Motherhood bites Archives

Being a Good Mother: Who’s better than you?

The subject of being a good mother is a tricky one. As if parenting weren't challenging enough, every year now a book comes out to tell us who is doing a better job than American moms. Last year it was Tiger mom, with her best-seller "Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother." It is the story of Amy Chua, the Chinese-American mom who suggested letting her strong-willed child go out in the snow without a coat was superior parenting at its best. Not to be outdone, this year Pamela Druckerman, an American mother living in Paris wrote “Bringing Up Bebe.” According…

Mother’s Day Poem: Creative Love

Mother's day poems are about celebrating mom's love, work and endless creativity: Mother, you channel life. From creative wombs, countless designs. A princess, a queen with power born. Nature and merit secure your throne. Mother, through you the source of love is endless, and pushing forth. Why through great pain, producing life. Nurturing goddess, you are divine. Madre, within your heart my own heart rests... in peace survives. For when my world seems not so bright, there you are surely to hold me tight. Mother, if words could tell of such a love; there would be one poem retold by…

Latino parents and education: debunking the myth

I received a call the other day. It was an old classmate from the Dominican Republic whom I talk to from time to time after reuniting via Facebook. She says she has read some of my articles and wants me to write about education in the U.S.: how underfunded the system is, bullying, cases of child abuse and molestation by teachers, school shootings, etc. When I told her I needed inspiration to write, she proceeded to tell me a story different from the topics she previously mentioned. It was the story of an immigrant Latino mother, who cares very much…

Of cold dinners: A mother’s work never ends

When my mother flew from the Caribbean to care for me after labor, she would not stop giving me advice. She made a point to pass on what my grandmother taught her: "a mother's work never ends, she eats when she's no longer hungry, she sleeps when she's no longer sleepy... a mother's life is one of patience and sacrifice." I heard as I rolled my eyes during my first week of recovery, refusing to let go of my life as I knew it and crying in the shower in confusion and fear at the daunting task before me. Why…

Yoga for pregnancy

I have practiced yoga every week now for close to five years and my routine is very much a part of my life. Once expecting, I got some yoga for pregnancy DVD's, and I believe practicing them have made a big difference in the way my pregnancy has progressed. Yoga is a great mom-to-be exercise because it can be gentle enough for someone who has less energy or vigorous enough to give you a full body workout, not to mention a peaceful mind. A challenge for me was finding good yoga pants for pregnant women at a good price, but…