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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; Parent</title>
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	<link>http://www.wirlproject.com</link>
	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>I See My Father in My Son</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-see-my-father-in-my-son/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-see-my-father-in-my-son/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blue Eyes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Father]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goodnight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lou Gehrig's Disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scribble]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Son]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7102</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I see my father in my toddler son when he looks at me – they share those same gorgeous blue eyes that can cut glass or melt your heart. Their eyes are filled with love and challenge; the kind of love that only a parent and child can understand. The kind of love that can endure temper tantrums, heal boo-boos, and teach you significant life lessons. Their blue eyes change colors with their temperament and health, almost like a chameleon. When they’re not feeling well, their pale skin exemplifies the color into a rich, deep blue and when they’re feeling proud, they are just right mix of blue and whatever color confidence might be. Interestingly enough, they share the same I love you, but don’t like your right now look as well – I’ve seen it enough from my father in my teenage years to immediately recognize it in my own child, even though he’s still just a baby. I see my father in my son when he smiles – their eyes squint in the same kind of way. Their personalities are infectious, they’re both social beings, and thrive on attention. They even have a similar forced chuckle when they find something funny. The best thing about their smile is that it’s so genuine – you can actually feel the happiness beaming from their bodies like warm, bright, glowing rays from the sun, which his why people love to be around them. The best thing about their smile is that it’s so genuine – you can actually feel the happiness beaming from their bodies like warm, bright, glowing rays from the sun, which his why people love to be around them. I see my father in my son when he’s happily eating my father’s secret family recipe of homemade spaghetti that I’ve prepared for him for dinner; it’s one of his favorite meals. They both love it greatly and could devour large plates of it – more than any one man or boy should ever eat in one sitting! I thoroughly enjoy watching my son gobble down this meal, not because he’s adorable and completely covered in tomato sauce when he’s done, but because it almost feels like my father is sitting right there at the table too, enjoying this special meal with us. I see my father in my son when he gets frustrated or doesn’t get his way. They’re both wired with the same short fuse that can instantaneously take them from zero to one hundred. They’re passionate, driven, and intense. I see this mostly when my toddler son is trying to tell me what he wants, but can’t quite get the words out. When he is pointing and saying what he needs, as best as he can, but can’t quite articulate, just as my father did. Secretly, I enjoy being one of the only people who can actually understand the slurred, mumbled language they speak. Sometimes it makes me feel privileged or honored that I can help them in that way, however, I wish I never had to have this role with my father. They’re both wired with the same short fuse that can instantaneously take them from zero to one hundred. They’re passionate, driven, and intense. I see my father in my son when I’m wiping the drool from his chin. How I wish I didn’t have this memory. Although my son drools from teething, my father had a very different cause. His weakening throat muscles weren’t working well anymore, causing the saliva to build up in his mouth and sometimes fall out the sides. Oftentimes he would choke, so I would use a suction tube to stop the drainage and make him more comfortable. Just as I do with my son, I would wipe his chin and clean him up without hesitation, all the while, his blue eyes were silently saying thank you. I saw my father in my son when he was learning to walk. He would take a few steps, stumble, and then cling to something to help him stand. For my sweet toddler boy, this was an exciting milestone, however when my father experienced this same stumbling, it meant something very different and grim. See, my father had been suffering for 5 years. Suffering from a terrible disease that took everything from him, including his ability to talk and eat, walk or travel, socialize, function, and eventually breathe. As his body and muscles atrophied, we all prayed he would continue to be able to walk as it was about the only thing he had left going for him, but, towards the end, his disease began to rob him of this as well. For my sweet toddler boy, this was an exciting milestone, however when my father experienced this same stumbling, it meant something very different and grim. I see my father in my son when I hand him a pencil and ask him to draw for me. He clumsily holds it the same way my father did when he would try to write me notes to articulate his words during the last few days and months of his life. He would scribble a few things here and there, mostly happy faces and sad faces, or little hearts that meant I love