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Mother’s Day poems, quotes, and sayings to honor mom with love

May 9, 2013 by BPSTherapy Leave a Comment

Happy Mother's Day poems, sayings, quotes

Photo Credit: Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net

Mother’s Day invites you to let the mom in your life know how special she is to you. Whether its through flowers, a homemade dinner, or a trip to the nearest spa, you want to let her know what she means to you.

One way you can let mom know you care about her is to write her a poem or find the perfect one that shows how you honor her on Mother’s Day 2013.

This year, Mother’s Day 2013 takes place on May 12.

Here are a few poems, quotes, and sayings you can use to show mom you love her through a special gesture:

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.
- Rudyard Kipling

Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.
- Barbara Kingsolver

We never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves.
- Henry Ward Beecher

Making a decision to have a child–it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
- Elizabeth Stone

Her love is like the rush of life, Our Mother is the Sweetest

Our mother is the sweetest and
Most delicate of all.
She knows more of paradise
Than angels can recall.
She’s not only beautiful
But passionately young,
Playful as a kid, yet wise
As one who has lived long.

A bubbling, laughing spring
That runs through all like liquid light
And makes the mountains sing.
– Anonymous

My Mommy Cuddles Me

My mommy cuddles me
kisses me, hugs me and misses me
pampers me, praises me, always
amazes me

Washes my clothes for me,
tickles my toes for me,
giggles and talks with me,
and also goes on walks with me,
Says “sweet dreams” to me,
Sings sweet songs to me,
I am glad she belongs to me.
– Anonymous

Which of these will you use to let your mother know how special she is to you? Mom means a lot. Let her know in a special way this Mother’s Day 2013 by sharing a sentimental poem, saying, or quote with her.

Sources: Mother’s Day Central, Search Quotes, Brainy Quote, Mother’s Day Celebration

Filed Under: Family, Holidays Tagged With: moms, mother, mother's day, mothers

Meaning of flower colors for your special Mother’s Day gift (VIDEO)

May 8, 2013 by BPSTherapy Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Rosen Georgiev via freedigitalphotos.net

Mother’s Day is when moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, aunts, and those women in your life who are ‘like a mother’ get the love they deserve. This year, Mother’s Day 2013 takes place on Sunday, May 12.

While many moms love to get photographs of their grandchildren, a trip to the spa, or even a nice family meal as a gift. Lots of mothers also enjoy a nice bouquet of flowers to look at, reminding them of their loves ones.

But which flower colors are good for mom this year on Mother’s Day? And what are the meanings of those flower colors?

Well, there are many different rose flower colors to choose from. Once you know the meaning of flower colors, then you are on the right track!

Think about what color mom likes most and start there.

Rose are probably the most popular roses. Other flowers you can consider include sunflowers, hyacinths, daisies, or perhaps even carnations. The meaning of flower colors will help you decide which rose is best for you.

If you go with roses, here is a breakdown of the various colors roses available and the meaning of flower colors according to their color. Hopefully this will help you pick the special rose to honor the special mom in your life as explained by ProFlowers.com:

Red Roses

Red roses are seen as the traditional symbol of love and signify a romantic gesture. If you want to say “I love you!” to your wife on Mother’s Day, this might be the choice for you.

Make sure you give these to someone who you truly care about as they send a strong message of love.

Pink Roses

Pink roses convey a message of elegance and grace explains ProFlowers. Compared to red roses, pink roses send a message of love, but are a bit ‘lighter’ in their message.

This is a good rose to give if you are dating a new mother or perhaps a single mother that you are just getting to know.

Seen also as a message appreciation, they might also be good for someone who is ‘like a mother’ to you.

Yellow Roses

Yellow roses, much like their strong color, send a message of warmth and happiness as revealed by ProFlowers. These vibrant flowers are often associated with strong friendships.

Yellow roses could be the ideal gift for the special friend in your life who happens to be a mom.

If you happen to be getting married on Mother’s Day 2013, then white roses are the perfect flower for your wedding. Traditionally the symbol of purity and new beginnings, white roses would add an image of honor to your special day.

These roses are also a great way to remember those mothers in your life who are no longer around as they are associated with memories of loved ones past.

Orange Roses

Orange roses are the perfect symbol of the desire you have for someone. If you feel especially passionate about a mother in your life, maybe your new girlfriend or your long-time wife, then give her orange roses to show her you still want her as much as the day you first met.

Lilac or Lavender Roses

If you want a unique rose color idea, then go for the lilac or lavender colored roses. These roses have traditionally be used to show your feeling of “love at first sight” for someone. Does any special mom come to mind?

