Personnel at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, report extracting 52 foreign objects that 10 teenage girls deliberately embedded in their arms, hands, feet, ankles and necks over the last three years, including needles, staples, wood, stone, glass, pencil lead and a crayon. One patient had inserted 11 objects, including an unfolded metal paper clip more than 6 inches long.

Good Christ. Although the Trib reports that 13-24% of high school students deliberately injure themselves at least once, they do emphasize that embedding is an incredibly extreme version of this behavior and that "All the cases in the Ohio study involved girls living in foster homes, group homes or mental health facilities. Many had experienced or witnessed physical or sexual abuse, and most had been diagnosed with depression, anxiety or other mental health problems." Even so: we will not be able to look at a paper clip the same way again.

[Image Center For Parent/Youth Understanding]

Radiologists Uncover, Label New Teen Affliction [Chicago Tribune]

Earlier: Why Are Cutters Called Silly Girls?

I was recently sitting with a friend's 8-year-old for an evening, when she brought me to her room to show me a note a little boy in her class had sent her. "I know you have a boyfriend," he'd written in a large, childish scrawl, "but I need to have you in my life." He went on to say that her happiness was the most important thing to him; he'd included a flower, which she had thrown away. Maybe Alec Greven's on to something!

When some of us were in third grade, we were so tiny and borderline feral that romance was not really an issue: such interactions were limited to intense secret crushes, occasional haughty snubbings, and spelling competitions with flirtatious undertones. When one little boy did like me, I was so humiliated that I asked to be moved to a different desk group. One of my out-of-school friends lied about having an older 4th grade boyfriend, which made me very uncomfy. A few couples in my class 'dated,' which didn't mean that they went anywhere or actually acknowledged each other. And I have a very distinct memory of one little girl attempting to impress a boy she liked by bringing all her horseback riding trophies to school and casually arraying them atop her desk; she was regarded with pity by the rest of the class.

So, based on this, a perusal of old diaries and recent interaction with abovementioned babysittee, here is what our inner 9-year-old girl would advise with regards to dating boys:

-Always be nice. Even if you don't like someone back, never humiliate him and try to keep things private.
-Keep all notes.
-If you like a boy, don't bring all your horseback riding trophies to school and put them on your desk, because everyone will know what you are doing and you won't be able to open your desk.

Your turn, belles! If we want to compile something definitive here, we're going to need a lot of child-channeling and, more to the point, as much advice as you can get from real 9-year-olds. Sisters? Cousins? Pupils? Bring it on! We'll compile all the advice we get as a public service.

Earlier: The Book Of Love

I can well remember the burning scorn for my next door neighbor and her overnight love for NKOTB, which included a wall of posters and a comforter. I have a clear memory of sitting on my lawn reading a Natalie Babbit book (doubtless in a sunbonnet) while she and a friend did an earnest a cappella rendition of "Step by Step" over the hedge. Around the same time, a hand-clapping game swept my second-grade class. I was, on principle, scornful and refused to play it: I remember arriving at school one day to find my best friend and lone ally clapping and singing along; that day, I sat by myself on the sidelines while the other 19 members of my class played "Em-pom-pi" in a big circle. At least I had my vague principles!

Even at the time, I would have been hard-pressed to define my objection to these seemingly innocuous phenomena. The fact that everyone else liked them — nay, had lost their heads over them — was enough. In later years, sticker books and Koosh balls and 90210 obviously also aroused my superior contempt . There were moments when I yearned for the tactile pleasures of a fuzzy sticker, the clandestine thrill of the Walsh siblings' G-rated antics; but nothing could provide the satisfaction that my principled individuality did — a thrill as compelling and all-encompassing as the trends that swept my classmates along. And obviously as the teen years advanced, my commitment to outsider status only hardened.

Twilight has made people think about the mass hysteria such phenomena can provoke in girls, just as matinee idols, the Beatles, boy bands , High School Musical actors and teen pop stars have done for decades. Hormones, burgeoning sexuality, issues of identity and assimilation are usually invoked. And everyone's aware of the trope of the teen outsider, defining him-or-herself against such conformity. We've all seen The Breakfast Club, after all, and experienced the rigidity of self-imposed youthful roles. But I don't think it's often said that mass hysteria and anti-establishment posing are two sides of the same coin, and to a teen it can sometimes feel like there is not much of an alternative. It can be hard to enjoy something without joining in, hard to reject it without making a self-conscious statement. It can be hard to just kind of like something when you're defining yourself, even though the bulk of a thoughtful adult life is in fact made up of gray areas and shades of opinion.

