In an enthrallingly smart, clear-headed essay in this week’s New Yorker, Jill Lepore slams the “bad parent” movement into historical context. Lepore’s immediate target is the current bestseller Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman—the book that triggered a million mommy-blog posts in the dramedy [...]

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You’ve gotta love babygadget.net for its nursery-decor suggestions. Some of its finds, like this chest of drawers that costs more than a high-end fridge, are achingly charming. Others are—shall we say?—thought-provoking. One recent post, showcasing Danish bunny-themed wallpaper, provoked this pensée: At what size does a baby rabbit become disturbingly monstrous? Here are three designs [...]

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During this difficult, emotional, shamelessly hyped, and—if all goes as planned—massively viewed—period for the Gosselin family, no advice is more important than this sun-worshipper’s tip: How do I prevent “raccoon eyes?” Adjusting the protective eyewear occasionally during a tanning session will help to minimize this condition. The adjustment can be performed by gently sliding the [...]

» Continue reading "Jon & Kate divorce update: “We’ve made a life-changing decision to devote more time to tanning.”"

Yesterday’s creepy encounter with TheCuteKid.com gave me the impression that Americans value Cuteness in their young above, well, everything—and that all kids naturally strive for it, too. Then I saw this (circa 2007) local-news clip of Autumn Poovey, an Ohio high-school cheerleader who, as her puzzled mother says, “didn’t want to be cute anymore.” Autumn’s [...]

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Candid admission: Earlier tonight, I saw the horror movie Drag Me To Hell (a smartly cheesy film about a young mortgage-loan manager cursed by a bug-eyed gypsy). I’m a little jumpy, unhinged. But even if I’d been calmer when I stumbled on The 2009 Cute Kid of the Year website, I suspect it would have [...]

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