Alma's blog!

  At the age of 8, my parents separated. My father visited me on the weekends, but there were fewer visits. Suddenly he would stop visiting. My mother and my older sister did a great job of filling in two different roles in my life. For that, I will be eternally grateful. I learned from my mother that parenthood is a huge sacrifice and it's a full-time job. She taught me many valuable concepts. Sometimes I wonder if I would have learned the same things if my father had been in my life.  The article titled, “What is Your Purpose as a Father?” found that having a sense of purpose helps makes fathers happier, healthier, and stronger when facing challenges. Today, fathers are spending more quality time with their children. Perhaps it is because the United States is becoming increasingly diverse. Immigrant families have brought new ideas and concepts of fatherhood to America.  Because the States are highly diverse, many fathers have mentioned the sense of crisis they have felt...

The word stress is defined in the dictionary as, “any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain.” Stress is our body's response to anything that requires attention or action. As humans, we are all subject to stress. Can you recall times when your family was under stress? How did your family members cope? Growing up in a big family was highly stressful. Especially when we had to go somewhere, it seemed like we could never get anywhere on time. Here are a few tips I learned: (1.) Create boundaries and roles, (2) Communicate openly & handle conflict with charity (3) Seek outside counsel (4). Build emotional intelligence skills.  Creating boundaries with each other is a healthy way to determine stressors and self-guidance. It also helps with knowing how to speak to each other. It can help determine what are one’s triggers and or promote self-awareness.  Communication is a huge skill and stress reliever. I’ve had the opportunity to have managerial e...

  Growing up with a lot of sisters taught me a variety of important information. It also taught me to be ready so when our mother gave us the “Birds and the Bees” talk, I wouldn’t be surprised or shy. At the age of 13, the day finally came. My mother began to explain about my body. She described my period cycle and what happens to my body before and after. She explained sexual intimacy and pregnancy. I remember feeling super uncomfortable. Years later, I am grateful for my mother. Throughout my high school years, I knew some of my peers who were sexually active. The thought of sexual activity at a young age was surreal at the time. My perspective changed when my sister became a teen mom at 16 years old.  We know that we are made in the image of God. We are made to procreate and build families. Our bodies are carefully crafted for such a task! We have 4 stages of response: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Individually they prepare an individual for sex. Sex can mean...