Tampabay.com
MAY 03, 2011

Kid say something cute? Win money

Kids can say the darnedest things, and if they’re the darn funniest, you could win big.

The Chicken of the Sea Funniest Kids’ Quotes Contest is “an interactive contest asking parents to submit the funniest thing their child has ever said with the contest winners being chosen by popular public vote.” Parents enter via the Facebook page until June 6, 2011. You can then encourage friends and family to vote once a day until the voting period ends on June 28. Daily random winners will receive various prize packs and the Grand Prize winner will win a family trip to a Disney theme park and runners-up will receive cash awards of $1,000 and $500.

See all of the contest rules here and start submitting to what makes you laugh from your little one.

--Tracey Henry

Follow us on Twitter @WhoaMomma

NOVEMBER 29, 2010

Is parenting like a drug?

needle.jpgSlate offers an interesting theory on parenting. We are junkies.

     But when parents think about parenting, they don't remember the background stress. They remember the cuddle and the kiss. Parenting is a series of intensely high highs, followed by long periods of frustration and stress, during which you go to great lengths to find your way back to that sofa and that kiss.
      We have a name for people who pursue rare moments of bliss at the expense of their wallets and their social and professional relationships: addicts.
      Children regularly give parents the kind of highs that only narcotics can rival. The unpredictability of those moments of bliss is an important factor in their addictiveness.
... Read more

FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Old Yeller, that's me

IStock_000008166756Small Last year at this time, as a joke, I suggested that I give up yelling for Lent, which runs from Fat Tuesday to Easter. When my kids burst out laughing, I got offended. Whattaya mean I can't do it? It can't be that hard. So last year I gave it a go and gave the household permission to call me on it. I should have also made them give up something, like getting on my last freaking nerve every day and making me slip up. ... Read more

JANUARY 25, 2010

It's been 37 years since landmark "Roe v. Wade" case

I'd wager to say that if the game show Family Feud posed the question, "What's the most well-known U.S. Mom_cassell Supreme Court case?'' the top answer would be Roe v. Wade. People immediately know it as the case that gave women the constitutional right to abortion.

If you follow politics or watch the news, it's hard to believe the case was decided in 1973. Feelings about abortion are still so raw and openly expressed, regardless of position. What happens to abortion rights in the years and decades to come is far from certain. Pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood don't take it for granted.
... Read more
AUGUST 28, 2009

I'm one of those moms on meds

Mom_pills The final straw broke about 18 months ago. I was driving my three children to soccer practice.
 
 “I have a surprise for ya’ll,” I told them as I lifted up the Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds double CD. One disc was Hannah, the other, Miley Cyrus. 
 
They chimed out “thank you,” “cool” and “awesome.”  Then my son, almost 5 at the time, dared to ask to hold it.
 
“No, he’ll break it,” one daughter exclaimed.  She and her sister promptly argued over who would open it.
 
“I will open it,” I said flatly. “Why does everything have to be such a big deal?”
  ... Read more
JULY 23, 2009

Should my baby be on a schedule?

Mom_babyclock As I approach the end of my maternity leave I’m really starting to freak out about how my husband and I will manage the new schedule. It seems like we just figured out our current routine and now it’s about to change.

In preparation for the new routine, I decided to take a look at what other moms of infants are doing. I stumbled across this interesting post. There are a variety of schedules from stay-at-home moms and working moms, breastfed and formula fed.
... Read more
JULY 20, 2009

Mommas, get your free pastry with drink purchase at Starbucks on Tuesday

Mom_starbucksfood You know you love the coffee or your skinny latte or whatever drink makes you tick. But this Tuesday from opening until 10:30 a.m., you can also get a free pastry with your tall, grande or venti drink. And it looks like just about every pastry they serve is fair game -- muffins, scones, bagels, croissants, danish, fritters and coffeecakes. Just print out the invitation and you're good to go. So after you drop off the kids at camp, you can relax and enjoy your treat.

-- Sherry Robinson

JULY 08, 2009

Tell us about your child's summer camp

I did laundry every day last week when my older son was at the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Pioneer Camp. If you are familiar with it, the kids who attend the camp are generally dirty every day and then get hosed down at the end of the day. So every day he was soaking wet after playing in the mud, getting in the line of fire of squish (it's rotten food than is basically squished by a sledgehammer) or going through the pudding gauntlet. It used to be the pudding pole but the gauntlet is fun too, only maybe dirtier. ... Read more

JUNE 15, 2009

My baby likes TV!

I have a confession to make: MMom_babytv y baby likes television.

As a new mom life can be hectic. And there are times when I just need my three-month old son to stay put in a nice, safe, confined place.

And at this point, the Boppy lounger  just isn’t cutting it.

So these days I’m utilizing a little bouncer chair that sort of reminds me of a baby recliner. The trick is to cover my son with his favorite silky blanket and click on a colorful cartoon and voila’ you’ve got one content infant. ... Read more

MAY 28, 2009

Parents strike back at over-the-top kid parties

Mom_party A few weeks ago, I told my fellow Mommas about how stressed out I felt about my son's upcoming third birthday and at the cost of most of the party venues that his classmates were using. I also worried about how it would look to the other kids and parents to have a low frills, low budget celebration. ... Read more

Advertisement

THE AUTHORS

Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.

E-mail Sharon Kennedy Wynne:
wynne@tampabay.com

SP_255665_CROS_KATE.jpgAfter six long years of trying to have a baby, Kate Brassfield was finally able to have one. And then, two minutes later, another one. Suddenly the lady who had never been around babies before was juggling two! Just as Kate felt she was getting pretty good with babies, the girls became toddlers, and now Kate is back to Square One, learning about the care and feeding of these strange, wonderful creatures. She spends her days working part-time from home and trying to keep up with the Twinosaurus Wrecks.

E-mail Kate Brassfield:
katedaphne17@gmail.com

Freelance writer Courtney Cairns Pastor wasn’t so sure about having kids and how she would balance child-rearing with her journalism career. It turned out that her journalism training went to good use. As the mom to a funny, active toddler, she learned to handle him like she did her sources. Never ask yes or no questions (the answer will always be no), get him to be specific (are you crying because you’re wet or your tooth hurts?) and be prepared for anything because no two days are the same. When she’s not playing trucks, Courtney crams for her book club, trains for races and occasionally bursts into showtunes. E-mail her at courtneyblogs@gmail.com.

Suzannah DiMarzio has it bad for the Mouse. Although she grew up outside of Boston, she took her degree in tourism management down to Orlando just to work at Disney and the travel industry. Of course, when she married her high school sweetheart, the reception was at Disney. She’s now a seasoned stay-at-home mom to two tweens and a toddler – and yes, that is as crazy as it sounds. Suzannah has her own blog, ZannaLand.com , and she's a member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel in addition to being addicted to Twitter, iced coffee, and watching way too much Yo, Gabba Gabba.

Comment Policy

Please be sure your comments are appropriate before submitting them. Inappropriate comments include content that:
Is libelous
Is abusive, harassing, or threatening
Is obscene, vulgar, or profane
Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive
Is illegal or encourages criminal acts
Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution
Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others
Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious)
Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises
The Tampa Bay Times does not edit posts but reserves the right to delete comments that violate our policy.