Blog - This Talk Ain't Cheap!

Back to School Means Back to Great Skin

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
All opinions are mine alone. #BTSWithPinkGrapefruit #CollectiveBias

Be Beautiful Inside AND Out

My family is not one of those blessed with perfect skin. It’s one of the things that’s been most frustrating to me over the course of my life. I actually had pretty okay skin during high school… until I reached college, and then it was all downhill from there. Maybe it was the stress of being away from home or maybe it was just the fact that my eating habits were terrible. In any case, my skin broke out on a regular basis and it never really stopped. Yep… I’m in my 50’s and still have to be really careful with my skin.

My poor daughters have all had issues as well. Unfortunately, they inherited my awful skin genes. They all know they have to be extra careful – keeping their skin extra clean and going easy on the makeup. It’s so important to develop a good skincare routine early on… something I wish I had done when I was a kid. So because of my own issues, I am super focused on making sure my kids have the best products and the best habits.

Our favorite is the NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne products. I’ve always been a big NEUTROGENA® fan and when my youngest daughter started having issues with some back acne, I ran out to our local CVS (they have the best selection) and bought her the NEUTROGENA® BODY CLEAR® Body Wash Pink Grapefruit (love how this smells!). I needed her to have something that would be powerful but gentle and she now uses this daily in the shower. It is specifically developed to treat body breakouts on your back, shoulders, and chest without drying out your skin – and with naturally derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C, it lathers just right and you don’t feel like you are sacrificing your shower experience. The best part: the fact that it has Salicylic Acid boosted by oil dissolving MICROCLEAR® Technology.

Salicylic Acid is the only thing that has worked for all of us so it is important that the products we use contain this. But while the Body Wash has been so helpful, we also love the entire line of NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne products.

Developing a routine isn’t hard… you just need to do it enough times so it becomes a habit. Because my girls always want to look their best (and it’s SO important for teens to feel confident all the time), they are pretty good about following a skin care regimen.

STEP 1: WASH YOUR FACE MORNING AND NIGHT

I know, this isn’t always the fun part of skincare. But it’s really the most important. Clean skin is healthy skin, and when you are prone to breakouts, it’s a critical step in your routine. I have found that when my girls have fun products, they are much more likely to stick to it. The NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub is AMAZING! Smells incredible and it’s foamy which makes it super fun and easy to use while powerfully clearing blemishes and blackheads with maximum strength Salicylic Acid (told you I love this stuff).

You might need to remind your kids each morning and every night to wash their face, but if you do it a few times, they’ll finally catch on. And if they love the scent of pink grapefruit, they will really want that fresh and clean feeling.

STEP 2: MOISTURIZE AND GO EASY ON THE MAKEUP

One of the things I wish I had started earlier in my life was using a good moisturizer. I was always kind of afraid of them because I had oily skin and thought adding more moisture was doing more harm than good. I learned late that this just isn’t true. And part of having great skin is keeping the good kind of moisture locked in. I’ve added the NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer Pink Grapefruit to my kids’ routine as well. My daughter kept telling me she wanted a moisturizer (should have listened to her earlier) and this one is really so perfect. The dual-action formula combines oil-free hydration with powerful acne medicine. It helps treat and prevent breakouts while it moisturizes thirsty skin. Yes… you really CAN get a moisturizer that helps prevent breakouts!

And I know it’s hard to tell your teens not to wear makeup, just make sure they go easy on it when they do. You don’t want to ruin all this amazing skincare with heavy makeup that clogs your pores. When your skin is fresh and clean, you’ll want to keep it that way.

STEP 4: WATER AND DIET REALLY DO MATTER

Drink more water. There… done! Seriously, though, how many of us drink enough water? I’m really lucky that my girls love drinking water. I never liked it much. The one thing I’ve found that helps me is buying a super cute water cup and making sure to fill it up first thing in the morning. I also bring it with me when I’m running errands and make sure to keep it in the car. I don’t always actually take a drink, but having it ready and full makes it easier for sure. Even a few sips here and there is helpful in getting your recommended daily intake.

