Don't mess with the material mom. I think we all know the consequences of that. But what about when you're her daughter? Lourdes is probably just as headstrong as her mommy and may even like to follow in her mother's big footsteps someday. Says Madonna, though, Lourdes is forbidden from acting.
Nevertheless, the acting bug has allegedly bitten little Lola. Many celebrity kids either attempt or succeed at following in their famous parents' footsteps, especially when it comes to acting. And many of those celebrity parents have said they don't want their kids acting or being in the profession at all. The stress, the drama, the lies of the media and the unbelievable pressure to be perfect are too much, they feel, for their kids to go through (yet they continue to do it).
Madonna is no exception. She is a mom, after all, and she wants to protect her family. According to a "source" Madge has banned her daughter, 11, from being in a new movie and has nixed Lola being involved in the craft until she finishes high school. I wonder how she feels about Lourdes going to college--Madonna dropped out, and it didn't seem to bother her career aspirations in the slightest!
The first week of school is behind us now-and we're in the midst of the second, getting used to routines, expectations and each other. The classroom is bustling with activity from the minute the children arrive, to when they leave, tired and hot at the end of the day.
Aside from building a strong classroom community during the first couple of weeks of school, teachers spend the bulk of their time trying to get to know their students-both personally and academically. We have so many questions: did our students regress over the summer or grow? Did they read? Do math? Play games? Travel?
We spend our days conferring with individual students and soliciting information through writing prompts, drawing activities, and assessments.
As parents, you are likely doing the same thing, right? Every parent comes with a pocketful of worries, questions and concerns.
I know this is true because my son just started preschool this past week, anda great deal of my time is consumed with wondering about small things-will they open his lunch containers for him? Will they heat up his food? Will they help him make friends?
But really, when I think about it, all these little concerns amount to one great big huge one: will my son's teachers see him as he really is? Will they get to know him, and help him to grow and learn without quashing his sweet earnestness?
Imagine you're at your local McDonald's, a few blocks from home, in a decent neighborhood. You and your eleven-year-old son get into an argument that gets worse every minute. So you tell him to walk home, jump in your car, and take off. You cool down and, a few minutes later, return to collect him. Sound reasonable? Perhaps. It really depends on just how far the restaurant was from home, what sort of neighborhood it was, and how mature the boy is.
Well, those are some of the questions being asked now after a Texas newspaper columnist did just that. Dave Lieber returned to collect his son from the local McDonald's only to find him being questioned by police officers. The police gave Lieber a talking-to and let him take his son home. Lieber wrote about the incident in his column, but that wasn't the end of it. Almost two weeks later, Lieber was arrested on charges of child abandonment and endangerment.
Now it's up to the district attorney to decide whether or not to press charges. According to Eric Franklin, an investigations supervisor for Child Protective Services, the questions that need to be answered center around the child's maturity and ability to reason, the dangerousness of the situation, and the father's intentions.
I'm not sure this is something I would ever do, although I've certainly offered to let my kids walk home if they couldn't behave themselves in the car. Still, at eleven years old, I was wandering about some of San Francisco's worst neighborhoods on my own and at night and no one thought twice about it. I'm not sure this father deserves jail time and a record over this -- what do you think?
My husband's aunt passed away recently, after a long illness. She had lived across the street from us when both of our children were born, and used to send dinner every so often. Her husband would bring the boys Hot Wheels cars and various other toys; they gave my older son his first bicycle. The boys don't really remember any of that, but we did, and we were saddened by her death.
But we were also unsure about the funeral etiquette. My sons are six and eight -- were they old enough to go to the funeral? I didn't know, and so I started asking around. To my surprise, the overwhelming response from my mama friends was no, don't take them, they're too young, they won't be able to sit still, they won't understand what's going on. I still wavered -- they go church at school each week, so the funeral Mass would be familiar to them, and they seem to understand what it means to say that someone has died. And there would be other kids there, most about their ages.
In the end, my husband went to the funeral alone, and I stayed home with our kids and some other cousins because we were unable to find a sitter for the out of town children and this was just easier for everyone. But we have other elderly relatives who are not in good health, and because I am sure this will be an issue again, perhaps soon, I'm still curious about the etiquette here -- should kids go to funerals, or stay home?
What's your rule on funerals and children? How old is old enough? Or do other factors, like your child's relationship to the deceased, matter more?
Starting school can feel a little like starting a new job. There's a new environment, new materials, new tasks, a new "boss," and maybe most importantly to kids, new friends. Back-to-school can be a stressful time of year for kids, and parents know a little encouragement goes a long way.
