Mommage

TV or Not TV?

We're in the midst of a typical July heatwave here in the northeast, and the last thing on anyone's mind is cooking or spending time outside.  Thinking she had a perfect way to escape the heat where she lives in Michigan, Planetfeedback user Andrea took her family to McDonald's so they could enjoy a meal, and the kids could have fun in the air-conditioned PlayPlace.

When Andrea's seven year old son took a break from playing and joined his parents in the dining room, imagine their surprise when they found out what their son was doing in the PlayPlace.

My Beautiful Mommy

I won't look different -- just prettier!  That's the message in a new book writen by Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a Florida plastic surgeon, aimed at the age 4-7 market.  It's titled "My Beautiful Mommy" and it delves into how to explain your plastic surgery to your child.

The imagery in the book is certainly one most youngens can understand.  "Mommy" is in a cocoon and only emerges into a beautiful butterfly after she's had a tummy tuck, nose job and breast enhancement.

That's right Moms... you're just a nasty old caterpillar unless you have an artificially narrow waistline and your boobs defy gravity. 

Lights, Camera...Sleep?

Would you take your two-year-old child to see a movie at 10 p.m.? That's what Tera did last week Friday. She took her nine-year-old son and toddler daughter to see the Chronicles of Narnia and was upset to find out she would have to pay for her daughter to "see" the movie even though (she assumed) her daughter would sleep through the whole thing.

The Terrible Twos...a Little Bit Late

Well, it's finally happened.  My friend's perfect little girl has hit the "Terrible Twos."  At almost three years old.  I think we were all hoping that she just wouldn't go through this delightful phase, and I know my friend has had her fingers crossed.  Until the last few weeks, this child has been a sweetheart.  She's a cuddler, and a spontaneous "I love you," sayer.  And then, suddenly..."NOOOO!"  Three months ago, this child behaved perfectly in a crowded appliance store, quietly finding an out of the way place and playing calmly.  Last week, she threw herself down on the ground and melted down in her favorite restaurant because they didn't have hot dogs.  Eeek! 

Discrimination or Discipline?

If I ever had to be told to keep my kids
quiet in a restaurant, I'd be mortified. 
Not because they were being discriminated against as Heather claimed in her letter to Chili's on Planetfeedback, but because I would be embarrassed that someone had to tell me that my children were being disruptive instead of realizing it myself.

There are definitely two types of parents.  I'm not sure how their attitudes about behavior and discipline are established, but I do know it's not difficult to distinguish one style from the other when you're seated near them in a restaurant.   

Here's the difference.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

Every time I button up my shirt or sweater,
I remember the time Mr. Rogers buttoned his sweater the wrong way on his television show.  I'm sure his genuine reaction to the blunder made millions of kids feel much better about their own mishaps.  I know it made me feel better.  I have always been a fan of Mr. Rogers.  In a complicated and fast paced world, he has a way of making everything seem peaceful and simple.  And if he can have a calming effect on me, then I'm sure his demeanor helps make a difference in a lot of children.

If you and your kids enjoy Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, you can show your appreciation on March 20th by wearing a sweater on "Sweater Day" to honor our friend who passed away five years ago.  Mr. Rogers, who was loved by children because he liked them just the way they are, said he wore a sweater “to make it seem like a comfortable time. It’s a symbol of staying a while, of settling down for some quiet time together.”

Have you ever wondered what happened to his sweater?

Mom is Super but not Superwoman

Michele recently wrote a letter to Sears via Planetfeedback, regarding an issue with a malfunctioning dishwasher that created a dangerous situation in the kitchen where her toddler was present.  As I was reading the responses to her letter, I realized that some people actually think it's possible for a parent to keep an eye on their child at all times. 

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Angel v. Brat

It's no secret that my son has been a challenge to raise since the day I brought him home from the hospital.  Sixteen years later, I continue to look for answers and advice, which is why information like this still gets my attention. 

I always find myself wondering what, if anything, I could have done differently, and this article offers some suggestions and possibilities worth considering if your goal is to raise an angel instead of a brat.

But are they realistic?

Adventures in Babysitting

While I’m not a mother myself, I am at the age where many women start to look wistfully at little booties and soft blankies at the store. Kids just aren’t a possibility for my husband and me right now, so I content myself by babysitting for a good friend who is a mother. Recently I got a chance to babysit her child along with another child of the same age, and really see how her above-and-beyond parenting compares to a more hands-off approach. In this blog, I’m not addressing children with developmental or cognitive delays to children who develop at a more typical pace. That would be unfair to those children and their parents. The two kids I spent my day with were at the same basic developmental level, but the differences in their personalities were marked.

 

 

Should It Take a Village to Raise a Child?

When I hear children crying or see them misbehaving, I try to have as much patience as possible, probably because I had to remove my son from more places than I care to remember when he was young.  As I was reading Juliana's letter to Starbucks on Planetfeedback, I started wondering just how much tolerance and understanding we should expect from other people when our kids are less than perfect.  Are people without children automatically exempt from being bothered by the sights and sounds of kids?  Do they have the right to demand that parents shield them from their offspring?  Do parents have an obligation to the general public to make sure their kids behave perfectly at all times.  Should a child be removed from a situation immediately if someone nearby is annoyed at the disturbance?

Tough questions with no easy answers.