What makes Time's breastfeeding cover so controversial?

Yesterday, I wrote a front-page piece for Yahoo.com about this Time Magazine cover, which shows 26-year-old attachment-parenting advocate Jamie Lynne Grumet nursing her nearly 4-year-old son.

Does this cover cross the line? (Photo: Time.com)

You can read that piece here: Reactions to Time Magazine's breastfeeding cover: Did Time go too far? Today's follow up, about Grumet's appearance on NBC's "Today" show, is here: Jamie Lynne Grumet defends her Time magazine breastfeeding cover.

One day and nearly 17,000 comments later, I thought I'd write about what I really think about the controversy.

Fashion and the First Lady, sex-selective abortion in India, the dark side of gluten-free, the Rapture, and more

Sometimes I don't get around to posting as frequently as I'd like, but I'm still writing as much as ever (or more!) elsewhere. As promised, here is a round-up recent articles. If there's radio silence over here at WriteEditRepeat, be sure to click over to my archive at Yahoo!'s Shine, where new posts go up nearly daily.

President Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, and First Lady Michelle Obama in England this week. (Photo: Getty Images via Yahoo! Shine)

Michelle Obama goes glam and stays stylish while touring Great Britain: A slideshow (with commentary) on what the First Lady chose to wear in England and Ireland this week—and how her choice of designers also makes a political statement.


Fewer girls being born in India due to sex-selective abortion: India's 2011 Census reveals a serious problem: a big decline in the number of girls younger than 7 years old, a sign that the practice of aborting female fetuses may be on the rise.


Going gluten-free? Or hiding an eating disorder? The latest controversy erupts when a blogger at Forbes says the gluten-free "fad" is another way for teens to disguise anorexia. I think she's wrong. Here's why.


The most well-read cities in the U.S.: It's no surprise that Cambridge, Mass.—home to Harvard University and MIT—topped the list. What's more surprising is which cities aren't on it.

Botox Mom isn't the only one: 3 other famous scams: Last week, I covered the story of the California mom who said she injected her 8-year-old regularly with Botox. It turned out to be a hoax, but her case isn't the first one in which a parent pulled a scam and forced their kids to go along with it.

What if you believe the Rapture is coming—but your family doesn't? Harold Camping is officially zero for two with his Rapture predictions, but that didn't stop some of his followers from selling all their things because they were certain that they were going to be taken up on May 21. It didn't happen (his revised date is now October 21). What is it like when the parents are true believers, but their kids aren't? Related: The CDC—yes, the actual CDC—offers tips on preparing for a zombie apocalypse.

What's up with Beyonce's skin tone? Beyonce's latest album, "4," drops this summer and on its cover she looks brighter—and lighter—than ever. We take a look back at her album covers over the years. Is she being styled to look "whiter," as some critics claim? Or is it just a trick of the light?

Ask the Obama Administration about women, education, and workplace issues

I'll be in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, March 30, to chat with White House officials about issues that affect women in education, employment, and work-life balance. I've been collecting questions from Shine readers and Facebook users, and I'd love it if you'd leave yours in the comments here: What do you want us to ask the Obama Administration about women in the workplace, education, or work-life balance?

Earlier this month, the White House published "Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being," the first comprehensive federal report since 1963, when President Kennedy's Commission on the Status of Women, chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, was released. The 2011 report pulls together data from a variety of sources and studies, offering a big-picture view of the issues women face today, and how women's lives in the United States has changed over time.

At 5:05 p.m. (Eastern Time), I'll be talking about the report with senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, the chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and Preeta Bansal,General Counsel and Senior Policy Adviser at the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President. Our conversation will be livestreamed at whitehouse.gov and on the White House's Facebook page (I'll be taking questions from the live audience, too, if there's time!). And you can also watch it right here at WriteEditRepeat!

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Tune in! And in the meantime, let me know: What concerns do you have about women, education, and workplace issues in America today?

