Strollerderby : worried parents

Will Babies Make Great Lovers?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:04:00 GMT

Babies who turn to their parents for comfort have better relationships down the road, while babies who show off that head-strong "independent" streak might be in for some relationship woes. This comes from a two-decade study of babies and their relationships with their parents.

"If you are more insecure when you are 1, you are more likely to experience more negative emotions in your relationship with your current partner when you are 21," said psychologist Jeffry Simpson.

Gasp. Whenever Emmeline gets hurt, I try not to rush in and "protect" her. "It's OK," I tell her. "You're doing just fine."

Maybe fine for now, but for how long, I wonder? While I'm not ready to walk her down the aisle just yet, I do want her to have healthy, positive relationships in her future. Is the best avenue for healthy independence simply not to let go?

You've Already Messed Up Your Baby ... Maybe

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 15:32:00 GMT

Everything you're doing is messing up your kid -- and your own potential to have more, which, of course, you'd mess up. From drinking a soda yourself and shampooing your hair to using baby bottles to feed your child, a toxic cocktail of chemicals is playing havoc on hormones and causing developmental problems modern science has yet to fully comprehend.

At least that's the message of an Oakland Tribune article about the as-yet-unknown downside of modern, everyday products. The chemicals inside plastics, toys and appliances tinker with key hormones -- turning them on when they should be off, or vice versa. "In the absence of concrete data for many of these chemicals, the precautionary principle should be exercised," said one scientist.

If that's not the scariest message I've heard in a long time, I'm not sure what is. On its face, it appears to be sound advice. Be cautious. OK, sure. Fine. But of what, exactly? Should I not drink Coke? Should I throw out my daughter's baby bottles? Will drinking beer from a can instead of directly from the tap inhibit my ability to have more kids? Get on it, people. Stop with the scare tactics and get with the testing. Just how safe is my kid? How safe are we all?

When to Skip Playtime for Family Dinnertime?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 12:28:00 GMT

My wife returns home every night between 5:30 and 6, giving her what seems like 2 minutes of quality time with our daughter before we begin the bedtime routine. The idea of throwing in a family dinner each night is mind-numbing. But now I'm growing concerned that if we don't start soon, we may never start at all.

The Wall Street Journal's great parenting blog, "The Juggle," relays research showing kids who sit down for dinner with their families get better grades, are less likely to do drugs, and will one day become movie stars and take their parents to the Oscars. OK, maybe not the last one -- but everything else sounds great.

So how do working families do it, and when do they start? Is 10 months too early? Is 4 years too late? The Juggle wonders who makes dinner if both parents are working, but I'm wondering if we want to give up precious evening playtime right now in favor of a more formal meal.

How do you do it?

Angsty is the New Happy: Parents Eschew Therapy for Blogging

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:17:00 GMT

Her Bad Mother is a wonderful writer who has an impressive ~~Google ranking~~ following for someone who has only been blogging since January of last year (could be all those references to "sore nipples.") She is a professor who lives in Toronto and is part of an excellent group of writers at UrbanMoms. She writes today (and quite frequently) about the angst and worry she feels about parenting her darling daughter, Wonder Baby. As Wonder Baby gets older and more active, the trouble seems to get deeper. The adorable giblet pictured at right is now a wild and challenging toddler.

Like many parent bloggers she uses her blog as therapy. And while her style has often been derided (as popularized by the now defunct TrainWrecks), reading her blog, one is keenly aware of the difference between solipsism and soulfulness. Blogs like hers are honest and vulnerable and true. Like all things of this nature, they inspire awe and gentleness rather than snark and sarcasm. And in their own way, they make the world better.