Talk about foreign aid feels overhwhelming.

I’m a busy mom just trying to raise happy and healthy kids. Somtimes, I can barely extend my focus beyond the walls of my own home, let alone across an ocean.

And “mom” only covers one of my roles.

The longer list of the roles I play with their accompanying demands on my time sometimes makes me want to turn from that face on the cover of National Geographic. You know? The little girl with a perfect head barely covered in hair. A tummy distended. With those big, dark, beautiful eyes, beckoning you to not move past the newsstand or the page online.

I’ll be honest. Sometimes, I look away. Sometimes, I run away. Sometimes, I put away the compassion I feel for that child and her mother in the recesses of my mind and I hug my own children, volunteer in their classrooms, donate to local charities, and don’t beat myself up over it. And sometimes, it’s OK!

Why Now Is the Time to Care About Families in Africa

But now is not one of those sometimes. You know, those times when you feel OK patting yourself on the back for doing all you can, even though you’re doing nothing to help the world’s poorest and most desperate. Why? Because 30,000 people have just died from the famine in Africa with an estimated 750,000 more at risk of death in the next 6 months.

I would like to say that I can’t relate with the mother in Africa who, while she wants to focus on her children’s future, can only focus on this moment, wondering: “Will my child have anything to eat? Can I get him the medical care he needs? Will my family be safe to see tomorrow?”

But, the truth is that though our realities are different, our concerns are based in the same desire to raise happy and healthy children who have opportunities for growth and who will be able to be contributing members of their societies. So I ask myself the question: “If I were in dire straights—really dire straights—wouldn’t I want an outreached hand? Someone to help me get back on my own two feet and step out of the struggles I face?”

And that’s where I want to continue this candid conversation if you don’t mind.

Your Volunteer Efforts Can Help Stop the Famine in the Horn of Africa

If you are like me, you don’t feel that your involvement is helping or that focusing any amount of your busy schedule on families in Africa would be futile.

But that’s where we both would be wrong! The drop we contribute to the bucket of foreign relief is saving and improving lives.

Let’s talk pregnancy for a second. This post-partum ward in western Africa I visited, made possible in part by the CDC, helps women move their deliveries from their homes to the hospital. The mosquito nets provided there and given to them to take home, prevents against Malaria. And this is just one outreach that is making a huge difference in both increasing the infant mortality rate as well as human lives.

How are these programs made possible? By one click of a button to sign an online petition, one letter or call to your congressman, one partnership from organizations like the CDC and USAID often in partnership with non-government organizations and corporations. And, it all starts with people like us—moms who took a moment to make time in their busy schedules or carved a small amount out of their budget to take action.

Isn’t it exciting to consider that your individual effort alone is exactly what the Horn of Africa needs right now? That whatever small or large step you take yields a huge return when we look at the sum of all of those individual parts. One click to sign a petition to not cut foreign aid multiplied by 100,000 other clicks can make a big difference to our government leaders. And the story goes on.

In addition, just like we can’t undervalue our own individual contribution, we can’t underestimate how one life changed can impact generations of people. For example, it only takes $40 to educate a child for a year in Somalia. Think of the potential ripple effect of that child being educated—the opportunities she’ll have, the education she can then pass down to her children, the lives her grandchildren will lead, and the change for their country they can impact.

I met with and heard from government officials in Washington D.C. over the past couple of months. While lobbying, I heard questions ranging from: “Why should government invest in foreign relief?” And I heard: “What more can we do to help?”

I walked away, pondering on the fact that less than 1 percent of the nation’s budget goes to help developing nations. And while that amount seems far from enough, I felt great knowing that I not only listened to both sides of the foreign aid argument (for and against), but I also voiced my opinion to not cut foreign aid—one small thing I could do to help.

