Where to Find Minding Our Elders:
Blog URL: http://www.mindingoureldersblogs.com/
Category: Caretaking, Parenting

Minding Our Elders

Minding Our Elders author Carol Bradley Bursack came into care giving the way many people do—accidentally and unprepared. For Carol the role became one that lasted for more than 20 years. Along the way she became quite an expert in the area of care giving and, like Elizabeth of GenBetween, of walking the line as a “sandwiched” caregiver.

Minding Our Elders - Why You Should Go

Carol Bradley Bursack learned many lessons the hard way throughout her various and competing roles. One of the most obvious lessons she learned was that had she been a little better prepared and had better systems of support in place her role could needn’t have been as hard as it was; which is not to say there is no difficulty in being a caregiver to the elderly or a member of the sandwich generation, it is only to say that she sees very clearly how her experience can contribute to the health and well-being of others in similar circumstances. What Carol has done is use her experience to benefit others—in the form of this blog, and also as a columnist and author of a similarly titled book.

Summing Up Minding Our Elders

Great resources are essential for anyone, and especially for those who serve the very important roles of caregiver (at any age). With aging populations this is becoming more and more true. Carol Bradley Bursack’s blog and writings may be one of the most comprehensive resources available for this audience, and so serves an increasingly important role itself.

Go here to check out Minding Our Elders.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Dad’s House:
Blog URL: http://dadshouseblog.com/
Category: Parenting, Lifestyles

Dad’s House

Single parenting from the female perspective is only one side of the story; and an excellent place to see things from the other side is at Dad’s House, a blog maintained by single father David Mott.

Dad’s House - Why You Should Go

David Mott describes himself and his blog as a “divorced single dad offering stories, tips, and expert advice on single parenting, two-home families, and relationships formed in an age of online dating, text messaging, friends with benefits, hookups, and booty calls.”

If that sounds like a lot for one person to take on, particularly a person raising two active and busy children and sharing custody half-time, it is. Still, this blog really is all of that and even more. It’s an entire community and support system in and of itself with an impressive voice and following. From dating to childrearing, Dad’s House takes it all on, creating a very comprehensive resource for its audience (Hey! Recipes included!).

Summing Up Dad’s House

To say Dad’s House is a blog just for single dads would be a gross misstatement. It is really a blog for all single parents, a community where moms and dads—parents—from all walks of life come together to learn and grow, discuss, and support.

Go here to check out Dad’s House.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Solo Dot Mom:
Blog URL: http://kitkat4real.blogspot.com/
Category: Parenting, Lifestyles

Solo Dot Mom

Solo Dot Mom Katherine has many firmly held beliefs. She believes that contentment can come from encouraging others and spreading self-confidence, and she believes we all write our own stories. Katherine has quite literally been writing hers as she blogs about the single parenting life at her blog, Solo Dot Mom.

Solo Dot Mom - Why You Should Go

Most people can imagine (whether they have the experience or not) that being a single mother presents its own unique challenges. It stands to reason that there should be places where other single mothers or fathers can go to get first-hand help and support. Katherine’s blog is one of those places. Katherine very openly explores the trials and challenges and the celebrations, too, helping other single parents find their way and garner support from a peer. She describes her motivation and her blog in this way:

“I am a single mom with two kids and dating. On my blog I wish to share encouragement to other single parents. I do strive to keep it real and yet positive when I can. I do share the “rough” as well as the blissful times with my readers. Keeping it real means you will see the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.”

Summing Up Solo Dot Mom

Katherine shares insight into her life with openness and compassion. Her blog is both her chronicle and her gift to others, a practice in helping other single parents succeed.

Go here to check out Solo Dot Mom.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find GenBetween:
Blog URL: http://www.genbetween.com/
Category: Parenting, Lifestyles

GenBetween

At times it can seem like the generations in the extremes of life are the ones who get all the attention (young children, for example, or the elderly); either that, or the generation caring for respective generations do. What often goes unnoticed is that not all people fit into these nice, tidy categories, leaving an entire generation of people straddling the in-between, dealing with the care and responsibility for both sides. It’s a group of people coming to be known as the “sandwich generation;” one that comes with their own set of very unique, and often contradictory, needs and obligations. GenBetween is a glimpse into the life of people living the great divide.

