A mom in Hobart, Tasmania wanted to breathe some new life into old toys and accidentally stumbled upon something that a touched a nerve for a lot of parents.  Beautiful dolls without all the exaggerated make up.

Sonia Singh removes dirt and facial features from second hand dolls with nail polish remover and hand paints in new, softer features and replaces high heeled feet with flats.

After much encouragement she shared her dolls on Tumblr and from there, she went viral.

We’re excited to see that Singh will be opening up a Tree Change Dolls Etsy shop Feb. 15, 2015.  We’ll be sure to update when it’s open!

Take a look at some of these incredible Tree Change Dolls transformations:

The tooth!! I love it!

Watch an interview here:

Tell us what you think! Would you buy one? Does the hyper-sexualization of Bratz dolls and Barbie bother you or do you feel like they’re harmless?

Find Tree Change Dolls on Tumbr

Tree Change Dolls Facebook

Tammy and her son Malcolm

When she was a child, and people asked Tammy what she wanted to be when she grew up, she told them she wanted to be a mom.  People may not have found that particularly ambitious at the time, but Tammy wasn’t kidding around.

In fact, she stopped counting after 40 kids.

Tammy has has been fostering kids in need for 23 years.  In addition to her 4 biological children, fostering lead Tammy to adopt 5 kids with one adoption finalized this past month.  And in case that wasn’t enough to be a mom we totally love (and are pretty in awe of) she’s helping other parents too.  Tammy is the UMFS Resource Family Liaison and she helps perspective foster parents through the training process.

Are there more foster kids in Tammy’s future? Probably.  She says as long as her kids are in the house she’ll be fostering.  After that she might take a little break.

We can’t blame her, but we’re totally amazed and humbled by her incredible work.

We got a chance to catch her by phone and email to talk about both parenting and fostering kids.

Rmom: You’ve always wanted to be a parent. Are there any parents that you really admire?

TF: This may sound cliché but I have always admired my mother. She was a single parent after my father and she divorced when I was five. She later remarried when I was 12. The one thing I admire most about my mother is that I always knew she loved me and that she would always be there. She may not have liked my behaviors or agreed with my choices but she would always preserve our relationship even when expressing her dissatisfaction. She also did a lot of informal foster care, taking in children whose parents were struggling. I know that had an impact on me wanting to be a parent but also on wanting to be a foster parent.

Rmom: What is your parenting M.O.?

TF: I believe relationship is important. This does not mean that you cater to a child or that you never make a parenting decision that is unpopular. It means that no matter what, you as the parent, do all in your power to preserve the relationship between yourself and your child. You can set limits and boundaries and not agree with choices a child makes but you maintain the relationship.
I often say that I want to be the parent that when I am called to the principal’s office because my child misbehaved, I want my child to see me come in and relax not become fearful. This does not mean that there won’t be consequences for misbehavior but it means that my child knows that I still love them even when they’ve misbehaved and we will work it out as a family. Erma Bombeck said, “A child needs love the most when he deserves it the least.” I find this painfully true when working with foster and adopted children but it holds true for biological children as well.

Rmom: What type of person makes a good foster parent?

TF: Some of the qualities I see that make a foster parent successful are:

-Commitment. You have to believe in what you’re doing and know why you’re doing it. This is what you hold on to so that you stay committed when things are tough.

-Patience. I’ve heard parents say “How many more times do I have to tell you…?” I always think “One more time.” You never know when it’s going to click so you have to have the patience to stick with it until a child gets it. That can be school work or behavior, some kids just need more time to learn.

-Nuture. This includes spending time with a child and developing a relationship with them. Foster care isn’t about just letting a child live with you. You are the person who has the privilege of learning about this child, understanding this child and guiding this child for the time that they are with you. It is an amazing responsibility.

-A Willingness to Learn. Even if you’ve parented before, you will need to learn new techniques and strategies for reaching children. You do what you know. If that is working, keep doing it. But, when it isn’t working, instead of doing more of the same, reach out to the team and learn different ways to intervene.


Rmom: Parents sometimes worry how fostering will impact their biological children, how has fostering affected your children?
TF: I would not be completely honest if I didn’t say that there were times when fostering was hard for my children. They didn’t always like new people joining the family or dealing with the behaviors that often accompanied them or sharing their space or their mother. But I can honestly say that my children have learned that they are very fortunate in that they have been spared the experiences that some of my foster children have lived. This makes them grateful.

Tammy with her 3 of her children: Chloe, Malcolm & Stephen (left to right) on the day of Malcolm’s adoption.

Rmom: What brings a child to foster care? How long does a foster child stay in your care?
TF: Children come into foster care primarily because they’ve experienced abuse or neglect. The timeline can vary for how long a child remains with a family but we suggest to expect 18 months.

Rmom: How do you support the emotional needs of foster kids and their foster families? Does UMFS provide any help?
TF: Emotional needs of the foster child are supported by the foster parent usually with the help of a therapist. Foster families and children are also supported by their UMFS worker and other staff. UMFS also hosts a monthly support group which enables you to network with other foster families.

Rmom: What does being a foster parent cost? Does a parent get paid to foster?
TF: There are four fees associated with being a foster parent at UMFS. Those fees cover background checks- FBI and CPS, a DMV report and a health statement.
A foster parent receives a monthly stipend to offset the costs of caring for a child. Children in foster care have Medicaid for medical, dental and therapy expenses. Children are assessed on a case-by-case basis for additional support through the use of the VEMAT tool.

