Scroll On

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen —political rants, cringe-worthy personal posts and adverts for whatever overpriced product people are selling [at that moment]. What I can tell you, is that none of these things would drive me to ‘unfriend’ a person. I like the fact that the people who comprise my Facebook friend list are diverse, and while I may not agree with their political leanings, want to see the play-by-play of a nasty divorce, or purchase their overpriced STUFF, none of this would lead me to abandon our online friendship. At the end of the day, I do want to know what’s new in their lives and see updated photos of their adorable children. However, I frequently utilize my right to “scroll on” when the fifteenth adorable child photo is posted in a day (making said child not so adorable anymore), or when I see another advert for a ‘special’ on the bags they’re selling. Let’s be honest, I’m a rubbernecker, so I typically don’t “scroll on” when I see a bad breakup taking place live.

Unfollow

Remember the days when your Facebook feed only showed witty third person one-upmanship amongst your friends with clever status updates? “Lauren is trying to figure out how to post a status that doesn’t fit in the present tense.” These days, I’m lucky if I even see a quarter of my friends’ updates, given the sheer number of Pages I’ve “liked”, likely from my drunk Facebooking days of old (sure _____ sounds fascinating, why not follow them?).

When I was pregnant with my son, and after he was born, I had a minor obsession with parenting pages on Facebook, blogs mostly. Once I became a more seasoned parent (read: worn out and caring less about how I was ‘doing’ the whole parenting thing), I found that many of these pages were downright obnoxious AND full of terrible advice or information. I had a run in with one of these pages on a bad day, fed up with the mommy wars, the infighting amongst mom bloggers, and the overwhelming misinformation being spread by parenting bloggers with an agenda. This particular day I decided to speak my own truths, not caring about the veritable shit storm it may create because a.) I didn’t want new or expecting moms to receive false information, and b.) so many people were agreeing with this particular stance like a herd of blind sheep. To summarize, the blogger in question posted that sleep training sabotaged breastfeeding (in response to an article promoting sleep training for babies).

The fact that my husband and I participated in sleep training with my son, and I shared openly about my positive experience with it (I’m no martyr), made waves in my little ‘natural parenting’ community and was a cause for controversy and outrage. I was accused of neglecting my son (not true) among other very false accusations, intimating that I was a bad mother.

This is how it went down on this blogger’s page. I shared that I had done sleep training with my son, and that it did not affect breastfeeding…at all. In fact, my sleep-trained son nursed until he was 21 months old AND slept 12-14 hours a night. BAM! How dare I? The blogger chimed-in, a midwife/lactation consultant threw statistics at me (none of which applied to my situation, as I had already stated). What they were doing was fear-mongering, just like the naysayers who tell expecting mothers that c-sections will sabotage breastfeeding (proved those women wrong, too – BAM!). The fear-mongers turned into cyber-bullies after I voiced my own experience, and remained firm in voicing the fact that sleep training with your baby does not definitively ruin breastfeeding. I should have known better than to open my trap and engage (something I typically do not do), but I really felt that I needed to chime in about the misinformation being disseminated, so that new moms wouldn’t be bullied into thinking that they had to enter into sleep-deprived-martyrdom. This encounter inspired my post, The Dark Side of Mommy Bloggers, that eventually ran on The Huffington Post.

Step Away

You know that the only proven way to prevent pregnancy is abstinence, right? Well, that concept also applies to social media. When you find that social media is no longer fun or serving a purpose, and is instead causing stress, anxiety and even anger, it’s time to step away. But, don’t be one of those people who post a long rant about how they’re done with Facebook, or going on a hiatus, only to appear two days later. Just step away quietly, no one needs to know — it’s between you and your social media accounts.

I go through periods where I absolutely loathe social media, honestly, and often dread the act of opening my web browser when I’m at my laptop. But, the very medium that allows me to work from home, network, connect with “colleagues”, and find new jobs or opportunities is, you guessed it, through social media platforms. In fact, you’d be surprised (because I often am) by how many professional connections and employment opportunities I’ve unearthed through using Twitter. Absolutely amazing.

