Bunchland

What we’re reading today:

1. We thought Norway was supposed to be cool and progressive? So why did child welfare authorities take a healthy, happy 3-year-old from his parents and send him to live with his uncle in India?

2. “Unless it’s a kid saying it, ‘mom’ or ‘mommy’ denies women’s adulthood or agency,” says a York University prof. Should we stop slapping “mommy” on everything?

3. Just in case you wanted more proof that you’re not the worst parent in the world, Lifetime has given Ice Moms the green light. Now you can compare your parenting skills to pageant moms of the figure skating world.

4. Would you let your daughter have a sleepover where the only adult around was a dad? Apparently some groups think dads aren’t to be trusted. (We agree with the commenter who said it should be about whether you know the supervising parent(s) or not.)  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

Tina Fey writes an essay for this week’s New Yorker. Her 5-year-old daughter brought home a book called My Working Mom about a kid who doesn’t like how hard her witch mother works. Literally, a witch. Fey writes, “I’m sure the two men who wrote this had the best of intentions.” She also says that the worst question you can ask a working mom is, “How do you juggle it all?” For those of us who haven’t yet cracked through that New Yorker pay wall, Salon‘s Mary Elizabeth Williams has a good summary. For how hilarious Tina Fey is, we love when she gets all serious and stuff.

And it you don’t want to read My Working Mom, check out any of a million iPad storybook apps. NPR’s Omar Gallaga gets his 3-year-old daughter to help him review them. They like Jack and the Beanstalk because you can shake the giant on the beanstalk. We’re sold. Via Boy Reporter.  Read more...