Book for Latino Parents on Raising College-Bound Children

I have a college-bound 10th grader. We're obsessing over college. So guess how excited I am to have just found out about Flight of the Quetzal Mama: How to Raise Latino Superstars and Get Them Into the Best Colleges (aff). I have not read it, yet, but here is the book description:

Move over, Tiger Mom! Latinos now have Quetzal Mama.

A book for Latino parents of college-bound students

Author Roxanne Ocampo – aka “Quetzal Mama” –  is a proud Latina mom who has demystified the complex college admissions process for Latino students. After strategizing her own children’s pathway to Harvard and USC, Quetzal Mama shares her strategies. She created the term, “Quetzal Mama” to refer to any person (male or female) who takes a leadership role in nurturing future Latino Superstars. 

A 3-Prong Approach: 

She provides a 3-prong approach to raising Latino Superstars that ensures Latino parents are focused and informed to prepare their students for success in academia. 

First, she provides parental guiding principles to nurture future Latino scholars. She calls them the “10 Quetzal Mama Principles.” Her Principles are more than philosophical ideas. She provides tactical, hands-on activities that she employed as a parent with remarkable success. 

Second, she shows parents how to “Work the System,” the intricate, inside track of K-12 public school systems that elude most Latino parents. She provides a step-by-step guide covering K-5, middle school, and high school – all geared toward maximizing college success. 

Lastly, she explains the nitty-gritty of the “College Admissions Process,” including how to strategize extracurricular activities, manage timelines, write an effective personal statement, create a Cyber Profile, and focus on each component of the college application process. No Hype. She informs students and parents with what they need to do, when they need to do it, and how they can achieve it. 

College-bound Latino students

Her book provides resources, tips, strategies, and practical wisdom. Her book was written with the conviction that Latino parents are not looking to understand why their children should go to college but how to get them there. The content appeals to Latino students as each chapter includes culturally-authentic language and examples, recognizable colloquialisms, personal and relatable stories, and addresses our specific needs and challenges. Her writing comes from working directly with Latino students including traditional, non-traditional, first-generation, migrant, as well as undocumented students. 

This book will empower Latino parents so their children can achieve academic excellence, become the leaders they were intended to be, and make a valuable contribution to humanity. Become a Quetzal Mama!

Other Posts That May Interest You

• Top Five Reasons Why Latino Children Need to Go to College
  
  
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund Makes College a Reality for Latinos
  
  
• The Empowered Community College Student
  
  
• DSST Online Study Guides for High Schoolers
  
  
• CLEP Study Guides for High School Students

Giveaway: Strong Roots Have No Fear

Friends, I love the subject of today's giveaway. This book is for every single parent. We should all be striving to raise children to have the courage to forge forward on their life's path and to be themselves as they were created to be.

Strong Roots Have No Fear (aff) by Aditi Wardhan Singh is a parenting guide that gives moms and dads the tools and confidence to help prepare their children to thrive in a multicultural world. Singh draws upon her own childhood experiences as well as her current parenting choices to counsel the reader. 

The book itself is divided up into 20 chapters. Here's a sampling of some of the themes:

1. Being an Empowered Parent
2. Big Emotions
3. Multilingualism
4. Creating a Love of Reading
5. Motivating Self Reliance
6. Cultivating Talent
7. Igniting Curious Learning
8. Imparting Self Moderation
9. Gender Equality
10. Counter Bullying
11. Preparing for Tragedies/Predators
12. Infusing Your Heritage
13. Celebrating Diversity
14. Ingraining Racial Equality
15. and more...

I love Singh's voice - at once she's both authoritative and personal. Through her writing, she is encouraging and determined. She tells us what to do and how to do it. And she gives examples from her own life to help us understand.

The most powerful statement in the book that I read was this one...

"The secrets lie within our own childhood."

And it is so true! I think back to everything I am and I think the largest and most essential part of me is a result of my childhood and my family. Whether I am like them or not, I made the choice (whether I realized it or not) to do so.

Singh says, "You cannot stop your little ones from growing up and walking into the big bad world, but you can create within them the strength to face it. Every challenge, every fear.

