HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: prmader@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (MICHELLE MADER)
Subject: Creativity at 7:30 a.m.
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Distribution: usa
Date: 15 Dec 1992 13:01 EST  


On our way down the steps to get our coats & shoes so I could
drop my children off at school on the way to work, Andrea 5YO
said, "Mom, I need to take something that starts with an "I"
for the "I"-table."

Thinking quickly, I pulled an index card from my recipe box
but Andrea refused to take it.  Then I saw an ice cube tray
on the sink but she didn't want that either.  When I told
her to put the index card in her backback her eyes welled up
with tears and she said, "But Mommy, I don't want to take a
piece of paper.  I want to take a stuffed animal."

At this point, I told her to go get a stuffed animal.  She
came down the stairs with a bear.  I told her to tell the
class it was named Irene, and we got in the car and left.

Thank goodness she doesn't do this to me often!
From: ct@dde.dk (Claus Tondering)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Danish teenager wants penpal
Date: 16 Dec 92 08:40:58 GMT
Organization: Dansk Data Elektronik A/S

My daughter Maria, who is 13 years old, is interested in
a penpal from an English-speaking country. Do you have a
son/daughter/friend at about her age who would be interested
in corresponding with her? If so, please drop me a line.


-- 
Claus Tondering
Dansk Data Elektronik A/S, Herlev, Denmark
E-mail: ct@dde.dk
------------------------------- Why do they never serve pizza on airplanes?
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer)
Subject: Christmas Toys - and pushing them
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 07:41:10 GMT
Keywords: Computer, Four, Five

I want to buy my sons a Sesame Street (or something similar) computer
for X-mas.  After all, Dad's a computer maniac, and I think they can be
great education toys.  My sons are four and five and already take
computer classes at school.  My ex2b thinks the computer is a good idea
too.  You'd think there'd be no problem, right.  Well, there is.

Many of these computers are oriented towards children on either side of
the language, alphabet, numbers comprehension border.  Computers for
three to five year olds typically don't have full keyboards and teach
the children shapes, colors, the ABCs and numbers.  Computers for
children that can READ are wholly different, almost like real
computers, except quite limited in capacity and "flexibility."  And
therein is my dilemma.

My ex2b feels strongly that I should not push our children and get them
something that they cannot and therefore, will not use.  But I don't
want to get them something that they will quickly get bored with and
will not use it because they have completely mastered it.  i know these
things are relatively cheap, but I think it would be really neat if I
got them the computer for five to seven year olds and they were able to
master after a lot of work.  I have the utmost confidence in the
ability of children to learn and think that the rate at which our
children are taught is too slow.  But I also understand the importance
of not being too hard on them by creating expectations that are not
realistic.

Also, my ex2b has our computer (286), but it has set in a closet for
over a year because the monitor is broken and to replace it would cost
close to $400.  I wish this was working because I'd just forego the
small computer and get some software.

So, should I get the computer for five- to seven-year-olds and push
them with the chance that it might have been too much of a leap, or get
the computer for three- to five-year-olds and have them reinforce what
they already know?  I am leaning towards the push.  I'll buy it next
weekend.

Aaron L. Hoffmeyer
TR@CBNEA.ATT.COM
From: vnoronha@dagwood.intel.com (Valerie Noronha)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: "my wife and I are pregnant" - NO WAY
Date: 17 Dec 92 17:44:41 GMT
Reply-To: vnoronha@dagwood.intel.com (Valerie Noronha)
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA USA

|> How do you men out there feel about this?  Are other women put off by this
|> also, as Dena is?
|> 
|> Coni

I am not offended by this terminology at all.  It is so exciting for me to
be pregnant and I want my husband to feel as excited as I do.   This is
something we created *together* and it is important for my happiness and
well-being during this time for him to be involved. Whenever the baby 
kicks I take his hand to feel the baby, when I am tired, he does the extra
work, when we're out of food or milk, he makes the late night trip and I
know he'll be there during the birth.  I get such a thrill when he talks
about the baby and what they can do together once the baby is born. 
Physically, I am going though the pregnancy, but emotionally we both are
preparing ourselves for the day we become parents.  I think the nine months
is a time for both to prepare for the new addition to the family.  Fathers
just do different things.

I think we need to remember this is a special time for the fathers too.
They are going to have a baby and they should be encouraged, supported,
and congratulated.  Often, they are overlooked in favor of the expectant
mother.  When we first found out I was pregnant, my husband made many of
the annoucements to our friends.  I thought it funny how the focus would
immediately shift to me and I would be hugged and congratulated.  Everyone
enquires how the mom-to-be is feeling today, not how is the dad doing.  If
we want involved and supportive fathers, then we need to encourage these
kinds of responses such as "we are pregnant."  So I say, congratulations
all you expectant fathers and keep on talking!

Valerie Noronha
due 3-10-93
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: cma@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (christine.m.dakes)
Subject: Re: Colic
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 18:35:57 GMT
Summary: swaddling theory is simple....


The swaddling theory is simple.....makes the baby feel as if it's
in the womb.  And you will see newborns in the hospital bundled up
this way, and it's recommended.  Makes them feel secure.  Gee, even I
still like to be bundled up and wrapped up in blankets or a comforter,
it's just a cozy, warm, secure feeling.  

I plan to try it with my baby (due 1/19/93).  

Along the same lines, I have purchased this "pillow", it's weighted and
shaped like a curve, shaped like a uterus, that sets inside the crib or
bassinet above the infant's head.  So that when the baby sleeps, the
head feels this, and it's supposed to be more like being in the womb,
and makes the baby feel better, more secure (same theory as above).
I bought this because it sounded good, and also from seeing how my
nephews and neices, as infants, always seemed to mooch their way up
in the bassinets and cribs until their little heads were against the
crib or bassinet.  Seemed to me they kept doing that for the same reason,
that they seemed to like having it touch their heads.  I don't know,
I'll use this pillow and see what it's like.  Sounds like a good idea
to me....

Christine
first-time-mom-2-b due 1/19/93
who hopes for a colic-free baby...... :-)



Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: tommy@hilbert.att.com (Tom Reingold)
Subject: Re: how to take baby out in snow without a car?
Reply-To: tommy@boole.att.com
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ, USA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:41:23 GMT

How about a sled?
-- 
Tom Reingold
AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
tommy@boole.att.com or att!boole!tommy
From: tbachman@hamline.edu. (Toni Bachmann)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Henry Cate III - Please read
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:59:09 GMT
Organization: Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota. [The Little U]

I lost your mail message somehow so do not have the address -

Yes, I would like to be on your mailing list!    

Thanks!!

Toni
From: krages@ohsu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: citation needed for Canadian study on episotomy
Date: 15 Dec 92 23:40:08 GMT
Article-I.D.: ohsu.1992Dec15.234008.2909
Organization: BICC - Oregon Health Sciences Univ

In article <BzB841.MAB@acsu.buffalo.edu> oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy
Brown) writes:
>Can anyone give me a citation for the Canadian study so often 
>mentioned, that shows episiotomies are not necessary?
>
>Thanks!
>
>- Peggy -
>
I have a copy of that paper on episiotomies but it's at home so I will try to
bring it into work tomorrow to let you know the citation.  It is from the
Online Journal of Current Clinical Trials and I know it came out in July of
1992.  Because it is in an online journal, it will have a weird citation.  That
journal doesn't have any volumes or issues persay but I think they assign a
number to each paper. (Because they are online, they can "publish" as many
papers per year as they want.)

