Fear and Pain: A Cultural Picture of Childbirth...and What We Can Do to Change It

What if I told you that I gave birth to my child without anesthesia or medication of any kind, without any medical interventions to speak of...and the result was a childbirth experience that was virtually devoid of any pain? That I experienced childbirth in its fullest, most visceral state, completely comfortable and aware throughout the whole process? Would you believe me?

Allow me to digress for a moment, and ask you this question, instead: What is it about childbirth that immediately conjures images of screaming pain and terror? Why is it so difficult to believe that a child can be born peacefully and with minimal pain and discomfort?

The Meta-Report - 9.23.11

In this Family Planning-Themed edition of the Meta-Report: 

Family Timing among Gen Xers; 

Pills Gone Wild; and

The Adventures of Fertile Myrtle and the Family Planning...Beads? 

Playful Discipline: A Gentle (and Joyful) Approach to Teaching Our Children

This post was originally intended as a submission for the "Parenting Through Play" Blog Carnival over at the blog Code Name: Mama, but my over-ambitious writing style met with one big, puke-covered obstacle when our entire household got sick - and I missed the deadline. So here it is for your (belated) enjoyment: Playful Discipline!

Play - and its accompanying benefits in childhood development - cannot be underestimated, as I’ve previously discussed. But is it possible to parlay the power of play to help teach and guide our children toward the values and behaviors we want them to have? Can we as parents use play as a form of discipline - and have it actually be effective?

The Meta-Report - 9.9.11

Before our entire household got sick last week, I was following a number of hot topics in the news and blogosphere. Here’s an overdue (but still relevant, I promise!) Meta-Report for your enjoyment.

In this week's female-focused edition of Meta-Report:

A Woman's Place;

Pretty Girls Don't Do Homework;

The Cohabitator Procreater

Bringing Healthy Habits to the Table

Is your child a picky eater? According to some professionals, picky eating - among children and adults alike - is becoming cause for concern in our culture, one symptom of the greater problem of overall unhealthy food and eating habits among Americans.

Image: federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The prevalence of bland, nutrient-devoid foods in the American diet – and the tendency to avoid diverse foods when eating this kind of diet – has recently been the topic of a thought-provoking online discussion. As it relates to children, this conversation was originally spurred by Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, and brought to the mainstream by renowned natural health proponent Dr. Andrew Weil.

In its most extreme form, picky eating is now increasingly considered to be an outright disorder that can plague individuals well into adulthood. While not currently listed in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), Selective Eating Disorder is getting quite a bit of lip service from the media, health professionals and mental health experts as of late. This begs the question – just how pervasive and serious IS this problem? How does this differ from the routine picky eating behavior that is exhibited by children? When does picky eating become an indicator of an overall problem of unhealthy eating habits that could affect children as they grow up? And what can parents do – if anything – to prevent their child from becoming a lifelong selective eater?