SWF seeks SM for conception and co-parenting. Burnt out on match.com and JDate, but you still want to have kids and raise a family? Well, there's a site for you. It skips all of that pesky romance nonsense and goes straight to the heart of the matter -- the raising of the babies. Modamily claims to be the “first community to facilitate introductions between responsible, like-minded adults committed to co-parenting a child.” After a match is made, couples draw up a co-parenting contract, which outlines how things like religion, finances and time obligations will be handled. Some say that the old, "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage," plan ends in divorce all too often. So, why not make the commitment to the child first, then deal with the messy romantic love aspect later (or not)? Of course, there are skeptics, who say that raising a child is a challenging undertaking, made easier if there is love and commitment between the parents, not just towards the child, but towards each other.
Rape tag?! Say it's not so
"Rape! You're it!" For those of us who grew up thinking Friday flip up day was pretty risqué, the idea of rape tag on the playground is downright shocking. An elementary school principal in Minnesota recently sent letters home to parents, letting them know about a game dubbed "rape tag" that was being played during recess. The concept is similar to freeze tag, except players had to be "humped" before they could be unfrozen. The school first learned of the game a few weeks earlier and quickly tagged it out. But, rumors began circulating via Facebook, prompting the principal to send the letter to parents.
Catholic school girls told to ditch their skirts (for a more modest look)
Oh, those Catholic school girls and their tantalizing tartans. One private school in Connecticut has had it with the girls tarting up their uniforms by rolling the waistbands on their plaid skirts (thus, shortening them and showing a bit more leg in the process). St. Bernadette's is replacing the classic skirts with a uniform of khakis and polo shirts. However, many parents aren't happy with the new dress code and are bemoaning the break with tradition. Some parents have protested that they don't want their daughters looking like a "magnet school kid," while others are upset that their daughters won't be easily recognizable as a St. Bernadette student around town. The more practical parents are just annoyed that they have to shell out for new uniforms.
Stinky diaper forces plane to make an emergency landing
Remain calm, folks. We're about to attempt an emergency landing. Not to cause alarm, but there is a very foul-smelling diaper onboard and we must land this plane immediately. A Qantas flight was recently re-routed after passengers complained about a very strange and bad smell. Qantas procedures require planes to land immediately if a mysterious odor is detected. The plane was forced to land at a small airport (not equipped to handle the jumbo jet) and it took two hours for the passengers to be removed by a forklift, five people at a time. Investigation showed that the stench stemmed from a diaper stuffed into a toilet. Fellow air passengers are hoping the baby's parents will investigate that kid's diet to improve future output.
Teacher confesses to hating homework
All homework is not created equal. You've got your no-value-added "busy work" and then you've got your worthwhile homework -- the stuff that actually helps a student learn a subject better. One teacher, who's also a mom, has confessed to hating homework. She hates fighting with her own kids over it, and she hates seeing them spending their afternoons inside doing homework, rather than playing outside. However, she still assigns homework. So, why does she do it? For one, if she didn't, she knows she'd be labeled as a pushover or an uncaring educator. For another, she asked her students what they thought. They unanimously (although reluctantly) admitted that homework does help, if it's the good kind. This teacher calls on all teachers to only assign valuable homework and to remember that kids also need time at home to play, read and imagine. Do you think most of the homework your kids bring home is worthwhile or do they get too much busy work?
Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com.