Quick alert (before everyone goes, “Enough already!”):
As mentioned right below here, I’ll be on Nightline tonight talking about dumb baby safety products (that is, dumb safety products, not safety products for dumb babies). But — news flash! I’ll be talking about them again on Good Morning America the next day. (Saturday.)
That’s it. Have a great weekend and write comments that are more interesting than this!
— Lenore
12 Comments
Hello, am not directly commenting on this post, but rather simply wanted to send a message to Lenore Skenazy. I just read about the “America’s Worst Mom” incident for the first time moments ago on theweek.com in your article.
I am still a couple years from having children of my own, and so I am in that middle phase where I am no longer considered a child, adolescent, but perhaps a young adult.
I would like you to know that I am glad that you gave your son the chance to ride a subway at the age of nine, and though I am sure if I was doing the same years from now (assuming NYC is as safe as it is now, so on and so on) I would be nervous, but I would like to think that I would be courageous enough to believe in my own child, as you have. It saddens me when I see the state that our culture has taken “child-care” to what with leashes for our kids, and constant supervision.
Anyway, the only point I want to make is that I am sorry you were labeled things such as “America’s Worst Mom”, but I think you made the right choice – to follow your own parenting instincts!
YAY – definitely not enough already!
Ok, not a very interesting comment, but I am just really glad to see that this discussion is garnering so much interest.
There are so many dumb products out there. I have not bought into this hype! We have hardly any gadgets. I have a stroller that doubles as a highchair and a bed for naps. I have a couple of carriers, but they are very very basic and some I even made myself. I have a swing (we bought) and an excersaucer (that we were given). I asked for an received a BUMBO. I LOVE it. But it’s certainly not a necessity. (Baby #6 got the BUMBO. I was wracking my brain for gift ideas for my church group.) We hardly even have any baby toys. She plays with whatever is safe. Not too small. Not with small pieces. She’s certainly well entertained and not bored in the least!
Any chance you’ll be taking your tour to “The Daily Show”? I think that would be a good audience, and a great interview.
Ooohhh! I agree — I would love to see you on The Daily Show.
Hi Lenore! Thanks again for the interview for our PodCast! We thought you brought an excellent view to the public eye – much of our audience, thus far, actually commended you for your parenting.
I, too, agree that a Daily Show appearance would be just right for you!
We need more parents like you around.
PS. You really suprised me with the Frank McCourt reference “Tis: A Memoir”. NEVER had that before. Hilarious.
cheers
-TIZ
Help me, Lenore!
Yesterday my sister called all in a flap because my healthy 60-something parents weren’t answering their phone, and had not arrived at my Aunt’s house at their usual time.
I got pulled right in- called their home, my Aunt, two of their friends to see f they’d changed their plans without telling me
(imagine, changing plans without checking in with your daughter first!!)
The whole time thinking “what if?” What if they were in an accident? What if there was a problem opening the pool? What if I become the daughter who blithely took my children to the zoo while my parents were lying in a hospital somewhere without ID and no way for emergency personnel to reach their family!?!
Turns out they’d changed their plans and forgot to tell my Aunt to expect them a day later than usual. And now their friends think I’m crazy.
I can’t even let my fully capable adult parents live free range. What hope do my kids have?
Heard you on CBC radio yesterday – it was great to hear someone I’ve been following. Keep up the good work!
p.s. what’s this thing you mentioned, a “remote” ? ; )
Hey Lenore, I only caught the tail end of your CBC radio interview yesterday ’cause I didn’t know you’d be on. Please be sure to mention your non-US media appearances so that we can listen to you wherever your wise words can be heard!!
I saw you on a news cast and was really impressed with how you handled yourself! Good job for speaking for all of us moms who think there are just WAY too many silly products out there!
I’m listening to the Editor’s Choice podcast from CBC Radio. It’s got your interview from Q from last friday, which is also part of the Q podcast from last friday.
You could do media tours for YEARS based solely on stupid baby products! I love the squishy thing that goes around the coffee table to protect them from bumping their heads. I never found that especially useful considering my babies all liked to climb on the coffee table and launch themselves off of it and onto the couch. Oh well!