Small Things

Sex or Parent Magazine?

I often make comments to other wise and experienced mothers about how parenting is not how the parenting magazines depict it. You can literally drive yourself crazy feeling like a failure if you try to fill your days with crafts made from recycled trash, beautiful snacks made to look like small animals, and long family walks discussing self-esteem and gratitude.

And sometimes pragmatism has to over-rule the official word from the American Academy of Pediatrics on things like co-sleeping, or how old a child has to be before you can give them cough syrup, and how a child under two should never look at a TV screen.

I have four children and it's been many years since I was a new mother looking at a parenting magazines in the grocery-store checkout aisle. Because these days I am much too busy checking out magazine  covers like this one:

And as I scan such covers, my mouth forms a tight little line, and sometimes my left eyebrow might go up a notch. Because I often have my six-year-old daughter with me. Who reads EVERYTHING. My nine-year-old son might be with me sometimes, but he has no interest in looking at images on ladies' magazine covers. (Yet.) But I have seen his mouth drop open and an embarrassed look come over him when faced with a 4-inch-tall SEX headline at his eye-level.

My daughter, however, is entranced by glamorous and fashionable role models. I was especially irked to see her excitement at finding Disney star Selena Gomez on the Cosmo cover, and tried to distract her before she read the words surrounding the teen star.

Yesterday at the commissary, my husband and I were in the checkout line for a long time with our two grocery carts and four kids. Leaving plenty of time for looking at glossy covers. My daughter quickly said, "Mommy, someone needs to cover up these inappropriate words!" Smiling with mirth, she puts her hands over some of the giant, bold-font "SEX" headlines.

My husband gives me a look. My son grins and reads aloud, "How to feel great NAKED?!"

My daughter spreads her arms wide and says, "I always feel VERY comfortable naked!"

I give my husband a look. We read the rest of that cover. And I can't help myself, I say loudly to him, "I would love to take that magazine over to the manager, along with our kids, and ask HER to answer their questions about it."

But I didn't. I am glad that Mary's response was one of healthy and innocent self-esteem. But as she pays more attention to the rest of the words that grace Cosmo's cover every month, I worry how that self-esteem and innocence will erode.

Tell me again why it's better for girls to worry about being good at sex when they grow up than being good at housekeeping?

New Navy sign lights up San Diego Bay

I love this new sign the Navy created on the bay at North Island Naval Air Station! (aka Naval Base Coronado).

 

 

According to the San Diego Union Tribune, ‘Fly Navy’ sign becomes instant landmark, North Island celebrates role as birthplace of naval aviation:

Officials at North Island Naval Air Station have erected a lighted sign that reads “Fly Navy” as a celebration of the region’s role as the birthplace of naval aviation.

The $76,000 sign was mounted in January on the side of a building and faces northeast across the bay, toward Lindbergh Field.

The 14-foot-tall blue letters are illuminated between sunset and 11 p.m. When lit, the words are easily visible from Harbor Island and Interstate 5.

Navy officials in Coronado think nothing else like it exists at other naval bases in the United States. Maybe even the world.

 

I noticed in the coments, there are a few cranky criticisms, but I think this expression of pride in North Islands history and mission is a beautiful addition to our harbor. And honors all sailors who have served in support of Naval Aviation.

Fly Navy!