you; they weren’t words, but it was enough – I knew exactly what he meant. Just as I now do with my son, I saved many of these scribblings, as it was one of our only ways of communicating to each other in this stage of his life; and on this paper, I hold special memories of my father. I see my father in my son as I put him to bed every evening and we go through our nightly bedtime routine. I am always brought back to that hot summer night in July, when for the first time, I went to bed without saying goodnight to my father. It wasn’t on purpose; I actually forgot. Typically, we would have sat together for a while, sometimes a long while, watching TV and I would rub his hands and feet, which were sore and achy from not functioning well anymore. Honestly, sometimes I would try to avoid this nightly routine because, although I loved this time together, he would keep me there for much longer than I ever intended to be, but I didn’t purposefully avoid him on this July 14 night. Somehow, before falling asleep, I realized we had not done our regular nightly TV bonding session and I felt bad. I even said to my husband, Ah, I forgot to say goodnight to my Dad!, but it was late, so my husband and I agreed that I could just wait until tomorrow, but tomorrow never came. I am always brought back to that hot summer night in July, when for the first time, I went to bed without saying goodnight to my father. On July 15, 2007, at about 5:00 a.m., my father, Dominic Andriacchi, died from cardiac arrest caused by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I never got to say goodbye or goodnight. I think of this everyday single day, especially when I am putting my son to bed. I think of my father every time I squeeze my son, give him that goodnight kiss, give him one more hug, and tell him I love him. I will never miss this opportunity again; my father taught me the importance of this. I never got to say goodbye or goodnight. I think of this everyday single day&#8230; I see my father in myself when my son wakes up from a bad dream and I comfort him. I assure him, just as my dad did with me in his darkest of days and scariest of times, that everything is going to be alright, even though I have no way of being certain of this. As my parent my father was strong, even when he was dying. As the child, I believed him when he said everything would be OK. I wish I could have done that in return for him; maybe I did? In hindsight, I wish I could have assured him that everything would be alright, especially that one last time – but I didn’t and I often have to ask myself, why? Was this always part of the plan? Would I have known I was going to be saying goodbye instead of goodnight that night? I’ll never know. I see my father in my son every day. His blue eyes are looking at me with love, thanks, and confidence. I know they are both proud of the job I’m doing as a daughter, wife, mother, and woman. But, if I’m being honest, I’m just doing the best I can; thankfully they both saw and see so much more in me. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to know my father, but my son never will – which is why I am so proud to see so much of my father in my son. &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>15</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mom Slams People Who Call Their Dogs &#8220;FurBabies&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/mom-slams-people-who-call-their-dogs-furbabies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/mom-slams-people-who-call-their-dogs-furbabies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2015 09:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[WIRL Project]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Furbaby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Furkid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Insult]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6931</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a buzz going around online about comparing dogs to children. A recent post titled, No Your Dog Is Not Your &#8220;Baby&#8221; &#8211; Saying That Is An Insult To Moms published by Elizabeth Broadbent from YourTango, discusses how people who refer to their pets as &#8220;Furbabies&#8221; or &#8220;FurKids&#8221; really tick her off.  Apparently, the world had a lot to say about this subject and their weighing in on social media. Broadbent makes comments such as, &#8220;Your puppy is not your child, so stop saying that he is. I have three children now, and I know this for certain — kids and dogs are not same&#8221; and &#8220;Getting a dog just doesn&#8217;t stack up&#8221;, and &#8220;Kids do some amazing things dogs just can&#8217;t stack up to.&#8221;. Broadbent makes comments such as, &#8220;Your puppy is not your child, so stop saying that he is. I have three children now, and I know this for certain — kids and dogs are not same&#8221; and &#8220;Getting a dog just doesn&#8217;t stack up&#8221;, and &#8220;Kids do some amazing things dogs just can&#8217;t stack up to.&#8221;. Many, including hundreds of commenters, are outraged that Broadbent would even &#8220;go there&#8221;. Amy Attaway, a commenter on the post, says, &#8220;For all those women who aren&#8217;t able to have children, these furkids may be all they have. I think it&#8217;s sad you feel the need to belittle people who are doing absolutely no harm to your own life. Concentrate on and love your children. There&#8217;s no need to degrade.