Johnny Tan

It is wonderful to see successfully married couples raising their children.  But the nuclear family as we know it is disappearing, giving way to blended families that are combination of adults and children from previous families.  An estimated one-in-three Americans are part of a blended family, and that is expected to climb to 50% for Americans during their lifetime.

About 75% of divorced persons will remarry, and 65% of those remarriages will include children from prior marriages. In fact, by 2010, blended families are projected to be the predominant family form in the United States.

Helping me keep step with how these families form and function in my last show for my Mother’s Day Special Series this past Tuesday morning on my From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) with the topic of: “Blended Family – Unconditional Love – If there is a will, there is a way” was Shirley Cress Dudley, a Licensed Professional Counselor from Charlotte, North Carolina, with Master’s Degrees in both marriage and family counseling and education.

In addition to her practice, Shirley, along with her husband Eric, is a blended family with five children.

According to Shirley, a blended family is when two adults marry or live together, and one or both adults bring children from a previous relationship into the new marriage or living arrangement.  They “blend” the two families into one new family.

Regardless of how much abundance of love there is in this new family, there will always be times and situations that would require just a little bit more love and understanding from everyone to ensure the survival and success of this new union.

In my book From My Mama’s Kitchen – “food for the soul, recipes for living” I talked about the unconditional love I received from my adopted mom in Malaysia and from eight other women in the United States whom I refer to as my other moms.  It is my experience that in order for us to truly experience and appreciate this kind of love, we, on the receiving end must consciously allow ourselves to be loved, and for those of us who are on the giving end must also consciously allow ourselves to give unconditional love.

Ultimately, the success or failure of this family synergy requires everyone to participate with an open heart and mind! To learn more about how to have a successful blended family, please click on the link below and hear Shirley and I discuss the various opportunities and solutions available to creating a happy and successful blended family.

FMMK Talk Radio – Blended Family with Shirley Cress Dudley, MA LPC.

Have a wonderful day.

Johnny

Tags: Adopted Mom in Malaysia, Blended Family, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Johnny Tan, Licensed Professional Counselor, Recipes For Living, Shirley Cress Dudley, Successful Married Couples, Unconditional Motherly Love
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Every year in May we all celebrate “Mother’s Day.” On this special day we are given the opportunity to honor and pay our respect to someone who is very special to us, someone who has and will always love us unconditionally.

Although the title and role of mothers are traditionally held by women through birth rights or adoptions, there is a small group of men all over the world who either by choice or by necessity have assume the role of being a mother to their children.

These men gallantly provide the daily unconditional “motherly love” needed in their household with one goal in mind – to be the best nurturing teacher, coach, and counselor to their children and loved ones.

Although I am not one of them, writing my book From My Mama’s Kitchen –“food for the soul, recipes for living” gave me the opportunity to truly reflect back on the various heartfelt moments I had shared with my nine moms, and I can relate to the various challenges and rewards of being a mom which was a humbling experience for me.

My From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) this past Tuesday honored a couple of guests David Pellerin a current Mr. Mom, and Tyrone Johnson, a former Mr. Mom for four years, as the “forgotten moms.”

Hearing them sharing their humbling yet rewarding experiences of being the mother in their respective families on the air were truly priceless, as they truly exemplify that men can indeed be really good mothers to their children.

I believe this may be a new trend for the 21st century families, as couples and families have to decide what is truly good for the family’s overall well being not only from a financial perspective but more importantly from the desire to have a true fusion of family synergy where the father and mother may need to switch roles every so often to truly understand each other’s roles and demands in their family unit.

To hear David’s and Tyrone’s stories, please click on the link: FMMK Talk Radio – Honoring The Forgotten Moms!

Have a wonderful day.

Johnny

Tags: 21st Century Families, David Pellerin, Family Synergy, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Mother's Day, Nurturing Teacher, Recipes For Living, The Forgotten Moms, The Real Mr. Moms, Tyrone Johnson, Unconditional Motherly Love
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My topic for this past Tuesday’s From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) was Coming To A Full Circle – Mother/Daughter – Breast Cancer – A Family Affair!, and my guests were Desiree Jacobsen, a recent graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU), Jessica Sullivian, a PhD candidate at University of Texas, and Terry Wilson-Gray, the executive director of The Bridge Breast Network, a non profit organization in Dallas.

