• Created on 1/7/10 by Mothering Editorial

By Jonathan Rowe and Gary Ruskin Paul Kurnit is the president of KidShop, an advertising firm that specializes in marketing to children, and he has plans for our kids. "Kid business has become big business," Kurnit says.1 To make kid business even bigger, he preaches what he calls "surround marketing": saturation advertising that captures kids at every possible moment.2 "You've got to reach kids throughout the day-in school, as they're shopping at the mall, or at the movies," says Carol Herman, a senior vice president at Grey Advertising. "You've got to become part... read more

• Created on 1/5/10 by Mothering Editorial

Jan 06, 2010 Maybe you were one of the millions of people who vowed to reduce their eco-footprint this year when the clocked turned twelve, or perhaps you are always on the lookout for a new reason to go green. If so, the new One Small Change Challenge, created and sponsored by small business owner and mom Suzy Hawbacker from Hip Mountain Mama, is for you. Hawbacker and crew are using their internet savvy and the power of the blogosphere to promote environmentalism by challenging anyone and everyone to make one eco-friendly change each month leading up to Earth Day on... read more

• Created on 12/27/09 by Mothering Editorial

How do we discourage family members from buying our children junk/commercial toys?The best way is to be straightforward. Let your loved ones know that you want to be vigilant about the toys to which your children are exposed. The holidays actually present an excellent opportunity for us to raise awareness among family members about our values and the role of toys in reinforcing--or undermining-- them. And here, there is no need to reinvent the wheel - or to look very far. I believe the November 2003 issue of Mothering included a sample letter for family and friends on... read more

• Created on 12/20/09 by Mothering Editorial

Here's an example of how to explain your gift preferences to friends and family. Dear Relatives and Friends: We appreciate how much you love our/my children, and, as you know, we are trying our best to raise them to respect and revere the world. This year, for holidays and birthdays, please join us in our efforts to raise strong kids by resisting the urge to buy the commercialized clutter advertised on TV. Here are some different gift ideas: Spend time together. Activities need not be exotic. A trip to the fire station, a performance, or a trip to... read more

• Created on 11/10/09 by mamazee

By Jeremy Adam Smith I was at the playground talking with some moms. "I could never ride the bus!" said one. "They're so dirty and crowded." "Taking the bus with a baby?" said another. "That's just child abuse!" I hate to think what they would have said about my family, had they known our terrible secret: On the second day of my son's life, we took him on a bus to see his doctor. We had no choice. You see, we don't own a car. In fact, neither my wife nor I have drivers' licenses. We deliberately gave them up in our twenties, and ever since we've walked,... read more

• Created on 11/10/09 by Mothering Editorial

July 17, 2012 news update: FDA Bans BPA from Bottles and Sippy Cups Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical which has been linked to reproductive abnormalities, increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease, has been restricted in some states and entirely in Canada due to the associated health concerns. Concerns about the chemical in food containers, plastic bottles, and toys have been increasingly discussed and debated over the past few years as the Food and Drug Administration decides what a "safe" level of exposure to BPA might be. This month,... read more

• Created on 10/22/09 by Mothering Editorial

Oct 22, 2009The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has succeeded in one of its efforts to stop false and deceptive marketing of baby videos by persuading the Walt Disney Company to offer a full refund to anyone who purchased a Baby Einstein DVD in the last five years. A CCFC 2006 Federal Trade Commission complaint forced Disney to stop claiming that Baby Einstein videos were educational for infants, but the company made no move to compensate parents who purchased them. Continued pressure from CCFC members was integral in convincing Disney agreed to reimburse... read more

• Created on 10/14/09 by Mothering Editorial

By Beatrice Ekwa EkokoWeb Exclusive - December 18, 2006  We haven't watched the weather report this closely all summer. For the umpteenth time today, my daughter has been checking at the window "to see what it's doing out there." Is the rain going to hold off or are we going to celebrate a soggy Car Free Day? Each year on September 22nd, International Car Free Day is celebrated by over 100 million people in about 1,500 cities around the world. From babies to the elderly, people get together to reclaim streets: to close them off and have parties, play road hockey games,... read more

• Created on 10/13/09 by Mothering Editorial

Issue 98, January/February 2000 Harsh perfumes and chemical emissions have long been known to induce asthma-like symptoms in children and adults. Now, researchers have found that disposable diapers might be a trigger for asthma. A study published in the October, 1999 issue of the Archives of Environmental Health found that laboratory mice exposed to various brands of disposable diapers suffered increased eye, nose, and throat irritation, including bronchoconstriction similar to that of an asthma attack. Six leading cotton and disposable diaper brands were... read more

• Created on 10/7/09 by Mothering Editorial

Oct 08, 2009 Thanks to efforts by The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, and parents and activists across the nation, BusRadio, a commercial radio station to be played on school buses, has ceased operations. In school districts who had signed up with BusRadio, commercials for such products as Barbie and Cingular Wireless were to be played to children among pop songs and other targeted messages as the kids rode to and from school. This victory culminates a three year struggle by the CCFC to keep this forced advertising away from school children.Read the full report... read more