Kids hate tags. Heck, I hate tags. They're itchy, bothersome, and they're always sticking out. Parents everywhere have been cutting tags out of clothing for years, tired of listening to kids complaining about them. Then, some smart marketer had a great idea: Let's make clothing without tags. Peace reigned over the kingdom of children's apparel. Mostly.
It seems that something sinister is going on with Carter's Fall 2007 line of tagless baby clothing. Some parents are reporting that their babies are getting rashes and sores high up on their backs from the silk-screen label. According to The Consumerist, the problem is limited to the Fall 2007 line, so unless you're child is wearing hand-me-downs, this shouldn't affect your future Carter's purchasing plans.
It's not clear whether this is a problem with manufacturing or simply an allergy issue. And then there's this forum that suggests the problem isn't limited to the Carter's brand. If your child has had a reaction to a tagless tee, contact the company that made them. It sounds like Carter's, at least, is asking parents to send the clothing in and then refunding their money in the form of a voucher. Have you ever had a problem with tagless baby clothes?
The new 90210 has put the old (old as in former, not as in old... ahem. Because if they're old, that might mean I am too) Beverly Hill teens into the spotlight again. Though Jennie Garth may have a role in the new series, she recently told US Magazine that she'd been living her own, real-life drama earlier this year.
Jennie's 5-year-old daughter fell several months ago, and the family didn't know what was wrong with her. "I was basically locked in a closet with her for three months," said Garth. Doctors finally diagnosed Jennie's daughter with JRA, or Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. She's been treated, says Garth, and is now healthy and in remission. In the midst of this crisis, however, Jennie's father died. "I had this six months of hell," she said.
JRA is the most common form of juvenile arthritis. The disease causes swelling of the joints, rashes, and fevers. Rarely, JRA can be a chronic, lifetime condition, but most children, like Jennie's, go into remission. It's scary enough when kids get sick, but when the cause is unknown, the fear factor is multiplied. Now that Jennie's daughter has recovered, she's turning her sites on reprising her role as Kelly Taylor in the new series.
Tomorrow is the 30th anniversary of Grandparent's Day, a somewhat unknown holiday that always falls on the Sunday after Labor Day. According to the day's official website, Grandparent's Day was started by a woman named Marian McQuade, now 91, who wanted to enrich the lives of lonely elderly nursing home residents. It blossomed into a day meant to inspire grandchildren to spend time with and enjoy their grandparents.
I'm definitely not about schlepping off to Hallmark every time a holiday rolls around on the calendar. But I do think that honoring people we love is an important tradition. And though it doesn't necessarily need to happen on the second Sunday in September, if you haven't told your parents or grandparents you love them recently, now might be a good time. A phone call, a note, a child's drawing or craft -- these are great ways to say, "I appreciate you."
My own mom takes my kids for a "date" once a week, sometimes one-on-one, sometimes together. And when those days happen, you know the ones, where I start to get a little twitchy from all the togetherness, her grandma radar starts beeping and she swoops in to take them on a small errand. My kids adore her, and we depend on her in countless ways. But I cant' remember the last time I said as much, and so this weekend I'll make an effort to tell her so.
If you celebrate Grandparent's Day, how do you show your love and appreciation?
Kids across the nation should all finally be back-to-school, which means parents across the nation are trying to adjust to a sometimes radical new schedule. Sleep, especially when there isn't enough of it, is on everyone's minds. Most adults need a solid 8 hours, but kids needs are different based on their age.
One of the easiest ways to get kids to bed is a predictable, consistent bedtime routine. Setting the the tone for sleep about 30-60 minutes before lights out helps children's bodies prepare for sleep. This means that loud, active play and brightly lit video games should be ended long before bed. Quieter activities like puzzles, crafts, books, music, bath, or just a little snuggling will put your child in the bedtime frame of mind. Follow this with a predictable nighttime routine, and you have the perfect recipe for a peaceful day's end.
Bedtime comes early at our house, so our after dinner "family time" ends with picture books on the couch. Then we head upstairs for tooth brushing and jammies. Once everyone is tucked in and lights are out, I read a little from a chapter book (currently Junie B. Jones) by flashlight. My soothing voice in the dark seems to lull the kids into a drowsy state, and it's great incentive for getting in bed without an argument.
Do you have a bedtime routine that helps eliminate bedtime battles? Share it with us in comments.
It seems like these findings are a given, but according to psychologist Derek Draper, "Women have been seen as riding the rampant wave of consumerism, demanding designer labels, the latest beauty treatments, and killer heels. But this study shows that women are refocusing on family and friends. They are rediscovering what really matters and placing meaning at the centre of their lives."
Maybe Mr. Draper has been hanging out with Paris Hilton-wannabes? Or watched too many episodes of Sex in the City? Because most of the women I know -- partnered up with children or not -- have always had family and friends at the center of their lives and appreciate stability. But they also, when possible, make room for a new dress or hot pair of heels or other luxury items that fit their personality and lifestyle.
