(no subject)

I am so much more excited about Christmas for the kids than I am about anything that I might get. It's funny - I think it's so obnoxious when other people say "Christmas is just for kids," and I get all indignant on behalf of adults who are on the receiving end of that kind of comment. And yet that's how I feel for myself.

It's not that I'm anti-Christmas at all. I love a lot of things about Christmas:
- The pageant and the potluck dinner at church on Christmas Eve.
- Watching my favorite Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Sreet.
- Everything related to the Christmas tree: decorating it, smelling its fresh Christmassy scent, sitting in a darkened living room with the tree lights shining.
- Singing carols and listening to Christmas music.
- Watching the West Wing episode "In Excelsis Deo" with Michael. (We do that every year.)
- Reading Christmas stories, like Connie Willis' Miracle.

...But the Christmas morning present spectacular is all about the kids for me these days. I find it harder and harder to think of things I might like. Things they might like, on the other hand... OMG. Buying presents for the kids is so much fun.

( Burbling about what they're getting; ignore if you like )

(no subject)

I got a workshop approved for SUUSI this year!

Here's what will be listed in the catalog:

The Birds and the Bees WThF 2-4pm
Talking to your children about sexuality is awkward, but not talking to them about it is probably worse. This practical workshop will address what to say and when, and in how much detail. We’ll address developmental stages, discuss individual situations, and practice with role plays. For all child ages.

Rebecca Wald works in HIV research, teaches middle school OWL, and faces awkward questions from her own kids every day.

And here's the detailed description I gave the Program folks:

Workshop Outline: This workshop will include brief lecture components, guided discussion, and the opportunity to practice skills using role play.

The workshop will begin with a discussion of participants’ past experiences with sexuality education and the messages they received about sexuality from their parents. We will discuss the values we wish to pass on to our children regarding sexuality. Participants will be encouraged to share their past experiences discussing sexuality with their children and answering children’s questions.

At the first session, we’ll identify a set of topics and issues that participants particularly hope to cover during the workshop. This workshop is intended to cover all child ages, so examples may range from what names a preschooler should use for genitals to how to discuss contraception with a teenager. Other topics may include (but are not limited to) sexual abuse prevention, masturbation, puberty, dating, sexual orientation, gender identity, abstinence, and pregnancy. Ideally there will be a broad range of child ages represented among participants’ families, but if not, the workshop will be targeted more precisely at the appropriate age range based on this initial assessment.

The majority of the workshop will consist of brief lectures about children’s sexual and emotional development at different ages, followed by a discussion of common situations which may arise at that age and topics parents may wish to address with their children. Particular efforts will be made to address all the issues and topics of interest which were identified at the first session. Participants will have the opportunity to submit anonymous dilemmas for group discussion and workshop leader advice. Participants will also have the opportunity to submit anonymous questions about sexuality for the workshop leader to answer. Participants will be given the opportunity to practice sexuality discussions in parent-“child” role plays.


I am excited! I think this has the potential to be very cool. I need a minimum of ten sign-ups for the workshop to be considered viable, so it still may not happen. But here's hoping.