4 Ways To Teach Our Children About Black History Month

Black History Month isn't over yet folks!  And if you haven't taken the time to at least talk to your children about what Black History Month is and why  it is so important, I encourage you to do so.  And please don't think that this is something that only Black or African American children need to learn about because it isn't.  I truly believe that children of all racial backgrounds need to gain knowledge of struggles and triumphs experienced by African Americans (and non-American Blacks) to help them better relate.  Today, I'm sharing 4 ways that we can teach our children about Black History Month.

Books

For centuries now books have been used to educate our children.  So, why not use that as a starting point to get conversation started about Black History Month?  I think this is an especially great place for non-Black families to start because they may find it difficult to find an angle to introduce the topic their families or simply might not know how a lot about the topic themselves.  After all you can't speak on what it's like to be Black unless you're well...Black.  Thankfully, there are tons of children's books out there about famous African Americans and Black History Month. 

A few of my favorites are: 

I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coca Cola: Celebrate The Taste of Black History by Chef G Garvin & Brooke Campbell

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

Music

Now, what child doesn't like music?  From babies to teenagers they all like a catchy tune.  And you'd be amazed at how many songs today sample lyrics and beats from older songs.  So, why not use music as a way to introduce children to Black History Month.  You can talk about how Louis Armstrong was one of the founding fathers of jazz or learn the words to 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'.  

Crafts

I've come to learn that nothing excites younger children more than a trip to playground or candy except crafts.  They absolutely love arts & crafts time.  Therefore, seize that excitement and jubilee as a teachable moment.  Going back to music, you could make instruments like the African harp or fiddle out of items like paper towel rolls, boxes and other household materials.  Or you could keep it really simple and do coloring pages.  Kids love crayons!  Check out this gallery of printable Black History coloring pages: click here.

Museums/Tours

I come from a hometown that is rich with history from slavery and the Civil War to being the home of Dizzy Gillespie.  And every year, we have tons of tourist who come through for our Spring Festival to take tours of our historic district and visit our only museum all in the name of learning more about the past.  And much of that past has to do with Black History, slavery and the Underground Railroad.  As a child, I remember going on several different walks (tours) of my hometown and seeing houses that were used to help hide slaves on their journey to freedom.

It was definitely interesting for me.  And I think that as long as you keep trips to the museums or tours under two hours, kids will be interested too.  Also, it helps if you try to go to places that are kid and family friendly.  They tend to have items that children can touch or interactive displays.

So, there you have it, 4 simple (and inexpensive) ways to teach your children about Black History Month.  And remember that Black History is something that can and should be celebrated 365! 

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Thankful Thursday

It's 2:07 AM and I should be well asleep by now, but I'm not.  Instead, I'm up enjoying this quiet I get watch my children sleep.  Why?  Well, today is Moo's big preschool screening and it's hitting me (again) just how fast she and her brother have grown up on me these last two years.  Literally, I don't know where the time went.

I'm thankful that she's so excited to heading in a few hours to test her way into school.  Her passion and yearning for knowledge makes my heart swell with pride.  Yes, some of that desire is just built into her, but some of it also comes from the fact that I started talking to her about education since the age of two!  I took it step forward by reading her books, getting her educational toys, taking her to my nieces' school on several occasions and so much more.

Whether she gets into preschool or not I am proud of the job I have done thus far.  She knows her full name, the names of her family members, the city she lives in, her age, her colors, her shapes, her alphabet, her numbers, how to write most of her letters and numbers and even a little Spanish.  It's in my reflecting on this that I find hope to come to terms with all the challenge I have going on with JJ and getting him to speak.

I feel reaffirmed as not just a good mom but a great teacher and educator.  I know that it's only a matter of time before we burst through this wall with JJ's verbal skills.  Just today he started saying the words 'come' and 'go.'  I know some people will say that's not much for a two year old, but for me and seeing how he regressed in his speech earlier this year it brings me tears of great joy and semi-relief.

These last few months, I've been going through hell in my mind wonder if I did something wrong that caused him to stop progressing in his speech to begin with.  But now I have renewed hope and proof that I'm in fact doing something right!  And I know I can't take all the credit.  God is definitely steering the wheel and opening up lanes on this front.

