Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Reports of Oral Sex Epidemic May Have Been Greatly Exaggerated?

by Teresa

Here’s something for parents of teenagers to consider.

Newsweek is reporting on a new study that contradicts the idea that there’s an “epidemic” of teenagers having oral sex. 
The idea was brought into the spotlight, in part, by features on TV talk shows.  The theory was that many teens are deciding to have oral sex instead of intercourse, and that they are doing so with multiple partners, in a more casual way.  The new study contradicts all of those assumptions.

To read the whole article, and an interview with one of the authors of the study, click here and here.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

When Life Hands you Lemons, Eat Miracle Fruit?

by Teresa

I read a story in the New York Times today about a strange little fruit that, when eaten, alters a person’s perception of taste.  Apparently, a small number of people are paying money to attend parties where they eat the so-called “Miracle Fruit,“ and then taste other foods, to test the effects.  Who knew such a thing existed?
The little berries reportedly make sour things like lemons taste sweet as candy.  They supposedly make vinegar taste as good as apple juice (personally, I don’t care what anyone tells me; I’m not drinking vinegar, for any reason).  The effect lasts about an hour.
You can click here to read the whole article.

Now, if only someone could go deep into the rainforest, or high up on a mountain somewhere, and discover a berry that would make “new” foods taste good to kingergarteners!  THAT would be a big help around my house!  My daughter will try just about any food, and she likes most of what she tries.  My son is tougher; we’re mostly limited to a small number of foods that he knows he likes to eat.  Any food that he hasn’t tasted before makes him wary, and he’ll make utterly unbelievable faces if I tell him he has to try just one bite.  You’d think I was making him eat lemons… WITHOUT the magical power of any “Miracle Fruit!“  The Times says the berries cost $2 each, but I have to admit, that price might be worth it to get this kid to eat some lasagna, or chicken-not-in-nugget-form, or even just oatmeal once in a while.  (Lest anyone worry that my boy is malnourished, I will say this: we’re lucky that he likes almost every fruit and vegetable; it’s the MAIN dishes we can’t get him to try, for some reason.)

*Note to my mother, if she’s reading this: I know you’re probably smiling at this story, and recalling that I used to behave exactly the same way, if not worse, when I was a child.  Let’s just say, I freely admit that my son’s picky eating habits are probably genetic.

Monday, May 19, 2008

(Wasted) Food for Thought

by Teresa

Like many moms these days, I spend a fair amount of time thinking about the environment and ways to run a “greener” household.  I’m far from alone in this concern; to read a recent article about so-called “Green Guilt,“ click here.

I’m also careful to keep an eye on the amount of money I’m spending on food for my family.  When I was single, and even in my early married days, I’ll be honest: I didn’t give a lot of thought to grocery bills.  Now, I watch for specials, comparison-shop, and I clip coupons like crazy. 

In the New York Times, I’ve just read an article that talks about something that happens in this country—something that’s not at ALL “green,“ something that actually drives UP food prices.  It saddened me, and it surprised me.  It’s about the staggering amount of food that gets wasted in this country.

Here’s a quick quote from the article by Andrew Martin:
“Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American.“

27 percent.  A pound of food per day.

It’s a very interesting piece.  You can click here  to read the whole article (and check out the graphic they put together illustrating how much food is wasted).

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

How About “My Self-Actualized Mommy?“

by Kelly

For weeks now I’ve had this need to say something about a certain book but none of my thoughts were suitable for family-friendly reading. I don’t know why “My Beautiful Mommy” (click here to read about it) has struck such a chord with me. This book is aimed at kids who have mothers going in for plastic surgery to modify their appearance to that of an American teenager. The “mom” in the book gets a nose job, a boob job, and a tummy tuck. It explains her recovery and how she’ll become “the most beautiful butterfly in all the world.“ Although the breast augmentation isn’t mentioned in the book, the illustrations confirm it. It all makes my skin crawl.

Don’t get me wrong. Plastic surgery is a noble part of medicine indeed. It allows some people to function in society. Burn victims, cancer survivors, people with certain deformities, and many more, have benefited from a skilled plastic surgeon. Their lives are given degrees of normalcy which spare them the emotional turmoil and physical pain they would suffer without this help. 

