SR.com Blogs | Parents' Council Blog

Countdown to the new site

Just a reminder - we'll be throwing the switch on the new website pretty soon (I don't have an exact timeframe yet, but it's coming up). ( Full post )

Teddy Bear Teas

Just trying out the new blog features. Here's a story about Teddy Bear Teas at Spokane Public Libraries: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/dec/11/tots-take-part-in-teddy-bear-tea/ ( Full post )

Spilling the beans about Santa

( Full post )

"Midwife milestone"

If you get a chance, please check out John Stucke's story on Kathy Bentley, a certified nurse midwife in Spokane who delivered her 1,000th baby this week. ( Full post )

It's really happening...

Remember that new web site I mentioned a few months ago? It actually exists. ( Full post )

Happiness and selective memory

There�s no question that children can make our lives both joyful and gratifying, but having kids also can take a toll on our mental health. ( Full post )

Calling all families: Supernanny�s in Spokane

In case you haven�t heard, the ABC show �Supernanny� will be at NorthTown Mall on Saturday. ( Full post )

Balancing work and family

Like many of her columns, Jamie Tobias Neely�s essay in Sunday�s paper, �First lady Obama can help working parents,� really hit home for me. ( Full post )

Spokesman Christmas fund

Is there a way we could collect contributions somehow for the Christmas Fund and donate it from the Parent's Council group? ( Full post )

Bribery or reward?

I confess, I do it more than I should. But when we�re late and in a hurry, I find myself creating all kinds of incentives to get my kids out the door and into the car. �We�ll stop by the park, I promise.� Or �Here, have a snack and sit in your carseat.� Or even worse: �Hey, if you guys behave and get in the car right now, I�ll buy you some ice cream/let you watch TV this afternoon/give you a prize.� ( Full post )

Playing sports for fun?

( Full post )

Teaching kids to help others

On our way to my children�s preschool/child care, we often end up stopping at the light on Division Street and Third Avenue in downtown Spokane. On most days, a homeless man with a sign spends the morning standing on the west end of that corner. If you�re on the left-hand lane, you can�t help but make eye contact. ( Full post )

Babies at work

At some companies, employees can now bring their babies, according to this recent article from The Burlington Free Press. ( Full post )

Holiday traditions

I know I�m jumping the gun a little bit, but I heard that Santa's already at the mall, the Christmas decorations are up at area stores and of course, the holidays are on my mind. ( Full post )

Sick kids

Sometime in the fall or winter and maybe once again in the spring, our children inevitably catch a bug that gives them congestion and a runny nose. For some, the illness can be a lot worse. The kids may end up with a fever, diarrhea and other symptoms. Some might even get a virus or infection that drains them for days. ( Full post )

Toxic-Free Toys

Last summer, parents across the country had to take away Thomas the Tank trains, Baby Einstein color blocks and other toys that contained dangerous lead paint. ( Full post )

Home Alone

My sisters and I were latchkey children. When I was 11 and my sister was 9, we would take the Metro bus home from our north Seattle Catholic school back to our home in the suburb of Brier. From the bus stop, we walked for about half a mile (we took a shortcut through the cemetery) before reaching our house, located in a quiet cul-de-sac. ( Full post )

No more school bake sales?

Some students and their parents will no longer be able to bring cookies, brownies or cupcakes to school. According to a recent New York Times story, strict new state nutrition standards for California�s public schools have more or less banned sweets along with the traditional bake sale.

Snacks sold during the school day can�t have more than 35 percent sugar by weight and derive no more than 35 percent of their calories from fat and no more than 10 percent of their calories from saturated fat. ( Full post )

Can Boys Just Be Boys?

Always knew about the harsh way that girls can treat each other, yet not so much about boys. My 7th grade son, now attending middle school, told me how a neighboring 8th grade boy ignores him at school. These kids play together occasionally, riding bikes or skateboards, playing video games after school. Yet when my son says �hi� at school, it goes unnoticed. They ride the school bus together, but he is ignored, except for the alone time when walking home. ( Full post )

"Sympathy" weight gain and other male symptoms of pregnancy

During her pregnancy, a friend of mine developed a ravenous appetite. Like other expectant moms, she ate all the time and gradually gained the weight she needed to nourish herself and the baby inside. ( Full post )