Tiny Seeds Nature Pre-School & Child Care

Scientists have found that, when a woman is pregnant, some of her baby’s cells enter her bloodstream and travel to her heart, sometimes even helping to repair it if she is injured. These cells also spread to other organs, staying with her for life. This means a mother literally carries her child not only in her heart emotionally but also physically.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. MONTESSORI! (Born August 31, 1870)

Thank you for your amazing contributions to the nurturing and education of children around the world!

If you'd like some inspiration in Dr. Montessori's words, you'll find lots of it in this post at my Bits of Positivity blog along with many Montessori word art freebies: http://bitsofpositivity.com/best-maria-montessori-quotes/

Anna Stork and Andrea Sreshta were graduate students at Columbia University's School of Architecture in 2010 when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. In one of their classes, they were assigned to develop a new innovation to help with disaster relief. Many students focused on designing shelters but, after speaking to a relief worker in Haiti, the two discovered that an often-ignored need following disasters was access to light. The pair focused on designing an inflatable, waterproof, and solar-powered lantern -- since then, they have donated over 100,000 lights to people in crisis around the the world. And, while their unique lantern is designed to meet the needs of people in the aftermath of a disaster, it has also become popular with outdoor enthusiasts and for home emergency kits, especially since they added a new model that doubles as a solar cell phone charger.

After their lantern is charged in the sun during the day, the LED light provides hours of light -- a feature that not only makes it more eco-friendly but essential in emergency situations when batteries are hard to find. Due to its inflatable design, it also provides diffuse light like a lantern so it can be used to illuminate a room or tent. With their latest design, they also added the ability to recharge devices such as cell phones from the solar charger. While a handy feature for hikers and campers, this new feature is also potentially life-saving in emergency situations. Whether a backpacker lost in the woods or a refugee relying on their phone to find safe passage out of a war zone, the new light gives people the ability to charge a phone anywhere.

Since founding their company, Stork and Sreshta have donated tens of thousands of lights to aid organizations, helping refugees in Ukraine and Syria and people struggling after the hurricane in Puerto Rico. They have also worked with aid organizations to help create safe spaces for women and children following disasters, such as after a massive earthquake struck Nepal. As Sreshta explains, "conditions once the sun goes down can be very unsafe, especially for women and children. After the earthquake Haiti, there were many cases of violence, kidnapping and r**e. Light is a basic human need, but [conventional technology] costs too much to ship and pack as part of disaster relief." Now, thanks to the work of these two creative innovators, more people will have access to the gift of light and connection during the darkest of times.

To stock your emergency kit and help support their work, all of their solar products -- including their lantern with a solar-powered phone charger -- are on sale for 15% off in honor of National Preparedness Day (with the code MIGHTY15) at https://luminaid.com/mightygirl

Anna and Andrea are also featured in an excellent book about female innovators and inventors throughout history: "Girls Think of Everything," for readers 8 to 13, at https://www.amightygirl.com/girls-think-of-everything 　

For an inspiring book for tween girls who love to invent and tinker, which includes a variety of hands-on STEM projects, we highly recommend "Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Engineers" for ages 8 to 11 at https://www.amightygirl.com/gutsy-girls-engineers

For two fun picture books about Mighty Girls who love to invent, both for ages 4 to 8, check out "Interstellar Cinderella" (https://www.amightygirl.com/interstellar-cinderella), and "Doll-E 1.0" (https://www.amightygirl.com/doll-e-1-0)

For invention kits and toys to encourage your Mighty Girl's interest in inventing, check out our blog post "Building Her Dreams: Building and Engineering Toys for Mighty Girls," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10430

With a calm expression and a wistful gaze, one might have passed her on the street without ever knowing they were in the presence of one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 20th century. Her name was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin — the woman who uncovered the true composition of the universe. In 1925, through her doctoral thesis *Stellar Atmospheres*, she made a groundbreaking revelation: hydrogen is the most abundant element in the cosmos, and stars — including our Sun — are primarily made of this gas. No one before her had reached this understanding. Her work would later be described as “the most brilliant PhD thesis ever written in astronomy.”

And yet, her discovery was dismissed. Born in England in 1900, Cecilia was raised in a time when educating girls was considered a waste of resources — even her own mother believed so. Still, she earned a scholarship to Cambridge, completed her studies, and moved to the United States, where she became the first person to earn a PhD in astronomy from Radcliffe College. She later broke more barriers by becoming the first woman to hold a full professorship at Harvard. But despite her immense contributions, her name is rarely mentioned alongside those of Newton or Einstein. The fundamental fact she uncovered — that the universe is made of hydrogen — is often credited to science in general, not to the woman who first proved it.

Cecilia Payne's story is not unique. Rosalind Franklin, crucial to the discovery of DNA’s structure, and Lise Meitner, a key figure in understanding nuclear fission, also saw their contributions overshadowed by their male peers. This is a tribute to all of them — the women erased from history while quietly changing the world. It was Cecilia Payne who, in the face of silence and skepticism, illuminated a cosmic truth: the stars are made of hydrogen — and the universe, of women like her.

Warren Buffett is 95 years old today, and he's donated more money than any other billionaire in history. A lot of people study him in hopes of becoming as wealthy as he is, but the things he teaches go far beyond money. In his official biography "The Snowball," Warren said, "The people you spend time with, your friends, your partner, even your coworkers, can shape your future. If they are kind, honest, and caring, you'll become more like them. But if they bring anger or sadness, that pain will follow you too. It's better to hang out with people better than you."

In 1998, Warren spoke to a group of students at the University of Florida Business School. He asked them a powerful question. He said, "If you could buy 10% of one classmate’s future success, who would you pick?" He told them they shouldn't pick the person with the best grades or the highest IQ. Instead, they should choose someone who is kind, honest, works hard every day, and has strong character.

Warren didn't move to Wall Street in New York City like most investors and traders. He chose to stay in Omaha, Nebraska because it was a quiet place where he could focus on what truly matters. He still lives in the same house he bought in 1958 for $31,500. Warren continues to drive his 2014 Cadillac XTS and even purchased it with hail damage to get a better price. Warren Buffett has promised to give away 99% of his wealth to charity. His life lessons teach all of us that real success isn't about the size of your house, how much money you make, or what you have. It's about staying humble and giving back to other people.

📸 (Photo: Warren Buffett / Bloomberg / Getty)

There’s just something about that September energy… fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and that “anything’s possible” feeling. September is the new January. Why not make this the month you start your surface design career? From Sept 4–9, I’m hosting the “Surface Design Fast Track Workshop”. We’re ditching the guesswork and jumping straight onto the express lane toward a sustainable career that lights you up, pays the bills and gets your art out into the world! Your ticket in? Only $19! I’ll guide you through the exact 6-stage roadmap I’ve used to help thousands of artists go from curious to confident, career-ready surface designer. ✨ (Even if you’re a TOTAL newbie and had never heard of surface pattern design until, well, NOW.) Because here’s the thing about this wildly creative, joyful, and yes, lucrative industry: ✨ There’s a place for you in surface design. ✨ You don’t have to be trained or trendy to succeed. ✨ And you don’t have to figure it out alone. By the time we’re done, you’ll know exactly how to start, where to go next, and how to get your art out into the world (and get paid for it). No more sitting on the sidelines watching other artists do what you’ve been dreaming of. September’s got that “anything’s possible” feeling, let’s use it. Spots are limited (and yes, replays are included), so get your ticket, and I’ll see you on September 4th! 🤍- Bonnie