ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gif ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Image of the day: sleep inc.http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/30/image-of-the-day-sleep-inc/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/30/image-of-the-day-sleep-inc/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/30/image-of-the-day-sleep-inc/#commentsFiled under:


It was hard to pick my very last Image of the Day, there were so many good sleepy photos in the pool. But finally I decided a co-sleeping picture was funny enough for me. Thanks to Miss Zoot for this yawn inducing shot of a dad and daughter enjoying their favorite past time.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the DayAprilImageOfTheDayImage of the DayImageOfTheDaySleepSleepyMelissa SummersSun, 30 Apr 2006 11:07:00 ESTImage of the Day: passed outhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/29/image-of-the-day-passed-out/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/29/image-of-the-day-passed-out/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/29/image-of-the-day-passed-out/#commentsFiled under:



Thanks to mjdabney for this picture of one of the most amazing sleep positions I've ever seen. It's part yoga, part totally wiped out.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the dayAprilImageOfTheDayImage of the DayImageOfTheDaySleepingMelissa SummersSat, 29 Apr 2006 10:03:00 ESTImage of the day: sleeping teenshttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/28/image-of-the-day-sleeping-teens/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/28/image-of-the-day-sleeping-teens/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/28/image-of-the-day-sleeping-teens/#commentsFiled under:



Yesterday I was wistfully looking at all these sleeping baby pictures and fantasizing about another offspring. But then, I saw this picture of a sleeping teenager and I thought, 'Even they look cute sleeping.' The puppy's cute too. Thanks to GraceD for reminding us even our big teenage babies are sweet.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the dayAprilImageOfTheDayImage of the dayImageOfTheDaySleepSleepingMelissa SummersFri, 28 Apr 2006 22:03:00 ESTImage of the day: pixiehathttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/26/image-of-the-day-pixiehat/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/26/image-of-the-day-pixiehat/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/26/image-of-the-day-pixiehat/#commentsFiled under:



Since Larissa let me try my hand at the Image of the Day, my husband's been thinking about going for another screening with the urologist just to be sure his vasectomy worked (he's had three clear sperm counts). All these sleeping babies are making me yearn just a little bit. Thank you so much to stepintomythimble for this beautiful shot of Maeve in a beautiful hand knit hat made by mom.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the DayAprilImageOfTheDayBabyImage of the dayImageOfTheDaySleepMelissa SummersWed, 26 Apr 2006 14:34:00 ESTAs they grow: easier or harder?http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/as-they-grow-easier-or-harder/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/as-they-grow-easier-or-harder/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/as-they-grow-easier-or-harder/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday at the gym, as I attempted to distract myself from the chorus in my mind of, "I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this." I eavesdropped on the conversation of two older ladies nearby.

One woman asked how the other's daughter was handling her newborn twins. She answered they were doing well, everyone was settling into a routine but both her daughter and son-in-law were exhausted. The other woman laughed and said, "Well that's just the way it is at first. But you know, what they don't realize is: it only gets harder as they get older."

If I hadn't been busy cursing my treadmill I may have offered my point of view. I've found my job has gotten easier in some ways as my children got older, and then harder in other ways. But overall, I think having a seven-year-old and a four-year-old is easier for me.

I struggled with the sleep deprivation of newborns and the phsyical aspects of taking care of small babies. I didn't like the constant diaper changes and feedings and on and on and on. Now I tell my kids to get dressed, they can grab a snack for themselves, when we leave the house I don't require reinforcements and carry on luggage. For those reasons, having older children fits me and my personality better.

It's true, things are more complex as my children grow up and away from me. I worry about things which have much further reaching consequences than whether or not I have enough diapers in the diaper bag. But still, this part of my parenting life has fit me infinitely better.

What about you? Does parenting little ones fit you better or does parenting fit you better with each passing year?

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]]>Melissa SummersTue, 25 Apr 2006 17:03:00 ESTBen and Jerry's free cone dayhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/ben-and-jerrys-free-cone-day/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/ben-and-jerrys-free-cone-day/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/ben-and-jerrys-free-cone-day/#commentsFiled under:

Today, April 25th is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's. Which would explain why yesterday it was a balmy 80 degrees and now, on Free Cone Day, it's 42 degrees.