For me - with children ages 15, 13, and 2! - this book was super meaningful. It helped confirm what I knew I needed to do for my youngest, and imparted wisdom when dealing with my oldest. It understood my own feelings of fear and inadequacy and gave me peace and confidence.

One of the most important parts of her book, I thought, was the section on preparing your children for tragedies, and how to identify and deal with bullies or predators. Really, I am a neurotic parent when it comes to my children being around strangers. I trust nobody other than my immediate family, and even then, I am always watchful for the smallest of signs. It's terribly sad to be that way, but in today's world, I think we have to be. And it was wonderful to read the words that validated my caution. But also great to read about ways to teach your children to be vigilant and give them the tools for self-preservation.

If you have followed MommyMaestra for any time at all, you know how strongly I champion teaching our children about their own heritage so that they grow up knowledgable and proud of it. Because doing so provides them with an inner strength that I think you can't get anywhere else. So, of course, I was delighted to see the author also teach this in her chapter on Infusing Your Heritage.

Overall, I think this book is a must-have for EVERY parent! You will feel so much better after reading it. And especially for parents who send their kids off to school, this is one read that will help lessen your anxiety.

If you'd like your own copy, then you can find it here on Amazon (aff link). OR you can enter...

The Giveaway

The author has kindly offered one copy to a MommyMaestra reader. (Yay!)

To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

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10 Tips for Raising Problem Solvers

I can't deny that for parents like me, who have chosen to send kids to traditional school, stepping into the classroom once in a while is super important in order to stay informed. After three visits to three classrooms for back-to-school nights, I learned so much! What seemed like endless parent informational meetings on my calendar this month, resulted in newly gained knowledge on how to help my boys do better in school.

This year, the theme seemed to be "Helping our students become problem solvers." I heard this at both schools over and over again. It left me intrigued. And because I love to share anything and everything I learn about education with Mommy Maestra readers, I asked a lot of questions on the topic of raising children to be problem solvers and I went around reading and doing my own research to find out more.

It makes sense that we consciously attempt to teach children to become problem solvers, and bravo to the fact that schools are realizing that we can't just have kids memorize information and take tests. Not only do we strive for our children to become independent and make wise decisions, but it also makes sense that we send them off to the world to help and contribute.

I have learned that there are some things parents can do at home to help support this brilliant idea.

1. Ask your child open-ended questions. This is key for critical thinking skills. Open-ended questions allow children to express themselves while giving details in an answer. Just ask a child how he would spend the day if he were a cat! See what he comes up with!

2. Ask your children questions that will lead to brainstorming with you. This is great for creative thinking skills. Just this weekend, we brainstormed ideas on what one can make with all the apples being picked this season. Pumpkins too! Children pull ideas from past experiences, what they already know, and always want to come up with their own suggestions.

3. Have your child come up with personal observations. I believe books are great for this exercise! When reading, always ask your child what they think is going to happen next in the story. Also, ask how they think a character in the book is feeling. If there is conflict or a problem in the story, ask your child for predictions on how things might end up.

4. Don't give your kids the answers. I know this is hard, but try to not to give answers to your child when you are asking an open-ended question, when you are asking for ideas while brainstorming or while asking questions while reading. If they don't answer, no worries! DO continue to ask but...perhaps not at that moment. I often end a conversation with my oldest by asking him a question fully aware he won't respond. When we break away, I know (or at least hope) he is going over that question in his head.

5. Provide lots of problem solving activities. Puzzles, books, and artwork are great problem solving activities. Putting on a show or a little play are great, too, because they have to figure out what they need for a performance, what props are necessary, and even try to come up with what will happen next.

6. Let children choose what they want to do. If a child would rather spend the majority of the time playing dress-up or putting train tracks together, let them go for it! Children learn through play and if they have the tools, they will be solving problems to meet their needs.

7. Let your child struggle. All parents will admit that sometimes it is easier to give in to children's requests and help them solve their problems. I spend a lot of time zipping up jackets and tying up laces because... it's easier. Be conscious of who it is easier for! Are you really helping your child by practically doing their homework yourself, or are you guiding along without directly answering their questions?