I can start to let go of the frustration that I have been carrying around over having been a paid tutor and educator who helped kids with learning disabilities go from making F's to getting on the all A's honor roll, but not even being able to get my son to speech a lick of understandable English.  What I'm going through right now is the stuff you won't read about in some of these motherhood/parenting books, blogs or magazines.  And if you do read about it, they try to keep as rainbows and puppy dog tails as possible.  They don't keep real or keep it ugly as I refer to these situations often.

However, I'm not those people.  And I'm thankful everyday for the opportunity to write and share my life struggles in motherhood, my marriage and everything in between with you guys.  If it wasn't for the fact that one of my siblings had a learning disability and I wasn't there everyday watching and helping them to overcome that learning disability, I would feel so much more unprepared than I do now.

But I know there is hope.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we will reach it some day!  For now, I'm thankful for these quiet moments in which my struggles with motherhood don't outweigh my successes in my mind.  I'm winning this battle one day at a time.

What are you most thankful for this week?

Linking up with The Fontenot Four

Who's That Mom

We as moms are among the hardest working people on the planet!  Seriously, have taken the time to sit down and make a list of all that you do as a mom?  I know that have.  Let me tell you that list is long- cooking, cleaning, monthly (sometimes bi-weekly) doctor office visits, play dates, peace maker, PTO, school conferences, etc.  That's exactly why I'm thankful for holidays like Mother's Day to celebrate our awesomeness.

However, why just celebrate our awesomeness one day?  I've decided to introduce a new series called "Who's That Mom."  One of the reasons I started YUMMommy was not only to share my journey but also to help others share theirs too.  Being a blogger and philanthropist, I have come in contact with some amazing women from all walks of life. Some of them just so happen to be moms and I'm reaching out to them to give them a little spotlight and talk about why I think they are so awesome.

It is my hope that through this series others will be touched by the stories of these  moms.  I hope that "Who's That Mom" helps us to really not take for granted our role as moms.  Trust me sometimes with all the craziness going on it's easy for motherhood to become just another 'thing' we do.  The reality is being a mom is one of the greatest honors and privileges that life can bestow upon us.  So, I hope that you will join me and support this new series.

Magazine Madness

I'm going nuts over trying to decide if I should take a leap and start an online magazine.  It's something that I've been thinking about since before I found out I was pregnant.  Then after I got pregnant with Moo, I really started to dream of doing a magazine that combined all aspects of my life-motherhood, fashion, marriage, etc.  I realize that to some reading this I may sound nuts.

After all I've got this blog, my Etsy shop, two kids at home 24/7, a marriage and other stuff. But since I'm kicking my bad habit of procrastinating to the curb, I feel like I could make an honest of go this.  It's more like I need to make an honest go of this.  It's time that I get more serious about my YUMMommy/YUMMommies brand.

This is a legacy that I'm leaving to my kids one day.  I want to make sure that my legacy and work is something they will be proud to carry on and pass down to their kids.  I want to make my mark on this world beyond just being a blogger.  Most importantly, I want to help others fulfill their dreams of getting their voices out there.  

My JET Magazine feature opened so many doors and put me on so many people's radar that I need to pay it forward.  Plus, the upside to all of this is that I've site that where I can publish an online magazine for FREE! That way once I get everything aligned and ready to go for a test run, I'm not really losing any money.  And of course, there's always the old-fashioned way of using MS Publisher and converting it to a PDF.

Either way, I've been praying really hard about this and I think I'm finally building up the courage to start work on the first issue.  I know in my gut that this has the potential to be a success.  However, undertaking a task that will be so time consuming scares me.  Will I find the time to make it work?  How will others respond to this magazine?

Will I be able to find quality writers?  Sponsors?  Sometimes, the road to success is scary.  But the it's time to sink or swim.  And I really want to swim.

What would you like to see in a magazine?

Guest Post: Stop, parent time!

I am, what you may call, a quiet hermit. I like my own company and I'm pretty comfortable just being in the house working. I don't like straying from a routine, and moreso, I hate surprises.

