LilSugar

The Time Cover Mom Speaks Out: Does Hearing Her Side Change Your Opinion?

Lisa Horten — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:27 PDT

This morning, Time magazine's cover mom went on the Today show to share her views on attachment parenting and explain the story behind the cover photo. She was joined by her 3-year-old son, Aram, Dr. Sears, and Time's science editor, Jeffrey Kluger.

"I understand some of the breastfeeding advocates are upset about this," 26-year-old Jamie Grumet said. "[The cover image] doesn't show the nurturing side to attachment parenting . . . I understand what they're saying, but I do understand why Time chose this picture. It's created a real media craze to get the dialogue going."

"You need to do what's best for your baby and for your own family," Grumet continued. "You can take some of Dr. Sears's attachment parenting philosophies and maybe not others, and that's OK; you're not a bad parent. Your child will still be OK."

Does seeing the young mother speak about her reasons for practicing attachment parenting (her own mom breastfed her until age 6) change your opinion of the magazine cover?

Does This Week's TIME Cover Glorify Attachment Parenting?

Lisa Horten — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:21:22 PDT

This week's Time cover story, which hits newsstands tomorrow, takes a closer look at the practice of attachment parenting, discussing Dr. Sears's
The Baby Book, and profiling four mothers from across the country who embrace the philosophy - all for different reasons.

The magazine's cover image of LA mom Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her 3-year-old son (paired with the tagline, "Are You Mom Enough?") has stirred up a fair amount of controversy amongst moms, who have yet to read the story. "When you think of breastfeeding, you think of mothers holding their children, which was impossible with some of these older kids," said photographer Martin Schoeller. "I liked the idea of having the kids standing up to underline the point that this was an uncommon situation."

What's your reaction to the cover as a whole? Does it glorify attachment parenting, make moms feel judged, or offer an accurate portrayal of the practice in action?

Should You Cleanse Before Pregnancy?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:04:46 PDT

Every mama wants to give her baby the best start possible, but just how clean should that beginning be? Anna Getty, the organic living expert and founder of Pregnancy Awareness Month (which happens to be now), recently wrote about her thoughts on preparing the body for pregnancy on the Healthy Child Healthy World website. She shared her year-long, pre-conception plan to whip her body (and soul) into shape for baby, saying:

I cut out all forms of caffeine including black or green tea and (gulp) chocolate, all refined sugars, gluten, dairy, and alcohol, any form of pharmaceutical drugs like aspirin or Ibuprofen and ate a mostly raw diet. I also included acupuncture, colonics, meditation, yoga and juicing. I had planned on cleansing for a year, however, somewhere in the middle, maybe five months, of my pre-conception cleanse the spirit of my unborn daughter decided I was "clean" enough and graced my womb with her presence.

It seems everywhere I turn these days, I hear someone talking about the latest juice cleanse. Friends, colleagues, and celebrities are busy touting the weight loss and detoxifying benefits of the drinks but I never thought about using them to prepare for pregnancy. You clean baby's linens and clothes before she uses them, but do you need to clean your womb before she enters it?

Source: Flickr User Meagan

Structured or Unstructured Summer Plans: What's Your Style?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:41:12 PDT

Just last week, my son informed me that he only has nine more weeks of school, meaning the official countdown to Summer has begun. For him, just as it was for me growing up, the months spent between school years are filled with day camp, swim lessons, and weekends by the water. While he certainly needs a break from the school-day routine, we've found that structured days suit our lifestyle best. But there's certainly something to be said for letting kids run free in the warm weather months before school starts up again. Breaking free from daily routines allows kids to be creative with their time and go where the day takes them. So tell me, which do you prefer?

Should Mothers Be Prosecuted For Exposing Their Unborn Babies to Drugs?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:03:34 PDT

Could a glass of wine during pregnancy land you behind bars? It might if you live in Alabama. In this upcoming weekend's New York Times Magazine, Ada Calhoun delves into Alabama's controversial chemical-endangerment laws where mothers who give birth to babies with even a trace of drugs in their bloodstreams are not only ordered into rehab but are criminally prosecuted for putting their newborns in harm's way.

In one case, when a newborn died hours after his premature birth, and mother tested positive for methamphetamine, she was charged with a Class A felony for contributing to the death of her child, with a mandatory sentence of 10 years to life. The laws - which are the harshest in the country - were designed to protect kids from "explosive meth labs," but they are now being applied to expectant mothers, and that's where the controversy comes in. Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all fear that such prosecutions may just be the tip of the iceberg. In the article, Emma Ketteringham, the director of the National Advocates For Pregnant Women, says:

"It starts with cocaine, and then it’s cigarettes and alcohol. How much alcohol? And when? It’s only a matter of time until it comes to refusing a bed-rest order because you need to work and take care of your other children and then you have a miscarriage. What if you stay at a job where you’re exposed to toxic chemicals, as at a dry cleaner? What if you keep taking your SSRIs during pregnancy? If a woman is told that sex during her pregnancy could be a risk to the fetus, and the woman has sex anyway and miscarries, are you going to prosecute the woman - and the man, too?"

What do you think? Should women be prosecuted for exposing their unborn babies to drugs?

Do You "Sneak" Out of Work to See Your Kids?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:03:12 PDT

There isn't a specific date on the calendar, but sometime in the past two decades, the 9-to-5 workday disappeared, and the quantity of time spent in the office came to outweigh the quality of work completed. For moms who work outside the home, the shift has been extremely difficult, reducing the number of families that eat dinner together and generally reducing the amount of time parents and kids spend together. The only option for some moms who hope to see their tots before bedtime is to sneak out of the office and then "prove" that they are still dedicated by sending emails throughout the night.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO, has been an outspoken advocate for working mothers. In a recent interview for the PBS Makers series, the mother of two admitted that she leaves work at 5:30 every day in order to see her kids, but didn't talk about it for years. She said, "I walk out of this office every day at 5:30 so I’m home for dinner with my kids at 6, and interestingly, I’ve been doing that since I had kids. I did that when I was at Google, I did that here, and I would say it’s not until the last year, two years, that I’m brave enough to talk about it publicly. Now I certainly wouldn’t lie, but I wasn’t running around giving speeches on it." She also admitted that she feels like "there's no such thing as work-life balance. There's work, and there's life, and there's no balance."

How Did Your Kids Find Out the Truth About the Easter Bunny?

LilSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:13:26 PDT

Like all great childhood illusions, at some point, even the most dedicated of believers are bound to become skeptics of the good old Easter Bunny. As a parent, chances are, you want to prolong their innocence as long as possible, and while some kids are very accommodating, others are onto the giant treat-toting bunny from the start. We want to know: How did your kids find out the cold, hard truth? Join in the conversation, and share your best stories below!

Source: Flickr User Sam Pullara

Do You Dread the Ice Cream Truck?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:32:52 PDT

The sound of the ice cream truck playing its song is synonymous with Summer - as is the sound of kids crying when their parents say, "No. No ice cream before dinner." It's an age-old problem, and one that most mamas simply consider par for the course with parenting. But in the progressive neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn, the moms are waging a war against ice cream peddling. On a popular message board, one frustrated mom wrote:

Along with the first truly beautiful day of the year, my son and I had our first ruined day at the playground. Two different people came into the actual playground with ice cream/Italian ice push carts. I was able to avoid it for a little while but eventually I left with a crying 4-year-old.

A chorus of moms quickly chimed in with their own accounts of fending off tots who screamed for ice cream. The angry mothers ultimately called for a ban on the sale of the ice-cold treats in their popular park, with one saying, "I should not have to fight with my children every warm day on the playground just so someone can make a living!"

Others argue that it is the parents' responsibility to simply say "no" to their kids every now and then, and the ice cream vendors shouldn't be penalized. What do you think?

Source: Flickr User Kazz.0

When Did You Know It Was Time to Cover Up?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:16:35 PDT

You never know what goes on behind closed doors, though in some families those doors are always open - and so are their buttons and flies. While American society has a reputation for covering up, especially in front of the kids, in some homes it's perfectly natural to let it all hang out in the open. That is, until an incident, conversation, or birthday sends mom and dad heading for some cover.

Over the weekend, the subject of family nudity was debated in The New York Times when a mother of two boys, ages 8 and 12, asked if it was time to start hiding the family jewels. Aviva Rubin wrote:

That ease with one another's nudity is part of the depth of my connection to them - something closed doors don't offer. I know it has to change, but when? In my childhood home no private parts were actively on display, so no moment ever came when they had to be hidden away.

Our readers have been very vocal about whether parents should be naked in front of the kids. Now we want to know what actually sent you for cover - was it the birth of your child, some pointing and laughing, or just a feeling that it was time?

Do the Kids Use More Natural Products Than Mama?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:25:50 PDT

Moms want what's best for their lil ones, so is it possible that baby's using healthier products than mama? Today's New York Times looks at the skyrocketing growth in the sale of premium skin care products (including organic and natural products) - showing that sales have jumped 68 percent over the past five years, while baby care product sales have only increased 16 percent.

Needless to say, finding lotions and soaps free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates costs significantly more than traditional options, but several moms interviewed in the article said they consider the purchases a necessity, not a luxury, for their tots. As one mama said:

"I am not necessarily into natural lines myself. But it was important for me to find pure and nontoxic products for my kids because I feel like their skin is so new."

What about your home - do your kids use healthier products than you do?