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This month we continue to celebrate International Women’s Day and to spread the cheer from the IWD 2021 campaign theme #ChooseToChallenge. As officially declared by the US congress in 1987, March is also National Women’s History Month. We’re grateful to surrounded by women of immense strength and grace, and we take some time this month to dive into the journeys of some fascinating women entrepreneurs around us who inspire us, to articulate their powerful stories. In this article, we feature Nicaraguan designer Shantall Lacayo! CLICK TO BECOME YOUR OWN BOSS FROM TODAY Immigrant Entrepreneurship An immigrant to the US, Shantall grew up in Managua deeply influenced by art and culture, went on to study fashion design at EAMODA in Argentina, to subsequently debut at the Project Runway Latin America, and to make a name for herself by specializing in Haute-Couture and Prêt-a-Porter. The success story of Diseños Shantall Lacayo S.A. (or Shantall Lacayo Designs, S.A.), the artistic luxury handmade brand created by Shantall and her mother Lauren, is a quintessential ‘lean start-up’ success story; the studio perfectly demonstrates two key components that make entrepreneurial ventures successful: experimentation and speed. Known for its rich artistic content and deeply rooted in Latin-American culture, the design firm knows exactly what it stands for and is constantly innovating, testing and creating tactile and visual fabrics which are inspired by the blend of plastic art, and sit in the context of both the modern and historic. Experimentation is a key part of any lean start-up – an openness to continuously iterate and adapt, based on feedback indicators and product results, is embodied in the ethos of the Shantall Lacayo Designs brand and has been instrumental to its success. Speed to Market is Key for New Ventures The second important factor that makes Shantall’s venture stand out is the speed of its growth; the brand’s notable awards include NYFW-FDLA 2019, “My Little Pony” collection featuring with HASBRO 2017, Miami Fashion Week 2017, The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Panamá 2012-2017, Who’s Next Paris 2014, and Capsule Show New York 2014, besides a significant number of mentions across international media. Shantall’s studio exemplifies how brands can stand out in the competitive world of fashion design, growing at an aggressive pace without losing focus on its core brand and product design ideology.  Shop Shantall Lacayo's Designs PICASSO LONG SLEEVE MIDI DRESS A pioneer of fashion design all over central America and an ardent promoter of Nicaraguan art globally, Shantall’s story has inspired fashion designers, artists and women entrepreneurs all around the world. We hope our feature has encouraged you to take the plunge to build your own business or to take it to the next level. Remember to constantly #ChooseToChallenge and empower yourself and the other wonderful women around you chasing their entrepreneurial dreams! Remember to constantly #ChooseToChallenge and empower yourself and the other wonderful women around you chasing their entrepreneurial dreams! A Verima Partner Positive business partner relationships are vital to developing careers. Business partner relationships are important connections and resources as we conduct our jobs, plan for the future, and build our knowledge about products, changes and trends. We chose Shantall Lacayo as a female founder who shares a similar mission and embraces similar principles about maintaining integrity and transparency throughout the journey of building a company. CLICK TO BECOME YOUR OWN BOSS FROM TODAY 2 / 3 3 / 3 ❮ ❯ Click To to Learn More About Becoming a Verima Partner

To maximize the chances of success for your start-up, go ‘lean’ Different sources ranging from Harvard Business School professors to various Forbes articles cite the failure rate of start-ups at an astounding 75% – 90%. Why does this happen? Why do ventures led by brilliant strategists and highly experienced professionals fail? While inadequate or improperly managed funding is known to be a common reason for the failure of new businesses, as per a study by Fortune, 42% of failed startups also cite a ‘lack of a market need’ as the single biggest factor for the failing of their venture. From a bird’s eye view, doesn’t it seem strange for founders to take their eyes off the cashflow they need to manage? What could be causing entrepreneurs to get caught up in other business activities when it isn’t clear if their product works in the market? For several decades, new businesses have been following the same rigid path of first developing a detailed business plan, complete with financial forecasts, pitching to investors, recruiting extensively, and then starting to sell. While this certainly works in some cases, the probability that something goes wrong is much higher.     The Lean Startup Methodology Fortunately, with widespread literature on entrepreneurship, innovation and strategy now available, and an increasingly transparent work culture, founders seem to be learning from their own as well as others’ mistakes. Founders and investors alike have begun to re-think the set-in-stone path in favor of more adaptive and responsive ways to build businesses. Here’s where the lean start-up methodology comes in. It promotes observation and innovation, quick market testing, formation and discarding of hypotheses, and continuous iteration – all without losing focus.  As a founder, here’s how you can implement four key ‘lean start-up’ practices to maximize your chances for business success.   Managing a startup is stressful. We formulated these products to help manage the stress and remain calm. click Here TESTING before you launch In several cases, entrepreneurs build elaborate models, teams, and sales plans all without first checking for customer feedback on their offering. You may have heard of the terms ‘minimum viable product (MVP)’ or ‘proof of concept’. These are built around the same idea – have you confirmed whether or not your product or service is needed or wanted by consumers and matches demand? Have you attempted a pilot? Do you have proof of viability? 2 / 3 3 / 3 ❮ ❯ Using MONEY conservatively and creatively As a founder, you need to be mindful that you’re still searching for a viable business model; at this early stage of your venture, you’ve got to test your hypothesis in the market, confirm that your offering works, and that you will be able to successfully repeat and scale the process in a manner that makes you a profit. You might not hit the nail on the head the very first time. The essence of the lean methodology is continuous iteration, so you want to conserve your funds and use them creatively and wisely! Being AGILE without losing focus Lean start-ups focus on speed and agility. You want to get your product or service out there, to real customers, and get real inputs. Ask all stakeholders involved in your journey for honest feedback. You want to refine not only your offering and its benefits vis-à-vis its pricing but also its positioning, distribution channels, customer acquisition and customer loyalty. Move quick and inculcate a culture of responsiveness and agility but remember to keep your eyes on your strategy and don’t lose your focus. EXPERIMENTING and ITERATING till you get it right Entrepreneurs that want to make the most of the opportunity at hand often embrace an experimental approach. They ask for and apply feedback to update their assumptions, redesign their product or service, test it again, and keep making further iterations till they have something that absolutely delights their customers. Embrace this approach of constant improvement and innovation, and before long you’ll have an irresistible offering. Companies around the world ranging from one-person run start-ups to incubators within multinational corporations are adapting to the lean methodology! So, go on and incorporate whichever practices you feel will help take your business to the next level, you have no time to lose! Managing a startup is stressful. We formulated these products to help manage the stress and remain calm. click Here

As a naturally introverted person, I worked on the products and details of Verima for months before telling family or friends about my endeavors.  In fact it wasn’t until I had finished product formulations, named and trademarked my company, and secured my partners and manufacturers that I finally revealed to friends exactly why I just couldn’t volunteer those extra days in the classroom, pick-up the slack in the carpool and at times (which still brings on the waves of mommy guilt) make it to a handful of my kids’ events.   I am extremely blessed with an incredible core group of women friends who are all blessed with fierce intellect, light humor and most importantly, hearts of gold. Some had vaguely heard about CBD others not at all.  But the amount of support and encouragement I receive from them is astonishing and I will be forever grateful to them for their love, expertise, opinions and for pinch hitting for me when I couldn’t quite balance launching Verima and shuttling the kids around.   I was still working on packaging design, website and distribution when it started. A phone call here, a text there, requests in person.   We were still weeks from launching our products when friends who had given me so much (never asking for anything in return), were calling me in pain and sometimes, in crisis.  A crick in a neck going on day four that hurt so badly it jarred her from sleep throughout the night every time she inadvertently shifted. A ballet dancer friend whose frustratingly slow recovery from knee surgery had him panicked as companies were trying to book him for “Nutcracker” season.  A friend whose child was suddenly suffering from debilitating anxiety and there was no availability for new patient appointments for weeks.   I drove around bringing my products still in their sample jars to friends over the weeks and the look of relief and gratitude that spread across their faces when I handed them my products. . . that here was something to help, relieve the pain, bring down the inflammation, restore balance, take the edge off so functionality could resume. As I continued with this journey, two things came to mind.  First, that there was such a need for CBD and people were searching for help.  I heard back from these friends. And the neck pain was alleviated. The swelling in the knee brought down so he could stretch it out, maximize his PT sessions and take his place at the barre.  The child who slept.   I was determined to hustle even more to get my products officially launched.  And secondly, that I had finally found a way to fulfill my calling to somehow help when people in my circle were not well.  Before Verima, I was the person bringing chicken soup, when a friend caught the flu. Magazines and hot water bottles when tendons and ligaments were injured.  Hugs and an ear when friends were in crisis. And while I hope to continue to do all those things, now I have a scalable way to bring some relief to my family, friends, acquaintances, community and YOU.  And so, I present to all of you: Verima.  