So, when I take social media breaks, I tend to stay out of my personal feed or account, avoid any groups that are bugging me and take care of business. And let’s be honest, Facebook can be an insane time-suck. You wouldn’t believe how many writers I see in groups talking about how they don’t have time to write, or that they’re obsessively monitoring email inboxes, bemoaning rejections, or just gabbing when they could be spending time…writing! Yes, it can get lonely working from home, and it is definitely nice to connect with other writers, but do yourself a favor and set a strict limit on your social media time…or else you’ll find yourself looking at the clock a few hours later, reflecting on the conversations you had about your favorite pens, what planner you use, and how you don’t have time to write around your children’s schedules.

 

How do YOU reduce your social media-induced-frustration?

Having lived in Baltimore for many years prior to our move to Philadelphia, one large difference between the two cities can be found in the number of high quality entertainment venues just outside of the city limits. One thing I love about Philly is that you can step just outside the confines of the city and find art, music and theatre venues just as culturally rich (if not more) as those in the city; I would argue that the Philadelphia suburbs are better for it.

 

As a former city dweller, I often wanted a night out without entering the downtown scene. The Philadelphia outskirts and outlying metro area offer many historical entertainment venues that make city dwellers feel at home and give suburban residents a slice of the city [without having to step foot into city limits]. I like to enjoy a nice meal when I see a show or an exhibit, so I try to find an area restaurant that’s doing food a little differently and providing an atmosphere worthy of a night out. Take a look at some of my “must visit” picks:

Keswick Theatre

Built in 1928, the Keswick Theatre has had several incarnations, serving as a film house before being reopened as a theatre in 1981. An historic theatre known for its superior acoustics and comfortable seating, the Keswick remains a go-to entertainment venue, drawing diverse musical acts, comedians and stage productions that appeal to all tastes and interests (my husband has seen The Pixies, The Eels, Todd Rundgren, among many other talented musicians at the Keswick).

Located in Glenside, just minutes outside of city limits, the Keswick is accessible by SEPTA rail, making travel from Philadelphia proper a breeze.

Where to eat:

While you can’t grab a cocktail, you can BYOB to Humpty’s Dumplings. Have fun sampling dumpling flavors such as Magic Mushroom and Cranberry Beef, or if dumplings aren’t your thing, try one of the many noodle dishes they offer — Coq Au Vin or Cheesesteak, anyone?

Ambler Theater & Act II Playhouse

Also opened in 1928, Ambler Theater was opened by Warner Bros. as an outlet for showing mainstream movies in the heart of downtown Ambler, Pa. After being purchased by a nonprofit organization in 2001, the Ambler Theater underwent a pricey restoration to restore the theater to its former grandeur.

Today, Ambler Theater is a destination for showings of independent and classic films, in addition to screenings for local filmmakers, featuring Q&A sessions. If you’re not into independent or classic films, you’ll be happy to know that the Ambler Theater does regularly show Hollywood films in its lineup. As a nonprofit, the Ambler Theater offers membership with levels of benefits for its patrons (most notably reduced admission to the Ambler and affiliated local theaters, and invitations to special events and advance screenings).

If musicals, plays and comedic acts are more your speed, Ambler also offers Act II Playhouse, just a block from the theater on the main street. Founded in 1998, the Act II Playhouse is a relative newcomer to the area arts scene, but has accrued an impressive number of awards since opening.

Easily accessible by SEPTA and other public transportation, you can make an entire day out of your visit to Ambler, browsing the array of shops on the main street, sampling the fare from one of the many choices available in their thriving restaurant scene, and then catching a show.

Where to eat:

Forest & Main

Perhaps Ambler’s best kept secret, Forest & Main is tucked off of the main thoroughfare in a quiet restored Victorian. A “Best of Philly” winner since their doors opened, Forest & Main offers brews and a menu featuring a bevy of locally-sourced ingredients. Co-owner Gerard Olson’s wife, Mira Kilpatrick, supplies some of Forest & Main’s produce from her organic farm, The Humble Huckster.

