Sunday, March 28, 2010

What's Going On In There

Why did I give this book away after my last baby? Now I have to go get a new copy. I remember it being very scientific and more aimed toward fetus/infant development. I like the in-depth smart books rather than the general-interest type that skim the subject.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Savannah Pictures of St. Patricks Day 2010



My five year old made this sign to hang on the front of our bike. Driving to the St. Patrick's day in Savannah is a ridiculous endeavor. Biking to the the parade is the only way to go.

Not only is my boy proud to be Irish, he's proud to be a writing man. This is a fine example of his developing penmanship.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Book for parenting elementary age to teen age kids

I was surprised to like this book. Sometimes when parenting books seem ultra-modern (lots of chapters about texting and Facebook) I think they're out of touch with some core values and ideas about human behavior.

Childhood Unbound has been a refreshing read. Although our kids aren't even in first grade yet, Ron Taffel is preparing us for the teen years. He calls the children of today the "freest generation" and notes that while the classic generation gap has disappeared, young people today are increasingly savvy to the apathy and in-authenticity from their parents. He calls on parents to stop over-protecting kids from sincere reactions and emotions, and says to be direct and 'real' will speak louder than all the psychological tricks taught in the other books.

I really enjoyed Taffel's advice to notice and protect your children's natural conversation style and space. My son likes to open up about school and his questions about life at bedtime. Now making sure we have plenty of relaxed time for these conversations before sleep is my goal. Instead of pestering kids for information when they're not wanting to talk, watch for the time when they're willing and eager to share.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Flea Market no place for deals this Saturday at the Landings

I got there around 10:30 and it was very crowded. Overall I was disappointed with the quality of goods for sale. While the whole event seemed very well-organized, with different sections for different categories of goods, in general I'd say it was well picked-over.

I did see a lot of framed art in good condition. I particularly liked some South West prints for sale at $6 a piece in 36" frames. Too bad we have a lot of frame art that still needs a place in our home.

I don't tend to have good luck at Flea Markets in Savannah. I think I'll stick to the sale's rack at Belk's this weekend. Or a good garage sale downtown - the art students at SCAD tend to sell quirky items for cheap!