The DeBroff DeBrief

Liz Claiborne’s Commitment to A Difficult Topic with the 8th Annual “It’s Time to Talk Day”

On December 8th, Liz Claiborne hosted “It’s Time to Talk Day,” focused on spreading awareness and education about ways to end teen dating violence and domestic abuse – a topic not on the list of hot discussion points for many. The purpose of the day was to offer the media and blogging communities access to experts in the field: government leaders, non-profit organizers, survivors, and parents who lost their children to dating abuse – all to generate discussion and awareness to help save lives. I was particularly inspired by the survivors and parents I talked to because they brought home for me the lack of dialogue surrounding this important issue.

The good news is there is support and resources available to victims who are empowered to take action. During the day I spoke with leaders from two important victim assistance programs, Ariel Zwang and Liz Roberts, CEO and Chief Program Officer of Safe Horizon, and Maile Zambuto from the Joyful Heart Foundation.

Safe Horizon runs the New York City domestic violence hotline and provides shelter to thousands of women and children in the area, acting as the largest single provider of domestic violence shelter and touching the lives of more than 250,000 victims. Encouraging victims to break the cycle of abuse and seek resources and services such as the New York City hotline and Safe Horizons is a critical piece of the organization’s work. Being there for victims through all times of the year, including the holidays and economic downturns helps the healing and rebuilding process.

The Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order fame, also works to help survivors through its retreat and wellness programs, in addition to helping thousands take the first step in getting help through their website. Maile emphasized the importance of this first step in recognizing the need to seek help in a troubling relationship whether it is finding information, educational materials, or seeking shelter and healing from a domestic abuse organization.

Speaking to the issues of prevention, both Amy Barasch of the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Kimberly Campbell, Manager of Public Affairs at Orange and Rockland Utilities, demonstrated how both corporations and governmental employees such as teachers, police officers, and child welfare workers are educated and trained how to screen, respond, and reduce domestic violence. For corporations, issuing a policy in the workplace can have a positive effect on not only creating a more productive and humane environment, but by enhancing awareness of the issue and prevention at home. For the government sector, helping police officers and educators screen domestic violence issues enables them to better respond and prevent domestic violence crimes.

Lastly, the hosts who especially brought this close to home were Danielle DeZao, Founder/President of h<3rt1  (Heart One) and a victim of teen dating abuse herself, and Bobbi Sudberry, President of Kaity’s Way (www.kaitysway.org) and who lost her daughter to teen dating abuse. Both women channeled their experiences into forming organizations that will help other teens recognize the signs of teen dating abuse and give them the protection and information they need to end it, as 1 in 3 teens is involved in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship.

Danielle saw the controlling and abusive behavior of her boyfriend and knew to get out of the relationship. However, it still stunned her to find that she felt alone in her experience and that she had not recognized the ill behavior sooner. We spoke about having the courage as a bystander of violence to speak up and ask the questions needed to push a victim to account for the abuse and end the relationship.

Bobbi Sudberry shared her daughter’s story to help understand how important it is to protect victims of abuse under the law. Although Kaity ended her abuse relationship, at the time, she was unable to get the protection and injunctions needed under the law to shield her from her abuser, ending in her tragic death.

Throughout the day of interviews and interacting with people passionate about this topic, I realized that I myself did not receive much education or information on teen dating abuse growing up and that more can be done to open the dialogue. Teaching right from wrong to our children may not be enough to help discern a loving relationship from an abusive and dangerous one. Educational programs and tools for teens and victims of domestic violence will help raise awareness and end the cycle for future generations. For more information visit www.loveisnotabuse.com  

Allison is an Account Manager at Mom Central.

Disclosure: Liz Claiborne is a client of Mom Central.

NESCAFE Dolce Gusto: My Own Coffe Shop Barista

Each morning I try to start my day by looking out over my garden and enjoying a few moments of peace with a cup of coffee in hand. Yet between packing lunches and last minute homework help, I learned a long time ago the importance of finding easy ways to get breakfast on the table or brew a cup of coffee to save time. NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto’s recently launched line of sleek single serve coffee makers offer a great solution for busy mornings. The Dolce Gusto acts (and looks!) like a personal coffee shop robot creating the perfect gourmet cup of coffee in about a minute or less – something a barista has yet to accomplish for me.

