ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gif ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Third graders help knit caps for newbornshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/third-graders-help-knit-caps-for-newborns/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/third-graders-help-knit-caps-for-newborns/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/third-graders-help-knit-caps-for-newborns/#commentsFiled under: ,

How many times have you heard sad stories from around the world and wished you could do something about it? Well, some people have banded together, started their own group and made a difference.

Inspired by the State of the World's Mothers last year,people from across the country, including children, started knitting baby caps to help with infant mortality. In the past year, 20,000 people have knitted 260,000 baby caps for the Caps to the Capital project. Among those include a group of 80 third graders from a Houston-area school.

About 10,000 people also wrote letters to lawmakers asking for increased child survival funding.

This sounds like a great project for a variety of reasons. First, the kids are learning to knit, second they are becoming part of something bigger and third, realizing that they don't have to sit by when they hear of something bad happening in the world.

If you're interested in this project, you can go here to learn more.

Thanks to Ann for the tip!

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]]>babiescaps to capitalCapsToCapitalchildrenhathealthknitnewbornschoolUnknownWed, 07 Feb 2007 12:04:00 ESTAbout carbon monoxide detectorshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/about-carbon-monoxide-detectors/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/about-carbon-monoxide-detectors/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/about-carbon-monoxide-detectors/#commentsFiled under:

Do you have one in your home? If not, is it because you heard that they are unreliable?

In December of 1994 in Chicago, a thermal inversion caused cold air to be trapped under layers of hot air, and that kept auto exhaust and other pollutants trapped close to ground. The fire department responded to 1,851 false alarms in a 24-hour period, giving the still new-to-the-market alarms a bad reputation.

Since then, the technology has improved, and a carbon monoxide alarm is just as important to have in your home as a fire alarm. Carbon monoxide is created when fuel is burned. So, your gas dryer, gas or oil furnace, water heater, fireplace, car, and gas range and oven can all be potential hazzards. It is recommended that you place one near sleeping areas, and one near appliances. At our house, the furnace is in the hall, right by both the kid bedrooms. Our detector is near the furnace and the bedrooms.

Make sure that you test your alarm and replace it according to the manufacturer's directions. Most independent reviews pick the Kiddie Nighthawk as the best performer. As a side note, my cousin works for a company who was asked to rate these devices. He says that the Kiddie came out best in their lab as well. He also says the digital displays may not be super-accurate, but that won't mean the alarm isn't registering levels properly.

***UPDATED to add:
Please see comments below for recall information on some older models of the Kiddie Nighthawk. Thanks to Blogging Baby reader Jen for the heads up.

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]]>UnknownWed, 07 Feb 2007 09:03:00 ESTWhere do you go for unisex baby clothes?http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/where-do-you-go-for-unisex-baby-clothes/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/where-do-you-go-for-unisex-baby-clothes/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/where-do-you-go-for-unisex-baby-clothes/#commentsFiled under: ,

Two of my girlfriends are due to have babies soon: one in the early spring and one any minute now, my god, how did that pregnancy go by so fast?. So today I ducked into the mall to pick up some last minute baby gifts because I am a bad friend and prone to procrastination. I shop better under pressure. I do!

Anyway, neither of my friends know the gender of their baby. I know, that's a rarity in this day and age, but they don't. I popped into Zara, where Nolan weaved in and out of racks full of filmy wrap dresses and I asked the salesgirl," Can you point me toward the unisex baby clothes?" She pointed at a shelf of sweaters with letters on them. Three sweaters. Ugly ones. No. I pried Nolan from the legs of an alarmed-looking teenager and exited the store.

I exited, and tried Old Navy. No luck: only boys or girls clothes. Huh. All I wanted was a comfy white onesie, or some soft green caps. No pink, no blue, no trucks, no dolls. Just baby.

Finally, I landed in Gymboree, which also had no specific unisex section, but did have a newborn section with a distinct lack of gender-specific clothing.

I settled on the "Under The Sea" onesie with matching blanket and hat. It featured an octopus and a soft orange colour, entirely gender neutral, very cute, and super soft. I didn't realize it was so difficult to find neutral baby clothes. One more reason that knowing the baby's sex can be so convenient.

