urbanMamas Portland

Lots to discuss and some important action opportunities over on Activistas this week.  Including the downtown coffee hour next Wednesday, March 4th from 10 to 11 AM.  Hope you can join us!  Some recent topics...

• No more cuts for Oregon schools. Some of us were there for Stand for Children's Presidents Day Rally in Salem.  Others of us called in to tell our legislators to prioritize education and dip into reserve funds to make up for the losses in the budget.  Those efforts made a difference.

• Safer children's products in Oregon: Speak up!  The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) has been working hard from many angles to help Oregon's children benefit for better environmental health.  Our pre-school, for example, just got eco-certified thanks to OEC's Eco-healthy childcare program. 

• Email us your family pics to support paid family leave.  We've got this plan.  And we hope you'll help - 'cause without you, the plan can't work.  It's like this:  We're making photo postcards to send to our state legislators, to show them who we are, and how very many Oregonians there are who support paid family leave.

• Attend a house party for paid family leave.  There's one in Eugene on Saturday 3/7 and another in Clackamas on Sunday 3/8 - and more in the works.  If you can't attend or that's not your neighorhood, spread the word.  The e-vites are open so anyone can invite friends & family.  The idea is to learn about the bill and our grassroots campaign - then contact your state legislator.

• Protect us from our peanut butter.  We wish we were Mumfred the Magician and could make this nasty peanut recall disappear.  As everyone knows by now, the FDA has recalled hundreds of products containing peanut butter from the Georgia-based Peanut Corporation of America.
  

It appears as if Weekend Warrior got a little carried away trying to fit in all this weekend's fun below (too much coffee perhaps).  Check out the urbanMamas calendar for info on more regularly featured events (Ladybug Walks, Story & a Stroll, and music events at Airplay Cafe and Mississippi Pizza).

Friday

NE Moms Playgroup: You don't have to live in NE to join this group of moms that gets together to play and chat.  Bring a snack to share if you can.  Milagros Boutique (5433 NE 30th), 2:30 pm.

Mrs. P's Magic Library: Join Mrs. P for a lively reading of classic tales. Central Library (801 SW 10th Avenue), 10:30-11:00 am.

Saturday

SE Area Art Walk: Exercise, local art, and a chance to see artists working in their own creative space. Maps on website. Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm.

Storytellers Guild: Lively stories for children told in the storytelling tradition. Milagros Boutique (5433 NE 30th Avenue), 2:00-3:00 pm.

CPPS Parent Leadership Conference: This valuable conference will have workshops and other networking opportunities to help you to become more effectively involved with your student, your school, and your district. No need to pre-register. Childcare (apologies: for kids who are potty trained only), translation, breakfast and lunch provided. Da Vinci Arts Middle school (2508 NE Everett), 9:30 am-1:30 pm (doors open at 9:00).

Raising A Reader Family Day:  Enjoy crafts, stories, and a puppet show. Every preschool child may take home a free book (while supplies last!). For children 0-5 years with an adult. Older siblings also welcome. North Portland Library (512 N. Killingsworth), 10:00 am-12:30 pm.

Three Giraffes Gruff: This spin on the traditional tale has three giraffe brothers needing to cross the bridge to get yummy leaves to eat. The only problem is the mean red buzzard that guards the bridge.  Join Penny Puppets to find out what happens. North Portland Library (512 N. Killingsworth) 10:15 am, 11:15 am, and 12:15 pm.

Who's in Hare's House?: Sungura the hare returns to find someone inside his house – and it must be a monster. Weha the jackal, Pembele the rhinoceros, and Tembo the elephant all try to get this monster out but they are frightened away. No one succeeds until Chura the frog arrives. The East African tale is accompanied by The Singing Bird involving audience participation. Presented by Tears of Joy Theatre. Belmont Library (1038 SE 39th Avenue), 3:00-4:00 pm.

