I saw this headline on a news feed and was immediately enraged. Turns out it was simply a blog post written by a Mom whose two-year-old was demanding to go outside in her flimsy bathing suit cover-up.

It did however; touch a nerve since I have been recently aware of how the girls in my son’s 1^st grade class tend to dress. On Halloween, we had a sexy, short-skirted super girl. On any day of the week, we might see barely covered tummies and dresses worn sans shorts and considered suitable for hanging upside down from the monkey bars.

With Christmas coming, dresses at such popular mainstream retailers as Macy’s border on the absurd. This might just be me, but, I find it hard to understand why parents agree to sexually provocative outfits for their young girls.

This article in the L.A. Times, Sexy Halloween Costumes For Little Girls, quotes author, Diane E. Levin, a professor of education at Wheelock College in Boston and co-author, , of “So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids.”

Since television was deregulated in the early 1980s, marketing strategies have taken over all aspects of kids’ lives. From bedsheets to clothes and shoes to the lunch box they carry — they’re all linked to media, to popular culture. The message is, this is what’s desirable, this is what you should be.

And look at what they were offered: For boys, there was GI Joe, He-Man, Transformers, Ninja Turtles, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. For girls, there was My Little Pony, Care Bears, Disney’s princesses. Gender roles were very much part of that marketing. There was a whole new escalation in gender division when children began to become a market.

Kids are trying to figure out from an early age, “What does it mean to be a girl, or to be a boy?” They look at the most dramatic examples they can find to figure that out. Marketers are making it the most extreme they possibly can for that reason. Sexy is part of that marketing to girls — just as macho and violent has become the way to market things to boys.

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Are you sending out Holiday cards this year? I don’t usually, but these fabulous cards (and gift wrap) from Green Field Paper are causing me to reconsider.

The company offers three options in earth friendly card giving. First is the traditional Grow A Note cards, which are made from 100% recycled paper infused with wildflower seeds.

Another fun option is the Junk Mail Joy cards, “We take our junk mail and add it to post consumer pulp to make this truly unique paper, We have now used our recycled joy design to create this truly unique 110% recycled card.” (From the website).

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But now that they are in the double digits, they groan at the idea of another organized activity. Fortunately I found something fun for them to do and they have actually agreed to it.

Publix has opened a cooking school in Boca Raton called Apron's. They are doing a Kids' Survivors Camp Dec. 29 and 30, in which kids can learn some basic recipes and cooking skills.

How could they say no to learning to make (and eat) pretzels, blondies, brownies, empanadas and churros?

Cost is $70. For more information, click here.

What is a Peekaru?  Peekaru is essentially a fleece vest you wear over a soft baby carrier, such as a Baby Bjorn or Ergo Carrier.  The fabric is stretchy, so it fits comfortably over you and your babe, and best of all, the fleece is made from 85% recycled material!

Made from 85% recycled high quality Polartec fleece, each Peekaru Original saves approximately 25 plastic bottles from reaching the landfill. In addition, Polartec fleece is Oeko-tex Standard 100 “for textile products of all types which pose no risk whatsoever to health.” Feel good knowing that while you are holding your baby close, you are also helping the environment.

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Health officials say that every winter 5–20 percent of the population catches the flu, 200,000 people are hospitalized, and 36,000 people will die from it. The National Vital Statistics Reports compiled by the CDC show that only 1,138 deaths a year occur due to influenza alone, and more than 34,000 of the “36,000″ flu deaths are what officials estimate are “influenza-associated” pneumonic and cardiovascular deaths.

There is also a lack of evidence that young children benefit from flu shots. A systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;1:CD004879).

A randomized trial found that the incidence of influenza in infants whose mothers had a flu shot during their pregnancy was 4%. The incidence of flu in infants whose mothers did not have a flu shot was 10%. (NEJM 2008;359:) In the study, flu shots reduced the relative risk of influenza illness in infants by a seemingly impressive 63%, yet only 6 out of 100 infants actually benefited from the shot. The other 94 received no benefit – 4 got influenza anyway – and all are at risk from being harmed by the vaccine, particularly from the mercury, aluminum, and formaldehyde in it. - Donald Miller, MD

Flu shots contain a number of substances which may have adverse effects on health, especially for children:

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Anyway, we plunked down our $50 recently and entered the bounty that is Costco. The shopping experience was not among my favorites – those big carts are hard to negotiate – but we found some bulk items worth the effort. That said, here’s what I learned: there’s little room for error at this place. One of our sons insisted he would eat Honey Nut Cheerios, and persuaded us to buy a big box. He later took one bite and declared them too sweet.

Then I stumbled upon this item in New York magazine. The magazine took a family – mom and dad and two kids – and compared how their weekly grocery purchases would come out at three different grocers and a Costco. Anyway, Costco did very well. Take a look.

There’s an important caveat at the end, though. Make sure you read that. Because when it comes to Costco, the devil is in the quantity. Or, for us, in a huge box of Honey Nut Cheerios.

Are you a concerned parent who is searching for a way to increase your childs Earth savviness? If so, I’ve found the perfect Holiday gift for you!

Idbids.

