Xlibris, the print-on-demand self-publishing services provider, announced today the release of Oscar’s Big Miracle. Authored by Patricia Patterson, this vibrantly illustrated picture book will bring unforgettable fun and valuable lessons to the little ones.
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It’s appalling to even imagine this and yet it’s actually true.

According to The Sun, a mother admits to giving her 8-year old daughter botox injections as well as “virgin waxes” in order to increase her chances of becoming a “star”. The young child, Britney, is quite active in the beauty pageant circuit and her mother thinks that this is one way of helping her win crowns and opportunities.

The mom, a beautician by profession, said — “I know one day she will be a model, actress, or singer, and having these treatments now will ensure she stays looking younger and baby-faced for longer.” If you haven’t yet passed out from shock, she then said this: “She is a lucky little girl and is going to be famous because of the benefits I am giving her so early.”

The mother has different botox vials on stack, which is why she can afford to do this to her daughter. She gets this from a local beauty dealer. The virgin wax, she adds, is to prevent her daughter from growing hair in the future.

It’s sad to imagine and also very disturbing to think about it but there are actually a lot of mothers addicted to this whole kiddie pageant circuits. It’s also very unhealthy, not only physically, but mentally. On top of this, her daughter seems to have no qualms about what her mother is doing and even hopes to get a nose job.

What do you think about this?

There have been a couple of viral videos going around featuring five year old girls behaving much, much older than their age. It’s actually amusing to watch. But some adults are wondering what these kids have been exposed to, for behaving the way they are in these videos.

I’ve seen both and the only thing that bothers me about it is in wondering what it was I did when I was five years old! Seriously. I don’t think it’s easy to judge these kids. They’re just being adorable, I guess. This is only about a fraction of their life and who they are.

The first video is of this little girl who has the makings of a make-up guru. She knows her make-up brushes really well and I find that amusing because I learned about the importance of having different make-up brushes when I was 35, not five years old!

I’d be happy to see more of her make-up videos, that’s for sure!

This next video is of a five year old saying she will never marry a guy if she doesn’t have a job first. The way she says it with conviction makes me hope that she keeps that good sense even when she’s a lot older.

Are you bothered by how these five year old kids are behaving or do you find all these cuteness part of growing up?

Image courtesy of US Magazine

This story has been going on for quite a while, but it seems to be drawing to close.  A Malawi Supreme Court Judge has approved Madonna’s application to adopt 3-year-old Chifundo “Mercy” James. 

The problem had to do with a residency law that said that to adopt a Malawian child, you have to live in Malawi for 18-24 months.  The Malawian government didn’t enforce that law with Madonna’s other Malawian child, David, but for some reason in this case it decided to crack down.  The case went to the Supreme Court, where the judge ruled that it was an “old law,” and that Mercy should be with Madonna.

Apparently things will move pretty fast now.  The little girl’s papers and passport will be prepared over the weekend, and Madonna should be able to take her home by the middle of next week.

Madonna released a statement through her rep, saying, “I am extremely grateful for the Supreme Court’s ruling on my application to adopt Mercy James.”

I’m glad they approved this.  I’m not a fan of Madonnna, but if I had her kind of money, I’d adopt more kids.  I like to see people with virtually unlimited resources like Madonna and the Jolie-Pitts using them to increase love and nurture in the world.

“Learning to tell time can be fun. It won’t be long until we’re done,” beckons the narrator in the colorful new children’s book, “It’s About Time” (published by AuthorHouse), by Danielle Kovanchak, which teaches children how to tell time while telling the story of a little girl and her dog, Tess.

Combining lively, full-color illustrations with simple rhymes, “It’s About Time” provides a great tool for teachers and parents seeking to educate children about time. Over the course of one day, readers follow the little girl as she wakes at 8 a.m., is at school by 9 a.m., breaks for recess at 10 a.m., and leaves school by 3 p.m. to enjoy many other after-school activities throughout her day.

After school, the little girl and her best friend, her dog Tess, fall in love with clocks and agree that the little girl must go to school to learn new things. By learning new things, the little girl can teach Tess. By 7 p.m., it’s getting dark and the little girl and Tess must go to bed. Each activity is marked by a clock showing the associated time, making learning fast and easy for children.

Ideal for children ages 4 – 7 and parents who wish to take an active role in teaching their children basic life skills, “It’s About Time” provides an easy-to-read, whimsical story that will surely prove timeless. Focusing on retention techniques such as rhyming and the use of instructive, playful images, Kovanchak presents a children’s book that is as entertaining as it is educational.

Danielle Kovanchak received her bachelor’s degree in English and Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She worked in downtown Toronto as the vice president of a financial firm for 10 years. “It’s About Time” is her first published book, and she has three more in the works. She currently resides in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

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