How to be Super Mom: Interesting Facts about Saint Patrick's Day

Have you ever been amazed by this holiday and ignored its meaning? I did, until today when I decided to make a small research about it. I can honestly say that it has a beautiful meaning and even though I am not Irish, but I am definitely starting a new custom at home this year-- Saint Patrick's Day here we come!!

Saint Patrick’s Day is a religious and a national holiday celebrated on March 17^th and it is known as the Day of the Festival of Patrick. It is mostly celebrated in Irish territories because it is known as the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. The large Irish diaspora celebrates it all over the world. I was always curious to learn the interested facts about Saint Patrick’s Day and the truth behind the adopted symbols. 

Whenever we say Saint Patrick we think about the color green, leprechauns, shamrocks, the harp, the Celtic cross, and the blarney stone.
By which fact do you want me to start first?
The shamrock, the international sign of good luck is closely related to this holiday based on the legend saying that Saint Patrick used the three leaved leaf to clarify the Holy Trinity to the Irish people.
Since the Shamrock is a very important sign in this holiday, the color that represents it is closely related to that good luck leaf. At the beginning, the color blue was the one linked to Saint Patrick’s Day. Little by little the color changed from blue to green and dominated the clothes and accessories used on that holy day!
Leprechaun: Saint Patrick’s Day took a slight twist through time from a pure religious holiday to a cultural and national Irish holiday. People who celebrate it are mainly Irish and since the leprechaun, coming from the ancient Irish term “luchorpan”, is also an Irish legend talking about little shoemaker fairies, the little man was adopted as one of the main symbols of the holidays.
The drinking: Irish people drink to honor the dead, and it is said that Saint Patrick’s day is celebrated on the day of the saint’s death so this seems like the obvious thing to do.
How to be Super Mom did its best to give you few pointers about this amazing holiday, if you have any additional information please add them in the comment box, we will be honored to learn more about this holiday.
Please keep following us for more crafts and recipes related to Saint Patrick’s Day.

Stay at Home Moms Depression: Fight it Off!

Stay at home moms depression is a common situation. All your daily projects are limited to one tiny biosphere; even though it might be great to live every single minute with our loved ones and to be granted with lots of love along the way but sometimes we really need to get out of there. We need a change. We need something that will force us to look into the mirror and say : “hey I need to look nice”. Ever happened to you to forget to look into the mirror? If you are a stay at home mom reading this then you sure know what I am talking about.

Children are amazing, they are a blessing, but to raise them and teach them to be happy you have to preserve your energy and wellness—especially your mental wellness. Depression will float over your head more often if you are at home all the time driving through that routine road day after day but you have to make a change. If you are feeling depressed right now please don’t sleep it off; sometimes it doesn’t work because you will wake up with an even bigger burden.  The best way is to work on your problems. Make a list of what is bothering you the most, and do your best to find a solution to these troubles before going to bed at night. 

If you leave your troubles hanging, you will wake up with a huge load over your head, and you will have to jeopardize another day on the expense of finding solutions or a way to get out of what might be depressing you. The major reason for depression among stay at home mothers is the limited environment she lives in and her feeling of being unproductive. Sadly, yes! She is the most productive woman on earth and yet she feels the contrary and I will tell you why. 

Let’s review together a stay home mom day, hour by hour and see how depressing it could get at the end of the day. After a long night of non-sleep, she wakes up very early to get the kids ready for school or to feed her toddler/baby. She has to drive her kids to school, come back home and start her daily routine of cooking, cleaning, running behind her little ones and gathering all the effort she could get to spend 16 extra hours of non-rest after a long night of non-sleep. She sips her coffee while running around the house; at the afternoon she has to drive her kids to their activities/ study with them/ or create activities to entertain them. Later, she bathes them, gives them healthy snacks and dinner, send them off to bed after reading their favorite bed time story, turn around and find the house in a terrible mess as if she hasn’t worked her ass off all day to clean it and put it in order. And the cycle continues. It is an endless, boring cycle. Now, we didn’t mention the hubby, coming back from work tired as if he is the only one who worked all day and asking his wife to pamper him. 

