You have heard about her work on the Today Show, in Vanity Fair, Newsweek, Business Week, Elle, Parenting, you name it. I am proud to say Leslie Lehr has become a citizen hunter and will be a regular guest blogger for our Work at Home Mom Corner.
Leslie is a prize-winning novelist, screenwriter, and the author of several humorous parenting books. Her latest essay, lauded by Katie Couric, is in Mommy Wars, the new Random House anthology about Working Moms versus Stay-at-home Moms. "I Hate Everybody" is excerpted in WAHM. Read her entries, share your stories, and ask her questions.
Do your children read the newspaper? Watch the news? Have any idea what is happening in the world beyond your driveway? As Flavia says, big media is a risky source, and I'm not one to argue. My sister is a network correspondent in Santa Barbara, and I can only guess how tough it must be for a producer to choose a balanced news report and keep her job when the corporations need ratings to sell the advertising space that supports them. As for the paper chase, I read several to keep up. Okay, that's a lie, I read one, skim several others. And to be truly honest, I check my horoscope first. But when I was a kid, we were quizzed on current events starting in fourth grade.
Last Sunday, there was a fabulous front page full of exciting news on every front. It included historical documents on Judas & Jesus, court events in the Enron Scandal, the yellow-ribboned despair for an MIA in Iraq, details about Bush and the CIA 'leak', and deaths from volcanic sinkhole at Mammoth. I wanted my children to know about all of it.
First, I asked my 16 year old of she had heard about the Judas document. This kids clicks through images faster than I can see them. I wedged myself between her face and her computer screen to make eye contact. She was well aware of the news, nearly disdainful that I had to ask. We had a nice discussion until she broke eye contact and I noticed the mess on her desk. And, um, mentioned it. Maybe I should have guessed from the poster of Anderson Cooper on her wall, but her friends surf the Internet like hungry piranha, ingesting huge amounts of information from various sources and deciding for themselves. One down.
Next I went to my 14 year old, the fashionista shortstop. She uses the Internet for homework, but mostly for instant messaging when her cell phone is out of battery power. She is great about only calling me on her cell phone, but since I upgraded the model for her birthday, I learned the hard way that she can text faster than she can talk. Did she know what was happening in the world? Not a clue, beyond hearing me rant. As much as I want her to agree with me, I don't want to be the source of all her opinions. So I made her sit down with me to discuss the day's headlines. Before I drove her to the mall.
As a work-at-home mom, I feel horrible to have missed this opportunity. Sure, I've shared the occasional articles of interest. But I usually throw out the paper at the gym or put it immediately in the recycling bin to avoid clutter. And, despite having a mother who is addicted to every news show on TV - and not only to make sure my sister is still the best - I hate hearing bad news on TV after a long day. Especially when I've heard the big stories while procrastinating on-line.
Inspiring our kids to be responsible, involved adults means we can't depend on schools that have more and more history to teach them. Like everything else important, education starts at home. Since our family activities preclude a daily dinner, I'm starting a tradition of discussing current events at Sunday dinner. It's a start. Now I just have to commit to the Sunday dinner.
Im not the shortstop thank you very much, i played it this past game and hated it so much i asked if they could put adrianna in so i could play my real position. Second base? yeah . bye. lets get sushi tomorow.
Posted by: Ceejay at April 18, 2006 08:55 PMI don't understand the point you're trying to make. News is important. But what children are suffering from lack of knowledge? You've seen us do current events since the same age you had them. I was obviously well-informed. Caty wasn't as much, but she's not an idiot, which I think you said when you were lecturing her about that front page you loved.
I dunno. I can't seem to remember this interaction happening at all.
Posted by: juliette at April 18, 2006 09:09 PMI just finished reading It's So Cliché, twice, no three times really. I remember the attention given during minute long phone calls, and the sweet homecomings that only the military man and his bride can ever know. I recalled the idealism of couplehood weakened by the steady rain of this war and finally washed away by Katrina. It is so cliche' isn't it? Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us.
Posted by: Joe at April 19, 2006 11:30 AM...and thanks for sharing this part too! I'm still waiting for sister #2 to post a comment...did ya get that Lisa?