The paper is hard to get a hold of because it is from an online journal.  You
have to get it from a library that has a subscription to the online journal
(which isn't many) or you have to get it from a service that sends out reprints
(like Faxon or ISI).  I got a copy free direct from the American Association
for the Advancement of Science by calling them this summer.  They sent me a
copy without charge because at that time they were still setting up their
agreements with the reprint services, but I don't know if they would still send
it out for free six months later.

Sorry for the long-winded answer.  You might have guessed that I work in an
information center/library in a medical center.

Kathryn Pyle Krages
Oregon Health Sciences University
Portland, OR 97201
krages@ohsu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: shams@astrals.portal.com (Sharon Zakhour)
Subject: Re: ___ Hepatitis B Vaccine ____
Organization: Astral Software
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 12:38:04 GMT

> 
> Apparently, they have determined that the disease is far more widespread
> than previously believed, and thus, that children often are more at risk
> than they thought.  Some children get it and are asymptomatic.  And when
> a child gets it, they run a very large risk (I forgot the number but it
> was like 20% of them) die young from liver failure.
> 
> I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but I would recommend finding out what
> your doctor is saying NOW, since apparently the government has changed
> their minds.  My pediatrician very rarely tells me what to do (he always
> gives me options and lets me decide.) But this time he said he wanted my 
> boys to get it.  It takes three shots, at least one month apart.

This came up at my mommy support group today.  I live in San Francisco  
which has a higher incidence of Hep B partly due to the large immigrant  
population.

At any rate, one mommy did not have her 4 year old innoculated because she  
figured that he wasn't high risk.  However she rethought the wisdom of  
this when her 4 year old brought home a used hypodermic needle that he  
found on the playground of his pre-school.  He thought it was a neat toy.   
It does happen, at least in this city.

We had our 5 week old innoculated for Hep B.

Sharon
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: Lisa S. Lewis <lisas@pucc.princeton.edu>
Subject: Re: My Son Won't Stand Up
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton  University
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:26:06 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.193658.9477@rd.hydro.on.ca> Catharine Robshaw,
crobshaw@rd.hydro.on.ca writes:
>Well the subject line says it all.  He is 14 months.  By the way, I
>just posted about his lack-of-eating habits over the past month, and
>it seems to be normal for around this time.  Thanks for all the
responses.
>
>Anyway, he only started crawling two weeks before his 1st birthday.
>But he does not stand up, he does not even like to put weight on his
>legs when someone holds him.  Does anyone think this is a problem?
>I am going through the process of getting a referral to a pediatrician
>but thought I'd get some feedback from all you wise parents.  My mom
>thinks he would do better if I put some sturdy shoes on him, but I read
>that babies do better when left in bare feet (socks) to strengthen their
>feet.  Is this right?
>

Your child is probably fine.  But please, do take your child to a
specialist.  And I don't mean your pediatrician.

A friend of ours went through the same thing. Everyone told her that she
was being neurotic, and that  her child would walk when she was ready. 
Finally, when her daughter was approaching two she had her evaluated by a
neurologist and by orthopedic specialists.

It took a long time to figure out the problem, and her daughter had one
surgery and may need more. But they waited too long, and might have
avoided some pain if they hadn't.

Not walking at 14 months is late, but still in the normal range. That's
why pediatricians will pat you on the head and tell you not to worry. But
not crawling till 11.5 months is late, and not liking to stand or put
weight on his legs sounds like it needs further investigation.

I am sure all is well, and I hope that you'll let us all know what
happens. But please, better to be safe than sorry!

Good luck.

Lisa Lewis
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: pellouch@alumni.cs.colorado.edu (Philip Pellouchoud)
Subject: Re: A few facts about circumcision
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:58:28 GMT

In article <2565@usna.NAVY.MIL> wdw@math2.sma.usna.navy.MIL (Wm. Douglas Withers -- math  FACULTY <wdw@sma.usna.navy.mil>) writes:
>1.  I think many parents in the USA these days are choosing to leave their
>sons uncircumcised.
>
>2.  If your son turns out to have his heart set on circumcision, he can
>always choose to have it done as an adult.  Undoing it seems more difficult...

