Enterprising Moms Network Inc

On May 2, 2010 a very special event is taking place at locations across Canada.  The Walk For Kids Help Phone takes place annually in more than 50 communities across Canada.  In 2009, more than 20,000 people participated and raised a total of over three million dollars for this cause.

Kids Help Phone hears from young people today dealing with challenges and experiences that previous generations could not imagine. And when issues are too difficult for kids to discuss with parents, teachers or peers, they may turn to Kids Help Phone. The range of issues kids talk about - from sexual and physical abuse, to suicide, mental health and anxiety, family issues, peer pressure, bullying and internet safety, is extensive. The need for Kids Help Phone counselors to continually deepen their understanding of critical issues facing young people is more important today than ever. And they do that.

Whether you are raising pledges, pledging walkers, volunteering or walking on May 2nd, by taking part in the Walk For Kids Help Phone, you are helping to ensure that for young people with worries like this, help we will be there for them - 24 hours a day - providing a safe, supportive and confidential place for them to share their concerns.

"On May 2nd, Walk So Kids Can Talk"

Today is "Pink Shirt Day" in support of taking a stand against bullying. Today is the day that everyone is encouraged to wear something pink to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. Pink Shirt Day originated from two incredible Nova Scotia high school students, David Shepherd and Travis Price. Below is an article written by CBC News in 2007, about how these fantastic kids started Pink Shirt Day.

Two Nova Scotia students are being praised across North America for the way they turned the tide against the bullies who picked on a fellow student for wearing pink. The victim-a Grade 9 boy at Central Kings Rural High School in the small community of Cambridge — wore a pink polo shirt on his first day of school. Bullies harassed the boy, called him a homosexual for wearing pink and threatened to beat him up, students said.

Two Grade 12 students — David Shepherd and Travis Price — heard the news and decided to take action. "I just figured enough was enough," said Shepherd. They went to a nearby discount store and bought 50 pink shirts, including tank tops, to wear to school the next day. Then the two went online to e-mail classmates to get them on board with their anti-bullying cause that they dubbed a "sea of pink." But a tsunami of support poured in the next day. Not only were dozens of students outfitted with the discount tees, but hundreds of students showed up wearing their own pink clothes, some head-to-toe.

When the bullied student, who has never been identified, walked into school to see his fellow students decked out in pink, some of his classmates said it was a powerful moment. He may have even blushed a little. "Definitely it looked like there was a big weight lifted off his shoulders. He went from looking right depressed to being as happy as can be," said Shepherd. And there's been nary a peep from the bullies since, which Shepherd says just goes to show what a little activism will do. "If you can get more people against them … to show that we're not going to put up with it and support each other, then they're not as big as a group as they think are," he says.

The students' "sea of pink" campaign did not go unnoticed outside the province. U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres expressed interest in their story, and other schools are talking about holding their own "pink day." "It's been totally overwhelming for us. I mean we're just two local boys and I mean we're getting calls from like Alaska and e-mails. It's just phenomenal the support that we've gotten from across the globe," said Price. The school principal, understandably, was flush with pride. "You're always hearing about the youth of the world and how bad things are. Well, they're not that bad," said Stephen Pearl.

It's April 14th, wear pink and show your support in taking a stand against bullying! For more information, visit www.pinkshirtday.ca

I first became aware of a film called "The Glow Project" in February of 2009.  As a consultant with a Canadian direct-sales company, there were many consultants who had seen the movie and were sharing their thoughts and feelings about it.  The consensus seemed to be that this was a phenomenal movie that affected women from all walks of life greatly.

I soon saw the trailer for the movie, and eventually saw the movie a few months later.  The Glow Project had a huge impact on me as a person, as a mom, and as a woman in business.  The Glow Project showcases a full-length feature movie that spotlights 14 incredible women—seven of them corporate achievers and seven successful entrepreneurs. The Glow Project is the result of a dynamic grassroots movement fueled by the authenticity, stories and life lessons of the incredibly gifted women selected for The GLOW Project. Without question, The Glow Project has redefined the personal development paradigm for women and represents a breakthrough in helping women achieve like never before.

To find out more about The Glow Project and the impact it's had on women's lives, check out The Glow Project website here.  To see more on how women have reacted to the Glow Project, check out the video below... and spread the Glow....

Guest blog post courtesty of Loretta Oliver

Are you planning to organize a Halloween costume party this year and you do not know what food to prepare? Why not make your party more fun by preparing fun Halloween recipes. Aside from the interesting costumes worn by your guests and the spooky Halloween decorations that you have prepared, your party will be doubly fun if you also prepared Halloween-themed foods. Here are some fun Halloween recipes that you should include in your party’s menu. 

 You can prepare the very traditional spaghetti with meatballs for your Halloween party. You might wonder if it is appropriate for Halloween. Yes, of course, if you add a little twist to it. Why not make the spaghetti meatballs look like eyeballs? It is very easy. Cook the spaghetti and meatballs the way you always cook them. Once the meatballs have been cooked and molded into balls, you can add a small portion of cheese at the center of the meatball to make it look like an eyeball. Simple yet very Halloween-ish. 

