SavvyBlog

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk

Minnow’s Five Things

April 18, 2012
Minnow Hamilton

Pocket

Here’s what caught my attention this week:

1. Expecting babies these days is a big job. First you have to plan your babymoon (that last trip as a couple), then there is the Gender Reveal Party. So, once the sex of the baby is determined at the first ultrasound, couples gather their friends and family around to announce the sex of the 12 week old fetus. Note that the baby is only about 12 weeks old—in utero—for its first party. I guess if you’re going to celebrate, then let it be about the birth of a child. It’s not like we have a lot of sports teams to celebrate with (I’m talking to you, Maple Leafs). Check out some of the inspirational images on Pinterest we found on this topic.
2. Imagine my horror when I read this article Sarah sent me about the latest hair removal trend among women. Nose hairs, apparently, need to be removed. The ones inside your nose. Why am I the last to hear about this? I have nose hair and I get a lot of press releases. People, please keep me informed! I care about hair (see Goody bracelets below for proof). But now that I know, I don’t think I’ll go. You?
3. Dirty Yoga. It sounds like fun and it is—but it’s designed specifically for straight men. With a mandate to ‘take the fear out of practicing yoga’, it eliminates the scary spiritual parts of yoga, banishes all opportunity for embarrassment and humiliation (including the fear of farting in front of hot chicks), thereby allowing men to practice yoga in complete secret. It’s funny and very clever but the genius is in the fact that it’s an online recurring subscription service and it offers some decent yoga routines that men might do. Look for this again in an upcoming Father’s Day gift list soon. It’s good stuff. Read these seven reasons why straight men are scared of yoga.
4. No more sporting those less-than-attractive black elastics around your wrist (how did we let that go on for so long?). Goody has hopped on the stacked bracelet trend and brought us a practical solution—the Goody Double Wear Elastics. They come in packs of two, but buy more and wear a bunch at a time if you want to look cool. Even one looks better than that ratty old black number you have on your wrist right now. No hairs attached (and good for dirty yoga routines).

5. For Earth Day (this Sunday), I’ll direct you to a short video about a movie called Play Again. Because our kids deserve more time outside and we need to make that happen. I feel very strongly about this. Get them outside.

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk

Minnow’s Five Things

June 13, 2012
Minnow Hamilton

Pocket

A dingo, pee-filled swimming pools, David Cameron’s lost child, a stress video and more. I saw some pretty good stuff this week. Here are the top five that got my attention.

1. I came across a little factoid recently that moms who take their kids to swimming pools might find interesting. According to a 2009 survey in the US, 1 in 5 people admit to peeing in pools. It’s not a total shocker at first read. But here are a few points to consider. Firstly, adults completed the survey—so I’m assuming the number is higher than one if there are children in the pool. Secondly, that means that if there are 20 people in a pool, four or five people are peeing in it. Thirdly, as a former competitive swimmer, it means I ingested a lot of second-hand bad water in my lifetime. But I digress. The good news? A lot of pools are now half chlorine/half salt which makes the chemical reaction between chlorine and urine less toxic (itchy eyes and skin). What’s most important is to encourage your kids to pee in toilets. That means you too, adults.

2. For all you moms who are stressed out this time of year, I feel your pain. You are in the thick of it—nursery school graduations, track meets, end of year recitals, teachers gifts, swimming lessons, soccer games…the list goes on and it’s a long one right now. Here’s a video from my friend and medical genius Mike Evans. It explains a little bit about stress and how we can make it work to our advantage. Good luck with that!

3. To know me is to know I’m a big advocate of the ‘Get Outside and Play’ movement. (Is it a movement?) My kids have the cuts and bruises to prove it but we have survived. This ad from Australia says it all. For once I have nothing to add.

4. Australia was big this week—according to the Australian courts, the dingo really did eat that baby. The 32-year-old case about an Australian mother charged with killing her infant (but claimed wild dogs were responsible) was popularized in the mid-90s thanks to Seinfeld character, Elaine. That video made me laugh harder today than the first time I saw it. But back to the dingo and the mother…I’m glad she was cleared. From what I read, it’s tough to believe she could have been responsible. I’m also pleased that Elaine has a new hairdo.

5. In more exciting parenting news from around the world, it was reported early this week that David Cameron, British Prime Minister, left his eight-year-old daughter at a pub in the English countryside for 15 minutes. By mistake. When he and his wife both left ‘The Plough’ in separate cars, each one thought the child was with the other. Is this a story about bad parenting or is it a case of ‘real things happen to famous politicians too’?

What do you think? Have you ever left your child somewhere by mistake?