I just watched a trailer on YouTube for the movie “Consuming Kids: The Commericialization of Childhood” and I have to say, I’m a little scared. Sure, it was partly the creepy music, meant to raise my blood pressure and make me feel an impending sense of doom.
Yet it was also the message, repeated so dramatically by so many knowledgeable and diverse voices, that frightened me. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 26, 2009 // Leave a Comment

Got your attention? If you have a kindergartener through sixth grader attending a public school in Multnomah County, your child may be eligible for free health insurance from Kaiser Permanente.
Kaiser, in partnership with the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD), is offering the no-premium insurance (you’ll have a small co-pay for office visits and prescriptions) to children in families with incomes of 250 percent or less of the federal poverty level. That works out to about $53,000 annually for a family of four. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 21, 2009 // Leave a Comment

Besides parenting, few things nourish our souls more than serving others. There are so many ways to volunteer! In high school, I was a “buddy” for kids with developmental disabilities. I sang in the choir that visited seniors. I read to the blind. I helped at the women’s shelter, manned phone banks and gardened for a local bookstore. Post-kids it was meal deliveries to friends having babies or in ill health. And, of course, then came the endless vortex of school fundraisers and events.
But how do parents share that spirit of service with kids? More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 19, 2009 // Leave a Comment

Yes, it’s that time again. Jacki Kane, local stand-up comedienne, is back with her TIME OUT! The Mother of All Comedy Shows tonight at 7 pm at Airplay Café, 701 E. Burnside. This month the theme is Cinco de Mom-O, highlighting stories of motherhood angst (whether it’s about your mother or your mothering). More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 14, 2009 // Leave a Comment

A friend of mine recently forwarded me an interview with Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids: Giving our kids the freedom we had without going nuts with worry (Jossey-Bass 2009). What a great Mother’s Day present that was!
Skenazy is a syndicated columnist who got a lot of flak a few years ago after writing about allowing her 9-year-old son to ride the subway in New York City by himself. In her book, which I haven’t read yet, she writes about why Americans are so afraid to let their kids play outside, why she gives her kids more free rein than a lot of parents today, and the things we should really be afraid of (automobiles, for one). More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 12, 2009 // Leave a Comment

If asked what Mothers’ Day is all about, most of us would say, simply, that it’s a day to honor mothers. We do that, for the most part, on Mothers’ Day with gifts, flowers, cards and more.
But the original idea for Mothers’ Day in America wasn’t about elaborate brunches or jewelry or chocolate. Truth be told, it wasn’t even strictly about honoring mothers but rather about honoring what all mothers want – to see their children grow up healthy, strong and safe. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 10, 2009 // Leave a Comment

Architects around the city and local schools have teamed up in a very exciting partnership. Administered by the Architecture Foundation of Oregon, Architects in Schools is literally what it sounds like. For a few consecutive weeks, architects visit schools to help students develop an awareness of the “built environment” through classroom sessions, projects and field trips that simultaneously enhance learning in core subjects such as math, language arts, science, etc. The architectural curriculum is designed to help kids appreciate and explore the communities in which they live, learn and play. For instance, my son’s class got to walk all of the downtown Portland bridges on foot accompanied by an architect who explained how they were built – how cool is that!!? More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 6, 2009 // Leave a Comment

Here’s the skinny:
The good folks at Boogie Moms are holding a National Mom’s Nite Out event on Thursday, May 7 from 7 to 9 pm at Airplay Café (701 E Burnside). It’s free to the first 100 moms – but you need to RSVP by going here. For more information on this national effort, click here. Bring donations (diapers, formula, etc.) for NW Children’s Outreach, if possible.

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 4, 2009 // Leave a Comment

What’s the fam in the mood for this weekend? A play? Music? May Day celebrations? A fairy festival? Japanese children’s day? Hawaiian culture? Living history? We’ve got’em all! Check these ideas out – and find plenty more by clicking here to see our online calendar.
Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3
The Hobbit. Northwest Children’s Theater presents an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s epic adventure story. Ages 6 and up. 7 pm May 1, 8, 15 and 22. 2 pm May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24. 6 pm May 3, 10, 17 and 24. $20 adults, $16 youth, plus service charge. NW Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett St. 503-222-4480. www.nwcts.org.
Cinco De Mayo Fiesta. Entertainment, games, kids’ activities and more. All ages. 11 am to 11 pm May 1 through 5. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on May 1, 2009 // Leave a Comment