8. Let children experiment. I'm okay with my boys coming home with holes in their pants, dirty shirts and smudged faces. All of that means they were using their hands, doing something, and learning from their experiments outdoors. We failed at gardening this past season but the boys are already coming up with ideas on how to make it work next year!

9. Be okay with the fact that children will make mistakes. Not all questions will be answered correctly and not everything from art class will be a masterpiece. Children should feel safe when wrong. That means: no teasing, laughing, or shaming when given the wrong answers.

10. Ask your kids for help. My oldest is the greatest helper. I often ask him to help me with his little brothers. Whether it is having him play the role of referee when all three are playing together or when I ask him a question about dinosaurs because his siblings are asking. He feels valued when he helps me solve problems around the house. Helpful children are confident children and with that confidence, kids have no hesitation of trying to figure out complex situations.

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Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at MyFriendBettySays.com.

6 Back-to-School Tips for Parents

For the first time, my three boys will be attending school at the same time this fall. Because I am a stay-at-home-mom, many will wonder what I will be doing with my extra free time! Let's just say...there won't be an abundance of relaxation hours. My two youngest will only do 3 half days and to tell you the truth, I foresee that when all of the kids start school in September, it will become a little hectic in a whole different way.

Nevertheless, I'm excited for them to start. I love when they come home and share with me all that they have learned in class. As a former teacher, I know how important it is to reinforce what is learned at school and understand how busy evenings and weekends become. Time is precious and we all want things to run smoothly. Here are 6 Back-to-School tips to help you stay organized and prepare all parents for the first days of school.

1) Designate special spaces. Make it clear to everyone at home where backpacks, lunchboxes, sport equipment, homework and notes from school will be kept. There is nothing more frustrating than looking for a field trip form the morning it is due! Also, with everyone's suggestion in consideration, pick a quiet and clutter free space for homework time. Consistency is key!

2) Put the dates in! If you already have the school calendar and extra-curricular activities schedule, write important dates down on your wall calendar, your smart phone and even work calendar! You don't want to miss something special.

3) Go over school rules. This is very, very important. Some school have kids sign "honor codes" now. Make sure you take the time to go over every detail as well as reminding your children what kind of behavior is expected of them. This is also a great time to make sure your children know important phone numbers and address.

4) It's bedtime. Start getting everyone back to a normal bedtime routine. Kids between the ages of 5 and 11 need about 10 hours of sleep! After a long day of learning, their bodies and brains will need that much!

5) Stock up on food. After four years of running around with my oldest after school, I know that one of the most important time savers in my life is having food ready to go. It's helpful to have fruit and veggies washed and cut, frozen fruit bags ready for quick smoothies and even frozen veggies for a quick addition to any meal. Not only does this save time but it also saves money! No need to make stops at unhealthy places on your way home. Plan on shopping over the weekend and giving yourself a little time to prep on Sunday nights.

6) Enjoy the last days of summer! Life should be fun and stress-free for kids (especially during the summer). As your summer weeks start to come to an end, celebrate the start of a new year by doing something special. Be positive about school starting soon! Modeling this type of behavior will get your kids excited too. Have fun!

If you have any other helpful suggestions, please share in the comments below!

Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at MyFriendBettySays.com

Parental Controls with Zact Available at Best Buy Mobile Specialty Stores

Sponsored content

If you are a parent who is considering buying your child his own mobile phone for the holidays, one of the main things you should be thinking about is parental controls. I firmly believe kids have to learn how to manage a cell phone responsibly. They have to be trained to have self-discipline, learning when it is okay to use a phone and when it isn't - like when they are in school or driving a car.

Why you should consider using parental controls:
• To limit phone use during school, while driving, in church, at the dinner table, while doing homework, and after 10 pm.
• To limit texting during specific times like those mentioned above,
• To control which apps your child has access to and when
• To monitor how much time your child is spending on talking on the phone or texting friends
• To ensure that your child can still call you directly at any time day or night.

