Bunchland

What we’re reading today:

1. According to UCLA Anthropologists, Americans parents are raising their kids to be lazy and spoiled out of guilt.

2. Going out to dinner with your kids? Here are 12 tips that will save you some aggravation.

3. Bless those Girl Scouts! They’re celebrating their 100th anniversary this week and encouraging your girls to pursue their love of science and technology, or whatever your girls are into.

4. Turns out that parenting experts over the years have always told moms they’d better do a good job, or else. “Whatever the message, the advice was given in the form of an order and the authors highlighted extreme consequences if mothers did not follow the methods of childrearing that they advocated.”

5. Mini Hogwarts! See how they made the model for one of our favourite fictional castles.

 Read more...

What we’re reading today:

1. How to take a baby on a plane OR what one mom learned from the internet about how she’d be regarded should she ever dare to bring her baby on a plane.

2. Understanding tantrums: They’re either angry or sad and you want it make it end as soon as possible. Don’t do anything when they’re angry (throwing stuff) and scoop them up in a hug when they’re sad (throwing themselves on the floor).

3. Those pesky babies taking up space in restaurants even though they’re not eating anything! One UK restaurant has started charging parents a head tax for the baby.

4. Mommy drinks because you cry and other drunk mom jokes. (Some Washington DC parents got together “to talk about the consequences of modern parents’ embrace of wine-accompanied playdates”)  Read more...

Dad and daughter celebrate the end of a successful vacation

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from Jacob Johan in Amsterdam.

What we’re reading today:

1. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Kids learn through play. (Parents holding their kids back from preschool but feel torn/stressed because of competitive parents teaching their kids to read and write at a super early age.)

2. This Arizona mom is climbing through fastfood playlands and is disgusted by what she sees. She’s combined her playland investigation with a cross-country roadtrip to check out McDonalds, Burger Kings, Chuck E Cheeses and Chick-fil-As all across America. (A note to Americans and those traveling in the States: She says Chick-fil-A has been the most helpful)

3. Check out different herbal teas when you’re pregnant. Mint, ginger, rooibos, red raspberry leaf, lemon balm and others can help various ailments during your pregnancy like nausea, heartburn, inflammation and calming nerves.

4. Colorado daycare centres now have to provide dolls that represent at least three different races.  Read more...