In Desiree’s thesis, she discovered in 2007 – approximately 40,460 women were expected to die from breast cancer. Only lung cancer accounts for more death in women.

In African American women, breast cancer is the second most common cancer death preceded by lung cancer. Among the many thing we talked about on the show – communication among African women includes the generational mother/daughter communication network, which underwent a role reversal.

This role reversal resulted when the daughter would assume the superior (mother) role in taking responsibility of their mother in terms of health care. Therefore, the relationship would come to a full circle when the daughter would assume the responsibilities prior assumed by her mother.

Terry Wilson-Gray, a cancer survivor herself echos the facts presented above, but added that many of the African American women are simply to afraid to confront this dangerous illness because of personal fear and more importantly the lack of financial means to treat this disease.

This is where her non-profit organization comes into action – by providing the education, counseling, diagnosis, and treatment for patients regardless of gender, age, and certainly financial background. Her organization is the bridge for patients to get all the medical treatment needed to cure themselves of breast cancer.

In chapter eight of my book From My Mama’s Kitchen – “food for the soul, recipes for living” I talked about in the normal cycle of the human life, every one of us will eventually become our parents parent. Some of us it will be a gradual step into this role, and for some of us this will come quite sudden. Regardless of which, if we approach these changes with love, a twist of humility, and at times, with lightheartedness and humor, we can almost assure ourselves of a positive outcome for everyone involved.

The concept for The Bridge Breast Network was born in 1992 and was nurtured by a group of breast cancer survivors who met in the office of Sally Knox, M.D., a breast specialist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

According to Dr Knox, “We started small, but patients kept coming in the door every day. As The Bridge has grown, it has served as a model for other communities in accessing care. As we look ahead 10 years, I hope The Bridge will continue making it possible for the next generations of women to get the care they need.”

If you have any questions regards your health  please do not hesitate to contact The Bridge Breast Network directly. They are located at 3600 Gaston Ave, Suite 401, Dallas, TX 75246. Phone: 214-821-3820 Toll-free: 1-877-258-1396 and their email address is info@bridgebreast.org

Always remember – Health Makes All Things Possible!

Have a wonderful day.

Johnny

Tags: A Family Affair, African American women, Baylor University Medical Center, Breast Cancer, Dr. Sally Knox, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, M.D. Coming To A Full Circle, mother/daughter communication network, Recipes For Living, Texas Christian University, The Bridge Breast Network, University of Texas
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Celebrating Motherhood in the 21st Century was the topic on discussion in my From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) this past Tuesday, and I asked my special guest, Linda Juergens, the executive director for the National Association of Mothers’ Centers – What are the three things President Barack Obama can do for the 21st Century Mothers?

She said in an ideal world – President Barack Obama can enact the following laws:

1. “Paid Sick Leave” This is important because there are so many working mothers out there that could not afford not to work even though they are severely ill because they could not forgo their pay check for daily living expenses.

2. “Paid Family Leave” – Mothers and care givers are often caught in a situation where they could not take time off work to care for their family because their absence from work cause them financial hardship which in turned further perpetuate the problem.

3. “Safe and Affordable Child Care System” – Every year there are more and more moms having to make the tough choice of going to work to either to be the main supporter of their family or to supplement their overall family’s income. There is a tremendous need for a Safe and Affordable Child Care System that would provide these women a sense of security knowing that their children are safe while in the care of a professional care giver/sitter.

According to her, the United States is lagging behind in all of the above compared to other countries in the world who have put a definite premium on their family life.

Under her leadership the National Association of Mothers’ Centers, have grown to 37 centers strong in 11 States. She expect this number to grow steadily as mothers all over the country are realizing the many benefits the association has to offer to its members because their sole purpose to help mothers to be at the very best state of mind as a mother and a care giver for her child and family.