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. Because of its health benefits, it has become a popular option for people seeking a safe, natural treatment for a wide variety of conditions.   CBD is a phytocannabinoid found in cannabis similar to THC but without the psychoactive effects that induces a feeling of intoxication. In fact, it reduces the effects of THC and is not shown to have any significant side effects or risk of overdose. This allows us to benefit from the health properties of the cannabis plant without the negative effects of THC.  CBD’s therapeutic properties may possibly work by interacting with the endocannabinoid system within the body. This system regulates balance in the body by supporting essential functions such as metabolism, sleep, immune system responses, and cardiovascular function. CBD can also relax muscles, helping to suppress pain. Because of these properties, CBD is a natural treatment for many conditions including chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. Its muscle-relaxing effects can soothe period pain or menstrual cramps. Recent studies have shown that CBD is a factor in anxiety relief, neurological condition treatment, nausea relief, and has tumor-shrinking capabilities. However, this does not mean CBD should be used in lieu of other medical treatments. Most scientists agree that more research is needed before CBD can be prescribed to patients to treat serious conditions. CBD oil is extracted from the plant and refined and formulated into consumable and topical products. Popular CBD products include tinctures, beverages, edibles, capsules, and topicals.  As more and more clinical research trials support the therapeutic effects of CBD, the popularity of CBD products is only expected to rise. By researching CBD providers, reading reviews, and obtaining an understanding of the testing processes behind the CBD industry, you can ensure that you are buying a high-quality CBD product. Incorporating CBD into your lifestyle may take some time, as different types of products have their own benefits and drawbacks. After discovering which products work best for your personal needs, CBD’s benefits could change your life. References https://www.cbdcentral.com/what-is-cbd/ http://time.com/5516745/cbd-oil-legal-healthy/ https://www.projectcbd.org/guidance/how-use-cbd-cannabis https://www.livescience.com/63452-what-is-cannabis-oil.html https://www.health.com/pain/what-is-cbd

It’s 2:27 AM. The house is silent, save for the running of the bedroom fan. You stare, completely wide-eyed up at the ceiling, and wonder to yourself if you will ever sleep tonight. You didn’t last night, and hardly at all the night before that, except for perhaps a few groggy hours of muddled sleep around 5:00 AM, a mere two hours before your alarm went off. This is becoming a regular pattern for you, so you give up sleeping for now, and turn on your light to read for a bit. Does this scenario sound familiar? Are you one of the many women these days who struggle on a regular basis with getting a good night’s sleep? Sleep deprivation, insomnia, anxiety, and depression are being recognized in more and more women these days, and society has begun to take note. From further medical testing to determine the reason for women’s sleep problems to an exponential increase in prescription medications meant to address symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and depression, more and more people are recognizing that this is quickly becoming a problem. There have been countless articles recently that have brought to light the imbalance in parenting, and the unfair expectations put upon women these days. Women carry the brunt of the mental load in most households, and that responsibility is absolutely exhausting, especially when combined with managing a career as well. It’s no wonder many women are developing anxiety or depression, and turning to sleep aids to help them get the rest they so desperately need. In an attempt to get a decent night’s sleep, many women turn to prescription medications to help them sleep. These medications, however, often come with their own side effects that can leave people feeling groggy, “hungover”, and sometimes even more tired. This continuous cycle of sleep deprivation is all part of the problem, and it is perpetuating this struggle that women are facing. Women who are dealing with sleep issues like insomnia need a natural sleep aide that helps them get a decent night’s sleep and which doesn’t come with a whole host of side effects. Luckily, there is more and more evidence each day that points to CBD oil as being a safe, natural, effective treatment for sleep disorders. While there hasn’t been a whole lot of clinical trials studying the specific effects of CBD on sleep, there has been significant anecdotal results from many patients who have noticed a stark increase in their sleep quality after starting to take CBD oil. Some physicians, who are in support of using CBD oil to treat various ailments, felt that while CBD could in fact be helping their patients to sleep better, they also considered that perhaps CBD is also treating other symptoms that were hindering their patients’ sleep, like anxiety or Restless Legs Syndrome. (Source)  Many people have begun to turn to this miracle plant to treat their anxiety and depression with great success. Because CBD is able to treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression, this could in turn help the person to sleep better, because their anxiety symptoms have improved enough that they can relax and allow their body to fall asleep. Often times, in women, that mental load that we carry tends to ramp up into overdrive at nighttime when we’re supposed to be resting. We’re checking that endless to-do list, wondering if we forgot anything important, making a mental note of the kids’ dentist appointments, thinking about what to make for dinner tomorrow, worrying about a work assignment that is due, and so on. It is often this time of day (or night, I should say!) when anxiety creeps up and launches into high gear. By finding something that can treat the anxiety, then the sleep will naturally follow, assuming there are no other underlying conditions preventing a decent night’s sleep. CBD can calm those racing thoughts, help your muscles to relax, and even lessen chronic pain that may be contributing to a restless sleep. It is important to find the dosage that works best for you, as people will react to different strains of CBD and different amounts in completely different ways. The trick is to start low and go slow; start with a small dose of our high-quality broad-spectrum CBD tincture to see how it makes you feel and how it helps you sleep. If you don’t find it helping enough, try increasing the dose. The other important factor is to consider what strain of CBD oil you are purchasing, as they all have varying amounts of CBD as well as THC in them. Find the strain and dosage that works best for you, and then make CBD oil part of your nightly bedtime routine! No more counting sheep for you, my friend, you will be off to Dreamland before you know it. Sleep well, Mama, you deserve it. Sources:  The Best Cannabis Strains For Sleep & Insomnia: https://www.leafly.ca/news/strains-products/the-best-cannabis-strains-for-insomnia Cannabis and Sleep: 9 Things To Know About Your Herbal Nightcap: https://www.leafly.ca/news/cannabis-101/cannabis-and-sleep Does CBD Help Or Hinder Sleep? https://www.leafly.ca/news/strains-products/how-to-use-cbd-marijuana-for-sleep Insomnia: Overview And Facts: http://sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/insomnia 5 Ways CBD Oil Helps With Sleep Disorders And Insomnia: https://medium.com/@houdinicbd/5-ways-cbd-oil-helps-with-sleep-disorders-and-insomnia-6b6a6d9b3a73 Why CBD Oil Is My Sleep Aid Of Choice: https://elemental.medium.com/why-cbd-oil-is-my-sleep-aid-of-choice-decc1ab855f7 CEO Guide to CBD Oil For Focus, Sleep, And Anxiety: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/ceo-guide-to-cbd-oil-for-focus-sleep-and-anxiety-86d1f2c0718e

With an increasing number of U.S. states allowing the sale of medical marijuana, more and more individuals are becoming interested in the potential health benefits of the cannabis plant. Beyond its medical use, many people are interested in learning more about how they can access the health benefits of cannabis without experiencing the negative psychoactive effects that are often associated with marijuana. This is possible with hemp — a close relative of marijuana that has some key differences that allow it to be used for a variety of products. For CBD users, it’s important to understand the difference between marijuana and hemp so you can be a smart consumer. As the CBD industry has grown to become a booming market, it is independent yet still closely related to the cannabis industry. The cannabis plant consists of three main species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Marijuana is the dried flower of cannabis plants from the Cannabis indica or Cannabis sativa species, while hemp comes exclusively from the Cannabis sativa family. Although hemp and marijuana are commonly referred to as “strains” or “species” of cannabis, they are actually broad classifications of cannabis. Hemp refers to any variety of cannabis that contains 0.3% or less THC content by dry weight, while marijuana refers to varieties of cannabis containing more than 0.3% THC. Cannabis ruderalis also has low levels of THC and high levels of CBD.  The increased THC content in marijuana induces psychoactive effects in its users and has led to the negative reputation of cannabis in general. While the amount of THC in the plant tends to be the defining characteristic between marijuana and hemp, there are other notable differences between the two.    The chemical composition of hemp and marijuana varies in levels of THC as well as in levels of other cannabinoids. Hemp contains significant amounts of CBD; along with its low THC content, this makes it a popular source for extracted CBD. THC functions by binding to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system, inducing the psychoactive effects referred to as being “high” which are commonly associated with marijuana. Because of these effects, marijuana is more commonly recognized for its recreational uses. CBD cannot bind to these receptors and therefore does not induce the feeling of intoxication. Therefore, hemp plants are able to offer the therapeutic properties of CBD without the negative effects from THC.  Hemp can be harvested to produce a myriad of products including cooking oil, hemp flour, CBD oil tinctures, and CBD-infused topicals. Hemp’s fibrous stalks are also useful for producing rope or textiles. The CBD industry is a relatively young one, but one making large headways in the media and health outlets. One constant area of confusion, however, has been its legality. Are CBD products really legal? It depends on what kind of plant it is sourced from. Although the CBD itself is technically the same molecule whether it’s derived from hemp or marijuana, only CBD extracted from hemp plants is legal in the United States. The Agricultural Act of 2018, or the “2018 Farm Bill”, signed into law by president Donald Trump on December 20, 2018, fully legalized hemp and hemp-derived products. This includes hemp-derived CBD, as long as it contains 0.3% or less THC.  The legality of marijuana is still currently up to the states to decide. The 2014 Farm Bill legalized hemp, but it did not remove hemp from the Controlled Substance Act. Though the Farm Bill overpowers the Controlled Substance act in terms of legality, it left many consumers confused over its legal status. The 2018 Farm Bill removes any of that uncertainty over hemp, but what about CBD? CBD is legal in all fifty states: as long as it does not contain THC. Because marijuana plants have high levels of THC content, extracting CBD oil from them is cost inefficient. Therefore, most CBD products consumers see on the shelf are extracted from hemp. Though many consumers purchase CBD isolates for CBD’s effects alone, consumers looking to experience the effects of other cannabinoids alongside CBD may look into broad and full spectrum CBD products. Full spectrum, or whole plant, CBD contains numerous cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant, including THC, CBDA, CBG, CBGA, CBC, CBCA. THCA. and THCV. The effects of each of these cannabinoids individually is not fully known, but it is generally accepted that the concoction of cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and fatty acids increases the beneficial effects of CBD oil, a phenomenon known as the Entourage Effect.  Consumers have many options within full and broad spectrum CBD. Many distributors offer products with different ratios of CBD and THC for those wishing to experiment with how they impact their particular condition or even just for generalized purposes such as stress or pain relief. Because the terms “hemp” and “marijuana” are used in a legal context, it is important to understand what they mean, their differences, and their relation to cannabis. Having a full understanding of these differences can help you understand your legal right to use hemp-derived CBD and avoid potential legal complications when choosing and using CBD products. Sources https://medium.com/cbd-origin/hemp-vs-marijuana-the-difference-explained-a837c51aa8f7 https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/hemp-vs-marijuana-whats-the-difference https://hashmuseum.com/en/the-plant/cannabis-species/cannabis-ruderalis https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/cbd-cannabis-marijuana-hemp.html https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/news/20190108/marijuana-hemp-cbd-whats-legal-and-where  

