It is a good day to celebrate the women in your life, because every woman should be celebrated. If you can get your husband to give you flowers again two weeks after Valentine’s Day, that’s awesome. In addition to that, consider making International Woman’s Day a day to not only pat yourself on the back and thank your mother, mother-in-law, or even your daughter, but also a day to think about and applaud what women have done collectively. And consider the ways in which gender-based inequalities still affect women both in your corner of the world and worldwide.

How to Celebrate Being A Woman

How does one go about doing all of that though? First of all, don’t do anything for an hour on March 8th. Stop thinking of everything you need to do, or haven’t done, long enough to realize all you have done. Then, call your mom and/or mother-in-law and wish them “happy International Women’s Day!” Next, go to lunch with three or four of your closest girl-friends, and challenge yourself to compliment each one of them in some way.

Next, go to InternationalWomensDay.org/Events and see if there’s a celebratory event in your area. There are events being held all across the world; you can visit their Facebook and Twitter pages for ideas on how to celebrate it if there’s no event near you. Then, think of an issue that affects women that you feel particularly drawn to, like obstetric fistulas, domestic violence, sexual assault, or income disparity. Go to the Resource page of InternationalWomensDay.org to watch videos and get a few statistics about these issues.  Or, think of someone that inspires you, and ways, however small, that you can emulate her. The women I’ve featured in our Moms Making a Difference section amaze me, at least in part because of the varied ways they’ve come up with to affect change around them.

Then, read these excellent posts by Jyl about her suggestions for IWD activities and ways to motivate yourself to help.This is such a great opportunity to stop and think about what it means to be a woman, to feel and be part of greater whole. Let us know how it goes!

What are your favorite ways to celebrate being a woman?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Talking about foreign aid feels overwhelming.

I’m a busy mom just trying to raise happy and healthy kids. Sometimes 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?

In the end, your piece is built around seven women who nervously share chilling stories of violence inflicted on them by the men they loved. It is jaw-dropping. You can’t stop thinking about those women, even after your assignment is complete. You witness the empowerment they experienced just by sharing their stories. You blog about this whole experience, and get a deluge of comments. So an idea for the sharing of more stories is born. ViolenceUnsilenced is born.

It is an idea born out of the concept that one of the key enablers of continued violence is silence, silence on the part of the victim because she is embarrassed, maybe unaware of how bad her situation is, or afraid of retaliation, and silence on the part of the abuser because he believes it’s nobody else’s business.

Domestic violence is, after all, a tricky business, since it is by nature something that occurs between two apparently consenting adults. But, says Maggie Ginsberg-Schutz, the journalist and founder of ViolenceUnsilenced, “I believe that perpetrators rely on silence and shame as weapons, and that for survivors, speaking out is both cathartic and empowering. I believe people are inherently empathetic, but we seem to care more about general issues when we personally know those affected by them. When we read the hard experiences of our loved ones on ViolenceUnSilenced we take more ownership in the epidemic of abuse that belongs to all of us.”

All of the posts on ViolenceUnSilenced are indeed “hard,” even haunting to those who read them. When Maggie first started the site, she had to “immerse” herself in them to select the two that would be focused on in any given week—it’s limited to two so that those featured women can be assured their stories are being heard—to the point that she felt secondarily abused.

Today, she facilitates the site more positively and professionally, as ViolenceUnsilenced now has a board of directors and is beginning non-profit status incorporation. She limits the time she devotes to the site because she is still, after all, a full-time journalist and mom. She also focuses on and takes advantage of the many offers of help she receives, of which there are always more than she can avail herself of.

Ultimately, the power behind the site is it’s simplicity: harnessing the great power of the Internet to air and amplify the stories of these abused women, and let them know they are heard and cared about. Most abusers rely not only on silence but also on the isolation they create around their victims; the internet can be a more surreptitious, safer medium for the women to reach out. And the power behind Maggie is her simple vision: “I don’t think I’m out to change the world or fix everyone,” she says. “I just want to help.”

What are ways to give a voice to those in need? How can you harness the power of the Internet to help those in need?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

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.
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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?