Bunchland

What we’re reading today:

1. Want to get in your kid’s teacher’s good books? Don’t assume they’re “the strict one” and schedule time to meet one-on-one rather than ambush them after school.

2. How one dad learned about autism from his son and a follow-up question from a fan of his memoir.

3. How do you explain sex and babies and all that to kids? Go with the stork explanation or wait to see what their teachers come up with? Check out these teaching aid sex-ed dolls from around the world.

4. Want to ensure your kids eat their lunch at school? Get them involved with the shopping, preparation and packing of the lunch.

5. Beauty and the Beast is a classic that teaches kids how what’s truly important is how beautiful/kind/whatever you are on the inside. But just what is Belle thinking on the inside? Hey Girl!  Read more...

“But behind that fair facade, I’m afraid she’s rather odd… A most peculiar mademoiselle”

We died a little bit when we saw this on BoingBoing this morning. Maybe ill-thought out merchandise brought about the end of Disney Princesses?

Photo via BoingBoing

Our Bunchbrary

It’s that time of year when people evaluate their activities of the past year to see if they’re worthy of the Nice list and start thinking of resolutions to be even better next year. But some of us aren’t naturally inclined towards self-improvement. In those cases, one might need a helpful spirit or two to show them the way. (Or some other such character who shows them what’s really important in life.) Ebenezer Scrooge (or any of his contemporary incarnations) epitomizes redemption when he goes from uncaring miser to providing the Cratchits with a feast fit for kings. Here are our picks for five other such tales of sin and redemption.  Read more...