Surprise no. 1:

The Prodigy, as I've aptly nicknamed her, is the kind of firstborn child that hasn't been schooled the meaning of  sshhh". She's overly energetic and unapologetically loud. She deems personal space a laughable concept (no,  really!). Her character and my own may be on either side of the spectrum but now, strangely enough, my "hermit-ism" of the past feels very much humdrum.

And just when I thought I was getting the hang of running after The Prodigy and making sure she doesn't burn, cut or maime herself, here comes The Progeny, the quiet one that likes to sleep alot.

Surprise no. 2:

(Side note: Why the names, you ask? I figured a grandiose name blesses a child; so rather than wait and see  whether greatness will eventually find them, I propose bringing greatness to them, you feel me?)

Time fellas! That's all it takes.  Bless @jerimasala for being so patient with me as I warmed up to being indeed "child-safe".  It took time to get over the noise. It took time to get used to erratic sleeping patterns. It took time from work to just sit outside and play with kokoto and sticks.  But, it is a choice I made.  The line between responsibility and active fatherhood is a vast one. Providing diapers is not the same as digging holes in the sand for 2 hours with your child.  No father should miss bathing his child or miss the first time his child is able to peel a banana on their own (it took The Prodigy a minute).  With one child, you can atleast leave them with their mother for a time while you, you know, go off to do manly things.

I work from home as a freelance designer/writer, and in between writer's block and/or creative meltdowns, I help with the basic nannying duties most of you men would otherwise pay someone to do for you.  More than just being around my kids, I want to see them grow; to mold them and guide them towards whatever path their lives have set for them.

So maybe it's as simple as this: Rather than give a child what I may think they want, I'll give them my time.

In the blogging circle, I go by the name Chef Fatuma but people also

know me by my slave name Mark Muchura :-) A freelance designer/writer and part time ninja by circumstantial trade, I regard my business more to do with raising 2 daughters.

Becoming a Better Mommy

Ok, I have a confession to make.  I haven't been the best mommy I could be.  I've been letting outside people and situations that don't concern me drive me to a point of some much that stress that it started to wear on my patience with Moo.  I'm a fixer.  When I see problems, I feel the need to fix them even if they're beyond my control.  It's a horrible trait that I seem to have inherited from my mother.

For years, we watched as she tried to fix my father and their broken marriage. It's taken years for her to come to the conclusion that you can't fix somebody who doesn't love you and never wanted to  be married to you in the first place, but did so because his family forced him to make an honest woman out of you.  And yet you would think that when it comes to other things and people she would know not to try to fix them, but here she is still trying to fix her children, her siblings and the rest of the world.  And when I look in the mirror, it scares me to see that part of her in me. 

You see, I know the cost of being a fixer.  You focus so much energy and positive effort on fixing other people and situations outside the home that you have no positive energy or time left for those in your home.  I could remember my mom being so patient and gentle with the children she came into contact with at the school house, but when she got home she was 'tired of kids' as she said on numerous occasions. It hurt like hell to hear her always telling us that.  And on more than once instance, I wanted to tell her to screw all those others kids because they weren't hers, but we were!!

Of course, I didn't dare utter those words to her face.  My mom is more in touch with her Black side when it comes to parenting. LOL.  So, I knew better than to try her and showed her the utter most respect at all times.  I still show her respect to this day.  We disagree very often, but I never forget my place.  I am the child and she is my parent.  The Bible says that when we disrespect our parents we shorten our life here on Earth and I don't want to cut mine short. Moo is my motivation to strive to live as long as possible.

However, it is Moo that I has had to suffer because of the curse passed down from my mom to me.  It me earlier this week as I was rereading Queen Latifah's book 'Put On Your Crown' that I have been a pretty awful mommy lately.  I've yelled her and lost my patience.  I've brushed her off and not taken the time to listen to her.  Why?  All because of stress caused by people and things that aren't nearly as important to me as she is.

As I read a story in which Queen talked about her mother, I felt tears well up in my eyes.  Mama O seemed like a saint compared to me.  The way her daughter spoke of her character and parenting skills reminded me that I had failed in mine.  But it also woke me up.  One thing Queen Latifah's mom did differently is that she didn't allow the negative to affect her in a way that she took it out on her kids.