This is one of the reasons why I REALLY like Zact. You can set allowances on the amount of talk, text and data, set curfews, set allowed or blocked contacts, allow or restrict internet use, and control which apps your child has access to. You control all of it from your own smartphone. And you can make exceptions so that your child can still call you even after curfew or during restricted times (like at school). Look how easy it is...



All Zact plans are shareable, so you can share the same pool of talk, text and data with your kids (or anyone in your family) without having to pay hefty line fees.

We don't use our landline at home any more, and only keep it for emergencies or for the kids to talk to 'Buelita every now and then. Instead, we rely on our cell phones, but our high monthly phone bills make me want to cry. That's another reason why Zact is worth considering. THERE IS NO CONTRACT! They work off the Sprint cellular and data network, so you get nationwide coverage. (Note: If you do not have Sprint service in your area, this is not the right plan for you.) BUT you get to customize your plans. The à la carte plans are what make Zact extremely attractive (in my opinion) because you can NEVER go over your limit. You get notifications when you get close, and right then and there (or whenever), you can add more minutes/data. And if you don't use all your minutes, you can apply the left over ones to the next month's service. You only pay for what you use.

Want to know what the average bill with Zact is? $22 a month! [insert angels singing here]

You can only purchase Zact at Best Buy Mobile Specialty Stores, though. So if you think this might be the answer for your familia, check them out. For more information, just click on the Zact link above.

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**Explore Best Buy Mobile specialty stores – these shops are found locally in malls or in your neighborhood shopping centers, and are focused on mobile devices and accessories. Shop for the latest smartphones and tablets from Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and Zact from all the top brands, along with stylish accessories to suit your lifestyle. The staff is highly trained, yet non-commissioned, so they can help determine the right phone for you, as well as compare plans across the carriers. They can set up and activate your new phone, transfer your contacts and data and set you up with the complimentary Walk Out Working™ program. To find a Best Buy Mobile specialty store, go to www.BestBuyMobile.com

Disclosure: I am a Best Buy Brand Ambassador which allows me to share great deals and information with you on a regular basis. I was sent a phone and given a free 4-month plan with Zact to learn about the service and what it has to offer. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

Photo: © Monkey Business - Fotolia.com

Why Being an Involved Parent Really Matters

This week, I'm excited to be celebrating Education Week, an annual Univision initiative to stress the importance of education to Hispanic families and provide resources for them.

Last Friday, as part of Univision's kick off of Education Week, I had the pleasure of watching the live-streamed program hosted by Jorge Ramos on the topic of Latino and higher education. There was some great information shared from professionals in the field of higher education, such as how 80% of Latino students attend community colleges and how there are tons of financial aid resources available for these students in the forms of scholarships, grants, student loans, and more.

One of the things that struck me the most was when one of the members of the panel mentioned that a good education begins in preschool and how our families need to be enrolling their kids in preschool to prepare them for school.

But again, there is one crucial question that comes to my mind every time I hear this statement made: How many Latino parents actually know how important preschool is for their child's academic success?

Chance are if you are reading this and are a regular reader of my blog, you could have raised your hand after thinking about that question. You know preschool matters and that if you can't for some reason enroll your child in a preschool - or choose not to on purpose - it is important to work with them at home, teaching your child to recognize letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and more so that they can start kindergarten ready to start learning how to read, spell, as well as add and subtract.

You also know that being an involved parent extends way past preschool and, in fact, all the way through college. It means that your responsibilities change from year to year (sometimes from day to day) as your child grows. It doesn't mean having all the answers. But it does mean knowing how to get them and passing that skill on to your kid.

Do you know why being an involved parent really matters, though?

Studies have shown that having an involved parent increases a child's chance of academic success regardless of income level, race, ethnicity, etc. Having an involved parent reduces behavioral problems, and improves math and science achievement, school preparedness, graduation, and more.

While attending the LATISM conference last month in New York, one of the panels I sat in on was a Town Hall Meeting on the State of Education. One study that was shared found that the Latino parents in the study group never received any college financial aid information throughout their child's entire K-12 education. In addition, 3/4 of the college-age Latino students surveyed said they would have gone to college if they'd had more information.