Third Annual Chowder Challenge: Help decide who reallymakes the best New England clam chowder in Portland.  Taste and vote on chowder from a dozen restaurants and brew pubs from around town (check out the list!). $10 (benefits locks of Love. 5th Quadrant (3901-B N. Williams) Noon-6:00 pm.

KidFest: A veritable smorgasbord of ki-related information on camps, education, gear, and more. Plenty of kids activities too (crafts, jumping zone, rock climbing, and a petting zoo. $10 per person. Kids under 3 are free. Oregon Convention Center Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am-5:00 pm.

Sunday

Kennedy School "Kids for Community" Benefit Concert: This benefit concert will feature the Danny Hay Davis Band, the Gunnar Roads Band Band, and others musical talent. The suggested $5 donation will benefit the Community Transitional School, which is a private K-8 school dedicated to the needs of children whose families are homeless or living in transition throughout the Portland metro area. Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Avenue), 5:30 pm.

National Pig Day: A day to celebrate bacon?  Nope, a celebration and kick off of Every Family Reads 2009 and National Pig Day at Central Library. Enjoy a special storytime full of pigs and a few wolves. Central Library (801 SW 10th Avenue). 2:00-2:45 pm.

Play After Play: The featured play for March is "The Faries and the Cake Baker". Best of kids ages 2-9, $7 per ticket, kids under 2 are free. Reservations suggested. Saturday at 10:00 am, Sunday at 2:00 pm

Happy Birthday New Seasons! New Seasons is turning 9! They've created over 1,700 jobs and donated $1.8 million to nonprofit organizations supporting our community. Definitely cause to celebrate...with cake and ice cream, of course. All stores, 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

$2 admission to OMSI: Who can't use a bargain like this? Now featuring the Da Vinci: The Genius exhibit. 9:30 am-5:30 pm.

A few years ago, when I was first understanding my son, Everett, and his behavioral difficulties, I read Ross W. Greene's The Explosive Child. Now that he's at the Pioneer School, a special school geared toward children who have major trouble adapting in the general education environment, and many of the members of the schools' staff have been through Greene's workshops. His approach for dealing with challenging kids, called "collaborative problem solving," is now taught in workshops and MESD-sponsored book groups around the city.

I was surprised, then, when I told several of Everett's teachers that I had just ordered Greene's newest book, Lost in School, a follow-up to his previous books that lays out a framework for how parents and schools can work together to help challenging kids succeed. They hadn't yet heard of it. (What, do you people not have GoodReads?) I've read a few chapters of Lost in School, now, and I already recommend both books to anyone who has a child with behavioral challenges, whether they're like Everett's or more strictly diagnosed (the autism spectrum and ADHD are also maladaptive disorders and can be approached with Greene's philosophies). When adding the new book to my GoodReads shelf, I decided to review the The Explosive Child; I've copied the review after the jump.

For some of us mamas and papas, there are reasons why adopting a child was the only option to expand our families.  For others of us, we have had the opportunity to make the choice: to try to bear a child naturally or to adopt.  An urbanMama recently emailed with her dilemma:

I'm hoping to find some other mamas out there who may have had a similar decision to make.  My husband and I have a child of toddler age and are in the discussion phase of more children.  We both have a calling to adopt a child - not sure why...neither of us were adopted - but have different ideas about it.  As a woman who had a great pregnancy and very much enjoyed the birth/baby process (even though it was difficult) I always thought I'd have another child naturally so was thinking we could adopt a third child.  My husband is pretty adamant that he only wants 2 children and is happy with either adopting the 2nd child or having another on our own.  Basically this decision falls to me and I'm really struggling with it.  (We would adopt from India as my husband is of Indian heritage and we obviously have a strong family connection there.)  I would love to hear from anyone who may have this same situation - if there is anyone else out there.

Have you had to decide between adopting or natural childbirth?

Fears can be real, especially when you're two feet tall and the world seems so big and daunting.  Our little babes are scared of the dark and even of ladybugs and cows.  It's normal and totally understandable.  But, how do we help our little folks work through these fears?  Do you think we can assume that they'll eventually get over the fears?

An urbanMama recently emailed:

I have 2 little girls 10 months and 28 months. My 2 year old has developed a huge fear of monsters in her room at night. It takes he over an hour of panicking and screaming to go to sleep. Which means the baby suffers too as they share a room. My husband is the working parent so bedtime is his domain. He sits with her until she finally falls asleep. We are not sure where it came from, an episode of Charlie and Lola maybe or something else, we do not know. We have a night light, she has a flashlight and "monster spray" in her bed. I just need some help on what direction to take with this. Any book recommendations for the kids or the parents?  What have other mamas or papas done to help put these fears and their babies to bed?

I write on many ad-supported web sites to earn my family's keep, and sometimes I weary of the grind. The cheerful list of tips. The careful consideration of a topic from all sides. So when I got the opportunity to do a presentation at Ignite Portland 5 -- I'd pitched the title "hacking life with kids, and without a car" -- I decided to avoid the usual perky lists and helpful hints and top-10 lists and I wrote it as a meditation. "You are riding your bike. You are taking the bus, train, streetcar... You do not pray for change in the world. You are the world. You are the change."

As usual when I really get lost in something I'm writing, it got away from me and took on a life of its own. The line that was repeated the most after the presentation on Thursday night was this: "You are not en route. You are already here." As I've been thinking over the past few days of dealing with challenging children and my own need to take a deep breath so much in my life, it's a good reminder to myself: this is what I wanted, this life, with children who want nothing as much as to stand in the middle of a parking lot tracing the stenciled letters on the ground, or to take a 90-minute bath because they're just enjoying looking at the faucet, or to play and play and play at the park until the sun goes down. When I dreamed of having kids, it was not a dream of typing at my laptop in a coffee shop without them, no, it was the journey that was my dream, the struggle and the joy, the books read over and over and over. The video of my talk is after the jump; you can link to other Ignite talks here at Blip.tv (I love this one on chickens; this one on taking the bus; and this one on being a refugee).

It's been awhile we've broached the topic of new moms group, but since one our readers is in search of and hasn't found a group, she's looking to start one.  Anyone interested in joining her? Or are there any existing groups a new mom can join? She writes:

 We've talked about Oregon's education funding "problem" already this month.  But after reading The O's editorial on the state budget and how it relates to or schools this morning, I want to cry and raise my fist in anger about it all over again.  Neither, of course, will do a bit of good to keep our K-12 kids learning this year - or any year.  So I've got two approaches on my mind: 1) finding creative ways to keep them learning this Spring and 2) participating is a conversation about how to solve Oregon's unsustainable school funding system over the long-term.

Creative ways to keep our kids learning this Spring
Asking our teachers to work or free just feels wrong.  On so many levels.  So maybe some parents can pool funds and hold classes off-site?  Is that illegal?  No doubt this has happened before - so what's been done that worked?  Collectively pay our student teacher for a week or two  - if we can find the funds, that is?  Or have parents teach and arrange activities collectively, with no money involved?  What are you planning to do?  To educate your kids?  Keep working when summer becomes even longer than it already is?!

Joining the long-term solution
It's a perfect time to talk about this since Johah Edelman of Stand for Children is speaking on this exact topic at today's City Club Friday Forum.  You can join one of their local grassroots chapters and lend a hand right away.  At least feel like you're part of the solution.

Friday

Ladybug Walk: A guided 60 minute walk around Kelley Point Park (stroller use is possible) for preschoolers, no registration necessary, cool ladybug backpack provided! $3 per child. 10:00 am.

Story & a Stroll: Enjoy a short guided walk that involves education about ducks. Targets kids 3-6, rain or shine. Pre-registration required. Tryon Creek State Park, 1:00-2:00 pm.

Music FUNdamentals with Phil: Coffee for parents, music for kids. You might even get to read the paper.  $2 donation. Airplay Cafe,10:00 am.

Family Dinner Concert: Listen to the "folk innovation" of Andy Simon and grab some dinner for you and the kids at the same time.  Couldn't be more simultaneously kid and parent friendly.  FREE. 5:30-7:00 pm.

Saturday

Thomas the Tank Engine: If you've got a train-loving child on your hands, this event might just "bust their buffers".  Storytime (every half hour), train tables, free coloring books and Thomas trading cards.  All Toys R Us stores, 11:00-1:00 pm.

Mocha Moms Open House: Join other mothers in search of a cultural connection to learn more about the local chapter of this organization that founded to support women of color in parenting. All that welcome that mission are welcome. Milagros Boutique (5433 NE 30th Ave), 11:30-1:00 pm.

The Lucky Teakettle: Puppetry and storytelling are combined in this new telling of an old story from Japan. St. Johns Library (7510 N. Charleston Ave), 1:00 pm.

Symphony Storytime: The Oregon Symphony is on the road for interactive, musical storytimes. This series focuses on storybooks, music, instruments, sound and fun musical crafts. Each week features a visit from an Oregon Symphony musician who will play and provide an introduction to his or her instrument and orchestral music. Northwest Library (2300 NW Thurman), 2:00-3:00 pm.

Professor Banjo's Old-Time Play Party: Join Professor Banjo for some old timey music and kid-style dancing ala "I'm a Little Tea Pot" and "freeze frame".  Mississippi Pizza (3552 N. Mississippi Ave), 4:00 pm.

Family Concert:  The music of Super XX Man (who recently recorded for NPR's All Songs Considered) and Grey Anne (who performs her pop gems in prom gowns and fairy wings according to the Willamette Week). $10 for the whole family. 5:00 pm.

Sunday:

Portland Art Museum Family Day: Get your glasses out and tour some 3-D art. A docent-led, kid focused tour, story time, and an art project so they can make their own masterpiece. Adults are $10, kids under 17 are free.12:30-3:00 pm.

Japanese Tea Demonstration: Watch the graceful tradition of the Urasenke Tea ritual. The ceremony is simply the preparation, serving and drinking of powdered green tea; yet within this simplicity lies the very heart of Japanese culture.  Hollywood Library (4040 NE Tillamook), 2:00-3:30 pm.

A friend recently found out that she's going to be a mama!  Yay?  Or nay?  She had to admit she was feeling a little lukewarm about it, it being unplanned and all.  But, when I thought about it, can we really plan these things?

We found out about our first baby when my then-boyfriend and I were in graduate school.  We were poor, working full-time, going to school at night.  We were eating a little and drinking a lot.  We will ill-prepared to start a family, but we did.  It turned our worlds upside down, but we now couldn't imagine a life any different.  A couple of years after we had our first child, we decided to have another.  We were lucky to find out we were pregnant, after just a couple of fun months of "trying".

It made me wonder: how many of us planned when we would first become mamas?  How many of us took on the surprise?  Or, how many of us woke up to the surprise, but found that we really could not make good mamas at that particular point in time?  If you were able to plan, what made *that* time more ideal than others?

Letters to the editor, Blue Oregon, The Oregonian.  Paid family leave is in the news and open for public discussion!  So chime in -  the more support people show the better.  I submitted a Letter to the Editor in response to Susan Nielsen's piece this past Sunday, and it was printed today.  I wonder if any of you feel like this?

As Oregon parents who have experienced unpaid family leave twice, we know first hand the challenges it presents.  We know how hard it can be to set aside enough money while pregnant or planning to be.  We recall parenting alone because our partner was working hard to replace our income, missing important family time at home.  We returned to work with no sick or vacation time because we had exhausted it all to afford three months of parental leave.  We lamented my first post-partum paycheck, which was greatly reduced by repaying health insurance premiums incurred while not earning.  And our hearts were heavy from leaving our babies with a practical stranger because we couldn't afford to miss another paycheck. 

Just about every Oregonian you'll meet has a family member to care for.  Let's make sure they don't have to choose between their family and their job. 

