Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sites mock parents who share too much information about their kids on Facebook.
It's super exciting that your little toddler piddled in the potty for the first time and you want to share photographic evidence of the moment with all of your friends on Facebook. Well, you might want to reconsider before you hit the "share" button. There are a slew of websites these days dedicated to informing over-sharing parents that their childless friends are over reading about their kid's crap, literally. Take for instance, the blog ST*U, Parents, a submission-based "public service" blog that pokes fun at parents whose Facebook statuses have been hijacked with inane updates about their children. The author of the site, known simply as "B," created the blog in 2009 in response to annoying parental over-share posts that popped up in …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Atlanta parents arrested for student's poor attendance.
School started recently for most counties in Georgia. While many moms were busy packing lunch boxes, two Dekalb County mothers heard deputies knocking on their front doors. Cheryl McCoy and Danelle Swanson were each placed in handcuffs in separate incidents and charged with educational neglect because both of their children had too many absences from school. The truancy round up came from a 2009 ordinance, which is now being strictly enforced. Atlanta parents could face a $1,000 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or be required to complete community service when their children skip too much school. According to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta has a troubling truancy problem. Almost 44 percent of high school students missed 10 or more…
Friday, July 20, 2012
Moms Talk takes a different approach this week by interviewing you, our readers.
Because our regular Moms Talk contributor is out of town unexpectedly this week, we are going to do something a little different for this week's column. Instead of hearing my opinion on this week's news in the world of motherhood, I want to hear yours! As mamas, we all love to talk about our kids and the issues that affect our relationship with them. I personally have two little ones; a daughter, 4, and a son, 3. They're my best buddies, and chances are you'll see me pushing them around in a double stroller while I'm taking pictures of local events. So, take this as an opportunity to gloat, share or reminisce. Pick a numbered question from the list and let us know your thoughts. I'm really looking forward to this conversation! 1. The…
Friday, June 8, 2012
In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss a South Carolina mom who was carted off to jail after cheering as her daughter’s name was called at her high school graduation.
In an odd situation of pomp and repercussion, Shannon Cooper ended up in jail after cheering too loudly at her daughter’s recent high school graduation in South Carolina. Cooper and other parents at Florence High School’s graduation had been warned beforehand that loud, disruptive behavior would be punished and if they cheered for the graduates, they would be thrown out. When her daughter Iesha, 18, walked across the stage to get her diploma, Cooper did it anyway. Cooper said, "I got up, and I said 'Yeah, my baby made it. Yes!' Just a regular cheer." She was charged with disorderly conduct and taken to the Florence County Detention Center where she spent several hours until posting a $225 bond. Is that fair? People all over the country are…
Friday, May 4, 2012
Is it time to lock the Purell in the liquor cabinet? In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss a scary story about teens being rushed to the emergency room—after drinking hand sanitizer to get a buzz.
I’ve been seeing a lot of news stories recently about six California teenagers who landed in San Fernando Valley emergency rooms with alcohol poisoning after drinking hand sanitizer. Some of the teenagers used salt to separate the alcohol from the sanitizer, making a potent drink that is similar to a shot of hard liquor. They learned how to do this on the internet. Oh, dummies. Kids do stupid things. I know this. They even drink mouthwash, for heaven’s sake. Now it seems that hand sanitizer will join the ranks of mouthwash and other potentially deadly household products such as paint thinner, gasoline, Sharpies, nail polish remover and hair spray. These products are popular with kids who engage in huffing, another way to get a euphoric …
Friday, March 30, 2012
There’s a growing trend in kids’ sports and activities that takes competition out of the game. In this week’s Moms Talk we discuss whether a little friendly competition is good for a child’s character.
Every spring when I walk down the aisles of Easter decorations, candy and plastic eggs at my favorite stores, I think about my daughter’s first egg hunt. I was new to Georgia and had just met a wonderful group of moms and kids. They organized fun activities all the time, and Sailor and I were thrilled when they announced their plans for an egg hunt. I had fond memories of egg hunts from my childhood, and I was excited for Sailor to have that experience. We arrived at the park one sunny morning with our dozen filled eggs and pink basket in tow. Some of the more seasoned moms stood up to tell us how the hunt would go. We’d roll the eggs out on the grass, and each child could pick up twelve eggs. Everyone brought twelve eggs, everyone leaves …
Friday, March 23, 2012
In the wake of Trayvon Martin's death, what do we tell our children?
No matter the mother, she cannot ignore this story. It begs for your attention. So, put your parent hat on, sit your children down, and explain -- if you dare -- how a pack of Skittles and a hoodie can get them killed. Explain Trayvon Martin. Explain George Zimmerman. Many mothers have already had this conversation. For them, it's called "the talk," and it sits right alongside the birds and the bees chat. It goes a little something like this: You are black in America. Society will not let you forget it, so don't you forget it. People will not like you because of that; in fact, they will fear you. You will be maligned and marginalized, so beware at all times. Watch what you say, and don't do anything stupid. This isn't fair? Yeah, life's …
Friday, February 17, 2012
In this week's Moms Talk we discuss if and when it's OK to tattle on another parent.
Hello. My name is Raven. I’m a tattletale. "Hi, Raven." Like most parents, I’m raising my children to be anti-tattling. “I don’t wanna hear about it unless somebody’s bleeding” is the usual mantra around here. I don’t want my kids to be the ones who run to the adults and tell every little misdeed that occurs. I want them to work it out themselves and find a reasonable solution everyone can live with. Nobody likes a squealer, right? Right. However, in certain cases I think it’s good to be a tattler. Particularly if your tattling might prevent a seriously bad outcome for the involved parties. As for myself, I tattle only when the safety or lives of others are in danger. If I’m on the road and see you driving along with your kids unrestrained…
Monday, October 17, 2011
It's nearly Halloween and time to let the wild rumpus begin! In this week's Moms Talk we ask moms about their Halloween rules and traditions. What's cool and uncool for boys and ghouls?
I have a confession to make. I’m a little nuts about Halloween. The pumpkins, the costumes, the drama, the history, the crafts, the sweets… Halloween rocks! At the risk of disappointing my Christmas-loving mother who reads this column, I’m going to have to name Halloween as my favorite holiday. I was with a group of moms yesterday, and we were discussing Halloween and kids. It occurred to me as we talked that there are certain rules that apply to even the wildest of holidays. I have a few I’d like to discuss here. This will be our tenth Halloween in our neighborhood, and because our trick-or-treat buddies moved away a couple of months ago, this year’s going to be a lot different. Our neighborhood is an older one, and as children have grown…
Thursday, August 11, 2011
I am a yeller! I yell in the car, I yell at bedtime, I yell when getting dressed, I yell after meals. But I don’t yell in public. Kind of like a functioning alcoholic, I’m able to keep it under control in public.
We all do things as parents that we are truly not proud of. At times parenting can bring out the worst in us and our little children are the victims. I am a yeller! I yell in the car, I yell at bedtime, I yell when getting dressed, I yell after meals. But I don’t yell in public. Kind of like a functioning alcoholic, I’m able to keep it under control in public. My mom did a lot of yelling and still does, that’s who I will blame it on. I really wish that wasn’t my communication tool, but when that little person looks at me as if she cannot hear, my natural reaction is to yell and make sure that she can hear me. At times she can frustrate me, irritate me and even just plain ignore me. But I’ve got to get a handle on this and control my …
Racer X
11:25 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
6'4" 190lbs. No fat here. I spend 15 minutes a day on Patch. Moderation is the key to everything, especially Facebook. Now, go have yourselves some ice cream and check to see if anybody liked your latest pictures before you turn in :-) more ›