Friday, July 13, 2012
In this week’s Moms Talk, we discuss breastfeeding in public and all the controversy - and strong emotions - surrounding it.
By now you’ve probably seen or heard about the infamous Time cover featuring a woman breastfeeding her three-year-old son. People don’t like it. Putting aside the problems folks have with the age of the nursing child pictured, some people are just flat out uncomfortable with seeing a woman feeding her child in a way that is so natural, so organic and so right that her body was made to do it that way. I breastfed both of my children. My daughter nursed for over a year, but my son had health problems and could only nurse for a few months before we had to put him on a special formula. I mention this lest you assume I’m a pro-breastfeeding nazi who looks down on bottle-feeding mothers. Let me assure you - I’ve been on both sides of the fence. …
Friday, June 22, 2012
This week we’re discussing a problematic issue for many mothers of young boys: When can they go to a public bathroom alone? Do you drag your 9-year-old son into the women’s room for safety’s sake?
Oh, this is a tough one, moms. I have an almost-six-year-old boy, and I would rather walk across a bed of hot coals or eat a canned biscuit than let that child go into a public men’s room alone. But the thing is, he’s getting bigger - and ladies are starting to give us wary glances when we shuffle through the women’s room door in Target together. I shrug those glances off, because to me they are very much preferable to the agony of waiting outside the men’s room door knowing Jack's inside. Maybe I’m overprotective. Actually, I am overprotective, and I’m fine with that. Because I can’t stop running this story through my head when I imagine my tiny boy in a men’s room alone. I place a high value on my peace of mind, and for now, if braving …
Friday, May 4, 2012
Is it time to lock the Purell in the liquor cabinet? In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss a scary story about teens being rushed to the emergency room—after drinking hand sanitizer to get a buzz.
I’ve been seeing a lot of news stories recently about six California teenagers who landed in San Fernando Valley emergency rooms with alcohol poisoning after drinking hand sanitizer. Some of the teenagers used salt to separate the alcohol from the sanitizer, making a potent drink that is similar to a shot of hard liquor. They learned how to do this on the internet. Oh, dummies. Kids do stupid things. I know this. They even drink mouthwash, for heaven’s sake. Now it seems that hand sanitizer will join the ranks of mouthwash and other potentially deadly household products such as paint thinner, gasoline, Sharpies, nail polish remover and hair spray. These products are popular with kids who engage in huffing, another way to get a euphoric …
Friday, April 20, 2012
Coupon clipping moms are taking over the world - and the grocery stores. Extreme couponing is all the rage. In this week’s Moms Talk, we ask about the things you do to make yourself a better home economist.
A major part of being a mom and running a household is managing groceries and the monthly food budgets. The kids need to eat, after all. The lure to save money on the grocery budget is strong. I mean, if you're not coughing up the full price for chicken breasts and organic milk, you could have more shoes! Or fancy coffees! Or books! Whatever blows your skirt up. Thus, the couponers. These women are serious about savings, and they have a new, high-tech way to get them. Gone are the days where clipping coupons meant a lazy hour in front of the TV with the Sunday paper and a pair of scissors in your lap. Now there are entire websites devoted to couponing, local classes on couponing strategy, printable coupons, smart phone coupons, …
Friday, April 13, 2012
Our culture places a lot of emphasis on creating and maintaining healthy body images for girls, but what about boys? In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss how to keep our sons happy and healthy.
As the mom of a teenage girl (that's right, she's officially a teen today!), I’ve read zillions of articles about girls, body image and how to avoid the kinds of insecurities that lead to terrifying illnesses like anorexia and bulimia. I’m always careful about what I say to her and how I phrase things. She's beautiful and confident, but the teen years warp the brain. You never know when your compliments or well-meaning suggestions can be viewed as poorly disguised slander. It never occurred to me to tread that lightly with my five-year-old son. Jack’s always been a sturdy boy. He’s by no means overweight, but having had a delicately built first child who required adjustable waist jeans and skirts pinned at the waist, I find myself …
Monday, April 2, 2012
There’s a growing trend in kids’ sports and activities that takes competition out of the game. In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss whether a little friendly competition is good for a child’s character.
Every spring when I walk down the aisles of Easter decorations, candy and plastic eggs at my favorite stores, I think about my daughter’s first egg hunt. I was new to Georgia and had just met a wonderful group of moms and kids. They organized fun activities all the time, and Sailor and I were thrilled when they announced their plans for an egg hunt. I had fond memories of egg hunts from my childhood, and I was excited for Sailor to have that experience. We arrived at the park one sunny morning with our dozen filled eggs and pink basket in tow. Some of the more seasoned moms stood up to tell us how the hunt would go. We’d roll the eggs out on the grass, and each child could pick up twelve eggs. Everyone brought twelve eggs, everyone leaves …
Friday, March 23, 2012
In the wake of Trayvon Martin's death, what do we tell our children?
Put your parent hat on, sit your children down, and explain - if you can - how a pack of Skittles and a hoodie can get them killed. Explain Trayvon Martin. Explain George Zimmerman. Many mothers have already had this conversation. For them, it's called "the talk," and it sits right alongside the birds and the bees chat. It goes a little something like this: You are black in America. Society will not let you forget it, so don't you forget it. People will not like you because of that; in fact, they will fear you. You will be maligned and marginalized, so beware at all times. Watch what you say, and don't do anything stupid. This isn't fair? Yeah, life's not fair. But, don't let it get you down. Let it inspire you. Be smarter. Be better. Be …
Friday, March 16, 2012
In this week's Moms Talk, we ask what things other moms do that really get your goat. Do you have a wishlist of things you wish other moms would do?
A few things happened this week to inspire this column. First, my friend Sue and I took our boys to their elementary school’s mother and son bowling night. It was great fun, but man—some people’s kids are hooligans. Sue and I spent a good part of the evening asking other people’s children to put down our bowling balls, dance somewhere other than the lane we’re bowling in and have their fights somewhere else. The crazy thing is that the kids’ moms were right there, watching. Sue and I kept giving each other wide-eyed looks and mouthing things like, “You have GOT to be kidding me!” Next, I took my son to the library yesterday to get some new reading material. We were browsing the aisles when I noticed a toddler, presumably all alone, pulling…
Saturday, February 25, 2012
In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss talking to children about politics.
Every four years in our country, political dialogue reaches a fever pitch. Thanks to social media and 24-hour news sources, we’re more informed and better able to discuss the American political system than ever before. As grownups, we have our political opinions. Hopefully they’re formed by careful study, deep introspection and practicality. As a general rule, my husband and I don’t discuss politics in public, and that includes Facebook. To us, it’s just one of those things (like religion or income) that we prefer to keep to ourselves and close family and friends. Part of that close family is our kids. My husband and I both grew up in homes where politics were part of the family discussion. I was the only child in my elementary school who …
Saturday, February 18, 2012
In this week's Moms Talk we discuss if and when it's OK to tattle on another parent.
Hello. My name is Raven. I’m a tattletale. "Hi, Raven." Like most parents, I’m raising my children to be anti-tattling. “I don’t wanna hear about it unless somebody’s bleeding” is the usual mantra around here. I don’t want my kids to be the ones who run to the adults and tell every little misdeed that occurs. I want them to work it out themselves and find a reasonable solution everyone can live with. Nobody likes a squealer, right? Right. However, in certain cases I think it’s good to be a tattler. Particularly if your tattling might prevent a seriously bad outcome for the involved parties. As for myself, I tattle only when the safety or lives of others are in danger. If I’m on the road and see you driving along with your kids unrestrained…
Bebe
8:36 am on Saturday, April 21, 2012
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