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September 2009
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March 2009With all the stories we hear about kids - and parents - spending too much time on Facebook and other networking sites, it was refreshing to stumble upon this story from Woman's Day magazine. They report that social networking sites can nurture your brain. They said sites like Facebook can help you get in better physical shape by encouraging you to set up times and dates to exercise with friends. They can offer emotional support by providing al... What do you have to offer? Have you got some old skis you wouldn't mind getting rid of? How about that easy chair your wife wants you to get rid of? Maybe you possess a skill that comes in handy. If you can fix a fireplace, someone wants to hear from you. In fact, three women in Tacoma would welcome your goods and services if you're willing to forego receiving money for them. This is a story about something old that's new again: barter. I'm not going to lie about this anymore, and I'm not going to sugar coat it or (like doctors often do) make it sound like something that might just be an occasional anomaly -- because I don't think it is. My memory has been WIPED OUT by motherhood!!! I don't think I'm alone, so I would like to hear from you. ...The green schools law, which passed in 2005, mandates that all new schools or major school remodels in the state must follow a set of guidelines in the building's design and construction. How can you get your kids to clean up around the house - and here's the catch - willingly? By now, we've all seen the ads about Patsy, the well-intentioned mom trying to protect her kids from drug use/abuse. The last line is, "Don't be a Patsy, learn a better way." I get it, but honestly, I think I'm going to be like Patsy meets the Terminator when my kids get to be adolescents. When you take a canoe to school, chances are you understand the give and take between land and water. Such was Mary Leitka's life as a child, and she knows more than most how much land can give and water can take. After all, it was water that took her childhood home. ...A few weeks ago, I helped my 5 year old son try something new and daring. Indoor rock climbing. Thrilling for kids, terrifying for parents -- but probably good therapy all around. We reported a story today about a national baby boom in the U.S. Federal researchers say more than 4.3 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2007. That's more babies born than any other year in U.S. history - and the birth rate rose for women of all ages. But the startling finding was buried at the end of this story. Researchers say 40 percent of those babies were born out of wedlock. No word how many of those parents eventually did get marr... We've been talking a lot about how stress from this economy affects families. But some parents may not realize how much their stress affects their babies - even in the womb. This week I interviewed parenting expert Carolyn Pirak, who runs the national parent support program 'Bringing Baby Home.' She told me research shows a mother's stress hormones raise her baby's stress levels in the womb. And out of the womb, babies are powerful ob... I wrote a story last week that has earned me some much appreciated praise from my peers, but I have to admit the whole thing left me with very mixed emotions. This has been no winter for sissies. Although it was a late starter, this season has rolled out a "Murderers' Row" of meteorological mayhem: flooding, high winds and plenty of snow. It's now climbing the top ten list of Sea-Tac's snowiest winters, while we eagerly limp toward spring's arrival on Friday. ...You can tell what a person's really like by the way they treat "the little people." We all know that medical costs are out of control. And one way of reducing those costs is to have patients take generic drugs over brand names. But when there is no generic it gets tricky. ...The other day, I had one of those touchdown-moments in parenthood; when consistency finally paid off, after months of blood, sweat and -- well, really just a lot of role modeling and discussions, none of the other stuff. Today's surge in the stock market notwithstanding, it seems as if there's been precious little positive news lately. So when I found out that a trumpeter swan -- rehabilitated after being injured by poachers -- was going to take wing again, I jumped on the story. That's why we spent weeks looking at the records written by the one person paid on a consistent basis to check on Shayne Abegg and his family in the weeks and months before the little boy was rescued, near death from starvation. While many would say there's nothing good about a tanking ecomony, some parents say there's a silver lining. The economy's forcing them to downsize and re-evaluate their priorities, with interesting results. According to ParentMap magazine, the 'slow parenting' movement is really picking up steam in this recession, as many adults take a simpler approach to parenting by spending less money on toys and extra curricular activities - and more qual... I regularly receive copies of the magazine Airlines International. It's published by IATA, the International Air Transport Association, the global trade group for the world's air carriers. Washington, DC and farming are hardly linked in the popular consciousness, unless you're thinking of the Department of Agriculture. But there's a move afoot to change that. A few months back, the New York Times' Michael Pollan called for the new position of White House farmer. He's not talking about a Cabinet-level job; to him, it seems much more important than that. Pollan posits that food security is part and parcel of national secu... My mom never let me have Barbie dolls when I was little. She thought they were too exploitative (I got 'The Sunshine Family,' instead. They had many harrowing adventures on the wooden boats we floated down our stream). So I bet my mom would appreciate the parents who are up-in-arms over Mattel's new 'Tattoo Barbie.' ...Cool new research shows that if you rename unpopular foods, like vegetables -- kids will eat 50% more of it. For weeks I've been trying to do a story about the eagle (turns out it's actually eagles) that sit, sometimes for hours, on various lamp posts along the 520 bridge. Due to story assignments and sometimes staffing levels, it just hadn't come together -- until today! Recent Seattle sports successes have been as common as Sasquatch sightings, but there were two of them in front of my eyes Tuesday night. UW hosted Seattle U. on the hardwood, in a game made possible by a December cancellation. Hec Ed was filled to the brim, and I barely made it under the lid, pushed against the wall in the last row. But getting Husky tickets these days is no layup, and I was excited to be at not only my first UW game, but my ... Remember heading out to the school playground for recess? I can still feel the wind in my hair as I twirled over the bars...the slap of my hand on the tetherball...the whoosh of the jump rope over my head. I've always been wary about putting any personal information online. But apparently, I'm in the minority. I just read there are 40,000 new, personal blogs launched every day on the internet. 40,000 a day! And a lot of those bloggers are new parents, eager to share every picture and potty milestone with their friends and family. It's an easy way to stay in touch (and let your loved ones decide when - or if - they want to read about your preciou... What can cost up to $4,000 a pound and might be taking root in Washington? Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss? Most people think of Seuss' last book, the posthumously published "Oh, the Places You'll Go" as a great graduation gift, or book for older kids. But I've gotta say, it's the hands-down favorite of my 5 and 9 year olds. They like "Green Eggs and Ham," and "Cat in the Hat" is always good, too. But "Oh, the Places You'll Go," just strikes an interesting cord with them. ... |