You’ll hear people for and against the foods you eat having a direct relationship to your skin… but I do think for some people who are prone to breakouts, focusing on healthier eating makes a real difference. I always tell my girls that when they are having a bad skin day, remove the sodas and sugars from their diet. You’ll have to figure out what your own triggers are but for us it’s the sugar. I’m not saying don’t eliminate it completely, just on those days that you aren’t feeling your best, other than having extra clean skin, keep track of what you are eating.

STEP 3: TAKE CARE OF ALL OF YOUR SKIN, NOT JUST YOUR FACE

I’m going back to the first product I shared with you… the NEUTROGENA® BODY CLEAR® Body Wash Pink Grapefruit. We tend to focus so much on our face (for good reason) that often we let the rest of our skin go. Always make sure you have something powerful in the shower to keep ALL of your skin extra clean and breakout-free.

Why wouldn’t you want to use the #1 Dermatologist recommended Acne Brand? Of course you would! Only the best for you and your family. If you are looking for the entire line of products, check out your local CVS. They have all these amazing Pink Grapefruit choices.

The biggest thing I tell my kids is that your skin does not define who you are. Be confident in the inner-you and that’s what people will notice. A warm, kind-hearted, caring person is always going to shine the brightest.

What is your biggest confidence booster?

Great news! There is currently an Ibotta offer going on where you can earn up to $2.00 cash back at CVS.

Purchase 1 NEUTROGENA® Pink Grapefruit product at CVS and get 1 at 50% off. This offer is good while supplies last and is ONLY good for the week of 9/9/18. Run over to CVS and grab your products today.

parenting

Things I Want My Daughter To Know

My firstborn left me. We dropped her off at college a week ago, helped set up her dorm room, and then I proceeded to burst out crying once I was safely hidden inside the car. I’ve done my job so well that she’ll never need me, right?

I hope I failed just a tiny bit… I’d really like her to still need me just a little. I have so many feelings that it’s hard to put them into words. I’m at once overjoyed that my amazing daughter will be living on her own and be making her own way in the world, and at the same time I am reaching out to grab hold of the little blond girl in the striped dress hugging her doll to her. When they say it goes by fast, they ain’t kidding.

So while I will be shedding a lot of tears in the next few weeks, they will be a mix of sad tears that I didn’t stop and enjoy more when she was young… and tears of pride at the beautiful person she has become.

As any good mother, I left her with a letter imparting my final words of wisdom. While I won’t share the private stuff, I thought I would share the advice part.

Life is not meant to be easy. Or neat and tidy. It’s messy and frustrating and not fair. Always stick up for yourself, but know when it’s time to move on.
When you are feeling blue… grab a Starbucks and walk around Target. Don’t question it… it’s guaranteed to make you feel better.
You can always text your mom.
When your friends are letting you down, remember that you have two sisters at home who will be your BFF’s for the rest of your life. That’s pretty awesome!
Sleep is NOT over-rated. Things always look better in the morning.
You CAN do it!
There is always someone worse off than you. Find them and offer to help. It is guaranteed to make you feel better.
Baking relieves stress… but you already know that.
Step out of your comfort zone every now and then. You won’t regret it.
If it doesn’t feel right… don’t do it.
Trust your instincts.
College is so much more than classes and grades.
Show up for class and sit in the front. Let the Professor know who you are. It could make all the difference.
Click “Save” every few minutes. Trust me on this one.
Everyone you meet is a connection. The person sitting next to you in class might have the power to offer you a kick-ass job someday.
If you aren’t feeling well, go to the health center – that’s why we pay for it.
If you are stressed or anxious or depressed… call mom. Immediately.
Don’t forget to eat… preferably some fruit and veggies every now and then.
Find someone to play tennis with.
Make sure you have your pepper spray with you.
It’s okay to say no.
One great friend is worth more than a dozen so-so friends. That will be true for your entire life.
I trust you.
I love you.
As long as your Dad and I are alive, you always have a home to come back to.

books

Book Club Summer Read is HERE! + Giveaway

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for partnering with me (and my book club) for this giveaway.

