Franklin Goose

Just A Few Of Our Favorite Things: Women's Day

(emily)

 

Happy International Women's Day!  

March 8 is observed by many countries around the world as a day to honor women and to focus on the advancement of women in society. Each year a theme is assigned to Women's Day, and this year the theme is "inspiring change." 

While the role of women has progressed, there are still issues that need to be faced here in America and in the rest of the world. We at Franklin Goose believe in raising children, girls and boys, who will be world changers, actively making our world a better place. 

So to inspire your little world changer, here are a few of our favorite things:

 

 

Raising World Changers by frankiegoose featuring a lunch sack

 

We believe in the power of education and knowledge. Inspire your child to explore the world with their Skip Hop Panda Backpack and Sugar Booger Arctic Pals Lunch Sack. Read books like I Am Different! Can You Find Me? and Hello, Washington D.C. Flash cards like Petitcollage's On The Go A-Z Alphabet Art Cards and Our World Floor Puzzle are a great option for your little world traveler. Petitcollage's Mix & Match Animal Jamboree allows for your children to express their creativity and personality, while puzzles like the Beleduc 5-Layer Girl puzzle introduces children to the various systems of the body. Spark your child's curiosity in nature with the Plan Toys Leaf Magnifier.  

For imaginative play, the Educo Fresh Food Market Cash Register is a lot of fun, but it's also a great way to learn counting and even finances. Encourage an interest in music with instruments like the Plan Toys Banjo and Oval Xylophone.  

And healthy minds need healthy bodies. Instill a healthy attitude toward exercise and fitness early with The Little Yoga Mat. Keep the Eco Vessel Stainless Steel Water Bottle handy for yoga sessions or playing outside on the Prince Lionheart Balance Bike. A friendly Zoli Reflectoid is a fun way to keep kids safe when playing outside goes late. 

 

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International Women's Day-Inspiring Change

International Women's Day-Inspiring Change

(sheri)

When I was growing up my friends were mostly boys. The older I got the fewer girl friends I had. I found boys to be less gossiping, more accepting  and they didn't form cliques like girls did. Boys didn't get caught up in all the things girls did. I couldn't keep up with the "cool clothes"--my family didn't have the money for that. I wasn't allowed to wear make-up, so I couldn't talk about all of the fashion stuff girls did. Looking back, I just didn't fit in with the girls, so I hung out with the boys. This was true even in college and afterwards.

Then, I got married. I suddenly had a family: a husband and two stepsons who lived with us full time. I needed advice from women. I was blessed enough to meet a woman, D., who became one of the most influential people in my life. Aside from the hundreds of things she taught me about raising kids, being a wife, and being a woman, she also taught me the value of women. She showed me the incredible strength women have, the wisdom, the kindness and the foundation women can give to those around them.  She changed everything for me.

Now, 15 years later, I understand that women truly have the strength to change the world. That is one of the things I love about my job, the women. I work with an amazing group of women, but I also get to see everyday the incredible gifts that women posess as mothers, friends, support systems, and wives. I feel empowered by the strength I see everyday in women who give everything they are to raising children and to creating homes, families, and communities.

This Saturday is International Women's Day, a day meant not just to honor women but to unite them in making a better world. I don't understand why we don't celebrate this holiday in America. I wish we did. Women getting behind a cause can change everything.

Every year a theme is assigned for Women's Day, and this year it's, "Inspiring Change." I love this theme and this idea! I ask myself what would I change? As a woman business owner I feel obligated to say that I would encourage all women to feel empowered to own their own businesses, but I think it is deeper than that for me. The change I wish to inspire is to raise girls with a strong sense of self. I believe that a girl/woman who believes in herself can change the world. There is a stigma oftentimes around women with self-confidence, and I believe that needs to go away. We should not feel guilty or selfish for asking for what we need, for demanding from life what we want, and for believing we deserve to have respect, love and equality on our terms. I would encourage women to stop feeling guilty and to feel confident that everything we are doing now is enough, we don't have to do more or be more.

I have a grand daugther ( a step-grand daughter) who is 10 years old. I see a fire in her that I don't want extinguished by society. I also see a self doubt creeping in that I don't want there. I want her to hold on to the fierceness she posesses. The girl who believes she can and will do what she wants (to run an animal shelter caring for sick, endangered, and homeless animals.). I know her ideas will change but I don't want her determination to change. I don't want her to be distracted by cliques, and trying to fit in to some crazy stereotype that exists. I want her to stay strong enough to say "This is who I am and I am amazing!"  

What will your change be?

