The Staten Island family

I’m not going to lie- I’ve been seduced by the princess culture. I think so many of us who were raised on fairy tales- first  being  indoctrinated by them in the story books we’re read as kids and then watching these mythical princesses glide and float across a film and television screen. I think the princess culture speaks to us at our most primal level as women; these princesses are usually damsels in distress who originate as both helpless and scrappy young girls and then are magically transformed into swan-like creatures- and it is only then- after their transformations that their lives and happily ever afters TRULY take shape.

Of course this is MY experience with Princesses- and not necessarily my kids’ experience. But let me preface all this with one statement- I have never even conceived of the idea that my daughter will get her needs met- her inspiration or sense of empowerment and self from the MEDIA- Be it via A Disney Tomboy cartoon character or a real life Disney program actor.

Still with all the news of Disney taking its formerly LONE Princess Tomboy and sexifying and feminizing her- well I thought I’d ask my kids what they thought of her transformation. Here’s what they had to say.

“>

So what are YOUR THOUGHTS on Merida’s Before and After Transformation?

I recently read an essay by a 50-something mom who was longing for the days when her kids were young and every summer season was filled with their screaming voices, sibling rivalry and oodles of time spent carting them to the pool, BBQ’s and Fireworks ceremonies.

Her words were so full of longing for those early years that it made me realize not only do I take those very moments for granted, but I actually dread them. Between managing the stress of working and two kids under the age of 12, I’ve found myself yearning to fast-forward to a period when my kids will be old enough to fix their own sandwiches and plan their own play dates.

While this mom sheepishly acknowledged harboring similar feelings at the time, it’s ultimately those seemingly simple moments, like watching her kids’ faces light up at the sight of a glowing fireworks display and their attempts to perfect their in the pool somersault while giving their parent a mini stroke as they wait with baited breath until said child emerges from the water that she wishes she would’ve appreciated more.

read more »

If you read this blog you know my kids were RAISED on Britax and this fabulous company is always looking for ways to give parents a lil something something ( a big reason I Adore them) and their BRITAX “Free Ride” Event which runs June 1-30, 2013, while supplies lasts IS NO EXCEPTION!  Purchase a B-READY stroller and get a free stroller-compatible product with BRITAX‘s Free Ride promotion.

read more »

My son is gaga for anything that he can operate- yes he’s a bit of an operator- have I mentioned that at least once a day he tells me and I quote, “you’re the love of my life, the love of my heart, & the pretty rose of the kingdom?!”Clearly he knows how to get right into the center of my heart- and so when I see that he is gaga over a certain type of play experience- well I’ll move mountains to find him opportunities to engage with those types of toys!

Taking Trains to New Heights For the first time ever, you can stack your track as high as the sky. There’s no limit to how high you can go…except maybe your ceiling! The new Chuggington Die-Cast playsets from TOMY feature revolutionary track that is engineered for stability with sturdy connections, letting you build elevated layouts like never before. Plus, every action-packed playset can be built multiple ways, so your imagination can run wild.

And being that today is May 11th,  National TRAIN DAY, this morning at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal in the Vanderbilt terminal some Traintastical fun got underway as the Guinness Book of World Records attempted to build the TALLEST Toy Train. The master builder created the world’s TALLEST  toy train, measuring over 9 feet, 8 inches tall featuring TOMY’s  innovative Chuggington StackTrackTM Railway System,  a durable die-cast railway system that enables kids to achieve elevation in toy train play.

The new Chuggington Die-Cast playsets feature track that is engineered for height, stability, and sturdy connections, letting you build taller than ever before. Every action-packed set can be built multiple ways and includes a track piece to connect your new sets to your other Chuggington Die-Cast sets.

So when the lovely folks at TOMY asked if my son would like to “test out ” some of TOMY’s  innovative Chuggington StackTrackTM Railway System, (aka- play his little heart out with them)  of course I said a resounding yes.What I really liked about them was their sleek look, and the ability to collect and use the pieces interchangeably so there is always something new and fresh about playing with them (cause gosh these kids get bored so darn fast!) And the fact that they are  LOADS of ways to play with them read here for all the options:  http://www.tomy.com/instructions/Chuggington/DieCast

These collectible Chuggington engines feature durable die-cast construction and sturdy magnetic connections.

So the real question for my son ( and all other kids who get their hands on TOMY’s  innovative Chuggington StackTrackTM Railway System,) is  how high will YOU build? And of course my son is ready and able to Stack his track as high as the sky! Still not convinced?? The new Chuggington Die-Cast playsets from TOMY feature revolutionary track that is engineered for stability and sturdy connections, letting you build elevated layouts like never before. Visit stackyourtrack.com to see the railway set in action  and check out their video below!

I’ve been a mother for 12 years- and I don’t think any of the advice I got about how all encompassing this job of raising another human would be- could have prepared me for how much my role as a parent has informed and shaped the way I live my life. The truth is- try as hard as I might it is REALLY hard for me to remember that 25 year old just married newlywed who got up in the morning and JUST FOCUSED on what lipstick I’d wear that day. Or that woman who would spend HOURS at flea markets searching for the perfect tea cup or who would get herself a pint of Thai Noodles and not leave the apartment for two days.

I’m not going to lie and say I don’t miss a little bit of that freedom that childless woman had-the ability to be so completely and utterly self absorbed and narcissistic– unfortunately I didn’t realize what I TRULY had until I became a mother. And while I have learned so much about my limitations and shortcomings in these past 12 years I’ve also uncovered things about myself I otherwise never would have come to know…

read more »