leave no child inside: Ten Must-Have Outdoor Childhood Experiences

In today's fast-paced and connected world, our children sadly spend most of their time indoors, parked in front of the television or a computer rather than playing outside. Recent studies have noted that children spend more than 44 hours per week on plugged-in activities and that kids can identify up to 1,000 corporate logos, but fewer than 10 plants or animals native to their backyards.


Make it your goal this spring and summer to take advantage of the beautiful weather and help your children check off each must-have outdoor experience on the official Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.

1. Discover wilderness -- prairies, dunes, forests, savannas, and wetlands


2. Camp under the stars

3. Follow a trail

4. Catch and release fish, frogs, and insects

5. Climb a tree

6. Explore nature in neighborhoods and cities

7. Celebrate heritage

8. Plant a flower

9. Play in the mud or a stream

10. Learn to swim


Read the rest of this article that I wrote for Chicago Parent.com HERE.
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the donner party

I am always annoyed by people that boast, "No, our family doesn't do tv." (For a very funny take on this one, visit Stuff White People Like: #28 Not Having a TV.

We do have a tv, and my son perhaps could not survive without his Friday night dose of Star Wars, but honestly, my husband and I really don't do tv.  Wait - I take that back - I do religiously watch LOST every Tuesday night but it's about to go off the air in a matter of weeks (and please, feel free to suggest another show to me, because I don't know what I'll do without my weekly escape to The Island), but I just haven't found myself interested in any other shows, and that, coupled with the fact that we read a lot, and then, life, it's just busy - well, we just don't do tv very much. Not because we oppose it, or because we think it fries the brain.

Instead, we cuddle up to the warm glow of our Apple, specifically American Experience and Frontline on PBS.org.

A few nights ago we cuddled up together in bed to the story of the Donner Party, one of the most compelling episodes of the American Experience that I've ever seen. Just imagine: it's the winter of 1846 and you find yourself stuck in the desolate and snow covered Sierra Nevada with your young children, fighting to stay alive. That's what happened to a group of American settlers that had set out to California on a newer path out west, only to find themselves stranded, starving and freezing to death. Of the 87 pioneers that set out from Independence, Missouri, only 11 men and 36 women and children survived the ordeal.

A few days later, I was surprised to see during my morning news round up that new research has uncovered even more insight into the survivors of the tragedy. I was struck by the discovery of slates showing that the children continued with school lessons despite the harsh conditions.

Even if you're not much of a history buff, you'll appreciate the strength that these men, women and children demonstrated, as they pursued their piece of the American dream.

Watch the video here:

http://video.pbs.org/video/1401950336/

and read about the latest research on the Donner Party here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36574673/ns/technology_and_science-science/

New to this blog? Check out 27 facts about me.

celebrate your mom with a different kind of gift

Ah, to be a woman. We represent 70 percent of the world’s poor, perform 66 percent of the world’s work and produce 50 percent of the world's food, but only earn 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property. Only 3.6% of overseas development assistance was earmarked for gender equality (UNIFEM). For every dollar of development assistance, only two cents goes to girls (Girl Effect). About 70% of casualties in recent conflicts are women and children (UNIFEM) and the forms of violence they experience include torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution and mutilation (UN).

You're too old now to make her the usual macaroni necklace and hand drawn card, so this year, why not sponsor a woman in need in her name?

"Women to Women International is Women for Women International (WWI) provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Your monthly contribution will provide a woman in a developing country with rights awareness education and job skills training so she can continue to support her family in the future. She will also receive a portion of your contribution in direct aid so she can provide her family with basic necessities. You'll not only know her name, you can exchange letters. In fact, your letters are a powerful tool for helping women in these desperate regions of the world know that there is someone out there who knows of her existence, who actually cared enough to sponsor her and write to her. Many women in our programs have never received a letter addressed to them, so you can't imagine the impact it has on her self-esteem."



For more information on sponsoring via Women to Women International, Click HERE.

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how to raise a kid that loves to write

Teaching our children to write well is just another way of helping them to better communicate their thoughts and ideas to the greater world. Here are some simple, fun ideas for helping your children put the pencil to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!).

Click here to read the rest of this article I wrote, published in the February issue of Chicago Parent Magazine.

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27 things about me

I have married, divorced, married, birthed a boy, birthed a girl, lived as a single mom for 5 years, lived 5 years in Italy, 2 years in London – not necessarily in that order, but all in the past ten years, from age 27 to 37.

