iCandi Loves The Kids

What is “School Away From School”

Your Child is NOT an Option

Candi Loves The Kids

TABLE OF CONTENTS ICandi Spotlight 4 Fashion & Beauty Fashion By R.E.D 5 USING AN ARTIST’S COLOR WHEEL TO CREATE NEW EYE LOOKS 8

Music & Entertainment The Streets Are Talking 10 Dear iCandi 11 Hot vs Hot Mess 12 Bucks with BUX 14 Birthday ShoutOuts 15 Music Review by J. Antoinne 16 Candi Ladies 18 Family & Parenting CO-PARENTING IS MORE THAN CARING FOR THE CHILD 22

The Importance of A Father 25 Your Child is NOT an Option 26 Putting Familt back in FAMILY 28 What is School Awat From School 30 Let’s network 32 Fun Recipies for kids 33

iCandi

Spotlight

Meet Lady R.E.D. Stylist for iCandi Pro R.E.D. has been styling MsiCandi & other member of iCandi pro since 2009 As you can see even those she loves to dre others, she’s not shy when it comes to ge ting dresses herself.

Check out her monthly article in iCandila “Fashion by R.E.D.” Q. How long have you loved fashion?

A. I have loved fashion for as long as I can remember...its ju been my thing even during my tomboy stage Q. What isyour favorite thing about iCandi?

A. My favorite thing about icandi is the hustle and the photo shoots. Its amazing to watch and be apart of Juli living out h dream.

Q. What is the biggest Fashion DONíT that you see peple doi often?

A. Trying to wear the latest trend but its not right for there b type. Like the high low hem shirts if you have a stomach tha not flat make sure the front of the shirt covers ur stomach... #ImJustSaying

Q. When it comes to taking pictures, what goes through your mind as you pose?

A. I gotta kill this shot and Iím fierce, work girl Q. Single or In A Relationship A. Single Q. What do you hope for iCandi in the next 5 years?

A. In the next 5 years I hope to see icandi at the next level a hear icandi radio on a radio station

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Fashion & Beauty

Look #1…Disney fun

L to R: Macy’s Minnie Mouse Tutu dress $11.99, Macy’s Minnie Mouse Leggings $8.99, Disney store red ballet flats $12.50, and Forever 21 bow head band $1.80

Look #2…Spring Chic

L to R: Forever 21 girls tomato color dress high low hem with racer back and exposed blue zipper $13.80, Forever 21 girls striped blue & white denim jacket $20.80, and Justice for girls navy glitter flip flop $12.90

Look #3...Swaged out

L to R: black sweater vest $12, red long sleeve polo style shirt $10, dark stonewashed regular fit jeans, and black and red canvas slip on shoes $10

Entire look came from Oldnavy Kids

USING AN ARTIST’S COLOR WHEEL TO CREATE NEW EYE LOOKS

By Tiffany Ware- Lead Make Up Artist/Founder of CreaTIFF Faces Make Up Artistry

Are you getting bored with your eye looks? Have they become mundane? Are you smokey-eyeing yourself into oblivion?

Here’s some information that might help you amp up your look.

I’ve decided to share with you some info on how to use an artist’s Color Wheel in the application of eyeshadow.

Let’s start at the beginning: The Color Wheel is divided into primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Some color wheels have more shades than these included, and some have less, but it’s all the same concept. For makeup I suggest that you use one that looks like the one I have attached to this post. In this particular Wheel there’s enough shades to play around with, but not too much as to confuse you. Here comes the fun part!

Example 1: Using the color of your eyes as a starting point.

Let’s say your eyes are brown, and you want to do your eyes using two colors. Brown falls into the orange category. In this case, you could pick a color immediately next to it (something in the yellow family, like gold, for example. Or, something in the red family, like a coppery red, or a burgundy. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be the EXACT color, just something along the lines of it). As a second color, pick something directly opposite from it on the Wheel (like an indigo shade, or a pale blue, or even a blue-violet) to complement it. This combination of colors is sure to bring out the color of your eyes!

Example 2: You want to use a color (let’s say green, in this case) but you don’t know what to match it with.

Basically you would use the same strategy; either go up or down in the same line (doing a monochromatic look with different shades of green), pick colors that are right next to it (blues or yellows, to harmonize) or go crazy and pick opposites! In this Wheel, opposite of green are reds and purples.