New Year Excitement

The one thing I don't like about new years is the resolutions. I don't make them, I am realistic enough about myself to know that more than likely I am not going to stick to them just because they are New Year's Resolutions and I feel like the expectation is to fail. I try really hard to work on things all year round ( except I can't seem to get the whole exercise thing worked into my schedule, I keep hoping the guilt will somehow morph my 40+ year old muscles into toned ones. I will let you know how that goes, so far, no success).  Here are some things I am excited about this year:

1. We are bringing a lot more unique, handmade and hard to find products into the store

2. Our babywearing, car seat and stroller sections are growing and growing

3. Our furniture offerings will be growing this year too!

4. We will be doing a lot of great activities and events this year that we haven't done before (thanks Stefanie)

5. We are offering a newborn diaper rental (available now)

6.  I have a bunch of family members with milestone birthdays I can't wait to celebrate!! (and someone else turns 40 so I won't be alone in this over 40 category anymore)

7. One of my favorite family members is getting married to a great guy, in a great venue (can't wait to be there)

8. My amazing (step) Granddaughter will be here spending more time with us this summer, which means more roller coaster rides, trips to the Smithsonians, dancing and singing contests and other general silliness

 

9. I finally bought furniture for my office/craft room at home so I can't wait to work on some projects for the store, my family, and non-profit organizations at my beautiful desk and mid-century modern credenza!

 

10. We are going to start a video campaign for the store that I can't wait for! (except that it means I have to be on camera more, perhaps I should rethink the guilt as a fitness program idea...)

What are you excited about this year?

Go Back To School & Save The Planet

(emily)

 

Looking for a new backpack and lunch box this school year? Check out Apple Park's adorable Penguin Backpack and Lunch Pack, available at FranklinGoose.com. 

Not only are these two incredibly well-made and absolutely adorable, they're made with 100% recycled fabric from PET bottles. 24 bottles are used to create 1 backpack and 9 bottles for 1 lunch pack, saving 33 bottles from landfills!

Gifts Fit For A Prince (Or Princess!)

(emily)

I love all things British--I think the fault lies mostly with PBS shows and my love for The Chronicles of Narnia--so I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when I woke yesterday morning to the news that the Duchess of Cambridge had been admitted to the hospital and was in labor. 

In honor of all the princes (and princesses) born yesterday, we've put together a few perfectly royal gift ideas:

1. The Prince's Bedtime: Written by Joanne Oppenheim and illustrated by Miriam Latimer, this adorable book is about a young prince who refuses to go to sleep, something that all parents, royal or otherwise, know well. Features an audio CD narrated by Jim Broadbent. 

2. Aden + Anais Dream Blanket: Made with soft bamboo muslin, the Dream Blanket is incredibly luxurious. 

3. Under the Nile Buddy: Soft toys are so much fun to snuggle with! 

4. Baltic Amber Necklace: Because teething happens to everyone.

5. Bamboosa BambooBaby Hooded Towel: These towels are so soft! I love them!

6. Tots Bots Easy Fit Diaper in London: The London diaper is so cute with its map of the Underground, double-decker buses & taxicabs, and Beefeaters! What a great diaper for a royal bottom!

7. Sophie the Giraffe: Every baby has to have his own Sophie!

8. Wood Teething Necklace: The Duchess of Cambridge needs something fun and pretty, too, and this wooden teething necklace is absolutely beautiful and unique. 

9. Rockin' Baby Sling in The Ground Beneath Her Feet: Duchess Kate and Prince William can keep in style and stay close to their son with a Rockin' Baby Sling! Come on, Kate--all the cool moms wear their babies!

10. Mudpuppy Flip & Draw Knights: Now, I understand the little prince might not quite have the fine motor skills for this item just yet, but Prince Harry is going to need something to do while the baby is sleeping and he has no one to play with. This would be a great older sibling or any child adjusting to a new little one.

(Check out the Flip & Draw Princesses and the Double Draw Princesses, too!)

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Finding My Roots: Emily's "Hometown"

(emily)

 

Colonial Williamsburg, VA

 

My childhood was a little different from the standard American girl. After spending the first 10 years of my life moving around Virginia, my family left the USA for Central Asia. I grew up with friends from all four corners of the world and got to have many fun experiences. After high school, I bounced around and lived in a variety of cities like London, New York, and Springfield, Missouri. I even moved back to Central Asia and worked as a teacher for a time.

Thankfully, there was one place that I could consider “home,” and that was Virginia. Virginia was where my family went for Christmas. It was my home during my summers off from university.  Virginia has been a place synonymous with refreshment and family for me.

Virginia has also been the state that has taught me about America. With all of its history and culture, it has been in Virginia that I have learned what it means to be an American, an identity that I have often wondered if I can claim.

