Recently in Janet Zimmerman Category

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN
The Doulas Association of Southern California is hosting two free, informational events in the Inland area this week to educate women about the benefits of using an assistant in childbirth and afterward.

A doula is a woman who accompanies a new mother through birth and the postpartum period, offering emotional support, physical comfort, assistance and non-medical care.

The first event will be held Thursday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at the Louis Robidoux Library, 5840 Mission Blvd., Riverside.

The second event will be Saturday, March 24, at 1 p.m. at the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library, 555 W. Sixth St., San Bernardino.

They will include a film on the role of a doula in childbirth, presentations by doulas and parents who have used their services, and a question and answer session.

The group says doulas improve the physiological, social, emotional and psychological health of women, newborns and families in birth and in the postpartum period.

For more information, go online at http://dascdoulas.org/whatis.htm or call Kathie Neff at 951-203-9560.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN
Redlands mom Lara Carlos is part of a parenting movement that bucks the mainstream.

Her three children, ages 7, 6 and 4, have never touched fast food. They were breastfed well into toddlerhood, carried close to their mom in a sling and are home schooled.

The Carlos kids, whose father, Kerry, is an acupuncturist, have never been seen by a medical doctor or taken antibiotics. Discomfort from illnesses is eased with herbs and chiropractic adjustments, never Tylenol. The youngest was born at home with a midwife, as will a fourth baby due any day, and the boys are not circumcised. The family sleeps together in one bed.

"It's about going back to the way things were," said Lara Carlos, 30, a childbirth educator. "There are a lot of people trying to get away from not feeling like they have control of their health or their families."

Traditional thinking about child rearing is being turned on its head by the Carlos family and a growing number of others intent on natural, healthy lifestyles. Known as holistic parenting, this new generation of moms and dads are eschewing convenience and common practices in favor of toxin-free, earth-friendly living.

Keep reading at:http://www.pe.com/local-news/breaking-news-headlines/20120303-region-parents-opting-for-natural-healthy-practices.ece

JANET ZIMMERMAN
Dorothy, Toto and the rest of the gang will take the stage this weekend and next in a production of "The Wizard of Oz" by Riverside Children's Theatre.

The musical will feature more than 110 cast members portraying the Tinman, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and other classic favorites.

Shows will be held in the theater at Ramona High School, 7675 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, on March 2-3 and 9-10. Evening performances are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and matinees are staged at 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The production includes live orchestra accompaniment, elaborate sets and creative costumes.

Tickets are $10 pre-sale and $12 at the door. They are available in advance at Alin Party Supply, Ponies and Pigtails, the Riverside Plaza Kiosk and Capezio at Tyler, all in Riverside. For more information or to purchase tickets online using PayPal, visit the group's Web site at www.riversidechildrenstheatre.org.

The non-profit Riverside Children's Theatre is in its 57th year and includes a performing arts school for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN
GUEST AUTHOR

Stanford University researchers have turned up some interesting findings about the detrimental effects of too many electronics on girls aged 8 to 12.

In short, the study found that girls who use numerous digital devices at once, such as TV, cell phones and music, tended to feel less social success and slept less.

The researchers found the negative effects could be countered by face-to-face converstation with other people.

To see a story about the study, which was published this week in "Developmental Psychology," go to http://news.stanford.edu/news/2012/january/tweenage-girls-multitasking-012512.html.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN

As I pulled dirty clothes out of the laundry hamper for my son to wear to school this morning, I was reminded of how challenging it is to work, be a mom and keep house.

I did redeem myself by fluffing up the crumpled T-shirt and skinny jeans in the dryer. And I added a dryer sheet so the clothes wouldn't smell like an 8-year-old boy had already worn them.

I'm taking a risk, admitting my slovenliness, but I have a feeling I'm probably not alone here. Sometimes you can't do it all.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN

Last May I wrote a story about John and Christine Reed and their 15 children, nine of them adopted.

This extraordinary couple from Beaumont have dedicated themselves to building a family accepting of differences. Some of their children have special needs, physical disabilities and suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome. They range in age from 16 to 5.

In the last five years, the Reeds have traveled to Russia and Ukraine and saved children from life in an orphanage. (Domestic adoption was out because the couple had more than two children to a bedroom, a violation of U.S. standards.)

The Reeds, driven by their faith, have said there's always room for one more, especially when it comes to children.

True to their word, they are adopting again - this time two boys from Ukraine. They are in the process of being fingerprinted and updating their home study.

"We love our family, we love children, we are passionate about orphans, and last time I looked there are still millions of them out there, and room in our house and hearts for them," Christine Reed said.

Check out the Reeds' adoption story online at http://becausehefirstadoptedus.blogspot.com/, where Christine Reed also sells craft items made by her and her children to raise the $5,000 needed for the adoption.

You can see the whole family at http://smilesandtrials.blogspot.com/.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN

It's that time of year again at our house - science fair.

I'm now in my sixth year of prodding, goading and otherwise needling my child to go beyond the obvious questions and delve into a topic in depth.

My kids have always done science projects, even though they are not required until fifth or sixth grade. They complain along the way, but in the end, they're always proud of what they accomplish. Besides, science fair projects are perfect for teaching the critical thinking skills that will help them get a good job when the time comes.

My son, now in third grade, started doing projects in kindergarten. Our favorite was one in which he tested seatbelts, using raw eggs, a Spiderman car and a ramp he built with his dad.

My daughter started doing projects when she was in second grade - testing which stain remover worked best, building a solar oven with different colors inside to see which cooked a potato faster, and the one that got her a second place medal in the district finals: How does water temperature affect the breathing rate of fish?

Funny, that topic came up recently while I was searching the Web for information and found Maille Lyons' great site, www.science-fair-coach.com. She is an environmental microbiologist and mom who started blogging after a friend asked her for help on her son's science fair project. She gives practical advice on finding a creative idea, designing an experiment, graphing and designing a presentation board to keep the judges' attention.

Lyons, by the way, recommends never doing a project on water temperature and respiratory rates of fish. Oops. It just goes to show, you don't always know what will be hit. The lesson here is to find a topic the interests your child, guide him or her in the proper scientific method and do the work.

And remember, it's not about winning. It's about learning.

BY JANET ZIMMERMAN
GUEST AUTHOR

When my kids were very young, especially my first-born, I found great comfort in the support of friends who were going through the same thing at the same time. We blubbered over baby fat and breastfeeding and bonded as our children developed.

Now, a dozen years later, I'm in need of that bolstering again. Because the "terrible two's" have nothing on the intolerable tweens.

I am less caregiver than backstop for everything my daughter can hurl at me - back talk, eye rolling, apathy, tears, drama. She can turn from pleasant to peeved faster than a pepper-sprayed crowd dispersing on Black Friday. My first instinct is to return fire. But I know, being the reasonable and responsible adult I am, that I should ignore it.

That's the advice I got from a friend struggling with the same thing with her 12-year-old daughter. In comparing notes, we found a shocking number of similarities in their behavior. She also told me that her mother said she was the same way at this age.

And then I realized that from the perspective of an almost-teen, the world often does seem unfair and overwhelming. Plus, there are hormones involved. I have to have faith that she eventually will pass through this stage and return to the mellow human being I once knew.

But I'm not sure I'll ever outgrow the need for the camaraderie and comfort that comes from other moms.

I never had a dog growing up - probably because my mom felt the same way about taking on yet one more duty. She already had four kids and an ailing mother to care for, and a pet just would have added to the craziness.