How to Initiate Productive Family Meetings

Now that the summer is winding down and school is around the corner for some and already here for others, there are going to be lots of changes in family dynamics, schedules, and routines. With all the changes, many parents see it best to sit their families down and host a family meeting. Holding a family meeting allows parents to communicate the upcoming changes as well as expectations for each of the children, while giving the children an opportunity to voice their opinions and desires for the new routine. 

Family meetings are important and effective when there is going to be a change in schedules but they are also helpful and very beneficial to have on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the school year. Hosting a weekly or monthly family meeting helps to strengthen the family bond, bring everyone closer together, and communicate more effectively. The mutual support and understanding that stems from these meetings brings more harmony, love and respect among members of the family. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Despite family meetings being both important and beneficial, that does not mean they are easy to initiate or host. With everyone’s busy and changing schedules, having the time or ability to have your entire family sit down for a family meeting can be a rare or daunting task. For these reasons, it is crucial to know the best strategies for planning and implementing productive, efficient meetings. Dr. Barton Goldsmith from Psychology Today provides ten key strategies for hosting the best, most beneficial family meeting possible. He reminds readers to remember that all families are unique, so be creative and add or tweak rules as fitted to your family’s needs.

1. Keep it up-beat

Start the meeting by asking everyone how their week was and the best thing that happened in school. Don’t be afraid to use your sense of humor and laugh together, communication is easier when everyone is having a good time. Try and keep it light whenever possible, especially at the beginning!

2. Don’t try to control participation

Let everyone in the family join in when they have something to say, but don’t force participation and avoid putting people on the spot. Don’t use the words mandatory or required when asking teens to participate in the meeting, that may cause tension and spoil the atmosphere right from the beginning. Instead, invite them to participate and even if they decline, chances are they will join after a few minutes just to see what they are missing. 

3. Encourage each member of the family to join the meeting

Although it is good to avoid putting family members on the spot, use positive encouragement to try and get everyone to join in and voice their feelings or opinions. If one member is not talking, Dr. Goldsmith suggests using some gentle questioning to get him or her to open up. This can even be as simple as asking, “What was the best thing that happened to you this week?” 

4. Be creative with meeting space

Find a place in your home where everyone is comfortable and everyone can see one another. A kitchen or dining room table is a great spot for meetings. If things may get tense at the house, a fun, public place may be a better location for a meeting- such as a pizza parlor or the local miniature golf course. If you choose a busy, fun location keep in mind that it may be harder to keep family members on track with the conversation. 

5. Give everyone a chance to to lead the meeting

Giving each of the children a chance to lead the conversation and voice their opinions will make them feel validated as well as realize that their think matters. Making each family members’ opinions, thoughts, and feelings important will make everyone leave the meeting feeling happier and like they benefitted from the experience. Also, writing down a list of each members’ contributions as well as the agreed upon goals will be a great way to refer back to the main points of the meeting later on and remember all that was discussed.

6. Be creative with your agenda

Having some goals set for the meeting ahead of time is important, but being flexible with how the meeting goes is key to making it work. Kids tend to have a low boredom threshold, so if the meeting is too much like school, they make mentally check out halfway through. 

Some examples of potential family meeting topics include:

A. What happened last week

B. What happening this week as well as future plans

C. Money related issues

D. Questions/comments about anything that anyone needs to talk about 

7. End each meeting with a fun experience

Ending the meeting with a fun event will not only encourage everyone to attend and participate, but also make the children more likely to actually look forward to the meetings instead of dread them. Doing something fun also doesn’t need to involve going out of spending money, it can mean a special dessert, a movie night, or a game night. If everyone does want to go out, consider doing something like going bowling, going out for ice-cream, or going to the movies. Plan the experience as a family and remind the kids that if they don’t get to do what they wanted this time, there is always next week. This way, no one will get upset and it provides a lesson for teaching the children about patience. 

8. Help each other resolve any issues

Dr. Goldsmith reminds us that family meetings are purposed as a bonding tool for teaching as well as inspiring everyone that being close as a family is the best thing for everyone concerned. Talk issues out until they are resolved, or at least until everyone politely agrees to disagree. Explaining your decisions to your children and getting support is important in teaching children about fairness and about being a family. Point out areas where there have been difficulties, but don’t be punitive.

9. Consult a therapist if/when necessary

If you and your spouse are having trouble navigating some of the deeper issues, do not be afraid to consult a professional. Most families struggle with communication sometimes or have moments of difficultly, being comfortable getting advice when needed will make life a lot easier!

10. Remember that its never to late to become closer as a family

Dr. Goldsmith saves this one for last to point out that it is critical to never give up on making your family work as a team and that the only way to fail is to not try at all. 

Dr. Goldsmith believes that parents have two jobs, to teach their children how to love and to teach them how to live without their parents. He firmly believes that family meetings with help parents to accomplish both of these. According to him, trying for a weekly family meeting will be one of the highest return investments you will ever make! 

To maximize effective communication and harmony within the household, consider making a weekly or monthly family meeting your “back to school resolution”! 

Parents, what additional strategies do you use to ensure your family meeting goes smoothly and productively? Comment below with your additions and suggestions! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Your Guide to Planning a Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to relax, watch football, eat till you (almost) feel sick, and just be thankful for what you have- that is if you aren’t hosting Thanksgiving. If you have ever hosted Thanksgiving dinner at your house before you probably know that the experience can be the opposite of relaxing. And if it is your first year hosting the festivities at your house I imagine you are probably already stressing out over the guest list, menu, decorations and everything else that goes into planning a food-abundant party. 

Thankfully (pun completely intended), Meg Galvin from SparkPeople Blogger has created a “Stress-free Thanksgiving Planning Guide” complete with weekly preparation steps to help Thanksgiving dinner hosts enjoy the holiday as much as their guests do. She advices beginning planning three weeks prior to the holiday, so if you haven’t already begun doing so than you should get on that ASAP! 

Here is what you should have already done:

1. Make a guest list of family and friends you wish to include

2. Send invitations and ask people what they plan to/can bring 

3. Once you know how many people will be attending, take an inventory of all the china, glassware, serving dishes, and silverware you own (don’t worry about everything matching!)

4. Choose your decor; including napkins, candles, tablecloths, and fall related decorations.

What you should start doing this week:

1. Finalize your menu

2. Shop for all non-perishable items

3. Pick your turkey (fresh versus frozen)

4. Make and freeze a meal for yourself for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving

Meg’s Turkey tips:

If you plan on buying a frozen turkey, get it now. Avoid buying any turkey over 15 pounds because the bigger the turkey, the older it is*

What to do the week of Thanksgiving:

1. If you bought a frozen turkey, thaw it out. Make sure there is room in your refrigerator and use a large pan to catch any juice that escape as it thaws. For every four pounds the turkey weighs, allow 1 day of thaw time.

2. Clear out or eat any leftovers to make plenty of room in the fridge

3. 2 days ahead: make any desserts and clean the house

4. The day before: 

-Prepare side dishes that can be held over night

-Pick up any last minute items such as rolls or ice

-Figure out how long you’re going to need to cook your turkey for

-Set out all serving dishes and utensils 

-Chill beverages

5. The day of:

-Clean bathrooms

-5 hours before: rinse and pat turkey dry, put the bird in the oven, and run the dishwasher

-3 hours before: begin to assemble side dishes and set up the carving board

-2 hours before: set up dessert table 

-1 hour before: set up beverage table, check turkey

-30 minutes before: bake rolls and make gravy

-15 minutes before: carve your turkey

Then give yourself a pat on the back because you just prepared and cooked an awesome Thanksgiving meal and now it is time to enjoy yourself with your food and guests! Worry about the mess later…

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

The Five Back to School Essentials for a Stress-Free Transition

After a busy but carefree summer the transition back to school can stir up some anxiety in your child. It is well-known by many parents that after being settled in a routine for a long period of time, changing to a new routine can be chaos. With some help from mother and author Chynna Laird, I have put together a list of strategies to help the whole family ease into the back to school routine as stress-free as possible. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

1. Talk about it

A few weeks in advance, start to have a few discussions about the summer coming to a close and starting a new year at school. Start with a short, vague discussion to get it on their radar but as it gets closer to their first day of school have a more detailed discussion. Minimize anxiety by minimizing any surprises.