The Lucky Well

If you’re in the mood for barbecue and live music, you need only cross the street from the theater to step into Chad Rosenthal’s The Lucky Well. You may recognize restauranteur Rosenthal from Food Network Star fame, but in these parts he’s known for his Memphis-style barbecue.

https://www.instagram.com/p/9wJvfFPj-Y/?taken-by=ardmoremusichall

The Ardmore Music Hall

Like many of the older theaters, The Ardmore Music Hall has held multiple names, but has always been a venue for great music. Located in Philadelphia’s Main Line, The Ardmore is accessible by public transit and SEPTA rail. Past artists include The Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, The Ramones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and many more. Today, The Ardmore presents a live music lineup, featuring music styles as diverse as the audience it attracts — rock, funk, jam, roots, adult contemporary, Americana and more.

Where to eat:

Tired Hands Brewing Company

Offering local, small batch craft brews, Tired Hands Brewing Company is not your average brewpub. Here you’ll find a menu just as carefully crafted as their beers, offering ingredients sourced from within a 100-mile radius of Tired Hands. You won’t find 5-course meals at Tired Hands, but you will find small plates, comprised of premier ingredients, perfect for noshing, allowing the craft brews to take center stage.

These are just a few of my favorite places to relax on [now only occasional] kid-less nights out with my husband; what are some of your favorite places to go around Philly?

 

 

As most of you are already aware, I am now working (almost full time) as a freelance writer. Because so much of my published writing is about parenting, most of the jobs I’m offered are within the parenting realm. I was blessed to be asked to write for Care.com this past year, and met so many wonderful people through contacting and conducting interviews for the articles I was assigned.

While writing for Care.com, I got to explore topics I was already interested in — cloth diapering, breastfeeding, pediatric sleep — and learn more about topics I had little to no prior knowledge, such as baby developmental stages and social media safety. In August, I took my parenting writing up another level when I was asked to write for ChildVantage, a non-profit organization providing legal services for children.

The articles I write for ChildVantage are cutting-edge, well-informed, thoroughly researched and unbelievably fascinating for me. Not only do I get to pitch and write about topics I’m passionate about, but I also get to delve deeper and learn more about pressing topics dealing with early childhood and parenting.

One evening, my husband and I were discussing my current projects and I lit up when I began telling him about the pieces I was writing for ChildVantage. The more I spoke to him about the articles, the more impassioned I became. I suddenly realized why I was so excited — for the first time in my writing career I was immensely proud of the content I was producing.

That’s not to say that I’m not proud of other pieces I’ve written, because I absolutely am (especially the pieces I’ve written about miscarriage and PPD), but it was a pride stemming from looking back on my writing career. I feel that each parenting article I’ve written, each blog I’ve drafted, prepared me for writing for ChildVantage. The parenting blogs I’ve written for my blog and other large outlets, the network of professionals I’ve developed over the past two years, the interview skills I honed while writing for Care.com — all of these, I feel, prepared me to do the writing I do for ChildVantage.

 

I am proud of what I’m writing, and feel that I’ve found a “writing home” there. I will truly be sad when the contract ends. Until that time comes, I’ll be sharing some of the articles with all of you. Without further adieu, here are a few of the pieces I’ve written thus far:

Teaching Kids May Be As Easy As Telling Stories

I highlight a recent study that found that storytelling at an early age is a crucial building block for developing early literacy skills. I got to work with my graduate school mentor on this piece, whom I’d not spoken with in ten years, and I was happy to be able to reconnect.

Laughter And Learning: Giggles Are Beneficial For Both Child And Parent

In this piece, I highlight a recent study showing the link between a toddler’s laughter and increased retention. I was thrilled when Dr. Tovah Klein, author of How Toddlers Thrive and head of The Toddler Center at Barnard College, agreed to be interviewed for her thoughts on the the study’s findings.

Cheering On Kids With Cancer

A recent news article, highlighting the donation and installation of a bell at UNC Children’s Hospital inspired me to delve deeper into the world of pediatric cancer. I was honored when Sarah Butler, owner of the cloth diaper company Buttler Bottoms, agreed to share her daughter’s story with me for this article.

I have many more pieces I’m proud of, but the above articles are a few of my favorites. I’m passionate about two things, writing and learning, and ChildVantage allows me to tap into both. I hope you’ll come along with me for the ride!