Strollerderby : blogs

Letting Kids See Watchmen

Brett Singer — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Lisa Belkin wonders if her 15-year old should see "Watchmen," this weekend's number one movie. His 18-year old brother saw it and pronounced it brilliant. I won't keep you in suspense (I know, you were on the edge of your seat), but Lisa eventually capitulated and let the younger son go. Spoiler: he liked it.

Having seen the film, I can say that it is definitely not for kids. The R rating should deter parents, but really it's the subject matter that they should be looking at. For the record, I enjoyed the film version of "Watchmen"; it's very faithful to the original comics (aka "graphic novel"), has some flaws, but overall is very much worth seeing. This column at The Onion AV Club by Tasha Robinson does a great job of breaking down the differences between the two, points out some missteps, and is good reading if you're interested.

For our purposes, the question is "how do I decide whether or not a movie is appropriate for my child?" Movie ratings help, but only up to a point. A commenter at the Times' website points out that "Dark Knight" was rated PG-13, which in my opinion is absurd. Great film, one of the best I've seen, and Heath Ledger's performance was incredible and deserving of an Oscar. Part of what makes his Joker so amazing is that he is really, truly disturbing, more so than the bone-popping-out-of-an-arm style of violence on display in "Watchmen." To me, and I believe to my kids, psychological violence is more troubling than physical violence. Not that I want them to see the extreme grossness that "Watchmen" has. But a movie's rating doesn't always tell the whole story.

What I do with superhero movies is see them first. I know. I make the ultimate sacrifice, go on opening weekend with a bunch of guys wearing Captain America t-shirts, and decide whether or not the flick is kid-friendly enough. "Iron Man" was, although the opening sequence is questionable. "Hulk" was borderline, but my then 7-year-old didn't want to see that one anyway. (Although he does love my blog post written from Hulk's point of view.) I thought "Spider-Man 3" would be too scary for him (Venom), but he was unfazed; actually, I think he was a little bored (the bizarre musical number).

What makes this part of my parenting job easier is that I actually want to see superhero movies. Belkin, not so much: when asked by a commenter why she didn't just see "Watchmen" first if she was so concerned, she replied: "You are right, I should have seen it if I felt so strongly about helping to give context to the message, but, frankly, I couldnt [sic] stand the thought of sitting through it." At two and a half hours, I can't really blame her. But if she had seen it, she would have found out that along with the cartoonishly graphic violence (not a lot, but what's there includes someone having their hands cut off with a power saw) is a very violent rape scene, a moment is that is much more graphic than the one in the original comic. Do I think most fifteen year olds have seen something like that in a movie already? Probably. Does that mean I want them to see that without me telling them what's wrong with that behavior? Probably not. For me, seeing a film is the best way to determine whether or not you want your child to see it, no matter what age they are. Fifteen may be too old to be concerned about what sort of entertainment your kids consume. But even if you don't censor it, it's probably a good idea to know what they watch.

Source: NY Times

Image: AVClub.com

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Scholastic: Honoring the Mommy Bloggers

JeanneSager — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:29:00 GMT

We - and I do mean we - have become one of those easily mocked groups on the 'net. The mommy bloggers. Hehe.

But blogging about our daily trials and tribulations and our favorite products, throwing out tips and writing out rants, is what makes mom blogs so eminently readable to so many others who are riding the same storms.

Now Scholastic Parent & Child magazine has stood up to take notice. The printed parenting mag has launched its first tribute to its online counterparts with the first Best Mommy Bloggers award.

"There's been an explosion in the number of mommy blogs recently, and we want to increase awareness among our readers about the trend," says Scholastic's editor-in-chief Nick Friedman. "We believe that what mommy bloggers have to say is so relevant to our readers that it's only natural to make a stronger connection."

So what makes them relevant? We talk about what you're thinking about - and we give you a place to have your say on the matter. We wax poetic - at times - about nonsense. But we make up for it with good giveaways (warning, warning, self-promotion alert: check out Mike's rockin' owl or a the kick-butt kool-kid-legs up on my blog), even better recipes (Bakerella, you're the reason my hind end is the size it is), and thoughtful commentary on whatever is bothering us today - and one day might be bothering you.

We are you.

We are parents, living the same situations and the same frustrations, and through the beauty of today's technology, we don't have to do it alone. Sure, there are things that might better be left untyped and photos best left unposted, but real life doesn't have a delete button - and maybe it's appropriate that these things get through to the Internet too.

