MIX Means Variety » parenting

Mom Forces Stepdaughter to Wear Thrift Store Clothes for Being a Bully

Donald Deane — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:47:58 +0000

We've seen parents use unique methods to punish kids in the past -- through Facebook and by making them carry signs on busy streets, for example. But a Utah woman punished her stepdaughter in the most creative way yet by forcing her to wear ill-fitting thrift store clothing for being a bully.

Mommy Blogger April B- Seeing Beyond the Frustration

April B. — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:55:43 +0000

Sigh. I think the hardest thing about being a parent is there's no darn crystal ball. There's no instruction manual. There's no FAQ's. No help desk. No troubleshooting matrix. Nothing. We can Google and read books and ask for advice... but at the end of the day, it all comes down to gritting your teeth, making a decision and hoping it was the right one.

Dad Not Invited to Picnic Sets House on Fire Because That's the Most Reasonable Thing to Do

Drew Weisholtz — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:27:03 +0000

A man in a Poland has found himself to be a favorite in the contest for “overreaction of the year.” Czeslaw Kaminski, 69, blew up his home because his wife and kids went to a picnic without him. That’s right — instead of realizing he was being given the elusive gift of peace and quiet, [...]

iPotty Lets Pottytraining Toddlers Use the Bathroom Like Grownups

Stephanie McMaster — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:00:24 +0000

Pottytraining can be frustrating, not to mention time consuming, cutting into precious minutes a toddler could be spending watching Dora the Explorer, but not anymore! Meet the iPotty, a training toilet with a built-in holder for an iPad so your toddler can use the restroom just like a grownup -- while playing Angry Birds and watching Netflix.

Mother Wants To Punish Kids By Making them Wear Shirts That Say "I Steal" and "Bully" To School

Lori Crofford — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:30:56 +0000

I have heard some interesting punishments from parents who are trying to get through to their kids. Some parents make their kids stand on a busy intersection holding a sign saying what they did wrong. Others, make their kids do manual labor. However, in a society where spanking doesn't occur much anymore, this Colorado mother thought she would try something different.

Dad Turns Kids' Sandwich Bags Into Artistic Masterpieces

Stephanie McMaster — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:53:32 +0000

A Massachusetts father gives his children a reason, beyond the possibility of string cheese, to look forward to lunch. David Laferriere of Attleboro has been drawing on his kids' sandwich bags for the past five years, posting pics of each doodle to his flickr account.

Funny Tweets By Parents The Week Of March 4

Stephanie McMaster — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:35:20 +0000

The popularity of social networking has given parents all new ways to embarrass their offspring, and often in hilarious fashion. Our favorite funny tweets by parents this week perfectly captured the frustration (and humiliation) that comes along with parenting. Check out 10 of our favorite things said on Twitter by parents this week: Danny Zuker [...]

Should The U.S. Adopt Finland's 'Baby Box' For New Parents?

Stephanie McMaster — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:07:40 +0000

When it comes to maternity leave, The United States earns a pretty dismal ranking when compared to other countries, being the only first-world country, and one of only three countries (the others being Lesotho, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea) that does not offer paid maternity leaves. Not only do other countries have better systems in place for maternity leave, but they have some pretty great welcoming gifts for their newest citizens. In Finland, for example, new parents can choose between receiving the above maternity package filled with essentials for baby's first few months or a tax-free lump sum of 140 euros as a maternity grant.

One Million Moms Group Wants GEICO Ad Yanked — And You Won't Believe Why

Drew Weisholtz — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:00:50 +0000

GEICO has a seemingly infinite number of ad campaigns going these days, but who would’ve guessed that one featuring a talking pig would cause such controversy? The group One Million Moms is furious that an ad for the insurance company starring the swine, named Maxwell, is offensive because it endorses bestiality. The group is now [...]

