From Newsday.com: To misery, add desperation
Amid the chaos of New Orleans, the rescued include children without their parents
BY KATIE THOMAS
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

But while the evacuees enjoyed what was for many their first food in days — as well as their first taste of safety — the scene along the highway was one of chaos, rising tempers and continued suffering. One man wandered around with a head bandage, blood trickling down his back. A woman carried a white leather purse and walked a poodle on a leash. Those without food or cell phones begged others for theirs.

“We can fall apart together on the bus,” one woman assured two companions as they walked toward a Salvation Army truck.

Surrounded by empty water bottles, half-eaten packaged meals, and a dirty diaper, Shawn Jackson perched on the curb, cradling an infant in her arms. Around her were four boys and two girls, who alternately fidgeted and cried.

None of the children were hers. Their mothers had handed them to rescuers in the helicopter in which Jackson was riding, which was full. When Jackson got off, she said, the rescuers told her, “Don’t let them go.”

“As if we would,” Jackson said.

Salon carried a really crappy article about attachment parents. Again. They suck and the article sucks and on and on…but what really gets me is this woman -

“[W]e seem to have an ongoing problem on the newsletters with some of our attachment-parenting subscribers making the assumption that the rest of us have missed the boat and need to be instructed on the proper techniques of parenting … for whatever reason, it is not a problem we have on the newsletters with those who hold other views — just the attachment-parenting people.” —Ginger Ogle

here’s another quote from the article:
“When I asked Ginger Ogle why she thinks attachment-parenting adherents in particular can be so strident, she said she thinks it’s because this kind of parenting is a belief system, nearly a religion. “Some of these parents sincerely believe in attachment parenting, homeopathy, cloth diapers, breast-feeding, baby wearing, not vaccinating, etc., in exactly the same way that Southern Baptists sincerely believe in the death penalty, a strong military, the right to life, heterosexuality, and the Bible as the Word of God,” Ogle said. While many baby wearers surely care little about what anyone else is doing, it is inarguable that certitude generally does not tolerate dissent. It responds to it with fury.”

Fury? I’ll show her fury. The article took issue with AP mamas calling sleep-training “abandonment parenting” in the advice columns. (Whoever said THAT deserves a pat on the back.) I think you’ll agree that these are really crappy things she has to say about the parents that are in her Network and lining her pockets (she claims to be volunteer, but as founder of a 12,000 member network she’ll be getting plenty of opportunities to speak her mind).

I think a boycott is in order…if you know anyone who visits the Berkeley Parents Network show them this article and urge them to write her a letter and leave her group. Start your own group…the Berkley REAL Parents Network or something. It’s just not okay that she says these things about us…
Heather

I’m actually a little bored this morning…the kids are playing and I have nothing to do. (I have a little secret, I just finished publishing a book! I’m waiting for it to arrive in the mail so that I can give it my full approval. I am soooooooo excited!) But while waiting…this is a good article I want to pass on cause it made me think Just the Votes.

Oh, and also yesterday I went and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Johnny Depp is even hot when he’s creepy. yum yum. I laughed I cried. I’m not a huge fan of Tim Burton’s but enjoyed this movie a lot.

Let’s see, what else? drats, I got nothing. Talk to you soon…
Heather

This just in from my friend Patty, Adbuster Magazine this issue is all about Homebirth and Homeschool.
I’ve had the latest issue sitting on my desk UNOPENED for 3 weeks…go to their website to check it out:
the game of life

yum
What Babies Want!