I'm not going to say that these parents weren't involved in their children's education. But I will say this: when you are involved, when you place a heavy emphasis on education and pass that value on to your child, you will find the resources your child needs to succeed.

You will learn about scholarships like the ones that Univision offers. You will learn about how poor grades don't necessarily mean no access to college, but instead may require your child to attend a community college to boost their grades in order to get into a university and eventual Master's program, if that is what they wish. You will find the help your child needs to master skills, concepts, or subjects with which they are currently struggling. It will happen. YOU will make it happen. The resources are there, we just have to actively look for them.

For tips on how to be an involved parent, read this article I shared a couple of years ago. Every single tip still applies today.

Wishing you and your child much success in your education goals!

Un abrazo...

Monica

You can follow the excellent conversation on Twitter using the #EsElMomento hashtag.

Review: The HP Chromebook Plus A Norton Anti-Virus Software Giveaway

If you are a regular reader of this blog, the chances are pretty good that you know your way around a computer. In fact, chances are that you are a teacher or parent who looks for educational resources online on a fairly frequent basis. Am I right? Actually, I just described myself. I spend a lot of time searching for printables, activities, and other resources online to supplement my children's education. And as you well know by now, I spend a lot of time writing. So I'm very dependent upon my computer and laptops.

Today's review is not of a kid's product, but for a teacher or parent who is looking to invest in a new laptop. Middle and high-school students who write a lot of essays can certainly benefit from this post also. I was asked by Staples to write an honest review the new HP Chromebook. So here ya go!

The HP Pavillion 14 Chromebook
Retails for $299.99

The new HP Pavillion 14 Chromebook is my first experience with any of the Chromebooks, but it took me all of two minutes to realize that this laptop was built for someone like me since I use a lot of Google products online (gmail, Google docs, Chrome browser, Google Hangouts). It is really designed for use with internet access because all of the software is stored online in the Google Drive. So if you are someone who doesn't have regular access, this might not be the best choice for you. However, you DO have the option of working with many of the offline-enabled web apps, like gmail offline, which I thought was a really neat feature. It stores your responses and automatically syncs/sends them whenever an internet connection is detected. The same is true for Google Docs, Calendar, Scratchpad, photo editing, and more.

This laptop has a very simplistic look and feel to it, and the clean desktop with only a few icons at the bottom really make me feel organized (even if it is only an illusion!). The 14-inch, diagonal HD screen is a really nice change from my little notebook, making it much easier for me to see photos and the images/graphics on downloads, lesson plans, and more. Furthermore, the images are sharp and clear. I can also personalize my desktop wallpaper with a breath-taking image. You can find a whole slew of them in your settings area, or upload your own. I'm changing mine on a regular basis just because the pictures are so beautiful and soothing.

When I first started up the laptop, I was presented with a welcome window that allowed me to select my language, keyboard, and internet connection. After that, I was directed to a menu that allowed me to explore and get comfortable with my new Chromebook. It even included a brief, interactive tutorial for using the touchpad.

With the new Chromebook you also get 100 GB of Google Drive free for two years. I really loved seeing that since I use the drive a lot after having lost files on my home PC. And since I haven't been able to afford to buy the new Microsoft Office software, and thus I have so much trouble opening .docx files, not to mention no access to Excel or PowerPoint, I can now use/open all of these with my Google Drive access.

I have to admit that it took me a while to figure out how to take a screen capture. The menu I mentioned above told me how to take one (what combination of keyboard shortcuts), but I couldn't find them at first until I went back and reread the Save and Access Files section in the menu I mentioned above. I was so relieved that this menu remains in your Apps icon under Getting Started for easy reference. I quickly figured out I needed to download (for free!) the Screen Capture (by Google) app. This allowed me to take a lot of the pictures you see in this post.

Now for the down side: For me, the not so good part is that this is really a full-size laptop, so I'm uncomfortable traveling with it. My smaller notebook is better for travel.  I also didn't like how the Getting Started menu isn't available unless you are connected to the internet.