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]]>unisex baby clothesUnisexBabyClothesUnknownWed, 07 Feb 2007 08:33:00 ESTGastric band for teenagers could soon get approvalhttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/gastric-band-for-teenagers-could-soon-get-approval/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/gastric-band-for-teenagers-could-soon-get-approval/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/07/gastric-band-for-teenagers-could-soon-get-approval/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Currently, if a teenager wants to receive gastric banding (or the lap band) in order to lose weight, she'll have to go one of the few hospitals in the country that offer the procedure.

The Food and Drug Administration has allowed three US hospitals to preform the procedure, which one doctor referred to as "the way to go." It could be a couple more years before other hospitals could also get in on the action.

In fact, one hospital that is able to preform the procedure recently opened a weight-loss surgery center for teens. According to the article, thirty percent of American teens are overweight and fifteen percent are obese.

In case you're interested in the difference between gastric bypass or lap band, click here to see the differences.

What do you feel? Is this an issue that should be between the patient/parent and doctor or should these types of surgery not be allowed?

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]]>fatgastric bypassGastricBypasshospitallap bandLapBandobeseteensweightUnknownWed, 07 Feb 2007 07:29:00 ESTMandarin on deck in British schoolshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/mandarin-on-deck-in-british-schools/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/mandarin-on-deck-in-british-schools/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/mandarin-on-deck-in-british-schools/#commentsFiled under:

I've always regretted not having a larger grasp of a foreign language. Sure, my Spanish skills can get me by in a really desperate situation, but I'm nowhere near fluent. My husband and I were discussing other languages recently and he said he'd learn Mandarin if given the chance.

Sounds like some British schools might have listened in on our conversation. Secondary schools in England will have more chances to teach foreign languages besides the more common French, German and Spanish. In fact, Mandarin and Urdu, the second most spoken language in the world, could be offered to students in the higher grades.

Here, in the United States, foreign languages aren't typically taught at many schools until the children are older. I'm hoping that my children will start learning a foreign language when they are younger, which will help them retain the knowledge and, hopefully, be a better global citizen.

What languages would you like for your kids to learn? If you could learn another language fluently, which one would you choose?

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]]>britishindialanguagesmandarinpakistanschoolsurduUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 14:01:00 ESTTeacher shows class "Amistad"http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/teacher-shows-class-amistad/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/teacher-shows-class-amistad/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/teacher-shows-class-amistad/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Here's yet another story from my home-state of Texas: School officials disciplined an elementary school teacher after she showed her fifth graders clips from the movie "Amistad."

The teacher, who has taught for 27 years, showed the movie (including parts with stabbing) to depict what life was like on a slave ship. "Amistad" is rated R, which goes against the district's rules on showing r-rated films.

What do you think? Should the teacher have shown this movie? On one hand, it is educational and gives a visual image to what really did happen to slaves on those ships. But, on the other hand, it is quite visual and rated "r." I remember being in fifth grade and watching Freddy Kruger movies at home and seeing "The Birds" in class in the sixth grade, which might have been the influence into why I hate birds so much today.

Would it anger you if your child's teacher saw that movie?


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]]>amistaddisciplinemoviesRteacherstexasUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 13:03:00 ESTParentography - a website for families on the gohttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/parentography-a-website-for-families-on-the-go/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/parentography-a-website-for-families-on-the-go/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/parentography-a-website-for-families-on-the-go/#commentsFiled under: ,

PHAT Mommy pointed her readers to a really cool online resource last week: Parentography.

Parentography is a site that allows families to review, recommend, and inquire about places to go with kids in tow. Membership is free, and once you're a member you can review your favorite (or most dreaded!) places. You don't even have to register to read reviews on restaurants, hotels, theme parks and other places you might want to know a little about before deciding to visit with the kids.

The site is pretty new, and hasn't expanded to cover places outside the US, but I did find the following encouraging news on the FAQ page:

We don't offer any coverage outside of the United States right now. It is definitely something we are interested in pursuing and hope to begin as soon as possible. If you have reviews or excursion ideas for foreign locations, write them down and save them. We'll keep you posted about when we launch any new geographic locations!

I'm going to go poke around and see if I can find out if there any parks within twenty miles of my house that have wireless.