The mommy blogs and - as Mike and countless others have proven - the daddy blogs have as much of a right to be here and are as deserving as recognition as a HuffPo or an I Can Has Cheezburger.

"Anytime we can help our readers engage with other moms - in this case, moms who experience the universal joys and tribulations of child rearing and live to write about them - we've done a great community service," says Friedman. "We want to draw attention to some mommy blogs that our readers may not be aware of by asking them to nominate their favorites and to vote on the ones like they like best. That's empowering."

So get over to Scholastic Parent & Child. Nominate - by February 13 - your top three, and head back later in the month to vote on the finalists for inclusion in a future issue of the magazine. Need some ideas? Browse around the Web (or check out your favorite SD bloggers home sites - they're listed in our bios at the bottom right) and get nominating.

Because, as Friedman so kindly points out, "Mommy blogs are just plain fun to read."

Why You Should Check Even Little Kids Homework

Brett Singer — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

This is making the email rounds and I thought I would share it with you.

In general, I feel like my children should be responsible for their own homework. At the moment they are too young to be doing complex math problems or writing 20 page reports. But they might get an assignment like this one: "Draw a picture of one of your parents at work."

So what exactly is mommy doing in this adorable little example of kiddie art?

Well, get your mind out of the gutter people – according to this blog, Mommy is in retail. She works at Home Depot. And that's a shovel. The other people are customers who would like to purchase the shovel, as well as other home improvement supplies.

Why? Does it look like she's doing something else? What do you mean?

Ann Coulter had no comment on the image. But she would probably say it was a single mother.

Source: yewnorkbabe, and 4,000 email forwards

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Organic Dreams or Toxic Nightmares? You Pick

Airing the Parental Dirty Laundry

Brett Singer — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

If you blog, you presumably want readers. And one way to do that is with a snappy headline. One could borrow from supermarket tabloids and go with something sensational and completely fake -- "Sarah Palin Gives Birth To Three Headed Alien" – that would do it. But if you blog about family matters, the truth can work just as well.

For example: this post on Yahoo! Shine.

My son is home!!! And I am really mad at his father.

The title got me to click and see what the heck was going on.

The first sentence was a grabber:

I recently wrote a blog about how I hate it when my son goes to his father's for Christmas.

Then it got better:

So many of you left very nice comments about my tough time while he is gone. There were a few that said I was being petty. Let me Go deeper into this........

I started to feel like a voyeur. This was pretty personal stuff. But it's not like I'm looking in the author's window. I'm reading something she posted on the Internet.

I'm not sure what the initial post was about, but this one tells the tale of a father who brought his son home after Christmas with an injured thumb. The mother was mad because the kid should have gone to the emergency room, and thinks that pop was too cheap to pay the seventy-five dollar co-pay. The injury is described in "ER"-level detail: "When I picked him up, it was black and purple and he could not bend it. We went immediately to the ER. After 2 shots of pain killer, they drilled 2 holes in the nail to relieve the pressure." Presumably the couple is divorced and the boy was spending the holidays with his father, although the post doesn't say that explicitly.

So here's my question. Is this fair to the kid, the father, and everyone else involved? Most of us who blog, whether for pay or play, reveal certain details. But it's one thing to talk about a goofy thing your three year old told you. It's another thing to reveal personal details like the ones on this particular Shine post.

It could be a generational thing. I'm selective about what I share with the world, and I think most folks are. Other people don't mind putting it all out there. (That's why Facebook is so successful.) In this case, I imagine that posting these personal details is therapeutic for the author. It is also interesting to other people; the post has over 100 comments. But if I'm the father, I'd be irritated.

Of course, if I'm the father and I really didn't take my son to the emergency room because I didn't want to spend seventy-five dollars, I'm also a major league jerk. Part of the problem, of course, is that we don't know what the father did or didn't do. It's possible that he weighed in with a comment; I haven't read them all. Still, judgments will be made – by me, the commenters on Shine, and commenters here. That's the nature of blogs. Once it's out there, it's out there. But is there a line that we shouldn't cross when kids and/or our significant others are involved? Can there be such a thing as too much sharing online?

Source: Yahoo Shine

Image (which is completely unrelated to this topic): sas.org.uk

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Gee Mom, Why Don't You Just Buy a House?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:36:00 GMT

One of the best -- no, probably the best -- part about all this blogging business is that every once in a while you happen upon a gem, a rare find that makes you feel like you just discovered $50 in the street.

