My friend Kristen Chase is a funny, prolific, no holds barred writer and I’m currently laughing my way through her new book, The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex, in which Kristen offers advice for bringing sexy back during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. I’m thrilled to help welcome Kristen to Boston on Tuesday, February 9 (7-9pm) for a Valentine’s chocolate and wine tasting + sex chat at Finale in Brookline, via Moms Going Out. Tickets are only $5 and space is limited (autographed books will be available for purchase); I hope to see you there!

Kristen also may host another event west of the city. I’ll add an update to this post if that event comes to fruition.

UPDATE (2/3/10): How cool is Kristen? She's going to donate 15% from the book sales at this Boston event to the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign. Thank you Kristen!

Posted by Christine Koh on 29 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Family Issues; Food & Drink; Fun Indoors; Local; Pregnancy & Postpartum
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Yes, we're in for another cold weekend, but that's all the more reason to stave off cabin fever and support those who are bundling up and braving the outdoors to host community winter activities. This weekend, consider pitching in at the Franklin Park Winter Volunteer Day (Saturday) or enjoying winter activities at the Dunstable Winterfest (Sunday), Groveland Winter Festival (Sunday), or Lincoln Winter Carnival (through the weekend).

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 29 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Fun Outdoors; Local
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Apologies for my reduced posting this week, but, save a couple of brief Twitter and Facebook updates on the front end of my trip, from Saturday through Tuesday I went radio silent while absorbing a visit to Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas and I'm currently attempting to cope with my besieged inbox. While the trip was for work (a press event), it also was very personal, signaling my first mom-daughter flight with Laurel and my first work trip where Laurel was encouraged to attend. The trip also provided opportunity to reflect on some of my baggage about life's luxuries (suffice to say, growing up, my immediate family of nine never flew anywhere), and also about human behavior in response to rushes of all kinds (you can take the girl out of psychology, but not the psychologist out of the girl).

The trip was hosted by JetBlue, LEGO, and the Atlantis Resort, with the focal points being to experience the family friendliness of JetBlue, learn about LEGO Atlantis (a LEGO fantasy camp is coming to the Atlantis Resort in July), and preview the newly opened Atlantis Kids Adventures club. It was an honor to be amidst a diverse and interesting group of writers (spanning bloggers, newspaper reporters, and travel writers), and it was truly wonderful to spend some time with friends such as Liz Gumbinner (Mom-101, Cool Mom Picks), Anna Fader (Mommy Poppins), Nicole Feliciano (Momtrends), C.C. Chapman (Digital Dads), Kim Foley MacKinnon (Daily Candy Kids, Boston), Carol Cain (The Adventures of a NYCity Mama), Erica Ehm (The Yummy Mummy Club), and Jill Notkin (The Daily Grind of a Work at Home Mom), and also to befriend folks such as Mara Gorman (Mother of All Trips), Candice (Mom Most Traveled), Kim Orlando (Traveling Mom), and Aliya King.

The following are observations that I hope will prove useful, both from a general parenting perspective, as well as for family trip planning -- to Altantis and elsewhere:

Consider JetBlue.

This was my first time flying JetBlue and I really dug them; as in, I’ll be checking their flight availability first for future travel. Two of the three flight legs (we flew Boston to JFK, then JFK to the Bahamas on the way down and direct from the Bahamas to Boston on the return) we traveled unidentified (i.e., not as part of the press tour) and the service was the same (excellent) in all cases. The flights were comfortable, the leg room ample (they claim to offer the most of all the airlines), the staff super friendly, and the website modern and happily easily to navigate. The e-mail flight reminders were helpful and not spammy; I especially appreciated the reminders to print my boarding passes in advance, which I recommend doing regardless of airline (if available) as a fantastic way to cut down your travel time. JetBlue also offer lots of snacks (including trans-fat free) and -- major bonus -- they check your first bag for free. I travel very light (Laurel and I only did carry on) but when you've got a stroller, diaper bag, etc. in tow, you will need to check bags and this benefit is appreciated.

Lighten your load.

As I said, I travel light and do whatever I can to save precious space. Obviously, it helps to travel to a warm weather destination where clothing isn’t bulky, but you can still do little things to lighten your load inbound (particularly if you want to leave room so you can pick up gifts and souvenirs when you travel). For example, I save space on toiletries by using the products offered in the hotel bathroom, and make use of my random skin care sample packets instead of bringing full sized tubes (some of which wouldn't meet carry on regulations anyway). I also bring almost run down tubes of product (e.g., sunscreen) so I can use and dispose of them en route and not tote them back. And my best space saver trick for this trip was not bothering to bring a beach tote, instead opting for an Envirosax bag, which folds up teeny tiny and weighs almost nothing, then expands into a functional tote that holds a ton and is easy to shake sand loose from at the end of the day.

LEGO is cool for boys, girls, and grownups.

LEGO obviously is a long standing brand, but for some reason, we have no LEGO sets in our house, save a toddler block set from way back when. This might be due to gender bias -- when I think LEGO, I tend to think of boy sets (which isn’t totally unfounded if you look at their product spread), and perhaps that is why we've instead collected Playmobil (princess, fairy, etc. sets). However, on the plane ride down and through the visit, Laurel and I both had a chance to construct with LEGOs and had enormous fun doing it. During our flight (pictured below), we worked on little color coded LEGO squares that ultimately became part of a big mural; otherwise, it was fun to see Laurel’s creative free construction (e.g., make a dolphin out of blue LEGOs), and also see her spatial orientation wheels turning as she worked on following the pictorial steps to create sets.

Atlantis: General.

This was my first time visiting the Atlantis Resort; it is large and mostly picturesque and it’s very easy to stay on the property for your entire trip (i.e., don't bother renting a car from the airport; take a shuttle). The resort offers a variety of accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping options, as well as a fitness center, spa, and of course the beach and water attractions. Though I admittedly have limited resort experience, what surprised me most was that the resort felt less peaceful cabana (my ideal vision of a resort) and more Vegas meets water park (though choice of accommodation at the resort may impact experience; see below). The vibe was definitely more American than international (I had hoped for the latter). Everywhere we went, the staff was wonderfully friendly.

Also, definitely fly direct if you can; flying JetBlue on a direct return, it was pretty excellent that the flight was just over three hours to get back to Boston.

Atlantis: Cost.