Which roses will you give the special mom in your life on Mother’s Day 2013? Now that you know the different meaning of flower colors, which shade will you choose?

Sources: ProFlowers.com

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Holidays Tagged With: gift ideas for mothers day, like a mother, meaning of flower colors, meaning of rose colors, mother's day, new mother, roses and their meanings, wedding

Keeping Your Marriage Healthy: Tips on Dealing with Family Drama

April 10, 2013 by BPSTherapy Leave a Comment

how to handle family issues, family problems, marriage

Photo via success.com

Once you are in a long-term, serious relationship, you are pretty much committed to both your partner and your partner’s family.

Things are usually friendly and lovely in the beginning. It’s as though the ‘honeymoon’ phase exists for both you and how your partner’s family interacts with you.

Eventually though, somewhere along the line, you get to know the new people in your extended family as the people they really are.

At this point, you can either run for the hills, or learn how to deal with the family drama that might inevitably come your way.

Here are a few tips on keeping your marriage healthy in the face of family related adversity:

Focus on what’s really wrong. If it’s really an external problem, something related to in-laws, cousins, sibling, whatever, keep it there. Don’t make it a problem about your marriage.
Make time for each other. The stress of drama can sometimes seep into your relationship. Don’t let it. Make sure you keep the time you spend alone as a couple sacred.
Commit to discussing family concerns at times when you will be ok ending the conversation and moving on to something else. In other words, don’t delve into deep-seeded family problems just before bed time.
Address family issues with your family. Yes, it’s great to talk about things with your partner when a loved one says or does something that bothers you. But there comes a time when you need to discuss the problem directly with the responsible parties if you want any realistic changes to take place.

How do you handle family problems? Has family drama crept its way into your marriage?

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Marriage Trends, Relationships Tagged With: family drama, family issues, happy marriage, healthy marriage, marriage

Lesbian mother Allison Scollar wins custody of adoptive daughter

October 1, 2012 by BPSTherapy 2 Comments

October is LGBT history month. Themes highlighted throughout the month include human rights, civil rights, and equal marriage rights for members of the GLBTQ community.

Cases such as that of NY lesbian mothers Allison Scollar and Emmy-winning TV producer Brook Altman bring to light the difficulties often faced by gay and lesbian parents in gay adoption or same-sex adoption cases.

On October 1, 2012, the media is reporting that in their heated custody battle, Scollar, the adoptive mother of the 6-year-old daughter they have in common, was granted full custody at the end of the case.

As LGBT history month gets underway, this ruling stands to set a precedent for same-sex couples, or gay and lesbian families stuck in the legal system trying to claim their parental rights after a gay adoption.

Scollar and Altman met on a one-night stand and began living together shortly thereafter. Their daughter was conceived from sperm donated by a friend of Allison’s named Robert Frame.

In the case of a gay or lesbian couple adopting a child, or gay adoption, if the state does not legally recognize gay adoption proceedings or if non-biological parent has not adopted the child, how will they fare in the courts if relationship is dissolved?

The ruling judge, Gloria Sosa-Lintner, explained:

“Although . . . Altman is the biological parent, this does not give her an automatic priority over the adoptive parent. This is analogous to a father getting custody of his own child, where only the best interests of the child are paramount.”

Sosa-Lintner adds that Scollar:

“is indeed the more responsible parent looking out for the child’s best interests, not her own interests”

She further explained that:

“. . .Altman, who is a film producer, is the freer spirit, more outwardly creative and more laid-back parent,”

“During the course of this trial, the testimony has shown that she would miss therapy appointments or be late to school or camp bus because she overslept or felt that play dates were more important than therapy or that play dates should end late in the evening so that the child and she were too tired to commit to a schedule.”

In the case of this gay adoption, the judge was able to consider the parents, Scollar and Altman, as parents, not same-sex or lesbian parents, taking into consideration what each parent was bringing to the table. In the past, as in the case of heterosexual parents, sole custody would have been afforded to the father, or the parent making more money.

In this case, Allison Scollar was deemed the responsible parent, and she won the case.

Do the results of this parenting case lay the groundwork for parenting in the gay and lesbian community?

Will future parents in the GLBTQ community be able to feel a sense of security when fighting for their children in the legal system after a gay adoption?

What are your thoughts on the outcome of the case of Allison Scollar versus Brook Altman? How might this case fit into historical milestones observed during LGBT history month?