I happened upon Bette Jo's a Bead a Day a long time ago and am constantly amazed at the writing and honesty that springs forth. But a recent essay deserves special attention, because I'm sure it's something more than a fair share of us are feeling in these tight economic times.

Gee, this cool single mom is frequently asked, why don't you just buy a house?

"When I answer the question honestly, these people tend to look at me like I've just told them I enjoy mosquito's flying up my nose or something. I DON'T HAVE A DOWN-PAYMENT. Yes, I could afford a mortgage payment. I would freaking LOVE a mortgage payment. But when you live check to check, not able to save anything because all the money goes to bills and food and kids, and you have to juggle buying Christmas presents with which bill you might have to put off for a little while, there IS.no.down.payment."

Oh, and she makes kick-ass gems, too. In this holiday spirit of giving and sharing, I thought you'd love to find a new writer that should definitely be on your must-read list. Feel free to list some more must-reads below.

Funny Blog Contest Back with a Brand New Edition

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:36:00 GMT

In a good bit of parenting news, the often-hilarious ROFL Awards are back! Months after the contest fell by the wayside, the idea of singing praise to the web's most entertaining writers has been revived by some really cooky -- but funny -- people.

The contest is simple, really -- just make people laugh. A lot.

It was once one of the joys of the Internet, as blogger after blogger contributed fantastic post after fantastic post, and I was pleased to see it's coming back -- not just because it serves as a venue for some awesome writing, but because jesus, we need some laughs right now.

So check out this primer from Jessica at Oh, The Joys and then send in a few nominees for the best, most entertaining web writing of September.

(Sperm from Oh, The Joys.)

It's a neighborly day here on the 'Derby

Brett Singer — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Mr. Rogers was a huge part of my childhood. To this day I can sing the theme song, and the basic lessons he taught about being kind to people and staying forever intrigued by the world around you are absolutely ingrained in my psyche. (Yes, I still get annoyed from time to time. We're none of us perfect, as Mr. Rogers taught us. So be tolerant, dammit!)

Mental Floss has a list titled "15 Reasons Mister Rogers Was the Best Neighbor Ever." Some things I knew ("He got into TV because he hated TV", "He composed all the songs on the show"), some I didn't ("Michael Keaton got his start on the show" as a puppeteer). Some I had forgotten about, like the fact that he testified before Congress about the VCR, which was in danger of being banned by paranoid Hollywood lobbyists.

Then there's this tidbit: "Mr. Rogers weighed in at exactly 143 pounds every day for the last 30 years of his life." He liked weighing that number, because "the number 143 means ‘I love you.’ It takes one letter to say ‘I’ and four letters to say ‘love’ and three letters to say ‘you.’ One hundred and forty-three." If anyone else on the planet said that you would have them committed, and you certainly wouldn't want them hanging around your children. But since Mr. Rogers said it, it's fine. He really meant all of that stuff, and it was great.

Some of his advice, which was always delivered in a kind, caring way, applies to everyone. "You can't make it work by sitting and thinking about it. You have to do it." I mean, what's wrong with that? I'm including three videos below, all of which really brought me back to my childhood, in a good way.

Does the show still hold up today? To me it does, but the lack of new episodes (for the obvious reason that Fred isn't around to make them anymore) definitely hurts in terms of kids catching on to the show. Sesame Street still works, but neither of my kids ever got into Mr. Rogers, although I tried both times. I'll throw this out to the group – do your kids watch ol' Fred change his shoes, zip up his sweater and sing about what a neighborly day for a beauty it is?

image: Wikipedia

Mr. Rogers Videos

Mr. Rogers Goodbye: I'd never seen this. It's sad but in a nice way.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, "You Did It" Song

Mr. Rogers sings "It's You I Like"

It's Business Time, or All About Conception

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:09:00 GMT

I have been really enjoying a blog who title is a complete mystery to me -- XBoxforNappyRash. But the story is a gift to the internets, as one 30-year-old man documents the long, hilarious, obscenely touching and heartfelt journey to conception.

It's been 14 cycles now and still ... only hope. I would be a complete mess but somehow, impossibly, he pulls it off, writing some of the funniest, most honest essays I have ever seen. I'm just saying, "man milk." I could never write about my own.

Just wanted to give a quick shout out, because this is a story that is not to be missed. If you're looking for a great perspective on getting knocked up, go no further. There is something for everyone here, even people who like to name their wife's eggs.

Mommy? Not The Mommy -- If You Adopted, Contest Says

Amy Kuras — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:31:00 GMT

When is a mom not a mom?

