the U.S.

With a click of your mouse to spin the wheel, you are not only helping the children and making changes in their lives. You also will have the chance at winning some great prizes.

Now click over to the Frigidaire Spin to Win Game and try your luck today, but more importantly you will be helping to make a difference for so many children!  Don’t forget you can play every day, and each time you play $1.00 will be donated!  Please tell your family, friends, tweet, blog, post on Facebook – there are so many ways to help get the word out there.

The Plus Size Mommy

Thank you to Frigidare for supporting this program and also to Mom Select and BSM Media for helping me to share it with all of you.

Please Pray for my Haitian Friends

I have some friends who are from and live in Haiti. I have been friends with Sorel Mondesir for over 7 years. We have never met in real life. We met actually playing online games over yahoo. We became penpals and the rest is history. We exchange Holiday cards, emails, and Instant Messages. He is also on facebook and  we keep in touch there as well.

Although we have never met irl, he and I became great friends. He has family here in the USA in Florida, and also in Canada. He got married to a beautiful woman named Ruth about 5 years ago, and they also now have a son named Ruud.

Sorel wanted to learn English (he speaks French) and he went to school to learn it. He was able to take classes through his work. I would sit on the computer countless nights and help him learn and do his work. I also was able to “test” my French skills on him. I am not very good.

When he got married he was so happy. I remember how nervous he was to ask Ruth. She is intimidating, as she is beautiful. He was worried he would not have enough money to “keep” a family. I encouraged him and said, if you love her, money won’t matter. (my bright way of thinkin as an American).

Sorel taught me so many things about humanity. How his views of the world are, and how much different things are here than there. I couldn’t understand or fathom what he would say to me. How they all turned electric off every night. How he ate out every day cause there wasn’t any refrigeration to keep food to cook at home. How he would come to America to work with his company, but couldn’t get to stay here, and had to stay on a compound while here most of the time.

How he had longed to come to America and bring his family. How Blessed I am to live here. And how hard he worked to try and earn a citizenship.

He told me of the struggles with governmentt. How horrible things would get down there. How he was worried to goto work at times.

He worked with something to do with cell phones and cables. He used his work computer to communicate a lot. He would tell me how poor the people were there. How the children would not have shoes. How some wouldn’t have food. These things are very easy to “blow off”, especially if you aren’t right there facing it. I know Haiti was like this, but felt this was way to big a problem for me, as I am sure many people think.

I sometimes would send them money. Especially when they had their son and at Holidays. Sorel and Ruth are very religious people. To me, it wasn’t a lot $20 sometimes, but to them, they were very appreciative.

We would talk a lot about the world and everything in it. I love to learn about all the cultures of the world and the people, so this to me was such a wonderful friendship.

The pictures they have been showing on the news the past 2 days are horrific. People lying dead in the streets. Children dead at school. Buildings collapsed. It is all so surreal.

How can this be. I cannot even fathom how in 2010 there can be any ANY place on Earth like this? HOW?

How can people here in USA make millions of dollars (and yes, I know they do help) but life still barely exists like this?

Anderson Cooper said mothers had to feed their children mud pies, REAL MUD PIES to eat, so the children has something. We are here squimishly disgusted when our babies eat dirt.

I yell at my children to get socks on, ones that match, and these poor babies over in Haiti, dont even own a pair of socks or shoes, or even a pair of sandles that we can buy at the dollar store!

How WRONG IS THIS? We are Humans for God’s sake. How can we live a life of luxury knowing that a few hours away there are people who live like this? I just do not understand it.

Wyclef Jean had tweeted that the people there need some clothing. I am going to start a local collection and send it via the red cross to them. I am going to continue to pray and I am going to continue to reach my friends. I am going to donate through the red cross as well. I wish there was more I could do. I feel so helpless.

I am going to do as much as I can for Sorel, Ruth, and Rudd. And if this was their time to go, I will do it all in their names.  For they were on this Earth for a reason. It may have been to teach me. To help me learn more about them. It may have been because God needed a few more wonderful people on the Earth. I don’t know the reason, but I know it was for the good.

This is RUTH MONDESIR – if you know her, and you know any status on her, please email me, comment through my blog, whatever, please let me know if you know how she is?