I love Virginia's history. The state has been through a lot, and there are many places scattered throughout that allow for Virginians and tourists to both celebrate America and learn from America. My absolute favorite places to do this are the many living museums we have.

 

Market at Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is a fascinating place to visit. It offers people to an opportunity to go back in time. One minute you can be walking down the street in July 2013 and then suddenly you’ve gone back in time to a world where American beliefs and rights were not yet actualized. 

 

 

Williamsburg features several time markers like these along the path into the colonial city.

I got the chance to go to Williamsburg last spring with my best friend. There were two things that stuck out to me during our visit. The first was that before we entered Williamsburg, we visited a colonial farm and we got to listen to a speaker about the life of the slaves in Williamsburg. It was difficult to consider that while our forefathers wrote beautiful documents about rights and fought for their freedom, there were still people who would be denied such freedom for many more years.  It was a sobering discussion and left me with a more perceptive eye as I explored the rest of the city.

 

Second, as my friend and I wandered about the town, we found a woman dressed as a soldier. She shared with us about the many women who fought in the revolution and the things that they went through. Again I was struck with how true the words of Thomas Jefferson are and yet how much of a struggle it really has been for our country to understand what it means for all to be equal.

 

Actress speaking on the role of women in the American Revolution

Places like Colonial Williamsburg are great for helping people take what is learned in school and applying it in a real setting. Another great place to do this in Virginia is the Frontier Culture Museum of Staunton, VA.

 

The Frontier Culture Museum has chosen to share the history of Virginia by looking at the various people who settled Virginia. This is achieved with the various homes reconstructed of the ones that the settlers of Virginia would have either left behind in the Old World or created in the New.

What I love about the Frontier Culture Museum is that it helps me understand who my ancestors are and why Virginia became their home. Personally, I feel a connection with these people for I too have experienced a world outside of America and yet have chosen to live in Virginia. Getting a chance to understand these people a little bit more has allowed me a chance to understand my state and country more. It has also impressed upon me the importance of my freedoms and rights as an American instead of taking them for granted. 

 

Have you visited Colonial Williamsburg or the Frontier Cultural Museum? What did you learn about America there?

What other living museums have you visited that have taught you about America? 

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The Volunteer Spirit

(emily)

“I have seen Americans making great and sincere sacrifices for the key common good and a hundred times I have noticed that, when needs be, they almost always gave each other faithful support.”

–Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835

 

Benjamin Franklin

America has a beautiful history of volunteerism. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin started the first volunteer firefighting company in 1736? Those volunteers set the standard for future firefighting companies in America: approximately 70% of American firefighters are volunteers.

 

Not only that, but American volunteers have continued through our history to serve our country: volunteers collected funds for the colonists during the American Revolution. Clara Barton established the American Red Cross in 1881. Volunteers set up soup kitchens and bread lines during the Great Depression. John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps in 1961. The Handson Network (originally known as the Points of Light Foundation and started in 1989) is the largest organization in America for civic involvement.

The volunteer spirit is a great American attribute. Abraham Lincoln once said, “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”

Honest Abe’s words challenge me to try to live better, not just for my loved ones and myself, but for my community as well. It’s one of the reasons why I love working at Franklin Goose because we are concerned with making sure that our lifestyle does improve our community by providing safe and eco-friendly products, plus classes and working with local groups like the Cloth Diaper Project.

If you’re interested in volunteering in your community, here are a couple of places you can get started looking.

For our local Richmond, VA, community:

Handson Greater Richmond 

Richmond Good Life: Volunteer Opportunities 

 

For our nationwide community:

Beds for Kids US

The Handson Network 

United We Serve 

Volunteering and Civic Life in America 

 

We hope you have a happy and safe Fourth of July! Please share in the comments your volunteer experiences, and if you have a suggestion for a great volunteer opportunity, let us know!

And don't forget that from today until this Monday Franklin Goose will be having our Tickled Pink Sale to benefit Beds for Kids US. 

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Royal Expectations: 6 Months

(emily)

 

Hey there, royal watchers, can you believe that Kate Middleton is in her sixth month of pregnancy?

She looks good, too. Wow.

 

6 months means Kate is approaching the end of her second trimester and we’re halfway to meeting Britain’s newest royal.

So what does that mean for Kate (and the others of you who are preggers)?

Kate is most likely

• experiencing an increase in energy and is over her morning sickness;
• feeling the baby move, especially when she’s trying to sleep;
• gaining weight (which means it’s time to shop for maternity clothes!); and
• having cravings.

Kate could also start having Braxton Hicks contractions. She might also be fretting over the future and her new role as a mother.