In the “Food for the Soul” section of my book From My Mama’s Kitchen –“food for the soul, recipes for living,” I wrote about our mom being our teacher, coach, and counselor. It is all about creating and loving. It requires patience, a happy attitude, and a touch of love.

Over the years, the National Association of Mothers’ Centers have successfully created a safe, nurturing environment that lead to healthier and happier mothers, healthier children, and families, which gave birth to community excellence!

To start a chapter in your community please visit this website: http://www.motherscenter.org. There is no minimum number of members required to start a chapter or an official commercial venue. All it takes is a common goal of wanting to make a positive in your life and the lives of other moms in your community.

Have a nice day.

Johnny

Tags: 21st Century Mothers, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Linda Juergens, National Association of Mothers' Center, Paid Family Leave, Paid Sick Leave, President Barack Obama, Recipes For Living, Safe and Affordable Child Care System
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This past Sunday was a very special day for me. I had the opportunity to take my godmother Ann to CAVA Restaurant, one of the newest and nicest restaurant in Dallas to eat seafood paella for lunch.

The husband and wife owners Xavier Miro and Catalina Ocampo, were exceptionally friendly and very professional, which makes the dining experience much more enjoyable. Xavier, the chef, made the paella specially for us because the restaurant does not serve this dish for lunch on Sundays.

I had to call a couple of days in advance to request this dish when I made the reservation because I wanted this early mother’s day celebration to be a wonderful experience for my godmother.

Located at 5934 Royal Lane, in Dallas, CAVA Restaurant is tugged away in a charming way in the Preston Royal Shopping Center. The owners are from Spain, and the food is authentically Spanish. The decor of the restaurant is elegantly simple with plenty of warmth and a nice touch of family energy.

If you live in Dallas, or will be in the DFW area, and are looking to eat some authentic Spanish cuisine, please give CAVA restaurant a try. I believe you will not be disappointed, and by the way, do tell Xavier and Catalina that Johnny Tan, Talk Show Host of From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) referred you to their great restaurant.

Have a great day and Bon Appetit!

Johnny

Tags: Cava Restaurant in Dallas, FMMK Talk Radio, God Mother, Johnny Tan, Mother's Day Celebration, Seafood Paella
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On my From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) this past Tuesday morning, I learned that Embryo Adoption is the new trend in adoption according to my special guest – Rebecca Utley, Director of Community Relations for Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center in Dallas, Texas.

According to Rebecca, although this trend is here to stay, however, it favors younger couples or women who are healthy to carry the baby to term. For many couples, the traditional adoption of babies and young children are still a very viable way to go for anyone who desires to have a family.

Either type of adoption choices will always require a serious commitment from the couple who wants to adopt. Whether it is a domestic adoption or international adoption, thinking about adopting is just the first step. Knowing and making sure that they are ready to adopt requires the couple to go through a series of preparation to ensure that they are ready to assume the responsibility of  being good parents.

In the embryo adoption option,the donating mother has quite a say to whom she would like to donate her eggs to. Hope Cottage, the oldest non-sectarian pregnancy and adoption center in Dallas, Texas, helps both the donor and recipient from beginning to end by facilitating the process with great detail and care.

Their program qualifies both parties and with today’s internet communication the donor and recipient can be from different parts for the country, and may never meet each other. Having the fiduciary responsibility for looking out for the best interest of both parties, Hope Cottage maintains relationships with all involved and offer continued support for both families long after the adoption had taken place.

It is all about creating a wonderful family – giving the adopted child an opportunity to succeed in his or her future with parents who are ready to love and raise a child in the very best way and environment.

The treasure-trove revealed in my book, From My Mama’s Kitchen – “food for the soul, recipes for living” is motherly love. It is ageless, it is unversal, it transends cultures, and most importantly, it is unconditional.

Whether you live in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, or in the Americas, all moms have the same desire to share one thing with their children – to provide food for the soul, recipes for living.

Have a wonderful day.

Johnny

Tags: Embryo Adoption, FMMK Talk Radio, Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center, Johnny Tan, Rebecca Utley, The Rewards of Adoption, Traditional Adoption, Unconditional Motherly Love
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