My chat name is Bensmommy. My real name is Julie. I live in Mississippi. My husband, Darryl, and I have been married for 13 years and have a son, Ben. He is 2 and ½.

I am a registered Dietitian. I am employed full-time outside the home. Darryl works for Mississippi Educational Television. Our jobs allow us to have time for ourselves and Ben when we are sick or need time off. Darryl was not able to spend much time with us in Alabama, hence the move to Mississippi. Ben attends day care and really enjoys it. He learns a lot there. We also have 3 cats.

Darryl and I met in college at the University of Montevallo in Alabama. We dated 2 years before getting married. We waited 11 years before we had Ben.

My favorite children’s book is Love Me Forever. I don’t really have a favorite adult book, but I do like John Grisham-type books. I like the original Star Wars Trilogy. Any 80’s song is good for me. My favorite food is Breyers Mint Chip ice cream.
I enjoy chatting, reading, spending time with my family and friends, attending church, and watching ”some” TV. I bite my fingernails, or rather, pick at them. One of my weaknesses is that I tend to put up with things that annoy me until I let them explode.
 
 I like DrGreene.com because it offers chats, boards, and a search engine to help find rich parenting and pediatric information. Dr. Greene actually has a chat each weekday, during which time he answers questions for parents. The advice he offers is wonderful and especially helpful for all those questions you forget to ask your pediatrician and for minor things that you don’t want to bother your doctor about. In addition to Dr. Greene’s chats, there are scheduled chats that members host (I host 2), as well as open chat. Being able to talk to other parents is a wonderful thing!

The neatest thing about the site is the fact that Dr. Greene (et al) is genuinely interested in you and your family. I receive emails from Truddle and Dr. Greene and his wife remember me when I come to chat. There are also pictures of children throughout the site. We submit them and they are posted to the site. It brings great joy to see your little one pop up on the screen for all to see.

This site has filled a void left by my mother’s condition and losing my close friends. I feel that it has a lot to offer all parents. It is like a support group that is available any time, anywhere. It’s a place where you can open up about things that are hard to discuss with family and friends. I feel that I have a family who cares for me -- for who I am.