Stop by between noon and 8pm and go to the Ben and Jerry's website to find a location near you. [Link via Awesome!]

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]]>FreebiesIce CreamIceCreamTreatsMelissa SummersTue, 25 Apr 2006 16:02:00 ESTIllinois legislation to ban lead toyshttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/illinois-legislation-to-ban-lead-toys/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/illinois-legislation-to-ban-lead-toys/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/illinois-legislation-to-ban-lead-toys/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Illinois legislature has approved a bill to ban toys and other items containing anything more than a trace of lead. The bill comes after a 4-year-old boy died after swallowing a small lead filled charm and other toys and children's products have been recalled due to dangerous amounts of lead.

I have a little thing for Barack Obama, a senator from Illinois and when I hear his name in the news my ears perk up. He has taken a similar bill to the national level. [Thanks, Elizabeth!]

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]]>LeadLegislationProduct safetyProductSafetyMelissa SummersTue, 25 Apr 2006 15:03:00 ESTImage of the day: cuddle up in the grasshttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/image-of-the-day-cuddle-up-in-the-grass/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/image-of-the-day-cuddle-up-in-the-grass/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/25/image-of-the-day-cuddle-up-in-the-grass/#commentsFiled under:



I love the contrast of the green grass and the white shirts in this shot. I also love that someone in this world has a lawn which has not been devoured by grubs like mine. Thanks to Mamarosa for this shot of her son and daughter.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the DayAprilImageOfTheDayImage of the dayImageOfTheDaySleepingMelissa SummersTue, 25 Apr 2006 14:06:00 ESTBlogging Baby Sleepover: Monday, April 24http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/blogging-baby-sleepover-monday-april-24/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/blogging-baby-sleepover-monday-april-24/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/blogging-baby-sleepover-monday-april-24/#commentsFiled under:

Tonight, in at least two corners of the parenting blogs love means eating you up.

At the Big Yellow House Chris is celebrating her daughter's third birthday and she would like to eat her as if a chocolate covered biscottie dunked in coffee. Very sweet birthday wishes from a mother to her little girl.

Laid Off Dad is celebrating his anniversary and calls his wife the "biggest, blackest jellybean in the bag", and he actually likes black jellybeans (gag).

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]]>Blogging Baby SleepoverBloggingBabySleepoverMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 22:33:00 ESTEntourage's Kevin Dillon weds and they're expectinghttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/entourages-kevin-dillon-weds-and-theyre-expecting/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/entourages-kevin-dillon-weds-and-theyre-expecting/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/entourages-kevin-dillon-weds-and-theyre-expecting/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kevin Dillon, 40, married his girlfriend Jane Stuart, 28, this weekend in Las Vegas.

Dillon's spokeperson confirmed the wedding and went on to say the couple is expecting their first child this summer.

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]]>CelebritiesKevin DillonKevinDillonPregnant CelebritiesPregnantCelebritiesMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 19:01:00 ESTByrneunit at Leah Peahhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/byrneunit-at-leah-peah/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/byrneunit-at-leah-peah/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/byrneunit-at-leah-peah/#commentsFiled under: ,

Byrneunit is the coauthored site by Brian and Erin Byrne who are the parents of Wee Henry, who I liked before he was even born.

They've been 'co-interviewed' by Leah Peah talking about all the normal stuff including becoming parents. Henry even makes an appearance revealing stunning facts about his mother.

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]]>BloggersBlogsInterviewMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 18:02:00 ESTCrafting: magic yarn ball projecthttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/crafting-magic-yarn-ball-project/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/crafting-magic-yarn-ball-project/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/crafting-magic-yarn-ball-project/#commentsFiled under: ,

At whip up our own Larissa Brown has posted a great (and exceedingly easy) project for kids and adults. The idea of the Magic Yarn Ball is simple, a ball of yarn, that when unrolled, reveals a bunch of little treats. For the example project, made for a six-year-old, she used a superball, stickers and some other little bits.

