Social Mom Product Review: Pat the Beastie, written by Henrik Drescher

Pat the Beastie by Henrik Drescher is now a favorite read in my house. My boys, who are 5 and 3, were attracted to this unique storyline from the minute they opened to the first page. It’s a modern day take on Pat the Bunny, written by Dorothy Kunhardt, which we had been told by our pediatrician to read every day to my oldest when he was a baby.

Paul and Judy, two wide eyed mischievous kids, basically torture Beastie, which at first, caused me to question the message in the book. However, in the end, nothing good comes from Paul and Judy’s behavior and as punishment for making Beastie suffer, they end up being eaten by Beastie. While the message was delivered in an interesting way, the underlying significance of the lesson learned is clear: YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE or WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND or the ever popular, TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. I did feel better knowing that Beastie’s friends were on the sidelines of each page sticking up for Beastie, warning Paul and Judy, and the reader, what could happen if Beastie continued to be mistreated.

What I like about this book is the interaction the boys can have with it. Each page allows them to participate in the story, for example, pulling Beastie’s hair, jiggling Beastie’s eyes, tickling his feet, playing peekaboo with Beastie and the absolute favorite, pulling Beastie’s worm boogers (see picture). Every night, when I ask the kids what book they want to read before bedtime, they respond with Pat the Beastie. Henrik Drescher clearly understands how to create a successful children’s book!

Written by Ellie Hirsch, founder of Mommy Masters and Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine Social Mom (http://www.mommymasters.blogspot.com)

Sock Sac Review by Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine's Social Mom, Ellie Hirsch

I was so excited to receive the Sock Sacs for review, since I have had such issues with losing the kid’s socks in the laundry. There has got to be some secret place where all the random socks go…I just haven’t figured out where that is exactly? Until I do, my Sock Sacs will be my new solution!

The Sock Sacs is very light and not too big, which is perfect for a load of laundry. Once the socks are placed in the mesh bag, there is not only a zipper but a snap to keep the contents secure. When I took the bag out of the dryer, it was in perfect condition and all socks were still on board. I am not 100% convinced though that these socks were as clean as if they had been washed along with the rest of the laundry. I mention this, because there was a pair of socks that I missed that didn’t make it into the Sock Sacs and they smelled much fresher than the pairs in the bag. Even so, it was pretty exciting to be able to match every pair of socks in my son’s laundry for once.

In the end, I will be giving Sock Sacs a thumbs up because it is going to make my life easier, and as a mother, we need all the help we can get! FYI, I am thinking of making hand puppets with all my existing singletons, whom after 3 months of sitting by their lonesome selves, have yet to be reunited with their partners.

About the Author:

Written by Ellie Hirsch, Founder of Mommy Masters and Tampa Bay Parenting Social Mom (http://www.mommymasters.blogspot.com)

‘I Hate My Job, But What Can I Do About It?’ Expert Reveals How to Change Your Career By Adding A Little Soul

The late comedian George Carlin once said, “Do you hate your job? Sorry to hear that. There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar!”
As a consultant on employee engagement to major healthcare companies, Melissa Evans understands that feeling well. Her solution to it, however, is a little “uncorporate.”

“It’s a fact that most people don’t like their jobs,” said Evans, also author of Sole to Soul: How to Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It (www.soletosoulbook.com).

“According to a recent survey published by Time Magazine, fewer than half of American workers – 45 percent – are satisfied with their jobs. This is the lowest percentage since 1987. Gallup reported that this phenomenon also hurt businesses in a significant way. Companies with large numbers of dissatisfied workers experience greater absenteeism and lower productivity. These workers create a turnover rate of 51 percent. Can you imagine working at a company, or trying to run one, that loses half its staff every year?”

That turnover isn’t just from firing or layoffs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people who quit their jobs from June 2010 through October 2010 was actually larger than the number of people who lost their jobs. Gallup says all these disengaged employees cost the U.S. economy upwards of $370 billion annually. Evans believes that one key way to turn this around is for employees to look inward before they look outward.

Her solution is for workers to get in tune with potential careers and job choices that plug into their passions as a person. She suggests people ask themselves the following questions:

What do you want? – In an economy that is dicey at best, it seems like it’s a luxury to only consider the jobs you really want, even if they are in a field in which you may have to start over from the bottom. However, consider the alternative: bouncing from bad job to bad job, hoping the next one will be better than the last, when the real problem may be that you just aren’t doing anything you’re passionate about.

How do you want to feel? – There is a vast difference between getting up in the morning excited about the day and waking up in the morning with a knot in the pit of your belly, anxious about having to go back to a workplace you can’t stand anymore.

Why should you change course? – If what you’ve been doing hasn’t worked so far, logic dictates you change what you’re doing. My best advice is to find something that drives your spirit and your intellect and pursue that, before it becomes too late for you to fulfill your dreams.

“The first thing most people do when they don’t like their job is to look for another one,” she said. “While that’s valid, I have to question the wisdom of running from a bad job as opposed to pursuing a good one. The problem is, most dissatisfied employees identify a good job as one that simply pays a little more and is not where they currently work. A good job, a good career, is far more than that.”

About Melissa Evans

Melissa Evans, MHA, PMP, Master Coach, self-made millionaire at age 31 and “The Guru of Implementation,” founded The Broshe Group in 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. With her focus on the healthcare industry, Evans helped numerous companies improve patient care, safety and service while growing profits. Her privately-held company serves clients worldwide.