Now, you may have tried a single serve coffee machine in the past, but trust me, Dolce Gusto stands apart from other machines in a few special ways. The Dolce Gusto not only offers a delicious array of flavors like Latte Macchiato and Cappuccino, but the decadent and rich frothy crema topping adds a whole new touch. Its ability to create iced beverages tops my list of favorite features as well. I enjoy a hot cup of coffee, but when I want a brisk boost of energy, I prefer a glass of iced coffee. With just a flip of the lever on my Piccolo machine, I can create Cappuccino Ice for an afternoon pick-me-up or a summertime treat. Even the non-coffee drinkers in my house can enjoy the machine with deliciously luxurious hot chocolate and refreshing Nestea Peach iced tea. Watch the new commercial that does a great job of highlighting some of my favorite features!

 

 

Check out the list of all the coffee and non-coffee varieties for you to try:

Caffé Lungo
Caffé Lungo Decaffeinato
Cappuccino
Cappuccino Ice
Cappuccino Skinny
Chococino
Dark Roast/Caffe Grande Intenso
Espresso
House Blend/Caffe Americano
Latte Macchiato
Mocha
Peach Iced Tea
Vanilla Latte Macchiato

 

Visit the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto website to learn more about their different machines and flavor capsules and find out where you can buy one for yourself!

 

NESCAFE Dolce Gusto is a client of Mom Central Consulting. Mom Central received a free coffee machine to facilitate this review.

Give Back this Holiday Season with Komar/PJs For The Cure

During the holiday season I find myself thinking not only about gifts, parties, and indulging, but also about others and giving back. With November designated as National Diabetes Awareness Month, this marks a wonderful time to raise awareness about a disease that affects more than 15,000 US children each year. Type I Diabetes develops in children and young adults and prevents a person’s pancreas from producing insulin, a hormone that enables your body to get energy from food. Difficult to manage, Diabetes requires constant monitoring and influences many aspects of daily life.

A Walk In My Shoes giveaway

As the weather turns colder across the country, moms look for more indoor family-friendly activities and ideas to keep the kids entertained in the home. Nothing sounds cozier than curling up with a great family movie and some popcorn to kick off the weekend or relax on an easy school night.

Recently, Procter & Gamble and Walmart created made-for-TV movies that feature appropriate entertainment (and commercial viewing) for the entire family. How great a feeling to know that sitting down with kids of varying ages won’t lead to awkward questions and conversations but instead, provoke thoughtful and inspirational perspectives.

More Innovation in the Fashion World with Ralph Lauren 4D

Ralph Lauren continues to bring new innovation to the fashion world with the launch of Ralph Lauren 4D. In August 2010, the brand launched the RL Gang Virtual Storybook with Mom Bloggers receiving an exclusive preview of the world’s first shoppable storybook. Mom Central has since had the pleasure of partnering with Ralph Lauren on a number of programs including a Mombassador campaign. In the months we've worked with Ralph Lauren, we've been continually impressed by their creativity and willingness to push the boundaries of what we expect from a fashion brand. From online fashion shows to a digital storybook, Ralph Lauren is constantly looking for ways to help you experience their brand in new, fresh, and more engaging ways. Ralph Lauren 4D marks another example of this -- proving yet again that Ralph Lauren truly gets it.

Join us for the #CloroxToiletBowl Twitter Party!

What: #CloroxToiletBowl Twitter Party

When: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 from 3:00-4:00pm ET

Why: To talk about family holiday football traditions and the Clorox Toilet Bowl contest!

Hashtag: #CloroxToiletBowl

Host: @MomCentral and @DadCentral

Questions: Contact Elizabeth at echapin@momcentral.com 
About the Party:
For many of us, football season from Thanksgiving to the SuperBowl is steeped in tradition - whether gathering vociferously around the TV set or creating family time together in the kitchen. One of the best aspects of Thanksgiving involves large gatherings of friends and family and in many homes, and for years, families have played flag football on Thanksgiving Day as a way to burn off calories and energy before the main meal!

In honor of this touch football tradition, Clorox has created a humorous take with their own Toilet Bowl contest - a flag football game to be played in New Orleans with former pro quarterback Jesse Palmer to coach your family on. Like the games that inspired the movement, the Clorox Toilet Bowl will be a casual, flag-football game played by friends and for the love of the game and in the spirit of tradition. Two finalists will have nine teammates flown to play in the first Clorox Toilet Bowl as well as a three-day/two-night vacation in New Orleans.  More information on the contest can be found here: www.bit.ly/toiletbowl

By participating in the Twitter Party you will be entered to win one of six $50 prizes to spend at Amazon.com. 

FAQs:

How do I join the conversation?

Easy. Just tweet using the hashtag #CloroxToiletBowl. Mom Central moderators will help guide the conversation with fun questions and giveaways.

Who are the moderators?
Stacy DeBroff (@MomCentral) along with Dad Central (@DadCentral) will be on hand to guide the discussion and chat with participants. Make sure you're following them before the party starts!

How do I follow the conversation?

Use the hashtag #CloroxToiletBowl to follow along. To help keep up with the conversation, we suggest that you follow the hashtag by:

1.    Setting up a #CloroxToiletBowl search on search.twitter.com or on your twitter program (e.g. TweetDeck or Twirl)

2.    Using a twitter aggregator such as twubs.com

 

Introduce Your Kids to New Music Through Jitterbug TV

You don't often hear Moms encouraging their kids to sit in front of the TV or browsing an online website with their kids, but one of the newest ways to connect with your young one is through Jitterbug TV.

Many times, cartoons and kids shows on TV have songs that they come up with, but where can you find the best sing-a-longs to enjoy with your family? The Jitterbug TV website directs Moms to the very best, classic, and fun sing-a-longs in one place. Whether you’re bopping along to "Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious," "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," or a new catchy Seasame Street jam, this website helps make it fun and engaging.

Broken down into six categories, Jitterbug TV makes music from a variety of genres accessible to kids and their parents. 

• Kindie Music introduces catchy indie hits made for kids
• Cool Classics brings back the older but legendary school time jams
• Animal Fun serenades all things animal in the lyrics
• TV Favorites highlights some of the best Sesame Street and others
• Movie Music takes the very best of children’s movies soundtracks
• From Other Lands exposes kids to international kid song hits

With so many genres, artists, and sounds, these music and video clips will have you and your child singing and dancing along.

Check out their website or learn more about them on Twitter or Facebook and get singing and dancing with your family!

Join us for the #KaplanKids Twitter Party!

What: #KaplanKids Twitter Party

When: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 from 3:00-4:00pm ET

Why: To talk about the importance of learning, share the ways you help your child succeed and learn more about Kaplan Tutoring!

Hashtag: #KaplanKids 

Host: @MomCentral and @KaplanTutoring

Questions: Contact Lauren at lbocskocsky@momcentral.com

 

About the Party:
To augment classroom learning, Kaplan, a trusted educational company, offers a highly innovative online learning tool for students in grades K through 8. Kaplan Tutoring uses a technology called Smart Track, which smoothly customizes a program based on your child’s math and reading level determined by an online assessment. As your child progresses through the program, the material continues to adapt, becoming harder on topics your child masters, and easing back to accommodate struggles. Fun, interactive characters and the Reward Zone, where you can redeem points for prizes, help Kids stay motivated to continuously come back and push themselves to learn more. Also, as a parent you can be involved in your child’s learning process by using a feature that allows you to track their progress.  To learn more about Kaplan Tutoring, please click here.  

By participating in the Twitter Party you will be entered to win one of six $50 prizes to spend at Amazon.com. 

FAQs:

How do I join the conversation?

Easy. Just tweet using the hashtag #KaplanKids. Mom Central moderators will help guide the conversation with fun questions and giveaways.

Who are the moderators?
Stacy DeBroff (@MomCentral) along with Dad Central (@DadCentral) will be on hand to guide the discussion and chat with participants. Make sure you're following them before the party starts!

How do I follow the conversation?

Use the hashtag #KaplanKids to follow along. To help keep up with the conversation, we suggest that you follow the hashtag by:

1.    Setting up a #KaplanKids search on search.twitter.com or on your twitter program (e.g. TweetDeck or Twirl)

2.    Using a twitter aggregator such as twubs.com

 

Primp from Head to Toe with Kyomaro's Latest Line of Beauty Products

Kymaro has introduced a new line of products to help to look your best from head to   toe. With everything from hair products to body shapers to beauty accessories, Kyomaro provides women with a extensive line of tools to help them get ready for day or night.

 

The Kymaro hair dryer and hair straightener make styling quick and easy thanks to their functional design, which also makes them useful for traveling. The hair dryer has a foldable handle, allowing you to minimize the awkward shape of a hair dryer to to save precious space in your suitcase or carry-on.

Wake Up with Fresh, Flavorful Coffee from Millstone and Folgers Gourmet

Waking up with a fresh cup of coffee plays a role in my morning routine almost every day. While many of us can't imagine starting the day without at least one cup of joe, brewing fresh coffee often takes more up more time than any of us can sacrifice. Measuring the grounds and doling out just enough for one cup often proves tricky, and stopping to purchase coffee from a local shop or chain can be tempting, but the expense adds up quickly.