The other thing is that I cannot download any of my old software that I use for creating printables on this laptop. But I do realize that is not the purpose behind this particular model. Do I wish I could sit and design while watching a movie with my family? Sort of. But on the other hand, work-free family time is so important, I guess I am not really complaining. Plus, I could simply use the Google Drive to create the documents instead. But I haven't ventured into that realm...yet! (Baby steps, People!)

Staples has kindly offered for one MommyMaestra reader to win a Norton Anti-Virus Software. To see their full line of laptops and tablets, as well as anti-virus software, visit Staples.com.

To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

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Disclosure: Staples provided me with this HP Chromebook and Norton Anti-virus software. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

A Healthy Self Image Begins at Home

© kmiragaya - Fotolia.com

How many of you have daughters? I have one. And she is smart and beautiful with a mind of her own. I look at her and wonder if I was ever as self-confident as she is now, determined to do great things, knowing she is fully capable of anything she puts her mind to.

But when I look at her, I also worry. I worry about how she will feel about herself in a few years when she enters high school and experiences being compared to others. When media and society begin throwing certain ideas her way, telling her she's not beautiful unless she looks a certain way or wears certain clothes. Whether it be another person or her own mind that takes measure and finds her lacking, I wonder if she will be strong enough to always feel beautiful and proud of herself.

I remember that it wasn't until I was in my late teens when I realized the value of inner beauty. I think it was when I overheard someone say that one of my best friends wasn't beautiful. I was outraged because, of course, I thought she was. But when I started thinking about it, I realized that maybe she wasn't what most people would consider beautiful on the outside, but to me she was lovely because of who she was as a person. I knew she was sweet and kind and joyful. And that inner beauty spilled over and out into her smile, her laugh, and gentle touch.

The reality is that outer beauty is subjective. It fades and changes as we grow. I remember my 'Buelita...actually, she was my great-grandmother on my mother's side. And she was truly one of the most beautiful women I've ever known in my life. She had gray hair, wrinkles, beauty marks, moles and age spots. She was round and huggable. And she is my lesson in life when it comes to beauty.

I tell her story to my daughter. I show her pictures. And I know that my daughter recognizes that beauty is what you make of it. I point out other people we know and ask her questions like, "Do you think [Insert Name Here] is beautiful? Why or why not?"

So it makes me really glad when I see companies tackling this issue, too. This weekend is the 3rd Annual Dove Self-Esteem Weekend. They kicked it off in New York with a silent march to Times Square, which perfectly represents all the noise and distractions that women - moms, grandmothers, tías, hermanas - have to break through to reach girls. "Let's Talk" is this year's theme, encouraging women to start the conversation with their girls.

For so many young girls, anxiety about their looks begins at an early age and affects their self-esteem. It holds them back from pursuing goals, friendships, opportunities, and dreams. According to Dove global research, 74% of girls (ages 10-17) feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful, but only 11% are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves. How horribly sad is that??!?

Of course, everyone has the opportunity to make a difference in a girl's self-esteem, but more than half of young girls around the world say their mother is their #1 role model. As a mother to one beautiful daughter, this reminds me to be mindful of the things I say. And I would encourage all of you to take time to start a conversation about beauty with your own daughters. And try to do it on a regular basis.

You can visit ViveMejor.com (Dove's Spanish site) to download free tools to motivate and inspire a girl in your life. Here it is in English. The Let's Talk Toolkit includes a discussion guide to help moms and mentors start a conversation on beauty and self-esteem. They have one-on-one activities for mothers and daughters (I LOVE THEM!!!), as well as classroom activities.

Let's help our girls develop a healthy self-esteem, valuing themselves because they know they are beautiful.

How do you develop your daughter's self-esteem? Please share your tips with us...

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Dove and Latina Blogger Connect. All opinions, though, are strictly mine.

Mamas Make the Difference: An Interview with Ondina López

Lately, I've been thinking about moms. It seems like over the last year or more, I keep learning about all these really interesting and successful people who say they owe it all to their mami. And I know that without my own mother - always supportive, always proud - there's just so much I wouldn't have done and accomplished during my life.