My issue is with physically healthy people feeling they need surgery to be accepted by society. As with any surgery, there is always the risk of death. Complications are always possible no matter how “small” the procedure. I simply don’t understand how someone can risk their lives to “fix” something that simply isn’t “broken” to begin with. I have a particularly hard time understanding this from mothers. As a friend of mine so eloquently puts it, “Mommy hates her (insert body part) more than she loves me.“

Maybe it’s my age – or more specifically, the time when I grew up.

As someone who came into young adulthood in the 80s, I have lived through the movement of “Self-Actualization.“ This is the idea that you strive to become totally comfortable with everything about yourself – as you are. I still hold this ideal in high regard. It’s harder than it seems. I personally know only one person who is truly self-actualized and she is the most beautiful woman in the world to me. She’s my mother-in-law. She is not a “classic” beauty, but she is simply not affected by criticism of her appearance. She swims in the ocean without a thought to anyone else on the beach. Her bathing suit is a ticket to an activity she enjoys, not an instrument of torture, self-doubt, self-criticism, or shame. Her energy is infectious. Her joys are genuine. Her life is true. She is smart and funny and thoughtful. She is a wonderful role model for my husband, me, and my kids. We devour every moment we are with her and I am truly lucky to know her.

There’s also a celebrity I admire for her willingness to age naturally: Jamie Lee Curtis (click here).

Maybe the reason “My Beautiful Mommy” bugs me so much has to do with my geography. In the Northeast, cosmetic surgery is a big deal. I understand that in other places like LA or Miami, this practice is commonplace, everyday, or even expected. But even in these places where surgery is routine, things can go so wrong. Take the case of the Florida teenager this past March (click here), or Kanye West’s mother last November (click here). They were truly lovely ladies taken from this world because they felt something wasn’t “right” with their appearance. And that’s just wrong. 

What kills me is the simple fact that these tragedies could have been avoided. These women obviously have families who love them and miss them and I certainly don’t mean to come off as callous or unsympathetic here. It’s just that, as a mother, I personally cannot risk my not being here on this planet for my kids, for the sake of vanity. Were these women not told this is not a 100% safe option for self-improvement? Did they not sign a waiver before their procedures? (NOTE: A waiver means something can go wrong and probably has in the past!!!) Maybe the thousands of dollars spent on the procedures would’ve been better spent on a psychotherapist with the goal of self-actualization?

Have you ever asked your own kids who they think is beautiful? Every kid I know ranks their own mother in the top 3. Think about it from your child’s perspective: why would your child want you to change the face they have seen every day since day one? It doesn’t matter how old the kid, or the mother for that matter, the simple fact is: if you have a child and raise them well - you have an automatic admirer for life! You’ll have the kind of beauty a goddess longs for. You will forever be beautiful - without the scars!

I cannot grasp the idea of risking not dancing at my children’s weddings to get rid of the post-C-section flab. I cannot gamble my attendance at their high school graduations for a “perkier set.“ This seems like a bad deal. Plain and simple. 

I’ve come up with so many alternate titles for the book “My Beautiful Mommy.“ Most I cannot post here. But here are some prospective books that sadly, will never be written:

“My Smart Mommy”, “My Self-Confident Mommy,“ “My Self-Assured Mommy,“ “My Stable Mommy.“ You get the idea.

If you have more you’d like to add to the list, let me know!

In the meantime, I’ll be at the beach with my mother-in-law, learning how to let this book roll off my back.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

More from Lenore Skenazy

by Teresa

The woman I wrote about recently, who let her young son ride the subway alone in NYC, has parlayed her newfound claim-to-fame into what she describes as a full-scale “movement.“  It even has a name: “Free Range Kids.“
Here’s a quote from Lenore Skenazy about this philosphy, from her new blog: “Do you ever let your kid ride a bike to the library? Walk alone to school? Take a bus, solo? Or are you thinking about it? If so, you are raising a Free Range Kid! ... We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school age children go outside, they need a security detail. Most of us grew up Free Range and lived to tell the tale.“
No one could deny that she’s committed to her ideas and she’s very enthusiastic, I’ll give her that.
And there are some spirited comments being submitted to her page that you can read, if you’re into that sort of thing.
To check out her blog, click here .
She wrote a piece about germs in snow (yes, apparently some people believe you shouldn’t let kids eat snowflakes because they have germs.  Not kidding).  The snow article is an example of what I like, about what she’s doing.  You can click here to read it. 
I do agree with Skenazy that parents need to question some of the craziness that happens when people begin to OVER-protect their children.  But for me, the key is finding a balance between allowing them to experience life, and taking sensible measures to keep them from harm.  I may let my kids go alone to the park someday, but definitely not now when they’re so young.
So, I guess I have to say I’m not ready to “join the movement” yet.  But I certainly appreciate Skenazy’s well-intentioned efforts to get people thinking about how we’re all raising kids these days.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Solo on the Subway

