A few days ago I wrote about re-thinking our assumptions regarding young adults living with mom and dad. Today I came across a column Miss Manners wrote about the attitudes of parents and children facing a return home upon completing college. Her take is that the assumption that as our kids grow, they will come to have disdain for us is damaging to the parent … Continue reading Miss Manners’ take on “boomerang kids”
Today over at the National Review Online, Myrna Blyth has an article making fun of life coaches. In it she makes reference to a New York Magazine article about parents in their 30’s and early 40’s who, in her words, “in their hoodies and their retro sneakers, have decided it is really very cool to remain childish even when they have children of their own. … Continue reading The disappearing generation gap?
There was an item in our local newspaper which caught my eye because I thought it was so very odd. The headline was “Recess thrives in Wisconsin”: The national PTA reports many schools in Wisconsin grant 30 minutes for recess during the day, half at mid-morning and half in the afternoon. That’s the maximum allowed by state law. (Emphasis mine.) But nationally, the PTA says … Continue reading RIP Recess
There is so much to say about this Washington Post story on “Club Libby Lu”, but I think I can sum it up pretty quickly: blegh! It reminds me of one of those mom phrases which just doesn’t get used enough these days: over my dead body! Continue reading What is wrong with people?!?!?!
A few days ago in a post about our cultural taboo against correcting other people’s children, I wrote this: “It’s not just that we live in a more dangerous world – the reality is that crime has dropped very dramatically in the last 20-30 years. Statistically speaking, we’re much safer today. However, what’s missing is any re-enforcement from others our children will meet as they … Continue reading Frightening Video
It is really difficult to over estimate all the ways in which our culture bombards us and our children with the idea of sex as merely a recreational activity whose consequences can be avoided. Too many parents indulge their discomfort about the topic and fail to provide their kids with an equally strong, consistent and frequent alternative view. They think that making sure their kids … Continue reading “Smart Sex”
It is really difficult to over estimate all the ways in which our culture bombards us and our children with the idea of sex as merely a recreational activity whose consequences can be avoided. Too many parents indulge their discomfort about the topic and fail to provide their kids with an equally strong, consistent and frequent alternative view. They think that making sure their kids … Continue reading "Smart Sex"
Yesterday a friend and I were talking about the taboo many people seem to have about correcting other people’s children when they are misbehaving. Then this morning, I found this article from the Today Show about how to deal with other people’s misbehaving/annoying children. In it the parenting “expert” completely accepts the idea that one should never correct someone else’s child even in the face … Continue reading Correcting other people’s children
I have a 13 month old baby who has recently started offering us portions of her food to share. Of course, she also throws herself on the floor and screams when you stop her from climbing on everything like a monkey. Basically I am living with both sides of the argument over whether people are intrinsically good or bad quite well. Really, it’s a stupid … Continue reading The Altruism of Babies
Parenting Magazine has a survey up which found that the thing moms envy about other moms is their organizational abilities. I know this is true of me! Other interesting tidbits: Only 6% of moms said that they wanted to go without kids – even for a day. 73% of working moms say they are jealous of stay at home moms vs 49% going in the … Continue reading What makes us jealous
The Upside Down World 