Archive for February, 2011

The problem with most mommy blogs is that they’re just that: a mom’s point of view only, and probably the mom of a young kid at that. But there’s an incredible streak of diversity in Salon’s Real Families series, which appears randomly (but usually several times a week), many of the stories culled from Salon’s participatory Open Salon blog, a hotbed of good and thoughtful writing. On one outing, the person you meet might be a mom who’s going blind, and worried she’ll never see her daughters again, a dad who explains to the world what his sons’ arsenal of toy guns means to them (and to him!), or a reluctant stepmother, who’s really not at all sure she likes her husband’s daughter.

This is family life as we know it, nature red in tooth and claw, ugly and painful and annoying and beautiful. Not just the gauzy afternoons of infancy or the pains of potty training, but real, gristly stories about adult children who attend 12-step meetings, or dads who take their kids rowing on the lake to lecture them when they find out they’re taking Ecstasy. Some of the Real Families contributors don’t even (gasp!) have kids.

Worth a read.

Your child comes to you with a rather widespread and unsightly rash. You’ve consulted your sister, your neighbor, and the helpful UB online community, but you’re still not sure exactly how to best handle the outbreak. The authors of The Baby Book, which is widely regarded as the “baby bible,” have just published the newest must-have resource for parents and caregivers that can guide parents to help heal and protect their child.

The Portable Pediatrician: Everything You Need to Know About Your Child’s Health by William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN, Robert Sears, MD, James Sears, MD, and Peter Sears, MD is an encyclopedia of trusted and accessible information on every pediatric concern, illness, and emergency from birth through adolescence.

A thorough list of topics are arranged alphabetically for quick reference and include:

* acne
* allergies
* autism
* bedwetting
* choking & cpr
* colic
* eating disorders
* lice
* obesity
* sleep problems
* speech delay

Other important information presented in The Portable Pediatrician:

* Choosing a pediatrician
* Getting the most out of every check-up
* The Four things all parents must do to keep their child healthy
* Treating at home vs. Time to call the doctor

This thorough guide is an invaluable resource for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers that comes from years of experience from trusted doctors.

Available at Amazon.com

The point of the underwear for sale at Knickerbocker Glory is not comfort, exactly. The selling point is that this is underwear that’s okay to see, modest, plain, full-coverage leggings, boxers, bike shorts, and camis made to be worn under the clothing of girls who spend plenty of time upside-down on the playground. But while they were at the cover-up game, Knickerbocker Glory also invented a lifesaver for parents of “sensitive” (you know, tag- and seam-hating) kids: extreme comfort.

Unlike most undies, the Knickerbockers don’t have tight, binding seams at the waist and legs, or, heaven forbid, a seam that gives wearers a wedgie all day long. Instead, seams are made to lie flat, and run down the center of each leg and across the top of the buttocks. In other words, not where they’ll pull and irritate. Made from a mix of polyester, cotton, and lycra, the undies come in long versions, bike-short length, and boxer shorts cut right above the thigh.

Knickerbocker Glory underwear, $17-$22

Highlights from the boards for the week of Feb 17th-Feb 23rd:

Was Life Better Before Kids?… (74 Replies)
Does anyone feel as though her life was a lot better before kids?

10 Yr Old Texting Boyfriend… (65 Replies)
My 10 yr old DD has a “boyfriend” in her class, they’re texting each other ” I love you”, “miss you”…I’m surprised at this especially since she’s denied even liking boys, says they’re all “so annoying”…Feel sad she doesn’t confide in me…what to do?

Teacher Chimes in on Why Kids are Bored in Class… (62 Replies)
I used to be a teacher and have taught k through 3rd grade. Parents seem to think that kids get bored in school because they are too smart for the class. I promise you, in all of my years of teaching, the brightest, most advanced kids are never the ones who are bored. They find something to be interested in and curious about no matter what is going on in the classroom. When kids complain about being bored, it is more often an issue of self control and focus, not intelligence.

Would You Choose School so DC is Big Fish in Little Pond?… (38 Replies)
Anyone deliberately enroll a very bright/advanced dc in a school that’s know for less rigorous academics, in the hopes that dc could be a big fish in a small pond?

