I’m trying a new, strategy of doing work at work (innovative, no?), so this is a covert post. (Cue Mission Impossible theme music)
The last 2 days I actually gave my husband a promise over a handshake that I would not go online even for a second at the office. And, because I never, ever break a promise, I really didn’t (no one more amazed than me). But, today he forgot to make me promise (SQUEEEE!!!), so here I am. The shame, the shame… (ba-wah-ha-ha)
In all seriousness, I’ll make this quick to retain the spirit of the effort. I just had to mention that Thing 1 asked me to play her favorite “Christmas song,” Chanukkah, O, Read the complete Post.
Thanks to Lisa, over at Corporate Babysitter for these two gross posts that have my anti-childhood commercialism mind reeling. ARGH.
First, commenting on Shrek’s outrageous full throttle marketing blitz and near complete ownership of the Macy’s Day Parade, she goes exploring at amazon and finds: Read the complete Post.
So, we did the Thanksgiving thing and it was great. The kids had a ball and I almost had the great pleasure of winning the family poker tournament (only to lose to my dastardly husband who used my 87 year old aunt as distraction). At least we’re keeping it in the family.
At any rate, I realized that this year blogging (well, reading blogs, which I like far more than posting) is very very high on my list of things for which I feel thankful, probably higher than it should be, but that’s another story that involves a dull tale of woe about Read the complete Post.
I like the ride-on radio flyer fire engine a lot.
I’m serious. It’s fantastic. The kids like it too. Thing 2 smiled when my MIL wheeled it in, festooned with a gorgeous heap of red and yellow curling ribbon. It has a rubber horn that honks easily and with a satisfying “ooo-ga ooo-ga.” She handed him a glossy red baby sized fire hat. My mother had also given him a red and gray striped outfit embroidered with the words “little hero” and a fire truck on the chest. Everyone said we should take a picture. We should. He’s too cute for words - beaming that uneven gap toothed grin, hat off-kilter. It was a nice day, a lovely little party.
For his first birthday my son got a total of nine vehicles. One toy airplane, two toy fire trucks, a toy globe with a train that goes around and around inside, a tractor, and a few other sundry transit items.
That’s what boys like.
Except he didn’t have a wish list. Nope — I didn’t take him, diaper and all, to do a registry Read the complete Post.
Well, many smart bloggers have me thinking about the holidays. Mom Unplugged has really been posting great, thought-provoking stuff that asks us to reconsider what holidays are and what they can be (Man, does she make some good points I’d rather not hear, remincent of Candace’s post on bloggy guilt). I know she’s right and it hurts a little. And the Not Quite Crunchy Parent has several posts addressing toys toys toys and good buying for smart, healthy, creative play.
I’d like to add to the discussion a little by highlighting a few goodies we can all take under advisement. The first is that the teachers’ org. TRUCE has released their annual toy guide. It’s a nice resource for parents and also a gentle nudge we can forward to well intentioned relatives who are filling your house with things you don’t really care for.
Some of you might want to get into the a healthier consumption mindset by checking out What Would Jesus Buy. At least we can laugh at the insanity. I can’t wait to see it. I heart me some Reverend Billy - I tip my hat to him and all the other culture jamming activists out there who make us smile and keep dissent fun and photogenic. Read the complete Post.
The wonderful Lisa Ray, formerly Two Knives, has done something amazing. She has taken what emerged as a parental concern / important political issue for her and taken it beyond the blog! Lisa has founded a new organization, Parents for Ethical Marketing, where those of us concerned with such issues can turn for information and for guidance on how to best take action outside of bloggy land. I am in awe. The site looks incredible and is packed full of great information. Now, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood and Commercial Alert do not have to bear this burden alone. Lisa is interested in creating a forum that will spotlight the unethical behvior of corporations attempting to reach children. A little bad PR can do wonders, she hopes. Me too!
But, fear not — bloggy land will still benefit from Lisa’s incisive critique and watchful eye, as PEM has a blog, delightfully named, Corporate Babysitter. Be sure to check it out.
Thanks Lisa!
Subarctic Mama (with her superhuman ability to tolerate pain) and Redstar (the statistical anomoly) have memed me - I finally feel like a real blogger. I am to share 7 weird and random facts about myself. Others’ weird and random facts have fascinated me (check out Marjorie and Tracee) – so I’m excited to participate.
1. I rode in Al Gore’s motorcade to one of the presidential debates in 2000. I was in there with a couple journalists and a secret service agent. They wanted me to tell my favorite dirty joke Read the complete Post.
This weekend we had our extended family together in town for my son’s dedication and naming. It was chaotic and a little crowded and at moments undeniably awkward, since I have a complicated family tree shaped in the usual unusual ways by divorces and remarriages. (e.g., I have one brother, one half sister, and three ex-step sisters. Read the complete Post.
Well, we had the big meeting yesterday and it went fairly well. Because the teachers in the preschool have Master’s degrees in child development or education and the director has an EDD, I made the mistake of going in ready to talk about solutions/alternatives, but presumed I didn’t really need to “teach” why this is a problem. In fact, I specifically avoided professor mode, since I only study media – they are the experts on Read the complete Post.
This post isn’t on-theme. Just so you know in advance.
Thing 2 turns one this week. I turn none-of your-god-damned-business (36) 5 days later. A year gone. It’s been hard. I hate his current family day care, and although I had the awkward fumbling overdue relief of firing her last week, he deserved better.
So did I. I went back to work when he was 9 weeks old. 9 weeks. If I had
Read the complete Post.