Not surprisingly for a destination vacation, generally speaking, Atlantis is not for the faint of budget. I recommend exploring special packages. In general, your booking will include your room and general amenities (e.g., access to the pools, water park, towel service, etc.) and you should budget for everything else (e.g., food, time in the kids club, special activities such as Dolphin Cay, etc.).

Atlantis: Lodging.

One of my regrets is that we did not do a property tour. We stayed in the Royal Towers (feels like a spacious but standard hotel room, save the amazing view, such as ours from the 20th floor, pictured below), which is notable for its easy access to amenities (water entertainment, beach, dolphins, kids club, etc.) but also means you are central to the casino. I know a lot of people enjoy casinos, but I have never been able to shake the cloud (both smoky and less physically tangible) of manipulation in the air. It depressed me to walk through the casino in the afternoon (walking through the casino is the most direct path to other facilities; though Laurel and I started using a more roundabout outdoor path) and see people gambling while it was gorgeous outside.

But I digress. My point is that in my wanderings, I discovered that the opposite ends of the resort were more of what I envisioned the Bahamas to be: calm, quiet, stunningly beautiful. That's where I would book in the future because for me, if I'm going to go on a tropical vacation I want something more like cabana on the beach, not Sheraton next to the casino. I would also recommend exploring rooms that have a refrigerator (and a kitchenette if possible) because food is expensive. Even if you don’t cook all of your meals, at least you could refrigerate restaurant leftovers instead of dumping them.

Atlantis: Kids Adventures Club.

The Atlantis Kids Adventures club is a drop off center for resort guests ages 3-12 (fee per hour service); it is very modern, snazzy, and digitally oriented and seeks to appeal to a wide range of ages via traditional (crafts, cooking, imaginative play, etc.) and digital entertainment. Admittedly, similar to my feelings about the casino, I had moments of wondering why you would want your kid indoors when outdoors is the Bahamas, but a kids club does make sense for when the sun is at peak, in inclement weather, and if you want to have an enclosed, secure space to drop your kids off so you can enjoy a massage or have a nice dinner.

Related to rushes, I felt as if a lot of the digital and design aspects of the club were all about the next cool rush (more lights, more colors, more action), but this may be a function of having a 5-year-old who isn't yet into video games. And I realize we were there for a grand opening, but the sugar rush factor was overwhelming. In addition to the celebratory cake and big-as-your-head chocolate bars, Laurel went on a Willy Wonka tour from which she returned with a big bag of candy (groan). Related to this, I took issue with the culinary demo. Part of the AKA club is a gorgeous, modern kitchen for cooking with kids; unfortunately it is limited to 6-12 year olds, which I strongly urge that they rethink given that kids can be very engaged in the kitchen even as young as 3 years old (as Laurel was). The demo Laurel and I started to sit in on (then abandoned) was to create a sugar coral reef (more sugar!), which made no sense to me since the kids couldn’t be very engaged (given the hot sugars and blow torches…). It would have been far more meaningful to teach the kids about local fruits and have them make and eat toothpick fruit boats or something. Not difficult, still fun and interactive, locally inspired, and way more healthy.

All of this said, there were things about the AKA club that Laurel really loved. The craft room was a huge hit, and she loved the dress up room. She also loved the interactive floor displays (e.g., stomping around to chase jellyfish or whatever) in the performance area. And in a very telling moment, when Liz and I escaped with the girls to the backyard area for some peace and quiet, Laurel and Liz’s daughter Thalia entertained themselves endlessly with a couple of inexpensive hula hoops.

A final thing that warrants mention: the AKA club is kids only. Kids must be potty trained and willing to hang out without their parents (drop off at the door). Laurel met requirement #1 but not #2. I was privy to the above observations for the press opening, but when I tried to take Laurel to the AKA club so Liz, Nicole, and I could test some of the grownup water slides, she would not go (I was prepared for this...instead we hit the water park). So, the AKA club might not serve as much of a benefit to you if you’ve got an uber attached kid like mine.

Atlantis: Water play.

As you may have gathered, Laurel and my best rushes were experienced outside. Though some areas of the resort showed wear and tear (faded signs, empty water recesses, cracks in the facade), in general the grounds were beautiful and the beach breathtaking. There are kid-friendly pools across the property, as well as water adventures (snorkeling, scuba, and snuba), water slides big and small, and river rides. By far, Laurel's favorite water park activity was The Current, a mile-long inner tube ride that alternates between calmness and craziness (extreme rapids). With a life jacket on Laurel and using a two-person inner tube, it was no problem; she would not go on some of the big kid water slides (far shorter and less crazy, but no grownups allowed), but we rode The Current four times in the span of 24 hours. It was a great ride for grownups too.

If you visit Atlantis, I highly recommend you budget for the shallow water interaction at Dolphin Cay (you currently can book this and other water adventures at a discount if you make a reservation along with a room booking). At first I thought it was just a photo op, but the experience was so much more than that. At Dolphin Cay, Laurel and I got to hug, kiss, and dance with dolphins and then learn about dolphin physiology and sensory systems. As a former scientist, I found this hugely fascinating, and felt such gratitude to be amidst these large and gentle creatures. It was an extremely moving, nature-inspired rush, particularly given that as urban dwellers, our interactions with critters are mostly begrudged ("Get out of my trash, squirrel!”).

My one regret is that on our last day I did not plan in advance enough to do a similar visit with Laurel to meet the sea lions. The dolphin interaction gave hands on learning a totally new meaning for Laurel…it was truly remarkable.

Atlantis: Food.

For the most part, we experienced buffet style restaurants, save one trip to a traditional café and a ladies outing with Liz, Anna, and Nicole to the very spectacular Nobu one night. Two things struck me about the food. First, I strongly advise thinking through your family's eating habits because the food costs can be expensive. If your family eats relatively lightly, consider cafe style (pay as you go) versus a meal plan and the buffets that invariably lead to overeating. As I mentioned earlier, I also recommend exploring rooms that offer a refrigerator or kitchen so you can save leftovers and/or do some meals (e.g., easy ones like breakfast and lunch) for less.

My second comment about the food at the resort was that I was disappointed by how American the spreads at the buffet restaurants were. Though it was convenient to have standard kid-friendly foods (e.g., pasta, chicken nuggets, etc.) available, I wanted more local fare to sample and explore and introduce to Laurel.

