Strollerderby : back to school

Back to School for the Plastics Paranoid

Miriam Axel-Lute — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:45:00 GMT

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean half the things your kid touches aren't toxic. Sadly plenty of them are, or might be. If you're still trying to sort out the question of BPA in bottles for your infant, you may just want want to bookmark this one for future reference: Center for Environmental Health and Justice's list of PVC-free school supplies. (Note to self: Since when is a cell phone considered a school supply? Aren't they banned in most schools?)

Photo by the prodigal untitled13

RetroFitted: School Supplies You Used Then, But Never Again

Jen Chaney — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:32:00 GMT

As school bells rang -- if they hadn't rung already -- for many this week, I started to reminisce about lunchboxes. And dividers. And Wite-Out.

You know, all those school supplies you had as a kid that, once you grew up and started working in the real world, you used ... never again. Some of the items that we "needed" to keep nestled inside our cold metal desks seem, in retrospect, completely unnecessary and borderline ridiculous. Here are 10 that may cause instant flashbacks to the third grade, especially for all you former kids of the '70s and '80s.

10. Wite-Out: A must-have back when people still used typewriters, this tiny jar of white cover-up was once a staple for many students and now is practically extinct. Added bonus: That potent, chemical smell.

9. Pencil sharpener: Honestly, when was the last time you ground a No. 2 into one of those little plastic doohickeys that was supposed to make it sharper? Exactly: Sometime around 1983.

8. The lunchbox: Most adults bring their PB&J to work in one of those sophisticated-looking totes or the classic brown bag. But some days, you know you want to pack your salad and yogurt in a Peanuts lunchbox with a flip-up Thermos. Or maybe in one of those metal classics with Wonder Woman on the front. Come on. Admit it.

7. The pink eraser: Remember rubbing these furiously to remove the mistake you made while practicing cursive? And remember blowing the speckles of pink dust off that piece of lined paper so you could attempt a better-looking lowercase "g"? Do you also remember why we needed these rectangular deleters when pencils already come with erasers on the end?

6. School box: This was exactly what it sounded like: A pseudo-cigar box designed to hold all those pencils, erasers and what not. But really, wasn't that what your desk was for?

5. Book covers: I know kids still use these. But if I wrap the novel I'm currently reading in packing paper and write "I Heart Rick Springfield" on it in Magic Marker, I think I'll get funny looks on the subway.

4. The Trapper Keeper: No three ring-binder was cooler than this baby back in the '80s. (If memory serves, mine was green, with jungle animals on it.) I have to think today's teachers are relieved that these aren't quite as popular today, and that they now make them with magnetic closures. No one needs to listen to the ripping of Velcro every eight seconds.

3. The holepunch: Some friends of mine once spent an entire class period in high school punching holes in paper, collecting the little circles, then dumping them inside another friend's car until her front seat was nearly filled. All of which is a long way of saying that hole punchers are nothing but trouble.

2. Tie -- The protractor and the compass: These help kids learn to draw circles or measure shapes or something. But when was the last time one of your co-workers turned to you and said, "Oh, man. I'm in a huge bind. Do you have a protractor on you?"

1. Reinforcements: The twisted cousin of the holepunch, reinforcements were those white sticky circles we used to protect our fragile papers from those perilous rings in our binders. They were useless then, they're useless now. And I kind of love them for that.

Back-to-School: Is It Always Cause for Celebration?

Jen Chaney — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:28:00 GMT

It's Labor Day. If your kids haven't already gone back to school, their first day is likely tomorrow. Which, if conventional wisdom can be believed, means moms and dads across America are celebrating. But is that really true?

We all remember that classic Staples commercial, where the father romps merrily through the school supply aisle to the tune of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Indeed, for stay-at-home moms and dads, there probably is some relief that the kids won't be underfoot 24-7. But some moms and dads out there have to be a little sad at back-to-school time, right?

It means another summer has ended, that money must be spent on backpacks and No. 2 pencils, that all the fun times with the kids -- sculpting sandcastles at the beach, cheering at Saturday morning swim meets or seeing a matinee of "Wall*E" -- must now be replaced by making sure the homework gets done and changing over the family wardrobe from shorts to (shudder) sweaters.

I don't even have a kid of school-age, but I always feel a little depressed every time I see that first back-to-school ad. If nothing else, it's a stark reminder that time is marching on. And as someone famous once said, "The passing of time is monumentally sucky."

