Okay, now that I have everyone's attention --
Did you ever consider grocery shopping without your child? Like at night
after your husband is home from work? Like I do? Or maybe when a friend
is babysitting? It's called choosing your battles.
No, Sam and Bob, you aren't completely out of it. I'm a gen-Xer with a
14-month-old and I agree with you both COMPLETELY! On this one issue. ;-)
Briana LeClaire
----------
> Dear Visionaries
>
> On the comments from Gens and Guy Curtis's statement about this issue
being
> local, I'd like to see more discussion about education as well as overall
> involvement of children in our community. Representative Trail has asked
me
> to give him more information on a method of education inspired by the
> community Reggio Emilia in Italy. This method of instruction is
starting to
> get recognition here in the United States and has been featured on both
NPR
> and CNN. I have included two URL's that describe the approach for anyone
who
> is interested.
>
> Since two restaurants have dried up here in Moscow, I am wondering if
that is
> not only because of more competition, but also because these two
restaurants
> were not family centered places to eat? When I want to eat out, as a
parent,
> I think of places I can to take my children. In Moscow, I am often
reduced to
> McDonald's. One thing that impresses most educators and people who visit
> Reggio Italy is that there isn't a place in the community where children
are
> not welcome. It would be great to see some downtown businesses be more
> kid/family friendly. The one business that seems to thrive is Hodgins.
They
> sell good quality developmental toys with friendly educated staff. It's a
> pleasure to shop there. I would shop more at other store downtown if I
didn't
> have to continually follow my toddler around making sure he isn't putting
> something in his mouth that he can choke on or knock something off a shelf
> that is breakable. I carefully control my environment at home to prevent
> these accidents. It would be great to have business owners do the same.
You
> might just get more of my dollars if you do. Oh by the way grocery store
> owners, the "You break it, You bought it rule," in my opinion doesn't
apply to
> the impulse items you put at toddlers level at the checkout stand. As I
am
> busy unloading a cart and paying for my groceries, if my toddler opens up
a
> toy or candy, I say that is lost money on your part. I have talked to
several
> managers about this only to have my requests go ignored. I say if you
want to
> put those items within reach of little people who have the least amount of
> control, then that is your lost income.
>
> Here are the URL's.
>
>
> http://child.etsu-tn.edu/Center Web/Training/Reggio/Reggio.html
>
> This is the transcript off the CNN Impact Web Site. The discussion on the
> Reggio Approach is at the bottom. I have heard this discussed on NPR as
> well, but I haven't had time to find it on their web site.
>
> <<File: Transcripts.url>>
>
> http://cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/9801/11/impc.00.html
>
>
> Katrina Dasenbrock
> katrinad@moscow.com
>
>