by Teresa

Did you see this story?  A columnist from the New York Sun, Lenore Skenazy, wrote about how she let her 9-year-old son, Izzy, find his own way home on the subway.  She said he’d been begging her to let him try it, so she gave him $20 in cash, a Metrocard and a subway map, and sent him on his way.
And what happened?  Nothing, she says, except that Izzy came home feeling independent and proud!  (To read her column, click here.)
Needless to say, the column has attracted a lot of commentary.
Some, who were horrified by the idea of a child alone in New York, called Skenazy a bad mother.  Others went so far as to say she should face charges for child abuse. 
The criticism didn’t seem to bother Skenazy much, as you can tell if you watch her appearance on NBC’s Today Show (click here).
She points out that her son, who sat next to her on the Today Show sofa, is perfectly fine after his “adventure”—which actually consisted of taking one subway train, and one bus.
The Today Show’s “parenting expert” told Skenazy there are better ways to let a child learn to be independent that aren’t as dangerous.
Some people in the newsroom here have had strong reactions to the story, one way or another. 
Personally, I think I have to reserve judgement on this one.  If there’s one thing I firmly believe, it’s that parents know their own children best.  Some kids mature more quickly than others.
As for my family—I think I’d be too nervous to let my kids take the subway alone at that age.  But then, we don’t live in New York City.  The subway certainly isn’t something they’re exposed to on a daily basis.  They’re not at all familiar with it.  Whereas Izzy Skenazy has probably been on the subway thousands of times.
And certainly, I agree with Skenazy that while it is our duty to try to keep them from harm, we shouldn’t over-protect our children.  She has a valid point, there.
And while the Today Show “expert” has a point that there may be safer ways to foster a child’s sense of independence…  some of Skenazy’s critics are just flat-out irrational (the ones crying “child abuse”).
There is, however, one thing about this story that bothers me.
Skenazy gave Izzy quarters for pay phones in case he needed to call her for help.  (My first thought was: “Really?  Will he be able to FIND a working pay phone, these days?“)
She said she didn’t give him her cell phone, because she was afraid he would lose it.
Now, I THINK she may have been joking when she made that comment.  At least, I hope she was.  Because, surely, a child that can’t be trusted with a cell phone should not be left to fend for himself in the city.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Stay Tuned!

by Teresa

We’ve been having some techinical difficulties with the NewsMoms blog over the past few days (ah, technology!).  We hope to have it all straightened out soon.

In the meantime, for diversion, check out this comedy song that was a huge YouTube hit a few months back.  It’s great fun for all moms.  This lady figured out everything that a mom says to her kids in a 24-our period… and she sings it all to the tune of the William Tell Overture.  I love it! 
You’ll laugh if you watch it, trust me.  Just click here.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Beloved Books: Byron Barton

by NewsMoms

In an earlier posting, Teresa discussed one of her children’s favorite books.  Today, Kelly talks about a series of books that her sons have loved.  We hope to continue featuring “Beloved Books” periodically in this space; please feel free to email us (click the “Contact” button at the very top of our blog page) with descriptions and/or photos of books your children adore!  We’ll share some of those right here on our blog!

Kelly’s Beloved Books
We are a home of devoted Byron Barton fans. My sister-in-law bought one for my eldest when he was just months old. Barton’s basic and bright colors framed in thick, black outlines combined with simple, demonstrative sentences held my son’s interest right from the start. My youngest is still enthralled! In fact, this past Saturday night we used packing tape to repair these books so my 4 year old could read them again. It’s not just one he reads at a sitting. We read all 3 at once – back to back to back. So for 6 years and counting, the trio of Barton’s work still gets a weekly workout.

Which reminds me – we need more packing tape!

Obsessed with “The Office”

by Kelly

I have a problem. It’s an addiction really. I am nutty about the NBC show “The Office.”
With the recent writer’s strike, and the fact that I lent my DVDs of seasons 1 & 2 to Teresa with the hopes of recruiting another fan, I have been in serious withdrawal. I have been crawling through the Office fan sites like “officetally” (click here) and the NBC homepage (click here) every free moment. I find myself saying “That’s what she said!” at every opportunity. I work hard at my other “job” as a salesperson for Dunder Mifflin Infinity (click here), the show’s ultimate fan interactive distraction. These things have made my Office-mania tolerable, and I find that life without new episodes to fuel my “problem” is a little lacking, but manageable.

