LilSugar

Five Fascinating Facts From The Male Brain

Angelica Marden — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:41:45 PDT

When a friend passed on Louann Brizendine's The Male Brain ($17) I almost added it to my already sky-high tower of books, but her recommendation was so passionate, I cracked it open during my commute. And I couldn't stop reading. The follow up to Brizendine's bestselling The Female Brain, the XY edition looks at the lifespan of a man's brain - from conception to old age - and how hormones influence growth, behavior, and the stages of life. While many of the book's insights felt like common sense reminders from college courses and pregnancy preparedness guides, I learned (or re-learned) a few fascinating tidbits that have already helped me better understand the men in my life. I highly suggest you pick up a copy, but in the interim, here are a few titillating teasers.

Could You Parent the Way French Moms Do?

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:37:41 PST

You've met the Tiger Mother and the Free-Range Mom, but now there's a new maman in town.

When American journalist Pamela Druckerman had her baby in Paris, she became acutely aware of the parallel parenting universe that exists there and turned her experience into a book. Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting (out today) explores the decidedly more laid-back French approach to child rearing. Parental guilt is almost nonexistent in France, and weekends are dictated by what mom and dad want to do, as opposed to soccer games and birthday parties.

Wondering where you fall on the parenting spectrum? Take our quick quiz, and find out which parenting style suits you best.

Your 5-year-old's snack of choice is:

Celery sticks

Pain au chocolat (in moderation)

Whatever he threw in the cart on your last trip to the grocery store

Your son fell at the playground and ended up with a bruised forehead and a seemingly endless stream of tears. You handle the situation by:

Handing him an ice pack and encouraging him to get back out there

Telling him where the ice packs are

Scolding him for being at the playground in the first place - he's over his limit for playtime for the week

The TV is on at your house:

Never (unless PBS is running something relevant or there's a State of the Union address)

When the kids put it on

Only when mom and dad's shows are on

A typical Saturday for your family consists of:

A family jog through the park, two hours of silent reading time, a trip to the museum, two hours of music practice, and a trip to the symphony

A leisurely brunch with (adult) friends then browsing through a few boutiques - little ones in tow

Nothing on the agenda! Hopefully it'll be nice out, and the kids can go do something outdoors

College is still a good 10 years away. You think about it:

Never! So much could happen in the next 10 years . . .

Constantly. Anything short of early preparation would put your children at a disadvantage

Now and again. You'd love your son or daughter to study abroad and see the world

How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: Test Your Global Parenting IQ

LilSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:34:55 PST

When journalist and writer Mei-Ling Hopgood gave birth to her daughter, Sofia, in her new home of Argentina, she became acutely aware of the cultural differences that exist when it comes to child-rearing. In her new book, How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: And Other Adventures in Parenting (on sale Feb. 7), Hopgood travels the globe, exploring some of the world's most unexpected and unusual approaches to parenting.

Test your global parenting IQ by matching each of the below quotes from real parents to their home country. Then tell us, which custom or approach would you be most likely to try on your own lil ones?

Take the Quiz

Dad Humor: 5 Funny Pregnancy and Parenting Books For Dad

LilSugar — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:04:22 PDT

Pregnancy and parenting can be really scary for guys. It's unfamiliar territory and all the bodily fluids involved in both childbirth and taking care of a baby freaks out many new dads and dads-to-be. Check out these five funny pregnancy and parenting books for dad and lighten the mood with a few laughs!

Mom Humor: 5 Funny Books on Pregnancy and Parenting

LilSugar — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:28:01 PDT

"The more you read, the more you know." For most new moms and moms-to-be, this seems to be a motto. We pour over book after book trying to prepare ourselves for childbirth and child rearing, but sometimes it feels like we're overeducating ourselves - it's a lot of information to absorb in a short amount of time.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the "expert" books you've been reading, perhaps it's time for a little comedic relief. Get your LOLs on with these five funny books on pregnancy and parenting.

Move Over Helicopter Moms, Today's Parents Are Letting Loose

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:16:58 PDT

The helicopter parenting movement is finding itself in a bit of a tailspin these days. Tired of the overscheduled, overprotected tots that the parenting philosophy has produced, today's mamas want to loosen things up a bit and are finding themselves at a loss for how to do it.