SOREL MONDESIR. They also have a 4yr. old son named Ruud. I know he has sisters in Florida. Please if you know any status on him, please contact me and let me know.

THANK YOU and God Bless.

The Plus Size Mommy

Please PRAY for ALL of HAITI tonight and as long as you can through this awful disaster.

Constant Prayers

I have a lot of prayer requests that I have been fulfilling lately. I thought I would do a post about them and pass it along so you all can pray along with me. The more Prayers sent up the better I say.

I went to church tonight to pray and also I have lit Prayer candles in everyone’s names. I will lite these candles and say a Prayer every day and night for these people and their families. God can work wonders. I am a testament to this.

Haiti – Pretty self explanatory, if you have heard anywhere about the Earthquake that hit there, you will know that these people of this tiny country need all the Prayers and God Speed to them as much as possible.

Sorel – A friend of mine, he lives in Haiti, he is a friend for about 7 years now, at least. He lives and works in Port Au Prince, in Petionville.  Right where the most damage is. I haven’t been able to reach him through facebook, twitter, messages, or pager, or cell phone. I am worried for him, and Pray he is okay.

Ruth – She is Sorels beloved wife.

Ruud – Sorel and Ruth’s son , he was 4 in November.

Jennae – Jennae is a fellow blogger who recently had found out that her 4 yr. old daughter has Leukemia. Prayers to them for healing and strength.

Audrey – Prayers needed for her father and her family.

Shellie – her son was in a tragic accident where he drowned and passed away. He was a toddler. Keeping her in Prayers. She is another fellow blogger.

Anissa – she has suffered a major stroke and was in a coma, she is healing and pulling through. I am continuing my prayers for her and her family for strength to endure the road ahead of them. Anissa is also a beloved fellow blogger.

All I can do is Pray the rest is up to God for his will. But I will do my part. Won’t you all chime in with Prayers too. These people all mean a lot to me and this is the least I can do for them all.

If you have a Prayer Request, whether large or small. please leave it in the comments. You can be anonymous, or u can say, Prayers Personal, if you like. God will understand and will know the reason. All we need to Pray is for God to hear you and us.

Thank you all. Your Sister In Christ, and God Bless,

The Plus Size Mommy

Decorating Tips for a Safe Holiday Season

If you decorate a tree, Safe Kids USA and the United States Fire Administration recommend these precautions:

• Never leave a lighted Christmas tree or other decorative lighting display unattended. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets. Do not overload extension cords or outlets and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.

• Natural Christmas trees always involve some risk of fire. To minimize the risk, get a fresh tree and keep it watered at all times. Do not put the tree within three feet of a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent.

• Decorate with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that have small parts or metal hooks, or look like food or candy, on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Trim protruding branches at or below a child’s eye level, and keep lights out of reach.

• Do not burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in a home fireplace.

• Do not put candles on a tree or a natural wreath, or near curtains or drapes, and keep matches and lighters locked out of reach of children.

• Battery-operated flameless candles are an alternative that does not have a fire risk. Decorative lighting should be labeled with the seal of an independent testing lab and should only be used outdoors if it’s labeled for outdoor use.

Safe Kids USA also offers these tips to prevent poisoning:

• Keep alcohol (including baking extracts) out of reach and do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended.

• Color additives used in fireplace fires are a toxic product and should be stored out of reach. Artificial snow can be harmful if inhaled, so use it in a well-vented space.

• Mistletoe berries, Holly Berry and Jerusalem Cherry can be poisonous. If they are used in decorating, make sure children and pets cannot reach it.

• In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222 to be routed to your local poison control center.

For more information, visit http://www.usa.safekids.org/fire/.

I think being safe at any time of year is important but it does seem like around the holidays many more fires and mishaps happen. I am glad to be able to share this info. with you from Safe Kids.

The Plus Size Mommy

Related articles by Zemanta

• How To Safely Put Up a Real, Live Christmas Tree (howcast.com)
• How To String Christmas Tree Lights (howcast.com)

Save the oceans, adopt a creature for the holidays*

Oceana’s Adopt a Creature set offers online shoppers up to 6 sea creature cookie cutters and 4 sea creature plush toys they can virtually adopt in someone else’s name. Gift recipients receive an adoption certificate, creature facts and a sugar cookie recipe with the cookie cutters.  You can view all creature options at http://www.oceana.org/adopt.

