How to Write a Letter to the Editor - A Mom's Guide
Have something you want to share with the world? Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper is an easy and effective way to make your voice heard. And, it doesn’t have to be intimidating!
Here are a few tips and tricks for writing an effective letter that will make a difference.
1. Know Your Audience
Before you start writing, think about who you are writing for. What kind of people read your local newspaper? What topics would they be interested in? Does the paper have any particular areas of focus or interest? These types of questions will help you hone in on what kind of content will resonate with your readers.
2. Be Concise
Letters to the editor are usually short and sweet - somewhere between 150-300 words ( about 3 paragraphs) is usually best. Get right to the point. Don’t waste any time with lengthy introductions or digressions. The goal here is clarity, not eloquence; stick to your main point from beginning to end and keep it concise!
3. Be Specific
If you can back up your opinion with facts and figures, do so! Include specific examples whenever possible to demonstrate why you feel strongly about a particular issue or situation. This will help make your letter more convincing and draw the reader in, especially if other readers share similar experiences or opinions. Share a quick personal example of why you feel this way.
4. Have a great headline
Grab attention by writing a headline that immediately hooks the reader. Make it short but straight to the point and speaks to your passion on the subject you are writing about.
5. Pay attention to tone
What is your tone of voice? Are you feeling angry, mindful, emotional, witty, funny, frustrated?
6. Good and bad news
No matter how frustrated or angry you may feel about the topic, try and share good news also. Be sure and thank the paper for including your letter and for shedding light on the topic.
7. Legislators often read them
Be mindful that your letter and opinion may be read by legislators. They often read local newspapers from across the State to see how their community members feel about issues which could then influence their legislation and votes on bills.
Writing letters to the editor doesn't have to be daunting - even for busy moms! By keeping these tips in mind, you can easily craft an effective letter that resonates with readers and helps get your message across in a clear and concise manner. So go ahead - write that letter! You never know what kind of impact it may have on those around you. Remember, your voice IS powerful and it is needed.
You've got this mama!
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5 simple ways to ditch the toxic and save your health
Does the thought of going through your home or space and looking for the toxic yuck have you completely overwhelmed? Oh friend, I so understand.
6 years ago, I was in this boat. I had no idea how to even start or where to begin. Quite frankly I didn't even realize what was in my house. I had no idea that I had many toxic products lurking in my home, under my sinks and in my cabinets that were actually harming me and my family. I never thought about how I was feeling or put two and two together, that what was in my home may be the cause of how I was feeling. Exhausted all the time. Unfocused. Out of it. Sick all the time. It seemed every time I turned around, I was catching something else. A bad flu, a cold, headaches.. I had walking pneumonia in 2014. I knew I had to change what I was putting on and in my body but I had no idea where to start.
I started making small changes and began replacement buying. I was spending my money on things that were hurting me when I could spend that money instead on products that would actually help my body and support my immune system instead. One ingredient products. Cleaner, more pure, organic products. Without GMOs, pesticides, parabens and so many other ingredients I could barely pronounce or name. I started room by room, space by space. It starts slowly. This is a journey and take heart friend, it is ongoing. We never "arrive" at perfection. It's about doing the best you can with what you have. Each and every day.
Why is it important to make these switches? Absorbing toxic chemicals can be so damaging to your health. They disrupt your hormones and can wreak havoc on your body. They cause immune issues. The can make it hard to focus and have mental clarity. They cause emotional disturbances. They can cause allergic reactions and things like asthma, exzema, skin issues. They cause cancer, nerve damage, blindness, fertility issues. They can affect learning and development.
Here are 5 easy ways to switch things out:
1) Start with your cleaner. Thieves cleaner is less than $1.00 per capful to refill all purpose bottle that'll last you months! Thieves cleaner is made of ingredients that will support your immune system rather than suppress it and it is totally safe for kids and babies! As they play on the floor or touch the countertops, you'll have peace knowing they are not absorbing toxic chemicals into their bloodstream. It is has saved our family so much money too.
2) Foaming hand soaps, Thieves detergent. All you need is a little. It is highly concentrated! Dilute it and it costs just .46 cents a load!
3) Next, switch out your deodorants, toothpaste, sanitizers, mouthwashes, shampoos, conditioners. I use Young Livings deodorant and it'll last me anywhere from 3-5 months. It cost the same as the store ones but lasts way longer and has no aluminum.
4) Supplements: Switch to YL's oil infused supplements that are so much better for you. Store supplements may have gmo ingredients which defeats the whole purpose of taking them for your health. There is no comparison.