Keep in mind that neutral colors (black,white, gray, etc.) go with absolutely anything, so you can add these to the mix whenever you want.

Example 3: You are wearing an outfit of a certain color, but don’t want to match your eyeshadow exactly to it.

Again, just choose either a harmonizing shade, or a complementary color.

I find this tool helps a lot for those days in which you are just stumped for ideas, or are unsure of what colors bring out your eyes more, etc. I hope this has helped. The holidays are upon us. Lt’s surprise them with some new “you’s”!

LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!!! ------------->Go try out some new looks and post them on my page using the three examples that I gave you using a color wheel. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE because I feel a contest coming on! Any questions feel free to ask.

CreaTIFF.Faces

Music & Entertainment

The Streets Are Talking

with Ms Mocha (The Gossiping Diva) There has been lots of buzz and controversy about a TLC show called “Toddlers and Tiaras.” This show showcases the competitive world of child pageants; children are judged on beauty, personality and costumes. It follows some mini divas and their attention-starved moms as they prepare to compete. Since its first season premiered, it has delighted and disgusted fans as parents dressed their tots and coached them to act in ways that were deemed not age-appropriate. As I watched episode after episode the same theme that ran rampant in my head was “Are we making our children grow up too fast?” We bombard them with ‘adult’ theme shows and music as early as pre-school. We allow them to witness ‘adult’ activities and don’t even blink a eye. Nowadays you can’t even buy a little girl’s outfit without having it being too grown. The end result is a lot of children not being able to enjoy being a child; instead, they are being thrust into ‘adulthood’ without the skills or the knowledge.

I don’t feel that we should be focusing on this show; we need to get to the root of the issue and it’s our parenting, and what we allow and don’t allow our children to be exposed to. As a parent we are supposed to protect our children, not only from physical harm but emotional and psychological harm also. That being said, are we doing the best we can do to protect our children’s mentalities? Are we being, at the least, the parents our parents were to us, or are we dropping the ball? In the words of the great Whitney Houston, “I believe that children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” Are we teaching them well? By the looks of the shows like “Toddlers and Tiaras,” I would have to say HELL TO THE NAW! If they are going to led by the images and themes that we as a society has thrown out there, they will be a bunch of molly-popping, sex crazed, self absorbed, bottle popping dummies, we are in TROUBLE! Yeah I said it...and y’all should listen to me cause I’m the one to gossip!!

Dear iCandi, I recently discovered that my man has been flirting with another female on Facebook. I approached him about this and he just brushed it off saying it was just Facebook and he doesn’t take it seriously. I ended up reaching out to the girl he was flirting with because their messages back & forth really bothered me. I just informed her of who I was and let her know that he has a girlfriend. This was 4 days ago.

I know she saw the message because Facebook lets you know when messages have been seen but she still hasn’t replied. I feel like she’s ignoring me and it makes me want to find her and DEAL with her.

Have you ever been in this situation? What do you think is the best way to go about it? I really love him and we have a 3 month old together.

Krissy (Miami) Hey Honey!!

Shout out to Miami!!! Okay, let me first ask you: how did you “find out” that he was flirting on Facebook?

I’m assuming you hacked into (or he left it open) his Facebook account. That was your first mistake.

One of the things that is really messing with relationships is the lack of respect for privacy. Unless he invited you to look through his account or willingly gave you the passwords, you should NOT have been going through his Facebook. That was an invasion of his privacy so you’ve already given him a reason not to even acknowledge your complaint. If you watch Law & Order you will know that they throw out evidence that was discovered improperly. Your evidence has already been thrown out of court and the judge has dismissed the case.

Okay, now that I’ve done my little scolding, let’s get back on topic. You found out that he was flirting with another female on FACEBOOK. It’s Facebook. Does she even live in this country? I have personally gotten a lot of Facebook hate mail from women that are upset that their man has “liked” a pic or commented (flirtatiously) on one of my statuses and I don’t even know the guy or he lives across the U.S. somewhere. People should really pick and choose their battles wisely. Not everyone takes this Facebook stuff seriously, but since you said they were actually messaging each other back I’ll move on.

Sending her a message wasn’t really necessary.