Yes ladies and gentleman, this is a small sample of a regular stay at home mother’s day.  Add to that the possibility of her catching a cold, one of her children getting sick and many more spices that could be added to intensify the feeling of depression. 

Society takes us for granted. We are not appreciated. People think we are sitting down on our butt all day watching sitcoms—I wish!!!! 

You want to fight depression my dear “stay at home mom” than start by admitting that the way you run your life is not healthy. Sacrificing all your time for your family is amazing but you still have to keep the right of having a time for yourself! 

How to be Super Mom will help you fight to get more appreciation in society, to learn how to create a time for yourself and to show people that you are more productive than anyone else in the world.

Depression in New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Alternatives Depression is the number one cause of maternal death in developed countries and results in adverse health outcomes for both mother and child. It is vital, therefore, that health professionals are ready and able to help those women that suffer from perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD). This book provides a comprehensive approach to treating PPD in an easy-to-use format. It reviews the research and brings together the evidence-base for understanding the causes and for assessing the different treatment options, including those that are safe for use with breastfeeding mothers. It incorporates a new psychoneuroimmunology framework for understanding postpartum depression and includes chapters on: Negative birth experiences Infant characteristics Psychosocial factors Antidepressant medication Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy Herbal medicine and alternative therapies Suicide and infanticide Invaluable in treating the mothers who come to you for help, this helpful guide dispels the myths that hinder effective treatment and presents up-to-date information on the impact of maternal depression on the health of the mother, as well as the health and well-being of the infant.

The Ghost in the House: Real Mothers Talk about Maternal Depression, Raising Children, and How They Cope An award-winning reporter for the "Washington Post," Tracy Thompson was thirty-four when she was hospitalized and put on suicide watch during a major depressive episode. This event, the culmination of more than twenty years of silent suffering, became the point of departure for an in-depth, groundbreaking book on depression and her struggle with the disease. "The Beast" shattered stereotypes and inspired countless readers to confront their own battles with mental illness. Having written that book, and having found the security of a happy marriage, Thompson assumed that she had learned to manage her illness. But when she took on one of the most emotionally demanding jobs of all being a mother depression returned with fresh vengeance. Very quickly Thompson realized that virtually everything she had learned up to then about dealing with depression was now either inadequate or useless. In fact, maternal depression was a different beast altogether. She tackled her problem head-on, meticulously investigating the latest scientific research and collecting the stories of nearly 400 mothers with depression. What she found was startling: a problem more widespread than she or any other mother struggling alone with this affliction could have imagined. Women make up nearly 12 million of the 19 million Americans affected by depression every year, experiencing episodes at nearly twice the rate that men do. Women suffer most frequently between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four not coincidentally, the primary childbearing years. "The Ghost in the House," the result of Thompson's extensive studies, is the first book to address maternal depression as a lifelong illness that can have profound ramifications for mother and child. A striking blend of memoir and journalism, here is an invaluable resource for the millions of women who are white-knuckling their way through what should be the most satisfying years of their lives. Thompson offers her readers a concise summary of the cutting-edge research in this field, deftly written prose, and, above all, hope.

The Postpartum Effect: Deadly Depression in Mothers A Mothers Tears presents a caring and knowledgeable picture of postpartum depression. Psychologist Arlene M. Huysman explains the very real hormonal and emotional causes of what was once dismissed as the baby blues, defines who is at risk, and shows readers how to recognize the illness. She also describes proper treatment, explains how to make sure ones doctor is an ally, and discusses how family can help new mothers get well again. This primer on the causes and cures of this common but long-misunderstood illness contains a new chapter presenting the most up-to-date research and developments.

Happy Teachers Day Cards: Make Your Own Cards (2)

How to be Super Mom will help you make your own cards.
A beautiful, original and easy to make card. The minute I saw it, I thought I should write a tutorial about it right away to help you mothers and children craft this card for teacher's day.
A card that says "Happy teacher's day" is more exquisite if it was handmade by the student himself. My daughter and I have made unique cards all the time, but since I have Sophia now too, it became hard for me to post new card designs. This card is not of my creations, it is something I found on the web and thought it was easy for you to make.

