This cute, clever pillow set could be the perfect way to stop the "It's YOUR turn!" fights between you and your husband in the middle of the night (found via Ohdeedoh). Simply flip the pillows every night to remember who's "On Duty," and you won't have to argue about who gets the baby bottle or who has to check under the bed for monsters.
Meet the (surrogate) parents: A look at the women who carry other womens' children. Newsweek
Only a third of eighth graders and a fourth of high school seniors are proficient writers, according to a national test. New York Times
When the circus comes to town parents fret—Is it a nice family activity or a display of animal mistreatment? Washington Post
Eight glasses of water a day? That might be bad advice, says a new scientific review. Reuters
The stigma attached to men receiving alimony checks from their ex-wives may be on its way out. Wall Street Journal
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No child support? No hunting! A new program in Illinois encourages dads to pay up. Chicago Tribune
Why being pregnant makes you want to renovate. New York Times
A new study looks at the long-term health consequences of premature birth. Yahoo! News
Pregnancy discrimination complaints are on the rise. Wall Street Journal
Scary trend: Parents sign their kids up for human “cockfighting.” New York Daily News
How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Advocate
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Every mom loves beautiful baby photos, but are fancy ultrasounds of fetuses safe? Chicago Tribune
A good marriage is good for your blood pressure and a bad marriage is—you guessed it—bad for your blood pressure. Yahoo! News
A new California program modeled on America’s Most Wanted is targeting the 10 worst child support evaders. LA Times
Fear of food poisoning: Is washing your veggies in tap water good enough? Newsweek
More celebs contemplate trading in their baby photos for big bucks. New York Daily News
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If you’re pregnant you may have to give up your cup of joe—new research shows that caffeine can double your miscarriage risk. Reuters
Say it like you mean it! Is forcing your kids to say sorry a bad idea? Slate
Why fighting with your husband may help you live longer. Live Science
American girls are hitting puberty at younger and younger ages. LA Times
Sushi lovers, watch out: The New York Times tested the raw tuna at a variety of restaurants and found alarmingly high mercury levels at a quarter of them. New York Times
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A new report finds that as kids read less for fun, their test scores drop—even in math and science. New York Times
The Chicago Tribune tested 800 toys on the market for lead and found alarming levels in some products. Chicago Tribune
Forget French, or even Spanish—more and more kids are learning Mandarin in school. USA Today
Another reason to make your partner pitch in at night: Not getting enough sleep might be sabotaging your efforts to lose the baby weight. Yahoo! News
Get ready to settle in at the airport if you’re traveling this Thanksgiving. CNN
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Androgynous baby names and the shifting gender-hierarchy. New York Times Magazine
A new study finds that while breastfeeding does increase a child's lung function, it’s not the case if the mother has asthma. Yahoo! News
The fight to keep kids safe from food allergies. Newsweek
One mother reflects on the search for her adoptive child’s biological mother. New York Times Magazine
Surprising study results: Parents are actually less stressed than non-parents. ABC News
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Check out these really cool girl power T-shirts from Ava's Closet that I stumbled upon at the Polkadot Patch Boutique: "Doctor, Not Diva" and "President, Not Princess." Cute, right? And don't you just love the message? I do … so much so that my cats just may wind up being shoved into one of these.
So sorry, Paris and Nicole: You don't get to be role models in Ava's Closet. Drop your chihuahuas, put your hands up, and step away from our daughters.
Anyone else out there a little uncomfortable with little girls wearing shirts that say "Diva" or "Princess"? Any other options for how to dress your daughters for success, rather than a limiting stereotype? How about a tip or two on how to stop the bleeding after you try stuffing your cat into a T-shirt? Speak up!
My friend Mary Jo DiLonardo, an Atlanta Magazine writer and editor volunteered to be a goodyblog guest blogger. Here's what she has to say:
Eeeeeeh! I'm still getting squeals out of my head.
Friday I went to the secret opening of the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta. It was the day before the real grand opening of the store so it was filled mainly with special guests and media types, but it was packed. There were little girls and moms everywhere (and the occasional big brother dragged along in horror).
As the mom of a 9-year-old boy, I've never been to one of these stores. Obviously, there were dolls everywhere. And doll clothes. And doll bathtubs. And doll brushes. And doll surfboards. And doll dogs. And a doll hair salon. Who knew dolls needed all this stuff?
Here you can not only shop for your doll and for more dolls and doll accessories, but you can dine with your doll—and get a special booster chair for the doll. You can even get a loaner doll if you happen to leave your doll at home. (That, I don't get. It's like borrowing someone else's toddler at a restaurant.) There are party rooms for special occasions and there's just an overwhelming air of pinkness.
Growing up, I was a horse girl. I broke all the legs off my Barbies trying to get them to ride my Brever horses. So I guess I just don't appreciate the whole doll thing.
But the next day, my husband, son and I were back at the mall to run errands. There were rope lines set up around the store and dozens, if not hundreds, of little girls and their moms were in line, many clutching their dolls as they waited excitedly for the chance to buy dolls and more stuff for their dolls.
They looked so happy and so eager that I guess I got it. It was like me and my little horse statues when I was that age. But I'm still glad I have a boy. And I solemnly swear to never complain about a trip to the Lego outlet again.
Read Mary Jo's blog at Atlanta Magazine.
Hey, parents: what are your thoughts on the whole doll craze? What are your boys obsessed with to the same level? My 2-year-old son, Will, can name every type of truck and construction vehicle. And he does have a thing for Bob the Builder—but I don't know if we'd have lunch with him and his crew....
Well, I see that Eddie Murphy has finally admitted paternity to the daughter of ex-turned-current Spice Girl Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown. I'm not so much interested in this celebrity drama and feuding as I am in the interesting coincidental cultural reference of the baby's name: Angel Iris Murphy Brown.
Now, I'm sure Ms. Scary didn't intend to name her daughter after the infamous Candice Bergen TV character, Murphy Brown, who stirred up quite a bit of controversy herself by having a baby out of wedlock in a high-profile way. (Dan Quayle, anyone?)
But, again, I'm not looking to comment on the moral or political implications of this naming coincidence. I'm a simple guy. (And it is Monday morning and I haven't even had the coffee yet.) I'm more intrigued by the actual name ... and others that tickle me in that crazy name game kind of way. So I was wondering if anybody knew of any other examples of this.
What are some of the wackiest, oddest, most unfortunate, or interesting name combinations that you know of? Any maiden name/married name combos for the kids that made you chuckle or take note? Ease us into the week with a smile and post your funnies here.
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