&#8221; And Lindsay Combs posted this on her Facebook page, &#8220;I&#8217;ve never given birth nor am I sure if I ever want to or even can, but my dogs are my world&#8230; Just bc I don&#8217;t change their diapers everyday&#8230; [and they don&#8217;t] speak the words &#8220;I wuv you mommy&#8221; doesn&#8217;t mean they can&#8217;t mean the world to me just as a child could. &#8230; don&#8217;t for a second think you can tell somebody what to or what not to call their dogs or any pet for that matter. It 100% should NOT be an insult to Moms everywhere &#38; if it is, you should be ashamed!&#8221; &#8220;I&#8217;ve never given birth nor am I sure if I ever want to or even can, but my dogs are my world&#8230;&#8221; We want to know how the WIRL Project audience feels about this. Can you see what the author is saying or are you outraged at her comments? Do you have your own &#8220;Furbabies&#8221; and do you refer to them as such? Do you have children of your own as well as a family dog? Does the love &#8220;compare&#8221;? Or should we even be having this conversation? Why does it matter who loves who? Can&#8217;t we just be happy there is love going around? Many will have their own opinions, we are all entitled to them, but it&#8217;s how you present yourself as you share your thoughts and ideas that will earn the respect (or disrespect) of others. Why does it matter who loves who? Can&#8217;t we just be happy there is love going around? Tell us what you think about calling dogs and pets &#8220;Furbabies&#8221; and &#8220;Furkids&#8221; in the comments below. Or, better yet, submit your own thoughts and stories here! &#160; &#160; &#160; *Image source: Popsugar.com]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.wirlproject.com/mom-slams-people-who-call-their-dogs-furbabies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Selflessly Saying YES to Self-Care!</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/selflessly-saying-yes-to-self-care/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/selflessly-saying-yes-to-self-care/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alisha Askew]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chaos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comfort]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Enabling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rejuvenate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Selflessly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6825</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Self-care, self-care, self-care AHHHHHHhhhhh! What is all of this self-care talk about!?! As mothers, even though our schedules seems to get tied up somehow some way, studies show that when you allow time for “self”, life will become more rewarding and less stressful despite the chaos. I want to warn you, self-care IS NOT based solely on indulging in the “short term feel good activities” such as comfort foods, TV, pedicures, or shopping sprees. Although these are all great and fun activities, an excess of these can actually elevate one’s stress level, doing more harm than good! Also…recognize that self-care is not selfish. First of all understand that practicing self-care is preventative and it is anything but selfish. Secondly, the amount of self-care that you allow yourself reciprocates from the amount of self-love that you have for yourself. It becomes a revolving door when we do not learn to love ourselves completely or value who we are and own our worth. At that point we become the victim and feel as if life, motherhood, our careers, or marriage is restricting and limiting the time that we are able to take for ourselves. And as a result… our life seems to move farther and farther away from being vibrant, passionate, and what we truly desire. Self-care, in a nut shell, refers to being consciously mindful of your daily life and taking personal responsibility for your complete wellbeing; your physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health. Breaking it down a little deeper, my definition of S.E.L.F C.A.R.E is: Selflessly Enabling Love For Comforting And Rejuvenating Energy So let’s examine S.E.L.F C.A.R.E a little closer so that you can boldly make it a non-negotiable: Selflessly - Since we know that self-care is a preventative action to better enhance our health and wellbeing, not only for ourselves but for the people around us, we need to set the feelings of guilt, worry, and abandonment free! Be empowered that you unselfishly LOVE yourself, and you are selflessly taking care of self so that you can continue to give to those around you. Enabling - YES! You are giving yourself permission that “ME TIME” is a priority because you understand that YOU are significant and that you add value to the world around you. Say YES to yourself every day! Make YES a natural way of living and loving life. Love - You love yourself right? But how much do you love yourself? How deep in your heart does your love reach? Self-care is an act of love. When you connect with yourself through self-care engagements that enrich your mind, body or soul you are deepening the LOVE, the bond, the relationship, the trust, affection, and awareness that you have with yourself. You should have a best friend relationship with yourself, not a love-hate, frenemy relationship. When you boldly choose to make self-care a non-negotiable, you are not only saying YES to yourself but you are also saying, “I love ME”! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! You should have a best friend relationship with yourself, not a love-hate, frenemy relationship. For - With the object or purpose of; Showing love to yourself for comfort and rejuvenation. Comforting - At the end of the day, after we have exerted all of our energy in different spaces, places and people, we are too tired to even think about using any energy on ourselves; if we even have any left! That is why self-care is preventative and should be prioritized in your daily schedule. So instead of feeling empty by the end of the day, we have already took conscious actions to comfort and nurture ourselves which boosts our emotional and mental wellbeing, keeping us calm, cool and collective throughout the day. And - A part of speech that connects two words or phrases; Comforting and Rejuvenating Rejuvenating - Not only does self-care comforts us, giving us a more carefree energy to fuel ourselves, but it also rejuvenates us; energizes and radiates our natural charisma. This is where our glow, ambiance, our “secret sauce” attracts people to us. Energy - How do you want people to remember YOU today? Your energy can either affect or infect not only yourself but your peers, family, friends, dog, etc. Self-care sets the tone for an increased and positive energy. When you love yourself, are mindful of your value and worth, you are less vulnerable and susceptible letting “life and all of its curve balls” get to you. Do not show up in the world as the malnourished, empty, and exhausted you, instead, show up FULLY as the glowing, wholehearted, and refreshed YOU! Do not show up in the world as the malnourished, empty, and exhausted you, instead, show up FULLY as the glowing, wholehearted, and refreshed YOU! When you combine S.E.L.F C.A.R.E all together it reads: Unselfishly giving permission to show love to yourself with the purpose of boosting and energizing your wellbeing so that you can be your naturally vibrant self. Your body is a temple and no matter how strong you are, we are delicate flowers that require consistent nurturing, tender love, and care. Deepen the love that you have for yourself and make self-care a non-negotiable so that you can begin living that vibrant and passionate life that you desire and deserve! What does self-care mean to you? How do you “care” for yourself? I would love to hear the self-care activities that release a comforting and rejuvenating energy to boost your wellbeing! Please share in the comments below! &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What It&#8217;s Really Like to Meet and Marry a Single Parent</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-meet-and-marry-a-single-parent/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-meet-and-marry-a-single-parent/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2015 18:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biological]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bloodline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Father]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[single]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Single Parent]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6817</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was around 10 when I learned that when it comes to family, bloodlines don&#8217;t mean everything, and in some cases, it doesn&#8217;t mean ANYTHING. According to the dictionary, &#8220;Family&#8221; can be defined as: a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children. b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place. Nowhere in these definitions does it state anything about blood or biology. In today&#8217;s society it is not uncommon for a child to grow up without knowing one (or both) of their parent&#8217;s. In fact, it&#8217;s almost becoming abnormal if you ARE raised by both parents. I was around 10 when I found out that my dad, who had been raising me, wasn&#8217;t my biological father. My biological father was out of the picture by the time I was two, around the same time my mom met my dad. I was definitely hurt and confused by everything when I found out. I remember asking myself, &#8220;What is so wrong with me that my own father doesn&#8217;t want to be part of my life?&#8221; It was difficult, especially at a time where you&#8217;re already confused about the changes going on in your life. Even at ten, I never questioned who my DAD was. A father is someone who helps give you life, a dad is someone who helps makes you who you are and is PART of your life. My dad is the one who taught me how to play softball. He almost never missed a softball, basketball, volleyball game, or a track meet. He woke my brother and I up every Christmas morning by yelling &#8220;Ho Ho Ho Merrrrrry Christmas&#8221; with my mom. He helped me move more times that I can count. He taught me what to look for in a guy by giving me the greatest example of what a man could be. Then he walked me down the aisle when I found that guy. I always remember asking myself, &#8220;How could someone just take me in and raise me like I was their own, without thinking twice?&#8221; and then came Dave and Devon. Devon was six when Dave and I met, and had just turned seven by the time that I met her. Dave and I wanted to make sure that we were serious before I met Devon and had the chance to get attached with her and for her to get attached to me. You see, Devon has a very similar situation as I do and her birth mother has never been in her life. Dave was a single father for six years. Most people don&#8217;t even know that Devon and I don&#8217;t share blood. She looks like me&#8230;. A LOT! (A sign that we were meant to be a family, if you ask me.) We hit it off from day one, and I can honestly say that I fell in love with her before I fell in love with Dave. We could not get along any better (even now that Devon is heading into her Freshman year of High School). There were definitely some things that we had to figure out and work