And I am determined to develop that same strength.  I might be a fixer, but no longer will I allow my curse to make me miss out on another minute of my daughter's happiness.  I'm constantly reminding myself that Moo didn't ask to be here.  Therefore, when I feel like I'm about to burst I need to take ten seconds to calm down and think about all the great things that have happened in my life because of her.

My life truly is better because of her.  And I need to start back showing her that.  She deserves to have a mommy who is going to put her first and not second or third.  I have to admit that since reading that part of Queen's book earlier this week, I have made progress.  I've been more patient with her and have made an effort to strike up conversations with her even though I don't completely understand the words she says.  And guess what?   Her baby rage has gotten better too.

This is just further proof that my stress was having negative effects not only on me, but Moo as well. These last few nights we both have been sleeping so peacefully.  This journey called Motherhood may not come with an instruction manual, but I'll be damned if I don't find the right parts to make it work.  Motherhood is tough, rough and unpredictable, but that's what I love about it.  I find myself forced to rise to a challenge and I gladly accept the mission to become a better mommy.

Me Time Monday

I'm sure some of you read my Oh So Emotional post from last week.  Well, today I decided to take Kenya's advice and enjoy a little Me Time.  Kenya is the author of {{In My Own Words}}, an absolutely amazing and keep it real blog that I am falling in love with!!  I invite you guys to check it out. I'm having a blast reading some of her older posts.  Oh and she's the an author in real life. She wrote "This Too Shall Pass."  I'm in the process of ordering a copy to read.

I'm always down for supporting my fellow blogger friends.  But back to Kenya's advice, I took a little time to pamper myself today and it felt wonderful.  Right after I wrote about my hitting the wall with my current single/co-parenting situation, I called Moo's dad and told him that I needed him to be more active in her life other than what was outlined in our court ordered visitation agreement and he agreed that he would start picking her up to free my afternoons on his days off.  Well, today I was trying to iron some clothes and what not but as usual I couldn't because Moo made up her mind that she wanted Mommy to hold her for almost an hour.

I was just about to get frustrated, but I took a deep breath and told myself that ironing could wait.  And since school is out, I don't have to hire a sitter. My baby sister babysat for free while I got my hair relaxed, cut and curled.  I feel like a new woman!!!  Let me first say, I had been going natural for over two years until about 6 months ago when I tried to put a relaxer in my hair.  Guess what, it didn't take. 

I have super curly hair that I prefer straight and it has a mind of it's own at times.  Now, I know that some girls say they would kill to have the hair that I have, but quite seriously I was tired of firing up the hot comb and the fishing out the pressing grease.  Not to mention, I still haven't found a product that will tame my frizz when it's wet or humid out. And as an up and coming business woman bad hair days have to be a thing of the past.

I came home refreshed and relaxed. I was so relaxed that I didn't even get upset when Moo stole my Ranch burger only to play with it and throw it on the floor.  I didn't yell when she smashed cheese puffs all in her play pin. I'm learning on this journey of motherhood to pick my battles and to use the help that God sends me even if it's not the person I want it to be.

Yes, it would have been nice if her father hadn't bailed out saying he was going to work overtime to pay for some new apartment he wants to move into.  However, I know that she was in good hands with my sister and had blast running around at my aunt's house.  New pics coming soon. Good night out there.

Random Ramblings: Irresponsible Screwing

I know it's late, but I've been pretty busy today.  I don't know if I would say that I was very productive though. LOL.  Anyways, I was going to write a post earlier in the afternoon when I got home, but I was too upset and needed to calm down.  When I'm upset about something serious I can be very cut throat with my words.

So, I was riding with my mommy who informed me that my aunt in law needed some clothes for a little girl about my niece's size.  In my mind I 'm trying to figure out why she would need them because her kids are grown.  My mom informs me that DSS had to arrange an emergency foster care move for three kids-one girl and two boys.  These kids are all under the age of nine and had to snatched from the comforts of their home due a danger to their livelihood.  And I've heard about kids in foster care and what not.

