The Film Club

Categories Parenting & Families ,

'Homeschooling' takes on a whole new perspective.  Canadian novelist and film critic David Gilmour recently published a book about his son's high school years and the creative way in which they dealt with the issues at hand.  Gilmour's book, The Film Club, has received a good amount of press, and rightly so.  Gilmour's son Jesse hated high school and his grades were heading for an all-time low.  After much deliberation he and his father made a deal: Jesse could quit school as long as he agreed to watch three movies a week and discuss them with his Dad.   Good idea/bad idea?  A courageous idea, without a doubt.

Naptime Is the New Happy Hour

Categories Parenting & Families ,

I got a nap yesterday.  This might not sound like a big deal to most of you, but for me it was a momentous occasion.  I don't get much sleep these days.  My three-year-old daughter and six-month-old twin boys don't think it's a good idea, apparently.  So when I managed to get all three of them down at the same time I ran to my bedroom and burrowed under the covers. 

Of course, I was "rewarded" an hour and a half later when I went to get the boys out of their cribs and discovered that one of them had spit up and, well, let's just say had a "diaper leakage" problem all over his sheets.  My daughter came in, took one look at her brother, and pronounced that he smelled disgusting and "needed to start going in the potty" like she does.  Yeah, I'll get right on that.

Apparently, unlike yours truly, author Stefanie Wilder-Taylor uses her daughter's naptimes for more adult pursuits.  In Naptime Is the New Happy Hour:  And Other Ways Toddlers Turn Your Life Upside Down, Wilder-Taylor discusses not only imbibing alcohol while your child(-ren) are sleeping, but also how to survive playdates, temper tantrums, and moms who swear their children never watch tv. 

Momnesia

Categories Parenting & Families ,

I'm pretty sure I have "momnesia".  Example one:  I put our dog (a notorious fence jumper) outside, meaning to watch over him to make sure he didn't escape.  I then went back inside and forgot to go back out again.  Hours later my neighbor showed up at the door with the dog, who, of course, had jumped the fence and was roaming happily throughout our neighborhood.  Example two:  Not long after my twins were born, I went to vacuum our carpet only to discover that the vacuum cleaner wouldn't work.  When my husband came home from work, the vacuum cleaner worked fine for him.  It was only then that I realized--I had turned the vacuum cleaner on, but had completely forgotten to plug it in.  Example three:  well, you get the picture.

According to Dr. Louann Brizendine, my "condition" has a name--"momnesia".  Brizendine, author of the book The Female Brain,  says that "momnesia" is "a state of the female brain that is a bit forgetful after a woman has had a baby".  It's influenced by "the wildly fluctuating flood of hormones that accompanies pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding".

When in Doubt, Choose Simplicity

Categories Parenting & Families

During the holiday season when everything around us screams out, "more, more, more!", it is especially helpful to seek out those still, small voices that say, "simple is best".  Yes, those voices do exist, as I was reminded when I heard a favorite tune on WNKU radio today. "Too Much Stuff" by Delbert McClinton can be found on his CD titled One of the Fortunate Few, and if you listen closely you will discover John Prine and Lyle Lovett on backup vocals.  Anyway, "Too Much Stuff" sums up my sentiments, exactly.

No More Polar Express! And don’t even mention The Night Before Christmas!

Categories Parenting & Families ,

With Christmas right around the corner, you may be getting a bit tired of reading The Polar Express and The Night Before Christmas for the 1,637,461st time. Fear not! There are tons of great Christmas titles out there (new and old!) to share with the young person in your life. Today, we’ll focus on new 2007 titles and next week we’ll revisit some golden oldies.

Train Wreck of a Marriage

Categories Parenting & Families ,

New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey surprised many, including his wife, by his 2004 announcement  that he was a "gay American."  He left office three months later.  It wasn't just that he'd had an affair with Golan Cipel, but that he had hired him to be New Jersey's homeland security advisor--not a tiny job in 2002--although Cipel had no particular credentials.  After outcry forced McGreevey to fire Cipel, the governor found him four other jobs, which he didn't keep for long. 

Eventually Cipel threatened to sue McGreevey for $50 million on sexual-harassment charges.  Dina Matos McGreevey published her memoir of the experience, Silent Partner, a few months after Jim McGreevey published his, The Confession.

Great Books for the First Day of School, Part II

Categories Parenting & Families ,

You’ve hit all the local office supply chains, big box stores, and the mall. You have pencils and backpacks, new shoes and maybe even a new haircut. Still not feeling ready to face the first day of school?

In a previous post, I discussed great books for kids (or parents) who are a bit nervous about the first day of school. But, there were too many great books to fit in just one post. Below are Great Books for the First Day of School, Part II.