She’s not dating you so she doesn’t owe you any loyalty. You need to stick to your man and the father of your child. Another woman doesn’t have to “look out for your best interest”; she’s busy looking out for hers. Maybe she knew about you and didn’t give a damn? Oh well. Maybe she didn’t know about you and after reading your message she was done with it all? It’s possible. The point is she shouldn’t be the person you are concerned about; it’s him. You guys need to have a sit down and really talk about your relationship and needs.

Not because of what you discovered but because there’s some type of lack going on in your relationship. Your focus needs to be on that. Either you two need to work it our or end it and work towards co-parenting your child. Either way, this is between you and him, not the Facebook friend.

Don’t worry that she didn’t message you back; I wouldn’t have either. She didn’t need to anyway.

Be Blessed Krissy

HOT VS HOT MESS Trusting You Man to have a Boys Night Out

Snooping through his things while he’s gone

Playing video games with your woman Ignoring her while you are playing video games. (throw her the 2nd player controller)

SCANDAL!!!

All of these Scandal Reruns that they keep showing!

Bucks with BUX

Taking care of a family can be expensive, but you can overcome anything if you put your mind to it. All it takes is a little bit of time and planning when it comes to running your family. When going to the store have a list and shop with cash. Shopping with a list will help you stick to the items that you already planned on buying; with cash, you have a set amount unlike you do with credit cards or checks. Buy in bulk. For example, instead of buying a 20 oz. soda at a time for $1.39, buy 2 liters for $1.29. Always look for deals in the price per ounce, price per pound, or price per unit, rather than price per container when you comparison shop. All the money that you can safe on the front end you can put aside to do things extra with the family. Family day outings are the best when you don’t have to pay extra money out of pocket. Also remember the big family trip doesn’t have to be to Disney World. Camp with a little creativity, and a little bit of searching will point you in the right direction of places you can camp for free. Pack a cooler, some fun games, and pick an area where you can take your kids on nature walks, sightseeing, bird watching, even insect walking. Remember, it just takes a little planning and a lot can come to light.

May your birthdays be filled with lots of love, laughter, and loot!!!

Enjoy your special days Candies! with lots of love ~MsiCandi`

Happy Birthday to Our March Babies Aaron Bullock 1st Felicia Brockman 3rd Fred Johnson 7th Earl Moe 12th Davi Davis 12th Bobbie Russell 13th Correy Mcdougle 16th Cydnee Worldsluckiestcharm Brown 17th Vernell Anthony Dillingham19th PrythaGreat Brooks 20th Terry Ware Jr 23rd Princess Hearn 24th Ms Mocha 25th Sarah Stockstill 27th Amanda Mayerson 28th Tiffannie Princess Taylor 29th

Visit us online at www.icandipro.com

J.Antoinne’s M

TQ - Legendary Kado, 2013

Avant - Face the Music Mo-B Entertainment, 2013

TQ is probably best known for his song “Westside,” or more so known as a hook person.

As such, he’s never been critically acclaimed or wondered about when it comes to most R&B circles and collections.

This album, unfortunately, will probably continue that trend.

The problem isn’t TQ’s voice; he definitely has a crooner’s voice, lacking any true grit but definitely embodying smoothness, as heard on “Head”, and the problem isn’t the lyrics, as seen on the poignant “California Dreaming.” The problem lies in the production. Most of it sounds like stuff you’ve heard before, and you’ll definitely feel the comparisons to other singers creeping in, as if some of them gave TQ their cutting room floor songs. If some of the production was a little more inspiring, this album would probably be more tenable.

(2 Stars)(D)

Avant has always been a singer that is fairly hit or miss. Between inconsistent albums and waning and waxing popularity, one’s not sure what to expect when he releases an album. It’s that reason that might have people missing out on this, his seventh album, and probably most solid to date.

Between the always perfect collaboration with KeKe Wyatt (when have they released a song together that wasn’t good?) in “You and I”, to even the uptempo “Toast to Love”, Avant has seemingly found his vocal niche. Not to be outdone is some stellar production and awesome harmonies, evident on songs like “Human” and “Your Face,” the latter including a beat that’s definitely worth nodding to and a flow worth remembering.

