Parent Talk Today

Mr. President, What's Wrong With "Charlie"?

Today's guest post is written by five-year-old Charlie Sena. Thanks, Charlie!

Dear Mr. President,

Charlie Sena here, rescue dog. I hear you've picked a  really cute pup to become part of the family there in the new digs on Pennsylvania Ave.

I just have two concerns:

°    I know Malia has allergies, and you can only choose from a couple of different breeds. But couldn't you find a rescue dog instead of getting a gift pup from Sen. Kennedy from a swanky Texas breeder? Frankly, I'm disappointed. I know "Bo" originally went to a family and they gave him back to the breeder. But that makes him a re-gifted swanky dog more than a shelter dog. There are lots of us out here and we need good homes, too. (I do appreciate that you gave a donation to the Humane Society, though!)

 °    I understand that Bo's original name was Charlie, and that you are changing it. What's wrong with the name "Charlie"? It's an all-American name. Charlie's your buddy! Charlie's your pal! Not that there's anything wrong with the name Bo, but with the name Charlie, you get to have all kinds of cool nicknames like "Charzo," Charzito," "Charz" and (my favorite) "Charlinator."

I have to admit, though, Bo looks like a fun little dude. Can he come over for a play date?

Guest Blogger Jessalyn Pinneo: "Welcome to Washington, Mr. President!"

Today I'd like to welcome a wonderful guest blogger, Jessalyn Pinneo, from over at one of my favorite blogs: There Is No Spoon (A Millenial Grows Up).

I've known Jessi for about a decade, and I've loved watching her as she begins her career in Washington D.C. Jessi was fortunate enough to be a witness to history today. And I wanted to share her story in her own words. Thanks, Jessi!

Welcome to Washington, Mr. President

My legs are half-frozen, my hair is a tangled disaster, my shoulders are knotted and sore from hunching against the wind... and I've never been more thrilled, inspired or hopeful in my life. Why? Because I stood on the National Mall at noon today and watched President Barack Obama take his oath of office as the 44th President of the United States.

I was not an Obama fan during the primaries. I was pulling for John Edwards, then for Hillary Clinton, shaking my head at Obama's lack of experience and rolling my eyes at his celebrity status with so many people my age. But then, the last few months of the primaries, I started really listening to what he had to say, watching the way he interacted with people and the effect he had on them.

Once I started paying attention, I couldn't actually find anything to dislike about Barack Obama at all.

As the general election heated up, so did my enthusiasm for the Democratic candidate, this husband, this father, this basketball player, this statesman whose love of country resonates in every word he speaks. Well before November 4th, I was committed to doing what I could to see him elected, not only because he was my party's candidate but because I finally saw in him the spark that so many others were drawn to before me. The hope, the commitment to change not only for the betterment of this country but for that of the world, and the unflagging patriotism that acknowledges our country's failings at the same time that it reminds us of its greatness and its potential.

On November 4th, I cast one of the millions of ballots that helped turn Virginia blue, then sat on the floor in front of the TV with tears streaming down my face as President-elect Obama gave his address from Grant Park in Chicago. And today I stood on the Mall, again with tears in my eyes, and listened to President Barack Obama speak for the first time - seriously, hopefully, determinedly - to the American people.

I've always been proud to be an American, proud of the dreams and determination that have made us what we are, proud to be part of the astonishingly diverse heart of this country. But I've never been as filled with hope, and the belief that the status quo can change for the better, as I am today.

The day before the election, I wrote a post for my non-profit's blog, an excerpt of which I've been thinking about for the last week or so:

"I have a challenge for our next president, whether he turns out to be Barack Obama or John McCain:

Hold onto the sense of community that’s grown among your supporters, among the citizens of this country, during the campaign. It’s been a long one and we’re all tired of it, but we’re united in our desire to see a better, brighter future for America. Take that unity and hold it up for the country to see, make it clear that regardless of who any one person voted for, the next steps in American history are up to all of us. Foster that sense of community among the diverse voices that comprise the citizenship of our country. If you do, I believe that you’ll be able to accomplish more than any president in the past 20 years has dreamed possible.

Use the collective energy of that community to fix what’s broken... Gather it around minority groups who are too often the innocent victims of attackers who don’t understand them and only recognize them as different and therefore dangerous. Pit the enormity of that positive vibe against the negativity of... extremist positions, and let’s see if we can’t overwhelm them in such a way that makes them obsolete.

I believe the American people have the power to accomplish all that and more and I challenge you, Mr. President, to harness it. The marathon [of the election]’s almost over, but the real test of strength has yet to begin. I hope you have the guts to meet it head-on, and win."