When she's an adoptive or foster mom, apparently.

Let me back up a bit here. NBC and Teleflora ran a queasily saccharine "America's Favorite Mom" contest leading up to Mother's Day, which allowed people to vote for their favorite moms in a variety of categories: single mom, working mom, "chairman of everything" mom (gack—this means stay-at-home mom from what I can tell), and oh yes: "Non-Mom Mom." For adoptive, foster, and grandma-acting-as-mom moms.

Uh-huh. For those of you who adopted a kid, all this time you've been changing diapers and handling bedtimes and doctor's appointments and late-night screams for "MOMMY!" turns out according to these folks you are not actually a mom because you didn’t gestate this little person you love and care for. Because it all comes down to the genes and the uterus, apparently.

In Teleflora's defense, once the controversy hit the blogosphere they changed the category title to "adopting moms" and put a very prominent apology on the contest website.

Still. Can we say ignorant? Did no one think, before they insulted and hurt a sizable minority of mothers?

I know this is a TV and internet contest with a level of class and sophistication about what you’d expect from an event hosted by Donny and Marie Osmond, but come on. Often, people make the decision to adopt after years in infertility hell, and even when that's not the case the adoption process is fraught with stress. Adoptive parents have been through enough crap just to build families without being told, in so many words, they don’t really count as mothers.

Marie Osmond, in introducing the category, said this, according to the Wall Street Journal blog The Juggle: “We’ve created a special category for all of those who are not only moms to their own families but they brought their passion and energies to helping kids who otherwise wouldn’t experience how much a mom can mean.”
Horrifyingly? She's an adoptive mom herself.

Strollerderby Playdate: THEBLOG WEEMADE

Brett Singer — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Today, I'm taking the Tim Hasselbeck role on the Playdate team - stepping in when the first stringer needs a break.

This week we're playing with THEBLOG WEEMADE. The concept is a little different from the mommy/daddy blogging that you usually see. The site's founder, Brian, stumbled onto "a box full of his old schoolwork and drawings that his parents had kept over the years," and decided to make a website where kids could contribute their creations.

Here's the rub: although some posts appear to be created by the currently young, others are from taller folks -- such as this terrorism poem from 1984, penned by Brian himself.

All posts are screened before they appear on the site, which makes this a bit of a playdate with a Type A parent -- more "OK, everybody ready for the next activity???" as opposed to "Sure kids, you can play video games until daddy finishes his six-pack of Meisterbrau." To encourage potential posters, they've just added Weemade Activities -- coloring pages with suggestions of what to draw.

The blog is fairly new and posts are few, so we'll see how it all develops. Me, I'm going to check my closet and see if I still have any of my old prank call tapes.

The Internet is Not the Devil

Kelly Mills — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:31:00 GMT

It seems that every generation views bashing the up-and-coming one as a kind of sport, and this one is no exception. Where older folks once lamented rock music and long hair as markers of the end of civilization, now we have teenagers who are ignorant and narcissistic and spend so much time online that they can no longer interact with real people in the real world. Well, Emily Goldwasser at Salon isn't buying it, and she says the internet is not a danger and a disaster for our kids. She's responding in part to a phone survey of teens that showed a "stunning ignorance" of history and literature.

Boy, does she make some good points in this excellent article: She highlights that with blogs and social networking sites, we now have a generation of kids who are (gasp) voluntarily writing. The internet has "created a generation, perhaps the first, of writers, activists, storytellers" and all our screaming isn't going to stop that juggernaut. In addition, the kids today also know how to find information online, and therefore google has freed up their brains to dig deeper into topics. The real problem, it seems, is that this makes us very nervous. "We're afraid. Our kids know things we don't. They drove the presidential debates onto YouTube and very well may determine the outcome of this election. They're texting at the dinner table and responsible for pretty much every enduring consumer cultural phenomenon: iPod, iTunes, iPhone; Harry Potter, 'High School Musical'; large hot drinks with gingerbread flavoring." You know, I do believe she's right. I just hope when my kid is a teen, she'll have my back.

Another Reason To Hate Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Brett Singer — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:15:00 GMT

I'm going to dive right in here:

First of all, she spells her name with an "s". Who does that? (Probably lots of people, but when she does it, its annoying.) Second, she's a big dope who is only on "The View" because she was a contestant on "Survivor" (although she does seem to know that the world is round, unlike newer "View" moron Sherri Shepherd). Now she's pimping her new baby out to the highest bidder, and encouraging parents to take their underage offspring to the theater:

Week of January 28: FINALLY! A DATE!