Sources: The American Conservative, The New York Post

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Gay and Lesbian Couples, GLBT, LGBT, Parenting Tagged With: allison scollar, brook altman, equal marriage rights, gay adoption, gay and lesbian parents, lesbian parents, ny lesbian couple, same-sex, same-sex parents

Online counseling may help with postpartum depression

September 7, 2012 by BPSTherapy 3 Comments

Online counseling has been identified as way to help many clients who cannot reach treatment when they most need it. One population identified as potential ideal clients for online or distance counseling is new mothers experiencing or predisposed to post partum depression.

First time mothers, particularly those identified as low economic status are at highest risk for postpartum depression – often misdiagnosed or mislabeled as ‘regular’ depression which will fade with time.

Postpartum depression starts shortly after a mother gives birth. Symptoms can include anything from crying spells and feelings of detachment from the baby to fear something will happen to the baby and overwhelming anxiety. When a mother experiences these symptoms and feels alone, the symptoms can worsen with time.

One study lists the following points as risks for babies and children living with a mother suffering with postpartum depression:

Evidence suggests that depression can interfere with parenting, potentially leading to poor child development— setbacks that are particularly devastating during infancy.
Compared with their peers with nondepressed mothers, infants living in poverty with severely depressed mothers are more likely to have mothers who also struggle with domestic violence and substance abuse, and who report being only in fair health.
Infants living in poverty with depressed mothers receive similar prenatal care as their peers whose mothers are not depressed, but they are breastfed for shorter periods of time.

Were these mothers offered either online counseling or distance counseling as an added source of support they might fare in the longrun? Granted, if they are living in poverty, they might not be able to afford the computer equipment required for online counseling. But distance counseling offered by way of telephone sessions could surely offer them an escape from their symptoms.

Simply being offered the opportunity to discuss their feelings on a regular basis could both improve their mental health as well as their parenting. Talk therapy, whether it is face-to-face in an office, or over the phone, can make the difference in someone’s day when they are feeling depressed.

Some centers, such as the Women & Infants’ Center for Women’s Behavioral Health, already implement programs that offer mothers the opportunity to be with their babies while they receive treatment for depression. What if a patient opts to go home instead? At this point, they could be offered the choice of receiving distance counseling aimed at helping them feel better at their job as moms.

Sources: Huffington Post, Official Journal of the Academy of Pediatrics, Urban. org

How do you see online counseling or distance counseling as a way of helping mothers experience postpartum depression? What potential benefits and drawbacks do you see?

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Online Counseling, Parenting, Therapy Tagged With: distance counseling, new mothers, online counseling, parenting, postpartum depression, telephone counseling, telephone therapy

Five tips for reducing hurricane stress

August 26, 2012 by BPSTherapy 1 Comment

Hurricane season is upon us and those of us who have lived through past hurricanes know very well how these storms, and weather in general, can be unpredictable despite the vast media coverage. With each storm, people learn more and more innovative ways to stay safe, out of harm’s way.

But what about the stress that comes with preparing and waiting out a storm? There are ways to keep your stress down and your sense of calm up during this trying weather. Here are a few suggestions to de-stress while waiting out a hurricane.

Make sure you prepare early on. The more you have ready before a storm actually hits, the more likely you will feel calm and ready for it when it touches land. Create a list of items you need to buy that are specific to hurricane preparedness. If you are not into making lists, stop by your local hardware store or supermarket and you are sure to find the official hurricane weather guide for your area.
Find indoor activities you enjoy for waiting out the hurricane. If you and your partner will be home alone for the storm, stock up on books, movies (if you have electricity), board games, or anything else that interests you. This may be a good time to catch up on those conversations you may have been too busy for during the rest of the year!
Create a safety kit. Ensure that you have everything you need in case someone in your home gets hurt during the hurricane. Take an inventory of what you have on hand and what you may need to purchase before the stores close.If you are already in the middle of a hurricane now, keep this in mind for next time so that you feel more at ease in case of minor injury mid-storm.
Relax. Yes, this might seem like a simplistic statement but it says a lot. Regardless of what you do or don’t do to prepare for a hurricane, the storm will arrive. There isn’t much, if at all you can do to stop it. Creating a panic will make you and your loved ones nervous. If you exude a sense of calm, others around you will pick up on it and hopefully feel the same!
Stay connected to loved ones but conserve battery power. Wait for the storm to pass. Once you have everything as ready as you would like, wait for the storm to pass. Stay in touch with loves ones through your cell phones or other electronic devices but try to keep the communications to an ‘as needed’ basis.This way, you will conserve your phone battery if the power goes out. With the age of technology, we are a spoiled bunch who loves to be in constant contact with the rest of the world. If you lose power in your phone, you may feel stressed out and unable to contact others until the storm has passed. Keep the telephone use at a minimum if possible.

