Portland Teen Idol auditions this weekend
Auditions for the Portland Teen Idol competition start Friday evening and continue through the weekend.
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Portland Teen Idol auditions this weekend
Archive for 'Portland Fun'
Time to Value the Work Moms Do
The second in a seven-part series by guest blogger Erin Barone for Family Forward Oregon. —————————————– The recent comments about “stay-at-home” mothers by Hilary Rosen and Ann Romney have put motherhood squarely in the headlines. Opinions about what was said aside, these comments present an opportunity to look past the usual rhetoric and start talking about the deeper issues of how motherhood is valued (or not!) in our society. So, as a group of moms gathered on a sunny Sunday in Portland to participate in a discussion course called The High Cost of Motherhood and How We can Lower It , we did just that. After reading two short articles – It’s not a “Mommy War,” it’s a War on Moms by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner of MomsRising.org, and For most moms, work is not a choice by Tara McGuinness of the Center for American Progress Action Fund – we settled in to talk about our experiences as mothers and what we want for the future. For the record, we agreed that dividing us moms into conveniently labeled groups (stay-at-home, working, etc.) is not only inaccurate but a sadly effective way of disempowering us as a group. And we plan on having more power, not less, thank you! We reviewed the statistics: mothers earn less than women without children (73 cents and 90 cents to a man’s dollar respectively); mothers are offered significantly lower starting salaries that non-mothers ($11,000 less with equal resumes and job experience); and women make up 50 percent of the labor force (and a majority of moms now work). We talked about the move from an agrarian society to an industrialized one; how the feminist movement has made it hard to talk positively about the impulse to nurture; ways men and women use family benefits in the workplace (or could use them if they had them); how other countries support families though government and workplace policies ( consider France , for example); and the importance of simply being aware of the language we use when discussing these issues with friends and family. We also talked about our personal experiences as moms. What struck me was the variety of circumstances we bring to the table. We are students. We are sole income earners. We are looking for work. We are single. We are married. We are younger mothers and older mothers. I know this group isn’t nearly representative of all the ways we exist as families in the US. (Check out this interactive NY Times tool to see how representative your family structure is). But what we all have in common is the desire to provide for our families in a society that values the work of caring for its many generations and affords us the humane time to do so. —————————————– Next Week’s Conversation: Next week our group will be discussing two topics: The Economic Marginalization of Mothers and Does Work Work? We will be reading excerpts from several books including The Price of Motherhood by Ann Crittenden, The Motherhood Manifesto by Joan Blades and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, and The Widening Gap by Jody Heymann. We’ll be looking at motherhood as an economic and political issue and considering how workplace policies are intricately connected to the economic well being of mothers and families. —————————————– Share Your Insights and Experiences: How has motherhood affected you economically? What did you think work-family balance was going to be like before you had kids? How has it been the same or different from what you expected?
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Time to Value the Work Moms Do
Win a Tour of John’s Incredible Pizza Company!
We can’t get enough of the fabulous food (all you can eat!) and awesome arcade fun at John’s Incredible Pizza Company in Beaverton, so this month we’re giving away a behind-the-scenes tour of John’s Beaverton location for a group of up to 12 people. The package includes an individual make-your-own pizza, the delectable all-you-can-eat buffet, unlimited beverages, 20 Fun World credits for rides and games, a John’s Pizza chef badge and more! Enter by April 30 for your chance to win. PLEASE NOTE, RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Anyone can enter to win but the prize/tour must be used by a nonprofit group, school, day care center or day camp. See disclaimer below: Disclaimer: John’s Incredible Tour package giveaway is for groups up to 12 people. Restricted to ages 12 and under including their chaperones. Tour package is for non-profit groups, schools, day care centers and day camps only. Available Monday-Friday, start time from 8am-3pm, subject to availability. Not valid in combination with any other offer. Package must be used by July 31, 2012. Prize is valid for a tour of John’s Incredible Pizza Company’s Beaverton location only. Learn more about John’s Incredible Pizza Company (9180 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton; 503-520-0000) at johnspizza.com .
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Win a Tour of John’s Incredible Pizza Company!
The Source Climbing Center – Vancouver, WA
What’s to Love: For climbers, especially with kids, it doesn’t get much better than here in the Portland area. We have some world-class bouldering and climbing gyms all within a 15 mile… [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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The Source Climbing Center – Vancouver, WA
Portland Easter egg hunts and more
Spring is here and Easter is Sunday. Here’s a guide to some of the things you and your kids can do to celebrate around Portland.
We’ve Got a New Look!
If you’ve had a chance to pick up our April issue -– or to read it online -– you might have noticed we’ve updated our look. We’ve got a new logo, a new layout for our Table of Contents, Ages & Stages and regular departments, and a cleaner, fresher design throughout the magazine. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to bringing you interesting and informative parenting-related features, information on local parenting resources and our remarkably comprehensive daily Family Fun Calendar. We’re very proud of the work we do creating the region’s most useful and entertaining parenting magazine, but we’re always looking for ways to be even more useful and informative to our readers. Help us out by letting us know what you think of our recent redesign (it’s a work in progress!) and of the resources we bring you in print and online every month. What do you like (or not like) about the magazine’s new look? What do you like best about our magazine? (What’s most useful and/or most entertaining to you? What sections do you always read?) What would you like to see more of in our print magazine? If you follow us on Twitter , like us on Facebook , receive our enewsletter and/or read our blogs, what do you find most useful about our online postings? What would you like to see more of from us online? And if you’d like to give us any other feedback, feel free to post it below! We appreciate any and all comments. After all, we’re here to make your job as a parent easier, more effective and more fun!
