Recent Comments:
Summer Reading - Should 'Part-Time Indian' be Banned? {ParentDish}
Jun 24th 2009 8:11AM I have tried responding to this several times.
I find it very hard to take most of these comments seriously. It is as if you didn't read my comments. I never commented on this book in particular (haven't read it), said that books should be used as tool for discussion, and never suggested banning anything. The word censorship is being thrown around here mightly loosely.
Some of you seem to have a bit of confusion over the difference between censorship and parental guidance. I suggested parents read the books of their early teens and that adult themes presented to teens should be under the guidance of parents or teachers. That is not censorship people. Get a grip.
Not everything published is worthy of reading. Many of you make WILD leaps from what I said. I do not fear sex, nor do fear my daughter will have sex if she reads about it, but at 12, portrayal of sexual activity should be responsible sex and should not be portrayed in an erotic manner. And yes, I monitor video games, social networking sites, and movies as well.
I'm an not advocating censorship, but I am advocating that we monitor what are children are exposed to and make sure that it is developmentally appropriate. Anything else is irresponsible and cries of censorship are ridiculous.
I am a former middle school teacher. I am not niave and I guarantee you I am more aware of middle schooler and high school behaviors than most.
My daughter is a gifted student. She excels, travels extensively, reads extensively, etc. She is not being harmed by my pre-reading of her material and is hardly sheltered. Neither is she stressed or focused on material that is not appropriate. Just because you CAN read something, doesn't mean you should. That is where parents and teachers come in.
Jon and Kate: Isn't divorce too harsh? {TV Squad}
Jun 23rd 2009 6:10PM Jon didn't grow anything but an attitude. He is a selfish, whiny, baby who refused to grow up. He got bossed around because he was basically useless and she had a house of 8 children to raise. I'm sure she would have loved to have an equal partner. She didn't want to be married to a child, but he refused to step up to the plate. And now look...he is excited about his new life and getting a freaking JOB! Well, duh!
Summer Reading - Should 'Part-Time Indian' be Banned? {ParentDish}
Jun 23rd 2009 5:46PM I most definately think that parents ought to pre-read the books of some teenagers. Remember -- teenager starts at 13 and goes into adulthood.
When my daughter finished 5th grade, she was given a summer reading list. I went through the list and crossed out MANY of the book titles and was not happy about their inclusion on the list. There was a note from the instructors that they contained mature themes but were chosen for various literary value. She was 11 and the books contained a boy that flees his drunken mother's sexual advances and joins a sleazy carnival, and other sexual content not appropriate for an 11 year old.
I consider myself very open to works of art and I think literature is a valuable tool for parents to use to discuss often difficult topics. But they do not need to be VULGAR in order to make their point. I don't mind if a character has sex and then deals with the negative consequences of that choice, but I don't want a character describing the sexual encounter if detail or in an erotic way. It can be real without being over the line.
I really do not like the trend of including 9th grade in with high school and I think the old junior high (7th 8th and 9th grades together) was a better model. I think there is far too much of a difference between 9th and 12th graders. I do think that by 10th grade that kids are ready for the more mature themes presented in literature but under the GUIDANCE of their teachers. There are many ways to get the message of "do the right thing" out to our kids without having them sit through R rated material to get it.
There are MANY, MANY great books out there (my daughter reads close to 75 books a year and we haven't run out yet) that do not cross the line. Vulgar language and explicit sexuality are not necessary.
And no - my daughter will not be choosing her own books in middle school. That will be a gradual process that increases over time.
Parents Sue Makers of Baby Gender Predicting Kit {ParentDish}
Jun 23rd 2009 5:30PM If the company offered a 200% refund then that is all they are due.
People aren't do additional monies because they forgot the motto BUYER BEWARE
Should California Pay Welfare Parents to Stay Home? {ParentDish}
Jun 23rd 2009 5:21PM Well, it appears they are only saying to have moms stay home until their child is 2, so I would think that most moms would be capable of handling the care and direct supervision of a child up until 2 years old even if they weren't offering the best interaction, etc. I cannot think of a situation (outside of abuse) that an under 2 isn't BEST left in the care of the mother. While there may be exceptions, I think in general it is a good plan and those exceptions need to be investigated by CPS.
Additonally, any stay at home mom should be required to take some type of on-line courses so that they are ready to transition to and more intensive school environment, or into the workforce once the child reaches 2 years of age. I'm big on accountability. Even if it was just an online typing class, or basic office skills, or even parenting classes - something that they are required to do and pass in order to continue to receive assistance.
Additionally, I've alwasy wondered why we didn't set up state run child care centers for children of welfare parents, staffed by welfare parents and all the better if the administrators and supervisors were FORMER welfare parents that worked themselves up through the ranks, earned additional education credits (early childcare or what have you) and were able to mentor new hires. This would certainly be feasible in urban areas with dense populations.
My Friend Named Her Baby After Auto Parts {ParentDish}
Jun 22nd 2009 10:33PM I wanted to name my daughter Raven. Everyone told me it was a stripper name. I didn't use it. Good thing because I ended up with a blonde haired, blue eyed daughter.
My friend named his daughter Diamond. I thougth that was a stripper name so as soon as she was born I sent out an e-mail telling everyone else to call her the same nick name. They all hated it too, so it worked. It stuck and while he still calls her Diamond, everyone else calls her the nick name.
But the name that always freaks me out and seems to be gaining in popularity again is Damien. It will forever be "the devil" to me. :)
Showboating Grad Denied Diploma {ParentDish}
Jun 19th 2009 5:20PM The kid will get his diploma, just not when everyone else did.
But I just got back from a long drawn out boring college graduation. Thank GOD for the disruptions or I would have rolled over and died.
It may be a ceremony - and obviously it can't get too out of hand, but mostly this is about the organizers wanting to exert control.
The only thing NOT fair is a disruption that keeps the next name from being heard -- everything else is fine with me.
Jon & Kate Recap - American Chopper Comes to the Gosselins' House {ParentDish}
Jun 16th 2009 3:31PM You know, the viewers TURNED these people into celebrities, and now they want to bitch that they act like them.
Yes, it seems strange to have the American Chopper guys show up, but since Jon and Kate are famous, they attend functions with famous people. It isn't so strange.
And I'm so glad the article is critical of Jon. People treat us like we allow them to. Jon set himself up to be bossed around by Kate because he wasn't man enough to do ANYTHING without her directing him. Had he taken charge and done things the RIGHT way, she wouldn't have to speak to him like she does. And I guarantee she would prefer an EQUAL partner rather than another child.
Nurses hate Nurse Jackie {TV Squad}
Jun 9th 2009 11:48PM ...because it is ok to show doctors as rude, vicodin popping, manipulative, etc....just not nurses.
Is The Helicopter Parent Finally Landing? {ParentDish}
Jun 5th 2009 11:29AM I think thee has been a backlash against over-parenting for a while.
Like most things there needs to be ballance.
We can't seem to get that right. We swing from one side to the other and back again. Many factors contribute to this and the economy is one of them.