Calling all book club members! I’m going on my 12th year (I think) of the same book club I founded back when I was struggling with three small daughters and desperately needed some kind of outlet. Who knew that all these years later, I’d be meeting monthly with the same 5 women – over dinner, over talks of family and vacations, over great books and not-so-great books, and over the fact that we aren’t getting any younger.

We’re all different but the one thing we have most in common is our immense love of reading. Reading to me is what keeps me sane. It is impossible to read a fabulous book and think about all the problems you are facing. Some people meditate… I read.

The thing I really love most about being part of a book club is that I’ve been exposed to books that I normally would never have read. We each take a turn suggesting a book to the club and we’ve read fiction, non-fiction, mystery, romance, summer beach reads, and also a classic thrown in now and then. And with every story, there is something to be learned. A new character to embrace or a new location to explore.

Lucky for us, we got to read Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Great Alone. A few months ago, I finished reading her book, The Nightingale, which I completely fell in love with. If I could choose any talent to have, it would be being able to write the type of books that Kristin writes.

Kristin is one of the few authors who I race to read new books from. Lucky for us, she seems to have an endless imagination when it comes to telling stories.

You can read about The Great Alone below, but I love stories that take me out of my comfort zone. This one takes place in the wilderness of Alaska. The closest I got was a cruise to Alaska many years ago. It was fabulous and such a beautiful State, but I certainly never braved the wild like the family in this story does. I encourage you to take a trip deep into the Alaskan wilderness with the Allbright family and experience their story for yourself. Such a perfect book club selection and I can’t wait to get together with my own book club to hear what the other members thought.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

St. Marten’s Press is letting me give away a Book Club Kit like the one I received.

5 copies of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, published by St. Martin’s Press.
5 super adorable matching lapel buttons.
plus a $50 gift card to Wine.com.

To enter the giveaway: Post a comment AND share a post either on this blog, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. One winner will be selected via Random.org on Friday, July 13. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find the giveaway threads.

Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by St. Martin’s Press.

The Perfect Book Club Pick!

#TheGreatAlone

About The Great Alone

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller (February 2018)!

“A TOUR DE FORCE.” —Kirkus (starred review)

Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

About the Author

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author more than twenty novels. A former lawyer turned writer, she is the mother of one son and lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.

Like Kristin Hannah on Facebook and follow St. Martin’s Press on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Category 2 travel

Travel Bucket List

Do you have a travel bucket list?

Who hasn’t, at one time or another, sat daydreaming about all the wonderful places they would go if they only had a few extra bucks? I’ve been fortunate to have been able to travel when I was younger. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Italy, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Monaco, Lichtenstein, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Israel. Don’t get too excited, most of these were with a tour group after I graduated from college. Still, travel is something I always wanted to do more of. And then I had kids.

Kids aren’t a deal breaker when it comes to traveling, but they sure do make it a little harder financially speaking. Now that the kids are teenagers, I’m starting to rethink those places I always wanted to travel to. I have to admit, some of the places I dreamed about going aren’t on the top of my list anymore. And those places where I would have refused to go when I was younger… well, they slowly rose to the top of that list.

So here it is… my current travel bucket list.

(All photos courtesy of Pixabay.com)

Vietnam

Maldives

Peru

Ireland

Greece

Iceland

Hungary

Tahiti

What countries are on your travel bucket list?

family parenting

Don’t Blink – And Other Things I Wish I Had Known

I wish someone had told me, as I sat and watched my kindergartner walk down the aisle at her commencement, not to blink. Not for a moment. Because once you blink, all you remember is a flash. The years between 1st grade and senior year become a blur. And then you hyperventilate.

