Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

One of my favorite shirts – and my kids favorite too – depicts a bird and a bee whispering, with the caption above their head saying “We do WHAT?!” It never fails to make my kids giggle, and I get a lot of snickering looks from folks when I parade it around town.

Because, you know, I’m really 12. Or something.

Anyway – I’m sure you’ve noticed that pretty little button there over to the side, the one about My First Period Kit – which you can now buy through that link right there. We featured the kit before, and while it gave Peppermist and myself a snarky giggling fit like you wouldn’t believe, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get one for the Pup and possibly my Niece too. Now I’ve never been shy about laying it all out there for my kids – but Dr. de Freitas helps those who are a little less open than us, talking in a frank and open way that makes it easy to open those discussions with your girls.

And boys – especially with her new guide for parents – The Birds and the Bees with Ease. In fact, HealthyChats.com is offering a free 40-page Ebook to parents! Dr Chrystal de Freitas based the book on her mother-daughter seminars. She (and I!) feel that by the time those hormones kick in for puberty, the kids should already have the basics down, but a lot of moms at her seminars have never quite brought it up.

Here’s the official Blurb!

“The Birds and the Bees with Ease!” covers which details are appropriate to relate to a child at what age, starting at 5 years old, moving up to ages 6 through 9. The information is also useful for parents who have not yet discussed these topics with children at the cusp of puberty. “When we start the conversation at the appropriate age of 5 or 6, we can leave out all the details of dangers and pleasures associated with sex,” explains Dr. de Freitas. “This is not too early because if we parents don’t initiate this conversation, others – like the kid next door or the media – will do it for us. As our children grow, we can continue to add on more information before they get to their health education class at school. Explaining to children how their amazing bodies work empowers them and keeps them safe. This knowledge is all part of the journey to healthy, responsible adulthood.”

The e-book’s clear-cut chapters tackle topics including: Where Do Babies Come From? and How Do they Get Out?; How are Babies Made?; Sexual Curiosity; Modesty; Touching/Exploring; Foul Language; HIV and AIDS; Puberty; and other vital discussion areas to enable parents to easily have healthy chats with their children.

So head over to Healthy Chats’ The Birds and the Bees with Ease page and download your copy of the Free E-book, today! Don’t forget to check out the other features of the site too – such as Dr. de Freitas’ blog, Q and As for Moms and Pre-Teen girls, and other information for parents and kids alike!

And, like I preach continuously around here – TALK TO YOUR KIDS!
…and provide condoms. Just in case.

No, no no. Not the “Omgewgrosspopthatbeforeittakesovertheworld” kind, but the cartoon kind!

That still sounds bad.

Anyway – the comic strip Zits, is finally letting one of it’s characters come of age! The ever lovely Marissa let me know earlier this month that all through August we can watch the star character, Jeremy Duncan, turn 16 and get his driver’s license. As we’ve been talking on that very subject here, it seemed a perfect place to spread the word (Though my apologies to Marissa, as it took me so long due to the change of venue from 451!).

Here’s a little bit more about the comic:

Zits Star FINALLY Gets a Driver’s License

New York, NY July 22, 2009 – At last! After 12 angst-filled years of being 15 years old, Jeremy Duncan is finally having a birthday, turning 16 and completing one of a teenager’s greatest rites of passage – taking his road test. Will he pass or fail? Will he finally drive his parents over the edge with his driving? Only time will tell.

In a special series that begins Mon., Aug. 3, fans of Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman’s popular Zits comic strip will be able to follow their favorite teen as he comes of age in the newspaper comics, both in print and in King Features’ new Comics Kingdom online portal. To see the series, please visit one of more than 40 Comics Kingdom partner news sites, including the New York Daily News, Denver Post, San Antonio Express-News, Toronto Star, Las Vegas Review Journal, Santa Fe New Mexican, Spokesman Review, Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Tulsa World.

When asked why they decided to tamper with the age of their strip’s star after 12 highly successful years in syndication, Scott and Borgman responded, “About the meanest thing you could do is freeze someone at 15. After a dozen years our consciences have gotten the better of us. It’s time to let the kid drive.”

Distributed by King Features to more than 1,600 newspapers in 45 countries and 15 languages, Zits features the daily adventures of the quintessential teenager With his loving parents, Walt and Connie Duncan, his best friend, Hector, and his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Sara Toomey, by his side, the perpetually slouching and disheveled Jeremy treads the murky waters of adolescence in oversized sneakers.