She offers up some additional suggestions for filling your yarn ball. The yarn can even be yarn you have leftover laying around the house, and like I mentioned after linking the whip up activity bags, I've got extra fabric and even more extra yarn.

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]]>CraftCraft ProjectsCraftProjectsMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 17:32:00 ESTVote to change the Monopoly boardhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/vote-to-change-the-monopoly-board/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/vote-to-change-the-monopoly-board/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/vote-to-change-the-monopoly-board/#commentsFiled under:

Well we've talked about Monopoly before, but a-hem, our blogger didn't exactly like the game. But now you can change the board.

Monopoly was introduced in 1935 and now, in 2006 is getting 'modern'. The board will be updated with the names of landmarks, streets and neighborhoods from 22 cities rather than Atlantic City landmarks and streets. The railroads will be replaced with airport names as well.

You can vote at the company's website.

[Thank you Thoradora!]

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]]>Board GamesBoardGamesGamesMonopolyMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 16:03:00 ESTBirth stories: read them, share themhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/birth-stories-read-them-share-them/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/birth-stories-read-them-share-them/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/birth-stories-read-them-share-them/#commentsFiled under:

Pam C. has sent me this site where people can read birth stories and share their own. As she puts it, "Because remembering when you pooped on the delivery table isn't as entertaining as reading about someone else doing it."

I couldn't believe how much and how often I needed to tell my birth story following my children's births. I can't be the only one because BirthStories.com, from iParenting, is brimming with them. All types of births are represented, easy/hard, medicated/not, induced/not (no 'pooped on the delivery table' section though. Unfortunately.)

Now, for someone like Posthipchick who's overdue and not very pleased about that, the birth stories page may be nothing but an exercise in anxiety.

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]]>BirthBirth StoriesBirthStoriesChild BirthChildBirthInternetSitesMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 15:03:00 ESTGwen Stefani buys Medelahttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/gwen-stefani-buys-medela/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/gwen-stefani-buys-medela/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/gwen-stefani-buys-medela/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

From TMZ.com and my favorite reader Georgia (who happens to be a regional Medela sales manager), Gwen Stefani was spotted purchasing Medela products this weekend in Oakland, California.

I wonder if the sound of the breast pump will inspire some new music?

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]]>Breast PumpBreastfeedingBreastPumpGwen StefaniGwenStefaniMedelaMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 14:29:00 ESTImage of the day: ow, my neckhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/image-of-the-day-ow-my-neck/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/image-of-the-day-ow-my-neck/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/image-of-the-day-ow-my-neck/#commentsFiled under:



I just took over the Image of the Day feature from Larissa for a while and I think it's unfortunate, since I'm a tired person by nature. Every sleepy picture in the pool I find, I think to myself, 'I wish that were me'. Bopp House shares this picture of Carson zonked on his favorite little chair. The amusing thing is, this is how I sleep each and every night, with the inevitable pool of drool. Just ask my husband.

April is the month for sleeping babies and children at Image of the Day. If you'd like your own child featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool - and please set them so they are downloadable in multiple sizes. We'll select an image every day to highlight. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information, and please limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. Thanks!

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]]>April Image of the dayAprilImageOfTheDayImage of the dayImageOfTheDaysleepsleepingMelissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 11:32:00 ESTChicago high school teacher's blog outed: students angryhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/chicago-high-school-teachers-blog-outed-students-angry/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/chicago-high-school-teachers-blog-outed-students-angry/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/24/chicago-high-school-teachers-blog-outed-students-angry/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A Chicago high school teacher blogged anonymously at 'Fast Times at Regnef High' about his experiences teaching at Fenger High School.

He lashed out, uh....a lot. Calling the students "criminals', accused them of dealing drugs in the hallway and having sex in the stairwells. He didn't stop there, he also had choice words about the student's parents. But no, he wasn't even done then! He moved on to his fellow teachers and school workers.

This part just kills me, the teacher wrote anonymously but he wanted an audience (the kiss of the death) so he leaked the site to a few coworkers. Surprise! The whole school is reading it. The teacher who officials believe wrote the blog hasn't shown up for work, saying he fears for his life.