But for the life of me, I couldn't understand why the more I thought about those kids being uprooted from their home the more upset and frustrated I became.  I mean I was livid by the time I had reached my niece's school to pick her up.  Sitting in the car riders' lane all I could think of was how I would love to get a hold of those kids' parents and choke the shit out of them. Seriously, that is the exact thought that ran through my mind.

My opinion is this: when you screw irresponsibly chances are you might get pregnant or worse an STD.  So, why do some many women and men play Russian Roulette when it comes to sex?  I mean seriously, is sex that important or are you that desperate that you can't remember to use protection or get on birth control. I'm all for everybody getting their rocks off or whatever you want to call it. I'm a single mom, so I've had some great sex in my twenty something years old on this Earth.

However, what I wouldn't do was put myself in the position of becoming a parent when I know full well that I have not intentions of living up to the duties that come along with it.  When I started having unprotected sex with my daughter's father, I knew I was bound to get pregnant sooner or later. But I had also made up in my mind that I was ready to assume the duties of caring for and molding a life if and when it happened. I just can't for the life of me understand why these kids' have to be put through such nonsense.

My advice to all the women and men out there sleeping around with people they have no intentions of being with exclusively or even seeing them after your ten minutes of fun is to get snipped!!!  Yes, I wrote it. Get snipped.  I'm not going to put the blame on the women. It takes two to roll in the hay.

Ladies get your tubes tied or have the ovaries completely removed. Men get that vasectomy.  That way you can still sleep around as much as possible but you won't be hurting innocent children who didn't ask to be here.  My heart goes out to those kids for what they have to go through.  The emotional scars that they will carry throughout their lives is way more painful than the abuse and neglect they suffered.

Their whole outlooks on life and relationships and parenting and love has been tainted.  And for what?  Because their mom feels like she got the bad end of the stick.  It's just not fair.  America we have to change.  We can't keep raising a generation of emotionally damaged kids and expect to improve violence in our homes, schools and neighborhoods. These kids are crying out, but I feel like nobody is hearing them.

Love at 1st Sight

So, I went with my mom and niece to the doctor earlier today-Moo in tow of course.  And it was here that I was first introduced to the wonderful and very useful Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine.  Well, while waiting for my niece and Mom to resurface from the back, I fell in love.  And not it was not with some hot dad in the waiting room because there were none and have never been any.  It was the Maclaren Techno XT stroller.

Yes, you read right.  I fell in love with a stroller!!!  This is not just any stroller.  It's like heaven in a lite weight stroller.

My Moo has reached the age where a full travel system stroller is not a day to day necessity or all that feasible to carry around in the trunk.  Especially considering the fact that we are a family that likes to haul a lot of junk in our trunk. You could say that I am in the market for a new set of wheels for Moo.  And being the writer-creative type, I'm always carrying a load of stuff-notebooks, reading books, magazines, cell phones ( I have more than one), cups, more books.  Therefore, I need a stroller that while lite weight and compact is still sturdy enough and roomy enough to store my items.  After all you never know when a good idea will hit you.

And when I saw that Techno XT, I knew it would be the perfect stroller for Moo and I.  I mean it has handlebars that are adjustable!!  Do you know how wonderful that is for a person is slightly on the taller side of things?  I've tried other compact strollers and hated being stooped over like a hunchback.  I'm too young to be developing a bad back.

Moo is also an avid on the go eater.  Therefore, her heavy stroller has taken a lot of spills and smears. But since it doesn't have a removable seat like the Techno XT, I've had to hose it down outside and hit with the hair dryer to clean it.  I can imagine Moo being well protected from the sun under its wide top canopy. The best feature by far of the Techno XT is that if fully reclines.  This would come in handy on those days when she falls asleep after a long walk in the park.

But unfortunately my dream bubble was burst when I saw the $289 price tag.  I'm a single mommy on a budget.  One that can't afford a $289 stroller no matter how fantastic and amazing it is.  So, I guess I'll have to settle for just posting it on my cork board to gaze upon every morning and evening in hopes that maybe one day we will meet in person.