All of these are extremely normal behavior for women, but sometimes they can make pregnant women feel uncomfortable and frustrated. So Kate, if you are, we have a couple of tips:

1)   Try eating healthily and drinking a lot of water. Even if your body is begging for pickles and ice cream, try to maintain a healthy diet. The weight you gain is normal and can be easy to lose after the birth, but giving into your cravings for sweet and salty foods still isn’t beneficial.

2)   All the changes you’re facing might confront you with just how real your pregnancy is. A lot of mothers begin to doubt themselves and worry that they will struggle with taking care of their child. However, this actually reveals that the bond between mother and baby is already developing. Talk to your baby. Take pictures of your belly and progress to show your baby later. Build your relationship before he or she is born. You’ll probably still have a few healthy concerns, but you’ll feel closer to your child and will connect with him or her.

3)   Journal. Get your thoughts out of your head and down on paper. It’s a great way to make sense of what you’re feeling. Plus, it will help you record little things about your pregnancy and life that you can share with your child later.

4)   Enjoy your pregnancy. Start nesting and preparing for your child’s arrival. Get excited. It’s not much longer now!

 

Kate is looking great, and we're so excited to continue to watch her pregnancy continue. (And of course to eventually meet her royal little one.) We're also excited to hear about your pregnancy experiences, both past and present. What were some of the things you experienced in your 6 month? And did any of you ever really crave pickles and ice cream?

Let us know in the comments! (FG)

April: Autism Awareness Month

(emily)

It’s April, readers, and April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism has become extremely prevalent in recent years, and yet we know very little about it, so for today’s post, I wanted to discuss what autism is and why it is important.

A couple weeks ago, the Richmond Times Dispatch posted an article online about a recent government survey that revealed 1 in 50 schoolchildren in the United States has autism. Prior to this study the statistics had been 1 in 88.

The rise in autism is attributed not to a higher occurrence but instead a higher frequency of children being diagnosed with it. What this means is that doctors are better able to diagnose children with autism, especially those with mild cases.

I have had a little experience with autistic children. I spent three years teaching in Central Asia, and during my time there I got to know a group of people who volunteered at an orphanage where many of the children had autism. I spent afternoons and Saturdays with these children, and I came to an understanding about autism that is often ignored by our media: autism is as unique as the individual it affects. Just as each child is special, so is each case. By carelessly tossing around the term “autism,” I think we risk creating a culture of ignorance and even fear.

So, what is autism?

 Autism is often used as an umbrella term, but it’s actually a part of a variety of developmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorders. These disorders affect a person in their communication, interaction, and relationships with other people. Other affects of autism are found in repetitive behaviors and routines. 

People with autism spectrum disorders will not have all of the same symptoms but rather a unique combination. They will also differ in severity. Some cases are extremely mild while others are more severe.

There are five disorders you should know:

• Autistic Disorder (Social interaction and communication is impaired. Child may exhibit repetitive behavioral patterns or restricted behavior.)
• Asperger’s Syndrome (Social interaction is impaired and child displays restricted interest and/or activities. Children often display average to above-average intelligence.)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Child displays symptoms of autism spectrum disorders but cannot be diagnosed with autistic disorder or Asperger’s syndrome. Severe impairments in social interaction and communication as well as restricted or repetitive behavioral patterns.)
• Retts Disorder (Occurs only in girls and appears after a period of normal development with a loss of skills. Girls are often unable to use their hands purposefully and instead display repetitive hand movements.)
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (Child exhibits normal development until about age 2. Previously acquired skills are lost suddenly and significantly.)

 (Information taken from the Virginia Autism Resource Center)

There is no known cause for these disorders and there are numerous theories ranging from genetics to pregnancy and delivery to environmental factors. Regardless of the why or the how, we should instead focus on the who – autism shows no discrimination and affects people of all ethnicities, incomes, lifestyles, and education. 

When I would visit the children in the orphanage, there was one little boy that stood out to me. His name was Arslan. Arslan had autism, and when I first met him I assumed that his disorder would mean he would be withdrawn. He was, in his own way. Arslan didn’t speak, which didn’t matter because my Russian was limited anyway, and he didn’t maintain eye contact well. But as I came to the orphanage and saw him more, I saw that Arslan had a warm and compassionate heart. He loved people. And he loved cars. Every car, truck, and plane he saw – whether outside or on TV – evoked a response from Arslan. He would point and say, “Beep-beep!” The day a helicopter flew over the orphanage playground he was ecstatic. 

Arslan would take my hand and walk with me around the playground. He’d run to meet me and give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. And some days we would sit side-by-side in silence. He would be withdrawn, and I wouldn’t know what to do, but after awhile he’d take my hand, and I would know that he was okay. 

