As part of the coverage of the 2012 Presidential election, Yahoo! News has debuted “Remake America,” a webseries profiling six families as they try to reclaim the American dream. Each week, another five-minute episode puts a personal spin on issues like unemployment, foreclosure, and the mounting healthcare costs that are so common in today’s economy. But they’re not going it alone—each family gets help from career gurus, personal-finance experts and medical professionals as they fight to make ends meet. Viewers can connect by sharing their own experiences on dedicated comment threads or voting for which step each family should take next. Check it out below.
Do you think these videos paint an accurate picture of America today? How are these issues affecting your family?
Looking for some summer boredom-busters? Sign up for our 12-week Camp Mom newsletter by clicking here.
Contest Call-Out:
Are you the craftiest mom on the block? Show off your skills by entering our craft contest here, and you could be in the magazine and take home a $300 gift card.
In Case You Missed It…
A couple of weeks ago, GoodyBlogger Kara posted this blog about “Take Our Children to the Park…& Leave Them There Day.” Let’s just say the debate got a little, um, lively. Free-Range Kids posted this response. Check out the comments on both blogs, and feel free to weigh in. Just keep it civil–this isn’t the comment section for Yahoo! News.
Tweet of the Week:
@DiaperDiaries: Unexpected bonus of the washer/dryer delivery today? My kids have been playing in the box for an hour.
RECALL ALERT!
McDonald’s just announced that they’re recalling 12 million Shrek drinking glasses, which contain cadmium in the paint. via CPSC
News To Us:
Some schools around the country are switching tofour-day weeks for students.
Online moms unite! We recently featured ten “Power Moms” of the blogosphere and beyond in our Mom.com story (the February issue of Parents is on newsstands next week). But one of the great things about the Internet is that it’s a true democracy–we can all have a voice. The trick is figuring out how to get your voice to stand out in all the noise. And whether you want to get into blogging, tweeting, or facebooking, the methods are surprisingly the same. Check out five pointers to get you started.
Do your research. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Mommy blogs and Twitter “tweeters” out there. Read a few of them…if you’re not already (see Goody Reads to the left and our Twitter/Facebook feeds to the right for some suggestions). For blogs, you should also compare blog-hosting sites, such as WordPress and TypePad, to decide which one is right for you.
Find your niche. Have a passion for kids’ shoes? Great! Check if there’s a similar blog, FB page, or tweeter out there for this subject. If so, brainstorm how to make yours different. If not, congrats! You’ve got the market cornered, so to speak.
Disney announced this week that it will offer refunds for its Baby Einstein line of DVDs (bought June 2004 to September 4th), which had been marketed as educational for babies and toddlers (a claim that's caused the company problems over the years). Apparently watching TV doesn't make your child a genius. Who knew? But a lot of parents didn't expect Baby Einstein to turn their kid into, well, Einstein–they just wanted something good their little one could watch while they cooked dinner or took a much-needed breather. Regardless of the reasons for buying the DVDs, you now have the option of a refund. Here's what we want to know: Are you planning on getting the refund or letting it go? Post a comment below to let us know!
If you've been reading my column regularly (Hi Mom!), you've probably figured out by now that I was a fantasy- and sci-fi-loving geek as a kid. The darker children's movies, like The NeverEnding Story, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth, were my favorites, and they still hold a special place in my equally as geeky adult heart. So, I went into the big-screen update of Where the Wild Things Are (rated PG) with some pretty big expectations. And in that sense, I was let down. To be fair, it was a perfectly good movie, especially in the beginning with its quieter family interplay. Fellow GoodyBlogger, Barrie, LOVED it—the acting, the plot, the haunting visuals. But I walked away with the feeling that it was missing something. I just didn't get swept up into the childlike wonder that I'm used to when watching the best of these type of fantasy films—and maybe that's more of a reflection of me (and my current state of cynical grown-up-ness) than of the movie itself. I'm curious to see what you guys think. Post a comment, and let me know your review.
One note of warning, though: The Maurice Sendak classic tale that we all know and love is great for the preschool set. This live-action movie? Not so much. Use your discretion: The film's larger-than-life monsters and darker themes might scare kids under 8—unless you have a fantasy fan-in-training on your hands.
The '80s are soooo back! I was probably a little too excited when the first-look trailer for the new Fame remake hit the Interwebs the other day. A "Woohoo!!!" might have been involved. Don't judge! When I was little, my teenage sister couldn't get enough of this dancing/singing film and TV sensation. Some dancing and singing in our living room might have been involved. OK, you can judge. Check it out, and let us know if you're excited or appalled that it's getting a big-screen update:
Online moms unite! We recently featured ten “Power Moms” of the blogosphere and beyond in our 
