 A Blog for Busy Parents From the Editor of L.A. Parent |
My little guy turned 4 on Tuesday. Wow. He got a Darth “Tater” Mr. Potato Head (complete with what he calls a “light saver”), a Wall-E game for his Leapster and some Spiderman stickers from his sister (OK, so we’re suckers for pop-culture marketing…).
Speaking of pop culture, we then treated Jack to an outing to see Space Chimps, which was jampacked with plenty of grownup-directed humor but goofy enough to keep the both Kate and Jack giggling in their seats.
Phyllis Elliott of Santa Monica writes:
With your focus on good parenting, I found the calendar promotion in the July issue of Ringling Bros. Circus unfortunate. The elephants in the photo were separated from their families in infancy, chained and beaten over a period of weeks with bullhooks (heavy bats with a stabbing implement on one end) to break their spirits. They then spend their lives in isolation, forced into unnatural behavior to ear-splitting amplified music, transported through heat and cold, and chained at all times when not performing.
Ringling trainers have been videotaped beating the elephants unmercifully. They also stab them behind the ears, in the feet, and in the rectum and genitals where the wounds are not visible to audiences. Animals are forced to perform while sick. They develop foot and joint problems from lack of normal exercise and are in constant pain until they die an early death.
Ringling has been cited by the USDA for countless violations, but pays the fines rather than improving its treatment of the animals. This is not an organization that deserves your support. Please refer to documentation at http://www.circuses.com/ringling.asp and do not promote circuses unless they are animal-free.
Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts.
Christina Jamieson of Los Angeles writes:
I saw that you had listed the Getty Villa as a place to take children in your link to Free Museum Days.
We visited the Getty Villa in Feb. 2008 and found it was decidedly NOT child-friendly. My 3-year-old son and I were constantly harassed and ushered out of every room by over-zealous volunteers in the Getty Villa and herded over to the small, one-room Family Forum. The security guards were not responsible for this; it was the docents and volunteers who made our visit so unpleasant. Our son is energetic but not destructive. After a couple of hours of harassment we were desperate to leave that unhappy place.
Even when we were trying to leave and my son and I were waiting outside the museum in the vicinity of the outdoor theater for my husband and older daughter to join us, a volunteer rapidly strode up to my son within minutes and told him that sliding and lying down on the slate floor was not allowed. He was just sliding on his knees to lie down for a brief moment near the steps. In the mean time many stylish visitors clattered past on the precious slate flooring in hard-soled boots and high-heeled shoes. Children are obviously not to be seen or heard or even to be present at the Getty Villa.
There should be a clear warning on the Getty Villa web site discouraging young children from visiting the Getty Villa. They should, in fact, have an outright ban on children under 15 since they already try to practice this policy this on innocent children that stray into this sham of a museum. In retrospect, I strongly object to the mixed message of having a “Family Forum” room at the Getty Villa. The activities in the room were interesting but children and their parents became virtual prisoners there since we were actively removed from all other areas.
We have enjoyed visiting many other museums in Los Angeles and around the world including the LACMA and Getty Center since both the children were babies and have never been treated this way. We will not go back to the Getty Villa which we found to be an overly protected, “Emperor’s new clothes” of a museum and will tell our friends with children not to bother either.
Comments? Feel free to share your experiences!
Steve, Kate and Jack are back in the nest, safe and sound. This postcard arrived the day after they got home and is only one reason I worry myself into a lather when my little chicks are out of sight.
If you have trouble reading rushed 8-year-old writing, here’s the translation:
I love you.
I am going to jump off a cliff.
Love,
Kate
I’ve managed to stick to this “lower-calorie” “diet” for nearly nine days. So far, here are the stats:
Zero point five? And let me just stress the “ZERO” part. What’s up with that? It hasn’t been a horrible sacrifice; no major drop in calories, really. But come on! I expected at least a solid pound.
So, I’ve submitted my quandary to the “Health-e” blog next-door; we’ll see if the experts over there have any tips.
I surrender! Enough with the peace and quiet! After six full days of unfettered blissful “me” time, I’ve come to realize that the chaos, calamities and craziness of my family life is actually what keeps me sane. And besides, I just miss ‘um.
I miss the squeals and bickers between Kate and Jack when they’re attempting to play together. I miss those sweet little boy kisses at bedtime and Kate’s long, meandering stories that delay our final “good nights.” I miss those little hands I reach for when I’m crossing a parking lot. I’m ready to watch Kate hula-hoop in the back yard while Jack chases phantom villains from behind the orange tree. I miss the Matchbox cars that lie dormant on the carpet, waiting for my bare feet and that string of dirty laundry that leads to a pile next to an empty clothes hamper. I miss story time, stinky kid feet and Radio Disney.
After a carefully planned week of menus made up mostly of leftovers and prepackaged pasta, I’m ready for Steve’s home-cooked meals that he seemingly pulls out of an empty pantry. I miss our interrupted conversations during the dinner hour and his warmth beside me on the sofa after the kids are finally – finally – down for the night.
Just one more day … I think I’m gonna make it.
An update from the kids and husband in nature:
Just hiked up waterfall and back. Finally having sun … Had a great day and night. Everyone’s good.
Whew! Hope the weather (and stomachs) hold for just two more days.
I’m still battling the cold but have managed to maintain the diet. And I cracked a mile on the ol’ pedometer today. Things are looking up …
Here’s the latest report from the campground, via text message from Steve at 2:45 p.m. today:
Hailed afternoon. Rained all nite. Jack got sick. Threw up all over tent. Up all nite with him. Everything was wet.
All better today. Sun out.
Jack running around like mad.
May stay.
Now what’s a mom supposed to do with that information?
OK, now I’m wearing a pedometer. Really. Once you start monitoring various facets of your life (calories consumed, dollars spent, steps taken), it becomes a curious addiction … in a good way. 
I found out that I probably routinely eat about 500 or so more calories than I should in a day. And that I don’t exercise – or even walk – nearly enough. So the pedomoter and the calorie tweating should hopefully start paying off. (For the truly curious, you can sign up on Twitter and then follow my food diary throughout the day.)
I have to report being a bit sidelined this week after contracting a cold. It was right outta left field with no snotty kids in the vicinity. I’ve been cursing the sniffling and lack of energy that have come with it, but now that I’ve laid the groundwork for healthier habits, I should be able to maintain it even after the kids get home this weekend. Stay tuned …
OK, L.A. Times and other local media: Please do not use the term “staycation” anymore. And publicists sending out press releases, stop pitching a trek to the zoo (here) as a vacation. You might sense that I’m a little bitter about my own situation, which this summer will not include a bonafide – and here’s the real word – VACATION. But the made-up word is almost as annoying as the fact that I won’t be sunning myself on a beach in Hawaii until at least July 2009.
(Same goes for “mockumentary,” “Governator” and “webinar,” just so you know.)
I have a hard time reading about anything that is pitched on the “staycation” premise. So when I got an item about a company called Excitations, which offers family-oriented “experiences” close to home, I felt compelled to toss it in the “recylacan.”
But if you’re looking for a cool gift idea or a way to experience something different, you’ll find a variety of packages geared to every whim, from trapeze lessons to falconry hunts. One year, I wanted to find a culinary class for husband Steve. This company has several ways to learn about food and cooking, from private sushi lessons for two to home demos for parents and kids.
So while I wouldn’t call these packages a vacation (although you can search based on a specified location), the activities are packaged in a fresh way and might just keep me happy while I’m dreaming about Hawaiian beaches.