Phew! You did it! You just completed one of the most intense workouts, pushing yourself to your limits, and feeling powerful and rejuvenated in the process. You feel great, but you know you will be feeling the aftermath of that tough workout tomorrow. Your muscles are already starting to tighten as you work through your cool down, and you reach for your bottle of over-the-counter ibuprofen to try to prevent the pain you know always follows a workout. We’re getting older, and although it feels awesome staying in shape and being active, our muscles don’t always bounce back the way they used to. Working out causes tiny tears in the muscles, which in turn causes inflammation as the muscle repairs itself, hence the muscle pain and stiffness that you’re already anticipating. You look over, and see your workout buddy reaching for something as well, but it’s not a bottle of pain killers. No, instead, they bring out a tincture, put a few drops of it under their tongue, and then reach for a salve and begin rubbing it on to their sore muscles. You’re intrigued. Your bottle of ibuprofen is left untouched as you wander over to see what they’re doing to treat their muscle fatigue and pain. It’s CBD oil and a salve infused with CBD oil! It might be hard to believe, but CBD is an effective treatment even for athletes. CBD oil is one of the biggest “buzz words” on the market these days, as it is being recognized for its wide variety of uses. From treating anxiety and insomnia to helping cancer patients combat their nausea and epileptic sufferers manage their seizures, CBD oil is quite remarkable in what it is able to treat. Due to its ability to reduce inflammation, CBD oil is also an excellent alternative to using an over-the-counter NSAID (Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drug), as it is natural, non-toxic, non-addictive, and without any side effects. While CBD oil is still lacking significant scientific proof of its capabilities in the medical industry, there are countless anecdotal reports of people having significant success with CBD oil, including athletes and trainers who have incorporated CBD oil into their workout regime to help combat the inflammation that occurs after a workout. In a 2018 review of 132 original studies, published by Frontiers in Neurology, scientists found that CBD did in fact reduce inflammation and helped to improve pain and mobility in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. Dr. Michael Fredericson is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Stanford University Medical Centre, who specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has an extensive background in diagnosing, preventing, and treating athletic injuries. As he explains, “CBD is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It lowers inflammatory cytokines and raises anti-inflammatory cytokines. It can even replace or synergize with NSAIDs, reducing the amount you need to get the same effect. And it can do all this without causing an ulcer or long-term kidney damage. In person’s with more severe pain, it may also reduce reliance on opioids for pain control.” CBD is a much safer alternative to pain killers, and it does not come with any of the side effects or addictive properties that most other pain killers come with. There are many different ways to ingest CBD, so you can find a treatment that works best for you. When using a tincture, it may take some time to determine the correct dosage for you and your post-workout body. Some say that you should try between 1-5mg per 10 pounds of body weight, depending on your pain levels. Others say that you could start with 5-10mg per day, and increase by 5-10mg per day until you get relief from your pain. The good news, is that even at high doses of 1,500mg per day (which you most likely will not need), CBD oil is well tolerated by the body. So, try with a low dose, and keep working with it until you find relief.  Another way to combat muscle pain after a workout would be to use some of our Verima Pain Relief Salve directly on your sore muscles. Rub this salve, with its soothing sandalwood scent, on to your sore muscles and enjoy the feeling of your pain melting away. Whichever way you choose to incorporate CBD oil into your workout regime, you are sure to notice an improvement in your post-workout pain, allowing you to continue your active lifestyle and leave the pain in the dust! Sources: Considering CBD For Muscle Recovery? Here’s What You Need To Know: https://www.menshealth.com/health/a26467604/cbd-for-inflammation-muscle-recovery/ Cannabidiol to Improve Mobility in People with Multiple Sclerosis: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.00183/full Pros and Cons for CBD Oil in Muscle Recovery: https://cliniciantoday.com/pros-and-cons-for-cbd-oil-in-muscle-recovery/ The Truth About the Use of CBD For Recovery: https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/truth-use-cbd-recover

Your heart is racing. Your blood pressure is climbing. Everything seems to be swirling out of control, as you listen to the shrieks of the children arguing and the baby crying, and all you want to do is hide in the bathroom where no one can find you, so you can have 10 seconds of peace and quiet to catch your breath. It is only 7:47 AM. You already feel as though you have run a marathon, and you are not even out of your pajamas yet. Sound familiar?  The stress of motherhood, whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, can be completely overwhelming at times, and it can be hard to find ways to get through the day without feeling completely stressed out from sun-up to sun-down. It is not the children’s fault, they are simply being kids after all. It is no one’s fault, it is just the natural way of things. This time in our lives is one of the busiest, most rewarding, most love-filled, and most stressful times we will ever experience. So, how can we get through our days feeling more relaxed, less stressed and overwhelmed, and enjoy this beautiful chaos that is parenting? It is not optimal to be turning to medication or alcohol while we are responsible for caring for our little ones. Having a glass of wine at the end of a busy day is one thing, resorting to a mimosa every morning to calm your nerves is another thing. Luckily for us stressed out moms, there is a natural solution out there: CBD oil and CBD oil-infused products. With no risk of addiction and zero side effects, CBD is a natural way to settle your nerves, focus your mind, and set yourself up for a day of success and happiness. Start your day with some of our Renewal Citrus Trio Lotion to moisturize your skin, its citrusy scent a naturally uplifting smell, and the CBD-infused lotion providing calming relief. Follow this routine with a measured dose of our high quality, broad spectrum CBD tincture, made from selectively sourced organic hemp from trusted U.S. farmers. This tincture can be taken on its own or mixed into your favorite morning beverage or food. While the standard dosage is 1mL, it may take a bit of experimentation for you to find that “just right” amount for you. Once you do, this tincture will provide you with calming relief from stress, allow you to be focused and present during your day, and will help to navigate all the busyness associated with parenting. By late-afternoon, you may be starting to feel the wear-and-tear of the day, and you might be starting to fade and feel that sense of overwhelm creeping back up again. Grab another dose of our premium tincture to help keep those worries at bay. Motherhood is also very physically demanding, and birthing and raising little ones takes a tremendous toll on our bodies. You may have residual pain from childbirth, or perhaps that kink in your neck won’t go away because you are continually sitting in awkward positions nursing your infant, or your arms and shoulders are aching because your 4-year old refuses to admit that she’s getting too big to be carried. Either way, it is a fact that mom’s bodies hurt a lot of the time. We ache, we hurt, and we feel tension and pain everywhere. One way to help cope with the pain is to use a pain relief salve infused with CBD oil, like our Verima Pain Relief Salve, infused with our top-quality CBD oil, as well as essential oils like sandalwood to create an irresistible scent. Rub some of the salve on your sore muscles, and let the pain melt away. The day is winding down now, and the little ones are asleep at last. You tend to the last few things around the house before getting yourself ready for bed as well. During these hectic days of motherhood, sleep is a huge factor and one that we need to ensure we are getting enough of. Sometimes, however, it can be incredibly hard to slow our minds and relax our bodies enough to go to sleep. Make yourself a calming tea and add in a dose of our CBD tincture, to help your body prepare for sleep. You’ve earned it, Momma, another day is done! With the help of CBD oil, we can get through it with less stress, increased focus, and a happier mood.