With Grace! We hit Broadway running, as Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID filled our afternoon with magic. I had Grace on my lap for most of it, and for two hours, my otherwise independent little girl was my baby again. Just to have one on one time was the greatest gift.

Where to start?

Let us begin with a question: why is your ~~infant~~ under 4-year old child (thanks to commenter Christina for the correction) at the theater? Imagine paying upwards of $400 ($100/ticket, family of four), not including dinner or transportation, to see a show and have it be disrupted by a petulant rugrat. I'm all for introducing young people to the arts, but (a) a huge Disney production is so commercial that it's only nominally "art" and (b) at that age they won't remember the experience. I don't want to be a "hater," but it's just inconsiderate. UPDATE: In fact, it's the theater's policy that "Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre."

Next: unless I'm missing something, the wife of the less-talented of the two Hasselbeck brothers (Matt Hasselbeck plays for the Seahawks and went to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, Tim is a career backup who was dumped by the Giants and is now the third-string guy on the Arizona Cardinals – not a lofty position) seems to be saying that, in order to have "one on one time" with her baby girl, she needs to be in a dark room with a thousand other people. Much like this drawing (don't go there, it's one of those things you can't "un-see"), that's just disturbing.

And another thing: "I had Grace on my lap for most of it." So the rest of the time you checked her with your coat?

By the way, I found Hasseldreck's blog on Strollerderby; Madeline Holler agrees that it is awful, but also somehow draws you in, like a restaurant with terrible food and portions that are too small. FYI, Elisabeth is done posting, but we're fairly certain she'll find some way to annoy us again very soon.

Strollerderby Playdate: The Awful Blog I Can't Stop Reading

Madeline Holler — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:32:00 GMT

How can it be that I am a regular reader of this blog? I mean, you could hardly call it a blog -- she posts only once or twice a month, it's not terribly interesting, it's surrounded by ads for gentle yet overpriced baby laundry detergent that you don't even need.

And it's her! Her! I don't even like her! I am not interested in her! I do nothing but criticize and disagree with her. I didn't watch her on TV before and, now that she's back, I still don't. I won't! Yet, I read her blog. I check it for updates, feel let down when there are none. I find myself identifying with her truly mundane stories and smiling at -- and I mean this in the rudest ways -- the very unfunny funny things she strains to write. Please, what is wrong with me?

Somehow, I have let Elisabeth Hasselbeck get under my skin and into the heart of my web browser. Bafflingly, I don't consider the three minutes I put in each month checking out her posts -- she doesn't even have links or games or a photo album to look through! -- wasted time. How could I? I love reading it! But shouldn't I hate myself a little more for loving it? Shouldn't I want to soak in a tub of scalding hot water and gentle Dreft soap bubbles?

It's like the playgroup I go to again and again. The membership is dwindling, the only mom who shows up is the one you have nothing in common with. Nothing! But I keep going -- once or twice a month -- to not connect, to not agree, to not enjoy. Why go? Why not.

Kid Blogs Rock

Karen Murphy — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:35:00 GMT

Recently I decided that what my 11-year old really needs is a blog. Of his own. Which is a far cry from the Waldorfian "no screens" mantra I have been embracing, but I think it would serve not only to foster his creativity but also to allow him to connect with the wider world in ways he can't do simply by hanging out with neighborhood kids.

I found the perfect inspiration for my son today, through Maggie Mason at Mighty Girl: His name is Matthew, he's 9, and his mission is to interview 100 people.

In the Air seems to have touched quite a few other people as well. I haven't read many real-kid blogs (there are so many written-by-parents fake ones to choose from), but what I like about Matthew's writing is that he seems unconcerned that he's dealing mainly with adults. He's just him. Which tells me that some barriers can be successfully crossed here, and maybe that in some ways, in some situations, the internet is a great equalizer.

Plus he conducts some pretty decent interviews (here's Maggie's).

I'm so fascinated by the idea of kid blogs; please post your kid's blog in the comments!

Strollerderby Playdate: Parents With Something Extra

Karen Murphy — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:03:00 GMT

If you've been hanging out here at the SD for a while then you probably know that my younger son has Down syndrome. His name is Eric and he'll be four next month. Want to play ball with him? It's been quite an amazing journey with him, as it is with any child of course, but then there are various considerations with Eric that don't necessarily come up in the normal course of parenting unless you're another member of "the club."