2. Make a calendar

Your child can keep track of how many days left till school if it is clearly marked on a calendar. Put it in an area that everyone sees everyday, like the kitchen. This will help him or her feel some control over getting prepared and be able to visualize a timeline. Make it fun by having a countdown so your child can feel excited about starting a new year of school!

3. Slowly ease back into the school-year routine

Going from the summer routine one night into the full blow school year routine the next is too confusing and stressful for kids, inviting high levels of anxiety and meltdowns. A few weeks in advance, start to slowly take away the summer freedoms and apply some school year routine restrictions. For example, start to reduce their bedtime a little each week in the leading weeks up to their first day and if you have late sleepers, start to wake them up a little earlier so the first day isn’t a shock to their system. 

4. Make back to school shopping a family affair

Kids are always excited about getting new stuff, even if its a backpack and folders. Making back to school shopping a family outing will give the kids something to look forward to and can potentially be a fun family activity- even for you, (okay I said potentially)! So have everyone grab their lists and head to the nearest Staples at least a week before the first day of school, if not more. 

5. Do NOT save anything for the last minute

Referencing the last sentence in #4: head to the nearest Staples at least a week before the first day of school. This applies to all back to school anything. Make sure to plan well and stay organized because back to school time is hectic. Double check they have all their clothes, supplies, bus schedules, teachers, and whatever else they may need with plenty of time for last minute changes. 

Back to school time can be stressful for both you and the kids, but you can minimize anxiety and make it a more enjoyable experience for all parties involved by planning, organizing, talking, and managing your time well. If you do all those things, back to school can be a fun and exciting experience for the kids. 

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

Hosting Your First Thanksgiving Without All the Stress

Thanksgiving dinner is one of the most celebrated and looked forward to holidays in America- unless you are in charge of preparing this years dinner that is. Anyone who has been in charge of preparing a meal that size for a group of people knows that it can turn a fun, relaxing holiday into a hair-pulling, stress-filled dinner. Luckily, there are a lot of techniques to help even the rookies of Thanksgiving prepare a delicious meal, host an awesome party, and actually have fun at the same time. 

1. Remember that even your grandma hosted her first thanksgiving once

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to make sure every single thing is absolutely perfect- it won't be. But that's okay. There is no sense stressing yourself out because your turkey doesn't look exactly like Aunt Betty's or Grandma's, they have had a lot of years of practice to get it that way. 

2. Since you're the host, you get to call the shots

As much of a burden of responsibility it may initially seem, it is also kind of a relief. A relief because this year, you get to set the pace and tone of how you want Thanksgiving to be. Do you want it to be fancy? Have people dress up. Rather keep it casual? That's fine too. You can decide what time you want people to show up and how many should come. You can decide if you'd rather leave out the cherry pie this year and replace it with chocolate. Getting to make these kinds of decisions can actually be kind of fun if you let it!

3. Don't forget the message of Thanksgiving

Even through all the stress, remember that Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time for everyone to relax and spend time together (and pig out), and just because you're hosting it doesn't mean you are an exception! So don't let the little things bother you and freak out if everything doesn't t go perfectly. Relax! Even if the pie burns or Uncle Frank drinks too much again.

4. Accept help

Understand that this is your first time hosting such an important holiday dinner and it's going to be a lot to handle. So when people come into the kitchen and are asking you if you need any help, don't be afraid to say yes! 

