urbanMamas Portland

Working on our own children's behavior is one thing, imagine the challenges of classroom management and what that entails.  One of our readers recently emailed us get your perspective on good behavior techniques that have worked in schools.  She writes:

Our school participates in the "Self Manager Program". Kids get lanyards for being self managers and get special privileges. This spring the privileges have extended to a party and eating lunch outside while the rest of the kids stay in. Our experience so far has been that the Kindergartners have no idea why they get to be Self Managers except that they are "good". The reasons seem to vary, sitting on the carpet without interrupting for 15 min or sitting properly on the carpet in general. It seems to me that at least this young, the kids get the lanyards based on their personalities, a quiet kid is always going to get the reward. The kids are very focused on the lanyard and not reasons they got in the first place. Some kids also get very anxious about losing the lanyard.

I feel like there must be a better way to encourage good behavior. Can't the kids all work together towards a common goal? We also have many kids getting time outs and sent to the office.

I am hoping to not get criticism for our current policy but to get ideas as to what works in your schools. Our school is a K-8 but I am sure there are different techniques that work for different ages. Help us out!

We are a diligently recycling bunch.  There are formerly loved goods that we may pass on to friends or neighbors, consign, or donate to a local organization.  We've talked before about donating children's toys and clothes, but what about other suggestions for clothes that have plenty of use left in them?  An urbanMama emails:

I am hoping to find out what people do with their clothes they want to donate. I have done my rounds to the local resale shops and have lots left over. I hate to take it all to Goodwill when I know there are many other worthy causes out there. The clothes are in good condition, some of which were hardly worn at all. I shop at Goodwill myself and would love to drop them off to a charity that gives the items directly to those in need. Any ideas?

Thank you Jennifer, who emailed us to share her experiences with detecting lead in their backyard chickens' eggs.

For me, this all started with Tamara Rubin's piece in the Portland Tribune (http://www.portlandtribune.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=123801660877902600).  A friend (also with chickens) pointed it out to me and we wondered if we should be concerned. Honestly, it had never occurred to me that my chickens might be consuming lead, but the article made sense. Since my daughter was up for her 4-year checkup, I had her tested for lead (for the first time) and I got a test too. My test came back as a "1" (the lowest possible) and hers came back as a 3. According to someone I spoke to from the Portland Lead Line, most kids average between one and three.  The official "level of concern" is 10, although there is much argument over whether this is too high (most people think it is). Therefore, a 3 is cause for mild concern and further investigation (she shows no signs of lead poisoning; most signs don't show up until levels reach higher than 10, but there are still potential long-term effects from low lead levels).

So I had my backyard chicken eggs tested. The results came in today - .2, .3, and .4 parts per million. These levels are very similar to the eggs tested in the only academic study I'm aware of (http://jvdi.org/cgi/reprint/15/5/418.pdf). Their highest egg yolk lead level was also .4 ppm (400 ppb), which lead them to conclude that "Eggs and chicken tissues containing significant concentrations of lead are a potential human health hazard, especially to young children. Repeated consumption of contaminated eggs from a family owned flock could provide a continuing dietary source of lead." As a control, they tested eggs of chickens that had not been exposed to lead paint, and their levels were much lower. Lead does not naturally occur in chicken eggs, so these levels *do* represent a problem. (For comparison's sake, the FDA limit for lead in "candy consumed frequently by children" is .1 ppm).

We live in a house in NE Portland. The house was built in 1920 (so plenty of lead paint), and it was completely renovated about 7 years ago - I suspect not using the safest lead paint removal methods. In addition, our neighbor's garage backs onto our back yard. I tested the peeling paint on this ancient garage and it clearly showed the presence of lead. I have since fenced off the area to my chickens, so I wonder if their levels will eventually drop.

 I thought that other moms with chickens would be interested in these results. I want to make it clear that I am very "urban chicken positive" and am not suggesting that we ban backyard chickens and replace them with corporate egg farms. (On various blogs there seems to be a perception that any slight of backyard chickens must be driven by agribusiness interests). I love my three hens - Dolley, Martha & Abigail. I am planning to test the soil for lead to find out if it is concentrated in certain parts of my yard that I could fence off or remediate.  Meanwhile, I will be buying my eggs at New Seasons (I'm not a shill for them either) and occasionally making egg white omelettes and meringues (lead does not concentrate in egg whites). After I remediate, I'll test our eggs again. I should note that if you do have lead in your eggs you should not compost the egg shells because lead concentrates in the egg shells and in the yolks. (And whatever you do, don't eat your girls!).

Ok, I'll 'fess up: I've been casing out overgrown kale plants in my neighborhood, considering knocking on doors to offer my services as a volunteer harvester. The kale, the broccoli, the arugula and collards and brussels sprouts that have overwintered are now going splendiferously to seed. And what's shooting up like green and yellow fireworks is delicious. It's called "raab" or "rapini" or "rapa," and this is not the first time I've sung its praises.

