NEWSMOM

HISTORY!

2009-01-23T13:05:00.002-05:00

I'm two days out from covering the Inauguration, and my mind is still spinning. What a great time to be in TV news! Here's a rundown of my exciting experience:

We stayed in a hotel about 6 blocks from the mall, because there was no way we could get in and out of DC and make deadlines. On Tuesday morning, I woke up about 1:30am to finish writing an early-morning story previewing the day. I sent my voice track via laptop and my producer and I headed out to wait for a car service to take us to our camera. Because we were on the north side of the parade route, we couldn't cross over.

The car dropped us as close as he could - about 6 blocks from our location. Walking, it was interesting to see all the people, and their kids, camped out in the cold, waiting to be let loose on the Mall!

I barely made it to my camera in time for a 4:30am Early Today show hit. My co-worker was originally supposed to do it, but she got stuck in the security sweep.

At 5am, the most amazing thing happened: people started RACING onto the mall in droves. And I do mean racing! For almost two hours, I watched this unbelievable spectacle of people running for blocks, trying to get the best spot. I don't think I'll ever forget the older lady I saw (about 70) pushing her walker across the grass in the dark, trying to keep up with the masses.

By daylight, the 4 blocks in front of me and about 7 more behind me were full and shut down. People were singing and trying to stay warm in blankets. What really made an impact on me was the cheerfulness of this crowd. They'd been up all night, now standing for hours in the cold. And everyone was smiling!

I did live reports off and on until about 9:30am. During the actual Inauguration, we were right in the thick of it - taking pictures and interviewing people in the crowd for our afternoon story. The sheer emotion of it was overwhelming. I spoke with a woman from Texas, a soldier, who'd been sick, but made the effort to get to DC because she believed Obama would bring her fellow troops home from Iraq. I talked to another man who was so overcome with emotion when Obama took the oath. He said he felt he could do anything.

I had many friends and relatives who came for the event. We tried to touch base via text or cell, but finding anyone in that crowd was nearly impossible.

I put together a story on the crowds for afternoon newscasts and did live shots from the now-empty mall until about 8:30pm. Then we walked back to the hotel.

What a day!

POLITICAL GHOST TOWN

2008-08-29T05:16:00.002-04:00

I'm winding up my week at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I'm exhausted but SO glad to have been here. You really get the sense of what it's like being part of history. I wasn't alive when Kennedy or MLK were shot, and don't remember when man went to the moon. So I've never been able to answer those "where were you" questions about some of the most important events of our time. But when my kids ask me: "Mommy, where were you when the first African-American was nominated for president?" I can say: "I was RIGHT THERE!"

I didn't get to Invesco field because of my work schedule. The overnight reporter recaps for morning and midday news shows what happened the night before. So unless you stay up 24/7 for a week, we miss the evening events. I watched them on TV, like you, from my hotel.

That scene at Invesco was beyond words. It WAS like a concert, except that you knew people were there for more than just fun. They were looking for inspiration. Some of them found it in Obama.

The lines to get into the stadium were incredible. I was headed OUT of the area six hours before Obama was to speak and saw lines several blocks long, two and three deep, waiting for shuttle buses to take them over. It was HOT! It amazed me the sacrifices people were making to see him in action.

If you've never seen what the "media village" looks like at one of these large events... well... it's incredible. Tents, equipment, satellite trucks, platforms 2 and 3 stories high, miles and miles of cable, people everywhere, food (we're trapped for days - they have to feed us!) - a real controlled chaos.

Our media tent is in the parking lot of the Pepsi center. We call it our "workspace." It's 6,000 square feet, carpeted with astroturf and tables, phones, computers and editing equipment everywhere for us and our affiliates. You can't go anywhere without a credential, and if you don't have the right TYPE of credential, you may get stopped.

The catering tent is next door. We get four meals a day. The theory is that people are working such odd schedules, they offer meals at times so everyone can get at least one or two. The food's been great.

Now that it's over, security's pretty much gone - but there's a MASSIVE cleanup job here. My division alone filled a 58-foot trailer with equipment. Black cases are everywhere, packed and stacked on flats to head to St. Paul for hte RNC next week.

If I had to miss the first week of school, this was worth it.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE DNC

2008-08-27T08:50:00.003-04:00

It's just before 7am, and I'm freezing and quite sleepy, high above the convention floor at Denver's Pepsi Center, site of the Democratic National Convention.

I'm covering the morning/noon shift, reporting for NBC affiliates across the country - which means my work and sleep schedules are pretty much opposite the rest of the world this week. My reports start at 2am local time (Hawaii's 10pm news) and go through 1:30 pm (Portland, Oregon's midday show). We've been doing about 25 live and 30+ taped reports a day.

Here's my schedule:

Wake up at 8pm to watch the speeches, write and record my voice track. Go back to sleep for about 30 minutes (if I can), then get dressed to ride with my overnight colleagues to our workspace outside the Pepsi center, about 20 minutes from our hotel.

Security's tight. We park about 1/4 mile from the site and go through 3 security checks to get in. Our workspace is a 6,000 square foot tent - it's actually quite nice. What's amazing is to see the massive amounts of equipment that was shipped and set up here. It's like creating an entire TV station!!!

Since I'm on the early shift, we recap the night's speeches and preview what's coming up today. I'm watching news events feed in live, writing, and doing taped and live reports about 13 hours a day.

By early afternoon, we head back to the hotel and try to get a few hours of sleep before starting all over again at 8.

Grueling, but fun! Who could complain about being in the center of history!

One thing that's tough is not being "in the middle of the action." When the convention hall is filled with cheering supporters, I'm asleep or in my hotel room watching. When it's empty, I'm at work reporting on events from the day before. Still, it's exciting to be here.

Super-sleepy... with 6 hours to go. More tomorrow!

CRAZY TRAFFIC!

2008-08-20T17:46:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my first official "on the go" blog! I'm riding through South Carolina headed home from a family trip. We sat on the interstate for about an hour due to a really bad tractor trailor accident - one of three we saw in just a few miles. It got me thinking about how much time we spend on the road.

My commute's about an hour a day driving, almost two if I use public transit (which I actually prefer). It's always interesting when I visit friends in small towns, where 20 minutes is considered a REALLY long commute! I envy all the extra family time they have, getting off work at 5 and being home by 515.

I was recently in Atlanta, and for all I've heard about the horrible traffic there, we got from downtown to everywhere we wanted to go in under 30 minutes - much less in some cases. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

POTPOURRI

2008-08-11T17:03:00.014-04:00

Several things to share today. Perhaps most importantly:

In the process of researching a story today on Vitamin D, I ran across info on a government web site that indicates breastfed babies are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to "rickets" -- which is basically like osteoporosis (fragile bones) for kids.

Apparently of all its benefits, breast milk has very little Vitamin D, compared to what the government and the American Academy of Pediatrics say children need. AAP actually recommends Vit-D supplements for babies. Who knew? I never remember being told this by a pediatrician with any of my children.

Warning: before you go popping vitamins in your baby's mouth: ASK YOUR DOCTOR!

In other news:

I recently read a really interesting article in the Washington Post which I thought was well-written but failed to address the underlying problem. The Fairfax County, Virginia school board has decided to spent $60,000 to put cameras in its high schools to discourage students from stealing food! According to the article, the district lost $750,000 in 2001 from students pilfering extra cookies, another burger, etc. from the lunch line.

I'm no proponent of stealing by any means, but these are KIDS... stealing FOOD. Did anyone consider the fact that maybe they're HUNGRY? I mean, who wants to snag a chicken wrap and let it get all soggy in your backpack, just for the fun of it. I'm thinking most kids who swipe the food EAT IT! So what gives?

Are teens not getting breakfast, leaving them super-hungry by lunch? If so, why no breakfast? Are their families unable to afford it? Have they not been convinced of the importance of good nutrition?

Are teens snagging a snack for later, because they don't have enough money to buy something to eat after school, or because there's nothing available between noon lunch and the end of football practice at 5:30?

Are portion sizes appropriate for growing teens? Are we giving them skimpy meals, leaving them with growling stomachs during 5th and 6th period? Does the district need to revisit its lunch servings and perhaps shell out more to keep these 17 and 18 year olds nourished?

Are prices too high for kids who are hungry to buy a second sandwich?

I am NOT making an excuse for stealing. It's flat out wrong. But when people are stealing food, you've gotta assume it's because they're hungry, and deal with that issue.

MY latest school issue isn't nearly so weighty.

I've been on the hunt for a Princess backpack for my second-grader. OMG - I've been to 10 stores! There are plenty of backpacks, but they're too small or thin for the THREE INCH BINDER on my 7-year-old's school supply list! She's like a "baby tween" - old enough to need a big kid backpack -- but young enough to still want the cute (and tiny) character ones.

I finally settled on an American Princess backpack that she can pull if that huge binder gets too heavy in 3 months when it's full. Took me forever to find a once that's cute, sturdy and roomy. There's a butterfly on it - no Cinderella or Snow White - but it says princess, so I'm hoping she'll buy it.

If not, too bad - I am NOT going back out into that school shopping madness!!!

OLYMPIC TRIALS

2008-08-09T01:08:00.005-04:00

While (nearly) all my co-workers are off eating Moo Goo Gai Pain between live shots, halfway around the world, here I am at home facing my own Olympic trials --

the kids' closets!

Spring cleaning has morphed into "end of summer" cleaning for me. At 1am, I'm sitting in the middle of the floor of my five-year-old son's room trying to figure out which clothes he'll still be able to wear in December.

It's a Herculean effort. You see, my friends and I have a massive "hand-me-down" habit - which is wonderful, because kids grow so quickly, many clothes we buy are barely worn. The other day, one mom in the group sent me home with two huge - I mean HUGE - bags of clothes. With my son out of town with his grandparents this summer, I'm trying to "guesstimate" his sizes, so I can have the closet cleaned out, organized and ready when they return just before school starts.

So my conversation with myself, sitting here on the floor at 1am, goes like this:

"This SAYS size 4, but it's huge - and he doesn't have pants that color. We'll try them - in the drawer they go."

"This size 5 shirt should fit, but it looks short. Back in the bag."

So here I am, surrounded by chinos, last year's uniform pants, summer T-shirts, winter boots, etc. etc. It's really a blessing to have so much to choose from. But I'm also trying to figure out which friend's child is the right size for OUR hand-me-downs.

Of course, that's the boy's closet. The simplest one.

For my daughter, there are fewer clothes, but more decisions. It's not just about can she wear it, but WILL she wear it. At 7, she's hit that age when she doesn't want to look like a baby, but I'm not ready for her to turn into "Second Grade Spice" overnight. So cleaning her closet, my conversation with myself is more like this:

"Cute dress. But those puffy sleeves look too kindergarten. To the giveaway pile."

"I love that sweater, and I just bought it at the end of last season. She'll wear it, if I have to drag her to school in it. Back in the closet."

It's really kind of fun, in a way. If you think about it, you're watching your kids grow before your very eyes. Clothes that fit just a few months ago are either too small, or no longer appropriate for their age. Last year it was Thomas the Train - now Batman. Not long ago, she was Dora. Now princesses. I am NOT ready for Hanna Montana!

My babies are growing up - and between tears, I think I'm handling it quite well.

Give me the gold!

SCHOOL BUSING

2008-08-04T05:56:00.002-04:00

No, not the anti-segregation kind... the "should my 5-year-old ride" kind.

My son's headed to kindergarten (yeah!), and I have not a care in the world about him hopping on the school bus. Which is wierd, because when my daughter started two years ago, I was totally against it. My biggest fear was that she'd get off at the wrong stop and get lost.

Now, I'm actually looking forward to seeing Andrew hop on with Mr. Manny later this month. He's so excited. But so was Anna.

Why am I feeling so much less angst? Is it because I'm more familiar with the school, the route and the driver? Or -- might I think that because he's a BOY, he can take care of himself? Not consciously, but it is interesting that my husband - who wasn't concerned about Anna - has already decided to drive Andrew. He thinks Andrew may get lost and not be able to find his class once he arrives at school.

Deja Vu!

THE OLD NEW ME

2008-08-01T13:06:00.009-04:00

Something wierd happened today. Someone I respect suggested, in a very nice way, that I update my "look." Instead of being offended, it actually made me feel GOOD about myself.

Understand, a TV reporter can break Watergate looking like Nixon's grandma - just don't be surprised when you're told: "With that Pulitzer you'd make an excellent NEWSPAPER reporter!

It's all in the image.

That may sound unfair - it certainly feels that way sometimes - but think about it: how many times have you watched the news and wondered: "What in the world is she wearing?" It's distracting. In my business, "good" distracting (think: Brad Pitt at the news desk) works. Bad distracting can eventually sink a promising career.

I'm going to optimistically consider mine a "moderate" case. :)

I recently heard a consultant call bad hair a "10-pound weight." You can win the race with it, he said, but it's rare - and much harder to do.

Years ago at a seminar called "How to Improve Your On Air Look," I heard a news manager explain how excited she was when a big story broke in a remote location and only her station had a live report. Her excitement turned to horror when she saw the reporter. It was raining, and her hair was a mess. That manager's advice? Always carry a wig!! She said the reporter's bad hair day ruined the whole effort.

Crazy, huh? Welcome to my world.

Fast forward to today's comment about me and my 80s wardrobe. (Shoulder pads are out? Who knew?) The person who told me couldn't have been nicer. She must've just finished sensitivity training. :)

Never afraid of a challenge, I'm actually looking forward to giving myself a facelift. But it made me think: how far do you go? How will I know if I've gone overboard creating the "new me?" Sure, I could lose a few pounds, get a consultant, buy a new wardrobe - and 'Hello, Success." But when I look in the mirror, who would I see?

I thought long and hard about it all and surprised myself. Turns out, I like "ME" a lot more than I realized. ME with the hair that's hard to tame. ME with the super-conservative wardrobe. ME with the jewelry that was purchased.... well, you don't wanna know!

In short, I LIKE less-than-perfect ME. I guess we've been together so long, that the thought of completely parting ways made me really sad in ways that success alone can't compensate.

So will I spruce up? Sure! It'll actually be fun! I'm tossing my 1970s gold hoop earrings as we speak. :) But I'll change with the confidence of someone who knows her limits and is completely comfortable saying "No" when I hit that line.

So be on the lookout for "new" ME. And if you see a few hairs out of place in my new do, or a great outfit with a pair of "where did she get THOSE?" earrings, just know that's ME - the old one - just peeking out to say:

"Hi everyone - I'm still here!"'

JEKYLL AND HYDE

2008-07-29T08:00:00.004-04:00

Ever see a really cool kid and think: "I hope MY son is like that when he's older." Or, ever see a screaming toddler and think: "OMG, is my sweet little newborn gonna turn into THAT?!" Yesterday I met both.

In the grocery store, I heard - before I saw - number 2: whining, screaming, kicking the grocery cart. This boy looked about four and was not about to do ANYTHING remotely close to what his mother asked. His sister just sat in the cart quietly sucking her thumb, watching this war of wills.

Now understand, I'm not judging: as the mother of a 4-year-old son myself, I've certainly had those days when you want to scream in public: "No, I really DO teach my kids good behavior!!!"

Hours later, I picked up a friend's son for Vacation Bible School and was truly impressed by this 11-year old. He opened doors for me, carried my bags without being asked and engaged in interesting conversation - as charming as could be.

But it was the story he told me about his mom that put a lump in my throat.

Throughout the hour or so I spent with him, he probably mentioned 5 or 6 times how much he loved his mother. Finally he said: "Do you know WHY I love my mom? Because she plays football with me. Other mothers say 'I don't have time' or 'I don't want to mess up my hair.' But my mom always plays football with me and we have a lot of fun.'"

Wow - I'd love for my 4-year-old to turn into THAT kid! Guess I'd better figure out where the 50-yard line is.

RESURRECTION!

2008-07-28T07:44:00.003-04:00

If you don't believe in it, you do now - because after 9 months, NEWSMOMS IS BACK!

9 months - did I have a baby, you ask? I WISH it were that simple to explain.

I stopped blogging for the same reason I started. I wanted to share my world, but I found my world was too busy. Blogging was taking away from the mom/family time I was writing about.

But this summer, my kids are out of town with grandparents, so I have newfound time. I feel both lost and free. It's like: "Yeah - I don't have to pick up toys and make dinner tonight!" And: "Wow, there's no one to pick up after or make dinner for."

So what did I do? I booked my summer with projects, trips, plans and commitments. After the fact, I think it was my subconcious way of being to busy to miss my kids!!

I've been to LA, Buffalo, South Carolina, Baltimore, and I'm organizing Vacation Bible School and the fall Spelling Bee.

And I still miss my kids!!!

There's nothing like a half-sleepy little person cuddling up for a bedtime story. Or that half-exciting, half-scary shout from downstairs: "Mommy - look what I did!"

I want them BACK!

I'll see them in three weeks. I can't wait.

DO YOUR KIDS WATCH THE NEWS?

2007-10-26T10:32:00.000-04:00

According to research by Children Now, almost 4 in 10 kids watch news programs daily or several times a week. As a parent I wonder, how are they processing what they see? Does a 6-year-old understand the California wildfires aren't near her grandad's house in LA? Does a 7-year-old know how to avoid staph infections at school? Does a 10-year-old understand why President Bush said letting Iran's nuclear ambitions go unchecked could lead to World War III?

I've done a 180 on this issue. Being in the news business, I always said I want my kids well informed. I remember telling someone: "My kids will read the newspaper at home starting when they're small and do reports for me on what they learned."

