How to Find the Right Pediatric Dentist

Your child’s oral health is extremely important, and the American Dental Association has stated that children should start seeing a dentist around their first birthday. However, finding the right pediatric dentist requires more than just choosing the first one that shows up in your Google search. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right provider, so use these tips to explore how to find the right pediatric dentist for your child.

Ask for recommendations.

The first thing you should do is ask your friends, family members, and neighbors for pediatric dentist recommendations. Getting names from people you know and trust will alleviate half the battle, and be sure you’re asking for recommendations in your specific area and for professionals who deal with children your age. Gather a list of different individuals you hear about and then do some due diligence to weed this list down.

Choose a multi-service facility.

Some dental offices only handle very niche services, and when it comes to children, you want to ensure you’re choosing a multi-service facility. This way, as your child grows and needs additional oral health care, you don’t have to switch providers. According to Hansen Dentistry, “Finding a dental office whose primary goal is to make dental care more accessible and enjoyable for patients is important, whether a routine dental plan or an extensive treatment plan.”

Look at qualifications.

As a healthcare professional, your dentist’s qualifications should be readily accessible to you, whether through an internet search or by contacting their office. When looking for a dentist for your child, be sure to pay attention to their qualifications. Did they graduate from an accredited and trusted university? Are they specialized in an area you’re looking for? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you make the right overall decision for your child’s dentist.

Explore reviews.

Thanks to the internet, you can find out just about anything on anybody, including dentists. Do a quick search and see what people are saying about the dentist you’re considering. Do you notice a variety of positive dentist reviews or negative reviews? Do the reviews seem to focus on one specific thing, such as a bad attitude, an uncleanly space, etc.? Pay attention to what people are saying and use this information to determine who your child should see for their oral care needs.

Take a tour.

Most dentist offices are happy to accept new patients, and as a potential new patient, you should be able to meet the dentist and take a tour of the facility. Contact the offices of those on your list you’re considering and ask to meet the dentist or tour the facility. If this isn’t possible, it could be a red flag that this isn’t the place for you. However, if you visit the office and like what you see, then that’s a good sign this could be your child’s dentist. While visiting, be sure to pay attention to things like the staff’s attitude, the cleanliness, and the overall demeanor.

Let location and hours help you decide.

Your schedule is already busy, which means you need to find a dentist that is convenient for you. When looking for a pediatric dentist, be sure to pay attention to office location as well as office hours. If the office is only open a few days a week during times when you’re at work, this may not be the right place for you. However, if you can find a place that’s close to home and offers hours that work for your schedule, it can help you make a better overall decision.

Let your child help.

Your child’s comfort level is very important when selecting a dentist, so let your child help decide where they go. For instance, if your child is afraid in the waiting area, it will increase their stress level and the visit with the dentist will not go well. However, if your child enjoys the waiting area and gets along with the staff or dentist, he or she will be more comfortable during the exam and visit. Be sure to talk with your child about the dental experience and ask them questions about how they feel, then use this information to make your decision.

Finding a dentist for your child should not be extremely difficult, but it will take some time because it is important. By using these tips, you can ensure you’ll be taking all the right steps when it comes to making the best possible choice. 

5 Tips For Nighttime Potty Training

1. The child HAS TO BE READY- Night time potty training is a Physiological Developmental Milestone more so than a learned skill. Wait until at least a week of waking with dry diapers before even thinking about beginning nighttime training without the diapers.

2. Get a waterproof mattress pad, and a few disposable puppy pee pads for under the top sheet to make changing the sheets in the middle of the night less painful.  One tip recommended layering the sheets and pee pads to make multiple night accidents easy to change.

3. Limit liquids before bed. No explanation necessary.

4. Have that little pee machine use the potty right before going to bed.  Doing this will not only help with accidents but start an important bedtime routine element.

5. Never shame your little for accidents. Scolding will only cause regression. And no one wants that!

The truth is, Nighttime potty training is a lot like daytime potty training, your child is in charge. If he's not will to work with you, you don't stand a chance in hell.  

READER TIP: "Before going to bed, wake your child up and take him/her to the potty.  Do this for 2-weeks straight, and your child will learn to do it on their own."

I never tried that. I wa afraid I'd never get him back to sleep. The kid is as chatty as me!

What's your night time potty training plan?