Twins Max and Emme are six-months-old, and mom Jennifer Lopez is sharing how she slowed down once she found out she was pregnant to savor the experience. She told husband Marc Anthony shortly after she found out she was pregnant, "...this is the first time in my life where I'm going to be a little bit selfish. I don't know if I'm going to have kids again, so I want it to be a beautiful experience. I don't want to have any drama. I just want to be smiling every day."
She may hail from the block, but it's hard to imagine that this is really the "first" time in her life that blingtastic Jenny has been "selfish." Isn't she the same mom who doesn't let her kids wear the same outfit twice? Still, her life with Marc Anthony is so much more settled and private than it's ever been, and choosing to slow down and be taken care of during her twin pregnancy is evidence of that.
She thanked Marc Anthony for taking up the slack with a book full of photos... of herself. Marc Anthony's a romantic, that's for sure, but after nine long months of cooking meals and picking up after a very pregnant wife, I think that my husband would have been much happier with a pair of hard-to-get basketball tickets instead. Then again, I'm no Jenny Lopez!
New York Schools will soon be tracking more than reading, writing, and arithmetic, they'll also be watching students' waistlines. Starting this fall, New York Schools (excluding New York City) will be required to collect and report on students BMI, which is a number based upon a person's height and weight. The data will be collected in annual health physicals which are required for attendance, and will be submitted in the second, fourth, seventh, and tenth grades.
The goal is to be able to track where childhood obesity is a problem so that district leaders can offer parents and children resources for leading a healthier lifestyle. But some people are asking the question: Does this kind of information belong in the hands of school and/or state officials? Is childhood obesity a government problem or a personal, family matter?
%Gallery-31307%
Kids are routinely weighed at school anyway. (Remember the dreaded Presidential Fitness Awards? Or was I the only one who dreaded them? Those body fat calibers... shiver.) If children need to have a doctor's appointment anyway, and if weighing-in is a routine part of that physical, and if this information is then later reported anonymously without names attached, I can't see a problem with it. That way, schools as a whole can be targeted for health education. But if kids are having their names stuck into some kind of obesity file and are being singled out, then I might have a few questions. Childhood is hard enough. What do you think?
Jezebel has breaking news that Britney Spears will open MTV's VMAs this year, twelve months after her performance at the 2007 VMAs left us all feeling a little... confused. She will not be performing, however, so exactly what her role will be remains to be seen.
Britney has put in a lot of hard work over the last several months. She's slowly but steadily getting more time with her boys, she's back to work and back to working out, and she's not making headlines every day with erratic behavior that makes us shake our heads and mutter about "that poor girl."
Though fervent fans will be glad to see Britney back up on stage, I can't help but wonder if this is really in Britney's best interest. She seems to me to be in the middle of her recovery. Her dad still has control over her affairs and she doesn't yet have at least joint custody of the boys. Will a "comeback" boost her confidence and help her continue on this more positive path, or does it put her at risk for a relapse?
The mom in me wishes she'd just focus on making a nice, quiet, healthy life for herself and her boys for now, but maybe putting herself back out there is part of her recovery process. What do you think?
All politics aside, I can't imagine how hard it is to be Bristol Palin right now. Shoved squarely into the media spotlight by her mother's VP dreams, she's had to endure scrutiny by a harsh and unforgiving media. At an age where wearing the wrong style of shirt to school can cause a teen to feel major embarrassment, Bristol is now being watched closely by an entire nation.
Jamie Lynn Spears thinks she knows how Bristol feels. In a show of solidarity, she recently sent Bristol a set of $60 pink burp clothes to the teen. Jamie Lynn gave birth to baby Maddie in June, at the age of 17, and like Bristol plans to marry her baby's father, Casey Aldridge.
Jamie Lynn's gesture was nice, but her circumstances were far different. As Britney's sister and a celeb in her own right, Jamie Lynn was accustomed to the glaring flashbulbs of the paparazzi. When she found out she was pregnant, she knew what she was facing by announcing it. But while Bristol probably expected her pregnancy news would cause a small stir in Alaska, I'm sure she never in a million years expected this.
On a lighter note... who pays $60 for a burp cloth?
Dallas, Texas student Dalton Sherman gave the keynote address at this year's kick-off for his local ISD. It's not unusual for students to address the district during the back-to-school kick-off, a pep rally of sorts for teachers and staff. But Dalton Sherman is anything but typical.
He starts off his speech with the line, "I believe in me. Do you believe in me?" He goes on to tell the entire 17,000-person audience that for him to succeed, he needs them to believe -- believe in him, in his hopes for success, in themselves, in each other, in their work as educators. It really is an amazing speech, and as an educator, it brought tears to my eyes.
But is it a message that's only important for teachers? Surely kids do need educators to believe in them. But as I watched the end of Dalton's 8-minute speech, I started to pretend that he was talking to me as a parent. And you know what? The message is the same. As we send our kids off to school this season, it's also important for us as moms, dads, and caregivers to believe our kids, in their hopes for success, in ourselves, in each other, and in our work as parents. Thanks for the reminder, Dalton.
"Make two piles," I told my five-year-old. "Those you want to keep and the ones you want to give away." I left her sitting in front of a gigantic basket of stuffed animals, about a quarter of her collection. We were spending the day organizing the girls' bedroom and playroom, and this year, I thought they might be big enough to know which toys they no longer wanted or needed.
