Dan Gorgone posted a photo:

Would you hang your DNA on the wall?
Filed under: parentech, Child’s room decorAs bloggers at a high-traffic parenting site, we receive a lot of email from PR and marketing people touting their product sand urging us to check it out and write about it (we also get a lot of emails from random people shrieking in caps locks, but that’s a whole other story) In all honesty, it’s pretty rarely we respond to these promotional emails: a product has to stand out a lot for us to believe that it might interest our readers.Yesterday we received an earnest email promoting a product that any “modern Mom would like to add to their child’s room.” Being a modern Mom and also interested in kid’s art, I clicked on over to have a look. And indeed, the product is interesting. But I’m not convinced I’d want to add it to Nolan’s room.DNA11 sells artwork made from your DNA. They take a swab from your cheek or a fingerprint and create oddly fascinating squiggle-art (from the cheek swab), a behemoth fingerprint (from your finger, obvs) and lip brints.I like the premise of original and meaningful art but I’m not so sure I want to display Nolan’s DNA on his wall — I think I’d rather have an beguiling jellyfish or a grinning beluga whale. What do you think — creepy, or kind of cool and innovative?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Looking for Airplanes [Flickr]
Dan Gorgone posted a photo: "Airplane" is one of Jack’s favorite words right now.

21 Months Old: It’s Super Jack!
Listen to baby Time: 21 Months Old At 21 Months Old, Jack has already dealt with a bunch of ear infections, but he had never had pink eye… until this past week. Also, Jack has been improving his vocal skills by using more new words and adjectives. Perhaps his new favorite show “Super Why!” has something to do with it? All this and more this week on baby Time! Listeners of older baby Time episodes can now subscribe to those shows and download them directly to iTunes. Visit the Subscribe page for more info. Check out all the baby Time links we mention on our del.icio.us links page. If you’d like to say hello or make a suggestion, contact us at hello@babytimeshow.com.

Performance winter gear for little kids
Filed under: Gear, Lifestyle, kidwear, SportsThe first snowfall greeted us a few mornings ago, and Bean climbed up onto the wide window sill to stare at the drifting flakes, the world suddenly transformed. The snow marks the beginning of all things winter: sledding, skiing, snowboarding, snow-man building, snowshoeing. Bean has been an outdoor kid from day one. We’ve dragged him along with us camping, hiking or ambling down our dirt road. We spend whole afternoons outdoors, regardless of the season. And this year we’re thinking of starting him on skis (although cross country or downhill remains a question.) But as Bean has gotten increasingly active outdoors, he’s no longer willing to be bundled like the little brother in A Christmas Story, and I can’t blame him. I’d hate to have to wear puffy layer upon layer just to stay warm. But it’s hard to find quality performance gear for kids that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, seeing as kids seem to keep up the pesky habit of GROWING. Bean grew an entire quarter of an inch THIS MONTH, in fact. Has anyone found any performance outdoor gear for kids that is waterproof, breathable, and not overly priced? Because Bean’s snowsuit from the Gap is no longer cutting it. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Links for 2007-10-09 [del.icio.us]
Advice, solutions, links and books about parenting. Raise children with love, compassion, respect and consistency and learn to be a confident and joyful parent. Fantastic resource for parents who can’t bear the "Cry-it-Out" sleep method and would prefer to minimize crying, whining, screaming, etc. in general. Elizabeth Pantley is articulate, knowledegeable and, most importantly, non-judgmental! PediaScribe is the blogging arm of PediaCast: A Pediatric Podcast for parents. Join Dr Mike and his wife, Karen, as they share the craziness of everyday life. A fun look into Dr. Mike’s life outside of the PediaCast!

Publisher: fire-breathing dragon unsafe for children’s book
Filed under: Books, LiteracyIt seems that Orchard Books is very, very concerned about protecting themselves against damages that might arise from the actions of easily-influenced children and their litigious parents. The children’s book publisher has insisted that Lindsey Gardiner make changes in her book’s illustrations because they are “worried something might offend somebody, or that a child might copy something in a book and their parents will sue the publisher.”Just what illustrations have them scared? A boy on a ladder (too precarious). A child standing near a hot stove (too dangerous). And a fire-breathing dragon. The dragon in question is from her book, Who Wants A Dragon?, which was published last year. In the illustrations, the dragon not only breathes fire, but toasts marshmallows in it. The publishers told her to cut it, saying it raised health and safety concerns. You know, because kids might run out and try to toast their own marshmallows in dragon breath.Gardiner thinks the whole thing is crazy, noting that kids aren’t stupid. “I’ve had books published in Japan, France, Spain and Holland and they don’t ask for the same changes. It seems to be in Britain and the U.S. that there are problems.” And she makes a good point when she notes that under those kinds of restrictions, classic children’s stories such as Hansel And Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood would never get published today.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Links for 2007-07-09 [del.icio.us]
Which Bug Repellants are Safe for Your Toddler? from babyCenter.com Great info to have on-hand for summertime!

Links for 2007-07-05 [del.icio.us]
"Home Plate" from Boston.com Home Plate Doctors, dietitians, school districts, and "sanctimommies" all have opinions about what you should feed your kids. So, what should you feed them?