This little guy is the water drop, Waverly. He is here to teach you about protecting and preserving water. Waverly has two friends, Lola the Flower and Scout the Cloud. Lola is an expert in trees, flowers and plants while Scout is all about our air.

Each Idbit Starter Kit comes with:

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A couple of working moms in Boca Raton set up a website for us. Ironically, it will require your time and effort to look at it. As if you have any left!

That's why it's taken me a couple of months to actually pull it up and share it with you. Sorry about that. I had lots of laundry to do, had to pick my son up from football, my daughter's school needed a speaker for Career Day, I had to work late on a story, my husband was hungry for lasagna, I was bidding on some Christmas presents online, my friend said I was neglecting her, we lost the 'Strawberry Shortcake' DVD we rented from the library so I had to ransack the house to find it, the political blog at work was desperately in need of another post, I had to help our new TV partners on a story, and I decided to take up jogging.

Here's the website: www.workingmomlifeline.com.

It's a fun website, with some tips on saving time, some advice, and some stuff designed to make you laugh. I got a chuckle out of the mom who was a pothead, whose daughter walked in on her cloud of cannibas. That probably wasn't one of the items on this website designed to draw a chuckle. Oh well.

This "worst slogan translation,'' however was designed to be funny:

The Dairy Association's huge success with the campaign "Got Milk?" prompted them to expand advertising to Mexico. It was soon brought to their attention the Spanish translation read "Are You Lactating?"

Good stuff. Check it out.

[Kroft] Did you seriously consider sending the girls to public school?

You know, we’re still in the process of figuring out that transition and what we have asked people to understand is that the decision that we make will be based on the best interests of the girls. We haven’t made that decision yet. We want that to be a personal process, and people have been really good about respecting that.

I do respect the Obama’s decision as parents to choose the best school for their girls, but most parents in the United States do not have this luxury. I am a public school teacher, and I strongly support public education as a necessity in a democracy. It is a personal decision of the Obama family where their children attend school, but politically, public school would be the best decision.

Here are five reasons why Sasha and Malia should attend public school:

1. It sends a message that Obama believes in public education: Politician after politician states that they support public education, but when it comes to their own children, public schools are not good enough. This hypocritical message tarnishes public opinion of our school system, and it furthers the view of politicians as elitist.  Sasha and Malia currently attend private school in Chicago.

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” We need to respect the environment because it’s the only thing we have that’s close to magic”

This quote came from an 8th grader after I asked the class to tell me why it is important that we respect the environment. I’ve learned to appreciate moments like this as a teacher.  This one, however, was particularly satisfying as it came in the first weeks of our first school year at Green School.

Aptly named, Green School (www.greenschool.org) is an ambitious new international school on the island of Bali, Indonesia.  Its aim is to produce students who not only respect, but also understand the environment along with the challenges we face in regards to its health.  The classrooms have no walls, and the roofs are made from bamboo, our most renewable of trees.  The children read and write under natural light, and are cooled by breezes instead of air-conditioners. They tend gardens with the guidance of a permaculturist as part of a hands-on and holistic curriculum.

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At first glance, there’s not much difference between the halls of East Side High and those of Rydell High, the school attended by the students of “Grease.” Each school has impossibly bubbly teens who break out into song with little warning. And somehow, everyone knows the words to every song, along with the accompanying dance moves.

But the similarities pretty much end there, especially if you’re a parent. I think if my mom and dad had really listened to the lyrics of the “Grease” soundtrack, they would have banned it from my house. Oh, sure, “Summer Nights” was harmless enough on the surface (although when Danny said “She was good, you know what I mean,” I didn’t). But did you ever listen to the lyrics of “Greased Lightning”? How on earth did we get away with playing that song and dancing to it in the presence of our parents?

Ah, but in the late 1970s, Grease really was the word, wasn’t it? It had groove. It had feeling. It had… well, it had a little bit more than young children should see and hear, no? Because Grease really wasn’t a high school musical. It strikes me that Grease was produced in the 1970s for people in their 30s who were in high school during the 1950s. With a wink and a nod, it mocked truly clueless adults along with the unrealistic expectations of wholesome perfection. We all knew what Troy Donahue wanted to do. And when Rizzo was in trouble, we worried with her.

What was the message of Grease, anyway? Was it that you need to be a floozie (or just look like one) to get your man or to fit in? Or was it that you need not be ashamed of your sexuality?

And what is the message of High School Musical? Looks to me like the message is to be true to yourself and to your friends, and have a little fun in the process. They are a wholesome bunch, aren’t they? Even the villainess of the piece, Sharpay, ends up being so darned nice when all is sung and done.

The world of High School Musical is an innocent one, a world free of cynicism, a world that almost screams, “please, let kids be kids just a little while longer!”

Here’s the big difference: HSM is for people looking forward to high school. Grease is for people looking back on it.

Or maybe I’m just thinking too hard. As a stepparent to two teenage girls, you’ve got to forgive me if I applaud HSM a little more than Grease. At least while they’re still kids.

Go Wildcats!

SimplyNeutral received the Co-Op America Seal of Approval because they are a company dedicated to these philosophies. The company was founded by Maggie and later joined by Sara. Together, this dynamic duo created natural cleaning products that really work.

