jburrell

Wait’ll you get a load of “My Beautiful Mommy,” the first picture book to tell the 4- to 7-year-old crowd all about Mommy’s tummy tuck, boob lift and nose job. The author, a Florida plastic surgeon and father of four, said the book is designed to reassure children about “mommy makeovers,” the plastic surgery that “fixes” all those saggy, wrinkly things that happen to your body after you give birth, breastfeed and, ya know, live with kids. Or just live.  Read more >

First thought upon hearing Jessica Seinfeld is being sued for plagiarism: wow, you mean two authors think duping kids is a good idea?  Read more >

For weeks, “Kid Nation” tried to build up the drama. They dangled $20,000 gold stars in front of a bunch of kids to get them to work. They went on and on about these kids building their own society, all the while dictating the show with the so-called “Pioneer Book.” For the most part, it was boring. In the end, however, I was invested. I knew a lot about these kids. Taylor, the spoiled brat. Greg, the hypocrite. Sophia, the bossy hard worker. Alex and Jared, the mini geniuses. Most of the kids had a unique personality (at least those we got to see up close  Read more >

Ah Thanksgiving... the aroma of roasting turkey, the sweetness of pumpkin pie … the high-pressure panic of trying to get an elaborate feast cranked out Thursday morning with kids underfoot. But if you put those pint-sized helpers to work in the kitchen, they’ll learn new and delicious skills and have fun, while taking a little of the heat off you. Besides, you can always get the cranberry sauce off the ceiling later with a pressure washer. Maple Cranberry Sauce Recipe (Serves 10-12) 12 oz. fresh cranberries (one bag) Grated zest of 1 orange ¾ cup pure maple syrup  Read more >

Dear Miss School Manners: Our neighborhood is buzzing about the girl who applied to 30 colleges and got into none. 30! 30!!! With odds like that, what chance does my kid have of getting in anywhere? Signed, Losing It In Lafayette Dear Losing It: We would so like to tell you that's an urban legend. But take a deep breath anyway. While it’s true it has become harder to get into elite universities, that's not necessarily what happened to your unfortunate neighbor. So, first a word about the current college admissions climate. Then, some practical advice.  Read more >