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]]>parentography kids restaurants reviews themeparksParentographyKidsRestaurantsReviewsThemeparksUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 12:02:00 ESTExclusive: Michelle Duggar is pregnant!http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/exclusive-michelle-duggar-is-pregnant/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/exclusive-michelle-duggar-is-pregnant/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/exclusive-michelle-duggar-is-pregnant/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I recently wrote about a rumor going around online that Michelle Duggar, of the "Duggar Family" fame, is pregnant. For those of you who aren't up to date on the happenings on TLC, the Duggars are a family that lives in Arkansas and has 16 children.

Michelle and her husband Jim Bob have said in the past that they viewed children as a blessing and, as long as Michelle was willing, they would have more.

I sent an email to Jim Bob Duggar, who graciously replied. Michelle is, in fact, pregnant!

"It is true, Michelle is expecting #17 July 27th, 2007," said Jim Bob in an email to Blogging Baby. What wonderful news for this family.

While not everyone may agree with their birth control practices, it is nice to see a family that really welcomes all additions. If you'd like to see more about The Duggar family, you can see some previous Blogging Baby posts here.

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]]>arkansasbabieschildrenduggarsjim bob duggarJimBobDuggarkidsmichelle duggarMichelleDuggarpregnancyquiverTLCUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 11:03:00 ESTRecord year for c-sections, unwed birthshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/record-year-for-c-sections-unwed-births/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/record-year-for-c-sections-unwed-births/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/record-year-for-c-sections-unwed-births/#commentsFiled under:

The CDC's report on US births has released its statistics for 2005, and there are some interesting notes. 2005 was a record year for C-sections (30.2% of all births) and unwed Mothers giving birth (up 12% from 2002.) I had a baby in 2005 and fall into both those categories, so I'm not overly surprised.

A few other interesting facts:
-- Low and preterm birth weights continue to rise
--Child death rates did not decline
--Life expectancy increased.

Click here for more facts and figures on the latest in birth, death and life trends in the United States.

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]]>2005birthcdcdeathstatisticsUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 09:26:00 ESTMan uses stun gun on 18 month old sonhttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/man-uses-stun-gun-on-18-month-old-son/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/man-uses-stun-gun-on-18-month-old-son/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/man-uses-stun-gun-on-18-month-old-son/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I admit I get frustrated by the absurd chaos of parenting at times. When Nolan flails around, frantically yelling when I'm trying to change his stinky, sweaty diaper, I want to sink two storeys into the frozen tundra. When he runs away willfully or throws my special moisturizer down the toilet, I want to carefully pluck out all of my hairs and lay down on the floor for awhile. But I have never, ever wished physical harm on my son. And I do not understand parents who do.

A 23-year old Oregon man was arrested after he repeatedly shot his 18-month old son with a stun gun. The gun had been used on the toddler on numerous occasions over a 3 week period, until the man's wife called police to report child abuse allegations.

The man was then arrested and the little bou was treated for injuries. I hope the boy is OK, and I hope he can get past this. And I hope that man never has another child again.


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]]>man arrested for shooting son with stun gunManArrestedForShootingSonWithStunGunstun gunStunGunUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 08:30:00 ESTP Diddy's baby galleryhttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/p-diddys-baby-gallery/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/p-diddys-baby-gallery/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/06/p-diddys-baby-gallery/#commentsFiled under: ,

I have to admit, P Diddy's public persona irritates me. Puff Daddy to P Diddy to plain old Diddy? Who does that? What if I changed my name to K Dilly? And demanded everyone stop calling me Kristin. Would it stick?
Anyhoo, Diddy whomever, and his puffy vests and his white parties are kind of obnoxious, but I must admit that this photo gallery, featuring his twin girls, is pretty freaking adorable. Check out the way the sweet little smile!

I didn't stop to listen, but the gallery also features audio clips of Diddy explaining how he balances work and fatherhood (with his millions, maybe?) and the differences in the personalities of his twins, which might be interesting.

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]]>puff daddy babiesPuffDaddyBabiessean combsSeanCombstwinsUnknownTue, 06 Feb 2007 07:27:00 ESTToddler quirks: I'm up to my eyeballs in bearshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/toddler-quirks-im-up-to-my-eyeballs-in-bears/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/toddler-quirks-im-up-to-my-eyeballs-in-bears/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/toddler-quirks-im-up-to-my-eyeballs-in-bears/#commentsFiled under: , ,

My 2-year-old daughter has a thing for teddy bears. Heck, a "thing" doesn't accurately describe her love for her furry friends. An obsession? Yes, she is obsessed with teddy bears.

Recently, she has decided that she must have every single bear she owns with her at all times while we are at home. (We had to mandate that only two bears can go into the car and only one bear can go on our outing.)

That means I'm constantly hearing requests to help her move her nine bears from her room to the couch to her brother's crib, back to her room. Sometimes, she brings along a few blankets or the box of valentines we bought for her preschool class.

It is like a traveling circus in our house. The real problem is that, since she has so many bears in her harem, I always have to help. "Too heavy!" she screams when I tell her to do it herself.

I've been delegated the "mover of the bears." How wonderful.

Toddlers tend to be quirky beings by nature. I'd love to hear about other quirks. If not for entertainment, at least to know I'm not alone while dragging bears from here to there.

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]]>animalsbearsplayquirkstoddlerstoystwoUnknownMon, 05 Feb 2007 14:03:00 ESTRumor: Another Duggar pregnancy?http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/rumor-another-duggar-pregnancy/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/rumor-another-duggar-pregnancy/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/rumor-another-duggar-pregnancy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I've mentioned my love for the Duggar family on Blogging Baby before. I can't help it, if they're on TV, I'm totally watching. For those of you who don't watch as much TV as I do, the Duggars are a family in Arkansas that have 16 children.

Well, I've had several people recently email me to ask if I knew that Michelle Duggar was pregnant again. Like a good reality TV fan, I got really excited and wanted to know all about it...except Google News said nothing.

So, I emailed Jim Bob Duggar to see if perhaps he'd confirm or deny the news. And, well, I haven't heard back from him yet (but I'm still hoping!) so I did some searching on my own.

On Television Without Pity, one commenter said she called the Duggar household and asked. According to her, and this is just a rumor until it is officially confirmed, Michelle Duggar is pregnant with number seventeen.

"She said Michelle is due around July 25th and that they don't know what it is yet -but she's hoping for twin girls. I asked if they had any names picked out and she said they had been tossing around the idea of Jubilee for a girl."

If I remember correctly, their last child was born in October of 2005. Considering that the average months between Duggar children is 18 months (I watched a special episode once and took notice, having children that far apart myself) July would be right on target.

So, this may be jumping the gun, but if it is true, then congrats to the family. They really seem to love their children and view them as a blessing. I'll be interested to see if there is fact behind the rumor.

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]]>17babiesbirthduggarduggarsjim bobJimBobkidsmichelleUnknownMon, 05 Feb 2007 12:02:00 ESTDrink boxes sneak the veggies inhttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/drink-boxes-sneak-the-veggies-in/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/drink-boxes-sneak-the-veggies-in/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/drink-boxes-sneak-the-veggies-in/#commentsFiled under: ,

Excepting sweet potatoes and tomatoes, Nolan refuses all vegetables. Actually, I guess he refuses all vegetables but one, because a tomato is really a fruit, isn't it?

Anyway, I have found an excellent way to sneak in his vegetables without his consent and it's in the form of a delicious juice box. Nolan takes great pride and interest in drinking out of a juice box, and I think it could be filled with swampy fishwater and he'd still guzzle it with awe at his dexterity and big boy-ness.

But really, if you didn't know there were vegetables in the Sun Rype Fruit Plus juice boxes, you wouldn't believe it. Nolan and I both sipped a strawberry-banana juice today and yum! It tasted like strawberries and bananas, no trace of the carrot, lettuce, beet, parsley and spinach juices listed on the label.

Each 250 ml box contains 2 full servings of fruits and vegetables, with no added sugar. The bad news is, the product seems to be only available in Canada at this time -- perhaps there is a US equivalent, or plans to offer the product over the border if the demand is significant enough.

