Don't quote mom!

Brooke Shields, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet are just a few of the mom's who have something to share about their experiences in motherhood on MommyTracked.com.  Their mom soundbites section is a complete list of all the quotes you ever wanted to hear from celebrity mothers.  A few of my favorites are below:

"

Brooke Shields:

"I don’t think you ever feel you’re balancing anything. My kids are great, and I have a good husband. You’ve just got to keep everything in the air." - On balancing career and family, as told to Life and Style Magazine.

Tina Fey:

"I know for sure that you can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at. I know for sure that a hard-boiled egg is two points on Weight Watchers. I know for sure that my kid needs my husband and me to be with her more." - From O Magazine 2/2009

Amy Poehler:

"Sleep is out for 2009. Tired is the new black." - OK 2/2/09"

When its Mom's turn to step down from Thanksgiving Host

Year after year for as long as you can remember Mom made Thanksgiving what it is. She slaved for hours in the kitchen over the turkey and all of it sides. This year mom will step down as a host and join you and the rest of the family at your table. You'll be promoted from mom's little helper to host extraordinaire. This is a special time of year, a time when mom will finally trust you to carry on all the family traditions. A shelterpop.com by Lauren Debellis offers just a few helpful tips and reminders as you begin to slide into mom's shoes for the first time....

"Perfect Prep

* Shop for as much of your grocery needs as you can, at least two weeks in advance. Don't forget to pick up seasonal favorites like apple cider, nuts and figs!
* One to two weeks before, refresh dinnerware, glasses, utensils, silverware and serving pieces. Wash what needs to be done by hand and the rest load in the dishwasher.
* Make sure you have enough clean oven mitts, hot pads, kitchen towels, dishwashing soap, scouring pads, paper towels and any other cleaning products you may need.
* Wash and air dry your tablecloths and napkins (if applicable). Fold neatly on a hanger until you're ready to iron and set the table.
* Prepare stuffing the day before, as well as any other baked dishes. It's best to leave yourself with the least amount to do the morning of, as you will be focused on cooking the turkey and any other last minute tasks.
* Set your Thanksgiving table the night before. To prevent dust from accumulating, turn glasses upside down and place napkins on the plate.

Turkey Talk

* If you bought a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw in refrigerator three or four days in advance. I place a kitchen towel under the turkey to soak up the water as it starts to thaw.
* While cleaning and preparing the turkey, don't forget to remove the giblet packet from inside.
* Set your alarm to wake up early on Thanksgiving morning. How early depends on the suggested cooking time for the weight of your turkey, planned in accordance with your dinner time.
* Make sure to let your turkey sit at least 20 - 30 minutes before carving."

Teaching mom how to use Facebook

So if you can handle mom being on facebook, you're going to have to be the one to show her how to use it.  For days, weeks, even possibly months after you may be getting calls that sound a little something like this:

- "Honey,  why am I not getting all these messages that my friends tell me they leave me."
_ "Dear, everybody can see the message I wrote to your cousin about her pap smear results and she's really upset!  What do I do to fix it?"
 - "What is farmville, and why do people want me to join the mafia?  Love, I do hope you aren't involved in the mafia."

That is of course, if you can handle her being there....

Psychology Today reports on the mother-daughter bond

A few statistics from a Psychology Today article may have you believing that the mother-daughter relationship is a little closer to optimal than ever...

• "88 percent of adults say their mother has had a positive influence on them.
• 92 percent say their current relationship with their mother is positive.
• 88 percent of all mothers say their family appreciates them enough.
• 53 percent of adults say their mother had more influence than their father had.
• 60 percent of women say their mother was more influential than their father, compared with 45 percent of men." 

 Here looking up for mom's and daughters everywhere!

Daughter-in-Law and Mother-in-Law

Yahoo's Shine posted an article this week with a few tips on what mother-in-laws want their daughter-in-laws to know in order to keep things comfortable in your relationship with them.

1. Don't push them off to the side, they want to be included too.
2. Don't put them in the middle either.
3.Expect it to take time to develop a relationship with your mother-in-law.
4. Don't look at her as a threat
5. Do not patronize her.
6.Telling her what a good job raising her son is always a welcome compliment.
7.Don't put the pressure on her son to be your everything.
8. Take a stance for yourself.
9. Balance is key with children.
10. Don't share too much info with her.

Hope this is can offer a little help with your mother/daughter-in-law relationships.  When all else fails, a little humor will help to get you through....

Mother Daughter hatred

MedicineNet.com posted an article of a WebMD Live event with Psychologist Dr. Roni Cohen-Sandler discussing  I'm Not Mad, I Just Hate You! A New Understanding of Mother-Daughter Conflict.  After 20 years of couseling mother daughter duos, Dr. Cohen-Sandler came to the conclusion that the strain on mother daughter relationships stems from  cultural standards that expect women "not to make waves, speak up, and to swallow their voices in order not to make waves. However, during adolescence, it becomes a problem because girls so often take out their anger and disappointment on their mothers. And mothers feel ill-equipped to manage their daughter's anger."  The Dr. lists some strategies to help:

"1. Check your emotional temperature
2. Think through your goal
3. Choose A Good Time
4. Talk to her directly
5. Boost your chance of being heard
6. Be aware of your body language
7. Modify according to your daughter's needs
8. Keep an argument from becoming a fight
9. Reward Your Efforts"

The extraordinary life of Betty Ford, wife of former president, Gerald R. Ford

Featured on Mlive.com this month was an article interviewing daughter of 38th former president Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford, Susan Ford Bales, about the extraordinary life of her 92-year-old mother.  The "Betty Ford - An Extraordinary Life" exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on February 27, 2011 in Grand Rapids, MI.  She shares about the struggles her mother was faced with as a first lady and the battle she fought with cancer.  But mostly "she should be recognized for the differences she made for women", said Bales.  Those are the words of a rightfully so proud daughter.  So often we see mother proud of their daughters, not nearly as often as we see daughters turning the spotlight around on their mothers.  Of course, not every mother is an influential advocate for women.  Though they all face the same difficulties of raising their daughters with courage and strength.