That was BK (before kids). Well, have you seen what's on the front page and on TV lately? I take it back! Now I look at the news, and their innocent faces, and wonder how long I can hold off reality.

Three years ago -- during that infamous child molestation trial in California -- my then 3-year-old came home from daycare and asked: "Mommy, who's Michael Jackson?" I knew she wasn't asking because they'd been listening to "Thriller" in school. Do you go for the easy answer ("He's just an entertainer, honey") or a watered-down version of the real thing ("He's an entertainer accused of doing bad things to kids") --

inviting the inevitable question: "What KINDS of bad things, Mommy?"

Clearly there are things even little kids need to know. If they're in school, they need to know enough about staph infections to prompt good hygiene. And sadly, at very young ages they now need to be aware of molesters, what they do, and how to avoid them.

But do I really need to explain to my grade-schooler about what happens if Iran's making nukes, what's going on in Iraq (or for that matter, Washington)? A lot of it depends on their age, what type of media they're watching, and whether you're watching with them. The group "Children Now" offers some great advice. Take a moment to read it.

THE SILVER LINING

2007-10-25T15:47:00.000-04:00

They say every cloud has one, right? I sure was looking for it this morning!

We overslept and missed the school bus. After returning a must-do email from my daughter's teacher, I rushed her to school just in time -- realizing on the way I forgot to put the PTA newsletter in her backpack. A parent was waiting to make 600 copies today.

It wasn't ready anyway -- a rainy-day car accident added an hour to my commute last night, making me late for a meeting. After the meeting, a dear friend from out of town stopped by unexpectedly -- and visiting with her was a lot more fun than finishing that newsletter!

So I woke up behind the eight-ball. I quick-finished the newsletter, emailed it, left a hardcopy at my door for my PTA buddy, and cleaned up the "accident" my long-since potty trained preschooler had on my favorite sofa this morning (why today?!) That couldn't wait till after work -- but I had to run up and down 42 steps on a sprained ankle to get it done!

Finally -- breathless -- I was on my way to begin my day.

I remembered what my pastor once told me: success is 90% attitude. So I started thinking positively. I'm alive, healthy, employed and didn't skid off the rain-slicked roads. What other good things happened this morning?

My daughter learned to be more self-sufficient (she had to - I couldn't help today)

I made her education a priority by emailing the teacher back
My PTA colleagues learned they can count on me to meet deadline, even in a pinch
Barring any more accidents, my living room will smell nice and fresh this evening -- and maybe that huge box of Oxyclean I didn't have time to put back will inspire DH or teen daughter to spruce up the house before I get home (okay, now I'm dreaming!)

God must have known I needed a break because when I got to work, the best possible parking spot opened right up for me!

What a great day!

GETTING THE LEAD OUT

2007-10-22T14:46:00.001-04:00

For every Mom who's horrified by (or gotten used to) your toddler licking his toys...

the Consumer Product Safety Commission says those home lead testing kits are completely useless. After all the news this summer about lead paint in toys from China, the CPSC did a new round of tests, and guess what? Half the time the tests said there was no lead present, there was! So the agency recommends not using them at all.

Actually, for all their claims the industry never said these quick-check tests were better than getting an inspection by a licensed professional. But when faced with the choice of a $300 inspection or a $6 test that promises its "accurate," "lab-tested and approved" and even used by the government, what are most parents going to choose?

The concern is that too much lead exposure can cause brain damage. Best advice: stay on top of the recalls and make sure you've checked on the real culprit -- lead paint in your house.

DO KIDS' COLD MEDS WORK?

2007-10-19T03:27:00.000-04:00

I love doing stories with real impact, and as a parent, this is definitely one of them. Today the FDA may recommend whether to pull kids' cold and cough meds off the market or just relabel them.

Manufacturers recalled cold and cough meds for kids under two last week -- more than a month after the FDA told parents to stop using them. Doctors claim these meds don't work -- they just mask the symptoms.

When I'm up at 2 a.m with a whiny, miserable child and I'm due at work a few hours later, that's good enough for me! I've probably got about four brands in my medicine chest right now -- from doctor's samples to the "emergency" version:

"Honey, can you just run out and get her something now -- she's been up all night and I have to be on air in a few hours!"

As it turns out, many of these meds were never tested in kids -- the industry just estimated based on adult dosages. Now they promise to do more research, but insist even if they don't help, they won't hurt either.

But of more concern: in 2005, Poison Control Centers answered 1,100 calls about these meds and 123 kids have died since 1969. In fairness to the industry -- which sells 100 million packages a year -- that's very few possible deaths over four decades.

The problem is it's easy to overdose because the dosages are supposed to be based on weight, not age. So my 4-year-old -- who's 40 pounds -- wouldn't need as much as my friend's 4-year-old, who's 65 pounds. But that's hard to gauge from the directions.

So for many, it's back to Grandma's recipe: a teaspoon of Father John's (remember that?), cod liver oil (disgusting but effective -- ask my kids) or Castor oil (that was my poison) --

rub some of that thick menthol stuff on your chest and under your nose...

and get plenty of rest and love!

WIERD MOMMY MOMENTS

2007-09-14T07:31:00.000-04:00

Some days I love to blog about all the great "extra" info we get in the news business that can't make it on air. And some days I love to talk about being a "newsmom."

This is a "mom" day.

Sometimes we mothers can find ourselves doing the strangest things.

We go to church on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The other night my 4-year-oldson had homework, so I brought it to church. My daughter ended up being ill, so I sat in the church bathroom letting her rest most of the service. Great, I thought - we can do homework while we're in here.

But I didn't realize the homework involved cutting and pasting. I hadn't thought to bring glue sticks so... improvise... improvise... so we used lip gloss from Mommy's purse instead! Then, of course, my son wanted to TRY ON the lip gloss!

Ever have a wierd mommy (or daddy) moment? Do share!

HOT CAR

2007-09-11T14:53:00.000-04:00

I covered a heartbreaking story recently about the Ohio mom who left her two-year-old in the car all day. Changed her morning routine, was running to meetings, and simply forgot about her. She's a middle school assistant principal -- someone who clearly has a concern for kids -- yet will now be haunted the rest of her life because of what happened to her own.

I learned there are some devices on the market that will "beep" to remind you if you've left the baby in its car seat. (So as not to advertise, I'll let you Google them.) But there's a pretty strong debate about whether manufacturers should be reminding parents "Oh, don't forget your CHILD!" -- or whether parents just need to slow down their lifestyles and responsibilities and put their most important priorities -- their children -- first.

As a parent of two little ones, I can't say (thankfully) that I've ever forgotten them in the car. But I've certainly had that debate with myself about whether it's safe to leave them locked inside for 30 seconds while I run back into the house to get something I forgot. Or whether they'll be OK sitting in the car while I run in the mini-mart to get a soda ("I can see them through the window.") Strapping them in and out of those car seats is such a hassle that these things DO cross your mind.

Another parent offered this perspective:

"We're concerned what may happen to the kids, but what about what may happen to YOU? What if you're hit by a car running into the mini-mart, and you've left the kids alone?"

I hadn't thought about it that way.

So many choices to make, to keep our most precious possessions... safe.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

2007-09-05T16:08:00.001-04:00

You know it's that time of year when kiddies with backpacks crowd the corner every morning...

you can get a pack of pencils for 5 cents at your local office supply store...

and your neighbor's child comes by asking if you want to buy gift wrap (our fundraiser starts the second week of school!)

But I must say, for the last 3 months I've missed morning mayhem, homework, packing lunches and all the wonderful chaos that comes with having kids in school. Tonight's our "Back to School" night, so I'll get to meet my daughter's teacher for the first time.

This year I decided to get involved in the PTA and see what that's all about. What I like so far is that I get a heads up on everything happening at school before it happens.

It's funny - when school starts, my whole schedule changes. All summer I drove to work after dropping the kids at camp. But when school starts, I usually hop back on the Metro.

Evenings are totally different. Instead of grilling on the deck and watching the stars, it's "eat your dinner - do your homework - time for bed."

Maybe we can do homework on the deck under the stars, just as a little reminder that summer's not quite gone yet. :)

BREATHING EASIER

2007-08-30T08:22:00.000-04:00

My preschooler has asthma, so this story caught my attention:

The National Institutes of Health announced new guidelines for treating asthma. Instead of just focusing on attacks, NIH wants doctors to spend more time on prevention. They want patients to get written plans on how to manage the disease. And they want doctors to periodically monitor a patient's lung function to determine future risk -- even if they have few symptoms.

Why the focus? For one, kids are going back to school, where they're likely to catch colds. Colds are a major trigger for asthma attacks. I know all about that. We start listening for wheezing at the first sign of a cough.

Also, asthma's becoming a huge and costly problem -- 22 million adults and 6.5 million children have it. The CDC says for kids it's increasing 4 percent a year. And asthma deaths among children have tripled in the last 30 years. Every year, asthma causes 14 million lost school days.

So it's a big problem. But be encouraged -- some kids DO grow out of it. I hope mine is one of them.

INTERNET, OYSTERS AND PLASTIC

2007-08-10T15:13:00.001-04:00

Here's some Friday "news you can use":

Symantec -- which makes the popular Norton virus protection for your computer -- commissioned a poll about kids outsmarting their parents online. Here are some highlights:

Kids spend more than twice as much time online as parents think (7 hours a week)
almost 1/4 do things online that "their parents wouldn't approve of"
1/5 have dealt with inappropriate materials online
almost 1/5 have been "cyber-bullied" (receiving embarrassing pix, video or messages)
7% have met an online stranger in person
almost half of parents use controls and spy on their kids emails and web sites
most parents say they know more about the Internet than their kids, but half of the kids say THEY know more

So keep your eyes wide open!

A couple of warnings from the FDA this week:

Rice sold online to lower cholesterol could cause kidney problems
Contaminated oysters from Washington State can cause diarrhea, cramping, nausea, fever, and chills for 3 days

Also this week, a panel of scientific experts from the National Institutes of Health said the chemical "Bisphenol A" -- found in baby bottles, hard plastic sports bottles, water fountain containers and children's dental sealants -- likely does NOT cause prostate cancer and reproductive problems as critics claimed. But they are concerned about neural and behavioral effects. Here's more on what the scientists, critics, and plastics industry have to say.

Happy weekend!

Newsmom T

WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE REALLY DOING ONLINE

2007-08-09T16:50:00.000-04:00

There's a new survey out. The headline is: they're spending a lot more time than you think doing things you can't imagine.

I'm reading the details and hope to give you the highlights tomorrow.

In the meantime, go get your kids off the computer and eat dinner together. :)

T

INHUMAN, SENSATIONAL REPORTERS

2007-08-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

Regarding the Minnesota bridge coverage, a faithful reader makes this valid comment:

"The media gripe I have is the rush to judgment and the sensationalist piece - it really does seem like the reporters on some stations have insulated themselves so much from feeling that they appear disappointed if the death count goes down."

It reminds me of a news producer I worked with who often read her Bible. Once, on a very slow news night, she looked up from the Bible to the newsroom scanner, and said: "We really need a lead [story] tonight. I hope we get a good house fire or [car] crash."

Then she went right back to reading -- as if that was the most normal thing in the world to say.

I'm not making excuses, but let me try to explain -- based on my experience covering breaking news -- how this happens:

When a big story happens, there's a HUGE adrenaline rush in the newsroom. In an instant people are running around, grabbing gear, running out the door, working the phones, making flight arrangements, dialing up satellites, sending out live trucks, desperately looking for information, and running to the studio to report it. Your sense of horror about the event quickly falls on the back burner in the massive effort to cover the story. And get it on the air. And get it first. And get it right. Because that's what creates loyal viewers... and ratings... which draw advertisers... who pay your check.

At first, you're so involved in the logistics of doing your job that there's little time to think about -- or feel -- anything else.

The sensationalism, I think, comes from an insatiable demand for 24-7 news. Whether that's truly fueled by viewers, or the media, is a valid question. But the fact is, when you're reporting on the scene of breaking news, the producer at the station (with the News Director breathing down his/her neck to beat the competition) comes to you live over and over wanting "new" information when, often, there is none. So any small tidbit becomes larger than life.

For instance, if you see a diver come out of the water shaking his head, reporters may say:

"Rescuers have "apparently" become discouraged, wondering if they'll ever find all the victims" - leading to speculation about whether the death toll is rising. So the producer calls in an expert to talk about the psychological effects.

or,

"Rescuers "appear" frustrated, realizing this is a much bigger job than they can handle." That can open a whole debate about whether the county has enough divers, and whether the mayor's doing enough to get help in this crisis. So another reporter is assigned to do a package on how the city has cut funds for rescue services.

All this from a guy shaking his head. Maybe he was just wet and shaking off water.

It's not responsible and certainly not an excuse. I'm just trying to explain how these things happen.

Then, once you're out there, you see the network guys arrive and think: "I'd love to do THAT job one day!" So you focus on your on-air presence and delivery, hoping some News Director or agent will see you on a satellite feed and pull you out of Smalltown, Alabama (no offense - I lived there!) into a bigger market. That motivates you get the best elements for your story, so you can "stand out." That prompts you to rudely stick a microphone in the face of a grieving mother and ask: "What are you thinking as divers search for your missing son's body?" -- then get her answer on TV as soon as possible.

As someone who's had to do those interviews, let me say this: MOST reporters hate doing it. It is, however, part of our job to show what victims' families are going through. I've found two things to be true. First, there are respectful and disrespectful ways to approach families in sensitive situations like this. Second, some people WANT to be on TV when they're grieving. Some find it cathartic. Some want to get their loved one's story out there, so they're not remembered as just a statistic. For those people, we give ample opportunity. For those who want privacy, we should respect it.

Hope that gives you some insight.

News Mom T

THE MINNESOTA BRIDGE

2007-08-03T07:50:00.001-04:00

Makes you think, huh? People trying to get home, maybe in a hurry. Working moms trying to figure out what to pull out of a hat for dinner tonight. Parents rushing to get their kids before day care closes. People on cell phones. Listening to music, trying to forget the day. Kids coming back from a summer camp trip.

Then suddenly, in a moment -- life changes. Or ends.

Actually, it makes me thankful. Watching this coverage has been horrifying. I realize every car I see in the water was a life - or several lives. People with hopes, dreams, problems, marriages, mortgages. Just like me.

In news we're often accused of being sensational, but in this case, I think the "could it happen here" story is completely warranted. Most people driving over a bridge today must be wondering if it's safe or about to give way.

Having covered many tragedies, I know the anguish some of those reporters feel. Often we mask our feelings to get through it and break down later. Sadly, there are a few who have become so immune that they never really grasp that this is a real tragedy affecting real people -- not just the best story ever on your resume tape.

But it's hard to watch the tearful families, day after day. I can't imagine what it's like to BE one. A few years ago we covered a string of missing and murdered children's cases. There's always a "sympathy wall" where friends and neighbors place flowers, notes, balloons as a makeshift memorial. It's always so sad.

After about the fifth one, I was doing a live shot and my producer asked if I wanted to go to the sympathy wall and shoot video. I just couldn't do it - not again. The grief had started to weigh in.

A few weeks later, a cute little girl about my daughter's age went missing from a neighborhood near mine. Authorities announced they found her body miles away as I was preparing for a live shot. I couldn't stop the tears. I guess that one just hit too close to home. I did get it together in time to do my job, but to this day I often think of her when children are reported missing.

A sign of weakness? Not fit for my job? Maybe. But I like to think it's a sign of being HUMAN -- a really important quality of a good reporter.

BAD NEWS ABOUT NEWS

2007-07-31T16:52:00.000-04:00

For FUN today I checked out a popular newsletter for TV folks and learned:

Robin Roberts has breast cancer
An TV producer depressed after being let go for drug abuse fell off a building and died
A Pittsburg anchor who'd been depressed is off the air
Tom Snyder died
Four chopper pilots and photographers died in a crashed covering a chase
A few more news people died and retired

and the GOOD news:

Another chopper came down but all 3 survived

Fun? Not. A coworker said: "People used to complain that the news was depressing. Now the news ABOUT the news is depressing."

I've got to wonder if we've fallen in a rut and don't know HOW to report good news --

or is the business really that bad?

CHANGE

2007-07-25T13:54:00.001-04:00

Most people who watch TV news have little idea of what goes on behind the scenes -- not just getting stories on the air -- but the environments in which we work.

News changes constantly and so can our surroundings. I remember reading the average tenure for a news director is two years. When news managers come and go, they often take our co-workers with them. And digital TV is forcing all sorts of personnel changes.

It's challenging to do great work on deadline when you're concerned about the livelihoods of yourself and your co-workers. In a way, that's a good thing. It reminds me I'm not just a news machine, but a real, caring human being.

Facing change can be scary -- or exciting, depending on how you look at it. Some of my best opportunities in life have come after what I initally thought was a disaster. Of course, that lesson is best understood after the storm -- not when you're in the middle of it.

Today we're reporting on wounded soldiers having trouble getting benefits. These are men and women who lost limbs, can’t sleep, have terrible headaches and live with horrible nightmares that are REAL – yet they can’t get a doctor’s care or money to support their families when they can’t work.

Talk about being in the middle of the storm!

Perspective helps us put a fresh look on everything, doesn’t it?

HIATUS OVER!!!

2007-07-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

If anyone's still out there... WE'RE BACK!

