Happy Passover

My daughter's school did several lessons this week on both Passover and Easter.  We celebrate Passover and when my daughter was asked what we would be having at our Seder, she replied "Pizza and wine."  (There is a local pizza joint that makes Passover Pizza, although we've never had it.)

Sounds like a good Seder to me!  Azizen Peseach, as I hear her singing her version of "Dayenu" behind me as she sets up her kiddie table with her plastic Seder plate and kiddush cup.

Waivers for Playdates??

Madness.  It has to be.  Apparently, from news articles and such, this is a growing trend.  Sure, I have be given waivers for birthday parties or events that are hosted at Gyms and such, but at someone's home  for just a playdate sounds rather absurd.  This is one of the reasons you have homeowner's insurance.  

I have yet to be asked to sign one of these nutty documents and haven't heard of anyone I know personally  being asked to sign one, but I will say that if I were to be asked, it would tell me a lot about that parent and my daughter definitely would not be hanging out at that house.

Bad behavior at egg hunts isn't uncommon

Seriously, people!  I just saw this article on Huffington Post after my experience yesterday and was both saddened and unfortunately, not surprised that some parents are ruining the fun.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/colorado-egg-hunt_n_1379226.html

Eggstraspecial Egg Hunt

I decided to venture out early yesterday morning for my daughter's first egg hunt.  I had only fond memories of the few egg hunts I had participated in, so I thought it would be lots of fun.  After getting my daughter her hunt accessories, bunny ears and basket a la Target totaling $3.00, we headed to the hunt.  Due to the possibility of inclement weather, it was being hosted in a school.  Walking up to the school, it should have registered that this was going to be something 'special'.

I heard Mother's on the street telling their spouses, friends, or other parents that they were being 'scolded' at the door for bringing their strollers.  We live in a city, people walk and not everyone got online to see that the event organizers had asked for people to leave their wheels at home due to  a lack of space in the school.  So, already, there were some hot tempers beginning to flare and some decided to just leave.

I waited on the line to get in which took about 10 minutes to get to the registration table.  I got my hunt instructions which spelled out in black and white that 'adults were not to participate in collecting eggs'...did they really need to say that?  I guess they did for good reason if they printed out these instructions that the were giving all registrants!  The next instruction was that no child could collect more than '10 eggs' otherwise you would be charged.  That sounded fair since while on line to get in I heard some parents talking about how they had their son 'practicing' to get as many eggs as fast as he could so he could 'win'.  He was about the same age as my daughter, 2.  There was no mention of there being winners at the 0-3 year old egg hunt.  ????

Anyhow, this egg hunt was one disorganized mess.  People were crowding into close quarters and pushing each other to get to the head of the line with no one actually clarifying what on earth was going on.  It was hot, kids were cranky and parents were getting even crankier.  Parents were trying to cut the line, I was cut off twice, but decided not to say a word since if it's so important for you to cut a line at an egg hunt, you already have enough problems that I actually feel sorry for you.

 Older kids were ahead of the little ones who were supposed to go first and the breaking point for me was when a Mom decided to start F-bombing another Mother, quite loudly I might add, behind her accusing her of pushing, which I don't doubt was going on since, I was being pushed as well with really nowhere to go.   But at that point, I was sandwiched in the midst of a sea of people and would have to push my way out.  After waiting an hour and a half to get some cheap plastic eggs, I decided we would head straight to the store to get some of our own and create our own hunt at home without F-bombing parents and those parents who are grooming their children for the Olympics of Egg Hunts.

Israel Bans Underweight Models

Israel has banned underweight models and if magazines have used photo retouching to make that model look thinner than she already is, they must note that in the advertisement.  This is encouraging.  Read the article below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/israel-bans-underweight-models_n_1366435.html

Smoking in the car with your kids?

As a child who grew up with a smoker who didn't quit smoking until I was well out of the house in college, I can tell you it is a disgusting experience to be locked in a car with a parent who smokes whether the damn windows are up OR down.   As an adult and now a parent myself, when I see adults smoking in the car with children, I'm thinking, who the hell are you to take your addiction and put your children in a position where they have no choice.  Especially with all the hardcore medical research out there telling us the impact of not only smoking, but second hand smoking and now third hand smoke!  Yes, denial is a powerful thing.

 Smoking is one of the hardest addictions to give up.  It is and I get that.  I watched my Dad try to quit several times throughout my life.  And I'm not saying that people have to quit.  They may not want to quit.  But placing others, namely children whose bodies are still developing, is downright irresponsible, neglectful and selfish.

Thankfully, some states are moving to tackle this issue, mainly related to smoking while having children in the car.  Maryland is close to passing this into law.  It's about time.  Nice job Maryland!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/md-senate-passes-bill-to-ban-smoking-in-cars-holding-young-passengers/2012/03/14/gIQAFxv3CS_story.html

Fell off the Wagon

Finding out we were expecting our second child a few months ago sent my mind in a bit of a tizzy...oh my god, was I going to go through this all over again?!?!?!  My daughter had just hit an awesome stage.  She could go out and do stuff, talk, tell me what she wants, interact and here I was getting ready to go down the sleepless nights, breastfeeding on demand, cluster feeding, a gazillion diaper changes a day, leaky boob path.   Crap!  And I can't go out and really enjoy an evening of wine...double crap!  But I have come to a different place and am looking forward to adding another little girl to our family, yes, another girl, so not a lot of shopping that needs to be done here!  Just a few more months to go!!