5 Lessons Learned During My Mom Strike

While surfing through the FirstTimeMomandDad Archives, I found the post on my Mom Strike. I laughed so hard at myself, I had to repost it.

Posted in April of 2015, I'd just spent two-weeks focused on a project, not on my house. In that time, left up to the husband and child, the house became a proper shithole. There were toys everywhere, socks and shoes thrown about, dishes piling high, laundry piles that resembled the great Alps, a toddler bedroom that looked like a tornado hit it. It was like I was living in a frat house that runs a daycare.

 I cracked.

And rightfully so.

Why in the hell should I have to do it ALL?  Why am I the only one racing around keeping the frat house with a daycare, tidy? I'd hit my limit and needed the boys to step up to the cleaning-plate.

Starting immediately.

Those two were going to help me, or be in big ass trouble! So, I announced that I was going on mom strike. I was no longer jumping to cook or clean. I was no longer going to do it all! I was going on a mom strike.

My mom strike lasted five days, and coincidentally, taught me five life-long parenting lessons...

1. I created the filthy beasts living in my house. 

I like things cleaned and organized a certain way, so I just did it myself. In the process, I screwed myself. I wanted the house cleaned to my standards, and I was sure the boys couldn't come close.

Wrong.

It turns out, with direction, they can. Kind of. Yes, I stood over them one or two times, but after that, they managed to sort their own laundry, clean up their own dishes, and work together to load and unload. Now, I just let them grumble and walk-off. They know what they're doing. Clean is clean, who cares how the shirts are folded, their put away and dammit, that's what matters.

Goats, husbands, toddlers. Same thing. 

2. My Timing and my husband's timing are WAY OFF. 

Every night after dinner, I do the dishes and clean the kitchen straight away. I can't stand having a messy kitchen. My husband, can. But only for so long. He prefers to wait until later that night to tackle the mess. While it killed me to wait, thanks to the strike I learned a very valuable lesson, my head and kitchen will not explode if the dishes aren't done immediately. In his words, "There are no Dishes Police coming to get you. Relax. It can wait." Let me tell you when my husband is the one doing the dishes, the wait is definitely worth it.

3. There is NO reason my three-year can't pick up his own damn toys.

I had a girlfriend who taught her toddler that the 'Clean-up Fairy' will come and take the toys not cleaned up at the end of the night. It worked for her son, and now it's working for mine! The trick is to hide the toys left out. The next night, when your child cleans up fearful the fairy will be back, put the stolen fairy toys back by morning as a reward for keeping his toys tidy.

4. I don't want a damn cape; I want a cocktail.

I'll be the first to admit, I need to chill the F*$k out. I run around like a crazy person trying to keep my house in tip-top shape. It's like I have something to prove to myself and the world. I waste so much time picking up and cleaning things that get wrecked 30-seconds later.  WHAT THE HELL?

It's so not worth it. It's like I think if I have a perfect house and a well-behaved child, then I get to go to the Hero Mom Ball at the end of the year and claim a super-hero cape. Well, screw the cape. I'll take a cocktail and a better use of my time.

5. Mom strikes are so awesome; I'm already planning my next one.  

If you're worn out, feeling under-appreciated, sick of being the one that does everything while your partner and child are having a blast watching you, then call a strike! Clean up after yourself ONLY! When they start complaining... FIVE DAYS LATER. (Filthy beasts.) Make a list of things you do, hand it to your family and leave. Go to the park with a good book. Let them realize just how much effort it takes to keep the house cleaned, cupboards stocked, laundry in the drawers, bills paid and any of the other four million things you do in a day to keep your family healthy and happy.

I'm sad it took me flipping out and letting my house turn into a shithole to get to this place. But, in the end, it was worth it.

Inspired by Liam and Miley: The So Not Right Sh*t My Australian Husband and I Do To Each Other.

If you follow any social media channel at all then you know, recently, Liam Hemsworth has been posting videos of himself scaring Miley Cyrus. It's so bad, but for me, so relatable. In other words, my Australian husband and I do the evilest shit to each other, too! Of course, it’s all in good fun. But, sometimes, only one of us is having fun. 

In order from when we met, some of the shittiest things we’ve done to each other:

Green Apple Splatters

While I certainly love a good Pale Ale, I also like fruity drinks. One of the first fruity drinks I had in Australia was a green apple flavored malt-ish beverage. Adam told me they were called, Green Apple Splatters. So the next time we went grocery shopping, while we were checking out he told me to go over to the liquor store, (he actually called it a Bottle Shop because that’s what a liquor store is called in Australia) to get my new favorite, green apple splatters.