Last weekend at the farmer's market, I asked about the price of some bunches of raab at the Viridian Farms booth. It was only the middle of the day but her veggies were already picked-over; the farm focuses on berries and peppers, so April is a quiet month. "Two dollars," she said. The bunches were huge and my eyes lit up. "No, $1, they're looking pretty limp." I handed over two dollars before she negotiated further (heh), and asked what kind of raab it was. "Arugula."

I always thought I didn't like arugula, but I sauteed one bunch up as soon as I arrived home, relegating to the pantry the booty of two bunches of kale raab and one of brussels sprouts raab ("it's only available this time of year!" the farmer said as another customer considered a bunch, critically -- some varieties, like Italian broccoli, produce raab year-round and are very easy to grow in a NW garden).

Unlike most veggies that can be prepared so many ways, I believe there is one best way to eat raab -- unless of course you have a garden, and you should just nibble straight from the stalk; the not-quite-open florets are the best part, along with the tender new leaves. I call it "raab one way" and I've detailed my method here at Culinate. Once you've cooked it, you can eat it straight, or toss into scrambled eggs or a frittata; with raw, chopped garlic or green garlic, white beans or lentils, and olive oil for a warm salad; as a bed for poached or fried eggs, with hollandaise, if you're the sort of person who makes hollandaise sauce; on a homemade pizza (I think a white pizza or pizza formaggi would be perfect); tossed with pasta (strozzapretti or gemelli would be fun, or fusilli), garlic and some sort of good hard cheese or fresh chevre; or with smokey blue cheese and canned roasted peppers or dried tomatoes.

Raab, more than anything, is a simple spring vegetable, full of newness and tender sweetness, a burst of spring, reminiscent of the plant underneath but mellower, brighter, its winsome little sister. You'll fall in love, like me, and chances are your children will too. (Everett, seeing a pot of sauteed raab on the counter: 'Oooh! Greens!' and makes himself a plate.)

I have vaccinated all my three boys more or less on schedule, but it is more inertia than science; when Everett was born, I wasn't in a community that questioned vaccinations (my husband's best man was a pharmaceutical sales rep, for one), and it wasn't until later that I started wondering if filling babies full of toxins was really the best approach. By then, it was almost time for public school, and I didn't want to face filling out forms stating my "religious" refusal for one child, but not another.

But I know lots of you urbanMamas don't vaccinate; parts of Oregon have some of the highest rates of vaccination avoiders in the country. And last night on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, I felt as if I was seeing one of my friends on trial. After an 11-month-old died from measles -- and her mom, a distracted and turbulent Hillary Duff, buried her in a parking lot, thinking she'd killed her -- it was decided that the real "culprit" was a mom who'd decided not to vaccinate her son. The baby and the little boy had been at the same playground after he'd been infected by an Amish teen with measles. The city of New York put the non-vaccinating mom on trial for murder. Seriously?

Not only were non-vaccinators called out in scathing tones for their lack of medical degrees and their dispassioned uncaring for all others ("I don't make choices for those kids!" said the mom shrilly), but the way the writers portrayed the woman was unforgivable; on the stand, she goes on a rant claiming that the baby would have died anyway, because Hillary Duff's character was a "bad mom" (true, but really) and she was a "good mom" and thus she deserved to get off. She did, much to the disgust of most of the SVU crew, who kvetched about how she'd gotten away with murder. The ending was too complicated and horrifying to describe here.

I was shocked that such an extreme viewpoint, which took the "mommy wars" media invention and ran with it in the ugliest way, was firmly established by a TV show I've often loved as the moral right. Did you watch the show? What did you think? Will you be watching Law & Order again?

Mamas, as we are vigilant about lead testing and recalls, lead exposure can still hit home.  An urbanMama recently emailed, seeking your tips and advice as it relates to elevated lead levels:

My daughter just had her lead level tested at her 9month check up and it came back at a 9.3.  I am kinda freaked out right now as I have done everything I can to provide my child with what I thought was a non-toxic environment. I live in an older home and am afraid the water and/or possible lead paint may be the culprit.  Has anyone else dealt with high lead levels in their infant and the possibility that it is in fact due to the home environment?  I am very careful about the toys she plays with and the containers her food and water are in.  Does anyone have suggestions for lowering her lead levels?  Can anyone recommend a home inspection company/individual to test lead levels in my home? I live in Columbia County about 25 min. from NW Portland.

There is nothing too embarassing to chat about here.  Have any of you urbanMamas experienced hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

This is a slightly embarrassing question to discuss, but 30 weeks into my second pregnancy, I'm dealing with terrible hemorrhoids (I also had them with my first). They are really awful this time, and I've discussed with my OB the possibility of having surgery for them after this baby is born. He has given me the usual recommendations about prevention (diet, OTC treatments, etc) which I am following, but they never really went away after baby #1, and I'm feeling like it's even worse this time around and tired of dealing with this painful issue.  Do any mamas have experience with the actual surgery to correct this problem? Any doctor that you used in Portland that was good?