5. Do everything in advance

The key ingredient to having a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner party is not to save anything for the last minute. If you start planning really far in advance and have a set schedule of when things need to be done by, this will take a huge weight off your shoulders and help things to go along smoothly. Have menu planned and grocery shopping completed by the weekend before- by Wednesday every super market will be a war zone that you want to avoid at all costs. The day before Thanksgiving, prepare are much of the food as you can, set the table and any decorations you wish to have, and decide on your outfit. 

On Thanksgiving day, figure out what time you need to roast the turkey, boil the potatoes, and lay out any appetizers or snacks. Make sure you empty the dishwasher before the party starts. Don't forget to squeeze a shower at some point between all of that and you're all set to host your first Thanksgiving dinner!


To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

How People Show Their Support During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Each year the month of October is dedicated to creating awareness and raising funds for breast cancer. There are traditions, activities, and events all over the world to promote awareness as well as celebrate the victories of breast cancer survivors. In the fall of 1983, the Race for the Cure was born. In Dallas, Texas over 800 people showed up to participate. Since then, the number of participants has reached 1.3 million and is held all over the world, including over 100 cities in the United States. 

Today, as many countries as Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with activities such as Germany's Komen Frankfurt Race for the Cure, the Netherlands Walk for Women, and the United Kingdom's Race for my Wife and Race for Life. 

In the United States, there are countless "Walks For the Cure", some reaching up to lengths of 30 miles. In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out ribbons to those who participated in their race for breast cancer survivors. Evelyn Lauder, the Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estee Lauder Companies, liked this idea so much that she established the pink ribbon as the official symbol of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which she founded in 1993.

Since then, pink has become the color of breast cancer awareness and prevention during the month of October. Many theme parties, also known as "pink parties", are thrown during October and on "pink days" employees across the United States will wear pink clothing or accessories to work. 

The National Football League also joins in the fight against breast cancer and the celebration of breast cancer survivors by incorporating pink into their advertisements, websites, and graphics. Players also like to show their support by adding the color pink to their apparel, such as gloves and cleats. Even comic strips go pink during the month of October. In 2010, over 50 comic strip artists used the symbol of the pink ribbon with the words "Cartoonists Care" written inside. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

People everywhere are standing up against breast cancer and celebrating those who have overcome the disease which will affect 12.4% of American women in her lifetime. There are so many ways to get involved, ranging from walks to simply wearing pink. 

The Coolest Costumes Made By Mom (Part Three of Three)

With Halloween just around the corner, busy moms are scrambling to put together the perfect costumes that their kids will love. But this year, instead of making that last-minute trip to the costume shop to pick a costume out of the small selection that will be left, try making an even better costume from scratch! In part one and two we described six costumes  that even the least arsty moms can throw together within only a matter of days-or hours- and here are three more ideas to make your child's costume fun and unique this halloween! 

7. Golfer

This next costume is easy to put together- and unbearably cute! Plus you can use the clothes on other occasions. 

What you need:

A white button up, an argyle sweater vest, tan khakis, a cap, matching argyle socks, and a small golf club

How to make it:

For this costume all you have to do is dress your little guy in his white button down, argyle sweater vest, khaki pants rolled up, with the argyle socks. Add his cap and miniature golf club and you've got yourself a perfect golfer costume!

8. Pirate 

There are plenty of variations of this costume that you can find at a local costume shop but its also just as easy to make yourself! 

What you need:

a black long sleeve shirt, an old white long sleeve shirt, old black pants, a bandana, and a plastic sword. 

How to make it:

Simply cut the sleeves of the white shirt, followed by the ends of an old pair of black pants- fraying them at the ends, then put the white shirt on over the black shirt and tie a bandana around their head. With the plastic sword and any accessories you want to throw on, this costume can be trick-or-treat ready within a matter of hours!

9. Fairy 

This costume takes a little longer than the others to put together- but it is so cute it is worth it! It is the ultimate costume for the ultimate girly girl and is sure to be a memorable one!