The First Day of School

Categories Parenting & Families ,

As summer begins to wind down, it’s nearly here, the event parents eagerly await and children dread: THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Anticipation abounds as children and parents alike are greeted with mounds of immaculate school supplies, teachers to meet, and a host of new routines to master. Inevitably, all that change brings a flutter of nervousness to even the most brave-hearted students. A warm lap and a good book can do wonders to ease the worried mind.

Here to help is the first of two posts filled with great books to ease those first day jitters.

Why I'm Like This: True Stories

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Cynthia Kaplan went to summer camp and school dances, had a crush on Jamie Karlan, got dumped by boyfriends, struggled with her career, sought the approval of her parents, cared for her ill grandmother, got married, became a mother, and tried to live her life the best she knew how. 

If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, then you understand the happiness and heartache of being a woman. 

But if you think Why I'm Like This: True Stories is going to be an overly sentimental book, think again. Often compared to David Sedaris, Kaplan's personal essays are funny and sad yet refreshingly frank, as if she is examining her life under a microscope.

Great Picture Books to Celebrate Father’s Day, Part II!

Categories Parenting & Families ,

In a previous post, I discussed great picture books for Father’s Day. The bad news is there were so many fabulous picture books about dads of all kinds- they just couldn’t fit in one post. The good news is the overflow was perfect for Great Picture Books to Celebrate Father’s Day, Part II!

In The Best Father’s Day Present Ever, by Christine Loomis Langley Snail is worried about Father's Day. Besides, his friends have already snapped up the neat gifts, like the "Super-Duper-Golf-O-Matic-Home-Ball-Washer." Will Langley be able to find the perfect gift in time? This one has a great message that the best gifts are those from the heart.

Celebrate Father's Day with Picture Books!

Categories Parenting & Families ,

With Father’s Day just around the corner, we are awash in fabulous books celebrating tall dads, bald dads, loud dads, quiet dads, stay at home dads, suit and tie dads, and all dads in between! What better way for the entire family to celebrate than with a big pile of picture books?

Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli's first picture book, My Daddy and Me stars a flop-eared young pup who loves to spend time with dad. The two wrestle on the living room floor, make cookies, plant tomatoes, and work around the house. Plus, he’s never too tired to sing a lullaby at the end of a long, fun day.

An endearing read aloud. Building with Dad by Carol Nevius is summed up with this easy equation: Dads + Construction equipment = Fun!

Belly Laughs

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Good things about being pregnant:  Cute clothes (for you and the baby).  Ultrasound pictures.  Feeling the baby kick.  People letting you go first in the bathroom line because they're afraid you might go into labor.  Bad things about being pregnant:  Nausea.  Exhaustion.  People who insist you're having twins because "nobody could be that big and not be having twins" (thanks, that makes me feel tons better).  Not being able to shave your legs because you lost sight of them months ago.  Complete strangers asking if they can rub your belly for good luck (answer:  what do I look like, an oversized rabbit's foot?).

If all this sounds familiar to you (or you're just dying to know how you, too, can skip to the front of the restroom line), then read Jenny McCarthy's very funny and very frank Belly Laughs:  The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth.  It's an informative and often sidesplitting look at the wacky, weird, wonderful world of pregnancy.

Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay

Categories Parenting & Families ,

The dreaded first year of parenthood.  Your parents, friends, co-workers and people on the street have probably all warned you about it.  Sleepless nights.  Hours-long crying episodes.  Diaper explosions.  Colic.  And on and on and on.  Now that I've scared off everyone in the "planning for a baby" stage, erase those images from your mind and picture...The first time your baby smiles at you.  The first time they fall asleep on your chest.  The first time they grab your hand or pat your cheek.

If you need more convincing (and could use a good laugh), then read Stefanie Wilder-Taylor's Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, and Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom, in which the L.A.-based comedienne discusses sharing parenting duties, the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding, and bonding (or not) with other new moms.

I Don't Know How She Does It

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Right now my toddler has a cold and is pretty miserable.  Which means I'm pretty miserable.  She doesn't care to blow her nose, instead preferring her sleeve.  She also doesn't care to take her medicine, instead preferring to spit it back out (usually on me).  Getting a two-year-old out of the house on a good day takes forever.  When she doesn't feel well, and insists on carting her teddy, two blankets, Elmo, Tigger, and several dolls into the car with her---well, you might as well give it up.

It's on days like this that I'm reminded of Kate Reddy, heroine of Allison Pearson's ode to working moms, I Don't  Know How She Does It:  The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother.

Mothers and Daughters

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Today, I’m kicking off my monthlong tribute to mothers by looking at the often tempestuous, never boring mother-daughter relationship.  One of my favorite novels about this subject is Wendy French’s sMothering (check out the great cover!)  In it, 23-year-old Claire McLeod, who lives in Portland, Oregon, is astonished (and frightened) when her domineering mother arrives on her doorstep.  Refusing to say why she’s left Claire’s dad, her mother immediately sets about reorganizing her apartment, interfering in her love life, and generally making Claire’s life a living hell.  It’s a hilarious and often poignant send-up of the complicated love that exists between mother and daughter.