When I was talking with my young friend, I tried to be sensitive. "Really?" I said casually. "I'm kind of interested to take a look at Twilight, just to see what all the fuss is about." I could see, with that noncommittal response, that I had failed her. I should, I guess, have been railing against conformity, not joining the ranks of apathetic adulthood. After all, she had known me to be an "independent" teenager myself, back in the day. But the truth is, when I was her age, I know I would have secretly been curious to read Twilight — who doesn't like forbidden teen love?! — and even lose myself in pure hysteria for a change. One of the blessed reliefs of being a grown-up is that it's okay to admit that.

The Vampire Of The Mall [New York Times]

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

In Bailon's case, the private photos were quite literally stolen off of her laptop. As in the case of Hudgens, the pictures were also intended for a boyfriend's eyes. As sins go, they're hardly shocking. But yes, to a little girl who's apparently based her life on the actions of a character on a Disney program, such a revelation is earth-shattering indeed. Says author Debra Beck , "Rather than saying, 'Can you believe that happened?', ask your child her opinion about this...Look at it as a learning opportunity, and let kids explore their own feelings about it without giving your opinion."

Or, why don't we look at it as an opportunity to ask why kids are so obsessed with these shows? As psychologist Lisa Medoff points out, "Tweens idolize celebs, but as long as they have other role models in their life exhibiting good behavior, it's not a worry." Well, yeah. Like so much, doesn't this come down to common sense rather than some kind of contrived damage control? Even so, this seems to be a powerful argument for cartoons. Say what you will, Belle and Ariel are hardly likely to pop up in compromising positions on the internet, nor is Princess Jasmine likely to give vent to foul-mouthed diatribes.

Can we also say, why are these children even aware of these sex scandals? Maybe that's naive, and I do realize the internet has been the death of wholesomeness as we knew it, and that I come from a time when we were just "kids," but doesn't supervision do quite a bit to keep a child's focus on the character, and off the actress — or at least TMZ's portrayal thereof? There has always been a stark divide between what teen idols did and how we saw them — Maureen McCormick's recent tell-all is a testament to that — but for older kids, surely there are worse things than explaining that an actress is older than who she plays; that Hollywood is a rough place; and that, in any case, these were intended to be kept between grown-ups "who love each other." Really, when you think about it, it's a pretty PG way to introduce a child to the sordid! And isn't that sort of the contradiction of the "tween" construct after all?

She Did What?! Vanessa Hudgens, Adrienne Bailon Not The Role Models Parents Want [New York Daily News]

She then tells the following anecdote about her friend's toddler: "At first, he drew a stick figure with its arms raised. 'That's Obama,' he said to nobody. Then the stick figure reappeared, lying prone. 'Dead McCain,' he muttered." Rut Roh! Salon's Sarah Hepola is also worried about parents' political persuasions corrupting the youngins. Hepola watched this video from Babble full of assorted wee ones saying "Bawwwaack Obama" and found it sort of disturbing. "I know everyone else thinks it's cuter than puppies and rainbows, but there's something disturbing to me about children who have no agency parroting a political platform," Hepola wrote, "Like, what if my parents were Hitler fans and there was videotape of me as an adorable toddler, cake on my face, talking about loving Hitler?"

The other ladies of Salon's Broadsheet blog talk Hepola down from the ledge. Kate Harding implies that Hitler talk is a leeetle histrionic. "Despite my parents' best efforts at indoctrination, as soon as I developed a concept of the world beyond our suburban home, I became the flaming liberal you know and love. The Reagan propaganda really, really didn't take," she writes.

Moms over at NPR take the middle road and say that even if your kid is drawing two dimensional McCain death wishes, you can make it into a "teachable moment" about civics and tolerance. The question remains: how much do your parents politics influence you, whether consciously or unconsciously?

[Image via Shakesville]

Embarrassing Obama Kids [Slate]
Babies For Barack Obama [Babble]
Babies For Bwackobama [Salon]
Moms Discuss Parenting Kids With An Appetite For Politics [NPR]

And today's teens don't just want to ogle the wealthy; they want in on the action: The new tween-friendly flagship Juicy Couture store in New York offers $328 rhinestone-encrusted cashmere hoodies. Are kids today learning that money makes everything better?

