Pre-K graduation gets violent
Preschool graduations have always been a tad bit controversial. Where some find ridiculous amounts of cuteness (teeny-weeny caps and gowns, oh my), others see an over-the-top celebration for kids who don't really get what's going on. Now one Pre-K graduation in L.A. is being called crazy and it has nothing to do with the kids and everything to do with the brawling parents. As the New York Daily News reports, a fight recently broke out amongst a group of moms at a Pre-K graduation ceremony. There's some discrepancy about what caused the ruckus, but one witness reports that the fight erupted over the lone cap and gown the kids were supposed to share for the event. "Because of budget issues, all the kids had to share a cap and gown for pictures," the witness said. But the school claims there were never supposed to be any caps or gowns for the tots. Apparently an older woman, who wasn't involved in the fight, was injured in the ruckus. When people tried to help her, they found themselves getting attacked as well. Now for the collective, national head shake...
Daddies, raise your daughters well -- and here's how
Raising daughters is hard enough for moms -- and we know the drill; we went through it all once ourselves. For dads, it can be even harder, like guiding someone through a foreign land where you don't speak the language. Luckily, there's an easy, 25-step guide to help get us all through, thanks to The Good Men Project. The tips range from funny to sincere and simple to thought-provoking. They recommend that dads tell their daughters they're pretty, but tell them other good things about themselves more. Because pretty matters, but smart and funny matter more. Tell those girls that handymen can be women, then teach them how to change a tire, turn off the water main and fix a toilet. Share your hobbies, interests and taste in music with your daughter. Dress up like a princess with her, but also let her play in the mud (probably not at the same time though, or you'll find yourself shelling out for a new princess dress). Although these tips are meant for the dads, a lot of them work for the moms, too.
Warning to teens: There's a 25 percent chance your sext message will get forwarded
Just the term sexting is enough to make otherwise rational parents consider calling up the local convent to see if they have any extra space. As MSNBC.com reports, a new survey shows that nearly 20 percent of teens admit to sexting. Obviously, a whole lot of kids are comfortable with the idea, even if their parents aren't. But, as Mommyish points out, there's one statistic in this survey that might actually get kids to think twice before hitting 'send.' 25 percent of sext messages get forwarded on. So, while kids may think they're sending their racy pic to a trusted boyfriend or girlfriend, there's a decent chance that they're also unwittingly sending it on to a whole lot of other people. And remember kids, just because they're your boyfriend now, doesn't mean they'll always be. What if you break up (even for just a day)? In a moment of anger or revenge, forwarding on a picture is a pretty easy thing to do...
Will U.S. maternity leave policies ever improve?
It's not news that the U.S. has one of the worst maternity leave policies in the world. Together with Papua New Guinea and Swaziland, we are the only three countries that don't guarantee new moms paid maternity leave. But, will that ever change? A recent BabyCenter.com poll showed that 66 percent of women who responded said they'd be willing to pay higher taxes in exchange for paid maternity leave. BabyCenter's Editor-in-Chief recently shared those poll results with the Director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, during a Women's Health Town Hall, who was reportedly shocked. But, it's not just moms and soon-to-be-moms, who are advocating for paid maternity leave. Forbes, the quintessential business magazine, recently ran an article advocating for paid maternity leave. If businesses and self-proclaimed "Card-carrying capitalists" are in support of paid maternity leave, do you think it might actually stand a chance?
Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers.