Courtesy of my ten year old son, from a book called Children at Play, a Cul de Sac Collection, Richard Thompson, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009.
P.S. Is this my son’s way of making fun of my career?
If you’ve taken my Sleep Clinic, you’ve heard me talk about _Goodnight Moon_ — Margaret Wise Brown’s classic bedtime story, which acts like part prayer, part lullaby and is an iconic part of so many folks’ bedtime routines.
The book’s been parodied lots of times, but this hilarious piece at McSweeneys is a new take on it — it’s an analysis of GNM written in the style of a scholarly essay, complete with an assessment of symbols of postwar materialism (bunny lists all his belongings), and thematic content (red balloon = cold-war-era Communist threat), and an exploration of Bunny’s Search For Masculine Self:
[T]he bunny’s final “goodnight moon” demonstrates his completion of his rite of passage and his development into a full man bunny. The moon, which visually appears on every page, grows larger and more pronounced—it is a chanting feminine voice, haunting and disturbing his world. Just as he must overcome his sexual desire for the woman who says “hush,” the bunny must resist the impending femininity outside of his safe confines. In Queer Theory, the bunny’s final admonishment—”goodnight noises everywhere”—represents his full on embrace of a heteronormative lifestyle and a rejection of his “deviant” thoughts, probably about the kittens with the mittens.
If you’re reading GNM to your little one night after freaking night, perhaps this will add a bit of chuckle-value for you.
New Moms’ Groups
This is the place where you can be real: messy, and unshowered some days, energetic and fresh-from-the-gym other times, deeply inspired one week and filled with doubt the next. Moms’ Groups are the place to sort it out and to find like-minded women in the same life-moment. Some of the people you meet here will be friends for life.
UPCOMING DATES:
Four Thursdays (11-1) in Columbus Circle: (new series starts each month) at City Births, 370 W 58 St.
Four Wednesdays (2-4:00) in Tribeca: (new series starts each month) at Pregnancy & Parenting, 54 Warren St.
Six Fridays (11:30-1:20) in SoHo: (this group is for Bowery Babes members; please contact me directly at meredith (at) amotherisborn (dot) com.
No matter the location, our focus is on the way that being a mother — not just having a baby — shapes your day and your life.
FAQ
Can I bring my baby? Yes!
Can I ask questions about breastfeeding? Yes, although this is not only a breastfeeding group, the topic of breastfeeding often comes up! I am an IBCLC and can give perspectives on the nursing relationship. There is also a digital scale in Columbus Circle and in TriBeCa if you wish to weigh your baby. However, this group is not a place to get one-on-one clinical support, and if it seems that’s what you need, I’ll suggest we chat afterwards about working together.
What if I’m not nursing? Will I feel left out? No! — the group is for moms, regardless of feeding method. One of the benefits of a moms’ group is learning that in real life, if not online, people get along and support each other even if they are not all doing the same thing.
What do we do in a moms’ group, anyway? Here are some topics:
If I’m going back to work, is it worth it to come? Yes! A new moms’ group is an introduction to a wonderful peer community. Being around other mothers will help you get your bearings in the transition to parenthood. Some stay-at-home moms will continue month after month, and some of the moms who return to work will continue with the working moms’ group, but at the outset, you’re all starting in the same place.
Can I come to more than one location? Yes, you can join more than one! Many moms do! But you have to register for each group separately with the host organization.
What if I really can’t get out of the house but have lots of questions? Joining a group is best, but for moms who can’t, I do private parenting consults on these issues as well.
Look at all these happy moms and babies!
For 2014 Ongoing Working Moms’ Groups, scroll down.
In the Working Moms’ Workshop: we cover all the essentials of going back to work after a first child, including:
This is run as a 3 part series meeting once a month for three months. Contact me for dates and to register.
Participants are invited to join the ongoing working moms’ group to share sharing resources and continue the discussion.
The Working Moms’ Ongoing Group helps new moms prepare for and manage work/motherhood concerns. Members are a diverse group of moms who come together to share information, problem-solve, vent and find a place for their dual identities. This is a great group, and a sorely needed resource for working moms who want to talk and connect.
UPCOMING Dates:
CHELSEA: 129A W 20 Street between 6th and 7th. On hiatus in March 2014; contact me for the April-May series at meredith (at) amotherisborn (dot) com.
UPPER WEST SIDE: 370 W 58 St 2C. 3/13, 3/27, 4/10, 4/17 (four dates) 8-10pm $140
Register by clicking button at left. More details here and here.
A note about these groups — please read this before you consider joining: Scheduling a working moms’ group is never fun because everyone’s life is busy. It’s easy to cut out the things you do “only” for yourself. Over the years, I’ve observed, though, that when a group feels mutually committed, great things happen. Members who sense an obligation to the group go out of their way to attend and find that dragging themselves out even when they’re tired, or the weather is bad, or a babysitter is hard to come by — pays back in huge dividends for them. Even more importantly, when the group comes to rely on each other, it’s magical. Everyone feels safer talking candidly about her own life when she knows that the other women there are in it with her — not just dropping in or “trying it out.” No one wants to talk about the tough stuff with someone she might never see again! For this reason, attendance is a priority for this group. Think of signing up as a commitment to everyone else in the room, and know that they are committing to you, too.
(Obviously, sometimes you can’t make it, and that’s fine — life happens. Calling in and participating by phone is an option many folks take when a business trip or family situation forces them to miss a session).
Finally, since I encourage you to think of joining as a commitment to the group, I don’t offer “trial” classes or pro-rated fees if you know you’ll have to miss a sesssion, and the series fee is non-refundable. I hope you’ll join, and come to be part of a supportive community that is, truly, priceless.
Maybe you’re wondering how to ensure your child becomes a “good sleeper.”
Maybe you’ve been bombarded with conflicting sleep advice.
Maybe the “expert” advice you’ve heard doesn’t work on your baby or just doesn’t feel right to you.
Maybe you and your partner don’t agree on how sleep “ought to” happen.
Or maybe you just find it hard to think clearly and be consistent in the middle of the night!
There is no one simple method that fits every family’s needs. There is no one way for infants to sleep. There is no magical number of hours they, or you, must sleep at a certain age.
Let’s get away from sleep advice that should be in the fiction section of the bookstore! Babies are real people; they have needs. Parents are real people with real needs, too. Learning to put those things in balance will help you make sense of your chaotic, tired situation. We will develop real-life habits and solutions that work best for your family; you will feel more confident that everyone’s needs are getting met.
Private Sessions in Manhattan, or via Skype, contact me at meredith @ amotherisborn (dot) com.
You’re taking care of the baby; who’s taking care of you?
You’re probably an expert at lots of things, but as a brand new Mom, or Mom-To-Be, you’re a new beginner. And unlike things that ease in gradually, this is something you do 24/7, without a guidebook. (Well, there are hundreds of guidebooks but they all say different things, and none of them was written just for you).
You know there’s not one “right way” to do everything, but … you want to get it right.
And you’re tired.
It can get intense.
As you figure out breastfeeding and infant care and logistics — and later on, as you sort out naps and playtime and your parenting style — you deserve pragmatic, non-generic assistance, and reassuring company. I’ll have my eye on you to make sure you’re not falling through the cracks – that you’re being taken care of as you learn to mother your baby.
Options:
My goal is to help you find your sea legs. As you figure out who you are as a Mom, I will support your choices with guidance, advice and mentoring, so that you gain confidence to move through the postpartum period.