My oldest daughter just graduated from high school. I feel proud, excited, and nauseous all at once. I told myself for years that I wanted her to go live her life, experience all the wonders of the world. I wasn’t wrong… but I’m having a really hard time letting go.

She’s 18 but when I look in her eyes they are the same eyes she had when she was 5 and danced around the house. I look at the woman standing before me but all I see is the little blond-haired child she once was. What I wouldn’t give for a moment in the past.

I’d like to say she grew up fabulous in spite of me, but I also like to think maybe I had some small hand in the accomplished person she’s become. There is a reason parents gush over their kids… because we are just so darn proud of them.

I wish I had known that by doing my job as a parent meant that my child would be completely self-sufficient. She technically doesn’t need me anymore… for emotional support, yes, but she doesn’t need me. She can pump her own gas and make her own meals and do her own laundry and handle her own bank account. She can fill out paperwork and apply for a job and read a map. She knows how to call AAA or 911 in case of an emergency. I’ve done my job too well.

That’s what you get for being a parent.

No one tells you that it feels like you’ve had your heart ripped out of you. No one tells you that you’ll feel like you are losing your best friend. No one tells you that the amount of love you have for your child can grow even more than you thought possible.

I wish I knew that the first few bars of “Pomp and Circumstance” would release a flood of tears.

I wish I knew that as I lay in bed at night, my arms would ache for that baby she once was.

I wish I knew that the day after diplomas are handed out, I’d wake to feel like I was hit by a truck.

And now the preparation for college sets in and it’s all at once an ending and a beginning and almost too much emotion to handle.

In 3 months she’ll be starting a new part of her life far away from home. But I’ve still got 3 months to hug her tight and relish in the wondrous person she is right now.

family

Making Better Choices with Weight Watchers®

This post was sponsored by Weight Watchers International, Inc. as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

After my third daughter was born I knew I needed some help getting back into my pre-baby body. Weight Watchers® was the only program that worked for me back then. I think I managed to do okay with my eating until recently when I found myself working several different jobs from home AND still trying to parent three teenagers and take care of a house, husband, and two dogs. When you work from home, you tend to do either of two things:

You nosh on anything and everything all day long
You eat nothing because you are so busy you forget it’s lunchtime.

Either way, you lose because eating nothing is just as bad as eating too much. And suddenly, my clothes don’t fit. I think I’ve reached the end of my rope because with all the stuff going on in my life right now, I can’t handle gaining weight too. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine was complaining about the very same thing and she suggested we both do Weight Watchers together. Yep… that sounds like a plan!

I know that Weight Watchers has changed their plan over the years and now they have a new Freestyle™ program with zero Points® foods. It’s pretty awesome, actually, since there are tons of choices you can add to your meal planning that don’t eat up all your points. I love that since the one thing I hate is to be restricted in the amounts of foods I can eat. With zero Points® foods you know you’ll be able to fill yourself up. I set about working on a meal plan that my whole family would be happy with.

Meal planning has never really been my thing, however, so I had to get pretty creative and know that in order for this to work I had to actually STICK to the plan. At the beginning of the week, I come up with all my meals since having food available in the house is the biggest problem for me. Although I’m home all day, I AM working and that doesn’t give me a lot of time to prep meals. If I can do things in the morning or throw stuff in the slow cooker, it saves me a ton of time. What has been a lifesaver is the selection of products I can purchase at Walmart during regular shopping trips that have been endorsed/licensed by Weight Watchers. The best part is all these clearly show you how many points they are. What could be easier than that?

What has really been a lifesaver for me are the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins rolls endorsed by Weight Watchers® and the Flatout® Flatbread endorsed by Weight Watchers®. Lunch is always a big disappointment because I never have anything interesting in the house and I can’t afford time-wise (or money-wise) to run out to pick up something outside the house. Sandwiches are easy to make with these sandwich thins and flatbreads. I usually have some kind of leftover chicken at home and it’s so easy to whip up some chicken salad for lunches.