Rmom: Is the process of becoming a foster parent long?
TF: Not really. At UMFS our trainings are completed in a month. The homestudy process can take 3-4 months after that provided there are no conflicts that cause delays.

Rmom: How do I get started?
TF: Your first step is to call (804)254-9695 and ask for the Orientation Schedule. The Orientation is designed to give you more information so that you can make a decision as to whether foster care is for you.

Think about all the times you’ve said, “Please stop splashing/dripping outside the tub,” as kids play with sopping wet toys on that irresistible, yet slim, tub ledge.

Joy Jones, a local mom of two came up with a solution: Shelfie. 

Shelfie attaches to the side of the tub to make that narrow tub ledge into a safe area for kids to play and contains the water from dripping over the edge.
We got a chance to chat with Joy about Shelfie, being a momtrepreneur and an inventor, and what the journey has been like for her creating the Shelfie.

What inspired you to create the Shelfie? Did you have a eureka moment?

Yes!  One night my youngest daughter, who was about 15 months old at the time, slipped on a wet floor after her bath and got a nasty bump on the head.  I thought to myself, ‘If only the tub ledge had a lip on it to contain the water…’ and that is when the idea for Shelfie was born!  I built the first one out of cardboard and duct tape, and eventually took it to a local product design firm to help me build a prototype.

What is one lesson you’ve learned about starting your own business?

That as much as it helps to have a business plan, you have to expect that there will be speed bumps and road blocks you don’t see coming ahead of time.  As much as you plan, you will still learn as you go.  There is always a pathway to possible; sometimes you just have to ask different questions in order to find it.  If you’re anticipating some speed bumps along the path, they won’t be as jarring when they inevitably occur.

Joy Jones: Business Owner, Inventor, and Mom

How have you been able to balance being an entrepreneur and a mother? 


I’m not sure how well I balance it…being an entrepreneur can drain you of energy in the same way that being a parent can.  But it’s that special brand of ‘tired’ that also feeds you; you draw your inspiration and energy from the source of your labor.  Just like raising children, your pour your heart and soul into your business and feel both challenged and rewarded with each little step.

Logistically, ‘balancing’ it can sometimes be a challenge.  I’m not at a point where I’m going to an office for set business hours. I accomplish what I can while the girls are in preschool in the morning, and then go back to work after they’re in bed.  At some point if the demands of the business increase I will need to build in some additional support.

Have your daughters been involved in the business?

Yes and no.  They were Shelfie’s first testers and have been playing with it since we developed the first prototype two years ago.  So they know that it is mommy’s project.  They were home when the big truck came to deliver them to our garage.  So they know that I’m trying to start a business.  I try not to talk to them about it too much.  Like any other adult concern, I don’t want it to preoccupy them.  And yet, they are excited about it, and I want to embrace that.  It’s a bit of an unusual adventure that we’ve undertaken.  I just hope that whatever the outcome, that the lessons for my girls are positive lessons about work and risk, and success and failure.



What’s the best piece or parenting advice you’ve ever received?

That your children won’t do as you say—they will do as you do.  I try to be cognizant of this as I make commitments with my time, deal with disciplinary issues, use my iPhone…….  I know that someday they will model my behavior, and if I’m a stressed out train-wreck who can’t say no to work obligations or is always looking at my phone, then they are likely to someday also spread themselves too thin.  I think it’s something that is universal to parents—not just entrepreneurs.  It’s a struggle to be present for our children the way we want to be, and still handle the obligations of daily life as an adult.  ‘Balance’ is a moving target;  I just try to be aware of being present with them.

Do you plan on expanding the Shelfie line?

Yes!  We are focused on proving sales with the initial run of the product.  If we can do this, we do have “future embodiments” (fancy inventor words for different versions) of Shelfie that we will hustle to patent and produce!

Where can we find the Shelfie?

Right now, Shelfie is available at The Toy Center on Patterson Avenue, and at Pigtails & Crewcuts at both their West End and Midlothian locations.  We’ll also be available soon via Bumblebean—an online boutique packed with inspiring products for moms and kids.  And you can purchase them from us directly online!

This article is sponsored by Shelfie.

He knew his daughter was destined for great things from the start “When Malala was born and for the first time … I went and looked into her eyes,” he says, “I [felt] extremely honored.”

Watch his TED Talk below and check out the great work of the Malala Fund.
Check out his TED Talk:

Click here to view the embedded video.

She might even be your new style icon.

(And yes, Mayhem is a pseudonym, but I have this weird feeling that it’s going to become popular.)

Cooler than Mayhem (because I’m partial to moms) is how Angie took note of her daughter’s interest and went with it.   I can’t help but think about how many times I may have inadvertently squelched creativity in my kids by going ” you guys are making a huge mess”  or simply not making the time to fully support it.    While Mayhem does construct the dresses, she’s still 4 so a lot of doing (probably especially in the beginning relies on mom).
So “bravo to Angie” the unsung hero of Mayhem’s paper dresses.

If you’re on Instagram you can follow Mayhem 2sisters_angie or #fashionbyMayhem.

If you’re not on Instagram you can check out the blog www.fashionbyMayhem.com (though, I believe fans have crashed the site).

www.fashionbymayhem.com

www.fashionbymayhem.com

www.fashionbymayhem.com