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DCUM Weblog
Telling the Truth is Optional
Usually I draw stares for all the wrong reasons, like the time in Bethesda Bagels when I thought a guy was checking me out, until a woman whispered, “You have a Cheerio stuck to your behind.”
A group of us moms and dads were sitting in a school bus as it heaved and groaned its way to the Smithsonian Institution for a field trip. I was feeling good, despite the migraine-inducing shrieks of the kids, who’d just spotted the highlight of their trip, one sure to be recounted at dinner tables across Bethesda that night—a homeless man relieving himself on a tree on Wisconsin Avenue.
As we parents frantically redirected the kids’ attention—“Look! A—a—parking meter!”—I suddenly noticed a little girl named Kendall staring at me.
Usually I draw stares for all the wrong reasons, like the time in Bethesda Bagels when I thought a guy was checking me out, until a woman whispered, “You have a Cheerio stuck to your behind.”
But today my jeans were Cheerio-free. I’d even taken a shower and applied mascara. (Preschool field trips are major social outings for me.) Kendall looked at me for a minute, then shouted, “You look just like someone I know. Only he’s a man!”
Putting the Howl back in Halloween
You can spend plenty of money on cute and kitchy Halloween 'stuff', but it's more fun to make your own.
I know I'm not the only Gen X Mom who loves Halloween. What's not to love? It involves dressing up, hanging out past bedtime with friends and eating sweets-- three of the best things in the world. In addition, it does not involve any of the more problematic elements of some other holidays: visiting with annoying relatives, sitting in church or spending lots of money on people you don't know very well but with whom you're somehow obligated to exchange gifts.
Retailers, however, have caught on to Halloween's hip potential, and capitalizing on the suburban zeitgeist of "no occasion is truly great unless we've dropped a wad of cash at Target," turned this holiday into a 6 Billion dollar industry, second only to Christmas. Now you can buy Halloween lights for your Halloween tree, animatronic Halloween displays for your yard and Halloween accessories for your Halloween themed and decorated events. Several years ago, as this themed merchandise began to trickle into the aisles, it was exciting. I thought, "Yes! This is my holiday! Let's celebrate! Let's buy!" They had me right where they wanted me. Now, as all this spooky plastic landfill fodder has become more and more aggressive, appearing earlier each year, taking up more aisle space, all the while getting cheaper and more generic, I say enough.
Minivan or SUV: The False Dichotomy
While discussions about the choice between minivans and SUVs ignite heated discussions in the DCUM forums, neither may be the best choice or urban parents. When it comes to versatility, the lowly hatchback is often the best performer.
Making the choice between a minivan and a SUV has almost become a rite of parental passage. The decision is a topic for discussion that is guaranteed to set the forums on fire, with a recent thread on the subject quickly exceeding 100 posts. Both vehicle types have their supporters and detractors, but my response is "none of the above."
Certainly there are those who of necessity require a large vehicle. Families with more than two children, large dogs, or with a need to tow something are obvious examples. But for smaller, urban families, in my opinion there are much better choices. One such choice is the station wagon. However, perhaps due to nightmarish memories of long trips in the family Vista Cruiser, my generation has largely spurned station wagons. The few good choices available tend to be luxury models from the likes of BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo. The most obvious, and attractive, exception to this rule is the Subaru Outback.
