Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in cleveland, OH

Infertility

February 27, 2009

Today's guest is Julie Irwin Zimmerman.

Julie is a jounalist and regular contributor to Cincinnati Magazine. She has also worked as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Today, she has graciously prepared this post to introduce you to her book, "A Spiritual Companion to Infertility".

Now, if you yourself have (thankfully) not suffered with infertility, I'm sure you're like me and you know someone who has.

Below, Julie offers her thoughts about the the Octuplets' mom and her struggles with infertility.  Please comment below about your experiences with infertility - you, your sister, your friends... 

Nadya Suleman, the California woman who gave birth to octuplets last month and now has 14 children under the age of 8, is on television today and tomorrow giving her first interview. Like most everyone I know, I am at a loss as to how a doctor could have agreed to place so many embryos in an unemployed single mother who already had so many young children, and I’m troubled by Suleman’s explanation that a lonely childhood led her to want a huge family. But as a former fertility patient, I also recognize the pain she describes in her seven-year quest to have children, how miscarriages and failed pregnancy attempts left her despondent.

I never reached the suicidal point that she describes, but my years of trying to have children were definitely the hardest of my life. In our talk-show culture it seems like everyone is willing to talk about their addictions and compulsions in public, but infertility too often remains a private struggle, a source of shame that is borne alone. Those of us who are having problems conceiving usually hope our ordeal ends quickly so we won’t ever have to reveal our trouble to others. Our friends may suspect something’s amiss but avoid bringing up the topic for fear of seeming to pry. A wall goes up between us,
and sometimes it’s tall enough to remain even after we’ve resolved our infertility.

Now that I have two children I’m more than willing to talk about the difficulty my husband and I had forming our family, but I wasn’t so forthcoming in the thick of things. I’m left wondering if things might have turned out differently for Nadya Suleman and her children if we treated infertility like other medical problems, if she’d gotten more support from friends or help from a psychologist, if it hadn’t been just her making these decisions alone.

Battling Weight Discrimination

by Naomi

February 23, 2009

Emme is working with Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity to educate our country about weight bias, weight discrimination and wants to share with you helpful ways to teach your children about the harmful effects of weightbias and how to support a child in your life who is the victim of such a horrible experience.

I am bringing you this interview as the week of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week begins.  Please take a moment after reading this post to visit the site!  

With me on the call were several Savvy Source City Editors ... read on for the interview :

When the Student Becomes the Teacher

by Naomi

January 28, 2009

This post was written by Tara Jefferson Pringle, of The Young Mommy Life .  Tara is a Public Affairs associate with The Cleveland Foundation and a freelance writer (has written for one of my favorites, Family Groove) . She shares with us today her thoughts on learning from your children! I know I've grown a lot since my daughter was born two years ago. And I don't mean the numbers on the  Read more...

Any June Cleavers out there?

by Naomi

January 08, 2009

I have very little time to read a book these days . . . and when I say very little, I mean that every time I make the conscious effort to read before bed, I just fall asleep within 30 seconds of opening the book. I really do admire moms that can make the time to read. To stay off of the computer, not turn the TV on and get those kids into bed. I've long been a fan of the book Even June  Read more...

Looking back on November.

by Naomi

November 30, 2008

Did you miss these posts? Some of my favorites (or some of the most important ones, anyway) from the month of November: How would they reach your loved ones? Have you been to Shaker Lakes Nature Center? Need a Christmas gift that is literacy based and keeps on giving? Get creative with your kids! Here's hoping that November was full of great fall hikes, lots of jumping in the leaves and  Read more...

Quote for your weekend ... 11.21

by Naomi

November 21, 2008

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell How about you? Comment away ... Do you have too much on your calendar? Do you need to relax the rigid schedule and just enjoy life?  Read more...

11.7.08 Quote to sit with for the weekend ...

by Naomi

November 07, 2008

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." -William Morris  Read more...

10.24.08 quote

by Naomi

October 24, 2008

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~ Thornton Wilder.  Read more...