Diversity in Education Trumps Single Sex… (53 Replies)
I truly believe diversity of all sorts enrich a students experience immensely, particularly in elementary school. That is the main reason why I dislike single sex education in elementary school.

Miscellany

Strong and Beautiful Girl’s Name (151 Replies)

UB Grammar Police (110 Replies)

Parenting Pet Peeve? (32 Replies)

Should Nanny Shovel Walkway? (15 Replies)

Who can resist the charms of happy anthropomorphic animals wailing on guitars and saxophones? No one, that’s who; and illustrator Oliver Lake’s “Musical Animals” series from his Etsy shop, iotaillustration, seems custom-made to be hung in a series in the nursery. Animal illustrations are, of course, children’s room classics: little ones have an enduring fascination with animals and how they differ from people. Thus, illustrations where animals wear people clothing and do people things is practically guaranteed to blow your toddler’s mind.

At a mere $15-16 per print, you can afford to buy the entire series: The Jazz Crocodile, Hound Dog Slim with his cool jazz guitar, The Owl Harpist, who plucks serenely at her strings, and of course, The Accordion Bears (pictured). If musical animals aren’t your thing, poke around the rest of Lake’s shop, a paradise of animal illustrations with vintage appeal.

Musical animal prints, $15-16 each

We’ve all wished, at one time or another, for that ever elusive infant manual; the one that clearly and successfully decodes your infants every cry, every expression, and every need. While such an oracle does not exist, Your Baby Is Speaking to You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby begins to unlock the mysteries of babies’ behavior.

“No other book so beautifully captures and decodes the astonishing way babies ‘speak’ to us. A new-parent classic.” - T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

Dr. Kevin Nugent, director of the Brazelton Institute at Children’s Hospital, Boston, created this book from his years of experience working with children and their parents. He believes that infancy is a fleeting time of subtle yet crucial communication, “A baby’s behavior is a reliable, dependable window into his mind, into his brain. Whether it is a prolonged full-blown cry, a flicker in the upper eyelids, or a full smile, it is an authentic response, one that you can trust unconditionally.”

According to Dr. Nugent, infancy is a critical touch point across the lifespan of a child’s learning and communication that is satisfying for both parent and baby can be an important code for future behavior. Parents can hone their observation skills to better understand their baby’s cues and gain confidence in themselves as parents. The book is not an advice book, as Dr. Nugent believes that the only teacher we have is the baby. The rich content is based on cutting edge research and years of evidence. Above all this book is about respecting your baby and giving him the chance to tell us who they are.

The striking photos were taken by Abelardo Morell during real-life newborn examination sessions conducted by Dr. Nugent with the babies and their parents during their first days of life and later in the home.

“The way you act toward your baby gives him an internal model, an expectation, for the way people should behave with one another. The give-and-take of your play together offers your baby a critical lived experience of respect and tolerance, of forgiveness and restoration.” Dr. Nugent

Available at Amazon.com

News that a Pennsylvania teacher has been suspended for insulting her students on her blog has divided parents fiercely. Do teachers have a right to blog about their students? Or is this unprofessional behavior that should result in disciplinary action?

ABC News reports: “Teacher Natalie Munroe makes no excuses for writing blog posts about her students which include statements like, ‘A complete and utter jerk in all ways,’ ‘although academically okay your child has no other redeeming qualities,’ ‘I hear the trash company is hiring,’ and ‘There’s no other way to say this, I hate your kid.’”

Oof. Her attorney claims First Amendment privileges, stating that there’s no Internet policy at the school at which she teaches, and that she has a right to blog about her life. He likens Munroe’s blog, which she wrote under the name Natalie M. and without identifying the school or her students by name, to a personal diary.

It makes sense, but to think of a teacher writing stuff like this about my child makes me exceedingly uncomfortable. Munroe may not have done anything legally wrong. But I wouldn’t want her at the front of my child’s classroom.

Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post disagrees, defending Munroe’s right to complain about her job, as people always have. “This is not a free pass to write anything. If you don’t have anything nice to say, posting it online might not be optimal. But teachers are people too. That’s why you don’t friend them on Facebook.”

Highlights from the boards for the week of Feb 10th-Feb 16th:

Tiger Mom Here… (143 Replies)
Tiger mom here. Questions? Flames? Short speeches? I’m free all evening.

DH and Cellphone Responsibility… (32 Replies)
Who is right? DH let his phone run out of battery tonight (happens often) and when he got home, I told him I was worried I couldn’t contact him in an emergency, etc, and he HAS to start making sure his phone is charged, he’s a parent! It’s irresponsible! He says he “can’t be expected to remember.” And my expectations of him are too high and I’m too “picky.”

Homework is Necessary… (13 Replies)
Many parents become upset about the amount of homework given to children these days. I think that we’re missing out on the intent & reasoning behind it. HW is not the end but rather a means to an end. It’s actually not intended to further instruct your children in a given subject matter but rather to instill a certain amount of accountability, discipline & focus on academics outside of the classroom.

Finland Teens Excel with Limited Homework… (103 Replies)
Can anyone explain to me how on Earth the high school students in Finland only have to do a half hour of homework per night yet are still testing ahead of the World?

Should We Let My Mom Replace the Nanny?… (38 Replies)
I love our nanny but my mom has offered to care for dd which would be great from a savings standpoint and I think really good for dd. I feel awful letting nanny go - especially because I am pg 2 with #2 and she is so excited about having a baby again. How is this best done?

Miscellany

Gifted Kids Need Less Sleep as Babies (18 Replies)

Why Would Anyone Want a Dog (32 Replies)

5 Year Old & Reading Comprehension (10 Replies)

Even the most eco-conscious parent can get an occasional surprise about the toxic dangers that lurk in ordinary objects. Case in point: markers. Many ordinary brands contain worrisome chemicals like toluene, cresol, n-butane, and other chemical nasties that should not be put on skin, inhaled, and most definitely not eaten. Yet who doesn’t want to give a green marker an experimental lick to make sure it’s not minty?

The solution: Stock your house with non-toxic markers like Clementine Art’s Natural Markers. The four-pack of vibrant colors (yellow, orange, purple, and pink) are made with natural coloring (like beet juice) instead of weird chemical pigments with an FDA number attached to them. Suck them with abandon, toddlers. Suck with abandon.

If you like Clementine’s markers, the company has a whole line of natural art products. Paint, modeling clay, crayons, even natural glue made from wheat, not hooves. You can buy a gift box with all their products for $49.

Clementine Art Natural Markers, $5.99

Today’s crop of parents is probably most familiar with author/illustrator/wackadoo Remy Charlip’s Fortunately, since the book, originally published in 1964, was reissued in paperback by Simon & Schuster in 1993. It’s been a bookstore employee’s darling ever since, and is prominently displayed in many a children’s section. Once anyone, adult or child, reads Fortunately, you’re forever a fan. The charming story is a series of boons and reverses: fortunately, a child was invited to a birthday party. Unfortunately, it was thousands of miles away. Fortunately, a friend was able to lend a plane. And so on, right up until the very last surprise.

Once you’ve gotten a taste for Charlip, be sure to continue on to his absolute best book: the hypnotic (and wonderfully named) Mother Mother I Feel Sick Send for the Doctor Quick Quick Quick. In this unusual story, a young boy falls ill, and his doctor rushes over and removes an incredible variety of odd things from his stomach: whole apples, balls, even an entire bicycle. The action is depicted in intricate white silhouettes against textured backgrounds that really capture young imaginations, as does the horrifying idea of swallowing a bird (in a cage!) and mama’s shoes.

The next stop on any Charlip tour should be The Dead Bird, a strange, bleak book written by Margaret Wise Brown (of Goodnight Moon fame) and illustrated by Charlip, about a group of young children who happen upon a dead bird. They wonder over it, and then they bury it, and sing and cry over the grave, visiting it daily before they forget about it as children will. Charlip’s illustrations, in cool shades of blue and green, are a perfect match for Brown’s spare, downbeat little tale.