(4.5 Stars)(A)

Faith Evans - R&B Divas Entertainment One - 2012 Fans of the TV show of the same name were looking forward to this album. Take five “divas” and put them on an album; what more could one want? This album is actually billed as Faith Evans, which isn’t necessarily to her discredit. However, it’s apparent that the strongest songs on this album belong to Evans herself. “Tears of Joy” is a very wonderfully crafted song, as is “Too High for Love”, with its trademark Evans backgrounds. Some of the other songs work here too, like Evans’ live remake of her hit “Soon As I Get Home”, and “Dumb”, and Kelly Price’s rousing “Jesus Loves,” but others end up being too predictable (“Sistafriend”, “She’s Me”) or too unfulfilling (“Mr. Supafly”, “Lovin’ Me”). Plus, “True Colors” uses the exact same arrangement as the unreleased version from the group Queen Project (featuring Price, Deborah Cox, and Tamia).

One can definitely do without this entire album.

(3 Stars)(C)

MUSIC REVIEWS “Where there’s life, there’s music” ~J. Antoinne~ iCandi Productions Tweet - Simply Tweet Dubose Music Group, 2013 Tweet stepped on the scene in 2002 and was grossly overlooked due to the market Don't Miss This!! being indulged with Ashanti at the time.

Those who didn’t sleep on the first album Throwback albums you probably don't have anticipated the sophomore album, which (BUT SHOULD) went largely unnoticed in 2005. Since then, Tweet has released a few songs here and there, and finally, an EP for those that remember her. This EP sets out to do just what it does; reintroduces the mainstream world to the voice that is known as Tweet. It’s not an amazing EP by far, but it definitely serves its purpose. The stellar remake of “Day Dreaming” coos and twists you, especially with the chorus’s minor chords, while “Enough” moves along a steady pitter-patter drum beat. “Sorry” drags just a bit, but if this EP is anticipaMiguel - Kaleidoscope Dream Tweet tory of a full release, it definitely prepares Southern Hummingbird people for it.

Miguel’s second offering con(4 Stars)(A-) tinues the brilliance of the first Tweet’s first album set the tone and takes it up to the nth power. for a wonderful collection of “Adorn” was just the beginning of soulful gems that can certainly an album full of awesomeness, in- stand the test of time. “Mocluding “Arch and Point” and “Do tel” earns its weight in gold, as You...” This album isn’t intended does “Heaven” and even “Best for the kiddies!

Friend” featuring an always on-point Bilal.

Short Story Series Written By Melissa Howe

The Radio SuperStar Sydney Melrose “And make sure you tune in tonight when we answer the question…’Why get married when you can play house?’ This is Sydney Melrose and you’ve been listening to iCandi Radio.” I leaned back in my chair as the ‘On Air’ light flashed off. The phones were still ringing even though my show was over. That’s how it always was. My show was so popular I had to do it twice a day, though the daytime show was definitely tamer than my night time show.

“Great show, Syd!” My assistant, Ms. Cynthia, spoke through the intercom. I grinned at her through the glass. No one could run a switchboard the way she could. She always managed to sort the thousands of calls each show with ease, making sure that I didn’t have to deal with any crazies. She always looked like she walked out of the ‘70’s with her gray hair in an afro and loose dresses.

I headed to my office to do prep work for my evening show. It was by far the more popular of my two shows. The day time show focused on music and discussing music. The night time show was strictly a talk show that covered a wide range of scandalous topics. I never wanted it to become boring or repetitive. I also needed to work in the advertisements for the Charity Ball.

A few hours later Ms. Cynthia stopped by my office with takeout from a barbecue place close by. If not for her, I probably would never eat dinner. And, she always brought me something that would make a mess if I didn’t pay attention to it. It was her way of forcing me to take a break. I ate quickly and headed for the studio.

“Ready for the show?” Ms. Cynthia asked as I walked into the sound booth.

“I was born ready,” I replied. It was a tradition to start this way. And I was born ready. I spread my notes out in front of me and waited for the signal.

The moment the ‘On Air’ light flashed on, I leaned toward the microphone and the show was off and rolling.

Two hours and several heated arguments later, the show was over. I knew without a doubt it was probably one of the best shows I had ever done. It was sure to get nominations at the annual awards show. I knew I needed to wind down and invited everyone still at the studio to an early breakfast.

I walked into my house at 5am to find my husband making coffee. He was already dressed for work. He looked over at me but didn’t say a word. I had to admit he cut a dashing figure in his suit.

He was tall, clean cut, with the face of a model and skin the deep color of chocolate. He kept his body fit, always finding the time to work out even though he was a very sought after attorney.

