Is it open season on our daughters?! 15 year-old gang raped for 2 hours in front of an audience!

If you haven't heard this story, Mama's get ready. If you're having lunch or dinner, I guarantee you're going to lose your appetite quick. Mine is pretty much gone for the day. Sometimes, I don't know why I bother to turn on the news.....

Police in Richmond, Calif., believe that more than a dozen people may have either watched or participated in a vicious rape of a 15-year-old Richmond High School girl that lasted for more than two hours. -- ABC News

Where the hell does one begin? Gang rape seems to be a growing topic in the news lately... this story out out Hofstra University (which turned out to be consensual, but the simple fact that any of those young people though that a "gang-bang" was a great idea boggles the friggin' mind), and you may or may not have heard about this one...which literally left me sleepless for about a week.

Obviously, this type of brutality is not just a problem in the US. Rape has been used as a form of warfare in other countries for years and reading this recent story out of South Africa will make you cry. But we're not accustomed to hearing stories like this in the United States, though certainly many rapes probably go unreported due to the victim's fear of being stigmatized.

Why is this type of behavior among young boys becoming common place? As it turns out, I'm working on a presentation for the Long Island Academic Counselors Conference on how media shapes our kids' morality. One of the studies I came across explores how violence in music and media can skew boys' view of rape as an immoral act. In other words, if they're seeing/ hearing about violence perpetrated on women on regular basis, they may eventually begin to accept it as a normal thing.

Sound crazy? How's this sound?

"Aint no fun "--Snoop Dogg feat. Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Warren G [warning: explicit lyrics]

Rapelay Video Game -Players stalk and rape a mother and her daughter

Grand Theft Auto Video Game- players can have sex with a prostitute then(if they feel the urge) kill her.

All very well known, completely accessible to and just a taste of what kids are exposed to on a regular basis.

Despite the insanity of recent headlines, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that Sexual assault has fallen by more than 60% since 1993, which is great news, but I'd be interested to learn about how these recent events are impacting those numbers.

Return of the un-girly giveaway! 5 winners!

What better way to celebrate my return to the blogosphere than with a giveaway? And not just any old giveaway, Mamas!

Lemme tell ya something... This blog is a very delicate animal. The purpose of Reign is to empower mothers with information and products that they can use to in-turn empower their daughters. It's a niche… a tight niche. As a result, I don't get many marketing solicitations--which is fine because that's not why I do this blog. Plus, the solicitations I do get are sometimes a bit off topic (blinged-out tween jeans? I don’t think so, Kmart!).

But I was SO excited to hear from the PR reps for author Sharon Robinson, the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Sharon has teamed up with gifted illustrator Kadir Nelson (Please, Baby, Please, Henry's Freedom Box, Please, Puppy, Please) to create a heartwarming true story about growing up with her father.

In the early 1950s, legendary baseball hero Jackie Robinson literally "tested the ice" for his kids who so eagerly wanted to skate on the frozen lake near their home. Under Sharon Robinson's skillful authorship and Kadir Nelson's vivid illustrations, TESTING THE ICE also becomes a stunning metaphor for her father's remarkable racial breakthrough.

Check this out

I received a copy of the book myself and let me tell you: the illustrations are spellbinding and the story brought tears to my eyes. But the real proof came when my 6-year old spotted the book on the table. He picked it up, stared at it for a few seconds, asked if was for him, and then scurried off to his room. I didn't see that boy for the rest of the afternoon!

Seriously, after that what else is there say? Nothing! May as well get to the goods…

One (1) winner will receive a TESTING THE ICE prize pack! Kidorable Hat, Glove & Scarf set (random styles) and one hardcover copy of the book. (A value of $52.99)

Four (4) additional winners will receive one hardcover copy of the book! (A value of $16.99)

You know you like it. You know you want it. Here's how you can get it...

Three ways to enter.
1. Leave me a comment here on Reign.
2. Become a follower of Reign on Blogger (publicly).

3. Follow me on Twitter

If you opt to enter via Twitter or by following, remember to leave a comment each time to tell me how you entered so it can be counted

Giveaway will end Wednesday, October 28th at 11:59pm. Winners will be chosen by Random.org and announced on this site.

Happy entering!

Back from Blog-cation! Whoo-hoo!

It's been about a month since I began my blog-cation. Can't tell you how many times while watching some insanity unfold in the media that I almost tripped all over my own fuzzy-slippered-feet running to my laptop to blog about it. But a blog-cation is a blog-cation and I choose to keep my comments, thoughts and emotions to myself (unleashed them on my girlfriends instead...lucky chicks!).

But enough of that mess. Despite being swamped with the perils of raising children, managing a household, looking for work, and instituting several serious side hustles, I blog for a reason -- and hell, it's just not something you can give up so easily. It's like digital crack! --so I will be easing my way back into my bloggy habits slowly but surely. I'll be kicking off my return with a giveaway! YES! A giveaway! More on that tomorrow.

In the meantime, you can rest assured that I have had ample time to reflect, refresh and renew during my blog-cation. Also spent some time watching movies I would not normally touch ("30 Days of Night"....ccrreeeeppppyyyy), getting completely hooked on "The Office" (how have I been missing this show all this time?!) and becoming the soccer-sideline-screaming/volleyball-game hollering/coupon shopping/schedule-juggling/budget-maven mother that I never knew I was. There's more, but that will come later.

So here's to blogging! It's gonna feel so good to hit that "PUBLISH POST" button, I may need a cigarette and a shower afterwards.