Students say they know their school is rough, but the teacher's site was 'racist and derogatory'. Another teacher at the school has publicly challenged the blogger's view of the school. She says his words hurt these students, who "adopt tough facades and insist they are grown, they are still children: sensitive children who still crave guidance, encouraging words and positive reinforcement."

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]]>Melissa SummersMon, 24 Apr 2006 11:04:00 ESTCourt upholds school's t-shirt banhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/court-upholds-schools-t-shirt-ban/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/court-upholds-schools-t-shirt-ban/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/court-upholds-schools-t-shirt-ban/#commentsFiled under: , ,

School dress codes have become further reaching in the last few years, public and private schools are banning all sorts of clothing. Anti-Bush t-shirts, camoflage and even shirts with the American flag since some schools are afraid of inflaming tensions over proposed immigration law, are just some of the articles of clothing banned from some schools.

A student at Poway High School in San Francisco tested the dress code when he wore a shirt reading, "Homosexuality is shameful". The case went to court, and a California court has backed the school's right to ask the student to remove the shirt.

The court said a school can bar slogans which would be 'hurtful' and based on a "core identifying characteristic", like race, religion or sexual orientation. The student who brought the claim against the school says the policy violates his rights to free speech, religious freedom and due process.

On the surface, I applaud the decision but after reading the dissenting judges opinion on this case, I can see this is a big can of worms.

The dissenting judge, Alex Kozinski, says the policy could set a troubling precedent and allow officials to put a lid on campus dissent. "The types of speech that could be banned by the school authorities under the Poway High School hate policy are practically without limit."

He went on to say, "Any speech code that has at its heart avoiding offense to others gives anyone with a thin skin a heckler's veto - something the Supreme Court has not approved in the past," he wrote.

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]]>CourtDress CodeDress CodesDressCodeDressCodesHigh schoolHighSchoolPublic SchoolPublicSchoolMelissa SummersSun, 23 Apr 2006 15:02:00 ESTMercury spill at schoolhttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/mercury-spill-at-school/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/mercury-spill-at-school/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/mercury-spill-at-school/#commentsFiled under: ,

A broken thermometer and a few drops of mercury spilled at an elementary school brought out the hazardous materials team from two area fire departments to clean it up.

It may seem like overkill but officials say it's all necessary, "Mercury is a hazardous material and it has to be cleaned up in a proper manner to ensure the safety of all of us."

It appears a student broke the thermometor a week earlier just before school broke for Easter and didn't tell anyone.

I had no idea how dangerous mercury is until a friend's thermometor dropped and broke on their kitchen floor. She remembered there was something they needed to do to get rid of it. As she contacted poison control her husband thought he'd help clean up the mess, sucking it up into their $500 vacuum cleaner. The vacuum had to be disposed of and a big lesson in hazardous materials was learned. [Thanks, Joel!]

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]]>Elementary SchoolElementarySchoolHazardous WasteHazardousWasteMercuryMelissa SummersSun, 23 Apr 2006 14:04:00 ESTItaly would like its baby bonus back pleasehttp://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/italy-would-like-its-baby-bonus-back-please/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/italy-would-like-its-baby-bonus-back-please/http://www.parentdish.com/2006/04/23/italy-would-like-its-baby-bonus-back-please/#commentsFiled under: ,

Italy decided to follow the example of countries like Poland and Australia and offer a bonus for having a baby and keeping the country's population steady. However, when the government sent out 600,000 letters announcing a 1,000-euro bonus to newborn babies in Italy, they didn't account for immigrant families who also claimed their baby bonus.

Now the state is asking around 3,000 immigrant families to pay back the baby bonus since they are not Italians and the intent of the bonus was to grow the Italian population.

I personally love the wording of the letters sent out to families who had babies in 2005. "Best wishes for your arrival, do you know that the budget has put aside 1,000 euros for you? Big Kiss, Silvio Berlusconi."

Does Berlusconi want his kiss back as well? [Thanks for the link, Pam!]

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]]>Birth RatesBirthRatesBirthsItalyMelissa SummersSun, 23 Apr 2006 12:05:00 EST