Insparenting

September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Allready know about it? If you don’t, here’s what I found in Wikipedia:

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by two Americans, John Baur (”Ol’ Chum Bucket”) and Mark Summers (”Cap’n Slappy”), who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like pirates, but sources show that in specific locations it is known to be celebrated on the September 18 as well. For example, instead of “hello,” an observer of this holiday would greet his mates with “Ahoy, me hearty!” The date was selected because it is the birthday of Summers’ ex-wife and would consequently be easy for him to remember.

Here are some examples of pirate sayings:

“Ahoy”, meaning hello
eg; “Ahoy there matey, how are you?”

“Avast”, a request for attention
eg; “Avast! Look at that treasure chest!”

“Aye”, affirmative
eg; “Get that treasure chest!” “Aye captain!”

Got pirratitude? Take a look at one here.

Wanna share your children’s photos too? Just give me the link in the comment box below!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Spears names new son
“Britney Spears has reportedly named her second child, Sutton Pierce Federline, giving him the same initials as his older brother Sean Preston.”

Web Vultures Move Fast on Britney’s New Babe
“He’s not even a week old and barely home from the hospital, but Sutton Pierce Federline, which is reportedly the name of Britney Spears’ and Kevin Federline’s newest addition, already has a website devoted to him — or at least his name.”

Britney’s Baby: It’s A Boy!
“09.13.2006 12:32 PM EDT - Britney Spears gave birth to a boy — her second — late on Monday night, a source close to the family has confirmed to MTV News. While no official statement has yet been issued, Life & Style magazine reported speaking with Kevin Federline, Spears’ husband and the boy’s father, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. According to the magazine, Federline said, “Mom and baby are doing well, thanks, but we’re all really tired.”"

Britney Spears’ Dad Confirms New Baby
“Sep 13, 2006 - MTV, Us Weekly Say Pop Star Had Her Second Child Monday Night. Britney Spears has given birth to her second child, her dad tells Access Hollywood. “Thank you, we appreciate your concern. Everything is great,” Jamie Spears told Ron Silverstein, the show’s executive producer.”

Congratulations, Britney!

Where do your teens go to when they want to talk about sex? Have they ever approaced you to discuss this matter? Or have you asked them to talk about it with you, their parents, instead of their peers? Well, why not start it now?

It is going to be difficult. Yes, it is. But, this effort is worth to try rather than just letting “it” happen, which, of course, will not be a good option for you and your teens. The article below provides you with sex education.

Enjoy the reading!

Talk to Your Teens About Sex (Even if it Makes You Blush)
By Harriet Hodgson

Your teens may be sexually active or thinking about it. Teens get most of their sex information from peers and much of it is false. For example, some teens think drinking a can of soda pop before sex prevents pregnancy. How many other falsehoods have they heard?

What’s true is that the U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the industrialized world.

Teen sexual activity increases as grade level increases. According to a 2003 CDC study, 62% of 12th graders had engaged in sexual intercourse, as compared with 33% of ninth graders. Another study, “Sex and America’s Teenagers,” conducted in 1994, says teens account for 25% of the STD cases that occur yearly in the U.S.

These are just some of the reasons for talking to your teens about sex. Mayo Clinic experts see sex education as an “ongoing conversation.” The conversation is easier, according to Mayo, if you keep things low key, are honest and direct, and try to understand the pressures your teens face. Share these facts with your teens.

* Despite what your friends may say, everyone ISN’T having sex. Friends may talk about sex to sound cool. Talking about sex isn’t the same as having it. (American Social Health Association, “Sex on the Brain”)

* Abstinence - and that includes not having vaginal, oral, or anal sex - is the only way to prevent STDs. (www.patientcareonline.com)

* Peers who offer you alcohol and/or drugs may do it to make you have sex. So be alert. Your drink may contain “roofies,” another name for the date rape drug. (American Social Health Association, “Sex on the Brain”)

* ALWAYS use a condom if you’re sexually active. Some 17% of sexually active females ages 15-19, and 9% of sexually active males ages 15-19, didn’t use a condom the last time they had sex. These teens are risking pregnancy and STDs. (Kaiser Family Foundation, “U.S. Teen Sexual Activity”)

