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.

Easter Gift Basket: Chocolate Eggs and Tulle Square Vase

Holidays mean family dinners and gatherings, gifts, candies and joyful cheers. Whether you were invited out for an Easter Sunday meal or you were having the Easter feast over your place you will need this beautiful and easy to make chocolate egg basket.
My goal, through How to be Super Mom, is to encourage you super moms to make everything by yourself and I will teach you how to make this very simple Easter gift basket to offer it to a relative or a loved one.




Supplies Needed

• 4 orange tulle square pieces ( 15 X15 cm)
• 6 purple tissue papers ( 15X 15 cm)
• 6 medium Easter chocolate eggs
• 10 small Easter chocolate eggs( purchase your chocolate eggs from the collection we picked for you)
• 1 pack of wooden sticks
• Large purple plastic ribbon
• Square bucket for decoration
• Square oasis or a medium piece of clay
• Glue Gun
• Scissors

Directions

• Place the oasis in the empty square bucket or wrap the piece of clay with a sandwich paper and place it inside the bucket.
• Prepare all your needed accessories before starting to decorate your arrangement.
• Cut the tulle and tissue papers in half, diagonally, forming 20 triangles in total.
• Wrap each triangle to form a cone and glue the borders firmly.
• Insert a wooden stick in each cone to form a support that will hold the paper cones in the clay or in the oasis.
• The eggs need a support as well, so we need to insert a wooden stick in each one of them.
• That done, our super moms are now ready to start decorating their Easter gift basket.
• Start from the outside borders of the oasis, filling it with paper base and as long as you move towards the center start incorporating the eggs. 
• You can use the picture as a sample.
• Before gluing the ribbon to the vase or basket, place a small piece of duct tape to prevent the hot glue from scraping the surface. We always have to consider that the host might like to remove the arrangement and use the bucket or vase for something else. 

I have had a long professional experience in flower and chocolate arrangements and I am more than happy to share the secret tricks for free with all of my fans. How to be Super Mom is the only blog ready to offer free help to all mothers around the world. I will provide you with all the information I know about Easter decorations, crafting and cooking. Thanks to these posts you will be able to make your own Easter gifts and save loads of money.
I would love to read what every super mom have to say or suggest, so keep those emails and comments coming.

You can purchase the egg 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 Gift Basket: Candies and Flowers

How to be Super Mom main idea is to help you mothers in all fields, and give you the necessary information to help you become a master of every domain: cooking, crafting, parenting, etc.

Easter is coming soon, and with the holidays comes along the excessive spending. We all set a budget limit but when we are faced with the happy occasion we find ourselves obligated to make unexpected purchases. My goal is to teach how to do things by yourself to lower the budget you spend and make original and unique Easter gift basket.

You don’t have to pay a fortune to buy Easter gift baskets. I will teach you how to make your own from very simple ideas. All you need is a little bit of techniques, creativity, Easter accessories and you can decorate a beautiful Easter gift basket to offer to your family and friends.

The basket we have here is very easy to make. A touch of good taste and lots of quality candies and chocolates will make the deal.

Supplies

• A basket of your choice
• Candies of your choice
• 4 star flowers
• 4 white Gerberas
• a bouquet of greens of your choice
• Easter Ribbon
• Small square oasis
• Easter Accessories

Directions 

• To make your easter gift basket, you should start by straightening the oasis in its place on the left side of the basket.
• The oasis should be wet to help flowers stay hydrated and fresh.
• Start by cutting the flowers to three different sizes. 
• Place the small ones on the lower side of the oasis, following the picture, and the longer ones towards the top. 
• Fill the empty spaces with the greens you have chosen.
• Fill the right side of the Easter gift basket with all the candies and chocolates you have chosen or, instead, you can fill it with colored eggs or chocolate eggs.
• Decorate the handle with a ribbon of your choice.
• You can even add a number of Easter accessories.

Throughout this month, we will always provide you with very simple and easy Easter basket ideas. How to be Super Mom is the number one blog to offer so many free information about crafting. I am always available to answer your questions and give you additional free information. Do not hesitate to contact me, I will be more than happy to answer you questions and give you modest suggestions to solve any problem that you might encounter as a super mom!

Easter Crafts: Easter Bunny Mask

Easter is near, and Easter crafts are fun. Kids would love to prepare the house decoration and you will gain the opportunity to spend an extra quality time with them. Wouldn’t you love that? I adore my daughters, but there is a 4 year difference between them both, so I have to create 2 crafts at a time; one that will suit a one year old and another that will be fun and interesting for a 5 year old. Today we made this fuzzy Easter bunny mask. My 5 year old enjoyed it a lot, and she was able to make more than 90 percent of the work by herself. Just the cutting part wasn’t very easy since the mask template was a little hard, but she punched out the eyes of the Easter bunny mask and she glued the inner pink ears, the cotton, and created the muzzle.

'How to be Super Mom' makes sure to provide you with the most creative and easy crafts. 

Follow the instructions super mom and your Easter bunny craft will be done in no time.

Supplies Needed

• White card-board
• Pink crepe paper
• Transparent Glue
• Cotton
• Thin wire
• Stapler
• Ribbon
• Manual Puncher
• 2 wooden sticks

Directions

• Draw the Easter bunny mask template on the white card board. Using 2 circles the size of your child's face make the shape of an eight and decorate it with two long ears. The muzzle is an essential part for the mask to look real, so don't forget to add that too.
• Cut the template out.
• Using the pink paper crepe, cut two ear lobes and glue them in the center of each ear.
• Glue cotton all-over the Easter bunny mask and muzzle.
• Make a small pink ball for the nose.
• Cut 8 wire strings, 8 cm each, gluing 4 to each side of the muzzle.
• Glue a wooden stick on the back of each ear, allowing it to stand up straight. This will give it a more professional look.
• Staple the ribbons to tie the mask around your child's face. 

A very easy and fun Easter Craft created by How to be Super Mom.

Easy Recipes:Fish Fillet with Orange Sauce

Every Super Mom dreams of cooking healthy, low cost, dishes to her children since everyone is suffering from the economic situation. Still, we don't want to feed our children nuggets and mac and cheese every day. They need to have a back up of nutrients and vitamins which is only possible if they eat a well balanced diet. It could be expensive to buy fresh Flounder or Cod, that is why I choose recipes that work great with frozen fish. Choose the kind you can afford and it will taste delightful if you follow " How to be Super Mom" recipes. Fish fillet with orange sauce is an easy recipe; the preparation and cooking time will not exceed the 30 minutes and your loved ones will enjoy a healthy dish served with love. Keep it up supermom!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 frozen fish fillets (200g each), thawed
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon olive oil

* For the sauce

• 2 teaspoon butter
• 1 finely chopped scallion
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream

Direction

1- Marinate the fish in the orange juice, salt, black pepper and olive oil over night or for few hours.
2- Preheat a grill, place the fish on high heat until cooked through for about 10 minutes.
3- For the sauce: In a preheated sauce pan, melt the butter, add the scallion and stir for 5 minutes. Add the orange juice, wine, stock and parsley and bring to boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4- On the side, mix the cornstarch with  the lemon juice, add to the sauce and simmer for 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
5- Add the cream, simmer for an additional 2 minutes.
6- Pour over fish and serve warm with steamed vegetables on the side and baby potatoes.

You might also like:

Fish Casserole with Cheddar and Tomato Topping

Tandoori Fish