DECEMBER 2011 & JANUARY 2012: Happy Winter Holiday & Happy Winter Break!

We can all be proud and glad that we're about to complete a whole semester of college.

What an exciting journey.

Exciting, and exhausting at times.

So...

HAPPY WINTER HOLIDAYS, HAPPY NEW YEAR & HAPPY WINTER BREAK TO EVERYONE!

Chat with you all at the beginning of February 2012!

Take care,
Danielle

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

NOVEMBER 2011: Dorm table to family dining table – Happy Thanksgiving!

Though the following video may be geared more toward young children…I know that we are all still little kids at heart!

And, the message rings true no matter what age we are.

I hope everyone has a fun and yummy Thanksgiving Holiday!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Danielle

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

OCTOBER 2011: Scheduling “Me-Time” on campus

Photo Copyright: reallifecoaching.net

Hey Fellow College Girls ~ Happy October!

Roughly two months of college life down...and, we thought high school was busy -- lol! 

Hopefully, we're all remembering to add personal care a.k.a. p-a-m-p-e-r-i-n-g to our busy schedules because it’s so important that we take care of ourselves so we can get everything done…

That means we should be making time for "Me Time" by:

- fussing over and tending to our hair (this means sticking with our weekly routines for deep conditioners, etc.)

- giving ourselves manicures and pedicures, or just soaking our tired feet after walking all over campus

- wash/clean our clothes so we continue looking like our own style of "fashionista" on campus 

- keeping our rooms neat and clean so we can think and study in a clean environment

- staying healthy and exercising daily

- being still, praying, meditating, just thinking and dreaming of the future

All of these things can help us stay happier, more focused, and more energetic. And, they really don't take a lot of time.

So girls, make sure you schedule “Me-Time” into your Smartphone with a reminder notification for every single day…even if your personal time can only last for 10-20 minutes.

Those 10-20 minutes will make you feel like a new person.

Remember, we are very important people with very important futures ahead of us so we need to be healthy in mind, body, spirit, and soul so we can do what we need to do.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Danielle

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

SEPTEMBER 2011: Quick, healthy dorm room breakfast ideas



Photo Copyright:  http://thehealthyapron.com/



Congratulations!

For many of us, it’s already been some weeks since the first day of our college journey! I hope everyone is having a great time and enjoying the experience.

By now, you might be wrapped up in just a little stress trying to fit in good balanced meals everyday (more specifically, breakfast!)

According to the Mayo Clinic, breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and helps with three main things:

1. Reduced hunger throughout the rest of the day (you won’t feel the need to eat too much during the day).

2. Healthy choices (breakfast adds to a very healthy diet and lifestyle).

3. Gives you a large boost of energy (you will have an easier time staying awake and alert during classes and study sessions even if you had to stay up late studying the night before).

Since it might be a bit hard to race to the cafeteria before an early class to get breakfast, consider making your own healthy breakfast.

I’ve found that making my own healthy fruit smoothies is extremely helpful when you have a really hectic schedule.

And, it takes only about 10 minutes!!!

All you do is:

1. The night before, pre-cut different kinds of fresh fruit into cubes or slices 2. Put the fresh fruit cubes/slices in a single Ziploc baggie and store in your dorm room refrigerator

3. In the morning, add the cut fruit and some natural fruit juices to a blender (sometimes you may decide to also add milk if you want the smoothie to have a slightly thicker texture)

4. Press the "blend" button on the blender and wait until the mixture turns into a liquid

Then, I fill my thermos with some ice, and pour the blended mixture in before enjoying a delicious and healthy Breakfast Fruit Smoothie!

The smoothie keeps me full until lunchtime! And since it’s made with fresh fruit and natural fruit juices (and/or milk) it’s very healthy.

You’ll probably have some leftover smoothie mix when you first blend it -- this extra mixture can be kept in your dorm refrigerator for the next morning!

And, if you really want to stay organized and on top of your busy schedule, think about preparing the baggies of fruit on the weekend, labeling the five bags for each day of the week, and storing the baggies in the fridge until you need them for your daily breakfast!

Also, be fearless when combining different kinds of fruit. I’ve tried different combinations and learned that practically any type of fruit combo tastes delicious.

Good luck making your smoothies. Enjoy breakfast every day and stay healthy!