Some of us just can't get to Salem today to rally for more education funding with Stand for Children.  Much as we might want to and as important as it is.  So, if you're in the same boat, join Activistas today at Urban Grind NE from 10:30-11:30 A.M. for a call-in (we've got names, numbers, and a script).   Or call from wherever you are: Mt. Bachelor, a conference, work, a friend's house - wherever.  It's the next best thing to being there in person.  Details on Activistas. 

I've been to baby showers that included games like guessing how round mama's belly is or who could chug a bottle of milk fastest.  Come to think of it, we could've played said games at one of my baby showers.

Someone at my office is expecting her first, and announced that she was putting together a baby pool: "Who's in?"  It occurred to me, I hadn't the faintest what categories I'd include in a baby pool.  There are the usual categories like: baby's birth date and time, length, weight, head circumfrence, gender (if you don't know already), name (if you don't know already), duration of labor.  What about other categories?

• Where did labor start?
• Who was present at baby's birth?
• Was it raining, sunny, or overcast when baby was born?
• What was mama's last meal before baby was born?

• Did baby have hair?

What do you think, mamas?  More categories to add?  How about how to administer the thing: do you pay to play and winner takes all?  Or, do you think the whole thing is silly?  Did you or a friend run a baby pool with any of the babes?

A local mama wrote recently about a conundrum surely others have faced related to your real address and what school district/cluster you might like your address to be in.  In another city my nephew was almost told to leave his public elementary school because the district decided his parents' temporary address during a home renovation project disqualified him.  How they found out?  Sleuthing around because the school was oversubscribed and well, people were in fact using false addresses to get in.  Anyway, back to Portland.  She writes:

In case it's handy, PPS has a policy on neighborhood school boundaries that might shed some light.  Warning: it's in legalese.

Happy heart day mamas!  Lots of music floating around this weekend it seems, in addition to lots of hugs and kisses.

Friday

Ladybug Walks:  They're back! A guided 60 minute walk around Hoyt Arboretum (stroller use is possible) for preschoolers, no registration necessary, cool ladybug backpack provided! $3 per child. 10:00 am.

Story & a Stroll: Enjoy a short guided walk that involves education about the state of Oregon. Targets kids 3-6, rain or shine. Pre-registration required. Tryon Creek State Park, 1:00-2:00 pm.

Community Music Center Family Fridays:  The great folks from the Community Music Center have scheduled a series of short musical programs geared towards school-aged kids. This week it is musician Tom Grant. $15 per family. 7:00-8:30 pm. 

Family Dinner Concert: Listen to the "folk innovation" of Andy Simon and grab some dinner for you and the kids at the same time.  Couldn't be more simultaneously kid and parent friendly.  FREE. 5:30-7:00 pm.

Saturday

Parents for Paid Leave: The legislative session has begun and the folks working hard to pass paid family leave in Oregon need YOUR help! Check out their Facebook page or join them in person at their monthly meeting (kids welcome) Urban Grind Coffeeshop (NE 22nd & Oregon), 9:30 -11:00 am.

Oregon Birthday Party: Oregon is 150 years old this year.  Celebrate out at Tryon Creek State Park with crafts, hikes, and cake, of course. 1:00-4:00 pm.

Lorna Miller's Little Kids' Jamboree: Join Lorna Miller as she entertains adults and kids with music, rhythm, and movement.  $5 per family. Mississippi Pizza (3552 N. Mississippi), 4:00 pm.

Symphony Storytime: The Oregon Symphony is on the road for interactive, musical storytimes. This series focuses on storybooks, music, instruments, sound and fun musical crafts. Each week features a visit from an Oregon Symphony musician who will play and provide an introduction to his or her instrument and orchestral music. Northwest Library (2300 NW Thurman), 2:00-3:00 pm.

Fish Prints: Use a real fish to create a relief print of your own with artist Cynthia Nawalinski.  Sellwood- Moreland Library (7860 SE 13th Avenue), best for grades K or older, 11:00 am-1:00 pm.