Ms. La Ferla interviews Juliet B. Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College. She claims: "We are living in an era in which emulations and aspiration has upscaled very significantly. The media tells us, 'Anybody can succeed. You just have to have the right clothing, the right friends, the right décor.'"

Cintra Wilson attempted to shop at the Juicy Couture store, which embodies the spoiled brattitude that is so hot right now. She writes: "Juicy is posing as disestablishment chic. It is putting food coloring in its blond hair and driving to the underage punk show in Dad’s Lexus. Juicy is de-punkinated punk that rarely verges into the naughty."

Little girls have almost always dreamed of being princesses, but there's something disturbing about the ways they're going about it these days. Sleeping Beauty and Snow White were kind to animals and never flashed their crotches when getting out of a car; Little Orphan Annie was just as charming and popular when dressed in rags as she was when she became an heiress. She certainly never got carted away to jail by the cops. But these stories about the younger generation are worrying: If all of their idols shop for a living, they confuse expensive with stylish and think that money and happiness are the same, aren't they in for a rude awakening when they get old enough to pay the bills?

Markets Stall But Spoiled Always Sells [NY Times]
Rhinestones Are A Tween’s Best Friend [NY Times]

The Times piece, unsurprisingly, is a cute collection of yuppie-kids-say-the-darndest things anecdotes; children berating their parents for taking wasteful baths or allowing delivery services to use plastic bags. Inundated with green messages at school, on TV, and surely from their families, these kids have taken to greening with an evangelical zeal that allows for no compromise. Often, the bemused parents say, the one track mindset, however virtuous, leads to embarrassment when kids lecture neighbors, or discomfort when they want expensive innovations like Hybrids and solar panels.

Of course, what the piece does not acknowledge is that these kids — whose parents answer to descriptions like writers, stay at home moms, "a professor of furniture design," and "an executive with a solar energy company" — are hardly the norm. They live in brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods and prosperous commuter suburbs. I very much doubt that children from lower-income families, whatever they are learning at school, are as prone to pester their parents for such worthy luxuries as solar panels. After all, what the children in this piece are doing, quite obviously, is parroting the essential worldview of their parents —albeit with a kid's simplistic, inflexible and ultimately purer mindset. The parents' feigned bemusement doesn't do much to hide their evident pride in their children's civic-mindedness. Yes, it's very cute that one little girl dries her clothes on a clothesline in her room, or another won't let her parents buy an SUV. But it's a lot easier when you have the option of a dryer on cold mornings, and the money to buy an SUV if they wanted, to say nothing of small changes like energy-efficient light bulbs and "walking to school" instead of driving. These are luxuries. Necessary ones, ultimately, but the tone of the piece still rubs me the wrong way.

Look, it's amazing and encouraging that children care about the environment, and their awareness augurs for a responsible stewardship. But it's not really news that the children of wealthy, environmentally-conscious parents have developed a similar awareness, untempered by adult constraints. So much more interesting would be to see whether a similar awareness has developed in other communities, or families where green concerns were not necessarily a priority for older generations. In other words, whether there's actually been any change. The piece touches on some peoples' concerns that teaching "greening" in public school is a waste of taxpayer dollars, especially when math and reading are lagging; I'd be much more curious to know how much time such initiatives are even getting in the schools where those scores are lowest. Kids imitating their parents is not news. Kids being self-righteous tyrants, as I know all too well, is pretty old news, too.

Pint-Size Eco-Police, Making Parents Proud And Sometimes Crazy [NY Times]

First there's Lise Meitner, who collaborated with German chemist Otto Hahn from 1907-1938. Meitner guided Hahn through the experiments that led to the discovery of nuclear fission, according to her biographer, Ruth Lewin Sime. Since Meitner was an Austrian Jew, Hahn published the results of their work together without including her as a co-author, due to the political climate of the era. Historians say that Hahn initially indicated that he intended to credit Meitner when it was safe to do so. But when Hahn received the 1944 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, he took sole credit for the work.

