Posts Tagged ‘
battle of the sexes ’
Friday, March 13th, 2009
Did you happen to read this story in The Atlantic this week called The Case Against Breastfeeding? I currently breastfeed my son — and even pumped my milk for my daughter when she refused to nurse as a baby. And I will continue to breastfeed my son. But this is all very interesting. It's worth a read — at the very least to get a good conversation started with your husband (I'm still trying to get my husband to read it). This is the best graph:
"The Bitch in the House, published in 2002, reframed The Feminine Mystique for my generation of mothers. We were raised to expect that co-parenting was an attainable goal. But who were we kidding? Even in the best of marriages, the domestic burden shifts, in incremental, mostly unacknowledged ways, onto the woman. Breast-feeding plays a central role in the shift. In my set, no husband tells his wife that it is her womanly duty to stay home and nurse the child. Instead, both parents together weigh the evidence and then make a rational, informed decision that she should do so. Then other, logical decisions follow: she alone fed the child, so she naturally knows better how to comfort the child, so she is the better judge to pick a school for the child and the better nurse when the child is sick, and so on. Recently, my husband and I noticed that we had reached the age at which friends from high school and college now hold positions of serious power. When we went down the list, we had to work hard to find any women. Where had all our female friends strayed? Why had they disappeared during the years they’d had small children?"
She's right: Breastfeeding sets off the cycle (of course a lot of other things do too). It's the same old story. Ultimately I'm the one responsible for everything. Breastfeeding is just the beginning. Only last night my husband Paul was like, "So have you called Riverside [preschool] to tell them that Madelyn is going to Westside?" I said, "Have you?" And he looked at me like I had two heads. By the way: Have you made Grant's doctor's appointment? Did you pick up bottle liners? We're out. And did you happen to pick up Eva's money? She gets paid tomorrow. Oh, and we're out of 2% milk for Maddie. …. I love my husband. But they have to find a way to get those male nipples working again.
Thursday, June 12th, 2008
Kids born in 2006 are expected to make it to a record 78.1 years, according new data from the CDC. Reuters
Weight loss programs for toddlers are springing up across the country—and parents have mixed reactions. Wall Street Journal
The percentage of babies born underweight in the U.S. is at its highest level in 40 years, according to a new report. Washington Post
What happens when parents really decide to split the work 50/50. New York Times Magazine
A look at the history of the obesity problem among American kids. Time
Original photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, child development, Current Affairs, dicey topics, Family, fitness, Food and Drink, Health & Safety, kids, little kids, relationships
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
This cute, clever pillow set could be the perfect way to stop the "It’s YOUR turn!" fights between you and your husband in the middle of the night (found via Ohdeedoh). Simply flip the pillows every night to remember who’s "On Duty," and you won’t have to argue about who gets the baby bottle or who has to check under the bed for monsters.
Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
Meet the (surrogate) parents: A look at the women who carry other womens’ children. Newsweek
Only a third of eighth graders and a fourth of high school seniors are proficient writers, according to a national test. New York Times
When the circus comes to town parents fret—Is it a nice family activity or a display of animal mistreatment? Washington Post
Eight glasses of water a day? That might be bad advice, says a new scientific review. Reuters
The stigma attached to men receiving alimony checks from their ex-wives may be on its way out. Wall Street Journal
Photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, child development, Current Affairs, Cute Animals, Dads, dicey topics, Family, Food and Drink, Health & Safety, kids, little kids, money, Pregnancy, Science, teaching
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
No child support? No hunting! A new program in Illinois encourages dads to pay up. Chicago Tribune
Why being pregnant makes you want to renovate. New York Times
A new study looks at the long-term health consequences of premature birth. Yahoo! News
Pregnancy discrimination complaints are on the rise. Wall Street Journal
Scary trend: Parents sign their kids up for human “cockfighting.” New York Daily News
How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Advocate
Original photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, child development, Current Affairs, Dads, dicey topics, Family, gear, getting your kids to do stuff, Health & Safety, home decor, kids, little kids, organizing, Pregnancy, Sports, trends
Thursday, March 20th, 2008
Every mom loves beautiful baby photos, but are fancy ultrasounds of fetuses safe? Chicago Tribune
A good marriage is good for your blood pressure and a bad marriage is—you guessed it—bad for your blood pressure. Yahoo! News
A new California program modeled on America’s Most Wanted is targeting the 10 worst child support evaders. LA Times
Fear of food poisoning: Is washing your veggies in tap water good enough? Newsweek
More celebs contemplate trading in their baby photos for big bucks. New York Daily News
Original photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, celebs, cleaning, Dads, dicey topics, Family, Food and Drink, Health & Safety, kids, little kids, Pregnancy, relationships, safety, Science
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
If you’re pregnant you may have to give up your cup of joe—new research shows that caffeine can double your miscarriage risk. Reuters
Say it like you mean it! Is forcing your kids to say sorry a bad idea? Slate
Why fighting with your husband may help you live longer. Live Science
American girls are hitting puberty at younger and younger ages. LA Times
Sushi lovers, watch out: The New York Times tested the raw tuna at a variety of restaurants and found alarmingly high mercury levels at a quarter of them. New York Times
Original photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, child development, Current Affairs, Family, Food and Drink, getting your kids to do stuff, Health & Safety, kids, little kids, relationships, trends
Tuesday, November 20th, 2007
A new report finds that as kids read less for fun, their test scores drop—even in math and science. New York Times
The Chicago Tribune tested 800 toys on the market for lead and found alarming levels in some products. Chicago Tribune
Forget French, or even Spanish—more and more kids are learning Mandarin in school. USA Today
Another reason to make your partner pitch in at night: Not getting enough sleep might be sabotaging your efforts to lose the baby weight. Yahoo! News
Get ready to settle in at the airport if you’re traveling this Thanksgiving. CNN
Original photo via
Categories: News | Tags: baby, battle of the sexes, Books, child development, Current Affairs, Dads, dicey topics, Family, getting your kids to do stuff, Health & Safety, Holidays, kids, little kids, recalls, Science, shopping, sleep, teaching, toys, Travel