 You can also bake a pumpkin pie that looks like a spider web. Get a recipe for making pumpkin pies. Bake the pumpkin crust. Once the crust is baked and cooled, spread cream over the surface of the pie. This will be the background of the web. To create the web, you can sue a mixture of chocolate and butter heated inside the microwave. Draw a spiral from the center of the crust to the edges. Using a toothpick, draw lines from the center to the edge of the crust for it to resemble a spider web. 

 Are you ready to learn fun Halloween recipes that you and your family can enjoy? Visit http://halloween-recipes.justnotmartha.com/ today!

A little look at what Enterprising Moms have been talking about over the past week:

Making the decision to become self-employed and to be responsible for your own income is a huge decision. There are so many factors to consider, so many decisions to make, so many avenues to explore. The economy today has had a big influence on how people are thinking about their money, how they are spending it and how they are earning it. The reasons why people chose to start a home business are varied; ranging from wanting to earn some extra money in their spare time, to feeling that the security of their current job, or that of their spouse, is uncertain.

Recently, I saw this photo and for me, it summed up why I decided two years ago to become responsible for my own employment, and start a home-business: 

Life can throw curve-balls.

Everyone has had an experience in their life that came out of nowhere, no-one saw it coming, or if they did, it had an unexpected result. A curve-ball. As a Mom, having kids means that sometimes the curve-balls come from left, right and centre. And you feel like you have to catch every single one. This morning I made up a list of all the curve-balls I could think of that has affected my family and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for the fact that I am running a home-business and have the flexibility of being my own boss, there is no way I would have been able to play back-catcher for this team of mine.

Whatever your reasons are, ultimately you are responsible for yourself. More and more Canadians are realizing that. The days of job security, pension plans and bonus bucks from the boss are slowly grinding to a halt. 

Not only that, but a recent report by the Vanier Institute for the Family says that forty-four per cent of Canadians say their work has a negative impact on their family and interferes with the time they spend with their children, the report found, while 26 per cent of fathers and 33 per cent of mothers suffer excessive stress from lack of time.

Negative impact on family – interferes with time spent with kids – excessive stress…. it doesn’t have to be that way.

Positive impact on family – more time spent with kids – less stress…. THAT’S the way it should be. And it can, but only you can take responsibility for that. No one is going to hand it to you on a plate, you have to seek it, and once you find it, treat it as a valuable investment – an investment in yourself.

Aren’t you worth that?

Just a few days ago, the subject of my blog post was "attitude". Today we're swtiching gears and thinking about "gratitude". Last week my oldest child had an interesting homework assignment. She had to write down 9 things that she was grateful for. She wrote down twenty-eight. She finished at 28 because she ran out of paper. That kind of assignment is the type that warms my heart, and in reading her list of things that she is grateful for, I see just how many one can easily take for granted. Seen through the eyes of a child, gratitude takes on a whole new meaning. 

 This coming weekend marks Thanksgiving, and around the country people will be celebrating with friends and family, and also some feasting! It’s a time when we should all take a moment and think of a few things that we are each grateful for. Just a gentle reminder for ourselves….

October 12-16 also markes “Gratitude Week” in Vancouver.  Gratitude Week is a vehicle for ordinary people in Vancouver to make something happen to end homelessness now. It is a way to enable individual citizens to do something tangible in the fight against homelessness.  

To find out more about Gratitude Week, check out their website here: http://www.gratitudeweek.org/  You can also check out one of their videos below:

A Snapshot In Words of the "week in review" on the Enterprising Moms Network Blog...

A Snapshot In Words of the "week in review" on the Enterprising Moms Network Blog...

Back when I did consulting for mom entrepreneurs just starting out, I used to have a list that I would give them to review, in order to understand what was involved with running their own business.

If you are kicking around the idea, here are some of the key things to think about.

When starting a business from home for the first time, first and foremost it is imperative to have a BUSINESS PLAN. It doesn’t have to be perfect – rather- just putting it on paper in point form and addressing the essential issues will help you in the long run and help decide what you want to get out of your business.

For instance – a business plan should address issues such as:

Where do you see yourself in five years? Does your idea have lasting power? Who is your competition? What do you bring to the table that is different and unique?

Also, everyone’s DEFINITION OF SUCCESS is different.

It is important to know financially how much you want to invest, and how much you want to get out of it.

What is going to be the time commitment from you? Is it going to be full time from home or just part time? When do you see yourself working on your business? Will it be flexible around the schedule with the children?

RECOGNIZING YOUR OWN LIMITATIONS/WEAKNESSES WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS - (things that may be outside your area of expertise). Investing in a good Lawyer or Accountant who can provide you with the legal advice or financial advice is so important. It may save you a lot of hard ache in the end (many first time entrepreneurs have had to go back and revise things, ultimately costing them more, due to their lack of understanding in these areas).

TALK TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO HAS HAD EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Connecting with other women, who have been there and done it, is extremely important. Never be afraid to ask for help or guidance from another woman who will be able to point you in the right direction. There are so many Women’s groups out there and many want to share their own experiences with other women. Finding a Mentor is a great way to be continually inspired and gain insight into entrepreneurship.

Most importantly – SET BOUNDARIES. Never lose focus of why you decided to create a business from home in the first place. Don’t let your work overshadow your family life. You need to ensure that there is a cut off time and leave it there to be handled another day, just as you would if you were out in the workforce.

For further information, check out my video on How to Become a Mom Entrepreneur - Click Here.