Then there's Rosalind Franklin, who took X-ray photographs of DNA crystals. She died before her colleagues shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Lastly, Jocelyn Bell Burnell detected the first pulsars (rotating balls of neutrons that spin thorugh the universe) and published her results in 1968. She was a graduate student under Antony Hewish at the University of Cambridge, and in 1973, they shared the prestigious Franklin Institute's Michelson Medal. But in 1974, Hewish won the Nodel prize for physics — the first Nobel won by astronomers — and Burnell was not included.

On one hand, you've got to wonder if the work itself is what's important, and not the prize: Isn't having women in the sciences about results, not rewards? On the other hand, what is up with women being refused recognition for their work? (And do you think, despite the struggles female scientists have gone through, that Melissa Rey will get the props she deserves?)

Missouri girl named 'Top Young Scientist' [UPI]
No Nobel for You: Top 10 Nobel Snubs [3 Quarks Daily]
No Nobel for You: Top 10 Nobel Snubs [Scientific American]
Related: Young Scientist Challenge 2008 [Discovery Education]

Earlier: Memo To MTV: Please Make A Reality Show About Chick Scientists

What: A distasteful nanny with a penchant for sunflower seeds and male porn.

Where: Levin Playground in Central Park

When: Today, (Wednesday, October 1, 2008) at about 10:30 AM

Who: A woman of about 30 years of age with dishwasher blonde hair, frumpy, wearing a plaid man's shirt over a blue t-shirt. She removed the plaid shirt, revealing the t-shirt for some part of her time, including a time when she meandered over to the children to check on them and she was bra less; and if ever I have seen a woman more in need of a bra, then it would have to have been when my 83 year old demented, mother-in-law once appeared in my kitchen stark naked, but I digress. This woman was oddly proportioned to say the least. Her legs were rather slim, but her mid section was rather large and her chest was gigantic. So gigantic, that she became a spectacle as she jostled (picture water balloons bustling about under cheap cotton). The woman was shameless. She returned to her seated position to carry on a conversation with a woman of the approximate same age. The other woman had a distinct, Polish accent. The woman with the mammoth chest was wearing Lee blue jeans and tennis shoes with a graffiti design. After being drawn to stare at the woman after watching her walk shamelessly across the playground, I honed on her activities to try and figure out her story. It was pretty evident that she was a nanny. She had a stack of magazines that included a large word search puzzle, an O magazine and some sort of Male men's magazine. I am not sure of the title but I have the distinct impression it was a pornographic magazine intended for homosexual men. I thought it in poor form for her and her friend to giggle and fawn over the pictures during broad daylight on a children's playground. I can't say she was especially a bad nanny. She did check on the children and knew where they were the whole time. On a side note, the entire time she was there, she ate sunflower seeds. It was a pretty disgusting spectacle. She was using a pepsi can as a make shift spittoon.

Levin Playground In Central Park NYC [I Saw Your Nanny]

(Girls dreaming of the runway probably have no idea of the psychic toll or bleak economics for many models, just check out some posts written by our anonymous model, Tatiana.) But back to the survey: 29% of the girls picked actress. Only 14% picked scientist; 4% chose engineer. (Only 20% chose doctor.) Why is it that teens today would rather be someone who is gazed upon through a lens than someone who looks more closely at the world through a microscope? Dr. Alice Roberts, an archaeologist, has this theory: "I think that science is still sometimes seen as a dull subject which only a small number of people fully understand. The reality is that scientists are brilliant, creative people, and what could be more interesting than finding out about how the world works?" Ms. McKie agrees: "I love being a scientist. It is as challenging as it is rewarding and we should be showing girls what opportunities are out there for them."

Noise wants to see the media get involved, and prove there's more to life than aspiring to celebrity status. One in four of the teens say that science and engineering fields are not represented in the magazines and websites they read. Sure, sure. Blame the media. Or! Find a way to use the media.

So here's an idea: What if MTV created a reality show about young female scientists? What if these women were smart, interesting people who ended up in the tabloids, on the red carpets, on the pages of glossy magazines? Even though life shouldn't always be lived seeking the spotlight, wouldn't you feel better about those women making money than, say, Audrina Patridge? How else can we reverse this trend of teens aspiring to be objects upon which to gaze?

Girls Choosing Camera Lenses Over Microscopes [Guardian]
Earlier: Today's Teens Believe It's Better To Be Sexy Than Clever

And in case you felt compelled to write in anonymously to a website to report some possible neglect: none of the nannies pictured is engaged in texting, yelling or inattention — capital crimes in the ISYN universe.

I Saw Your Nanny [Official Site]

Earlier: ISYN Update: Bad Perm And Stroller In Street Spark Frenzy!
I Saw A Crazy: Nanny Policing Goes Off The Rails

Here are the $108 and $110 sequined jackets. Cute! And that dress with the white lady on it that the black girl is wearing? $238. Props for ethnic diversity, though.


Hahah, OMG, being rich is so fun! The one on the right? Her shirt says, "My dog for President." Drill, baby, drill. That jacket is $328. The jeans are $98. My jeans are 48 bucks but my mom didn't buy them for me.


I've said it before and I'll say it again: Juicy Couture is neither juicy nor couture. This little pink dress is $128. The cat is not included.


I did not know that there was Juicy Couture for infants. I thought it was just for pre-teens and the soccer moms who dress like them. You learn something new every day.


This bed belonging to "Emily" features a duvet cover ringing up at $615. A twin dust skirt? $430. Each sham is about $130. The "boudoir" pillow in velour with faux leather pocket and buckle detail costs $210. This sleigh bed, in full size, is $1,159. Emily gets over when the tooth fairy comes, no doubt.


Marc Jacobs! For children! That little red dress is $231; the boots are $312. The dog is all, "WTF?"


Pennies from heaven? How about dollars from Daddy? He makes it rain! Why else would a child need a $385 Burberry raincoat?

Aww, sorry, honey, I think he might be Le Gay.

Because let's face it: The younger generation is fucked. Eight-year-old girls are getting pedicures and bikini waxes — won't these become life-long habits? Next come the boob job at 16 and lipo in the early 20s. Some people make fun of rappers for spending their money on cars and bling but at least you can try and pawn your diamonds, sell your Benz. What kind of investment is Botox? What kind of lessons are young girls learning when our culture focuses so much on looks? One can only imagine the psychological ramifications on today's young girls who are faced with padded bras, thongs and looking up to whitewashed or size 00 celebrities. And what of the young women who can't afford $100 a month in beauty products? Are they actually better off, in a way? (What are the chances they'll see it that way?)

This study was done in conjunction with the documentary America The Beautiful. It's so frustrating that this film is rated R when The Dark Knight is PG-13; meaning that millions of kids saw the Batman film when they really need to examine their priorities.

Don't get it twisted: It's fun to play with makeup and haircolor. For plenty of girls, it's not even about attracting the opposite sex. But the overwhelming focus this culture has been placing on looks has got to be damaging to the younger generation. (Don't forget: Girls today think being called sexy is the ultimate compliment.) It's clear that we need to make a change: How do we even begin?

Botox And Blush Obsession Seen As Cause For Alarm [Reuters]

Earlier: Waxing
Teen Girl Gets Lipo To "Prevent" Eating Disorder
How Many 8-Year-Olds Have To Get Bikini Waxes Before We All Agree The Terrorists Have Won?
Young Girls Today: Tramps In Training?
America The Beautiful Reveals Ugly Truths
Today's Teens Believe It's Better To Be Sexy Than Clever

[Photo via Megan* on Flickr.]

"nanny sighting logo About 11:45 A.M. on Monday 8/11/08 Gladwyne, PA. I saw an overweight caucasian female with blond hair and a bad, frizzy perm pushing a dark bluish stroller down Conshohocken State Road towards the Post Office. She was wearing an indescript dark green t-shirt, jeans and white sneakers.

This road is only one lane each way - with no sidewalks. She was pushing the baby going the same way as traffic. Cars and trucks (it's a major thoroughfare) were whipping around them.

I was sick when I saw this. It may as well have been a freeway. It is an extremely dangerous road. There have been many accidents and deaths on it, and it is very twisty as well.The baby had light brownish/blondish hair and looked not more than about a year old. She had on a pink foral shirt, denim clamdigger looking shorts, and soft leather pink shoes. They went into the post office where the woman spent quite alot of time. Baby was very antsy and unhappy. The woman thrust a piece of paper at the baby (in a very exasperated way) to try to distract her. Not even a toy, but a post office pamphlet or something to that effect. As a mother I would never expect for someone to put my child in such a dangerous situation as this. I am assuming this was a nanny as this particular location is extremely wealthy, and she did not have the appearance of a resident."