Survey: Coupon clippers use savings for necessities

A survey released today by coupon company RedPlum found that more than half of those who used coupons put their savings toward buying basic necessities. Another 26 percent of respondents said that they use the money they save to pay down debt.

They're not just saving chump change, either: Sixty-five percent said they save as much as $50 a week. Not a bad payback on an hour or so worth of time.

RedPlum's "Mom Saver-in-Chief" Lisa Reynolds, host of radio show "Viva La Value," says she saves about $30 per shopping trip by using coupons, and invests only about 20 minutes of time each week searching for savings. "You look for the categories you care most about," she suggested during an interview in New York. Before coupons, she used to spend about $500 per shopping trip on her family of four. Now? "About $325," she said. "It's all about choices."

Another trick is to be aware of what you buy and where you shop. "Big warehouse stores don't always make sense," she pointed out. "Canned goods may actually be better at the grocery store."

The RedPlum Purse String Study, which was based on information gathered from more than 16,000 participants, shows that people are more money conscious than ever. While so-called "coupon queens" may rack up some spectacular savings -- Kathy Spencer of How to Shop for Free says she ends up spending less than $10 a week to feed her family of six, including pets -- their techniques might not work for everyone. "I don't think most people can do that," Reynolds said. But searching for coupon codes online and spending a few minutes paging through the circulars can make sense. "With about 20 minutes of work per week, you can samve more than $1,000 a year," Reynolds pointed out. "Frugal isn't a bad thing any more."

Two new planets in the Milky Way?

On Wednesday NASA announced that two new (or is that "new") planets had been discovered orbiting the same star in the Milky Way galaxy. The planets -- each slightly smaller than Saturn, have a clear gravitational interaction, scientists said, and were discovered using the Kepler Space Telescope.

You can read more about the Kepler Mission here.

Let's chat: Yahoo!'s Shine and WriteEditRepeat ask if being a SAHM is a career choice

I'll be on Twitter tonight at 7 p.m. (EST) with @YahooShine for tonight's Shine Chat. We'll be talking about an article I wrote for The 36-Hour Day and Yahoo! recently asking if staying home with your kids is a career choice. (I think it is.) Click the links to read the article, check out the discussion in the comments, then join in the chat on Twitter; the hashtag is #YShineChat and I'm @WriteEditRepeat.

Parents disciplining kids in public: When do you intervene?

Some time ago, I wrote about a case in which a 61-year-old man slapped a stranger's crying child in a Stone Mountain, Georgia, Wal-Mart. The post garnered a whopping 245 comments over at Boston.com, and the blogosphere is similarly on fire right now over a story out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where a  fed-up mom on a Southwest Airlines flight slapped her 13-month-old after the tot kicked her one too many times. A flight attendant took the screaming baby away from the mother, prompting parents across the country to wonder where the line is between intervention and interference.

I'm not one to slap a crying child -- a 13-month-old doesn't usually have the ability to calmly and rationally explain what's wrong, and a 2-year-old can melt down under circumstances that wouldn't bother an older child at all. And most people are loathe to step in when a parent is yelling at his or her own child, let alone confront an angry parent once things have gotten physical. In this case, figuring out what to do is especially hard: The child's father was right there, according to the Associated Press, after flight attendant Beverly McCurley brought the baby to the back of the airplane, he joined her and soothed the little girl until she fell asleep.

Back to school: Product picks from Write Edit Repeat (and a chance to win $150)

Over at Work It, Mom!, I'm pulling together slideshows the coolest back-to-school products, whether your kids are heading off to kindergarten or off to college. Take a look:

Back to school gear for elementary school kids

Heading off to college? Bring these 10 things with you.

And don't forget their teachers or day care providers! 10 gifts teachers and caregivers will love.

Write. Edit. Repeat. readers also have a chance to win a $150 Back-to-School Gift Card from Amazon.com. Spend about five minutes (or less, really) taking this survey from Unicast about your back to school shopping, and you can win one of 10 prizes. The survey closes at 8 p.m. (eastern time) on Friday, Aug. 20. (Winners will be emailed on Monday Aug. 23.) The survey is anonymous, though you will have to give your email address in order to be notified if you win one of the prizes.

Here’s the link to the survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22B385KB4BX

An interview with Barefoot Books CEO and co-founder Nancy Traversy

Canadian-born Nancy Traversy, 49, went from the world of finance to graphic design before launching a successful children's book publishing company with her business partner, Tessa Strickland. Their company, Barefoot Books, recently opened a massive flagship store in Concord, Mass., where they sell only the titles they publish.

For Traversy, the leap from banking to books isn't as large as one might think. "I come from a family of very artistic, very creative family, and somehow I went the business and math and numbers route," Traversy told me. "One day I was on a bank audit -- I was wearing a trouser suit with a tie, and I thought I was looking very professional -- and I was told, 'Women don’t wear trousers.' And I said, OK, that was kind of the final straw."

"But I don’t regret going into finance initially instead of design for a second," she added. "I love spreadsheets and business plans, and I also love design and creativity. So, I’m sort of on both sides."

I stopped by the Concord store recently to chat with Nancy; a portion of our interview was published yesterday in The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine (see image at left), but of course there's always so much more that doesn't make it into the article. Here's the rest of our question-and-answer session:

On sandwiches and showdowns at BlogHer '10

This post over at The Bloggess is a good (and hilarious) summary (with pictures! and video!) of what went down during the Hillshire Farms Sandwich Showdown at BlogHer '10. I got knocked out in the second round -- 8- or 9-year-old judges aren't big fans of smoked gouda, apparently.

Round One.  Trying to look calm and professional in the middle.

I had pulled together my four original recipies for the competition while under the impression that Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi, who was hosting the event, was also one of the judges. Once I arrived at the Expo Hall, I found that the Sandwich Showdown level of difficulty just went up from there: The judges were kids, there was no equipment other than plastic cloves and a dull table knife, no toaster or frying pan, and just two minutes to assemble the sandwhich -- with an entire expo hall watching. Oblivious, I had gone in for some exotic ingredients and time-consuming prep work, which I ad libbed live on stage. (Really. Sian at MummyTips took video. Check it out.)

Round two. The smoked gouda would be my downfall.

Here is one of the recipes I came up with: Vietnamese Shaking Roast Beef. It's a combination of two of my favorite Vietnamese dishes: savory, pepper, slightly sweet Bo Loc Lac and the French-inspired Banh Mi. If you have more than 2 minutes, it makes a great light summer supper. My kids actually like it -- and, lo and behold, so did the Showdown judges.

Is organized religion falling from grace?

The Baltimore Sun and other outlets recently reported that novelist Anne Rice says she's committed to Christ but is quitting Christianity.

Rice, famous for her lavishly gothic and erotic novels, returned to the Catholic church in 1998 after many years of being a devout Atheist, rededicating herself to writing spiritual and religious books from that point on (though not denouncing or distancing herself from her earlier, more famous non-religious works). But now she says that while she's her faith in Christ remains central to her life, "following Christ does not mean following His followers."

She explained why on her Facebook page:

I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outside. My conscience will allow nothing else.

I quit being a Christian. I’m out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.

I totally relate.

Going to BlogHer '10? See you there!

I'm part of a cool video project that Yahoo! is unveiling at BlogHer '10, so I'm heading to New York today for the debut. I've also been selected to compete in the Hillshire Farms Fresh Taste Sandwich Showdown with Padma Lakshmi (yes, from Top Chef!), where I'll be whipping together the four different sandwiches that I stayed up waaaay too late perfecting the other night. (Those of you who know me in real life, specifically during college, are not surprised that I'd be up late cooking for fun.) Stop by their booth (#2112, on the second floor of the Americas Expo Hall) at 11:30 on Friday for the start of the competition.

