Cross-posted at MotherTalkers.
Good morning fellow moms, dads and caregivers!
I am back with your weekly parenting news update. Here are some topics we recently discussed at MotherTalkers:
This was a sad and bizarre week for me. I have two loved ones who ended up in the hospital, but are now recovering. The 28-year-old son of an acquaintance was gunned down at his house in Oakland last Friday. I want to particularly highlight this last incident not only because of how senseless it was. Police have not been able to identify a motive nor arrest any suspect. But there was a moment, in which the 911 call by the victim's girlfriend did not go through because she called on a cell phone. Yes, 911 calls are supposed to work on cell phones, but they don't always. If anything, for peace of mind, you should program the number of your local police department in your cell phone. My husband and I did.
Another post that provoked a lot of discussion was my description of how hubby and I split household chores at home. I chuckled -- and nodded in agreement -- at a recent Carolyn Hax column (Washington Post) on why assigning spouses specific nights to cook dinner doesn't work.
A pick-me-up in all the dreary news: I did attend a nice event put on by PBS Kids, which unveiled a week-long day summer camp for kids who are not read to at home. The camp's curriculum is based on its popular educational show Super Why. I had never seen it, but as I said in my review, my 5-year-old son was hooked. What I loved about it is rather than watch him in a trance in front of the TV, he was actually interacting with the characters, pointing out letters and words and shouting out answers. What are some of your children's favorite programs?
One of our front-page writers, Shenanigans -- aka "elfling" at Daily Kos -- wrote about a recent study that showed women perform better in science classes with female instructors. While some of the study's cynics attributed the findings to female teachers as easy graders, our Shenanigans, who was one of a handful of female students at an elite science university, said it was due to the fact these women finally had female mentors. She discussed her own experiences going through a largely male institution with all male teachers and the loneliness of being in the minority and not having anyone take an active interest in you.
Our Lonestar Canuck, a mother of three, had a fun column on 15 "mommy confessions." Feel free to add to her list "I can't be the only mother who ever..." Hilarious!
Our Gloria, a single mother to two children, reviewed a book by Mary F. Pols, Accidentally on Purpose: The True Tale of a Happy Single Mother.
It's the end of the school year. Congrats to you and your families for surviving yet another year of last-minute school projects, soccer games, trumpet lessons and late-night dinners. Extra congratulations to those of you with graduating seniors.
What else is in the news? What's up with you?