Yeah, so my four-year-old dropped the F-bomb. At least she used it in the right context. When a New York socialite collected her toddler from nursery school, she was informed that her daughter had responded with a "f**k you" when a boy had called the girl's dress "heinous." The mom's reaction to the incident was to commend her daughter's proper usage of the Queen-Mother of Dirty Words. The school was not amused and questioned how it had come to be that the daughter had such mastery of four-letter words. The mom and daughter used the incident as inspiration for a new children's book. However, many people are focusing less on the new book and more on her privileged life and parenting style. Some criticize that the book's real lesson is 'If you're rich and connected, tell the world, "F**k off!"'
Two uteruses, two babies, two times in just two months?! When a woman in India with two uteruses gave birth to twins (think one baby in each womb) in August, we were amazed. After all, what are the chances? Somewhere between one in five million and one in fifty million -- depending on who you ask (either way, chances are slim). Well, it's happened again, this time to a mom in Florida. Neither mom had reproductive assistance. This is getting so commonplace, we probably won't report on it again until we get a woman with three wombs and triplets.
Aah, the baby book. The special keepsake to record all of those precious milestones. First smile, first time baby rolls over, first time your toddler gets the whole family kicked out of a restaurant by throwing a tantrum... As the sweet achievements of a baby's first year give way to the tantrums and wacky antics of toddlerhood, some parents find themselves looking for a humorous way to record the hilarity and humiliation that life with a toddler brings. "Yeah, That Happened! My Terrifically Terrible Toddler," is a new baby book on the market, which offers parents the chance to preserve those "other" parenting memories. What would be your first entry in such a book?
For a journalist covering the U.N. General Assembly, this week is a tense and busy time. Trying to score interviews with high-ranking officials, standing your ground as other reporters jostle you for a prime position at a press conference, surprise visits by Tony Blair... And, that's all before you have to run to the bathroom to pump. This week, TODAY Moms' very own Jordana Horn is one multi-tasking mama -- in between reporting on the Palestinian bid for U.N. Membership for the Jerusalem Post, she will be pumping during breaks and writing out school permission slips for her older kids during her few moments of down-time.
How do economics affect parenting skills? Are poor parents poorer at parenting? Are wealthy parents providing a richer and more enriching environment for their kids? Some assume that the economic resources available to more affluent parents allow them the luxury of providing their children with more opportunities and resources, putting their kids at a distinct advantage. However, some argue that the bum rap lower-income parents often receive is more indicative of the biases of upper-income people, rather than of the parenting abilities of poorer parents. They say that the academic achievement gap between the income classes isn't as prominent as many believe and that when it comes to raising moral and emotionally intelligent children, low-income parents may have something to teach middle and upper-income parents.
Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. She is currently developing an alarm clock that will start an IV coffee drip 10 minutes prior to wake-up time. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com.