The power to create the life you want resides within you. If you seek change you must put forth actions that reflect the results you hope to obtain, not the patterns of behavior that breed the same old, same old.

Many Kiwi Moms already know that the only thing you really have any control over is your own thoughts and actions. We can’t force others to respond as we would like them to, but we can create very different results simply by implementing new actions or behaviors to achieve the change we are seeking.

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With kids going back to school and ideas of what to pack for lunch comes a heightened awareness over what constitutes “healthy.” With childhood obesity as one of the nation’s leading health threats, this is clearly a million dollar question.

Did you know that childhood obesity is the number one concern amongst US parents, ahead of drug abuse and smoking? Today, almost 25 million children are overweight or obese and thus are at risk for early-onset cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. If obesity rates among children continue to climb at such a rate, this generation will be the first to have a shorter life span than their parents!

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, has designated September “Go Healthy Month.” The Alliance is taking preventive measures against childhood obesity to ensure that future generations won’t struggle with illnesses associated with poor food choices and lack of physical activity.

I encourage you to check out www.igohugo.org to find out how both you and your child can engage in this challenge, which encourages better food choices as well as finding ways to participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Exercising together will not only help you look and feel better, but will allow for time to catch up on your child’s school day.

What are you waiting for? Turn off the TV and enjoy the warm afternoons!

–Dr. Keri Marshall MS, ND is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in holistic pediatrics and women’s medicine

In the beginning, it was so easy to go to the movies with Sylvie. We hit the theater at 11 a.m. (“Devil Wears Prada” or “Matchpoint,” anyone?) and she nursed in the dark on and off. I became increasingly proud of my status of nursing mom, and in a shameful moment, I told off a woman in a Cosi sandwich shop who tried to get my friend to abandon the upholstered chair she had marked off with a paper bag and newspaper (looked like trash to us!). My friend needed to nurse and was going a little nutty herself, and I was irate. It was an ugly scene. I am not proud. I thought womankind had taken two steps back because this woman was not being supportive of my friend’s need to breastfeed. If she’s reading this, I am sorry! Blame it on the hormones!

-Audra Hughes

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly felt the effects of the economic slowdown in recent months. Gas, groceries, meals out–even movie theater popcorn–cost more than ever lately. Despite the gloom, there’s a silver lining: growing support for telework (a.k.a. telecommuting) and other flexible work arrangements.

Telework is a “green” win-win for employers and employees. Work options that allow employees to work from home make for happier, less stressed, and more productive employees (think, improved work/life balance, less time commuting, fewer work-related distractions, and more time for family). Studies suggest that telework is a good thing for employers’ bottom line. Like employees, employers can save money through telework options, including the costs of overhead and lost productivity. Importantly, telework is a huge plus for the environment (e.g., cleaner air) and goes a long way toward resource conservation (e.g., fossil fuels).

But assuming you actually have a job that can be done from home and your employer doesn’t already have an established protocol for telework arrangements, how do you convince your employer to go “green”? Here are five strategies to help you land that “green” work arrangement:

1. Jump on the green momentum. Green is hot right now and it’s a color your boss has probably heard something about or understands. This means that whether you’re asking to telecommute one day a week or twice a month, there’s probably never before been a better time to ask for a telework arrangement. Plus, it probably doesn’t hurt your case that “everyone is doing it”, right?

2. Come up with a plan. Before you approach your employer for a telework arrangement, think about why you want the arrangement, what schedule you want (e.g., will your schedule be fixed?, will you work beyond 9-5 hours), and how you plan to get your job done logistically (e.g., what technology or equipment do you need, and what about the kids, will they be home with you or will you have childcare in place).

3. Appeal to your employers’ interest. Let your employer know what she gains by letting you work from home. As cool as it may be to wear your pajamas and bunny slippers to work, be prepared to explain, if necessary, the benefits the arrangement confers to your employer in terms she understands (think, dollars, productivity, and availability).

4. Offer a trial run. When dealing with a reluctant employer or one unfamiliar with telework, suggest a “trial period”. Use this period to show your employer that you can get it done–and well, too. If you know your employer has particular concerns about the arrangement, use this time to address those concerns.

5. Write it down. If your employer doesn’t already have a policy for handling telework requests and/or prepared documentation, create your own paper trail. You’ll want to make sure you’ve memorialized the terms that you and your employer have reached, just in case….

–Julie Tower-Pierce, J.D./M.S.E.L is a lawyer, mom of three, and author of Staying at Home, Staying in the Law: A Guide to Remaining
Active in the Legal Profession While Pursuing Your Dreams (American Bar Association, 2008).