Philanthropy – Modern Boss Mama

October 9, 2018

Night Out

Day 21:

Over the weekend, we had our first non-family babysitter watch our three kids ( and two of my cousin’s kids too) so that we could attend an induction ceremony for my mom to a board for Asian American Networks in Austin. Third kid (and one that doesn’t mind bottles) makes going out a lot less stressful, not to mention that we have a handful of trustworthy babysitters from years of daycare. The thought of having one person watch 5 kids may seem insane, but there is a concept that I dub ‘The Synergy of Extra Kids’ that makes it work like some sort of magic. This is where having extra kids around to play with your own kids actually makes it easier on the parent or caregiver. The kids entertain each other and you don’t hear the dreaded “mooom” or “daaaad” call every two seconds. This works most optimally at ages 4 and up.

It was a neat ceremony, with many elected city officials in attendance. My mom not only was inducted as a board member, she was also the event planner of the evening. Our table of family was very proud to support my mom and her extensive service on non-profit boards. Surrounded by all sorts of working men and women that dedicate their time to non-profits always has the effect of making me feel like I am not doing enough, but then I have to remind myself that I have littles at home and that I do participate when I can. There is also something to be said about knowing your limits and ability for commitment that we have to be able to acknowledge and embrace. Discretionary time is valuable and we must choose wisely where we spend it, and for now my commitment to philanthropic causes and boards must be strictly limited to one-time, commitment free opportunities. Pro tip: Attend non-profit, philanthropic events and call it date night to get more bang for your buck. = )

Positive Thought of the Day: Grateful for a friend that utilized the “Synergy of Extra Kids” to entertain her kids and provide some respite for us on this rainy day . It can be hard to find friends willing to take your kiddos and whose kids your kids love to hang out with and you actually love too! Win!

October 6, 2018

Celebrations

Day 20:

Today Baby J is four weeks old! We make a pretty big deal about birthdays ( and really anything worth celebrating) in our family. If we could celebrate birthdays for a week, I would. Recently my daughter threw a fit after her birthday about not getting enough presents, which was very much not true. My Cambodian guilt kicked in and I felt the need to help the girls understand how much we have. I found an organization called Pop Up Birthdays that provides personalized birthday boxes for kids in foster care that may not otherwise get to have a celebration. This allowed us to have a healthy discussion about how some kids don’t even have the means to have parties, much less have gifts. The program requires donors to provide a “party in a box” with a theme of the child’s choosing, party décor, favors, snacks, and a gift that the kid wants, needs, and reads. The girls have already asked to do another box- so we may do them for the months of their birthdays.

Positive Thought of the Day: Having everything we need and its a long weekend with a lot of family time planned!

September 29, 2018September 29, 2018

Inspiration

Day 11:

Hubs is back at work and today was the first day alone with the baby. We had a dr visit and he weighed in at almost 10 lbs (big boy)! I then took a little excursion to a friends newly opened store and the grocery store. J was good most of the trip, but I was reminded how difficult it is to travel with a newborn (and only one set of hands). We had to change diapers and feed twice in a two and half hour outing and he cried the last ten minutes in the car, which seemed like an an eternity.

I found some neat items at Honey & Hay that really resonated with me. One is the Giving Key, which is about embracing the word on the key and passing it along to someone who needs it more. The company that makes it employs the homeless so- BONUS it’s for a great cause. The word that called to me was inspire. I’ve been feeling inspired lately ( hello, blog and surrounding myself with inspirational people) and will be passing it along to a dear friend soon. I also bought this mantra band because balance is so important to me (as you will see it mentioned many times throughout my writings, already).

Positive Thought of the Day: Excited for my friend’s new store and all my friends pursuing their dreams.

September 28, 2018September 29, 2018

Fundraising and Fun Friday

Day 10:

Big day Today: Makeup and hair for a big day out. Today I had my 2 week visit with my doctor ( everything looks great) and then attended a fundraising lunch for Caring for Cambodia and their 15^th anniversary. My cousin and I split the donation of a playground for one of the schools in Cambodia. It was a great lunch for a great cause, followed by going to a concert with the kiddos and some friends that evening while my aunts watched J. I also had my first drink(s). 14 days post baby and I was feeling great, although am positive I would pay for it later.

Philanthropy is one of the things I wanted to do more of this leave and being able to positively contribute to society is something I feel like I NEED to do. Caring For Cambodia is a great non-profit started by a now friend of ours to help provide an educational foundation by building schools (and so much more) for Cambodian children. This hits close to home a) since I am Cambodian and b) feel very strongly about education. Find out more about Caring for Cambodia here.

Positive Thought of the Day: Counting our blessings for being fortunate to have everything we could have and want. We are financially solid and blessed with health and abundance. I like to always remember my parents humble beginnings to help ground me when we get caught up in want and excess.

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