Jeannette Kaplun, Ana Roca, Eliana Tardio, Helena Osorio, Cristy Clavijo, Brenda M., Denisse Icaza, Lorraine C. Ladish – Photo courtesy of Helena Osorio
I’ve just returned from Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in Orlando Florida. After a wonderful Mother´s Day Breakfast and chocolate-covered farewell on Sunday, once home I confess I took a 2-hour nap to recoup. That was my gift to myself for that special day! Because this jam-packed conference and family trip is an intense, fun-filled, enriching and magical experience. But as every social media mom—or any mom who’s ever taken the kids to Disney—knows, it can also be pleasantly exhausting.
The best thing about having been invited to Disney Social Media Moms was that I was able to bring the entire family, since it’s only a two-hour drive from where we live. Even better, it helped the kids understand that all my tweeting, facebooking and instagramming is actually a huge part of my job, and is not without its rewards and perks for them! When my youngest, 9, said to me: “Mami, this is not the time to be tweeting,” as we first took in the view from our balcony at Disney Contemporary Resort, I was able to reply: “Honey, Mommy´s tweets kind of brought us here!” I promise you, after this weekend the whole family now sees my job as a digital mom in an entirely different light. And they are grateful for it.
HOW DO YOU GET INVITED?
I wish I could give you the answer to that, as grateful as I am to have been a part of it this year. Only around 200 or fewer social media moms and their families get invited each time. It’s like getting Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket to visit his Chocolate Factory. There is a fee to attend, but it is extremely reasonable, especially taking into account everything that comes with it. From park hopper passes to fun activities for the kids, and of course, the full conference day filled with keynote speakers who deliver key messages to those of us who make a living online.
For those wanting to experience a bit of what the conference is like, this summer, Disney Social Media Moms Celebration “On-the-Road” is soon coming to New York, Maryland, California and Washington. You may request more information by signing up on their page. And if you’re crossing your fingers to be on the list next year, know that the Celebration will take place in Disneyland, Anaheim, California. Good luck to all and make sure you follow the #DisneySMMoms hashtag on Twitter too, to be in the loop.
My kiddos!
THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD
I think the best part of being a child is that you believe in magic. And the most enchanting part of being a mom is reliving that very feeling when you see your child’s eyes light up over having a Princess sign an autograph for her. My 9-year-old surely knows there is a person inside that Winnie the Pooh costume, but she acts as though he were real, and that, to me, is priceless. It didn’t hurt that I won a board game for being the most enthusiastic mom dancer at the #DisneyTryIt event so now my kids think I’m very cool. And seeing myself through their eyes made me feel that perhaps I really am a good enough mom!
Read Related: So You Want to Be a Latina Mom Blogger?
THE CONFERENCE FOR MOMS
Aside from being able to share fun times with my fellow Latina Digital Moms and meet their kids (and have our children make friends with one another!), the conference itself had plenty of nuggets of wisdom that I believe are better shared as quotes:
From Rene Syler, TV personality, speaker and blogger:
- Nobody will believe in you as much as you believe in yourself!
- Cinderella was nice even when people weren’t nice to her! Why can’t we all get that?
- Big rewards necessitate big risks!
From Shannon Miller, former Olympic gold medalist:
- You don’t stumble onto an Olympic gold medal—you make it happen.
- Sometimes what appears as a brick wall is actually a springboard to achieve success.
- Don’t let setbacks set you back. Use them to adapt and reinvent yourself.
From Jackie Huba, author of Monster Loyalty:
- Focus on your one percenters, the super engaged people in your community.
- Keeping the readers you have is more important than looking to get new ones!
- Lead with values to build an emotional connection with your followers and readers.
From Marc Mero, inspirational speaker, former wrestler:
- Happiness is the key to success.
- The difference between success and failure is action.
- Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.
From Dayna Steele, Author of 101 Ways to Rock Your World book series:
- Feed the passions of your fans.
- Make it (your product, blog, book, etc) all about them!
- Ask for what you need! As simple as that.
THE DISNEY STORY APP
Launched during the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, the Disney Story App will show you the rest of the magic! Sit back and enjoy the ride …