My daughter loves the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins. They are an excellent source of fiber and are only 3 SmartPoints® per roll. They also come in Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat, and Flax & Fiber.

I am a big fan of the Flatout® Flatbread. I love the Light Original variety that is also high in protein and fiber. These also are fabulous for making breakfast burritos when you are short on time and need to take something on the go.

Lunches have definitely become easier (and better tasting) since I’ve been stocking up on these.

And as a treat, Weight Watchers also endorses some of my favorite snacks.

I admit it… I’m a snacker. I love that I can grab a 100 calorie bag of JOLLY TIME® Healthy Pop® Popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers®. Only 3 SmartPoints® and it’s also Non-GMO and gluten-free. Each bag is just the right amount for a healthier snack… and you won’t over-eat since you aren’t making one of those huge bags that feed an entire family.

And after dinner, we all grab Giant Fudge Weight Watchers® Ice Cream Novelties. They are made from low-fat milk and are lower SmartPoints® value per serving than regular ice cream.

I’m so glad Weight Watchers is making it easy for me to lead a balanced lifestyle. With products, support, and amazing recipe ideas, there really is no excuse to not look and feel your best. Have you tried Weight Watchers products lately? What is your favorite?

Follow Weight Watchers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn more about their program and products.

family parenting

The GenZ Social Summit is Coming!

I am so proud to announce that the GenZ Social Summit is coming to Great Wolf Lodge on May 6, 2018. This has been a long time coming and the brainchild of my business partner, Laura Filipowicz. We both have children who fall right in with Generation Z and it’s about time they had an event (what we’re calling the un-conference) just for them to learn about social media and entrepreneurship.

We live in a world where our kids are growing up with technology. It’s second nature to them. There are too many reports out there on the dangers of playing video games, watching too much YouTube, and cyberbullying. We are aiming to show our new generation that social media and technology can be used safely and prominently for great things: amplifying your voice on the causes important to you, creating your own business, learning from others, and teaching others. Social media isn’t going away so it’s time to start empowering our kids with all the positive possibilities of the medium.

We are so fortunate that Great Wolf Lodge saw the benefit in this as well and have come on as our Title Sponsor. If you haven’t been to Great Wolf Lodge yet, this is a great opportunity to experience the property. The event is open to tweens and teens (ages 8 – 16) and their parents. The kids will be able to learn from social media experts as well as their entrepreneurial peers. If your child is interested in building their own business, or just using social media for creating positive connections, you’ll want to grab your ticket before we are sold out.

Please let me know if you are coming and need further information.

parenting

The Big College Decision

The emotional roller coaster that has been known in our house as the “Big College Decision” has been going on for quite some time. I’ve tried to keep things under wraps as much as possible since this is really my daughter’s story to tell. But, since she isn’t online much and doesn’t have a blog or Facebook account, she’s graciously allowed me to share some tidbits of what we’ve all been going through the past 6 months.

Temera was one of the lucky ones – she’s known what she wanted to major in for a long time. For teens who really don’t have any idea of what type of career they want, I can image this is an incredibly difficult decision. Having a direction has made things a bit easier, for sure.

The Process

Knowing what you want to study and looking around at different school options early was the key for her. I think she started researching schools when she was a sophomore. Why so early? For one very specific reason: she needed to know what the high school requirements were for getting into each school. I honestly think this is a step that a lot of kids (and parents) miss. For instance, some colleges she applied to required 2 years of a language. Other schools required 3 years. Some schools required 2 years of science, others required 3. When it comes to creating your high school schedule, you don’t want to be caught off-guard not having taken the required courses to even be able to apply to a college.

Applications

Temera started a spreadsheet for all the schools she was interested in (okay, maybe I helped a little with that). She entered information like application deadline, required high school courses, tuition and total fees including room & board, acceptance rate, etc. Being able to compare everything at once was invaluable. We all looked at it often.