through as a family. When Dave, Devon and I started spending time together it was very&#8230; tricky&#8230; trying to find my place in the family. I wanted to build a friendship with Devon, but I also needed her to see me a mother figure. I had to learn when and how to step in and be a parent without feeling like I was overstepping my boundaries. I needed to spend one-on-one time with Devon to get to know her and for her to get to know me. Dave and I both knew that if things did not work with Devon and I then they wouldn&#8217;t work with Dave and I. We didn&#8217;t want to form a family where all three of us would be miserable because Devon and I did not get along. I&#8217;m very lucky that I met Devon when she was seven. Knowing her strong personality, it would have been MUCH more difficult to become a family if we met now instead of 7 years ago. Do I wish that I had met Dave and Devon sooner? Absolutely! But I am thankful that I&#8217;ve already been in Devon&#8217;s life for more than half of her life. (Which she made note of on her 14th birthday &#8211; that she had officially had me for half of her life.) When people do find out that I&#8217;m not Devon&#8217;s birth mother they always comment on how lucky Devon is to have me in her life. What they don&#8217;t understand is that she has been just as good for me. Although Devon doesn&#8217;t share my blood, she is my heart. It is from loving her that I understand how and why my dad could accept me and love me as his own. There is no doubt in my mind that Devon was meant to be my daughter (like I said, the resemblance is almost freaky) and there is no doubt that my dad was meant to be my dad. Some of the best parents that I know are not biological parents. They are people who stepped in and loved children for no other reason but to simply LOVE them and not because they felt like they had to.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>An Open Letter From A Homeschooling Mother</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/an-open-letter-from-a-homeschooling-mother/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/an-open-letter-from-a-homeschooling-mother/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2015 09:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Misty Hovis]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Class]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home school]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Homeschooling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[proud]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[student]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teacher]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5994</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I don’t have a degree in teaching, but I’m a teacher. If you would have asked me back in high school what I would be doing in 10 years I would have said being the CEO of my own business and enjoying my life to the fullest. I NEVER would have said homeschooling my 5 children, let alone saying I would have 5 children in the first place. Honestly the thought of homeschooling seemed weird and just silly back then. My whole misconception of homeschooling was children that are unsocial, uneducated, mistreated, and sheltered from the world around them… to name a few. I believe a lot of people who are against homeschooling have these SAME misconceptions. It wasn’t until our first child was about 2 years old that the thought of homeschooling came up. I didn’t want to do it, and was completely looking forward to “my free time” when he and any other children we had would be sent off to public school. Little did I know that homeschooling was the plan that God had in mind for us. Everywhere we turned homeschooling was brought up, I couldn’t get away from the idea and for some reason it seemed so interesting to me. My husband and I decided to pray about it and we did for 2 whole years! I did a ton of research and even went over the pros and cons many times. Finally the decision had been made, we were going to homeschool. Telling our family and friends wasn’t as easy as you would think, some were very supportive and others thought we were NUTS! One of my favorite comments from a family member who we were showing our classroom to was, “Oh, this will make a nice playroom at least.” At first I took that very personal and was pretty upset about it. Then I thought about it for awhile and realized… YES, it will make a nice playroom. Learning will be fun, enjoyable, and creative! A lot of people don’t realize that a child at a young age learns the MOST through play. Here are some interesting facts to keep in mind as well: When a child reads information they will only retain about 10% of it, 90% of it is lost. If they are presented the information orally they will retain 20% of it, 80% of it is lost. If a child sees what they are learning about they will retain 30% of it, 70% of it is lost. When a child sees and hears he/she will remember 50% of the material. When a child is asked to talk about a subject or read out loud they will retain 70% of the lesson. If a child is on the other hand actively involved in a project and doing hands on activities, they will retain 90% of it. Just my personal opinion, but it seems to me that it is much easier for a mother of 5 children to do more hands on activities and educate her children in a more effective way than a teacher in a classroom of 20-30+ children. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate public school teachers very much and think they have a super hard and important job. However, the way the system is set up does not allow a teacher to educate public schooled children very effectively. The system is more worried about crossing their T&#8217;s and dotting their I&#8217;s than allowing a teacher to use her God given talents to teach the children in her class. Test scores have proven this time and time again. Once we had made our decision, we had to deal with many questions including those worried about our children’s social skills and sheltering them from the outside world. We in no way intended to shelter our children and anyone that has ever spoken to one of our children can attest to the fact that they are far from being unsocial! (LOL) We are involved in many activities outside the home, take part in different groups, have participated in Co-Ops and sporting teams. Another question that has been brought up is “Why not leave it up to the professionals, you don’t even have a teaching degree?” Who is to say I’m NOT a professional… just because I didn’t spend thousands of dollars in college fees, years of my life in a classroom to get a piece of paper that says I have a certain degree shouldn’t deem me unworthy of teaching my children. I am a strong believer that actions speak louder than words. My children and their academic scores have proven that I must be doing something right. For example, when I first thought of homeschooling, I was beyond worried about teaching my children to read. It has never been a strong area for me. However, I learned right alongside my oldest, poured knowledge into him and I was so excited last year when he got his standardized test scores back for 2nd grade. He tested higher in reading than 98% of his peers and was reading at an 8th grade reading level! There are so many benefits to homeschooling. I get the chance to see my children learning new things first hand, I don’t have to just hear about it. We can learn together… take field trips and do hands on activities that are fun and exciting. I have the opportunity to see what areas my children are struggling in and what areas they are excelling in as well. This gives us a chance to help them one-on-one to improve on certain skills and give them room to grow and advance in areas of interest. For example, my oldest son, Logan, LOVES birds! He honestly could tell you the name and important facts about pretty much any bird you show him. He amazes me with the knowledge and interest he has in this area. I am able to provide resources and encourage his love for birds and this gets him excited about reading and learning even more. There also are so many wonderful materials, curriculums and resources offered to homeschooling families. Trust me I have done plenty of research to find what works well for us. I remember our first year homeschooling, I had someone ask me “Did you ever take calculus in school, if you didn’t how are you going to teach your child something you never learned?” My response was this… First off my son is in Pre-K and just learning his numbers, I think we will be ok. When he is older and will be taking more advanced classes, if I can’t help him we have some amazing friends that would be willing to help in this journey with us. Plus there are so many programs out there that we would be able to learn together. As far as teaching different grades at the same time, there is this awesome thing called unit studies! A great example I always like to share is this: let’s say we are learning about the eye. We would learn together all of the material about the eye up to a 3rd grade level (my oldest), maybe even higher if he is interested in knowing more now. Then our work would be as followed, 3rd grader might write a report about the eye, 1st grader might write a paragraph about the eye, Kindergartener might label the parts of an eye with a word bank and a Pre-K might color a picture of an eye. There also are many curriculums that allow for some independent learning for older grades which allows more time to focus on the basic skills needed in the younger grades, such as Phonics. I will be the first to say homeschooling is NOT for everyone though. There is a lot of work, planning, time, and energy involved in it. As well as, a true commitment you have to make to be a homeschooling family. It’s not always easy, but for us, it is worth it. There is no right or wrong… each person / family is entitled to their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions about public school vs. homeschooling. However these feelings should never judge the choice of another family if they feel called to do something different than yours. Again, 10 years ago I would have said I would be a CEO of my own business and living my life to the fullest. I am thankful to say, I am a CEO of my own business, by being an Independent Director with Thirty-One Gifts, and completely love every aspect of my life… funny enough, I even love being a homeschooling mother of 5! Sincerely, Proud Homeschooling Mother, Misty Hovis &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>The Realities of the Tightrope of Life. What Does Work/ Life Balance Mean For Me?