Parenticity

Parenting is fun and rewarding, but it also comes with a lot of questions. We've got answers -- and a sense of humor about it all.

[parenticity-blog]

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is under fire for unceremoniously ending the company's telecommute program. Mayer is now being attacked, being called anti-family, old fashioned, even a hypocrite because she paid to have a nursery built adjacent to her own office. 

A few very quick thoughts on this:

1. Many of the CEOs and tech industry people with whom I have heard from (blog posts, professional forums) agree that this decision was probably more about righting the ship than about attacking peoples' lifestyles. Yahoo is in trouble and it needs help. Mayer was trying to implement an "all hands on deck," kind of solution, they say. 

2. From a PR standpoint, Yahoo and Mayer could have handled this better.

3. It is nice to see so many people coming to the defense of non-traditional work arrangements (flex schedule, working from home etc) and to see this issue getting so much attention. 

4. I would like to see more fathers and non-parents weigh in on this issue. This is not just a "mom issue." It is not even just a parent issue. Improving work/life balance would benefit all of society. 

--Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[parenticity-blog]

Week 25 of Pregnancy - The Glucose Tolerance Test:

Ah, the glucose tolerance test. I could write a book about this one. I failed it the first time and nearly died taking the second one (slight exaggeration, but it was not fun.) I don’t want to scare you, but I do want to say this: Don’t panic if you don’t “pass” the first round.  

[parenticity-blog]

Bebe Day by Day - by Pamela Druckerman

A few nights ago I attended a book release party for my friend, Pamela Druckerman. The party was organized by Go Mighty -- more about them in a minute.

Pamela's first parenting book, Bringing Up Bebe, about her experiences as an American ex-pat raising a baby in Paris, traces her journey as from neurotic, overprotective American-style mom -- to anthropologist, observing her French counterparts -- to a more relaxed parent, in the French style. Her new book, Bebe Day by Day: 100 Keys to French Parenting, builds on her experiences with little lessons, canapé sized bits of advice and takeaways, like:

"Pregnancy is not a Research Project" (a theme I've also tried to convey in my Growing and Glowing videos.)

"Don't Become a 'Taxi Mother'."

"Don't Let Your Child Interrupt You" -- and the natural sequel, "Don't Interrupt Your Child."

"Back off at the Playground."

The last one, "Back off at the Playground," is my personal favorite because I want write an entire ranting manifesto to other parents called: "BACK Off and Away from my Child." I want to tell them: "I am RIGHT here ten feet away for a reason. I see him, I want him to learn and discover for himself. And why yes, I am reading the paper on my iPhone, quit shooting me the stink-eye."

At any rate, if you are a new parent, or a not-so-new parent, who is open to seeing what lessons we could all learn and take away from another culture, another philosophy, give her book a read. 

Photos by: Leslie Fandrich,  @LeslieFandrich 

Go Mighty is a fabulous online forum that encourages you to make a list of life goals, connect and create a community to help you support those goals.

--Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[parenticity-blog]

Your Baby Can Hear You- Should You Change Your Music Now?

Your baby can hear you now, so what will you say to him/her? Do you feel pressure to listen to Beethoven because you read studies that that could make the baby smarter? I say, do what you want to do, listen to what makes you happy. Talk directly to the baby, if YOU want to talk directly to the baby. Don’t do anything you don’t feel like doing in this case, because pregnancy is uncomfortable enough!

--Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[bestnatesmithever]

[improvisingfatherhood]

Parker is really getting big.

[parenticity-blog]

Big fan of this dad's blog. Totally cracks me up. --Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[parenticity-blog]

Don't just tell your daughters they are beautiful. Believe you are too!

A beautiful reminder, from offbeatfamilies.com, not just for parents of daughters! We have to be the behavior we want to teach!

[parenticity-blog]

Lying is a part of parenthood. No, seriously, it just is - and a new study backs that up. But be careful how much you white lie to your kids... Buzz 60's Patrick Jones on why!

[parenticity-blog]

Week 23: 3D Imaging

There’s an ultrasound place at the mall. What’s the difference between that one and the one at the hospital? Is it safe? For some people, the one or two ultrasounds your doctor orders (and the number will vary depending on your pregnancy and your doctor) just isn’t enough. They want to see the baby more. They want to see the baby more closely. They want to hear the baby more. There are commercial ultrasound places, but every doctor I spoke with about this was not pleased by the idea. I would say if you are interested in these, you should talk to your doctor.

[parenticity-blog]

My mom thinks she's the inspiration behind all of my posts.

Me: oh, by the way, i'm up to 37 followers on tumblr!

Mom: Because of something I said?

[realchrisilluminati]

[parenticity-blog]

This! Yes. Just this. 

[parenting]

This year’s Golden Globes was a virtual showcase of powerful women, and powerful moms.

It started off right with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who struck just the right balance of being hilarious and current, without being mean. I've long admired Tina Fey and recommend her book, Bossypants to any parent, not just moms, who struggles with that elusive "work-life balance." Hint: There's no such thing!

-Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[parenticity-blog]

Week 22: Linea Nigra 

Pregnancy can do weird things to your skin. So what’s normal and what’s cause for concern? I had one symptom that was concerning to my doctor, my skin was itchy, itchy, itchy. I was the type who generally didn’t like to complain or bother my doctor -- and I had heard and read that pregnancy can make your skin really itchy, especially around your belly because that area is stretching so much. But I happened to mention it to a friend who works in dermatology that my skin seemed worse than standard itchy and that it was my palms, arms... not just my belly. She said, “You should get that checked out!” She was right. I had this condition called Cholestasis of Pregnancy, a common liver disease that occurs during pregnancy. The good news about a lot of what ails you during pregnancy, this included, is that it goes away after you have the baby. 

-Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[parenticity-blog]

Dear AutoCorrect

Dear Gmail and iPhone AutoCorrect Functions:

SIPPY: A "sippy" cup is a sippy cup. It is a thing used by toddlers. Please PLEASE stop correcting it to zippy. Why is zippy in there and sippy is not? What the hell is a "zippy?" (And AS I'm typing this Tumblr just did it too. Et tu brute?)

POOPY: It's unfortunate to include this, cause I hate this word, it's so infantilizing, but changing it to POPPY is a rather nice touch, as in "I changed a poppy diaper this morning and next thing I knew I was in the land of Oz." 

VLOG: Vloggging is a real thing. It should not be corrected to blogging. But, good job adding "blogging" in the last few years.

REBLOG, REBLOGGED: Get with the times, please. I know it's not exactly a word but neither is "reflagged," which you keep changing it to. 

ETA: ETA = "estimated time of arrival." I text that to my husband all the time as really quick shorthand for what time I think I'll be home, what time might you be home, so I can order the delivery for dinner. Please STOP making it "era" - that is an entirely different sentiment. 

ADDING "Y" - as in BLOGGY, NETWORKY - Sometimes, I want to add "y" to a word, to say, "Look! I made a bloggy!" I mean, I made a little blog post, like Spanish diminutive "-ito" (bloguito) which does not exist in English. I do NOT mean "bloomy," I do not mean "boggy." Or, I want to email a friend, "I do not feel like sending 'networky' emails today" but I can't because you keep correcting it to "network." The sentence, "I do not feel like sending 'network' emails today" has an entirely different meaning.

HEY Tumblr GODS! Yes YOUUU. Who did you pay to make them not mess up "tumblr." Not in iPhone, not in Gmail, not in Tumblr. Good job on that last one, by the way!

[parenticity-blog]

Week 21 - Skin Changes

When I found out I was pregnant one of my first stops was to the dermatologist. I had seen friends experience really bad acne breakouts during their pregnancies and I was worried this would happen to me. I had a great conversation with my dermatologist, a woman who has kids of her own, about what remedies I could use if I did end up breaking out. This all boils down to your own level of comfort. Some people want to go really all natural when they are pregnant and are worried about chemicals, so they switch lots of things. I have heard of people changing out their deodorant when pregnant, to those super natural kinds. I was not in this camp. I felt and was advised that, for example, a topical solution on your face, like salicylic acid (which is found in many face scrubs) would be used in such small amounts that it was fine. Honestly, my dermatologist told me she even thought an acne medicine like prescription strength Retin-A was ok to use, because it’s topical and used on such a small part of your body. I continued my regular skin care regimen and was really lucky not to have major acne problems in the end. But I think this is yet another example of why it’s really important that you be comfortable with your doctor or midwife and find someone whose philosophies match yours, so you can ask them about these types of problems and discuss possible solutions.

Dawn Siff, Parenticity

[michaelhayes]

Good job, Ogden, UT recreation.

[parenticity-blog]

Agreed! A good resolution for 2013 - Let kids be kids! Let fun be fun!

[parenticity-blog]

The first time I read The Giving Tree to my son...

The first time I read The Giving Tree as a mom... I cried.

Not because it's incredibly beautiful -- though it is.

Not because it's incredibly sad -- though it is.

Not because I think it's about motherhood -- though it is.

But because...  I. Am. The. Stump. 

--Dawn Siff, @Parenticity

[tmz-deactivated20180730]

Jessica Simpson just tweeted a photo of her daughter Maxwell playing in the sand next to the words “BIG SIS” …. which can only mean one thing — JESSICA’S PREGNANT!!!!

[parenticity-blog]

TMZ asks: How will her pregnancy affect her Weight Watchers multi-million dollar endorsement deal. If I worked for WW, I'd be looking at this as a GREAT opportunity to promote their program for the losing baby weight*. They have an app and a program tailored for nursing moms. It is GREAT!

* I mean after she has the baby of course. A pregnant woman should NEVER diet unless directed to do so by a medical professional! 

--Dawn Siff, Parenticity