Comment Digest:

"This post bothered me. Not because of the person pushing the stroller. But the description of this individual. And to automatically asssume it was a nanny because of her appearance. That seems a little stuck up to me. Maybe, shes a struggling mother, who doesn't have a car at her disposal. And she can't help it if theres no sidewalk. Maybe, instead of writing on here, you can call the town up, and mention that you see people walking on the side of this dangerous road. And suggest they put in a sidewalk. Thanks"

And:

"Appearance of resident= stuck up, sexually frustrated, miserable human being. And FYI, darling, while Gladwyne is certainly no ghetto, it is not nearly as nice or 'wealthy' as you think it is."

And:

"when we see people puttiing children in harm's way or neglecting them, we usually see them in the ugliest of lights. that's the truth. deal with it."

And:

"I'm sorry but the author of this post sounds like a stuck up snob. "a bad, frizzy perm" ...well what if she liked her perm that way?! and overweight? I'm sorry that not everyone has the perfect body, and I'm sorry...some overweight frizzy haired people can be wealthy, or maybe she had to walk farther then that "wealthy" neighborhood because maybe that was her own kid and she HAD to walk and didn't really have a choice whether or not she had to be on the road.people driving need to look out for pedestrians no matter what, no matter how curvy the road may be."

I Saw Your Nanny

Earlier: I Saw A Crazy: Nanny Policing Goes Off The Rails

The 1,900-square-foot space is painted with mantras that encourage shoppers to "make it happen" and "mix it up — no rules apply." On inspiration boards, Tiger Beat idols past (Elvis, Johnny Depp) and present (Zac Efron, Orlando Bloom, the aforementioned Jonas Brothers) are paired with encouraging quotes from John Cage, Coco Chanel, and Sister Corita, the now-deceased former nun who designed a love postage stamp in 1985. "We’re really about empowerment," says Wiatt.

An animated rainbow-striped heart avatar asks a customer,"What’s your fashion mood?" Her choices are Pop, Malibu, Peace, Rock, and Juku (short for Harajuku). Fleece hoodies, T-shirts, and dresses can be customized with adorably quirky illustrations including a Chihuahua, a ‘70s dream horse, and a “strawbunny,” which is a rabbit in strawberry garb. "I’m 60 percent Peace with 10 percent Juku and 5 percent Rock. The rest is Malibu. I love surfing," says Wiatt.

Wiatt and Tisch met through their husbands 15 years ago and are now so close, they even carry the same canvas Louis Vuitton Rayures tote.

They experimented with toy sewing machines but found the concept nearly impossible to execute. “It would be pretty hard to teach that age — even women our age — how to sew,” says Tisch.

"We're dealing with the aspirations and the birthday parties of 10-year-old girls," says Wiatt. "We want Fashionology L.A. to be the most fantastic memory that they’re going to have."

Elizabeth Wiatt & Jamie Tisch: Ladies Who Launch [Harper's Bazaar]

The BBC talks to Patrick Boyle, who is getting married later this year. Only close family members will be allowed to bring kids, because Boyle doesn't want his wedding to "resemble Disneyland." Plus: "Catering firms still charge for kids meals as much as adults." On the other end of the spectrum is Rhonda Williams, who refused to attend the wedding of a close friend. "The invitation said 'absolutely no children,'" she says. "It was quite aggressive and there was no explanation. So immediately we were slightly put on the defensive about it."

On one hand, a wedding is inherently self-absorbed: It's your day! With your music, your favorite cake, your huge dress and posse of bridesmaids. And these days, you're probably paying for it, too. So of course you can ban kids if you want! On the other hand: Is it mean? Cruel, even, to assume that people will attend your nuptials, buy you a gift and hire a babysitter? Isn't a wedding ultimately about family and unity and inclusiveness, not exclusivity?

Should Children Be Banned From Weddings? [BBC News]

Then the comments begin. I have done the dirty work and waded through hundreds of comments to bring you the annotated "Best Of." (That said, if you have a few free hours, read the whole exchange. You won't be sorry.)]

Angry Mom: If there is not a crackdown there needs to be. I am so tired of going to the beach, the playground or wherever and seeing people who have their children swimming and playing nude. Aside from pedophiles, what are you teaching your children about respecting their bodies??