And parents of kids with Down syndrome are sort of a club. There's a commonality, an understanding, that goes beyond just being fellow parents; I imagine it's the same with parents of kids with other disabilities as well. But there is quite an online Down syndrome parenting community going of support and mutual understanding. I wish I had sought it out sooner, but all things come in good time and I've met some wonderful people with whom I simply share the reality that our children have a extra chromosome.

I think you'll like them, too.

Oh, and today kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness Month, so a lot of DS bloggers will be blogging it all month long.

Christina amazes me. She's opened a Vincent shoe store recently and daily celebrates life with her prince at Prince Vince Meets the World.

Tricia at Unringing the Bell created the daily posting challenge for October for bloggers who blog about DS, and has been thinking about special education.

For some extraordinary photographs which I guarantee will put Down syndrome in a different light for you, have a look at Tara Marie's photos of her lovely daughter Emma Sage. Scroll down a bit and you'll see what I mean.

I was thrilled to read Amy's questions and doubts about what the future could hold for her daughter Stella over at Saint Nobody. They echo my own about Eric.

Sue's son Aaron is appearing on billboards all over Edmonton! I'm sure his head won't be turned (much) by all that fame.

I can't say enough about Jennifer. Her words about her son Avery are found at Mamazine, ParentDish, and soon to be unveiled in her book Roadmap to Holland, not to mention throughout her blog Pinwheels.

Can't get enough? Have a look at Rebecca's comprehensive blogroll of DS-related blogs.

Strollerderby Playdate: Whither You Go Roadside Bar?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:03:00 GMT

It used to be that I loved going to Oregon. I loved the long drive up the northern spine of California. I loved the idyllic theater town we stayed in, and I loved the 5,000 Shakespeare plays we'd see when we got there.

But now ... now the thought of strapping a 14-month-old into a car seat she uses maybe once, twice a month is just too much to bear. Emmeline is accustomed to traveling on the bus or in my arms -- both car seat-free conveyances. She treats the car like it's a dentist -- it's there simply to drill her teeth and make her scream.

But, alas, this morning we depart for "vacation." And while the plays will still be there when we arrive, beckoning us, I'm not sure I'll have the mental brain capacity thingy stuff to enjoy them. See? A 5 hour ride is already getting to me. (Yes, I know, poor, poor me -- I get a nice break.)

Still, I'm taking solace in the fact that it's summer, and I'm not alone. America is all about the road trip.

At least Hilary's road trip ended with a cool concert. Even if it was in Kansas.

The Adventures of Adler knows how to dress a kid for the road. Awesome hat!

Laughter and Loveliness embarks on an 11-hour trip. I feel much, much better.

Strollerderby Playdate: Dads Deserve More than a Day

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 30 May 2007 11:02:00 GMT

They deserve gifts. Lots and lots of gifts. Yes, some crackpots will argue that just having children is reward enough -- they may even write songs about it. Well goody for them. I want things. Because nothing says fatherhood like a new tie.

Of course, other countries have a different take on Father's Day. Families unite. Businesses close. Fathers are celebrated. Instead of gifts, people wear roses to signify their love of dads.

Suckers. Again, things. You can't go wrong with things. (And acts, but maybe that's another post altogether.)

So as an homage to dads who know that true love and parental validation comes in the form of an iPhone, here's a look at the best in Father's Day material blogging.

Tired but Happy delivers on date night and gets, you guessed it, presents! Well done!

Mitchell Mania's brother-in-law is getting one cool Father's Day card -- and home made to boot.

SLLiKY Stories goes with the ol' standby: I don't need anything ... but if you're asking .... (In reality, day care is kicking their ass, so please feel their pain -- as if you don't already.)

Goodybag knows how to not ruin a good steak with this present. And yes, he's still a man -- even if the steak is inedible.

C Is For Organic-Spelt Cookies, It's Good Enough For Me

Melissa Summers — Mon, 14 May 2007 15:04:00 GMT

I'm a pretty basic cook but I've been increasingly interested in incorporating whole grains into my kids diets because they're more filling and also because the kids, they eat a lot of carbs. They're carboholics even. The easiest place to add whole grains are in the places where resistance is at it's least. It's hard for a kid to resist a cookie, even if it's got spelt flour in it. They don't have to know.

Little Foodies is a food blog to help you feed "the toddling masses...." I adore food blogs directed toward families, so this is especially appealing to me. Foodiemama shares her delicious recipe for Date and Pecan Sugar Cookies.

These are Picky Pants Summers Family Approved. I didn't mention the spelt and I didn't use all organic ingredients because I love pesticides! Love them! The kids ate them up and so did my husband (and he's turned his nose up at Carob Brownies in the past). It was like they didn't even miss the white flour and partially hydrogenated oils!

Strollerderby Playdate: Curing the "Case of the Mondays" Edition

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 14 May 2007 11:03:00 GMT

It's Monday and as a parent, especially if you stay at home, you know that this day is the start to a long week. If you're a single parent or parents that work opposite shifts, perhaps it's a day like any other, since you rock stars rarely get the breaks you so desperately need.

But, never fear, some much needed cheer is here. If you're like me and just need to get through the day today, hopefully these bloggers will help you ease into the day with a smile on your face even if you aren't always smiling inside.

Grace Davis "Badass and Botox-free at 50" copied Tori Spelling and bought her dog a stroller.
Creative-Type Dad makes the best of a busted Mother's Day. Blame Canada and his wife's jerktastic boss.
Kimchi Mama Glennia Campbell shares two stories about her mom that will have you clutching your sides with laughter.
Equally funny Lindsay of Suburban Turmoil recounts a blogmom smackdown that alllllmost makes you think its real.
Rustbelt Ramblings is busy with playoff beards and humping buffalos.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Strollerderby Playdate: Bye, Bye Lorelai

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 09 May 2007 11:01:00 GMT

In case you're wondering -- yes, this week is all about the "Gilmore Girls" At least for me anyway. Who knows? I may even live-blog the final episode of the best parenting TV show ever next Tuesday. We'll see ...

Until then, I'll content myself with the knowledge that there are people out there taking the whole "last episodes" thing a lot worse than I am. But for the record, Lorelai keeping her mouth shut and letting her grown daughter make her own decisions last night? What's not to love? See above, please -- best. show. ever.

Don't believe me? Think I'm reading a little too much into Rory refusing an engagement and becoming, in so many ways, like her mother? Keep reading ...

State of Serenit is "irrationally sad" over the whole thing. I can relate.

Just a Small Town Girl is in tears ... almost. At least she will be. She promises.

Television Love wants the fantasy and the reality -- a strong daughter taking after her mother and also getting the guy. Don't we all? You know what I mean.

Monday Kisses goes on a rant and weeps. I don't agree with the conclusion, but I'm an addict, too. I can't wait for next week.

Strollerderby Playdate: Addicted to Moms

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 02 May 2007 11:05:00 GMT

Almost 28 days later, I'm still addicted. To blogs. Good blogs. Mom blogs. A few weeks ago I told you about a few great parenting blogs that I have to check out every day. Needless to say, that's not all. I promised back then that I'd give you more, so here goes:

First up, Radioactive Girl -- who I swear writes about cupcakes just to taunt me. And then runs, runs like crazy.

Jenny Blackburn is Absolutely Bananas -- and I mean that in a really, reallly good way. She also blogs here.

If you haven't checked out A Child is Born, you don't know what you're missing. And you're dumb. I got hooked after reading this and feeling, somehow, like she knew my family.

It's a little difficult to write about DooDaddy in a post about moms -- but I do check him out every day and you should too. So get on it, slacker!

And if you've got a moment, stop over and see the other Radioactive Girl -- a kick-ass mom who needs more than a little support in the next few days.

And no, that's not all. Thankfully there are a ton more hot mommies out there to keep me occupied. Watch for more next week.

Poop In The Tub? No Problem, says DadLabs

JasonAvant — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:15:00 GMT

If you haven't dropped by DadLabs, do it. Now. I'll wait.

See? The site's great, a consistant source of helpful and humorous hints for dads (and moms), and among the best features are the video vignettes starring the site's founders, Brad and Clay. This week, they offer up a doody - er, doozy. The boys talk about Tub Time, and offer up some great advice on the do's and don'ts of giving your baby a bath (I had no idea that the rubber ducky and his ilk posed a potential health risk; now I get to marinate in some top vintage Parenting Guilt). The highlight of the segment is a primer on how to deal with the dreaded bathtub dump. I won't spoil anything, but fans of canned chili may lose their enthusiasm for Dennison's and Hormel after watching.

We were lucky; Lucas never actually pooped in the tub. I'd like to think that if he had, we'd approach the crisis with the same calm and collected demeanor exhibited in that clip. Because we've all seen what can happen when poop and bathers mix, and it ain't pretty.