Okay, no one famous ever said that. But I think that statement is both true and enormously insightful. (Go ahead, Barack Obama. Feel free to borrow that one for your next big speech. I'll even let you take the credit.)

Parents of America, I ask you: Is back-to-school a time to rejoice, a time to weep, a time to do a little of both? Or is it a time to read posts like this one and wonder who the heck has time to write crap like this when there's so much to do to get ready for back-to-school, you stupid nitwit blogger? Share your thoughts -- and suggestions about where to purchase a reasonable pack of graph paper (do kids still use graph paper?) -- in the comments section below.

10 Ways to Schmooze Your Kid's Teacher

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:09:00 GMT

School is starting this week. School is starting this week!! Hoorahs are heard around the globe as the fun but also tiring summer draws to an end.

Teachers are often absolutely wonderful and self-sacrificing creatures, but in their new role as parole officer/ behavioral management cop/ no child left behind drill sargeant/ they sometimes need extra loving care from parents -and unfortunately this goes beyond a nice crisp Red Delicious left on the desk.

Your life and your child's will run much more smoothly if you remember a few key ways to love their teacher:

1. Compliment their strengths -- Don't get to see them in action? Then observe a well-organized classroom, daily calendar, anything that shows you appreciate their effort and are paying attention.

2. Give credit - If your kid learns how to read this year (or to add or subtract) make sure to give credit to his or her teacher. Simply acknowledging their role can really help them feel supported.

3. Vote for a raise - Vote in favor of the next public education levy in your town, or state referendum increasing teacher wages. Paying teachers what they're worth goes a long way to decreasing teacher turnover.

4. Encourage your child to show respect - Nothing is as discouraging as a child whose bad manners and disruptions ruin it for the rest of the kids. Encourage your child to view their teacher as a person of authority, deserving of respect.

5. Don't gripe about teacher work days or early release days - Though it often seems as though at least half the school year is taken up by early release or teacher work days, these periods are crucial for teachers to get the prep time they need to do a good job.

6. Don't treat your child's teacher like a babysitter - It isn't a teacher's job to watch your child early before school or stay late after school to accomodate your work schedule. And while sometimes things come up, teachers aren't paid enough to play babysitter...

7. Bring them coffee -- A few mornings I brought my daughters' teacher a cup of coffee and you would have thought I'd hung the moon. A $4 latte bought me more goodwill than nearly anything else.

8. Volunteer - Most parents these days are too busy to volunteer at their children's school. If you can take vacation time or a few hours here or there to volunteer with a special project or field trip, it shows that you care about your child's education.

9. Occasional gifts - Thoughtful gifts to the teacher don't have to be expensive. A nice bottle of bubble bath and a thank-you note is usually deeply appreciated.

10. Show interest - In an age where each parent thinks his or her little precious is the most important child in the universe, you'll stand out if you can show you are capable of generating a more global concern for education or the size of his/her class, or other details of the school environment.

Maybe all of this will be viewed as pandering and unnecessary. I look at it as supporting a field of workers who are so dramatically underpaid and underappreciated it will be a miracle if teacher shortages don't plague all major cities within the next few years.

They Say: Make Lunch Fun

Brett Singer — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:00:00 GMT

For the most part, parents look forward to school starting in the fall: finally, the kids will get out of the house. But there is a downside: the return of… the lunch.

Ah, the lunch. Or more to the point, the making of the lunch. I find it amazing that (a) many people refer to their children's lunches as "the lunch" (I thought it was just my wife and I until I starting hearing other people say it), and (b) how many parents fight over whose turn it is to make said lunch. (This is assuming that your marriage involves some sharing of parental duties, unlike, you know, these people.)

LancasterOnline.com has an article called "Modern-day lunches rock," featuring "creative and healthy back-to-school ideas won’t end up in the cafeteria trash can." This assumes that your kids have the option to purchase lunchfoods in their school cafeteria.

With headings like, "Fruit can be fun," I didn't have high hopes for these tips, and my low expectations were mostly rewarded. (Put dip with their vegetables! That way any health benefits are offset by greasy calories!) There were a few decent ideas, such as sending breakfast foods for a change of pace, or letting the kids pack their own damn lunch. (They didn't put it quite that bluntly.) That seems like the best advice of all, assuming you monitor their choices. Otherwise you might hear, "For variety, I put in two kinds of chips – chocolate AND potato." There are also tips on how to make the lunch-making process less painful, although some of them assume that you have more time that you may (well, more time than I do, anyway.)

Personally, I think some discipline is in order. Maybe lunch shouldn't be fun. Maybe it should just be… food.

Image/source: LancasterOnline.com

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Warner Bros. sues over Hari Puttar film

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Denise Richards Reality Show Canceled

Because It's Always Better To Blame the Messenger

Adrienne Martini — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:00:00 GMT

On August 19, mom and blogger Kelby Carr went to Wal-mart to pick up school supplies for her daughter. Like most parents making the crayon run, Carr grabbed the list that the store provided. Only that list turned out to be not only wrong, but full of items that her kid's school prohibited.

That is only the beginning of the story, however.

The tale of her trip starts here. But because no one on the internet -- let alone those who read "momblogs," can take a one person's story as just one person's story, commenters took Carr to task for pretty much everything that has ever happened in the free world.

The moral of the story? Apparently, it's get your supply list from the teacher -- and keep your mouth shut.

Photo credit.

Wal-Mart Presents: Hannah Montana Wake-Up Calls!

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:30:00 GMT

I take this personally—seeing as we share the same first name, and now every time I introduce myself to a girl under the age of 12, she starts calling me HaMo. I’ve been a silent victim of Miley Cyrus' rampant fame for far too long, and I’m fighting back!

Today’s Washington Post had a story entitled “It’s Hannah Again. Should We Take This?” At first, I was terrified that the article would be about the popularity of the name Hannah for baby girls in the past five years. But what I found was even worse.

Hannah Montana has teamed up with Wal-Mart to bring tweens everywhere “personalized” wake-up calls and reminders to go shopping—for back-to-supplies, naturally. The call is free! The only price is having millions of teens and preteens hear their favorite rockstar remind them to shop at Wal-Mart, the company that underpays its workers, burdens taxpayers by exploiting public health care programs and development subsidies, destroys the environment, and tells its workers how to vote: not Democrat.

If Hannah calls, don’t answer!

Photo: Washington Post

The Breakfast Club Would So Not Shop at JCPenney

Jen Chaney — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:32:00 GMT

I have a question for the marketing team at JCPenney: Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe? Or, to put it another way, do you know how offensive it is that you are completely ripping off "The Breakfast Club" in your latest back-to-school ad campaign?

I'm all for younger generations appreciating the masterful work of Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez and co. Truly. Everyone should be exposed to Anthony Michael Hall's "Chicks can not hold they smoke" speech, or the elegant way Ally Sheedy flings a piece of bologna in the air. But there's a difference between that and outright co-opting the quintessential Gen X movie so you can sell some crappy American Living sweatshirts. The fact that one of the undernourished teen girls in this commercial is wearing a Nirvana T-shirt just adds further insult to injury. (See video of the debacle at the bottom of this post.)

For those of us who came of age in the mid-'80s, when "TBC" made its debut, this movie wasn't merely well-regarded or popular. It was important. It gave voice to our adolescent insecurities. It reflected the way we spoke. It acknowledged that Simple Minds was freaking awesome. And when Judd Nelson pumped his fist in that final freeze frame, it felt like a vaguely subversive triumph over The Man. You know, as much as one can triumph over The Man in a movie distributed by Universal Studios, which, as we all know, is closely affiliated with The Man.

Some things are sacred and should not be borrowed for the sake of advertising, especially for a second-rate department store. "The Breakfast Club" is one of those things.

For committing this offense, I hereby give JCPenney a full Saturday of detention. You must write an essay, of no less than a thousand words, describing to me who you think you are. And when I say essay, I mean essay. I don't mean a thousand words repeated.

Hopefully you'll learn a little something about yourself. But more than anything, I hope you learn that it is completely uncool to mess with the John Hughes canon. Your commercial claims that "every day matters." Well, this movie matters even more.

Sincerely yours,

Jen Chaney, the Breakfast Club and that dude who played Carl the janitor

Back-to-School Food Talk from Slashfood

Patti — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:18:00 GMT

Today, popular blog Slashfood is going back to school. The Slashfoodies take it a little bit beyond what to pack for lunch. There are breakfast ideas, kid-friendly cookbooks to help turn your child into a student of the culinary arts along with the elementary ones, and thoughts on quick and tasty dinners. Good stuff. Kinda makes me hungry.

Strollerderby Playdate: Back to School

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:01:00 GMT

Apparently a lot of you have kids going back to school already. I wish my kids went back to school in August. We don't start back to preschool until the middle of September. September! Three whole weeks away. How am I supposed to get any blogging done this way?