Will you be at BlogHer '10? Ping me @WriteEditRepeat, or stop me in the halls of the Hilton and say hi!

Is obesity a social justice issue?

Thanks to a certain conservative commentator, "social-justice" has become a code word for communism and Nazism (prompting heavy backlash from almost all corners), but the National Association of Social Workers still defines it as "the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities."

I attended "SuperSize Me: The Social Context of the Childhood Obesity Epidemic" last month at the Children's Museum of Boston; it was presented by Dr. Elizabeth Goodman and Dr. Beth DeFrino, who discussed the ways that our social and biological environments affect our health. Though the majority of weight-loss and anti-obesity initiatives emphasize exercise and healthy eating, the seminar made me wonder if childhood obesity is more than just a matter of too much junk food and TV time. Is it -- along with crime, education, and access to medical care -- a social justice issue as well?

Selena Gomez: "I think I'm fully aware of my audience"

Selena Gomez may be leaving Waverley Place, but she’s holding on to the magic for a little while longer.

With her 18th birthday coming up next week and her new film, Ramona and Beezus opening a day later on July 23, the Disney star says she doesn’t feel pressure to take on more adult roles. “No, not at all. I’m 18 years old and I play a 15 year old in this film, so I don’t feel pressure at all,” she said in an interview from Miami yesterday. “I think I’m fully aware of my audience and I’m still just a kid myself. I wouldn’t do a role I don’t feel comfortable doing or that my audience wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing.”

Lessons on marketing and branding from Media Branding 2.0 (#branducambridge)

Earlier this week I was a panelist at Media Branding 2.0, an event hosted by personal branding guru Dan Schawbel, where we discussed personal branding, social media, and how to make yourself stand out in the crowded media landscape. It was interesting and inspiring, and I'm sure that I left having learned as much as anyone in the packed audience...

Media Branding: Learn how to make your company stand out in a crowd

Trying to figure out where you fit in the media landscape? Looking to make your company (or you!) stand out in the crowd? Join me tomorrow night (July 13) in Cambridge, where I'll be a panelist at an event organized by branding expert Dan Schawbel, Media Branding 2.0.

Dan, dubbed a “personal branding guru” by The New York Times, is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, LLC and the author of the bestselling career book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success. His blog is a must-read for anyone looking to build their brand. (You can find his 2009 interview with me there as well.)

The event is geared toward entrepreneurs and small business owners, PR/marketing/and social media experts looking to expand their influence, and journalists and producers who are hoping to learn more about building their brands. I'll be weighing in with the newspaper and blogging angles; Ted McEnroe of NECN, Mel Robbins of WTKK-FM, and Lisa Van Der Pool of the Boston Business Journal, will be on the panel to offer their perspectives. The discussion will be moderated by Barbara Quiroga of BQ+A.

For more information about the event, or to buy tickets, click here. Can't make it to Cambridge? You can follow the discussion via Twitter: #branducambridge.

Putting your marriage first may be better for your kids

Many parents feel that they don't have time for their spouse because they're so busy taking care of their children -- and that's just the way it is once you have kids. But family coach and Episcopal minister David Code disagrees.

"Here's the biggest myth of parenting: The more attention we give our kids, the better they'll turn out," he says. "Where are the results? Studies show today’s parents spend more time with their kids, and yet today's kids don't seem happier, more independent or successful. They seem more troubled, entitled and needy."

The solution? It's the title of his new book: To Raise Happy Kids, Put Your Marriage First.

"You might say that today's parents seem to be marrying their children instead of their spouses. The truth is, we often find it easier to be with our kids than our partners," Code points out. This seems child-friendly, but we don't realize we're using our kids as an escape from our spouses."

Code took the time to chat with me recently for a post at Boston.com's In the Parenthood column. He lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two children, ages 10 and 8. "I've been a full-time writer since 2007, but at 3:08 when the kids get off the bus, I'm a full-time dad as well," he says. "I'm so glad this shift in roles has become socially acceptable, because it fits my career-oriented wife and me to a T."

Here's our entire Q & A; scroll down to the bottom for Code's four tips for making a good marriage even stronger.

Why go to reunions? To see how far you've come

I was back in my hometown last month for my high school reunion. Not just any nostalgia-fueled reunion weekend, mind you -- my 20th.

A lot of people don't go to their high school reunions. I went to my 10th, and was on the fence about this one. I had my excuses: I didn't feel like I could take the time off from the office (or get enough work done in advance to cover myself while I was gone), I spend plenty of time socializing on Facebook, so I was already in touch with the people I cared about most... why make the trip?

In the end I was glad I went. But the fact is, there's nothing like a milestone reunion to make you feel both 17 and, well, old at the same time.

A matter of magnetisim? Not really.

Thanks to Squidalicious for the link, but after reading her reaction to my interview with Dr. Andrew Wakefield (and that of a commenter on Scienceblogs.com, who called my post "gushy") I feel like a bit of an explaination is in order.

Dr. Wakefield has been taken to task by plenty of bloggers and media outlets for his sketchy research practices, his opposition to the MMR vaccine, and his contribution to the anti-vaccine movement -- and rightly so. In interviewing him last week -- on the same day that he was interviewed live on the Today show by Matt Lauer, who played several minutes of background video before cramming a few predictable questions about his research into the last minute or so of the segment -- to me, the new information was the fact that Wakefield had lost his license to practice medicine and the fact that he was committed to continuing his research, albeit with animals instead of people. So that's what I wrote about.

Yes, I wrote that "our conversation about new areas of autism research was fascinating, and he had some interesting points to make about vaccines and autism in general." It was, and he did. But our conversation wasn't just about his research, and the points he made (most of which have been made before by many others -- I've written about it here) were surprising, given the general assumption -- mine included -- that he is completely anti-vaccine.

Is the man charistmatic? Of course he is. Is he defending himself? Obviously, yes. Did he deserve to lose his medical license? Given the many issues with his original research, I think so (though he told me he feels that it's an attempt to discredit him, I have to say that he did plenty to discredit himself). Is there more to the story than the questions everyone else has already asked? Always.

Birthday party ideas that won't break the bank

Whatever happened to the backyard birthday party?

Back when I was a kid -- you know, way back when we walked to school uphill both ways in the snow and liked it -- my parents used to invite my entire class to my summertime birthday parties -- plus my classmates' parents and siblings. We had a pool and a huge yard and kids would swarm around like cake-fueled bees while the parents would sip beer and eat grilled tandoori chicken and much fun would be had by all, no clowns, magicians, bounce houses, or petting zoos required. (I'm sure it took a while to clean everything up, but I don't remember hearing anyone complain.)

Sure, throwing the bash at an all-purpose party place means that you keep the clean-up and planning to a minimum, but the costs can skyrocket easily, and you're limited as to the number of guests you can invite. So let's revisit the backyard, and perhaps even some simpler times: Here are 10 ideas for birthday parties you can throw at home. While you will have to contend with clean-up duties, your kids and their guests will have a blast, and you won't be left with an achingly empty wallet.

Pirate party: This party theme comes together in a snap, and has plenty of possibilities for those who have more time to plan. Give each guest a black eye patch and a colorful bandanna when they arrive. A treasure hunt provides indoor (or outdoor) entertainment and party favors (they can tie their booty up in their bandannas). Serve hot dogs cut into squiggly sea creatures for lunch, and follow it up with cake decorated with a jolly roger flag and chocolate coins.

A sleepless sleepover. At most sleepovers, there's precious little sleep to be had; at this one, that's on purpose. Ask guests to arrive in their very best PJs. Pile all of your pillows on the floor, pop some popcorn, and settle in for a few hours of fun. Girls can decorate deluxe eye masks, indulge in a makeover, and watch a chick flick; boys can bring their Wii remotes and hold a gaming tournament, rent a gush-free superhero movie, or bring and trade their favorite collectables. Got a mixed crew? Pitch tents in the yard (or living room), roast marshmallows in the fireplace (or over tea light candles), tell ghost stories in the dark, and send each guest home with an inexpensive DVD (or a gift card to a rental place).

A costume parade: What little kid wouldn't want to wear their Halloween costume over and over again? Let the decorate miniature pumpkins from the supermarket with glittery foam stickers (a bargain at craft stores), jump in leaf piles (if the weather is nice), and get a head start on their Halloween candy collection. But you don't have to wait until late October to throw a costume party for your kid. Break out the dress-up clothes and let them parade through the house adorned in thrift-store finery; snap a digital photo of them to slip into the goodie bags.

A Teddy bear picnic: Preschoolers love this. Spread sheets out on the lawn and offer up tea (or juice), tiny sandwiches, and mini cupcakes. Sing songs, play Duck Duck Goose and I Spy, and fill small baskets with treats to take home.

Hail to the chef: If your child loves helping you in the kitchen, a chef party is the way to go. Colorful aprons ($9.99 for 12 at Oriental Trading Company) and inexpensive cookie cutters make great party favors; older kids can make their own pizzas and decorate their own cupcakes while younger kids hone their "cooking" skills on homemade play dough or goop.

Go car crazy: If your kid has a need for speed, give each guest a Matchbox car or two and stage a race down the driveway (you can find generic cars on sale practically for pennies at Walgreens). Plastic cars make great cake toppers (decorate a sheet cake to look like the open road), and let the kids relax with a little vintage "Speed Racer" before the party's over.

Princess perfect: Guests can wear their own dress-up clothes to make a picture-perfect grand entrance; snap a quick picture of each princess and let them decorate foam or wooden frames to put them in, or have each girl decorate her own tiara. A princess topper turns any supermarket cake into something worthy of royalty, and streamers easily transform your living room into a grand ballroom for some twirling and dancing before settling down to a princess movie and popcorn.

Make some magic: Kids can craft their very own magic wands using wooden dowels, ribbons, tinsel, and glitter; have them compete in a contest to see who can come up with the most creative magic spell. Hire a magician if you like, or enlist a relative to do some simple card tricks and a goofy act. Older kids may enjoy a Harry Potter flick, while littles may get a kick from the retro-fantastic wizard scene from Fantasia. Wizards and magicians don't eat cake; conjure up a stack of brownies instead and watch them disappear.

Beach in your backyard: Celebrate a summer birthday with a beach bash right in your own backyard. Playground sand and large, colorful towels make an easy setting; add a slip-and-slide or two, volleyball or badminton, and a cooler full of ice pops, and organize a water-balloon toss, a soaked-sponge relay race, or a squirt-gun battle. (Got a Spongebob SquarePants fan at home? Serve sliders and call them Krabby Patties, slide hotdogs onto skewers and say they're Chum-on-a-stick.) Have kids wear their bathing suits, and don't forget the sunscreen.

Shining star: Stock up on 4th-of-July decorations when they go on clearance, and throw your child a Shining Star party any time of year. Ask parents to bring their video cameras, split the kids into teams, and have them shoot their own movies. Give out small notebooks and let them collect one another's autographs. If the party runs late, a few sparklers will help you end the celebration on a fun and festive note.

You can stretch your birthday money farther by forgetting about themed plates, cups, and cutlery -- all that stuff ends up in the trash anyway, right? Instead, stick with easy-to-find paperware from the grocery store. Hold the party in the mid-afternoon, so you can serve snacks and cake instead of a complete meal. And other parents will adore you if you avoid filling the goodie bags with tons of candy or plastic junk; over at Work It, Mom! I've pulled together a slideshow of 10 great non-candy party favors.