“Good morning, Marcus.” I greeted him, kissing him on his cheek and jumping up to sit on the counter.

“Where were you?” He asked quietly, not even looking at me. I studied his profile for a few minutes.

I could clearly remember the first time I had ever laid eyes on Marcus. It had been at an iCandi event. He was in the middle of a crowd of people and they were all focused on every word he was saying. I remembered thinking he was beautiful. He spent the entire evening in a group of people; everyone wanted a minute of his time. It wasn’t until almost the end of the night that I ran into him alone at the bar. He smiled at me and ordered me my favorite drink without even asking. It didn’t take us long to fall madly in love. Within a month we were in Las Vegas getting married. For two years we had the perfect marriage.

We were both dedicated to our jobs, but any spare time was spent traveling the world. Our life was amazing. I was happy. I had the perfect job, the perfect husband, and the perfect marriage.

Join us next month for more Candi Ladies........

The only thing that would make things better would be to have a baby. That was when I found out that Marcus didn’t want children. He had absolutely no intention of ever becoming a father. All he wanted to do was be an attorney.

He then informed me that I needed to leave my job. He wanted the stay at home trophy wife that the other attorneys in his firm had.

That was when things began to go downhill.

Our carefree, fun-loving life was gone. Anything I did impulsively led to an argument. If he caught one of my shows, I got a lecture on what was appropriate. He became demanding and controlling. I continued to live my life the way that I always did, no matter how much it infuriated him. I simply could not be someone I wasn’t. “I went to breakfast with the crew.

Now I’m going to go get some sleep before my next show.” I hopped off the counter and headed out of the kitchen.

“When are you going to realize that show isn’t getting you anywhere? That it’s dragging you down?” He asked. I stopped at the door way and glanced at him over my shoulder.

“When are you going to realize that show is who I am? That thousands of people stop what they are doing to turn on the radio and listen to my voice? When are you going to realize that I am more important to more people than you could ever hope to be? And when are you going to realize that the answer to your question is never going to change?” I continued to the bedroom before he could answer. I knew he wouldn’t follow me. When I crawled into bed and closed my eyes a beautiful face filled my mind. A face that didn’t belong to my husband. I wondered when he would realize that he had lost my heart and when I would be brave enough to follow mine.

Family & Parenting

CO-PARENTING IS MORE THAN CARING FOR THE CHILD

Written By LaToya Evans

Last week someone forwarded me a picture of Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith’s ex wife. Jada was talking about how we make decisions to start blended families and how we all should be adult enough to respect the ex. This got me to thinking about some of the co- parenting situations in our community. We have the baby mamas and baby daddies and quite a few of them don’t get along with the new significant other and vice versa. It’s a sad sight to see and can be damaging to the child caught in the middle.

For the girlfriend/wife-to-be: You have many roles. You have to prove that you can be a good wife as well as a good mother. Your boyfriend’s ex may not like you and you may have trouble liking her, but if you see her child regularly and love him like your own you have to kill her with kindness.

Be respectful to her. It will be hard if you two don’t have a history of getting along.

You don’t have to try extra hard for her kids to like you, just be yourself. If the kids say good things about you to mom she may not like it at first, but she’ll start to understand that her children are in good hands. This also gives you extra points with the boyfriend. He’ll like the interactions with you and his kids. If you are to marry this man it may be wise to try to sit down and talk to the ex, if she agrees to it.

You two need to talk about the kids. Tell her how you love them like they were your own and reassure her that they are in good hands. Let her know how great of a job she did raising them and how awesome they are. Give her the respect that she deserves as the mother. She may or may not start to you like you, but she will have to respect that your relationship with her ex goes further than just you and him. This is not an easy thing to deal with. It never hurts to try.

For the mother of the children (the ex, the baby mama): Okay, so you may not like the new girl. You think your ex’s nose is wide open for the wrong reasons. She may not be all that and you may think that she’s the wrong one to marry. First, does he seem happy to you? And didn’t you two have a constant disconnect anyway? Let him be happy! If he feels like she’s the one let him be.

What do the kids think of her? They think she’s pretty cool right? Do they come home in one piece when they come from hanging with her and daddy? Well she may be doing something right.

She likes your kids, she loves your ex. She will not hurt your kids and will treat them as her own.

The problem isn’t really with her.

