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Back To School!

Hey parents, it’s that time of year! The time of year other than Christmas that we break the bank for clothes, shoes and hair appointments. I know cause I am broke and not a happy camper because I had to send off 4 kids. My children’s school dress code is uniforms so the majority of my budget went to khaki’s and polo shirts while the other went to school supplies.

But besides the sarcastic complaining I wanted briefly speak on keeping focus on our children, their education and the elements around them during the school year. Continue reading →

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These are children! Our Children!

It took me to get older, wiser and become a mother before I could fully understand my parents’ rules of being in the house before dark, the inability to hang out and do what other kids my age were doing, the multiple phone calls I had to make to check-in whenever I was out or why I could not stay over a friend’s house.   Of course at the time, I felt my parents were being overly-protective and hindering me from enjoying my childhood.  I now realize and truly appreciate the efforts my parents put forth to love and protect me during my younger years.

Trevon Martin, Michael Brown, Leon Ford and Leroy Powell are all young African American males whose  lives were affected by guns. Continue reading →

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This Love……..

Love……Excitement……. Joy……Happiness…….FAMILY! This family right here is the model of true happiness and fulfillment. Elated by the contagious joy on the children’s faces and warmed by the love and peace on the faces of mom and dad, you can’t help but to love this beautiful black family. I would like to introduce this family to followers of The Village…….Ladies and Gentlemen……The Benton Family.

I am excited to have them as a featured family, as their family…..the whole family, are good people.

Always remember Love, Power, Respect and Family!

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My View On Spanking

My name is Keira and I am a parent that spanks! I truly believe that if you spare the rod that you spoil the child. In terms, do not be afraid to discipline or the child will learn to run over you. Spanking is a form of discipline and not the end all be all of discipline. So it is not your only resort. I’m truly not into telling people how to raise their children so this is not a “reality check”. Continue reading →

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Black Family Reunion!

This upcoming Thursday through Sunday, The Community Empowerment Association is holding its annual Black Family Reunion. Community Empowerment Association utilizes an Afrocentric strategy of integrating culture, social identity and empowerment techniques to effectively achieve desirable goals and objectives within the African American communities. Each time that I get the opportunity to, I try to support Brother Byrdsong in his endeavors to make our communities better. If you get the opportunity to please get out to support. I attached the link that has the itinerary for the 4 day affair. Thursday is the Artist Party on Kelly Street at 5pm. It is free so pack the family up and go and support your local artist throughout the ‘Burg. Hope to see you there.

www.ceapittsburgh.org/events/black-family-reunion

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Natural….Power….Family

I was on my lunch break and I happen to glance across the street and see what looked like a photo that I would see in Essence or Ebony Magazine. This beautiful black family was flawless. From the naturalistic wrap on mamma’s head and statement wooden earrings to the strong locs and authentic beard on dad….they demanded respect as they crossed the intersection and they showed unity.These children were adorable and wonderfully behaved, I couldn’t help but to ask them for a photo. I was on a time schedule and from the looks of it so were they. Unfortunately I was unable to get their names. So if anyone knows this wonderful family please comment their name below so that I can at least feature this family properly.

I am so excited to have them as our first family feature. Hope to catch you and your family out and about!

Love, Power, Respect and Family

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Birds and The Bees…….

Parents never want to envision their child having sex.  In a perfect world, our babies would remain babies and we would be able to protect them from any and everything.  Unfortunately, our babies grow up and are forced out into the everyday hustle and bustle of life, constantly meeting new people and gaining new experiences.

At some point every parent must have the dreaded conversation about where babies come from.  Let’s face it; images of sex are everywhere you look, on TV, on social media and in public places.  I truly don’t recall all the Continue reading →

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Curiosity Killed The Cat……………Communication Killed The Marriage!

Within any relationship communication is key. Communication (in Webster’s words) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of ideas, feelings, intentions, attitudes, expectations, perceptions or commands, as by speech, gestures, writings, behavior and possibly by other means such as electromagnetic, chemical or physical phenomena. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more participants. Which in a sum of words……keeps the wheels between each other turning.

While during an argument or disagreement……the other person is wrong, this validates the reason that you are arguing/ disagreeing in the first place. So that is the first thing established. The second thing that is obviously established is……..there is a need to let you know why I’m right!……………That my dear is where we all go wrong. The tone sometimes changes and an escalation of the voice might occur and then ready.. set… go……let’s get ready to RUMBLE.

Continue reading →

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Black Marriage is Fighting Extinction!

I was excited this time last year to go home and find engagement announcements and wedding invitations in the mail. This year I had the privilege of attending 4 cultural weddings, that by the way were amazing, that confirmed my excitement even more. Previously, I was a little nervous that marriages among heterosexual black couples were being phased out. I began to notice a pattern of friends, families and associates that are in 5, 7 and 11 year relationships as just ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’.  I am not in the position to judge anyone Continue reading →