This year as part of our 2009 Adopt a Creature program we are teaming up with one of our youngest supporters to help promote our holiday program. 12-year old sea turtle advocate Casey Sokolovic was a finalist for our Ocean Heroes contest this year and has an inspiring story volunteering for a local sea turtle rescue center in her home state of North Carolina. As part of her efforts, she baked thousands of sea turtle cookies and held bake sales that raised over $3,000 for the protection of these beloved creatures. In her honor we have created a special sea turtle adoption package valued at $200. For more information on Casey you can visit our Ocean hero page: www.Oceana.org/heroes.

When adopting a sea creature :

Online visitors will first be presented with images of the 10 different adoption choices that support Oceana’s campaigns.

Cookie Cutters – Dolphin, Octopus, Penguin, Polar Bear, Sea Turtle and Shark

Plush Toys – Dolphin, Hammerhead Shark, Killer Whale and Seal

Donation Levels*

For $35: cookie cutter, recipe card and personalized adoption certificate 

For $50: plush creature and personalized adoption certificate 

For $75: cookie cutter, recipe card, framed personalized adoption certificate and an additional gift from Oceana or a plush creature and framed personalized adoption certificate 

For $100: complete set of cookie cutters,  a framed personalized adoption certificate and an additional gift from Oceana 

For $150: complete set of plush creatures and a framed personalized adoption certificate

For $200: The Limited edition ‘Casey’ Sea Turtle Kit, which includes a 22-inch plush sea turtle, a sea turtle cookie cutter, a sugar cookie recipe, a personalized framed adoption certificate, a sea turtle fact card and a note from Casey.

*Donors become Wavemakers and will receive Oceana’s electronic newsletters

FROM ME :

We received a dolphin from Oceana. It came with a cute certificate of adoption that is framed.  Also, there are papers with the other animals you can adopt. My daughter really loved her dolphin and I love that these animals and everything you buy such as the cookie cutters and other items are going to a GREAT CAUSE. When I was in High School, I always wanted to be a marine biologist. To this day, I still think about it every once and a while. Although I doubt I will ever be a Marine Biologist, I still like to be a part of causes that support ocean life.

This makes a fantastic Holiday present and serves 2 purposes. One as a cute present for a child or ocean animal lover on your list, and 2 the money raised from the sale going to help the animals.

The Plus Size Mommy

* I was sent the dolphin kit from Oceana in order to do this review. It came to me FREE of charge.

Champions Against Child Hunger contest via Conagra Foods

I always try to help with our communities food banks when a food drive is going on and it really hits home when I hear about people not having food for their families. I have experienced first hand being a food bank participant and having to stand in long lines in the cold and rain and heat of the summer to make sure I have food for my family. My husband lost his job and was out of work for a long time and it was a REALLY rough time for us. The company he worked for was run by grant money and when the money ran out and the contracts not resigned he lost his job after being there for years. So I totally understand what the people are going through and the tough times.

I have always had in my mind that when this happened to us, when we got back on our feet that I would make a difference and do what I could to help other families make it through. The holidays are some of the hardest times too. You want to be able to make that turkey, and all the trimmings. You want to feed your kids good and healthy foods and be able to splurge sometimes on some cookies or special cereal. It is really tough when the money isn’t there.

So, when I found out that Conagra, a Wonderful company, that I have worked with in the past has put out a campaign to fight against child hunger, I was totally IN on it. Below is the information pertaining to the campaign and I hope you will help out and work towards making a difference.

• This holiday season, ConAgra Foods Foundation and Sandra Lee, of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, in partnership with Share Our Strength®, are launching the Champions Against Child Hunger contest to recognize those who are doing great work to help end child hunger in communities across the country.

• We don’t often take time to recognize the people helping those in need, so this contest gives us the opportunity to tell their stories and say thank you.

• It’s easy to enter – all you have to do is nominate a family member or friend – or even yourself at the Champions Against Child Hunger Web site,www.ChampionsAgainstChildHunger.org, through Jan. 22.