This problem is between you and your ex. Let it go. Let the new woman do her job. Once you’re able to feel her out and the kids seem to like her, have a sit down with her. It will be hard, but it’s for the sake of your kids. Tell her your expectations. Let her know that you are only worried about your kids. Be respectful to her as she should be respectful to you. You ladies are on the same team.

Co-parenting can work much easier if the respect is there. You two don’t have to completely like each other, but refrain from arguing in front of the children. Don’t let them see that there might be a problem. The children are the priority. They will be much happier going with daddy and the new girl and coming back home to mommy if everyone seems happy with the arrangement. Respect goes a long way. Some co-parenting situations aren’t like this.

Sometimes the women can get along very well right off. The reason why it may not work is if the mother is bitter about the break up or the kids don’t like the new girl, and various other reasons.

We know there are situations where the new guy and the father have to respect each other’s roles. This model can work for men as well. Co-parenting is a part of the new modern family. You are all family. Learn to respect each other.

ALL SHOWS ARE EST TIME ZONE

The Importance of A Father In the Life of A Child I don’t know about everyone else, but I am truly humbled by the opportunity to experience fatherhood. When I look at my children, I am overjoyed by their progress. I am in need of no other motivation to be a part of their lives. In fact, I would not have it any other way.

It troubles me to think that there are some children that have ablebodied fathers out there who don’t deem it necessary to be a part of their child’s life. I have a question for those men; do you know what you are missing? There is no way you can know. You may think that it doesn’t matter and that they are doing fine without you, but trust me, you have a lot to add. I have another question. Do you know what you are creating? According to www.Mensrights.com, here are a few FACTS about children who are raised without Fathers.

Article Written by Mayo Woody

1. 63% of youth suicides. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Bureau of the Census).

2. 71% of pregnant teenagers.

(Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services) 3. 90% of all homeless and runaway children.

4. 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes. (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice) 5. 85% of all children that exhibit behavioural disorders. (Source: Centre for Disease Control) 6. 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger. (Source: Criminal Justice & Behaviour) 7. 71% of all high school dropouts.

(Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools) 8. 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centres. (Source: Rainbows for all Gods’ Children) 9. 85% of all youths sitting in prisons.

(Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections)

This is what we are creating. What a contribution to society. The sad part about these facts is that they exist and they don’t have to. Another thing is we are doing very little to change them. Our children should not be raised by our parents or grandparents. Although I am sure that they are being loved and well taken care of, the parenting skills of grandparents are not sufficient for children today.

Of course in some cases it is not possible to live in the house with your children, but you can make it a point to spend more time with your children. Please don’t take these numbers lightly and, more importantly, don’t take your duties of a father lightly. Step up and do it differently; be a pillar in your child’s life now, not later!

May God Bless Your Life...

Parenting

Your Child Is Not An Option It’s Imperative

Written By Mrs Reese

Education and self-esteem are two things needed for a successful life which starts at home. Children are the key to shaping the future; from the time they exit the womb they are fragile and need to be sculpted and molded to become productive, caring, intelligent, spiritual, and powerful beings. In 2013 we have an African American President which is very inspiring and motivates our culture for the future.

Despite this accomplishment, the reality is we are still in a time where we have to fight for equality and work ten times harder to achieve the same results as our peers. If we know this as parents then we have to prepare from the womb, and the way it’s done is to begin instilling morals and confidence at a young age. Tell your children they are smart, beautiful, and capable of achieving anything they put 1. At conception - provide visual love and self-esteem. How? By constantly communitheir minds to; repeat this over and over. cating with your child; overwhelm them with love and a sense of security. Hug them ofChildren are very impressionable and pick ten; tell them you love them every day. Utilize flash cards and start early learning. Also, up on behavioral patterns very quickly. how you interact with your family is highly important; at this stage you can only display That is why it’s so important that we are visual love and communication but believe that they are absorbing your energy. good role models from the very start. It doesn’t mean that you must obtain a col- 2. School age - this age is critical; they begin to interact with other children so it’s exlege degree to be a successful parent; all tremely important to ensure your child understands your moral foundation which forms you need to become a successful parent is high self-esteem. Knowing what you stand for is essential in forming your character. sincere love and dedication to your child. How? By constantly communicating; at this age children must start believing they are Children require an abundance of love, beautiful inside and out. You must prepare their mental capability to withstand adverand if you don’t provide love in all aspects sity. Cultivate your child, teach them their rich heritage, and truly educate your children of their life they will find it in places that they need to know their family history to understand their path in life. I cannot express can end up harmful. Trying to rescue your enough how important it is for your child to begin to love themselves at an early age. child from a bad situation is a parent’s Self-esteem issues begin to form early. Children begin to care a lot what their peers worse fear and in most cases it can be think about them, but if they have a true understanding of their moral beliefs they will be armed and ready for life.

“Tell your children they are smart, beautiful, and capable of achieving anything they put their minds to.”

Once you have established the foundation in your child the next step is to remain consistent in your actions. As a parent you may not have had a picture-perfect childhood and maybe you have issues yourself that need healing. That is fine; the fact remains that once you bring a child into this world, your focus is now creating a loving, secure life for your child. It’s not about you; it’s about your child. You are responsible for their future and how you live your life is more than likely how your child will carry out their life.

Children look up to their parents; they feel the need to make their parents happy and they want you to be proud of them.

Grant them the access to what our ancestors fought so hard for; freedom to become whatever they want and freedom in their soul to wake up and look in the mirror and see someone they are proud of. This attitude will open doors to limitless opportunities. We have to be real with our children and show them the ups and downs and how we all have to overcome struggles. We can’t hide our downfalls from our children; we have to show them that despite my bump in the road, I can get up and keep going, and growth is needed to move forward in life. Give your child a chance; don’t allow society to raise your child.

Put in the WORK!

“overwhelm them with love and a sense of security.”

“It’s not about you; it’s about your child.”

With Love, Mrs Reese

iCandi Challenge

Putting Family Back W

in FAMILY

By MsiCandi

hat happened to the “Good Times” days? When fathers were fathers, mothers were mothers, and they enjoyed spending time with their families as a whole. Yes, dad worked hard and was busy and tired but he made time for his family. They might not have had a lot financially but they were a family. They were a unit.

I really miss the days when it was considered “cool” to be a family. These days people are much to concerned with “doing them” or fitting a certain “baller” image that their families are being neglected. It’s sad and its time we step our games up. Our children are depending on us. The first few years of their lives are the most influential and if you’re too busy “doing you”, you are actually causing harm to your child.

Read books as a family. Depending on how old your child(ren) is, this can be a fun activity. Read the smaller ones a bedtime story every night as a family and have the older ones read to you. Educational fun!

This month the iCandi Challenge is all about family! I challenge you to skip the club, skip the shopping spree with the girl (yes, this one will be hard for me too), DVR that new episode of Scandal or the last Lakers game, and spend time with your families.

I know a few people are going to break out the excuse, “I don’t have the extra money” or “There is nothing to do for children in my city.”

NO MORE EXCUSES! I have several great family friendly activities for you to try out.

Do me a favor and select three of them and test them out with your families. Write me and share your stories of how things went. If you have access to a camera, send me pics!

Now enjoy yourselves and love on your family while you have them. I DARE YA!

Hug each other 5 times a day! Yes, everyone in the household gets 5 hugs a day.

This teaches love and affection to children.

They love it no matter how hard they try to fight it.

Write and send pictures to MsiCandi at iCandipro@gmail.com or send them to our website at www.icandipro.com

A family that prays together stays together! Have a family prayer circle.

Hold hands and pray together. Take all the family problems and give them to God. Celebrate the blessings and thank God, together as a family.

I scream you scream, we all scream for ice cream! I’m not sure about you, but my daughter loves ice cream! We have a lot of make your own sundae moments at home and she loves it. So grab your favorite ice cream flavors and toppings and enjoy! This also works for cupcakes and cookie making as well.

FA M I LY

Family dinner TOGETHER!! I’m not talking Hot Pockets and TV. I mean a good old fashioned family home cooked meal and sitting at the table eating together!!!

Family karaoke is always fun! Doesn’t matter if you can sing or not the objective is fun! You can find a local place that has family karaoke nights or have it in your own living room. It doesn’t matter just have fun with it.

“Movie Night” with the family! I’m not sure about your city but in mine (Cincinnati) we have a couple of movie theaters that have $2 day. So if you have a large family this is very friendly on the pockets. Or you can always have movie night at home.