When the bottle shop attendant asked me what I wanted, I said, "Green Apple Splatters." She looked at me confused. I told her that they were green apple flavored in bottles. She walked me over to the beer section, and the two of us started looking for green apple splatters. Within a minute, Adam walks up, and I tell him we can’t find them. He breaks out into a fit of laughter, then tells the girl exactly what it is that I’m looking for. She then breaks out into a fit of laughter.

I look at him. Now I’m the one confused. He says, "We call them green apple splatters because the next morning you splatter the toilet bowl when they run through you."


Payback, my first Thanksgiving in Australia.


Two days before my first Thanksgiving in Australia, while having dinner with my mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law, Adam says, "We want to do something special for you for Thanksgiving. How do you celebrate? What can we do to make it just like home?"

I told him that in America we dress up as Cowboys, Indians, and Europeans and have a huge battle in the backyard. Whoever loses has to do the dishes. They asked me questions, and I answered them to my best of lying abilities. The next day, when I was bombarded by the family with what they were going to wear, how they were going to battle, I came clean. I let everybody know it was bullshit. We ended up going to an American-style restaurant and ate a ton of french fries and fried chicken. #GoodTimes

His payback, Sea Same Chicken
 
Something that really amazed me living in Australia was that people thought American accents were "melodic and beautiful." They love to hear me talk. I once had two kids stare at me like I was an alien because they’ve “never met an American in real life.” 

So one night, shortly after meeting my husband’s best friends, Mr. J and Mr. D, we had a little get together and decided to order Chinese takeaway. My husband insisted that I do the ordering because they would love to hear an American. I went right along with it.

They gave me the order, which included sesame chicken. Except, Adam swore up-and-down it was called, SEA SAME chicken. His damn friends agreed. Y’all, I goddamn ordered the SEA SAME chicken. Needless to say, he and his mates full-on pissed themselves laughing.

My payback, fireflies.

When I brought Adam back to the States for the second time, it was mid-June. I had a third-floor walk-up with a really nice balcony overlooking a park. Not long after we arrived back, I hear him yell out, "Baby! Come here!" I could tell by the tone of his voice something was not right. I run out to join him on the balcony when he points out to mid-air and says, "Did you see that?"

I have no idea what he’s pointing at. A few seconds later, a firefly blinks right in between us. He points at it and yells out, "That! That bug just lit up!"

I said, "Oh yeah, they are government bugs. They take photos of us periodically."

Mortified, he runs inside and sits down at his computer. A few minutes later I hear him yell out, "They're bloody fireflies."



All of these things happened within the first two years of us being together. We’ve been together 10 years, and we still strive to shock the shit out of each other, trick, or scare each other every chance we get.  How else are we supposed to keep it interesting?

Bottom line:  Australians are a breed their own, and I’m so thankful that I get to call one my husband.

Oh! And for those of you shocked by Miley Cyrus saying, "C*NT," in Australia it's the equivalent of "bitch" in the states. Aussies will completely disarm an American of the word in two weeks or less.

6 Things Expecting Parents Need To Nail Down

There’s no playbook for having kids, and while every parent is allowed to parent in their own way, there are still things every parent should do first. After all, having kids will change your life in a significant way, and it will cause you chaos, and stress, and memories, and everlasting love. Thankfully, when you find out you’re going to be a parent, you have about nine solid months to get your life in order and be prepared for the bundle of joy that is coming your way. If you’re going to be a parent soon, here are six things to figure out before your first child is born.

1. Budget

Money is always a stressful topic for parents, and adding a kid to the mix will just make it worse. According to Time, the cost of raising a child has risen to $233,610, and a quarter of a million dollars is not something most people just have lying around. Before your child is born, it’s very important you figure out your finances and your budget. Be sure to account for things like diapers, wipes, formula, and overall care, as well as other expenses that come with your child. The sooner you can get this done, the less stressful this extra cost will be to your bottom line.

2. Will

If you don’t have a will, now is the time to make one. According to The Barnes Firm, personal injury attorneys, “Having a will in place creates a lot less chaos after an accident or death. Parents should always create a will so that their children are protected if something terrible happens to them.” Creating a will is not a very long process. Find a local lawyer to draw one up for you so that it’s taken care of before your child is born.

3. Child Care

It may seem strange to start looking into child care before your child is born, but it’s important for you to have an idea of what life will be like. If you’re planning on staying home from work to be with your child, then you may only need to find child care for certain situations, such as nights out with your significant other. However, if you plan on going back to work, then it’s important for you to determine who will watch your child while you’re away. Will you use a professional service or will a friend or relative watch your child? Figuring this out will ensure all your plans are in place so you’re not stressing when the time comes.

4. Responsibilities

If you are having a baby, it’s a good idea to discuss responsibilities with your significant other. For instance, will the mom be the one waking up in the middle of the night every time the child wakes up, or will you alternate who gets up with the child? Will one parent take bath duties, and another take diaper duties? Determining the responsibilities each one of you will take-on ensures that everyone is on the same page and will deter arguments after the baby has been born.

5. Vehicles

Having a baby will make you more determined to stay safe, and this means having the right vehicles. If you don’t have a vehicle or have an old one, choosing a new vehicle before the baby is there is important. This way, you can have the child safety seat installed before you go to the hospital. Plus, it will keep you from having to spend a day at the car dealership with a newborn in tow. If you’re ready to upgrade your vehicle for the new baby, then be sure to do it sooner rather than later.

6. Living Arrangements

In addition to a vehicle, it’s important for you to figure out your living arrangements. Are you currently living with roommates? If so, you may want to find a place of your own, as having a baby may crowd the area. Are you in a safe neighborhood or one with good schools? All of these are things to consider when there’s a baby on the way. Moving before the baby arrives will allow you to move with fewer items and instead have a nice place to call home when your baby is ready to arrive.

My Son Heard The Two Worst Words In The English Language. Then Repeated Them.

Friday night, while tucking my six-year-old son in bed, he asked to spell words.  It’s his newest thing. He loves to spell EVERYTHING. Sometimes he spells whole sentences to communicate with me. (Thankfully, it's still way more adorable than annoying.) We went through everything I could see in his room; curtain, carpet, dresser, door, closet - I am proud to say, he got all of them right. He also got 1 million kisses and cuddles, which he ate right up.

Saturday morning, he runs downstairs and asks for new words to spell. We start in the kitchen, spelling everything I can see while making his breakfast. I get the bright idea to show him YouTube videos if Children in Spelling Bees, while he eats.

In the Living room. On our 65" SmartTV.

And this is where it all goes to shit...

I pull up the YouTube app on our TV, and search for "National Spelling Bee."

We go through a couple of the Scripps National Spelling Bee videos, but the words were ridiculously hard. Scary.

This was the word given to the runner-up in last year's spelling bee:

Bewusstseinslage-a state of consciousness or a feeling devoid of sensory components. 

I look for other videos. Something, on a much smaller scale. Something, like a spelling bee in a school. 

I see what looks to be a spelling bee at a highschool. So I click on it. 

This video was sitting right next to all of the other Scripps Spelling Bee videos. I did not change my search or do anything.

The video started with a high school age girl spelling:

Logorrhea: a communication disorder resulting in incoherent talkativeness

She spells it correctly.

Sounds legit. 

The moderator tells the three kids, they've made it to round five and calls up the next kid, then leans into the microphone and says, "Your next word is Ni***rfag**t."

I yelped then covered my mouth. I was shocked, mortified, in total disbelief. I stopped the video just before my son turns to me and says, mommy what’s Ni***rfag**t?

I thought I was gonna throw up right there. My child just said the two worst words in the English language.

It was awful, awful, awful. 

I spent two days mortified. 

I tried to find a silver lining. He said those words to me, which gave me the opportunity to cut off that language immediately. I told him how horrible, disgusting and filthy those words are, and that they broke my heart into a million pieces when I hear them. I loosely told him what they meant, and they were "Horrible nonsense words used by the worst kind of bully." I made him promise to never, ever, ever say either, then seal our promise with a kiss. 

So now, that leaves me with this YouTube situation. Which I've struggled with.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I'm not the only parent who has had this happen. The bloody video comes up by searching for "National Spelling Bee." WTF? 

I reported it. I had to. It's labeled as National Spelling Bee! That's for kids! 

I shudder to think of the older children in upper-grades with free reign on Youtube, they would easily see it. This is bad. Really, bad. Uttering those words can, and will, destroy you. Imagine if your child went to school the next day and shared what they saw?

The social media monster is taking over, and the content is largely unmonitored. The safety walls in place by the developers are not working. Clearly. 

Please, take my experience as a reminder that this shit is out there, hiding in the most unimaginable places. It's imperative that we as parents be vigilant when it comes to social media to protect our children and their peers, ears.

How to Choose the Right Insurance Policies for Your Family

Insurance often gets a bad rap, but the truth is that it is necessary for protecting your family and your major assets. However, the policies can often seem complex and let’s face it talking about insurance is generally not high on anyone’s list of things to do.

Add to this the fact that your insurance needs will change over time. When you are single or renting an apartment, you only think about having car insurance or renters’ insurance. But now that you have a family, you will want to cover everything from medical expenses from your children to your home and ever life – after all, you want to make sure your kids are taken care of in case you or your husband are no longer around. (Don't forget the Will! Visit Prime Lawers today for more info!)

With that in mind, here are some tips on how to choose the right insurance policies for your family. While reading this article won’t make you an insurance agent, it will arm you will some of the knowledge you will need to make sure your family is protected.

Disability Insurance

While many people don’t think about these policies, the reality is that more than 30 million people experience a disabling injury each year. As such not having a disability policy in place means they are risking securing any future revenue in case they can’t work. Sure, you could rely on Social Security, but who knows how long that will last.

With disability insurance you can cover up to 60 percent of your earnings and this money can be used to make sure you have enough coming in to cover your expenses while you or your husband are out of work. For those who are self-employed, and that’s probably most of us these days, you can get an individual policy.

While this might cost a bit more than a group policy from a large employer, it is well worth the expense. In fact, long-term disability coverage is even more important for contractors and the self-employed as it will make sure you have something to turn to in times of trouble.

Collision Insurance

While most people focus on liability coverage when it comes to getting car insurance, having a good collision policy should not be overlooked. These policies will make sure you can get money back if your car is totaled.

If not, then you might find yourself without a car and with no money coming back from your insurance company. This is not a good position to be in as it probably means that your family will have to cut back on other expenses to cover the cost of a new car.

So, don’t end up with a car totaled and no gap insurance, as this could end up being a big blow to your family’s bank account.

Life Insurance

When talking about life insurance, the conversation is all about protecting your family’s finances – especially when the coverage is for the main breadwinner. Without this protection, you might risk protecting your family’s financial future.

Granted, this is probably not something you gave much thought to when you were in your twenty’s, but now that you have kids, it makes sense to ensure that their future is secured in case you or your husband has shuffled off this mortal coil.

When put in these terms you can see why life insurance is not that expensive. On top of that, you can investigate options such as term life, whole life, or universal life. These types of life insurance policies have been set up to allow consumers to fit the policy to their need and their financial situation.

Homeowners’ Insurance

You might not think that this policy will protect your family, but if something were to happen to your home, then you would want to make sure you have an insurance policy that will ensure you can keep a roof over your head.

Granted most banks will require homeowners’ insurance when you purchase your home but even for those who are lucky enough not to need a mortgage they want to make sure their home is always fully covered. When looking at coverage for your home, you will want to make sure that it not only covers your home but also your possessions.

Beyond that, you will want to choose an insurance company with a good reputation for paying out claims. Even if the policy costs more, it will be well worth it as you can always increase the deductible to lower the overall expense.

When it comes to homeowners’ insurance, you will probably never need to make a claim but if you do you want to make sure your insurance company will pay out without too much hassle.

This Dad Just Invented The Greatest Thing Ever #EarthHero #BetterTogether

Over the years, I've reviewed hundreds of products, and can definitively say, my favorites were almost all invented by parents. It's no surprise, really.  Parents know what parents need to make life easier. What's more, many of the products were more than just a great invention, they incorporated eco-friendliness, hypoallergenic qualities, top safety ratings, properly sourced high-quality materials... You know, the important stuff to us parents. 

That all being said, the greatest friggin thing in the world happened, a dad took all of those game-changing, parent-curated products and birthed, EarthHero.com, an eco-friendly, Amazon-like magical marketplace.  (Thanks, Ryan. I am so excited to share your website with the world. BRAVO, Daddio!

Today, I'm partnering with EarthHero to share one dad's vision and hard work.
All opinions are my own.