Ways Busy Moms Can Help Fight Famine Within the Walls of Their Own Homes

So, if you’re a mom—or a mom at heart—and you want to help, stop your busy life for a second (I promise it’ll wait) and do something to reach out your hand to mothers in Africa. This digital age we live in makes it easy to lift others up without leaving our own homes. Here’s how:

• Check out the awesome new FWD campaign by USAID. They offer lots of options for getting involved. Click on the FWD site to learn more.
• Become a member of ONE.org. This will help you add drops to the foreign relief bucket without spending a cent.
• Write a letter to your members of congress, encouraging the not to make budget cuts to foreign aid.
• Consider future generations. When you see the starving child on the cover of a magazine or featured in an article you’re reading online, look at the child and consider the future generations of people that will be impacted by helping her in any way, small or large, that you can.

What can busy moms do to make a difference for women and families who are struggling in Africa and other developing nations? What are you doing to make a difference?

Smartphones and tablets can be entertaining tools to focus children’s attention, but finding age-appropriate apps that were built with kids’ development in mind may be a challenge sometimes. With apps developed with their own children in mind, three tech-savvy moms have created apps for kids that go beyond gaming to drive meaningful play and learning.

Aliza Sherman, Anna Rosenblum Palmer and Maya Bisineer are Moms on a Mission with Mobile Apps who are bringing imaginative and purposeful play to your mobile devices. Created with a healthy dose of mothers’ intuition, these apps are designed specifically for families and children — two audiences they know very well. Their apps include a paper dolls dress-up game, a family goal setting and progress tracking app and interactive e-reader for kids.

3 Apps to Help Kids Develop Reading, Imagination, and Cooperation Skills

Girls Can Be Anything Paper Dolls App

Many moms can remember playing dress-up with cut-out paperdolls as little girls. After finding that some dress-up apps marketed for children included overly mature imagery, Sherman, along with the help of her daughter created her own Girls Can Be Anything Paper Dolls app. Developed in conjunction with Agile Monks, her Paper Dolls app is not only age appropriate, but also sends a positive message to young girls that they can grow up to be anything. The app lets girls dress-up and accessorize their virtual dolls with  hundreds of mix-and-match options to choose from.

Marble Jar App

Rosenblum Palmer’s Marble Jar app lets parents and children collaborate on family goals, then work together and track their progress. Using virtual marble jars to represent specific goals, families award a certain number of points, represented by marbles, for a positive action toward that goal. Families can watch their progress and celebrate their success together when the marble jar fills up. Whether it’s creating a morning routine to get out the door faster in the morning or working toward a family camping trip, the possibilities for Marble Jar can be an interactive tool to help your family succeed together.

MeMeTales App

Making reading “the funnest thing ever” is the simply-stated goal of Bisineer’s MeMeTales. The MeMeTales app lets children connect with literature in a new fun and interactive way, embedded with games and progress stickers to reward learners for their reading achievements. The MeMeTales library gives children a wide selection of kid-friendly, mom-approved books to access and choose from. MeMeTales also makes it simple for adults to publish their own stories through the built-in publishing platform on their site.

By taking a modern-day look at a few old-school learning and development techniques, these Moms on a Mission with Mobile Apps are bringing better apps to kids and families at home and on the go.

What Mobile Apps do your kids love to use on your phone? What do they enjoy most about these apps? What skills do these apps help develop?

Young women like Nancy were vital to settling the West. Her fellow travelers wrote of Nancy: “Her cheerful nature and kind heart brought many a ray of sunshine through clouds that gathered round a company of so many weary travelers. She bore the fatigue of the journey with so much heroism, patience, and kindness that there still exists a warmth in every heart for the mother and child, that were always forming silvery linings for every dark cloud that assailed them.” Imagine that being said of you, especially after such a journey!

On September 9, 1900, The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “Many and many a time it has been noted that there is nowhere in all this country, a monument to the foremothers of the land.” It is because of young women like Nancy that such a monument was deserved. May it still be deserved today by the young women of our era.

Find out more about Nancy and under women who have accomplished great things at America Comes Alive and Wikipedia. Also, for more about famous women in history under 30, be sure to visit the following pages:

• Group 1: Wilma Rudolph, Kitty O’Neil, and Sarah Emma Edmonds
• Group 2: Annie Oakley, Nancy Lieberman, and Sheyann Webb
• Group 3: Agnes Nestor, Libby Riddles, and Caresse “Polly” Crosby

The amazing people at AVEDA are in the business of keeping people physically attractive. However, they are also dedicated to helping women discover their inner beauty in order to feel confident and connect beauty, the environment and well-being. Women with inner and outer beauty − those who respect themselves, have faith in their abilities and treat others the same − tend to be more empowered, better mothers and make a difference in the world. Helping those who are in need, focusing energies outward, learning to love the real you…these are just a few ways to achieve an inner beauty that transforms and helps exude confidence and empowerment.