* If you’ve had unprotected sex just once you can get pregnant or STDs. Some STDs can be cured, but others, such as genital herpes, genital warts and HIV/AIDS can’t. (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, “Teen Talk”)

* Birth control pills DON’T protect you against STDs. (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Teen Talk”)

* Despite what you may have heard, oral and anal sex is REAL sex. Neither is risk-free. (www.patientcareonline.com)

* Nobody - and that means you - has to “pay back” a pricy date or gift with sex. Instead of sex you can show you care by holding hands, kissing, hugging, taking a walk, and listening to music. (American Social Health Association, “Sex on the Brain” and www.MayoClinic.com)

Ask your kids to come to you if they have questions about sex and/or sexual feelings. Tell them that you will answer their questions honestly and best you can, even if you blush while doing it.

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her work go to http://www.harriethodgson.com.

I have spent some time visiting a number of blogs that tell stories about women who cannot have children, women who are trying to have ones, and those who decide to adopt.

Then I arrived here, at Karen’s blog.

Karen (The Naked Ovary) and her husband Random are now in the last group. They decided to adopt a very cute little girl from China whom they call Maya Papaya.

It is great to see that the new mama can get along with her beautiful baby very soon, right at the first time they met.

This week must be a wonderful week for them. Last Tuesday was The Adoption Day. Congratulations to you, Karen and Random…

That’s why this Blog of the Week award goes to the three of you and your entire family… I hope this brings more happiness to your new family.

You’re right, dear… Maya Papaya is the most gorgeous baby in the entire world.

“My dad sent this email to a friend of his who has adopted two kids from Guatemala and who now lives in Hong Kong:

We haven’t even met our little Granddaughter, but we have her pictures plastered all over the wall. The other night I mentioned to E., how I already felt a very strong connection to Maya, she looked at me and said that she had the same feeling. We both agreed, that we were now entering a new phase of our lives and that someone, far away, would now be a very important part of our future. “

As you wrote in this post that Random’s eyes got a weensy bit wet, I think you are going to make everyone here sheds happy tears. I hope you don’t mind with me putting here the above quote of your dad’s email.

Thank you so much for this beautiful post…

Just as she wishes…. Happy Anniversary to FlipFlopMamma & FantasyMan!

September 13th was their 3rd wedding anniversary.

It’s nice to read about your honeymoon and the beautiful photos, too, FFM.

Ah, and reading “how we met” post is also fun! I wonder if your little girl, later, would find her loved one through a college directory too.

Congratulations to you, guys!

May all your dreams come true…..

PS.
Why don’t you check out other featured Wedding Anniversaries?
Owlhaven (Mary’s) & MochaMomma (Kelly’s)

All couples want their marriage to be happy, full of love, and last forever. However, it’s not quite easy to reach the stage. It requires time, patience, and understanding.

What you will see below are some important elements to have for a healthy marriage:

1. Commitment - It is a strong will to hold on to a long-term relationship. A commitment is important because it becomes the foundation of vision, mission, and the goal of a marriage. When you’re ready for a commitment, it means you have to leave your ego. Are your ready for it?

2. Communication - The quality and quantity of communicating among a couple is significantly important. A situation also takes role in making a communication successful. Thus, having jokes in many of your casual conversations is a great idea.

3. No violence - There is no doubt that there will be conflicts within a marriage. However, conflicts must not lead to violence. A healthy marriage should be free from physical, verbal-emotional, and economic violence.

4. Faithfulness - Being devoted to only one spouse is a very essential matter to keep a healthy marriage. When someone in a relationship cheats, it will emerge anxiety and the feeling of insecure within the relationship, which can become the onset of a broken marriage.

5. Intimacy - The closeness among husband and wife is one vital characteristic that should exist in a healthy relationship. The feeling of being trusted, being cared for, and being loved as well as the physical intimacy are two important aspects of a healthy marriage.

If you already have those five elements in your marriage, congratulations!

But if you haven’t got all of them, it’s time for you to start a new beginning and improve your relationship. Of course you need to do it with your spouse.

Good luck!

Don’t miss other marriage-related posts!