Silly me.
Ten minutes later, she hollered in to me. "I'm done." A pause, and the, "Wait. Mama? I think I'm going to put the one I put in the giveaway pile back into the keep pile, ok?" I let out a deep sigh as she shoved the entire basket back into the closet, where it will surely sit until we clean and organize next time. My kids can't part with anything.
So I did what I always do -- set them up with a snack and some coloring books and did the job myself. Now their room is clean and organized, and no one yet has noticed even one of the several bags of toys missing, Freecycled and picked up by a mom of a one-year-old.
Still, it feels deceitful. So I'm wondering -- do you tell your young children when you're giving away their old toys, or are you sneaky like me? And at what age do they really start to be able to part with things they don't use any more?
Golf superstar Tiger Woods and wife Elin Nordegren announced on Tuesday that they're expecting their second child sometime this winter. They welcomed daughter Sam Alexis in June of 2007, which will put the gap between the two siblings squarely into You'll Have Your Hands Full territory.
A recent knee injury sidelined Tiger earlier this year, and he wrote on his website that it's been a blessing in disguise of sorts. "While my injury has been disappointing and frustrating, it has allowed me to spend a lot of time watching Sam grow. I can't begin to tell you how rewarding it is being a dad and spending time with her and Elin." Will spending this time as a family man change Tiger's outlook on the game? After Sam was born, he skipped the Buick Open to help his family get settled, so maybe more children will mean more time away from the course. (Or maybe not!)
Either way, Tiger and Elin seem to be a content (and gorgeous!) couple who are thrilled that their family is growing, and before too long, we might just be seeing Tiger and his little ones out hitting a few!
Sandy recently told us about a new Census Bureau report that found that, not only are women waiting longer to have children, many are choosing not to have children at all. That same report turned up another interesting piece of information: Midwestern moms are more likely to go back to work than other moms.
Over at The Curious Capitalist, Barbara Kiviat has an interesting discussion going on about why Midwestern moms are more likely to go back to work than their counterparts in other areas of the country. She theorizes, by comparing maps in a very unscientific way, that Midwestern moms have access to a higher number of childcare centers, which may be why they choose to work. A commenter points out, however, that there may be more childcare centers because there is a higher demand.
Until recently, my kids' phone skills needed some work. I had one child who often held the phone upside down to talk and another who nodded her head and gestured, not realizing that the person on the other line couldn't actually see her. My mom, the person they call the most, had a list of phrases she could use for the times she couldn't understand what they were saying (read: all the time). "Wow!" "Is that so?" "That's exciting." "Good for you!" When the kids would fall quiet, she'd know her comment didn't quite hit the mark.
But over the last several months, their phone skills have been improving, so much so that my five-year-old pretty much handles her phone affairs (calls to Grandma) independently. She's also started answering the phone by herself, a milestone that required a little education. At first, if she answered and it wasn't someone she knew, she just fell silent. This, obviously, confused people like doctors, teachers, and telemarketers (though I really didn't mind about that last one).
Like all things parenting, phone manners take a little guidance, but it's a life skill that everyone needs. Eduguide has some excellent tips for teaching preschoolers to use the phone, including tips on teaching phone numbers, avoiding embarrassing moments like when they call 9-1-1 on accident, and how to teach good phone manners. Before you know it, those little ones will be teenagers with phones permanently attached to their ear, so it's best to get to them now while you can still get a word in edgewise!
Kids hate tags. Heck, I hate tags. They're itchy, bothersome, and they're always sticking out. Parents everywhere have been cutting tags out of clothing for years, tired of listening to kids complaining about them. Then, some smart marketer had a great idea: Let's make clothing without tags. Peace reigned over the kingdom of children's apparel. Mostly.
The new 90210 has put the old (old as in former, not as in old... ahem. Because if they're old, that might mean I am too) Beverly Hill teens into the spotlight again. Though Jennie Garth may have a role in the new series, she recently told US Magazine that she'd been living 
Tomorrow is the 30th anniversary of Grandparent's Day, a somewhat unknown holiday that always falls on the Sunday after Labor Day. According to 
Twins Max and Emme are six-months-old, and mom Jennifer Lopez is sharing how she slowed down once she found out she was pregnant to savor the experience. She 
Jezebel has breaking news that 
All politics aside, I can't imagine how hard it is to be Bristol Palin right now. Shoved squarely into the media spotlight by her mother's VP dreams, she's had to endure scrutiny by a harsh and unforgiving media. At an age where wearing the wrong style of shirt to school can cause a teen to feel major embarrassment, Bristol is now being watched closely by an entire nation.
Golf superstar Tiger Woods and wife Elin Nordegren announced on Tuesday that 
Until recently, my kids' phone skills needed some work. I had one child who often held the phone upside down to talk and another who nodded her head and gestured, not realizing that the person on the other line couldn't actually see her. My mom, the person they call the most, had a list of phrases she could use for the times she couldn't understand what they were saying (read: all the time). "Wow!" "Is that so?" "That's exciting." "Good for you!" When the kids would fall quiet, she'd know her comment didn't quite hit the mark.