For example: I have been more awake on Friday mornings, not having to stay up for the latest episode. I find I don’t annoy my fellow Sunrise employees with detailed re-caps and witty quotes from the current Office anymore. My kids don’t have to delete Office episodes from the DVR to make room for Curious George on PBS. My addiction was under control… WAS.

Now that the strike has ended, I feel the rumblings of complete and utter Office obsession re-emerging. I have already seen the still pictures from the next 2 upcoming episodes online. I have read the spoilers over and over. I have watched the commercials on NBC set to the “Welcome Back Cotter” theme song. The bear is out of hibernation!

The new Office episodes will begin April 10 and I can’t contain my excitement!  I am looking fiendishly at the network promotions for those precious frames and dialogue of the actual new episode. I need to know if Jim and Pam’s relationship has evolved even more since we last tuned in. I wonder about Dwight and if he’s back with Angela or making a go alone. Did Jan leave Michael after he completely bungled her case with corporate?  I miss Stanley, Creed, Meredith, Kelly, the warehouse crew, Oscar and Kevin. I miss Michael tormenting Toby. I miss the pranks. I hope Andy/Drew sings again.

April 10 is so close yet so far away! 

So…. Do you have a tv show obsession? Which shows do you have set to “record all episodes” in your DVR? Let us know! We can make a post-strike television show anticipation support group of sorts! 

Friday, March 21, 2008

Sibling Rivalry in NYT

by Teresa

My children are best friends who love each other completely.  Really, this is true.  They’re good kids who often share things with each other, even if they don’t “have” to share.  When my son walks out of the school building when kindergarten lets out, they RUN across the playground to hug each other.

But still.  We are definitely not immune to moments of sibling rivalry in my house!  We’ve heard things like “I don’t want him near me!“ and “I wish I didn’t even have a sister!“ and “I hate you!“  These comments are usually shouted when one scribbles on the other’s artwork, or knocks over a Littlest Pet Shop village, or destroys a painstakingly-created Lego plane. 

Now that I’m a parent, I really have a new understanding of how my brother and I must have tried my parents’ patience. 

A video posted on the New York Times website this week got me thinking about the things I used to do to my brother, when we were younger.  I won’t embarrass myself or him by detailing those escapades here.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, though, like many siblings, by the time we were teenagers, my relationship with my brother was greatly improved (my parents might even tell you that we became partners in crime.  They might tell you stories about parties in the house when they were out of town.  I’m not admitting or denying anything here.)  When I see my brother these days, there’s certainly no more name-calling or shouting “I hate you!“  I assume the same will be true of my kids, someday.  Perhaps they’ll grow up and the closest they’ll come to conflict in their adult years will be vigorous debates about political candidates.

Anyway.  To the video.  A New York Times camera crew recorded people’s stories about sibling rivalry.  You can click here to see it.  (The video was a sidebar piece to an article about an author who had apparently faked her recently-published memoir; her lies were uncovered when her own sister revealed the truth about their upbringing—yikes!  Now THAT is some serious sibling conflict!  To see that column, click here .)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Soapbox Topic: Vaccines (Flu)

by Teresa

The Boston Globe reports that four children have died this year in the state of Massachusetts, from the flu.
No children died from the flu in the Bay State in all of 2007.
This flu season has been a bad one, but thankfully, health officials say it’s nearing its end, and the worst is behind us.

To read the Globe article, click here.

Articles like this one only reaffirm my belief that the flu shot is a good thing, for ALMOST everyone.  It’s a good example of the benefits of “herd immunity.“  The idea is that if MOST people are vaccinated against a disease, fewer people at high RISK for the disease will actually get it, because there will be fewer sick people to spread the germs around, among the healthy people.
This is why the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recently recommended changing the guidelines, and advising MORE people to get the flu shot (click here).

I get the flu shot every year, and so does my husband.  My children get the vaccine, also (my daughter gets the shot, but my son’s old enough to get the nasal spray).  Not only are we protecting ourselves, we’re also protecting the people around us. 

