From Selling Snake Oil to Parents, to "Sexy" Six-Year-Olds

I hope you enjoy the articles I've highlighted this week!  If this is your first time here, or if you didn't know, you can like Little Moments Facebook page to get all my updates on the blog! 

12 Most Compelling Reasons to Homeschool Your Children  Interesting points coming from an educator who works in the public school system.  I enjoyed her honesty but don't feel public schools are all of these things.  Maybe it was because I grew up in a very small town, but I didn't feel like a number, and I never felt my independence was being discouraged.  Though that was over thirteen years ago, school has changed in that time frame as well.  I think there are public schools that are doing some of the same things that homeschooling parents are, just not enough of it!

Your baby can read going out of business  Fell into my sights earlier in the week and honestly made my day.  I never believed this gimmick was ever appropriate, and I am happy it's been derailed!  I noticed re-posts and new posts from other bloggers and writers after hearing this news about Your Baby Can Read, Selling Snake Oil to Fearful Parents is my favorite, and I align myself with the writer's thoughts.  Why would you want your baby to read?  How can they comprehend what they are "reading" when they most likely haven't experienced some of these things first hand.  There are so many machines that do things for us and add convenience to our lives, but they will never replace our jobs as parents.  Learning to read is a process that involves many avenues that cannot be achieved with a convenience item.  Wouldn't you rather have your child spend that quality time with you, instead of interacting with a screen?  

Why 6-Year-Old Girls Want to Be Sexy  Discusses how several things in our society has lead to girls as young as six, to think of themselves as "sexy."  The mention of how some toys have changed their images, with characters wearing revealing clothing, and other companies advertising clothing that used to be made for women only, got me thinking back to the toys of my childhood.  I don't remember anything "sexy" looking from the 80's, and if there was, my mother wouldn't have bought it.  I feel the bigger factor here, and the article mentions it near the end, is parental influence.    Even if they may not be said out loud, children see what their parents values are, and I feel it makes a difference in a girl's life, if her parents actually talk with her about them.  Typically, if I see a young girl dressed inappropriately, either her parents didn't see her leave the house that way, or her mom is wearing something similar.    

Why Alone Time Is So Important for Boys And Girls  I loved the balance written in this post.  It's all about moderation.  There can be too much of a good thing, that good thing being with your child.  One child mentioned in the post included a quote from his mother... 


Sam's mother, Lisa, reports that it has become virtually impossible to ask Sam to go play by himself -- he's got a bedroom full of toys and books -- or even color at the kitchen table while she's making dinner. "He thinks we're punishing him," says Lisa. "He doesn't understand what he's done to 'deserve' this alone time." But Sam doesn't know how to play by himself because he's never had to.

Of all the reasons I feel alone time is important, it never occurred to me that a child would feel punished for it!  I cherish my alone time, especially as a mother, but I have many happy memories of being alone when I was a kid.  I remember doing a lot of thinking when I played alone.  I sorted out my feelings, "wrote" stories in my head, and simply enjoyed doing whatever I wanted to do, whether it was to draw, build with Legos, or jump in a pile of stuffed animals.  I felt I had some control over my young life.  What memories do you have of playing alone?