***If you'd like to share other healthy, quick, and easy dorm room breakfast ideas please leave comments below ~ thanks***

Danielle

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

AUGUST 2011: What’s in your closet?



http://www.modelinia.com/blog/

 It’s finally time! The time to really start thinking about college preparation.

But before you get too excited and race to the nearest mall to buy fashionable clothes for your “totally new college wardrobe” …think again!

First, look in your current closet and sort through your entire wardrobe. You might find things you’ve never worn, or pieces that would serve as great basics.

Then, BE CREATIVE!

Try to create some cute outfits with the clothes you already have.

Use fashion magazines that promote creativity and individuality such as Seventeen or Teen Vogue to get fresh and trendy ideas about how to give your existing wardrobe a boost by simply mixing and matching items you never would have combined on your own.

After this process, you’ll have the start of a whole new college wardrobe!

And you will have an inventory of all of the clothing items you currently have and a good idea of any items you absolutely need to purchase -- for a good and reasonable price of course!

Whatever you do, make sure your personality shines through by the outfits you put together!

Good luck in your first college semester!!!

Danielle
College Student


Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Tying up last-minute loose ends



Image: http://www.myemailreminders.com/



Our college checklists are just about done, and remind us about the “essentials” we need to go in our college dorm rooms – CHECK!

Time to tie up some last-minute reminders!

ü  Remember to hang out with family and friends a lot this summer, and takes lots of pics and videos of some great memories – CHECK!

ü  Remember to “Spring Clean” closets and shelves and store or give away things that haven’t been used in over one year – CHECK!

ü  Remember to thank our parents everyday just because – CHECK!

ü  Remember to work on any remaining college scholarship applications so they get sent out before college courses start – CHECK!

ü  Remember to watch favorite DVDs…or VHSs for 90s throwbacks like “The Lion King” (Hakuna Matata!!!) as many times as possible over the summer; and memorize every song and line of the movie since that’s sure to bring smiles to our faces when things get overly busy and maybe a little overwhelming in college – CHECK!

Hakuna Matata,  Fellow High School Graduates!!!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Dorm room decorating days



Image: Clipartguide.com



Whether graduating in May or June, how to decorate a college dorm room is on our minds.

Hookupyourdormroom.com is a great site I found to help high school seniors make a checklist of “essential” dorm room items since we can’t take our entire room and everything in it to college with us (Aw man! Lol!)

 Another thing we may all be thinking about is sharing that dorm room with a roommate we may really be meeting for the first time.

Check out this good advice from hookupyourdormroom.com:

http://www.hookupyourdorm.com/sharing-with-a-roommate.html

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Sometimes life is like a three-ring circus



Photo Copyright: Associated Press Images



Some days things go so hilariously wrong it’s comical.

Like the day I almost fell getting off the bus on the way to school because my bags blocked my view…

How, you ask, were my bags blocking my view? I don’t know…

Then, I had to take down decorations for one of the student leadership groups I belong to; and of all days, the person I usually team with to do these kinds of things was absent…

There I was rolling the not-big-enough and very loud screeching cart down the hallway as teachers looked at me as if I had a big red nose on my face. Geez…

And, I got to a door, which I had to open by myself for myself since my teammate was absent, you remember…

And, the cart wouldn’t fit through the doorway…

Then everything fell off the cart…

And I had to hurry to pick everything up before somebody saw
me fumbling around like a clown with a big red nose on my face…
Brother…

Yep.

Some days life is just like a three-ring circus.

On those days, I just put my imaginary big red nose on my face and
laugh at myself before someone else gets a chance to laugh at me…

In a weird kind of way that actually makes things a lot easier to
deal with on days when “MY circus is in town…”

LOL!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Time to be independent, Girls!



Here's a throwback to the 90s: Destiny's Child sent a clear message to all of us girls to BE WHO WE ARE and "Show Our Independence!"

That's not to say we don't need people to help us in life, but there are some things we're capable of doing on our own.

It's time to be independent, Girls!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Welcome!

Thank you for following our blog since 2009!

Starting today "LifelineExtensions ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective" blog will publish monthly on this site.

"A Teen Girl's Perspective" articles are written to help teens deal with common, everyday teen issues, so write to let us know what you'd like to read about.

Have a good weekend!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

CONGRATULATIONS ~ You've been accepted to college! ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective



missabbottswkhsblog.blogspot.com





CONGRATULATIONS!  You've been accepted to  college!

Once we get over the excitement and emotions, it's time to focus on how to pay for a college education.

But, don't worry because we are not in this alone.

There are tons of foundations and organizations that offer scholarships for high school seniors on their way to college just like us.

Two great resources that will help us tap into the plethora of scholarships and financial aid available are:  Fastweb.com and Collegeboard.com.

High school guidance counselors are also terrific resources we can utilize to find out more information and have questions answered about scholarships and the college preparation process, in general.

There is money out there to help with college, and it's just waiting for us to find it. 

We just have to use our time wisely and take action quickly so that we can obtain as much money as possible as soon as possible.

Happy Scholarship Searching!

Written by:

Danielle M. Biggs

High School Senior who is college bound & continuing to work hard to get there!

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org. "Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Senioritis…what is that nowadays??? ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective

Copyright: PhotoXpress.com

There is something called “Senioritis” that can occur during a person’s senior year of high school.

Definition (mine -- J):  Senioritis – the act of chillaxin’ and relaxin’ during a person’s senior year of high school because that person realizes it is his or her last year of “kid school,” and the year before he or she officially becomes a young adult in college or the workforce.  During the senioritis year, the student stops doing classwork, homework, and all other school-related activities that have anything to do with working hard.

My question is:  WHAT IN THE WORLD IS SENIORITIS NOWADAYS???

Senior year can easily be one of the busiest and most hectic years of a student’s school career:

There is the heavy load of work in Upperclassmen-level classes (especially if they are at the Honors’ or Advanced Placement level), college applications, scholarship applications, fellowship applications, FAFSA, CSS Profiles, letters of recommendation, essays, personal statements, college orientation weekends, pre-planning for college dorm life, driving lessons, driving tests, study sessions, co-curricular activities and practices, spending quality time with family and friends during this last year at home, household chores and responsibilities, and everything else (!).

Who has time to kick back, chillax, relax, and stop working hard?!

It might be better if the 2011 definition of Senioritis went something like this:

Senioritis (2011) – the act of continuing to be disciplined and learning more every day how to balance one’s responsibilities and obligations at home, school, and beyond since this will be an EXPECTATION when he or she enters “the real world” after graduation from high school.  During the senioritis year, the student increases his or her use of the Outlook Calendar, Smartphone reminder, or other device used to signal him or her of upcoming assignments, appointments, events, classwork, homework, and all other school-related activities that have EVERYTHING to do with working hard.

Senior year of high school can be exhausting and sometimes even overwhelming when everything seems to be due at the same time.

But, after we take a breather we have to just pick ourselves up and get “back to the grind” so that we get things done on time and correctly the first time -- if we try to shortcut our way to finish something we’ll only end up using more of our valuable time with the “do-over.”

Trust me on this one…J!

Written by:

Danielle M. Biggs

High School Senior who is college bound & continuing to work hard to get there!

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org. "Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

*The Importance of Just Being Yourself* ~ A TEEN GIRL’S PERSPECTIVE



Copyright--Image Source: http://www.ipad-wallpapers.us/chameleon-ipad-background/

Depending on where a chameleon is, it will change its colors and appearance to fit in with its perpetually changing surroundings. 

It happens so constantly and quickly that the chameleon never actually has time to go back to an original color—since it is always trying to appear as something it’s not. 

Chameleons can be like people-- more specifically like us, teenagers. 

Some of us are as uncertain about ourselves as an ever-changing chameleon. 

Altering who we are simply to fit within the conditions of certain circumstances.

Why do so many teens have such a challenging time just expressing their true selves no matter what others may say or think?

Why do we, one of the most rebellious age groups, find it so hard not to rise above common stereotypes and misjudgments people give us?

Why?

The famous children’s book author, Eric Carle, wrote a book called: The Mixed -Up Chameleon. 

The storybook is about a chameleon that changes its behavior and outer appearance to match that of others around it merely to fit in.

It only sees the perfection in others and the flaws in itself.  It’s blinded to how beautifully unique it actually is. 

After a long time of trying to alter itself to fit the mold of others, the chameleon realizes that being itself is the most natural, most stress-free, most rewarding thing it can be.

Just like the chameleon, many teens, go through a phase entitled, “Lack of self-confidence, and misinterpretation of uniqueness.”  

This phase is common and will remain present until we decide to overcome it.

               

We live in a world where being different and unique is sometimes frowned upon and classified as someone being plain odd and unacceptable.

The challenge of being unique is being able to remain comfortable in your own skin, regardless of any outside opinions.

               

To capture the reward of being yourself means a person has to be able to stay strong at his or her best moment and remain strong at the worst moments. 

This requires that we remind ourselves that we are awesome because we are different; our uniqueness is what makes us vibrantly stand out from everyone else.

It’s much better to be remembered for an outstanding action such as being who we are no matter what, than for just merely fitting in with everyone else and never straying away from the “norm.”

While it will take some getting used to, in the end, being ourselves will give us the most happiness.

So starting now let’s promise to give ourselves what we deserve.  Let’s not let another year pass us by without being our true selves!

2011 will be the year we learn how much better it is just to be comfortable with ourselves. 

It is not anyone else’s year, so let’s not live our lives for anyone else. 

It’s your year, so live it up for you and only you! 

Written by:

Danielle M. Biggs, High School Senior ~ College Bound...

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org. "Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Setting a reasonable goal to make sure 2011 is fantastic ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We all can and should plan to select and set our 2011 goals wisely.
Instead of making a whole bunch of little goals that we may easily forget as soon as January is over, maybe we can try setting just one big goal.

Setting a goal that sums up all that we want to do and accomplish in the upcoming year is a great way to set ourselves up for success.

We can think about where we want to end up by December 2011, and work backwards to see how we can accomplish parts of our goal each month until we get there.

Some teens may set goals like:

Plan to become a better person, refrain from being selfish, prepare for success, try to find their true self, etc.

If we can just stick to our one big goal for 2011, we may be able to look back at the year in December 2011 and be able to smile and feel proud, knowing we have accomplished all that we planned to accomplish!

Happy Goal-Setting!


Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Being thankful ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

During this Thanksgiving season, we can all make sure we really take a look around to see all of the great things we are blessed with.


We will probably start thinking about how thankful we are for great people and things in our lives.

Mainly we can be thankful that we are alive to have new and fun experiences.

We can also be grateful we are heading toward pursuing our dreams and achieving success in our own lives, and because we are about to start really working toward making a difference in other people’s lives as we grow into young adulthood.

This November how about we let people in our lives know we appreciate them.

Here are examples of just who those people might be:

Our parents, guardians, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, godparents, teachers, administrators, school staff, bosses, co-workers, coaches, teammates, close friends, other family members, and anyone else who has a role in our lives.

And, while you are at it: Have a fantabulous Turkey Day! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/. Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Budgeting for school shopping ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

In this recession, asking our parents for money to shop for new school clothes can be very challenging.

Our families are spending more wisely and more carefully.

This means they may not give us the same amount of money they used to give us to shop for new clothes at the start of every school year.

Especially when things like college may be right around the corner.

We cannot forget we will still need to buy the usual school supplies for the different classes we are scheduled to take every year.

This school year, maybe we can start by asking our parents for a little less money than we usually ask for when thinking about buying any new school clothes items.

We can also take a careful look in our closets to see what still fits and would work well to wear to school.

Looking for the best school supply sales and staying away from the more expensive supplies with fancy designs can save lots of cash. The simple designs work just as well.

If we do these simple things, we teens show that we want to do our part to help our families save money and spend less, and spend more wisely.

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee -- Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Maintaining a Flexible Schedule ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

One main thing some teens struggle with is maintaining a flexible schedule.

For many of us, when we receive information about an upcoming certain event, we lock it into our schedules.

Some of us have the mentality that we must attend the event we committed to, no matter what.

In real life outside the four walls of our cozy homes, it is only normal that scheduling curveballs are thrown at us…. sometimes new events come up all of a sudden.

And, sometimes those new events trump our previously scheduled events.

For example, if we had already planned to attend a social event with friends, sometimes family events come up all of a sudden and we just have to bow out of the time we wanted to spend with our friends.

While this can be quite frustrating, we just cannot let last minute schedule changes drive us crazy or ruin the relationships we have with others. They will happen in real life…

As teens, we have to remember to let our schedules remain as flexible as possible at all times.

Things do come up suddenly and we need to be able to adapt our lives to the schedule changes even if it means we will not be doing what we originally thought we would be doing on a given day.

At times when we receive information about events, maybe we can try to make sure we leave some wiggle room for any schedule changes that may come up.

Staying flexible with our schedules is not always easy for teens...but most of us do try.

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Scholarships: One of the keys to true success! ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective...

As Senior Year approaches, many students begin finalizing their college searches.  Narrowing down their lists, looking for the perfect match, trying to find the best school.

The whole process can be quite stressful and can even appear intimidating.  Especially when the issue of the cost of college expenses is thrown in…. some families become full of concern when figuring out how to add the expensive cost of college to their already packed family budgets.

This is where scholarships come in.  The main purpose of a scholarship is to reward students for all the good work they do. Foundations and companies that offer scholarships make enough money to award Scholarship Finalists with money prizes that can help pay for college tuition, books, meal plans…etc.

Usually, all the student has to do is fill out a Scholarship Submission Form and write a short essay about a topic provided by the certain Foundation/Company.  Within months, the foundation/company contacts the student to let them know if they’ve won a grand prize.

It’s really that easy to get money for school!

Scholarship search websites like FastWeb.com allow students to browse through thousands upon thousands of scholarships for High School, College, and Grad School students alike.

So as your time comes to pay for higher education, make sure you apply to numerous scholarships.  Begin researching scholarships, and writing your essays… who knows you might be a scholarship winner!  And if you win, the financial aid from the scholarship can help your family pay for college expenses.  And if this happens, you’ll be on your way to success in no time…

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

The Empty Nest ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective

Photo Copyright:  Rene Corado/WFVZ

The time has finally come when our homes are about to turn into empty nests.

Those teens who are only children will leave behind parents to have the house to themselves.

And those who are older siblings will leave the house to parents and younger kids.

Our homes will never be the same.

The days where our laughter and sometimes cries filled the house have come to an end.

It appears that after college/joining the workforce/joining the armed forces, or whatever road we take; we will hardly ever see our parents and families.

But, we must not let that happen.

Even though we won’t be in the house every day, we must make sure we call, text, e-mail, Facebook, and visit as much as we can.

We cannot afford to lose contact with the people who made us who we are.

They are our refuge, and if we ever need help, they are the ones who will always be there for us.

So as we venture out into the world to start our young adult lives, we must remember our families back at home; and every now and then, we must return back to the nest to catch up and relax with the people who will support us no matter what.

“There isn't a child who hasn't gone out into the brave new world who eventually doesn't return to the old homestead carrying a bundle of dirty clothes.” ~Art Buchwald

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee, Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

A natural transition ~ A Teen Girl’s and Her Mom’s Perspective

                                  Photo: Copyright Sophisticatedafrican.wordpress.com

Why is the word “relaxer” used to refer to adding chemicals to hair that is in its natural state?

After adding chemicals, the hair and its owner are anything but relaxed when it comes to long-term maintenance and styling.

During the weeks, months, or years chemicals are re-added to the hair’s dwindling natural follicles; you see and feel less and less of the authentic texture and grain that was on the head from birth, and more and more of the “relaxed” version of the hair.

Weather, environmental elements and their changes, activity, and sometimes just the finicky nature of a younger or older woman’s chemically altered hair are then added to the mix and make for some extremely challenging times when a girl’s hair just will not do what a girl wants it to do.

Why then, do so many girls and women of color beg to have their naturally curly-coily-kinky hair chemically altered in an attempt to try to make it look just like the hair seen in many advertisements and various media?

The simple answer might be images.

Images that unfortunately can reflect something unnaturally created.

Images that may not mirror what we see when we look into our personal “natural mirrors.”

Images that cost thousands of dollars and just as much if not more of our time and ones that require the use of products that might not be as kind to our health and wellness as natural products can be.

However, when the day finally comes that we muster up enough self-awareness, self-capacity, self-determination, and self-love of our natural images, we eagerly rush to embrace our “natural selves” and our natural hair.

The natural transition from a stress-filled “relaxed” condition of our naturally curly-coily-kinky hair brings with it an abundance of hair versatility, illuminating healthiness, and authentic beauty that human beings are known to enjoy when we encounter the very things of nature.

That is when we can truly relax and begin to love our hair in its natural state.

Co-written by a teen girl and her mom, Danielle M. Biggs & Sharon M. Biggs, both of whom made the bodacious decision to transition from “relaxed” hair back to their natural curly-coily-kinky hair almost six months ago…and, they love every strand of it!

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)