After taking several months off to re-assess, I decided I missed this blog! So many of you asked "What happened?" that I realized we must have made an impact. Or at least made you laugh. Or think.

I'm hoping to recruit other News Moms to contribute from time to time. In the meantime, look forward to some interesting tidbits, news-you-can-use, and personal reflections.

It's good to be home!

T

EXPLAINING DEATH TO CHILDREN

2006-12-27T07:22:00.000-05:00

The death of former President Ford this week hit home. We've had three deaths in the family this month. (That, along with the holiday frenzy, accounts for my two-week absence here.) President Ford had four great-grandchildren. They must be young. I wonder how they, and their parents, will deal with this?

My grandmother was one of the relatives who recently passed away, and my children knew her well. I doubt my three-year-old will remember, but I hope my five-year-old daughter retains fond memories of visiting her great grandmother at the nursing home, feeding her, singing her songs and telling her stories. To me, there's nothing like connecting the older and younger generations.

I struggled with how to explain that Grandma B died. My daughter's actually been to a funeral before and remembered seeing "cousin Betty in the box" and the box going into the ground. We've talked about our beliefs on what happens after life ends. But the concept of permanence seems to escape her. After we visited the funeral home, she asked some interesting questions -- some so amusing they actually lightened the moment:

Will she wake up when they close the box?
Will she be scared in there? It's dark.
Who put on her lip gloss?
Will she wake up if I tickle her?
After the funeral's over, can she go eat dinner with us?

Since then we've talked some more, and she even did some beautiful artwork in honor of Grandma B.

Why did I chose to bring her along and expose her to the details of death at such a young age? Children are naturally curious, and the things we shield them from are often the things they pursue or -- without adequate guidance -- fail to understand. As children, my mother and I both had frightening experiences with family friends who died. I'm hoping that by including my daughter early and making death a normal part of life, my daughter won't experience that fear.

What do the experts say? The National Network for Child Care says "most children are emotionally strong and want to know about death. The truth helps them understand what is real, and what is imaginary."

For small children: "Young children need to ask questions about the death again and again. They need to learn the facts about the death and to make certain the facts have not changed."

On attending memorial services: "Children need rituals. Participating in the funeral or memorial service helps make the death seem more real and encourages the healing that comes from mourning."

And on coming face-to-face with their loved one: "Viewing the body helps the child understand what death is and that their loved one is, in fact, dead. Few children later regret viewing the body; many regret not doing so."

Good advice on something we'll all face at one point or another.

News Mom T

DIGITAL WORLD

2006-12-12T16:23:00.000-05:00

It just cracks me up everytime I see a teenager with a cell phone in one ear and an IPOD in the other... or thumbing away texting a friend while they're playing a video game. I have visions of the inside of their brains being completely fried.

The Kaiser Family Foundation today released a report about "Media Multitasking" -- doing more than one digital activity at a time. 65% of teens and preteens say when they're doing homework on the computer, they're usually also IMing (that's "instant messaging") their friends, surfing the web, playing a video or online game, watching TV or using some other form of media. But surprisingly, when they're watching TV, they're in the zone, so to speak. Less than half say they "multi-task" while their favorite program or video is on.

What's not clear is what affect this has on kids. Scientific research shows kids can successfully do more than one thing at a time, but the task at which they're least proficient may suffer. Homework????

There's also a question about the quality of what they're doing. It takes little brain power to IM while playing a video game. But add into that mix writing a paper on the Revolutionary War. Can kids really concentrate and do their best work when distracted? The science is up in the air.

Advertisers, on the other hand, have figured out cute commercials just don't cut it anymore. To get kids thinking, and involved, they've got to meet them on their playing field. Enter cell phone ads, online ads podcasts, forums, chat rooms and other interactive means of getting messages into the minds of young people.

It's TEOTWAWKI, IMHO.

TTFN. CUL8R.

News Mom T

P.S. Ask your kids to interpret. :)

SPECIAL NEEDS

2006-12-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

It surprised me to learn that 1/5 of Americans are disabled. 54 million people. Another 23 million parents have disabled kids. It makes a big difference where they spend their money: what kids of restaurants they visit, toys they buy, clothes they purchase. Yet some disabled consumers believe corporate America has largely overlooked them.

How difficult that must be! We interviewed a marathon athelete who's physically disabled. She flies from town to town competing, but at the airport used to have trouble finding a rental car that offers special adaptive equipment. Once she found a company that makes it easy for her to book that special request online, she became a loyal customer.

Isn't that how it is with all of us? I know once I find a product, store or service that offers EXACTLY what I need, they've won a loyal customer. Even if it's a longer drive. Even if I have to pay a bit more. There's something to be said for getting what you pay for!

News Mom T

IRAQ CHRISTMAS

2006-12-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

Newsmoms covered Iraq today - specifically, what's the President going to do to turn around the situation there, and public opinion? Only 27% of Americans now approve of how he's handling the war.

It's sad to think that all those troops will spend yet another Christmas so far from home. We'll soon see pictures of them standing in line to eat turkey dinner in a tent... opening care packages... and saying "Hi Mom!" -- when what mom really wants is to have her son or daughter home.

You have to wonder if those men and women -- some of them so young -- had any idea what they were in for when they enlisted. For our sakes, thank goodness they're willing to make the sacrifice.

News Mom T

STILL EATIN' TURKEY AND RUSHING OUT THE DOOR

2006-11-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday, and I had dressing and green bean casserole AGAIN for lunch today. I've had it. Tonight we're going out.

On another note:

I've been wondering how morning routines affect school behavior. I can't find much research to analyze what's happening at my house. I try to make sure my kindergartener and preschooler get enough sleep and a good breakfast. But lately I've noticed those things seem to have little to do with what happens later at school.

On days when we're not rushed, well-rested and eat well, I expect they'll have a great day. So I'm shocked when the teacher emails that my daughter isn't following directions or getting along with classmates. On days when we're running late, cereal spilled, I'm yelling and they're crying as we rush out the door, I cringe thinking that the morning rush has ruined their day (and the teacher's). Undoubtedly, that's when notes come home about my "star students."

There's just no rhyme or reason to it. I'd love to know what other moms are experiencing.

Not only do rushed mornings and sleep deprivation affect behavior, they can also affect learning. Here's an interesting blog by a doctor -- with some replies from teachers -- on what happens when tired, hungry, cranky sleepy kids try to learn.

I'll try to remember that tomorrow as I'm nicely rushing them out the door.

News Mom T

VIDEO GAMES AND KIDS' BRAINS

2006-11-28T17:09:00.000-05:00

Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine report today more specific evidence on how violent video games affect teenagers.

They split 44 kids, ages 13 to 17, into two groups to play video games for half an hour. One group played an exciting, fast-paced racing game. The other played a shoot-and-kill war game that was rated for teenagers, not adults. Afterward, they looked an MRI images of the kids' brains.

The MRIs showed significant differences in brain activity. The kids who played the violent game were more emotionally aroused and less able to concentrate or control inhibitions.

Though video game sales are levelling off from a decade ago, they still generate more than $7 billion a year in sales. The gaming industry says people who don't like violent games are free not to buy them. And while they don't promote violent games, they strongly believe in their First Amendment right to sell them.

A number of states have tried to restrict violent video game sales, but the industry is winning some of those fights in court. There's also a federal bill backed by Sens. Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman, but it's stuck in committee.

News you should know.
News Mom T

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE ... SPENDING?

2006-11-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

Today we reported on the annual surveys predicting what shoppers will spend this holiday season and how much debt we'll create. What caught my eye is the fact that parents spend more than people without kids. I guess all those toy commericals work.

The Conference Board Consumer Research Group says the average U.S. household will spend $466 on gifts this year, slightly down from last year. The National Retail Federation predicts almost twice that, which they say is up from last year. The good news: their survey finds more people plan to use cash and debit cards instead of credit.

The Consumer Federation of America and Credit Union National Association's surveys find half of all Americans plan to spend the same as they did last year. About a third say they'll spend less, and 15 percent say they'll spend more. What's frightening: Almost half (45%) are unconcerned about credit card debt, and the January follow-up surveys always show consumers spent more than they'd planned.

There's so much pressure to go into debt during what's supposed to be a joyous season: pressure from retailers, from kids, social pressure ("I've got to get the boss a nice gift.") -- and maybe even pressure from ourselves to out-do what we did last year.

Retailers present incredible deals, only to offer five better ones once we're in the store with wallets open or credit cards in hand. Lenders make it easy to have the holiday of your dreams. Today I got an email declaring that I should "Prepare for the holidays" by taking out a home equity loan to buy gifts.

I'm hoping to make a modest gift list this year and stick to it. Some friends will get baked goods -- a gift that's affordable and from the heart. Some may get a card saying I made a donation to charity in their name. And some may just get a card letting them know I'm thinking of them. I can't imagine they really need another pair of mittens.

What I really look forward to this season are the gifts of time and friendship. I cherish days off with my kids, visits with relatives, phonecalls from old friends, and hopefully some time spent with those less fortunate.

I'll take that over another kitchen gadget any day.

News Mom T

SIMPLY HEARTWARMING

2006-11-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we News Moms get to tell stories that make our work really rewarding. Today was one of those days.

Imagine your son needs a kidney transplant, but you're not a compatible donor. Your neighbor needs the same transplant but his wife isn't compatible. But YOU and the neighbor are a match, and so are his wife and your son. Follow me? A swap could save both lives.

Unfortunately, that swap is technically prohibited by federal law, which says a person can't donate an organ if they expect to get something of value in return (like a life-saving kidney for their child or spouse). The law was desgined to prevent people from selling organs, but it inadvertently prohibits patients from swapping them as well. Doctors believe 30-thousand patients on waiting lists could die because they have an incompatible donor and can't "swap" with someone who is compatible.

That's why today's story is so heartwarming.

A few hospitals around the country have dared to defy that law and perform these "kidney swap" surgeries. Last week, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore did a five-kidney swap that started with a woman who had no sick relative -- she simply wanted to do a good deed in memory of her daughter who died two years ago on Thanksgiving. She started a ripple effect that ended with five donors and five recipients. Five lives were saved -- including a grandmother who had no donor and had been on the waiting list for two years.

We cover so much sad news about war, crime, poverty, etc -- how rewarding it is to share this story! I certainly don't mind putting a crying mother on TV when I know her tears of joy could help someone else down the road.

News Mom T

SCARED TURKEY

2006-11-16T18:46:00.000-05:00

News Mom T was off the beat today. My two youngest and I all had dental appointments -- mine, unfortunately, a bit more serious than theirs. To tell the truth, I was pretty anxious about it, and apparently it showed. My five-year-old offered to skip school so she could hold my hand.

I was trying all last week not to let it show, because I didn't want them to be afraid of their dentist. Turns out, they were just fine. They had cartoons, sunglasses, strawberry flavored toothpaste, prizes and "Mr. Thirsty" to distract them. I just had novacaine, a big needle and drilling.

Isn't it funny how we try to protect our kids sometimes when they don't need it?

I'm looking forward to the weekend. My kindergartener's first school program is tomorrow (Thanksgiving), and she's been singing "Turkey Dinner" all over the house. Surely some cute kid will emerge dressed in feathers, and afterward we'll all gather in those tiny little seats to enjoy a pot luck dinner. How I love the holidays!

Back on the beat tomorrow.

News Mom T

SABBATICAL'S OVER

2006-11-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

After losing my blogging partner, I lost my enthusiasm and energy to blog for a few weeks. I've refueled and am back with what I hope are some interesting tid-bits to share.

ABC "20/20" anchor Elizabeth Vargas is a bit miffed that Marie Clare chose to illustrate her recent magazine interview with a fake image of her breastfeeding at the anchor desk. The magazine says the idea was to show how tough it is to balance motherhood with a demanding TV news career -- something we News Moms know all about!

I've never breastfed on air, but I have had my kids in studio during live shots in a pinch when child care didn't work out. A co-worker once did the same, and to this day I remember hearing her youngest giggling in the background of the 11pm news!

But sometimes kids and work mix quite nicely. A few years ago I did on feature on the fertility statues at Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. Touch them and you'll get pregnant, they claim. Despite hundreds of testimonials, I was skeptical. Two months later, not only was I pregnant, but so were two other women who covered that event!

Coincidence, I thought. But when the exhibit returned two years later, I thought it would be fun to do the story again featuring my daughter and let viewers decide.

Wouldn't you know -- shortly after that second story my son was born!

News Mom T

MOMMY PRESSURE

2006-11-01T12:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I watched one of my all-time favorite movies, "Mommie Dearest" about actress Joan Crawford's tumultous private life. I hadn't seen it in years and for the first time, found myself identifying with Crawford instead of her daughter.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't abuse my kids, toss cleaner all over the bathroom at midnight, chop off my daughter's hair and scream about wire hangers. She was clearly out of control. But I did wonder what it was like for a single mother in that era trying to raise two kids while working in a high-pressure business. Is that part of what drove her over the edge?

I'm finding that success as a mother has a lot to do with attitude. I'm reading an inspirational book about that, written by a mom of 5. Her take is that the sooner we drop the quest for perfection and really come to terms with what our role is -- and what impact we have -- the happier we'll be. And our kids will be better off, too. I like that idea. I'm working on it.

T

A BEAUTIFUL BABY

2006-10-31T16:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes through work I meet people who truly tug at the heartstrings. Today I interviewed a couple who lost their little girl 13 years ago to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She was an adorable, perfectly healthy three-month-old who took her nap one day and never woke up. I'm a reporter, but a mom first. When telling these stories, I can't help but wonder: what if it was my child?

The story is about new research that further proves children who die of SIDS may have brain abnormalities that make it hard or impossible for them to turn over or wake up when they need to to regulate breathing, blood pressure, etc. That's why experts say it's SO important to sleep infants on their backs. SIDS cases plummeted (over 50%) after the "Back to Sleep" campaign started in the 90s.

I'm glad that through the power of TV we can share this information so one day there will be fewer parents like the couple I met today. Amazingly, they've been blessed with three other children. But of course, no child can ever replace the one who was lost.

I'm constantly amazed how people who've suffered tragedies can find the wherewithal to share their experience. I know it's part of the healing process and many parents do it to honor their child's memory. Still, to muster the strength to do so is, to me, amazing. My heart goes out to them.

News Mom T

GOODBYE

2006-10-26T08:31:00.000-04:00

I'm the friend T mentions below, and this is the project I'm stepping away from.

Part of the reason T and I started this blog was to share our experiences juggling careers and parenthood, and to let other mothers know they weren't alone.

Sometimes the juggling doesn't seem so bad, sometimes you fall into a routine and other times you're dropping things all over the place. That's me right now. So I'm taking the blog out of the juggling act.

Thank you to the friends who've bolstered and encouraged me during this little venture, and thank you -- T -- for being a wonderful and understanding colleague and friend.

T will continue with her brilliant, insightful posts, and I'll continue to read in. I hope you will too.

News Mom V.

IN HONOR OF PARENTS

2006-10-25T16:06:00.000-04:00

I started out naming this post "In Honor of Mothers." Then I thought about my dear husband, a co-worker who's a father of four, and one of our readers and realized dads get the short end of the stick too often and should definitely be included.

I was thinking today about the sacrifices we parents make. Tonight I may have to skip an important meeting with my husband because it's going to run very late and I couldn't get a babysitter. I could drag the kids along, but it's more important to get them in bed on time so they're prepared for school tomorrow.

Earlier today a friend told me she's stepping away from a project we've been working on, to spend more time with her family. I was disappointed, but in my heart, I totally understood and am really proud of her courageous decision.

And just a few minutes ago, a mom of 3 emailed me to say she'll also miss tonight's meeting because she going to PTA. I understood because I had to do the same thing last month. In fact, I was thinking there are a lot of committments I've dropped since becoming a parent. I just can't justify spending time with others when I'm always searching for more time to spend with my kids.

The choices we make -- all good ones, always with a price. But this is not a post about guilt or stress. I was actually thinking how blessed I am to have these choices to make. It means there are little people who rely on me. I am important to their lives. The choices I make for them matter a great deal. That's something to feel good about.

So to all the parents out there who face impossible or difficult choices every day, give yourselves a pat on the back. Your children's lives are better because you choose them first. And that's always the right choice.

News Mom T

SEPARATE BUT EQUAL?

2006-10-24T16:58:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Department of Education today made it easier for public schools to create same-sex classes. Some research shows girls do better learning with girls and boys with boys. Schools would also have to offer co-ed classes so parents can opt-out.

Supporters say kids are more likely to stretch their interests when they don't have to fear being the only boy in cooking or the only girl in woodworking. They argue especially in middle school and beyond, students focus better without distractions from the opposite sex.

Opponents -- who include NOW and female university professors -- say the only reason kids seem to do better in same-sex classes is because those classes are smaller and get the best teachers and resources. They fear segregating boys and girls will leave the rest of the students stripped of the best tools for learning.

I have to wonder. My kindergartener seems to be more distracted by the girls in her class than the boys. I guess it's the girl-envy thing. I know that will change as she gets older. But in a same-sex school, how well-prepared would she be to deal with boys in real life?

On the other hand, there's something powerful about the idea of a class full of girls who can beat the pants off their male counterparts in a science fair competition!

News Mom T

INTERNET ADDICTS

2006-10-24T16:17:00.000-04:00

I check email constantly and visit my favorite web sites every day. I've even blogged and shopped online in the middle of the night. Am I an Internet addict?

Thankfully not, according to this test. But there are people whose claim their online habits are leading to divorce, getting fired and even depression.

Stanford University's med school is trying to figure out if "Internet addiction" is a real medical problem or just a bad habit. Their survey found that one in eight Internet users behave like substance abusers: hiding or lying about being online and using the Internet to escape real problems. Some logged more than 30 hours a week of NON essential Internet use.

The Center for Internet Addiction offers counseling and says some people experience withdrawal and fantasize about being online.

Stanford says it's not just predators or gamblers. They found a lot of potential addicts are obsessed with shopping, chat rooms and -- BLOGS!

For the record, there's is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being addicted to this blog! :)

News Mom T

TRAGEDY AND OUR KIDS

2006-10-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

The local news last night aired a story about Michelle Gardner-Quinn, the University of Vermont student who disappeared earlier in the month and was found dead by hikers a few days ago. Michelle was from a suburb of Washington, D.C.

A woman interviewed in the story, a neighbor of Michelle's family, talked fondly about her relationship with the girl. She'd known her since 8th grade and Michelle and her son were very good friends. She emotionally recalled how Michelle used to ask people,"Can I travel with you?" and said now that Michelle was gone, she would always be traveling with those who loved her.

The woman being interviewed was someone I know and have worked with.

In the last month we've seen the loss of children as a result of the school shootings in Colorado and Pennsylvania. I wept for the families. But when you find out that you have a connection to a story like this, it truly hits home. Things this terrible don't just happen far away, to people you don't know.

News Mom V.

MURPHY'S LAW... AND FISH

2006-10-17T15:40:00.000-04:00

"Whatever CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong!"

This morning my 5-year-old's before-school Spanish teacher didn't show, so I had to wait with her 30 minutes until school opened. On the way home in the rain, a "student driver" had an accident, jamming traffic. My teen -- who was waiting with my sleepy 3-year-old so I wouldn't have to drag him along -- was now late for class.

After dropping my son at preschool, I drove her to the train to save time -- or so I thought. The freeway was a rainy mess and by then the only parking space was half a mile from the station. So we walked and missed a train. I barely made it to work.

To top it all off, a few minutes ago my shoe heel broke!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

OK... whining done. I can feel a collective "e-hug" from all the mommies who've been there. On to more important stuff:

Today the government is trying to reassure the public that fish is safe to eat 2, 3, even 4 times a week in small to regular portions. Even for kids and pregnant moms -- as long as they don't eat the high-mercury types: king mackarel, tilefish, swordfish and shark.

There's actually growing and strong evidence that fish protects against heart disease. A separate Harvard study coming out tomorrow finds the levels of dioxins and PCBs in fish are much less than in other common foods like butter, milk, cheese and chicken, and reports virtually no cancer risk.

Some are concerned that the Institute of Medicine, which did the government study, had too many people on the panel with ties to the fish industry, skewing the recommendations.

T

LITTLE PRINCE AND PRINCESS

2006-10-15T02:56:00.000-04:00

It's 3am on Sunday and I'm up blogging. The News Moms have been silent for a few days, in part because I worked an early-morning schedule last week that left me too tired to blog at night.

I volunteer to work that shift periodically to give this working mom a chance to spend time with my kids: pick them up from school instead of sending them to after care, ensure a good dinner and bedtime without the rush, etc. And that's actually the subject of today's post.

At a birthday party this weekend, I had a conversation with a few mommy friends about how virtually all our decisions seem to revolve around our kids: where we live (school district), what we drive, jobs and work schedules -- or whether we work at all.

Three years ago we made a cross-country move for my job. Two of the biggest deciding factors were that I'd travel less -- so more time at home -- and my parents now live nearby to help.

But how much is too much? Clearly parents should make their kids top priority. But kids also pick up on that. How do we avoid creating egocentric children who grow up believing the world revolves around them -- because in many ways, it did. (I'm not talking about spoiling kids with "stuff," but about basic life decisions all parents must make.)

And what other aspects of our lives suffer? Health? What about marriage? How you deal with it, and where do you draw the line?

When it comes to health, I think a lot of parents neglect themselves. If my kids sniffle too long or develop an unusual rash -- we're in the doctor's office. They don't miss a regular check up six-month dentist appointment -- but I'm behind on my own.

What about marriage? Do we spend too much of our free time making up for lost time with the kids? Shuttling them to lessons and soccer practice? Are spouses neglected in the process? Are we too busy to realize it until it's too late?

Parenting educator Elizabeth Pantley has an interesting take on that: "When you make a commitment to your marriage, your children will feel the difference. No, they won't suffer from neglect! They'll blossom when your marriage-and their homelife-is thriving."

Any thoughts?

News Mom T

SCHOOL LUNCH GOES VEGGIE

2006-10-11T06:27:00.000-04:00

The Physicans Commitee for Responsible Medicine announced its Golden Carrot Awards for the best school lunches. The winner: a private school in California that's all vegetarian with fresh fruit platters and a salad bar with raw and steamed veggies. In fact, the top 3 winners were vegetarian schools. One even grows its own vegetables.

I'm not sure I'd want an all-veggie school lunch (how 'bout them proteins?) But it's a long way from the "French toast sticks" listed as a main dish on my daughter's lunch menu (I still can't believe that!).

News Mom T

DRINK AND MAKE UP

2006-10-10T23:39:00.000-04:00

For a non-confrontational person, I'm certainly on a roll this week.

First, I angered Izzymom (see below), and today I had an upsetting disagreement with a friend at work.

Fortunately, a similarly peace-loving colleague (who was peripherally involved in the argument) didn't let me leave upset.

She suggested we all convene for an after-work "meeting" downstairs at the bar.

Within seconds of taking that first sip of beer, we'd all kissed and made up.

It's amazing what a drink can do.

News Mom V.

GLOOM AND DOOM

2006-10-09T08:47:00.000-04:00

Is TV news all gloom and doom? In a blog entry last week, IzzyMom said she'd had it with depressing stories, and was going on a news blackout. She even changed her home page to HappyNews.com, a site with the tag line "Real News. Compelling Stories. Always Positive." The current headline is "Madonna Again Visits Malawi Orphanages."

Many readers agreed with her. One woman said she allows her husband to "filter" the news for her, and tell her what he thinks she should know.

I will admit that it's sometimes hard to watch a newscast, especially on violent days -- locally or nationally. And as journalists, it can be emotionally difficult to cover tragedy after tragedy. But informing people is our job, and we simply can't edit out the violent or tragic.

I'm curious though...are people REALLY more interested in Madonna's adoption efforts than the latest E. coli scare?

News Mom V.

FOXY LETTUCE

2006-10-09T05:44:00.000-04:00

Less than a week after the government called off its spinach scare, there's more green leafy stuff to keep off your plate. A California lettuce grower is voluntarily recalling 8,500 cartons of its "Foxy" brand green leaf lettuce after initial reports of E.coli contamination -- not on the lettuce itself, but in the water used to irrigate it. No one's reported getting sick, and almost all the lettuce has been pulled. But there are still 200-300 cartons shipped Oct. 3-6 that are unaccounted for. It's believed to affect mostly western states, but some may have been shipped to restaurants around the country.

Let's put this in perspective. Unlike the tainted spinach -- which sickened almost 200 people and killed three -- the FDA doesn't seem overly concerned yet about the lettuce recall. There's not even a mention on their web site. And a spokeswoman said it's standard procedure for the company to deal with it.

This is so sad. I love my veggies! A warm spinach salad... a crisp Cobb - mmm! And those prewashed, bagged greens are so convenient. This lettuce came from the same area as the tainted spinach. I hope it's a coincidence, or an isolated problem --

because otherwise I may have to contribute to the obesity epidemic and start eating (gasp!) fried foods for lunch!

News Mom T

A WHOLE LOT OF BLOGS

2006-10-08T23:13:00.000-04:00

Wow. When we started doing this, I had no idea just how saturated the blogosphere was. There are an astounding number of blogs out there -- and "astounding" is an understatement.

In April of 2005, the web survey group Perseus estimated the number to be 31.6 million, and predicted that figure would grow to over 53 million by the end of the year.

That represents the number of blogs actually created. The survey doesn't track the number of active blogs, which could take away from the estimate significantly. For example, Perseus's last survey in 2003 found 66 percent of blogs to be inactive.

More figures from the 2005 survey: over 68 percent of the bloggers were female, and only 5.8 percent of all bloggers were age 30 and over.

Who reads all these blogs? According to analysis done in 2005 by comScore Networks, 50 million Internet users in the U.S. navigated to blog sites in the first quarter of that year. Their research also found blog readers more likely to live in higher-income households, have high-speed Internet connections, shop online and be younger than the average Internet user.

So there you have it -- some interesting information and some validation, at least for me, that yes, there are an awful lot of bloggers out there, and a lot of people who are reading blogs.

But if you look closely at the numbers -- about 53 million blogs and 50 million readers -- that's roughly ONE reader per blog.

News Mom V.

MORE FLU SHOT INFO

2006-10-08T10:35:00.000-04:00

As we say in the news business, I "buried the lead." In my earlier post I forgot to share some of the most important new information on this year's flu shots:

If you plan to get one this year, there should be plenty. The CDC expects 100 million doses from five manufacturers. (A few years ago when we suddenly fell short, there were only two manufacturers.)
Most of the vaccine will be delivered by Oct. 31. Some doctors already have it.
The CDC is now recommending that ALL children from 6 months to 5 years get it. (Previously, it was 6 months to 2 years.)
Kids getting their first flu shot will need TWO doses.
It's not too late to get immunized in December or even January. The shot takes 6 weeks to kick in, but CDC reports show the flu season often doesn't peak until February and sometimes March.
For our "more experienced" readers (or remind your parents) -- flu shots and pneumonia shots are free through Medicare. Most people only have to get the pneumonia shot once, not every year.

And a final interesting note: the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases says two-thirds of all health care workers don't get a flu shot. Experts tell me they're either too busy, they don't believe it'll work, or -- get this -- they're scared of needles!

THE SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

2006-10-07T08:52:00.000-04:00

They happen so early in the year! My daughter had barely been in preschool a few weeks before the packet came home. This year, with two schools, we got two books of magazines and gift wrap to sell. (Oh - and don't forget those "make your own gourmet pizza" kits. I've still got one in the freezer from last year.)

Now don't get me wrong: I believe in supporting the school. I saw all the great programs the fundraiser paid for last year. But a saleswoman I am NOT. And make no mistake -- it's the parents fundraiser. That 5-year-old "top seller" who raised $1,500 last year? Believe me, she didn't do it alone.

Unlike when I was in school, kids can no longer sell door-to-door, for safety reasons. That's good. But it leaves parents begging their friends and co-workers to buy yet another tub of cookie dough (the last one I bought stayed in the freezer for two years). That's just not my forte.

What's nice about the fundraisers is that some are now online. So you can simply send out an email to family and friends and they can buy online and have it delivered home -- and your child gets credit. No more lugging around boxes of perishables and knick-nacks in the minivan.

They've made it so easy. That's why I feel so horrible that this year I just plain forgot.

The packets stayed in my "to do" bag for weeks and when I realized it, the deadline was here. So there I was last night, online just before midnight ordering a few items so my daughter wouldn't be the only one in her class not to receive the "light-up school mascot pin" that every kids gets for participating.

So here's fair warning to all my family and friends -- you escaped this year, but I'll be hitting you up next year with a vengeance!

For now, I'm just shaking off guilt so I can enjoy my Brown Sugar Body Polish when it arrives.

News Mom T

HEALTHIER JUNK FOOD

2006-10-06T15:58:00.000-04:00

One more bit of today's news for moms:

President Clinton -- who's been leading an effort to fight childhood obesity -- got five major snack food companies (Kraft, Campbell's, Pepsi/FritoLay, Dannon and Mars) to agree to reduce salt, sugar and fat in snack foods sold in schools.

This is the same group that brokered a deal last spring to take most soft drinks out of schools.

Interestingly, the snack food industry isn't fully on board. Some companies think the guidelines aren't fair. For example, some potato chips are OK, but pretzels, generally considered healthier, are not because they exceed the Clinton group's sodium limit. The industry also says the problem isn't just junk food content -- it's the fact that kids sit in front of TV for hours on end eating super-sized portions instead of just one serving.

The so-called food police think it'll be ineffective because the people who actually stock school vending machines -- schools and distributors -- aren't part of the deal. So they can put whatever they want in vending machines, bypassing the new healthier baked chips for the same old fat-laden munchies that sell.

A funny note from the announcement:

President Clinton -- who in 2004 had heart bypass surgery to clear arteries that were 90 percent blocked by with plaque -- claimed that even though he was an overweight kid, he never touched the vending machine at his high school.

Uh huh.

He did admit to sneaking some of Chelsea's Halloween candy. Apparently he likes caramel (me too!)

News Mom T

TEACHER WITH AN APPLE.. AND A GUN?!

2006-10-06T12:35:00.000-04:00

What if your child's teacher was allowed to bring a gun to school?

In light of recent shootings, a Wisconsin lawmaker has proposed making it legal for teachers and administrators to carry concealed weapons.

Under his plan, teachers wouldn't have to carry weapons, but could at their discretion. The rationale is that school personnel could protect students, and themselves, in the event of an armed intruder. He argues that it works in other countries like Israel and Thailand, where daily violence is rampant.

Besides the obvious concern (guns getting into the hands of kids and kids in the crossfire), there's a legal issue. Federal law bans guns on school property -- teachers included. And who would pay for and oversee training?

Wow - the fact that we've gotten to the point where we're even considering arming teachers speaks volumes. But there are less controversial alternatives:

Some schools have reconfigured their layout so visitors walk straight into the office when the enter the school and must be given access to go beyond that area.
Some schools lock exterior doors, like "crazy" Joe Clark in the movie "Lean On Me? (That's a true story, by the way.) The downside: it's a fire hazard.
What about secure doors with access cards or keypads for parents and teachers? Most child care centers have them - why not schools?

It's sad -- in a country where so many children are lacking academically and all available resources are needed to "leave no child behind," schools are also saddled with the increasingly awesome responsibility of keeping our children safe from strangers, and insiders, intent on doing harm.

News Mom T

MEDICAL STUDIES AND PARENTAL GUILT

2006-10-05T11:26:00.000-04:00

A study out this week finds breastfeeding does not make your baby any smarter than babies of non-breastfeeding moms.

Of course, many studies have outlined the benefits of breastfeeding, but if you're a mom who decided not to breastfeed, or simply couldn't, this is one less thing to feel guilty about -- you have not compromised your baby's intelligence.

As a journalist, I cover a lot of medical studies. Many of them, especially those involving the health of children, can be scary and disturbing for parents.

Last year I read a study that found gaining more than your recommended weight during pregnancy may increase the risk of testicular cancer in male children later in life.

Initially, I felt terrible (and guilty) because I had gained a lot of weight during my pregnancies.

And then common sense took over. One study on the topic doesn't mean my little boy WILL be a victim of testicular cancer, only that it COULD happen.

And who knows, a study done next year might find no link at all between pregnancy weight and testicular cancer.

V.

DO YOU GET THE FLU SHOT?

2006-10-04T14:31:00.000-04:00

I must admit -- I'm a HEALTH reporter and I've never had the flu shot. Never had the flu, either. I'm in that 50% of Americans who (experts say mistakenly) think the shot could actually give them the flu. Today I covered the story and learned some things I didn't know about why people think the vaccine will make them sick.

There are tons of non-flu viruses floating around this time of year -- some with flu-like symptoms, but not as deadly. When people get the shot, then catch one of these viruses, they assume the shot was either ineffective or actually gave them the flu.

Also, making the flu vaccine is a guessing game. Every year the experts try to predict which strain will be most prevalent, and make a vaccine to protect against those strains. Sometimes they're wrong, and people end up getting a type of flu that wasn't covered by the vaccine.

Last year's vaccine was 75-95% effective against influenza A (the kind most people get) but not very effective at all against influenza B. One in five people got influenza B -- and the vaccine did very little to help. Even those who got the more common "flu A" had up to a 1 in 4 chance of getting a version of it not covered by the vaccine.

One reason experts push vaccination, especially for kids and seniors at high risk, is to develop a societal immunity against flu. Viruses change and can become resistant to anything we develop. But like other illnesses we've wiped out (think polio and measles), if we can get most people immune to it, it will eventually go away.

One more interesting point: you may have heard about the antiviral medications for flu. Experts admit they're the best we have but not extremely effective. The best they can do is shorten your illness by one day.

I think I WILL get my kids flu shots this year, because both are in high risk groups. Two things changed my mind: the fact that 36,000 Americans die every year from the flu, and most of the children who die needlessly are kids with asthma and other chronic illnesses who were supposed to get the flu shot, and didn't.

T

INNOCENCE... AND SOMETHING FUNNY

2006-10-04T13:50:00.000-04:00

This morning I was brushing my 5-year-old's hair and she asked: "Mommy, what are weapons?" Yikes! I wanted to know where she learned that word. She said from her teacher -- I'm assuming in the context of "no weapons in school."

My first reply was: "It's not something you need to worry about." Then I thought about the Amish school, and many other stories I've covered where kids my daughter's age came to face to face with the barrel of a gun. I realized that society has obliterated my attempts to protect her innocence. So I replied: "Weapons are things like guns and knives that can hurt people." Then she said: "Mommy, knives can't hurt people." I guess she was thinking of the kind we use for dinner. If it could only be true.

On a lighter note, my 3-year-old son has changed his name! We named him Derek Andrew -- not quite a "junior" because Daddy has a different middle name. We've always called him Andrew to avoid confusion. But this year's preschool teacher calls him Derek. So now he only wants to answer to that!