Posted by: Joe at April 19, 2006 01:11 PMInteresting responses from what I assume to be your two girls.
Posted by: pj at April 19, 2006 04:18 PMYup, those are my kids, children of the web. Obviously, they ARE paying attention. And now we have a great conversation opener, lol!
Joe was referring another huge issue for millions off moms: the challenge of families of veterans. Many are rising up publically about the human toll of war, but the silent majority will suffer through teh aftershocks of even those who make it home physically intact.
How can we make sense of news of war for our children?
Posted by: leslie at April 20, 2006 03:54 PMI think it's rather refreshing to see the kids of bloggers interjecting with their views or, in some cases, correcting their parents!
As for war: You've got me there. I don't think war makes sense, or could possibly make sense to a young child. They'll ask, and all you can do until they are old enough to comprehend the damage, is to give them the nutshell. And of course, if you don't come from a family directly affected by war, it's even more difficult.
Posted by: pj at April 20, 2006 05:49 PMYou are an amazing writer and mom. People should be able to see that when they read the back and forth between you and your kids.
Although I do not have children (yet), your articles give a gorgeous glimpse of what awaits us. Keep doing what you are doing: thinking, acting, and giving voice to the most important segment of America: Our American Family.
Posted by: Joe at April 21, 2006 01:49 AMYou are an amazing writer and mom. People should be able to see that when they read the back and forth between you and your kids.
Although I do not have children (yet), your articles give a gorgeous glimpse of what awaits us. Keep doing what you are doing: thinking, acting, and giving voice to the most important segment of America: Our American Family.
Posted by: Joe at April 21, 2006 01:51 AMDouble post. I am such a rookie.
Posted by: Joe at April 21, 2006 01:52 AMWe are all rookies at life.
My kids have been hugely affected by war, pj, since their dad is a veteran. To protect their privacy (which they just blew!) and his, I'd rather not say more here. As for news discussions, makes it hard to be objective....
Anybody else out there with ideas about this? Help? Experience? Thoughts?
Posted by: Leslie at April 21, 2006 12:54 PMI have thoughts. I know I'm not supposed to comment here anymore but I'm not supposed to do a lot of things. These people might want to know that you aren't a great mom or whatever Joe said, though, at least not in the eyes of...you know...your kids.
Posted by: juliette at April 22, 2006 06:36 PMNot true, juliette and don't say 'your kids' becase i have thoughts too you know. Besides, everyweek most kids i know have to go online or to a news source and do current events for school. i need to do 5 pieces for the political and world event sectons, and 3 in entertainment news. My favorite part is the entertainment news though, because its mostly fun stuff, and nobody cheats or dies.
Posted by: CeeJay at April 24, 2006 09:11 PMI have got to forward this site to my mom. She would get a kick out of this section as it would bring back some good memories. She raised three kids, and all just 3 years apart from oldest to youngest. Boy were we a handful. Nowdays, when mom is worried about something, I just tell her that she raised us right and not to worry. I honeslty believe that we are so much closer because of the divorce.
Posted by: Joe at April 26, 2006 08:58 PMFlavia, your right!
Posted by: Joe at April 27, 2006 04:24 PMNow there's an interesting concept that divorce tightened the bond with your mom....
Posted by: leslie at May 1, 2006 02:09 PMSorry for the last post attributed to me - the "Flavia your right" one. I work with a bunch of Marines and someone thought it would be funny to put my name on one. Funny guys...My "Marine Corps family" is not too different...
But yes, my fam and I didn't really appreciate the dynamic until years later when we found ourselves sitting down and talking and enjoying each others company as thirty-somethings and realized how well we all turned out and how close we are. And we compare (as most families do I would imagine) themselves with other family units. I wouldn't trade our experiences with anyone. Now, our busy lives and our distance from each other (NY, TX and LA) limits the contact (maybe thats a good thing sometimes), but that just makes our reconnections that much more valuable and our memories of growing up - the little details of accidents, arguments, and adventures that only a close family can share - the lemonade we made from the "loss" of divorce.
Posted by: Joe at May 2, 2006 10:17 AM..it tightened it, but not at first. Kids have to grow up a little to appreciate the folks.
Posted by: jOE at May 28, 2006 04:09 PM