Supplies Needed

• 1x Pink card board
• 1x Fushia card board
• 1 x Yellow, green and red A4 paper sheet
• Hole punsher
• Plastic ribbons
• Glue
• Scissors

Directions

• Cut two 18x13 cm Fushia card board
• Cut two 17.5x12.5 cm pink card board
• Cut two 16x11 cm pink card board, as well
• Glue the 16x11 pink car boards on the right center of the fushia card boards leaving enough space to make the holes on the left, as seen in the picture.

• From the inside, glue the larger pink card boards in the canter leaving a small frame showing from all sides, careless about the holes.
• Cut a 25 cm ribbon string , insert it in the holes and make a knot from the back side of the card.
• Cut 1x29 cm papers from the A4 sheets.

• Roll each paper tightly to get a firm snail shape.
• You can glue the end to hold it together and start decorating the front side of your card.
• You can either make a flower as seen in the picture or create another personalized design of your choice.

Your child's teacher will be thrilled with this Happy teachers day card that your son or daughter made by themselves. Besides, you will have learned how to create your own cards and enjoyed a quality time crafting it with them.
How to be Super Mom always insists on the importance of crafting with your children to help them be more creative, teach them new skills and help them master their gestures.
Super moms, I hope this article was helpful. You could always use my tutorials to create more designs and you can share them with us either by sending the picture by email or sharing them on my facebook page.

Stay at Home Mothers and Depression

I need all of you mothers to help me on a new project. As a start I need to know how many stay at home moms- without a housekeeper or a nanny- do we have on board?  For all those mothers please do not be depressed if society doesn't acknowledge your work and give it its value. How to be Super Mom is working on a project to help all stay at home mothers- doing all the tasks by themselves- get more recognized by the society. You are not only a woman at home, you are a nurse, a cook, a teacher, a housekeeper, a psychologist, an artist-- You are a MOTHER sacrificing it all for the wellbeing of your family and you deserve to get some credit and I will do my best and work hard to see that day come; the day when a stay at home mother is no longer considered as an unemployed person but as the most devoted working person in society. We give it all for free; we give it all to provide the society with a blossomed new generation and our entourage is not appreciating that enough. It’s enough for me to stop hearing this conversation:

Stranger: “Hi, do you work?”

Mother: “No, I am a stay at home mother.”

Really? No! Yes ma’am you do work. To get people to recognize your efforts you have to start identifying your own capabilities. Appreciate yourself to help others appreciate you. When they ask you if you work start answering by yes, I work; I do it all, I am a mother! Start by refusing to be listed as an unemployed, as a burden to society because you’re not, you are the essence of this world. A mother is the base and the foundation of success and of failure as well. You highly influence your child’s personality, and by doing so you control the quality of the upcoming generation.

Stay at home mothers, allow me to say that you are the world, you are the queens of the biosphere, and so be proud of yourselves.

This article’s goal is to help you get rid of the stay at home mother depression that keeps tracking you down. It is hard to have all your life limited in your loved ones tiny worlds but you can create many things out of this small environment, you can work on improving yourself and you can follow How to be Super Mom tips for a better life. Keep following us and we will do our best to make your life easier.

Depression in New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Alternatives Depression is the number one cause of maternal death in developed countries and results in adverse health outcomes for both mother and child. It is vital, therefore, that health professionals are ready and able to help those women that suffer from perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD). This book provides a comprehensive approach to treating PPD in an easy-to-use format. It reviews the research and brings together the evidence-base for understanding the causes and for assessing the different treatment options, including those that are safe for use with breastfeeding mothers. It incorporates a new psychoneuroimmunology framework for understanding postpartum depression and includes chapters on: Negative birth experiences Infant characteristics Psychosocial factors Antidepressant medication Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy Herbal medicine and alternative therapies Suicide and infanticide Invaluable in treating the mothers who come to you for help, this helpful guide dispels the myths that hinder effective treatment and presents up-to-date information on the impact of maternal depression on the health of the mother, as well as the health and well-being of the infant.

The Ghost in the House: Real Mothers Talk about Maternal Depression, Raising Children, and How They Cope An award-winning reporter for the "Washington Post," Tracy Thompson was thirty-four when she was hospitalized and put on suicide watch during a major depressive episode. This event, the culmination of more than twenty years of silent suffering, became the point of departure for an in-depth, groundbreaking book on depression and her struggle with the disease. "The Beast" shattered stereotypes and inspired countless readers to confront their own battles with mental illness. Having written that book, and having found the security of a happy marriage, Thompson assumed that she had learned to manage her illness. But when she took on one of the most emotionally demanding jobs of all being a mother depression returned with fresh vengeance. Very quickly Thompson realized that virtually everything she had learned up to then about dealing with depression was now either inadequate or useless. In fact, maternal depression was a different beast altogether. She tackled her problem head-on, meticulously investigating the latest scientific research and collecting the stories of nearly 400 mothers with depression. What she found was startling: a problem more widespread than she or any other mother struggling alone with this affliction could have imagined. Women make up nearly 12 million of the 19 million Americans affected by depression every year, experiencing episodes at nearly twice the rate that men do. Women suffer most frequently between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four not coincidentally, the primary childbearing years. "The Ghost in the House," the result of Thompson's extensive studies, is the first book to address maternal depression as a lifelong illness that can have profound ramifications for mother and child. A striking blend of memoir and journalism, here is an invaluable resource for the millions of women who are white-knuckling their way through what should be the most satisfying years of their lives. Thompson offers her readers a concise summary of the cutting-edge research in this field, deftly written prose, and, above all, hope.

The Postpartum Effect: Deadly Depression in Mothers A Mothers Tears presents a caring and knowledgeable picture of postpartum depression. Psychologist Arlene M. Huysman explains the very real hormonal and emotional causes of what was once dismissed as the baby blues, defines who is at risk, and shows readers how to recognize the illness. She also describes proper treatment, explains how to make sure ones doctor is an ally, and discusses how family can help new mothers get well again. This primer on the causes and cures of this common but long-misunderstood illness contains a new chapter presenting the most up-to-date research and developments.

Make Your Own Cards: Teacher Day Cards (1)

As you all know, with my one year old this year I am finding a little bit of difficulty to create my own happy teachers day cards. So in order to help you, I am picking out many teachers day greeting cards off the Internet and giving you detailed tutorials to help you make your own cards. If you need any help doing a certain card I will be ready to send you the hints and post all the guidelines you need to follow.
This is a very interesting card that I might craft with my 5 year old. It is easy and simple you just need few low cost supplies.

Supplies Needed

• 1x Grey card board ( 21x29 cm) 
• 1 x decorated card board (12x9 cm)
• 2x A4 white papers
• Printer
• Thin Ivory ribbon
• 2x small red button
• White string

Directions

• Fold the Grey card board in half.
• Glue the decorated card board on the left top of the folded card.
• Choose a beautiful poem or quote related to teacher's day and print it out on the A4 paper sheet, making sure that the size of the poem doesn't exceed 9x17 cm.
• Glue it in the right center of the card.
• On another white sheet, print out few designs such as an apple, a pencil and a small thank you note. You can use the free templates posted by How to be Super Mom at the bottom of this post.
• Cut them out and glue them over your card as seen in the picture.
• Wrap a white string inside each button and make a knot.
• Wrap the ribbon around the card, vertically, and glue the second button at the center of the ribbon.

Free Templates

I hope you will enjoy making this card for teacher day. How to be Super Mom is a blog that provides you with many free tutorials, and I will keep asking you, super moms, to involve your children in all the makings. Happy teacher's day everyone!

Easter Gift Basket: Bunnies and Eggs Chocolate Tray

You don't have to pay a fortune to purchase an Easter gift basket, but you can learn how to make your own and save loads of money on every holiday. Easter is near, and I bet that you have a big number of family and friends to whom you would like to offer something. An Easter basket gift is the best choice! Everyone enjoys the taste of chocolates and besides, the basket or tray can be kept for further use.
For all those of you living in Lebanon, I can provide you with the names of few retail stores selling similar accessories: Diab, Sunny House, Jules Naser, Choco doux, Trading Plus, and Karout.



Supplies Needed

• Rectangular tray
• 4 Easter bunny collection
• 5 flowers
• 1.5 kg wrapped chocolate eggs
• 1 large ribbon
• 1 small leather box
• Rectangular Styropan blocks
• Large duct tape
• Glue gun

Directions

• Place the rectangular Styropan blocks to form many height levels.
• Wrap a large duct tape on the inner surface of the tray.
• Using a hot glue gun, glue the flowers in a beautiful coordination ( like shown in the picture).
• Place the rabbits you chose on different levels, reserving on of them to be placed on the leather box you will put on the right side of the tray.
• Start arranging the chocolate eggs piece by piece.
• Make your ribbon and glue a flower in the center.
• Your Easter gift basket is now ready to be offered to the person of your choice.

The same technique can be followed, but you can change the display, colors, accessories and from this small how to article offered by How to be Super Mom you can create a dozen of beautiful Easter baskets. Super mom, start counting on yourself and make everything from scratch. I will be always ready to help and answer all your questions.

You can purchase your Easter candies and chocolates from How to be Super Mom.

Party Favor Prepack - Spring Bunnies These Candy you ate as a kid 10 oz party favors are prepacked with over 20 of the most popular candies. Each bag is about 9 inches high by 5 inches wide and is tied with a colorful bow. A typical candy list is below (additional info tab). Quantity discounts are available.Party Favor Prepacks: more choices >>>Not quite the right candies? Select your own candies, party favor bag and ribbon color on our Upack Party Favor page.Orders placed by midnight usually ship on the next business day.

Easter Chocolates - assorted wrapped piece These hollow chocolates come in a variety of shapes including bunnies, hens, chicks and eggs. Each piece is made with delicious milk chocolate and makes a great addition to Easter baskets and gift bags. You will receive a random shape. If you order more than one we will mix up the shapes. Each piece is hollow, measures about 2 inches tall or long and weights 0.75 to 1 ounces.Easter Candy: more choices >>> Orders placed by midnight usually ship on the next business day.

Chocolate Eggs in Easter Foil - 2 lb bulk bag These solid bite sized chocolates have a festive egg shape and are individually wrapped in pastel foil, making them the perfect addition to Easter baskets and gift bags. The egg is 1 inch tall and there are about 160 in a 2 lb bag.Easter Candy: more choices >>> Orders placed by midnight usually ship on the next business day.

Peeps Pink Marshmallow Bunnies box of 12 Soft rabbit shaped marshmallows covered in a sweet sugar coating are what you'll find in every package of these festive treats! These marshmallow bunnies are a classic treat during the spring months and Easter holiday.Easter Candy: more choices >>> Orders placed by midnight usually ship on the next business day.

Easter Crafts: Paper Chicks Egg Holder

If you're looking for preschool craft ideas then you will love this one. It is very easy indeed, and children from 4 and up will be able to make it by themselves. The bird at the left was crafted by my 4 year old girl, I didn't help! She just followed the steps I took while making the first bird. I am telling you this to prove to you two important things, the first is that this kids craft is very easy and the second point is showing you that crafting with your kids from an early age, as early as 1 year old will allow them to grow up knowing exactly how to use their hands and manipulate scissors, crayons and what ever might be needed to finish a craft.

Dear super moms, spending quality time with your children crafting will help them learn many things other than the simple obvious matter of how to make the project in hands. Please, take 15 minutes out of your busy day and craft with your child. How to be Super Mom is posting free craft ideas for children which won't need more than few simple and low cost supplies. Craft with them and share their work with us!

Supplies Needed

• 2 googly eyes
• Orange A4 paper
• Yellow A4 paper
• Transparent glue
• Scissors
• Pencil

Directions

• Cut one 5x15 cm rectangle, and one 5x12 cm rectangle.
• Form a cylinder with each and glue the borders.
• Glue the small cylinder on top of the larger one- the bottom cylinder will allow us to insert a decorated Easter egg.
• On the orange paper, draw 2 large paws, 2 wings, and a diamond shape for the beak.
• Glue the wings on the inner side of the bottom cylinder.
• Glue the paws on the bottom of the large cylinder.
• Fold the diamond in half and glue one half on the middle of the top cylinder allowing the other top to point out as an opened beak.
• Glue both googly eyes and your chick is ready for your Easter decoration.

This could be a great way to decorate Easter eggs if you are not planning on coloring them. The chicks will make a beautiful Easter table ornament.