Have a great weekend mamas!

Playdates at Milagros: Join Mocha Moms from 11:00 am-1:00 pm and the NE Moms playgroup from 2:30-4:30 pm. All are welcome at both playdates.  Milagros (5433 NE 30th Ave).

Mexican Folk Dance: Enjoy Mexican folk dancing with Ballet Papalotl. St Johns Library (7510 N. Charleston Ave.), 4:00-5:00 pm.

6th Annual Asian Heritage Night: A celebratory event in anticipation of Asian Heritage Month in May, free to all to enjoy culturally specific performances, arts and crafts, and foods. East Portland Community Center (740 SE 106th Avenue). 6:00-8:00 pm.

Saturday

City Repair Project Earth Day Celebration: A day long celebration of our planet that includes music, games, food and earth-friendly vendors. Wallace Park/Chapman School (NW 25th and Quimby). Rain or shine, 10:00 am-7:00 pm

Mexican Folk Dance: Enjoy Mexican folk dancing with Ballet Papalotl. North Portland Library (512 N Killingsworth), 12:00 noon.

Avenue of Roses Parade: This parade showcases the first public appearance of the full 2009 Rose Festival Court. Will also feature the One More Time Around Again marching band, Kell's Irish Pipe and Drums, and the Royal Rosarians. Leaves from 4000 SE 82nd, disbanding at the Montavilla Community Center. 9:00 am

Storytellers Guild & Penny Puppets: Two of our favorites come together for a very entertaining performance. Milagros Boutique, 2:00 pm.

Out of the Blue Puppetry: Must be the weekend for puppet shows.  This one is also free and geared toward young kiddos.  Waypost (3120 N. Williams), 11:00 am. 

New Seasons Barbecue Benefit: Yummm...Pacific Village Pasture-Raised Beef burgers (or veggie burgers), coleslaw, fruit and a drink. All for $6 and it supports the amazingly dedicated Friends of Trees. Saturday and Sunday. All Stores, 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

Sunday

Baby Loves Disco: Missing some of your favorite dance hits from the 80's and 90's?  Been a while since you shook your booty? This might be the event for you and your little one. $12 per walking human in advance, $15 at the door on the day of event. Bossanova Ballroom, 12:00-3:00 pm.

Earth Day Celebration: Head on out to Tryon Creek State Park to learn about beavers through arts and crafts, games, stories and more.  Come dressed as your favorite animal for an afternoon parade. Hear the winners of the Tall Tale Contest tell their stories about “How Beaver Built Oregon.”  Refreshments served. 12:00-4:00 pm.

Mo Philips Family Concert: Support your local dad musician! Come out and see the fun and funny Mo Phillips play rockin' music for the whole family.  Enjoy kid-friendly snacks and beer and wine for mom and dad.  $10 per family, Airplay Cafe (701 E. Burnside). 5:00 pm.

My boys, having many conventional boy passions, love trucks. But I am weary of reading the often very dull books about how excavators and booms and buckets and crawler treads work. In fact, I've been collecting photos to make my own book with language that's more fun to read (I'm thinking excerpts from my college poetry anthologies, but we'll see how it goes.) So I was excited when Larissa sent us info about the Truck Town Party. What better opportunity to combine my boys, trucks and books than at today's Multnomah County Library event?

Where: Con-Way Parking Lot, corner of NW 23rd & Savier St.  Entrance is on Savier, closer to 22nd. (One block south of the library.)

When: Thursday, April 23rd, from 2-5.

What:

• "Pet" the big trucks including a county Dump Truck with snowplow, Garbage Dump Box (from 2-3), Ambulance, Police Bomb Squad & robots, Police Cruiser, Fire Truck (from 3-4), and the "biggest, baddest" Tow Truck in Speed's fleet. 
• Storytime - 2:30  & 4:00.
• Crafts you can do there or take home to do later.
• Raffling off some cute truck board books.
• Toy Truck Race Track - kids who bring their toy trucks can race the track.
• Special gifts to the first 200 children.

As I type, I am feeling the let down as the newborn finally sleeps for more than an hour on his own.  It's been a rough six weeks of around the clock nursing, bouncing, rocking and diaper changes.  You know the routine, feed, burb, bounce bounce rock rock, diaper change, repeat.  I thought certainly third time's a charm, but not in this case.  It seems harder this time around.  Baby H spits up A LOT. His burps are like his older brothers belches which surely has to hurt his tummy.  He is in constant need of being soothed.  As much as I love holding and cuddling the baby, I feel relief when I finally get a break from being a human pacifier. The sling is great, but he's not always happy in it.  The soothie also sometimes appeases him.  We are also working through lullabies and music to see what song will have that magical effect of calming him down.  I've been desparate enough to try to train him to suck his thumb, but that hasn't worked either.  O.k. mamas, what magical combination worked for you to soothe your little one?  I know things will get better soon, but at what point did you feel things turned a corner? 