It’s 3:32 AM, and you are wide awake, staring at the ceiling, your mile-long list of worries running rampant through your brain. Sleep is such a distant possibility that you give up for now, get out of bed, check on the kids, and make yourself a cup of tea. Anxiety has struck again. It’s nothing in particular this time that is worrying you, just the overwhelming mental load that all mothers carry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is this mental load that is causing an exponential increase in anxiety diagnoses in women. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety at some point in their lives, and it seems to be the most prevalent among mothers of young children. This is a very busy, chaotic, emotional, and overwhelming time in a mother’s life. We are responsible for raising these wonderful little people who occupy such a huge space in our hearts. We care for them, teach them, worry about them, cuddle them, console them, plan for them, and meet their needs to the absolute best of our ability. Sometimes, however, it can get a little too overwhelming, and women struggle to find the balance between meeting the needs of their family and meeting their own mental health needs. This is when burnout happens and anxiety sneaks in. Many people, mothers included, do not want to be taking prescription medications to treat their anxiety, because those medications can come with their own range of side effects, and they don’t always work for everyone. While they can be helpful in combatting symptoms related to anxiety, anxiety medications can also cause headaches, sleep problems, fatigue, confusion, weight loss or gain, sexual problems, upset stomach, memory loss, and dizziness, to name a few. Many of these side effects are not conducive to a mother’s lifestyle, where she is responsible for looking after young children, and she is already exhausted and burnt out to begin with. So, what is one to do? Along with the awareness of mental health illnesses within our society, is also the movement toward healthier living – eating healthier and less processed foods, increasing our time outdoors and physical activity, and moving away from traditional forms of medicine toward a more natural, holistic approach. One such approach that has come into the spotlight recently is the use of Cannabidiol oil, or CBD oil. While used for centuries to treat a wide variety of medical illnesses, it has only been recently that CBD oil is gaining the respect that it deserves in the medical industry. What is CBD oil? CBD is one of the two major cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. While its fellow cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is known to cause the “high” associated with marijuana use, CBD does not cause any of the euphoric, hallucinatory effects that THC can cause. CBD also has many therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, anti- anxiety, and even seizure suppressant abilities. There are many different strains from the cannabis plant, some that are high in CBD, some that are a balance between both CBD and THC, and some that are higher in THC. Strains that have more CBD than THC help to increase focus, elevate energy levels, and decrease anxiety. It is this type of strain that would be beneficial for someone to use throughout the day, in order to combat anxiety without losing cognitive abilities. A strain that is higher in THC might be an option to take at nighttime, to help decrease insomnia and improve overall sleep quality. How does CBD help with anxiety? While there is still more research to be done, several clinical trials over the past few years have concluded that the use of CBD oil can significantly decrease the behavioural signs of anxiety as well as the physical signs, such as elevated heart rate. Research indicates that the link is between the serotonin levels in the body and how CBD can help to alter those levels. Serotonin is one of your body’s chemicals, and low serotonin levels can cause depression or anxiety in some people. It is serotonin that many of the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety prescription medications target, in an effort to raise the levels within the body. CBD does this same thing naturally, providing relief from anxiety symptoms and even anxiety-induced insomnia. Serotonin is one of your body’s chemicals, and low serotonin levels can cause depression or anxiety in some people. It is serotonin that many of the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety prescription medications target, in an effort to raise the levels within the body. CBD does this same thing naturally, providing relief from anxiety symptoms and even anxiety-induced insomnia. CBD is showing to be a promising solution to many forms of anxiety, including social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Can it work for me? As women continue to talk about and explore ways to combat their feelings of exhaustion, overwhelm, and anxiety, in an effort to navigate the busyness of motherhood a little easier, CBD oil is proving to be a positive, natural solution. Being able to stay away from pharmaceutical drugs, and use something that is more natural and gentler on our bodies is a very motivating factor. CBD oil helps to reduce the symptoms associated with anxiety, while allowing people to continue in their daily lives without risk of side effects or addiction. CBD oil has virtually no side effects when taken at the correct dosage, and it can be taken in a wide variety of forms, from sublingual drops to edibles containing the oil. To ensure that you’re targeting your anxiety symptoms with the proper dosage, it is important to seek consultation with your physician prior to starting a daily regime of it. A recent report concluded that, “[e]vidence from human studies strongly supports the potential for CBD as a treatment for anxiety disorders.” (Blessing). Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could step away from traditional pharmaceutical medicine, and embrace a more natural, beneficial solution to the anxiety that many of us battle every day? To have something to turn to besides meds or alcohol? Something to calm the chaos in our minds, allowing us to feel a little less panicked throughout our days and to sleep better at night? CBD oil definitely seems like a positive solution. Now, it’s almost 4:00 AM. We’ve had a nice chat, and we have a solution to this anxiety issue that has been plaguing us. Check on the kids one last time, then snuggle down to bed at last. It is time to tell that mental load to take a hike.

To know Juliana is to know and to feel the unbreakable bond of family. La familia is everything to her. The broad smile and unconditional love she immits when speaking of her children (Jakob and Benjamin) is contagious. As is the warmth and love in her voice as she breathes new life into old memories by honoring me with stories about her grandparents. The abuela who insisted that Vicks Vaporub, Vivaporu, was a magical cure for all ailments big or small. And the abuelo who would secretly stuff branches from marijuana plants into jars of alcohol and hide them under his bed. Retrieving them only when she, or one of her siblings, or cousins would stump a toe or scrape a knee or fall from some impossible height and inevitably come running back to the house in tears and agony. If Vivaporu failed to stop the wailing, then the wounded child would crawl onto the grandfather’s lap while he rubbed the salve from the secret jar onto the wound until the child stopped cryin. “So, they were basically defusing it?” I ask. “Yes, but they didn’t know it.” She admits throwing her head back and letting out a gregarious laugh. Juliana goes on to recall how her grandparents, who grew up in the countryside of Antioquia, Colombia , worked the land which was brutal, backbreaking work. And how every night her grandparents would rub the salve from the jars on their aching bodies. “They would rub it on their legs on their hands. They would use it everyday but they kept it under the bed and we never talked about it. It was a hidden thing because there was such a stigma” As she got older and became a mother, Juliana went on to explain, she realized that the contents of her grandfather’s secret jars looked a lot like something she smoked. And she began to wonder if the content of the VERIMA IS THE NEW VIVAPORU Juli Tweet    jars was able to alleviate her grandfather’s pain and the marijuana she was smoking was able to help her through severe postpartum depression, what other     Pain Salve As an anti-inflammatory, CBD may be able to help reduce swelling, pain, and redness from existing breakouts, or irritation from skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Happy International Day of Families! Tag @tryverima with your favorite international dish! In 1993 the United Nations designated May 15 as The International Day of Families. According to the UN’s website, the day was designated in order to “provide an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families. “  This year for International Day of Families, the UN recognizes the hardship the Covid 19 pandemic has placed on families worldwide as it is the family that endures the greatest impact of this health crisis. 2020’s theme of “Families in Development” highlights the goals of the 25 year old Beijing Declaration which was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The document highlights the eminence of supporting women globally to ensure social and economic stability in the family unit.  So this Friday May 15th, here are some things we can do to observe this day with our families.  Learn about a new cultureExposing children to new faces, languages, cultures and traditions plays an important role in developing empathetic, open minded people. Have your children pick an unfamiliar area on the map and learn about life for the citizens and families . A simple google search of the country will tell you what languages are spoken, foods are eaten and what traditional clothing looks like. This is an exercise that can be extended through the year giving children a greater sense of our global community. If you want extra support or guidance, companies like Little Global Citizens offers subscription boxes that can help you navigate.  Plan a socially distanced picnicGather three families and ask each one to take on either an appetizer an entree or a dessert from different cultures.  Drop your contribution off at the other homes and then voila each of the families has a multicultural meal all set. Pack it up, and head to the backyard for a picnic. You can enjoy Korean potstickers, Moroccan couscous and Greek Baklava in one day. Check out Epicurious’ site for KID FRIENDLY recipes from around the world!  ReflectHave a conversation with your brood on what family means to you. All families are different and not all families are related by blood. So beyond biology, what are the elements that make a family, and what do those things mean to you?    Enjoy a cultural experience together Now more than ever, museums, dance companies and musical groups are opening their doors and posting their content online for you to enjoy.  The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) has developed #MetKids which had a great interactive map that allows kids to see pieces of art over 5,000 years across the entire globe. The Louvre has several amazing virtual tours including The Body in Movement and Ancient Egypt. Last month, International Dance Day had an online celebration where dancers from all over the globe posted choreography while sheltering at home.  An amazing presentation of art, culture and human resilience.  Volunteer to help familiesGranted we are homebound for the most part right now, but that shouldn’t stop us from finding opportunities to give back.  The UN has developed a site for virtual volunteer work around the globe. Sites like Volunteer Match have thousands of global opportunities,  many of them virtual and quite a few are COVID specific. Regardless of what you choose to do for International Day of Families, we can all recognize the importance of the family unit and the focus, support, and celebration it deserves. From our family to yours, stay safe and enjoy each other. Tag #tryverima with your favorite international dish!