One additional aspect that may have been more reflective of the press trip than the resort was the unnecessary focus on the sugar rush. As mentioned above, I definitely felt that at the AKA club, and at some of the press meals, the dessert spreads were unnecessarily over the top. Laurel knows how I feel about excessive sweets and she knows the consequences (having had 3 cavities drilled last year), and I think she and I managed a decent balance. However, in another telling moment, after one meal she came up to me -- showing me her dessert plate, which had several options on it, each with only a bite or two taken -- and said, “Mom, this actually doesn’t taste as good as it looks.”

Know your kids and don’t try to force an experience.

I saw a couple of instances where parents tried to force crying children down water slides and have heard of similar behavior at other vacation spots. There's a sense that if you paid for it, damn it, your kid better get the most out of it. But in my opinion, when you're booking a family vacation, it’s important to try to strike a balance between what will be enjoyable for the grownups and what your kid can reasonably handle. Obviously, older kids will probably get more out of -- and remember more of -- a trip to Atlantis; even so, depending on the temperament of your kid, they may not be keen on something like the AKA club (as was the case for Laurel) or some of the bigger water slides. Just roll with it; anxiety ridden, tearful forced experiences do not make for happy family vacation memories.

In summary, this was a remarkable trip in many ways, and also one that gave me pause. As you can gather from this post, logistically, there were a lot of cool things about Atlantis, and also some things I wasn’t wild about (which I acknowledge are personal preference and others might be totally fine with). Emotionally, the trip was a strange mix of feeling unbelievably grateful to have this opportunity and time with Laurel, and also nostalgic that I never had opportunities like this with my parents. And as a parent and former psychologist, it was interesting -- though ultimately not surprising to me -- to see how some rushes (desserts, digital entertainment, race cars, casino, etc.) were short lived and fleeting in memory, whereas the simple, nature inspired rushes (communing with dolphins, enjoying the water park in the gorgeous weather, playing with a 50 cent hula hoop with a friend) have proved to be the real sticking points for Laurel.

That, of course, and quality time with a mom who is unplugged for four days.

Posted by Christine Koh on 28 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (16) | Filed in Development & Behavior; Family Issues; Travel
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Though I always remember my reusable totes when I hit the grocery store, produce bags are another story. I save plastic produce bags with the best intentions, but they never make it back to the store with me. Solution? The pretty, fabric trimmed, cinch-top produce bags by Bite. Not only are they unforgettably cute, but they’re eco-friendly, locally made, and lightweight (just over half an ounce). Add in washability and the fact that you can multi-task them to organize household goods, protect delicates in the laundry, and tote snacks for the kids and, well, you get an awful lot of bang for your bite with these bags.

Now, want to win a 3-pack of Bite bags? Here’s how:

I haven’t been to Lanes & Games since I was in high school, which was, well, a really long time ago. Earlier this week, however, I broke my (inadvertent) non-attendance streak with a group of friends and was reminded of how fun candlepin bowling is. The kids all went berserk over it, and Laurel was a machine out there, mowing down frames well beyond when others had lost interest.

Admittedly, the facade of Lanes & Games is a bit tired and that stretch of Route 2 is rather grungy; however, inside, the space is basically clean and functional. You also must be prepared to wear the bowling shoes (probably not the best environment for germaphobes), and endure possible confusion at the counter over how much bowling to engage in. (I recommend buying just one game -- 10 frames -- per person; you can always add more.)

Okay, so you might be wondering, what with tired facade, shoes, and potential confusion why I’m recommending bowling. Aesthetics aside, candlepin bowling was really fun and served as a great way to get the kids moving on a crummy winter day. The gutter bumpers also made it fun for kids and grownups alike. I’m not sure whether it was the thrill of the balls popping out of the ball return, the act of rolling the ball, or the knocking down of pins, but Laurel bowled for an hour and a half straight (I kid you not; maybe her Little Capers superhero cape gave her extra energy...). Her hands literally were black at the end. (So, yes, another lesson: bring cleaning wipes or hit the bathroom to wash up before you go. Which you would want to do anyway.)

The facility also has tables and chairs in an area right next to the lanes, handy for bowling birthday parties. A party was leaving just as we arrived and they all looked in good spirits.

If you’re not in the vicinity of Lanes & Games, there’s plenty of bowling to be had in Massachusetts. BowlingFan.com lists 60 bowling alleys across Massachusetts! I'm interested to check out some of the other alleys to see how they stack up.

Posted by Christine Koh on 22 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Kid's Parties; Local
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It’s been over a decade since I visited Houston and I’m thrilled to return to this city next month for the Mom 2.0 Summit. Last year I heard incredible things about this conference, which serves as a meeting grounds for moms and marketers and this year explores professional, product, and personal paths. My attendance, however, would not be possible were it not for the kind and generous sponsorship of Care.com.

I have long admired Care.com’s work. I covered this Waltham based company editorially back in 2007 because I was hugely impressed by their multidimensional care tenets (not just child care, but also special needs, tutoring and lessons, senior care, pet care, and housekeeping). A few months later they approached me to do some freelance writing for them, primarily in their child care department, which I did until the end of 2008. Towards the end of 2009, Care.com Founder and CEO Sheila Marcelo (a truly lovely, thoughtful, and smart person) and I reconnected over various matters, and this sponsorship emerged at some point in our conversations.

So, thank you from the bottom of my heart to Care.com for sponsoring my trip to the Mom 2.0 Summit. And if you need care of any of the aforementioned varieties (not to mention other advice and resources), check out Care.com's site. All of their care providers are background checked and impressively monitored and the provider network operates in over 30 major cities across the United States.

Finally, if Mom 2.0 sounds interesting to you, check out the conference site; there’s still time to register. And if you’re attending, drop me a line; it would be great to connect in Houston!

Many thanks to my Mom 2.0 Summit sponsor Care.com!

Posted by Christine Koh on 22 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Childcare; Childcare & Education; Local; Web (Admin)
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In the wake of the devastation in Haiti I have been pondering how best to use my voice at Boston Mamas to help. And yesterday I thought of a way to engage you wonderful readers while also supporting talented local mamapreneurs. I'm currently assembling a group of Boston Mamas mamapreneur network members to donate a percentage of sales collected from February 1 - 15 to the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign. Donations will go to UNICEF, which is absorbing administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to relief efforts for children in Haiti (thanks for that lead, Cool Mom Picks!). If you are a local mamapreneur and want to participate, simply join the network and I'll follow up with details. I will be launching the campaign next week, so act soon!

Otherwise, hang on before you do any Valentine's Day (or other) shopping. I'll share the wonderful collection of vendors next week.

Image credit: original artwork by Posh Peacock

Posted by Christine Koh on 21 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Good Deeds; Web (Admin)
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Today, Heather reviews Maureen Healy’s 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids, a book loaded with a year's worth of sage sayings to help empower, educate, and inspire kids. Read on for Heather’s review, as well as to learn how to be one of two winners to receive a copy of 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids:

From Heather:

One of the more important lessons my parents taught me as a child was that words are powerful -- very powerful -- and that it is our responsibility to use them carefully and wisely. My parents’ words came rushing back to me as I read the very first paragraph of 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids by Maureen Healy:

“Words have wounded us and healed our hearts. They have empowered us or dashed our dreams. Lives have been lost or saved over simple sayings. The power of words is impossible to fully understand, and no one is more influenced by words than a growing child.”

I was interested in reading this book because as the mom of a 6-year-old and 3-year-old triplets, I find that I am sometimes at a loss for words -- or even worse -- so rushed that I speak before I think. So quick to respond to a question or react to a behavior before comprehending how my words will be received by my children. As Healy so clearly writes, “every child begins to see him or her self through the words of an adult.” I am embarrassed to admit it, but I was really hoping for an easy “parenting for dummies” type book detailing the perfect responses for the great spectrum of situations we face as parents.

Instead, this book provides a year's worth of easy-to-use sayings specially designed to nurture your child's sense of confidence, optimism, compassion, and connection, all categorized into three focused chapters: Empowering, Educating, and Inspiring. This communication guide encourages parents to harness the power of their words and to parent with awareness. It provides the core concepts and encourages us to make them our own. I was pleasantly surprised.

I found the “How to Use This Book” section interesting. Healy makes several suggestions: for example, make it a ritual with your child to read a saying and discuss, use the sayings as a conversation starter, have you child write down sayings in a journal and illustrate them, and use the sayings in circle time if you are in a group setting. Given the ages of my children, I find these practical applications most helpful. We literally must mean the words we say and say the words we mean to empower, educate, and inspire our children.

I recommend this book to all parents, but especially to those who are looking for a guide to positive communication with their children.

Now want to be one of two winners to receive a copy of 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids? Here’s how:

This past weekend I finally had a chance to view PBS’s program A Girl’s Life with Rachel Simmons, and I highly recommend that parents watch the program. Though the issues (e.g., body image, cyberbullying) were not new to me, learning that girls are equal to or ahead of boys until middle school (at which point they tend to fall behind as confidence crumbles due to social issues, negative body image, etc.) and seeing the interview footage made the issues so much more real to me. I couldn’t help but envision Laurel five years (or less) forward.

I say less because it was rather horrifying to witness mean girl action in Laurel’s pre-K classroom and how acutely clique issues already are playing out in her kindergarten classroom. A Girl’s Life got me thinking about how proactive I need to be to help Laurel thrive and be confident, how I need to be super aware of what Laurel is exposed to, and also that I need to model better behavior in the now, such as being less plugged into my Blackberry (re: constant adolescent texting and potential cyberbullying impact).

Much of the footage is shot in the Boston area, and while the program left me wanting concrete tips and strategies (maybe that was in the original plans…Jon mentioned something about PBS not garnering enough funding to create the intended two-hour program), the Raising Girls website does offer a resources and tips spread. Also, for parents of boys, please see the Raising Boys post (also inspired by a PBS documentary) written by Jon back in 2007.

So go check it out. And be sure to have some tissues on hand. The mother-daughter dressing room scene in the segment on body image and the segment on college acceptances reduced me to tears.

Posted by Christine Koh on 20 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Development & Behavior; Family Issues; Tweens & Teens
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Apparently, today I’m in a bit of a PSA mood. In addition to asking you to get out and vote, I wanted to urge you to take care of you. I firmly believe that you need to take care of yourself in order to better take care of others (think oxygen mask airline instructions) and I felt compelled to post this PSA because: a) I’ve been fielding a lot of questions these days about self-care (mostly informally, but also more formally via a recent fit mom profile over at Momtrends); and b) this past weekend I had the lovely opportunity to host a yoga event that was infused with personal and global mindfulness; the deliriously happy looks on the attendees faces made it clear that self-care was not happening enough.

Similar to when I hosted my Method party, fair trade beverage company Steaz approached me about hosting a creative event in Boston. I actually wasn’t familiar with their products at that juncture, but I loved their fair trade philosophy so I sampled their iced teas. I dug them, agreed to host, and decided on a yoga event, which would allow me to host women for some much needed self-care time while also sharing the general concept of fair trade.

And the event was so, so lovely! As an eco-gal, it was great to have the opportunity to introduce folks to a company that cares about fair trade, and as a mom committed to fitness, it was wonderful to see a collection of busy moms take a couple of hours out of their day for self-care and socializing. I hosted the event at Isis Maternity, which was a perfect location given that Isis is all about helping moms take care of themselves. Here are a few photos from the event:

Yummy drinks (and food, unfortunately not pictured!), kindly funded by Steaz.

Steaz also provided yoga mats for me to give away to three lucky winners (Liz, Michelle of Foodie Mommy, and Liz of Goddess in Progress). Strangely enough, the yoga mats were perfectly color coordinated with my tablecloths and the tissue in my gift bags. Loved that!

With Kristin Brandt of Manic Mommies and Kristin's adorable daughter Sophie. That's also Sophie and Kristin pictured in the first image above, rocking downward dog. Isn't it lovely that Kristin is teaching Sophie about the importance of self-care at such a young age?

Everyone rocking downward dog (including the beautifully pregnant Sandy of Momisodes and Sharon of Cool Dog Productions; second row, center).

Much needed restoration after yoga instructor Sharon of Baptiste Power Yoga kicked all of our rumps.

In addition to the lovely Nicola, Sharla, Liz, Liesbeth, blog friends in attendance included Paige of Mudroom Boston, Sarah of The Carcinista, Roxanna of Miguelina, Charlene of 3 T Communications, and Kami of The Fence.

So whether it's 10 minutes of push-ups, 20 minutes of shredding, 30+ minutes of running or yoga, or some other type of random fitness challenge, I hope you'll consider taking something up to take care of you.

Posted by Christine Koh on 19 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (6) | Filed in Beauty, Fitness & Wellness; Local; Sports & Fitness
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The polls are open until 8pm; I urge you all to get out and vote in today's important U.S. Senate Special Election. Whether by sling, stroller, or on foot, we always bring Laurel with us to the polls and are heading out shortly to cast our vote. If you’re unsure of where to vote, simply enter your address in the Secretary of the Commonwealth poll locator.

Posted by Christine Koh on 19 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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Today, from parent educator Hetti Wohlgemuth of Alphabet Soup 4 Parents, because it’s never too late to resolve to communicate better:

Earlier this month, Bob and I listened to an NPR show about making and keeping resolutions. The advice? Keep resolutions to a bare minimum and keep resolutions specific. While resolutions such as losing weight, becoming a better tennis player, and communicating more effectively are all good in theory, these resolutions raise red flags. They’re too general. However, resolution number three is critical to me -- I believe that good communication is the underpinning of all great relationships (and certainly parent-child partnerships) -- so I want to break it down into smaller, more tangible components.

Resolution #1. Learn to accept your kid’s feelings. We need not (and shouldn’t) accept all of our kids’ behaviors, but we do need to acknowledge and authenticate their feelings. Kids have a right to their feelings and denying them definitely won’t help anybody. And apparently it works for grownups too. Over the holidays I started to rant about my brother to one of my daughters. I stopped and said, “I guess this all sounds so childish to you.” She responded, “Not at all, Mom. Your feelings are your feelings and nobody can take those away from you. At least that’s what you always told us.” And magically, when she uttered those sentences, my feelings dissipated. Really. There is power in the simple act of acceptance.

Resolution #2. When attempting to comfort and communicate, avoid clichés and long winded advice. Children rarely want advice and if they do, they’ll ask for it. And it’s much healthier to listen and allow kids to figure out their own next baby or big steps. My father was a very caring dad but he had a propensity to repeat clichés that ended up sounding dismissive, and a propensity to offer plenty of ill-fitting advice. He meant well, but the advice was based on what suited his -- not my -- style. Simply let your kids know you hear and support them, and perhaps give them a little prompt in problem solving by asking what they think a good solution would be. Kids and adults feel better about themselves when they come up with their own solutions.

Resolution #3. Children’s messages often come coded and we need to resolve to uncode them (via Haim Ginott’s Between Parent and Child). When Bob and I were eating breakfast in NYC, sitting at the table next to us was a mom, her three-year-old daughter, and the mom’s friend, eating breakfast while the mom and friend talked and talked and talked. After a while the little girl wearied of playing with her doll and started to whine and cry, louder and louder. The child was not misbehaving, simply communicating in her own code that she was through with her toy, breakfast, and the restaurant. The mom deciphered the message and wrapped things up; things could have had a much less happy ended had the mom not decoded the message and responded appropriately.

Resolution #4. Resolve to get more self-care. Communicating effectively is productive but sometimes requires good concentration. And we can’t concentrate well if we are stressed and not taking care of our own needs. Last fall, First Lady Michelle Obama said that women can’t take care of others until they take care of themselves. She’s right about that. You know what to do: take a walk, a hot bath, a yoga class, breathe deeply, share babysitting, and maybe even get a manicure.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Development & Behavior; Family Issues
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On Monday, enjoy family friendly activities in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the: Boston Children’s Museum, Discovery Museums in Acton, Children’s Museum in Easton, and Old Sturbridge Village. Also, the Boston Children’s Chorus will perform a tribute concert at Jordan Hall, and the Museum of Fine Arts is offering free general admission.

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Holidays; Local; Winter
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Today, Sarah shares a soup recipe to satisfy the whole family:

The eternal struggle to find a meal for dinner is one of the banes of the mom’s existence. For millennia, we’ve been combining this and substituting that to discover the holy grail of a single dish that will fill hungry bellies, fuel growing bodies, tempt picky taste buds, and soothe savage budgets, all while being prepared with a minimum of fuss, prep, and time. Oh, yeah, and the same goes for tomorrow. And the day after that.

Recently, however, I think I may have nailed it. I’ve made this recipe before, but it went so smoothly from fridge to chopping block to pot to table to tummies I was positively a-tingle.

You can substitute the veggies that your kids will eat, or veggie broth and firm tofu if you’re not carnivores, or whole wheat soba or spaghetti for the won-tons, but this has been a hit with my whole family (including my ravenous husband) every time for about a year now. And four servings plus at least three of leftovers cost $12 or so. It’s a must-share recipe.

With apologies to those of authentic Asian descent, I present:

Chinese Chicken-Vegetable Soup
Serves 4 plus leftovers
~25 minutes prep and cooking time

Apparently (and unintentionally), today is all about Blissdom! The lovely Amanda of Oh Amanda invited me to guest post for her BLISS*TASTIC guest blog series leading up to Blissdom, and the article went live this morning. Amanda asked me to share how I manage a local blog while making it attractive to a broader audience. I receive a lot of inquiries about this topic from folks looking to start geographical niche sites, so it was a pleasure to think more concretely about this topic and share my blogging niche & beyond approach. Enjoy!

Posted by Christine Koh on 13 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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The dead of Boston winter is the perfect time to head south, but that’s not the only reason I’m thrilled to head to Blissdom in a few weeks. I heard so many amazing things about this blog conference last year, and meeting lovely co-founders Alli Worthington and Barbara Jones this year provided extra motivation to attend. The agenda is fantastic; I’m so looking forward to listening to, learning from, and meeting other bloggers, and I’m also honored to be speaking on the life balance panel. If you’re headed to Blissdom (there's still time to register), do drop me a line; it would be lovely to connect in Nashville!

Posted by Christine Koh on 13 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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Probably not unlike many of you, at any given moment, I'm overwhelmed by errands. In addition to the length of my laundry list, I'm short on hours, and also wheels, given that we're a one car family and Jon has the car most weekdays. So I was thrilled to discover the excellence of RUNmyERRAND, a local errand service that recently saved my sanity (and advanced the awesomeness of my office). Read on for more about my experience with RME, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive RUNmyERRAND credits (entry closes January 18):

UPDATE: RUNmyERRAND is has rebranded and is now known as Task Rabbit.

RUNmyERRAND is a fee-free online service that connects those overwhelmed by errands with people who want to run them. Simply sign up and purchase credits; these credits are the currency with which runners are paid and reimbursed for goods or services paid for during the errand (alternately you can reimburse for goods or services via cash on delivery). Post your errand details, including how much you are willing to pay for the errand (I recommend looking at the active errand roster to get a sense of going rates for various errands), and an alert is sent to the RME network. Then sit back and wait for runners to contact you about fulfilling the errand. Note that all runners must fill out an application then undergo a phone interview and background check in order to become a part of the runner community. Also, the RME site offers a rating and comments system -- for both runners and errand delegators -- to keep folks accountable.