The day isn't over just yet, but we're a little late in getting this conversation going.  We've been swamped with work, but I've been wondering all day: what are you all doing for Earth Day today?  What did you all do?  Were there scheduled school events?  Chats about earth-loving around the dinner table?  Just another hump day gone by?

Every day is Earth Day!

Mamas, I miss getting together with you all, meeting new mamas and seeing old familiar faces.  I'm having a hard time fitting face-time into my calendar, what with the FT job, relationship, two kids, and another one on the way.

With a couple of hot-hot-hot conversations of late, I feel the need to just sit down, shoot the $hit with you, and let you get to know me.  Let's get together, for a good old-fashioned coffee playdate, urbanMamas style.  Bring your kids or not.  I won't have mine; they'll be in school.  I'll be there pretending to work. 

Coffee Playdate, urbanMamas style
Sydney's Cafe
1800 NW Thurman (corner of 16th and NW Thurman, under the Fremont Bridge)
Friday, April 24, 2009
9:30AM

Feel free to RSVP in the comments or just show up and say "HI".  Let's go build some community and meet new mamas.

I did not have the intended response to the front-page article in the 'O' section of today's Oregonian. The writer meant for me to be sympathetic with the plight of the family depicted; two parents in what seemed a loving, functional marriage with two children under four. I think it was the way the writer approached the story, obvious scrabbling to paint a sad picture of a family left exhausted and strung out, juggling two jobs and only one car.

While I can relate to the stress of the enormous, far-too-dear cost of child care for young children, I came away from the article wishing to share my perspective as a mama of three boys, having drastically changed my work schedule in the past year; though I fear the chasm between the ways we look at life is great. The two parents are working alternate schedules; mom at Costco, dad in sales at a construction and industrial supply company. They pay for only about nine hours of day care a week, or $480 a month, and together make $64,000. They live in a two-bedroom, 800 square foot apartment somewhere in Tigard. No, their schedule doesn't allow for matinees, pedicures, or post-work beer with the guys. Yes, they're "trapped" with one parent, and the car, at work when it rains. The fun for the kids, according to the article: a walk to a toy store, cartoons on 'On Demand,' the shopping mall play area. [The article's writer explained the day she followed the family, it was raining, so they decided not to go to the park; there are parks close by, though the original article wasn't clear on that fact.]

I wish I could fix it for them. What's obvious at first is that we all need a better link to community; to friends who can share childcare providers or swap care for free; to people who can provide that post-work beer experience with the kids; to occasional potluck dinners so each night doesn't seem so harried and lonely. My life today is not perfect (far, far, far!) but thanks to my perspective I can see a number of choices that are worth re-thinking. The sidewalk-less suburb is just one; I know that prices don't vary much from the middle of my neighborhood in inner SE Portland to Tigard, giving the parents far more places to connect and allowing mom & dad to get rid of the car altogether, choosing Tri-Met or the bike for commuting. Then maybe one parent can quit or reduce hours, relieving the pressure and the exhaustion considerably. Harriet calls this concept "householding," and I'm a big fan. (After hearing from the writer who wrote the story, I deleted my comment about food.)

Instead of sitting here frustrated at how isolating, stressful and perhaps more expensive than necessary are the lives we're asked to sympathize with in the Sunday paper, I'll make a challenge. [And judging from the age of the photo illustrating this post, it's a challenge I need badly.] I'll make it easy, because frankly, sharing child care is enormous thing to think about on such a beautiful day. Invite someone over for a potluck dinner -- or invite yourself to their place, if they have more room to set plates and cups. Connect in a simple, relaxed and nonmaterial way. Spend as little money as possible; yes, a carrot and lentil chili and a big salad, with water or homemade iced tea to drink, is perfect. Skip the cartoons and toy stores. Talk about the best place in your neighborhood for nature walks. Make it a regular thing. Start the change small, and see what happens.

Could it be...a weekend filled with sunshine?  If you're not preoccupied trying to catch up on your vitamin D, consider checking out the Multnomah County Library--they are hosting quite a few fun musical, craft, and theater events this weekend.

Friday

Ladybug Walk: A guided 60 minute walk around the Columbia Slough (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 ants. Targets kids 3-6, rain or shine. Pre-registration required. Tryon Creek State Park, 1:00-2:00 pm.

Family Fridays Concert: The folks from the Community Music Center have scheduled a series of short musical programs geared towards school-aged kids.  This week check out the I Ragazzi Baroque Ensemble, which combines the fresh talents of top string players with the music of old masters such as Bach and Corelli. $15 per family. 7:00-8:30 pm. 

