Temple Grandin Answers Questions via AutismLive

In this video, Dr. Temple Grandin answers many viewer questions. Topics include advice for parents of children with autism, some words about the Sandy Hook tragedy, and upcoming speaking events, to name a few.

The video is a bit lengthy- 40 minutes long- but well worth watching. The beginning of the video offers an "index" of sorts, listing the times for each specific question. So, if there are certain questions/topics that you're interested in, you can easily skip through the video.

The Parker Five

(Image courtesy of the Parker family.)

As I writer, I know that the act of writing can provide a therapeutic effect in addition to being an outlet for creativity. In the wake of the Newtown, CT tragedy, the Parker family has created a blog in order to express their love for Emilie, work through the difficult days without her, and to share their story- and Emilie's- with the world.

Needless to say, the posts were amazing to read. I can't even imagine how it would feel to lose a child in a tragedy like this. The Parker family has worked very hard to rebuild their lives and to unify their "family of five." You can read their blog at the following link:

The Parker Five

SLC Air

The air in Salt Lake City, Utah is sickening. Literally. This winter has been especially bad. So much so, in fact, that the air pollution in Salt Lake City prompted this petition from Utah doctors. In their petition, the doctors offered various suggestions for improving the air quality: lowering highway speed limits, making mass transit free for the winter, curbing industrial activities, placing a permanent ban on wood-burning, and initiating a strong push for employers to allow their employees to work from home.

It may sound a bit extreme, but the doctors have every right to be concerned. The toxic air is creating many new health problems and worsening the health of those with respiratory issues. During these "red air" days, the doctors have been advising people to avoid the outdoors. It was also suggested that introducing anti-oxidants such as fish oil or chocolate into their diet may help the citizens of Salt Lake City to fight toxic exposure.

Controversial Books: In Our Mothers' House

OMG! Lesbians! Raising children!

I've always loved to read, and I hold a special place in my black little heart for banned and controversial books. I hope to make such posts a regular feature of this blog. "In Our Mothers' House," by Patricia Polacco, has the dubious honor of being the first book I'll blog about in this particular category.

This book (unsurprisingly) caused quite a stir in Salt Lake City, UT! It all started back in January of 2012, when a kindergarten student at Windridge Elementary School decided to check the book out from the school library and bring it back to his house. His mother was shocked and appalled by her son's reading selection, and promptly drafted a petition to remove the offending literature from the school library, which 25 other parents signed.

In April, it was decided that the book could remain in school libraries but that it should be kept behind the counter. Their reasoning? The book "didn't comply with state law barring homosexual advocacy in the school curriculum." Yes, there really is such a law in the progressive state of Utah. Shocking, I know.

So, if Windridge Elementary School is located in Utah, why did they even add "In Our Mothers' House" to their library? According to a spokesperson for the school district, the book was added to 5 of the district's 50 elementary schools back in June 2010, after learning that a Windridge student was being raised by lesbian parents. Is it sad that I'm honestly more surprised by the school district's initial attempt to foster understanding and inclusion than I am by the angry mob that demanded that the book be banned from Utah schools?

Well, you can bet that the ACLU got their collective panties in a twist when they heard that "In Our Mothers' House" had been relegated to a position of secrecy behind the library counter. In a letter to Superintendent Bowles, John Mejia, Legal Director of the ACLU of Utah, pointed out that Utah law prohibits the advocacy of homosexuality in health curriculum, and that even if "In Our Mothers' House" were to be included in health curriculum, it could hardly be said to advocate homosexuality. The Alliance Defense Fund also contacted Superintendent Bowles, emphasizing that the school district had not banned "In Our Mothers' House", but was simply requiring parental consent in order to read the book, arguing that "parents have the primary role... in the upbringing of their children."

Throughout this entire debacle, I couldn't help but think that the parents crying for the ban of this book were severely crippling their own children. As a parent, you should be aware that you can't shield your child from reality. Any attempt to do so is only going to end up causing more harm to the child. Whether you like it or not, your child is going to exposed to "radical" ideas, concepts, and images, despite your efforts to prevent that from occurring. Through television, video games, the internet, their environment, and their peers, your child is going to be exposed to ideas that you may not agree with. If you're not ready to have healthy discussions with your child about these ideas, concepts, and images, then you're not ready to be a parent. Period. End of discussion.

The desire to ban a book just because it conveys ideas that you don't agree with is also ridiculous and does nothing to deter an unhealthy culture of fear. Hell, when I was a small child, I read those "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" books and scarred myself for life. I'm sure that my parents weren't thrilled when my overactive imagination was spurred into nightmare overdrive, but did they contact my school district and cry for the books to be banned? No.

This lady ruined part of my life.

(Ironically, parental complaints led to the "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" series being re-released with updated, less terrifying illustrations, but I'll cover that in my next blog in this series.)

As of January 21, 2013, "In Our Mothers' House" is back on library shelves in the Davis School District.

If you'd like more information on "In Our Mothers' House", check out the book on Amazon.com. You can purchase it directly from Amazon.com or through a local retailer. Unless you live in Utah, anyway- then you might have to check behind the counter of your local retailer, or you might be chased from the premises of your local retailer if you inquire about the book. Proceed with caution, Utahns!

Bountiful Basket

I love participating in the Bountiful Baskets co-op! If you've never heard of it, let me explain. Bountiful Baskets is a co-op with chapters set up in many different states. What started out as two sites in 2006 has grown to hundreds of sites in 16 different states. Members wishing to participate in a specific week make a contribution towards a basket. The basic basket contribution is about $15.00 for a basket that is roughly 50/50 as far as fruits and vegetables are concerned. Organic baskets and additional items (lunch packs, additional fruits/vegetables, bread, etc.) are available at an additional cost. We usually opt for the "basic" basket and we have yet to be disappointed. Trust me, you couldn't buy this stuff in a store for the low price of $15.00! The above picture was our first Bountiful Basket. We participated last week and our basket contained bananas, strawberries, pears, onions, potatoes, green bell peppers, lemons, celery, and much more.

This is also a fun program because it challenges the way you think about food. You never know what you're going to get, so it adds some fun and variety to your meal planning. Since we pick up our basket(s) on Saturday morning, we're able to review the contents and plan some meals accordingly. For example, after reviewing last week's basket, I immediately decided to make a stew and a banana pie. Both were a hit with my family. Sometimes, we've received items that we wouldn't normally have purchased. In the above picture, you'll notice a small container of champagne grapes. I wouldn't have purchased these on my own, but they were an amazing addition to our basket. They also prompted me to search for ideas on how to use them. I wound up making some "lavender/cream cheese mini tarts" and they were delicious! Definitely a great way to expand your culinary talent and feed your family.

I also love that we're able to purchase healthy food at an affordable price.

If you're interested in participating, check out the Bountiful Baskets website and see if they have a location close to you. Of course, since this is a co-op, everything is run by volunteers, so I would encourage you to volunteer your time to the co-op if you're physically able to do so. It's a simple way to ensure that this excellent program sticks around for a long time to come.