Game Night! This was always a family favorite for me. My family was known to play Monopoly, Uno, and my great grandmother’s favorite Scrabble (I always lost that one, lol) .

Nowadays we have the Wii and XBox 360 but it doesn’t matter as long as your family is spending time together and having fun.

iCandi on EDUCATION

What Is School Away From School? By: Brotha Insight

For those of you that truly know me, you know how important the education of our babies is to me.

This month, I’m going to challenge the adult readers to step up and start having school away from school. I know some of you are saying,”Well I don’t have any children so he isn’t talking to me.” To you I say, “yes I am.” We have to start viewing all of these babies as our own. Whether it’s your niece or nephew or even the child next door, let’s all do a better job of impacting these children’s lives.

The best way to do that, in my opinion, is through education. We can’t allow teachers to do what we as parents and adults should be doing.

Here are some pointers on how we can have an impact on our babies’ lives. When the child gets home from school let them have a snack and unwind from school for at least thirty minutes. Then have them complete their homework. Go over it with them and make sure it’s correct and that they fully grasp it. After this, allow them to chill an hour or so before dinner.

If they want to watch a little television or play a game, go ahead and let them. Make sure you give them their “me time.” If the child is age-appropriate you can even teach them how to cook certain dishes; this is good teaching time as well. Then, once dinner is ready, try and make sure you sit down and eat with them. This is a great time for parents to bond and converse with their children Once dinner is done you can clean up together and teach them the way you were taught. Then you have, what I call, your “nightly teaching sessions.”.

You can teach the child whatever you think is important. For example, I have days where I teach my boys about our family history. Sometimes I teach them about our history as a people. I even speak about other cultures’ history because we want them to be world citizens. The good thing about this is it doesn’t take a lot of time. Sometimes I may go 30 minutes or even 45, but I keep it fun and fresh to keep their interest. Some days I purposely forget to mention our nightly sessions, and they will quickly remind me, “Daddy, we didn’t do our lesson.” That’s when you know you have them engaged.

Make sure you give them their “me time.”

So I say to all of you, the only thing this takes is time. Make sure you have the time to do this because it’s very important. If you think this is something that’s not possible, then I challenge you to figure something out that is, and once you do, please start it right away with the young.

I hope you all enjoyed this article.

I will leave you with this: Let’s be the change we want to see. One is always quick to criticize, but most are slow to come up with solutions.

Which will you choose to be family?

“PEACE&BLESSINGS” BROTHA INSIGHT

LET’S NETWORK

Creative snacks are always a hit in my house. My daughter loves to help me prepare interesting yet tasty snacks. I’m always surfing the net and buyig cookbooks to get ideas. Here are a few on my must try list. ~MsiCandi~

Cupid Clusters Yield: 6 cups Easter Egg Cupcakes Ingredients Ingredients Confetti cupcakes become fun 3 cups Yogurt-Burst Cheerios or similar 1 quart lemonade (your favorite) Easter treats with a trio of candywhole-grain cereal 1 cup red cranberry juice cocktail coated chocolate-covered peanuts 1/2 cup chopped dried strawberries 2 cups sliced strawberries set atop a bed of coconut and 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips Make It frosting. Bake a batch of cupcakes 1.

Combine your favorite lemonade, red from a box of cake mix with con- 1. Place paper liners in 24 mini muffin cups.cranberry juice cocktail, and sliced strawToss the whole-grain cereal and chopped fetti sprinkles, according to package dried strawberries in a medium bowl. Melt berries. Mix well. directions. Spread white frosting on the white chocolate in a microwave on high the finished cupcakes after they’ve for a minute, stirring it frequently. Combine For more recipes go to: cooled, and sprinkle toasted shred- with the cereal and strawberry mixture. www.parents.com ded coconut on top to resemble a Spoon into prepared cups and refrigerate until the clusters are firm, about 5 minutes. nest. Finish with pastel candies.

Stir 2 tablespoons shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon sweet-and-sour sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon salt into 3/4 cup cooked brown rice. Spoon 2 tablespoons of rice mixture onto a thin slice of deli roast beef. Top with a slice each of red pepper and avocado; then roll up. Cut rolls in half diagonally. Repeat steps to make 12 pieces.

Slice a 1/2-pound whole-grain baguette into 16 pieces and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until just toasted, turning once. In a small bowl, stir together 2 seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture onto each bread slice.

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