DEAR FRIENDS,
Did you read that statement on delinquent parents, made by Prime Minister Bruce Golding of Jamaica?  He said, “…if you are not prepared to honour your obligation to your children, then do not have them.  If you have them and you are not prepared to honour those obligations, then you are going to be punished.”
Harsh, but many might agree.  Too many women and young girls become pregnant without thought  as to how they would care for the child.  They believe the father would provide; if not, another man or the grandmother would.  If all fails, blame “life and government” and leave the child to beg or steal.
However, there’s another side to this issue – parenting skills do not fall into one’s lap; becoming a mother does not automatically make one a good parent.  Many girls who get pregnant over and over do not have a clue as to what “obligation” means.  They themselves need parents.
Where are the parents?  Many are girls aged twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, pregnant, no longer in school.
But school education is obviously not the only education our girls need.  They must be taught to value themselves instead of thinking that having a boyfriend is proof of their worth, and having his baby is proof of their womanhood.
By educating our girls differently, we can resolve this dilemma.  Churches must find creative ways to reach mothers and daughters, to teach them about goals, dreams and self-esteem; to teach them family skills; to educate them about actions and consequences.  There is also a need for more grass-roots, non-political groups to help with this type of education.
What do you think? Write to the Chronicle or email savannahwomenscircle@gmail.com.

CRAFTY LADY.
Make a pillow-case by hand.
This is so easy to make, you can watch television while stitching away.
You need: two neatly trimmed pieces of fabric suitable for pillow-cases – 51 centimetres by 86 centimetres; tack pins, a sewing needle; strong machine thread that matches the fabric; embroidery thread – contrasting colours; a pencil.
Place right sides together so that the “wrong” sides are on the outside.  Line up the edges; pin together the pieces.
Measure 1 centimetre from the edge of the fabric; mark this point with your pencil.  Continue around the two long sides and one short side, marking off 1 centimetre.
String the needle with two strands of machine thread.  Sew small, even running stitches around the three sides, 1 centimetre from the edge.  Use the pencil marks to guide you.  (See Women’s Circle pages, February 18 and 24, 2010, to learn to do the running stitch).
Next week: finishing off…

EARTH WOMAN.
How safe is the air that you breathe?
If we were to build and furnish our homes and offices with natural materials only; if we wore only clothing made from natural fibres; if we were surrounded by trees and there were no vehicles or factories around us, we might be able to say that the air we breathe is pure.  But modern life has brought several harmful chemicals into our environment.
Formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene – three of the most common chemicals – were studied by the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA).
Formaldehyde is in particle board or pressed wood; you can find it in waxed papers, facial tissues, paper towels, wrinkle-proof clothing, floor coverings and carpet backing.  Many of these products are treated with urea-formaldehyde resin, which acts as a stiffener or, in some cases, a fire retarding agent.  Formaldehyde is also in household cleaning agents, cigarette smoke, natural gas and kerosene.
Formaldehyde can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; it can cause skin allergies, headaches, and asthma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, in the United States of America, considers it to be cancer-causing.
The second chemical, benzene, is a solvent which you can find in gasoline, oils, inks, paints, plastics and rubber.  It is used when making detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals and dyes.
Constant, low level exposure causes skin infections, eye irritation and headaches, loss of appetite, drowsiness, nervousness and diseases of the blood system.  Inhalation can cause dizziness, weakness, euphoria, headache, nausea, blurred vision, respiratory diseases, liver and kidney damage.  Benzene may be linked to leukaemia in humans.  Pregnant women should avoid constant exposure to products with benzene as it can affect the embryo.
The third chemical, trichloroethylene, is used in metal degreasing and dry-cleaning industries; it is used in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes and adhesives.  According to the National Cancer Institute of America, it can cause liver cancer.
Next week: our answer to these problems – growing fresh air…

HOW TO…
…Control PMS with food.
Researchers of PMS might not completely understand how certain foods help women cope with those awful pre-period symptoms, but they do know that eating the good stuff daily can be of great benefit to you.
Along with fruits, whole-grain oats, nuts and beans, here are some goodies which can help you control PMS.
* Calcium stabilises mood swings, keeps you from getting too bloated, and helps to keep away period pain.  Get calcium from supplements and from foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheeses; black beans, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, pak-choi, mustard, broccoli, canned salmon with bones, sardines, molasses and almond nuts.
* Vegetables – eat lots of this.  The high fibre helps to eliminate extra oestrogen and maintain hormone levels.  It is that peak in oestrogen which causes problems like mood swings.
* Magnesium boosts serotonin, the ‘feel good’ chemical in your brain, so you are not as angry or as sad as you would normally be before your period.  Magnesium can also help ease period cramps as it relaxes muscles and improves the flow of blood.  Foods rich in magnesium are peanuts, cashew nuts, salmon, soy beans, organic soy milk and tofu, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, broccoli, cucumber, celery and mustard greens. Magnesium supplements are sold in pharmacies.
Next week: more good food…

BEAUTIFUL YOU…INSIDE & OUT.
Think confidence – be confident.
If you find yourself feeling bad as wife, mother, daughter, friend, worker; if you cannot stand up for yourself; if you find it difficult to voice your opinions and you are afraid of other people’s response, try building your confidence with the way you think about yourself.  In other words, think confidence, become confident.
Here are some basic thought-exercises:
* Smile in the mirror every morning.  Say, “Good morning, beautiful.  Today I will be strong.”
* Appreciate your skills.  You might believe you have none, but seek and you will find!  Are you a super cook?  Do you sew pretty curtains?  Maybe you create a home so inviting, everyone enjoys being around you.  People trust you and turn to you for advice.  Celebrate this.
* Do not compare yourself to others, you will feel badly about yourself.  Do not think that someone else is prettier or that another person can accomplish a task better than you.  Just do the best you can
.
* Every day, learn something new – a word, an idea, a different way of cooking rice or a fact about a strange country.  Learning sharpens the mind; it develops your communication skills, which in turn increases confidence.
Building confidence is a life-time exercise.  Changes will not take place overnight. Every day, you must watch the way you think about yourself.  In time, with these healthy thought-exercises, you can begin to feel confident.
More next week…
Enjoy the rest of your week, ladies.  Be good to yourselves, take care of you.