As he grew older, his struggles changed, but he was still my little buddy. I consider him a brother, not a nameless child with a disorder I don’t understand.

Arslan and Me

My experiences with Arslan and the other children at that orphanage have given me an understanding of autism spectrum disorders, but it has also given me an understanding of the people who have autism spectrum disorders. I now have faces and personalities attached to these clinical words, and I am gratful for that. 

I’m not writing this post to scare you or sensationalize autism. I’m writing this post because autism is important for you to know about. Autism is not a prison sentence for your child. It is not simple, it is not easy, but it is not something to fear. April is Autism Awareness Month, and I would encourage you to take this month to educate yourselves about autism and what it means for families. If you have a child with autism or know of a child with autism and would like to find resources and help, I suggest looking into your area’s autism services and communities.

 

For those of you in Virginia, I would recommend the following,

Commonwealth Autism Service 

Autism Society, Central Virginia

Virginia Autism Resource Center (Virginia Commonwealth University) 

Life In The Limelight: How to Protect Your Privacy

(emily)

When you’re pregnant, people can be a bit intrusive. Strangers touch your belly. People offer unsolicited advice. No one seems uncomfortable discussing the size of your baby bump (and you).

So it’s no wonder then that Kate Middleton and Prince William are a little bit flustered over all the attention they’ve been getting from the public and media. It might be expected – they are, after all, having a baby who might one day sit on the throne – but no one wants their privacy completely disregarded.

Tabloid rumors and gossip prompted the royal family to announce Kate’s pregnancy much earlier than they wished, and photos snapped during their private family moments constantly show up on the Internet and in the news. We can shrug it off and ignore their distress with the dismissal that Kate and William are public figures and celebrities, and therefore their life cannot be private, but is it fair? Is it even that simple?

 

And what about us, the common people?

While Kate and William will forever be hounded by the press and the Internet, their plea for a bit of privacy is something that we can all relate to. In this digital age and with the prominent use of social media, privacy is an important factor to consider, especially in regards to your family.

So while your children might wear crowns made of construction paper and glitter, you still have the right to protect their privacy, and yours, from the nosy world. Just because your Facebook profile is set to private doesn’t mean that your select group of “friends” can’t share pictures of you with their friends.

Here are some tips on how to maintain your privacy:

 

Search Yourself On The Internet

You might not think you need to worry about your privacy on the Internet, but a quick search of your name will inform you not just of how easy or hard someone can find you, but also how.

My name is rather common, and I didn’t find anything about myself during my search at first. However, there was a public profile of myself attached to a music streaming website that I use. The website iPhonegram also had a page for all of my Instagram photos. That bothered me. I never signed up for something called “iPhonegram.”

Those were the only links I found associated with me, which was a bit of a relief. Plus, I now have an idea of how to keep my life more private.

 

Limit Your Smart Phone

Turn off anything on your phone that gives away your location:

• Adjust GPS features on your phone. Digital photos taken with smart phones are encrypted with GPS and your location can be found. You can switch that off fairly easily in the settings of your phone.
• Be sure to check the apps on your phone as well. The default on apps is often set to be public, so always make sure that you have customized your settings to protect your privacy.
• And turn off that Bluetooth. It allows people direct access to your phone.

 

Think Before You Share

Be cautious on social media:

• A picture of your face on your social media profile heightens your chance of being noticed and found on the Internet. Consider using a picture of something else.
• Participate first and post later. Don’t “check in” on Facebook or tweet what your doing. Keeping your Internet presence up-to-date with your life is dangerous because it not just informs people of where you are (and where they can find you) but where you are not. When on vacation, post pictures once you’re home.

 

Be Professional

If you have Internet access at work, do not mix your professional life with your personal one. Even if your boss allows you to use Facebook at work, you should exercise caution. Your time on the Internet is monitored at work.

 

Be Careful When Searching

Use a different search engine from your personal email account. If you have Gmail, use Bing or Yahoo! to search. Search engines connect with email accounts. The moment you sign into Gmail. Google begins monitoring your actions online. Any search you conduct through Google will be linked to your account, which means any personal information that you might inadvertently share can be traced to your account.

 

And always, always remember that participating online is never truly private. It seems like sometimes we forget just how many people we are connected to online. You might not be married to royalty, but if you’re present online, you’ve made the choice to be a public figure.

 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to maintain privacy online or how your information might be used online, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit organization based in California, has a lot of information and suggestions. When preparing for this post, a lot of the ideas and concerns that we at Franklin Goose had were supported by what we found on the PRC’s website, and they also explained why and how those concerns were rational.