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Kids Aren't Picky -- We're Just Bad Parents
It's not my fault that my kids are picky eaters, I learned today. But it's my fault if I don't fix it.
That's what I gleaned from a recent article by Helen Zoe Veit, the author of a forthcoming book called "Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History."
Children are not naturally picky, Veit tells us in her piece. Not ...Read more
Toys as Therapy
The New York Toy Fair is a huge convention where manufacturers big and small display their toys to retailers who will hopefully buy them and sell them to the public. I've been going off and on for a couple of decades, and here's what I saw that's new:
STEM IS OUT, "MESH" IS IN:
A few years ago, it was hard to tell the Toy Fair from MIT. The ...Read more
Family guide to new movie releases
'SCREAM 7'
Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, and language.
What it’s about: Sidney Prescott contends with another Ghostface killer terrorizing her home, family and teenage daughter.
The kid attractor factor: Teens might be drawn to the slasher genre.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Overprotective might not be protective enough.
...Read more
Lori Borgman: Mid-winter and the garden is flourishing
Our garden is always at its best in mid-winter when I nestle by a cozy fire and linger over seed catalogs. I have yet to plant a single seed into the ground, which is now granite.
As of Page 3 in the catalog that arrived two days ago, I have visions of deep red tomatoes piled high in bushel baskets. Page 10 adds pole beans gracefully winding ...Read more
Ex-etiquette: Telling too much
Q. My ex continually tells our 10-year-old the gory details of our divorce. Our child doesn't really understand what he's being told and comes home with wild stories -- some parts are true; other parts are completely off. How can I help my child understand what's real without badmouthing the other parent? What's good ex-etiquette?
A. Oh my. I ...Read more
A glamorous facade cracks in Alyssa Sheinmel’s chilling mystery
Three intricately woven stories of addiction, resentment, and deceit converge at an exclusive rehabilitation facility for the rich and famous. The mysterious death of a patient threatens to expose the troubled history of the treatment center, along with the painful secrets of each guest.
Bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel presents her first ...Read more
Building better men, brick by brick in 'Boys Will Be Men'
In an era when conversations about masculinity often oscillate between defensiveness and despair, Vince Benevento’s "Boys Will Be Men: 8 Lessons for the Lost American Male" takes a different approach. Rather than debating what masculinity should mean, Benevento focuses on what young men actually need: structure, accountability, mentorship and ...Read more
Parents Seek Guidance On Motivating Their Kids
Q: Sometimes my wife and I are at a loss as to how to motivate our kids to do their best without getting pushy. We want them to reach their full potential. Do you have any suggestions?
Jim: My advice is actually pretty simple: Always be their cheerleader. Affirmation beats out criticism and negativity any day. But here's the catch -- make sure ...Read more
In Losing Jesse Jackson, We Lost a Champion of Justice
It seems like everyone in Chicago has a story about the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died this week at the age of 84. Here's mine.
I was a young reporter when I first talked to him, working the weekend and holiday shifts, which meant I often covered some of the bleakest stories in the newspaper. This story was among the bleakest.
I had been ...Read more
Family guide to new movie releases
'HOW TO MAKE A KILLING'
Rated R for language and some violence/bloody images.
What it’s about: A disgraced heir to a large family fortune decides to eliminate the competition in line for the inheritance.
The kid attractor factor: This is more of an adult dark comedy — not really for kids.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Is being wealthy really...Read more
Ex-etiquette: Alienating our son?
Q. When I got a divorced, I moved to another town with my now-9-year-old son. His father continues to live in our family home and maintain the same friends, which includes my best friend and her husband who also have a son my son’s age. They are best friends, too. When my son visits his father, he wants to play with his old friend, but when my...Read more
California sends $90 million to Planned Parenthood
Just over four months after Planned Parenthood affiliates were defunded by the Trump administration, California injected another $90 million lifeline in “reproductive healthcare” grants to the state’s seven affiliates — among the largest in the United States.
The latest funding comes as a result of legislation, Senate Bill 106, passed ...Read more
'Fighting Back' traces one pilot’s journey from Bronx childhood to the birth of the Israeli Air Force
Stan Andrews begins life as Stan Anekstein, the son of Jewish immigrants in the Bronx. He loves drawing. He loves movies. He wants a wider life than the one he sees on his block. The authors show how this restless kid becomes a gifted pilot in the US Army Air Corps, flying more than forty combat missions in the Pacific during World War II. Those...Read more
Queer Gothic reads where power, desire and dark secrets refuse to stay buried
Queer Gothic fiction is dangerous in the best way: it whispers, it seduces, it drags you into dark hallways where desire hides in shadow and power shifts with every glance. The following novels are about women, outsiders and anyone daring enough to claim a voice in worlds built to silence them.
If you want stories that haunt, thrill and make ...Read more
Spouse Seeks Stability After Loved One's Death
Q: My husband recently passed away after a long battle with health issues. My entire identity had become wrapped up in caring for him. Now that the struggle is over, I feel empty and lost as well as grieved. I honestly don't know where to turn or what to do next.
Jim: My heart goes out to you. The death of any loved one is difficult, especially...Read more
Plant in Your Own Life and We All Reap the Rewards
There's a 36-year-old song that talks about the value of hard work.
"I gotta get out of bed and get a hammer and a nail," the chorus goes, "Learn how to use my hands, not just my head. I think myself into jail. Now, I know a refuge never grows from a chin in a hand in a thoughtful pose. Gotta tend the earth if you want a rose."
I've been ...Read more
Treating 6-Year-Olds Like Infants
A 6-year-old rode off on his bike and stayed out for two hours without his parents knowing where he was.
That would have had me very worried! But when a mom asked Slate for advice on how to deal with this situation -- and with her husband saying this was no big deal, as he used to ride his bike at that age -- the advice-giver, Logan Sachon, ...Read more
Gov. Gavin Newsom approves $90 million for Planned Parenthood
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Wednesday to provide $90 million to Planned Parenthood, a move intended to help offset the losses from recent federal cuts targeting abortion providers.
"These cuts were designed to attack and assault Planned Parenthood," said Newsom, speaking at a news conference near the Capitol. "They were not abortion cuts...Read more
Family guide to new movie releases
'CRIME 101'
Rated R for language throughout, some violence and sexual material/nudity.
What it’s about: A perfectionist jewel thief in Los Angeles has his best laid plans turned to chaos with a new robber in town and an obsessive cop on his tail.
The kid attractor factor: This is an adult drama, not much appeal for kids.
Good lessons/bad ...Read more
Ex-etiquette: Getting to the truth
Q: My child comes home from her other parent's house with stories that sound absolutely ridiculous. I don't want to dismiss what she tells me, but I also don't know what's true, what's exaggerated and what might be made-up. How am I supposed to sort through that without overreacting? What's good ex-etiquette here?
A: When children live in two ...Read more
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