 I've never seen a website like it. This dad spent hours, days, months, vetting products for his vision, 'an Eco-friendly Amazon'. He wanted a place people around the world could shop online and know every single product sold on EarthHero.com is vetted for eco-friendliness, among other high standards.  

Before you think, oh it must be expensive, think again! Remember, this website was invented by a dad, not a big-box brand, He's not out to make us poor moms and dads, poorer! No heart-attacks from sticker-shock here. 

See, this is getting better and better, right?

Look at the vast selection of products, the low prices and regular sales that run.

SAVE 10%! Use MOMANDDAD at checkout. 

I know. Crazy!  

Those Sprout Ware Snack Cups are fantastic for space-saving in cramped lunch boxes. 

On EarthHero.com, you can find everything from yoga pants, to kitchen utensils, to eco-friendly toys and stainless-steel children's lunch bento-boxes. My first time on the site, I spent thirty-minutes just checking out all of the products, pleasantly surprised by just how many earth conscious companies are out there. 

Ok, so I've saved one of my absolute favorite things about EarthHero for last...

Of the vast selection of products on offer at EarthHero.com, many are invented by... 

wait for it...

PARENTS! 



EarthHero, has many, many products crafted by small, family-run businesses. Like one of my favorites, EcoKids. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with the family-owned and operated company, comprised of Cammie, Kip & their kiddos Jack, Magie and Gus. 

SAVE 10%! Use MOMANDDAD at checkout. 

So not only is EarthHero comprised of products sourced correctly, the products are made by moms and dads making a better product for their children. For their world. 

Be still my heart. 

Please, take a moment to check out, EarthHero. I promise, you will be blown away, too.   #bettertogether (SAVE 10%! Use MOMANDDAD at checkout.)

How This ONE Mom Saved Hundreds Of Innocent Children

With the sickening Shooting at the Madden Tournament, in Jacksonville, Florida, fresh on our minds, I thought I would share one mom's story of how she potentially saved hundreds of children from what's becoming the new normal, mass shootings...

Last week, I had the immense pleasure of having brunch with a girlfriend I've been friends with for twenty-five years, but due to life and geography, rarely get a chance to see. That being said, I always make it a point to catch-up with, "Sassy", at least once a year. She's one of those humans that radiates so much light and love, letting her disappear out of my life would be downright dumbassery. What I'm about to tell you is proof...

During our meal, Sassy leans over the table and says, "Do you remember all those back-to-back school shootings last year?"

I nodded and said, "I was so polarized. I kept Oliver out of school for a week after Parkland."

(Interjection-- Parkland is twenty minutes from my hometown. Marshall is two hours from where I currently live. I was a hot-ass mess. I wouldn't let my son out of my sight for eight-days, then cried when my husband made me send him back to school.)

Sassy said, "Parkland was it for me, too. I had to do something. I have four children in the same school."

What Sassy said next blew my mind:

"I drove over to the school, counted the number of exterior and interior doors, figured out how much it was going to cost to have them fitted with Barracuda locks, then had a fundraiser to buy them. I raised $23,000."

Not Sassy in the Photo.

I sat there blinking, stunned silent.

Sassy, a full-time employed, mother of four and animal foster-mom, raised TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND!

Not Sassy in the Photo.

Wow. Just, wow.

She said she had to do something, so her children weren't sitting ducks, and dammit she did. This ONE mother got off her, already busy, ass and made shit happen. She found the "soft spot," figured out how much it was going to cost to fix it, then fundraised her ass off for the door locks.

Not Sassy in the Photo.

Sassy, if you're reading this, I LOVE YOU! Thank you for inspiring me to find the 'soft spot' at my son's school. Sadly, I'm not sharing it in case some sick fuckstick is reading this, but I found it and called the amazing chick in the front office, that basically runs the school, and shared my concerns. She told me I wasn't alone, and a committee of three moms were working on a "redesign." She gave me their email addresses and now that committee is four, and growing.


I'm so proud to call Sassy my friend. She is 100% responsible for taking the first major step to making a K-12 public school in a small town, safe. With hundreds of kids in the school, there's no telling how many lives she saved in the event of a mass shooter trying to get in. Thanks to her, and the exterior and interior classroom locks, the town will never have to know.


I hope by me sharing this you'll be inspired to use your time, talent or treasure to the be the ONE person who makes a major change for the better in your community.