My great-great grandparents owned a feed store on State St. in the 1800's. My great-great Aunt jumped off a bridge into the Chicago River in the 1800's. I've never even seen a picture of her (none exist that I know of), but I do think of her when I cross the river sometimes.

I once drove in an old VW bug from Rome to the tip-top of Scotland.

I was named after Little Women. I even have an older sister named…Beth.

Beth and I routinely fought during our pre-teen/teen years. I once ripped a sleeve off her ESPRIT sweatshirt, and she threw a spool of thread at my forehead.

I love dumplings from all culinary corners of the world: Pierogis, Jamaican patties, empanadas, arancini, coxinhas...

My son was born in London. He's half-Brazilian. My daughter was born in Chicago. She’s half Italian.

I gave birth to my son with the aid of Entonox, a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide (laughing gas), the UK's epidural. I couldn't believe it when they parked what looked like a scuba tank and a regulator in the birthing room. It provided little pain relief, and rather magnified the enormity of the entire situation. My daughter was born without the use of any drugs at all – though I did scream for an epidural at one point, she was out a couple of pushes later.

I was born on St. Joseph’s day.

I was a Dept. of State intern during the Lewinsky years, posted at the US Embassy in Rome. I was witness once to Bill Clinton's charm...(but was too classy to flash him my thong). I found Hillary bright and personable, the true brains in the Clinton family (followed by Chelsea).

In Mali, I lived in a polygamist family compound. I slept on a mat on a dirt floor in a hut with bats, random scorpions (and the occassional frog), and had no access to running water or electricity. It was very peaceful, I felt very welcome, and I long to return someday and repay the kindness.

I have only one dimple, on my right cheek.

I always wanted to be a teacher. When I was little, I used to set up my basement as a school, with my miniature schnauzer, Maggie Mae, as my one and only pupil. I even had a chalkboard. That poor dog: I used to even dress her up in rompers and coveralls. When she got run over by a car when I was 12, I was heartbroken.

My actual first teaching job was disastrous. I taught at Holy Cross High School for Boys, in River Grove, Illinois. I had almost zero control over the boys that sat before me, their hormones raging. But I did have a lot of laughs and I took them on some memorable field trips, including one to the Lyric Opera, where we even got to try on costumes backstage. One of those Holy Cross boys is now a teacher himself at the school where I teach! I just about passed out when I saw him signing in before me, the first day of school this year.

I want to work for as long as I possibly can. When I “retire” I’d love to join the PeaceCorps or a more local organization that promotes education or women’s health issues.

I am a part of a national organization called buildOn, which promotes volunteerism both locally and around the globe. I run a chapter at my school. This is what brought me to Mali in 2008, and hopefully Nicaragua and Malawi (and I’m hoping, Nepal) in the future. www.buildon.org

Despite all these travel notes, I am a homebody at heart.

I believe that people come into your life for a reason, and that you need to respect them and honor them for that single reason, even if you can’t necessarily stand them.

I'm a terrible procrastinator. I can't write unless it's down to the wire.

I tutor my pregnant students or students with newborns afterschool. As much as I wish they’d made different choices, it is refreshing and heartening to see them trying their best, getting their lives back on track, and learning to be good mothers despite their circumstances. Recently, when I arrived at the home of a particular girl after the birth of her son, I asked her with a smile, “How was the delivery???” and she looked at me, bags under her eyes, circles of breastmilk soaking her shirt, and deadpanned, “It was SO not cool.”

I still look at my son and think, “!)#@%&!)%!!!! How did I get so lucky!????” Watching him grow and turn into a little man that I’m proud of - I am so blessed.

I feel equally blessed with my daughter. I also look at her and think, “!)#@%&!)%!!!! How did I get so lucky!????” Because honestly, I never thought that I’d find my soul mate and, to boot, be blessed with a daughter, after years of having lived as a single mom (there were many Bad dates with a capital B, it was hard not to turn hopeless). The thing with Pupa is….looking at her is like looking at me. She’s my mini-me.

I am always cold, a.k.a. “freddulosa” – I’d be best suited as a desert-dweller. Why I am so attached to Chicago is beyond me.

I love being underwater. I am fascinated with freedivers, and one of my favorite movies is the Big Blue by Luc Besson.

I speak Italian, French, and basic Spanish. Portuguese I learned through osmosis though I can only speak about topics like love and baby care. We speak Italian at home.

Last year, I learned to surf and snowboard. I'd like to learn Chinese or Arabic, or another very difficult language. I can't stop being ultra-curious about the world…