How parents of gifted children can take canny advantage of Michael Jackson’s death:
• Give your offspring the okay to choose the King of Pop for a role model “as long as you explain that heroes are ‘complex people with less than flattering attributes,’” writes Project GiftED blogger Melissa Greczy, a woman who likes to [...]

» Continue reading "Michael Jackson’s death as—what else?—a learning moment"

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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Item A: Confusing a trend with an authority figure, Babble.com’s Karen Bridson blogs about how the “bad mother” craze has cut her “a little slack” after seven years of pressure to “do everything perfectly.” She has never met a trend so thoughtful and lenient.
Item B: Just when she’s feeling pretty good about her new imperfection, [...]

» Continue reading "Obama tries desperately to get in on “bad parent” craze"

Back in January, Kate Gosselin of “Jon & Kate plus 8″ spoke candidly to Today’s Christian Woman about the important guidance God has given her as she’s pursued the path of reality-TV loathsomeness. Some highlights from the interview:
On how God provides between $25,000 and $75,000 for every hour that she allegedly exploits children on TV: [...]

» Continue reading "Kate Gosselin credits God for making her so unappealing"

After yesterday’s meditation on toddler vehicles, I stumbled on a website hawking retro toddler firetrucks. Sold alongside these tiny $240 emergency vehicles—propelled by pedal power—is a small collection of firefighter garb. As you can see, the options are completely gender-neutral….
Why do little boys get to douse imaginary flames in realistic uniforms, while little girl [...]

» Continue reading "Introducing…Princess Firefighter"