Zits is the brainchild of Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Jim Borgman, and award-winning cartoonist-writer Jerry Scott, who also co-creates the popular “Baby Blues” strip. Zits established itself early when it launched in July 1997 in more than 200 newspapers – one of the largest start-ups in comics history.

And my son thought I made HIM wait a long time for his license!

Did Jeremy pass? Find out here! And thanks Marissa for letting us know!

I haven’t seen my daughter for THREE days.

Ok, so that’s not ENTIRELY true. I’ve seen her, but only in passing and never her full face. And I know exactly who is to blame.

Edward Cullen.

Don’t pretend you don’t know who he is! EVERYONE knows who he is. The movie version of him passes through my feed reader 87 times a day. (Which makes me want scream. Ugh. Some men make scruffy appealing. He ain’t one of them. ) Which means, of course, that the real blame falls on Stephenie Meyer, and the Twilight series of books. I say series, because the reason I haven’t seen Peppermist, is that she’s devoured the first 2.5 books over the past three days.

Part of me is proud, of course, because back in the day trying to get my kids to read involved things like hot pokers, water torture, threats and tears – mostly on my part. I was certain that they’d NEVER read, that they’d hate it with every fiber of their being. When the switch flipped in their head though, and words started making sense, they all discovered a love of the written word. They’ve never looked back.

Which is why I haven’t seen my daughter for THREE DAYS – unless it’s with a book in front of her face. The sun is shining, and she’s curled up in the corner of her bed with Edward and Bella. Finally, I had to grab the first one and see what all the hullaballu is about. I’ve heard the trash talk, I’ve heard the massive amounts of praise, I haven’t bothered to see the movie (Betcha I’m gonna have to NOW), etc. So I picked up Peppermist’s copy of Twilight, and started to read.

And I get both sides – I can see where some would call Meyer a talentless hack, but I also see the appeal of her story too, from a very teenage point of view. (Because inside my head, I’m still 16. Or 12. What-EV-er.) Her style is not very “grown up” but it IS engaging, and she does tell her story well in her own way. Edward Cullen is not the typical Vampire we’ve come to expect from horror stories, but Bella very much is a typical outcast teen. Maybe my understanding comes from years of playing ‘against the stereotype’ characters in various Roleplay venues (yes, my geek is showing), but I get it. I’m only halfway through the first book (…I don’t have 3 days off to do nothing but read like Peppermist!) but I can get why Meyer has legions of fans to go hand in hand with her critics. I also finally know where the Lamb/Lion quote comes from. (I’ll be happy if I never have to hear it again, too!)

I still can’t get the appeal of Pattinson, but that’s OK. Maybe the movie will change my mind. Maybe he’ll… I dunno, wash or something. And maybe? Just maybe… I’ll see Peppermist again soon. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go see why they wait for a thunderstorm to play baseball, and if they brought a snack.

..what?

…that we send all the boys screaming and hiding their eyes, or at the very least make them squirm in their seat uncomfortably. Today, we’re going to talk about periods.

Peppermist: Whats a period mom? (Like she doesn’t know!)
Me: The dot at the end of a sentence. (Ha take THAT!)
PM: I thought that was a comma! (in Mock shock!)
Me: No, that’s when you bleed every month. (can’t best me!)
PM: Oh. Hey – what do boys get, if girls get a comma? (sly…)
Me: Uh.. (…crap)
PM: I know. Boys get EXCLAMATION POINTS.
Me: *headdesk*

Yes – that’s an actual snarky conversation one day after health class. My kid is AWESOME. *L* And yes, we’re gonna talk a little bit about menstruation and how to broach the subject with your girls. Whether you call it your little friend, your monthly visitor, your Aunt Flow, getting unwell, “Nancy” (don’t ask me why we called it Nancy. When I MET a little girl named Nancy we went back to Aunt Flow – much to her relief!) or any other subtitle – it’s a fact of life. It happened to you, and it will happen to your little girl, too. And what’s worse, is that her attitudes about it, and how she feels about the natural process of her body will only be 50% guided by you. The rest of the (mis)information will come from her peers.

As with everything – I encourage you to TALK TO YOUR CHILD. This is the utmost in importance, because it can be a scary thing, this first period. To find yourself suddenly bleeding, for days, it’s hard to believe that nothing is wrong, that it’s supposed to happen this way.

There are a LOT of useful books and tools out there to help you talk to your daughters if your squeamish about it too, so there’s no excise for having it be a surprise to your pre-teen/teen. If you can’t quite bring yourself to broach The Talk, then check these out:

My first Period Kit & DVD
Dr. Chrustal de Freitas understands how awkward these little “chats” can be, and how parents often get tongue-tied or dance around the details due to embarrassment. Based on her own experience with her daughters, she’s designed the My First Period Kit and DVD to help facilitate discussion about the first period. The goal is to help you share the essential information with your daughter and set a solid foundation for open and healthy discussions. It has accurate, age-appropriate information, and the kit includes some gifts as well.

It includes:
- A 99 minute DVD with the healthy Chats for Girls seminar to watch with your daughter, plus an age-appropriate helpful The birds and the Bees with Ease!”
- Pretty Pad Purse that can slip easily into your daughter’s backpack
- Full Color Parent Guide
- Trendy Butterfly Bracelet
- Handy Quick Reference Card to help tackle Frequently Asked Questions.

My Little Red Book
I saw the editor of this book on the Rachael Ray Show, and have been waiting for this entry to point you all in it’s direction. Mortified by her own first period experience, 18 year old Rachel Kauder Nalebuff decided to get together a collection of first time stories so that the girls out there know that they are not alone. The stories are told by a variety of women from all walks of life, and Rachel hopes it helps “get the conversation Flowing!”

And as we recently celebrated Earth Day, here’s a couple of alternatives to the conventional pads and tampons for you and your daughter.

Luna Pads have gotten a lot of great reviews, and are washable/reusable pads and liners, in a variety of sizes, shapes and fabric patterns, including an ‘intro’ kit for girls and teens.

The Diva Cup: used to collect rather than to absorb the menstrual flow, this alternative is perfect for all activities and ends the hassle of pads and tampons. PLEASE be sure that your daughter is COMFORTABLE with her own body first. This cup is washable, reusable, and is reportedly very easy to use as well. The site covers all the frequently asked questions you can think of, and holds a wealth of information.

There are also a bunch of other books on Amazon – books by American Girl that talk about puberty and taking care of your body, The Care and Keeping of You, among many others. The point is – as always – don’t be afraid to talk to your daughters. It’s a natural thing, and doesn’t have to be scary at all, if your open and honest and let them know what to expect.

Alright boys – you can come back now!

…that’s a stupid question.

I can’t remember not knowing how to read. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t grab a book, even while sitting in front of the TV, and sneak as many pages as I could in between commercials of my favorite shows. I can’t remember a time where I didn’t get into trouble, regularly, because I would sneak a flashlight under my covers, or strain my eyes by the fading light of the Midnight Sun coming through my windows just to finish this page, this chapter, this book.

I have always loved to read. I still have some problems with it, however, as I essentially taught myself to read due to the type of school we attended. There are some words I still mispronounce to this day, because I always saw them in print, but didn’t often hear them out loud. For instance, I have to stop and think twice before saying errand, in order to place the emphasis on the correct syllable. It drives my mother nuts, I think, but I prefer to consider it a charming quirk! I also have the ability to forget what I’ve read, or most of the little details, which gives me the ability to reread books multiple thousands of times and always find something new, something delightful within the well-worn pages.

All three of my children had more problems learning to read then I did when they were young. It was a battle up until the 3rd grade or so, when everything clicked, and suddenly I couldn’t get a book out of their hands. They grabbed and read everything in sight, they devoured – sometimes slowly, sometimes at the speed of light – words on a page, and gave their imagination flight. I still fight with the youngest a bit – she’s just now turning that corner into learning the joy of reading vs. the chore of homework, but I see her becoming a life long reader as well.

When I was 15, my first boyfriend gave me a book to borrow, but insisted I hide it from my parents. I don’t even remember the title, but I remember that it was deliciously naughty, and if I got caught… oh. That would have been bad. I hovered over the pages when my parents weren’t home, I kept it hidden under my bed when they were home, I read each and every naughty, naughty page in the fading summer light until I finished it and gave it back. It was one of the more explicate forms of romance novels, that much I remember. It touched on every forbidden theme that you could think of, sometimes twice, while weaving a tale of lords and ladies and fancy dresses and parties. I don’t remember the details, but I remember how I felt reading it.

Deliciously wicked.

When I was 17, my English teacher, Mrs. T, suggested I pick up Steven King’s IT when she discovered my love of horror movies (thanks to my uncle!). I did, and I couldn’t put it down. It was scary and shivery, and made you question every bump in the night. I was chilled, and thrilled when I could FEEL the words, instead of simply read them. I began to devour every book Steven King ever wrote. I was hooked.

In my 30s, I met TBF online, and he demanded I pick up Wizard’s First Rule, by Terry Goodkind. I hadn’t felt such a thrill since I’d picked up IT in high school. In an entirely different way, Goodkind captured my imagination, and then used it to teach me something. Sure, toward the end of the series, he got a mite bit preachy, but I could still appreciate the story, and the views, and the ultimate Rule – Your life is your own. Rise up and live it.

Despite some of the books that I devoured in my time, I am not a sex maniac, an ax wielding murderer, or a torture inflicting Mord Sith bent on controlling my ‘pet’ until he is no longer of use. I am not a wizard battling the forces of evil, I am not a Sister of the Dark bent on destroying the world. I am not a junkie in search of her next fix, nor a prostitute searching for faith and true love. I am not a telepath, an empath, a dragon rider (despite my chosen nickname!) or a mindship exploring space. I am not a detective with witty comebacks and deductive reasoning, I’m not a flight attendant (Cherry Ames!), a teenage sleuth (Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon) nor am I a Bobsy Twin, even though I desperately wanted to be one when I was 12.

I am a responsible (stop laughing, mom) adult, raising up responsible kids.

September 26th begins Banned Book Week. There are many books that the narrow-minded have attempted to ban, including the Harry Potter series, as well as Mia Angelou’s poetry, AND the Golden Compass. All for different reasons, the last because they didn’t like the religious content, Harry Potter was declared demonic in some circles, and Angelou’s poetry is too often sexually explicit, and covers topics like racism. The Color Purple has been targeted because of homosexuality, and offensive language.

It amazes me that in this day and age, we parents are still so terrified of letting our teenagers think, that we have to pull the books out of their hands and declare them unreadable. Are we THAT sure we’ve fucked up (oops! maybe I’m next on the ‘banned’ list!) their early years and teaching or morals and responsibility, that we don’t think they can handle some other opinions? Are we THAT terrified that we were incompetent parents and taught them nothing, that a few words on the page is going to turn them against all we consider sacred? Are we that frightened to have our beliefs challenged, our hearts expanded and our minds opened?

While I know that my parents would not of approved of the first book I mentioned, and hardly approved of the second because they were kinda squeemish about the horror genre, I am glad that I read them, and that they fostered a love of reading in me when I was little, as well as the ability to think and create my OWN opinions. While we tend to agree, there are a lot of areas we disagree too, but my parents gave me the ability to make my own decisions, to create my own personal truths and beliefs, some of which are colored by some of the books I have read over the years. I’m forever grateful to them for that.

I refuse to censor my children, and I refuse to ban books from their reading library. While I won’t let my 9 year old read trashy romance because she is not ready for that, I won’t ban the same from my teenage daughter, or my son from Wizard’s First Rule, despite the violently intense nature of chapter 41. (Yes, I remember the exact chapter number that I reread 15 times then and still GASP at today.) It’s about exploring the world through written word, it’s about expanding your mind, it’s about…

…it’s about enjoying a story, for heaven’s sake, and sometimes only for the sake of the story, nothing more, nothing less.

So go. Get a book that they’ve tried to ban. Give it to your teenagers. Let them read the word fuck in Catcher in the Rye 18 million times. Let them read a little naughty chapter in a romance novel, and giggle along with your teenage daughter over phrases like ‘heaving bosoms’ and ‘throbbing manhood’. Let them discover what it feels like to be huddled under the covers in the middle of the night reading a scary story – and make them scream in fright by banging on their door as you walk by. (The ULTIMATE in fun, that!) Let them expand their mind, even as you open your own.

We’ve given them the tools they need their whole life to make the right decisions. Its time to let them stretch their wings a little, and trust we’ve given them enough to fly.