Wish a Happy International Women's Day to Hillary and to All the Women Who Inspire You!

Wishing a Happy International Women's Day to Hillary Clinton, who inspires all of us every day, and to all the supportive women and men who visit this blog.

Thank you, Hillary, for all you do!

Emily's list invites all of us to thank Hillary!

Today is International Women's Day.

On March 8, people all around the world celebrate the political, social and economic achievements of women -- past, present and future.

To EMILY's List, no person better embodies the spirit of this day than our friend Hillary Clinton. As first lady, senator, and secretary of state, Hillary's leadership has inspired millions of women of all ages to keep striving for a more equal world.

Please join EMILY's List in thanking Hillary Clinton for her fearless, tireless work on behalf of women and families.

Take care,

EMILY's List

Hillary sent this email out so that you can thank the women who inspire you and invite them to join her initiative, No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project.

International Women's Day is an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on all the gains women and girls have made around the world, even as we forge ahead to address the gaps that remain.

Almost 20 years ago, the world came together at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to declare with one voice that "human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights, once and for all." That was more than a declaration of principles – it was a platform for action.

Because of the hard work and courage of women and men all over the world, we've made important progress to achieve the full and equal participation of women and girls in every aspect of our societies, from education to the economy to government.

On this International Women's Day, take a moment to celebrate someone who has helped you make progress by sending a message to a woman who inspires you.

More girls are in school than at any time in history and many discriminatory laws have been repealed.

Yet, no country in the world – including the United States – has achieved full participation. Women and girls still comprise the majority of the world's unhealthy, unfed, and unpaid.
I believe that helping more women in more places achieve their God-given potential is the great unfinished business of the 21st century – and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines.

Send a message to a woman who inspires you and invite her to be a part of No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project.

Through No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, we are collecting data and stories from women and girls around the world to measure the progress we've made and the challenges ahead. We're also working on a 21st century agenda for full participation that will build on the gains of the past 20 years and pave the way for new breakthroughs.
To celebrate this International Women's Day, I hope you will join us and be a part of the conversation about full participation as we work together to set the agenda for the future.
Send a message to a woman who inspires you and invite her to be a part of No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project.

If we get this right, if we learn from the past and plan for the future, we can put the world on a path toward less poverty and more prosperity, less inequality and more opportunity – and we can only do it together. I hope you will join me.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary's tweet on this occasion.

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton 3h

For #IWD2014, I celebrate the work of Eleanor Roosevelt, a courageous advocate for human rights. Her work continues to inspire. #NoCeilings

SHE: Celebrating International Women's Day

It is an honor to have been selected to initiate the blog tour for this beautiful book  from Viva Editions.  Co-authored by Mary Anne Radmacher and Liz Kalloch,  SHE celebrates, as the cover states, "the greatness in every woman."

Filled with inspirational quotations from women in all walks of life, it is elegantly illustrated, a lovely integration of literary and fine art.   These excerpts, with a spotlight on words from our Hillary exemplify the richness of the text and illustrations.

Here are the bios of the authors along with their message to readers.

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Hillary Clinton at the U.N. To Celebrate International Women's Day

Hillary, back home from her west coast and Canada trek,  helped kick off the celebration of International  Women's Day today at U.N. Headquarters in New York.  The event,  "Equality for Women is Progress for All"  was part of the United Nations International Women's Day, which is celebrated tomorrow, March 8,  dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century, and has been marked  at the United Nations since 1975. 

 

National & International News

Hillary Clinton Urges Equality for Women and Girls

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the U.N. commemoration of International Women's Day fighting for women's rights.

By EDITH M. LEDERER

Saturday, Mar 8, 2014

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared Friday that achieving equality for women and girls is "the great unfinished business of the 21st century."

The potential 2016 presidential candidate galvanized the U.N. commemoration of International Women's Day, repeating her resounding declaration as first lady at the 1995 U.N. women's conference in Beijing that "human rights are women's rights — and women's rights are human rights."

Clinton said that important progress has been made, citing the increasing number of girls in school and women in elected office, and the repeal of many discriminatory laws.

"Yet for all we have achieved together, this remains the great unfinished business of the 21st century," she said.

Read more >>>>

Update: Link to video below tweeted by Hillary. Thank you, Hillary!

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton 2h

.@UN SecGen Ban Ki-moon @phumzileunwomen great to see you for @UN_Women yesterday. Watch here: http://webtv.un.org/watch/international-women%E2%80%99s-day-2014-equality-for-women-is-progress-for-all/3309104866001 … pic.twitter.com/cxrVHj2DQH

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From Hillary Clinton's Too Small to Fail: Playtime as Prep Time

This seems a little obvious.  We know that playtime for young animals often foreshadows coping skills necessary later in life and that parental guidance is frequently involved.  Anyone whose cat has ever dumped a live mouse in his/her lap has probably been exposed to the idea that the cat is training its human as it would a kitten. 

Human children also engage in play activities that mirror the adult world they see around them.  Whether it is playing house, playing store,  tea time,  GI Joe or a
Superhero saving the world, the game reflects an adult world as the child perceives it and ways of behaving in that world. 

The pre-school son of a colleague of mine who was our bookkeeper liked to use the leftover scrap paper I had in my office that was printed with calendar grids.  He carefully inserted what looked to him like numbers.  I asked what he was doing, and he responded, "Payroll!"  There was also an implication that I should not interrupt with inane questions when he was trying to concentrate.

Playtime is Learning Time

If you spend any time around toddlers—on the playground, at home, or even in an airport waiting area—you’ll quickly notice how important playtime is for them. Whether experienced as a game of chase or dress-up, play is the vehicle of choice for learning, and how the young brain processes important information about the world we live in. Through play, young children learn how to get along with others, how to use their bodies, how to problem-solve, and even how to work out emotions, like stress.

According to Professor Karen Hutchison of Rowan University, “Play is actually the work of a child in which they are preparing themselves for adult roles and for society at large.”

When seen through this lens, active playtime becomes an important part of a child’s early education, rather than just a way to use up spare time. More than a decade of research has shown clear benefits of play to children, especially when children engage in pretend or “make-believe” play from the ages of about two through age six. According to Scientific American, studies have shown an improvement in the depth of language used by children who regularly engage in imaginative play, as well as an improvement in their ability to empathize with other people’s points of view. The same is not true of time spent passively watching TV or other screens.

While children often do a good job of playing if left to their own devices, parents and caregivers can help very young children to engage in play that will stimulate their imaginations. Games like peek-a-boo teach young babies about object permanence, and strengthen the bond between children and their caregivers. For toddlers, outdoor games and exploring, as well as imaginative play with puppets and costumes, can be fun and engaging.

Regardless of the game being played, playtime is most rewarding when it happens regularly and with people children know and love.

Learn More:

• Interesting series from Urban Institute provides research about the importance of play for young children—and their parents!
• A peek at the science behind playtime, and why it matters, from Love Talk Play.
• Fun, seasonal activities from Zero to Three that parents can use to play with young children.

In The News:

• “The Case for Play”, The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 20, 2011.
• “The Need for Pretend Play In Child Development”, Scientific American, November 11, 2013.
• “The Importance of Everyday Interactions for Early Brain Development,” The Huffington Post, February 3, 2014.

Video

Watch parents talk about ways they play with their children—from the silly to the artistic! >>