What you need:

A green leotard, pink tights, a green and brown leotard, fake flowers of various sizes and

colors, a brown headband, a glue gun, and super glue

How to make it:

To put together the skirt; take your tutu and glue gun, grabbing flowers of various sizes and glue them around the waist band of the tutu in a belt-like fashion. Then make the headpiece by gluing the rest of the flowers to the brown plastic headband. To put the final costume together, first put the pink tights on, followed by the green leotard and tutu- adding the headpiece as the finishing touch! After only a few hours you'll have the cutest fairy around! 

The Coolest Costumes Made By Mom (Part Two of Three)

With Halloween right around the corner, it is crunch time to be getting some costumes ready for the kids' big night! But if you still haven't managed to squeeze in a trip to the store, there is no need to stress out because we have found a list of fun and creative costumes that even the least artsy mom can put together. It's easy enough to head to a local costume shop and pick out a premade costume, but if you're feeling like trying something new this year and getting crafty, it's not too late!

The first three costumes on the list were the classic robot costume, the increasingly popular zombie costume, and the effortlessly adorable Crayola crayon costume. The list continues with three more easy-to-make and fun-to-wear costumes that are sure to put a smile on your child's face this holiday!

4. Pippi Longstocking 

This is the perfect costume for any girly girls out there trying to do something fun and unique. I still remember in first grade when a girl in my class came to school in a Pippi Longstocking costume that her mother had put together for her, so obviously it made a lasting impression! 

What you need:

Mismatched knee socks, a long scarf, a red long sleeve, a blue dress, a wire hanger, ribbons, bobby pins, brown eyeliner and a stuffed monkey

How to make it:

Just put on the red sweater with the dress over the top and the knee high socks-easy enough! The hardest part is the hair, but even that isn't too tough; just open up the wire hanger and bend it in a head-band like fashion, keeping it in place with bobby pins. Then carefully braid her hair around the wire and hairspray in place, tying the ribbons around the ends to add some cuteness! To add the finishing touches, take the brown eyeliner pencil and draw in some cute freckles. 

5. Little Bo Peep

Another one just for the girls! This costume is so adorable it is sure to grab everyone's attention and only requires a few pieces, so it's really easy and simple to put together even at the last minute.

What you need:

A pink dress, a petticoat, a cane, a pink bonnet, and white tape. 

How to make it:

First put on the petticoat to make the dress pouffy, followed by the pink dress, and the bonnet. Then add some white dress shoes and finish with the cane. If you don't know where to find a cane, just use a giant plastic candy cane (which can be found at craft stores or the Christmas Tree Shop) and make it white by wrapping it with white duct or electrical tape. 

6. Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat

This is one of the more creative of the costume ideas that I stumbled upon and think that it would without a doubt be a big hit for trick-or-treating! So if you have two kids who like the idea of a themed group costume, this is the perfect costume for them.

What you need:

For Curious George: a solid brown hooded sweatshirt, solid brown sweat pants, light brown construction paper, scissors, and tape or glue. 

For the Man With the Yellow Hat: A yellow button up, yellow pants, a yellow tie, a black sharpie, and a pointed yellow hat. 

How to make it:

For your little Curious George, dress him or her up in the brown sweat pants and sweatshirt, wearing the hood up. Then cut ears using the construction paper and glue or tape them to the hood. For the man with the yellow hat, dress him or her in the yellow pants, button up, and tie. Use the black sharpie to draw polka dots on the tie and add the yellow hat to complete the look!  

The Coolest Halloween Costumes Made by Mom (Part One of Three)

It's easy enough to head to the local costume shop and pick out some pre-made costumes but sometimes it's fun to really get into the spirit of Halloween and make a costume from scratch. So for any moms feeling crafty this year here are some ideas of costumes that you and your kids can do together, only requiring a little effort and a lot of fun!

1. Robot Costume

This classic costume is always sure to be a hit and is almost always better when it's homemade. After you've gathered your materials, just set aside an afternoon when you're feeling extra artsy and get started!