Tag @tryverima and share how you have been sleeping. It’s 1:27 AM. The house is silent (finally!) and though you are exhausted, you wonder to yourself if you will ever sleep tonight. You didn’t last night, and hardly at all the night before that, except for perhaps a few groggy hours of muddled sleep around 5:00 AM, a mere hour or two before your littles were up and raring to go for the day. This is becoming a regular pattern for you, especially since the start of the pandemic, so you give up sleeping for now and turn on your light to read and get your mind off the 101 thoughts racing through your head.  Sleep deprivation, insomnia, anxiety, and depression are being recognized in more and more women these days, and society has begun to take note. There have been countless articles recently that have brought to light the imbalance in parenting, and the unfair expectations put upon women these days. Women carry the brunt of the mental load in most households, and that responsibility is absolutely exhausting, especially when combined with managing a career as well. All this has only been magnified as we shelter at home and add homeschooling/full time childcare to the mix.  Rachel Garlinghouse shared her struggles during the shelter at home on ScaryMommy.  It’s no wonder many women are developing anxiety or depression, and turning to sleep aids to help them get the rest they so desperately need.   In an attempt to get a decent night’s sleep, some women turn to prescription medications. These medications however often come with their own side effects that can leave people feeling groggy, “hungover”, and sometimes even more tired. This continuous cycle of sleep deprivation is all part of the problem, and it is perpetuating this struggle that women are facing.  Women who are dealing with sleep issues like anxiety and insomnia need a natural sleep aid that helps them get a decent night’s sleep and which doesn’t come with a whole host of side effects. Hayley MacMillan wrote about her experiences with sleep aids and how CBD is her tactic of choice.  Luckily, there is more and more evidence each day that points to CBD oil as being a safe, natural, effective treatment for sleep disorders. While we await definitive clinical trials studying the specific effects of CBD on sleep, there has been significant anecdotal results from many patients who have noticed a stark increase in their sleep quality after starting to take CBD oil. Some physicians, who are in support of using CBD oil felt that while CBD could in fact be helping their patients to sleep better, they also considered that CBD is also treating other symptoms that were hindering their patients’ sleep, like anxiety or Restless Leg Syndrome.  Oftentimes, the mental load that women carry tends to ramp up into overdrive at night when we’re supposed to be resting. We’re checking that endless to-do list, wondering if we forgot anything important, making a mental note of the kids’ Zoom times, thinking about what to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner, worrying about a work deadline and staying employed.  We are desperately trying to sustain the unsustainable for an undefined amount of time.  It is often in the evening once the others are asleep and we can finally think, when anxiety creeps up and launches into high gear. By finding something that can treat the anxiety, then the sleep will naturally follow, assuming there are no other underlying conditions preventing a decent night’s sleep. CBD can also aid in balancing sleep cycles, help your muscles to relax, and even lessen chronic pain that may be contributing to a restless sleep. It is important to find the dosage that works best for you, as people will react to different amounts in completely different ways. The trick is to start low and go slow; start with a small dose of our high-quality broad-spectrum CBD tincture in the early evening. Squeeze the contents of the dropper under your tongue and let the liquid absorb through the membrane for as long as comfortable (preferably a minute or so) before swallowing.  See how it makes you feel and how it helps you sleep. If you don’t find it helping enough, try increasing the dose. For some they will feel the effects that day, for others, the CBD needs to build up in their systems before any differences are noted.   We’re all juggling a lot right now and we deserve at the basic level to be functioning on all cylinders which only can come after a solid night’s sleep. Sleep well, Mama, you deserve it.  Learn more at www.tryverima.com

Tell us @tryverima the conversations you’re having with your children.  We can not ignore the protests and riots in cities across our nation, and naturally our kids are going to have a lot of questions. While it may be easier to brush this daunting conversation to the side, especially if the ramifications don’t immediately affect our daily lives, now is the precise opportunity to have deep and meaningful conversations with your children.  This infographic created by The Children’s Community School links the sociological studies to different phases of childhood. These studies indicate that children are ready to listen to race conversations at ages younger than we would think.  Now that we know we can (and should) talk to our kids about race, the question becomes how?  We come in many colors First, we should acknowledge that people come in all different sizes, shapes and colors. To say “I don’t see color” or “skin color is not a factor” is in fact hurting the conversation. Janice Gassam in an article in Forbes wrote, “The goal is actually to see and recognize skin color but to control and regulate your innate impulse to make decisions based on such characteristics. Being able to first recognize this is critical. “ Talk to your children about the entire spectrum of people living in the world. And acknowledge and celebrate their differences. Theeverymom.com has compiled this amazing list of children’s books that celebrate diversity.  Protests bring change Secondly, explain to children that protests are not a negative, but rather a powerful tool and right we have as citizens. Give them the historical context that our country’s (USA) first steps towards independence and liberty started with colonists protesting against King George’s rule.  Lucy Calkins from Teacher’s College of Columbia University recently wrote an extremely helpful essay that suggests how we could start by explaining that George Floyd’s death is the latest in a line of unwarranted deaths for people of color. The conversation can then delve further into how and why these protests have sometimes turned violent or morphed into riots.  Calkin continues to say,  “students need to know that this recent death occurs against a backdrop in which unemployment and COVID-19 both, are disproportionately tearing apart the lives of Black and Brown people. So these accumulated grievances combined have brought us to this moment. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. told us long ago, ‘A riot is the language of the unheard.’ “ A Nation of upstanders Lastly, empower your children to change their bystander status to that of upstander. To be someone who recognizes the injustices and possesses the empathy and the bravery to be a catalyst for change. This is a perfect time to reinforce your family’s values and model for your children that, “we speak up when something is wrong. “  To quote one of our Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. “ It’s up to us mamas. Let’s instill respect and love for humanity in our children, and let’s start today. 

Tell us @tryverima the calculated risks you’ve deemed acceptable.  Throughout the past few months, the world has been shaken. We have had our lives, our normalcy, our routines, challenged and altered forever. On a global scale, we have all been affected by the Coronavirus to some degree, and many refer to this time period as “The Great Pause”. Because that is exactly what it has been: a huge pause. Schools have been cancelled, businesses have been closed, parks have tape across them preventing little ones from playing, and we have stayed inside our homes in an attempt to avoid catching this deadly virus. When we do have to go out, we protect ourselves and others by keeping our distance, wearing a mask, and washing our hands regularly.   In some parts of the world, this pause has been helping somewhat, and the curve is slowly flattening. The number of cases is decreasing, and people are starting to talk about returning to life as normal. Parks are being reopened, businesses are slowly starting to accept customers through their doors again. Social distancing restrictions are being lifted, and people are allowed to see their friends and family members again. Along with the good news of restrictions being lifted, however, is news that in some parts of the world cases of the virus continue to increase. There is talk of a second wave hitting us, or a bubble in a bubble as some would argue;  however the lack of visibility makes future planning murky at best. It is concerning that as some restrictions are lifted, we are seeing an increase in the number of cases. So, what does all this mean? If we are returning to life as normal, what does that normal look like? Is it safe to return to such a state? Is it realistic to expect that we will ever return to what we consider to be ‘normal’?    What is important to remember during this time is that everyone will have a different level of comfort and a different perspective on what normal looks like for them. Perhaps some of us are more comfortable remaining socially distanced until that curve is flattened even more. Perhaps some of us are sick of remaining inside our homes and for the sake of mental health, welcome the loosening of restrictions. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we are all dealing with it in different ways and with different perspectives, and it is important that we are respectful of that. We need to be mindful of the fact that how we are approaching this pandemic may be different than someone else, and that’s ok. You do you.  Some people will not leave their homes without wearing a mask, while others use masks only when indoors in public spaces.  Still others may have underlying health  or sensory issues which make masks unfeasible. Let’s reserve our judgement. We don’t know everyone’s full story, and we don’t know their reasoning for doing, or not doing, something. We need to be open-minded and continue on with love and kindness in our hearts.  For those of us who are fortunate to be able to work from home, we have some freedom in choosing what works best for our family, what our level of comfort is when going out in public, and whether or not we choose to take our kids out into the community. For working parents, there isn’t always that level of freedom. Parents who work outside the home may need to take advantage of daycares opening back up, so that they are able to return to work and earn an income. Not to mention the children of essential workers also need childcare. We simply are not in a position to judge as we are not walking in their shoes.  Additionally, many of us are caring for aging parents, and a lot of the time those parents are battling health issues that leave them immunocompromised and vulnerable to this virus. We need to take extra precaution when out in public, as well as limit how much we are around other people, while adhering to strict social distancing boundaries until this virus is eradicated. We don’t have the freedom to take advantage of restrictions loosening, because there is a loved one who could be inadvertently and fatally affected by such decisions.     The arguments that have arisen in school districts about reopening plans have been heated at best.  But how does a school district accommodate every parent’s levels of risk tolerance?  And what about the risks to the teachers and their families? There is no one answer or plan that fits all, but please let’s stay respectful of the fact that we are all trying our best with the resources we have.  Some parents are desperate to send their kids to school but an immunocompromised member of the household makes that unfeasible.  Some children themselves are immunocompromised.  Meanwhile the mental health of other children is suffering and they crave live social interaction and learning. Other parents need to return to work and simply cannot homeschool their children for hours everyday.  Throughout all of this, it is so important that we remember that everyone’s situation is completely different, and we don’t always know the full story. When you see a mother in the store with her children, instead of judging her for bringing her children, recognize that perhaps she is a single mother with no other alternative. Instead of giving her a dirty look and making her feel even worse, offer a smile and a kind word. When you see someone in mask and gloves, recognize that perhaps they are immunocompromised or caring for someone who is, and respectfully keep your distance. Everyone is dealing with this pandemic to the best of their ability, and everyone is coping with stresses that we know nothing about. Reserve judgement, proceed with kindness in your heart, and focus on yourself and what you need to do for your family.  We will get through this together, and one day we will return to normal, whatever that normal may be.

