Tell us your preschool admissions horror story for a chance to win the ultimate documentary on the subject

I moved to Colorado from Manhattan seven years ago, and while there are many things I miss about New York, now that I have a kid, I can’t remember what most of them were. Especially now that my toddler is starting preschool in just a few months.

On the advice of people who know about these things, when I was six weeks pregnant I got on the waiting lists of a few preschools in the area. At the time I was horrified, thinking that was such a New York-type thing to do. But it was no sweat off my back and it has ultimately meant that my husband and I will be sending our daughter to the preschool of our choice. Which is why when I hear stories of nursery school nightmares in places like New York City — particularly this time of year when the acceptance and rejections letters are in the mail — I am reminded that one of the main reasons I left the East Coast was in search of a simpler, less competitive life.

Last month I wrote about a mom who sued her daughter’s tony nursery school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for not properly preparing her for the rigors of a kindergarten entrance exam (within the first few weeks of the school year), which, she said, meant her child was then at a disadvantage for admittance into an Ivy League college. While that mom has been greatly ridiculed in the press for her lawsuit, her sentiments are shared by countless others nonetheless. Getting into the right preschool is big business and more families than not believe the implications are far-reaching.

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Spousonomics: Using Economics to Master Love, Marriage, And Dirty Dishes

I was probably the perfect captive audience for Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson’s new book, Spousonomics, which goes on sale tomorrow. I read my review copy on a cross-country flight to San Francisco where I’m spending a few weeks doing writerly things without my husband.

I’d have read this book anywhere, though. It’s funny, smart and breaks down complex ideas about economics and relationships into easy-to-digest anecdotes about who does the dishes and how often married folks get laid. These are authors who are unafraid to drop an F-bomb and can also tackle big words like “intertemporal” without breaking a sweat.

The basic premise of Spousonomics is that we can apply economy theory to our marriages, and make them better in the process. They promise readers improved marriages with more sex, less strife and smoother handling of everything from bills to bedtime routines.

Sounds impressive, right? It is. The authors interviewed dozens of married couples, as well as experts in economics and relationships. They know what they’re talking about.

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Sit down with a set of soon-to-be school-aged kids and talk buses, and you’ll find two very different extremes. Half the pre-school set is champing at the bit to board the bus. The other set sees yellow and runs.

Time to pull out the new picture book by Marilyn Singer. Continue reading »

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Remember the elephant in Annie? In the Little House on the Prairie shows?

Tarra has left her acting days behind her for the solitude of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, but she was back in the spotlight this year as the amazing elephant with a dog for a best friend.

Apparently, she just can’t get enough – Tarra the elephant and her canine companion are the new faces peering out of a children’s book set to hit stands in a few weeks. Continue reading »

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Oh good grief! Expect to be dropping a little extra cash on a new DVD on Tuesday – your childhood’s back, and it’s been remastered. Yes, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and most of all Charlie Brown will hit shelves in a “cool collection” of sixties hits.

And this is one of the days I love my job at Babble: I got a sneak peek at some very cool nostalgia.

The good news? Continue reading »

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I sometimes feel sympathy when critics review movies that are clearly meant for children. (For example, A.O. Scott in the New York Times.) “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is definitely not geared towards adults, and while it doesn’t have the same level of all-ages enjoyment as Pixar’s “Up”, there are some scenes that will resonate with parents. I need to point out that the two 8-year-olds I saw it with laughed from start to finish. One of them, my son, asked me to include the following in this review: “It has a very good amount of comedy, it’s much more fun to see in 3-D because then you get a better effect, and it’s a great movie. I give it ten thumbs up even though I don’t have ten thumbs, I only have two.” So odds are, your kids will love it. Continue reading »

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