Valentine Collage:  Use assorted papers, fabrics, ribbons, texts, small objects and magazines to create beautiful valentines. Artist Shanon Schollian will demonstrate collage techniques and share her expertise. North Portland Library (512 N. Portland), 11:00 am-1:00 pm.

Who's in Hare's House?: Sungura the hare returns to find someone inside his house – and it must be a monster. Weha the jackal, Pembele the rhinoceros, and Tembo the elephant all try to get this monster out but they are frightened away. No one succeeds until Chura the frog arrives. The East African tale is accompanied by The Singing Bird involving audience participation. Presented by Tears of Joy Theatre. Holgate Library (7905 S.E. Holgate Blvd), 12:00-12:45 pm.

I Love the 80's Dance Party: Work up a little sweat grooving to the tunes with your loved ones. . Lots of snacks and cool beverages will be on hand to keep you refreshed while you boogie. $5 for the whole family.

Sunday

Portland Taiko: Portland Taiko shares the dynamism of Asian cultures through the thundering taiko and rich folklore of Asia. Blending contemporary compositions with ancient tradition, the ensemble combines exuberant performances with audience interaction and participation. Central Library (801 SW 10th), 1:00-1:45 pm.

Japanese Dance Performance: Enjoy a performance of traditional Japanese dance called “Buyo” by Portland’s Fujinami-Kai School of Dance. Northwest Library (2300 NW Thurman), 1:30-2:00pm.

Happy Birthday Oregon: Come celebrate Oregon's 150th birthday as a state with free admission, exhibits, speakers, music, and cake. Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park), Saturday, 10:00 am- 5:00 pm. Sunday, noon-5:00 pm.

Hey good news: there are more Activistas these days so we're busier.  And able to write about and tackle more issues.  Like, for example, these:

Parents for Paid Leave: Join Us this Saturday, 2.14.  So you probably noticed that the legislature's in session in Salem.  And maybe you heard that the Oregon Women's Health & Wellness Alliance announced its legislative agenda last week - with paid family leave on the list!  So we're talkin' any day now.  Are you ready?

Send a message to Salem with your reject plastics.  A year or so ago we delivered bags of recalled toys to our Congressional delegation. And then voila they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which went into effect yesterday.

Turn Portland's Vision into Action: Add the parent perspective.  As parents, most of us feel deeply invested in the future of our community because our kids ARE the future, and the future of this community is the future our kids will either enjoy or suffer.  But did you know that our city has a bold collective vision for the future?  Do you want to be part of making this vision a reality for your children? 

Farm to School does PDX.  We've written more than once about school food.  Seems everyone's got an opinion. And why not, it is what our kids eat, right?   So if you're really into this issue, you're in luck, because the mother of all conferences is comin' to town - March 19-21, 2009.  

Stimulus is for families, too.  Let's Pass It!  No doubt you've heard a great deal in the past couple weeks about the economic recovery package working its way through Congress.  With so much money at stake and so many people in need, it can be overwhelming to sort through the information and the spin. 

What will Michelle do for work-family policy?  I was reading an article on the First Lady's policy agenda and how it's shaping up, and came across this list that a bunch of women's workplace advocates would like to see her tackle. 

And so much more.  Got an issue you want to see covered?  Want to submit a guest post on an issue near and dear to your heart?  Get in touch.  We're all ears.

It's probably normal.  People are drawn to what is familiar, right?  I have found that with kids books, characters and shows, I head first to the ones I grew up with.  Not that they're any better or worse than the newer ones coming out today.  It's just that they're familiar.  Big bird?  An old friend.  Brother and Sister Bear?  Like my own siblings.  Madeline?  Babar?  Ramona & Beezus?  Heidi?  More old, beloved friends.

Somehow it makes me feel all warm inside, that me and my kids were both pals with the same fuzzy make-believe characters.  When my Mom visited recently three generations of us enjoyed Sesame Street Live - and all had our own memories of and connections to the characters.  There's just something sort of cool about my son laughing at Cookie Monster singing "C is for Cookie" as heartily as I did (er, do).

