From the NYMetroParents August issue, a selection of thought-provoking, laugh-inducing, and just plain interesting facts and quotes from the web and the world of parenting.
“I stand by my assertion that the $80K or so I spent on childcare (this doesn’t count the summer-camp fees I still pay) before both my boys were in school was a straight-up awesome, measurable investment…“
—Denise Schipani (@DeniseSchipani), magazine-editor–turned-freelance writer, author of the book Mean Moms Rule, and Long Island mom of two boys, in a post entitled “Why Childcare Is One of the Best Business Investments I’ve Made,” at deniseschipani.com
Things I Googled this Week
do babies eat salmon
salmon baby recipes
how to get salmon smell out of apartment
what does a mango look like
how to tell if mango is ripe
baby recipes with mango
baby cold symptoms
what is an aspirator
how to use an aspirator
—just part of a list (“Vol. 2”) from the NYC mom who’s trying to “rewrite the rules for the modern parent”—with a dose of sarcasm amidst her relatable observations—on her not-so-typical blog notatypicalmom.com
Stories of Our Lives
“Our kids loved hearing our tales this morning. Some they’ve heard before, some were new. But in the telling, I could see how family identity was being shaped before my eyes. We are our stories. Our stories not only reflect our culture, they shape it. A recent New York Times piece encapsulated this, highlighting current research into what makes strong, resilient families: ‘The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.’ ”
—Chrysula Winegar (@chrysula), on how regaling her kids—again—with the tale of her wedding day (which she describes as a “series of unfortunate events…[that made] great fodder for future family story-telling”) is part of a broader family narrative; Winegar, a Fairfield County parent of four who firmly believes in the power of mothers to influence and change the world, not only shares her stories with her kids, but with us at whenyouwakeupamother.com
Juicy Fruit
” …when you want your child to eat fruit, consider giving her fruit. An apple, an orange, a banana—they provide less sugar and more fiber, less sticky sweetness and more satiety. Perhaps most importantly, chomping on real fruits and vegetables will help your child consider food the right way: not as something processed and sold in plastic pouches, but as something whole and from nature—seeds and skin and bruises and all.”
—Melinda Wenner Moyer (@lindy2350), parenting advice columnist at Slate.com, in a post parsing the nutritional value of all those blended fruit pouches we parents stuff in our bags for on-the-go “healthy” snacks for our tots, in a post entitled “Why Suckable Fruit Sucks”; read it for some interesting insights and facts, and don’t worry about being guilted—this Cold Spring mom writes with the nonjudgmental perspective of one who’s “been there”