My parents divorced when I was just two years old, so my mom had the difficult job of providing for me on her own. But she had my grandmother and my great grandmother there to help her. They would care for me while she was working full-time so that she could afford to send me to good schools and give me opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. And she always made it clear that my education was one of the most important things in my life. There was never any question about me going to college. It was a given.

And now that I have children, I totally get it. I understand the desperate desire a mother has for her children to grow up to be healthy, whole, and happy. And to want to help them succeed as best I can. But sometimes I wonder if I know what I'm doing, or if I'm doing the right thing.

So when I had the opportunity to participate in an interview with Ondina López, the mother of not one, but two 2012 Olympic Games hopefuls - Steven and Diana López - I jumped! In fact, ALL of her children, Steven, Jean, Mark, and Diana, are at the world-elite level in Taekwondo. Steven, Mark, and Diana made history when they each won gold at the 2005 World Taekwondo Championships, becoming the first three siblings in any sport to claim World Championship titles at the same event.

That's pretty impressive, no?

And it makes me wonder, what does it take to raise Olympians?

Steven is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and bronze medalist. He will be competing in the 80kg division at this year’s Games. Crest & Oral-B Complete have also partnered with Steven’s mother, Ondina López, to highlight the importance mom’s support can play in an athlete’s success.

Below are some of Ondina's tips for raising successful children.

What was your morning routine like when your kids were growing up and were in school at the same time they were training in Taekwondo?

Well, every morning I'd get up really early to organize the house, fix breakfast and lunches, then I'd get myself and the kids ready so I could take them to practice or events. I always made their lunches for them to take to their events because it made things easier for them. And I am happy to say that they never ate out. They always had homemade meals with fresh vegetables and fruit, that I prepared for them.

How would you maintain organization in your household with four kids and a set schedule?

La familia has to be united and everyone works together. It's all about maintaining a balance.

How did you maintain your Latin culture at home?

They always knew that I only allow Spanish to be spoken at home. And we read lots of books and ate Latin meals, things like that.

What was the general perception of education like in your home?

My kids always knew that school was important. Homework had to be done. They knew that during the week it was "work" time and that weekends were their free time. We were lucky because our school was very supportive and was great about letting the kids do their homework on the road when they had a competition. And fortunately, Taekwondo really taught them self-discipline, to be responsible.

And today, my kids talk to a lot of school children and encourage them to do a good job and keep them motivated.

What advice do you have for other families with children who are Olympic hopefuls?

The biggest advice I have is to have patience, lots of patience. And love. Affection and support is most important. I was always there to hug and love them whenever they didn't do as well as they liked.

And to tell your kids that there are no limits to what they want to accomplish. Only the sky is the limit!

You will love this short video of Ondina and Steven and see how much she loves them.

I'm really thankful to Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) whose partnership with Steven López on the importance of how a healthy oral care routine is an important part of his winning moments led to this interview opportunity. (And as a mother with two kids who spend a LOT of time at the dentist, I am a devoted oral health care supporter!!)

To learn more about P&G Oral Care Olympic Games partnership, please "Like" Crest on Facebook.

This is part of a sponsored campaign with Crest and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Your Child's Education: Whose Responsibility Is It?

Let me ask you a question: If your child is doing poorly in school, whose fault is it? The school's? Your child's? Yours?

Perhaps a better question would be: Who is responsible for your child's education?

I for one know that I didn't have two kids just so I could send them off to school to sink or swim and wash my hands of their education. In our family, my kids know that education is extremely important. And they know that my husband and I will do whatever we have to do (within our power) to give them a great one.

The fact that we homeschool is a result of circumstance. I live in a failed school district and we chose not to send our kids to schools that are barely passing their students. Yes, we do have a private school nearby, but sending them to it would have required my going back to work and at the time, I still had a little boy who was not old enough to go, too. I was not willing to leave him with strangers. So we decided to give homeschooling a try.

We are lucky because even though we are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, we're able to make it on my husband's salary. Yes, this means we don't get to enjoy a lot of the "extras" that other families do. I don't own a smart phone and we don't have cable/satellite/dish or whatever. My kids are not wearing the latest fashions or playing with $300 toys. But what they do have will last a lot longer.