All this talk about circumcision made me think of an old joke:

Did you hear about the man who performed circumcisions for free?

He only took tips!  :)

-Phil
Newsgroups: misc.kids,soc.culture.asian.american
From: clare@nynexst.com (Clare Chu)
Subject: Re: A few facts about circumcision
Organization: Nynex Science and Technology
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 14:51:50 GMT

>>What I'm trying to say is that we are a society obsessed with
>appearances. 
>>Given that, people who are concerned about leaving their sons
>uncircumcised
>>are probably expressing their anxiety quite honestly.  It's not necessary
>>to read any hidden agenda into it.  Grow up a little.
>>
>Now that plays into your "difference of appearance bit" but so what? Like
>so many 
>other things (and this seems *trival* - at first) people are "stuck" with
>their bodies
>from birth onward.

  [ Some people are concerned that their son might be different if
  he were uncircumcised. ]

  First of all, I don't know how much peeking and comparing goes
  on in the men's locker rooms, as I've never been so lucky to be
  there.  Shucks, should have become a sports reporter...

  [ concerned about appearances can go either way].

  Depends on who's the majority.  If the majority of men are uncut,
  then the cut one is going to be the one concerned, vice versa.

  Heck, since I am Asian American, I might as well have had my parents
  cut my eyelids when I was born.  It certainly would have spared me
  all those "ching-chong" jokes where people run up to your face and
  pull their eyes into slits.  But if you're a Westerner living in
  China, you might as well go get those lids stitched up.  Wouldn't
  want to be different, now would we?  Tee hee...
From: AS.RAF@forsythe.stanford.edu (Rebecca Fenton)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Children's own language
Date: 11 Dec 1992 12:25:56 -0800
Organization: Stanford University
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: morrow.stanford.edu

I have not studied personal languages in twins or triplets, but from
my own experience (being a twin), I can attest that it does happen.

My fraternal twin sister (4 minutes older than I) and I had such a
language.  The only other person who could understand it was my
brother, who was 4-1/2 years older than us.  My mother would, at
times, use him as an interpreter.  We "outgrew" the personal
language by the time we were 5YO or so.  We also finished
each others sentences during conversations (and still continue to do
so).  (We are now in our 30's).

Another interesting thing (I never noticed, but was asked this
during an interview with the No. Cal Twins Assn), was that
we would repeat names of  people we were close to (John became
John-John, Betty was Bet-Bet & I was Beck-Beck).


Becky Fenton
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: yarnot@babbage.csus.edu (Jan Yarnot)
Subject: Re: it's happened again, or why mom's hair is turning gray
Organization: Moi?
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 17:20:48 GMT

Sorry about this, but everything bounced.

To: goldberg@eldyn.gsfc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: it's happened again, or why mom's hair is turning gray
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Organization: California State University, Sacramento

It's pushing your luck this close to Christmas, but you might try calling
Archie McPhee in Seattle at 206-782-2344.  They certainly will have the
spiders, and may even have the teddy bear ring.  Bad news is the $10
minimum purchase order... get your daughter a bonus fake iguana, maybe?
Or a quart of tiny things, ($9.95) to prepare for next year! (#8974,
that one.)

Good luck!

--
---Jan Yarnot, net.grandma.-- | Peace on Earth
                              | to people of goodwill.

CSUS depends on my every word.    
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Newsgroups: misc.kids

My 3YO loved her waffle blocks, she has the castle, and a generic bucket
of blocks. She also loves a lot of the "Little Tykes" toys.

She loves her tea set, (Fisher Price, and others but FP had the tray!) and
her LT cooking set with the hot mitt and muffin pan, and sauce pan.

She loves puzzles, tapes (hear hear for the tape player), and books.

I vote no on Nintendo for a 3YO. My older son has nintendo, but the little
one has computer games like McGee's series and Manhole, but no nintendo games.
Her friend like Reader Rabbit. We also have Mickey Mouse something or other
(it talks, so does McGee)

The best gift on the 3Yr Christmas was the Playschool stroller. It was a 
walker/stroller and she was a little old for a walker toy, but it is 
a cute stroller, and she still uses it a lot for her dolls and babies.

Hope this helps a bit.
From: mbb@keps.com (Maureen Busch)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Sesame Street is HARMFUL to children (Was something else)
Date: 17 Dec 1992 13:47:32 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

In article <19921216162149SASTLS@mvs.sas.com>, SASTLS@mvs.sas.com 
(Tamara Shaffer) writes:
>From: dlhanson@nap.amoco.com (David L. Hanson )
>Message-ID: <dlhanson.16.724534415@nap.amoco.com>
>>Sesame Street is NOT great.  Jane Healy has a whole chapter in
>>"Endangered Minds - Why Children Can't Think and What To Do About It"
>>on the damage that Sesame Street does to young childrens' minds.
>>In a nutshell, the fast moving "non-reality" images are not good for
>>children. If anything thinks they are helping their children by sitting them
>>in front of the TV, think again. (Healy's book is highly recommended
>>for all parents; it is especially important for those who ship their
>>children off to a daycare center or use the TV to keep them occupied.)

>While we're bashing Sesame Street, I thought I'd add this bit: My
>MIL is an elementary school principal (LOTS of experience teaching
>1st through 6th grade too), and she says SS is bad because it shows
>lots of examples of children being sassy, sarcastic, and talking-back.
>I am as yet undecided -- I like SS, but that's her opinion and I do
>respect her opinion.  What do the rest of you think?

As a TV-worshipping mom who has Fed-Ex'd her kids (I don't bother to
insure the package, either) to the nearest baby warehouse where they
park the kids in front of the tube for hours on end to sedate the
little monsters into a mind-numbed state (-; (-; (-; (-; (-;,
I probably don't know what I'm talking about, but here goes...

Many of the criticisms of the 'fast-moving "non-reality" images' are
much more applicable to the older Sesame Street shows.  They still
incorporate the older segments into the shows on occasion, but they
are doing that less and less as they build up their library of newer,
slower-paced segments.  I would like to hear a more up-to-date 
analysis of recent SS shows as I think it is a lot less guilty of
fast pace, etc. than it used to be.

We don't watch SS religiously in our home, but we've seen our share
of episodes over the years, and I do have to ask where are all these
examples of children being sassy, sarcastic, and talking-back??  This
is a criticism I have often heard of sitcoms on commercial TV (and
it is an accurate description of many of them, IMHO), but I can't
recall a child on SS behaving that way.  What have I missed?  IMHO,
I don't think SS is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I
certainly don't think it deserves the bashing it is getting in the
quoted articles, either.

Maureen Busch
Internet: mbb@keps.com  <--note new address!
DISCLAIMER:  The opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.

Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling)
Subject: Re: A few facts about circumcision
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 17:29:39 EST

In article <1glhqeINNi59@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu> potts@oit.itd.umich.edu
(Paul Potts) writes:

   > What they really mean is that Daddy doesn't want to admit to
   > himself that he is the one who is "different" by virtue of
   > genital mutilation...  and is willing to inflict the same
   > treatment on son to justify it.

Let's try this one more time...I *don't* consider myself to have been
mutilated, and I'm actually *glad* that I *am* circumcised.  I'm also glad
that it was done so early in my life that I have no memory of it, and as a
result, intend to do the same if our child is a boy.

So now...what do you have to say to a person who intends to have his kid
circumcised because he looks at his circumcision as *an advantage*?


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Keith E Gatling                                  kgatling@mailbox.syr.edu *
*          Opinions?  I've got plenty of them.  Just ask my wife!           *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Newsgroups: misc.kids