And finally, something I once read in the "child help" books really does work. Lately Andrew's answer to everything is "No," and it frustrates me to no end. I even asked him if he's trying to exert control, and of course he said "No!" The "experts" say ignore it - so I did. And they were right. When I don't react, he often does the thing I asked without complaint.

I guess he just feels the need to let me know he can now think on his own.

T

SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND YOUR KIDS

2006-10-02T17:33:00.000-04:00

Another brutal school shooting in the news today, this time in an Amish community in Pennsylvania. Like last week’s high school shooting in Colorado, the perpetrator singled out girls, allegedly shooting them execution-style before killing himself. As I write this, at least three girls are confirmed dead…the youngest, just six years old.

How can you ever prepare your child to deal with something like this?

Just this morning, I was talking to a co-worker about today’s “overprotective” parents. We wait with our kids at the bus stop and give them cell phones before they go to the park…that is, if we ever let them out of our sight. Some parents even send their 7-year-olds to self-defense class to teach them what to do should they be approached by shady characters.

Very different from when we were young and there were no cell phones and we’d disappear in the woods for hours at a time after school.

Some things are just out of parent’s hands. And no self-defense class would have helped the girls today. As an overprotective parent myself, that’s a hard thing to come to terms with.

News Mom V.

POS!!!!!

2006-10-02T16:24:00.000-04:00

If you don't know what "POS" means, your kids could become the victim of an online predator. It means "parent over shoulder - change subject." It's what your kids say when they're IMing (instant messaging) and you walk in the room and they're talking to someone, or about something, they want to hide. Here are links to some common IM shorthand and "emoticons":

http://www.datingagain101.com/shorthand_im.html
http://www.jimreal.com/intsymbl.html
http://www.kassj.com/netiquette/smilies.html

I'm sharing these because today we covered those explicit instant messages between former Congressman Mark Foley and former pages. I won't comment since I'm covering the story and he hasn't been charged. But the situation raises some important parenting issues.

The emails alone may not have raised concern, in context. The teen apparently mentions an upcoming birthday, so Foley asks how old he is and what gifts he wants. He also asks the kid for a picture -- a staffer says it's not uncommon to keep them on file. And he chats about exercising to stay in shape.

It made me wonder: with so many kids messaging strangers online, what kind of conversation would raise eyebrows? I think teens and parents would have different answers to that. So is telling them report "uncomfortable" conversations enough? Do we need to be more specific about what we think is inappropriate?

As for the instant messages, most were too graphic to report so I won't link them here. At one point, Foley's concerned about the teen's mother seeing their conversation, but the boy calls her "computer dumb." I thought: would my kids say that about me?

Recently, to my surprise, I discovered my five-year-old -- who only goes online with me occasionally to do her favorite learn-to read web site -- can pull it up and click through all by herself! How much longer efore she's emailing and IMing? (Not on my PC!)

When my 18-year-old stepdaughter recently moved in, we debated whether to let her keep her computer in her room. She'd not given me a reason to be suspicious, and after all, she is an "adult" now. But covering all these stories about Internet porn, I couldn't help being uncomfortable. Online access in their room is the #1 "no-no."

We talked about it, and I was surprised when she volunteered to disconnect her PC , store it in the closet, and use mine, in the family room instead.

I felt better -- but I still peek over her shoulder when she's emailing and IMing.

T

HERCULES IS NUTS

2006-09-30T23:01:00.000-04:00

What's with these sudden, wierd bursts of energy? Is it hormones... mental... or just a hazard of being female?

I came home Friday and decided I just couldn't stand the look of my living/dining room anymore. The dining room had too much furniture for a small space, and the living room was just the opposite. I'd toyed with the idea of switching them (how unconventional!), and to my 18-year-old's chagrin, Friday was the day!

So the two of us undertook the Herculean task of moving a sofa, chairs, tables and accessories between rooms while my preschoolers looked on in awe. I can imagine they were thinking: "Has Mommy gone mad?" But I'm not completely nuts -- I didn't move the piano. (I'd done that once before, solo -- bad idea!)

It actually didn't take that long, and when we were done, I liked it! My Mom came in right as we finished and laughed. "You're just like me," she said. My husband came home later and just shook his head. But I was smiling.

If you've ever had a sudden burst of energy like that, please comment and share your story so my family won't think I've lost it.

Big, strong T :)

FUNNY

2006-09-30T13:17:00.000-04:00

We've been trying to teach our three-year-old son, Jake, to be patient when commercials come on. He's been raised on DVDs and On Demand cable, where with the press of button you can bypass everything and anything you don't want to see.

Thus, he doesn't quite get the concept of television advertising. But he's learning quickly:

Last week, he saw an ad for Chuck E. Cheese's during a "regular" TV show and said "Chuck E. Cheese's! Mommy, we should go to the store and buy that!"

Today, while patiently waiting for his Curious George DVD to start playing, the Universal logo -- you know, the one with the earth -- appeared on the screen and Jake said, "Look mommy -- a commercial for the earth!"

V.

TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION

2006-09-29T15:52:00.000-04:00

When I was in school, if you got in trouble, at least you had time to rush home and think of a good story before the teacher called. Even better, the teacher sent a note home -- giving me a chance to practice "creative writing" (read: forgery).

Email and instant messaging have changed everything.

This week I got an email from my kindergartner's teacher about behavior problems. Thanks to technology, I knew all the details before confronting her. Due to our schedules we played phone tag, but kept in touch through email to resolve the situation and schedule my next volunteer day.

We can now print homework from the teacher's web site -- so "my dog ate it" is no longer an excuse. Our district posts high schoolers' grades and attendance online. Some preschools even offer web sites with web cams, so working parents can peak into their child's classroom during the day. And I keep up with PTA and other school news through the listserv.

Last year I helped my out-of-state stepdaughter with English by logging onto the teacher's web site. I could see what assignments she missed, read the papers she uploaded, read the teacher's comments and see her grades.

Now that my kindergartner's learning to read, a teacher at our school recommended a great website (www.starfall.com) where she can practice phonics and "read" books online.

How the world has changed!

But nothing beats cuddling with your kids to read a bedtime story. Even in this digital age, they still enjoy that the most!

T

RECOVERY

2006-09-28T16:10:00.000-04:00

Since my cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) on Monday, I've been out of the house twice. Yesterday, I rode along while my husband drove my mother home and today I loaded up with painkillers and walked up the street to get some fresh air.

All this lying around and letting people do things for me is driving me batty. I'm used to being busy and active -- rushing to get to work, rushing to meet my deadlines, rushing to get home and feed the kids dinner and play with them and put them to sleep and clean up the kitchen after they go to bed...

So I don't know what to do with myself. I've caught up on my Entourage and Weeds episodes. Now I'm buried in a mountain of old magazines I've been meaning to read for months...everything from Time and Newsweek to Vogue and Real Simple. Today I read the terrible story behind the Haditha massacre and learned how to better organize my kitchen.

Oh yeah...and I got some tips on how to find a pair of skinny jeans that would flatter my figure. I even considered buying a pair, going so far as to put them in my online shopping cart before shaking out of it and admitting I'm a bootcut girl.

I'm happy to catch up on my reading, but what I really want to do is go for a run, organize the playroom, catch up on the laundry, and vacuum the air vents.

And what I would have loved to do yesterday, on my daugter's first birthday, would have been to spend the day with her and get her birthday portrait taken, just as I did when my son turned one. That was the toughest part of my week.

Of course, next week, when I'll be feeling well enough to do all that, I won't have the time.

V.

MINIVANS AND FRIDAY MOMMY NEWS

2006-09-22T16:12:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or scared by News Mom T's profession of love for her minivan...and the level of care she provides for it.

My minivan is not nearly as loved. The proof: You'll find no hand vac, no backseat organizers, no grocery compartment and no laundry bag in mine. If you saw it, you probably wouldn't even want to get into it for fear of a crushed Cheerio (or worse, a stray drop of peanut butter) getting stuck on your behind. As for the DVD player...it's broken. To add insult to injury, while my minivan falls into disrepair (and it's only 2 years old, mind you), I secretly lust after a certain sporty luxury vehicle.

That said, let's move on to Friday Mommy News...

Women who use the birth control patch may be at higher risk of developing blood clots than those who take the pill.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3034601/

A new study finds a third of ADD cases in children may be linked to PRENATAL exposure to tobacco smoke and lead exposure after birth.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14897034/

And finally, Playskool today recalled 255,000 "Team Talkin' Tool Bench" toys after two toddlers suffocated on the plastic nails that come with it. If you have this toy, you can return it to the company and get a $50 gift certificate in exchange.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14952221/

Have a good weekend,
News Mom V.

OH THOSE KIDS!

2006-09-22T05:47:00.000-04:00

It was the trifecta of bad kid news this week:

"We're having problems with Andrew not listening in class," the preschool teacher said.

"Anna's being bossy and a tattletale!" said four after-care friends who cornered me on the playground. The teacher agreed. This was a day after her kindergarten teacher called home to report behavior problems.

Then there's my 18-year-old Jessica, who put icing on the cake by forgetting to take all the trash out and clean the kitchen -- AGAIN!

Immediately I took it all personally: "I'm raising a house full of monsters! Maybe that dad with the stay-at-home wife was right and my kids are turning out all wrong because I'm working." (See V's Wednesday post.)

As usual, it wasn't as dramatic as it seemed. I enlisted hubby's help, and with some surprise visits to school, Andrew's "listening" is improving. Anna now plays alone on the playground, but has had no more discipline problems. I'm sure the friends will come back around.

And Jessica apologized profusely for ruining my day. Last night, the kitchen was spotless. (I think Dad's threat of 30 days with no TV had something to do with it.)

What a difference a day makes.

T

THE MOMMA MACHINE!

2006-09-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

I admit it - I LOVE my minivan!

Unlike some of my friends, I'm not ashamed to drive around in that square silver Mom-mobile that screams "She's got kids!" In fact, it amuses me when people play the car-guessing game:

"You drive a Lexus?"
"No, she's definitely a Porche."

Ha -- if they only knew! I am perfectly satisfied jetting around town in my -- well, I won't advertise, but it's one of the most popular models. You probably saw 20 of them on the way to work. "V" has one, too.

I was a small car person until we bought the van. At first I protested: "I can't drive this big thing!" But you have to get the right model. Mine turns on a dime and accelerates like I'm on the NASCAR circuit (well, almost.)

Sure, sometimes I envy my friends with SUVs -- until I see them at the gas station. I've told them, if you look at my van from a certain angle, and don't focus on the back end, it looks like an SUV (insert laughter here).

My minivan is like our house-on-wheels, so for me the key was having all the right accessories:

a powerful hand-vac for picking up Cheerios, confetti and potato chips that were stepped on (I actually stopped and bought it before bringing the van home)
backseat organizers for all the kids "stuff"
a designated compartment for snacks ("Mommy, I'm HUNGRY!")
a grocery compartment for fliers, coupons, etc.
a laundry bag and "catch-all" basket in the rear

I specifically did NOT want a DVD. My philosophy was that trips are family time to talk to, not ignore, your kids. But one 12-hour trip and hubby convinced me otherwise. So we bought the plug-in kind. We only use it on long trips, and only for a few hours. But it is nice to have.

One day I'll outgrow the van and get a "grown up" car. I dream of cruising the open road in one of those extremely expensive convertibles where my hair can flow in the wind.

For now, I'll just open the window.

SCARING KIDS OUT OF HAVING FUN

2006-09-21T16:27:00.000-04:00

In her September 18 column for Newsweek, Anna Quindlen raises the question of whether we scare our kids too much about the possible negatives of life (i.e. date rape, smoking, the consequences of unprotected sex) and don't remind them enough about life's pleasures.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14753698/site/newsweek/

My children are too young for lectures about date rape, but my son already knows about the need to wear his bicycle helmet and about holding my hand when he's anywhere near a street or inside a parking garage. I don't think either one of these is an instance of going overboard, but perhaps I went too far when he was a toddler, scaring him away from electrical outlets by shouting "No! No! Hot! Hot!"

To this day, he balks at even tepid food or bath water. Both need to be cold. Yes, I have taken away the joys of a warm bath and a hot bowl of soup from my son.

I do try to hold myself back at the playground, allowing him to climb some of the "big kid" equipment, all the while internally cringing and stifling a mother's warning: "No! That's dangerous! You could fall and break your head open."

Finding a balance between scaring the kids into not doing something, and allowing them to enjoy their childhoods is a difficult task. And I have a feeling it gets more difficult as they get older and want to do things like drive and go on dates.

I'm certainly not going to let my son drive until he learns to eat his dinner warm.

V.

MORE ON WORKING PARENTS

2006-09-19T18:18:00.000-04:00

It's after 7:00pm and here I am, still at work, and not yet sure when I'll be home.

I'm covering the president of Iran's speech to the United Nations, which is slated to begin any moment now. At home, my kids have already had their dinner and their dad is hopefully getting at least the little one ready for bed.

While waiting for the speech to begin, I've busied myself by reading the online discussion that T. mentions below. I would share the link, but it's a TV biz site and a lot of it is only accessible by subscription.

It's ironic that I'm reading this forum tonight, because it raises the question of whether motherhood and working in the TV news business (with its' notoriously irregular hours) are compatible. A newly pregnant reporter -- a self-proclaimed go-getter -- started the discussion by asking the question "HOW DO Y'ALL DO IT?"

A father whose wife is a stay-at-home mom offered this advice: quit work and raise kids the "right" way by staying home with them. He also characterized "daycare kids" as "completely disorganized" and said he could "spot them a mile away."

Needless to say, his comments initiated a heated exchange. Some working moms retorted that their kids were more well-adjusted and verbal than those of stay-at-home mothers. Others were so infuriated by this man's comments they resorted to name-calling.

No matter which side they're on, it seems to me these parents are simply defending their child-rearing choices. How could they not? One goes down a certain path and crosses their fingers that they've made the right decision for their kids and their families...and when that decision is questioned you have no choice but to defend it.

I know I've done the same thing.

V.

WORKING PARENTS' KIDS

2006-09-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

Today I joined an online debate about working v. stay-at-home moms. There are a lot of misconceptions.

Many studies show kids are better off with a parent at home. It's a fact that makes us working parents cringe with guilt. But remember: that's a statistic, not a guarantee. Our kids aren't doomed to failure because we work and they're in daycare! And kids with moms at home aren't guaranteed success -- just a better CHANCE. Plenty of those kids fail, too.

I think you'll find many parents work FOR their children -- not for houses, cars and vacations, but to afford better schools (often in more expensive neighborhoods) and build college savings. For single parents, it's not even an option.

Staying home is ideal -- I admire those who've made it work and hope to join you one day. But just being at home isn't what benefits the child. It's knowing how to foster success and navigate life -- and some parents have no clue beyond Gymboree and play dates.

Children turn out best when they come from loving homes that foster education, good behavior, and spiritual and moral values. That's possible for two-parent working families, too - it's just harder.

Like a good news story, the form is important but it's the CONTENT that counts.

T

POPEYE'S ON A DIET

2006-09-18T11:03:00.000-04:00

I'll bet you never thought the day would come when parents would say: "DON'T eat your spinach." Well it's here. Because of an E-coli outbreak that caused one death and more than 100 illnesses in 19 states, the FDA says don't eat any fresh spinach (loose or bagged) until further notice. (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01453.html)

Kids everywhere must be elated. Not me. Since childhood, I've loved my veggies! (I know -- I was the strange kid on the block.)

This spinach recall raises some issues for parents. Let's face facts: because of our fast-paced lifestyles, many children weren't eating much spinach -- or other fruits and vegetables -- anyway. Maybe this "spinach hiatus" is an opportunity to re-think our meal choices.

The second issue is oversight. This E-coli outbreak has brought to light the fact that, like cargo at ports and luggage on airplanes, very little of it is actually inspected. The fact is there just aren't enough people to visit every farm, every factory, every field.

My mom would say: "That's why you pray over your food, honey."

I had to throw out two bags of pre-packaged spinach last week. I'd planned to make a warm spinach/walnut salad that very night the news broke.

Ugh - I can still taste it!

T

OUR OBESE KIDS

2006-09-15T11:56:00.000-04:00

Here's news you can use:

What our mothers and grandmothers called "pleasantly plump" is now known as "overweight" or "obese." Several years ago the government adjusted the scales, and overnight thousands of Americans got the bad news.

Thus, came the generation of bottled water, salads, and five-day-a-week workouts, as we tried to shed those pounds. But did we share those new habits with our children?

The Institute of Medicine reported this week that a third of American children and teenagers are overweight or obese, and the numbers are rising. Its report "Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity" found little progress at all. (Here's the link: www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/25044/36980.aspx.)

The report applauded efforts by communities, schools and the food industry but said those efforts are few and far between and aren't being monitored. So noone knows if they're really working.

The IOM made a number of recommendations. Let's focus on advice to parents. We should be asking:

Are the meals I'm serving healthy?
Are the portion sizes too big?
Do we make exercise a family priority?
Do we watch too much TV/videogames/computers? (Kids gain weight when they're sitting around.")

In short, they're urging us to get our mini couch potatoes MOVING -- not just at home, but at school. Just this week I talked to a mom who fought to lengthen her son's 10-minute recess. Shockingly, I'd just discovered that my daughter's school serves French toast sticks with syrup and (sugary) strawberry milk for lunch. I wouldn't serve that at home! The schools need to hear from us!

