It’s not stale. It’s just a little stale.
Simone, explaining why it was alright for her to munch on old Cheerios.
In this week’s installment, we meet the bionic boy, learn how fattening those kids meals are, and see what happens when a whale and sailboat meet in the big, blue sea. Enjoy!
Good Kid: Young man receives bionic hand. Source: NBC’s Today Show
Health: 25 Worst Kid Meals. Source: The Daily Beast
Parenting: To give or not give allowance. Source: WPVI-TV Philadelphia
News: An alarming form of child abuse. Source: MSNBC
Mammal News: Whale vs. Sailboat. Source: Scholastic
It doesn’t help that OPI has a set of Shrek-inspired nail polish.
A few weeks ago, it jumped in my hands and made me buy it. I brought it home, and now Simone and Nadia want their nails painted all the time. I guess there are worse things. It’s just I’ve painted their nails more than I’ve ever painted mine.
NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children
By Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman[dropcap1]P[/dropcap1]arents who are looking for an answer about when to talk to their children about race may find it in NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children. The answer, according to researchers, is sooner than you think. One researcher suggests parents start talking about race to children as young as 3. (Both of my girls began asking questions about race at age 3.) Studies suggest such talks should be explicit, not vague. Parents also should consider the terms they use when having conversations about race. For example, one parent told a child that “everyone is equal” for weeks. Then the child asked what does ‘equal’ mean. The authors also tackle the belief that children exposed to more diverse environments will learn about race. Studies cited in the book suggest children are more likely to segregate in diverse schools. Parents of mixed-race children and those who have adopted children of another race don’t have much of a choice. We have to talk about it. I, for one, am delighted the authors devoted a chapter to race. Pick up the book at your local bookstore, borrow it from your local library or download it onto your favorite electronic reader. Enjoy!
Have you talked with your children about race? How old were they? More importantly, how did it go?
It was a Friday night just before reading time when Nadia started to rap, for no reason, to no one in particular.
“I will not go to preschool.”
Okay, I thought, it was nighttime and no one was even suggesting the kid attend preschool.
“I … will not go … to preschool. I … will not go … to preschool.”
What is Nadia doing?
“I will not,” she said, crossing her arms, “go to preschool.” Stomp.
What is this about?
“I will,” she said, crossing her arms and then issuing two stomps, “not go,” one more stomp, “to preschool.”
I eyed my camera hanging on the door. If I get it, I convinced myself, she will stop.
“I,” stomp, stomp, stomp, “will,” crossed arms, “not go,” stomp, “to preschool.”
This went on for three minutes, with off beat arm crossings, stomps and occasional turns. Then she stopped and crawled into bed like nothing had happened.
I didn’t say a word about the preschool rap. What could I say? I didn’t even laugh. I mean, what was that? Was it a hissy fit, a throw down, a glimpse of her teen-age years? Who knows?
Nadia asleep in my arms.
There has been a lot of chatter about birth plans in the blogosphere. Expectant mothers dream about the idealized birth. Trouble is, labor and delivery can’t be planned. I have friends who wanted a natural birth and had a C-section. Some shunned drugs and then took them.
I knew I didn’t want to have surgery for my children to enter the world. I was open to everything else, including an epidural. I was induced both times and labored for a few hours. Thank goodness, I got my wish and didn’t have to have a C-section. If I had, I hope I wouldn’t be disappointed. I had two healthy babies. In the end that’s all that matters.
My ears were listening, but my brain wasn’t hearing.
Simone, explaining why she didn’t heed her father’s warning.