Saturday

SOLV IT Earth Day Activities: A long list of local, family friendly volunteer projects designed to take care of Mother Earth in honor of Earth Day (April 22nd). Various locations and times, check website for details.

Spring Cleaning on Mississippi Avenue: If you're looking to get out on a little urban adventure, try a little stroll along Mississippi for activities such as clothing swaps, sustainability demonstrations, face painting, live music (see website for line up and location) and more. 11:00 am-7:00 pm.

Eat Your Veggies Treasure Hunt: Make your way through each department of Whole Foods on a Nutrition Treasure Hunt! Get a sticker for each stop on the map and collect a prize at the end! All stores, 11:00 am-2:00 pm.

Roots & Wings: This free event is a celebration of safe and healthy families and takes place during child abuse prevention month. Hula hooping, police dogs, Native American Drumming, juggling, a kids' parade, and a great line up of music and storytelling.10:00 am-2:00 pm.

Kid and Family Yoga Class: Downward Dog for the littlest folks. All kids, ages 3 to 9 and their parents. By donation, with proceeds benefiting JOIN, an organization which helps homeless individuals and families transition into permanent housing. Yoga Shala of Portland (3808 N. Williams), 4:00-5:00 pm.

Sunday

Dollar Scholar Pirate Treasure Hunt: A fun way to support the local businesses along Hawthorne, get some exercise, and maybe grab some yummy grub. Don't forget to wear your pirate gear, arrrrg! All ages, 11:00 am-3:00 pm.  

Generation Green: An Earth Day Celebration: Come get information from earth-friendly organizations, re-purposed crafts, food, a school garden planting, a seed giveaway (while supplies last) and prizes. Creative Science School (1231 SE 92nd Avenue),1:00-4:00 pm.

Matt Clark Concert: Local musician Matt Clark has recently released an excellent CD of music for kids called “Funny Little Fella”.  These songs are quirky and fun for kids and parents. Free, Milagros (5433 N Killingsworth), 1:30-2:30 pm.

As the school lottery results trickle in, with PPS coming up shortly, for those who do get "lucky" and get into their school of choice, it seems the decision is clear.  Right?  Or is it?  One of our readers recently emailed us to with a dilemma that we haven't quite touched on:

We recently found out that we got into a charter school in Portland, and while we are really impressed with the school and everything that it offers from the philosophy to the teachers, we are struggling with how to maintain a sense of place and community within our neighborhood should we decide to send our daughter to the school in the fall.  The sense of community in our neighborhood is really strong especially among those families that send their kids to our neighborhood school.  We got a taste of this over the past year, however, aside from the strong neighborhood community, the school lacks everything we seek in educating our daughter.  The charter school is six miles from our house and if we decide to send our child to the school, we will be like so many other parents driving our kids to a school that would be a better fit for our daughter.  We do worry that by doing so, our daughter will lose out on potential neighborhood friendships.  Have any urbanmamas or papas gone through this?  Can you have a sense of place with your neighborhood without sending your child to the neighborhood school?

When we started urbanMamas almost 5 years ago, I was mama to just a teeny little babe who would wake me up at all hours of the night.  After a feeding at 2am, I would sneak downstairs, open up the computer, and check out the feeds I'd read.  I'd devour the stories, gobble them all up along with a middle-of-the-night snack.  Thank goodness Facebook wasn't around then.  I may have never slept.

Through time, I realized it wasn't terribly healthy to be crawling out of bed and catching up on mama blogroll, as it would keep me up for 1-2-3 hours during prime sleeping time.  I went through a period when I forced myself to stay in bed.  I had to resist the urge, that pull into the blogosphere vortex. 

Now that the kids are older, I am on a much more regulated sleep schedule, but I am still drawn to catch up with friends on Facebook or to check out what's the haps on urbanMamas and other favorite mama conversational sites.  I know I'm not the only one!  An urbanMama recently emailed:

I am hooked on Facebook.  I check it 3-4 times a day and love reading updates, new photos, posting status updates and commenting on my friends' walls.  I can't help it, I feel so connected to people miles and miles away.

I also check my blog rounds throughout the day during my breaks from school, our toddler, and all of our responsibilities. I like being a part of these social networks and forum like discussions but I feel like I am contributing to a society more in touch with ourselves, and less in touch with each other.

How do I moderate this habit?  Any suggestions that have worked for you?  When I am not around a computer I am more creative; and when I talk to friends and hang out with them it is so much more fulfilling than messaging or writing comments on their blog or wall.

Is our generation going through a change of communication, what's going on?  How do I balance traditional social etiquette and lifestyle while being modern, wireless, and digital?

This year's "turnoff" week is next week, April 20 to 26.  And, instead of being billed as "Turn Off TV Week", the organizers, Center for Screen Time Awareness, is calling the week "Turnoff Week", meaning we unplug from not only TVs, but also videos, games, computers, cell phones, and iPods.