Mommy Blogger April B. – Anger Management

April B. — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:41:52 +0000

As I snuggled up with my very sweet, very cuddly 4-year old son one evening, I wondered how children can have so many personalities throughout the day? He patted my hand and called me sweetie-pie, which as relationships between little boys and their moms often go, is just the way its supposed to be. “How [...]

Mother Banned from Mentioning Her Kids on Social Media After She Insults Son with a Dirty Word

Drew Weisholtz — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:11:48 +0000

A judge didn’t throw the book at one upstate New York mom as much as he threw the Facebook at her. The woman, identified only as “Melody M.,” has been banned from posting anything about her children on any social networking site. The woman called her 10-year-old son a dirty word on Facebook. We can’t [...]

Motherhood is the Best Gift in the World

Lori Crofford — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:20:43 +0000

As I was laying in bed this morning trying to get the oomph to get out of bed. I had a moment to reflect back on the last 6 years of my life. Six years ago today I became a mom. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. In one moment I [...]

Awesome Dad Builds Spaceship for Son

Emerald Catron — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:24:25 +0000

This guy’s Dad Level = Outer space. With some donated old electronics and a master control board found in a TV station’s dumpster, he built his son a spaceship. Then Redditor JeremiahGordon shared his results with the world. We must admit, we’re pretty impressed. Take a look! Donated Electronics Control Board Add a NASA logo [...]

Naps Just Got Weird Thanks to Ostrich Pillow

Cameron Simcik — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:30:20 +0000

Sometimes we just want to conk out in the middle of the day. You know what we’re talking about -- that 5-Hour Energy jerk made a fortune talking about it. You so desperately want to take a cat nap, but your so-called "job" doesn't provide you with a bed OR a pillow. Good news -- Ostrich Pillow's got ya covered.

'World's Best Father' Documents Hilarious Scenes With Daughter

Jeremy Taylor — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:15:28 +0000

Not long after photographer Dave Engledow's daughter Bree was born in 2010 he got a novelty "World's Best Father" mug. But the first-time dad didn't always feel like he was completely on top of the whole fatherhood thing. So to express his constant bewilderment he set up a funny picture of himself absent-mindedly squirting bottle milk into that very coffee-filled World's Best Father mug as he held his baby.

How Long Does It Take for a New Mom to Feel Like Herself Again?

Shauna Wright — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:01:47 +0000

Celebrity moms seem to bounce back from pregnancy and childbirth with lightning speed — but is that typical? According to a new British survey, it’s not — in fact, most mothers of the mortal variety often require more than a year to feel like their pre-pregnancy selves again. The poll of 1,000 British mothers of [...]

Warning to Parents! Your Kids Might Be Hiding What They're Really Up to Online

Don Deane — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:00:13 +0000

It’s no secret that our children are more adept at using technology than we are, but a new survey by computer security company McAfee suggests their using their skills to be sneaky. According to the survey, a shocking 70 percent of teens (up from 45 percent in 2010) may be hiding their online behavior from [...]

Wannabe Grandparents Go to Extremes By Paying to Have Daughters' Eggs Frozen

Shauna Wright — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:25:18 +0000

Parents who nag their adult daughters about making them grandparents are often the bane of childless women everywhere.

But some are taking it a step further and paying to have their daughters’ eggs frozen for use later on.

Drunk Driver Arrested With Four Kids Strapped To Hood Of His Car

Deanna Hart — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:15:16 +0000

Stories about drunk drivers doing stupid things are pretty standard fare but in this case we got ourselves, what our MeeMaw would refer to as, a real humdinger. See it seems an Indiana man and his wife or girlfriend or whatever, got hammered and decided that they needed to strap their 4 kids to the [...]

A Father Makes His 4-Year Old Run Around in the Snow in His Underwear [VIDEO]

Lori Crofford — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:32:38 +0000

This borders on a thin line when it comes to child abuse. A father forces his 4-year old to run around in the snow in just his underwear and a pair of shoes. Apparently, this was done to “toughen him up.” Really, a 4-year old practically naked in the snow. This video is disturbing. According [...]