5) Use Oils instead of reaching for the Over the counter products. It is really a mindset shift. Oils have been used for thousands of years and are Gods gift to us! Over the years, with heavy marketing, these companies that sell drugs have made us believe that treating our symptoms is keeping us "healthy" when in fact they do not heal at all. They do not address the root cause or heal the cell. They simply mask the symptoms. There is definately a need for modern health care but oils can be an easy toolkit and resource for the day to day things that pop up and just supporting your wellness as a whole.
Making the switch is so important. Just start with ONE. One room or ONE product. One at a time. You've got this, mama!
Please let me know how I can help or support you in this journey of kicking chemicals out.
I promise, it is worth it.
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7 ways to Detox your home
Ditch those Chemicals: Cleaning Supplies, hand soaps, air fresheners, dryer sheets, personal care and anything else lurking in your cabinets could be really harming you. Cut your losses and get those bottles of carcinogens out of their house. Take it room by room.
Diffuse. Oils like Purification, Thieves, Peppermint, Peace and Calming, Stress Away or YOUR favorite oils. Diffusing freshens and purifies your rooms, neutralizes airborne particles and odors, supports oxygen levels, strengthens your immune systems. Getting oils into your cells helps combat oxidative stress on your body.
Ditch the candles: Your diffuser gives a gentle glow without the chemicals, including heavy metals in the wicks, The wax is full of toxins, synthetic fragrance and petroleum ( not good at all for your lungs).
Use Baking soda & Active Charcoal: These naturally absorb odors. Put a bowl out with 10 drops of oil in a laundry room, refrigerator, nursery, shoe closet, etc.
Get a car diffuser; Air fresheners are full of chemicals- yuck! Cars also off-fume a whole bunch of manufacturing chemicals so you can counteract those.
Bring in the plants: Mother Nature is boss! Living plants purify the air and look pretty. Put LIVE plants all over the house and love them well, they’ll clean the air in return. Fake plants are havens for dust mites and allergens. Ditch ‘em.
Air out the house: Your circulated indoor air is 5-7x more toxic than fresh air so get it out of your house routinely.
* thank you to the Mom who shared this online. I cannot find her name again but credit goes to her!
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Recipe Name
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup spinach, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Dice the pepper into small pieces. Stack the spinach leaves, roll them up, and slice them thin. (This method is called chiffonade.) Add the peppers, spinach, and shredded cheddar to the egg mixture.
- Grease a muffin tin (cooking spray, melted butter, or melted coconut oil) and fill cups ¾ full of the egg mixture.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes until centers are set/firm. Can test doneness with a toothpick.
- To store in the refrigerator: Allow egg cups to cool completely. Stack gently in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Re-heat in the microwave approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute or until hot.
- To store in the freezer: Allow egg cups to cool completely. Wrap each egg cup individually with plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top bag. Store in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw egg cups in refrigerator overnight, remove plastic wrap, then re-heat in the microwave 45 seconds to 1 minute OR remove plastic wrap and re-heat in microwave until thawed and heated through.
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Hey mama,
Is it pouring down rain today and the kids are going crazy? Your sanity is slipping and you just need some ideas that will help them have fun and also learn some new skills? Here are some!
1) Cook something..
Is there an easy recipe that has simple ingredients you could bring out where your kids could do it on their own? My son loves making mini pizzas using pita bread, shredded cheese, pepperoni and sauce. There are many great websites with kids recipes and we all know Pinterest is FULL of 'em! You can also find great recipes for slime and playdough.
2) Build forts..
Blankets, pillows, tape, string, rugs, comforters, tables and chairs... these all can be used to build forts. Make tunnels into different rooms! They might even bring a book in there and start reading. :)
3) Dance..
Throw on some silly music and dance. Make up your own dances! It'll get those wiggles out, get them to laugh, help them relax and maybe even lead to a nap. Even dancing to household chores makes them that much more fun.
4) Play games..
There are so many great games. Or why not make your own game? Use what you have! Obstacle courses, hopscotch, craft stuff, make costumes with the clothing they have and really get creative. It doesn't take much to throw a makeshift game together :)
5) Bring out all the toys and decide what you can sell or purge. This can be a family effort and the money they can make they get to spend on something they want. Win, win! Who has the most toys they are selling or donating? Make it a contest!
6) 10 questions: Ask them made up questions to get them thinking. What is their favorite... ?
They can draw pictures of their favorite things or create a mini magazine of all of their favorite things.
7) Gifts: They can get a jump start on holiday gifts by getting the craft supplies out! Paint, draw, write...
8) Backyard scavenger hunt: rainy days are perfect for exploring the backyard for rocks, leaves, worms, twigs.. you can make some neat projects out of these things. They can find a certain number of one item and practice their math skills too.
9) Popcorn and movie time: Is there a new release out that you haven't seen yet?
10) DIY craft videos: You can learn so many new fun crafts by watching quick DIY videos. Many of these crafts you can do with stuff around the house or dollar store items.
Have fun!
xo erika
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