Moments of Musing

Raising Race Conscious + Kind Children

Filed Under: motherhood //

This post is sponsored by Inmar Intelligence but all ideas are my own.  #InmarIdeasThatMatter

As a Latina mom to multicultural kids and who works for the anti-violence nonprofit organization, CONNECT, I find importance in educating my kids about current events in age-appropriate ways. It’s why my boys have diverse dolls they play with (doll-playing in itself has been shown to increase empathy and nurturing in boys) and a collection in their little library dedicated to diversity.

When we watched Sesame Street’s town hall, Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism, on CNN last year, my 4-year-old asked me, “Why are people mean to Black people?” I explained to him that some people treat others differently based on skin color but that it is not the right thing to do. 

I went on to explain that everyone deserves to be treated equally and with kindness, no matter what they look like. I also remind him that he is multicultural, and that we have family members of different races and skin colors whom we all love the same.

Fast forward one year and he has begun identifying others by skin color. At first, it took me aback but I realize it is what he sees. Acknowledging the differences in skin color and emphasizing the significance of being kind and accepting of others no matter our differences is important and appropriate rather than simply ignoring his observations.

As parents, it is important to address race with our children because they begin observing and differentiating between races when they are babies. At just three months, they prefer faces from their own race. Between 2.5 and 5 years of age, social preferences based on race emerge, and by age 5 express preference for their own race. This is why discussing race, privilege, and bias early and often with kids is important.

Admittedly, these are not easy topics to navigate, though, and we parents are still learning, too. That’s why I think it’s important we give ourselves grace as we explore the topics and know we are trying our best to raise a more kind and compassionate future generation. 

Childbirth Can Make You Nervous, But There’s Hope…

Filed Under: childbirth, motherhood, pregnancy //



This blog post is sponsored by Blue Cross BlueShield Association, but all opinions are my own.

As a mom of two boys, most people probably thought what was most on my mind during pregnancy was the sex of the new baby. However, as a two-time c-section (the 1st of which I believe was avoidable) mom, what’s been on my mind most (aside from staying healthy and not getting sick) are my pregnancy and childbirth decisions, and what birth will ultimately be like. 

Have I chosen the right practice/doctors? Will a third c-section be especially risky? What can I do to be healthy this pregnancy? Will my birth be safe? 

I actually thought about those things even before I got pregnant. To others who’ve never been pregnant, it might seem premature to have been thinking about birth before even conception, but it’s worth thinking about because birth is such a monumental experience for both moms and babies. Birth makes me nervous…It is what’s made me most nervous each pregnancy, and with reason.

 

According to a recent study by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), “Racial Disparities in Maternal Health,” pregnant women in the U.S. are more than twice as likely to die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth than those in most other high-income countries in the world. 

 

There are wide disparities among those who experience childbirth complications: Across all age groups, women in majority Black and Hispanic communities were more likely to have higher severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates compared to women in majority white communities. Black and Hispanic women have 63% and 32%, respectively, higher rates of SMM than white women.



The BCBSA study found that racial disparities in SMM are especially pronounced for women in majority Black communities. The SMM rate for women younger than 35 in majority Black communities is still higher than the SMM rate for women 35 and older (and, therefore, considered higher risk) women in majority white communities.

 

Compared with white mothers, mothers of color missed more prenatal appointments, mainly due to transportation costs or scheduling conflicts. Mothers of color were also less likely to feel their doctors spent enough time with them. Black mothers were the least confident, when compared to Hispanic and white mothers, that they received or would receive the prenatal care they deserved, and that they could speak openly about their pregnancy with their provider.

 

To combat these racial disparities in our country’s maternal health care, BCBSA’s National Health Equity Strategy and local Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are doing the following:

  • Collecting data to measure disparities
  • Scaling effective programs for mothers of color
  • Working with providers to improve outcomes and address unconscious bias
  • Leaning into partnerships at the community level
  • Influencing policy decisions at the state and federal levels
  • Improving postpartum care, particularly for high-risk moms
  • Delivering groceries to food-insecure households 


And that’s just a few of the efforts taking place. I appreciate these efforts and their goal to reduce racial disparities in maternal health by 50% in the next five years. 

 

Like all other moms, the health and safety of myself and my baby are what matter most. Ultimately, no matter the birth I experience (though I always wished for a vaginal birth I am scheduled for a third c-section), all I want is for me and my baby to be safe. 