And even if my kids were in a traditional school setting, I know that their academic success would ultimately depend on me and how involved I am in their education. Studies have shown that parental involvement is one of the keys to academic success. And over the last few years, I have learned about numerous families who have proven this to be true.

Luis Duran, Mariela Dabbah, Luis Duran Sr., and Maria Duran.

Take, for example, the Duran family. A little over a week ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Luis and his parents at the Latino Rumbo al College webinar in Orlando. Originally from El Salvador, Maria and Luis Sr. fled the country in 1989 during its civil war. They received political asylum here in the United States, and settled in Arizona where they own a small recycling business. Both of their children, Luis and Jennifer, were born here.

The Durans have been richly rewarded for their involvement in their children's education. Even though they speak very little English, both of their kids received complete scholarships to cover the cost of their college educations.

Luis was the recipient of the $100,000 RMHC/HACER Scholarship in 2009, which is covering his college tuition and helping him earn his degree in housing and community development. Jennifer attended college as a Gates Millenium Scholar and doubled majored in Supply Chain Management and Global Health. She just recently finished her International Business Certificate while studying abroad in Italy for a semester. Her scholarship covered her college expenses, and paid for half of her Masters' tuition. Luis credits his parents for his academic success and claims their involvement and expectations made the difference. His mother always made time to get involved at her kids’ school. She talked regularly with their teachers, sometimes using Luis as an interpreter when the teacher didn’t speak Spanish. She also volunteered for class field trips and other functions so that she could build a relationship with the school staff and stay aware of what was happening in the classroom.

Mrs. Duran says that children have to be programmed. And since they were very young, she always referred to her children as "little lawyers" or "future doctors" to help them see the possibilities in the future and internalize the importance of their education.

So next time you are talking with your children about school and education, be mindful of your words...then do what you can to help them succeed.

Con mucho cariño...

Taking an Active Role in Your Child's Education

Once again, I want to take a moment to encourage you parents to get involved in your child's education....and applaude those of you who already are.

I have said over and over: If we don't fight for out kids, who will? 

But as parents, our fight is not of the physical kind (I hope!). Instead we must use tactics like communication, interest, research, and praise.

We have to communicate not just with our kids, but with their teachers, too. We must demand to know what our kids are learning and how well they're doing in class. If we don't, how can we help the teachers and our kids? We have to know what subjects or materials our kids are struggling with, so that we can figure out how to teach it to them in a way that they will understand.

Sometimes we have to investigate, too. Because sometimes what our children tell us doesn't necessarily match what the teacher has to say. So we have to remain objective and figure out who's right. Sometimes they both are, we know this, because life is not black and white. And those glorious shades of gray sometimes make it hard for people to understand each other - in this case, the teacher and your child.

We also have to show interest. Maybe this is hard because your daughter loves learning about and exploring something you don't. Or maybe you don't understand why your son gets excited about certain things. Even if you can't understand why on Earth, little Ana loves spiders and bugs, and Ricky likes to read about rocks, it's important to take the time to listen and express interest. If nothing else, we parents must be elated inside that our children love learning and are thinking about their world. Your little lego fan may grow up to be a great engineer. Your goldfish lover may discover a career in marine biology.

Which brings me to research. We have to get away from the idea that our children's education is the responsibility of the school system. It's not. It's OUR responsibility to make sure our kids are getting a good education. We can't all afford to send our kids to the best schools, or to teach them at home, but we CAN give them additional opportunities to explore and learn. We can think about the things they're interested in and we can research different ways to nurture that interest. We can take them to museums if they love history, zoos if they love animals. We can go to libraries, bookstores, art galleries, theaters, nature centers, festivals, insectariums, symphonies...you get the idea. We can find online programs, or books and magazines that feed their interests.

And lastly, we can offer words of encouragement and praise. We must learn the language of love over again. Our kids begin their lives trying to please us, but constant criticism, negativity, and lack of interest on our part only brings about resentment and rebellion. They should be rewarded for caring and having passion. For having dreams and doing what they can to follow them.

Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid campaign by LATISM to raise awareness of the important role parents have in the education of their children in the Latino community.