Looking for other great reads?  Then check out Kris Radish’s The Sunday List of Dreams, Dani Shapiro’s Black & White, Jo-Ann Mapson’s The Owl & Moon Café, and Kelly Braffet’s Last Seen Leaving.

Goodnight Moon, or Not...

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Have you read Goodnight Moon to your child more times than you can count? In addition to the traditional hardback, the library offers audio, dvd, boardbook, and even braille editions. Ever feel like hiding your copy just to get a night off? Written by Margaret Wise Brown (1910-1952) in 1947, Goodnight Moon is a classic, a perennial favorite-- but that doesn't mean it can't get old. Why not give one of these bedtime alternatives a try?

• Goodnight Train (2006) Falling asleep is like taking a magical train ride.
• How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight? (2004) Bears, ducks, bunnies, and even a snake request goodnight kisses as they are tucked into bed.
• Goodnight, Goodnight Sleepyhead (2004) Before heading off to sleep, a child says goodnight to her surroundings- from her bear's nose to dinosaur toes.
• The Noisy Way to Bed (2004) A small boy on this way to bed encounters sleepy animals that all have something to say.
• When Mama Comes Home Tonight (1998) Spinelli celebrates the nighttime rituals between a mother and child in gently rhyming text.

Poetry in Motion: Part Two

Categories Parenting & Families ,

In a recent post, I wrote about ways in which people can actively partcipate in poetry, reading and reciting with friends and family.  Now, take that idea to another level: Chicago, 1987, a place called the Green Mill Tavern. Marc Kelly Smith starts a small revolution which becomes known as the Poetry Slam.  It differs from a 'poetry reading' event because it is competitive and the audience plays an active role.  Slams are held virtually everywhere, and there is even a national championship that will be held this summer in Austin, Texas.

Poetry in Motion: Part One

Categories Parenting & Families ,

National Poetry Month is a celebration which has caught on in schools, coffee houses, and public spaces everywhere.  The Main Library will be hosting poetry readings featuring local poets each Wednesday night during April at 7:00 p.m.

For many people, poetry may seem to be an introspective and solitary event - it's not necessarily so!  You too can host a poetry night with friends and family of all ages.  Break out the camcorder and have some fun - here are some sources of inspiration:

Children and Grief

Categories Parenting & Families

It’s never easy to deal with death.  Even as adults we have a hard time reconciling ourselves to it.  Things become twice as hard when you have to discuss death with a child.  Whether it’s losing a beloved pet or the loss of a close family member, no one wants to mar the innocence of childhood with the ugliness of life.

But for the last few years it has been all around us.  September 11, the tsunami that hit Asia and Africa, the Hurricane Katrina and the wars have been a large part of the national conversation for a few years now.  Children need to feel safe and learn how to cope with all they are feeling.

H. Norman Wright’s book, "It's Okay to Cry" gives parents sound advice with how to assist children with their loss.  Wright helps you to see the event through the child’s eyes and offers different prompts and activities to get the child to open up.

It’s Potty Time!

Categories Parenting & Families ,

Several of my friends currently find themselves “in the trenches” of potty training. It’s been interesting (and at times entertaining!) to see them try everything from potty bootcamp to bribery to positive reinforcement.

Potty training is a huge milestone for children and a topic of debate and uncertainty among parents. Luckily, the library has a wide range of materials to meet the needs of parents and children on the cusp of this developmental milestone.

Some People Just Shouldn't Be Around Children

Categories Parenting & Families ,

I'm trying to find a connection between two books I've read lately, Running Away With Frannie, by Renée Manfredi, and Un seul crime, l'amour, by Mary Fualaau (formerly Mary Kay LeTourneau) and Vili Fualaau, with a couple guest chapters by Vili's mother, Soona Fualaau.

I can't talk too much about Manfredi's strange and memorable novel without giving away the plot, which takes an unexpected turn about halfway through, and then another one at the end.  The protagonist is Sam, a 25 year old from a household without a lot of money, one of ten siblings with an alcoholic father and a mother who works in an Elvis-Presley commemorative-plate-making factory.  The mother expresses her opinion of dinner guests through her table settings.  If the visitor gets a young-and-healthy Elvis plate, the mother likes the guest.  Old washed-up Elvis means Sam's mother is not amused.

April is National Gardening Month

Categories Parenting & Families ,

April is National Gardening Month- the perfect time to plan and dream and let your inner gardener run wild.

This year’s theme is GROW: When you Garden, You Grow. And, the campaign has great resources for kids. Studies show the impact of gardening on children’s health and well-being, their attitudes towards learning and the environment, and their connections to community. Plus, it’s a great activity for the whole family.