What you need:

Cardboard box, foil, glue, duct tape, silver paint, grey clothes (sweat pants, turtleneck, shoes), dryer venting and various electrical items 

How to make it:

Simply cut head and arm holes in the cardboard box, paint it silver and attach dryer venting to the arm holes. Then make it look more official by duct taping the various electrical items to the front of the box. Complete the look with the grey clothes and you've got yourself an awesome looking robot!

2. Zombie Costume

Vampires, werewolves and zombies have been growing in popularity over the last few years and since the arrival of the insanely popular TV show, "The Walking Dead", zombies have become trendier than ever. 

What you need:

 For this costume, all the materials you need are some old clothes that you don't mind ripping holes in and some scary looking make up and hair gel, that's easy enough!

How to make it: 

Just get the clothes looking dirty by purposefully getting some stains on them, wrinkling them, and cutting them up in various places. Then take your zombie make up kit (which can be found at any costume shop) and paint some scary looking make up on their face and get their hair looking like a mess with some hair gel. 

3. Crayola Crayon Costume

This costume has been popular for ages, because of how easy and adorable it is! All it takes is a few hours and some planning ahead. 

What you need: 

pants and a long sleeve shirt in the color crayon your child wants to be, black fabric paint, a paintbrush, and a big t-shirt or pillow case in the same color. Also get some construction paper and tape to make a hat to represent the crayon's tip.

How to make it: 

This costume seriously could not get any easier or cuter! All you have to do is take your pillow case or oversized t-shirt and paint the Crayola design that's on every crayon with your black fabric paint. Dress them in their same-colored clothes, put the t shirt on over (arm holes will have to be added if a pillow case was used) and add the little hat to complete the look! 

Keep a look out for the next round of awesome costumes you can make for your child this Halloween in The Coolest Costumes Made by Mom (Part Two of Three)! 

Why Moms Actually Love Halloween

Now that October has arrived, the holiday season is right around the corner and the holiday that's on everyone's mind is Halloween! 

Of course the holiday season is a wonderful time of year, with all the spirit and happiness, but often times it can bring stress and anxiety, especially for Mom. All the pressure of the visitors, the endless shopping, cooking, and cleaning! 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

And as for Halloween, one might imagine dragging your feet from house to house with a group of kids or sitting on the front porch handing out candy as a boring and dreaded task- but when surveyed Moms actually had something else to say. They claim to actually love Halloween and find it to be one of the more exciting holidays- and here is why!

1. No Pressure of a big dinner

Halloween is one of the few holidays that doesn't demand some kind of big meal, which moms can really appreciate. They love that on this night they can just whip something quick together for the kids, like pizza or grilled cheese, and then out the door they go!

2. It's fun to decorate

Some people people love going over the top with spooky decorations and some prefer not to decorate at all. But moms say that they love getting into the spirit of things and letting their artsy side run wild. Whether its store bought or homemade, Halloween is the biggest holiday for decorations, after Christmas, and this makes it one of the more fun days of the season. 

3. It's awesome to see the kids in costume

Hands down the best part of Halloween? Seeing all the little kids dressed up in their adorable costumes with those big smiles on their faces. Moms say they enjoy even the process of buying or making the costumes for kids. If you are feeling crafty, it is easy and enjoyable to put together a unique and creative costume that everyone will love. Even if you aren't really into all that, that's okay too! It is easy enough, and still a good time, to take the kids out shopping for some ready-made costumes!

4. It creates Fall family traditions

During the whole month of October leading up to Halloween, there are endless fun activities for families to participate in. With everything from pumpkin picking to haunted hay rides, the Fall is a great time for some serious family fun!

5. It's fun for all ages

Everyone from little kids to college students to adults can get into this holiday! There are classroom parties, house parties, work parties, and more where all kinds of people can get together and feel young again by dressing up in a silly costume and bobbing for apples. 