If you're like me, the prospect of so many lifestyle changes can be daunting. But the IOM advises that even small changes (like switching from whole milk to 2%) can make a big difference.

It's something to think about. I'm on deadline, but maybe I'll take a quick walk to get lunch today instead of ordering fast food.

T

9/11 REMEMBERED

2006-09-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

You'll probably never forget exactly where you were and what you were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Excuse the cliche, but it really was one of those defining moments of a generation.

Growing up, I remember my parents telling me how they would never forget where they were when JFK was shot. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 will stay with me in the same way. My children were not born yet, so they won't have that memory. For them, 9/11 will be taught in history class, just as JFK's assassination was taught to us.

Five years ago today, I remember sitting at my desk and watching, on my television screen, as that second plane hit the World Trade Center. I remember knowing immediately that our country was under attack. And I remember rushing home to pack and head to New York, despite protests from my husband.

Airplanes had been grounded and trains weren't running, so my colleagues and I drove north.

It seemed that we worked around the clock, as most members of the media did during that time. Even when I did make it back to my hotel room, I couldn't sleep. I'd continue to watch the coverage on the 24-hour news channels and sob and sob. I couldn't cry at work -- I was too busy -- so this was how I dealt with doing stories of unspeakable loss and devastation all day. It took a psychological toll on me like no other news event ever had.

This, the 5-year anniversary, is the only time I've allowed myself to relive those memories. Watching the memorial services in New York, Shanksville and at the Pentagon today has been difficult, and a bit teary.

Yesterday, my mother gave my little boy a commemorative set of die-cast rescue vehicles -- exact replicas of those used by FDNY on 9/11.

He enjoyed playing with them, and my mom hinted I should tell him their significance.

At three-and-a-half, I don't think he's old enough to absorb the tragedy of that day. When the time is right, I'll talk to him (and my daughter) about my experiences and recollections, as I'm sure millions of other parents will do with their children.

I'm left wondering, however, what the defining moment of my children's lifetime will be. I can only hope that it won't be as devastating as what we saw on September 11, 2001.

V.

AHA! (AND SOME FRIDAY MOMMY NEWS)

2006-09-08T16:15:00.000-04:00

Aha! T. has a sour side too! I'm not the only one.

I'm glad to know an empty milk carton can send my colleague into a tailspin! It makes me like her even more.

Then again, maybe I'm just rubbing off on her.

In case you're wondering, I was able to carry that renewed perspective from yesterday over into today. I've got a bit more verve in my step as a result. I even offered to pick up lattes from Starbucks for my coworkers. The grumpy me doesn't like to pick up food for other people.

But enough about me and my out-of-the-mommy-closet-anti-June-Cleaver-colleague, and on to Friday Mommy News:

Those squeezably soft toddlers don't always outgrow their pudginess. New research finds that a majority of kids above their ideal weight from age 2 through their preschool years are still overweight at age 12.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14678069/

And here's one I missed while on vacation last week, but interesting because I was a having a conversation about this just recently --- CVS is apparently not any more dangerous to the fetus than amnio. Pregnant women are usually counseled that CVS carries more risk of miscarriage than amnio, but this study found the miscarriage rate for both procedures to be about the same.

This is important news for expectant mothers who want or need to have prenatal testing before the 2nd trimester, because CVS can be done six weeks earlier than amnio.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14593105/

And finally, a note to our small arsenal of guinea pigs/readers: Please start spreading the word about us!

We're having a great time sharing our thoughts with you and love hearing your responses. A lot of you have been shy about commenting on the blog but have called and e-mailed us about how our experiences have made you laugh, or how you can relate. You've bolstered us to the point where we've become greedy and want more readers and more feedback.

So, please let your fellow mom friends know about us. And please continue to read in.

Thank you.

(I feel like I'm signing off from the evening news here! "You stay classy, San Diego...")

V.

CLEAN UP!

2006-09-08T11:36:00.000-04:00

At the risk of blowing my reputation as the "optimistic one" -- I must vent for a moment. I'm sure all working women can identify.

This morning, I went around the house in a frustrated rampage posting notes like "don't leave milk cartons on top of the trash -- put them in the recycling bin RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" I mean, how many times do I have to pick up, clean up or beg before they get the point? It must be deliberate. The family has conspired to make my life miserable.

Great - now I'm paranoid.

At some point I think "good" mothers accept the fact that maid service is an inevitable part of the job. I'm just not there yet -- I'm still fighting it. My brain is on overload trying to remember everyone's appointments and assignments, while keeping the house in decent order. June Cleaver I am not.

My latest line to the family is: "you'll miss me when I'm gone." But will they? Of course. But, too, won't everyone be happier without me constantly needling them to do this or that? Or maybe in my absence they'd keep the house spic and span... in my honor.

Wish I could live to see it.

T

CATHARSIS

2006-09-07T16:39:00.000-04:00

Wow..."T" certainly was prolific yesterday. Three posts!

When I logged in this morning, I also found a funny message from her in response to my Tuesday ("Rain, Rain Go Away") post. She laughed at me, and then told me about her morning that same day -- waking up late, missing her daughter's bus, walking to school in the rain and having to change clothes again before coming to work because she was soaked!

Yet, she didn't gripe about it to you as I did.

That led me to the revelation that I, News Mom "V," am the sour, pessimistic one and "T" is the take-things-in-stride, optimistic one.

Ouch.

I HAVE been grumpy lately, and feeling overwhelmed. I think as moms (working and stay-at-home) we all go through those stages...and I'm smack dab in the middle of one.

My gall bladder surgery is looming; my baby is about to turn one; my house, which was recently renovated, still needs some kinks worked out (not to mention some furnishings) and I desperately NEED something to perk me up -- like a free hour a day to exercise, or a manicure/pedicure or a 20-pound weight loss!

Before you tell me to get over it, don't worry -- I've already had that conversation with myself.

Especially after this morning:

After realizing just how grumpy I've been, I went downstairs to pick up some overdue drycleaning -- which I now needed ASAP because I was being sent out on a story and had come to work wearing my jeans again!

While down there I ran into a correspondent for another network housed in my building. She's a lovely woman and fellow working mom who three months ago donated a portion of her liver to her infant son with a rare liver disorder. In her words, she had no choice but do it. After invasive surgery and a long hospital stay, her little boy is back home and she is amazingly back at work.

She looked wonderful (although significantly thinner as a result of what she's been through) and spoke lovingly of her little boy and the precautions she still needs to take to keep him out of the woods.

Her poise and strength really left an impression and gave me a little kick in the you-know-what.

If she's been to hell and back with the prospect of losing her little boy and still manages to seem so in control of her life, why can't I?

As a result of my conversation with her, I got back to the office too late to change out of my jeans and had to run out to cover my assigned event -- the National Association of Letter Carriers Hero of the Year Awards -- still wearing them.

The main award recipient, a man by the name of Jim Osborne, went AWOL from his letter carrying job in South Florida after Hurricane Katrina to help rescue flood victims in New Orleans with his airboat. He saved more than twenty people. His convoy of 10 airboats saved more than 175 people.

He was emotional during an interview I did with him. And also inspiring. An everyday hero (OK--how sick is it that the theme song from Higglytown Heroes is playing in my head?)...just like the correspondent I ran into earlier in the day.

I don't really have a witty ending line here about how I've been renewed as a result of talking to these people, or that my life has changed in any way, or that I've snapped out of my funk...but these people certainly helped me look at my life a little bit differently today -- and put things in perspective.

I'll let you know if I can carry that feeling through into tomorrow.

News Mom "V"

OVERPROGRAMMED KIDS

2006-09-07T15:47:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, I flew to Minnesota to interview a mom of 5 about her kids' after school activities. The community's parents, coaches and other instructors had established a pact not to "overprogram" their kids. Parents would let kids participate in only one or two activities at a time. Coaches and instructors pledged to keep practices and events to a minimum so as not to interfere with school.

I thought it was a great idea. What parent would want their child stretched so thin? Then our kids started preschool and kindergarten this year.

In the first week, I've been offered more options than I ever imagined: gymnastics, computer class, piano lessons, foreign language before and after school, Saturday enrichment classes, Girl Scouts -- and these are LITTLE kids!

I'm still against "overprogramming" kids, but I do have a better understanding why parents are tempted to do so. We want to give our kids the best, and each opportunity seems like a good one.

Gymnastics? Sure -- exercise fights childhood obesity. Piano? Music teaches discipline, which is helps kids excel in school, right? Foreign language -- great idea. Experts say this is the best age to learn. Computers? That's a no-brainer - they'll HAVE to use them. Girl Scouts -- a character-builder. You don't get more wholesome than that.

Enrichment classes? What parent doesn't want their child "enriched"?

So here I am with a bunch of fliers and decisions to make for my 3 and 5-year-olds. I also wonder about the social impact. What if my daughter is the only child in after care who didn't sign up for computers -- will she have to sit in class alone for 30 minutes, or hang out with the two-year-olds on Monday afternoons?

So you see, the decision isn't as easy as I imagined.

Clearly we can't do all those activities. If nothing else, my wallet will stop me. I think we've narrowed it down to in-school gymnastics for the preschooler, before-school Spanish for the kindergartener, and piano (once a week during after care) for both.

And that's my final answer -- as long as they don't send home any more fliers this week.

T

CHILDBIRTH... THE EASY WAY

2006-09-06T17:06:00.000-04:00

Is there an "easy" way to have a baby?

Apparently some women think so. Researchers believe the number of voluntary Cesarean sections is up, and doctors suspect it's because women may be afraid to labor and deliver vaginally. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control looks at nearly six million birth records. It concludes that C-sections believed to be voluntary are putting babies at risk. The CDC reports twice as many babies born from voluntary C-sections died in the first month of life, compared to babies born vaginally.

The study is in the current issue of "Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care" (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523-536X.2006.00102.x) .

Here's the caveat: the CDC isn't sure if the Cesareans they studied were really voluntary. All they know is that the birth certificate noted no medical risk factors. Critics say that's a major flaw in this study.

We DO know that C-sections are up 41 percent in the past decade. For those who think it's the "easy" way to have a baby, let me tell you -- I've done it twice, and it's NOT.

Thanks to Mother Eve, childbirth is painful -- on the front end or the back end. Drugs can make it much easier, but not pain-free. After my first Cesarean, I envied friends who were up and about the same day their babies were born. I could barely sit up. And trying to care for a newborn after major surgery is no joke. Count on being out of pocket (i.e. off work) for eight weeks.

Then there's the issue of VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) for mothers who "really" want a natural birthing experience. A few years ago, VBAC was popular, but rates have declined to about 9 percent of all births. Concerns about rupture and fetal distress are too great for many women to risk.

Which brings me back to the question -- is there an "easy" way to have a baby? If you're determined to avoid physical pain, consider adoption -- and don't forget older children and special needs kids. There are thousands of little ones in the U.S. and abroad who could use your love.

T

AMAZING WOMEN - part 2

2006-09-06T15:36:00.000-04:00

NBC's new "Today Show" anchor Meredith Vieira has said she likes to report on "ordinary people in extradordinary circumstances." So do I. Here are two of my recent favorites:

Today I met a 43-year-old two-time breast cancer survivor. She's virtually the picture of health -- works out 7 days a week (putting me to complete shame!) and had no family history. She's a project manager, managing eight men in a male-dominated field. After surgery, chemo and radiation, her cancer came back last spring.

What impressed me is her spirit. Just talking to her lifted mine. Through her personal struggle she held onto a tough job, and her sense of humor. Now's she's helping two recently-diagnosed friends do the same.

Yesterday I chatted with Jana Monaco, a Virginia mom I first met last year. She's caring for her son, who is permanently disabled due to a rare birth defect. It could have been prevented if Virginia had required the same newborn screening tests some other states do. Not only does this mother of 3 devote herself to the time-consuming task of caring for special needs son (16 therapy sessions a week, not including doctor's appointments) -- she's also an advocate reform. Her efforts helped change the law in Virginia, and she's taken her fight to Washington to push for standardized newborn screening tests nationwide.

Talk about turning lemons into lemonade! Here's a woman who was thrown a complete curve ball in life, and she threw it right back. (You can read more about Jana's story, in her own words, on her web site: www.stephenmonaco.org.)

I know there are others. MANY others. Each and every one deserving of their place on the Forbes list. Through their stamina, faithfulness and fortitude, each of these women are making a difference in the lives around them.

And as a News Mom, I am honored and blessed to meet many of them and share their stories.

T

AMAZING WOMEN

2006-09-06T14:56:00.000-04:00

Aren't we all? :)

But a few clearly stand out. The Forbes annual list of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" is out (http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/11/06women_The-100-Most-Powerful-Women_Rank.html). Here are the top 5:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (last year's #1)
China's Vice Premier Wu Yi
Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi
Xerox CEO Anne Mulcahy

The rest are an impressive hodge-podge of corporate, info-tainment and government heavyweights, including the Presidents of Chile, the Phillipines, Finland and Liberia; the Prime Ministers of New Zealand, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Jamaica and South Korea; and Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

Corporate types included CEOs and top executives at Morgan-Stanley, Goldman-Sachs, Kraft, Rite Aid, Disney, Hewlett-Packard, eBay, Proctor and Gamble, Lucent Technologies, Johnson and Johnson, Time, MTV, Sony, Paramount, The New York Times, and Southwest Airlines, to name a few.

America's TV divas took their places: Oprah, Katie, Diane Sawyer and "Today Show" newcomer Meredith Vieira - in that order. Interestingly, CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour made the list, but the Dean of TV Newswoman Barbara Walters did not.

I got a chuckle out of #14 Oprah outranking Sen. Hillary Clinton (#18), Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (#32), First Lady Laura Bush(#43) and the highest ranking woman in Congress, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (#48).

Maybe Oprah should run for President?

Oh -- and why in the WORLD wasn't my mother on that list?

News Mom T

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY

2006-09-05T13:34:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my less than sunny vacation, and it's raining outside.

The drive in this morning was horrendous. Bumper to bumper, beginning a half-mile from my house all the way to the office. Over an hour.

It was the rotted cherry on top of the stale cake that was my morning.

As I've mentioned before, I have a hard time transitioning between being with the kids 24-7 to sending them off to daycare.

This time we were together for 10 days -- sleeping in the same room.

My formerly co-sleeping 3-year-old is back to his former self. When it came time to go to bed last night he announced he was sleeping in our bed. Didn't you miss YOUR bedroom I asked? No, he said. It's lonesome in there.

He was clinging to me when we woke up this morning, and he continued to do so on the sofa in front of the TV downstairs. I didn't mind being clung to, but I freed myself to get clothes for him and the baby.

She cried all morning long. She didn't want to be dressed, she didn't want to eat and she didn't want to play on the floor. She's also been sick and snotty so I felt so evil sending her off to daycare.

After my husband left with the kids, I had my coffee and toast, showered and found something clean to wear -- my jeans! Those darn jeans were supposed to have made it into my suitcase but somehow got lost in the dining room during packing. Their absence forced me to wear pajama pants or too-tight yoga pants (with a strategically placed hoodie tied around my waist) on the days I couldn't wear shorts.

When I arrived at work, the story assignment next to my name read "Horse Slaughter."

I'm not kidding.

Things have since taken a turn for the better. I managed to get out of the horse slaughter story and into watching a President Bush event.

It's good to be back. As a journalist it's hard to be on vacation and know there are things going on in the world that you're not covering.

And I'm getting a break from reminding my little boy to go potty every couple of hours (because he still hasn't mastered stopping to go when he's having too much fun.)

Not that it wasn't adorable to walk by the bathroom and see him sitting on the potty, his legs swinging as he sang to himself "Rain, rain go away.

Now...where was I? Oh yes...the President.

News Mom "V"

GOODBYE SUMMER, HELLO VITAMIN C

2006-08-31T06:52:00.000-04:00

For most people, Labor Day is the official end of summer. For me, it's the sniffles that invaded our house this week.

It's the first week of school -- in fact, 2 of our 3 kids haven't even started yet -- and already all five of us are sniffling, coughing and popping vitamin C chewables like candy. That pesky cold virus attacked without warning. I hadn't even had a chance to stock up on vitamins and cod liver oil yet. Yes, I make my kids take the yucky stuff all winter. It worked for my grandparents and seems to work for us, too.

Except right now.

How DO those germs circulate so quickly? I imagine that as hundreds of giggling, backpacked girls and boys bounced off the school bus this week, millions of invisible viruses marched in right along with them -- just as determined to do well in school this year.

"Betcha I can infect more kids than you can!"

"Oh yeah - bet I can get to them first!"

"You take backpacks. I'll take pencils and lunchboxes."

I've read that doctors say 10-12 colds a year is NORMAL for schoolchildren, and actually builds up their immunity. Speaking of which, have you read about the chicken pox parties?
http://www.nydailynews.com/city_life/story/445005p-374775c.html Instead of getting the vaccine, parents let their uninfected children play with infected ones, hoping to create natural immunity.

That said... excuse me (achooo!!!!!!!)

... be well. I'm already longing for Spring!

T

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

2006-08-28T12:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I sent my five-year-old off to kindergarten this morning. What an experience!

There were no tears. I cried mine last night and she didn't cry at all. In fact, she sang all the way to school and bounded out of the car as soon as we arrived. While I was happy to see her so excited, I couldn't help but feel a little sad to see her behaving so independently. The real dagger-through-the heart came when she asked me (about 4 times) to stop holding her hand walking to class. But she did let me give her a kiss. :)

I wish I could spend all day peeking in the classroom window -- not to interfere, but just to see how she reacts to it all. I know what you're saying: "OK Mom, it's time to let go."