Tell us @tryverima your plans for the school year. Parents, teachers, administrators, immunologists, epidemiologists and doctors on both sides are hotly debating the need for children to be in school for in-person learning versus the safety of students and teachers and the risks to their health.  And like all hotly debated topics, it’s complicated and there is no one size fits all solution.  Last month, our school district announced the plan for hybrid learning at the elementary schools and distance learning for the middle and high schools. Last week, in response to the continuous rising cases of the virus, the state said, schools can not open unless the county’s case numbers stop rising for 14 consecutive days. Some parents were livid, some despaired, some relieved, but regardless, many jumped into a tizzy to form their own cohorts, pods, find teachers, tutors and nannies because however we managed to muddle through last spring; it is neither sustainable nor desirable.  What we must understand is that zero risk of Covid-19 is not going to happen for a long while.  So the debate then becomes, how do we move forward by mitigating the risk of infection/illness to levels we deem acceptable? I live in the Bay Area of California right near the San Andreas Fault, which means we get earthquakes. But, we make sure our homes are reinforced to code, we have emergency kits ready, we practice earthquake drills at schools and home, and it is a risk we accept. East coasters are all too familiar with the damage they face every year with hurricane season. We all take risks daily when we get in our cars, play sports, eat sushi or a medium-rare steak.  But we take the necessary precautions to lessen those risks to levels where we feel comfortable. A dive joint’s sushi menu or football without a helmet are not good ideas.  And neither is opening up schools when cases are surging. But let’s be clear, teachers are essential workers and similar to our frontline workers in hospitals, grocery stores and factories and plants, we need them to take on an acceptable amount of risk.  Source: New York Times If a region’s numbers are low and stable, and schools are making the necessary accommodations to limit class sizes, form cohorts, increase ventilation/move classes outside, etc. Then yes, let’s give our children what they need.  The key here is flexibility.  We need to have a Plan A, B,C and D.  And we need to manage our expectations that moving from Plan A to B,C or D WILL happen and that’s to be expected and it is okay.  In other words, the plan is to be okay with changing the plan.  We know all too well cases can surge within a couple weeks, and cases can also flatten and come down.  We know that what is happening in LA is not what is happening in Omaha.  We know in the Bay Area the numbers surged, then flattened, then decreased then surged. . . . If we know the plan is to shift, then we don’t feel disappointment when we have to shift.  Our plans and expectations won’t come crashing down as schools switch from full-time to hybrid to distance and back to hybrid.    Similarly, we need to adjust our expectations for the length of time we will be on this roller coaster of change.  People will wait patiently if they know how long they have to wait.  It is the “indefinite” part that drives us nuts.  We may gladly wait 30 minutes to eat at our favorite restaurant (pre-Covid), but if the host just shrugged and said, “I have no idea. . . hopefully 5 minutes, but maybe not at all tonight, “ then we would grow increasingly impatient as each minute past the 5 minute-mark ticked by, and most of us would probably not wait at all.  If we thought this pandemic would be over and done with in a few months, we would be sorely disappointed and rightfully fatigued by now.  We pace ourselves differently if we’re running a 5K versus a marathon. Where many moms I spoke with are struggling is with the indefiniteness of the current norm.  It’s the not knowing for how much longer we need to be attempting to be successful at the impossible. The best we can do is going to have to be good enough.  And the best we can do is to have several plans, be flexible enough to shift those plans and take each day as it comes.   We all know by now the importance of teaching our children the buzzwords of “grit”, “perseverance” and “resilience”. Well, here it is the (albeit unsolicited) real-world, months-long, teachable moment to model and talk about all these qualities as we model them for our children.  And while we’re at it, let’s add “flexibility” to our list.  It’s not going to be easy, but we never thought it would be, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Be smart, stay safe, wear a mask and plan to change the plan.  

Tell us @tryverima how your child is reacting to school Parents across the country are worrying about the return to school this fall and what it will mean for their children, themselves, and everyone around them. These are strange times, and we are all feeling the stress from it.  The coronavirus pandemic that has shaken the world in recent months has most people feeling pretty apprehensive about returning to school. With no way of knowing for certain how it will all pan out, parents are concerned about the safety and well-being of their children. But, we have to dig deep during these times, take care of ourselves, monitor our mental health, and keep a close eye on our children’s mental health as well.  With school just around the corner, your school-age child might be feeling a wide range of emotions and possible stress. Kids process things differently than adults, and it is important during these times that we remain tuned into our children and their emotions. Here are some simple ways that you can help to support your child’s mental health as they navigate this new normal and return to a very different school year. Work on your own mindset As a parent who battles anxiety, this pandemic has challenged me tremendously, and I have had to dig deep to find the strength and positive mindset to be a good role model for my kids. I know that they watch me closely and take their cues from me, so I needed to keep my own anxiety in check, in order to be there for them. I focused on a mindset of gratitude, being grateful for our health, safety, and increased family time together.    As parents, we need to set the stage for a positive mindset, and we can do so by modeling our own. It is not always easy, and of course there are times when we are going to feel anxious, sad, stressed, or fed up, and that is perfectly fine and perfectly normal. But, it is so important that we pick ourselves back up and continue onward, modeling resilience and positivity for our kids. Limit how much news your child overhears Little ears are everywhere, and children pick up on everything. No, they may not answer when you call them, they may not pick up the toy in the middle of the floor that you’ve tripped on five times, but they will hear you discussing world events or watching the news. Be mindful of what you watch on tv if your children are around, because listening to the news could be quite upsetting for children to overhear. You want them to be aware of what is going on in the world, but you want them to know the appropriate level of information for their age. Hearing constant updates about the virus only serves to increase their anxiety, possibly confuse them even more, and make them worry unnecessarily. Try to keep regular structure and routines at home It has been incredibly hard maintaining routine these past few months, but it is something that my children thrive on. When life was all scattered, confusing, and up-in-the-air back in March when we were waiting to hear what the schools were doing, my children’s mental health was not good. They lacked the routine of school, they missed their friends, we were struggling to adjust to all that was being thrown at us, and the lack of structure caused them to worry even more.   Once we knew we weren’t returning to school in March, my husband and I got our heads back in the game, and we got our structure and routines set back up at home, with regular mealtimes, regular bedtimes, and some semblance of structure throughout the day – homeschooling, time outside, family time in the evening, etc. As much as you can manage, keep the routines going at home. Once your child returns to school, have that dinnertime, evening, bedtime routine in place so that there is security and structure at home. They may have to struggle through the uncertainty and unfamiliarity of the school day, but at least they can come home to their safe place, full of predictability and reassurance. Be open when your child wants to talk Your child may want to talk with you about their day, and they may have questions about how things are being done at school – extra hand-washing, social distancing, masks, etc. Be there when they need to talk, and just be a listening ear unless they want advice or have questions. Your child may just need to talk it out and let out the stresses of the day, and knowing that they can come to you to do that will do wonders in helping them know that they can get through this.    If they have questions about what’s going on, be honest with them and try to help them understand. There are many resources available online that are there for parents to access, when they are unsure of how to respond to a particular question. There’s nothing wrong with letting your child know that you don’t currently have the answer to a question, but that you’ll figure it out together. This is completely new for all of us! So, don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t have every answer. Just creating space for your child makes a huge difference, because it lets them know they’re safe and cared for.   Limit Screen Time Many school districts have decided to open the school year with full distance learning.  Whether it’s synchronous or asynchronous, undoubtedly kids will be on the screen. . . a lot.  It is imperative that they are given frequent breaks to go outside, take in some fresh air and bright light as often as possible. Even the short 15 minute breaks in between meetings are beneficial.  And if they can get some exercise while outside, even better.  This will release endorphins and improve overall mood and well-being.  A quick jog around the block, a few minutes of jump rope, hula-hooping or some jumping jacks and burpees are an easy and convenient way to accomplish this.  Play some fun music outside and have a quick 10 minute dance party.  The effects are cumulative and positive.   Consider enforcing no screen time from dinner for the rest of the evening.  The light from the screen will delay their internal clock (circadian rhythm) and suppress the release of melatonin (hormone responsible for making us sleepy) thus children may not fall asleep until later.  And by now, we all understand the importance a solid night’s sleep plays in mental well-being.   Stay connected When confronted with something like this pandemic, children often worry more about the ones they love than they do about themselves. If they are overhearing that this virus tends to affect older people, for example, they may start to worry about their grandparents. Be sure to stay connected to loved ones during these times, especially if you live far apart. Let your kids call their grandparents and chat with them regularly, check in with relatives, and just maintain connection however you can. Having regular check-ins with loved ones can mean so much to kids, and it does wonders for all of us when we connect to the ones we love.  Final thoughts These are incredibly challenging times, and we don’t know what this school year will bring. All we can do for now is focus on caring for ourselves and our loved ones, and that includes caring for our mental health as well. These small steps can make a big difference for your child, and they can help to support positive mental health through this transition back to school. Just by being there for your child, and letting them know you’ve got their back, makes a world of difference. 

