Building Self Esteem through Reading

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One of the greatest opportunities to discuss life and social issues has been created by reading with my children. A year ago my daughter and I joined a mother-daughter book group geared toward 11 and 12 year old girls; we just completed our first full year. Utilizing the book ‘100 Books for Girls to Grow On’ by Shireen Dodson has made a group of this type simple to create. The experience has been invaluable, the selections offered in ‘100 Books for Girls to Grow On’ often center around social issues and more times than not make for a lively discussion both at home, and in the group. Each suggested book is accompanied with a synopsis of the story followed by book club questions. The way our group is structured each participating member (of which there are 12) hosts once a year, and during that time the host-daughter acts as the facilitator. The girls experience leadership, listening, speaking, and hosting skills all of which contribute to building confidence and self-esteem. The time together is irreplaceable and each of us has had the privilege of gaining beads of wisdom from each other and all of our friends.

Growing up with Domestic Violence

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Domestic violence remains one of the most misunderstood health problems facing us today. The cloak of silence that drapes the shoulders of the women who endure abuse is heavy, the weave of the fabric is made from shame, fear, and severe isolation. If the women have children, they too are victimized.

Help put an end to generations of violence against women. Participate in awareness campaigns, educate our young, share your story. It all helps.

Thank you Patrick Stewart for sharing your personal story about growing up with a violent father. As you so adeptly write in your article, the legacy of domestic violence:

“Most people find the idea of violence against women – and sometimes, though rarely, against men – abhorrent, but do nothing to challenge it. More women and children, just like my mother and me, will continue to experience domestic violence unless we all speak out against it.” -Patrick Stewart

To read the entire Patrick Stewart article:
http://bit.ly/59THyc

View the Patrick Stewart YouTube Video:
http://bit.ly/5gmga9

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

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This year, the 10th anniversary of UN Resolution 54/134 and the 20th Anniversary of the December 6th Montreal Massacre, it is more important than ever to take a stand in support of campaigns that promote awareness centering on the subject of violence against women.

Ways to be involved:
Take the pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women. http://www.whiteribbon.ca/pledge
Check out Becky’s Fund 16 ways to get involved:
http://bit.ly/7AeQk4

Support the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: http://www.ncadv.org/

A Safe World for Women: www.safeworldforwomen.org

Parent of the Twilight Generation

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Given Stephanie Meyer openly shares with all who visit her website that a dream served as inspiration for her first book, Twilight, I think it is safe to say that she did not write the Twilight Series as a means to educate young people on the subject of teen-dating.

Having read all four of her books I feel it is incumbent upon me to start off by thanking her, for as I sat with the closed cover of Breaking Dawn on my lap last December, it was clear a seed had been planted, because I have a daughter, and she has friends, because I have two sons, and they have friends…I knew I had to go back to work on a book I began many years ago, a real story, my teen-dating story void of the fairy tale.

Here is what troubles me, as a mother of three children 12, 13, and 22, and a grown woman who lived through teen dating violence when I was 17, 18, and 19. That dating experience has forever left its imprint on me, to this day I remember losing myself, the essence of who I was before meeting him. No, he was not a vampire with fabulous looks, and a bank account that was bottomless, nor did he possess the ability to materialize every time I was in danger.

No, quite the opposite was true. My boyfriend was a human being, a human being who suffered his own pain as a child. He was average to look at, some might even say he had a kind face and sweet smile, but behind those green eyes and dimples was a storm of violence. Bank account…not so much, and the danger I was in was due to his brutal behavior. His unhappy upbringing fueled a very tortured soul; his response was to possess me. Possession in the way that controls, possession that hurts, nearly kills.

According to the ACADV, http://bit.ly/6mgHix one in three teenagers have experienced violence in a dating relationship. Based on those statistics as parents we need to be paying more attention, spending more time being parents. Join your kids as they pour through every Twilight Series book, and or accompany them to the movies because although Twilight is fiction, the people who are reading, watching, and being influenced are not. There are countless opportunities to guide a teenager on the subject of real life, folded into the 2,739 pages of fiction in the complete series.

Unveiling the misconceptions, a look at Rihanna

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I am dumbfounded by the impression that has been embedded in people’s minds regarding Rihanna, the consensus appears to be that she is using her experience as a ‘marketing tool to sell records’. She has been criticised for ‘remaining silent’ and last and most disturbing are comments that state that Rihanna herself ‘asked for it’ or ‘provoked it’ or ‘brought it on herself’.

No one wants to be, or asks to be, physically and emotionally abused, it is the most humiliating experience imaginable and for many, living inside of an abusive relationship is a form of incarceration, it was for me. And to add insult to injury Rihanna is a celebrity which means the whole world is casting their opinion out loud about her personal and excruciating relationship.

Anyone who has taken the time to educate themselves on the subject of domestic violence would understand that we must unveil all the misconceptions the first of which is to stop blaming the victim.