I'm getting there.

Feelings aside, I really AM excited to see her take this next step. In fact, it's a big step for all of us. I already have PTA meetings and the principal's coffee updates on my schedule. And shopping for school supplies, I learned a few lessons:

Glue sticks are the first to sell out.
I never knew there were SO many different types of markers!
Don't buy peanut snacks, even if the teacher says it's OK (an allergic kid showed up today)
Pack a cold lunch (sandwiches) not leftovers - it never occurred to me she can't nuke it

I'm still undecided about letting my tiny 5-year-old ride the school bus. Two months ago, I was adamantly against it. The bus ride, I'm fine with. It's getting off and on that bother me. Who's in charge at the bus stop? What if she gets on the wrong bus? What if she gets off at the wrong stop? What if she gets to school and can't find her class and wanders off?

And of course, being a NewsMom, stories I've covered come to mind:

How safe is the bus? When was it last inspected? Did they do a background check on the driver? Does he/she have a criminal record the school system doesn't know about?

OK, by now even I realize I suffer from what my father-in-law calls "overprotective parent syndrome." And sometimes all you need is a dose of reality to cure it. When I pulled up to the school this morning, traffic was horrible. I had to park two blocks away. A parent told me it'll be weeks before things return to normal -- and even then, the new parking lot is too small, so good luck finding a spot.

As we walked I thought about how I'll manage next week once my three-year-old is with us. Then I saw all those smiling little kids (including our neighbor) getting off the school bus, and I thought:

maybe the bus isn't so bad after all.

FRIDAY MOMMY NEWS QUICKIE

2006-08-25T17:17:00.000-04:00

I'm literally on my way out the door for a week of vacation, but I wanted to leave behind a topic of discussion in my absence:

Do career women make for lousy wives?

See the following story on Forbes.com. Michael Noer's column was initially published alone, pulled because of strong reaction, and finally republished with a woman's "counterpoint" alongside it.

http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2006/08/23/Marriage-Careers-Divorce_cx_mn_land.html

Have a good weekend.

News Mom "V"

YOUR MEDICINE CHEST

2006-08-25T16:58:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how many things in life we take for granted. How many strangers' opinions we trust. How much faith we put in things we can't control -- like the safety of medicines we take and give our families.

Today the News Moms reported on stronger warnings placed on drugs for people with ADHD. Though rare, some of those drugs have been linked to dangerous side effects like serious heart problems and psychotic behavior. Today we reported that after FDA advisors disagreed on whether stronger warnings were necessary, the agency quietly asked drug manufacturers to beef up the labeling to warn doctors -- without alerting the public until this week.

Much of what's being added, doctors already knew and consider when prescribing these drugs. So for most of the four million Americans taking Ritalin, Adderol, Concerta, Dexedrine and other drugs, there's no cause for alarm.

But what struck me as interesting is how much we patients take for granted. We ASSUME the drugs we're taking are safe because they've been through years of clinical trials and screened by experts at the FDA. Yet recent recalls of Vioxx, Bextra and other drugs have certainly called that so-called assurance into question.

The FDA has been under fire for a few years now, accused of not doing its job -- protecting Americans from bad medicine. The harshest critics claim the agency bows to pressure from the drug industry because it receives millions in funding from drug companies to complete its work.

In a report out last spring, the Government Accountability Office (the federal government's internal watchdog) said the FDA hasn't been as vigorous as it should be in ensuring drug safety. And it criticized the agency for quashing the opinions of scientists and drug safety experts who question the status quo. It noted a recent survey that concluded one in five FDA scientists have been asked to change their findings in official reports, and 40 percent fear retaliation for questioning decisions.

The FDA has rigorously defends itself, stating that the agency is diligent and is in the midst of a systemwide review to improve operations. This summer the agency streamlined rules for scientists who advise the agency on key drug decisions, but also are paid consultants for drug companies. The new policy is an attempt to reduce conflicts of interest, or even the appearance of it. Dr. Andrew von Eschenback, the agency's acting commissioner who will likely soon be confirmed by the Senate, has promised a top-down review to further strengthen the agency and restore public confidence.

I can tell you from a journalists' point of view, the FDA is very selective about sharing information about how it does business -- especially when it involves controversial issues. Often requests for interviews and information go unanswered, are not answered in a timely manner, or are simply turned down without explanation. As a journalist who seeks to tell the whole story -- and as a mother -- that's concerning.

Which leads us back to the idea of putting faith in things we can't control. I wonder: do we really have a choice?

T

PERSPECTIVE AND NEW BEGINNINGS

2006-08-24T19:42:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhhhh.

I'm back from a two-week vacation and have that relaxed feeling of renewed passion for life and work. It reminds me that I need to plan more "mental" getaways so I can experience this "Ahhhhhh" feeling more often.

At one point while driving home, everyone in the car fell asleep. At first I was lonely, but I quickly realized the beauty (and benefit) of complete silence. Without kids chattering, music playing or other distractions -- and just the ribbon of highway ahead -- I was able to think through priorities that, unfortunately, often go without attention in the daily rat race.

What self-improvements do I need to work on - physically, professionally, spritually?
How healthy is my marriage? What can I do to make it better?
How can I help each of my children reach their goals?

While out of town, I had a couple of Mommy Moments that I must share:

My son pooped in the potty for the first time! Not the topic of typical conversation, I know, but I'm sure parents out there can attest that this is HUGE! :) What was nice about it was seeing how proud he was of himself when he accomplished something new. I can't wait to see THAT look on his face again.
A friend commented that my children are well-behaved. I almost fell over. With all the Mommy guilt I live with, he'll never know how that small observation made my day... my month... my year!

Back home now, this evening I spent some time researching our school system. My kindergartener starts Monday (expect a post - once I've stopped sobbing). My preschooler starts a week later, and my newly-licenced 18-year-old starts college two days after that.

I know that Spring is considered the season of new beginnings, but for us, this fall represents a genesis -- a new chapter in our family. As the children each move on to a new horizon, it'll affect all of our lives.

And I can't wait to see how it turns out.

TWO WEEKS LATER...

2006-08-22T13:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know -- it’s been two weeks since we last posted. There’s a good explanation:

I’ve been out sick and T. is on vacation.

I was hospitalized with gall bladder problems early last week. If you have ANY “minor” medical issues – please don’t do as I did and ignore the problem until it’s too late.

I'm still feeling guilty about it.

The hardest part of the whole ordeal was being away from the kids. I have a difficult enough time leaving them with a babysitter, so not seeing them for almost 3 days was torture.

My husband brought me a few photos, which I looked at constantly.

I begged my doctor to spring me from the hospital a night early – and was able to get home in time to put the kids to bed on Tuesday night.

When I got to the house, the baby was crying and my three year old was wearing borrowed corduroys (in 90 degree weather!) because he’d had so many potty accidents at school that day. (It’s true -- what the experts say about kids regressing in times of stress.)

My reintroduction into home life was a bit chaotic – but seeing my baby girl smile in recognition when I walked in the room, and getting a big hug and an “Are you feeling better, mommy?” from my little boy left me with the most amazing feeling...

And reminded me how important it is to exercise control over the things that are manageable (like my medical issues) so that I don’t have to be away from them unexpectedly again.

News Mom "V"

READ THIS:

2006-08-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

You obviously like to read -- you're doing it right now. But I wonder how many of us have a love of for literacy?

The other day I was pondering my own love-hate relationship with reading. As a child, I was an avid reader. By college, I was forced to read so many "boring" texts, that reading started to feel like a chore. After graduation, I literally had to force myself into a library to recapture my lost love. Today, I'm into fiction... murder mysteries... but don't have time to read as much as I'd like to. Yet increasingly I find myself dreamily wandering past the bookstore - a place I can stay for hours.

Yesterday I got a funny email from a co-worker detailing how life was so different 100 years ago. You know, a loaf of bread only cost 19 cents.. and there were only 8000 cars in the entire U.S. It also mentioned that back then, 2 in 10 Americans couldn't read or write. I wondered how different that is today. So I did some research.

The most comprehensive information I found (though not the most recent) was a federal government study conducted in 1992. The Department of Education's National Adult Literacy Survey asked 26-thousand Americans to complete simple tasks like reading a bus schedule, using an ATM, or reading a judge's instructions to a jury. Profiency was rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best.

Almost a quarter of Americans -- about 40 million -- functioned at the lowest level. Another quarter were considered "level 2" readers whose skills were better, but "quite limited." A third were "level 3" readers -- able to perform more complex tasks after reading a text. Only 1 in 5 American adults were able to achieve the highest literacy rating. (http://www.americanliteracy.com/literacy_figures.htm)

So more than a decade ago, 4 out of 5 American adults were average or below average readers -- with half of them, about 100 million, ranking at the lowest levels. Isn't that sad?

I wondered if things have gotten any better in the last decade. Just two years ago, the National Endowment for the Arts conducted a survey called "Reading at Risk." It concluded that the number of readers is on the decline. The survey said fewer than half of American adults read literature, and notes a loss of 20 million potential readers in the last decade -- most of them young Americans.

Wait a minute -- aren't "young Americans" learning to read?

Perhaps also not a surprise, reading ranked lowest among minority groups, the uneducated and the poor -- not necessarily one in the same. It said twice as many high-income individuals read than those from low-income families. And the survey found that people who read are more likely to be involved in cultural, sports and volunteer activities. (http://www.nea.gov/news/news04/ReadingAtRisk.html)

I know we're all busy, but we've got to stop this -- and our children are a good place to start.

Recently, I've made reading more of a priority in our home at bedtime. We try to visit the library at least once a month and check out a slew of books. I've been reading 3-5 a night. It's a great way to settle them down for bedtime. Even my teenager loves to come in and listen. Last night she was sad because we started without her!

This month's "Parents" magazine includes an interview with NBC'S Today Show host Matt Lauer talking about how he makes reading to his children a priority. The article mentions that August 24 is Jumpstart for Young Children's annual "Read for the Record" event. This year's book is a classic: "The Little Engine that Could." All parents are asked to read the book to their children that day. (You can register at www.readfortherecord.org)

What a great way to "jumpstart" the school year! Consider picking up the book, if you don't have it.

And while you're at it, pick up a book for yourself, too.

Happy reading!

News Mom "T"

A HOT DAY AT HOME

2006-08-03T16:13:00.000-04:00

Brrrr…it’s freezing at my desk right now. Outside, the temperature is flirting with today’s projected high of 101 degrees.

I was off yesterday -- at home with my 10-month old who'd just had tubes put in her ears. The heat made it impossible to go to the park, or even take a stroll. So we stayed inside and I tried to entertain her.

To those who might suggest mall walking on a hot day -- I am not a woman who can go to the mall and just WALK. If I go to the mall, I do so with the building’s true purpose in mind – SHOPPING.

Getting back to my day with the baby -- we read books, rolled balls, played peek-a-boo, sang songs, pushed buttons on musical toys. I even turned on the TV thinking she might like Elmo. (She wasn’t the least bit interested in Sesame Street, or the Teletubbies for that matter.)

She’d smile and laugh with each activity, then quickly get bored and let out a little scream. What she really wanted was to play with her big brother’s toys, which aren’t the safest (small parts and all) -- so I got more cries every time I took those away.

Her favorite game was to roll an empty plastic water bottle around…and she did so contently for quite a while -- that is, until her big brother came home from preschool.

As soon as she saw him, she scrambled across the room and grabbed his leg. This caused him to shriek and run away. She laughed loudly and followed…and a little game ensued that lasted about an hour. She was the happiest in that hour than she’d been all day. I followed closely to make sure big brother’s arms and legs didn’t land in her face as he tumbled around. She did fall backwards on the wood floor once, but didn't seem to mind.

When we finally got the kids to settle down, it was bedtime for the little one. She drank her bottle and quickly fell asleep.

I learned yesterday that my three year old is a very good babysitter. A little rough, yes – but very entertaining.

Too bad he couldn’t help put the baby back to sleep when she woke up at 2am…but that’s another story.

Yawn. Is it naptime yet?

News Mom “V”

WHY SOME KIDS DON'T EAT VEGGIES AND OTHER FRIDAY MOMMY NEWS

2006-07-28T16:34:00.000-04:00

This just in -- there's a scientific reason why some kids don't eat their veggies. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found preschoolers with sensitive taste buds just can't stand the taste:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14059947/

A new drug combination may offer hope to women who suffer repeat miscarriages:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14075136/

And perhaps this should have been the headline -- Can you TRAIN your husband to keep his socks off the floor and remember to put the toilet seat down?

An essay published in the New York Times has garnered alot of attention and attracted some controversy by saying yes, you can. In researching a book on animal training, writer Amy Sutherland picked up some techniques that she tried at home -- not on her dog, but on her husband!

While I was watching an interview with Ms. Sutherland on TV this morning, my husband called out from the kitchen, "Don't even think of trying that on me!"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/fashion/25love.html?ex=1154232000&en=95a3e5ef45a8106c&ei=5070

Happy reading and have a great weekend.

News Mom "V"

HELLO REALITY, GOODBYE MAKEUP

2006-07-27T14:24:00.000-04:00

Remember a couple of weeks ago (in “Mondays,” July 10) when I wrote (read: fantasized) how as working parents, all of our time with our kids can be fun time? Well, that little foray into LaLa Land is over.

This past weekend, we were home for the first time in almost a month. That meant errands to run, piles of laundry to tackle, cleaning to catch up on. Not much fun for us, the parents -- and pretty boring for the kids who had to sit around and wait for us while we did those chores.

On Saturday afternoon, my 3-year-old son woke up from his nap screaming, walked into the bathroom where I was taking a long-awaited shower and threw up on the floor. Poor little guy. His fever was nearly 102 and he didn’t sleep at all that night or the next – which meant I didn’t sleep at all either.

(And my husband and I cancelled our first planned dinner out with friends in MONTHS.)

Monday came and went. I barely survived. It was one of those days when everyone asks “What’s wrong?” or “Are you OK?”

I felt like I needed to make an announcement: “I didn’t get a blink of sleep and I’m not wearing a stitch of makeup -- that's why I look so terrible!”

Of course, not wearing makeup has become the norm for me since baby number two came along – and to think, I NEVER used to step out of the house without it. But something's got to give when your time is limited.

Tuesday came and I started to recover. Wednesday, I felt better and even put on some makeup!

Today, I’m finally feeling like myself again. No makeup -- but hey, my skin looks better since I stopped wearing it every day. And I don’t have to put on a pretty face to post an entry.

News Mom “V”

PROTECTING CHILDREN

2006-07-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

Today's news you can use:

Today Congress passed the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act," named for the 6-year-old whose kidnapping and murder touched off a nationwide campaign to track and punish child molesters. President Bush plans to sign it into law Thursday. I thought you should know what it will do:

Establishes a national sex offender registry online. All 50 states now have them, but they are not coordinated, and they're not always up to date. This will be an Internet database available to the public and searchable by zip code, so you can see exactly who's living in your neighborhood. The bill creates penalties for convicted offenders who don't keep their information up to date. Shocking fact: According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 100-thousand convicted sex offenders are MISSING from existing databases!
Establishes a federal DNA database for sex offenders. In many states, sex offenders are already required to give DNA samples. This bill makes that requirement a federal law. The samples will be entered in a national database to make it easier to compare cases and find or rule out suspects when a child has been harmed.
Eliminates "electronic privacy" for sex offenders. They'd have to make computers and other data storage devices immediately available for search by police without a warrant at any time. I'm curious if the ACLU has or will weigh in on that.
Establishes mandatory minimum sentences for a number of sex offenses involving children. For example, a minimum 30 years for rape of a child. Up to 20 years for selling date rape drugs online. Up to 20 years for using misleading words to lure children to pornographic web sites (remember WhiteHouse.com?) And 10 years for transporting children across state lines to molest them.

There are concerns about that last provision. Technically, an 18-year-old who lives in Maryland and takes his 17-year-old girlfriend to a friend's house in Virginia to have consensual sex with her, could get 10 years behind bars. Supporters say that's not the intent and prosecutors shouldn't use the law that way. But opponents are concerned. that it could happen, and that the punishment is way too harsh. As one lawmaker put it: "Prom season in the Maryland-DC-Virginia area could have nightmarish consequences."

Another concern: is this yet another law with no teeth? Though the penalties are harsh, the offenses to which they apply are generally state offenses, not federal crimes.

Finally, this is interesting: the bill provides federal money for states to run three-year pilot programs using GPS technology.

John Walsh, Adam's father and "America's Most Wanted" host, plans to be on hand when President Bush signs the bill Thursday.

Now let's hope they put it into action.

"T"

SHIELD, OR EDUCATE?

2006-07-24T16:57:00.000-04:00

As a journalist, my job is to expose. As a mother, my instinct is to protect. My two roles often crash into conflict when it comes to my children and the day's news.

As a rule, I don't let my two- and five-year olds watch the news. In fact, I don't let them watch much TV at all beyond a few shows on Noggin and PBS. My attitude about that has completely changed. BEFORE having kids, I always vowed to have them reading a daily newspaper by first grade. I wanted them to be well-informed.

All that changed when I saw those little innocent faces.