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]]>juice boxesJuiceBoxessun rype fruit plus veggie juiceSunRypeFruitPlusVeggieJuiceUnknownMon, 05 Feb 2007 08:00:00 ESTThe best time to move with kidshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/the-best-time-to-move-with-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/the-best-time-to-move-with-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/05/the-best-time-to-move-with-kids/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When I was 14, my Dad took a job transfer and we moved cities. It was only one province over, but the high school subculture was like night and day -- or more appropriately, like rockers and preps.
I don't think I'll ever forget the day I arrived at my new high school in my tight acid wash, sporting mile-high lacquered bangs and hastily-covered acne. The school was like a new planet: beautiful, identical uniformed preps in Keds and rolled-up baggy Levi's. I was like a fish out of water and miserable. No one talked to me for an entire year (in fact -- the first girl who did was Carrie - Nolan's daycare provider and still my best friend) and I was so confused and lonely, having never had a hard time making friends before.

I think about my experience a lot when contemplating moving with Nolan. I would love to get back to the Coast, closer to grandparents and year-round green and the ocean. I wonder when is an ideal time to move with a child? I would think the younger the better, in most instances. In my experience, moving was pretty traumatic as a young teenager. But even now, I think Nolan would miss his friends at daycare and his daily routine.

When do you think is the best time to move with a child?

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]]>familykidsmovingnew schoolNewSchoolUnknownMon, 05 Feb 2007 07:30:00 ESTTexas orders HPV vaccine for all girlshttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/texas-orders-hpv-vaccine-for-all-girls/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/texas-orders-hpv-vaccine-for-all-girls/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/texas-orders-hpv-vaccine-for-all-girls/#commentsFiled under: ,

Here's some news from my home state of Texas: Texas Governor, Rick Perry issued an executive order on Friday that said all schoolgirls must get the vaccine that guards against HPV and some types of cervical cancer.

Perry issued the executive order in order to bypass the legislature and conservative groups that say the vaccine will encourage premarital sex.

Starting next years, girls in the sixth grade will have to get the shot. Most sixth grade girls are about 11 or 12-years-old. He also mandated that girls between the ages of 9 and 18 who are uninsured or whose insurance doesn't cover vaccines get the vaccine for free.

The pharmaceutical company Merck has helped fund lobbying in Texas and other states to get them to require the vaccines for girls. Texas is the first state to make it a mandate. Perry's former chief-of-staff is now a Merck lobbyist he also received $6,000 from Merck's political action committee during his re-election campaign.

Nobody besides Perry can change the rule, not even the legislature, which has angered many parents.

This is a tricky issue and I'm trying my best not to get into politics on here, but, as a Texan and a mother of a female child, it irks me that Rick Perry has decided to do his own thing and make the rules, especially considering he has ties to the company that produces the drug.

What do you think? If you live in Texas, how do you feel about the issue?

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]]>cancermerckpharmaceuticalRick PerryRickPerrysextexasvaccinesUnknownSun, 04 Feb 2007 15:08:00 ESTPinwheels - a blog of notehttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/blog-of-gold/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/blog-of-gold/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/blog-of-gold/#commentsFiled under:

Like the other Blogging Baby staffers, I do an occasional "blog roundup", highlighting well-written or unusual parenting blogs that have caught my eye.

Occasionally - very occasionally - a new blog reaches out and pulls me in so deeply that I'll spend hours perusing the archives, immersing myself totally into a stranger's world, feeling her emotions through a vivid phrase, a well-formed description.

And last night I found a doozy. I was flipping though the virtual pages at Literary Mama - I am hoping to do a little more freelance work this year - and I came across a story by Jennifer Graf Groneberg. Her style resonated with me.

I clicked through to her blog, Pinwheels, and before you go here and read about why pinwheels remind her of her son, please stuff your pockets with tissue.

Jennifer has three sons. Avery is her middle child, a fraternal twin, and at five days old he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Her words are absorbing and clear: her last words grabbed my heart and stuffed it in a very small space: "He is the child that I wanted, that I did not know I wanted. He is my son."

The gems don't stop. Jennifer's short entry about her son Carter's writing assignment about his brother is perfectly beautiful. This entry, called Hurt, also brought pinpricks to my eyes. And Watching Angels with Avery, oh God.

I am very impressed. If you are looking for some quality web writing, here's a blog that gets two thumbs up from me.

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]]>averyblogsdown syndromeDownSyndromepinwheelsUnknownSun, 04 Feb 2007 14:02:00 ESTWaiting for the talkinghttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/waiting-for-the-talking/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/waiting-for-the-talking/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/waiting-for-the-talking/#commentsFiled under:

There is a precocious little boy named Adrian at Nolan's daycare: besides my own kid, he is my favourite. He often wedges himself on my lap when I come to pick up Nolan, asking me if I changed my hair (yes, Adrian, I just got it cut!) or telling me that my earrings are pretty (thank you, Adrian, and your shirt is spiffy too!)

Adrian is only a few months older than Nolan, and I know he is verbally advanced for his age, but last week he informed me that:
a) he likes ganache
b) his dad burnt the cheese, but not the wine and
c) he has a job to go to, it makes him 5 o clock an hour, which he puts in his pocket.

Although I'm completely delighted by Adrian's quirky observations, I can't help but glance sidelong at Nolan, who is now refusing to parrot "Mama" and only says "Uh Oh" and "Kah" (cat).

Carrie's Mom mentioned that she believes that Nolan could speak if he wanted to: he follows directions precisely and understands everything. But he will do it in his sweet time. And I guess that's fine with me.

I do hope he listens to Adrian a little, though - a toddler saying ganache is even cuter than baby chickens.

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]]>learning to talkLearningToTalktoddlersUnknownSun, 04 Feb 2007 13:00:00 ESTParents sue for hospital baby mix-up 28 years laterhttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/parents-sue-for-hospital-baby-mix-up-28-years-later/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/parents-sue-for-hospital-baby-mix-up-28-years-later/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/parents-sue-for-hospital-baby-mix-up-28-years-later/#commentsFiled under: ,

I remember seeing a made for TV movie years ago about two babies that were "switched at birth." While I don't remember all the details of the movie (I think one of the babies died later on) I couldn't help but wonder what I would do if that happened to me.

Two families in Malaysia have had this happen, but only found out the truth 20 years later. According to the families, the babies were switched at birth. One of the families, who are Malaysian Chinese, always thought that their fifth child didn't look like the rest of the family. He had dark features, which causes some to make rumors of an affair.

Meanwhile, their biological son was living with an Islamic couple and felt that he didn't fit in, eventually leaving home at the age of 13. The boy's biological sister spotted him at a supermarket eight years ago and thought he resembled her father.

The family came to see, spoke and eventually (through DNA tests) found that he was their biological son. Now, 28 years after the birth, the parents want to sue the hospital. Their biological child also wants to renounce Islam and take a Chinese last name, which will be hard due to Islamic leader.

While I'm happy that everyone found the truth they sought, I can't help but wonder about the other son, the Islamic-born child who was also in the mix-up. How does he feel in this entire situation? Did his parents love him? While I'm not equating a hospital mix-up with adoption, adoption has shown us that you need not to have blood relation to love someone.

What do you think about this situation? What would you do?

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]]>asiababieschinesefamilyhospitalsislammalaysiaUnknownSun, 04 Feb 2007 10:06:00 ESTConvicted pedophile told to buy his victim a bikehttp://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/convicted-pedophile-told-to-buy-his-victim-a-bike/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/convicted-pedophile-told-to-buy-his-victim-a-bike/http://www.parentdish.com/2007/02/04/convicted-pedophile-told-to-buy-his-victim-a-bike/#commentsFiled under: ,

This is one of those stories that makes me want to buy a vast array of shovels and bomb shelter material and stock up with tuna and saltines and hibernate with Nolan until he is 23. It also increases my lack of faith in the Western World's judicial systems.

A known pedophile who sexually abused a 6-year-old girl was set free by a judge who suggested he give his victim "a nice bicycle" because "it's the sort of thing that might cheer her up." And to that I say, what the everloving steaming pile of crud is that all about? A bicycle? Makes up for a sexual assault on a child?

Eric Cole admitted putting his hand down the girl's pants as she stood in her front yard. Judge Julian Hall gave him a suspended sentence after noting that "in criminal terms, what you did was quite mild." Yes, well, in terms of parenting and human decency and for a million other reasons, I would not call this man's actions "mild."

Apart from the suspended sentence, Judge Hall banned Cole from being alone with children under the age of 16 for five years. Family members are not pleased, and I completely understand why.

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