Strollerderby : Gwynne Watkins

Working at the Lego Factory: Most Awesome Job Ever?

Jen Chaney — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:32:00 GMT

On the list of all-time greatest jobs, I'd probably include: animator at Pixar, taste-tester for M&Ms and, as evidenced by this, designer at the Lego factory.

Yes, Babble's own Gwynne Watkins took a tour of the U.S. Lego headquarters in Connecticut and got to see first-hand what people like Erik Varszegi -- a dude who builds massive, life-size heads of Al Roker and George Lucas -- do for a living. Of course, it's not all fun and games for Erik. Sometime he also builds Lego men on his computer.

I mean, seriously, can you imagine someone paying you to play with Legos all day? And when you apply for that job, does your resume mention your extensive experience building Lego houses in kindergarten?

Something to ponder. In the meantime, check out the rest of Gwynne's tour, which proves that having a job that lets you visit a Lego factory is pretty cool, too.

Hooray for Another Babble Baby!

editors — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:30:00 GMT

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of yet another new Babble family member! Editor Gwynne Watkins welcomed her beautiful baby boy (evidence of beauty seen above) on Monday, March 3rd at 1:01pm here in NYC. The stats:

Name: Anselm Thomas

Proportions: 8 pounds, 6 ounces and a respectable 20.5 inches

Great job Gwynne and Gabe! We can't wait to meet the little fella'.

Babble Talk: Just Say No to Lithium for Toddlers

editors — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:01:00 GMT

If you didn’t catch the Front Line documentary, The Medicated Child last night on PBS you can also watch it online, and I highly recommend that every parent make a date with this frighteningly informative documentary. Gwynne Watkins interviewed filmmaker Marcela Gaviria in Babble’s 5-Minute Time Out, who explores this new phenomenon that has put six million American children on psychiatric drugs; most of which have never been tested on children.

For all of our children’s sake, I wish this doc could be shown at the hospital along with the lessons on breast-feeding and burping. My husband and I struggled through the show last night, sickened by the destruction of a seemingly happy and energetic kindergartener who is now a young man besieged with too many physical tics and emotional problems to keep track of in an hour-long special, all of them the result of experimental drug cocktails. While there are certainly children who fall into the extremes, and Gaviria shows them as well, the restructuring of the bipolar diagnoses to include children previously diagnosed with ADHD has resulted in drugs such as lithium being pumped into two-year-olds. If that doesn’t make your stomach turn in the abstract, one look at the evolution of Jacob Solomon in The Medicated Child will make you vehemently question this recent phenomenon to drug-up our spirited kids. And in turn question your teachers, doctors and caregivers who advise you to seek medical attention and drug intervention for our little ones. - April Peveteaux

Let's Go Sweden!

aprilpeveteaux — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:24:00 GMT

You can blame Gwynne when after you read her exposé on the Swedish Embassy you find yourself booking one-way tickets to the middle finger of Scandinavia, family in tow. In addition to a Baby Björn fashion show, Gwynne was treated to a traditional Ikea Swedish meal and tour of the Washington DC home of the Swedes - and was quite taken with their focus on the family, among other things. Hmmm, I’m having a hard time picturing our own US Embassy inviting Swedish journalists to check out our Mattel toys while dining on ham steak. But hey, this is the Nordic country that gives everyone like a year paid maternity and paternity leave, it’s no wonder they invented the most popular baby holder around. They had actual time to spend with their little one in those early carrying days. Pass the lingonberries.