Here’s a great video that discusses how a hurricane can impact your stress level and immediate mental health.

Are you in the middle of a hurricane now? How did you prepare? What will you keep in mind the next hurricane comes around and you start feeling stressed out?

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Miami Tagged With: hurricane, hurricane preparedness, hurricane season, hurricane season stress, hurricane stress, stress, tips to eliminate hurricane stress

Fun unique Father’s Day gift ideas for dad

June 12, 2012 by BPSTherapy 4 Comments

Father’s Day 2012 takes place on Sunday, June 17. This day, fathers throughout the United States will enjoy their day with their families as they are appreciated for all the things they do for those they love.

When Father’s Day comes around, many scramble to find a unique gift, or fun gift for dad, one that he will enjoy and remember! Here are a few ideas for dad this year on his special day:

Is your father an avid reader? eReaders such as the Barnes and Noble Nook or the Amazon Kindle are great gadgets for the dad that enjoys reading his novels on the go this Father’s Day.

Whether he traveling for work or winding down in the evening at the local Starbucks, an eRreader will help your father keep his books together, neat, in a convenient gadget he can take where he likes.

If dad is the ‘touristy’ dad, maybe getting him memberships to the local zoos, gardens, or museums is the way to go.

The perks of these memberships is that they offer their members special visiting times into their venues. Whether is a new exhibit or the latest animal babies on their way, VIP memberships for your father are fun unique gifts dad will take advantage the whole year through.

Maybe dad would like a gift card to Target or Walmart to restock their skincare regimen this Father’s Day!

Yes, you read correctly. More and more men are taking care of their skin – it’s a serious thing. With a rise in skin cancer over the years, dads are being more cautious about how they take care of their body!

Does your father like to be outdoors? Invite him to spend the day with you at one of the local state parks. Miami alone has a few you can check out whenever you like, why not take advantage of this natural beauty with dad on Father’s Day 2012?

Two examples of parks right here in Miami are Bill Baggs Cape Florida and Oleta River State Park – both locations offer a variety of activities you can enjoy that range in levels of physical activity.

When is Father’s Day? Father’s Day 2012 is on Sunday, June 17. You still have a few good shopping days left. What unique fun Father’s Day gift ideas do you have in mind to celebrate the relationship you share with your dad?

Father’s day poems and quotations to honor your special dad

Mother’s Day gift ideas for lesbian moms

Mother’s Day gift ideas: Meaning of flower colors for mom

Mother’s Day poems to make mom smile

Mother’s Day: How to celebrate mom with pictures

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Miami, Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: dad, father day, father's day 2012, father's day gift ideas, fathers day gifts, unique father's day gift ideas, when is father's day 2012

Marriage advice: Avoid TomKat drama, discuss religion

June 10, 2012 by BPSTherapy Leave a Comment

Religion is super important in establishing and maintaining a lasting, loving, and healthy relationship.

Both married couples and those in dating relationships alike benefit from discussing what they value in terms of religion, both personally and which faith they would like their children to follow if they were to have children down the line.

Celebrity married couple TomKat or actor Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes are no different. Since the news broke of their impending divorce in late June 2012, Hollywood rumors since day one have told that the couple shared quite a few differences in terms of which religion Suri, their daughter would follow.

Suri is now 6 years old, apparently the age of indoctrination for the Church of Scientology, the church which the Mission Impossible actor belongs too.

While many believe Katie Holmes was a passionate member of the church during her 5 year marriage to Tom, her thoughts regarding her daughter following in her footsteps are reportedly quite different, so much so that she would rather divorce Tom and be awarded sole custody to avoid the church entirely!

How can you avoid this TomKat drama in your own marriage or dating relationship? How could Katie Holmes have done things differently?

Discuss your faith with your partner if you are a married couple or in a serious, committed relationship.

Chances are this topic will come up eventually, don’t avoid it! If you feel that you are going to stick around for a while, take advantage to lay it all out there! The sooner you do, the sooner you will avoid drama, or potentially hurting each other in terms of religious views in the long run.

If you are married, or getting married, and do not yet have children, but want them, then most definitely discuss religion and what faith you want your children to practice. Differences in religion, while manageable, can bring undue stress if they creep up on you when you are already in the middle of your first sleep deprived night!

What if you are not sure what religion you want to engage in? Share experiences together. Maybe you can explore faiths together and see what works for you as a couple and perhaps even as a family down the road.

At the end of the day, just make sure that you are on the same page. Religion can help bring a family closer together but it can also tear you apart at the most trying times if you are in great disagreement about what matters the most to you as a unit.

How do you and your partner relate in terms of religious views and your family? What have you learned from Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise?

Sources: Zaptoit, CTV News

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Marriage Trends, Pop Culture Tagged With: celebrities, celebrity marriages, katie holmes, tom cruise

Father’s day poems and quotations to honor your special dad

June 10, 2012 by BPSTherapy 1 Comment

Mother’s Day just passed and many were looking for poems to remember their mom. Dad’s turn to shine is coming soon! When is it Father’s Day this year?

Father’s Day 2012 is on Sunday, June 17. One way to let dad know you love him is to give him a Father’s Day poem this year.

Many families will want to find a unique gift, such as the perfect poem or quotation to let dad know he is their hero!

Poems and quote are a great way to communicate what is on your mind without the pressure of having to write something yourself. Here are a few Father’s Day poems and quotations dad will love on his special day this year.

Father’s Day Poems

What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad
Author Unknown

A Little Girl Needs Daddy
A little girl needs Daddy
For many, many things:
Like holding her high off the ground
Where the sunlight sings!
Like being the deep music
That tells her all is right
When she awakens frantic with
The terrors of the night.

Like being the great mountain
That rises in her heart
And shows her how she might get home
When all else falls apart.

Like giving her the love
That is her sea and air,
So diving deep or soaring high
She’ll always find him there.
Author Unknown

A Father Is:
There in every memory
See his love and care
Strength and hands to count on
Freely he does share
Provider, toil so faithfully
To make our dreams come true
Give strong and tender discipline
Though it is hard to do
A Father is God’s chosen one
To lead the family
And point it to His will for life
Of love and harmony…
Sue Skeen

Father’s Day Quotes

A man’s children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season.
Unknown

They didn’t believe their father had ever been young;
surely even in the cradle he had been a very,
very small man in a gray suit,
with a dark little mustache and flat, incurious eyes.
Richard Shattuck

A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
Enid Bagnold

If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right.
Bill Cosby

Sources: Blessingsforlife.com, About.com, Fathersdaycelebration.com, www.indianchild.com

Any of these catch your eye for your father? How do you plan to honor dad this year on Father’s Day? Will a Father’s Day poem or Father’s Day quote be part of your gift to dad on his special day?

Mother’s Day gift ideas for lesbian moms

Mother’s Day gift ideas: Meaning of flower colors for mom

Mother’s Day poems to make mom smile

Mother’s Day: How to celebrate mom with pictures

Filed Under: All Topics, Family, Parenting Tagged With: dad, father day, father's day 2012, father's day gift ideas, fathers day gifts, unique father's day gift ideas, when is father's day 2012

Tutu Project shows marriage bonds help fight cancer

May 25, 2012 by BPSTherapy 1 Comment

The Tutu Project is a testament to how marriages can sometimes go well despite the challenges they face throughout the years.

In marriage, you are usually in it for the good and the bad that come along the way.

Most couples, however, do not face as much bad as Bob and Linda Carey have faced during her battle with breast cancer. Over the past few years, Linda has gone in and out of remission, all the while having her devoted husband by her side.

In an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show on May 24, 2012, Bob and Linda spoke candidly of how they have been able to stick together, despite having the odds stacked against them.

Social support during an illness such as cancer is vital in healing along the way. Cancer impacts a marriage at many levels, including the connection shared between partners during the medical visits and ongoing treatment.

Instead of letting cancer defeat them, Bob and Linda have been united in fighting their illness together through breathtaking moments captured through The Tutu Project.

In 2003, Bob suggested he wanted to start a collection of photos of himself wearing a pink tutu. Linda, being the ever supportive wife of an artist, went along with the idea. Years later, the two have quite the collection of photos to share, commemorating her journey over the past few years.

Using humor to get through the many treatments and questionable blood tests, the two have managed to get through Linda’s breast cancer together with The Tutu Project. While they do not know what tomorrow hold, they do not they have each other to lean on.

Emotional support from a partner or spouse can really make the difference in a patient’s ability to heal and survive cancer.

What if you are not sure how to support your partner during these times? Here are a few suggestions:

Offer to help them with daily chores.
Read to them when they are feeling down but would like to spend time with you.
Share a new hobby. Maybe your partner used to like mountain climbing or some other activity that was physical in nature and now they can’t muster up the energy for it. Well, find something new they can try instead. In Miami, for instance, there are many parks and local beaches that offer a host of activities for a variety of interests!

How would you show your partner you support them during a physical or psychological illness? Visit ‘The Tutu Project’ here to see Bob and Linda’s photos over the years. Connect with Bob and Linda on Facebook.

Source: TodayHealth

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