</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-realities-of-the-tightrope-of-life-what-does-work-life-balance-mean-for-me/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-realities-of-the-tightrope-of-life-what-does-work-life-balance-mean-for-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:00:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maureen Carlomagno]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fatherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[functional imperfection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellness success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Like most women, I wear lots of hats in my life. Finding an equilibrium that suits me and my family is a constant, free-flowing evolution. As a lifestyle and wellness coach, I see a lot of the same themes with my clients as well. Sharing these common themes with each other is really important, so we don’t feel so isolated in our experiences. I’m going to lead by example with the list below. In my mom, wife, and business owner role, I have learned: To normalize the duality of parenthood and my career aspirations by showing those around me that I can blend motherhood and a career successfully. Originally, I felt that I had to hide the fact I was a mom. Over the years I have come around. I think it&#8217;s important that as working moms, we show the world how we can have our kids with us and still get things done. Breaking down my big dreams into little pieces so they are manageable has been invaluable. I have had to put some things on hold or slow down in order to achieve this balance. It’s hard to be patient and wait. If I were to completely stop every time there was an obstacle, I wouldn&#8217;t be able to move forward in reaching my main goals. Making time to communicate with my partner has kept us from becoming strangers. When you are both juggling so many different balls, it can be easy to put your relationship into auto-pilot. This takes a lot of work, but is worth it. &#160; In my life balance/wellness coach role, I have learned: We are all trying to get by the best we can. Asking for help (lots of it) instead of trying to be a jack of all trades can be a life saver. Choose sanity over all the other stuff. Live a life that is true to you. Peeling back the layers of what I “need” versus what I “want” can be very powerful. What do you really value most? Are you doing the activities that will lead you to those end goals? Take care of your body. If you aren&#8217;t filling up your own tank daily, you can’t be your best self for those around you. Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising are so important. As is taking time to truly connect and communicate with your loved ones. Do activities that replenish your soul frequently. &#160; For me at this point, it is all about striving for what I like to call “functional imperfection.” I&#8217;ve learned to embrace the waves of uncertainty. Real life is a bit messy and unpredictable. Let’s not be afraid to share our struggles and successes with each other. &#160; Maureen Carlomagno is an enthusiastic advocate of integrated wellness, community engagement, and following your heart. She provides a unique and dynamic style of coaching that inspires clients to find their way to a healthier, happier life. Maureen works with her clients by focusing on personal development through smart decision making and increased self-understanding. Find out more at www.your-wellness-coach.com. &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>Whine Time = Wine Time</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/whine-time-wine-time/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/whine-time-wine-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2015 09:00:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Glass of Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mommy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tantrums]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Whine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Whining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Witching Hour]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5481</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You probably shouldn&#8217;t be reading this if you are against drinking or think that drinking a glass of wine around kids is bad parenting. By the way, if you do happen to feel this way, I highly disagree with you and think you probably need a glass of wine yourself.  And, if you don&#8217;t even have kids but have an opinion about this, then you won&#8217;t even be heard, because you have NO idea how it is.  Just for the record&#8230;I swear, I am not an alcoholic!! Ahhhh&#8230;a glass of wine&#8230;the wonders it does for parents. For instance, my 3 year old, 9 month old, and 8 year old were coming up on witching hour..usually around 4pm everyday is the time they start having tantrums and start with the whining. &#8220;Mommy, I am hungry&#8230;Mommy, I am bored&#8230;Mommy, he took my toy&#8230;Mommy, the baby is crying too loud&#8230;Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!!!&#8221; I look at the clock and think to myself, &#8220;It is 4pm and a glass of wine sure would taste so good right now&#8221; But then reality kicks in and unless I could grow a third arm, that just isn&#8217;t happening. I only have two hands and can barely keep up with these damn kids. How can I even pour some wine right now?? Or, run out of the house, without them knowing I am gone?? The whining drives me nuts! I know I am not the only one that craves for that delicious glass of wine. You see, when my kids start whining, my mind starts thinking about what people are doing that don&#8217;t have kids. They must be going to to happy hour after work, or maybe going to the nail salon or even going to the bathroom&#8211;ALONE!! I love my kids&#8211;A LOT, but damn!! What the heck did I do before they were born?? Oh, I know&#8230;I slept!! Whine time for the kids pushes me for my wine time later. I don&#8217;t remember liking wine so much with my first child. Maybe it just started to happen the more kids we had. Don&#8217;t feel guilty having a glass, or two of wine, because YOU deserve it!! Life is too short to worry about what everyone else thinks and worry about the little things &#8212; like the damn whining!!]]></description>