Party Topic

Join AVEDA and our panel of experts as we discuss inner and outer beauty. The party will be held on Tuesday, November 2 from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). See the details below about this week’s AVEDA party and click here to enter the AVEDA Beauty Product Prize Pack Giveaway.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, November 2 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #Aveda.)
• Topic: Inner and outer beauty
• Who: Brand Panelist: @Aveda Community Panelists: @stylemom @superdumb @alywalansky @katjapresnal @afrobella @momtrends Moderator(s): @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee and @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Enter for a chance to win this week’s giveaway. Click here for more details.
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

RT @momitforward Join @Aveda #gno Twitter party 11/2–9-11 ET 2 chat inner and outer beauty http://bit.ly/da1M3A PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

I’m always amazed at the answers I get back from this question. Women tend to respond with, “I’d get caught up on chores” while men tend to lean toward the “I’d go fishing with the guys.” Kiddos tend to be the most honest: “I’d go play with my friends!”

Looking back over the month, I’ve shared tips for Dating Your Kids, Dating Your Partner and of course Dating Your Girlfriends. Now it’s time to take a look in the mirror.

Let me get one thing straight though, dating yourself does not mean you have to be alone! It simply means you are honoring that child within that gets shushed on a daily basis.

Favorite “Me” Dates

Here are some of my personal favorite ways to spend “me” time:

• Play a board game with the kids. Of course, I get to choose the game and I get to go first! The kids actually love it when I put on my kiddo hat!
• Clear my DVR when I should be doing the dishes. This is usually accompanied by a cup of cocoa or glass of wine, depending on the time of day.
• Order lunch on days I’m really busy behind the computer. I even invite my husband sometimes!
• Baking something my taste buds will love and then insisting I don’t have to share, of course I always do!
• And my latest hobby? Angry Birds on my Droid. Yes, it’s a sickness I’ve chosen to have!

The point to this exercise isn’t to shove one more thing on your to-do list. Quite the contrary. Dating yourself is about sneaking off the radar and refueling and connecting with the things that make you giggle or at the very least smile at yourself.

Knowing why you’re focusing your time on these activities is the best way to ensure they happen.

I’ve brought so many clients to tears by simply asking, “What do you do for yourself?” Now I make it part of my practice to help them identify the answer to that simple question and implement the solution.

So, how are you going to find the time to date yourself this week? And, what are you going to do?

This Tuesday, join HP and tech-savvy gals as we discuss what technology, applications, programs, and products are out there and will be out there to help a busy woman meet the demands on her time. The party goes from 9-11 ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Also, check out details for how to win this week’s giveaway by clicking here.

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, June 8, 9-11 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us here on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #hp.)
• Topic: Tech for Busy Moms
• Who: Brand Panelist: @AngelaAtHP @LizAtHP Community Panelists: @littletechgirl @lucretiapruitt @muffintinmom @reallifesarah @rockinmama @tech4mommies @techmama Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee and @momitforward
• Party Favors: HP will be hosting a giveaway Monday, June 7 through Sunday, June 13. Click here to learn how to entry and win!
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

I have an entire month to read 200-300 pages and yet, I procrastinate or forget or read another book instead. Then, when I get to the book club meeting, I hear the buzz and excitement and discussion starting and want to be part of it and can’t.

That’s when I came up with these six fabulous ways to take part in the book discussion without actually reading the book. Now, I’m not encouraging you to not read the book. For sure try to complete the reading assignment. And… if you don’t, use these tips as your back-up plan for a sound approach to getting the most enjoyment out of book club.

1. Ask for a summary. Before everyone delves into their thoughts, feelings, and insights about the book, ask the group to provide a brief summer so you know what the book is about. Not only will it help you have a basic understanding of the plot, but it’ll benefit the people who have read by reminding them of the story’s key points and helping them all get on the same page.
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2. Listen. Pay close attention to the discussion. Listen for themes. Soak in others’ reviews.
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3. Ask questions. When you don’t understand what’s going on, ask the group to explain. Last month, our book club read The Giver by Lois Lowry. I was fascinated with how much the book moved people. I noticed themes, connections, and even gaps in what they were sharing and asked about them. It was awesome to see the conversation evolve as we explored different paths together. I definitely couldn’t share, but I could ask and relate.
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4. Share experiences. Most book discussions center around common themes and issues. If you can’t share your insights about the book, share your experiences that relate to those themes and issues.
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5. Be social. Unless you are in a really formal book club, not reading the book isn’t going to get you low marks or banished from the group. Step in, fess up to your non-book-reading ways, and get the most out of the book club possible. Remember, at the end of the day clubs are social experiences and the books and assigned reading are just a means of getting like-minded people together.
   X
6. Share a treat! If your book club is open to bringing food, share a delicious snack with the group! Thanks to Einstein Bros. ‘Coffee & A Bagel’ campaign (click here for a chance to win $1,000), I didn’t have to show up empty handed. I took a bagel variety pack (have you tried the Cinnamon Sugar Mini Bagel Poppers?) Mmmmm!), yogurt parfait with berries, and a fruit tray. Einstein’s sponsored our meeting as well as this post! Two birds. One stone! Not only that, but everyone squealed with delight at the fun treats and hopefully forgot I didn’t come prepared to discuss the book! Make that three birds!

Remember! Book clubs are created for community, friendship, and fun!

Have any other tips for enjoying a book club discussion without reading the book? Please share in the comments below.

But what’s more meaningful to me is what’s happening in the nation’s capitol surrounding the topic of women and more specifically, women making history.

Yesterday morning, Vital Voices and Avon hosted a Breakfast Meeting of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women. According to the US Department of State, “Secretary Clinton founded the Vital Voices Global Partnership, a leading international NGO dedicated to supporting emerging women leaders, after the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to promote the advancement of women as a U.S. foreign policy goal.”

As I sit here miles away from Washington D.C., I ponder about my role models. Who are the women that have made or are making a positive difference in my life? Who do I want to be like? Whose characteristics and qualities do I want to embrace? Who empowers me?

What about you? Who are your female role models?

What about these gals? Ten winners of the International Women of Courage award recognized last night at the Vital Voices Awards Dinner. One article quotes: “We are honoring women from around the world who have endured isolation and intimidation, violence and imprisonment,” Clinton said. “Many have even risked their lives to advance justice, freedom, and equal rights for everyone. Their stories remind us of how much work there is left to do before the rights and dignity of all people—no matter who you are or where you live—are respected and protected by the world’s governments.”

Imagine being able to get a glimpse into these women’s lives. Powerful! What can we learn from them? How can we, too, show courage and make a difference?

Prizes

Three winners will receive a CoverGirl prize pack, valued at $100, including each of the following:

• Smoky Eye kits (3)
• Make-up Bag
• EyeShadow kits (6)
• Perfect Point Liners (3)
• Pencil Sharpener
• Lash Curler
• Pack of EyeShadow applicators (3)
• Clean Make-up Remover
• Shadow Blast Duos (3)
• Lash Blast Length Mascara

Entry Requirements

Please do the following two things to enter for a chance to win and leave a separate comment for each:

1. Visit http://smokyeyelook.com, check out the various looks, and leave a comment here, sharing what look you’d most like to try.
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2. Post these messages on Twitter and leave comments here with a link to your tweets:

GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win CoverGirl #smokyeyes prize pack (3 winners/ARV $100 each) http://bit.ly/akfG8l #gno PLS RT
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Want the #smokyeye look? Need tips? Visit #CoverGirl’s site to learn more: http://smokyeyelook.com PLS RT

Extra Entries

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Terms and Conditions

No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at midnight ET Wednesday, February 24, 2010. No more than one entry per person via each of the methods listed in the Giveaway details. The odds of winning a Giveaway depend on the number of entries. Winners will be selected randomly by Mom It Forward. All decisions of Mom It Forward are final. Employees of Mom It Forward and the Giveaway sponsor are not eligible to participate. All entries received after the Giveaway closing date and time will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants who are residents of the US 18 years and older. Void in Maine. Void where prohibited. Taxes on Giveaways are solely the responsibility of the winner. Winner agrees to permit Mom It Forward and the Giveaway Sponsor to use her or his name, voice, photo, or likeness for reasonable promotional and marketing purposes for up to 90 days after the end of the Giveaway. Mom It Forward and Sponsor are not liable for late or misdirected entries, entry errors, or transmission problems. Mom It Forward reserves the right to terminate the Giveaway in the event of technical problems, or to correct typographical or technical errors, or to amend these rules. All participants should review the Mom It Forward disclosure and privacy policies. By entering, participants agree to release and hold harmless Mom It Forward, Sponsor, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injuries, loss, or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with a Giveaway. Mom It Forward will provide the name of the winner for any Giveaway, upon request, for 90 days after that Giveaway’s entry period ends. Unless otherwise provided by the Sponsor, no substitution, transfer, or assignment of prizes is permitted. Non-winning entries from one Giveaway are not carried forward to future Giveaways.

Of all the occupations in the world today, I believe the one most challenging, emotionally charged, and time-consuming is that of motherhood.  It is a full-time job in and of itself.  Then, if you add a career of any sort to that occupation, you’re dealing with quite the juggling act!   Where is the balance?  And how do you find it? 

First of all, you need to determine what “balance” means for you.  For me, balance is achieved when you find a system that allows for everyone to be happy, while still completing the necessary survival chores.  In this balancing act are three main factors: Your children, your partner, and YOU!  In a three-part series of posts, I’ll focus on each factor and list ways that can help achieve that balance for which we’re all searching.

Probably the main factor you’re mostly worried about in this balancing act are your children.  Am I spending enough time with them? Are they happy? Will our relationship be as strong as if I were to stay at home with them?  Of course!  Here is what I would suggest:

• Lose The Guilt!  It’s not like you’re going to a salon every day, getting pedicures and massages for yourself!  Your circumstance requires you to be working, in order to provide for your family.  There is nothing wrong with that.  You can make adjustments to your lifestyle that will allow for time spent with your children, to strengthen that bond you may be worried about.  If you need more convincing, check out www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com where four working moms have collaborated ideas on how to “resist the guilt and embrace the journey.”

•  Incorporate your kiddos in your daily chores.  Life doesn’t stop because you have kids. Dinner still needs to be prepared, the house (somewhat) cleaned, etc. I keep a play “station” by the kitchen with books and crayons to keep the kids entertained while I make/clean up dinner so we can still interact.  Both bathrooms and kitchen have step stools handy for involvement from my little people. And we try to make cleaning together “fun”.

•  Schedule “fun” time.  No one in your household will survive if you stick to a rigorous routine.   Break away from it every once in a while to take your kids to the park, bowling, or on a nature walk.  Play dress-up, give piggy-back rides, or read books in a makeshift fort – anything that relieves the stresses you may have felt during your workday and puts the focus on you and your family.

•  Maximize the quality of time spent with your children.  Because of your work schedule, and by the time your kids go to sleep, you really only get to be with them 3-4 hours every day.  Be creative with dinnertime, bath time, bedtime, etc.  Take time to have conversations, sing, and play with them.  These times you spend with your kids are the memories that will stay with them throughout their lives, much more than memories of a dirty kitchen floor!

About the Author:  Camille is a thirty-something mommy with two beautiful daughters, Ad and C8, living in two worlds.  By day, she works full-time  as an employment recruiter/ staffing supervisor, with a 100-mile daily commute, living in a world governed by policies and professionalism.  And by night, she transforms into a mother, living in a world where everything is governed by “Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe” and fun.   Like so many other moms, she wishes she could stay at home with them, but certain situations require her to work full-time.  To learn more about Camille visit www.makeitworkmom.comor contact her via twitter @makeitworkmom.