So here's how RUNmyERRAND saved my sanity. I have been in desperate need of an office overhaul (like, really desperate...I'll be posting the horrendous before pictures once my office is finished). Around Christmas (naturally, the best time to take on new projects...), I decided to do something about it and narrowed in on some desks from IKEA. However, we were just back from Christmas travel and were about to turn around a couple of days later for New Year's travel. The last thing I wanted to do was drive down to IKEA and fight the crowds. And actually, we have a little car so not only would I have to drive and fight the crowds, I'd also have to rent a van or large Zipcar. I just couldn't bear doing any of this. So I figured, okay, I'll pay the exorbitant shipping, but lo, the IKEA desks I wanted were only available in store.

Enter RUNmyERRAND. I decided to give it a try after checking out the site and seeing some other IKEA runs in their active errand roster (and notably, the IKEA runs I saw listed cost less than IKEA shipping). Admittedly, though, I was a little nervous; I'm a bit of a control freak. Was this really going to work? Would the runner pick up the right desks and all the various components that go with it?

However, seeing as I wasn't going to rent a van and head to IKEA myself, I decided to have a little faith. I signed up, posted my errand, and literally within 10 minutes received responses from a couple of runners. Though the first runner didn't yet have a rating (turns out we were each others very first errand), I got a good vibe off his profile picture and decided to go for it. We exchanged a few emails to clarify details and later that day, my very courteous and friendly runner delivered two IKEA desks to my house. All the pieces were there and the desks were in perfect condition when I cracked open the boxes. Utterly convenient. Utterly awesome.

My office is still a work in process but it's already looking pretty spectacular with my two new studio desks set up. As a freelancer, I live and breathe the phrase "time is money." Outsourcing onerous (in my mind) errands that are no big deal to someone else while supporting the local economy? Totally worth it.

Now, want to be one of three winners to receive RUNmyERRAND credits? Here's how:

Today, Paige shares her raves for MiniLuxe:

“Ever since I moved back to Boston from New York, I have searched for a fabulous nail salon. Not a shmancy spa. Not a hair salon that has a great manicurist on staff. An honest-to-goodness nail shop -- the kind you find every three blocks in Manhattan, where you can walk in when the mood strikes and be guaranteed a fabulously groomed set of ten in 30 minutes for less than $20. But with no luck to date, I have had to deal with my gnarly nails and cuticles, except for the occasional weak moment when I’m willing to fork over $40 for a mani at the local spa.

Two weeks ago, I was introduced to MiniLuxe in Lexington by my mama friend Marianne. Four of us girls were looking for a way to celebrate the holidays together and Marianne booked us mani/pedis at this “nail and beauty lounge” -- the only place she could find that would take all of us at the same time. Oh, and it was a Sunday. At 10 a.m.

When I arrived, I knew it was going to be a good experience. MiniLuxe was clean (all tools are sterilized in an autoclave after each use, and files and buffers go home with you), spacious, and pretty, with a wall of OPI and Essie nail colors organized by color and perfectly labeled (for anyone who has searched for a color by turning over every bottle on the shelf, you know how fabulous this is).

Jump to an hour and fifteen minutes later after my nails (all twenty of ‘em) had been scrubbed, filed, buffed, moisturized, massaged, and lacquered for the grand price of $53, and I was sold. It got even better when seven days later (rather than the usual two), my manicure was just starting to show signs of needing a re-polish.

Between the salon’s commitment to hygiene, easy online booking, frequent service card (buy ten, get one free), amazing mom-friendly hours (open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days), and my awesome nail technician Rita, I’ll be visiting MiniLuxe regularly in 2010. Goodbye gnarly nails, hello mini-priced bliss.”

MiniLuxe, 1718 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington; 339-970-2322. Locations also in Newton Centre (792 Beacon Street) and Back Bay (296 Newbury Street).

Posted by Christine Koh on 11 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Beauty, Fitness & Wellness; Local
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Kids grow fast and seasonal gear subsequently has a short window of use, so I was thrilled to find these Bladerunner adjustable ice skates (also available in blue) for Laurel. Sturdy and (according to Laurel) comfortable, the skates are available in three size brackets, each adjustable across four sizes, which means we’ll get at least two, maybe even three, seasons out of them. Super fabulous.

And once you're properly outfitted, check out these leads for Boston area skating rinks.

Posted by Christine Koh on 11 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Sports & Fitness
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Today, Tracy shares tips to help soothe sensitive souls:

When our second son was born, he wailed from the moment I brought him up to my chest. He wailed through his first bath, an experience his older brother had loved. He wailed for the first three months we put him in his car seat. Snow suit? Wailed. Hiring a babysitter? Cue the wailing. At nearly every turn, tearfulness and sobbing were part and parcel of his experience. I realized very early that I had an emotionally sensitive kid on my hands.

In my private practice, I often talk to my clients about the two main tasks in managing an emotional experience. One has to be able to tolerate a certain amount of emotion (usually negative); this involves the ability to identify and understand the emotion as well as link it with relevant experience(s). One also has to be able to regulate the emotion; this is the ability to modulate or control the intensity and timing of our reaction, as well as whether or not we express is outwardly or hold it in. I think of these processes as sliders on a music producer’s mixing board. They can move independently of each other, yet are very much related. For example, if someone has high tolerance and high regulation of emotion, others are not likely to know much about their emotional experience. They can take a lot and are likely able to control the expression of this emotion so well that it seems hardly to make a blip on their radar. One can also have high tolerance and low regulation, or vice versa.

If, however, someone has both low tolerance and low regulation of their emotional state, you are likely to know every single thing that bothers them no matter how seemingly trivial it is. This is our son. It takes very little to send him into a flurry of tears, and they are often loud. His reactions can often seem so out of proportion to what is going on that it’s frustrating to try and help him through it. This year has been particularly hard on him. We’ve realized that in addition to being emotionally sensitive, he is also likely easily overstimluated by sensory stimuli that others are able to tolerate with a minimum of distress. Loud noises (he wears industrial hearing protection when we vacuum), bulky or wrinkly clothing, and too many people are too much for him. Add to this his tendency to worry excessively about what will happen if he misses me during the day, and you’ve got a recipe for leg-clinging, tear-filled, angst-ridden transitions, drop-offs, and new classes.