Over at PBSParents, the Supersisters have a great idea for not only dealing with your own youngster's nervous energy, but spreading a little kindness as well. They snuck out early on the first day of school and wrote inspirational messages in sidewalk chalk for school kids to read as they headed to school. "Have a awesome day," read one. "You are fantastic," said another. Supersister Jen reports that the messages were a hit, and I have to imagine that even tweens and teens who were "too cool" to react had to be bolstered by such such positive prose.
If you think that you might want to spread a little cheer on your first day of school, head out early to get your messages written well ahead of time (and to make sure you aren't late for the first day of school!). If you don't live in a walkable neighborhood, you could also get your school's permission to put the messages on the school's sidewalks and playground instead. If you do, Supersisters want you to share your words of kindness with them through their Flickr pool.
As Roger pointed out in a recent post, school should be a safe place for kids. But what happens when it isn't? Bullying is a big issue in schools, and today's technology has allowed it to reach far past the school yard. Bullies can now torment their targets by text, IM, or through the Internet. Victims of bullying are at risk for social, emotional, and academic problems in the long-term.
So what should you do if you're child is being targeted by a bully? CNN has several suggestions, some of which include:
Tune into your child's behavior and look for signs that something is out of the ordinary. Take note, too, if they radically change their routine for no apparent reason.
Before jumping in and calling a bully's parents, get your tween or teen to open up and talk about it, letting them have some control over the solution.
Younger children will need parents to intervene more quickly.
Inform school authorities immediately.
Help your child come up with tactics that will put a stop to the bullying, but don't encourage violence or retaliation.
Encourage social relationships through extra-curricular activities, clubs, and sports, and teach your child how to reach out to others socially.
Finally, realize that bullying isn't something that kids "grow out of." Adults who were bullied can have traumatic memories of childhood, and bullying isn't limited to children. The sooner that both victim and bully get adult guidance to resolve the situation, the better.
The next time your kiddo complains about having to vacuum the living room or clear the dishes, you can pull out that famous phrase, "When I was your age...." At study of over 1,300 children recently found that kids between the ages of 6 and 12 are spending just 24 minutes a day on chores, a 12% drop from just a decade ago, and 25% less time than in 1981.
Experts believe that, in general, kids have fewer chores because their parents do less housework. This, says Dr. Sandra Hofferth, study author, is a major sociological shift that could impact kids for the rest of their lives. Letting Junior out of chores to pursue more "constructive" activities might seem like a good idea, but chores are life skills. If kids don't understand the benefit behind doing them, or even how to do them, what happens when they get out on their own?
Most chores at my house are met with complaints and groans. I have a few standard lines that outline concepts my kids are slowly starting to understand:
"We take care of our things so that they last."
"We're a family and we help each other out."
"When you are finished with something, put it away."
"DO IT NOW OR NO COMPUTER TIME."
That last one is usually the most effective in the short-term, but my hope is the first three are what will eventually help them realize that chores are just a necessary part of life.
Ah, kids these days. And their parents too. I remember when I was a kid trying to impress people by getting my room clean as quickly as possible or hitting a badminton birdie farther than my dad. Clearly, as an eleven-year-old I had nothing on the girl in this video. Woah. Not only does she dismantle the AR-15 (it's a gun, it's a weapon, it's a killing machine) in fifteen seconds, she puts it back together after that for a combined total time of 53 seconds. The kicker? Not so much that she's a tween or pre-tween herself, but that her father was the one who taught her how to do this, and he's the one who filmed the video.
Both father and daughter seem very pleased by the girl's abilities. My husband summed it up best when he asked me, after I was visibly shocked by the footage, when they took the girl into custody. Who the heck really keeps guns in their house when they have children? And who the heck teaches them how to use them? Better yet, who keeps an AR-15 in the house and teaches his eleven-year-old daughter how to use it?
Who's to say whether there is a mom around, whether she saw the video, and whether or not she knows or cares that her daughter has the technical skills of an assassin. Perhaps it was supposed to be funny, but the video is more terrifying than anything. Children and guns, of any kind, do NOT go together. Plain and simple, guns kill people. And, sadly, more often than not, they kill children.
I use online chat services pretty regularly, both personally and professionally. I chat with my wife fairly frequently; it's less disruptive than a phone call and quicker too. I've also enjoyed the occasional chat with my six-year-old son. I chat with co-workers all the time, both individually and in groups.
I am a grown-up, however, with nearly three decades of experience in online communications (anyone remember Fidonet?), so I'm not worried about safety. When it comes to kids, however, it's another story. Kids haven't been around the block and they don't always realize that nearly every other fourteen-year-old on the internet is actually a forty-something guy.
If you're not overly familiar with the whole idea of chatting online, the SafetyClicks website has a nice introduction and some great advice on making sure your kids stay safe while chatting with friends. Most importantly, know who they're chatting with. I would even go so far as to say that kids shouldn't be participating in group chats until at least high school.
If your kids are starting to read and write, chatting with you once in a while can be a fun way to encourage that. But once they are old enough to use the computer on their own, parents need to make sure they stay safe. Check out the SafetyClicks guide for info on how to do that.
Kids learn by example, which is why most of us try to set a good one. We use our manners, clean up after ourselves, exhibit patience and always try to do the right thing - especially when little eyes are watching us. But sometimes, we get stressed out and tired and just can't be bothered doing the right thing. And by 'us', I mean 'me', of course.
I realized yesterday that I have been doing such a good job of modeling good behavior that when I slack off a bit, my seven-year-old notices big time. The slacking off happened in K-Mart, which was the last of many stops Ellie and I had to make on our way to the bank. I was worried about the bank closing before I could get there, so we sped through the store looking folding chairs and a card table. We found what we needed and were headed for the checkout when I spotted something I'd missed on the way in: a card table and chair set, for a fraction of what I was about to pay for them separately.
I quickly took the individual pieces out of my cart and loaded the boxed set in. I hesitated. The department from which I had picked up the table and chairs was way in the back of the store. I was two feet from the checkout. Ordinarily, I would have schlepped the stuff back to where I got it, but this time I didn't feel like I had time. And this is no excuse, but the entire store was a jumbled mess anyway. Which is probably why I didn't notice the table and chairs set in the first place. I left the discarded purchases where they didn't belong, made my purchase, and left the store.
I heard about it all the way to the bank and all the way home. "I can't believe you just left that stuff there!" Ellie's shock at my total disregard for proper store etiquette made me think of all the times I do the right thing. I return my cart to the proper area in the parking lot. I allow other drivers to get in front of me when they ask. I pick up trash if I see some lying on the ground. I consider myself a pretty decent person, but I can't say for sure that I would always do these things if she wasn't watching me. Her presence in my life makes me much more aware of the things I do and therefore an all-around better person. How about you? Has being a parent made you a better person? Or were you always as wonderful as you are today?
The management of the Oulton Hall Hotel near Leads in the UK have an odd sense of humor. They thought they would have a 'bit of fun' and make parents pay for their children's Sunday dinner based on weight. Not the weight of the food the child consumes, but the weight of the child. A kid who weighs 5st (70 pounds) would be charged £5, with the price increasing along with the weight of the child.
Child obesity expert Professor Paul Gateley isn't laughing and believes the public weigh-ins would be humiliating for a child . "What child wants to be pulled on to scales and judged? The undoubted outcome is that they will feel bad. It's especially likely to upset girls, who tend to become aware of their weight as early as seven."
Oulton Hall spokesman Nigel Massey thinks Gateley just needs to get over it. "There will no doubt be people who say it's not politically correct and have a grumble about it. Well, frankly they should get a life and stop being so miserable." Ah, that 'screw you' attitude is so refreshing in the hospitality industry.
Massey goes on to say that the pay-as-you-weigh program is entirely voluntary and was conceived as a way to help parents save a bit of money when dining out. If a child declines to be weighed, the regular kid's meal price of £11.25 will be charged, which is half of the adult meal.
I am not all that great with math and less so when it involves converting weights and monies, but it does seem like this would be a good deal for parents with young and small children. But the program is open to kids as old as 15. Do you think think Professor Gateley is being overly sensitive? Or should he, as Massey suggests, stop being so miserable?
Today was the first day of school for my district. The kids came tumbling down the hall and into my classroom, grinning and shy and eager..
As I watched take over the pristine room---looking for their cubbies and their desks, and reading directions together for the morning task---I was struck, as I am every year, by how differently the boys and the girls approach learning and being in school.
In general, the boys in my room have a thirst for movement---their bodies do not want to be still. They want to be touching and exploring and climbing and rolling and wiggling. They are great with spatial problem solving; but are challenged by multi-step directions.
The girls on the other hand, generally come in eager for paper and pencil tasks. They listen to directions and follow them sequentially and independently. They seek approval, and clarification when necessary. They are far more able to keep their bodies still than their male counterparts.
School's a busy place these days. It's a long stretch between lunch and the day's last bell. School kids are hungry when they get home, and they need a snack to give them energy for extra-curricular activities, homework, and chores. If chips and cookies are what's in the cupboard, chances are that's what they'll reach for. But a healthy snack will not only satisfy their hunger, but give them the energy and nutrition they need.
Nutrition experts recommend that we all get at least 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. That's nearly impossible unless you incorporate these kinds of foods into every meal and snack. Sure, you may offer kids a cookie, but serve it up next to a heaping pile of blueberries or a sliced apple. That's just one tip I discovered in AOL Health's gallery about making the most of after-school snacks. Another tip: Skip the snack food altogether and serve a mini-meal instead.
My own kids love to help in the kitchen and are far more likely to eat something they've helped create. Since they were tiny, we've been baking sweet potato muffins, and they are now a favorite snack. But it's also easy to keep washed, fresh fruit or chopped veggies in a bowl on the bottom shelf of the fridge... perfect for self-serve.
As soon as school ended last June, we put all of our possessions into storage and moved across the country for my husband's new job. Since then, my seven-year-old, my husband, myself, our two cats and the dog have been living in a small apartment with a borrowed television and rented furniture. Because we flew to our new city, we were unable to bring much more than our clothes and a few other personal belongings.
They say that necessity is the mother of invention and that is a fact. With very little in the way of real toys to play with and not a friend in sight, keeping Ellie busy with something other than television and computer games has been a challenge. We do spend lots of time exploring our new town and the surrounding areas, but that still leaves many hours to fill at home. The thrill of lounging by the pool each and every day got old pretty quick and that's when we got creative.
The only things we have actually purchased to amuse ourselves with are pool and beach related items. Who knew that they could be used in so many ways away from the water? We've played baseball with a rolled up beach mat, balled up socks and flip-flop bases. We have used swim noodles as swords and had duels in the living room. We even ring-tossed the dog with an inflatable inner-tube.
We've played Nancy Drew looking for clues when walking the dog and we colored pictures on the backs of paper plates to decorate our temporary home. Ellie has perfected the art of the small-space cartwheel and learned to write her name beautifully in cursive.
If all goes as planned, we will move into our new house next week. The stuff of our lives will be returned to us and things will go back to normal. I would be lying if I said I wanted to remain in this residential limbo a while longer, but I do think I will miss it when it's over. And Ellie would never admit it, but I suspect she will, too. How do you manage to strip away the stuff of life and get that simple, quality time with your child?
Imagine you're at your local McDonald's, a few blocks from home, in a decent neighborhood. You and your eleven-year-old son get into an argument that gets worse every minute. So you tell him to walk home, jump in your car, and take off. You cool down and, a few minutes later, return to collect him. Sound reasonable? Perhaps. It really depends on just how far the restaurant was from home, what sort of neighborhood it was, and how mature the boy is.
My husband's aunt passed away recently, after a long illness. She had lived across the street from us when both of our children were born, and used to send dinner every so often. Her husband would bring the boys Hot Wheels cars and various other toys; they gave my older son his first bicycle. The boys don't really remember any of that, but we did, and we were saddened by her death.
Starting school can feel a little like starting a new job. There's a new environment, new materials, new tasks, a new "boss," and maybe most importantly to kids, new friends. Back-to-school can be a stressful time of year for kids, and parents know a little encouragement goes a long way. 
As Roger pointed out in 
I use online chat services pretty regularly, both personally and professionally. I chat 
Kids learn by example, which is why most of us try to set a good one. We use our manners, clean up after ourselves, exhibit patience and always try to do the right thing - especially when little eyes are watching us. But sometimes, we get stressed out and tired and just can't be bothered doing the right thing. And by 'us', I mean 'me', of course.
The management of the Oulton Hall Hotel near Leads in the UK have an odd sense of humor. They thought they would have a 'bit of fun' and make parents pay for their children's Sunday dinner 
School's a busy place these days. It's a long stretch between lunch and the day's last bell. School kids are hungry when they get home, and they need a snack to give them energy for extra-curricular activities, homework, and chores. If chips and cookies are what's in the cupboard, chances are that's what they'll reach for. But a healthy snack will not only satisfy their hunger, but give them the energy and nutrition they need.
As soon as school ended last June, we put all of our possessions into storage and moved across the country for my husband's new job. Since then, my seven-year-old, my husband, myself, our two cats and the dog have been living in a small apartment with a borrowed television and rented furniture. Because we flew to our new city, we were unable to bring much more than our clothes and a few other personal belongings.