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We’ve Got a New Look!
Mud cancels 50th Alpenrose Easter egg hunt
For the first time in 50 years, Alpenrose Dairy has canceled its Easter egg hunt after record rains.
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Mud cancels 50th Alpenrose Easter egg hunt
Kids’ activity calendar rescues parents
Kids and parents have a blast at OMSI, but many wish they knew about other family friendly events; now PDX Kids Calendar can help.
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Kids’ activity calendar rescues parents
Love Your Local Library!
Last week we ran a blog post about upcoming Spring Break activities for school age kids, and every Friday we run our picks for weekend fun under the What’s On this Weekend (WOW!) header. Whenever we compile these types of lists –- whether for the magazine, our enewsletter, or our blog –- we’re always blown away by the sheer volume and diversity of activities offered at our local libraries. And most of these events are free! So we thought it was time to run a brief reminder for all the kids and parents out there to keep an eye on your local library’s events calendar, because as much as we try to list every family-friendly event and activity around town, even we can’t seem to find the space to list all the wonderful story times, performances, activities and classes offered by the region’s exceptional libraries. Here’s a list of local library websites and events calendars. We suggest you bookmark your county library’s calendar, but it’s also fun to check out neighboring library systems’ events once in a while for a special low-cost family fun day out! Multnomah County Library Events Finder Clackamas County Library Story Times (For more libraries in Clackamas County, visit lincc.org ) Washington County Library Events Clark County, Wash., Library Events We just love our local libraries! As writer Anne Herbert so eloquently put it, “Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries.”
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Love Your Local Library!
Our 2012 Summer Camps & Learning Guide
Officially it’s still winter, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start thinking about summer camp! In fact, many local camps are already accepting applications for summer 2012, and some of the most popular ones will fill quickly. Luckily, we’re here to help, with our 2012 Summer Camps and Learning Guide , available now. Inside, you’ll find loads of information about local camps and other summer learning opportunities. In addition to a comprehensive list of local camp options, we’ve got a feature on camps that will keep kids active all summer and one on academic camps . Our Summer Camp Survival Guide includes articles about helping kids overcome homesickness, how camps promote healthy lifestyles, and how you can stop worrying about your kids when you send them off to camp! Pick up a copy today, or check it out online for all the information you need to make this summer a success! Oh, and by the way, you can now pick up your copy of Metro Parent at Fred Meyer and QFC in the area!
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Our 2012 Summer Camps & Learning Guide
Portland celebrates St. Patrick’s Day
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Portland celebrates St. Patrick’s Day
Win a Family 4-Pack to Cirque du Soleil!
If you’ve never experienced Cirque du Soleil, you have seriously been missing out! And if you have experienced their unique and awe-inspiring performances, you’re sure to want to see them again! OVO — the latest Cirque du Soleil show, opening April 5 at the Portland Expo Center — is sure to be a hit with kids and parents alike as it centers around the “energetic world of insects!” This month, we’re giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to see the amazing new show, and we’re offering discounted family packs as well. Enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets on our contest page . Contest ends March 31. Please limit entries to one per family. Can’t wait to get your tickets? Visit our ticketing page on their website and get a specially priced family 4-pack for as little as $170! Learn more about OVO at cirquedusoleil.com .
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Win a Family 4-Pack to Cirque du Soleil!
Families Against Hunger
Oregon now tops the nation in child food insecurity. What can we do to help? In southwest Portland, the annual SW HOPE community food and fundraising drive is running through April 1, bringing together more than 60 faith communities, businesses and community groups to help feed hungry people in the area. The goal is to raise 150,000 pounds of desperately-needed food, or the cash equivalent, to support Neighborhood House’s Emergency Food Box Program, the largest on Portland’s west side. The program currently serves about 500 families each month, nearly twice the number served before the recession hit. To educate the public about the need for food assistance, SW HOPE organizers are launching a Families Against Hunger Weekend March 9 to 11 . The event is designed to create an opportunity for parents to talk with their kids about the complex issues of poverty and food insecurity while supporting SW HOPE. The first step in getting involved is to make a commitment to talk with your kids about hunger sometime during the weekend –- and about how your family can make a difference for those facing food insecurity. Tips for talking with your kids are available at nhpdx.org . You can help further by making a donation to SW HOPE and by sharing your experience on Neighborhood House’s Facebook page . Everyone who donates during the March 9 to 11 weekend and/or posts about their experiences on Facebook will be entered into a drawing for a family-friendly prize package. To offer ongoing support, consider donating food, money and/or your time to local hunger relief program like those listed below: Neighborhood House: Families are invited to work in the food pantry every first and third Tuesday evening of the month. 7780 SW Capitol Hwy. 503-246-1663 x2118. nhpdx.org . Oregon Food Bank: Numerous volunteer opportunities for families throughout the area. 503-282-0555. oregonfoodbank.org . Clark County Food Bank: 360-693-0939. clarkcountyfoodbank.org . Sunshine Pantry: 7795 SW Cirrus Dr., Beaverton. 971-506-7827. sunshinepantry.org . Do you know of another way to help? Please post it in the comments below!
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Families Against Hunger