I believe that the best way to help my son is to empower him with strategies that work. He needs to learn ways that he can calm himself and feel competent in his ability to do this, so that he is not overwhelmed by every single thing that is new or loud. It is heart-wrenching to watch him struggle, but he is also my best example of courage in the face of fear. Here is what I have done/said/used to help him start on the path of self-soothing.

Find out his perception of events. My biggest lesson in this experience has been that what I think is going on and what he is taking from situations can be two vastly different things. It does not matter if his take is factually correct or not. It is what it is.

Ask what he thinks will help. I was shocked and amazed that my son came up with a rewards strategy for encouraging him to stick with his martial arts classes. He really, really wants to be a ninja, but the classes can be overwhelming for him. He typically has fun by the end of class, but each one starts out with a nervous tummy, feelings of anxiety, and yes, tears. We employed a classic sticker chart, more as a way to track his “acts of bravery” than to reward him for going specifically, but he is proud of his ability to overcome his nerves.

Teach calming alternative responses. This has been far and away the most successful strategy employed. I taught him the same breathing technique I teach clients in my private practice, which is easy enough even for a 5-year-old child to use as needed. The Perfect Breath goes like this: Breathe in for a count of 3, hold briefly at the top, then breathe out for a count of 3. It’s perfect because when you hold at the top, that is the moment when you are no longer in need of more oxygen, and don’t yet need to exhale excess carbon dioxide. This technique has the effect of slowing down breathing in a manageable, easy to implement way. The trick is to practice is when you’re not anxious. That way your body associates that rhythm with being non-anxious and the response will be quicker when you need to use it in a situation.

Encourage dialogue about what’s happening internally. What are the physical sensations that go along with the emotion? Does it have a visual image such as a color, shape, or texture? Putting tangible words to the larger more amorphous concept of emotions helps us to not only feel that emotions can be managed, but also that they can be recognized. It’s easier to breathe away a red circle of nervousness or a tickly, tumbly tummy than to “deal with anxiety.”

Explore the difference between emotions in the moment and emotional memories. For me, a big realization was that even the idea or memory of an emotion (e.g., missing me during the day, or anticipating being nervous about martial arts) was enough to trigger a full-blown emotional meltdown for my son. Talking with him about what was a memory versus what was actually happening at that moment was key in helping him feel more in control of what he experienced.

Have a plan for expected or unavoidable situations. This year’s biggest hurdle was practicing fire drills. The emotional intensity of this experience combined with the very loud bell positioned just outside the kindergarten room door added up to a horribly negative spiral of tears and wailing. Knowing that this drill was to be repeated several times leading up to the fire marshal’s inspection meant we needed a way to tackle this, and fast. Our plan was simple: deal with the sensory overload as best we could and use as many calming alternative responses as necessary. We decided that as soon as the bell sounded, he would cover his ears, and take a few breaths. This was a way to keep his mind clear enough to use visual imagery to distract himself a bit. He chose to think of something happy (my face) or funny (his baby sister running away from her diaper after a bath). He understood that it was okay to cry if he needed to.

Overall, it has been several weeks of hard work as we’ve spent endless hours exploring, experiencing, and discussing his emotions and sensory issues. I am pleased to say, though, that he has made it through the last three fire drills very successfully (on two occasions, NO tears!). It has been most gratifying to watch his and my efforts pay off as he approaches new situations and I can see him breathing to calm himself, and to listen to the note of pride in his voice as he reports on his successes at school. Mostly, I am feeling good about the fact that he is armed with coping strategies that many adults aren’t skilled at using and can employ them at such a tender age. I’m hopeful that these strategies and his knowledge of himself will serve him well as he transitions through the rest of his school years, and into adulthood. And I hope those of you who parent similarly sensitive souls will find these tips useful.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 8 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Development & Behavior
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One fun by-product of parenting is reliving games of my childhood with Laurel (oddly enough, I’m also looking forward to a second pass at learning math and history when Laurel hits high school…). And often times it’s the simplest and least expensive games and activities that offer so much fodder for fun and creativity.

Yesterday Laurel and I picked up a set of Schylling pick-up sticks at Henry Bear’s Park. Easy on the wallet at $5.99, these wooden sticks come in a wooden box with a sliding lid; great for neat storage and travel. The kit doesn’t come with the rules (which I couldn’t remember, other than trying not to move other sticks when you pick up one) and though we looked them up later, it proved fun to simply wing it and see Laurel make up her own rules, such as trying to get all of one color first (hard) or have us alternate color pairs on our turns (doable but still challenging). Oh, and if you play by the original points system, the game serves as a math exercise.

And then of course there was the fun of not picking up the sticks and instead making name, star burst, and other geometric patterns with the sticks. We pretty much spent most of the afternoon and evening goofing around with these simple little sticks.

So simple, so inexpensive, inspiring so much creativity. I love it.

Posted by Christine Koh on 8 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Art Supplies & Toys; Local; Retail
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As the mom of a sock-resistant child in a “no shoes” house (a rule stemming from my Asian upbringing and immense distaste for increased need to vacuum), slippers are a must. And if you want cute slippers for kids and grownups, check out Kaya’s Kloset. Available for feet big and small (including organics), local mama Johanna Parker offers an amazing array of handcrafted baby shoes and kid/adult slippers featuring nonskid soles to prevent crash and burns and elasticized ankles so the slippers stay put. Though Laurel shuns socks, she loves her prettily patterned Kaya’s Kloset slippers; apparently part of their appeal is their lightweight-ness (“They’re so light it feels like I’m not wearing anything!”). Which means she keeps them on. Which makes me really happy.

Now, want to win a pair of Kaya’s Kloset shoes? Here’s how:

Without fail, every time we visit with our wonderful friends Anne and Michael, we pick up lovely hosting ideas. And this New Year’s Eve we learned about raclette, a dish/serving method that’s wonderfully communal and conversation inspiring. It’s also perfect for people like me who like to sample a little bit of everything at dinner, and it presents elegantly while being super simple to prepare.

European in origin, the modern way to serve raclette is via a tabletop grill, such as the Swissmar raclette grill that our friends own (their model is oval; the one shown here apparently is a newer version of the same). The set comes with eight little pans (and matching little spatulas) that fit under the griddle; the downward heat melts cheese and the topside serves to cook food directly. Simply melt cheese in the pan and pour it over nibbles on your plate, or assemble a little collection of nibbles in your pan and top with cheese to melt.

