One of my favorite online magazines, Slate, had a funny article (read it here http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/04/16/social_networks_and_vaccination_facebook_friends_can_influence_politics.html ) about a soon to be published study in the Journal of Pediatrics regarding the prevalence of a new technique that many parents use when making vaccination decisions for their infants. They poll people on their social networks. Huh? Continue reading
Kids and Cursing
To all my new moms: kids cursing is pretty much a regular stage that all kids go through. One of my favorite movie moments of all time is from “A Christmas Story” when Peter Billingsley’s character Ralphie gets busted saying the “f dash, dash, dash word” . His father who regularly curses around the house turns to him and asks him where he heard that and he gives up the name of a friend. Later on as his mom tells the other boys’ mom what he supposedly taught Ralphie, you can hear him getting his butt whipped over the telephone. Classic, hilarious. Continue reading
April Fools!
So I don’t have a lot of fears. Mice, rats, snakes, etc., etc. don’t bother me. My biggest fears are something happening to one of my children. That being said, I will admit that I have a thing about water bugs. Continue reading
Making the Case for Adulthood
For the Easter holiday, my kids’ cousin Kii, spent the weekend with us. In an age when so many of the little girls I know seem to be in a rush to be older, I found her innocence and love of toys to be refreshing in someone who is almost eleven years old. That was until I found out what motivated her to be that way. I’m not sure what innocuous comment about growing up started the conversation, but she blurted out, “I don’t want to grow up, being an adult means no more fun ever!” Continue reading
Violent Video Games
You knew it was only a matter of time before I threw my two cents in on this issue, with teen boys in my house. Every few years someone does a study or some parenting magazine rehashes an old study for a new article. Most of these articles are for the shock value, to get people to read the magazine, not really to generate a productive discussion. People jump into two camps: pro violent video game, or against. But like every other issue we tend to deal with in life as parents, this one is not just black and white either. Continue reading
10 Things For My Sons To Remember
All over the internet parent blogs, these lists of things that parents want their kids to know keep popping up. Some of them seem pretty decent advice. Some of them have strangely specific instructions, like which types of expensive goods to buy, such as purses as opposed to jeans. Hmm… Continue reading
Video Game Review: Assassins Creed III
I will guiltily admit it: I am SO enjoying watching my son play Assassins Creed III.
Way Too Many Grinches
I hate it when I hear people I know say things like, “Santa? A fat 
white guy in a suit brings you toys? That’s my hard earned money, I’M Santa!”
The Holiday Chat
In a couple of days, Khev and I will be having the ‘Holiday Chat’. This talk is a lot like the ‘Birthday Chat’, and the ‘Going to a friend’s party Chat’. These short, simple talks that I have with my kids are designed to let them know just how I want them to behave and react when they receive gifts from people. Continue reading
Yes Young’en, You CAN Learn Something From This Rapper
A guest post by Diallo Beckles, from his soap box: Continue reading
Quick & Easy Shepherd’s Pie
I’ll admit it – this is a ‘lazy’ recipe. I used to believe that to be a good mom, I had to make every meal, every component of every meal, virtually from scratch. This caused a lot of stress, especially when I would leave the house at 7:30 AM to go to work and return home at 6:30 PM to start cooking. Continue reading
On The Day My Life Changed Forever
Recently I read an FB status on a friend’s page that asked what a
panic attack felt like and I smiled in sympathy. I wanted to reply and describe it, but I didn’t want to take up that much space. I recently experienced my first panic attack. Continue reading