Dads Are Bloggers, Too

JasonAvant — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:39:00 GMT

When I first started blogging, shortly after the birth of my son, I was sure I’d find a legion of fellow dads, sharing their experiences with the rest of the Internet. My reasoning seemed logical; since the print publishing world pretty much ignores the other half of the parenting equation, there must be some other source of great writing on fatherhood. Well, I didn’t find anything close to the sheer volume of mommybloggers – in fact, for a while there were only a handful of blogging dads out there, the few, the proud. These days, I’m happy to say that there are quite a few of us, and many of them are producing some excellent writing. Many of them are also very well known, and while I was mulling over who I should include in this list, it seemed to me that this would be a good opportunity to put the spotlight on some of my favorite bloggers who are flying under the radar. A dad’s world is just as compelling as a mom’s; perhaps more so, as one is not likely to find our stories on the bookshelves or the magazine racks. So I give you four of my favorite sites, in no particular order. Each brings a unique take on fatherhood to the virtual table, and each is definitely worth your time.

Flailing My Arms: Jonathon Morgan is a twentysomething Austin dad; he deserves a medal for raising a toddler without a dishwasher. His posts are what you'd expect from an Austinite: down to earth, cool, with a heart as big as Texas itself. And you know you’re in good hands when Cleveland seems like a magical place.

Velcrometer: You may know him as M. Giant; in real life Televison Without Pity's master recapper is known as Jeff Alexander. He brings the same razor-sharp wit to his tales of fatherhood, and provides the occasion bit of good advice. For instance, here's his take on why you should not go see the movie Take The Lead: "Take every ballroom dancing movie and every teacher-makes-a-difference-in-the-lives-of-inner-city-kids-who-in-real-life-would-have-knifed-him-in-the-first-reel movie, scan them all into Final Draft, print it out, throw the whole thing off a freeway overpass and pay homeless guys a buck each to recover as many pages as they can, cast Antonio Banderas, and there you go."

The Blue Sloth: This one sneaks up on you, with quiet, subtle prose that pulls you in. No surprise that the author is a soccer player; the payoff here is not necessarily the goal, but the passing, the footwork, the movement off the ball. The anonymous author shows us the difference between mere blogging and honest-to-God writing.

Mother-Woman: Wait a sec, you say. That doesn't sound like a daddy blog. Ah, but it is. Mo-Wo and her husband P-Man are the co-parents; they divvy up the blogging chores. I'd say it's high time for some parity in the title - this is 2007, after all, and dads are more involved in raising their kids then ever before - but that doesn't keep me from making this very smart and very quirky site a regular stop.

So there's my Four To Watch in '07. What daddyblogs are you reading?

MySpace Sex Suit: "Where Were the Parents?"

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:32:00 GMT

The "where were the parents?" club is in fine form, following a judge's decision to throw out a $30 million lawsuit against MySpace.com by the family of a 13-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by a man she met on the social networking site.

The girl, known in the case as Julie Doe, befriended a 19-year-old, who lied about his age to gain her confidence and then assaulted her. The girl's parents argued MySpace should have better restrictions on age. Says the judge: "If anyone had a duty to protect Julie Doe, it was her parents, not MySpace."

I agree with that sentiment. I'm a full-fledged member of the "where were the parents?" club. I mean, it's not as if MySpace is a known hotbed for sexual predators, right? In today's Internet age, parents should be just as curious and responsible about where their teens are going online as where they're going with their friends at night.

All that said, I was one bad kid. I lied like crazy. I covered my tracks. I manipulated. I concealed. I stole. I was one hard-to-track teenage drunkard on a quest for danger and rebellion. So I feel sorry for any parent in the crosshairs of the "where were they?" posse, because even though my mom did the best she could -- she was there -- I still managed to get myself into all manner of trouble, saved from real danger only by dumb luck.

So even though I agree with the idea, I always feel like a hypocrite when I demand "Where were the parents!?!" because I know even the most concerned ones can sometimes have no idea.

Apartment Therapy: Nursery Edition

Patti — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:53:00 GMT

I'm pretty pleased to share this news: one of my favorite flavors of site candy just got hip to the parenting thang. Welcome to Apartment Therapy: The Nursery.

I've been loving Apartment Therapy from afar for a while now--even though I technically live in a house, it's about half of the size of our previous (and pre-kid) flat. We're, shall we say, very cozy over here. Apartment Therapy's focus on small-scale space is right up my alley, and AT: The Nursery follows that same aesthetic. I look forward to gleaning innovative ideas to keep the toys and tutus at bay when space is at a premium.