Mom “Me Time”

Filed Under: motherhood //

This post is sponsored by TRISCUIT Crackers but all opinions are my own.

mom me time, mommy life, mom life, working mom, career mom, wahm
It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since I’ve been working with both kids at home, too. There’s been some tears (from us all) but many more memories and laughs. It can be overwhelming and exhaustion can be high. 

Sometimes, it feels like the time drags on, and sometimes it flies by. Many times, I’ve wished I could get more “me time” in, and more time for breaks for myself. As flattering as it can be, it’s also stressful feeling like I’m everything to everyone in the family. 

mom me time, mommy life, mom life, working mom, career mom, wahm

With the spring weather and increased daylight here, my mood has been so much lighter, too. I’ve been making it a point to do more of what we enjoy. So, we’ve been getting out more (because we all need it after a winter in hibernation) and getting ready for the new baby, which is really exciting. We’ve also gone on a couple trips, which has been fun. I’ve recently found that the days are going quickly now, and sometimes feel like they run together. 

Snack time is a great way to get me to step away from my work and take a quick break from whatever I have going on at the time. 

TRISCUIT Crackers help to break up the monotony of the afternoon and helps me add wholesome variety to my usual snacks. TRISCUIT Crackers are my new go-to snack option because they’re wholesome, and I can create many different varieties by simply switching up the toppings. I’ve topped mine with yummy avocado, cheese and fruit spreads. Honestly, the possibilities are limitless. You can buy TRISCUIT Crackers at your local Target!

mom me time, mommy life, mom life, working mom, career mom, wahm

Choosing Kindness, No Matter What

Filed Under: motherhood //

This post is sponsored by Penguin Random House but all opinions are my own.

As a mom I try to teach my kids to be kind to everyone, but more importantly, I try my best to model kindness so they see it in action and know I am true to my word. I have to admit it is not always easy – there are some people who make choosing kindness more difficult, especially when I am being treated unkindly. But I’ve made it a point not to become sour just because others are. I will not change my disposition or my character based on others. 


The same is true for Yeti, the main monster character in the new children’s book, Not Yeti. Yeti always chooses kindness, no matter what the other monsters say or do. Monsters are usually loud and rude. They like to smash things and they always need to be right. But not Yeti. Yeti bakes banana bread and sings to whales and always has a nice word to say. 


Going against the grain is not always easy, though. Yeti finds that to be true since he’s different than the other monsters. Sometimes we can be ostracized and left alone when we’re different than others. Little does Yeti know, though, there’s a special surprise in store for him at the very end of the book’s story.


Not Yeti is a fun and colorful book to read with your children. My kids loved the illustrations, and my younger son enjoyed reading about one of his favorite characters, the Abominable Snowman, in a different light. Enter to win a copy of your own! 

Menu Planning + 1 Month Plant-Based!

Filed Under: Uncategorized //

This post has been sponsored by Cinch! but all opinion are my own.



It’s already been about a month since my husband and I have adopted a plant-based diet! I have kept it kind of on the down-low because I am not one to really share what I eat and I do not want to seemingly impose my dietary beliefs on anyone else.


That being said, we’ve really enjoyed this time. I have always joked I could do it because I’ve never been a huge fan of meat. So when Tim mentioned cutting meat and dairy from our diets, I didn’t really think twice. I sort of had been waiting for the day he’d be open to it haha! Having him on board for such a big change is a huge help to stay on track.


Another big help is meal planning! It’s so much more efficient for grocery shopping and when it comes to dinner time. Our dinner meals are usually plant-based for the whole family (though our kids still consume some meat and dairy), so it’s nice to see what’s for dinner each day of the week rather than scrambling to put dishes together at the last minute.



The Cinch! Magnetic Dry Erase Menu Board has been especially useful for menu planning. It has a cute design with bright neon liquid chalk markers that erase effortlessly with a paper towel or napkin. It has dedicated spaces for each day of the week to help lay out our meals, a grocery list area and a to do list portion so we can be prepared and organized together. If my husband is wondering what to pick up from the grocery store or I’m trying to remember what’s for dinner, all we have to do is check the board. Use code 10MOMENTS for 10% off Cinch! products on Amazon (for a limited time). 


I should note that we’re a pretty flexible family, so our menu is never rigid. We order out some days and change up what we want others but having a drawing board to bounce off of rather than a blank slate each dinner time helps a ton. I think every family could find this Cinch! menu board helpful!