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Teeter Totter ~ Finding a Balance Between Me-Hood and Motherhood
Gender: female Date of Birth: January 01, 1973 Member Since: September 11, 2007 Last Signed In: November 20, 2009 Blog Views: 14722 Send To A Friend Sign Guestbook Add as a Friend
Growing That Acorn
Faith Need vs Want A Tight Budget Holiday The Play Priority Disney’s A Christmas Carol – A Mom Review Making it Easy on Yourself When It Rains… You Are Here Halloween with Older Kids September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 Teeter Totter Finding a Balance Between "Me-Hood" and "Motherhood" In this blog I'll be covering as wide a variety of subjects as the duties of a real mom in today's culture. From raising special needs children, family vacations, marriage, relationships, sex, cooking, local to-do, school (both for you and the children), working, hiring a daycare provider, arts and crafts, decorating, holidays, to well... EVERYTHING! No holding back. 
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Too Much Information
I love to learn new things. My husband claims I’m always reading “boring books.” That is, books full of interesting information, or “how to” books. Not kissing and swooning books. A book leapt off the shelves at me while at the library yesterday called “Healthy Child Healthy World – Creating a cleaner, greener, safer home.” I didn’t let the fact that it has contributions by Gwyneth Paltrow, Brook Shields and other stars scare me away. I mean honestly, with money like that I’d have an organic Alpacha mattress for my baby too! I thought it might have some good information on how to make your own cleansers and useful tips like that. It did, but it also was stuffed to overflowing with scare tactic statistics. Like PETA, groups such as these tend to “inform” by making you wet yourself with fear and want to send your child off to school with a kiss though a giant plastic hamster ball. At first, I was very interested in the statistics and like our friend Dwight from the TV show “The Office,” was happily spouting them off to my husband in bed. “Oooo! Did you know that 66% of 139 streams tested in 30 states were found to contain disinfectants!” Or “WOW! Up to 600,000 babies are born each year with IQ damage due to in-utero exposure to mercury from the mother eating fish!” Each page this book would have a “wow” statistic on the sidebar. After a few chapters of this, it was no longer interesting, or frightening, but manipulating. Yes, they stated their sources and yes, I believe they are accurate. I don’t however think that scaring parents (or pregnant women) is a smart way to make change. I started to feel like too much information could be a bad thing. Actually making us all into hyper vigilant hypochondriacs. 8 comments from 6 users
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posted by
kellimwheeler
on Mar 14, 2009 at 12:08 PM
I'm a big believer in blissful ignorance. BTW, Did it happen to mention a statistic for our children's increased alergies, cases of asthma and resistance to antibiotics because of our overreacting, overcleansing over medicating society? posted by
creatress
on Mar 14, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Actually, it did. They talked about how the air outside is cleaner than the air inside (so open a window!) And that house plants are the best for keeping the air clean. Don't know if I 100% agree with that frame of thought (especially in the Spring) but can see the arguement. And yes, it did talk about anti-bacterial being beyond pointless and into harmful. The point of the book was to be as "green" as possible with every aspect of your children, diet and house. From decorations, bedding, food, etc... I'm not arguing that their point isn't valad (or even that I disagree with it.) It was the onslaught of "scare tactic statistics" that irked me. posted by
patiencengrace
on Mar 14, 2009 at 09:23 PM
When someone tries to convince me by using emotion, it's because they have no facts to back up their ideas. Give me data, don't give me melodrama!
posted by
AmandaS
on Mar 15, 2009 at 09:14 AM
Seriously. Sometimes I think my kids will just have to learn boundaries by breaking an arm. I think the whole issue that Kelli brought up was a big conspiracy by protor and gamble to see hand sanitizers/anti bacterials that we never needed in the first place. Don't get me wrong...I'm not going to feed my kids malathion and I do believe in non-hormone milk products, but some of this stuff is so over the top.
posted by
hmoeckli
on Mar 15, 2009 at 09:59 AM
Good blog! I like to think of myself as pretty even-keeled. (If you freak out over every statistic you hear as a teacher, you're liable to have a heart attack by 35.) There are certain facts about our environment that I find very disturbing, and I do act on them. My rule of thumb is if I hear something that sounds just awful, I find another source that confirms or denies. Kind of like a second opinion. It has helped me out in terms of separating panic from really concerning issues. posted by
creatress
on Mar 16, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Great comments everyone. You're all so well balanced! I love it!! Love the new profile pic hmoeckli.
posted by
wifemotherdaughtersister
on Mar 16, 2009 at 01:37 PM
What?????? you mean that if i eat less than 15 cups of broccoli a day i might actually be, ummm fine? hmmm i think you're on to something here... great blog as per usual! posted by
creatress
on Mar 16, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Hahah. You made me LOL... as per usual wmds.
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