The other thing that helped her was applying early. As soon as the applications were released, she applied. This gave her a huge jump on not having to stress over filling out applications during her senior year. She applied for most of them before she even started school, and maybe a few in early September. By that time, all she had to do was wait and she wasn’t stressing out over having to do applications in December like so many of her friends.

The College Tour

It’s kind of a right of passage, but I know there are a lot of families who just can’t afford traveling all over the country to check out colleges. If you can swing it, it is really important. For us, we started early (junior year) and made a plan for when we would go to each school. For Amanda (a sophomore this year) we are already taking her to one of her college choices this year because we’ll be nearby and it makes sense not to have to spend the money for another trip there next year. If you are near a school that your student might be interested in… go visit. Doesn’t matter if they are only a freshman.

Sign up for an official tour through the college. That way, they will have your name on record. I am convinced that the only way I got into my first choice school back when I was applying was because I visited the school, met with an advisor, and took a tour. If it comes down to you and another student who didn’t visit the school… you want to have that advantage.

The Big Decision

This was NOT an easy decision for Temera. She genuinely liked all the schools she applied to. I tried to help her go through her list of pros and cons but I also suggested she just close her eyes and picture herself living on each campus. I gave her some suggestions on what to consider when making her selection.

Location – would she be happy with the distance from home, weather, big city vs. small city
Coursework – take a look at the actual class schedule for all 4 years and make sure the classes align with your desired career field
Transportation – might not be a deciding factor, but know if you’ll be able to have a car on campus, where the airport and train stations are, is there a bus system, how far is the walk to classes from the dorms
What will you do when you have free time – is there a shopping center, mall, movie theater, local restaurants nearby
What does the job placement center look like – do they actually help place graduates in your specific major with good jobs
Does the school have features you want – study abroad opportunities, on-campus jobs, ability to take some “fun” classes
Cost! – will this be an affordable choice and were you offered scholarships, grants, student loans

She ended up narrowing her choices down a little bit and FINALLY made her decision. I know it wasn’t easy for her but she is excited… we are excited… her sisters are excited. I know she made the right choice for HER.

TIPS:

Don’t leave it up to your school counselor to send your transcripts. Check with them on a regular basis to make sure they do it! And check with the college to make sure they received it. I’ve seen too many kids whose first choice of college never got the transcript. It is your child’s responsibility to check.
When it comes to recommendation letters… ask early! You want to get a jump on that before every kid in the class asks.
Apply early – get the applications out of the way so you don’t have to stress during your senior year.
Visit the schools if at all possible.
Weight your pros and cons and take your time.
After you make your decision, sit with it over a weekend and if you still think you made the right choice, go and shout it from the rooftops.

parenting

Girls Who Inspire

I spent the last weekend in Spokane, Washington at a robotics tournament. It was not the kind of thing I would have ever expected I would be doing, much less enjoying. Relishing, actually. After a lifetime focusing on anything NOT having to do with STEM, I have a daughter who lives for it. Her all-girl robotics team just won the top competition award, the Inspire Award, at the Western Regional Championship. That promotes them to the World Championship in Houston next month.

This was the 2nd year in a row that they won this award. Inconceivable. It was a first for the competition that the same team won twice in a row. It just doesn’t happen.

What IS the Inspire Award?

From firstinspires.org:

This judged award is given to the Team that embodied the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program. The Team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST Team. This Team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other Teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the Playing Field. This Team shares their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other Teams, sponsors, their community, and the Judges. Working as a unit, this Team will have showed success in performing the task of designing and building a Robot.

Required criteria for the Inspire Award:

Team shows respect and Gracious Professionalism® to everyone they meet at a FIRST Tech Challenge event.
Team is a strong contender for several other Judged awards. The Inspire Award celebrates the strongest qualities of all the Judged Awards.
The Team is an ambassador for FIRST programs. They demonstrate and document their work in their community.
Team is positive and inclusive, and each Team member contributes to the success of the Team.
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook. The Engineering notebook must include an Engineering section, a Team section and a Business or Strategic Plan. The entire Engineering Notebook must be high quality, thoughtful, thorough, detailed and well organized.
Robot design is creative and innovative, and the Robot performs reliably on the field. Team communicates clearly about their Robot design and strategy to the judges.
Team presentation is professional and engaging.

