Childcare
Posted by: Victoria Mason, July 21, 2009 in 10:40 am
Sitting down to lunch the other day my 3 1/2 year old suddenly proclaimed, “Mommy?? I want a new Mommy.”? She went back to eating her PB&J as I just stared at her.
I took a breath and waited a beat.? Then I said, “You want a new Mommy? What do you mean?”? I tried not to feel hurt but I wasn’t quite prepared for this right now.? At least not this early.? Twelve sure, but not at age three!
She looked at me again and said, “Yes, I want a new Mommy. A different Mommy. I want Jessica.”? That would be our sitter.? When I pressed her further she said, “Yes, Jessica as my Mommy to play with and you would be the Mommy who tells everyone what to do.?”
Right. So that’s what it all boils down to.? Really, I just wasn’t prepared for this already.
Posted by: J Corbin, July 16, 2009 in 2:00 am
A generation ago food allergies were far less frequent than they are now. Parents could send in homemade treats for their children’s parties at school and serving peanuts on airplanes was commonplace. Unfortunately, times have changed as an increasing number of children are diagnosed with food allergies every year. Nearly every packaged food product now displays what allergen it contains and/or was made in the same vicinity of. Most schools now require that any food sent in for a party be store bought to avoid any possibility of homemade snacks containing even the slightest residue of “harmful” allergens. How did such a drastic change come about so quickly? What has happened in our society and environment to make food consumption so restrictive and frightening?
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Posted by: Shelley Gershoni Cekirge, July 8, 2009 in 10:10 am
I love the word Evenflo. It conjures up memories of old Pearl Jam albums and ice movements in Norway. But with the addition of a baby to our family, Evenflo has taken on a whole host of new associations. Our Evenflo Symphony is a plush and luxurious chariot for my little princess and she looks so happy and relaxed in it that she may as well be holding court. Best of all – I can relax knowing that she is secure in a car seat equipped with the state-of-the art safety features.
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Posted by: Tamara Berry, June 17, 2009 in 10:43 pm
Summer break is one of those unmentionables in the parenting world. For three whole months, teachers are freed from the honorable duty of teaching your kids, leaving you playing not only the role of parent, but of general caregiver and instructor, as well. So, even though the sun is shining and you’re supposed to be basking in the glory of the season, it’s entirely possible that all you dream of is those crisp fall days when the kids are back where they belong
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Posted by: Sonny Gordon, May 13, 2009 in 10:36 am
So your mother gave a larger slice of apple pie to your brother, and maybe she once in a while forgot to iron your best skirt for your big date. Big deal.
How would you like to trade her for one of these beauties!
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Posted by: Tori Phelps, April 12, 2009 in 12:12 am
“Do you plan to breastfeed?” It’s the first question a pregnant woman usually hears after her condition is announced or becomes obvious, and it’s as likely to come from a complete stranger (or a boss!) as it is a close friend or family member. The debate over breast vs. bottle is emotionally charged, and most of the heated debate comes from mothers themselves. Instead of banding together and telling the world to mind their own business, moms often turn on each other by criticizing a choice that’s different from their own. When people on opposite sides of this particular mommy war disparage each other’s choices, it feels like their commitment to their child is being questioned. And nothing brings out the big guns faster than that.
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Posted by: BadMommy, April 10, 2009 in 9:39 pm
I wanted to share this with you because I can’t believe the response I’ve been getting. I put an ad on a local message board to find some part-time help. I requested someone who could watch my two children and also do some housework during their down time – naps, school, etc. I offered $10 an hour – for 4 days – which is what I pay my sitter right now. (she’d stay but she’s having a baby). I was shocked by the response! Here is a sampling of the hate mail I’ve been getting:
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Posted by: Tamara Berry, March 21, 2009 in 11:22 pm
Before your child even sprouts that first, long-awaited tooth, your doctor is likely to start threatening you with all the ways you can damage it. Of these many ways (sleeping with a bottle, excessive sugar, not brushing regularly), one of the biggest hot topics in parenting circles today is water fluoridation. Like many of the issues that divide parents into two distinct categories, this one walks the line between posing a real health risk and falling prey to an over-hyped media frenzy.
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Posted by: J Corbin, March 18, 2009 in 6:23 am
When Salma Hayek spontaneously decided to start breastfeeding an ailing infant in Africa it made headlines across the world. Reactions ranged from concern and outrage to compassion and admiration. The actress herself admitted that she was filled with conflicting feelings afterward, not because she cared what people thought, but because she worried that her own child might think it was an act of betrayal. In the end she was proud of her actions and hoped that her daughter would understand and grow up to be a caring and generous person. Yet many still frown upon her actions for reasons that are far too selfish in our increasingly despairing world. Why should helping a baby in need ever be seen as anything but good?
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Posted by: Shelley Gershoni Cekirge, March 1, 2009 in 10:57 pm
I am not an octopus. I’m sorry if that seems a self-evident statement, but sometimes I have to remind myself, and those around me, that although it seems I can do everything at once, in actuality, I only have two hands. It seems I am not the first to be caught in this predicament. Which is how the Baby Bjorn came in to being and why it continues to be the first item on every mother-to-be’s registry.
The thing is if it were up to me, I really would carry my baby around with me all the time. I love the closeness, the body contact, even feeling her weight in my arms. I do not love that I am unable to do anything other than carry her when I am carrying her.
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