Survey: snacktime!

What do you have to keep on hand for when you or your kids want snacks? In our house, Zosie is beside herself that we are out of bananas. Please comment & tell us whatcha got in yer drawers (and cabinets and pantries).

July issue :: Dipping our toes

Contents :: July issue

Introduction

Interview: Denise from Lancaster

Survey: Snacktime!

Why Didn't I Think of That?: Getting sand off your kids

What's up? Call for interviewees

We'd Love to Read You! Submission guidelines

July "Parents Like Me" Interview

Denise is a full-time mom of two girls, Jenna, age 7 and Danni age 3. I've known Denise since probably 1987; after a certain number of years, you just stop keeping track. In addition to being a full-time mom, Denise has a successful home-based business selling Tasteful Treasures to friends and via home parties near her home in Lancaster, PA.

She's a great mom – and a non-traditional mom – and she agreed to a quick interview via e-mail with me to kick off our “Parents Like Me” interview series.
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Let's start with the classic question for full-time parents: What do you do all day?

I start by cleaning a little then of the running the kids here and there for shopping, play dates etc.

What's your favorite outdoor activity to do with your daughters?

Wash things (like the cars), playing in the playhouse or sidewalk drawing. After dark, we have evening fires and make s'mores.

How do you maintain your non-mom identity? What interests do you pursue that have nothing to do with parenthood?

I have my TT business and my friends

What's your favorite toy to share with your children?

Monopoly Jr Princess Edition

How do you reward good behavior?

Hugs and kisses, kind words

What's the most effective punishment?

Time out or small swat to bottom or hand

What's the secret to potty training?

Have an older child just finishing or bribery

What are some of the ways your parenting style differs from your parents'?

I shield my kids from all things I feel are scary or bad. I encourage them come to me with any questions they have about things that they know or believe are wrong but they're not sure why they are.

Share a good tip or trick for everyday parenting.

Consistency

Have you run into much "competitive parenting?" How about Queen Bee mothers?

I try not to compare. I see the cliques and avoid them

Tell us about a time a stranger gave you unsolicited parenting advice.

Jenna was 2 weeks old and I was on my first outing with her to the grocery store and a large woman comes after me, telling me, "That baby should have a hat on! It'll catch its death if a wind gets in its ear." I looked at her and said, “It's mid-May and 76 degrees with no breeze.” I damned near died! Imagine: I might have a clue on how to dress her! Thank you! Good. Bye.

What's the key to successful breastfeeding? How long did you breastfeed?

Patience and a lot of support from a knowledgeable group (breastfeeding classes, on-call support line, etc.) I breastfed 16 months w/ Jenna and 15 months w/ Danni.

In A League of Their Own, Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) says, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Do you think that's true of being a Mom?

Yes, However I completely feel that any one could be a mother but you really have to work to be "Mommy."

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Feel free to continue the diuscussion in the comments. Save your own answers if you'd like to be interviewed for "Parents Like Me."

If you're interested in Tasteful Treasures, just comment or e-mail and I'll put you in touch w/ Denise. It's nice stuff.

Also if you can come w/ a snazzier name for the interview series, let us know!

Thanks again, D :)

Interviewees wanted

If you're a less-than-perfect parent and would like to do a quick e-mail interview at your convenience, please contact us and title your e-mail "interview." If you have a blog, personal website, etc. please include the URL so we can read it and learn a little about you in order to personalize the interview. Don't be shy.

The purpose of the interviews is for us to help create a supportive environment for our parenting styles and choices. Wouldn't it be nice to read about someone who does it the way you do it, whether it's potty training or taking the kids to peace rallies?

Our first interview will be posted next week as part of our launch. Look for it then or add us to your feeds. There's a link on the right for our site feed page.

About "Sweet Beatrice"

We named our blogzine "Sweet Beatrice" after the heroine of Much Ado About Nothing. Beatrice is a warm, witty woman who knows how to turn a phrase. In the play she defends herself and her beloved family from criticism and slander while opening her heart to love.

Sweet Beatrice is a blogzine -- a collaborative weblog combined with an e-zine. We want to share things we're not reading in the pediatrician's waiting room. This is about real life parenting and about supporting each other in the choices we make.

Our target audience is the "non-traditional" parent. Not that we're going to publish "Baby's First Tattoo: When should she get it?" any time soon. But articles about who has a decent kiddie menu or where's a good spot to breastfeed when you're out or how to plan a birthday party that doesn't cost a fortune.

Our theory is basically this: parenting is not a competition. When our children are loved, safe and living a healthy lifestyle, we're doing it right. "Doing it right" could mean that our kids go to bed in the clothes they wore all day. We make mudpuddles on purpose. If it means they'll eat the broccoli, we let our kids have dessert first. Sometimes we just don't feel like playing Barbies and we admit to being overwhelmed or lonely or in rapturous bliss as parents.

Single parents, partnered parents, adoptive parents... we make no distinction. It's "parent" here and that's the only label we'll use.

Feel free to contribute your essays or parenting stories. Comment on what you read. Give us ideas of topics you'd like to see. Contact info is in our sidebar.