Sure, there are arguments against the shot.  They’re not perfect; this year’s formula didn’t perfectly match the strains of flu that are out there.  There’s the never-ending debate about whether it’s safe.  Some people still mistakenly believe that you can GET the flu, from the flu shot (you can’t; it’s a “dead” virus.  The nasal mist, however, is a different type of vaccine.  For more, click here).
I believe—again, from my own research and conversations with our pediatrician—that the risk of the sickness we COULD get without the vaccine, is far worse than the extremely minimal risk of having the vaccine. 

That’s my Vaccine Soapbox for today.  Next fall when you consider the flu vaccine for your family, you’ll have to make your own decision.  But I hope you’ll at least consider the idea that the shot could be a good thing for your family, AND for your community. 
Something to think about: four families in Massachusetts are mourning the deaths of their children from flu, right now. 

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Breaking News:  HPV

by Teresa

I’ve been working on the HPV Vaccine post (below) for several days.
In an occurrence of coincidental timing, some HUGE news about HPV just came out this week.

If you watched our local news, or any national news programs last night—or if you read virtually any newspaper, you’ve seen the shocking headlines that were JUST published yesterday, about the high percentage of teenagers in the U.S. who have sexually transmitted diseases.

ONE in every FOUR teenaged girls aged 14 to 19 have contracted at least one STD.  The most common of them all? HPV.

(In case you missed my last posting: Some strains of HPV can eventually cause deadly cervical cancer).

Parents of all teenagers should read this story if they haven’t already.
For the article in the New York Times: click here.
Or the one in the Boston Globe: click here.

Soapbox Topic: Vaccines (HPV)

by Teresa

Vaccines (HPV)

A vaccine called Gardasil protects against HPV, the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer.  An article in the New York Times recently talks about how the vaccine is currently marketed to girls, but could soon be recommended for boys, too, and why that may be a good idea.  (For the Times article, click here. . For more information about Gardasil:  click here.)

Gardasil is pretty new, and when it first came out, some districts tried to make it mandatory for girls in certain age groups.  There was an outcry from some parents who didn’t want their daughters to have it.  Why didn’t they want the vaccine?  Because HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.  Human Papilloma Virus, in addition to causing most cases of cervical cancer, can also cause genital warts.  The HPV vaccine protects against two strains that cause cancer, and two that cause warts.  Not a pleasant topic, perhaps, but it’s important medical information.

Some parents actually objected to the vaccine because they said it would make kids more likely to become sexually active.  That’s right.  This vaccine could save the lives of daughters all over the U.S. someday, but some parents didn’t want it, because their kids might take it as a sign that they were free to have sex.  Moreover, many of these parents said their daughters didn’t NEED it, because they would never have sex before marriage.  (I guess it never occurred to those parents that perhaps their angelic daughters might end up MARRYING someone who’d already had sex; no matter whether you get it before or after marriage, HPV can STILL cause cancer!)

And so.
Here comes my soapbox, folks.

First of all, TEENS HAVE SEX.  Despite years of federally-funded efforts to promote abstinence, TEENS ARE STILL HAVING SEX.  No, I don’t like to think about my daughter having sex in high school (and my husband will assuredly turn pale if you mention it in his presence).  I don’t know any parents who aren’t concerned about teen sex.  But let’s get real, here.  A recent study reported that 47 percent of all high school students in this country say they’ve had sex at least once.  By spring of their senior year, 63 percent say they’ve had sex.  (To read more about the study, which also looked at the effectiveness of abstinence-only sex ed, click here.)
Kids are already having sex, with or without this vaccine. 

Secondly, since many schools have been using “abstinence” programs instead of comprehensive sex education, now more than ever, it’s up to parents to explain to their children that there can be MANY consequences of sex during teenage years. Those include, but are not limited to: HIV and other diseases, teen pregnancy, gossip among other students, and just plain old broken hearts!  If offering your child a vaccine to protect against one STD actually convinces your child that he or she can pursue sex with no consequences, then you’re failing as a parent.  It’s not the vaccine’s fault.  It’s yours.

Third.  It can’t be said enough.  Cervical cancer KILLS WOMEN.  More than 10,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with it each year.  Of those, more than 3,000 will die from it.  This vaccine could SAVE your daughter’s life someday.  Listen, it comes down to this for me.  It’s really simple.  You have a vaccine that could save my daughter’s life?  SIGN HER UP.  You want boys to get vaccinated too, to make sure they can’t transmit a potentially deadly disease to others?  SIGN MY SON UP, TOO.  I will sign them up as soon as they’re old enough (Gardasil is recommended for the pre-teen years, before children become sexually active). 

Now, if you don’t want your child to have a vaccine because of a medical concern of some kind, that’s a completely different story (in the districts that tried to make the vaccine mandatory, any parent who wanted to “opt out” simply had to sign a form, and that was that).  Do what you have to do, check with your doctor for advice, read all the information you can get your hands on, and make an informed decision.

But please, don’t argue that a life-saving vaccine should be eliminated, just because it’s aimed at an STD.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Soapbox topic: Vaccines (Rotavirus)

by Teresa

So far in this blog, my posts haven’t been TOO opinionated, but as you’ll learn if you keep reading, there are some topics that really get me going!  One of them is childhood vaccines.  My next few posts will be on this topic.

For today: Rotavirus vaccine.

A new vaccine for Rotavirus was recently approved by an FDA advisory panel.  Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis, what many people commonly call “stomach flu.”  (Symptoms include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea that often last for 3 to 8 days; for more information about the illness, click here). 

The new vaccine is called Rotarix (click here).  It could earn full FDA approval as early as next month.  There’s another one, Rotateq, from a different pharmaceutical company (click here).  That one was fully approved by the FDA a few years ago.

My kids, both of them, were participants in vaccine trials for Rotateq before it was approved.  I remember when I made the decision to enter my kids, as infants, in the vaccine trials.  Some people thought I was a little crazy to allow my children to have vaccines that weren’t on the market yet. 

Certainly, parents should always give thoughtful consideration to any decision about their children’s medical care, including vaccines.

In this case, the facts convinced me that it was worth getting the vaccine to protect my children.  Rotavirus is VERY common in young children, and very contagious; in fact, nearly EVERY American child has been infected by the age of 5.  Between 55,000 and 70,000 children in the U.S. are hospitalized with Rotavirus every year, most because of dehydration.  According to the CDC, 20 to 60 American children DIE from it every year!

The vaccine had few reported side effects.  There’s no mercury or thimerosal in the vaccine.

And my pediatrician recommended the vaccine to us.  Our kids have a truly excellent doctor, and I trust his advice.  Of course, I always do my own research, reading and asking questions, but I do value his opinion and I give a lot of weight to it when I make my decisions.  Tests showed that Rotateq was extremely successful—preventing 98% of severe cases of Rotavirus, according to the CDC.

The result, in this case?  My kids suffered no side effects at all (they were closely tracked by a nurse, because they were in the vaccine trial).  It was an oral vaccine, so they didn’t even have pain from a shot.  And to date, my kids have never had severe “stomach flu;” they certainly have never required hospitalization for any stomach illness.  I know some children who have stomach illnesses a few times a YEAR; mine have had them a few times in their entire LIVES, and they’re almost 4 and almost 6 years old.  They’ve had mild stomach illnesses that lasted about 24 hours, but they’ve never had the 3 to 8 days’ worth of sickness that’s typical of Rotavirus.  I feel very fortunate that we were able to get the vaccine.

That’s just our personal story, of course; other families may have different experiences.  But I always tell new moms they should check with their doctors about getting a Rotavirus vaccine for infants.  We all know how awful it can be to have “stomach flu.”  In my opinion, it’s worth having the conversation with your pediatrician, if there’s a chance of sparing your child those days of misery.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Hippopotamus Love

by Teresa

Take a look at our copy of “But Not the Hippopotamus” by Sandra Boynton.  You can tell by the picture how beloved this book has been.
This was, for a couple of years, one of the top-five favorite books in my household.  My husband picked it out for my son at the bookstore when the little one was just about a year old.  After hundreds of readings, I’m surprised it hasn’t fallen apart.
When I let my kids choose gifts to give to new babies, they often choose this book.
Many parents already know of Sandra Boynton.  She’s written and illustrated dozens of kids’ books; she’s also had a series of books containing song lyrics and CDs with recordings of big-time musicians singing her delightfully, deliberately silly songs.  My favorite of her songs is the one called “I Need a Nap,“ performed by Weird Al Yankovich and Kate Winslet on the CD “Dog Train.“
There is a really nice profile of Boynton in the New York Times this week, headlined “The Power of Whimsy.“  (You can click here to read it.) 
My children still love the silliness of “But Not the Hippopotamus,“ and its rhyming phrases such as “A MOOSE and a GOOSE together have JUICE,“ and “A HOG and a FROG do a dance in a BOG.“  Each phrase is followed by the words: “But NOT the hippopotamus,“ right up until the funny, surprise ending.