I'm sure no one in President Obama's closest circles (and probably not many in mine, for that matter) has read that post — November 3rd was kind of a busy day for them! — but listening to him speak, the following night and this morning, I feel heard. And I believe that with President Obama in office, the dream of a united America, of an active citizenry and a government — or at least a White House — that hears and fights for the needs of its citizens can once again be a reality.

If I didn't believe that, I probably wouldn't have walked the 4.5 miles from my apartment to downtown D.C. in this morning's 20-some-odd-degree weather, bundled up in tights, knee-highs, wool socks, jeans, tank top, long-sleeved tee, sweater, windbreaker, scarf, coat and fleece headband, with hand warmers in my pockets and toe warmers in my shoes, to stand with the mass of people that filled the entire length of the Mall and the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and watch the swearing-in of our 44th president. If I didn't believe that, I would likely have spent this Inauguration as I spent the last one: ignoring it, and wishing the motorcades and barricades and military checkpoints would stop messing with my routes through the city.

But I do believe it, so I wanted to be there, to watch history in the making, to watch the first moments of a presidential term I believe will bring extraordinary and much-needed changes to America. And to say: Welcome to Washington, Mr. President!

Share This Story With Your Kids

Kudos to Steve Hartman at CBS for this piece about two unlikely friends, and thanks to CBS for letting me share it here. It's a story to enjoy yourself and to share with your children. The power of friendship is an amazing thing.

Your Parenting-Blog Connection

Looking online for a terrific parenting publication? I love what the editors are doing over at Western New York Family Magazine, with their new digital, 3-D, "flip-page" format. Check it out here. Even if you don't live in their area, you'll find lots of great parenting articles that will apply to your life.

Another new feature is their "Blog Connection" page, where you can find descriptions of, and links to, the latest and best parenting blogs around. I'm honored that they've chosen Parent Talk Today as one of their featured blogs!

Broward Family Life, New Mexico Kids! and Houston Family Magazine, three other favorite parenting magazines of mine, are using flip pages,  too. Looks like this is the wave of the future! It really is a fun way to check out parenting publications.

Yes, This Mama's for Obama

I wasn't going to do this. Wasn't planning to write a post about my choice in the presidential election.

This blog is seen by many of my extended family members. It's seen by friends and colleagues. Some will agree with my choice and some won't. Why make waves?

Well, I'm a mom. I have a 12-year-old son and I care about his future. And I have never felt so strongly about an election in my lifetime.

I want a president who is incredibly intelligent. Someone who is steady and calm, both in the face of an immediate crisis and over the long haul.

I want a president who can begin to mend our crumbling relationship with so much of the rest of the world.

And I want someone who is smart enough to surround himself with the best minds when it comes to foreign policy, the environment and the economy — and who will listen to those advisers and look at all sides of an issue.

So this morning I volunteered to work a phone bank for the Obama campaign, and the experience really touched me. I spoke with Obama supporters in Miami, Fla., urging them to vote early, if possible.

Some told me about standing in line for two to three hours for early voting. Some who had yet to vote were elderly and they were still planning to wait in line for as long as it took to vote, fearing that the lines on election day would be even longer.

Several younger voters said they work two jobs and they've been trying to vote early during their off hours. And some (bless them for shortening the lines!) had already mailed their absentee ballots.

One sweet, older gentleman, not knowing that I was calling from California, asked if I could give him a ride to the polls. He is blind, he explained. But he wants to make sure he can vote. I called the Miami campaign office and was able to arrange for someone to take him to his early-voting location. (By the way, the Obama campaign's organizational skills are darned impressive!) When I called him back to tell him he would have a ride to the polls, he couldn't have been happier.

If this gentleman could make the effort to vote, when it would be so much easier to just stay home, what's my excuse for not doing everything I can for a candidate I so strongly believe in?

So I'm sporting my "Another Mama for Obama" button. I made a donation at BarackObama.com. (I love the fact that the campaign has raised so many millions of dollars and yet the average donation is $86. That's the power of a LOT of individual people in this country who want to make something happen.) And I plan to be back, working that phone bank, between now and election day. 

I want my son to know that it's important to stand up for, and work for, what you believe in. And this mom believes in Barack Obama.

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Third of Electorate Could Vote Before Nov. 4

Are You Living in a "Kindergarcy"?

Terrific piece today over on Babble.com: "Anarchy in the Pre-K: Is Your Household a "Kindergarcy"?

The word is defined by Paul McFedries on The Word Spy as "Rule or domination by children; the belief that children's needs and preferences take precedence over those of their parents or other adults."

"This new word has spread quickly, concisely capturing the feeling that the lollipops of childhood have been replaced by royal scepters, with which parents and bystanders are soundly bludgeoned," says author Mark Peters.