The release of The Art of Roughhousing ($10), has parents thinking back to the fun they used to have with their parents and older siblings as children, only doing it a bit more cautiously with their own kids. The book that features step-by-step sketches for traditional horseplay activities, including pillow fights and the Underdog. The new book isn't the only one advocating such play. Check out other texts that aim to shake up the way parents currently interact with their kids.

6 Racy Books New Parents Will Appreciate

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 19 May 2011 06:07:59 PDT

Prepare to LOL! In an age of sanctimonious parenting – where strangers are more than willing to give you guidance on raising your tots – mama sometimes needs to take a step back and laugh at the whole matter. Even before it's upcoming October release, Go the F**k to Sleep ($10) has become an overnight hit with sleep-deprived parents. The NSFW book, written by novelist Adam Mansbach, takes the rhyming form of the hundreds of books we read to our tots before bed, but is filled with the thoughts that only enter the minds of parents who just can't bare to read "just one more book" and get "one more sip of water." Check out five more cheeky books, only parents could appreciate!

A Must Read For Mommies: Let's Panic About Babies!

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:30:57 PST

Think about the best pregnancy or baby advice you ever received and most likely, someone else gave you 20 reasons it was clearly wrong. There are few jobs in life that solicit as much advice giving (either wanted or not) as parenthood. Every day brings about a new study that is sure to strike fear in new and experienced parents alike, and it is only those who can take a step back and laugh about it that come out of it all stress (and wrinkle) free.

Fans of Alice Bradley's Finslippy blog know that the tongue-in-cheek mother has a way with words. Her new book, Let's Panic About Babies!: How to Endure and Possibly Triumph Over the Adorable Tyrant who Will Ruin Your Body, Destroy Your Life, Liquefy Your Brain, ... Turn You into a Worthwhile Human Being ($8), is a sarcastic look at the phenomenon of fear-induction that parents are subjected to once they learn they're pregnant. Packed with truly laugh out loud anecdotes, quizzes, tables ("Why Is She Yelling at Me?"), and illustrations, the book is perfect for friends who just can't smile and walk away when asked if their pregnancy was planned. The perfect antidote for the holier-than-thou pregnancy and child-rearing guides that line overcrowded bookshelves, this book is just what mama needs to get through her sleepless nights.

The Seven Keys to a Child's Success

babysugar — Mon, 03 May 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Could there really only be seven life skills children need to become successful? From the day our lil ones are born, we are overwhelmed with advice from grandparents, friends, doctors, and the media. Oftentimes, the suggestions come with a list of products you need to buy to properly execute the program.

In her just released book, Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs ($10), Ellen Galinsky has not only identified the skills she believes are necessary for future success, but she outlines every day simple (and free!) things parents can do to develop the skills in their tots. According to Galinsky, we should teach our kids:

Focus and Self Control – children need this skill in order to achieve their goals especially in a world that is filled with distractions and information overload.
Perspective Taking – children who can figure out what others feel and think are less likely to get involved in conflicts.
Communicating – children need to be able to determine what they want to communicate and how. This is the skill teachers and employers feel is most lacking today.
Making Connections – children who can make unusual connections are more creative and can go beyond knowing information to using information well.
Critical Thinking – children need to be able to search for reliable knowledge to guide their beliefs, decisions, and actions.
Taking on Challenges – children who can take on challenges instead of avoiding or simply coping with them will do better in school and in life.
Self-Directed Engaged Learning – lifelong learners can change as the world changes in order to reach their full potential.

Galinsky argues that we must actively teach our offspring these skills, rather than rely on experience and society to do so. She suggests playing a simple game of Simon Says, but changing the rules so children have to do the opposite of what is asked to foster self control. Watching TV with your kids and then discussing the truths hidden in the ads will help build critical thinking skills.

Do you actively work with your kids to build life skills?

Lights, Camera, Action! Eat, Sleep, Poop

LilSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:18:06 PST

Hollywood isn't just having babies it's making movies about them too. Fresh off the heels of the announcement that What to Expect When You're Expecting will be made into a romantic comedy, comes news today that Dreamworks has plans to turn the upcoming Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year into a movie too.

The soon-to-be-published book, written by Beverly Hills pediatrician Scott Cohen, is a humorous guide to raising a baby. Filled with stories about his posh clientele, the guide also includes anecdotes about Dr. Cohen's experiences raising his own children, which were often counter to what he learned in medical school.

They say it takes three to make a trend, but with the adaptation of these two parenting guides, it looks like baby fever has hit Tinseltown. Are you excited to head to the theater to catch these flicks?