Why turn off?

• Screen Time cuts into family time and is a leading cause of obesity in both adults and children.
• In the US and other industrialized nations around the world, screen time use continue to increase every year. 
• The average daily usage for all screens, in some countries, has reached 9 hours per day.  This is for recreational use of screens and does not include work time.
• On average, people watch 4 hours of television and then spend another 4 plus hours with computers, games, video, iPods and cell phones

So, what can we do?  Here are some ideas to start:

• Hit the playground, and invite school/neighborhood friends.  Make it a huge playdate!
• Find out what activities your school may be hosting.  Better yet, offer to plan and host an activity.
• Host a session of board game playing at the community center, library, school, or friends house.
• Check out free or reduced-cost swim sessions at the public pools (Columbia on Wednesdays; Buckman on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; and Dishman on Saturdays.  Call specific pools for details)
• Gather friends for a short bike ride in the neighborhood.
• Organize a scavenger or treasure hunt.
• Check out the urbanMamas calendar for more ideas for fun.  There is something going on every day!

How will you be recognizing Turnoff Week this year?  What activities, if any, are planned at your school?

Need more tips or resources?  Kaiser has a great run down of sample activities, more information, and a screen-time toolkit to learn fun and healthful alternatives.  Check it here.

We recently received an interesting email from an urbanMama, who wonders how few sets of clothes you stock for the kids?

Update: We have reservations at Mothers @ 12:00 on Thursday 4/16 for 20 (!) mamas. Since it is in the middle of lunch rush, we will be at two tables and they would really apprecate it if we would bring CASH. The reservation is under Courtney/urbanMamas.

How was spring break? Did you get one or just your kid(s)? Summer plans underway? Economy impacting your job? Let’s talk at a working mamas lunch. (Remember, everyone's invited to a working mamas' lunch whether or not you have a full-time office job; and babies-in-arms are welcome!)

when: Thursday, April 16 @ Noon

where: Mother’s Bistro and Bar; 212 SW Stark; http://www.mothersbistro.com/

RSVP in the comments by 4:00 pm Monday, April 13

Rain, rain go away, you're raining on our Easter parade! If you 're looking for more excitement than just the backyard this weekend, check out the Oregonian's guide to local Easter egg hunts.  Just make sure you bring an umbrella!

Friday

Eat to the Beat: Move to the groove while you munch your lunch.  A great chance to wear the kiddos down for a long nap as they bop to the beat. Airplay Cafe, 12:00-1:00 pm.

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), 2:30-4:30 pm.

Kids for Rock 4 Kids: Inspired by the Academy Award-winning hit movie, Slumdog Millionaire, Portland-based kid bands Still Pending and Blind Einstein -- along with special guests Social Appetite and The Vibrations -- are hosting a concert to benefit Mercy Corps programs for children around the world. $10, all ages. Crystal Ballroom (1332 W. Burnside), 6:00-9:00 pm.

Saturday

Healthy Kids' Fair: Easter egg hunts (kids 1-8), car seat checks, $5 bike helmets, fire truck and ambulance displays, and more. Legacy Emanuel (501 N. Graham),  10:00 am-2:00 pm.

Concordia Spring Egg Hunt: This annual tradition will be held at the playground along NE 37th Avenue and NE Ainsworth.  Free prizes, rain or shine, 10:00 am (sharp!).

Safety Saturday at the Belmont Firehouse: Learn valuable safety lessons and fire department history by exploring the old Belmont Firehouse. Hands on activities include sliding down a fire pole! Belmont Historic Firehouse (900 SE 35th), 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Family Dance: Get your groove on (and your caffeine too!) with your kiddo at this DJ spinning, kid twirling, free disco party.  Airplay Cafe (701 E. Burnside), 10:00 am-noon.

Painted Turtle Walk: Come see one of the largest populations of Western painted turtles in the Northwest. See these beautiful reptiles with the help of Metro naturalist James Davis, who will have small telescopes for a close look. Learn about their natural history and why they're so rare. Adults and children 5 and older. Meet in the parking area on North Marine Drive. Advance registration required. (503) 797-1850 ext. 4  Smith and Bybee Lakes, 1:00-2:30 pm.

Marimba Marathon:  More than a dozen youth marimba bands will perform all day. All ages. Free. Organized by local teacher MyLinda King. David Douglas High School (1400 SE 130th Ave.) 10:00 am-4:30 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.

Sunday

East Portland Community Center Indoor Park: As far as the staff at the EPCC could confirm, the indoor park will be open on Easter. For kids birth to 5, $1 per child. 740 SE 106th (near Mall 205), 3:30-5:30 pm.

Family Sunday at the Portland Art Museum: Every Sunday in April, visitors of all ages can experiment with photographic techniques inspired by the APEX: Chris Jordan exhibition (from 1 to 3 p.m.), take family tours of the galleries (at 12:30 p.m.), and listen to stories (from 2:30 to 3 p.m.). Adults are $9, kids under 17 are free.

Brunch ideas at New Seasons: Frittatas and stratas and sausage, oh my!  All stores, 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

My husband and I were watching a Discovery Channel show on the science of reproduction a few days ago; the show posited that humans are more likely to look for a new mate after their first child grows old enough for one parent to raise him alone. "Well then!" I said. "I guess we're fine." We have three children, after all. We laughed, but given our often-tense relationship, it was through a lens of concern. Not only are we occasionally very un-fine, but many of our close friends have been through separations and divorce in the past few years, and the prospect of raising a child alone -- or as part of an awkward parental tag-team -- is too familiar.

Another urbanMama emailed me yesterday to say she, too, was in the painful process of separation and divorce. It's easy to see everyone else through your lens, and think, oh, they're fine! They don't have my problems. The marriage wasn't fine, and now she's just looking for advice and wisdom. While I sympathize, I haven't been in her shoes, so I'm hoping some of you, who have, can lend your stories to her.

Our girl came home the other day and said, "Mama, TESA is in 3 weeks."  There was a bit of nervousness or apprehension in her voice.  And, we knew this day would come.  We just didn't know it'd be right around the corner.

Honestly, I know very little about the standardized testing in the Portland Public School district.  Here is some info we did find from the PPS website:

Every spring, students in grades 3-8 and grade 10 participate in an annual assessment based on state or district reading and math goals for that grade.

You can view the 2008 assessment results here.  For the past several weeks, a steady stream of worksheets and drills have come home with our daughter to prepare her for the weeklong experience of TESA (technology enhanced student assessment).  Two days of math assessment, two days of reading assessment, and a day reserved for make-ups.  It looks like the students will test for about an hour a day.

This is all new to us, and perhaps we should have learned more about it beforehand (and drat PPS website for being so hard to navigate!).  Have you had experience yet with the public school standardized testing?  Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

My neighbor, Camellia Nieh, is a great gardener -- I often admire her skills from my window and have tasted many of her cherry tomatoes and other goodies. She offered to write an introduction to vegetable gardening in Portland, and I said, yes please!

As weather begins to warm, Portland gardeners begin to anticipate the joys of the growing seasons. Waking up on a sunny morning, strolling outside, and harvesting a basket of fresh tomatoes, basil, spinach, and chives for your morning omelet. Sending the kids out into the yard to graze on sugar snap peas, strawberries, and cherry tomatoes when they clamor for a snack. Browsing a bounty of ripening cucumbers, eggplants, and summer squash as you decide on a vegetable for dinner. Snipping a bowlful of baby greens to bring to a dinner party and garnishing it with edible gem marigolds, day lilies, and sweet violets.

The gardening buzz is everywhere. You’ve heard about the Obamas’ breaking ground for their vegetable garden at the white house, and about the resurgent victory garden movement. You know all the reasons. There’s the statistic about how our average meal travels 1500 miles to reach our plates, and the fact that switching to a local diet is equivalent to driving about 1000 miles less per year. And you’re painfully aware that the average American consumes a pound of pesticides a year, and that we don’t yet know how that chemical load will affect our kids’ growing bodies.

But if you’ve never grown your own food before, perhaps you’re not sure where to start. Not to worry. Growing edibles in Portland is easier than wrangling a wild banana slug. There are tons of resources in this town to help you get started, many of them inexpensive or free.

Holy Moly!  Allergies are here!  We haven't been able to post up so much because we've been too busy sneezing.  True to form, putting our kids first, we seem to have already talked about the seasonal allergies and kids.  But, what about the mamas?  Are you a mama with allergies?  How do you treat?  What allergy remedy suggestions do you have for pregnant and nursing mamas?

Even though it might seem like all we talk about over on Activistas is paid family leave, I promise we're more than that.  In the past week or so we've watched a few videos - including a short "awareness raising" web video that won an award -  and talked about one other fave  - toxics.  It's like this:

Children See, Children Do: A hard video to forget.  I came across this powerful video because it won a 2008 award for best awareness-raising video.  Wow.  Tough, powerful message.  Especially for us parents who try to do it right, strive to be good role models, but don't always pass with flying colors.  The power in our hands to shape a generation is so real.

Seeking parents for video short on toxics: Speak Up!  Are you riled up about all the toxic chemicals in consumer products (like I am)? Wish our laws were stronger?  Willing to speak up about it?   If you answered 'yes' to these questions, you might be perfect for the short web videos we're making to support stronger federal chemical policies, including the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act.   

Another hard to forget video: Waddya think?  This home-made video was made by an amazing green blogger in Michigan who writes a lot about toxics and children's health - and what you can do about it personally and politically. 

Businesses for paid family leave?  You bet. A whole lotta parents support paid family leave.  That we know.  But businesses?  Yes, it turns out, them too. Take Sattie, a Portland mom and business owner who sees the issue from both angles.

Contaminated formula + contaminated water = contaminated baby: I'd love to feed my kids knowing that the food and water I give them are safe. You? But I can't. Why? Because the safeguards in this country are so weak that there's rocket fuel in infant formula. I mean, how bad can it get?

Paid family leave hearing in Salem: Your body needed.   If you've been reading Activistas for more than, like, a day, you know all about Parents for Paid Leave and our effort to pass a bill in Oregon this legislative session. 

And, of course, there's more.  Always more.  What are you getting active about these days?

Hi mamas, here's just a small sampling of some fun activities going on in town this weekend. If you're up for hopping in the car (and maybe a little rain), consider the Wooden Shoe Festival or the Tryon Creek Trillium Festival.  Check out the uM calendar for more action and info on some of our favorite regular events.

Friday

Day of the Young Child at the Portland Children's Museum: FREE admission! Plus Penny Puppets (12:30, 1:30, 5:30 and 6:30), art projects and more.  9:00 am-8:00 pm.

First Friday Steamup: If you've a train enthusiast on your hands, check out this display of miniature trains. Popcorn and kids coloring area too! Free. Staver Locomotive (2537 NW 29th) 6:00-8:30 pm.

Saturday

Cowboy & Octopus: Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith’s book “Cowboy & Octopus” pairs an unlikely duo as friends. Create a hero all your own by building an eight-legged friend from recycled materials with Sarie Weinberger of SCRAP. Gregory Heights Library (7921 NE Sandy), 2:00-4:00 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. Killingsworth Library (512 N. Killingsworth),11:00 am-12:00 pm.

Pearl Bunny Hop: Follow the treasure map for easter treats and craft projects from many of the kid-friendly businesses in the Pearl District. 10:00 am-6pm.

David Rovics Pirate Songs: Hailed as a peace poet and troubador for our times, David Rovics turns his considerable talents to music for kids.  Check out www.davidrovics.com for samples of his pirate songs. Free cookies for kids wearing bandanas. $10 for the whole family. 5:00 pm.

Sunday

University of Portland Reading Fair: Bats, Balls, and Books: Come have a field day with reading! Celebrate reading by perusing over 1,600 books, listening to readings by UP students, plus face painting, beanbag tosses (and other games), and Pennys Puppet Shows at 11:30 and 12:30. Parents are asked to bring books children have outgrown for donation to a local homeless shelter. Portland Chiles Center 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

$2 Sunday at OMSI: A great way to see the museum for cheap. 9:30 am-5:30 pm.

Spring is late this year, but everyone still has heavy, wide-eyed piles of one of the original, most thoroughly lowly, peasant foods: the cabbage. I can't believe it took me so long to discover the cabbage. I always treated the bulbous lady so badly, pushing her red fronds aside in college salad bars; eschewing the smarmy cups of coleslaw for her mushy cousin, potatoes and gravy; recoiling in horror from sauerkraut. I hate cabbage, I thought.

Oh me. You were so, so wrong. Or perhaps you were right; that cabbage wasn't loved, not the way my cabbage is now. The first farmer's market of the season I spent the better part of $10 on cabbage, and it's a good bet it will be all eaten within two weeks, and I haven't even made kim chi.

The first, best, most wonderful way to enjoy cabbage is a recipe I adapted from The Paley's Place Cookbook. Trust Vitaly Paley, with his Russian heritage and his local, seasonal mien, to deliver cabbage in its sweetest, truest form. I like savoy cabbage or red cabbage for this; the big heavy pale green heads don't turn as jammy, although sometimes I mix some green in with the red for a play of textures. Here is the recipe for honey-braised cabbage; it also calls for a little bacon fat (or olive oil), an onion and an apple, some vinegar and honey. I serve it with everything; with corned beef or sausages, spooned into lentil or potato soup, heaped into a bowl of pasta, mixed with leftover potatoes and grated beets and lots of fresh garlic for a surprisingly perky fried potato cake. It kind of disappears into soups, even as it adds sweetness, so it's great for kids (yes! mine have now eaten cabbage, and liked it!).

Many of us have had the experience of going to work with a wee one left with a sitter or at a daycare center.  No matter how old the babe, it can be quite tough, especially if we're used to being together most of the day.  We have an urbanMama how emails with her bittersweet predicament:

Mamas, it seems that we've recently heard from several families considering relocations - both to and from Portland.  An SF-but-soon-to-be-PDX urbanMama emailed, seeking any tips you might have for her husband to pursue a job search here in Portland:

It's that time of year again.  In fact, we may even be a little late to the game to start thinking: how does your garden grow?  An urbanMama recently emailed to glean ideas for their new family garden: