About this Blog
Momfidence! cheers on commonsense parenting and sighs at the rest. How to worry less, wing it more. A.k.a. parenting by the seat of my mid-rise mom jeans.
About Paula SpencerI'm the author of Momfidence! An Oreo Never Killed Anybody and Other Secrets of Happier Parenting, and a mom of four in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (where you can't even buy Oreos at the two wholesome groceries nearest to my home). 
A rare foto in which all six Spencers face the camera! by Charles Harris
Some Kindred Blogs
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A Silver Lining in the Black Economy?November 18, 2008
I've written often about the spooky disappearance of old-fashioned, ordinary, unsupervised, free-form play in kids' lives -- and the resulting consequences, which range from higher rates of obesity to lower rates of creativity and independent thinking. Not to mention less time for moms to read a book, if the tykes are needing to be carpooled to art class instead of running around the backyard playing cowboys and Indians (cowpeople and Native Americans?). At a conference about play taking place right now (urging preschools to include more of it), the terrific psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek used a rather unfortunate analogy to describe the lack of play in early-childhood education: "the next global warming." I suppose she intended to stir up the same kind of mad blinding panic those words inspire in certain circles. Except play is an inarguable and highly actionable issue -- you can't directly save the planet (sorry to burst any bubbles, there) but parents have plenty of control over directly ensuring that their kids have sufficient play time in their day. But let's forget global warming for a moment. For there's a more critical crisis, in terms of how our daily lives will be affected, the financial crisis. In terms of play, at least, the coming fiscal dark ages might bring some silver linings: * Less spare cash to spend on endless toys and gizmos and monthly social networking game fees. * More emphasis on simple stuff with multiple uses: sticks, leaves, blocks. * Less gas money for driving hither and yon to practices for ball games, and a resurgence of the good old neighborhood sandlot. * Less disposable income for lessons and classes that clutter kids' schedules and make it impossible to find a friend to hang out with after school. * More emphasis on creativity as a pathway to success -- that's what Oprah's saying is the new right-brain route to success in the 21st century. And lots of free play way to point your child in that direction!
Momfidence is... ...Providing the space and the time for kids to play -- and then butting out. ...Picking a preschool based on the play-to-teach ratio. Go with the more "playing" than "teaching." Academics and preschool are not words that go together.
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