6. And most of all, the leftover candy

Confession, I have never liked Snickers- my mom on the other hand, loves them. When I was younger all the way through high school, my brothers and I would save our Snickers or whatever else we didn't want and my mom would be there to "take them off our hands". Moms say the best part about Halloween is taking one night to indulge in their kids' leftover candies. Don't forget that moms love candy just as much as kids do! 

ONCEkids Goes Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It is that time of the year again, yes fall, pumpkins, apple cider, halloween-but also the arrival of October means it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So once again, the team and I at ONCEkids are going pink for the month of October to spread knowledge on the prevention of breast cancer as well as celebrate the inspirational women who have beat this terrible disease.

In the United States, breast cancer death rates are higher than those of any other cancer other than lung cancer. Approximately one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some point during her lifetime. I'm not trying to upset or scare you by sharing these statistics, but rather to educate and motivate you so you can take the necessary steps towards protecting yourself. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

The most important and effective way to reduce your risk of developing invasive breast cancer is to talk to your doctor! And make sure that you are participating in annual breast exams and mammograms, which have been proven to increase the odds for catching it early and surviving. Only 51% of women reported having yearly mammograms- this needs to become 100% of women! 

For students, athletes, companies, and people across the nation who are showing their support, this month is all about joining communities together against breast cancer and acknowledging the strong and powerful women who overcame the disease even in the worst of circumstances. So we encourage everyone, not just this month but every month, to join in the fight!

Six Ways for Moms to Stay Trendy This Fall

If you're like me, you're probably feeling a little down in the dumps with the ending of the summer weather and the coming of fall- but that doesn't mean your wardrobe has to be down in the dumps too! 

Just because the summer is over doesn't mean that trend setting and wearing bright and fashionable clothes is over along with it. I'll be honest, it definitely feels harder to dress up when it isn't warm outside, as soon as I see leaves changing color all I want to do is run inside and throw my sweats on. But it's actually not as hard as you would think to stay trendy even with the changing seasons, it's just all about how you layer it. 

So even if you're a busy mom who hates the cold, fight the urge to slip into your sweats and Mom-jeans (you know exactly what type of jeans I'm referring to!) and stay trending this fall

with these six must-haves. 

1. The Scarf

Scarves are no longer just those thick itchy wool things you wrap around your neck in a blizzard, but in recent years have actually become a very fashion-forward accessory. The addition of a scarf gives life to your outfit whether it's a simple long sleeve top or a fashionable coat. It is something that people of all ages are trying out, so this fall I dare you to give it a try yourself! While being fashionable, scarves are also versatile and can make a very casual outfit just a little dressier. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

2. Equestrian-style boots

These boots are not just for your teenage daughter anymore. They just keep getting trendier as the years go on and serve as the perfect addition to any autumn outfit. Ranging from skinny jeans to leggings paired with a tunic sweater, these boots are the perfect way to complete the look in a way that says "I'm still hip but I'm not trying to look twenty". 

3. Metallic, metallic, and more metallic

Just because it's fall doesn't mean you have to resort back to dull and neutral colors. Metallic hues are being seen everywhere on runways and in fashion magazines as a fall must have. So whether it is through accessories or a metallic skirt, add some shine to your look this season!

4. Studs

Rocker chick meets glamour chic with fashion's newfound love of everything studded and studded everything. This look may seem a bit out of your comfort zone, but incorporate it in a small way like through a purse or shoes, and you may be pleasantly surprised at how much you can rock this new trend. 

5. Bold Prints

Bold prints was a big summer trend that can still be carried into the colder weather. One of the most popular and chic looks that everyone can pull off is the bold printed top paired with a jacket and skinny jeans, and moms are no exceptions! Just make sure if you are going to go bold, do it with only one item of clothing while making the others more simple and plain, this way you're not going into print overload.

6. Leather 

No, I'm not trying to convince you to squeeze yourself into some leather pants that the lead singer of your favorite band in the 80s wore, but leather in the form of a nice fall coat is hugely stylish right now. It doesn't have to be real, no one can tell the difference, but leather jackets are the perfect way to class up any outfit while staying warm.