GenBetween - Why You Should Go

There are many resources to help parents of young children, and many to help children of aging parents. In the past there was little to be said for the people who were doing both simultaneously. As the average life expectancy continues to rise, however, and people start families later into adulthood, this new generation of ‘tweens continues to grow—and so, too, do the challenges that duality creates. Fortunately, the attention upon it continues to grow as well, and resources like Elizabeth’s GenBetween blog continue to emerge. This is a blog for people in the middle to share the unique trials and triumphs of the sandwich life, sharing what is learned along the way.

Summing Up GenBetween

GenBetween is a real-life resource for the people dealing with parenting and parent care all at the same time. Elizabeth shares her experiences and insights, tips, tricks, news and information. Come to this blog to learn what may be in store for you, learn some good ways to cope, or just to find a supportive voice.

Go here to check out GenBetween.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find All Rileyed Up:
Blog URL: http://allrileyedup.com/
Category: Personal Blogs, Parenting

All Rileyed up

Jessica Riley has been busy blogging and doing what she can to get readers all Rileyed up. Why? Because Jessica knows something most of us need constant reminding of—”seriousness is overrated.”

All Rileyed Up - Why You Should Go

Jessica Riley describes the content of her blog as ranging from “the snarky and mundane, with reviews of books and family friendly products thrown in for good measure.” That’s not necessarily new, but the energy and flair towards the entertaining with which she does it could be.

Jessica has a lot of first-hand knowledge to impart, too, being an at-home mother of two, parenting a child with autism and sharing in the challenges that creates, while simultaneously and humorously being a wife to a vegan husband and a mother to a child who is allergic to most anything except meat. As she says it’s a recipe for an interesting mealtime, and an even more interesting life.

Summing Up All Rileyed Up

Without a doubt Jessica Riley has been faced with plenty of challenges all of her own, but looks to have always risen to them with her infectious spirit and skill at enjoying all that life throws her way.

Go here to check out All Rileyed Up.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Shrink Rap:
Blog URL: http://robinaltman.wordpress.com/
Category: Parenting, Personal Blogs, Humor

Shrink Rap

Shrink Rap is not the blog you would expect from a child psychiatrist, but then again when you consider the claims to fame of Robin Altman, MD include a love of shoes, a sideline as a stand-up comedian and a book titled Shrink Rap - An Irreverent Take on Child Psychiatry, you can expect her blog to be something a little out of the ordinary.

Shrink Rap - Why You Should Go

Robin Altman’s Shrink Rap blog is a bit outside the realm of ordinary. And that is exactly what makes it so endearing. The blog is a mix of friendly and funny child-rearing advice, stories from her own household (which you will surely find refreshingly familiar), and general observations on life. Humorous posts (which most all of them are) show Robin to be an approachable professional and human being, one who you’ll be glad to share tales from parenthood with and, quite probably, find in her a kindred and understanding spirit.

Summing Up Shrink Rap

Shrink Rap shows that there certainly is a caring, human side to the professional sector. Join Robin for some laughs and maybe a touch of the Wisdom of the Ages (do be sure to see the Wisdom Addendum, too).

Go here to check out Shrink Rap.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find CreditMom:
Blog URL: http://www.creditmomblog.com/
Category: Personal Finance, Parenting

CreditMom

CreditMom is your average mother of three boys making the best of life, love, and personal finance. Her blog revolves more around topics relating to personal finance than it does specifically on credit, while interweaving all of her life’s roles.

CreditMom - Why You Should Go

CreditMom has many posts of interest to people interested in learning more about personal finance and the regular topics relative to that like credit cards and the economics of personal finance. What really makes her blog stand out, though, is her dedication to children’s financial literacy and responsibility and other topics of import such as child ID theft, internet safety, kids and concerns over the economy, and kids and money. Her blog offers an array of posts on these and other subjects, making it a concentrated resource for parents dealing with how to raise their children as responsible, independent adults.

Summing Up CreditMom

CreditMom’s blog is of high interest for the conversation and discussion. Adding to that is her real-world, tried and true experiences with raising financially educated children. CreditMom is showing her readers that it’s never too early to think about and teach kids about money and finance, and she’s leading the way by example.