He notes that in the the June 21, 2008, edition of the Sydney Morning Herald, Michael Duffy sums up the feelings behind the word: "Ours is a society increasingly dominated by the needs of children, or rather by the extraordinarily inflated needs we have come to attribute to them. The amount of money and attention many parents lavish on their children not only doesn't do much for the characters of their sons and daughters, it diminishes the parents' lives as well."

What do you think? Are parents today raising a generation of spoiled brats? Are we putting adult needs aside, in favor of those of our children, to a ridiculous point? Are you allowing yourself to be run ragged in the name of good parenting?

Keeping it Real, Beijing Style

I guess I shouldn't be shocked to learn that the adorable little girl whose song melted hearts during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics was lip synching — and that the girl who did do the singing was yanked from the show "for the national interest" at the last minute because she was considered not cute enough.

Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke was simply doing the old Milli Vanilli act and lip-syncing to the voice of 7-year-old Yang Peiyi (who is pretty darned cute, by the way).

“The reason was for the national interest,” said Chen Qigang, the ceremony’s musical director, in a state radio interview. “The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression.” The decision was made at the highest levels, Chen said.

“We had to do it,” he added. “We’d been through several inspections. They’re all very strict. When we rehearsed at the spot, there were several spectators from various divisions, especially leaders from the Politburo, who gave the opinion it must change.”

Few who watched the Olympic ceremony realized the deception. "Tiny Singer Wins Heart of Nation," read the headline in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper.

As a parent (and simply as a person with a heart) I feel sad for young Yang Peiyi, who must have been crushed to realize, at the eleventh hour and after what must have been many hours of rehearsal, that she would not appear in the opening ceremony.

But given the way China de-values women and girls in general, I can't say I'm shocked that only (perceived) "perfection" would do in this case. After all, this was a carefully orchestrated presentation for the world. The only happy ending here is that Chen Qigang and his buddies "at the highest levels" were found out in the most public way.

Well, at least we know that spectacular fireworks presentation that we all saw on TV was the real deal.

Oh, wait. I guess not.

Pot Smokers Welcome Here

You gotta love Google. It always amazes me how people find this blog, and it's a hoot to see some of the Google searches that result in people clicking on a parenting blog. How about these:

°    "How to prep and smoke weed" (Sorry, Dude, but you ended up with my article for parents on kids and pot.)

°    "What do you do when your teenager is smoking pot?" (OK, I'm seeing a trend here. Maybe the first one was searched by a teen and the second one by his mom?)

°    "Idea gift teacher child late pick up" (So you need a gift to say I'm sorry for all those late arrivals at day-care pick-up time? I'm guessing the teacher would prefer you spend the money on a watch. Teachers need to get home to their OWN families at the end of the day, right?)

°    "Cell phone in washing machine" (After I did a post on this when my son left his cell phone in his pants pocket — and it got drenched — the post became my most-visited ever. At least our family isn't alone!)

°    "Sick of video games" (Me too.)

°    Can my child get MRSA at school? (With school starting, the number of searches that hit on the MRSA post here on the blog is going up, up, up. Remember to tell your kid not to share gym towels — and not to sit his naked butt on the bench in the locker room. Now there's a dinner-time conversation starter!)

°    Do you think airline prices will go down between now and Christmas? (Now that they're charging for everything from blankets to Pepsi to peanuts? My crystal ball says.... nope.)

Keep those Google searches coming! I love having you stop by — however you get here.

Thanks, Mr. Russert

What a sad day. Tim Russert died this morning at the way-too-young age of 58. I can't think of any political journalist who did the job with more integrity, enthusiasm or pure joy.

We're talking about a man I've had Sunday-morning breakfast with for years. My son, Matt, has grown up with Meet The Press and Russert, gaining a real appreciation for politics and government in large part because Russert made it all seem so interesting, so exciting.

During the 2000 presidential election, it was a hoot to see 4-year-old Matt — who for weeks had been paying particular attention to Russert and his ever-present white board — getting excited and saying “It all comes down to Ohio, Ohio, Ohio!”

Russert's enthusiasm for, and interest in, the upcoming presidential election was infectious, and I can't imagine him not being a part of it to the finish. Yes, CNN has John King and his amazing electronic board, but give me Russert and his little white board and wipe-off markers any day.

As a journalist, I thank you, Mr. Russert, for setting the bar high and for being a great example for young people entering this business.

And thank you for helping my son learn — and care — more about our country and its government. I'll be thinking of you a lot during this election season. And on election night, you'll be on the minds of many of us, because something won't be quite right without you there — even if it doesn't all come down to "Ohio, Ohio, Ohio."