My favorite product on the website are the Biodegradable Wipes. These wipes can be used on people (think baby wipe replacement) or for cleaning purposes. They are gentle, non-toxic, biodegradable, bleach free, durable and 100% natural. To expand the little disc, simply add a tablespoon of water. These are great to carry in handbags, diaper bags, the glove box, etc… The company carries a select few products (like these wipes) which are produced by other companies and filled a needed niche).

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Here’s what we’re reading this month:

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Create a Natural Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Mom and Dad have got a lot going on these next two weeks before Thanksgiving.  Ordering the turkey, figuring out the stuffing, making pies…yummy! Why not help them out by creating an awesome natural centerpiece for the table? It’s the perfect opportunity to get your nature hat on and your creative juices flowing.

Go for a walk in a nearby park and collect anything that you think would look good on the table.  There’s loads of Autumn stuff out there…lightweight twigs, fallen leaves, pine cones, acorns. Go for whatever you can find based upon where you live…you want your Thanksgiving centerpiece to reflect your own part of the country. Look for natural objects of different shapes, sizes and colors.  The more variety you have on, they greater they will look on the table.

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No, that’d be a dream come true for Motrin. Let me give you a transcription of Motrin’s online advertisement. It’s after the jump and I’d have to advise any mother who has every worn her baby to have a good stiff drink before you read.

Because you are going to be furious, and I think we all know that a pissed off group of Mommies is (and should be) terrifying.

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I'm not a hardcore fan of any sport or team though if I had to pick a sport, it'd be European soccer and specifically the World Cup (indeed, the single biggest sticker on my laptop is a World Cup 2010 South Africa sticker. Ask me to see it next time we meet up. it's cool).

But I just don't think I have what it takes to be a fan in these offensive and unpleasant modern times...

At our house, belated Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without Aunty Andy and her homemade Maple Apple Sauce. The original recipe was from Canada’s very own Chatelaine magazine. Auntie has adapted it over the years, whipping it into its current perfection. Serve it with a little ice cream or granola and you’ve got yourself the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, breakfast, or post turkey snack.  Print this recipe and keep it close to the stuffing one you always look for.

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With a zero emissions vehicle that runs on any fuel you provide, you can save money, go green, and stay fit.

You don’t have to pay insurance, the maintenance is minimal, and you’ll be the talk of the town with one of these vehicles in your garage.

Zero Emissions Machine 4 Cycle

A sassy-looking machine from Zurich, Switzerland…

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With a zero emissions vehicle that runs on any fuel you provide, you can save money, go green, and stay fit.

You don’t have to pay insurance, the maintenance is minimal, and you’ll be the talk of the town with one of these vehicles in your garage.

Zero Emissions Machine 4 Cycle

A sassy-looking machine from Zurich, Switzerland…

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Here are their five key points related to their product...

The first time I tasted organic homemade cranberry sauce, I was in heaven. I had no idea that was what it was supposed to taste like, and it wasn’t can-shaped (did you know tin cans contain BPA?)  Besides, homemade cranberry sauce is super easy to make, so who needs a can?

It is easy to find organic cranberries at coops and health food stores to make your own sweet sauce to complement your Thanksgiving feast, whether vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore.

Organic Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Plan ahead!  Cranberry sauce needs to chill in your refrigerator for at least three hours before your feast.  It is best to make it the night before Thanksgiving.

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Is there a Florida Prepaid for pre-K?

Parents can send their 4-year-olds to three hours of free pre-K per day during the school year, but they still have to shell out big bucks so their kids can spend the rest of the day learning their ABCs and 123s.

So they can probably relate to a new study by Pre-K Now, which found that early childhood education is breaking the piggy banks of middle-class families across the country. The study looks at states where, unlike Florida, families must meet income thresholds to qualify for free pre-K. Earn too much, and you have to pay.

And pay they do.

In those states, preschool costs eat up about about 30 percent of a family's budget, beating out food, rent, car payments and healthcare, the study says. The study defined middle class as a family of four living on $51,523 to $103,046 a year.

Monthly expenses for Maryland's middle-class families look like this: $1,324 for rent, $995 on food, $1,559 on early education. That's a bit on the high-end of the scale. The low-end would be Louisiana, where rent cost $758 (which is wishful thinking down here), while childcare is about $809.

Another startling fact listed in the study: In every state, for families earning $60,000 year, a year of childcare costs more than a year's tuition at Harvard or Yale.

Pre-K Now is a national non-profit organization funded in part by the Pew Charitable Trust. The report, which was released Wednesday, is available here.

Eli Lilly
Astra Zeneca
LifeScan
Insulet
Medtronic
Pfiser
Takeda

And a handful of others. You see, diabetes is big business, insulin costs and insurance will always pay. Diabetes is one of the many preventable diseases that mothers give their children.

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So my son brought his report card home yesterday.

It was really wonderful; great grades earned him a dinner out to the Melting Pot. After all, he's also earning some high school credits even though he's still in 8th grade. And we celebrate everything together, little achievements and big ones.

But now he's being wooed by area high schools for thei