These girls are the best of the best – they embody all that FIRST stands for. We’ll be up against some of the best teams in the world in Houston, but it doesn’t matter. They’ve already won just by winning a spot at the championship for the 2nd year in a row.

Help me cheer them on – in the competition and in their paths in life. I can’t wait to see where these girls will be in 10 years.

family parenting

FIRST Robotics and Girls in STEM

I never thought I’d be an advocate for girls in STEM, but here I am.

On Saturday, February 24, this all-girl team won the FIRST Tech Challenge Los Angeles Regional Championship out of 50 of the best teams this division has to offer. And Los Angeles has a pretty stellar pool of robotics teams.

This isn’t something I ever would have thought a child of mine would be involved in but it has completely changed Amanda’s life.

A little about FIRST Robotics

There are 4 different programs
- FIRST Lego League Jr. (for kids 6 – 10)
- FIRST Lego League (for grades 4 – 8)
- FIRST Tech Challenge (for grades 7 – 12)
- FIRST Robotics Competition (for grades 9 – 12)
The difference between the FIRST Tech Challenge (that Amanda is in) and FIRST Robotics is the size of the robot. FIRST Tech builds smaller-scale robots, usually 18″ x 18″, and FIRST Robotics builds industrial size robots.
There are teams all over the world. Amanda’s team mentors several foreign teams.
There are division competitions and Inter-League competitions. If you make it past the Inter-League competition, you compete in the Regional Championship. Those that promote from the Regional Championship head to the Western Regional (this year in Spokane, WA). From the Western Regional, the winners will go on to the World Championship. The World Championship gets divided into different regions so you aren’t actually competing against the entire World. Our region will be held in Houston, Texas and will have teams from the United States and many foreign countries.

Each year there is a challenge that is created by the FIRST Tech Challenge Committee and each team is required to build their robot to perform certain tasks in the challenge. It takes design skills, mechanical skills, and programming skills to follow the robotic rules as well as be able to actually perform the tasks. The teams don’t have a lot of time either. They get their challenge for the new season in September and first competitions begin in November.

So, how did we get here?

Two years ago, we took Amanda to a presentation at a local high school given by several women who worked at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory – NASA). The talk was interesting as we learned what each woman’s position was in the company and what their background was. But the talk wasn’t nearly as eye-opening as when Amanda saw a small team of girls demonstrating their robot. She was hooked. She said to us, “That’s what I want to do.” And we signed her up.

Her first year being involved, the team went all the way to the World Championship. We are hoping for the same this year. It’s been such an incredible opportunity for her and it’s a program that teaches life skills, not just robotics skills. She is hoping to major in mechanical engineering in college and work in the animatronics field.

The beauty of this program is that there are so many areas you can explore. You don’t have to want to be an engineer, or even want to study robotics, to get something valuable out of being a part of FIRST. Just like we learned from the JPL event, there is a need for women in all aspects of STEM – sure, science and math are important, but JPL, for instance, needs graphic designers and video experts and lawyers and human resource experts.

Why you should be involved in FIRST Robotics

You learn skills that might not be taught in school such as
- Speaking skills
- Design and building
- Coding and CAD
- Engineering
Gracious Professionalism
Access to FIRST scholarships for college
Opportunity to meet other kids from all over the world
The ability to meet engineering professionals

If you think your daughter, or a young girl you know, would be interested in learning more (and possiblity joining a local team), I’d be happy to put you in touch with someone who can provide more information. There are existing teams all over the country and many more new teams forming. I’d also encourage you to come out to one of the competitions and experience the program for yourself. It could be a turning point in your child’s life.