• For each submission, ConAgra Foods Foundation will donate $10 to Share Our Strength.  Then, you’ll have a chance to vote on finalists to raise even more funds.  And, the finalists and winner both receive grants for their hunger relief organization of choice.

o   Each of the top five finalists will receive a cash prize of $500 as a reward for their advocacy and passion for ending child hunger, and a matching donation of $500 to Share Our Strength or their hunger relief organization of choice.

o   The grand prize winner will receive a trip to New York City, a tour of The Food Network studios, and a cash prize of $1,500, as well as a donation of $5,000 to Share Our Strength or their hunger relief organization of choice.

• ConAgra Foods Foundation has committed an incremental donation of up to $100,000 to Share Our Strength.
• The Champions Against Child Hunger contest builds on the ConAgra Foods Foundation’s partnership with Share Our Strength and our commitment to building a community of people passionate about ending child hunger.

Thank You for helping to make a difference in children’s lives !

The Plus Size Mommy

Related articles by Zemanta

• More Than Half Of Teachers Report Buying Hungry Students Food With Their Own Money (huffingtonpost.com)
• Thank you ConAgra Foods for Helping the Community! (momblognetwork.com)
• Find a Soup Kitchen or Food Bank (socrata.com)
• Charities Need Your Help More Than Ever This Thanksgiving (alan.com)
• Homeless agency needs Kleenex, hand sanitizer (cbc.ca)

“Thank You for Making a Difference” from Dove – UPDATE …WIN*

Dove’s mission is to reach 5 million girls with self esteem programming by 2010. Since 2005, Dove has reached over 3.5 million girls globally.In 2009, Dove wants to recognize those who have supported the Campaign for Real Beauty.

Share what your daughter feels makes her beautiful or what she learned from a self esteem program.

In addition, Dove invites you to show the difference self esteem makes in your family AND support local self esteem building programs.

Please help me to help girls gain self- esteem and show support by being a part of the Dove Campaign’s for REAL Beauty.

The top 5 sites with most videos (including the #1 site) will receive a $1000 donation from Dove in their site’s name to the local chapter of a partner charity that builds self esteem: you can choose between the Girl Scouts of the USA, the Boys and Girls Club of America or Girls Inc.

Also, your Dove purchase also helps build self esteem. Enter your Dove UPC here http://www.dove.us/#/cfrb/selfesteem/default.aspx/ and select a charity. Dove will donate $1* to inspiring self-esteem programs at a charity partner of your choice. Select one: Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Girls Inc.

NOW YOU CAN WIN TOO !!!!!

Now just for sharing your story on how you helped your daughter or a special young girl to build her self -esteem you can win some Dove product and a copy of the True You! Workbooks (a mother – daughter guide) !!! Here is how:

1. Share with in a comment how you have influenced a younger girl(s) self -esteem, whether it be by being a girl scout leader, a leader of another group, volunteering at a function that helps build self -esteem in young girls, however you feel you were/are an influencer, please share it with us. Can even be how you influence your own daughter.

2 winners will be chosen via Random.org to win a Dove prize pack with includes Dove products and a True You! Workbooks.

Thank you for sharing, I am looking forward to reading all of the comments and learning how I too can be a bigger influencer to help young girls build their self -esteem !

This giveaway opens NOW and ends on December 14th, 2009 at 5 pm EST.   TWO winners will be posted by Dec. 16th, 2009 and will have 48 hours to claim their prizes. Thank you for sharing and good luck !!!

Thank You for Making a Difference!

And Thank you for helping ME continue to make a difference!

The Plus Size Mommy

*Maximum donation of $500,000. No purchase necessary. Limit of one per household. Valid through 12/15/2009.

Open to legal residents of the United States.

**PLEASE not I am receiving free product from Dove along with the True You! Workbooks for free from Dove. Also the winners prize will be provided for free by Dove. **

Readers Reminder to Make Time for a Change !!!

Readers this is my reminder to you to visit the “Make Time for CHANGE” campaign.

Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner took your pledges to heart; donating $1 to support the CHANGE program and Save the Children’s U.S. Programs for every person that participated. Don’t forget to take some time to help the children, our children !!!

The Plus Size Mommy

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