Jo's Editorial
When Technology Is Ok

 

It’s important to realize there are always two sides, good and bad, to technology. For years experts have been talking about the negative affects and overuse, but there are positives to technology as well. There are times when technology is ok and should be embraced by families. It enables us to communicate with those far away and allows us to have an enormous amount of information at our fingertips. It’s also been a connection and therapy of sorts, for people who blog, tweet, and use chat rooms and forums (like ours!) But I want to use this editorial to talk about the positive aspects of technology. First, when I say technology, I'm referring to anything that is wired and chipped/connected in an electronic way (including, but not limited to: TVs, computers, electronic handheld games, smartphones, text messaging, iPads, etc ... (click for more)... Read Full Article

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On The Aisle
Gnomeo & Juliet (Rated G)

Garden gnomes Gnomeo (voice of James McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Emily Blunt) have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?... Read Full Article

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The Reading Room
The House That Sailed Away by Pat Hutchins (Ages 9-12)

This week's Reading Room recommendation comes from @sdcreates, who replied to Jo's tweet about what everyone was reading with their kids. Sharon's pick, "The House That Sailed Away," was one we had to share.

Morgan, Mother, Father, Grandma, Tailcat and the Baby find themselves catapulted into the wackiest adventure ever when their London house floats off down the street and out to sea! 

Hungry cannibals, blood-thirsty pirates, a kidnapping and buried treasure are just some of the hair-raisers in store in Pat Hutchins' own adaptation of her classic children's novel.... Read Full Article

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The Chin-Wag
Sleepover Check List

Are you and your child prepared for their first sleepover? Click over to our check list and see what you need to know before your little one unrolls the sleeping bag.... Read Full Article

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Ten Questions With...
Ten Questions With Peggy Orenstein

 

We were very excited to talk to Peggy Orenstein, author of the new book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches From The Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture, because we've been faithful readers of her writing in the NY Times, which, if you haven't read her yet, you can start now (the archives are free).

Orenstein is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Waiting for Daisy ... and Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap. She has also been published in, among others, USA Today; Vogue; Parenting; O, The Oprah Magazine; Salon; and The New Yorker. She lives in Northern California with her husband and their daughter, Daisy. You can follow her on Twitter at: @peggyorenstein Click through for full interview ...... Read Full Article

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Quick Tips
Straws-to-go

Straws are essential for little ones who are just learning to use a real cup or to-go cups. Since we've found ourselves straw-less more than once, a clever friend shared her secret: she keeps a toothbrush container full of regular and bendy straws in her bag and another in the console of her car, that way they're always on hand. We love this simple solution!... Read Full Article

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Monthly Giveaway
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED - February Giveaway: Cinderella Ate My Daughter

 

Click here and enter for a chance to win a copy of Peggy Orenstein's book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter.

About the book:

The acclaimed author of the groundbreaking bestseller Schoolgirls reveals the dark side of pink and pretty: the rise of the girlie-girl, she warns, is not that innocent.

Pink and pretty or predatory and hardened, sexualized girlhood influences our daughters from infancy onward, telling them that how a girl looks matters more than who she is. Somewhere between the exhilarating rise of Girl Power in the 1990s and today, the pursuit of physical perfection has been recast as a source—the source—of female empowerment. And commercialization has spread the message faster and farther, reaching girls at ever-younger ages.

But, realistically, how many times can you say no when your daughter begs for a pint-size wedding gown or the latest Hannah Montana CD? And how dangerous is pink and pretty anyway—especially given girls' successes in the classroom and on the playing field? Being a princess is just make-believe, after all; eventually they grow out of it. Or do they? Does playing Cinderella shield girls from early sexualization—or prime them for it? Could today's little princess become tomorrow's sexting teen? And what if she does? Would that make her in charge of her sexuality—or an unwitting captive to it? ...... Read Full Article

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Nanny Time
Nanny Time

I got to spend some time hanging out with kids at a school in Los Angeles talking to them about asthma and EIB. I also had a chance to sit down with their parents and educators to explain the importance of keeping kids who have asthma and EIB informed about their condition and to get everyone around them involved and in-the-know. It was great fun to hang with the kids and help raise awareness for the EIB Active campaign. Here's a photo from the event.

Also, I got to spend time with one of my favorite late night chat show hosts, Craig Ferguson. I had a fantastic time! In case you missed it, you can watch my segment by clicking here. 

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