Tell us @tryverima or comment below the little blessings you’ve discovered during distance learning!  As if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t enough, we now have fires raging in California and hurricanes and storms hitting the East and South. I’ve been writing about some pretty heavy topics lately and after weeks of bad news, I thought we could all use something more upbeat.  As my kids settled into their first couple weeks of distance learning, I started to notice sweet moments throughout our days that I would jot down.  For this week I decided to take a moment to reflect and compile all the positives that have come out of our less than ideal conditions.  This is a great exercise for all of us and I encourage you to try it!  Or add on to this list in the comments.  Stay safe and stay well friends.    1.  Our mornings are MUCH calmer.  I no longer have to keep after the kids to get out the door on time.  Gone are the screams of, “Where’s my shoe?!”, “Put on sunblock!”, “Hurry and eat your breakfast!”, “Where’s my jacket?!?”, “Come on, let’s GO!!!!”  I know if the kids didn’t get a great breakfast, they’ll have a screen break in 45 minutes to eat a quick snack.   2.  So long as they change out of their pajamas (per school rules) they are free to pick whatever outfit their hearts desire without my complaining of it being “too summery”, “too wintery”, “too small” or “too big”.  Tops and bottoms no longer need to match, and who even needs socks? 3.  They can fidget, giggle and talk to themselves as much as they need without disturbing the kids around them.  Mark my words, these teachers sure are going to miss the “MUTE” button when kiddos return to the physical classroom!    4.  My little guy gets to cozy up next to his big sister during the all-school assembly.   5.  I get to be a fly on the wall and hear all the magical conversations that happen in Kindergarten.   6.  I get to be a fly on the wall and listen to 10 year olds make sense of the world around them and discuss their emerging opinions about current events.    7.  I know enough about middle schooler’s day to ask specific questions about the content he’s learning.  (As opposed to the usual, “What did you learn today?”/”Nothing.” conversation we used to have.     8. My kids get to walk the dog together everyday during recess.    9.  I get to feed my kids a hot lunch everyday and enforce that veggies get eaten and not just lugged back home.  10.  No more digging through the school’s lost and found bins and having to inevitably replace said lunch boxes, water bottles, jackets, sun-hats and backpacks.  11.  No one has caught the sniffles, the stomach bug, pink-eye, lice or strep throat!  12.  I have not been late to pick-up a single time yet! 

Share with us @tryverima or comment below what your Halloween plans are! As if moms needed another “Mommy Wars” battle in 2020, Halloween is brewing disagreements on what is safe and what is risky.  The important takeaway is that all moms are coming from a place of love and we all are just trying to keep our children safe and happy.  The CDC released guidelines placing various Halloween activities in either a lower, moderate or high risk category.  And unfortunately, to no one’s surprise, traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating is higher risk.  Also unfortunately, this running from door to door is my kids’ favorite part of Halloween. It’s not even about the candy, as each year they pick out maybe 20 pieces and donate the rest and of those 20 pieces remaining, maybe half get tossed out in December. So it saddens me that my kiddos won’t be engaging in one activity that they so look forward to each year.  In my attempt to not have to cancel Halloween this year, I’ve been looking around for some ideas to still make Halloween special for my kids this year and thought I would share them here.    Costumes While I like to think I have always given my children free-reign over their costume choices, admittedly there were several litmus tests the costumes had to pass. I  had to consider if the costume weather appropriate/warm enough for Oct. 31? Could my child safely walk in the costume (sorry about the ax on the mermaid tail)? No to mention costumes had to adhere to the school’s rules which meant nothing violent/bloody and no masks obstructing the face (oh the irony!), and no weapons.  Well, guess what? This year anything goes. . . call it mom guilt, but I didn’t blink when my kiddo asked for $40 web-shooters to accessorize his Spiderman costume.  I didn’t rush my daughter along as she made me navigate shop after Etsy shop looking for the perfect angel halo, and I didn’t skip a beat when that search didn’t result in an *acceptable* halo.  And I certainly didn’t even pause before I offered to make one for her and went material hunting online to create what she was envisioning. Additionally, the too-thin/cold, flowy, tripping-hazard of a dress this angel picked out is just fine for the festivities we have planned at home. So there WILL be costumes and each kiddo will be especially proud to wear theirs this year.   Virtual Costume Show So now, if like me you just spent much more time and money on costumes than you ever thought you would, we need a venue to show off these costumes!  Some have talked about organizing outdoor socially distanced parades, but ask any teacher, that getting kids to walk in some order 6 feet apart from each other will be a near-impossible feat.  So why not set up a virtual fashion show? Each kid can be spotlighted to show off her costume and explain why they chose their costume. And the best part? Grandparents and extended family living afar can still join the festivities! Decorating This year, I brought home some decorating supplies and my kids happily spent the entire weekend decorating and then iterating their decorations to add detail and improve their designs. We’re always told “it’s the journey not the destination” and this rings especially true for kiddos and decorating.  While they certainly enjoy the end result, the process brings them far more giggles and laughs.  Their eco-friendlier decorations included happily tied together yarn spiderwebs, cut and glued spiders, bats and jack-o-lanterns, and stuffed and dressed scarecrows.  Next weekend we will go pick out our pumpkins and a week or so before Halloween we will carve them. My daughter also started searching the internet for healthier Halloween food and snack ideas and they will get to spend a few days creating and enjoying those treats. It gives them something fun to look forward to as well as some ownership in finding healthy snacks they want to eat, putting items on the grocery list and then preparing their own snacks.  Halloween “Easter-egg hunt” Each year for Easter I stuff and hide eggs for each kiddo and they LOVE hunting for them and then revealing what’s inside! When my eldest was in pre-school, I started a new tradition for my candy-meh kids.  I purchase a small lego kit for each child, and then have about 15 large plastic eggs (that I reuse every year) per child. NOTE: Each child is assigned one color, so s/he has 15 of the same colored eggs. I put a bunch of legos in each egg and hide them around the house and yard. Once each kid finds all 15 eggs, they get the box with the instructions (and any pieces that didn’t fit into the eggs) and mom and dad get at least an hour of peace while the three kids happily build their respective sets.  I have read that some folks plan to leave treats out on their driveways for kiddos to collect, but the jury is still out if this works/is safe in more high traffic/urban areas. And for my kids at least, it’s less about the candy and more about the decorating, the costumes, the social interactions and just having an afternoon and evening devoted to fun.  However you choose to celebrate Halloween this year, I wish you safety, laughter, and a happily memorable day.  Stay Safe! 

