Meet my new LinkedIn friend!

It is possible to "meet" the nicest people through social media! Kelley Ward and I connected through the Mom's Choice Awards group on LinkedIn and instantly "clicked" (too bad she lives so far away!).  She's a mom of 3 boys and well-qualified to write about parenting and child development--Kelley has experience in pediatric nursing, as well as a PhD in family relations.  She's a free-lance writer at Hubpages.com, and sent out a post looking for stories about parent/child relationships and health issues.  I noticed that in addition to several great parenting articles (Parenting Boys, Raising Creative Kids, Teaching Children To Be Assertive, Dealing with Bullying...check out Kelley's work here), Kelley is also a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, and knows first-hand what it's like to deal with a major medical challenge while raising her 7, 4, and 2 year-old boys.  As if her plate wasn't full enough, Kelley also writes nursing textbooks and study guides, so I was super flattered when she was kind enough to take an interest in my book. 

 

Kelley has such a positive "attitude of gratitude", which she shares on her blog.  In "Life is Like a Blog of Chocolate", Kelley shares her personal and professional expertise on parenting, health, and relationships, but emphasizes the "sprinkles" in life--the special blessings and life lessons that add significance and meaning for her.  I just love this outlook, and was so appreciative that Kelley felt my book qualified as a "sprinkle", worthy of mentioning in her blog.

Kelley wrote a lovely article about Where Did Mommy's Superpowers Go? on HubPages, but I was particularly glad that her 7 year-old son enjoyed the story, and how it helped him understand his mom's fluctuating blood sugar levels:

"After I read the book to my now seven-year old son he said, "I liked that book. It was kind of cute and funny." I asked him if he could relate the story in the book to life with me as a diabetic Mommy and he said, "Yes when your blood sugar drops the bad cells come in and make you tired and irritated. That's when you lose your superpowers". His response demonstrates that this book can help children understand the challenges that occur when a parent or family member has a serious illness or chronic disease."

To see Kelley's photo, I can't imagine her ever being "tired and irratated", but all moms have their moments!  I hope you'll enjoy reading her work, and I look forward to seeing what parenting topics she tackles next!