Shash at Crazed Parent is spending her free time doing memes.

Not Just a Working Mom has The First Day of Kindergarten Blues.

Devra had some issues with school supplies.

At Dancing With the Keyboard the kids are into it.

Over at Home Sweet Homeschool back to school is more like back to work.

Back-to-School Tips

Karen Murphy — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 12:03:00 GMT

When I was a kid, one year I devised an elaborate system where I woke up a little earlier in tiny increments every day for the last couple of weeks of summer in order to be ready for the First Day of School and avoid the sleepless nights I usually had. It was, like I said, and elaborate plan and it should have worked.

It didn't.

But maybe these tips from Land's End, who should know about such things based solely on the number of catalogs they produce and mail in August each year, will help your kids, I don't know:

1. Ease into a new sleep schedule before school starts. Like I said, useless. But you can try it and report back.

2. Buy clothes that all coordinate with each other and lay out the back-to-school outfit the night before. But it won't compete with the red-white-and-blue skort outfit I wore to the first day of 6th grade, now will it?

3. Buy comfortable stuff. Duh.

4. You need a new backpack, right? 'Cause it's Land's End. They have ~~several hundred~~ lots. Surely one is right for you!

5. Lunch boxes. They have those too. But I like these better. Or, weirder (and better) yet, how about a tiffin?

6. Label stuff. I never have and prefer to lead a life of uncertainty, but you go ahead.

7. No shoelaces. Definitely an odd tip. What do you think? Are shoelaces inherently evil? Are we raising a generation who can't tie a bow?

So what are your back-to-school tips?

Teens Seek Luxury Items for Back-to-School Wardrobes

MetroDad — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:53:00 GMT

To be filed once again under "damn, things sure have change since I was a kid" comes this must-read story from CNN reporting on the latest trends in shopping for back-to-school apparel. As tweens and teens become increasingly savvy about fashion, they're asking for luxury products, such as $200 designer handbags and $100-plus jeans!

Despite the high cost of gasoline and the fact that many families are cutting back on expenses, the luxury market is booming. Sales worldwide topped $150 billion last year. Teens are playing an increasing part in that, according to experts, as Web sites, tabloids and TV shows detailing celebrities and fashion make kids more aware of and demanding for luxury goods than ever before.

Apparently, teens are prime candidates for the luxury market. Jacqueline Nasser, ELLEgirl Fashion Market Editor, said teens take a cue from shows like "Laguna Beach," "The O.C.," "The Hills" and "My Super Sweet 16" that portray a certain lifestyle. And increasingly, kids want to emulate that lifestyle.

Bloomingdale's fashion director Stephanie Solomon said this year, teen shoppers at the department stores nationwide are clamoring after $300 Chanel sunglasses, designer handbags by Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Chloe -- which can cost between $900 and $1,250 -- and $200 to $300 Tory Burch shoes.

I know, at the age of 38, I'm an old fuddy duddy but...DAMN! Even when I was a teenager, I remember my mom forcing me to go back-to-school shopping so I would have at least 1-2 clean shirts and a decent pair of jeans to wear to school. Designer clothing? Fashion accessories? Is it me or is this just another example of the new era of Conspicuous Consumption? What parents would let their teens buy $1,250 handbags just for school?

Suddenly, sending my daughter to convent in Switzerland doesn't sound like such a bad idea after all.

Bookbags? Nope, Kids Want Electronic Crap.

Kelly Mills — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:01:00 GMT

This shopping website did a survey of kids ages seven to twelve, and asked them what was on their wishlists for back-to-school items. "73 percent of kids between the ages of seven and 12 want to head back to school with their gaming systems in hand, and an equally strong 70 percent want a new computer. And to keep in touch while on the playground, 69 percent say they strongly desire a cell phone to complete their back-to-school wares, even naming the new iPhone as one of their choices." Well, isn't that nice. You know what's at the top of my back-to-school wishlist? A million dollars.

Perhaps ~~surely~~ I am exceptionally stupid, but I thought back-to-school stuff was supposed to be for, you know, using at school. Perhaps school administrations have changed since my day, but I find it hard to imagine teachers smiling on the use of handheld gaming systems in the classroom. Shoot, we couldn't even chew gum. I'm going to assume that this was a case of a lame question: ask kids what they want the most, and they'll tell you their ultimate desire. Make the age demo a little higher and you'd probably hear about gold-plated SUVs and the chance to bang Eva Mendes.