Wednesday, May 18, 2011
In this week's Moms Talk on New Milford Patch, we ask whether or not readers think "tiger parenting" is an effective approach to child rearing.
Moms Talk is a weekly feature on New Milford Patch that is part of an initiative to reach out to moms and families. Moms Talk is the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation. Here's our discussion topic: Amy Chua, author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and a Yale Law School professor, contends that most American moms are too soft on their children, acting as unwavering cheerleaders even when they don't perform at the level that parents expect. She also says her parenting methods are modeled in the approach her first-generation Chinese-American parents used with her, which she says has made her successful. Does Chua have a point? Do American moms…
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
What do you say to your children?
Just a year old when the twin towers fell, my oldest didn’t understand what was happening. She ran around our house in San Francisco repeating “Oh my God. Oh my God.” She was mimicking us as we sat glued to the television that morning, having been awoken by a crying friend’s phone call alerting us to the attack. Since moving here, she’s seen the memorial plaques in the park, honoring the parents of kids she’s shared an auditorium with, parents who never got to see their children grow up and reach milestones. She’s seen documentaries in school about 9/11 with the children of the dead asking, “Why did they hurt my daddy?” For her, the death of bin Laden does bring a sense that justice has been served. For my youngest child it brings an …
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
In honor of Mothers' Day this weekend, Patch wants to know how you spend your time when you have a night off from the kids
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: What Do You Do For Fun On a Girls' Night Out? So, the moon, the stars and the planets have all aligned and you are actually getting out of the house without kids or a significant other. We know it is a rare event so Patch wants to find out how you spend that time hanging with friends. Bunco has been quite popular among many groups of Bergen County moms for the past few years (I admit that I, myself, am in a monthly group). Or maybe you are into scrapbooking and you and your pals get together for all-night parties to get your books done. Some…
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
How do you talk to your children about the dangers of people they don't know approaching them when they aren't with you?
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: What Do You Tell Your Kids About Stranger Danger? A couple of months ago, there were reports of a suspicious person attempting to lure children in Oradell and Woodcliff Lake. This was certainly not the first type of incident in the area and regrettably it will likely not be the last. So what do you say to your children about strangers who may approach them? Does your message differ depending on the age of your child? How do you tell them which strangers are "safe" like police, firefighters, crossing guards and which are not "safe"? It's …
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Kids around the state will be taking the tests in the next few weeks
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: Are Your Kids Stressing About the NJASK? Students beginning in grade three must sit for this multi-day exam known as the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge or NJASK. They will continue to take the exam through the eighth grade. The purpose of the test is outlined on the Department of Education's website: With the enactment of the NCLB Act, New Jersey’s statewide assessment of elementary students has undergone further change. Under the provisions of this federal legislation, every state is required to administer annual standards-…
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
This week Patch is asking parents how they handle inappropriate text messages either sent or received by their kids
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: How Do You Handle Inappropriate Text Messages? Recently, the New Jersey Assembly voted on a bill that would allow for more lenient punishments for teens caught "sexting." Sexting is the sending of nude, partially nude or sexually suggestive material via text. First time offenders would be offered entry into a diversionary program under the proposed law. Many teens don't realize that passing on an image of a peer who is even partially nude can be considered distribution of child pornography and it comes with a heavy penalty. Assemblywoman …
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The American Academy of Pediatrics just released new recommendations regarding the use of car seats
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: What Do You Think of the New Car Seat Recommendations? Per the new guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should sit in rear facing car seats until they turn two or "until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat." Previously children were only recommended to sit rear-facing until age one or until they weighed 20 pounds. The guidelines also said children should be in a booster seat until at least age eight. "Most children will need a booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are …
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Travel baseball, softball, basketball, soccer and more have become extremely popular in recent years
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: Should Young Children Play in Competitive Travel Sports Leagues? Travel sports teams have emerged as a leading contender for how many local kids spend their free time. Some parents choose to have their children try-out for these teams so they can experience a greater competitive challenge. Other parents see it as a vehicle for taking a natural aptitude their child may have in a specific sport to the next level. What about cuts? At what age should a child deal with the reality of not making the travel team? Tell us your thoughts on …
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Games rated "M" are intended for people 17 and older but many younger kids play them
Welcome back to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you to grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: Video games rated "M" for "Mature": How do you handle it when a game is prohibited from being played in your house yet a friend allows their child to play it? The Entertainment Software Rating Board developed the rating system for games. "M" games are intended for those age 17 and older because they, "may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language." Call of Duty: Black Ops, a first-person shooter game from Activision, was the top selling game of 2010, according to the NPD group. If you have prohibited …
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
New Jersey law doesn't specify an age when children are considered old enough to be home alone
Welcome to "Moms Talk," a weekly Patch feature designed to reach out to moms and families. New Milford Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families right here in the borough. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start this week's conversation: The National SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that children be 12 or older before being left at home alone, for any length of time. New Jersey law has no mention of an age that is appropriate or inappropriate for leaving children home alone. Bergen County's Department of Human Services offers a checklist for parents to help them make the …
Celeste Scavetta
2:07 pm on Thursday, May 5, 2011
I agree with all of the above. Between full time, executive-level career, single mother of a 16 year old daughter (need I say more?), and a Councilwoman in town, R&R with the ladies is pure, honest-to-goodness Medicine! Tonight, my elixir or RX of sorts will be at Pancho's (Happy Cinco everyone). I also grab whoever is free whenever my sanity break is needed and go off to restaurants, and have … more ›