I do manage to branch out (Arthur and Annie & Jack are also very popular in our house these days), but wonder what old faithfuls you find resurfacing at your house?  Do you tend to stick with them, or are you eager to leave all that old stuff in the dust?  Got an old fave that your kids love, too?  Or a beloved character that your kids - or you - want nothing to do with?

Given that our society has thankfully progressed in a bundle of ways since the 1970s when I was under 10, it only makes sense that children's lit has progressed, too, and that I should be embracing the new over the old since it's likely to be a little less sexist/racist/whatever.  Or not?

Thank goodness we live in Portland where, even on a slow, rainy weekend in February, there is still a ton going on to prevent mid-winter cabin fever! Check out the urbanMamas calendar for many more fun and unique events than we could highlight below.

Saturday

The Lucky Teakettle:  An old tale from Japan is told in a new way through combined puppetry and storytelling. Find out what awaits the lucky teakettle! Woodstock Library (6008 SE 49th Avenue), 1:30-2:00 pm AND 3:00-3:30 pm.

Fix-it-Fair: What could be better, a free event designed to save you money and connect you to resources. Join your neighbors and talk to the experts about how to spend less and stay healthy.The day will be packed with resources for creating a healthy home, including classes on various home and garden topics, weatherization tips, water and energy savings, recycling and yard care, lead testing, and simple, affordable ways to improve your home.Free childcare and lunch provided. FREE, George Middle School (1000 N. Burr R), 8:30 am-2:00 pm.

Portland Youth Spelling Bee: Got a kid who loves letters? Bring all kids grades 1-12 out for a lively test of spelling skills. Kids will be divided into groups by grade.  Prizes such as free pizza, cookies, and t-shirts!  Mississippi Pizza (3552 N. Mississippi), 1:00-3:00 pm

Valentine Crafts: Have a love-ly time creating heart-felt cards and crafts. Belmont Library (1038 SE 39th Avenue), 3:00-4:30 pm.

Family Valentine's Day Party: The folks from Portland Early Learning Project want to celebrate--YOU! Free card making, crafts, music (Dave Hall of Bee Positive), all at the extremely kid-friendly Urban Grind Coffee Shop (2214 NE Oregon). 11:00 am-1:00 pm.

Symphony Storytime:  The Oregon Symphony is on the road for interactive, musical storytimes. This series focuses on storybooks, music, instruments, sound and fun musical crafts. Each week features a visit from an Oregon Symphony musician who will play and provide an introduction to his or her instrument and orchestral music. NW Library (2300 NW Thurman), 2:00-3:00 pm.

Family Concert: Join Jo and Arlie as they sing original songs from their CD,  Animal Tea Party, plus grab an easy dinner while you're there.  $10 per family, Airplay Cafe (701 E. Burnside),  5:00 pm.

Sunday

Tales of Japan: Tears of Joy Theatre presents two stories. In "Gift," Myoga and his comical goat meet a magical princess and learn that even a great and wonderful gift can have drawbacks. In the second story, the classic folktale "Momotaro" is told using an array of rod puppets and audience participation.  Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave)

Chocolate Tasting: Isn't there a little chocoholic in all of us? Feed the beast as New Seasons offers samples of over 50 different kinds of dark, milk, and white chocolate in many different forms. All stores, 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

African American Read-in: Local celebrities, community leaders and students read from works by their favorite African American writers at the 13th annual African American Read-In. North Portland Library (512 N. Killingsworth), 2:30-3:45

Mz. Pearl's Variety Show: A solo clown show filled with physical comedy, juggling, magic, dance and word play. The audience is REALLY involved in Mz. Pearl’s show; in their seats, as volunteers, and in a mini-workshop at the end.  Gregory Heights Library (7921 NE Sandy), 3:00-3:45 pm.

When my 6 year old was trying to get our family to guess the name Barak Obama the other day, he described our new President without ever mentioning the fact that the man is African American or black.  This prompted my husband to state that our children will have the luxury of being “color-blind” when it comes to race.  While I’m not sure that being racially colorblind will be quite the reality of my children’s still-young generation, it does make me wonder if that is even really a good thing?

After living and marrying in a very diverse part of Florida, my parents raised our family in the Pacific Northwest without any discussion or mention of racial differences that I remember as a kid. Living in a community without much diversity, those weren’t conversations that were ever prompted by circumstance.  Although well intentioned, I don't really feel my parents did me any great benefit by living as if racial differences don't exist.  It wasn’t until recent years that I even learned about the concept of “white privilege”; it was just something I obliviously lived.  Shortly after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I asked a few girlfriends (all caucasian and parents of 5-6 year old kids) how they talk to their kids about race so they at grow up conscious that racial disparity is real. They all agreed our kids are too young to go there, to call attention to differences that our kids don't notice yet.

So mamas, what do you think about all of this?  Are color-blind kids a good thing?  How so?  Beyond how we as mamas talk about our own diversity, how do you talk to your kids about race, diversity, prejudice, and privilege?

We aren't the only mamas thinking about going to the kids rally down in Salem in a couple of weeks.  Several mamas have emailed us to let us know they're interested in supporting this event.  One mama emails:

Last night I learned that, based on the most recent economic forecast, Portland Public School District could face shortfalls of $20 for this year and $70 million over the next biennium ($35 million per year).  That means $20 million would have to be cut from this school year! To put that number in perspective, consider this: $1 million buys 11.5 teaching jobs and $1.2 million buys one school day in PPS.  

Another mama says:

I think we all are passionate about raising happy, healthy children. I was struck by some recent statistics that indicate the poor state of education in Oregon: did you know that Oregon ranks 42nd in the nation for K-12 share of total state spending, 49th in length of school year, 50th in average Elementary class size, and 40th in 4th Grade reading scores?

The most recent e-bulletin from Portland Public School district reads "To be straightforward, the situation is worsening. Despite past cuts and our efforts to manage resources responsibly, we face the likelihood of major budget reductions."  There is talk about making cuts to the current school year.  BUT, there are funds that could potentially come PPS's way via the federal economic recovery plan, which could fund PPS renovations and programs at Title I schools (where levels of low-income students are high).

The North Clackamas School District alone is looking at a 7% cut for the rest of this year and at 13% cut next year. The cuts translate into an even shorter school year.  Programming for arts, music and physical education will fall by the wayside.

The global economy is dire, and funding for our precious resources - public schools - is at risk.  What can we do?  To start, we can let state legislators know that funding for our schools is crucial.  Stand for Children, along with several other organizations, has organized a rally in Salem on Presidents Day.  It's a no-school day for kids, and it seems like a great way to bring our kids to our state capital and get involved with our legislation, on the state level.  The agenda: to let our legislators know how much we care about schools and services, even in an economic downturn.  We know lots of mamas and papas and kids from our neighborhood and schools who are going.

One mama writes:

Quite simply, our kids need us.  If we mamas don't speak up for our children, who will? Please log on to www.stand.org/or/rally and register to attend the Presidents Day Rally. 

Can you and will you go?  Buses are being organized now, just hit the above link for more info!  Get on the bus!

When we become parents, it becomes all the more important to plan for the future, including a future for our children that may not include us.  An urbanMama recently emailed to see if the rest of the urbanMamas community would share their insight and recommendations:

Well, we're now the parents of TWO children, ages 5 and 0.5, and we STILL haven't done our wills and all that ancillary and extremely important legal stuff to protect them if we die. It's a daunting prospect to figure that all out, but it is certainly past time to have gotten the ball rolling.

So...any urbanMamas out there who have used a family-friendly and knowledgeable lawyer that they can recommend? What did it cost? And what documents and services did you get for that cost? Any and all advice/recommendations would be appreciated!