episencial

InStyle April 2012

Mia — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:23:14 +0000

Episencial News Round Up 3/12/12

Episencial Moms — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:41:39 +0000

It all comes down to choices when you’re a parent. Do you want to co-sleep or cry it out? Breast-feed or bottle feed? Strict rules or gentle encouragement? There’s no “right” way to parent and although we may start out feeling one way, our opinions may change in the moment. I know my convictions about no TV until my kids were at least two flew right out the window once I saw that The Wiggles let me make breakfast and take a shower. The parenting stories below highlight the choices some parents have made for their families that may not be what the majority is doing but what feels right to them.

No more time-outs says this mom who explains why she eschews this popular form of discipline
This mom chooses to believe in the public school system and not send her kids to private schooling.
This mom opts for low-key at home birthday parties instead of the mega-bashes that are increasing in popularity among the preschool set.
This dad argues that instead of using Ritalin to medicate children with hyperactive tendencies, we should consider scaling down the stimulation.

This father feels conflicted about when and why to say “No.”

Have a story you’d like to share? Let us know at Facebook.com/Episencial…we’d love to hear from you.

Robin Saks Frankel
An Episencial Mom

Monday News 2/27/12

Episencial Moms — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:14:51 +0000

The past few weeks I’ve heard a lot of parenting stories that have resonated with me. From the insane to heart-wrenching, sometimes it’s hard to believe some of the things you read on the news . Below are some of the most recently talked about parenting stories that have evoked strong opinions in the Blogosphere:
1. This father’s dilemma is exactly what my husband and I have dealt with for close to four years with our eldest son. When your child requires a rigid nap and sleep schedule or else epic meltdowns occur, it’s extremely limiting and makes you part envy/part hate parents with “easier” children.

2. A mother of four was kicked out of her Georgia church for breastfeeding. She told the media that the pastor compared her to a stripper and she may face charges for “lewd behavior” even though Georgia state law permits breastfeeding anywhere. I guess the clerics at her church believe in separation of church and state.

3. Disney World’s Epcot is under fire for its Habit Heroes exhibit, which was designed to encourage healthy lifestyles through fighting villains with names like “Sweet Tooth” and “Ice Cappuccino.” Some experts and parents are up in arms over the Habit Heroes concept (which includes games on a Website and apps) saying that the villains enforce negative stereotypes about fat people. Personally, I think the ones expressing such outrage should also consider taking a stand against all Disney villains. Stand up against negative lion stereotyping (as portrayed by Scar in the Lion King) and fight for the rights of stepsisters (as portrayed by Cinderella’s evil stepsisters.) Make sure you support dwarfism as well—no one should have to be called Dopey if they don’t want to.

4. A key cancer drug for children is facing a shortage. As a parent, I can’t even begin to imagine how I would feel if one of my children were receiving treatment with this medication.

5. Should preschoolers have homework? Most experts say no but parents seem to be reluctant to speak up according to this article . I have two children in preschool and the very idea of sitting down with them to do homework at their young, wiggly, unfocused ages seems about as easy as pushing a boulder up a hill in the snow with my hands tied behind my back.

Robin Saks Frankel
An Episencial Mom

Survival Guide 2012: Skin Immunity & Eczema Risks

Mia — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:54:23 +0000

Did you know that about 70% of what goes on the skin can go into the body and enter the blood stream very quickly? When you look at a stat like that, it hard to understand why we take our skin for granted…but we do (even I – a skin care professional – do sometimes). But for 2012, I hope people begin to reconnect with their skin, so to speak and give it the respect it has earned as our largest organ, our barrier against the cold and harsh and, an important part of the body’s immune system. As rates of eczema and the other related disorders like asthma and allergies keep sky-rocketing, skin permeability and its role in immunity becomes increasingly important to understand, address, and protect. The good news is we have the ability to reduce the chaos, improve health and work against environmentally related skin damage through education, awareness and by leveraging skin care as healthcare! Find out more here in our Parent’s Library…

Holiday News Round Up – Part 2

Episencial Moms — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:46:02 +0000

Between November and the end of the year, most families find at least one opportunity to come together and celebrate a holiday. In our house, we’ve really taken advantage of living so close to so many family members and we try and get together with them as often as we can for just about any occasion. Every has their own definition of family. For my husband, who grew up with almost more aunts, uncles and cousins then I can keep track of, this means anyone who he has any connection to through either genetics or marriage. For a good friend of mine who is not close with her parents, she defines her family as a few very close friends.
I’ve seen a lot of news about families in the media lately, from well-known people working on building their families to stories about improving familial relations. Here’s the top family-related stories floating around the Web:
•    Michelle Duggar miscarries her 20th baby. In nearly any other circumstance I can think of, a miscarriage would result in nothing but an outpouring of sympathy, but in the case of this controversial ever-expanding family that hasn’t been the case.
•    Twenty-nine year old Khloe Kardashian is turning to in-vitro fertilization to get pregnant.
•    A newlywed writes about her experience as a pregnant bride.
•    A mom defends her right to only have one child.
•    A TV news anchorwoman and mom of three is speaking out in favor of paid maternity leave.

Heard any good news stories lately? Let me know on FB. Oh! and Happy Holidays!

Robin Saks Frankel
An Episencial Mom

Holiday News Round Up

Episencial Moms — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:42:43 +0000

It’s that time of year when we gather with friends and family, eat too much and make great memories. I married into a large, close-knit family and the holidays mean not only do we see many of the relatives we don’t get to see during the year, but in addition to Thanksgiving, we also celebrate my wedding anniversary and my husband’s birthday. It’s exhausting and filling to have so much crammed into to a week and a half but it’s truly my favorite and most fun time of year. All this family togetherness has me thinking about what’s going on in other families. Here are some of the top family stories being talked about online:

Having a toddler who literally won’t sleep past 5 am is a family game-changer. My own almost four year old regularly gets up for the day between 4:30 and 5 am which ends up dictating the family dynamic. It’s hard to enjoy the Thanksgiving feast –or any other outings if you know you’ll be going to bed late and getting up early. This article profiles one family and the advice they got from a sleep expert on how to handle the toddler early morning madness
The end of the year holidays are typically filled with too much overindulgence. But on a daily basis, many parents do their best to emphasize nutritious fare. I’m absolutely floored by Congress declaring that the sauce on pizza counts as a vegetable.
Since much of the holidays revolve around meals , this Five Day Holiday Manners Makeover was recently featured on the New York Times’ Motherlode parenting blog and will hopefully effect change among your little ones.
The end of Thanksgiving means the start of the holiday shopping season. This article is a fun look back at those “gotta have it” toys we (or our parents) all remember waiting in line for. The flip side of the shopping frenzy can mean too much of a good thing. This mom says why her kids have too many toys.

Robin Saks Frankel
An Episencial Mom

Vanity Fair

Mia — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:02:52 +0000

Women’s Health

Mia — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:00:30 +0000

New York Family

Mia — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:55:39 +0000

Ser Padres

Mia — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:49:24 +0000