Bunchland

What we’re reading today:

1. Is eliminating all chemicals from the house the new baby-proofing?

2. Confessions of a peanut allergy mom.

3. Working moms and working pregnant moms are nothing new, but what about when “working” means filming in Antarctica and in male-dominated profession?

4. Hooray for nice weather! Yes, we love skating and tobogganing and snowfort-making and other fine winter activities, but it’s so much easier to run around without a jacket. So, how much exercise does your kid really need anyway?

5. Because apparently we can’t get enough of kids singing Adele,  here’s a 2-year-old covering “Someone Like You”

Photo by Chevysmom via Flickr

What we’re reading today:

1. Parents say they’d like more time to help teach their kids.

2. Cheerios is introducing a new peanut butter flavour, but since Cheerios are such a toddler standard and their food gets all over the place, moms of nut-allergic kids are rather concerned.

3. Some really, really dumb school in Atlanta is teaching racism. Like, how many beatings will a slave get in a week if they’re beaten twice a day. We’re not kidding. How does this happen?

4. One psychologist says that to deny kids what they want shows your prejudice against children, or childist. We think the Veruca Salt photo is pretty apt.

5. Ah Maurice Sendak! Why was there no Where the Wild Things Are 2? Go to hell!

Photo by BenSpark via Flickr

What we’re reading today:

1. Would you be OK with a peanut-free peanut butter substitute in schools? One London, Ontario-area educator says peanut butter substitutes have no place in our schools.

2. Fewer babies: A break for our crowded planet, or a danger to the economic growth?

3. In and around Washington, D.C., pediatricians’ offices are full to the brim with parents and kids. Why do these parents always go straight to the doctor rather than going to family and friends for advice?

4. A new study shows that 10 per cent of parents regret the name their chose for their baby. Anyone want to go to Gwyneth Paltrow for a comment?

5. Who’s excited for the Tin Tin movie? One fan is so excited he made a pretty slick looking trailer for it:

The Adventures of Tintin from James Curran on Vimeo.  Read more...

Catherine Romano blogs about crafty projects for kids and parents

With the holiday season quickly approaching (Thanksgiving, Halloween, American Thanksgiving, and a number of upcoming birthday parties), comes a great deal of excitement for our family. However, before the celebrating begins I often have to start menu planning.  You see, my son is allergic to eggs and peanuts, and this equates to me cooking and bringing his meals and snacks to most outings. I typically cook a very similar meal to what the host will be serving, so my son doesn’t feel excluded from the other guests. However, the one tricky part is dessert. First off, I am not a baker or pastry chef. I like to cook, but I find baking far more complicated and I lack the patience to wait for the treats to bake and cool. Also, most celebrations include elaborate desserts which are difficult to make.  Read more...

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

When we think ultimate, we think decadent. This is no time to carefully consider a delicate balance of flavours; this is about “How many kinds of sprinkles and toppings can I fit on this before I drown the ice cream?”. Here’s what you’re going to need for an ultimate ice cream sundae:  Read more...

• Two excellent flavours. Do your best impression of Ina Garten and find a good vanilla (as in, you should see the black flecks of vanilla bean), and maybe a great chocolate, mint chocolate chip or strawberry with real strawberries. You want nice flavours that will take on other flavours, not dominate them the way birthday cake or tiger tail or something would do. (Unless you just really, really love tiger tail, then please disregard)

What we’re reading today:

1. Pets are good for kids. A recent study shows that living with a cat or a dog in the first year of life can reduce the risk of developing allergies.

2. This dad waved at his son’s school bus everyday of the school year, and each day was in a different costume.

3. Speaking of the school year, why do the kids get the whole summer off while we grownups have to work through June, July and August?

4. While we still don’t know what causes Autism, one study shows that mothers who took prenatal vitamins reduced the risk of their kids developing autism by up to 40 percent.

5. Plexiglas disrupts the circle of life:

Photo by Mydaas! via Flickr

What we’re reading today:

1. The pride of Winnipeg, 10-year-old Maria Aragon, will be on stage with Lady Gaga tonight in Toronto. If anyone has any extra tickets, we might know of some people who would use them. (Us.) Via The Winnipeg Sun

2. One former divorce attorney turned stay-at-home-mom said between reaction to Natalie Portman’s Oscar acceptance speech, an essay on why one mom was happy she doesn’t have full custody of her kids and another woman saying she’s glad she doesn’t have kids, the stories this week on Salon have been decidedly anti-motherhood. The former divorce writes why she’s 100% OK with putting motherhood before her career. Via Salon

3. Yes, motherhood is so great that working moms tend to get less sleep than dads. Here are some tips to get more sleep, better sleep and generally feel better. Via Parentcentral.ca  Read more...