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		<title>My Life Right Now: The Real Story</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/my-life-right-now-the-real-story/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/my-life-right-now-the-real-story/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2015 10:00:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneur]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[My Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Schedule]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stay At Home Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What It's Really Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mom]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3959</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What is it really like to be me? Often times I wonder, does anybody care? But then, just as I&#8217;m feeling insecure, something or someone comes along and makes me feel really special and important. For example, when I shared last week that I had created and announced WIRL Project &#8211; the flood of emotions totally outweighed any doubt I&#8217;ve ever had in how much people love and support me &#8211; last Tuesday was one of the most awesome days to date! But even in the ordinary times, like every morning when I see my son for the first time, he smiles at me and there is truly no way to describe that level of happiness. But, as we all know, life isn&#8217;t always happy&#8230;it&#8217;s not always rainbows and butterflies (which social media likes to make people think). And actually, to be honest and &#8220;real&#8221;, before WIRL Project, my day-to-day life was kind of a mess. I struggled with feelings that I NEVER anticipated as a new mom&#8230;I sometimes felt &#8220;trapped&#8221; in a playroom with a toddler watching The Wiggles, feeling sad that I&#8217;d &#8220;lost&#8221; my independent, outgoing life that I once had. Then it would smack me in the face because I was sitting and playing with the most beautiful little human being on this earth (yes, I&#8217;m biased), and I felt shitty about it. Damn &#8211; that reality sucks when you feel something but know you shouldn&#8217;t. My day-to-day life became so focused around the baby, that I was really losing my sense of who I was as a person and I didn&#8217;t know what to do about it. Throughout all of these arguments I would have with myself, I didn&#8217;t really want to admit to my husband, friends, or family that I wanted to escape in some way, shape, or form. I felt guilty for wanting to get a babysitter or put my son in school because I was perfectly capable of taking care of him&#8230;but didn&#8217;t always want to? Wow &#8211; that was even hard to write&#8230;but it was true. So, for a long time, I didn&#8217;t say anything and then, one day, after having breakfast with my son, watching Wiggles or Pooh, and having snack time for the 1,000th time, I realized that I needed to face reality and stop living a life that was &#8220;perfect&#8221; for most, but not for me. So, I talked with my husband and we decided it was time for me to take a leap of faith and pursue something I&#8217;d had brewing in my head for such a long time. We decided that it was time that we enroll Mason into a &#8220;Mom&#8217;s Morning Out&#8221; program on Tuesday mornings, and that I get a sitter another morning (or two) of the week so I can venture into something of my own. Did I feel guilty, yes. Was I afraid, yes. Was it hard to say goodbye to the every-day-is-the-same kind of life we were living, yes! But, as I got into the groove of things, I started to get a pep in my step again and I started to feel a confidence that I&#8217;ve never felt before. I learned that I was not choosing to walk away from my son, or my &#8220;life&#8221;, but that I was choosing to do something for myself&#8230;which is what was missing all along. And, crazy as it sounds, it has made me a better mom, wife, and overall person. I can&#8217;t sit here and tell you that walking away from my sweet boy three mornings of the week, as he cries and yells out &#8220;Mama&#8221; as I&#8217;m walking away is easy, but what I can say is that I am 100% a better person for being strong and allowing myself to face the reality of what I was feeling and actually do something about it. So, what is it really like to be a full-time mom, wife, and entrepreneur? Well, it&#8217;s hard, crazy, frustrating, rewarding, and tiring, but most of all&#8230;it&#8217;s perfect for me. I can&#8217;t wait to share with you my journey as I continue down this new, awesome road; I can promise you there will be ups and downs and things are going to get crazy, but I can also assure you that with me, you will always get the REAL story, because in the end, when you&#8217;re real and honest with yourself and how you feel about your emotions, life, etc. then, I believe, you will be better equipped to love and be passionate about the people in your life and the things you do. From all this, I&#8217;ve learned to take a break if you need one, in fact, take several if you&#8217;d like; they don&#8217;t make you look weak and people will admire your courage and strength. Listen to the &#8220;whispers&#8221; in life, and if they sound crazy, talk to someone, act when you&#8217;re ready, and don&#8217;t be afraid to take chances. Life is too short to be anything but happy; it&#8217;s cliche, but so, so, so true!]]></description>
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