Tell us @tryverima or comment below how your tween/teen is handling the start of school.  Fall has arrived, and with that the return to school. Across the globe, the return to school amidst the Coronavirus pandemic looks differently depending on where you are living. Some kids are returning to in-person learning at school, others are embarking on an online learning journey, some are doing a combination of the two, and others still are remaining at home to complete their learning via homeschooling. Regardless of which avenue your child is traveling down, there is no doubt that they will likely be feeling rather anxious about school starting back up again. However, how each child is feeling about school starting back up will be quite different. Some kids thrived during the pandemic shut-down, enjoying the slower pace, more family time, online learning, and decrease in peer pressures and expectations. Other children found the lockdown extremely hard, missing the social interaction, struggling with online learning, perhaps exposed to difficult family situations, and missing the routine of school.  So, how your tween or teenager reacts to school could be all over the place, as they struggle to prepare themselves for the new unknown. Your child needs your support more than ever, even though in typical teenager fashion, they would never let you know that. Here are some ways that you can help to support your tween or teenager’s mental health when we return to school. Connect and listen This is sometimes easier said than done in the world of tweens and teens, because they often struggle between wanting us around and wanting their privacy and independence. However, these are uncertain times, and this return to school is going to be like no other your child has ever experienced, no matter what type of schooling they’re doing. Find ways to connect with your child, and be there to listen to them when they want to talk. Sharing in their interests, spending quiet time together, going for walks, and just sharing their space with them can help to create opportunities for them to open up and talk with you. Often, side-by-side without eye contact (like going for a walk together or taking a scenic drive) can help to take the pressure off and help them feel more comfortable talking to you. If they do decide to open up and talk, just be an ear for them. Don’t offer advice or opinions unless asked, just listen and be there for them. Often times they are not looking for us to solve their problems.  And in fact, by offering “solutions” they can feel judged or unheard. Remind your child that you are a safe place for them to talk to, and allow them the freedom to express themselves. Acknowledge their feelings of worry, sadness, or frustration, and help them to label their emotions, as this helps them to process what they are feeling. Get back into a good routine I’ll admit it, this process is going to be a bit of a struggle. It’s been almost 6 months of very little routine in our house, and the idea of early mornings and rush, rush, rush is not overly appealing to me. However, as parents, it falls on us to create the routine again, because our children truly do thrive on them. Having a solid routine at home will help your child to adjust to being back at school. Start setting earlier bedtimes for everyone, and have your children get their stuff ready the night before to help make those early mornings a little easier. Even if you are planning on homeschooling, you will want to set up some routines to help your child transition back into school mode. Just like toddlers thrive on routine, so do teenagers. In fact, all children benefit from solid routines at home, as it helps to create boundaries for them and creates a safe space where they know what is expected of them.  Speaking of boundaries and spaces, it’s also helpful to have defined physical spaces where school work will take place. A quiet area with a table and comfortable chair so their brains and bodies are prepared to learn. Similarly, a place your kiddos can step away from when they need a break or are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.  Remain attuned to your child Tweens and teens are known for keeping to themselves, wanting privacy to process all the changes that are taking place within them, and wanting to manage the ups and downs of their lives by themselves. But, this doesn’t mean that they don’t need you. They really do, now more than ever. Keep an eye on your child, even if it’s done subtly, and remain attuned to their moods and behavior. Watch for any changes in your child, either physical or behavioral. Some indications that your child may be struggling or feeling anxious could include: Stomach aches or headaches Changes in sleep habits Withdrawal from friends and family Lashing out, more easily angered Seeking constant reassurance from a parent Loss of appetite Avoiding or refusing to do things they normally would (activities, responsibilities, etc.) If you notice changes, try having an honest discussion with them, and see if they will open up and talk to you. This video from Psychologist and author Collett Smart shares some practical tips and strategies for talking to your tween/teen. Limit their access to the news While your tween or teen is likely at an age where they can understand what they are hearing in the news, it doesn’t mean that they are processing all of the information correctly, and it can cause overwhelm and increased feelings of anxiety. There is an abundance of negativity in the news these days, as is to be expected in the midst of a global pandemic. However, that doesn’t mean that your child needs to hear all of that. Limit the amount of screen time your child has and how much access they have to the news and social media. This can sometimes prove to be challenging, as for the most part our kids are used to having a certain amount of screen time. But, if you find that they are tuning into the news a lot and getting anxious and concerned about what they are hearing or reading, then you will want to find ways to limit that. Set some limits to screen time in your home, and make it part of the new back-to-school routine. While they may challenge and argue this boundary, their mental health will thank you. Don’t stress about the academics Don’t get me wrong, school is important and so are the academics, but not right now. Not yet. Let your child get into the groove of their new schedule (whatever that looks like) without putting on pressure about the academics. Chances are, they’re already feeling nervous about keeping up with their grades after such a long time being off, and they’re probably wondering how they will fare compared to their classmates. Eventually the academics will ramp up, but first and foremost is your child’s overall mental well-being. By starting off slow and steady, it will be a positive experience for them. Set some positive goals Help your tween/teen to set some positive goals for themselves, even if they’re not related to school. Set up a vision board or a dream board that they could add to, or create one as a family. Maybe you have different places that you want to visit once it is safe to do so. Maybe there is a new hobby that your child wants to try.  Whatever it might be, encourage dreaming and goal setting with your child, as this helps to create a positive mindset, and it fosters feelings of hope. That is so important at a time when life is uncertain and confusing. Help them to remain focused on their dreams and goals, adding to the vision board regularly. Final Thoughts This is going to be a school year unlike any other your child has experienced, and that alone is daunting. But, if we are mindful of our own mindset, and go into this school year with as much positivity as we can muster (I totally recognize that it can be a challenge for us as parents too!), then we can make this a wonderful year. Point out the good that is happening in the world, talk about how everyday people are stepping up and helping others, making a difference, and combatting this pandemic. Set positive dreams and goals that you want to achieve, both individually and as a family. Stay attuned to your child, and keep the lines of communication open. Let them know you are their safe space and you are there for them whenever they need you. We’ve got this, parents! 

Share with us @tryverima or comment below if you have had to leave the workforce or scale back your hours.  If work-life balance was a challenge for moms everywhere pre-pandemic, it comes as no surprise that seven months into the pandemic, a staggering 800,000 women dropped out of the workforce from August to September.  The labor department published data that four times as many women dropped out compared to the 216,000 men.  With children in full distance or hybrid learning and wanting to limit after-school activity to reduce exposure, parents are pressed for childcare.  In such households, it makes sense that the lower earner be the one to leave their job.  Unfortunately the majority of the time, it is the woman who earns less than her male partner.  This number however, doesn’t even address the number of women scaling back on their careers, working part-time or putting business ideas/entrepreneurship on the back burner.  As a mom of young kids and founder of an even younger company, stepping away from Verima is not an option, but the balancing act has me constantly wrestling between bringing less than 100% to either my family or to my company. Literally as I typed that last sentence, my daughter banged her knee on the table and when I didn’t look up right away she became irate at my lack of a reaction. I heard her bump and saw it peripherally and my mom-instinct knew she was not physically hurt.  But clearly her mom’s-attention-bucket is running on empty for her (an extraordinarily easy-going child) to get angry at what she perceived as my not caring.  Additionally, today my son had to scrounge for supplies to build a homemade catapult because I didn’t have time and then later forgot to swing by his school to pick up the science supply pack.  All these seemingly inconsequential moments add up and are slowly breaking my heart. I spoke with other moms who are similarly balancing careers and children in midst of the pandemic and asked how they were managing, coping and making it work.  Answers ranged from one mom’s, “I’m just trying to do enough to not get fired”, to another’s, “I work from 4am-7am, then 9am-noon and then again from 8-10pm.  Whatever doesn’t get done is pushed to the weekend. “ A third friend sent her eldest to his grandparent’s in Michigan so that her mother-in-law could handle all the distance learning. The luck(ier) moms have family nearby to help out or the funds to hire pod-teachers/tutors/nannies. But still others have had no choice but to leave the workforce altogether. This pandemic induced exit from the workforce has more far-reaching ramifications than a year of lost income.  As one mom confessed to me, “At my age (40’s) leaving the work force in my industry means saying goodbye to your career. No one will hire you after a year. “ These were not the conversations I was hoping to have. I wanted to hear from someone who was slaying it. . . or at the very least felt she had a handle on things. If you find her, or even better: If you ARE her, I would love to buy you a socially-distanced cup of coffee and pick your brain.  In what perhaps is never a good idea, I looked to my Facebook and Instagram feeds to try and find some uplifting articles or examples of other moms doing great.  Instead I found endless columns of memes and quotes in colorful fonts telling moms “we’re blessed because we opened our eyes today” or “eliminate stress by loving what you do. “  Yes, all very true, and anyone who knows me, or who has read any of my blogs knows I am big on gratitude.  I know that folks are just trying to put a *positive spin* on things. However, to the moms who feel like they are drowning, telling them “Yes, but you’re doing great!” is not helpful.  There is something called toxic positivity, and yes, it is a real thing.  I recently read Allyson Chiu’s article in the Washington Post on toxic positivity. In her article, she quotes Professor Debra Kaysen from Stanford University, “There’s nothing wrong with trying to make the best of it, but making the best of it is different from toxic positivity. Making the best of it is accepting the situation as it is and doing the best you can with it, whereas toxic positivity is avoidance of the fact that we’re in a really bad situation. Using the appropriate language is equally critical to steering clear of toxic positivity, especially when trying to be supportive of others. ” And so moms, here I am telling you that this is hard.  It’s okay to not be okay. And it’s even more important to acknowledge that, because it’s the only way we can move forward.