The Famundo Blog

More Extreme Parenting

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 23:03:00 GMT

More on the extreme parenting phenonenom.(hat tip I Speak of Dreams.)

There’s a new book coming out, Alissa Quart’s Hothouse Kids: The Dilemma of the Gifted Child (ISBN 1594200955).

Here’s an exerpt in the July/August issue of The Atlantic Monthly.

From the book:

“The vast giftedness industry has expanded to include such disparate phenomena as the teaching of baby sign language, the IQ testing of toddlers, and the proliferation of video programs like the Baby Einstein series. (Never mind that Einstein himself was a late bloomer; he didn’t speak until he was three, and no one thought him “gifted.”) Specialized camps and competitions are now enrolling the youngest of children; classes include soccer for three-year-olds and Broadway Babies for starlets of only six months.”

Highly recommended.

Posted in Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

Famundo's new face

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:50:00 GMT

We’ve got a fresh new face, thanks to our incredible development team! This new skin is aligned with the look and feel of Famundo’s corporate web site.

Let us know what you think!

Posted in Famundo | no comments | no trackbacks

Dads101.com

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 02:07:00 GMT

This seems like a really promising site, Dads101.com is a resource for Single Dads. It is a place where single Dads can find useful information to help them become better fathers and better men.

There are a number of areas that still have no content, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

Posted in Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

Another good review of Brain/Child

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 01:58:00 GMT

Another good review of Brain, Child over at FeministMormonHousewives.

Posted in Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

Some of us were once hippies

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 01:33:00 GMT

This was a real deja vu for me. I read Victor Papanek’s 1973-4 “Nomadic Furniture” book about 20 years ago and had totally forgotten the name of the book and the author’s name. I mean it is kind of a hippie, alternative lifestyle kind of book, but it had a lot of cool ideas.

DaddyTypes has an article which talks about the book and the 14-or so page section on Children, Babies & Small Kids that includes spreads on used tire playgrounds and scary-looking swinging contraptions.

It’s a good read.

Posted in Family Life, Technology | no comments | no trackbacks

Asha Dornfest podcast on Life Hacks

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 01:10:00 GMT

Life Hacks has a great podcast interview with Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks. Asha has been doing an incredible job with her blog. You should read it often.

Listen to the whole podcast here .

Posted in Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

Colleges are doing it too

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:54:00 GMT

It seems that parents aren’t the only ones using technolgy to keep track of kids.

According to this AP article, Colleges go cellular to contact students, some colleges are requiring mandatory cell phones with which the school can pinpoint their whereabouts on or off campus.

Posted in Parenting, Technology, Setting Limits | no comments | no trackbacks

Big Mother

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:32:00 GMT

I’m not sure if this is going too far or not. Where do the boundries of trust end? Perhaps it is the society that we live in today.

Via pasta&vinegar, the SFGate.com has an article Parents turn to tech toys to track teens.

In addition to Verizon’s Chaperone service and Sprint’s Family Locator service, there are a number of companies that are offering technology to keep track of your kids.

SmartWear Technologies in San Diego plans to take GPS monitoring to another level in the fall, offering radio-frequency tags for children’s clothing

CarChip, made by Davis Instruments in Hayward, makes a device that plugs in beneath a car’s dashboard and records driving behavior. The data it collects can be downloaded to a computer, and the device can sound an alarm when the car speeds or accelerates too fast.

This is fascinating stuff. Would love to get your comments on it.

Read the article here.

Posted in Family Life, Technology, Setting Limits, Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

A new parenting magazine

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Sun, 09 Jul 2006 02:36:00 GMT

Wondertime certainly has it’s heart in the right place. They are dedicated to “helping parents nurture their children’s love of learning. A blend of h’ow and why, Wondertime inspires moms of infants through 6-year-olds to see the world through the eyes of their children, and to celebrate the wonder of this all-too-fleeting time.”

Ain’t that the truth. It seems like ony yesterday that our son was entering pre-school and next year he’ll be a high schooler.

Wondertime is a beautifully designed web site. I haven’t had much time to peruse it yet, but it looks very promising.

Check it out.

Posted in Family Life, Parenting | no comments | no trackbacks

Executive Parenting

Posted by Richard Kuhlenschmidt Sun, 09 Jul 2006 02:25:00 GMT

A new book, Executive Parenting : Risks & Solutions for the Working Parent claims to cover such topics as:

“Divorce, single parenting, substance abuse, careers, and the search for personal satisfaction and achievement.”

According to their description, “health expert Debi Davis and Marriage and Family Counselor Dr. Ellen Sherman have combined their knowledge and experience to deliver a comprehensive manual for child-rearing in the 21st century. Davis & Sherman take a fresh look at: Family Planning and Playtime, “Mirroring” and Building Self-esteem, School Selection and Education, Gang Participation, Overcoming the Temptation To Spoil, Attention Deficit Disorders, and more!”

Let us know if you had a chance to read this book.

Posted in Parenting, Family Life | no comments | no trackbacks