Wednesday, May 8, 2013
"It's hard to say," says author Peggy Drexler, "but our increasingly me-first world might have something to do with it."
Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday, but not every mom is pleased to carry the mantle. Some are even walking off the job. In an opinion piece on CNN.com, parenting author Peggy Drexler writes that "reports would seem to indicate that the number of moms who ... run away -- or at least walk away -- is increasing." Drexler cites an increase in the number of single fathers, and several anecdotal examples of mothers who simply took off: There's Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, who wrote in an essay for Salon.com that she realized, when her sons were 3 and 5 that she didn't want to be a full-time mother anymore. There are even support groups now for women who decide to leave their children. Why do some moms leave? Here's what Rizzuto says in the Salon …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
What if parents disagree about the importance of religion?
As most families filed into a pew at church on Sunday mornings, my family slid tokens into video games at Chuck E. Cheese's. We had implemented a reward system where my sons earned tokens throughout the week for good behavior with the promise that we would go as a family to spend them when the weekend arrived. We always found ourselves taking them on Sunday mornings because we had the run of the place. My husband and I jokingly called it "Chuck E Cheese Chuch." The boys loved the family time and ran from game to game, collecting tickets and smiling from ear to ear. Despite the joy I felt chasing my children through the arcade, I couldn't run from the guilt that we should have been taking our children to church on Sunday mornings instead. …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Is physical punishment effective? When and how should physical punishment be used?
A study by Canadian researchers suggests that physical punishment endured as a child may result in depression, anxiety and personality disorders later in life. According to an article posted on TheStar.com, Canada's largest online news site, researchers estimated between 2 and 7 percent of those mental disorders might be due to punishments inflicted in childhood — punishment that does not including more severe forms of abuse and maltreatment. The study team used data collected by United States Census interviewers in 2004 and 2005 in surveys of almost 35,000 adults across the country and found about 6 per cent of interview subjects had been punished beyond spanking “sometimes,” “fairly often” or “very often.” Those with a history of harsh …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
How I overcame the sadness of not having a daughter.
When I was a child, I would play with my dolls and daydream about being a Mommy when I grew up. My collection of baby dolls would take turns being rocked, burped and loved on. I just knew that one day I would have a real baby to take care of. Now, I have two awesome little boys that I adore with all of my heart. I am good at and enjoy beng a mom to boys, as I can use the word "poot" in any number of sentences. I can even name every Superhero, as well as their nemesis and super powers. I absolutely love being a mom to my little fellas. Yet I'd be lying if I didn't admit that my heart has ached because I always envisioned that I would have a little girl. Many questions and thoughts have surfaced since the moment the ultrasound revealed that …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
All that matters to me is that my kids think I am.
By now we've all seen the now famous Time Magazine cover that sent shock waves rippling through the media. A mom stands as her pre-school aged son perches on a chair and practically hangs from her naked breast. The words "Are You Mom Enough?"scream in bright red letters beside the breastfeeding pair. The actual article focused on attachment parenting, particularly extended breastfeeding. Attachment parenting, which was coined by Dr. William Sears, author of “The Baby Book”, encourages breast-feeding (sometimes extended to toddlerhood), co-sleeping and “baby wearing." Parents who practice this parenting style believe that children should be comforted when they cry and don't enforce any "cry it out" methods. Many people were offended by …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Is public shame the best way teach children a lesson?
I have a confession to make. When I was 6 years old, I stole a handful of diapers from the grocery store for my dolls. I swiftly slipped them into my zipped up jacket and walked right out of the store without paying for them. The guilt was just too much. I confessed my mistake to my mother the moment our car pulled out of the parking lot toward home. She promptly turned the car around, marched me into the store, and forced me to return the diapers to the manager along with an apology. I was mortified but I learned my lesson. I should thank my lucky stars that my mother did not humiliate me in public as punishment for my sticky fingers. Many parents have recently resorted to forcing their children to declare their mischievous ways in …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The day my son learned to be a hero instead of a bully.
At first glance, a school playground may look like a fun place to play. The tire swing beckons and the monkey bars shine in the sunlight. Yet, to some children, it is a battleground. A place where a villain may lurk behind every tree and a hero to save them seems far away. Bullies have been around since the beginning of time, it seems, but statistics show that more and more children are victims than ever before. Some 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally and physically. In a time when a child is bullied every seven minutes, it's crucial that parents talk to their children about the issue. If we can catch them when they are young, it may prevent grave results as they enter adolescence. A staggering 44% of suicides among 10- to 14-…
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
I am learning the art of growing along with my children in Athens, Ga.
I am the first to celebrate when my children reach a new milestone in their development. My hands clapped with pride when they rolled over for the first time. I showered them with praise as each of them took their first wobbly steps. I made up songs about happy carrots as I slipped their first bites of pureed veggies into their sweet little mouths. Gratitude fills my heart that they are happy and healthy children. Yet, I didn't anticipate that my heart would also ache so much as they grew up. It seems that just when I get comfortable with where they are in their development, they change and a little bit of their childhood is left behind. I find myself feeling sentimental as I pack up forgotten toys and outgrown clothes. A good friend of …
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Is pre-mastication natural or disgusting?
Imagine a little wobbly bird sitting in a nest and lifting its beak up to be fed by its mother. The mama bird tilts her head gently to feed her hungry baby and they both chirp happily. What seems like a beautiful moment in nature doesn't look quite as sweet when a human mother attempts it. The actress Alicia Silverstone (none other than Cher from my favorite 90's film Clueless) recently posted a video on her blog called The Kind Life in which she transferred chewed up food open-mouth to her 11-month-old baby. She went on to describe how much her son Bear Blu enjoys being fed mouth to mouth. I fed Bear the mochi and a tiny bit of veggies from the soup…from my mouth to his. It’s his favorite...and mine. He literally crawls across the room …
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Is it dangerous to potty train too early?
What is the perfect age to potty train a child? These days, it seems there's mounting pressure on parents for their children to be diaper free by the age of two. Many parents are even starting to train their children during infancy. Some circles insist that cloth diapers are better for training, while others swear by disposables. With so many conflicting methods, potty training can be a daunting task. Currently, we are potty training my almost three year old son. He has his own red potty and often sits proudly on his miniature throne. He loves to report to us that he used the "big boy" potty because we all jump up and down like silly monkeys. He's mostly excited about earning his prize, one Skittle for liquids and two Skittles for …
Lyd Hut
11:43 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
My mother left when I was 10. I am truely grateful to my dad who stuck it out. It was hard especially for my brother but you know what I wouldnt change anything in my life due to her leaving because it made me stronger. My mother probably had mental problems or something because one thing I know to be true is shes an addict and just couldnt control herself. But see my mother is, I do not want to … more ›