Anne and Michael made such a pretty presentation. The raclette grill sat in the middle of the table and on either side were plates of mixed cheese (raclette and gruyère) and platters and little dishes of food (boiled potatoes, chorizo, sausage, apple, ham, broccoli, mushrooms, cornichons, sauerkraut, and onions). The beauty of this serving method is that you can present any variety of items (because really, anything tastes great with cheese melted over the top) and guests can pick and choose what suits them in the moment. It’s a great way to use up random food in your fridge!

Though ours was a gathering of good friends, Anne and Michael said that raclette has proven great for gatherings where the guests don’t know one another as well. The communal eating creates a relaxed environment and serves as an instant point of conversation.

Normally I shy away from extra appliances, but this raclette grill totally is on my wish list.

Posted by Christine Koh on 6 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Gadgets; Home
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Today, Kate recommends a thought provoking book about motherhood:

“The essayist Caitlin Flanagan has developed a successful career writing thoughtfully and often with acerbic humor on issues of family, marriage, motherhood, and feminism. She courts controversy by raising uncomfortable questions about whether men or women are better suited to housework, whether small children should be cared for by anyone other than their mothers, and whether contemporary women are fundamentally unsuited to accept the sacrifices required by marriage. She points at working mothers, stay-at-home mothers, and work-at-home mothers -- in other words, all of us -- and asks us to look into ourselves to understand our motivations, our compromises, and our choices and their impacts on our children. She is also the mother of twin boys, and a breast cancer survivor.

Her fascinatingly readable 2006 collection of essays To Hell with All That: Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife is the kind of book that you may love or you may hate but you won't be able to avoid thinking about. From her analysis of the Martha Stewart phenomenon to her description of her own postpartum depression and isolation -- a chapter that rang true for me -- Flanagan is honest about her own flaws as a mother and so allows her readers to be the same. The result is enlightening, engaging, guilt-inducing, and often laugh-out-loud funny. Whether you know her work from magazines like The New Yorker and The Atlantic or are coming to her fresh, Flanagan and To Hell with All That are worth getting to know.”

Posted by Christine Koh on 6 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (4) | Filed in Books & Entertainment; Family Issues; For Grownups; Mama in the Workplace; Pregnancy & Postpartum
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As I noted in yesterday’s year in review post, it has been a remarkable and humbling year for press and accolades. And 2010 started in a similarly humbling fashion when I hit the grocery store this weekend, picked up the January issue of Boston Magazine, and followed the front page teaser to see myself as the story lead in Elizabeth Elfman’s article on Boston mommy bloggers. Elfman did well capturing my story in the context of the amazing proliferation of local mommy blogs, and the potential relation to highly educated and savvy Hub women turning towards blogging following (late) motherhood. However, the concluding paragraphs drew my concern and I wanted to address that here.

Elfman segues from describing the Boston mommy blogging landscape as a highly opinionated one to the development of Blog with Integrity – a campaign that offers bloggers (all bloggers, not just mommy ones) a means to express commitment to a simple code of blogging conduct. As a stickler for ethics and standards, I was thrilled to learn about BWI before it went public; in fact, I was so on board with their mission that I designed the logo and website gratis. However, that (plus signing the pledge and posting the badge) is where my involvement with BWI ended.

That disclosure aside, here's my concern. Aside from the fact that Susan Getgood actually is the only local co-founder (the other three are based in New York City, Atlanta, and Denver), BWI is described as an initiative that has been met with a “tepid response” -- presumably a conclusion drawn from the accompanying statements that the campaign launched at BlogHer Chicago with 15,000 attendees, and that fewer than 2,000 BWI pledges have been signed.

However, the attendance at BlogHer was 1,500, not 15,000. And while not everyone who has signed the BWI pledge was at BlogHer, using the 1,500 number in parallel paints a very different picture. And if one takes into consideration BWI’s active engagement with the community via social media (responding to both positive and negative responses) and the various press they have drawn, and the fact that engaging the pledge requires voluntary blogger action (signing the pledge and/or taking the time to post a badge on your site), it’s pretty safe to say that the response -- both from the blogging community and the media -- has been anything but tepid.

You may be wondering why I care enough to post about this; I received incredible press, shouldn’t I just let it go? Yes, I’m truly grateful to be included in the article and I think that most of the article is really well executed. However, a critical error (re: BlogHer attendance and BWI pledge takers) led to a highly flawed conclusion. Second, once I got over my initial excitement about the article and expressed my concern about the BWI errors to Jon, he astutely pointed out that I have a way to address this issue that is easier and faster than submitting then waiting for a correction to be printed in a follow up issue of Boston Magazine. And third, as I mentioned, I'm a stickler for ethics and standards. I believe in Blog with Integrity and am grateful to be part of an amazing community replete with bloggers who are deeply committed to and passionate about ethical editorial standards.

In keeping with the understandably Boston-centric tone of the article, perhaps a more fitting conclusion would be that the response to BWI has been impressive, and that a lot of bloggers in Boston's blogging hub have opted to be part of that impressive initiative.

Image credit: From the Boston Magazine article - illustration by David Brinley

Posted by Christine Koh on 5 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (5) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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I don’t typically post about contests on other sites, but I wanted to share this Simplify My Life campaign from Mom Bloggers Club because: a) it’s pretty sweet; b) anyone tuned in here over the holidays knows I'm all about simplifying; and c) I evaluated the product being given away so I know first hand how fantastic it is. In a nutshell, MBC & HP are giving away the super slick HP Studio Tord Boontje Mini 110 netbook. Actually, six of them. Simply blog about how the Mini 110 could simplify your life; the three most creative blog entries will win a Mini 110, plus three randomly drawn readers who comment in on these Simplify My Life posts will receive a Mini 110 (so, if you don't blog, read and comment in!). Be sure to check out the entry rules, and for details on usability and performance, read my evaluation.

Posted by Christine Koh on 5 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Gadgets; Home; Mama in the Workplace
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I meant to write this post in advance of January 1 but instead opted to take a much needed break to enjoy downtime with family and friends. However, this week I'll hit the 1800 post mark at Boston Mamas -- a number that seems both arbitrary and momentous -- and it seemed fitting to peruse the 2009 archives and reflect on what happened this past year. So much of my life is set in the context of the work I put into Boston Mamas, and it truly is an honor to be here with you. I hope you enjoy this recap of my favorite posts and notable occurrences of 2009 and I wish you all a year full of joy and blessings and fantastic surprises!

I love that in 2009 I was able to: