The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of these “Shrek Forever After 3D” glasses after cadmium was found in the designs printed on them.

For the full recall report, click here.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Keep your kids of out danger on busy streets:
http://newsok.com/little-ones-face-big-dangers-in-oklahoma-traffic/article/3458443?custom_click=headlines_widget

An outdoorsy opportunity for young people this summer:
http://blog.newsok.com/outthere/2010/04/27/cool-job-openings-for-outdoorsy-young-people-at-the-chickasaw-national-recreation-area/

An interesting column about the interaction between smokers and babies:
http://newsok.com/smoker-contact-can-be-awkward/article/3451726

A story about summer meals for children on school lunch programs:
http://newsok.com/article/3458266?custom_click=columnist

A look at the Edmond Fire Department’s Safety Village, built just for children:
http://www.newsok.com/article/3458154?searched=safety%20village&custom_click=search

A story about charter schools as a “smart alternative”:
http://www.newsok.com/article/3455196?searched=safety%20village&custom_click=search

And a review of the family movie “Furry Vengeance” :
http://newsok.com/actor-brendan-fraser-takes-a-beating-in-new-family-comedy-furry-vengeance/article/3457719?custom_click=pod_headline_movies

Happy reading!

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

When we got home, he says, very matter-of-fact, “Mommy, Big Mike is brown. What color am I?  Am I brown?”

OK, so I really wasn’t expecting that. I was a bit tongue-tied, I must admit. I don’t want him to think he’s different than someone else based on skin color.  But I didn’t want to lie to him either.  What’s a mom to do? 

Call her mom.  That’s what. 

My mom had some great advice and told me exactly what to say.

“Hunter, God made us all different shades, like paint on a palette.  Like snowflakes, no two are alike, and that makes each of us very special.”  Then she suggested I show him how my skin tone is even a little darker than his.   He seemed very satisfied with that and went on with his day.

Whew! Good answer, Mom.  She really does know best.

Ever been asked a difficult question by your toddler?  How did you handle it? Let me know by commenting here or by e-mail. I’d love to hear your stories.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Let’s all take 20 to 30 minutes and go for a walk and clear our heads.

– Linda Lynn   

And, when “Breaking Dawn,” the fourth book, was due out in bookstores she could hardly wait.

Another friend bought her a T-shirt with a verse something like: “The forbidden fruit is always the sweetest.” … I made her exchange it for a different shirt. I couldn’t help think that the T-shirt was just a bit inappropriate for a young teen. And, when I walked into Hot Topic, the hip store with body piercing studs, tons of scary images on T-shirts and lots of black – It was like the anti-Claire’s of the mall – I couldn’t help feeling just a little conspicuous and a lot uncomfortable.  But I wanted her to at least get something toned down.

For her birthday, she received more Twilight stuff – a really cute zip-up hoodie, but, still, I teetered on the edge of whether this was a good thing.

Then comes the movie. My 28-year-old niece and her mother suggests we all go together. Me? me? Maybe I can get out of this. But it sounded fun just because I would be with my two sisters and their daughters and my daughter. OK. I’ll try it.

When the previews began, the movies were gruesome, scary films. Oh, no! What have I done?! I’ve just brought my teenaged daughter to a slasher, blood-sucking vampire movie! My older niece who is in college even covered her eyes.

Then, the movie started ….. And I loved it! I plan to read the books.

Now, I’ve seen it twice. Some friends have seen it three, four and five times! These are women my age!

Although my husband is tired of me raving about the movie, my friends aren’t. He made the comment that I was acting just like a “14-year-old.”

Well, my daughter might disagree. But there’s worth in finding an interest in something your daughter likes. She doesn’t seem to want to talk about it with me. She’d rather talk about it with her friends and cousins.

So, I’ll just talk about it with the rest of my “14-year-old-going-on-45″ friends.

– Linda Lynn

I’m always saying I’ll do things different but there is no better time to set goals than the first day of the year.  

Here are my Top 5 parenting resolutions for 2009:

1. Make my toddler eat vegetables.  My friend bought me the cookbook “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry’s wife).  I resolve to get broccoli or squash into every dish my child eats, even dessert.

2. Try to overlook the grosser things my boy does … such as drinking the bathwater.  Or sticking his dirty fingers in his mouth. Or dropping food on the floor then eating it before I can pry it from his hand. (This is going to be that resolution that I end up NOT keeping.)

3. Try to limit how many times he watches Cars or WALL-E.  We’ve both become addicted to those movies.

4. Try the “not-using-the-word-no-all-the-time” method.  For example: Instead of saying “No, you can’t have another cookie,” say “Yes, you can have another cookie … tomorrow.”  We’ll see how good that one works.

5. Get him potty trained.  I would literally pay someone to do this for me.  Or my son can use the “not-say-no” method just this once … “Yes, Mommy, I’ll sit on the potty … next year.”

What are your parenting resolutions?  Did you make any last year? Let me know by commenting below or emailing me at esmith@opubco.com.

Have a happy, safe and healthy New Year!

~Erica Smith

At first, I was a bit hesitant … I mean it’s a lot of money to spend and if he starts getting fussy, we’re out $18 plus popcorn.  But I have to admit, I really wanted to see WALL-E and I got my son excited enough to want to see it, too.

We wheeled his stroller in, so he could still feast on his food court fare while watching.  Not the best idea, however, as the only place to sit him was in wheelchair-access seats, which are five rows from the screen. 

As we started watching the “big TV” my son stuck out his bottom lip as far as it would go and said (while in a moment of movie silence) “Scared! Big TV scared!” Luckily we picked a showtime where only six other people were in the theater, so it worked out well.  The initial loud noises (there’s a spacecraft that lands on Earth) did get him a bit nervous, but all in all, he loved it.  And I loved seeing him watch his first movie.

WALL-E was indeed a great film, another genius work by PIXAR.  I highly recommend it and it was worth every penny.  It’s filled with love, humor, friendship and even a bit of reality. You can’t help but tear up and laugh out loud at the same time. This is truly a film that all ages can enjoy and want to see again and again.

And as soon as we got home, my little boy wanted to watch it again on our not-as-big-TV and of course he didn’t understand why that wasn’t possible. So he had to settle for some OETA and fell asleep with his new best friend in hand.

~Erica Smith

esmith@oklahoman.com

This has worked pretty well. We now have dozens of both classic and recent movies aimed at the under-12 set. A few are regretful purchases (Mimzy and The Wild didn’t inspire repeat viewings) but most will be great to hang onto until whatever new technology completely overtakes DVD. (I’ve only recently completed my long good-bye to the VCR.)

Occasionally, we go to a REAL MOVIE THEATRE and experience the big screen, buttered popcorn and all. This is a rather expensive way to spend every weekend for a family of four.

Last week, I took my 5-year-old to see Kung Fu Panda — how could we not after all the McDonald’s toys? — and she became restless within 30 minutes of its start. The popcorn and my pleading convinced her to stick with it through the end. I liked the movie and thought the animation was well done. Will we buy this movie when it comes out on DVD? Probably not.

This weekend I really want to go see Wall-E, Pixar’s newest animated feature. It’s gotten spectacular reviews from adults and children alike. I’ll take my 5-year-old and her sister, 10. I’m already planning to totally love the movie and think my girls will too. And yes, I already plan to buy it on DVD, I’m that convinced it’ll be a classic.

Maybe it’s because Wall-E is like my outdated VCR. Still functional, but not very sleek and swift. 

Susan Simpson 

My 7-year old was fascinated by the chases and fights in “The Last Crusade” as we watched it on cable last week. I’d have turned it off, but I really wanted to watch it. S

hould I take him to the new movie? Generally, we only attend animated features at the theater.

However, I’m the same dad that introduced him to Star Wars three summers ago when he was 4, and he became a freakishly devoted fan (though we waited until after he was five to let him watch the final movie, and them we fast-forwarded in the gruesome final scene).

- Alan