My heart yearns to protect them from the very images I broadcast to the world each day. I cringe when my daughter occasionally catches a glimpse of the news and says: "Mommy, somebody got hurt" or "Mommy, that's a gun." During the Michael Jackson trial (she must've heard about it at school) she asked: "Why do people think he's bad?' I was SO not prepared to explain those issues to her!

But how long can we really protect our little ones from reality? How long should we?

My middle child is headed to kindergarten in a month, and I'm bracing for all the ideas, language and behaviors she'll be exposed to -- things I can't control. I guess we'll both do some growing up. Clearly I don't want to shield her from reality forever -- nor do I want to. But as a mom, I'm starting to think about how we'll address these issues as they occur.

Back to news. There are some current events that I think children could benefit from understanding. Immigration reform, for example (a topic we covered today). What a great lesson to teach kids about cultures, differences, laws and responsibility.

Unfortunately, at 6 tonight that story will be buried beneath the day's worst shootings, car accidents and sex crimes -- and I'm just not ready to make all that a part of my children's world.

News Mom "T"

OUR WEEK, YOUR COMMENTS AND FRIDAY MOMMY NEWS

2006-07-21T12:30:00.001-04:00

Our week:
It was another frenetic week at work for the News Moms – one that found us staying later than usual and had us rushing home to feed the kids and put them to bed. I almost missed my baby’s bedtime one evening -- but fortunately, my husband was too occupied with my 3-year-old son to put her to sleep!

If you’re interested – this week we covered the embryonic stem cell debate in Congress, which led to President Bush’s first-ever veto; and we did a story on the President’s first-ever appearance before the NAACP’s national convention.

Today, we file on American citizens evacuated from Lebanon and their return to the U.S.

If you’ve been watching coverage of the conflict in the Middle East, as a parent I’m sure you’ll agree that the most disturbing visuals are those of injured children.

Watching a baby whose face was riddled with what looked like debris from an explosion cry out in pain this morning moved me to tears. There’s something about a child’s cry that stirs up a universal feeling of heartache in parents. I say PARENTS rather than MOTHERS because I saw a male anchor (who I know has three young children) visibly moved as he watched the same story.

Your comments:
We hope our entries spark conversation between you and your friends or colleagues -- because your comments certainly initiated conversations here on our end.

In response to “Feeling Judged as a Parent” (Tuesday, July 18), “Anonymous” wrote of an experience at the aquarium when she grabbed her escaping 3-year-old only to hear her scream, “Mommy you’re hurting me!” “T” and I sympathized and laughed simultaneously, because who as a mom hasn’t been in a similar situation – grocery store, park, anywhere really – when your child has done something that left you red-faced and mortified?

I must admit -- before having children -- I did wonder why those mothers at the grocery store with three unruly kids hanging out of their cart, yelling and tipping over cereal boxes -- couldn’t control their little ones better. Oh, how times have changed.

“L” responded to the same entry by saying that although she doesn’t like “mother-judgers” she does learn from watching other moms who may be more experienced than she is.

Along that vein, “K” responded to an entry from News Mom “T” (“Why Do We Do It?,” Tuesday, July 11), suggesting that “T” missed an opportunity to teach her son that he shouldn’t make a mess of his sister’s cassette tape. “T” agreed that in hindsight, that would have been a better option.

In short -- we found these comments (and ones from previous weeks) to be funny, informative and thought-provoking…and we hope you’ll continue sharing your thoughts.

Friday Mommy News:
Everyone said it was an old wives’ tale – but a new study from Malaysia shows that having sex close to your due date may in fact induce labor:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13923867/

No more birth control pills? The FDA has approved an implantable rod that can stay in your upper arm for up to three years:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13917707/

And finally – a useful link you may want to bookmark and check periodically: The Consumer Product Safety Commission website informs you on all the latest recalls—including toys. The most recent recall is on a chair/sofa bed from IKEA with a locking mechanism problem that resulted in one fingertip amputation.

http://www.cpsc.gov/

Not a very pleasant note to leave you on, I know.

News Mom “V”

GETTING TO KNOW 'ME'

2006-07-20T16:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday my younger sister said: "I think you're such a "together mom." I laughed and thought: how easily we can deceive! :) As any woman knows, we often don't feel inside like the person the world sees outside.

She explained that I often seem so certain about my choices and decisions. Clearly I' m not, but I thought that over. And I realized that over the years -- despite my shortcomings -- I have developed a better sense of who I am and what I want.

There are things that I'm passionate about... knowledgeable about... and good at -- things that developed over time. I also realize that I have plenty left to learn and correct. As they say, "you're never as smart as your mother."

But it does feel good to get to a point in life where you have a reasonable degree of confidence in yourself. For me, I attribute that to God (He's first for me) and a really supportive and loving family who keep me going.

I realize not everyone's blessed to have that. I encourage women who don't, to support yourself. Recognize that there's something unique about you. Something good. Something beautiful. Something creative. Something wonderful! Something another woman can admire.

Find that thing that makes you feel good about yourself, and pursue it. It will help you build confidence.

If you're young, enjoy your youth and relish your experiences. Immerse yourself in them. Learn from them. They are shaping the woman you will become. And don't be in a hurry -- it takes time.

If you're older, draw joy from your accomplisments: the husbands you supported, the children you raised, the home you created, the career at which you excelled, the church or community groups you supported, the people you uplifted, and most importantly, the challenges you overcame.

And please don't forget to share your pearls of wisdom with those of us following in your path. We may not always say it, but we appreciate each and every one.

News Mom "T"

THE "O" WORDS

2006-07-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

Hi friends --

What a week! I've missed blogging, and there are so many things I've wanted to chat about -- like the "O" words. (Not Oprah.)

They are two of the scariest words in the English language: "overweight"... and its cousin "obese."

This week a Harvard University researcher reported that girls who are overweight or obese when they turn 18 are 66% more likely to die early as adults. And since the government adjusted weight charts downward several years ago, many more of us are finding ourselves slipping into those dreaded categories.

The major causes of death were heart disease and cancer. But there's even a higher rate of suicide among those of us who are tipping the scales.

For me, it's personal. Just this week our family doctor warned us we need to exercise more. The federal government recommends an hour a day just to MAINTAIN a healthy weight. Clearly that goes hand in hand with a healthy diet.

"V" blogged about feeling judged as a parent, and I must admit, I've been on both sides of that coin. While I try to shove as many fruits and veggies down my kids throats as possible, I sometimes heed the call of the Happy Meal. In fact, my two-year-old son can't pass a Chick fil A without screaming "nuggets!"

What's ironic:

In doing the teen obesity story, the delightful (and slim) young lady I interviewed said her doctor told her to avoid snacking on sodium-laden Lunchables. So after interviewing her, going across town to interview a doctor, then rushing back to meet an early deadline -- guess what I ended up grabbing for a late lunch? (It was ham and swiss).

I want to eat better. I want to exercise more. But too often desire loses out to convenience.

I need to go back and re-read "Guilt Be Gone."

Then maybe I'll eat a salad and go jogging. :)

"T"

FEELING JUDGED AS A PARENT

2006-07-18T14:04:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel as if someone -- friend, relative, co-worker -- is judging you as a parent?

Someone who doesn’t buy frozen food for their children when your freezer is stocked with chicken nuggets, french fries and pizza?

Someone whose child eats broccoli with gusto when the closest thing you can get to a fruit or vegetable inside your toddler is the peach flavoring in their yogurt?

Someone whose little angel is in bed by seven o'clock every night when you’re happy if your kid goes down before 10:00pm?

As you may have picked up, I recently felt judged. And what was more of an affront was not the action over which I was being judged, but the fact that this fellow mother would judge me.

Being a parent is hard enough without having to do it under a microscope.

I do my share of stressing over my kids’ nutrition, their tantrums (are they MY fault?), their ear infections (are they also my fault?)…but I know that I am the best mother I can be to the kids I have. NOONE is perfect in every way as a parent, just as not every 3-year-old will eat broccoli and salmon and go to bed at 7:00pm.

To those who sometimes feel judged: Don’t let it get to you. You know what’s right for your family and for your children. And if you’ve got faults, I’m sure you’re the first to acknowledge them.

To those who are tempted to judge: Parenting is not a perfect science and cannot always be done by the book. In the course of raising your kids, you’ll come across your own bumps in the road – and most likely, the mothers you were judging will be the ones who can offer you the best advice.

(Whew...I'm glad I got THAT out of my system!)

News Mom “V”

FRIDAY "MOMMY NEWS" ROUNDUP

2006-07-14T15:57:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week at work for the News Moms...with the escalation of violence in the Middle East, and the announcement from Valerie Plame Wilson that she is suing Vice President Cheney and others at the White House for revealing her identity to columnist Robert Novak.

These stories have been our primary focus here in the newsroom, and since the 24-hour news channels have had wall to wall coverage, I'm sure you're up-to-date with what's going on as well.

Today, though, I wanted to share some links for other news -- let's call it "mommy-related" news that I might make a regular Friday posting if there's interest.

*First the good news:
The makers of a new chocolate bar say it cures PMS symptoms. Somebody pinch me! I'm definitely going to hunt this down.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/12/AR2006071202076.html?sub=AR

*Then the bad:
Working long hours is dangerous to women's health because when we work long hours we eat more high fat food, drink more caffeine, exercise less and smoke more (if you're a smoker.) According to the British study, men are not negatively impacted in the same way.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13829216/

This describes me! When I'm working late, I make too many trips to the vending machine, have take-out pizza for dinner and drink a whole lot of diet soda. I won't lie and say I get less exercise than I normally do --because I don't normally get enough exercise to begin with!

*And the useful:
According to Canadian researchers, making TV and video game time a reward for exercising is effective in getting overweight children off the couch and onto the ball field.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-07-13T125238Z_01_COL343985_RTRUKOC_0_US-KIDS-EXERCISE.xml

And if you're pregnant and haven't yet read Tuesday's post by News Mom "T" -- make sure you take a look. She gives you some important information about newborn screening.

One final note:

Thank you to the fellow moms who've responded to our invitation to be our test readers. We appreciate the feedback you've given us. Please keep reading -- and if you can, post your thoughts on our daily entries right here on the News Moms site.

Have a wonderful weekend.

News Mom "V"

WHAT DOES YOUR MONEY REALLY BUY?

2006-07-13T17:31:00.000-04:00

For a few years now, I've been on a one-woman crusade for better customer service. And I'm big on personal boycotts. If I walk into a nearly-empty store and three clerks are too busy chatting to greet me, I take my wallet and walk right out. If I have a bad experience with a service or product and the store doesn't try to fix it, I shop elsewhere. I've written letters, confronted managers and even gone out of my way to shop at a (slightly) more expensive store, just to make the point: customer service matters!

Here's my theory: when I spend $20 for an item that cost the store just $5 to produce and ship, I've paid not only for my blouse, but for a smile and a reasonably intelligent person to help me. Anything less and I feel I've been ripped off.

Poll after poll show that consumers are dissatisfied with the level of service they receive. Nearly every one has a story, and nearly every industry is affected. Just this week, Moneyfacts.co.uk released a poll that shows a third of consumers have moved their bank accounts -- not to get better rates -- but because they were dissatisfied with customer service.

http://www.mortgageintroducer.com/story.asp?storycode=13209&sectioncode=4

So merchants, listen up: I've already paid for excellent customer service, in those huge markups. So GIVE IT TO ME!!!

But more often than not, I find substandard products and employees who couldn't care less about helping a customer. I used to be a bargain shopper, but now I find myself becoming "brand-loyal" -- because once I find a brand I like or a store that cares, it's worth my time and the extra pennies I may spend to avoid the hassle.

Speaking of hassle, these days I find myself as much of a troubleshooter as an advocate. Just this week:

I wrote a merchant who shared my personal information with a third party that resulted in me being signed up for a $60/month service I didn't ask for.
I'm soliciting help from my son's asthma specialist to fight my HOA, which wants us to remove the window air unit that cools his room.
I'm finally going to pay a doctor bill that was whittled down from $250 to $6 after months of back and forth with the insurance company that didn't pay it properly in the first place.

It seems I'm spending more and more time dealing with matters that could have been solved up front if companies were more efficient and employees were more focused on doing their jobs well. Is it because they're not paid well enough, so they don't care? Are workers no longer loyal to their companies because the companies are no longer loyal to them?

I've often thought that once I leave the news business, I'd love to become a "professional troubleshooter," helping people who don't have the know-how or resources to take care of such annoying problems. What do you think, ladies?

News Mom "T"

SEX AT DUKE

2006-07-12T11:07:00.000-04:00

I'm roughly a month late reacting to this (as you know, extracurricular reading is difficult when you've got little ones) -- but if you get a chance, read the article in last month's issue of Rolling Stone magazine entitled "Sex and Scandal at Duke." And breathe easy; the story is NOT about the alleged rape involving members of the Duke lacrosse team.

Here's the link: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10464110/sex__scandal_at_duke

The story IS about the culture of sex at the school.

Promising university students Sarah, Naomi, Anna (not their real names) and others give Rolling Stone reporter Janet Reitman a peek at their lives. They strive to have it all -- perfect grades, perfect bodies, perfect clothes and an active social (and sex) life.

You've got to hand it to them...their balancing act is pretty good: classes, studying, working out and partying into the wee hours of the night. I went to class, and did my share of partying in college -- but the working out and looking perfect part pretty much went out the window.

What's disconcerting -- and disappointing -- is the girls' lack of self-respect when it comes to their relationships with boys.

These girls -- former high school class presidents, sports stars and honor students -- say they'll "hook up" with a popular lacrosse player or fraternity boy, knowing the boy may very well be having sex with several other girls that night... in hopes of being invited to a formal or the next frat party.

There's more...but I'll let you read it and form your own opinions. One line that really struck me came from "Allison" -- she said that if her mother knew of how she behaved, she'd "smack me across the face... because I was not brought up in that kind of environment."

If you're a parent with children in college or nearing college, you'll probably have some strong emotions after reading this. I think it’s worth showing your children and talking to them about it. Not just girls, but boys too. Because self-respect goes hand in hand with respecting others.

I'm anxious to hear your comments.

News Mom "V"

IMPORTANT INFO FOR PARENTS

2006-07-11T15:15:00.000-04:00

One of the things I like about blogging is the chance to share with other parents some of the really important info about our kids that crosses my desk daily.

This one's near the top of the list.

When my children were born, I never thought to ask if they'd be screened for birth defects. I assumed the hospital's routine tests would detect any problems.

Boy was I wrong.

I've since found out it depends on where you live. Each state decides which of 29 newborn screening tests are required. Until this year, some states tested for just a few.

Today the March of Dimes reported good news and bad news about newborn screening. The good news is that since new guidelines came out from the medical community last year, many states have expanded their screening programs. The MOD says twice as many babies are being tested than just a year ago! Five states (Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia) plus the District of Columbia test for all 29 disorders. Most other states have expanded their screening programs and now test for more than 20 of the 29 disorders.

But the bad -- and perhaps tragic -- news for parents is, there are still 8 states in the U.S. that test for fewer than 10 of these conditions. To find out where your state stands, check the with March of Dimes (http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/pdfdocs/nbs2006.pdf) or the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (http://genes-r-us.uthscsa.edu/).

Here's why it's a big deal:

This week I had the chance to talk with a mother whose beautiful baby girl died in her sleep the day she came home from the hospital. An autopsy later revealed she had a rare metabolic condition that could've been managed through diet and supplements. Both parents were carriers and had no idea -- neither had a family history of this rare disease.

Admirably, she and other parents fought successfully to change the law in their state. But the fact remains, it's up to YOU to ask about it.

Here's more good news:

If you live in a state that doesn't test for all 29 disorders, YOU can have it done yourself. The tests for all 29 only costs about $100 and may be covered by insurance.

What a small price to pay for our children's health.

News Mom "T"

WHY DO WE DO IT?

2006-07-11T01:10:00.000-04:00

It's 1am, and I just finished unraveling about 50 feet of tape that my two-year-old son thought would be fun to pull out of my 5-year-old daughter's favorite cassette.

He did it this morning as I was rushing out the door. I set the tape aside to deal with later.

MUCH later -- after the kids were fast asleep -- I saw the tape on my nightstand. I really didn't have the energy to deal with it. I'd had a busy evening: a hospital visit, dinner, a bedtime story. I helped my cousin write a grant proposal then I stayed up late to watch a really corny movie that my 17-year-old had been dying to see with me. (I'd already put it off once.)

Finally, around midnight, I headed to bed. On the way I ran across dishes (not quite done)... laundry (I added a new load)... and the kids' work desk christened in Elmer's glue (I cleaned it.)

After tidying the den... putting away schoolwork... reorganizing the kids' shoes thrown in the closet... and replacing missing pieces to the play mat on the deck (I finally found them!).... I was ready to get some shut-eye.

That's when I saw the cassette lying by my bed. I almost left it there. Then I remembered: it's my daughter's favorite.

So here I am, at 1am, unraveling the twists and turns in the tape. It reminded me of all the twists and turns in my day: the low points (I left my wallet at home) and the high points (my daughter called VERY excited about her first day in college). As I worked out all the kinks and things slowly started to fall into place, the tape reminded me of my day -- a lot of twists and turns that ended up stored neatly in one little package.

Still at 1am, I sat there, winding and winding, wondering "WHY am I doing this?"

Then the answer came to me:

Tomorrow night, when my daughter falls asleep with that little half-smile on her face as she listens to her favorite story, the extra 15 minutes I stayed up will have been forgotten --

but the memory of her sweet, sleeping face will stay with me forever.

Goodnight. :)

"T"