Defiant Mom: I get the whole pedophile angle and keeping your kid dressed but respecting your body? What sort of uptight repressed Victorian crap i
s that?

Angry Mom: Sorry, I don't think that teaching children to respect their bodies by keeping their privates PRIVATE is uptight at all. Sure, my kids enjoy a naked romp IN the house now and again, and I walk around topless IN the house regularly. But, when in public I feel they should be covered. A child under maybe 2 years old could be changed outside, no problem, but any older needs to use a restroom with privacy.

Random Mom: Seriously?

What is wrong with you people? I am in the NYC area and I have not heard of a crackdown. True, nanny could be sparing a not so bright mama's feeling, but also it could be that nanny was lazy. Changing a child's cloths requires effort. The most effort I have seen a nanny display was wrangling the wrapper of a Mr. Goodbar in the 95 degree heat. She used her car keys, teeth and eventually, just her tongue. Oh I wish I had that photo!

Crazy Mom: No one wants to see their vagina's and penises hanging out.

Self-righteous Mom: To mom who is so grossed out by the penis or vagina of a 2 year old? Get your mind out of the slimy filthy gutter.

Wry Mom:

THE SKY IS FALLING

THE SKY IS FALLING

THERE ARE PEDOPHILES WITH HIGH POWERED LENSES AND ERECT PENISES!

They are children. People have been having them for eons.

Get over yourselves.

Batshit Crazy Mom:Undercover regular..you ares oooo wrong..I have watched you and so many of your "Liberal,regular,fellow posters" for years now and I have got to tthank you all for getting us where we are today.

You all jump down my throat every time I post..I never see things the way you do and let me just tell you..we do have a choice..but thanks to %&44##@@ voters like yourselves..instead of taking care of things and keeping our families safe..you all do your liberal magic and these damn pedophile's..discusting shits that they are get out after rehabillitation..and over 60% of them violte again!!

How do you vote MMP, mom, Cali Mom, UNdercover regular, manhattan mama,sprak??

Tha bastards,if found guilty beyond a doubt should be hung..and then perhaps we would be able to take our children to the park, school or beach without worrying so much!!

Your posts anger me to NO end..you are all the same PC jerks who have caused this problem!!

And don't for one second try to play it off like you beleive in the death penalty ..you are the ones who vote to set these freaks free!!

Your posts over the last few years give you away!!

you are all anti spanking anti death penalty, pro ilegal alien, pro positive reinforcement PC dummies who have made our sick worl what is is today!!!

Kill the pedophiles and rapists,
close the borders
spank your child and get this country back in order!!

or stop bitching ..afterall you are the ones allowing them on the very streets your children play on!

…and I'm out.

Nudity Crackdown [I Saw Your Nanny]

The following is from a summary of the APA's study:

Sexualization has a range of negative consequences for young women, the task force finds. For instance, "studies show that when you begin to see yourself as a sex object, it leaves you with fewer cognitive resources to do things like math," Zurbriggen says. Sexualization also can lead to body shame, depression, eating disorders and low self-esteem, the report notes.

Beyoncé Tarting Up Young Girls Too [Gawker]

Related: Sexualization Of Girls Is Linked To Common Mental Health Problems In Girls And Women [APA]
APA Task Force Report Decries Culture's Sexualization Of Girls [APA]
What Parents Can Do [APA]
Symposium: "The Sexualization of Childhood," (June 13 - 14, Pittsburgh) [Bound, Not Gagged]

Earlier: Bikini Waxes, Highlights & 'Tramp Stamps': That's What Little Girls Are Made Of
How Many 8-Year-Olds Have To Get Bikini Waxes Before We All Agree The Terrorists Have Won?
Dear Moms: Your 6-Year Old Daughter's Ass Is Not "Juicy"
Today's Teens Believe It's Better To Be Sexy Than Clever
Young Girls Today: Tramps In Training?
Britney Spears & Jon-Benet Weren't Born In Inappropriate Outfits, You Know

But it's deeper than that. Because the gossip about Gossip Girl is just as interesting as the show: Blake Lively and Penn Badgley play boyfriend and girlfriend on the show, and might be dating in real life! Blake Lively and Leighton Meester play frenemies on the show, and might kind of hate each other in real life! Hotties Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick (Nate and Chuck, respectively) are roommates in real life. But the truth is that the show could be even better — if it stuck closer to the books.

Cecily von Ziegesar, who attended Manhattan's Nightingale-Bamford, a top-ranked private school in New York (Charlotte Ronson went there) has written twelve Gossip Girl books, and, as amazing as the show is, some of the choices Josh Schwartz of The O.C. made in bringing the story to the screen must be questioned. For instance: In the books, the character of Dan Humphrey is an underdog, a poet, a disheveled thinker...an awkward intellectual who doesn't hang with the cool kids. A "nerd". Which makes the fact that he has a relationship with pretty, rich, popular, mysterious, not-a-virgin Serena all kinds of amazing. Who doesn't love it when the underdog scores? (Think of Anthony Michael Hall and the prom queen in Sixteen Candles.) Unfortunately, TV Dan is chiseled and dapper. How can he be an underdog with that confident jawline? (Not to mention that TV Serena is no where near as flighty, carefree or impulsive as Book Serena). In addition, Book Vanessa (Dan's other love interest) — who has a shaved head, wears combat boots and makes short films about how vapid her rich classmates are — is an endlessly more entertaining character than TV Vanessa, who has yet to be interesting at all. And Book Jenny — Dan's younger sister — who has enormous breasts at a young age, the whole reason she catches the eye of older guys like Chuck and Nate — tackles the very real teen issue, of being sexualized too soon, of having your physical and mental states feel out of sync. TV Jenny doesn't get to explore that avenue.

Sure, it's tricky to adapt books for the screen. Hollywood is notorious for making such big changes that the original characters are unrecognizable (See: Breakfast At Tiffany's). But Gossip Girl's strength is in its true-to-life aspects. Despite all the money and freedom the characters on the show (and in the book) have, they still suffer the same teenage angst, the "the delectable tangle of jealousy, loyalty, confusion," as Pressler and Rovzar call it, that we're all familiar with. In a world with fauxmances and pseudo-scripted drama (The Hills), producers of Gossip Girl have a chance to keep it real. If only they would!

The Genius of Gossip Girl [New York]

Last year, a group of parents in Minnesota started BirthdaysWithoutPressure.org to promote simpler celebrations for kids. But why keep it simple when you can spend, spend, spend? As a commenter posted on this site recently: "Why are people such haters? Maybe because they are jealous they can't afford such things?"

I have a Mutsy stroller, yes it cost $759, but I also donate money to children who don't have books to read, to animal shelters and various other charities. I'm not a monster, as you seem to think that people who spend a lot of money on their children are.

I spend time and money on my baby and I love the clothing and furniture presented in this magazine(yes, I like nice clothing and NO, i don't shop at Babies-R-Us), but who are you to judge me based on that? Do I ridicule you for your children dressed in low-end clothes? Maybe I should and then I'd be on your level.

$10,000 For Child's Birthday Party? [CNN]

Related:Parenting Author, Childless Woman Weigh In On Baby Couture
Earlier: Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes

Here in the US, a 12-year-old Brooklyn girl tied a belt around her neck and hung herself in her closet last week. Maria Herrera's mother claims that kids at school would "harass her, curse at her, call her 'train tracks' because she had braces" and "cut her hair." At Maria Hererra's memorial, classmates left notes that read "I am sorry" and "We won't bother you." Maria's mother says she went to the school to complain about the bullying and nothing was done.

In the UK, teachers have been instructed to crack down on bullying, manipulation and vicious behavior. But here in New York state, anti-bullying legislation has been proposed, but not passed.

Bullying is not new, but suddenly, we're living in a world where everyone's a critic. Cutting other people down is commonplace, a sport — from TV shows like America's Next Top Model and American Idol to blogs, MySpace and Facebook. Vicious words have always been present in school settings, but when we're in a society that seems to thrive on schadenfreude, how can kids feel like anyone gives a damn?

Cyber Bullying Common In Japan School Web Sites: Study [Reuters]
Bullies Blamed For Pre-Teen's Suicide [Gothamist]

Earlier: The Meanest Girls At School Are Often The Most Popular
Girl-On-Girl Crime: Schools Step In
If You Can Handle A Really Depressing Teen Suicide Story Right Now...

Dodai: I just wanted to point out that their slogan is not a joke. It's very very real.

Dodai: The Editor's letter begins, "I am what I've coined a 'serial miserablist.'" I stopped readi