Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Mom's share their tips on how to make a family trip feel like a vacation.
With Memorial Day behind us, summer break is officially here. Trips, camps and activities are sure to keep kids and families quite busy. With the stress of planning a family trip and keeping up with everything while traveling, parents often return home feeling like they need another vacation! The Sandy Springs Mom's Council has a few tips. Jessica Jones: The best way for us to come back and not be super stressed out is to come home one day early. In other words, the kids have school [or]camps and we have work on Monday. We will come home Saturday in order for us to unpack and get back to our normal schedule. Bridget Brennan: Overall, we also set a budget for the food and other things and try to stick to it, but it reduces stress a lot if …
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Is breastfeeding in public always appropriate?
Earlier this week, nearly 200 mothers and supporters gathered in the City of Forest Park to protest the City Council’s recent ordinance that puts limits on breastfeeding in public. The ordinance is a public indecency law banning breastfeeding children over 2-years-old in public. Breaking the new law could lead to fines or jail time. “Breastfeeding is as natural as eating any meal. It has long-term physical and emotional health benefits for babies and mothers. We should encourage breastfeeding anywhere, any time,” said Julie Stanwick, a Patch Mom's Council member. Last month, Sandy Springs Patch editor Adrianne Murchison saw a Mom nursing her infant in church. No one seemed to notice, even though she was sitting in the front pew. Where do …
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Parents of elementary school kids are feeling the pressure to let their kids watch teenage appropriate shows.
How do you balance appropriate TV shows and movies for your younger children when they complain that, "All the other kids get to watch it." Sandy Springs Patch Moms Council member Jessica Jones said, “As parents to an eight and nine-year-old, we are beginning to enter a new phase in movies and TV. Our kids want to watch some of the more teenage appropriate shows (Victorious, iCarly, etc.) and we often let them. Some of the topics on the shows are questionable though. How do other parents deal with this issue?” With a six and nine-year-old, Christina Piccarillo said the issue often causes conflict in her home. "...I am probably more conservative than a lot of moms when it comes to what I allow my kids to watch," she said. "I definitely don'…
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
How do you talk to your kids about the death of Osama Bin Laden?
News that Osama Bin Laden was dead spread instantly and has been in news headlines since that Sunday night. Many parents were suddenly talking to their children about Bin Laden and American and world reaction to his death. Here's what a few members of the Sandy Springs Patch' Mom's Council had to say: Julie Stanwick: "The death of Osama Bin Laden was difficult to explain to my kids. Since they were only 4-year-old and 2-week-old when 9/11 occurred, they were confused about all of the USA chest beating. I took my family to see the documentary, "I AM." It refocused everyone on what is important in life and how positive energy affects the world. We discussed the pain that was caused by 9/11, and recognized that every generation deals with a …
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Is "charter" an important word for your child's education?
There's certainly a lot of chatter in Sandy Springs about charter schools. Woodland Elementary will operate without a charter for at least one year, and North Springs is currently renewing their charter. What does all that mean? According to the Georgia Department of Education, a charter school is a public school that operates according to the terms of a charter, or contract, that has been approved by a local board of education and the State Board of Education. The charter school may request waivers from any state or local rule, regulation, policy, or procedure relating to schools in the school district. In exchange for this flexibility, the charter school is bound by contract to be held accountable for meeting the performance-based …
Friday, April 22, 2011
How do you make Earth Day more than a day?
Every year, April 22 is designated as Earth Day, a day to be reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse and care for the environment. Bridget Brennan of the Sandy Springs Patch Mom's Council, tries to bring the Earth Day principles to everyday family life. "Being environmentally conscious isn't set apart from other recommended ways of doing things like cleaning up after yourself, speaking politely, etc.," Brennan said. "We recycle, try to avoid waste overall, leave parks and nature [the way] we found it when we go hiking; try to turn off lights and water when not in use; and use both electricity and water sparingly." How do you teach your kids to be environmentally conscious? What are you doing for Earth Day and year round?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
As the end of the school year nears, it's time for standardized testing.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Kathy Powell
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Wednesday, April 13, 2011
CRCT week - it's nearly that time. Georgia public school students in grade 3-8 are required to take the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. Julie Stanwick, a member of the Sandy Springs Patch Mom's Council, is concerned about the upcoming week of tests. "We have been talking about how we will change our schedules to make sure they are rested and well fed before the test, she said. "They place orders for their favorite breakfasts and set bedtimes earlier for the week." How do you prepare your children for standardized tests? How do you help them feel prepared and deal with the pressure?
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Extracurricular activities are supposed to be fun for your kids, right?
Learning a new skill takes time and hard work, but every child has different talents and not every activity will be a good fit; even extracurricular activites, which are supposed to be enjoyable. Where's the balance between teaching perserverance and not wanting to tote around a miserable child? When do you know if your child should stay with an extracurricular activity or if it's time for them to give it up and try something else?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
When do you start your child in preschool? How many days? Which preschools do you recommend?
For many parents, it's time to consider preschool for their children. A Sandy Springs Patch Mom's Council member has a two and half-year-old and recently said, "My daughter is almost ready to start preschool. I have no idea where to even begin looking for a good preschool to send her. The only thing I know is that I want to stay in Sandy Springs." At what age did your children start preschool and which do you recommend? How many days do they start with?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
It's nearly spring! Where do you take your family to enjoy a beautiful day?
It's the time of year for daylight savings time, summer camp registration and thoughts of summer vaction. We're anxious for the warm weather to settle in and stay. On warm sunny afternoons, which parks or outdoor activities are your favorites in Sandy Springs? Which restaurants are kid-friendly with outdoor seating? Each week in Moms Talk, our Council of smart moms will start the discussion, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community have a new resource for the countless questions that arise while raising children and a place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee, settle in and add your comments as we start …
Frances
3:48 pm on Thursday, May 26, 2011
If my baby needs to eat, I'm going to feed him. I will not deprive my child of food to make someone else "comfortable." This is what breasts are for, and it's not my child's fault that our society has so overly sexualized them. People who are uncomfortable seeing a woman nurse have the freedom to turn around and walk the other way. more ›