All Modern Parenthood
Romney, Big Bird and Obama: Presidential debates and public mediaRomney and Big Bird from the PBS show 'Sesame Street' will be enemies if Romney wins the presidential elections in November. Setting off a social media firestorm, Romney informed the American public that funding for public media would be cut if elected.
The presidential debate makes the election more interesting for one householdObama and Romney interrupting each other and a threat to PBS kept three young viewers glued to the screen.
Jennifer Livingston: Commenting on anchor’s weight is not bullyingJennifer Livingston, a TV news anchor, got a viewer e-mail calling her obese, and questioning her body image. She called it bullying. It's not. It's simply rude, and an example of 'bully-creep' and the fight over the label rather than the content.
Kara Alongi: Missing teen an example of Twitter use or abuse?Kara Alongi Tweeted about a home intruder before she disappeared, sparked a massive campaign to find her, and got police involved sooner than they would have been. Now there are questions about whether she abused Twitter.
Background TV exposure may harm children's developmentBackground TV – the kind young children don’t watch but experience because the television is on – is linked to problems with play, parent-child relationships, and cognitive performance. A new study in the journal “Pediatrics” suggests that kids are exposed to 4 hours of background television a day.
Rescue dog: How an adoptee pup graduated to family fixtureRescue dog Albie has been living with the Zheutlin family for three months, becoming an irreplaceable presence in their home, and fully ensconced in their hearts.
Sukkot holiday: A mom finds comfort, and inspiration, from sukkot ghostsSukkot is a Jewish holiday spanning seven days, a holiday for ghosts that ends with Yizkor service that memorializes the dead. For this mom, the ghosts of Sukkot bring comfort – and some parenting inspiration.
Obama, human trafficking and teachable moments on a difficult topicPresident Obama's landmark speech on human trafficking – a major, but misunderstood human rights issue – is a teachable moment for parents to talk about sexual exploitation to kids who need to understand the issue.
Parenting on 3-year-old time: Smell the roses, watch the antsOn 3-year-old time, harried deadlines and time-sensitive mail fall to the delight of an ant, a rock, a flower.
Warm tortillas: There’s no competing with rural Mexican mothersAn American mother and disciple of “Super Baby Food” realizes – with one whiff of these warm tortillas – that she can’t compete with rural Mexican mothers when it comes to homemade food.
China adoption diary: School lunch, sisterly guidance, and hamburgersMadeleine begins the first week of school with one new backpack and a competitively delicious packed lunch. Ignoring parental and sisterly directive, she boldly opts out for a school lunch – leaving Mom scratching her head.
Baby shower? So 2010. Edgier moms-to-be have a baby gender revealForget the baby shower. It's a ... "gender reveal!" For moms-to-be who want drama in their shower of baby gadgetry, gender reveal parties let everyone – including Mom – find out the sex of the baby together. "Huh?" asks our pregnant blogger.
- Homecoming bullying prank turns to civic support of victim Whitney Kropp
A homecoming prank and its outcome breaks hearts and then warms them: Bullying victim Whitney Kropp was nominated for homecoming court as a joke, but her small town rallies around her.
Hazing by a California soccer team: Where does fun become abuse?Hazing involving sexual abuse on a California soccer team is an extreme case. But one study found that 9 out of 10 students who have experienced hazing in college did not consider themselves to be hazed. Hazing can be banal to gross to violent – where do we draw the line?
Too fat to fight: Is childhood obesity a national security threat?"Too fat to fight," a new study by former Pentagon military chiefs, says school junk food and childhood obesity are a national security threat -- with more than a quarter of 17- to 24-year-old Americans too heavy to join the military if they wanted to.
Anti-bullying laws: A mom dares to critique the social trendAnti-bullying laws have proliferated in the past decade: But some people are troubled at what lawmakers and advocates almost always portray as a positive movement against bullying that may or may not have the desired effect.
Bullying facts: Sifting through the hype for a clear pictureBullying facts are not as straightforward as you might think because "bully" has become a buzz word in education. Separating normal childhood development from a serious problem is increasingly difficult as the concept of bullying gets spin from interest groups.
Rescue dog: Dogs will be dogs. Squirrels beware!Rescue dog Albie reveals his hunting instinct. Neither rain nor snow nor ... steak would stay this Lab from his appointed prey – a poor little squirrel.
Bullyproofed: Son was shepherd not sheep in college drinking caseBullyproofed by a mom's broken-record "better to be safe than sorry" soundtrack, a college freshman intervenes to help an unconscious student.
Obama endorses Beyonce: Role model for White House daughtersBeyonce hosts a campaign fundraiser for President Obama, and comes away with her own endorsement from the president as a role model for his daughters.