Go here to check out CreditMom.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Blogger Dad:
Blog URL: http://www.bloggerdad.com/
Category: Parenting

Blogger Dad

We’ve heard a lot about the many talented Mom bloggers out there this week, but now we hear about the other side—lest we forget that Dads are bloggers, too.

Blogger Dad is just a regular guy in love with his child who takes us along through his foray into parenthood through his blog. He shares much of what you might expect to find in a parenting blog—stories about his son, musings on parenting and life, embarrassing stories the likes of which any parent can relate to, and great links to more resources of interest to the larger audience.

Blogger Dad - Why You Should Go

So often parenting is heard from the perspective of the mother; but obviously Dads have a big stake in the game and play an eminently important role in the lives of children, both young and old; and so it is good that we have resources like Blogger Dad so that we can learn and appreciate parenting from the Father’s perspective, but also because fathers are extremely valuable parenting information resources, too. Any experienced voice is a value to both mothers and fathers to learn from as we strive to find others to identify with and to learn effective parenting skills from.

Blogger Dad brings to his blogging a very down-to-earth appeal, and approaches his topics with humor and insight. As mentioned blog posts on Blogger Dad span a range of topics, and include among them interviews with other parent bloggers in an effort to meet the “artists behind the art.”

Summing Up Blogger Dad

Blogger Dad is just the right balance of perspective from the other side. It’s all parenting all around, with, as the tagline says, “a little humor, a lot of heart.”

Go here to check out Blogger Dad.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Beyond Mom:
Blog URL: http://beyondmom.com/
Category: Parenting, Finance

Beyond Mom

Beyond Mom is the place where blogger and corporate/finance writer Jennifer Gniadecki proves that she is multitalented. As if her tagline wasn’t proof enough (”So it turns out I can write AND breed. Will wonders never cease?“) the blog lends plenty to back up her claims. Jennifer proves that being a Mom goes far beyond the child-rearing, yet is never entirely separate from it.

Beyond Mom - Why You Should Go

Beyond Mom is a blog that’s a bit about everything that touches Jenny’s life. There are posts about finance, children, children and finance, personal stories, and MommyBlog Reviews, all informative and all delivered with a touch of humor. And if her blog is not enough, loads of links will help you find anything your heart desires of similar interest. It’s a life and a blog any Mom can relate to—perhaps superficially harried (in the best of ways), but all the while meaningful and productive.

Summing Up Beyond Mom

Beyond Mom is an easy read because of Jennifer Gniadecki’s easy-going, relatable style. Mom or Dad, this is a blog with plenty to offer, and plenty of information that you’ll find useful and interesting.

Go here to check out Beyond Mom.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find A Child Chosen:
Blog URL: http://www.achildchosen.com/
Category: Parenting, Adoption

A Child Chosen

A Child Chosen started as the chronicles of Marcie Pickelsimer as she welcomed her second adopted child into her family. Marcie already maintained two other blogs of a more personal nature, but also wanted a blog that was wider in scope and more useful to parents everywhere. As the parent of children affected by Autism, and an adoptive parent, Marcie has a great wealth of information to offer on a diverse array of topics; these she combines for the insight and education of parents and interested readers on her blog, A Child Chosen.

A Child Chosen - Why You Should Go

At first glance Marcie Pickelsimer’s blog is appealing for the insight offered into the world of adoptive parenting and autism. Those whose lives these issues have impacted will certainly be in need of a reliable first-hand resource such as Marcie’s. Those who are not will welcome the opportunity to see inside the lives of families who are impacted by them. On these issues (and also on the related issue of sensory integration) Marcie tirelessly researches and writes and has built a large resource of information through her blog.

A closer look reveals a lot more that Marcie’s blog has to offer. In addition to the invaluable information resource that she is, Marcie also offers up news and commentary on issues important to parents and caregivers, and fun projects and past times that any family can share together.

Summing Up A Child Chosen

A Child Chosen is a special place because it is a place where the warmth and dedication of a great parent shines through. The uniqueness of Marcie Pickelsimer’s life is almost forgotten, but only because Marcie chooses to take the best possible attitude toward her life and its unique challenges. There is no pity here for Marcie, only possibility and appreciation of a fulfilling life. That attitude is what is most pervasive in her blog, and the best reason to join her.

Go here to check out A Child Chosen.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008